A/N I'm gonna go ahead right now and put a warning on here for implications of self harm. It kinda spoils the chapter, but i wanna stay safe, just in case

I was running. From what, I couldn't tell, but all I knew was I had to keep running, I had to keep running... something was coming. I hid behind a tree and caught my breath, and climbed up about halfway. A shrill, screeching voice called out to me.

"I know you're up there! I can see your stupid little feet dangling, you good for nothing twerp!"

I gasped and climbed farther up, but my foot suddenly got stuck between two branches. I tried to get it out, but it was stuck really good. A giant hand came up, a hand made of metal with spikes all around, painful to even the slightest touch. It scooped me up with ease, pulling me down and carrying me away. I tried to squirm free, but when I did, her grip grew tighter. She brought me to her lair, a sickly yellow color, and chained me up. She shrank to a normal, human size, and smiled a sickly sweet smile at me. I gulped, and she took her metal hand, and slapped it across my face. I felt the cold trickle of blood run down my face. A loud cackle sounded from her, and she hit me, again and again, slaps to the face, sucker punches to the gut, kicks in the chest. Everything she could throw at me. It all healed up instantly, except it left little cuts and bruises everywhere. She went at it for hours, hitting me, hurting me, until I stopped and begged for her to stop. She cackled, and disappeared. My whole body ached, and I was crying. I hadn't noticed it, but the tears were streaming down my face. The dream dissolved, and my eyes burst open.

I was unsure of where I was for a moment, until I saw her sleeping form in front of me. Nepeta. I sighed in relief, hugging her close to me, though she did not wake. I kissed the top of her head, hoping to any deity that existed her dreams and her life was going better than mine. My arm started to feel wet, and I panicked. Oh shit.

I carefully got up and went to the bathroom across the hall. I closed the door and turned on the light and rolled up my sleeve. Sure enough, there was red staining my skin, coming from three little straight lines. Shit..they've opened up...peroxide, peroxide.. where does she-aha! Under the cabinet, next to the-...not gonna touch or look at those... he thought as he pulled out the heavy brown bottle.

I didn't even bother getting toilet paper to dab it with I just poured the peroxide right onto the cuts, cringing at the sting and the slight hissing noise it made. I pulled out a box of bandages, and carefully covered the no-clean cuts, and rolled down his sleeve. I replaced everything, turned off the light, and went back to Nepeta's room.

"Karkat? What time is it?" She asked, half asleep, sitting up in the bed.

"I'm here nep. I was just in the bathroom. It's three fifty in the morning, so go back to sleep, okay?"

"Okay..." she said, flopping down and passing out once more. I smiled the slightest bit, and climbed into bed next to her, snuggling her close to me, and drifting back into a (hopefully) dreamless sleep.

A/N As you can see, this chapter is from the point of view of our dear Karkat. It's a shorter chapter, i know, but it is moving the plot along. I did try to be subtle about the cuts thing. And for those of you who are wondering why I had him clean his cuts like that, well, it's because that's how I do it. I dont do it as bad as dear Karkat here, but i have done it and am trying to recover. That scene was also a good little way for me to write out some depression i've been having. I will try not to include anything about it again, though I may have one chapter where Nepeta finds out, just to let you know.

To make up for this chapter being pretty dark, how about i make the next chapter a cute, datey one, hmm? To liven it up and make it happier!

I also posted this super early b/c of reasons. AND ALSO VERY IMPORTANT, IF YOU SKIP THE AUTHORS NOTE AT LEAST READ THIS

The cover art contest ends this coming thursday, and i have a few entries, but im still looking for more! Dont be afraid to enter! I have had to close my submission and my anon asks because of whats going on on tumblr. Just, if you have a tumblr, post it in the 'Karkat are you doing okay' tag, and shoot me a message, or post it to any other site and PM me on here with the link! I would love to see any and all entries!