OHMYGODIAMSOSORRY. I really truly apologize, I feel really guilty about this one! I was sick, and then I got distracted by Doctor Who and Baccano, and ohmygosh im so sorry! But here it is, yo! And I guess I better put this in here somewhere:
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Homestuck. Hussie does.
I lay in my nest of blankets, staring at the black ceiling. It seemed the color scheme of Karkat's entire room was dark grey and black. Why didn't he have any color in his life? It seemed quite the bleak existence. My hands trembled as I thought about my dream. Why had I been dreaming of Karkat this whole time? And why was he always being so nice and gentle with me? So far as I'd seen him, he was nothing but rude and cranky. I heard a grumble from the…whatchamacallit that Karkat slept in and turned my head in his direction, my breath catching in my chest. What if he heard me? What would he think if he could see my thoughts right now? Oh my gosh, can he read minds? I mean, I dunno, he's a freakin alien. Maybe aliens can do that! Although, I guess I would be the alien on this planet, wouldn't I?
My rambling thoughts were stopped as a groan came from the other side of the room, and Karkat abruptly sat up. Only his head peaked out from his strange sleeping contraption, and his hair was matted with that thick green slime. Karkat turned his head this way and that before he caught my gaze and squinted at me.
"Oh. Fuck….morning?" he said with an air of confusion, as if he wasn't sure that's what he was meant to say. He rubbed at his eyes and sighed heavily.
"That's how you say it right?" he grumbled. I nodded my head, still not taking my gaze away from his gooey face.
"How do you say it?" I asked, my voice cracking slightly from misuse and dryness. Karkat's blood-red eyes glared at me, and I felt my cheeks heating ever so slightly under his intense stare.
"We don't." I gulped and nodded my head again, unsure of what to say. I heard Karkat sigh again, and then a noise like suction cups. I looked up to find Karkat slowly getting out of the slime-pool-thingie; the green slime slowly dripping down his bare chest.
Now my cheeks were without a doubt at least a dark shade of pink as I turned my head quickly away from the sight of goo, all slimy and green on his muscular abdomen.
What? What was I thinking?! Green slime? For heaven's sakes and Betsy why was I finding that attractive?
"I'm going to go take a shower and wash all this shit off me." Karkat said, rubbing a hand down his chest and pulling it away, a thin trail of slime still connecting his hand to his chest.
"O-okay." I mumbled into the blankets all around me. Karkat turned to walk out of the room but stopped before entering the hall way. He turned slightly and shifted from foot to foot awkwardly.
"You sleep good?" I sputtered for a small moment, only being able to think of my recent realization that I had been dreaming about him this whole time, before I nodded again and buried my burning face in my pillows. Karkat swiftly left the room after my little spazz attack and I groaned in contempt of my utter stupidity.
With all this shit happening, everyday is a new adventure. I wonder what's going to happen now.
Karkat's POV:
I let my shoulders slack and my body relax under the calming illusion of hot water pouring over my grey, naked body. When I woke up to find John buried in that mess of blankets and pillows, in my room, I didn't know what to think. There was something that made him different than anybody else I had ever met, and it terrified me. I scrubbed my skin raw, washing off the grime and the slime and the goo. I looked at my long, slate-grey fingers as green goo slipped between them. Ugh.
What must he have thought of me, waking up covered in green slime? It's unlike anything else he must've seen on Earth, they don't have recouperaccons there I guess. Don't know how the humans keep their nightmares away.
"FUCK! He must think I am absolutely fucking disgusting!" I banged my fist against the side of the shower in frustration.
"I know I would be…" I sighed and slumped over again, the water flowing down my face. Today I would have to show John his old Hive. The place would be run-down and broken, but at least it might be something familiar to re-jog his memory. Seeing him walking around and curled up in that old nest, but not having any memories of us was really fucking vexing.
"Today, John, I am taking you back to your old Hive." John's gaze shot up from his little nest with confusion.
