A/N I would have had this finished sooner but I just graduated and am on vacation! So here's the next chapter, enjoy!
=== John Egbert: Wake up.
The scene plays in front of your eyes again.
One moment you're standing outside of Vriska's house. You can hear an engine roar to life down the street. As you turn to see the car pass, Vriska screams, and your feel her robotic hand grasp at your upper arm as the vehicle rumbles across the grass. The female troll tries to pull you out of the way of the speeding automobile. You close your eyes just as the car manages to clip your right side. The force of the impact makes you black out but, you can still hear Vriska frantically calling your name.
When you open your eyes, you fully expect to see the cars headlights glaring as it storms forward again. However, the room before you is white and you can only hear quiet snoring.
You run your good hand through your hair. There are still a few things you can't remember about the accident, but at this point the details might be as good as gone. After you and your friends beat the game you quickly became an expert at repressing memories. Of course Jade thinks that your ability is stupid, that you shouldn't run from the past but it's your brain and you can do what you damn well please with it.
You sigh and let your arm fall back onto the bed and your sore chest protests the motion. The drugs must be wearing off, and you wonder if the doctors will give you more of the same or perhaps something a little less potent.
Your hand brushes against hair and you pull back instinctively. Squinting in the dark you can make out a grey figure in the chair next to you, its head lying on the edge of your bed. Even without your glasses you can recognize Karkat's sleeping figure. You've spent countless hours watching him sleep…
That's… uh… a little disturbing.
Not in a creepy way! God, you two are practically married and spend pretty much all of your time together.
If you say so…
Whatever. It's not weird.
Realizing who it was, you reach down and run your fingers through his silky hair. After spending the last five years with the troll it still surprises you how soft his hair is. All of the trolls look like their hair is coarse but, if Karkat is any indication, they're not.
Underneath your hand Karkat shifts a little before sitting up. Guess he hadn't been sleeping as much as resting. Karkat grabs your hand and gently holds it in his own.
"HEY…"
"Hey."
Karkat squeezes your hand as he leans forward and carefully places his lips to your forehead. He pulls back and wipes his face; he's just close enough that you can make out red tinted tears on his grey skin.
"FUCKASS, YOU HAD ME SO DAMN WORRIED."
"Sorry Karkat… I…"
"SHUT UP. YOU DON'T NEED TO APOLOGIZE. I JUST… I THOUGHT… MY IMAGINATION GOT THE BEST OF ME, YOU'RE NOT ROAD KILL AND THAT'S WHAT MATTERS."
You smirk at his word choice but Karkat gives you a look that said 'I don't want to talk about it' and you're not going to push him now, you don't really have the energy to. You notice what looks like a stack of captchalogue cards in the troll's hands.
"What's that?"
"OH... YOUR CLOTHES AND SOME THINGS YOU HAD WHEN YOU CAME IN."
"… clothes?"
For the first time you look down and realize that you're wearing one of those thin fabric hospital gowns. Perhaps it's the drugs because it takes you a moment to work out how they would have changed your clothing. After a few minutes you realize that the doctors would have removed your t-shirt and jeans and… underwear… You can feel your face heat up as it must have turned a bright red. The only people who have seen you naked were your dad, and Karkat… and now an entire staff that had brought you in.
"JOHN?"
Your face burns red. Why is this freaking you out? They're doctors for Pete's sake; they see naked people all the time.
"JOHN, ARE YOU OK? DO I NEED TO CALL THE DOCTOR BACK IN?"
"Uh… no… I just… uh… water… I need water…"
Karkat gives you a doubtful look. You're pretty sure he knows exactly what worked you up, he knows you too well. Regardless he gets up and fills a small paper cup in the sink.
When he brings the water back you begin to reach for the cup, but Karkat gives a low growl and you re-think your outstretched hand. You must have made a face when reaching up, because you are now fully aware of the pain radiating from your ribs. It's dull from the drugs, but definitely there.
"FUCKASS…" he mumbles before bringing the cup closer to your mouth.
Leaning your head forward gingerly you place your lips on the edge of the cup, and Karkat tips it slightly back. You know full well that you could have taken the class out of his hands from this height, but you don't even reach for it. This is actually very nice. It reminds you of the first time you had the flu; your dad stayed home from work and sat by next to the bed all day, he read you stories, told you jokes, and didn't let you so much as lift a finger. You miss him so much it hurts. But you have Karkat now, along with all of your other friends.
The cool water feels good as it slides down your throat. You had no idea you were this thirsty. The red in your face dies down, leaving a slightly pink blush across your face. Once you've finished the water you let your head fall back against the pillow and Karkat throws the cup into a nearby trash can.
When Karkat comes back he sits on the edge of your bed, not the chair. Gingerly he curls up to your side being very careful to not touch any of your bruised or cracked ribs. The troll reaches up and places his lips to one of your still pink cheeks. You would have wrapped your arms around him, but he is pressed against your arm that is in a sling and reaching over with the other one would not be a good idea. So you settle for turning your head and kissing him back.
To be honest it's actually the better of your two options.
You press your lips against his and he lets out one of his content chirping noises. The sound is similar to that of crickets or cicadas, but still as adorable as fuck.
You smile against his lips and can't help but let out a small chuckle at the noise.
"I love you so much."
"AND I PITY YOU… TO THE POINT WHERE I THINK I UNDERSTAND YOUR HUMAN EMOTION OF LOVE. JOHN EGBERT, THAT IS A FUCKING LOT."