Chapter 24:

Dave Strider wasn't very happy. A good term to describe his feelings right now was... Surprised? Angry, even. Gym class was supposed to be Dave's strong suit, his skill with a sword couldn't be matched. He was trained by the best after all– Bro couldn't be beat... But neither could he. Within seconds of their match, Dave was sprawled out on the floor and Karkat hadn't broken a sweat.

"How did you do that?!" John pestered, making Karkat angry for some reason. "I JUST DID. I JUST CAN. THAT'S ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" Karkat answered as calmly as he could, while once again flipping the boy off. "Awwww, if I didn't know better, I'd think that you were just a meany, but you're just a BIG tsundere!" Karkat only replied with another middle finger jammed into John's face angrily.

But Dave was still unsure. Karkat was the total opposite of a good fighter, with his small and malnourished stature, and bloodshot eyes– and he hated to think it but Karkat didn't look like he could hold his own against a butterfly. Dave sighed and flopped onto his bed groaning– they never got around to getting bunk beds.

His phone vibrates a couple of times and he throws it across the room, almost shattering it. He was frustrated, and confused. Why was he overreacting so much over such a little thing? Why was being the best so important for him? He could never get past those thoughts. Eventually the door opened revealing the fluffball of rage who just walked in and sat on his own bed, plugging in his ear buds and blasting out some weird emo music. He doesn't look at Dave, but the opposite doesn't apply. "You want to talk about it?" He asks, taking an ear bud out and gesturing it at Dave— suggesting that he listen.

"Not really." Was the answer, but he took the offer of music anyways. Dave always was calmed by music, wether it be rap or classical, just the idea of music zoned Dave out into a trance away from his fears and thoughts.

"Ok."

And they didn't. Neither really had a reason to be angry and yet... The unspoken agreement was made.

Karkat opens one of his eyes, gazing around the room. One side (Dave's) was covered in posters and katanas and turntables, the other was pretty much void of any particular items, aside from the assortment of tchotchkes scattered around Karkat's desk.

Dave was still sleeping soundly, shades still planted on his stoic face. Why did he always wear them? Was it to disguise something, to hide behind? Or was he just an ironic douchebag like he made himself out to be? Only Dave Elizabeth Strider seemed to know. Karkat was tempted to take off the shades and hide them but... He decided against the brilliant idea and went back to sleep.

(Previously during Dave and Karkitten's duel)

Dave picked up a wooden katana, feeling each splinter and shape on it, bouncing it in his hands a bit to get used to the weight. Meanwhile Karkat just blindly chose a sickle on a whim looking at Dave and saying "You may want to use an actual sword for this. A handicap may be useful so you don't humiliate yourself... Wait you'll do that anyways." laughed and nodded his head. Dave rolled his eyes "I'd be saying the same to yourself Karkitten. No offense but you look like you couldn't even hold your own against Egderp."

"None taken." Was "Karkitten's" reply.

That's when Spades Slick began laying down the rules. The way to win was to get your opponent in a situation or position that would kill them if they were fighting for real.

The seconds before the match began consisted of Karkat cussing and Dave getting into a fighting position. While Dave did care about his friend, he wasn't going to go easy on him, Bro taught him to play hard or go home. So that's what he did.

But when the whistle blew (guns weren't permitted on school) it was only seconds before Karkat was no longer standing there sulking and now behind Dave, glint in his eye and sickle curving around Dave's neck. And then be said a sentence that Dave would never forget.

"You should of used the goddamned handicap Strider."

And that lead to Dave Strider not being very happy.

A/N: OMG IM SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING IN LIKE 4 MONTHS I WAS PLAUGED BY BUISINESS, LAZINESS AND WRITERS BLOCK.

I'm going to try to update more often so expect some more chapters soon k?

-FP