"My hive? What's that?" I restrained myself from clogging him on the back of the head. He was human, of course he wouldn't fucking know what a Hive is, what with his puny human brain.
"It's where you lived. We're in my hive right now." I said gesturing impatiently to the grey surroundings. John's eyes lit up in recognition. Well, at least he wasn't as dumb as a brick.
"Come on, we'd better go now before too many others are up. You'd be a red light of catastrophic civil war if anybody saw your pink as fuck skin." I grumbled to myself. John shot up from his spot on the ground and brushed off his shirt with his hands. But there was no way in hell a slight brushing would do for the damage that piece of shit went through. In fact, everything John was wearing was burnt and torn, hardly satisfactory if we were to be going outside.
"Well shit, you can't go out like that! You'll trip and scrap yourself or some shit. Absolutely no coverage." John's cheeks turned a slight shade of pink as he looked down in shame and played with what was left of the hem of his shirt. I growled and turned back to my closet and ripped out a plain black t-shirt and a pair of black pants.
"Here. You seem to be about the same size as me." I shoved the clothes into his floundering hands and walked out into the hallway.
"I'll be waiting down stairs, so hurry it up, got it?" John paused, and I could practically see him nodding his head before realizing I couldn't see him, and then shout out "Oh! Got it!"
I did as I said I was going to do. I waited down stairs. I thanked GOG that Crabdad was fucking sleeping. John would flip his menial little shit if he found out about him before he remembered everything….if he remembered everything. I felt my chest tighten again, and I quickly banished the thought. Just then, I heard a fumbling on the stairs. I turned to find John laying in a heap at the bottom step.
"Jegus, this feels familiar." I muttered as I walked over and helped him stand upright. John was pulling down the hem of the black shirt that fell tight across his chest. I took a step back to look him up and down, making sure he was good for being outside. Damn, he looks good in my pants…
Wait. What the fuck?!
I shook my head and turned around. My head wasn't screwed on right, that's it. Jegus.
"Alright. Let's get the fuck out of here."
John's POV:
Karkat swiftly turned around and walked right out his door, leaving me in the middle of the….where was I again?
I looked around to find myself in what appeared to be a living room of sorts. There was a grey couch, and a grey rug, and a black-painted coffee table. Why was everything so bleahk about Karkat's house? Or, er, Hive?
Outside the sky was dark and everything seemed grey and colorless, like Karkat's Hive. It seemed like it was nighttime or that time right before the sun comes up, where it's still early but you're awake. I sighed and followed Karkat down the deserted dirt road. Everything here seemed dark and dismal.
"Um, Karkat?" the black-haired boy whipped his head around and stared me down with his yellowed eyes.
"What." He growled out between clenched teeth. I didn't know why he was still so crabby! Or maybe he was just trying to intimidate me or something. But why would he want to do that?
"Where is everybody else? Aren't there supposed to be other Trolls around, like you and Terezi?" Karkat chuckled without humor.
"I don't think there are any assholes out there that are similar in anyway, John. Terezi is a psychotic basket case." He shuddered slightly, and I smirked at the memory of Terezi licking him. "But to answer your question, mostly everybody is still soundly asleep, like they fucking should be. We, however, must creep around at the wee hours of the night to keep from being spotted. I fucking hate the catastrophic race of idiots I belong to." Karkat grumbled irritably.
We walked for a while in silence; Karkat ahead of me, every once in a while kicking a stone out of his way. I felt myself eyeing the new world around me. It was strange to view a completely different world; everything was different, except nothing. It was like an alternate Earth, only without color and sunlight. The silence egged on, and I felt my mind drift off into the darkness around me. I let myself slip into thought. What was everybody thinking about me back on Earth? Well…I guess nobody. My friends at The Mansion were most likely dead, and Dave wouldn't be able to find me if his life depended on it. The world was too big, and I was on another freakin' planet. Maybe in an entirely different universe! I wondered how Dave was doing, if he'd been adopted in time, if he'd found his place in the world, or if he'd met a more horrifying fate than my own. I shook my head. No, Dave was too cool for that, he would've figured out a way to get out of that hell….or he'd enjoy it. I smiled to myself; thinking of Dave made me almost feel like what was going on wasn't happening. That I was back in my room, playing our edited version of Monopoly- Cageopoly. Best Game. Ever. Karkat had a nice ass.
