Not So Different After All [DAVEKAT]

CHAPTER 3 - Introductions

Be the always angry short one

Honestly, as I walked to class, I was surprised. I thought about what just happened. Dave Strider just talked to me? No, that was... you know what? That was a dream. A pretty fucking horrible dream.

"H3YYYY, K4RK4T! 1 SM3LL3D YOU T4LK1NG TO TH3 STR1D3R GUY, TH4T'S L1KE- TH3 S3COND T1M3 1'V3 3V3R SM3LL3D YOU G3NU1N3LY SM1L3! 1 HON3STLY SHOULD B3 GL4D TH3 W1ND W4S BLOW1NG TOW4RDS M3. BUT 4NYW4Y, YOU R34LLY 4R3 FLUSH3D FOR TH1S GUY, 4R3N'T YOU?" Terezi asked from behind me, her hand on my shoulder.

"OH, SHUT UP. I AM NOT," I growled, and she just giggled.

"1 KN3W 1T, YOU FUCK1NG TSUND3R3. 4NYW4Y, GOTT4 GO! BY3333!"

"FUCK YOU."

"GO FUCK D4V3!"

I couldn't say anything else, and I felt my face heat up. She's so annoying sometimes! Like, worse than Kankri. And that's saying something. That's REALLY saying something.

The rest of the day flew by really fast, but by the end, I was still bored out of my mind. When the bell rang, I flinched, poking my head up, actually getting up, and then grabbing my stuff. Finally, this day was over.

As I left the classroom, because I didn't learn my lesson before from looking down, I bumped into someone again. "SHIT! I'M SORRY-"

"You don't need to apologize, it's fine! Just try to look where you're going next time," A nerdy looking guy said, smiling at me. He was also taller than me. I can't complain about that. Everyone's taller than me. But then I looked next to him and saw... Dave.

"Oh, hey Kitkat. I noticed you lived kinda close to where we live, do you wanna walk home with us?" The insufferable Strider spoke. I had to think about it for a second.

"SURE, WHY NOT?" I answered, honestly just not really wanting to walk home by myself.

"Dave, you know him? That's cool," The nerdy looking one tilted his head a bit, still smiling. He's way too positive for my liking. Even though almost everyone who's even a little bit positive is too positive for me. This guy was already overwhelmingly positive. I'm saying positive way too much. Karkat, stop saying the word positive.

Dave just nodded in response. "Anyway, I haven't introduced you guys to each other yet. John, this is Karkat, one of my newer friends, and Karkat, this is John, my boyfriend."

I don't know why, but I kind of felt a twinge of jealousy when Dave said the word 'boyfriend'.

"Nice to meet you, Karkat," John said, and I looked at him and then looked away again.

"YEAH, SURE, NICE TO MEET YOU TOO, I GUESS."

The rest of the walk home was mostly silent, and I remembered that John was in one of my classes. And I also remembered his last name, which is probably not really important, but it is to me.

I just half-listened to John and Dave talk the entire time until we got to John's house, and I can remember almost puking as I saw Dave give him a kiss goodbye. I hated seeing that kind of stuff.

Well, no, I didn't, but I non-admittedly liked Strider. And I hated that I wasn't Egbert in that situation. And- OH MY GOG SHUT THE FUCK UP VANTAS THIS IS GETTING OUT OF CONTROL.

"So..." Dave started. Great. He was gonna talk to me now, too. "Why have you been so quiet the whole time? Honestly you seemed sort of outgoing... in a different way... when I first saw you with Nepeta. I think that was her name. Was that her name?"

"YEAH, THAT IS HER NAME. AND WHY ARE YOU SO CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT I'M DOING OF ALL THINGS?" I snapped, and he sorta flinched.

"Woah, no need to be so hostile, Karks, I was just checking on you," He put his hands up in a 'don't try to fight me or anything' motion, his face still completely stoic. I wonder how he did that.

"OK. WELL, I'M COMPLETELY FINE, ASSHOLE. JUST SPACED OUT, I GUESS."

"Alright. Do you just want me to stop talking, then?"

"PLEASE."

"Rude, but ok."

The rest of the walk to his house, it was almost silent. Almost meaning the sound of our footsteps against the concrete and the leaves blowing around in the wind were still there. When we reached his house, he stopped and turned to me.

"Well, gotta go, bye."

That's all he said before disappearing into his house. I stood there on the spot for a minute before turning to walk the next 10 minutes to my house. Thoughts started to flood my brain, like always.

Why does John exist?

I don't know. Probably because of his parents, you idiot.

Why not you, Karkat? Why can't you just go up and tell him?

Because I just met him! Plus, there's John. Plus plus, there's no chance in hell he'd ever like me that way. I'm just me.

Just... me.

When I got home, Kankri wasn't there yet. 'Oh, right, he gets out later,' I remembered.

I just went straight to my room, flopping down onto my bed. Sleeping is better than being bored out of my mind doing nothing.

...

About 10 minutes later, I heard the door open and close. "Karkat, are y9u h9me?"

I groaned, turning around and sitting up so my voice wasn't muffled by my pillow. "YEAH, I'M HERE."

It was silent for a second before I heard Kankri's voice closer to my door. "D9 I have y9ur permissi9n t9 c9me in?"

"SURE."

The door opened, and he obviously noticed how tired I looked.

"S9... h9w was y9ur day at sch99l?" He asked, sitting down on the side of my bed.

"IT WAS FINE.'

"Are y9u sure? Y9u kn9w y9u can tell me if s9mething went wr9ng at all, I w9n't judge y9u a69ut anything y9u decide t9 tell me."

Yeah, right.

"YES. I'M COMPLETELY SURE. I'M FINE." I growled. He looked at me with a sort of concerned look.

"I ask y9u please n9t use that t9ne with me, especially if y9u are c9mpletely fine as y9u say y9u are. That gives the immediate impressi9n that s9mething is in fact wr9ng, and I'm 9nly trying t9 help y9u. Y9u kn9w y9u d9n't need to hide anything fr9m me, right?"

"I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT FEELINGS THAT DON'T EXIST, KANKRI. I'M COMPLETELY FUCKING FINE. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO PROVE IT? YOU KNOW ME. YOU KNOW THAT I'M JUST LIKE THIS. SO STOP PUSHING IT."

"9kay, I'm s9rry, I w9n't c9nversate with y9u until y9u at least calm d9wn. Als9, y9u need to st9p using that kind 9f language. There is n9 need f9r it. Now g99d6ye, I'll speak with y9u later."

I rolled my eyes as he left, partially because he didn't see it and partially because I hated him with every fiber of my being. I don't care if he's my dancestor, or my 'brother' or whatever. I just sighed and pulled my blanket over my head, drowning out the voice in my head by just suppressing it.

When I was called for dinner, I simply just said "I'M NOT HUNGRY," and just sat there for the rest of the night.

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