2 ==> A Good Friend

After breakfast, your supposed father left once again to do his job and you were your brothers responsibility. Little does your father know, Kankri is sympathetic towards you and basically lets you go wherever if you give him a heads up first. You really don't mind being with him almost all of your childhood, hell, he was actually more understanding to the situation of dad being gone all the time. It's just the way your father had these bipolar mood swings scaling on resentment to destructive behaviors. You personally just think his prolonged coping strategy is running away from his own flesh and blood, which is certainly self-centered on his point of view.

The thoughts of ignorance bubbled in your head unhealthily and your mind jumped right on to who will take this shit talk, your moirail ( best friend ). She can at least calm this inner anger towards your dad and yourself, for now at least.

You grab a few personals before having one foot out the door and shout into the house, "KANKRI, I'M GOING TO KANAYA'S." And you were gone. Kankri would know where you went, considering he always poked his nose into your quadrants ( relationships ), especially the red and if it involves emotional support. You have no idea how you could single handedly keep someone into your pity squares, especially someone such as Kanaya. She has practically been there for you since the wriggler times, but only in the start of fourth primary you realized how in tune you were together and made it official with her before they separated class times. Every troll knows at this point of your relationship together, being that the humans concept of best friend doesn't have the same meaning as your species. You'll never get accustomed to the differences. Ever.

The sidewalk in your neighborhood was lopsided and cracked. Little one story hives were faced inwards towards the black paved road, seeming a bit more high income as you jumped a rusted gate and traveled up the steep hill. It never surprises you how the low blood trollian race is subjected to poor units, but you really don't care. As long as your family is kept on the down low.

A few minutes of following the path you have memorized by heart, you finally arrive to a sturdy, white hive with a few dying bushes surrounding it like a protective shield.

Tripping a bit as you accidently missed a step leading up to your moirail's living arrangements, your knee scrapped against the cement. "Fuck-!" You say aloud, situating yourself on the step and folding up your pant leg to take a look. You wince at the sight of candy red blood dotting up on the surface of your grey skin. You quickly stumbled upwards and knocked on the door, dabbing your sleeve over the newly done flesh wound.

"Karkat, what on alternia happened to you?" A soothing yet slightly panicked voice said, was owned by none other than Kanaya herself. Her tall and slim figure was fitted into a designer red skirt she had handmade, along with a loose plain black tee shirt. She widened the door a bit more and peeked out of the frame, possibly looking for others that might see you.

You gave a shrug, leaving the damaged knee unattended, "This step of yours fucked up my knee, that's what happened."

She shook her head slightly before motioning a hand forward, placing it on my shoulder, "Come inside before anyone sees you. My mother wouldn't be too overjoyed if the house was raided by ruffians' over suspicion."

That's what you feared the most, because of who you are, and it's a death sentence to whoever is associated with you. The Maryam's are the only ones that knows of what your family hide underneath, and that takes enormous trust between your families. Kanaya knows all the risks and the death penalty that comes with you, yet somehow this elegant jade blood is the lifeline of your mental and emotional intellect. You're definitely not complaining about her protective and judgmental demeter, she may very be the only trollian that doesn't give two shits about the hemospectrum. You consider yourself lucky to have her in your quadrants respectively, but just like her, you'll do anything in your power to protect her with all you have. Hell, sometimes you think Kanaya has the short end of the deal, theoretically and literally.

You gaze up at the tall troll as she leads you into a spacious respiteblock, making you sit down on the edge of her human bed before leaving quickly. Just like any jade blood, there was an abundance of cloth, sewing equipment, and fancy attire scattering the block in an organized fashion. You've always wandered what it's like to be a jade, at least until your moirail showed you that the work load was hectic and there were quota's suppose to be met. Like the hemospectrum implies, the higher the blood, the higher the importance and responsibility. You? Well your stuck posing as a burgundy, trying to live a normal low blood life.

Kanaya came back in with a small bandage and brown bottle, making you purse your lips and cross your arms in protest. "Kanaya, no." You growled.

Her eyes narrowed at you as she bent down to clean the wound anyways, "Now," A small smile formed on her painted lips, "What kind of aromantic partner would I be if I left you like this?"

