#arakar

Aradia: *uses her hands like a megaphone* ROMCOMS SUCK!

Karkat: *bursts from the crowd, screeching like a pterosaur* 

“Heyyyyyyy Sollesh….Hey….You’re Really Attractive…And I Wan Na Kiss Youuuuu!!!”

Imagine coming to visit your friend, expecting to see her standing at the entrance to her hive with a small smile on her face and instead finding her completely and utterly drunk. Okay maybe this is normal for some people but for Kanaya this is just…fucking weird. But then again, she hadn’t been answering messages from anyone for the past week…

“What happened? Diid Ro2e break up wiith you or 2omethiing?”

A soft jade flush invaded those beautiful high-cheekbones of hers as she swayed over to where I stood. Her normally gentle eyes were hooded, ebony eyelashes almost stroking her delicate, glowing skin. My face flooded slightly yellow as she let out a low, sultry laugh.

“Silly Sollesh. We Stopped Being Together Ages Ago! ~”

Okay, if seeing Kanaya hammered wasn’t enough to completely and utterly shock me then her abrupt confession that she and Rose weren’t matesprits anymore got me. Kanaya didn’t strike me as the type to go and get drunk out of grief. No, she usually would pour herself into her work when she was stressed and one of us would have to drag her out of it. I guess she and I are alike in that way. Maybe that’s one of the reasons I’m so flushed for-I mean such good friends with her.

2nap out of iit! I cursed to myself, running a grey hand through my jet black hair.  Iif 2he really ii2 up2et and all you need two help he-oh gog.

If I wasn’t blushing before, I was now. In fact, I think my entire head resembled one of those earth fruits that look like a crescent moon. I started trembling, my eyes as wide as husktops.

“Wh-what are you doiing, KN?” She gazed at me, her body heat radiating into mine. She had thrust herself into my arms and laid her head in the crook of my shoulder. I could feel her breath curling over my skin, my arms snapping to hold her in place as she began to fall backwards. Kanaya giggled, nuzzling into me; I stiffened. What the hell was going on?!

“M-maybe we 2hould go iintwo your hiive…” I muttered. She nodded, attempting to pull me with her only to stumble and nearly fall flat on her face. Thankfully translucent white arms steadied her. I had forgotten she was here too. I was so unused to not having lussi around during the game that I had almost forgotten we had brought them all back…

The Mother Grub raised her head, her eyes twinkling at me in welcome.

“Hello Sollux. I’m Sorry About Kanaya’s Behavior. I Don’t Know What’s Going On With Her At The Moment…” I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly.

“Uh, hey. Iit’2 no problem. Ii wa2 tryiing two get her back iin2iide.” I looked down at my friend, helping to stand her upright. Her eyes were closed, chest rising and falling rapidly-she had passed out.

“Oh Dear…” The Mother Grub muttered.  She made to collect Kanaya into one pair of arms but I held out a hand.

“Hey, maybe Ii could carry her…” She smiled at me once again, allowing me to scoop up Kanaya like one of those human brides. Inside her hive was so immaculate that I almost felt that walking any further would make the whole place dirty.

Casting aside the thought, I walked through the entryway and down the hallblock, holding the sleep she-troll close to my chest. She was so warm, my bump biscuit fluttered as I looked down at her peacefully sleeping form. My hand found the nob, the door swinging open to reveal her respiteblock. I had forgotten what it looked like. The amount of red and blue in the room struck me full in the face. Could she…? Nah, she still wanted to be with Rose. Besides, why would I even care?

As if in contradiction, I felt a pang of disappointment when I laid her down in her recouperocoon. I immediately missed the warmth of her body; my arms suddenly felt very heavy.

“Thank You Sollux, Dear.”

I jumped, whirling around to see the Mother Grub standing in the entry to Kanaya’s respiteblock. My cheeks, which had turned back to their normal temperature, flushed yellow once again.

“If You Want To Go-“

“No!” The Mother Grub blinked. “Ii mean…Ii wouldn’t miind 2tayiing untiil 2he wake2 up…Ju2t iinca2e…”

I could have sworn I saw a knowing glimmer in her eyes, only when I looked back it was gone. She was still smiling tough.

