"Kitty, it's time to wake up…" Nepeta purred into Karkats ears. He groaned, rubbing his eyes. He hated waking up in the mornings, but Nepeta was a morning person, which meant he had to get up at atleast twelve. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to block out the sun she let in to the room.

"Morning." He mumbled.

"It's twelve thirty kitty. I even let you sleep in and extra thirty minutes because you are just so cute when you sleep." She came over and cupped his face in her hands. "Good afternoon." She smiled before kissing him. "Now put a shirt on before I get too embarrassed to be in here." She blushed and he looked down.

"Huh… oh shit!" He pulled the up the blanket to cover himself which made Nepeta giggle.

"I'll make you something to eat." She called before walking out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Karkat rubbed his face before getting up and walking over to the bathroom. He turned the faucet water on cold and splashed his face a couple times to wake himself up.

"She's good for you, she honestly is." He talked to himself, rubbing his face in a towel. He looked in the mirror at himself. He grew his hair out to the length he used to keep it as a teen because Nepeta liked to play with it. He has only been dating her for a month and the dark circles that used to make him look like a panda were gone, and he surprising looked healthy, physically and mentally. Brushing his hair out of his eyes he walked over to his chest in the corner and dug through it for a shirt; pulling one out he grabbed from the bottom.

He was about to slip it on before he realized. Oh yea, this isn't mine; Teal and extremely baggy with a single red strip at the bottom. Terezi had got him it when they were still together; she always went on about how great those colors looked on him. He should get rid of it, and considering that its twelve thirty and he won't be doing anything until night, he might as well do it today. He wrapped it in a plastic bag and pulled out a plain black t shirt on top of the pile. "You are twenty Karkat; it's time to get your shit together." Slinking the T- shirt on, he walked out of the room and stared at Nepeta as she made him pancakes, even if it was twelve thirty. "Maybe even settle down."

"What was that Kar?" She called. He jumped up in surprise, forgetting how good her hearing was.

"Nothing," He laughed, "Just reminding myself to do some laundry while I'm up. He scratched the back of his head hoping she didn't catch him in his lie. Twenty is way too early to settle down. He came up and hugged her from behind. "Smells great Nep." He leaned his head on her shoulder. Even if he was a couple heads taller than her and it was pretty uncomfortable he didn't care. She tore a piece of pancake off of the one she just finished and fed it to him. He munched on the sweet delight.

"Mmmmm pancakes." He cooed in her ear which made her giggle.

"I'm meeting up with the rogues today, but I'm heading out after this to meet with Equius!" Karkat took a seat at their small two person table behind her which she brought over the pancakes. Karkat made a noise of displeasure.

"You know what I'm going to say next right?"

"Roxy isn't the raging alcoholic you think she is Kitty, she is really sweet, she just has a bad way of dealing with problems."

"I just don't want you getting into trouble or worse, getting hurt."

"You and Equius float in the same boat."

"That's a surprise considering he doesn't like me…" Karkat munched on his pancakes. While Nepeta continued to talk.

"You know how he feels about me dating boys since Eridan broke up with me. Like I said he doesn't want me getting hurt, much like you. You two have a lot more in common than you think. Although I'm a lot tougher than you guys make me out to be."

"Kitty got claws." He winked. She snorted before getting up and kissing him on the cheek.

"I should be going. Love you!" She turned around and didn't see him cringe. She had been saying that for about a week, and he wasn't sure what he was going to do before she started wondering why he wasn't saying it back. Luckily he was saved by a knock on the door which Nepeta thankfully answered. He watched her has her usual greeting smile turned into a face of shock and then dislike.

"Karkat it's for you, I'm off." She left in a hurry, pushing past whomever was at the door. That's weird. Who could it be that would piss her off so much she would just leave? He shrugged grabbing the t-shirt from underneath him, figuring he'll just throw it away after he is done with whoever is at the door.

"I'll be just a second!" He shouted, hoping the person would hear him, he quickly set the dishes in the sink, washing off the crumbs.

"Hi Karkat…" The voice mumbled but he knew who it was, he dropped the plate he was holding, thankfully it was plastic so it didn't break. He turned to see Terezi standing hunched over by the door. "Mind if I come in?"

