With a loud 'flop', Karkat fell back into a particularly comfortable corner is his respite-block. Exhaustion fought for control of his mind, the war raging behind his eyelids. Today was rough, due to the Seer of Light's brilliant idea of mandatory (except for Gamzee) multicultural biology lessons. The angry troll had retreated to his block for some hard earned rest, after gritting out a terse explanation of the mutant blood flowing under his skin. His rest would not start, however, due to one "insufferable prick".
Sleeping was bullshit from the start. After all the fuckery on Derse and Prospit, not to mention the haunting dream bubble, being unconscious is something I dread. Not to mention the insipid Biology clusterfuck brought up things I'd rather not think about, and would happily leave to Future Me. But they wouldn't leave me alone, and not thinking about it was dangerous.
I could deal with the blood and social shit of me being a mutant freak, I'm used to it. But it was the eyes that freaked me out. Fuck, why had I never thought of it? My eyes filling in red during my, what humans stupidly call, "adolescence". It isn't much of a secret, (never was in the first place) and with almost every one of my friends/species dead it doesn't really matter. But Gamzee… the last troll I'd ever want to find out is Gamzee, the psychotic, murdering, indigo-blood. I'd heard stories, back on Alternia, of indigo-bloods originally scaring the lowbloods into submission, that being there job.
There's a swishing sound suddenly, and before I can reach my sickles, there it is. An idiotic wall of red. Strider.
"Is your primitive human brain capable of understanding the concept of personal fucking space? Because it would explain why you decided to invade my respite-block, for no fucking reason." I spit out. That nookwhiff just raises a stupid eyebrow at me, barely visible behind those infuriating shades of his.
"This human brain, which is a natural treasure for your information, gets it." Pausing, his smug air turns into a full blown smirk. Well, for him. "So it's a good thing I have a reason, else I'd be as embarrassed as John if he actually saw how shitty Con Air actually is."
"So? Spit it out, Strider, I don't want to be in your noxious presence more then I have to be." Instead of leaving and saving us both the trouble, naturally, he settles himself in front of me.
"…I wanna know you're plan." He says, much to my confusion.
"Plan? What plan? In case it didn't sink into that thick cranium of yours, I'm a shitty leader, and have resigned. You and Lalonde are the leaders of this shit parade." I can practically feel the dirty look being shot my way. OK, that's new. Is he… serious about something?
"You, 'Rezi, and the vampire chick explained all the hemocaste shit today, and what the blood differences actually do. So, what are you gonna do when your eyes fill in, and your apparently murderously following of the system meow-whatever sees?" I suck in a breath. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Of all the trolls and humans strapped to this shitty rock, Dave grubfucking Strider has to be the one to understand this.
"I don't know." I state. And what do you know third surprise in this conversation. I can actually read his expression, and the frustration there can rival mine.
"You can't give up, Vantas. Use that unfortunately clever brain of yours." He says. Now I'm getting annoyed.
"Strider, do the entire meteor a favor and shut the fuck up. As you do, I'll explain it to that primitive little thinkpan of yours, nice and simple. I...am…a…mutant. I am worthless, lower than the lowest blood. And no, I don't want Gamzee to kill me. But I have fuck all chance of hiding my blood, and less of surviving. So just-" Air rushes out of me as Strider harshly shoves me against the wall.
"Karkat, shut up. You think you're doomed, alone, just because you're a mutant? That's fucking stupid." My shock wore off and I began to thrash after that last line.
"Fuck you and your weird human lusii, Strider! I am doomed, I am alone! I'm one of four surviving members of my species, with fucked up DNA! "One hand still on my chest, Strider reaches up, and pulls off his shades. His eyes, brown as a brown-blooded trolls drill into mine. Then, to my complete shock and horror, his finger reaches up, and actually touches his eye.
"Strider! Stop, what are you doing?!" I shout. Strider reaches into his pocket and pulls out two connected round boxes. He seems to have done something to it, and then turns his head to hide his eyes as he goes for the other. When he looks up again, it's like a punch to my stomach.
Crimson. Ruby. Scarlet. Red. They stare back at me, two eyes as bright as the blood color Strider and I share.
"Having claws suck, huh?" Strider deadpans. Spluttering, I merely stare like a cretin as he explains 'contacts' to me. Fuck, claws do suck. Suddenly, he cups my cheek without warning, and pulls the skin under my eye down.
"Whoa, whoa, wait! What are you-"
"Relax. Don't blink." I heard a rustling sound, followed by a hollow pop. Next thing I know, one of Dave's nubby fingers is approaching my eye. Oh. Oh. I try to stay still, and hold my breath. It's an odd feeling, as the two circles slide in.
"Take a look." Dave says as he stands, holding a hand out for me to grab. I do, grudgingly, and haul myself up. I rush to the mirror, Strider doing his name justice behind me.
Brown eyes rimmed in yellow peer back at me. I stare and stare. I can hear Stride awkwardly clear his throat behind me.
"I can alchemize some grey ones, for you. Lemme know when it starts, you won't be able to put those suckers in, what with inferior troll hands and all that."
"…I could have been this." I say quietly, wincing as the brimming red tears scratch at the contact lenses. Moving to my side, leaning against the wall, Strider once again pins me with his gaze, silently.
"…Is it wrong…?" I'm startled by his sudden question, as is he, judging by his pinched forehead and frustrated frown.
"Is what?" He sighs, looking down like a guilty grub coming in from a night of playing in the mud.
"Being glad, you know… that you aren't?" The question stops me. Strider is… glad. That I'm me. That I'm a mutant. Because he's one too. I have to laugh at this entire fucking thing.
"Wrong? Then I guess I'm wrong too." He blinks, and then flashes me a grin.
"Does this make us bros now?" I grimace, though only for show.
"Never in a million pedigrees."
"Love you too, Karkles."