"One that I deserve, that's for sure." You mumbled and watched bubbles of the peroxide fester off the wound. How did she get her hands on medicine like that anyways?

"Karkat Vantas, do not speak about yourself in such a way." Kanaya looked up at you with a sudden strike of concern on her features, you look away. You heard a subtle sigh and felt your knee being bandaged. "You will be spending the night with me and I won't take no for an answer, do you understand me?"

You blinked but nodded in response, not wanting to argue about a sleepover. To think of it, you two haven't had an overnight feelings jam in a while and it was kind of a relief not to go back home. "Thanks Kan, really." You spoke softly, as rare as it seemed.

She shook her head and leaned up, pressing her lips to your forehead before trailing back. God you felt so comfortable around her and her motherly vibe. "Please, it's the least I could do for you. I'll make sure I alert my mother of your presence, so make yourself at home."

As your moirail left her respiteblock, you dug out a badly cracked phone from your pocket to contact your brother.

--carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling kankriVantas [KV]--

CG: KANKRI, I'M STAYING THE NIGHT AT KANAYAS SO DON'T WORRY TOO MUCH ABOUT ME

CG: SO UH... YEAH CAN YOU SWING BY WITH SOME OF MY SHIT?

CG: I CAN'T BELIEVE IM ABOUT TO SAY THIS BUT, PLEASE?

CG: ITS KIND OF IMPORTANT THAT I HAVE SOME TIME WITH HER AND STUFF BLAH BLAH BLAH BORING QUADRANT MATTERS THAT AREN'T YOUR CONCERN

CG: ... KANKRI?

CG: ARE YOU EVEN THERE???

Thats odd, your brother is usually very keen in contacting you to the quickest of his abilities. Maybe he's just tied up at his work place or something, but just to make sure of things...

CG: OKAY FUCK YOU IM COMING OVER AND PACKING MYSELF

--carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling kankriVantas [KV] --

The journey was short lived and lonely when you had to go back to a lifeless, dark hive. You wondered where Kankri would have even gone, but you shrugged it off and gathered some things to stuff in your sling bag. He has the messages and knows you're in safe hands. You are going to chew into him about shit, though that would probably just get yourself a lecture and a half.

Hours passed as you and Kanaya binged on grub sauce sandwiches, romantic comedies, and emotional talks. You felt relaxed and stress free when you two get together, just a little slice of personal heaven. You and Kanaya were watching one of your favorite classics as she stroked her hands through your hair. Her hands were soft like your mothers used to be, so calming it makes you want to pass out and never wake up.

"The system just makes me so fucking furious! It's not fair! How did the world come to this? It's just waiting to fuck me in the ass and call me Debra!"

Her face scrunched up with a small laugh before asking, "Why Debra?"

You sighed, "Because Debra is the one that takes everything in the ass. Debra is the world and I itself, bending over a cold counter and being fucked mercilessly like a free traulup on Gristmas eve."

"It's just the way things are Karkat. We can't change the rules and restrictions that come prior living here. Do you remember what Porrim taught us in eighth primary, about the rainbow war?" You nod, eyes focused on the jade blood, "We are guests on this planet, no matter how long ago it was and we have accepted what our ancestors thought was good for the better of our future. I know you're scared, I am too, but you just have to be strong about it."

"It's hard to be, when all the world is against you." You could feel the tears building up, making your vision blurry. Why are you so pathetic? So weak? You wiped your hand over your eyes and sniffed. The thought saddened you to the point of showing emotion, the only safe time to let free the weakness you are.

You could feel her fingers untangle from your hair and gently cup your cheeks to make you look up at her. "Not everyone my dear. You have your father, Kankri, and my family on your side. I'm here for you Karkat, what I see is a strong independent troll that's too insecure for his own good, and I'm afraid of what the long term effects it will have for you in the future."

She was right, and all you could do was nod. You know she's right, considering you're already plagued by nightmares every night yet you've resisting to tell her. It's not healthy, you're very aware of this, you don't want to trouble her responsibilities as a moirail even more than what she's dealing with. What she doesn't realize is how far gone your mental state is. Of course she understands the intense struggle of living a life of hide and seek, but when is it enough? When will you get so tired of running, you'll just give up?

You guess you'll just have to wait and see.