A/N: I'm very glad that people like this fanfic so much! n.n

I don't think there's much to say beforehand, so...

In the next chapter, Gamzee and Tavros will meet each other for the first time~

I have a feeling it will be all cute and bleh.

Thank you for your support so far c:

Be Tavros ==

"I think I might stop sending my pen pal letters." A tall blonde girl sighed at her desk to her friend during Math. Her friend, a small, ginger lass frowned at her.

"Why?"

"Even though she's supposed to be crazy, she really isn't. And it's boooring, you know?" The girl rolled her eyes and leaned back on her chair.

"Yeah, I guess I get what you're saying. A bunch of other people have stopped sending letters, too. I think the only one still sending letters is Nitram." The ginger girl motioned over to Tavros, who looked up when he heard his name.

"Why did you, uh, mention me?" He asked the two girls. He couldn't recall their names, since they did not regularly attend the class. Today must have been a special exception.

"Because you're pretty much the only one whose kept in touch with your pen pal. Are they really that interesting or something?" The girl asked.

Tavros shrugged, smiling slightly. It was true that Gamzee was probably one of the most interesting people he had met, and over the past few weeks he had really gotten to know him. "I guess, although I would have kept in touch with them, regardless. That being said, I really am glad he's as interesting as he is."

Tavros had been talking to Gamzee via letter for the past two months, but had lacked the courage or tenacity to supply him with his chumHandle, although he really did want to. He had discovered that Gamzee had been born into a happy, well-off family, but his happiness was cut short when his parents died in a car crash when he was twelve. He, through no fault of his own (and probably the fault of the crash that he and his brother was also in), had a mental breakdown, and, after unintentionally convincing enough people he was mentally unstable, was sent to the institution as soon as he was deemed fit to come out of hospital. But, he was happy, calmer after being there for six years, and was due to be released soon.

"Soo~..." The blonde girl smirked. "Is he hot?" She twirled her hair, smirking a half moon smile. Ah, Tavros remembered her now. She was the highschool's resident bike, everyone (aside from the nerds, incredibly unattractive, and cripples) had taken 'a ride'. She was always desperate to be fucked by someone.

Tavros blushed. "I-I don't really know..."

The ginger's face lit up. "Woah, Nitram, are you gay or something?" Tavros blushed more as his eyes widened. He had always been confused about his sexuality, but he put that to the back of his mind. "Oh my God, he is!"

Before he could defend himself, the math teacher arrived into the classroom and started the lesson.

'sO IF YOU, uH, wANT TO GET INTO CONTACT WITH ME,

oNLINE, tHAT IS,

mY CHUMhANDLE IS,'

Tavros stopped as he was about the write his chumhandle, frowning a little. Did he really want to do this? He was sat at his desk at home after a difficult Wednesday, with the sunset spilling a warm orange light onto his right side. Rufio was out for the evening, probably with his boyfriend. Tavros still was unsure of who this mystery guy was, but according to Rufio he was a sweet guy, who loved to create beautiful, but useless gadgets. Therefore, until eleven, he was alone with his thoughts. And maybe Aradia, if she were to come online.

Tavros sighed. "Don't be ridiculous, of course you do." He threw his pen down anyway, and logged onto Pesterchum. A blinking icon next to apocalypseArisen, which signified that the person he was hoping to talk to sent him a message.

apocalypseArisen began pestering adiosToreador

AA: hello, tavros

AT: oH, hI, aRADIA,

AT: i DIDN'T EXPECT TO, hEAR FROM YOU,

AT: wEREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE, hANGING OUT WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND TODAY, oR SOMETHING?

AA: that was the plan initially

AA: but something came up involving his older brother so he had to cancel our date

AA: which means i am here 0_0

AT: oH, aLRIGHT

AT: wANT TO DO SOME, oNLINE RP-ING?

AA: sure that sounds good 0u0

After about three hours of roleplaying, the sky had gotten dark and the sunset had been replaced with an inky blue sky and twinkling white stars, and Tavros had become impatient. He started to repeatedly glance at the A4 piece of paper, taking his eyes off of the screen.