"Umm just wait outside." She looked let down at his response before trudging back outside. "Argh fuck!" He whispered under his breath. He slid onto the floor clutching his head. His heart was ramming frantically into his rib cage so fast he thought he was going to have a heart attack. "Oh god, oh god, oh god fuck! I just have to stay calm." He tried to reason with himself. "It's great that she is here so now I can even give her back her shirt." He laughed knowing that he wasn't going to make it out of this alive. He stood up, wobbly kneed and re grabbed the t-shirt he dropped.

When he made it to the door he didn't know what to say. He was freaking out thinking maybe she could hear his heart practically running a marathon. And fuck she looked cute. Her hair had grown out long and straight, still wearing oversized t-shirts and shoes with tight. She discontinues putting on the black lipstick she used to wear all the time. The only thing that was still the same was her old pair of red shades that she never got rid of.

"What do you want?" He tried acting as cold as possible for how freaked out he was.

"I was just looking for Kankri. Rose called a meeting for the seers and we can't find him."

"How am I supposed to know, I don't live with him anymore." His cold act seemed to be working because she seemed to be a bit nervous.

"Well… Thanks anyways, and um… Karkat I just want to apolo.."

"Don't." He cut her off suddenly remembering the bag in his hands. "Here take your old shirt and go."

"Karkat please…"

"No Terezi, you… you broke my heart. You were going behind my back, doing…" He couldn't even say it. "With whom I though was my best friend! It's outrageous! Not to mention you are doing the same to Dave. I'm not sure why you can't just leave Gamzee, or maybe it is because you don't want to. Why don't you give that shirt to him, I'm sure it will look great on him."

"Can you STOP?" She finally fought back "I'm a horrible person! I get it okay? But can you at least let me apologize for it. Even if you don't except it, I'm sorry okay! I'm sorry a billion times over! Would it make you happy to know that I still haven't gotten over you, and what I did to you? It haunts me night and day!"

"No it doesn't make me happy because I want you to MOVE ON!" He began to shout too. "I literally don't give two shits about you Terezi because I'm happy now with Nepeta! Your apologies mean nothing, they are just words. Give my regards to Kankri when you see him." With that he slammed the door in her face.

…

He awoke lying face down on the couch and with a massive headache. In his hand was an almost empty bottle of wine, leaking a big red stair on their already dirty floor.

"Dammit." He muttered sitting up, putting his face on his hand. His eyes were definitely swollen, so he was probably crying for hours before passing out. He only hoped Nepeta didn't show up to see him like that… "Oh god… Nepeta." He looked up and saw her shoes deposited by the door, he had only hoped that she had shown up when he was asleep. He heard a small noise from the bedroom. Standing up, he carefully trotted into the next room, and looked in. The faucet was running in the bathroom.

"Nepeta?" He called out. The faucet abruptly stopped and she turned the corner. There was noises of panicked fiddling before she turned the corner. Toothpaste was clumsily rubbed on the side of her mouth to look like she was brushing her teeth, and a lot of make up on her right cheek.

"Oh hi kitty!" she laughed like she was hiding something, Karkat could always tell. "You were sleeping when I came in so I decided to just freshen up before going to bed and…" Karkat walked over and rubbed his thumb on her cheek. The makeup smeared and underneath was a bruise.

"Oh Peta… I did this to you didn't I." He looked down at her. She looked so upset and tried so hard to hide it, but she couldn't lie to him.

"Yes…" She muttered. Karkat stood the and just looked down at her, not surprised by her answer. He knew he was crumbling. "But I'm okay, really! I just ha…" Karkat wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in. He didn't want to let her see him cry. She went limp, every ounce of tension draining from her. Karkat could feel his tears soaking up her sweater and he was so embarrassed but he wasn't sure what to do.

"I'm so sorry, just… fug!" he was choking up. Nepeta pushed away and smiled up at him, not at all ashamed of his tears. She sat him down on the bed and walked to the check behind him, picking out a different shirt. Karkat wiped his face on his arm trying to calm down so he didn't end up hurting her more. She came back and helped him put on another plain black shirt, being careful throughout the whole process.

"Dave texted you awhile back saying that the knights where having a meeting." She pulled his cell phone out of her back pocket and handed it over. "I didn't look at anything, when I got home you were throwing it around and I didn't want it to break, so I took it from you." She kissed him on the fore head and looked into his eyes. "They are probably wondering where you are, its best that you go now."

"But…?" He looked at her to plead but she shook her head, smile still intact.

