Regular POV

The next day had soon approached and the two males were already up and about. Though one of them was reluctant to even get out of the bed let alone sit downstairs. Karkat was sipping at his orange juice, muttering to himself of ways to get away from here and not go to school. He could skip or fake being sick, hell he could say his ribs still hurt and he just wanted to lie down for the day. But Kankri could read him and knew Karkat was going to fake his way through the day. He told his younger brother to go to school however he'd keep a close eye on him from afar lest there be more beatings to happen. Kankri strode to the kitchen, nursing a cup of coffee and a concerned expression as he glanced at Karkat.

Of course the shorter would be upset by this and announce his displeasure.

"What? What are you staring at?"

"I'm just...still tired. Had a bad nightmare and such."

Karkat raised a brow but left well enough alone. He'd get some peace at his home if he couldn't get such at school. Soon the brothers had finished up and were out the door and off to school. Kankri walked behind, watching the streets for any signs of the gang or any danger. He may just be paranoid and too worrisome but he didn't care. As long as his brother was safe, it didn't matter if he seemed like a creepy stalker.

When they reached the school, Karkat had managed to escape Kankri's watch and went to his friends like he did every morning. The red sweater other heaved a sigh and decided to head into the building but an arm around his shoulders disrupted his walk. He jumped, obviously startled by the unexpected touching and turned his head. Immediately his eyes met a cocky pair of blue ones and he scoffed, trying to move away.

"Cronus. I have no tolerance for you today."

"Aw come on chief, I ain't gonna do anything to you today."

"Then explain your arm around me."

"I greet people like that sometimes."

"You should learn," he pried the arm off, "to keep your hands to yourself."

He let it fall to the leather clad male's side and walked off in a huff. But of course, Cronus was persistant and proceeded to follow him. Speeding up to his pace and frowning a bit at the other's annoyed attitude, he decided to turn off the cocky greaser attitude and spoke in a more softer manner.

"Kankri, come on. We were friends back in the day, can you at least tell me what's bugging you?"

A small smile quirked at Kankri's lips at how his old friend had spoken. He had a slight speech impediment that made his w's sound as though there was a v before them or vice versa. He hummed in thought, debating on whether it was a good idea to speak to him.

"Well, my little brother is going through a crisis at the moment and I want to know the best way to approach the problem without making it seem like I'm.."

"Butting into his life?"

"Well that's one way of saying it."

"Listen Kan, if your brother's so reluctant for you to help, don't help."

That made him turn to face the Ampora, "Are you crazy? I will NOT allow that to happen."

"Whoa chief, relax okay? What I'm saying is that you can't help someone who doesn't need help. You can spend your whole life tryin' to help but if they don't want it, you're wasting your breath and time."

Kankri's shoulders slumped at that.

'Damn it, of all times for him to be wise, why did he choose now?'

He groaned and continued onto his class, tailed by the greaser. If Karkat didn't need help, he would still at least try to help even without recommendation from him.

Karkat's POV

"Yo Karbro, you doing a'ight? You don't look too motherfucking good right now."

I raised my head from the desk, directing my glare at my supposed best friend. Though it softened up a bit as I saw he had stopped smiling and was watching me with a worried look.

God, why is everyone looking at me like that?

"Because ya'll are looking a bit under the weather and you got bruises on you too."

Shit, I said that out loud and he fucking noticed my bandages. What a way to start off the morning. With people who probably wanted to coddle the hell out of me and pat my head and whisper words of 'it's okay' and 'what's wrong?' I really don't want any of that raucous noise in my business today, I really don't. So I scowled and sat up to look at Gamzee.

"Yes. I hurt myself yesterday at home, that's it."

"A brother be hearing some lies escaping you."

I furrowed my brows and looked at him, "How do you know I'm lying?"

"I didn't. You just got to motherfucking telling me."

Did I just fall for the oldest goddamn trick in the book? I think I did, fuck me.

I shook my head and moved to put my head down. But Gamzee must have been partly sober or just really curious today because he refused to let me be and continued to bother me. He poked me and spoke in that annoying, whining voice people use to irritate the information out of others. I didn't budge for about 20 minutes before I sat up quick as lightning and snarled at him.

"What the pus-spewing fuck do you want, you shit bagging, globe-fondling pain in the ass?!"

Gamzee leaned back in his seat at my outburst and grinned widely at me, knowing that now I would talk to him.

The smug asshole.

"Good to see a motherfucker seeming compliant now." He nudged his side. "Come on Karkat, please tell me?"

I sighed. "Fine. If it'll get you to leave me alone, I'll tell you. Vriska happened okay? She and her gang beat me up yesterday."

It was quiet for a bit between us, though the rest of the class kept chattering away. I chanced a look at my friend and his reaction was how I expected. His fists were clenched and he was pursing his lips, a sign that showed he wanted to knock someone out. When it came to my being in danger, Gamzee would switch off that idiotic, high personality to a more serious and violent personality. Though that personality was nothing compared to his full on sobriety attitude, complete with lashing out and a lust for death. I kind of wanted to see Vriska get knocked off her high horse but I didn't want her in the hospital and judging my Gamzee's body language, silence and the ever so often glances at my bruises, he was ready to haul ass and destroy shit.

"Gamzee, it's fine. I'm not in the hospital or anything, just a couple injuries that will heal in a week or less."

"Ain't no one gonna get to beating up my best friend and expect no righteous attacks back on them."

"Gamzee."

"Where does she go to class?"

"Gamzee."

"Is she gonna try to motherfucking get you again?"

I stayed silent at that as he had told me that. I wondered if she really would try to come after me again. I did not want to be a human punching bag again after I just got done with that yesterday.

"Well I don't know for sure."

"If that's what might be happening then I'm gonna walk ya'll home. A'ight?"

There was no saying otherwise, he looked determined as hell. So I sighed again and nodded in agreement. Gamzee seemed content and relaxed his posture, letting himself grin again as he pat my back. Though I didn't admit it, I was happy about that as well. I just hoped Kankri would back off though, it'll do us both some good.

Regular POV

The bell rang and students shuffled out of the classrooms, striding through the halls and eagerly escaping the school. Kankri and Porrim were already outside, the former staring at the exiting crowd intently while the latter tugged at his arm to leave.

"Kanny, will you please relax for a moment? You're all jittery and edgy."

"It's not my fault, I'm just too uneasy."

"Well you shouldn't be. Why don't you walk with me? It might be a nice way to clear your head and take your mind off this nonsense."

"He is being-"

"Watched over by his friend."

"What?" He turned around, glancing through the hordes of teenagers and seeing Karkat walking off with Gamzee. Normally the taller male would part ways with his friend at the entrance of the school but he went the same way as Karkat and peered over his shoulder cautiously.

"So Karkat told him I see."

"Yes he did. So now you can stop growing gray hairs and walk with me so we can chat and stuff."

He groaned as he allowed himself to be pulled in the opposite direction, but he spared a glance at his brother's retreating back and hoped that Gamzee would be enough protection for him.