Summary: John's father dies. Bro helps John through the funeral.
Sadstuck.
You sit in the black car, dressed all in black. John sits beside you, hands shaking and clutching a piece of paper. There are tear tracks running down his face, and his eyes are red and puffy. You don't know what to do, how to comfort him, so you simply offer your presence.
It's his father's funeral. He died two weeks ago in a bank robbery - he was stabbed in his lung, and didn't last the night.
He was angry, at first. He'd smash things and hit you and scream, and you'd just take it. You let him use you as a punching bag.
He retreated into grief afterwards, and his screams turned to silence.
You've been staying at the house since, and he hardly comes out of his father's room. You bring him food and offer him company, holding and comforting him through his nightmares.
His black suit is rumpled, and his hair is a mess - not in it's usual attractive way, but flat black and greasy and sticking in clumps.
When you arrive, everyone's already there - his large family, some friends. Dave is there, too, with Karkat. When he tries to talk to John, he curls away and refuses to speak. Your heart breaks a little more.
It's a beautiful day. The sun is out, and the snow is glittering under it. There's a tent set up with rows of black chairs, and a mahogany casket where Dad lays.
John speaks last, and you have to help him up. You stand like a body guard beside him.
He takes out his paper, and with a shaking voice, starts to read. He wipes his eyes and nose multiple times, and his voice cracks. When he says his last thing, he collapses in tears, and you catch him, carrying him down to his seat.
People leave you alone until he's calmed down. After that, they come up one after another with soothing tones, saying things like "So sorry for your loss." He just nods along, and you want to punch something.
Rose comes up last, with her mother. She looks natural in the dark clothing, but her face is strange to you - the smirk is gone, and her eyes are just as puffy as John's.
She kneels in front of him, and they weep together as the snow starts falling again.