Karkat Vantas' Stri-Do's and Dont's of Highschool: A Davekat Fanfiction

Chapter 7: Triggers and Pillow Fights

You quirk an eyebrow, folding your arms on the table and leaning forward. "What do you want to know?"
He shrugs, tapping his chin, "So far I already know you're amazing at math, the hottest cheerleader to ever exist, and related to Ms. D. Lets see," he pauses, thinking a moment, "Why dont we do a lightning round?"
You snort, "Lightning round?"
Dave nods, "Yeah. I ask you a series of questions and you ask me. The point is to answer quick."
"Hm," you muse, pondering the idea, "I guess that'd be alright."
He smile and nods, "Sweet. Okay, so family members. Go."
"Dad, step mom, crazy religious brother, satanic step sister, and overly obsessed other step sister."
He gives you a confused look, "Care to explain?"
"My dads a priest at the church where he met my step mom. My brother, Kankri, got way into religion. My older step sister, Meulin, is probably in a cult or something with her weirdo boyfriend. Nepeta, her little sister, has the biggest crush on me. It makes me sick."
This makes him laugh, "Awe, that's cute~"
You rolls your eyes and growl "As if."
He sits back, shaking his head, "We're bad, but not that bad. Alright, favorite subject?"
"English."
"Why's that?"
"I like to write."
"Can I see some of your work?" You flush, hesitantly taking out your notebook from your bag and flipping to one of your poems before handing it to him. He clears his throat and begins reading aloud,
"'The Eyeless Who See,
Beauty, they say,
Is in the eyes of the beholder
It is not easy to find,
But it is certainly there
Waiting to be found
Only the eyes
Of the ones who truly see
Will find it hidden
Where no one thought to look
Those who find it will know true joy
Where none was thought to be
The rest who cannot see it
Are the ones who are truly blind'," he looks up at you. You cant see his eyes, but you're assuming he's giving you a look of shock, "Damn man. That shits deep. Did you write that?"
You nod slowly, "Why? Is it bad?"
He quickly shakes his head, "It was great," he pauses, ripping a blank page out of your notebook and taking the pen you left on the table, copying your poem onto the blank sheet. When he finishes, he closes your notebook and hands it back, carefully folding the paper and putting it in his bag, "Thats going on my wall."
You're sure your face closely resembles the red of the ketchup sitting on the table beside you, "Why would you put that on your wall?"
"I like it. It's powerful. I mean I don't have to if you don't want me to, I guess."
You shake your head, "No, it's okay. I'd be honored to be featured on the great Dave Strider's wall."
Dave flashes you a grin, "Well you deserve to be there. You're in tenth grade right?"
You nod, "Are you?"
"Yeah, but I'm supposed to be in eleventh."
You quirk an eyebrow, "Did you get held back?"
He hesitates, "Yes, but not because I'm dumb and got bad grades. I got held back in fifth grade. It was right after my parents died and i didn't go to school very much. I was basically just a wreck for a while, so they held me back."
You nod slowly, your pity-meter off the charts, "When we moved over the summer I went into a pretty bad depression kick. I didn't like the fact that we were living with this woman who wasn't my mom and I didn't like her kids either, but I guess I got over it."
"Can I ask what happened to your mom?"
You shrug, "I never met her. I guess she wasn't supposed to have kids. She almost died having Kankri. My dad told me when she got pregnant with me, she didn't want to give me up."
His mouth hangs open in shock, "She died while having you?"
You nod, "Shortly after."
He hesitates, taking your hand in his own and saying in a hushed voice, "You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"
You slowly nod, "Only a little."
He squeezes your hand and you swear you can see a flash of eye color from over his shades, "Don't. Never again. Okay?"
You nod slowly, looking down, "I promise."
He nods and releases your hand, sitting back as your grandmother returns with your drinks first, then bringing over your food. There's a steak salad for Dave and a bowl of chocolate ice cream for you. She looks between the two of you, "How Are You Two Getting Along?"
Dave smiles a little over at you, "Famously."
She smiles in return, "Excellent. Well, If I Am No Longer Required, I Will Take My Leave."