I stopped in my tracks momentarily, eyes widening and cheeks burning. Just…..Just rewind and STOP. What the hell did I just think? Why did I think it?! I found my gaze lowering from Karkat's back to his butt swishing back and forth slightly as he walked. Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit. He did have a nice butt! And I noticed it!
It was then that Karkat decided to realize I had stopped following him, and turned around to find me spazzing out with my heart jumping a mile a minute in embarrassment.
"Get the fuck over here, we need to move, John!" and with that he turned back around, shaking his head. I sighed in relief and quickened my pace to catch up with him. But I still followed behind him shamefully, cheeks ablaze.
We walked until we reached a forest, to which Karkat stopped, looked all around and finally ushered me into the woods. The trees looked similar to those on Earth, except they were a lot bigger. They seemed majestically tall and wide.
"It's through here, I know exactly where it is." I nodded in response and followed Karkat through the woods. We seemed to be following an old path that hadn't been traveled on in years; it was over grown with all sorts of plants that I'd never seen before, and zigzagged all over the place, as if it were made by a child who couldn't really see where it was going. I began to hear the distant sound of rushing water. Some kind of animal made a noise to my side that sounded like a frog, and then we were in a massive clearing. Before us stood a large, round yard with a huge house planted smack-dab in the middle of it. To the side of the house was another large tree, with one branch reaching in through one of the windows. The house was lifted above the ground on long poles shooting out of the ground, and a huge staircase led up to the front door. On the left side of the house was a great, rushing river that plummeted into a waterfall.
Suddenly, the sky lit up with a faint, dull pink glow and the whole world was a-light with color. I discovered that the trees had magnificent, pale purple trunks with magenta-colored leaves, the water was a sparkling blue similar to Earths, and all the little grass and strange plants I saw bloomed with color. I gasped as I looked around. How could this bleak and dismal world suddenly become so beautiful and alive? I gazed up at the sky and saw a shining pink orb floating in the sky.
"Karkat! What's that?!" I asked, pointing to it with excitement. My heart was thudding wildly in my chest, I felt like a little kid who just discovered he could fly or something! Karkat looked up boredly and crossed his arms across his chest.
"Uhhhh, the moon? What the hell else would it be?" He stared at me with a raised brow, looking me up and down as if I were insane-but I just didn't care.
"Wow, it's beautiful." I murmured as I took in my surroundings. I was amazed by the beauty beheld to me.
"Yea, it's fucking gorgeous. Now let's get you inside…there's someone you have to meet."
I turned and skipped giddily after Karkat; I felt on top of the world! I somehow managed to get landed in this magical place, oh man it was just too cool.
"Who do I have to meet?" I asked as we (I) hoped up the white stairs to the now brilliant blue door. Karkat stopped and put a hand on the knob, ready to turn it.
"Your lusus." I frowned and stopped hopping up and down giddily.
"My what-what?" Karkat rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically.
"Your LUSUS. Remember, they guardian asshole that takes care of you?" He looked at me expectantly, and I remembered the conversation we'd had when I first met him. I nodded my head and kept my mouth shut because Karkat looked like he was going to burst a gasket. He turned back around and let out a deep breath before opening the door and stepping inside.
We walked through the door into a foyer and hallway. The floors were all wooden with throw rugs placed in aesthetically pleasing places. I looked all around, searching for signs that I could have once lived here. The walls were painted a sky-blue color, and a staircase led to a higher floor level to the left. Directly in front of us was the hallway with a room at the end of it. From where we were I could see a countertop and a refrigerator-a kitchen presumably. To the right was an open archway that led to a living room and front room with chairs and couches and bean bags strewn about. A few toy-looking objects littered the floor in those two rooms, but other than that, the house just seemed like an ordinary home. Nothing special here.
