Hello again! First off, I know I promised to have this out sooner, but then I got sick and didn't feel up to writing. ._. Horrible excuse, I know. I'm sorry! But this chapter is longer than any yet, so I hope that makes up for it!
I again want to thank all of those who reviewed: AbsoluteAddiction-x, Mirum, GreenBlood10, XxReddShadowxX, Ninja grape turtle, The NightOwl38, VampireFreak127, and The Gem Gem. You all are so cute! (Wow, I had to resist writing "y'all" there. I'm Texan, don't judge me. =p) Just come here and let me cuddle you! I'm getting this chapter out as soon as possible for you guys! Your reviews were awesome, and made me smile, and I didn't want to keep you all waiting, so here you go! Enjoy!~

You are absolutely ready to collapse. But when you enter your apartment – Karkat having left again with Eridan after the three of you finished your excursion to the mall – you can't help but notice the overbearing scent of a knock-off of French perfume. You sigh, exasperated, and turn into the kitchen to find the one who was most likely a part of the cause of the choking fragrance.

"Hey, Terezi," you greet calmly, reaching for the fridge in search of food. "Vrithka here?" It was more of a statement than a question, but you ask anyway in hopes of getting a reason.

Your sister chuckles – a sound you would rather describe as a light cackle – and pushes her weight from the edge of the counter to lean the majority of it on her cane. "Freshening herself up in your bathroom," she informs you with a mischievous smirk. "I figured Karkles wouldn't appreciate having the smell in his bathroom near as much as you would."

"Vrithka!" you yell in the direction of the bathroom. "Try not to pollute any of my thtuff with your poithon! I can't afford to replace anything that'th overwhelmed with your glorified toilet water."

"Bluh, bluh!" she yells back to you.

"We came to see you, but you weren't home. So we decided to stay."

Turning back to Terezi, coming up from the fridge empty-handed, you tell her, "You know, motht people would decide not to wait for thomeone to come home when they drop by unexpectedly. Yet you decide to break in, inthtead." The brunette grins widely. "How did you get in, anyway?"

"Your lock's broken." You didn't think it was possible, but her smile grows.

You stare at her, eyes in slivers, incredulous and annoyed. "It wathn't when I left."

"Must have been robbers. I will begin the investigations immediately!" She lifted her cane into the air with a fisted hand, false determination in her voice.

"Pleathe, don't bother. I'll jutht replace the lock…again."

"But what about your stolen property, Sollux?" The same grin returned. "I know; the trauma of this tragic event has blinded you."

You were rolling your eyes when your sister's best friend entered the room. "What tragic event? I didn't miss it, did I?" She comes to a stop next to Terezi, the blonde's arm snaking around your sister's waist. Vriska and Terezi both send devilish looks in your direction, the taller of the two pivoting her head to speak with your sister. "I'm going to run to Golden Chick for some dinner. You want your usual?"

She gives a quick nod in response. With one more quick glance in the direction of your extremely confused expression, Vriska pivots her head slightly to place a chaste kiss on your sister's lips, whose smile widens once she pulls away.

"Want me to get you something?" The blonde asks as she walks past you to reach the door.

You have to shake yourself out of your stunned stupor, and even then you mumbled, "The…the same thing as…her."

"Gimme some money," Vriska demands, holding out her hand. The order grabs your attention completely, and you look at her with your brows furrowed. "I'm not paying for your shit," she states, her hand still in midair. With a sigh, you dig in your pocket for some leftover ones, making sure to leave the rest of your higher valued bills buried.

You're left in suspense of the questions swarming in your mind while the blonde gathers her purse and shoes to leave. As soon as she's gone, your legally blind sister stares at you expectantly, the same impish grin permanently plastered to her face. You wait for her to begin an explanation to Vriska's previous action, but when she doesn't your eyes begin to shift awkwardly to different places around the room while you plan what to say.

"Tho…what wath that?" Pchoo! And the planning goes out the window.

"What was what Sollux? I can't see well, remember? If you're going to ask a question, you should make sure the person you're expecting an answer from knows what you're talking about."

You wanted to slap your forehead. God, you loved your sister to death, but sometimes she could be such a dick.

"You and Vrithka. Mind ekthplaining what that wath?"

"Oh! That was a kiss, dear brother. But, of course, I wouldn't expect you to know that."

