The rain had stopped. The flowers had come and gone. Now summer reigned over the seasons, warming the frozen earth. Tavros was in the best mood he had been in all year. He had gone to the grocery store for the first time since his accident. In fact, it was the first time he had really gone outside since the accident.
During his recovery, Rosa had quickly moved him into the book store, converting the backroom into a bedroom. She even tried her hand at plumbing when she tried to convert the downstairs bathroom into a handicap accessible bathroom. She failed at it. Miserably. In fact she failed at it so horribly; she almost flooded the entire downstairs. The two had had to call a professional in immediately otherwise their books were compromised.
The problem was fixed though and the bathroom was remodeled. Tavros was happy he could get in and out of it. He even still worked at the book store. He taught himself how to climb the ladders even. In the first month he had worked immensely on his upper body strength. Now, he was able to lift almost twice his weight easily. He felt confident. Even if he didn't have legs, he felt able to function better than ever! Especially since Rosa had switched him to home school immediately after his accident.
He didn't have to deal with the high school drama. He was even thinking about college. Things were finally turning up for him. He hardly had a care in the world, and the pain from the operation was almost completely gone!
Now, Tavros rolled happily down the street, a small bag of groceries on his lap, the rest in his backpack on the back of the wheelchair. Rosa had sent him out to get ingredients for Ravioli. Rosa was quite the cook Tavros had learned. Often she made her own noodles and sauces. Tonight was noodle night. They were having spinach and cheese stuffed ravioli. One of Tavros' favorites.
When he went out though, on his way to and now from the store, he swore he saw Gamzee. Peering at him from around a corner, or a side alley, a cigarette hanging from his painted lips and a dead look on his face. Whenever Tavros turned to look at him though, he was gone. So Tavros wrote it off as just a figment of his over active imagination.
Something in the back of his mind though, wished it was him, watching over his newly crippled form. Tavros didn't blame Gamzee. Though Rosa thought he should. Even Sollux, who came in after the accident to see how he was doing, said he should blame the juggalo.
Tavros couldn't bring himself to hate him though. All he felt for the other male was pity. An immense pity that he couldn't really comprehend, and all it made him want to do, was hold the unhealthy teen and tell him he forgave him, and that everything was going to be ok. He, to his dismay, still wanted to be with Gamzee.
Many a night Tavros had even woken up from vivid dreams of the other male, gently kissing his lips or his neck. Carefully, as if he might break Tavros with the smallest touch. He even would dream of when Gamzee had tried to verify that Tavros loved him. His mind changed it though. He wanted to remember it gentle and loving. Though in the back of his mind he knew it wasn't and those dreams quickly turned to nightmares. Most of the time Tavros even woke up sobbing. He missed Gamzee so much. To the point where he thought something must be wrong with him. He concluded that it must have been some mild form of Stockholm syndrome. For the amount of pain Gamzee had caused Tavros, he shouldn't be missing him as immensely as he was.
Tavros sighed and pushed the thoughts from his mind as he rounded the corner and began to roll up to the bookstore. Before he got to the store, he turned, one last time and looked behind him. Almost, subconsciously, he saw Gamzee, walking away from him down the street. Tavros wanted to cry out, beg him to stay. He didn't though. He instead turned in silence and rolled to the bookstore.
Carefully Tavros rolled up the ramp Rosa had made for. He opened the door, his mind still clouded from his thoughts about Gamzee, and rolled into Sollux, who fell backwards into Tavros' lap with a loud yelp," agh! Oh hi Tavroth! How are you feeling?"
The skinny boy chuckled and stood, stabilizing himself on the counter, a small, toothy grin on his face. He fixed his hair and brushed his jeans off.
Tavros laughed," sorry Sollux! Ah! You almost crushed my vegetables!" Tavros said laughing more at the face Sollux made.
"Oh goth. Thorry about that!" Sollux flushed a little and laughed awkwardly, glancing down at Tavros' crotch, hoping he hadn't hurt him to bad.
"HE ACTUALLY MEANT VEGETABLES DUMB ASS." Karkat said, coming out of an aisle, a book on psychology in his arms and a familiar scowl on his pail face.
"He did? Oh…" Sollux laughed in an even more nervous tone and scratched his arm a little," my bad. Gueth where mind ith today! Hehehe…"
Karkat rolled his eyes and set the book a little harder than necessary on the counter, cussing as he recoiled one of his hands, a bruise already forming on the finger he had smashed.
"Owie! Are you ok Karkat?" Tavros asked," I could get you some, um, ice!" He smiled at the grumpy boy.
"I'm fine. You get used to it." He mumbled as he sucked on his finger.
Sollux turned and pulled Karkat's finger out of his mouth and gently rubbed the wound, looking down at the small boy in a loving manner. A loving enough manner to at least make the other boy blush deeply and press his face into Sollux's chest.
The blond laughed and rubbed Karkat's back," kk you're adorable."
"NO I'M NOT." Karkat snarled as Sollux let his hand go and instead, wrapped his arms tightly around the other, running his fingers up and down Karkat's spine. He turned them both so he could look at Tavros again," thorry bout that. Tho how are you?"
"I'm really, um, good! Uh feeling a lot better ya know?" Tavros said, rolling around the two. He set the bags on the counter and turned his chair to face them again. He smirked a little," you two are, um, really cute together." He said giggling a little.
Karkat snarled again and pressed closer to Sollux.
Sollux just laughed and kissed the top of Karkat's head," I think tho. Kk could dithagree. But he'th kind of a pethimitht."