"I'll be alright. Remember, kitty got claws?" She winked and helped him up. She walked ahead while Karkat stumbled behind. She handed him his brown trench coat with a blood symbol on it, which he hung over his shoulders. She kissed him one more time at the door.

"I'll most likely be asleep when you get back, so I'll see you in the morning." She winked at him.

"I… I love you Peta." Karkat murmured. At first she looked confused, but it turned into a smile before she gently closed the door. He smiled back at the door before heading down the stairs of the apartment. On the black covered streets he pulled out his cell. It was 10:30 and there were two texts from Dave and a couple missed calls which he ignored. He thumbed over to the contacts and scrolled through the list. Finding who he was looking for he pressed the call button.

"Hello?" Meulins voice echoed through the receiver.

"Hi Meulin, it's me Karkat." Happy that Nepetas step-sister had answered.

"Why are you calling so late in the night? Is something wrong?" He cringed, she was always quick to pick up on where a conversation was going.

"Is there anyone over at your house right now?"

"Just Kurloz, why? Is Nepeta okay?" Kurloz was Meulins hearing therapist and boyfriend, and despite Nepetas love for her step-sister, she wasn't at all fond of Kurloz. Karkat sucked in a breathe, hating what he was about to say.

"I need you to come and pick Nepeta up, pack up her things and have her stay there for a while." There was a pause.

"I'm sorry Karkat, I think my hearing aid is being screwy, let me just turn up the volume a bit…"

"No, I know you heard me correctly." He felt every word he said pound into his chest like a sword.

"Then explain to me why you, the best thing that she has had, is doing this." She was angered.

"I… I hurt her Meulin." He paused waiting for a response, but he couldn't even hear her breath. "And I hate doing this, but I care for her so much, and I'm so unstable, I don't want to hurt her again." He felt tears but held them down.

"Then don't make me do this. If you don't want to hurt her ever again,don't do this."

"I have to."

"I can't just take her away from you! I love her too much to hurt her like this."

"Then I will call Equius and have him do it. You already know he doesn't like me, and he won't stoop low ever if it has anything to do with Nepeta. You are the only gentle option." There was another pause again, followed by a sigh.

"Karkat, are you even sure about this?"

"I love her…" he wasn't sure about his own words. "And if I truly did then I would want her when I'm better for her." Again there was a pause, Karkat could feel his breathe shake.

"I'll pick her up before you come back." He could fell the hatred flow into his ear along with the click of the other end hanging up.

…

When he arrived at the Knight's general meeting room, both Dave and Latula were attempting to build a house of cards.

"Hey" he mumbled sitting next to Dave on the couch.

"Crazy day?" Dave asked "Shit!" he knocked the house down. Before he could answer dave began speaking.

"So I called you guys here to give you guys a little 4-1-1." He twiddled with a card in his hands. "We have had a little run in with the Problem Sleuth. He's trying to crack down on these class gangs so it's probably smart to lay off the streets, might even want to take a vacation outside of town for a while."

"This isn't the first time Dave, what makes this so much more dangerous to the point where we have to leave town?" Latula questioned.

"I head from a friend that they were going to arrest anyone found participating in class activities, no questions asked."

Their words passed right over Karkats head. He looked up at the gray ceiling covered in worn and torn pictures of scantily clad women which as superglues to the walls before the got the palace.

"Where are you even going?" Latula continued to argue with Dave.

"Just out. Bro has an apartment somewhere in the city, I'll probably live there for a bit."

"Really, while he works on his career of spontaneous sword fighting and puppets?"

"Can we calm down?" Karkat intervened. "Is this all Dave?" Dave looked over at him for a second then nodded. "Well I'm going to go then if that's it." As much as he didn't want to rush home, being close to Latula wasn't exactly a place he wanted to be.

"I actually have to talk to you for a moment." Latula called before he walked out the door. He cringed inside but nodded. He called out good bye to Dave before exiting out of the room with Latula. He leaned up against the back of the wall pulling out an old and crinkled box of cigarettes. He was off them for a while but he just needed one right now. Latula offered him a light but he declined, lighting it himself.

"Listen," she huffed a breathe, lighting her own cigarette. "I try not to get into the whole drama business, I'm a horrible actor." She looked up to see if Karkat would react at the joke but he continued to blow smoke rings into the air. "Even if it isn't my business, I'm Terezi's older sister, and I have to look out for her you know." She took a long drag on her cigarette. "I only ask that you please be nicer to her, or at least end a conversation without slamming a door in her face." She blew it out.

