John hadn't slept for what seemed like days now. He was in his room, clutching a book to his chest, and sitting there in silence. He was staring at a random spot on the wall. John had known his friend had all died to become god-tier, he had even seen his dad and roses's mom's corpse. But the corpses he had seen a few days ago seemed so real. When he was in the game it all felt like he had been on some weird sugar high, barely feeling the calamity that had taken place. he was fully beginning to realize what messed up shit had occurred.

It was more than just being stabbed though, the corpses he had seen had been mutilated, beheaded and bruised and bashed. John hadn't gotten the greatest of ganders but he didn't need to to know what he saw. He even began reflecting on his father's death, and his planet's death. All those people had been killed because he wanted to play a game with his friends. Six point five billion people were dead because of him.

Everyone he knew, or would've known were dead. Well, except for his friends on the meteor going to some giant window. And for what? So they could meet their ecto-parents. He still wouldn't get his dad back. He couldn't get any of what he lost back. John was dwelling deeply.

Then there was a knock on his door. John didn't look up, but the door didn't open either. There was a second of silence and then a voice from behind the door.

"Hey, John, you've been cooped up in there for days man. That shit ain't too healthy. You should come out and talk to us… It's been off without you there, you're like the guy with the firm grip on the spirits, and you lift them pretty high I might add. Got some pretty stretchy arms," he sighed, " I'm going to come in, okay?" John didn't answer and in turn Dave walked in, closing the door behind him.

"You okay?" Dave said as he approached John. He stood there, his hand running through the back of his hair, thinking of something clever to say to make John talk to him. John spoke first.

"I found them Dave…" John said, barely above a whisper. He said it inwardly, his head in his arms, folded over his knees tightly close to his chest.

"Could you speak up John, I forgot to pack my super hearing helper." Dave said sarcastically, moving closer to John so he could hear him.

"I said", pulling his head out of his arms, " I found them." He looked up at Dave with fear in his eyes.

"What did you find?" Dave said moving a little closer. It was odd to see John in this state, he was a happy-go-lucky dweeb, but yet here he was, shaken with fear.

"…who…"

"Who?"

"It's who did I find…"

"What are you talking about John, who did you find?" Dave said calmly, sitting at the edge of the bed, head tilted towards John.

"Karkat's friend…"

"What do you mean by that exactly?" Dave's interest piquing along with his worry.

"His other team mates… you know… the dead ones…" Dave's mind went blank. He couldn't understand what he heard, like his brains auto-function decided to take a short vacation.

"His dead team mates…" Dave said almost without thinking, it just came out, slowly as if reflecting, thinking out loud one might say.

"Yeah…"

"How… how- or where did you find them?" Dave said, turning towards John. Dave understood death, he had even had his fair share of corpses, fresh ones. How old must have the ones been that John had seen, two years at least. That's how long they'd been on the meteor after all. Rotting corpses…decomposing flesh falling off the bone. From what Dave had heard from Karkat, troll blood doesn't darken when it ages, so it must have been the decaying bodies strewn around in a sprayed rainbow that mixed and flowed in a puddle around them.

"I was just walking… then I found this doorway, I had gotten to the older part of the building… I just wanted to explore, it's so boring on this meteor. I just kept walking, it was pretty exciting too. It was like a game. But then I got to the end of the hall. They were there. I don't know how many there were, I only looked for a few seconds before getting out of there…" John said, looking at Dave with expectant eyes.

"That must have been pretty hard to see. I thought that the clown guy had stashed all the bodies somewhere. I guess you found them."

"Dave…you saw your bro's corpse, right?"

"Yeah… I did, I think it was a pretty sick way to go though, facing the enemy, even without any of the sick powers the game gives you. He just did what he thought was right, saving us from the bad guy. He might not have succeeded, but he was pretty bad ass if you ask me."

"What was it like, seeing him dead?" Dave raised his eyes brows at John, but answered his question.

"Well it sure as fuck wasn't easy, that's for sure. I guess it didn't really seem real, even if the cold stone slab of truth was slapping me in the face. I guess now when I look back it seems a lot more real than it did when we were playing the game. But I'm pretty sure I was a loser back then, but still cooler than you, you know. It was pretty hard though, even if I didn't cry or anything." Dave said, picking at the stuff under his nails like it was this thing that shouldn't be there. He wasn't looking at John anymore, kind of just talking to himself at this point.

"Yeah, I know what you mean… it was like that when I saw my dad. We've all had it pretty rough in the game, haven't we? We all lost our guardians… Dave, was it even real? It was all a game right, so are they even dead. To me… I don't feel like they're dead, it was just a game right, that's all it was supposed to be."

