BLACK SKY WILL BURN

“Don’t tell me what I want.” You say petulantly. “How much chaos are we actually talking about here, anyway?” You roll your eyes. “I read them. But fine, have it your way. Go for your extra long title that will wrap the bottle from top to base. See if I care.”

Once his hands are dry, you hand him the Hot Gravel nail polish and you hold out one of your hands for him to start with.

“I will tell you what you want, and you will like it,” you declare, seemingly unphased by his petulance. “You’re the weird one then. But now I will, and we will see who has the last laugh.”

“Maybe I want chaos!” You are a demon, after all. “They’re kinda shit. But it’s not just them. People are lazy and if there’s not a snappy title, they might just give up on the color before even trying it.”

You smile warmly. “Okay, I can agree to that.”

“I don’t think you want THIS much chaos.” And you’re an alien vampire with a penchant for causing trouble. Chaos is sort of expected out of both of you at this point, probably. “But you can see the color. Who even really reads them anyway. They’ll just grab the blue that it looks like someone threw just a tiny bit of puke green in and be done with it.”

You snicker in answer. “I’d have to pull your other one if you ruin my work” Not that it matters, but it’s the thought that counts. “It tally wouldn’t have fit. Not if you want to put the brand name on the bottle, too. And enough space so people know what color they’re actually getting.” 

You bite your lip as you watch him trying not to laugh. He trusts you enough to look silly, so sometimes you have to show that you won’t laugh at him for looking silly. Sometimes. “You don’t have to get glitter, Karkat. Gosh. I’m just more fabulous than you, that’s all.”

“Wouldn’t you have to pull my one first before you can pull my other one? There must be an order to these things or there will be chaos.” It really doesn’t matter. “I bet it would have. Your lack of faith in the printing industry is so disappointing.”

You give him a look. “Yeah, okay. Pull the other one.” Karkat and polite just don’t mix. You don’t it’d even be the size of a housefly. You snicker softly. “The name has to be able to fit on the bottle, though.” You motion to the small little bottle of nail polish. There is no way his name would have fit. You make quick work of his other hand, and then sigh in satisfaction when you’re done. “Beautiful!” You cap the bottle, so at least the smell will have time to dissipate some before his claws dry and he gets started on you. “I think I’ll go with hot gravel.” You smile impishly. You really did get it on purpose.

You blink at him, momentarily baffled by the incomplete idiom before it dawns on you what he meant. “Maybe later, when they’re dry. I wouldn’t want to ruin all your hard work after all. And that name would have fit on the bottle just fine.” You pick both hands up and wave them around as if that will help them dry faster. This is a testament to how comfortable you are with John, because you don’t know if they will, but you do know it looks completely silly. 

“You’re just mad you didn’t think of it first. I am shameless.” You aren’t, but in this case, you might as well be. You snort softly. “That’s a mouthful. We can just call it stubborn troll blue.” You lean down to kiss the back of his hand to show your appreciation. Once you’re done with the first hand, you set it primly back down on his lap and start on the second hand.

You very delicately lift up his third finger, his middle finger to flip him off with his own finger. But you’re smiling, shoulders shaking with barely contained laughter. “I can live with colorful fingers.” You keep going, and the thin layer of blue over the natural color of his claws does actually look pretty interesting. “They should make this it’s own color.”

“But maybe I do, bulge for brains.” Is that a troll insult? Whatever, you’re making it a troll insult. While simultaneously making sure that the insult is full of affection. You hum thoughtfully as you move on to his third finger. “You can do mine if you want. But if you don’t want, I’m fine doing my own nails.”

You sigh, and it’s very put upon and overly dramatic. “I  mean, I guess… it’s just for the self therapy and not to look on point. One coat is fine!” But you’re very meticulous to make sure you get each claw perfectly, so this will take a bit, anyway.

You got it because you like it. But it does remind you a bit of your moirail. The shimmer is because there is no glowing nail polish. Sad, but true.

You fold your own legs up and wedge the little bottle between your legs to hold it in place. You uncap it, crinkling your nose against the smell, and then you pick  up one of Karkat’s hands and start on his pinky. “Hmm… This is definitely going to need more than one coat….” Meaning, this was going to take a while.

There is glow in the dark nail polish, but shimmer will do for all the time shine. So terrible.

Huh.

I think I’ve seen some around then.

Also. Blood color? 

PROBABLY. WE’RE LIKE A PLAGUE. I MEAN, SO ARE HUMANS, SO I THINK THAT EVENS EVERYTHING OUT.

What do you look like? 

“There are no parks out in space. Probably. I’ve  never been.” Not really, anyway.

You watch him, thinking for sure he was going to pick hot gravel. But then he surprises you. But not by much. You take the blue nail polish and lean in to peck him on the lips. “Good choice.” The color is pretty close to your eye color. A shade lighter, maybe. “Now shift your body so you’re facing me.” You sit on the couch again, your body angled to face him.