“That’s Sweet Of You, Dear.” She bustled on down the hall, closing the door as she went, almost as if she was summoned by a mysterious force. A sound like a female voice drifted toward s the closed door. My pointed ears strained to catch the sound, curiosity getting the best of me-but then Kanaya turned in her sleep and I focused on her.

“Sollux…” she muttered. I didn’t answer her. Wasn’t she unconscious?

I listened, my eyes sweeping over her form, trying to see if she was alright.

“Thank You.” She breathed.

“You’re…welcome.” I said.

For a few minutes I stood there, gazing at her as if afraid that if I moved she’d wake up and yell at me to get out. Slowly, almost as if I was in a trance, I felt my feet moving towards her desk chair. I sank into it, my eyes flickering closed for only a moment. That’s when her opened husktop caught my eye. I frowned, my eyes narrowing as I swiveled the chair to face the device.

She had a virus. No wonder she wasn’t on Trollian. I breathed a sigh through my nose, forehead wrinkling in exasperation. She could’ve just asked for help by going to my hive or something. What was the deal? I moved a hand to start fixing it for her, only to hear a small clanking noise as something fell onto the desk. A small green pill rolled towards my fingers, just within reach of being picked up. I stared at it. What the hell was this?

A pale bottle lay to my right, a label flashing “Aleve” at me. Wasn’t this a human medicine? I snatched it from the wooden surface, my eyes roaming back and forth as I read the rest of the label.

“Aleve can help with many types of pain…such as headaches…” Okay, nothing interesting there…Wait a minute….

“WARNING: This drug has not been tested on non-human lifeforms. Trolls may experience side-effects that mimic an intoxicated state.”

Aha! So she had some kind of headache or something and decided to take an Aleve pill only it backfired on her. But this didn’t solve her husktop problems. I quietly placed the bottle back on the desk, making a mental note to warn her about using human pills again.

Quickly and silently my fingers clicked along the keys, slowly sifting through tons of code. I was in my element, I could do stuff like this while I was asleep! Except, the format of the codes was familiar to me. Entirely too familiar.

Thii2 ii2 KK’2 work…why would he 2end KN a viiru2?

All at once, a file popped up on the screen, grey capitalized font blink at me.

HEY FUCKASS. CONGRATS ON FINALLY GETTING YOUR WAY THROUGH MY VIRUS.

I rolled my eyes at this. Karkat was acting as if I wasn’t better at coding than him…which I most assuredly am.

I HATED TO DO THIS TO MARYAM BUT IT’S FOR YOUR OWN GOOD. I, BEING THE GOD OF REDROMS THAT I AM, AM GOING TO FUCKING POINT OUT THINGS TO YOU THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN OBVIOUS TO YOU SINCE EVEN A BUTT-MUNCHING GRUB COULD HAVE GOTTEN IT. THEN MAYBE YOU’LL FINALLY GROW A BULGE AND ASK HER OUT AND I WON’T HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOU GUYS WHINING AND BITCHING ALL THE TIME!

“Niice try KK. But you know Ii can get pa2t-“A second file had popped up. But it wasn’t from Karkat.

I tried to tear my eyes away and hack around this but when I saw the jade green text I froze in place. The title read, “Just A Small Vent” and had a video attached to the bottom.  Do I dare open it?

My hand slipped into my pocket and pulled out a pair of headphones, hooking them up and putting them in while I stared at the video. Throwing caution to the winds, I pressed play.

It was Kanaya, looking as beautiful as ever, but with a sad sheen to her eyes. My pump biscuit clenched painfully as I heard a sad melody stretch through the background.

“He Looks At Me, I Fake A Smile So He Won't See

That I Want And I'm Needing Everything That We Should Be

I'll Bet She's Beautiful, That Troll He Talks About

And She's Got Everything That I Have To Live Without…”

Her voice was as beautiful as the moonlit sky above, and as soft as a baby hop-beast’s fur. Everything else fell away as I was held there by her voice, drinking in every word like I had never drank anything in my entire lifetime. I didn’t register the name she was singing until too late.