AA: tavros

AA: we just died

AA: stop standing there

AA: hello? 0_0

AT: aHH,,! i'M SORRY, aRADIA,

AA: its fine

AA: is there something on your mind

AT: yEAH, i GUESS,

AA: what is it

AT: yOU KNOW THAT PEN PAL PROJECT i SIGNED UP FOR,

AA: yes

AT: wELL, i'M CONSIDERING GIVING MY CHUMHANDLE TO gAMZEE,

AT: bUT i'M TOO NERVOUS,

AA: dont be

AA: if you want to give him your chumhandle then just do it

AA: no regrets that is what i always say

AA: seize the day

AT: yEAH, i GUESS YOU'RE RIGHT,

AA: of course i am

AA: thats what i'm here for

AT: tHANKS, aRADIA,

AA: no worries tav

AT: i'M GOING TO, uH, fINISH THIS LETTER, sO i'M GOING TO GO NOW,

AA: sure thing

AT: gOODNIGHT,

AA: goodnight, tavros

AA: sweet dreams 0u0

adiosToreador ceased pestering apocalypseArisen

Tavros logged off of PesterChum and looked with determination at the page. He was filled with new-found confidence after talking with Aradia. Of course, that always happened, he supposed that she was just a really good listener and advice giver.

'mY CHUMhANDLE IS ADIOStOREADOR,

sO IF YOU WANT TO, cONTACT ME,

tHAT WOULD BE COOL,

bUT ONLY, iF YOU WANT TO, oF COURSE,

tAVROS }:)'

He signed off the letter and stuffed it into the envelope before he could have second thoughts. Writing thename and address of Gamzee Makara, he placed the enveloped letter carefully on his desk, switched his lamp of and led on his bed silently.

"I think, that I'll send that, when I wake up tomorrow." He mumbled, clutching his old, stuffed white bull plush (Tinkerbull) and smiled, before sleep overcame him.

A few days later on a Saturday, Tavros got a message from someone whose chumHandle he did not recognise.

terminallyCapricious began pestering adiosToreador

TC: WhAt'S uP, mOtHeRfUcKeR!

TC: ThIs TaVrOs?

AT: uHH, yEAH,

AT: wHO IS THIS?

TC: ThIs Is GaMzEe MoThErFuCkIn' MaKaRa, ReMeMbEr?

TC: YoU gAvE mE yOuR cHuMhAnDlE?

Tavros suddenly smiled brightly. He didn't expect Gamzee to take that much of an interest in him!

AT: yEAH, sORRY, i FORGOT

AT: sO, uHH, hOW ARE YOU?

Be Gamzee ==

Hours passed as the two talked about both nothing and everything for what seemed like hours, and Gamzee felt himself feeling happier and happier as he found out more about the other person.

"Could this be some kind of motherfuckin' crush?" Gamzee asked himself thoughtfully. Of course, he had only known Tavros for little over three months, but the girl (at least, that is what Gamzee assumed Tavros was) had made such an impact on his life during the short time they knew each other.

AT: hEHE, i'M GLAD i MET YOU, gAMZEE }:)

TC: LiKeWiSe, TaV-sIs :o)

TC: I *rEaLlY* lIkE yOu

AT: uH, tHANKS,

AT: wAIT,

AT: ,,,wHAT?

TC: WhAt ThE mOtHeRfUcK iS iT, tAv?

AT: wELL, uHH, yOU APPEAR TO HAVE CALLED ME, uM, 'sIS',

AT: i'M aFRAID i AM, mALE,

Gamzee sat in the I.T. suite of the institution and looked at the screen in awe for a short while. He didn't expect this turn of events.

"Does this mean...That I suddenly motherfuckin' dig guys, or something?" His brain tried to figure out how he had missed that Tavros was in fact a guy. He felt humiliated and ignorant. He hated that he had become infatuated with someone without so much as considering their gender.

AT: ,,,gAMZEE?

TC: HeH, sOrRy, TaV-BrO, i WaS dIsTrAcTeD bY sOmEtHiNg :o)

AT: oH, aLRIGHT, iT'S FINE,

AT: hEH,,, tAV-BRO?

TC: YeAh, It'S a MoThErFuCkIn' NiCkNaMe, YoU dIg?

AT: hEH, yEAH, i UM, lIKE IT }:)

TC: ThAt'S gReAt, BrO

TC: HoNk :o)

Gamzee found himself smiling a little, despite the shock.

