"Nepeta, come on." Karkat ran off, not so much as even waiting for a ride as he dragged Nepeta behind him. Aradia supposed she wouldn't wait either, if it was her dad that'd been shot, though it did kind of put a damper on the party. Aradia approached her father.
"Dad… maybe we should wrap this up," she whispered. Daniel nodded and went about gathering up the kids. Those who could called someone for a ride home, and those who couldn't went with Daniel. But the only two that took Mr. Droog up on the offer were Gamzee and Equius. Gamzee needing a ride didn't surprise Aradia in the least. His father was basically an absentee parent, and his brother… well, she knew Gamzee had a brother, and that he was just as strange as the other Makara boy, and that was about it. Equius needing a ride, now that was unusual. Typically Aurthour was at his beck and call when it came to driving.
Once everyone else had left, Daniel and Aradia climbed into the front seats of the car, with the two boys in the back. There was an odd tension in the car. Part of that was just tension between an ex-girlfriend and boyfriend, and the fact that Daniel had never liked Equius, but there also seemed to be tension between Equius and Gamzee. Gamzee looked even crazier than usual. His hair was beyond unkempt; it was simply wild, his eyes bloodshot and his ridiculous clown makeup looking even more ridiculous, being smudged all over. He had a sickening grin plastered across his face and kept glancing over at Equius across the seat, who smiled back, but it was an uneasy, nervous smile. There were bruises around Equius's neck, too. Aradia couldn't help but glance at the two in the mirror, quietly eyeing each other in the back seat.
"So, Equius, where's your dad?" Aradia asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"He, er, had Aurthour take him out. Business meeting or something of the like…" Equius answered, sweating a bit.
"Ah…. Gamzee, your dad busy too?"
"If I motherfuckin' told you, sis, I'd have to motherfuckin' kill you," Gamzee replied, letting out a deep, spine-chilling chuckle at his own sick humor. Daniel just about slammed on the breaks.
"Do not. Speak to my daughter like that," he hissed. "Don't even joke about killing. Anyone."
"Dad, let's just go," Aradia pleaded under her breath.
"You friends with that kid?" Daniel asked as the car sped back up.
"Friend… by association. I'm… friends with Sollux, who's friends with Karkat, who's friends with… Gamzee."
"Nah, sis, we're fuckin' friends," Gamzee slurred. Aradia slumped her head over, faking a smile at her father. "What, we ain't friends? You don't fuckin' like having me around?" Daniel pulled over at Gamzee's house. "That's fuckin' fine, sis, I'll just be on my motherfuckin' way," Gamzee hissed before slamming the door behind him. Aradia shuddered. There was definitely something off with Gamzee, moreso than before.
"Such vulgar language," Equius murmured.
"I don't like him," Daniel said.
"Agreed."
"Hey, I don't like you either, kid."
Aradia twisted around in her seat to face Equius. "Equius, did something… happen between you and Gamzee?" she asked.
"What- why on Earth would you ask something like that?"
"Well, because Gamzee looked totally off his rocker; like, moreso than is normal for him, and you looked scared out of your mind that he was back there with you. And you have these massive bruises all around your neck, like, someone was trying to strangle you."
"Yes… well… I was practicing sparring with Mr. Makara and things got… a little out of hand."
"Mm…" Aradia pursed her lips and faced forward again, not really sure how much she believed Equius. At least his unsettled smile was gone.
They were quiet for the rest of the drive, Equius only saying 'thank you' when Daniel stopped at his house. As Equius went inside, Aradia looked over at her father.
"Boys are weird," she muttered. "Were you like that when you were younger?"
"You don't wanna know what I was like when I was younger."
"Dad, I already know you were in a gang, if that's what you mean."
"Yeah, I was the lady's-man and the leader. Well, Spencer was meant to be the leader but he was too hot-headed to lead properly."
"Heh, sounds like Karkat,"
"Spencer probably rubbed off on the kid. Hey, don't be like me. We did a lot of stupid shit, and it took me too long to stop screwing around."
"Hmm."
The Midnight Crew had long since disbanded, though The Midnight Brew was indeed a nod to Daniel's 'hey-day', and it was still an interesting position for Aradia to imagine her father in. Aradia wondered how everyone's parents were when they were younger, and then she thought of Karkat's dad, and she hoped he would be okay.

