***Karkat's POV***
When I finally arrived sometime the next day I headed straight for my house.
I knew what was waiting for me and that I most likely would never see the light of day again.
I walked slowly preparing myself for the worst thing that could happen.
I walked into the house closing the door behind me.
It looked almost the same as it had when I left it. The only thing wrong was the fact that all the dishes were shattered on the floor of the kitchen. I cringed. I knew exactly what I was walking into, I could tell just by this that he was pissed off, angry. Maybe even pissed enough to kill me.
I walked past the kitchen and into the living room scanning the area in search of him.
"Gamzee!" I called but got no response so I stepped further into the room careful of how much noise I made.
I made my way up the stairs and into our room slowly opening the door. He was nowhere to be seen and I sighed in relief.
At least I'd have some time alone before he came back.
I gently closed the door behind me. Making my way to the dresser I rid myself of all my clothes except my boxers. I pulled one of Gamzees shirts out and slipped it on before slipping under the covers of the bed.
I sighed and curled up pulling the blanket over my head and falling into a deep sleep. I knew I shouldn't have done it but I just wanted to feel a little bit of peace before Gamzee came back because I knew nothing good was going to come of it.
I wasn't sure how much time had passed when I felt the bed dip under the weight of another person.
My heart beat rapidly in my chest and my breathing quickened.
I breathed out slowly trying to calm myself down before I slowly removed the blanket from my face.
I almost gasped in shock when I saw Gamzees face staring right back at me.
"G-gamzee hi" I stuttered out.
He brought his hand up to my face and for a minute I thought he was gonna hit me but he surprised me by stroking my face and running his fingers through my hair.
"I motherfucking missed you Karbro" he whispered and I could feel his breath on my face. He gave me a kiss but before I could kiss back he pulled away.
"Why'd you leave?" he asked his tone cold. I hesitated not knowing what to say. I knew if I said why I really left he'd get mad.
"I-I don't know" I whispered meekly.
"I all up and looked everywhere for you bro. Where were you?" He growled and I didn't know how to answer him without getting myself hurt so instead I stayed silent.
He glared at me so I averted my eyes and nibbled on my bottom lip nervously.
"Fucking answer me Karkat" He said with venom and I cringed. He usually didn't do this. Usually he would just hit me or do something else to hurt me.
I was confused. Why was he asking me instead of what he normally did.
"I-um I wen-went to uh Texas" I mumbled not meeting his gaze.
"You what?"
"Texas" I gulped looking up to meet his eyes head on. "I went to Texas. That's where I was, that's why you couldn't find me...I'm sorry" I said guiltily.
I knew what would come next but I still cried out as his hand connected with my cheek.
"You motherfuckin' went to see that son of a bitch didn't you!?" he snarled and when I didn't answer I knew he already knew.
What I hadn't expected was for him to drag me down the stairs by my hair and all the way into the kitchen where Gamzee handcuffed him to one of the posts supporting the island.
I didn't even put up a fight. I knew this is what would happen if I came back and even if it was worse than usual then I would just be glad that my friends, the people I really cared about were safe. I would be happy because no matter how much I suffered my friends would be okay even if I ended up dying.
"Karkat" Gamzee says in a voice that sends chills down my spine. I turn away from him not wanting to see his face. He comes closer to me and I grimace as his hot breath fans my face when he speaks. "What'd you do with him?" he growls his face a mixture of betrayal and hate.
When I don't answer he takes a knife from one of the drawers and drags it along the middle of my shirt ripping it into shreds. He then takes it and he drags it in a straight line down my leg causing blood to flow freely from the wound. I scream out in pain as he glares at me with so much hate that for a moment I'm shocked, paralyzed and scared of what he'll do next.
"What did you do with him!" he screams yanking on my hair as he cuts cuts all across my arm. I scream out in pain tears running down my face.
"Nothing!" I say hoping he'll stop but instead he gets this sinister look in his eyes and he punches me in the face.