Do you even know one person that has the capacity to not be a total douche?

"Terezi, I'm really not in the mood for thith bull-"

"What's this?" she asked, picking up the bag from the Disney store. Oh, yeah. You had forgotten you had brought that in. The brunette pays no attention to the bag of games, though. Terezi practically rips the bag apart to find what it contains, pulling out Dodger to examine him.

You sigh with irritation. "It'th thomething Karkat bought for me. Would you kindly anthwer my quethtion now?"

She simply "hmm"s as she sets the gift down. Her smile had been wavering slightly, but it reforms again as she turns back toward you. "Typical social behavior dictates that when two people share a kiss on the lips, it usually means they're dating, baby brother." You glare at her. So you were born two hours after her, big deal. She didn't have to flaunt it about all of the time. But you suppose that's simply part of her…"charm".

"Tho you two are official?"

"I never said that."

"Okay." Defeated, you made your way to the couch, letting your weight drop onto it, leaning your chin on your hand to stare out the window. Terezi follows, landing in a similar fashion on the opposite side, throwing her legs over your lap once she's seated. Used to her antics after 19 years, you simply rest your other arm on top of her shins.

"Geez, 'lithpy'! What's got your panties in a bunch? Did you finally confess your love to Karkat? Heehee."

Amazed, your eyebrows raise as you turn your head in her direction. From behind her glasses you could see her eyes, and they weren't straight on you. You shake your head to clear away your slight panic, returning your gaze to the window. She's only kidding, you tell yourself.

"Did he turn you down flat? Leave you in the dust? C'mon! I need details in order to investigate." She gasped. "He's the one who broke the lock, isn't he? That bastard. You pour your heart out to him, and he denies you." At this point her voice was dripping with grief. Damn. Her acting skills you unparalleled. "He leaves in a rage, having only now discovered that his ex-best friend and former roommate is a flaming homosexual!" Your sister's arms are waving – though it looks more like a seizure-like flail to you – dramatically, occasionally coming to clasp her hands together against her chest. "And you, left alone in this apartment to fend for yourself until the end of your days, too in love with Karkat to even leave and find somebody else! OH, the tragedy of it all!"

"Will you thtop?" You put a hand on her forehead to lightly push it in the other direction.

"Heehee, nope! If you need someone to help pay the rent, Vriska and I will gladly move in."

"You're believing in your own fairytale. And, definitely not…ever. I don't want to be woken up to the thound of you and her making lady babieth, thankth very much."

You expected her to deny that she would, but the chuckle and grin she responds with, frankly…scares the shit out of you.

"Okay, I didn't need to know that the two of you actually even do that! At leatht pretend to deny it. I mean, FUCK I'm gonna be thcarred for a while…"

"Happy to help!"

"You're my thithter. I don't need to know who you do it with, or that you even do it at all. Change of topic thtarting n-!"

"So have you confessed to Karkat, yet?"

"GAH! There'th not even anything to confeth!"

"OBJECTION!"

"What?"

"Yesterday morning, I received notice that you were in the company of one Dave Strider-"

"THAT BATHTARD TOLD YOU?"

"ORDER IN THE COURT! Now, as a witness to his witnessness, I am led to believe that your harbor some feelings for a rampant little asshole." She scrambled to her hands and knees, her face mere inches from yours in order to interrogate you while she can look into your eyes. You lean back, trying to avoid her half-blind gaze, but she only edges forward. You, of course, are used to this, but that doesn't mean you still don't find it annoying. "So, Mister Captor: are you, or are you not, guilty of the crimes of which you have been accused?"

"I leave for ten fucking minutes, and you've already got her in prosecutor mode?" Vriska accuses upon her entrance, setting the food down on the counter.

"Pleathe don't call a witneth to the thtand, pleathe don't call a witneth to the thtand…" you pray under your breath.

"I call Vriska Serket to the stand!"

"No, Terezi. I refuse."

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

"I think we're done here, babe."

"OVERRULED!"

"Terezi." Vriska's voice is gentle, but firm, as she takes your sister's hands and folds then within her own, forcing the partially-blind "prosecutor" to look her in her single cerulean eye. "Stop. You are not in court, and your brother is not on trial, nor is he guilty…as much as I would like for him to go away for a few years-"

"Thankth!"

"-or be sentenced to death," she continued with a shrug.

