Your job goes by slowly without much happening. Not many customers come in today. Whatever, it just means less work for you. Also less annoying people with horrible taste in books. Seriously, what is with all of those obnoxious girls coming in here to buy Twilight!? You love romcoms, so you watched the movie once. Not a single feel was felt toward that movie. Not a single feel. And you doubt the book is any better. But the customers sure seem to think so.

But enough about sparkly vampires and shirtless werewolves. You only have a few minutes now before your shift ends. You set down the book you've been reading at the register and set it under the counter. You'll probably finish it tomorrow if it's another slow day. You look over at the clock, itching to get off and go do something besides sitting around like an asshole for a few hours. It's four till five. You silently urge the last four minutes to go by more quickly. It doesn't. In fact, the more you rush it, the more slowly it goes. You let your mind wander off as you wait for Peixes to take up her shift so you can leave.

You think about what to do after your shift. Maybe you can find someone to hang out with or something. Maybe Gamzee? John? Definately not Eridan. You think you'll hang out with John if he's home. It's been a while since you really sat down and talked with him. Even at his party, you didn't really talk with him. You pull out your cell phone and text him to see if he's busy tonight. It isn't long before he responds.

'Well, I have a friend over, but I don't see why you couldn't still come over as well'

You text back. 'I DON'T CARE. I'LL BE OVER SOON.' Of course you text with your typing quirk. Even if it makes you seem like you're screaming all of the time. Whatever. Feferi walks in the door and you grab your keys. "Hey, Karkat. What's up?" She gives a friendly smile as she makes her way the the register.

"Not much. About to head over to John's for a bit." She nods. "That's nice." She's very pretty. Blond hair and blue eyes, bright clothes that compliment her personality. She is a bit weird, with her strange love for fish puns, but who isn't weird in their own way?

"Yeah. See you tomorrow." You wave, walking towards the door. She smiles and returns the wave. "Have a good day."

You close the door behind you, starting down the street towards John's house. He doesn't live too far away, just outside of town in a neighborhood full of houses that all look exactly the same. You've always hated that type of neighborhood. Nothing unique about the houses, everything in uniform. Exactly why you are not that happy about an apartment with no differences from the rest. But hey, wherever you can live.

It takes about half an hour to walk there, and you use the time to enjoy the fresh air and think about things. You think about the party again. And Dave Strider. Why do you even care so much about him? It was just a kiss. Sure, it was your first kiss, but still. Maybe you should just forget about it. Forget about the way his soft lips felt against yours. Forget about the sparks that flew through your body. About how right it felt to kiss him, even though you hardly know him. If only it were that easy.

You reach John's house and knock on the door. John answers it shortly, grinning at you with his sort of cute over bite. "Hey, Karkat. Come on in." He holds the door open for you.

"Thanks." You nod, entering the house and letting John shut the door behind you. "Yup. We were just playing Mario Kart in the living room. I think he went to the bathroom, though. He's not in here."

You shrug and plop down on the couch. "Do you have another controller?"

He blinks. "Oh yeah! I need to go find one. I'll be back in a few minutes. Please don't burn the house down while I'm upstairs." He grins, and climbs the staircase.

You roll your eyes. "No promises."

"Well, well. What have we here?" A sudden voice makes you jump. And you recognize it. Of course he had to be here. God dammit you are stupid. He's one of John's best friends. That's how you knew who he was. How did you not guess that Dave would be the other guest over there?

You glare at the asshole standing at the bottom of the staircase. "Oh fuck. Not you."

He feigns a hurt expression behind his stupid shades. "I'm hurt. Really. And here I thought you wanted to be my friend."

You snort. "What makes you think that?"

He shrugs, smirking now. "Well you seemed so desperate to talk to me yesterday. I just thought that meant you wanted to be my bro."

Your face heats up and you glare at him. You feel a small pout on your face. "I-I was not desperate!"

He chuckles a bit. "You sure get flustered easily, don't you?"

"I do not!"

He walks over and sits on the couch next to you. You are against the arm rest, so you can't scoot away. He grabs one of the controllers and hands the other one to you. "You so do. Especially when I call you cute."

You take the controller. "I told you I don't."

He gives a little shrug. "Whatever you say, Kitkat. Just choose your character already." You growl and choose Mario. He chooses Wario.

"Mario suits you, Karkitty. He's a shorty just like you."

You huff out an angry breath. "I am not short. I'm...vertically challenged." He laughs at this. "Vertically challenged, huh? That's one way of putting it." He picks a bike and you choose a car.

"It's a perfectly fine way of putting it. And jegus, what is taking John so long to find one damn controller?"

The race starts and you both take off. "Who knows? Either way, while he waits for us to turn one hundred, I think I'll kick your ass in Mariokart."

You turn a corner, passing one cpu into third place. "I don't think so, Strider. I'll be the one kicking ass here."

He gets into second place. "Sure you will, Karkitten."

"First of all, stop it with the nicknames. Second, I have some questions I need to ask you."

He rounds a corner, narrowly missing a pit of lava. "Sssshhhh. You're distracting me."

You fall straight into the lava, muttering curses. "I don't care. I want answers."

He sighs, hitting a boost and reaching first place. "I'll tell you what. If you beat me, I'll answer your questions."

You scoff. "Bullshit. You'll answer my questions either way. But I have no problem beating you, as well."

He shrugs, smirking. "If you say so. But do we have a deal?"

You roll your eyes, jumping back up into fifth place. "Whatever. Deal."

"Good." He grins.

John appears in the hallway at the top of his staircase. "Aw man! You guys started without me?" He holds up a controller. "I'm joining in the next race."

You get into fourth place. "Fine. But for now you can watch me beat Shades into the dirt."

John laughs a little and comes down the stairs to sit on the couch on the other side of Dave. "But Dave is beating you badly right now. And you're halfway through the race already."

You growl. "Well then shut up and let me focus!"

"Okay, okay! Calm down." He laughs. Dave grins at you both.

The race continues in slience. You get to third place, then second by the time you're on the last lap. Dave is just ahead of you. Usually you suck at this game, but you've found a determination you didn't know you had. You need these answers. And this is the quickest way to get them. Unless of course, Dave is bullshitting you. You sincerely hope that is not the case.

You catch up to Dave, who throws a bannana peel at you. You hit it. So much for that determination. You recover, still in second place, and hit a boost. You land just next to Dave, and then you take the lead! Maybe you can win this after all. Dave is scowling beside you and you grin triumphantly as you cross the finish line just barely in first place. There's a pause before you spring up and let out a long, "WHOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Take THAT, Strider!"

He smirks up at you. "Damn, calm down man. It's just a game."

You frown at him and jab his chest with your index finger. "Well now you have to answer my questions. But not right here. John doesn't have anything to do with what I want to ask you."

Dave shrugs. "Sure thing." John gives you both a confused look. "What's going on?"

You grin. "Oh nothing." Dave grins, shaking his head. "So where and when do you want me to answer these questions of yours?"

You frown and sit back down. "Tonight...at uh.." Where should you go?

"How about my apartment?" He offers. You nod. "Fine. It doesn't matter where exactly."

"Well alright then. My apartment it is. You can just come over whenever I leave here." He navigates the game back to the screen to choose characters for John. He chooses Luigi and then chooses a bike.

"Fine." You say, getting ready to start the next race.

The race starts, and you settle back on the couch, happy to know that you'll finally know just what was going on at that party.

AN: I'm so sorry this chapter took so long to do. ;-;

I've had school, YMCA, a club that I go to, and I've just been busy and also a bit lazy. Again, I'm sorry!