“He Talks To Me, I Smile Because It’s Just So Funny…”

I blinked, pump biscuit throbbing painfully against my ribcage as I saw a couple of translucent green tears slip down her lovely face. I found myself giving anything to be the one she was singing about. To run to her and pull her close; finally kiss those black-tinted lips and feel her next to me.

“-That I Can't Even See Anyone When He's With Me

He Says He's So Flushed, He's Finally Got It Right,

I Wonder If He Knows He's All I Think About Each Night…

 He's The Reason For The Tear Marks On My Boudoir

The Only Thing That Has Me Wishing On Those Wishing Stars

He's The Song In The Park I Keep Singing, Don't Know Why I Do…”

Why would Karkat torture me like this? Setting aside this video of…of her…singing about somebody else? He knew I was flushed for her!

….And now, so did I.

“He Walks By Me, Can He Tell That I Can't Breathe?

And There He Goes, So Perfectly,

The Kind Of Flawless I Wish I Could Be

She'd Better Hold Him Tight, Give Him All She’s Has

Look In Those Red And Blue Eyes And Know She's Lucky Because-“

Those red and blue eyes. Red and blue eyes. There were only three people I’ve ever known to have red and blue eyes. My ancestor the Psiioniic, my dancestor Mituna and….me.  Could it be possible she felt red for me?

“He's The Reason For The Tear Marks On My Boudoir

The Only Thing That Has Me Wishing On Those Wishing Stars

He's The Song In The Park I Keep Singing, Don't Know Why I Do…

 So I Walk Back Alone, As I Turn On The Light

I'll Put His Picture Down And Maybe

Get Something Done Tonight!

 Because He's The Reason For The Tear Marks On My Boudoir

The Only One Who's Got Enough Of Me To Break Me Apart

He's The Song In The Car I Keep Singing, Don't Know Why I Do

He's The Time Taken Up, But There's Never Enough

And He's All That I Need To Fall Into.

 Sollux Looks At Me, I Wish He Was Flushed For Me…..”

 WAIT A MINUTE! HOLD THE HUSKTOP! WHAT?! Kanaya Maryam was flushed for me?!

“I 2wear, KK, iif you made thii2 up…” I muttered.

 “Oh My, My Head Is All Foggy. I-Sollux?” I jumped, spinning to be face to face with confused jade eyes. Only she wasn’t looking at me. Her gaze flickered to her husktop and a green flush spread across her skin.

“Did…Did You Send That Virus To Me…?”

“What? No! KK-“

“Then How Did You Fix It So Quickly?”

“Oh plea2e. KK’2 viiru2e2 are 2o ba2iic that a wriiggler could get pa2t them.” I said, rolling my eyes behind my glasses.

She pursed her lips.

“Are You Suggesting That I Am Less Competent Than A Wriggler, Sollux?”

“No! Where the hell diid you get that iidea? All Ii diid wa2 fiix your damn hu2ktop, why are you jumpiing two conclu2iion2?!”

“I Think You Should Go.” She marched across the block, opening the door and gesturing towards it.

“Iif iit’ll calm you down.” I mumbled, stretching and walking out.

“Don’t Act Like That!”

“Ii’m not actiing liike anythiing! You were the one comiing over and fliipiing fuckiing 2hiit!”

The jade blood growled softly, her fists clenching.

“Let Me Remind You That You Were The One Snooping Through My Personal Files!”

“Per2onal? 2o you ARE flu2hed for me?”

“GET OUT!”

“Okay, okay! Calm your tiit2!”

Somewhere, a mutant blood groaned as he watched the video feed from Kanaya’s hacked husktop.

“ARE YOU FUCKING SHITTING ME?! THIS IS HOPELESS!”

His matesprit placed a hand on his shoulder.

“s0llux is just stubb0rn. i think maybe y0u sh0uld d0 s0mething different.”

“AND JUST WHY SHOULD I DO THAT?!”

Aradia bent down and kissed him gently.

“because, beneath that r0ugh exteri0r, i kn0w y0u care ab0ut them just as much as i d0.”

As much as Karkat hated to admit it, she was right.