Summer heat sucks. Despite growing up in Texas, Dave never really cared for hot weather. It always made him woozy and sick. He was prone to heat exhaustion, partly due to never taking his favorite long sleeve shirts off. The heat on the Land of Heat and Clockwork was a bit different. Sure there was heat, it was hot, but it didn't penetrate. It was like his being was insulated against the insane temperatures. So he could stay in his shirts and suits. He's not wearing either now though, and he's never felt so exposed. Every scar noticeable, every memory out for show. At least Karkat didn't mind coming with Dave alone. It was their compromise. He didn't wear a ridiculous amount of clothing to a beach, and Karkat agreed to come out without the others.

Karkat hadn't really been on a beach before. At least not a human version of a beach. There was a type of beach on Alternia, but the sea-dwellers kind of claimed it. Not that Karkat would have given two shits anyway, he just figured it was better to avoid Eri-douche altogether. Still, he was a little nervous. All that water, he didn't know how to swim. And Dave didn't look like he was fairing much better. His arms hugging his bare torso, like he's trying to make himself as a small as possible. Even around the house he wasn't big on going without a shirt. Now that he was out in the open this couldn't be easy for him. Karkat appreciated the effort though. Taking his hand, gently reaching out. Dave must have been lost in his own thoughts because he jumped a little at the contact. Karkat gave him a sympathetic smile. Lifting up the basket, signaling for them to find a place to lay out their towels for lunch. Dave chose the spot. Midway between where sand meets ocean and sand meets dirt. Golden rays shining down on the two.

After they laid out the blankets Dave pulled out the sun screen. He never had a chance to use it with Bro. It was never around. Didn't stop Bro from forcing him to fight on the roof until he collapsed from heat exhaustion though. One time he screwed up and Dave got heat stroke. Had to be rushed to the hospital, almost died. How that didn't get a call to child protective services Dave will never know.

When his illness wasn't life threatening he would awake hours later with an insane burn that always hurt like hell. Every day he was back out there though, per Bro's command. Even if his skin was peeling and he was bawling his eyes out from the pain. It never stopped. Dave was kind of surprised he never got skin cancer with how bad his burns became. Now that he thinks about it…Bro never burned. He never even had a dusting of color on him… bastard must have had some sunscreen, just never saw fit to allow Dave to use it.

He should probably stop think about this now. It was Karkat's day. He didn't want to be the asshole that ruined their time together. He was pulled out of his thoughts by a tap on his shoulder. Red eyes meeting his. "You okay?" How could he answer that? He felt more exposed than he had in years he's having flashbacks of his Bro, he hates the sun, he hates the heat. The only thing that's keeping him grounded at the moment is knowing that Karkat is next to him and the smell of the sunscreen. It's weird, but the odd smell helped, it was foreign and novel, so out of place with everything else. It helped.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Sorry about that." He couldn't worry Karkat. The troll had been so excited about seeing the beach. He tried to down play it. Talking about how only asshole sea dwellers only ever used the beach. But Dave could tell he was eager to be there and see what it was all about.

Karkat didn't look convinced, but let it go. The troll held out his hand, Dave returned with a questioning look. "Sunscreen, you need me to get your back right?"

"Oh, yeah. Thanks."

"Anytime."

After the protective lotion was applied, Dave turned around, prepared to return the favor. Karkat saw what he was about to do. "No need, trolls don't burn."

"You sure? That sounds like bullshit." Dave smirked.

"Fuck you." Karkat laughed. "We may be matesprits, but my race is still superior." Laughing again.

Dave couldn't help but giggle along. "Oh, yeah. Your race made my race. So, it your fault we burn and you don't."

"Lies, your race fucked something up."

"How could we fuck something up? We weren't alive yet, you were."

"I don't know, you guys did some shit, because you're stupid and do dumb shit. Like teaching children some fat bastard flies around in some fucking hoofbeast sleigh and delivers presents to wrigglers."