"You are right." He looked over. What he said caught her off. "It isn't your business. It's a little difficult living when she bombards me with fucking apologies every time I see her." Karkat felt the smoke filling up the emptiness inside of him.

"You know how guilt ridden she is about this right?" she leaned in and whispered, smoke curling from her lips. "I'm not even sure how long her relationship with Dave is going to last. I get the feeling he continues on with this nonsense so he doesn't send her spiraling down the guilt stairs even further."

"Im sorry I just can't see her." He looked away.

"Why is that? Not even for a minute of pure friend conversation."

"We aren't friends."

"Karkat I think you are just being drastic now." She looked at him with an exasperated look, tapping the cigarette so the ash fell. Karkat took one last huff before tossing the butt on the ground and grinding it with the heel of his shoe.

"Latula, I'm telling you this so you understand. You seem reasonable and like you won't tell anyone. Every time I see her my heart shatters because to be honest with you and myself, I'm not over her. I act like I am but my heart refuses to join the act; pounding away like a madman. I try so hard to be the perfect guy for Nepeta; the Karkat that she had always fantasized about dating but when I see Terezi I lose control and take it out on her." He rubbed his eye with the palm of his hand. "I hit her today Latula." He could see her sad eyes behind her red glasses.

"I can see if I can get her to lay off on the apologies, I know that isn't cool. Just try and be nicer to her at least?"

"Easier said than done." He turned walking off.

"Hey!" She called out and he stopped. "I hope things work out between you and Nepeta." He nodded and continued on.

…

Avoiding his apartment Karkat took a detour through the ally ways, stopping every now and then to have another smoke. It was twelve thirty by the time he came close to his street. He turned the corner and there the apartment was. He pulled out his keys before walking up the steps but heard screaming. Shit he thought. Meulin was still getting Nepeta out. He hid under the dark shadows under the stairs. He heard the door open and pair of footsteps walk down the steps. He peeked out of the shadow to see who it was and was pulled out in surprise.

"KARKAT TELL HER TO STOP!" Nepeta was screaming at him, tears streaking her face. He looked over and saw Meulin throwing some bags in the car.

"Come on Cat-Nep It's time to go." She called out, sadly glaring at Karkat momentarily before returning her gaze to Nepeta."

"NO THIS IS WHERE I LIVE! TELL HER IT ISNT TRUE KARKAT! YOU'D NEVER WANT ME TO LEAVE!"

"Nepeta listen to your step sister." He looked away but guessing buy the silence he knew Nepeta wouldn't believe him.

"What… Kitty what do you mean?" Before he could respond he heard a third pair of foot steps hunking down the stairs and before he could see who it was, he was greeted with a fist to the face, knocking him down.

"EQUIUS STOP!" Nepeta was screaming again. He looked up to see Equius huffing over head, sweat beading on his forhead.

"That was for hitting Nepeta." He then held out his hand. Karkat grabbed it and Equius pulled him up. "And that was for doing the right thing." He turned, throwing Nepeta over his shoulder.

"Wait so that is what this is about? You hitting me." Nepeta stared at Karkat. Everyone went silent and still. Karkat looked away again. "Kitty, this hurts way worse than that punch." She began to beg. "You can hit me a thousand times and it wouldn't even be one billionth as painful as this! Please, let's just go back inside. I can make you some tea and we can sit in bed just… just…" she was losing her words.

"Equius stick her in the car." Karkat whispered, Equius nodding. Nepetas eyes grow ten inches before she resumed kicking and screaming. They were shoving her into the car when Karkat began walking up the steps to the apartment. She kept screaming out his name behind him but he didn't turn until the screams where muffled and there was the sound of a car door shutting. He turned and saw her pounding on the back seat window, Equius trying to buckle her down and Meulin taking off.

He sludged into the apartment, not bothering to lock the door behind him. Broken dishes and furniture was scattered everywhere and the room was in shambled. Claw marks tore through out the bed, probably from Nepeta trying to cling to the bed. He lay down, not even bothering to take off his clothes and closed his eyes, falling asleep almost instantly.

Hi! So that was chapter two! Please leave reviews and follow/favorite! Im pretty sure the next chapter is going to be in Vriskas perspective so expect that… yea 95.6% sure! Not sure what else to say so until next time bacon pits!