A few weeks later, Aradia got her answer. Karkat made a massive group chat.

carcinoGeneticist [CG] started group message: FUCK

apocalypseArisen [AA] is online
twinArmageddons [TA] is online
carcinoGeneticist [CG] is online
arachnidsGrip [AG] is online
cuttlefishCuller [CC] is online
ectoBiologist [EB] is online
turntechGodhead [TG] is online

CG: Hey everyone.
CG: So…
CG: Bad news…
CG: My dad…he
CG: Didn't make it
CC: Karkat, I'm so sorry!
TG: fucking blows dude
CG: Don't be sarcastic, Strider
TG: im not
TG: it may shock you to know that i am in fact
TG: capable of sincerity
TG: give me the benefit of the doubt dude
TG: instead of jumping all over me the minute i open my mouth
TG: all in my business like youre trying to hop on my dick
CG: GROSS, fuck off
TG: nah man the fuck is on
TG: your sympathy fuck i mean
TG: looking for one?
TA: wouldn't put it past him
TG: haha nice one man
CG: You FUCKERS!
CG: Stop ganging up on me, it's seriously not cool.
CG: I'm having an honest to God crisis
AG: Honestly, Karkat, when aren't you having a crisis?
CG: UUUUGH forget it.
CG: Why did I think I could talk to you assholes?
EB: guys, come on
EB: karkat just lost someone important to him
EB: i don't think its the time for dick jokes
TG: what are you like his boyfriend or something?
EB: dave, no
EB: i'm not…
EB: i'm straight, dave
TG: sure
TG: youre about as straight as i am
TG: but sure
CG: Egbert, PLEASE, I DON'T need your fucking help.
CG: Strider, SHUT UP.
AG: Soooooooo
AG: What exactly was the point of this group chat?
AG: Half of us aren't even online right now.
TA: man i wish i wasn't
CG: I was trying to get to that
CG: I could honestly use some moral support right now
CG: So you're all invited to the funeral
CG: Not that any of you will actually show up
CG: Now leave me alone.

Karkat logged out before Aradia responded to any of what anyone had said, but she resolved to be at the funeral. She knew how it felt to lose somebody, and refused to let a friend go through what she'd gone through alone.

apocalypseArisen [AA] began pestering carcinoGeneticist [CG]

AA: hey karkat
AA: i know you want to be left alone right now
AA: but i just wanted to say im here for you
AA: ive been there
AA: and if you need someone to talk to you can talk to me
AA: ill be at the funeral and ill make sure sollux is there too
AA: just because some of them are being jerks doesnt mean you dont have friends to help you through hard times
AA: dont seclude yourself for too long
AA: it doesnt help

After a while, Karkat started typing.

CG: Thanks.