I'm so stunned that I don't even react.
"Don't fucking lie to me Karkat!" he shouts somehow managing to uncuff me and drag me through all the broken dishware on the floor of the kitchen.
As it cuts into my skin leaving many cuts that I know won't be treated I'm vaguely aware that I've been yanked up once again. This time though I know what he intends to do and when my back hits the wall and I crumple to the floor all I can think is that I deserve this.
Somehow in some way I was the one who made him this way. If he never hit me none of this ever would've happened.
It's all my fault John died, my fault that everyone I ever meet ends up severely injured or dead.
None of this is Gamzees fault because he can't help it but me I can. If I'd only stopped thinking about myself he never would've changed.
It all leads back to me and I know it always will because everywhere I go I bring trouble. Everything I do is bad and I always regret it later on but this time I won't because this time I'll be gone for good.
Gamzee walks over and delivers several kicks to my torso all I can do is whimper and scream in pain.
He does it over and over until finally he stops and the next thing I know there's a searing pain in my right hand. I look over only to realize Gamzee is standing on and twisting his foot into the palm of my hand. I can literally hear/feel the bones breaking under the pressure as I cry out finally breaking my resolve and letting the tears fall.
I look up at him pleadingly. "Please" I whimper out. I don't think I can take much more of this and if I know him this is only the start.
He just glares at me, brandishing the knife once more as he crouches his face a mere foot from mine. He grabs my neck squeezing tight enough to where his nails dig deeply in so much that I can feel the blood running down my neck. I'm gasping for air as he drags the knife deeply across my forehead. I can't even scream out as the blood flows down into my eye and down my cheeks mixing with my hot tears.
My eyes roll to the back of my head as he squeezes harder that sinister look in his eyes. I can feel myself slipping away from reality.
I'm pulled back however when his grip loosens and he drops me back to the ground where I begin coughing and gasping for breath.
He delivers a blow to my head however and suddenly my vision blurs. I feel like the world is spinning even though I know I'm not moving.
I clutch my head with both hands desperately trying to fight off the raging headache. I forget however about my broken hand and scream out in pain to which I hear a menacing chuckle.
"Tell me now!" he growls once more and I don't know what to say because I've already told him nothing happened yet he doesn't seem to realize I'm telling the truth.
"Nothing happened" I gasp out and I can tell that just makes him angrier as he now grabs the knife and carves deeply into my chest the word 'MINE'. I whimper and scream thrashing about as he does it but there's nothing I can do to stop him.
When he's finally finished I'm a bloodied mess with tears running down my face and mixing with the blood that's caked on my cheeks. My eyes are bloodshot and they burn. I just want it all to be over because even though I thought I could handle it I can't.
The next thing I know he's making small cuts in my legs and arms and I can't even find it in myself to fight.
By the time he's done my body is sore and I can't move without crying out in pain so when he drags me up the stairs tears spring to my eyes as I whimper and moan in pain.
He drags me to the bathroom and pushes me into the shower turning on the water. As it cascades down my body I feel the burn in the cuts and I cry out in pain as Gamzee just stares down at me.
When I try to climb out of the shower he just pushes me back down and delivers another kick to my stomach causing me to give up laying sprawled at the bottom of the shower.
When the water turns cold he yanks me out and wraps a towel around my shivering shoulders.
If I weren't so bruised and out of it I would've laughed at the absurdity of him caring for me after a beating like that.
He dried me off dressing me in another one of his shirts and carries me over to the bed, tucking me under and shutting off the lights before climbing in next to me.
He wraps his arm around me pulling me close and I wince at the pain before relaxing into him.
I knew it was wrong, knew that I shouldn't give in but some part of me still cared even if it was buried beneath all that hate.
"Don't leave me again Karbro" he mutters a hand stroking through my hair in a somewhat soothing way. I nod my head sleepily and within moments I'm fast asleep next to the enemy.