"I guess...it's okay if I all up and like Tav." He grinned and stretched, noticing that the hands on the clock on the wall had shifted to 1:30 A.M. early on a Sunday morning.

AT: yOU KNOW, i'D REALLY LIKE TO, uM, mEET YOU, pROPERLY, oFFLINE,

TC: WoaH, rEaLlY? :oO

Gamzee considered it. On the one hand, it could be an awesome opportunity, and the two could wind up being best bros or something. But on the other hand Gamzee's personality and scruffiness could possibly scare Tavros off.

There was really only one way of finding out.

AT: oF COURSE,,! i COULD VISIT YOU AT THE, uM, iNSTITUTION,

AT: oNLY IF, yOU, uM, wANT ME TO, tHOUGH, oF COURSE,

TC: Of CoUrSe! ThAt WoUlD bE bItChTiTs WiCkEd, BrO! :oD

AT: gREAT,

AT: wHEN WOULD YOU, lIKE ME TO COME?

TC: As SoOn As MoThErFuCkIn' PoSsIbLe, TaV-bRo!

TC: ThErE aRe ViSiTiNg HoUrS oN a SuNdAy

AT: oKAY, hOW DOES, uHH, 12:30 SOUND, tO YOU?

TC: SoUnDs MoThErFuCkIn' AwEsOmE! :o)

AT: oH,

AT: mY BROTHER IS BACK, nOW, sO i HAVE TO GO,

AT: i'LL SEE YOU TOMORROW,

AT: oR LATER, rATHER, hAHA }:)

TC: SwEeT, tAKe It EaSy, BrO :o)

adiosToreador ceased pestering terminallyCapricious

The night was sweet for Gamzee Makara. It had been another night without nightmares again, and once again, he drifted through sleep without dreams, unpleasant or otherwise. He awoke at 11, as usual, and yawned a little. The cubicle, about 11 feet by 8 feet, could probably be likened to a jail cell if not for the posters stuck onto the wall, and the desks and most flat surfaces covered in nonsensical gibberish and doodles.

Gamzee opened his drowsy indigo eyes and glanced up irritably at the piercing sunlight invading his room, his territory.

"One day, I shall motherfuckin' destroy that bright-ass sun..." He grumbled. He sat up, scratched his tangled black hair and smiled secretly. he couldn't wait to tell Karkat that he was hanging out with Tav-bro today!

Granted, he may scold Gamzee for being so ignorant, but nevertheless he would undoubtedly be happy for Gamzee, in his own...unique way.

terminallyCapricious began pestering carcinoGeneticist

TC: BeStFrIeNd...:o)

CG: YOU BOTHERED ME LITERALLY 12 HOURS AGO

CG: WHAT COULD YOU POSSIBLY WANT NOW?

TC: I'm MeEtInG tAv ToDaY

CG: JESUS CHRIST

CG: YOU HAVEN'T SCARED THE POOR FUCKING GIRL OFF, YET

CG: INCREDIBLE

TC: AbOuT tHaT

TC: TuRnS oUt, TaVrOs Is AcTuAlLy A gUy

CG: ...

CG: ...

TC: WhAt?

CG: SERIOUSLY

TC: YeS

CG: WELL

CG: I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING

CG: HE SOUNDS A LOT LIKE A GIRL

TC: So YoU cAn SeE wHy I gOt So MoThErFuCkIn' CoNfUsEd?

CG: I DON'T KNOW

CG: I GUESS

CG: WHATEVER

CG: DOES THIS MEAN YOU TAKE BACK WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT LIKING HIM SO MUCH

TC: NaH mAn

TC: LiKiNg A gUy Is CoOl

TC: It'S nOt AbOuT wHeThEr ThEy'Re A cHiCk Or A dUdE

TC: YoU mOtHeRfUcKiN' gEt Me? :o)

CG: ...WHATEVER

CG: I'VE GOT TO GO

CG: MOM WANTS ME TO DO SOMETHING

CG: HAVE FUN WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND

CG: OR WHATEVER THE FUCK HE IS TO YOU

TC: TaKe It EaSy, BeStFrIeNd

TC: HoNk :o)

carcinoGeneticist ceased pestering terminallyCapricious

A/N: It seems that I have inadvertently made Karkles a mama's boy...