Working All Day

12

 "Where were you thinking about taking me?" Kankri asked for a lack of a better conversation.

"That's for me to know and you to find out." Cronus smirked. "I do have a question for you, though, Chief."

"And what might that be?" Kankri asked as he shifted a large portion of his attention back to the tattoo.

"How can you be so calm all the time?" He thought back to when Karkat was yelling at him and he kept an unflinching face and a smile.

"I suppose you're talking about when Karkat yells at me?" Kankri asked and glanced up to see Cronus nod. "When he was just a little wriggling baby, he became frightened by the smallest thing and after our mother died and father left, I would always have to keep a relaxed face around Karkat. If I wore anything but a smile, he would freak out."

"I guess that explains how you keep a straight face, but how do not flinch when he yells?" Cronus asked his never-ending questions.

"He's done worse." Kankri chuckled darkly. Cronus' eyes widened and though about what the other could possibly mean. All these 'what if's plagued his mind and his grip slowly tightened around Kankri's thigh. He stood up abruptly and stared down at Kankri's innocent, confused eyes. Cronus swiftly placed a sign saying that the artist would be back and gripped Kankri's hand before tugging him behind him into the bathroom. After checking if the bathroom was empty, he nudged Kankri against the bathroom door and stuck the door stopper so that it wouldn't open from the other side.

"What did he do to you? Did he hurt you? Oh god, he hurt you, didn't he. Where'd he hurt you?" Cronus tugged at all Kankri's clothing in search of the smallest bruise or cut.

"He hasn't hurt me..." Kankri avoided eye contact. Cronus saw this and searched harder. When he saw that Kankri was wearing high waisted jeans, he rolled the hem of his sweater up and unbuttoned the pants, much to Kankri's dissatisfaction. Cronus unzipped the long zipper and saw that there were multiple cuts. There were a few burns that have healed over, but the cuts looked fresh.