"John, even if it was a game, it had pretty hefty stakes… I think it was more than a game. I guess the game just shows up when that planet says ' yo, I think we need to make a new fucking universe' and like files a complaint to the boss so they send it the game so they can make one. It's a pretty big deal. Lots of filing and submitting in the big office, but it all comes down to the decision of the big cheese. I guess it's a planetary sacrifice that's needed to make a universe."

"… That makes sense." John still felt off about the whole thing, he was growing up. He was realizing things he hadn't in the beginning. John was changing. He was finished the game so why hadn't everything gone back to normal.

"John, can I talk to you about something. It's a littler personal so it's okay if you sound the alarm and say back off bro. That would be fine."

"It's fine Dave, what's happening?"

"Well," he rubbed the back of his neck, "It's about Terezi. I've tried really hard to be culturally understanding, but it's not working. It's not like I'm clingy or anything, but we're supposed to be in a relationship, so why does it feel like she's cheating on me. I know that this is one of the different quadrants, but I just can't stick with this. It's just confusing, because this might be such a lame excuse from her point, but to me it's legit."

"Have you told her about how you feel?"

"Yeah, that's when she explained the quadrants to me again. Fuck the quadrants; seriously, it's not for me. I'm human, and it's like Karkat said, humans can't have quadrants. I'm just getting sick and tired of this. She's constantly sneaking off to go see the juggalo guy and she's too ashamed to admit it but everyone else knows about their relationship. I'm like one hundred percent sure even Karkat knows about it."

"Yeah, even I know. Well, maybe… you should call it quits Dave." John said, sitting beside Dave, feeling much calmer now. He was still bothered by the bodies, but when Dave was with him, it was like his worries were a lot smaller and could be put in littler boxes and thrown away. John was irritated by how Terezi was acting though.

"Maybe… I should probably talk to her later about this. You know what John, I am going to dial up the quits today, I will bring it down and serve it up for her. I think this will probably be the best thing to do." Dave put his hands down by his side.

"You're right. You deserve better Dave. I mean, Terezi's a great girl and all, but this relationship just isn't. It was great in the start Dave, and I was happy for you, but it's been falling apart when she started hang out with that clown guy" John put his hand on top of Dave's without even realizing it, " I think it will be the better thing to do. She can be with that guy, and you won't be feeling like this anymore." Dave looked down at the hand on top of his while John prattled on about Dave's relationship.

Dave looked from the John's hand to his face. He looked at his mouth which seemed to never stop chattering, his ears not entirely hidden by his black hair. He looked at his eyes, his blue eyes. His eyes that seemed to hold the entire world and the wind that blew from each corner of the earth. His eyes that were serious but bright. Dave remembered how bright they were when they first met, when they were hopeful of the journey ahead of them. How much they had darkened over the course of two years.

Dave looked at John and realized how much he had grown, how had he not noticed it before? His jaw was sharper, his cheek bones more defined. He had grown up, they both had, how had they not noticed? John was more of a man than he thought he could be. John and him were both 16, growing boys on their way to the manhood-tier. No longer boys, they would set sail on the SS man.

Dave eyes drifted to John's lips, and John turned to Dave just about to finish his statement. Dave leaned forward and let their lips touch. Johns were softer than he thought. He was under the impression they wouldn't be soft as a girls, but it turns out, they both feel the same.

John had finally stopped talking; he had stopped entirely, frozen completely due to shock. Dave put his hand on John's knee and held the kiss for a few more seconds. When he pulled back he stared into John's eyes once more, he felt the corner of his lips tugging up, but alas, he would not succumb to the cruel pull of the smile. Instead he grabbed the hand on top of his own and kissed it lightly.

"Thanks John, I'm going to go break it off with Terezi right now, thanks for helping me. You got a littler drool on your chin." Dave left the room, his lame cape flowing behind him. John sat there, still, then snapped out of it and wiped his chin. It was dry, Dave was an asshole. John touched his lips lightly with his fingers; he could still feel Dave lips on his own.

John almost jumped up in shock; he was definitely not a homosexual. So why did it make his heart beat faster than normal when Dave kissed him. Why is it that John's face was hot and he was left with a strange feeling in his chest? Why did it feel so good when Dave kissed him? Why did it make him feel better yet worse at the same time? Why did he feel guilt and comfort?

"Dave…" John said quietly and stared at the ground. His thought were flying and he couldn't think straight. John knew he was straight, he had to be. But this is not how you feel when you're straight, you don't suddenly like your bros. And you don't, definitely, certaintly don't fall in love with Dave, he is John's best friend after all. But why is that all you can be?

TBC…

A/N: this was a fun chapter to write, and I'll tell you, not even I was expecting that to happen, but I just thought wow, it's already been so long, let's start the romance. I hope you enjoyed that, please review.