"I'm standing by the fact that YOU made us, so the stupidity lies with you. It's like the original sin of idiocy."

"Then with that, let's end fucking dumbass conversation and say the circle of stupidity is complete."

"Amen, now kids go to sleep so a fat fuck can creep into your room like a perv and leave you presents. Which he won't cause it's fucking summer."

The two were laughing at each other. Despite any romantic quality of their relationship they would probably always be bros first. They opened up the basket which held their sustenance, sandwiches and apple juice.

After filling their bellies they Karkat started walking towards the water.

"Dude stop. You're not supposed to swim after you eat."

"Says who?"

"Says god, now get the fuck back over here."

"Which god? If it's the god of your planet, then I never said that, no one has ever said that. If it's the god of this planet, well shit how many are there? And only one, you, is saying that."

"Exactly, I, god, am saying that."

"I don't care, that doesn't prove anything, besides I've been god of two planets, so I out rank you. I can ignore anything you say."

"Well fuck."

"That's right. Regardless, I wasn't going to swim, just wade in the water."

"Oh, why? It's hot, you should swim…well, not right now, but in like twenty minutes you should totally swim. Cool you down and part of the whole reason we fucking came here."

"I….I don't know how to swim."

"How the fuck can you not know how to swim."

"Well gee Dave, I don't fucking know. That's a fucking mystery. Oh, wait, yes I do know, my Lusus never taught me. It's not exactly part of troll education."

"Alright, alright. I'll teach you….in fifteen minutes, 'cause I'm not getting a cramp, fuck that shit."

"Fine, whatever."

Bickering had recently re-entered their way of communicating with each other. It was a nice way to get through awkward topics that weren't overly personal in nature, and truth is…they just liked it. It felt comfortable and easy and there was care even in their barbs towards each other.

Twenty minutes later Dave got up and went over to Karkat. "You ready?"

"Sure."

Dave led him into waist high water, thinking about how he was going to go about this. He didn't exactly have a frame of reference. Bro just threw him into a lake and shouted "Figure it out." He struggled for several minutes. He can still remember the way his heart felt, like it would beat so hard that it would break free from his chest. His arms flailing. Failing a several times to keep his head above water. The burn of water entering his lungs and still no rescue from bro. He didn't want to cause that kind of terror in his matesprit. He eventually figured it out, but that event was more trauma inducing than helpful. He vaguely remembered seeing some kids and their parents when he took the long way home from summer school, the parents were with the kids in the water. Reassuring them, keeping their heads above water.

Dave took a deep breath. "Okay, I'm going to need you to trust me, okay?"

"I trust you Dave."

Another deep breath. "First let's teach you how to float…"

And they continued the whole day. First floating, then treading water. Split stroke, back stroke. Karkat was an exceptionally fast learner, he even mastered the breaststroke by the time the sun was setting. Both were exhausted, but the activity helped them both in different ways. Karkat learned a new skill, and Dave was able to replace the negative swimming experience with a positive one. Not completely, but it was a start. He let a small smile play on his lips. His past doesn't have to plague him. Little by little he can take its power away and grow stronger for himself…and for Karkat.

The next day Karkat was completely red. Complaining, barely moving, and in pain. Dave gently applied aloe vera to the burns, but not without a few I told you so's and some light snickering.

Notes: Sorry for taking so long! I actually have most of the remaining chapters finished. Two more to write and it's done. I'll probably space out what's left though. Still, it will be done before new year's eve. The chapters will be pretty short though, just a warning. And there's virtually no smut. Still, I hope you enjoy what's left! For anyone reading the Dirk/Jake fic, that's going to take a little longer. It will resume in December, but there's some stuff I'm trying to figure out with it.

Linda065cliva: I'm glad you like it! And thanks for the advice!

Hikary Sanoko: Who doesn't love insecure Dave? It ended up being kind of a short chapter, but there will be a chapter with insecure Dave!