"A pessimist? Yeah I can see that. He seems happy enough though! That's what counts right?" Tavros said as he turned his chair back to the counter so he could unload the groceries from their bags.
"Yeth. Thatth what countth." Sollux said, tucking a hand under Karkat's chin, raising the albino's head to look at him. The blond smiled down at Karkat and pecked the other boy's lips.
Karkat pulled away, his cheeks bright red. He sunk into his turtleneck," I'M WAITING OUTSIDE."
"Kk don't do that. You'll get a thunburn. Thorry love I know you don't like public thtuff but thith ith Tavroth. He'th cool." Sollux said, trying to calm the angry teen down.
Karkat fumbled with what to say, glaring daggers at his boyfriend. He calmed down though and sighed, finally uttering a slightly strangled," FINE," and leaned against the wall, waiting for Sollux to finish up with the bookstore so they could go home.
Tavros chuckled and finished unpacking the groceries. He paused once he pulled the last onion out though, and in a small voice asked," um Sollux? How…um how's Gamzee?"
"YOU SHOULD BE ASKING ME THAT. HE IS MY BEST FRIEND AND ALL. SOLLUX DOESN'T KNOW SHIT." Karkat butted in, obvious malice in his voice.
Sollux grinned and nodded, dramatically bowing out of the way as he went to look for more books.
Karkat rolled his eyes," drama queen." He smirked ever so slightly though as he turned his attention to Tavros. Once their eyes met, his smirk was gone. In place of it was his normal harsh look," he's doing awful. Almost every week, sometimes twice a week, I have to drag him home and force feed him. He doesn't eat. He doesn't sleep. He just limps by on those drugs of his. He told me though that he had left the gang. Sorta. The gang kicked him out. Told him he was using their stash. They actually told him to go and make something of himself. HA. THE DRUGGIES TELLING THE DRUGGIE TO GET CLEAN. Ha. Like that's ever going to happen. They still beat the fuck out of him. You know, to make him remember what he did, and who he was a part of. So he lives here and there. He won't stay with me. Sollux doesn't really want him around me anyways. I get…depressed when he's around. I do stupid shit. He's a bad influence Tavros. You should just forget him ok? Seriously. He's not worth it. At all." Karkat stated as he examined his bruised finger.
Tavros sighed," I wish I could help him…"
"HA! HELP HIM? YOU MADE HIM WORSE THAN WHEN I ME…" Karkat was cut off though when Sollux yelled from the back of the store.
"KK THUT THE FUCK UP!"
Karkat rolled his eyes again," Fine. I guess you gave him hope. But not a lot of hope. He didn't change. He couldn't change for me. He won't change for you."
"KK!" Sollux came from the isle and glared at his boyfriend," thatth enough. Theriouthly. Kidth been through enough."
"I'M TELLING THE FUCKING TRUTH!" Karkat yelled at Sollux, his fists clenched.
"Kk jutht calm down. Pleathe. Gamzee will do what he wantth. Thereth no changing that." Sollux said walking over to caress Karkat's cheek.
Karkat, almost reluctantly, leaned into the rubs," ok ok…"
Tavros sat in silence, staring at his hands in his lap. He didn't know what to say. Was Karkat actually telling the truth when he said that he had made him worse? How could he have made him worse. He feared the answer, but asked anyways, in a very quiet, very small voice," how did I make him worse?"
Karkat opened his mouth, but Sollux quickly put his hand over the other males mouth and said," thatth jutht the way Gamzee ith. You didn't do anything wrong."
Sollux yelped though as Karkat bit him and began to yell at Tavros," THAT'S NOT WHAT IT IS. Yeah I suppose you didn't do anything wrong. BUT THE STUPID FUCK GOT WORSE BECAUSE YOU LET HIM. He just latched onto you, like he latched onto me. Cept I got better! He didn't get better…" Karkat looked down for a moment, but raised his head, and his voice with double the malice than before," THEN YOU CAME ALONG AND THOUGHT YOU COULD ACT ALL INNOCENT AND SWEET AND SHOW HIM KINDNESS. THE DUMB FUCK DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH KINDNESS. He just ends up hurting everyone around him. He shouldn't even be alive today Tavros. You were just a rock to cling to in the stormy sea. CEPT THE PROBLEM WAS THAT HE CRUMBLED YOU AWAY. SUCKED YOU DRY. So it's best he hasn't seen you. He knows how destructive he is. He stays away from you for a reason. He doesn't want to hurt you anymore."
"B, but you're his best friend! You're around him and you're fine!" Tavros yelled back, tears stinging his eyes.
"HAHAHAAHHA! YOU WANT TO FUCKING CALL ME FINE? COOL. I get to prove a point." Karkat grinned and started to tug his shirt off.
Sollux grabbed him quickly and forced his shirt back on," KARKAT NO. Jutht, thhhh. Let me tell thith bit to Tavroth. Ok? Pleathe. Kk pleathe. I hate thith part but I do not want you to have to talk about thith again." The blonde said as he gently rubbed Karkat's neck, getting a couple tears in return from the smaller teen.
Karkat nodded though, and for the first time Tavros had seen, the albino wrapped his arms willingly around Sollux and clung to him tightly.
Sollux rubbed his back and looked at Tavros," firtht off, everyone hath their own problemth. Thome worthe than otherth. I have my own, but mine are mild in comparithon to you, Gamzee and kk."
Tavros nodded and listened, thinking it was really hard for him to understand Sollux's lisp, he listened anyways though, shocked by the story he was hearing.