"So…this is where I lived?" I could tell I didn't hide the disbelief in my voice, and so could Karkat.
"Yeah." He didn't say anything more, didn't move, didn't do anything. Well. If he wasn't going to show me around or take me to this "Lusus" or whatever, then I would show myself around! I walked forward and headed towards the kitchen. Right outside the archway was a small, dark wooden side table pushed against the wall. Sitting upon it was a small, grey and blue stripped bowl. It had a few large cracks in it that looked like they had been glued back together. I reached out my hand to touch it, to touch this little piece of my life that I knew nothing about, and suddenly the world was spinning and black, and I was thrust into an alternate reality.
You're standing with your back flat against the wall, trying to hide in the shadows as voices come from the food-prep room. Fear is coursing through your veins as the voices get louder. You slap a hand over your mouth to keep the sound of your breathing under control as you lean forward to try and hear what the adult trolls are saying. But, being the klutz you are, somehow manage to knock over the bowl-your favorite bowl that Karkat made you for your fourth Wriggling day- and it goes crashing to the floor. You scrunch back against the wall, your tiny heart beating wildly with fear in your chest. The voices in the food-prep room stop and you know your cover's been blown.
I gasped as I came-to and ripped my hand from the bowl as if it burned me. I took deep calming breaths, as my heart was still beating madly in my chest. That was the same feeling I got before, when Terezi licked Karkat's face. It felt…eerie…it felt….like a memory. I shuddered and turned away from the bowl, walking into the kitchen. I opened the refrigerator, but there was no food in it. Which I guess made sense, seeing how if I did really live here, it hadn't been for nearly thirteen years. The floors were impeccably clean, and I couldn't find a speck of dust anywhere. How was that possible if I hadn't been here in so long?
"Karkat?" I called out. I heard his footsteps come closer until they paused at the archway to the kitchen. I turned to him with my hands on my hips, my brows furrowed and a frown on my face. I needed to look serious! This was a serious matter.
"Why is this place so clean? I mean, if I haven't been here in thirteen years, and even if I HAD been here, I know it would at least be covered in dust and spider webs! Or…whatever equivalent of spiders you have on this planet." Karkat growled and crossed his arms.
"Believe me; we have spiders….psychotic spider bitch." He muttered under his breath. I waited for his reply, but he just stood there kind of awkwardly. He shifted from foot to foot and looked everywhere except me.
"Karkat?"
"OKAY OKAY, GOG YOU JUST RILED IT OUT OF ME!" He screamed out and through his hand in the air in exasperation. My eyes widened and I took a step back at his outburst. Man, he was so weird.
"I cleaned it." He whispered, looking at his feet. I frowned. I still didn't understand. Why would he do that if I wasn't here? What would he gain from doing something like that? Karkat certainly didn't seem like the kind of guy to just clean empty houses for the fun of it…
"In case you ever came back." He mumbled nearly inaudibly. I held my breath, and then slowly let it out. Well I felt like an asshole. Now it was my turn to stare bashfully at my feet.
"I guess we were pretty good friends, huh?" Karkat huffed and turned around, walking out of the kitchen.
"Yeah, when you weren't pulling one of your insufferable little pranks. Every time I walked in the door, you threw asparagus at me. For the meaningless bag of shit that is me I still can't figure out why it was asparagus, and why every single day you did it, but it was annoying as hell!" I smiled and felt myself giggle slightly before clasping a hand over my mouth in embarrassment. I frowned and shuffled across the floor.
"Sorry." I whispered quietly. Karkat just grunted in return and walked out, heading towards the stairs.
"Alright derp-shit, time to meet your daddy." I felt my cheeks heat up and I stared furiously at the ground again, suddenly my shoelaces were incredibly interesting.
"Egbert? You coming?" I looked up and saw Karkat's gloomy face. And shook my head to clear my thoughts.
"That is what you call your human-lusus, right?" my eyes widened in realization and I felt my cheeks flush again.