The funeral came very quickly, and as promised, Aradia was there with Sollux. Not everybody showed up. Nepeta was there, of course, and Kanaya, with Rose by her side. Terezi was there, standing next to Karkat, and not with her signature grin for once, and Feferi, and John, Dave and Jade. Damara came with Aradia, too, but avoided Kankri for the most part. Aradia wasn't sure if it was Kankri himself she was avoiding, or the fact that Cronus was following Kankri like a shadow, but she was glad Damara had come at all. Aradia also recognized Sollux's uncle Simon, and Spencer, a friend of her dad's, as well as all of Kanaya's family, and Nepeta's mom and sister.
Once the funeral started, a pastor did most of the speaking, telling them that they'd gathered not to mourn the passing of Solomon Vantas, but rather to celebrate his life, that he would leave a memory with everyone he'd met, and everything he'd probably said at every funeral he'd ever spoken at. And then, once he'd finished, Mrs. Leijon took his place behind the microphone.
"Solomon Vantas was… one of the kindest, greatest people I ever had the pleasure of meeting. He was so inspirational to me, so influential to the world; how he was just… always trying to help whoever he could, always trying to make peace or find a diplomatic way around a problem- that was all he wanted to be. A diplomat. He wanted to make a better future for his kids, for my kids… Solomon was… my best friend, and my first love. When we met in high school, I knew I'd found someone I could confide in. Someone I knew I wanted in my life. He had such an idealistic concept of what the world could be. And… oh, the way he lit up when we talked about how we could improve the world, leave our mark… and then we fell in love… and then… both left for different colleges. I never thought I'd be lucky enough to find him again, but I was. I swore I'd never lose him again. And yet, here we are. Solomon Vantas was… a great man, who did great things, and I will not let that be in vain. He may be gone, but the impact that he's had will be with us forever."
She stepped down, tears streaming down her face. Sollux leaned over and whispered in Aradia's ear. "Jeez, she really did love him…" Aradia nodded. She was hardly aware that Nepeta's mom and Karkat's dad were a thing. She looked closer at Mrs. Leijon as she whispered something to Kankri and Karkat. Karkat shook his head no, but Kankri nodded and stood, and took her place at the podium.
"My father was an ambitious, idealistic man. He was always trying to do something to help someone, and help this town. Someone I always admired, and from this day on I will be taking up his cause and do my best to be as he was. Thank you for everything, Dad," Kankri said, looking up as though Solomon was watching over them.

The reception was, well, fine- a more appropriate setting for socialization, if anything. Damara approached Kankri, despite the Cronus hanging almost over his shoulders.
"I sorry… is hard, not having a dad," she said, quite genuinely. She and Kankri didn't quite get along, but she understood loss and broken families. Kankri raised an eyebrow, almost scoffing at her.
"I hardly need your pity, Damara," Kankri said. "It was his time, I suppose. It comes for all of us. Though I fear, with your lifestyle it may come knocking soon. No good can come from drugs and sex."
It took every ounce of self-restraint Damara had to not slap Kankri across the face right then and there. Instead she took a quiet breath. "I change, Kankri. Doing better things for me. Wish you could say the same. Still such an asshole, you are." Damara marched away, back to Aradia and Sollux.
"Well he seems in oddly high spirits," Aradia muttered.
"Give your well-wishes," Damara huffed. "We go soon." Aradia glanced around the room, looking for Karkat. He seemed to have taken it the hardest, and he was nowhere to be found.
"Sollux, where would Karkat be?"
"His room, probably."

Sollux led Aradia to Karkat's room, angsty punk-rock music barely leaking out under the closed door.
"Yeah, he's in there," Sollux whispered. "Want me to come in too?"
"No, I kinda just want to talk to him." Sollux shrugged and wandered back downstairs as Aradia lightly rapped her knuckles on the closed door. "Karkat?" she called, "Can I come in?"
"Go away!" Aradia cracked the door open and poked her head inside anyway. "I thought I sa- oh, it's you." Karkat mumbled.
"Who did you think it was?"
"Dessie. What do you want, Aradia."
"Oh, nothing," Aradia hopped onto Karkat's bed, which was currently covered with disheveled blankets and pillows, a pile of which he was face down in. "Just wanted to be a friend and make sure you were okay."
"I don't need your help, alright? Just leave me alone to mourn."
"I'll let you mourn but first let me say my piece. Listen; I know how losing a parent feels, and take whatever time you need- but you still have plenty of people around you to help you get through this. We love and support you. Your dad isn't gone either."
"Yeah he is."
"No, he's in your heart." Aradia smiled, and Karkat couldn't help but chuckle..
"What is this, some Big Hero Six shit?"
"Yeah, except you're gonna figure it out faster than Hiro did."
"Or you?"
Aradia's smile faded a bit, but didn't quite disappear. "Yeah. I felt… pretty dead there for a while."
"So… what are you now?"
"I feel… very much alive. And I intend to stay that way."