"But he-"

"Shh! No. Go splash some water on your face." When Terezi begins to turn back to you, Vriska grabs her chin and orders, "Go on," tenderly shoving her in the direction of the bathroom. After she had left, you are left on the couch, gaping.

"How did you learn to get her to thettle down? I uthually have to thit there and deal with it."

Vriska shrugs nonchalantly, turning to retrieve the food from the counter, and throws your box of chicken at you. "I just know how to get through to her." She settles on the opposite side of the coffee table. "What was she interrogating you about?"

"Nothing important." You try to hide your face by digging in the box, not actually sure what Terezi's usual was. Ah, wicked wings, you think to yourself, trying to get your mind off of the conversation at hand.

"So it was about Karkat, then?"

The food almost fell off your lap, and the blonde chuckles. "Are- Did you jutht… Never mind."

"I only assume because you said it was 'nothing important.'" You throw a piece of your roll at her, and she laughs. "That and it's not like we haven't been expecting it for some time."

"Ekthpecting what for thome time?"

"For you and Karkat to get together in some form or fashion."

"What do you mean?" You were trying to play it cool, but that wasn't working out for you very well. And what she was saying didn't make any sense. You hadn't told anyone that you actually like Karkat, seen as how you were only certain after last night.

"Are you really that fucking stupid?"

"You already know the answer to that, Vrisy." Terezi sauntered back into the room, her demeanor back to her normal state. Not saying much… "When it comes to who got the brains in the split of abilities at the birthing of my twin, I'd say I was on the lower side of the scale." You roll your eyes.

Her girlfriend shrugs, quickly raising her eyebrows as a form of agreement, as Terezi takes a place on the floor next to her, grabbing the box that holds her supper.

"What are you two talking about?" Your impatience is getting the better of you.

Vriska points a half-eaten chicken wing at you as she speaks. "Don't try that. It's so obvious! You've been pining over him for ages. God, it was annoying."

"Have I really?" Your question had begun as a snarky retort, but now you are genuinely curious. You always thought you knew what you were feeling, but, now that you think about it, you have no clue what you feel when it comes to Karkat. Or rather, what you did, since you were finally certain of what you felt after last night. But still, was it possible for everyone around you to see it for some time now, and you had only begun to question it a few days ago? With a groan, your head falls to the back of the couch.

"God, you are an idiot," Vriska said, emphasizing each individual word.

"I know, I know," you mumble in irritation. "How long have you noticed it?" Your curiosity was eating away at you.

"A few months," Terezi answers.

Your eyes widen, as you slowly lift your head to stare at them. "You're fucking with me."

"Not at all, boyo!" Vriska chirps, obviously bored with the topic. "Did you really not know what your own fucking feelings were?" Both of them stare at you, incredulous, Terezi holding a wing halfway up to her open mouth.

"Well…" you begin to admit.

"Oh, my damn," Vriska murmured.

"I may have felt thomething…but I wathn't thure! I mean, anytime I looked at him, my thtomach would flip and it felt like thomething relative of a chill wath running up and down my thpine, but I didn't think anything of it."

"Haven't you ever liked anybody before in your life?" Vriska finishes the last of her food before taking your sister's hand, twining their fingers together. Terezi attempts to continue eating one-handed, getting a few specs of cayenne pepper on the corner of her mouth. Vriska smiles lovingly, leaning in to kiss her cheek. The display makes you sigh, wishing you could have that same chemistry with him…

"Please, the only relationship he's ever had is with his computers," Terezi teases. "Heehee, I bet he'd get a boner just looking at one of the most advanced models."

You look away from them, somewhat hurt. While it was partially true – minus the boner-slash-super computer part – you still couldn't stop the sting in your heart of not knowing what it feels like to be with someone, to hold their hand, and to whisper "I love you"s in their ear, and to hold them in your arms. Now more than ever, you want that person to be Karkat, you want him to care for you as much as you do him as more than just a friend.

"So you've never even kissed anyone?" Vriska asks, interrupting your thinking process and self-pitying.

"No, I have. AA and I were curiouth what it wath like. There wathn't anything behind it that would make either of uth want to date each other, though. And we didn't go any further than jutht a few thecondth of touching lipth." You add on the last part for good measure, making sure they don't make any assumptions.

"EW! You kissed that dirty ho?" Vriska exclaimed. You chastise yourself for bringing up Aradia around Vriska, only now remembering how horribly they get along.