"Oh, uh…yea." I chuckled nervously and I followed Karkat up the stairs.
The second floor was just a long, white hallway with royal blue carpeting and white doors lining the walls. Karkat stopped me at the top step and stayed there with his ear to the hall. In the silence, I heard a slight rustle of movement coming from the door directly in front of us and Karkat slowly walked towards it, ushering me forward. Once we reached the door, he put one hand on the knob and one on my shoulder. I stared at the one on my shoulder before Karkat leaned in close and whispered in my ear, "He will only recognize you, but he'd hurt me, so I'll open the door and you rush in there. If anything goes wrong, I'm right out here."
I felt my cheeks heat up again but I nodded my head to try and hide it. Karkat nodded back and quickly turned the knob and the door flew open. I rushed inside and felt the door slam shut behind me.
For a moment, all was silent. I looked all around the room and was surprised to find this room filthy and messy compared to the rest of the house. Small boys' clothing and blankets and papers were strewn all over the place. A few drawings hung on the walls; one depicted a small boy with black hair and a blue outfit on holding hands with a huge, white bearded-lizard.
And suddenly, the silence was broken by a low rumble and a shuffle of objects. In front of me rose a huge pile of miscellaneous items. Something big and white and scaly popped its head out from the mess until it was completely uncovered. The beast was huge; at least three times my size. It shook its huge head and looked around for an intruder, baring its tiny, sharp teeth. Its beady black eyes stopped on my. The beast took a few steps closer to me and I felt myself back away until my back was flush against the door. My heart was thudding in my chest as the beast came closer and closer until we were face to face. My eyes widened until I thought they would pop out of my head. The beasts nostrils flared and its hot breath fanned over my face. But instead of causing fear to boil more in my body, the sensation was oddly calming. The giant lizard tilted its head slightly and squinted its beady eyes at me. The beast inched its face closer to mine until our noses were touching. I gulped and stared the beast back in the face as it scrutinized me.
Suddenly, the beasts eyes went wide as if in shock and a deep, sad sound came bursting from its throat. I yelped as it nuzzled its big head against my belly and moaned again. It looked back up at me, eyes pleading and beginning to tear up. I felt my heart squeeze at its face; it looked so sad and heart-broken. What had happened to this poor creature?
As a single tear fell down the sad creatures face, I felt that feeling bubble up inside me again, my mind started to go foggy and the world began spinning.
You giggle as you fly into the body of your lusus, only the best prankster in the world. You plan on learning all your tricks from this guy right here, Impdad. He's so cool. The large creature makes a noise half-way between a bark and a laugh as you run around it in the grass, your bare toes squishing in the muddy dirt. Suddenly, it starts to rain you look up at the luminescent sky in wonder, but then the rain stops. You look around and find that you are no longer on the ground! Impdad has your shirt tucked in-between his teeth and he's carrying you back inside the house. You giggle as he sets you down on the wooden floor and slithers to the lazy room.
You were sound asleep in your nest of blankets until your lusus comes barging in through the door, spinning around and running along the floor like a crazed buffoon. He snarls and snaps his teeth, and you know something must be wrong. You grab your "Troll hat" and head out of the room, slipping past Impdad who is still going crazy and tearing apart your room.
My eyes shoot open and I stare at the giant lizard before me. His eyes are still clouded over with tears, and I feel a similar feeling begin to form in my eyes. I jumped forward and wrapped my arms tightly around the giant beasts' neck; he was exactly as I remembered him.
"Impdad!"
AH! Cliff hangerrrrrrrrrrr, hanging from a cliiiiiiiiiiiiiff! AND THAT'S WHY HE'S CALLED CLIFF HANGER! Hahaha, sorry. I will deffinetly be updating this weekend, so no worries my lovely readers! Good shit is about to go down! :D on another note, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me how im doing with characterization. This chapter was shit to write out I really hate it, and I don't feel like im getting the their personalities right. So let me know where I can improve!1 Love you all! Please R&R, adios!