You nod and thank her, returning your attention to your ice cream. Dave quirks an eyebrow at you curiously, "Isn't that supposed to be dessert?"
You take a bite and shake your spoon at him, "I eat my dessert first."
He looks even more confused, "Why?"
You shrug and take another bite, "I heard about this in a movie once and it makes sense to me. Let me give you a scenario. Say for example a mildly cute guy asks me to go get lunch with him and I agree. Maybe this time I decided, 'Hey, I'll get dessert after my meal this time!' So I'm halfway through my food when an atomic bomb goes off. I'd die before I got to eat the thing I wanted most. How would that cute guy feel, knowing he was there when I was deprived of my final wish?"
His expression is one of pure astonishment, "Wow. What kind of movies do you watch? That's intense. Point taken," he picks up his spoon and motions to the bowl, "Mind if I share?"
You crack a small smile and nod, pushing the bowl to the middle of the table for you both to reach, "I watch romcoms, but I think that movie would be considered a romantic drama."
Once the two of you finish off your food and pay, you say a quick goodbye to your grandmother before grabbing your things and walking out the front door. Dave hums softly, looking down at you, "So where are we headed?"
You give him a slightly confused look, "I thought this was the part where we part ways and go back to how we were on Monday?"
He frowns, "You want to go back to us fighting?"
Shaking your head, you sigh and continue, "No, I mean I figured you just wanted to set things straight and never talk again."
Dave looks almost angry hearing this, "You think I'd tell you all that if my plan was to just ditch you? If you didn't mean something to me, you think I'd take you to a very sentimental place, pay for lunch, and tell you some serious personal shit?"
Well this is taking a turn for the worst. Truth be told, you didn't want to ruin things with this guy. Sure he was a douche at first, but he was actually, dare you say 'cool'. Rubbing the back of your neck out of nervousness and embarrassment, you glance up at him and ask, "Would you want to come over or something then?"
He blinks, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion, probably at the sudden proposal, "Are you sure about that?"
"I mean if you want to."
"Oh. Alright. I mean yeah, that'd be sweet. And since it's Friday we can chat more," As he goes on talking, his smile gradually returns. You listen half heatedly as you lead him to your house.
A part of you is praying to whatever higher being was out there that you'd have the house to yourself. Dave's still rambling as you open the front door to find Kankri waiting for you. As soon as his eyes meet yours, he storms over to you and begins his lecture about responsibility and keeping a proper schedule and telling people when your plans had changed. Basically, it's a huge yawn fest and by now you've grown immune to his rants. Dave, however, has yet to gain that ability and is glancing between you and him as if he's waiting for you to speak up. It takes you a moment but as soon as your brother stops to breathe, you cut in, "Listen, Kankri, as much as I'm enjoying our quality time, I do have a guest. It's rude to keep him waiting and you're making a bad first impression."
His eyes shift to Dave and widen in shock, his jaw dropped as he begins to apologize. Dave shakes his head and holds up a hand to stop him, "Easy. It's no big deal. I should introduce myself. I'm Karkat's classmate, Dave Strider. I was just walking him home from practice."
Kankri looks bewildered, "Practice? What 9n Alternia was Karkat practicing?"
"He's a cheerleader."
You shoot daggers at him with your eyes as Kankri turns his look of shock to you, "Kat, why didn't y9u tell me y9u were a cheerleader? This might make m9ther and father upset, y9u kn9w. And-"
"Again, I'd love to chat, but I need to get Dave settled in if he's staying the night," Both sets of eyes turn to you in surprise as you drag Dave up the stairs, "We can talk later."
Kankri blinks, attempting to process what had just happened before calling after you, "Please remem6er t9 inf9rm each 9ther 9f any-"
"Triggers. Yeah. I got it," you grumble, shoving Dave into your room and slamming the door shut with a sigh.
"I'm staying the night?" Dave looks thoroughly amused by this.
"Shut up. I can't stand to talk to him right now. You can sneak out later or whatever. Just please stay for a little while."
He flashes you a grin, "As long as you want, Kat."
You mentally facepalm, realizing that this is going to be a long night.