"Aradia. Ever the explorer," Terezi says, putting a hand on the blonde's shoulder to calm her.

"Rezi, babe, I don't know about you, but I think we've overstayed our welcome." Vriska, still huffy, stands to throw her trash away, grabbing her purse to wait for her girlfriend by the door. "We've got better things to be doing."

You shake your head at her, but turn to your sister to give her a farewell hug nonetheless. "If you ever need Karkles interrogated, you let me know," she tells you on her way out.

After they've left, you wander into the bathroom to take your second shower for the day; a lot of thoughts are buzzing around in your head, and you need to sort them out. But when you reach for your towel, you find that it's sopping. Only then do you notice the overpowering scent of Vriska's perfume having gotten used to most of it during your time with her, and that it's now coming from your towel.

That bitch…

You had fallen asleep on the couch before the door opened to reveal Karkat. Wondering what time it was, you glance to the clock on the wall; 11:37. You rub your eyes and yawn a greeting as he slips off his shoes next to the kitchen counter.

"Why the fuck does it smell like something died?" were the first words from his mouth.

You chuckle lightly. "Vrithka."

"Ah. Why was she here?"

"Terezi came over to vithit."

"And she had to bring the fucking hooker wanna-be with her?"

"Well, I'm thure thhe didn't want to go anywhere without her girlfriend." You reach for the remote, turning off the TV as Karkat flips on the light in the kitchen, only to turn back around a stare at you in disbelief.

"Terezi and Vriska are together?"

"It would theem tho." You gaze remains on the floor in front of you, glancing at him from the corner of your eye, your hands clasped together and your elbows supporting your weight on your knees.

"Why the fuck would your sister date that bitch? She's arrogant and rude and selfish and-" He stops short when he notices the look you have on your face - an eyebrow is quirked, and a smirk is tugging at your lips – once you've turned your head to look at him. After the moment it takes for him to realize what your expression means, his eyebrows are immediately furrow, and the corners of his mouth plummet. "WHAT THE FUCKING HELL IS THAT LOOK FOR?" Judging by the volume of his voice, you're pretty sure that was more of a challenge than a question.

"I think you already know that, KK," you say calmly, leaning back on the couch, folding your arms across your chest.

"ARE WE REALLY GOING TO FUCKING START THIS SHIT AGAIN?"

"You're the one flipping thhit!" You stay in the same position, but you can't help the slight rise in your voice.

"I HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO FLIP ALL THE FUCKING SHIT THAT I WANT! WHAT GIVES YOU THE FUCKING ENTITLEMENT TO TALK SHIT ABOUT MY BOYFRIEND?"

"I'm not the one talking thit! I wath only pointing out your fucking hypocrithy!"

"HYPOCRISY? IS THAT WHAT IT IS TO YOU?"

"Yeth!" You were on your feet now, stalking toward him. "Or did you not notice the way he treated you earlier today at the mall? Becauthe, to me, that theemed like a pretty thhitty way to be toward the one your thuppothed to be with!"

"PLEASE, YOU'RE JUST ANNOYED BECAUSE YOU HAD TO CARRY ALL OF HIS FUCKING SHIT! HE TREATED ME VERY WELL!"

"You've got to be fucking thhitting me!"

"HE HAS A HIGH VERY HIGH FUCKING REGARD FOR ME! THAT'S JUST HOW HE IS AROUND NEW PEOPLE!"

"Tho you're blaming hith behavior on me? Me, who invited the both of you to the mall in the firtht place."

"I'M SURE AS HELL NOT BLAMING TEREZI!"

"Well, that'th great becauthe to me, it looked like that wathn't the firtht time thomething like that had happened, judging by your reaction. And it'th funny; I don't theem to remember going to the mall with the two of you before today!"

The sound of flesh on flesh is followed by dazed silence. Your head was forced to turn by the power of the slap that left your cheek pricking. Staring at whatever it was that your gaze fell on after the blow – you weren't even sure what it was – you try to process the occurrence. You chastise yourself.

How had you driven him to this point? Threatening tears lightly burn in the corners of your eyes as you slowly turn back to Karkat, your mouth on hinges and springs as you clamber for an apology. You're stopped short when you see the streams running down his cheeks, his hand still outstretched from the strike.

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'S LIKE AROUND ME!" Even through his yelling, you could detect the panic, the absolute misery in his voice as more sobs broke through his pathetic attempt at the façade. "HE'S- He's…" He buries his face in his hands, freeing more whimpers.

With shaking limbs you step forward to wrap your arms around him in comfort. "He'th a dick," you offer. Karkat is pushing your arms away from him before you can touch him, running past you to the security of his room, and slams his door shut with a solid pound.

You remain stunned, staring in the direction he escaped, lightly testing the tingling skin of your cheek.

Well done, Captor. Well done.

The next morning, you stumble out of your room, having only gotten just short of three hours of a light, dreamless sleep. You were wandering into the living room near nine o'clock, a very early time for you. Your thoughts had been racing all night, leaving you with little rest. Luckily, you came up with a way to apologize to your roommate, who is currently lounging on the couch, channel surfing.

"Morning," you greet. When he doesn't respond, you sigh, walking to stand in front of him, blocking his view of the television. You outstretch a hand to him, but all he does is glance between the offered limb and your face from beneath furrowed eyebrows. Rolling your eyes, you lean down to force his hand into yours, shaking it with a firm grip. "Hi. My name'th Thollukth Captor. I'll be your roommate for ath long ath you can thtand me."

Reclaiming his hand, he asks, "What the fuck are you doing, Captor?"

"Introducing mythelf. It'th about time we learned about each other, wouldn't you thay? We've only been betht friendth for the patht couple of yearth." You take a seat on the couch, turned sideways to face him.

He sends a very perplexed sidelong glare in your direction. You simply smile and shrug in return.

"C'mon. Let'th get away for a while. Jutht…thpend the day together."

He sighs, and you can see the obvious reluctance in his expression.

"I think it'd be good for uth," you coax. "Getting away from all the thtreth."

"You can't run away from everything," he murmurs. "It'll catch up to you eventually."

"Doethn't mean you can't give it a hell of a hunt."

A corner of his lips is tugged upward as his grey eyes meet your dichromatic gaze. Your breath hitches as your heart palpitates, your stomach tossing. You have to remind yourself to breath, sending a shaky smile to him in return.

"Let's fucking go then, sapsmear."

You ruffle his hair – to which he groans crabbily – and you both jump off of the couch.

Nearly half of an hour later, you find yourself sitting next to Karkat at a mostly deserted playground, save for a group of high school students sitting behind a poor tree cover passing around a joint. The two of you are sitting on top of the monkey bars, letting your legs swing freely below you. You're watching Karkat patiently, who keeps his unfocused gaze on the sand surrounding the supporting beams.

"Tho… Like I thaid, I'm Thollukth. I…build computerth and thhit, ethpecially thpecific to gaming, and I thell thothe… Uh…" Talking about yourself was a lot harder than you thought it would be. "I'm bipolar, and obviouthly have a lithp that'th more evident when I'm upthet. And…I live in an apartment with my betht friend…though I'm not thure he wantth to continue living there."

He gives a minute, bitter chuckle. Karkat's eyes still won't meet yours as he begins. "I'm Karkat. I fucking love the Mass Effect series. I can be a short-tempered ass." You chuckle and he ignores you. "I…have a boyfriend whose name is Eridan. He can be a dick, but there's still something there that…attracts me to him. I've known for a while that I was gay, but I was too fucking scared to tell anyone. Especially mybest friend because I thought, and still think, that he may be a homophobe, and would hate me, or kick me out. We had never had a fight as fucking big as when I told him about Eridan. He got mad and started flipping all of the shit, and we've been having issues with our friendship ever since."

"Hm," you muse. "Well your betht 'friend' thounsth like a douche bag." You earn a chuckle from him as he leans back on a handle, supported by his arm.

"Hell yeah, he is."

"You detherve better than that, Karkat. How about I try to thraighten thith guy'th mindthet out?"

"That would be a fucking miracle."

"I think I could get him to change."

"I don't want him to change who he is. I just want him to try and fucking understand me better."

"I'll talk to him about that, then."

"Thanks."

You both smile at each other before you reach out, waiting for a hug. He accepts, leaning over to wrap his arms around your middle. You can hear "aw"s from the group of teenagers, to which Karkat releases you and send them a message with his finger.

"GO FUCK YOURSELVES!"

You join in with the chorus of their good-natured laughter.