charcoal and scars

chapter 22

I put my hand timidly on his shoulder. Karkat doesn't flinch away; in fact, it's almost like he's leaning into my touch. He isn't crying, but I wouldn't be surprised if he started.

"I had no idea thomething like that had happened..." So it was his father he killed. But why the hell would this bastard shove it in his face like that? I don't care if he was drunk, that was just... sick! And his mother! Anger rolls through my stomach like a great wave, twisting and coursing. How is she not locked up too? She has as much right to be in prison as Michael!

Another shaky breath squeezes itself from Karkat's throat.

"Y-Yeah, whatever. It's not like it'll h-happen..." He trails off, and there's the tears.

He tries to wipe them away forcefully, but they keep coming back until the skin around his eyes is nearly the shade of his irises.

I don't know what else to do, so I scoot around to face him and pull him into a hug. He doesn't seem to mind, folding into my arms. I feel his nose press into my collarbone, sending a shiver up my spine, and I have to concentrate on not letting him feel my racing heart.

What possesses me to press my lips to the top of his head, I may never know. His shoulders tense, but makes no other protest. His eyelashes brush my bare skin as he closes his eyes.

"Thanks for listening, Sollux." He mumbles into my neck. "It means a lot." I smile, but it's softer than my usual smirk.

"I'll alwayth lithten, KK." I exhale slowly into his hair.

"I know." Is his whispered response. His breath ghosting my neck sends another shiver down my back, but that's nothing compared to the leaping of my heart as he wraps his arms around my waist, returning my hug. "Thank you." I shift uncomfortably.

"No problem, KK." We elapse into what is at first an awkward silence, but as Karkat's breathing eases, I close my eyes as well, relishing in the feel of Karkat's small frame.

How is it fair for someone so fragile to go through so much? Hell, I would have taken all of that if he didn't have to be on the verge of crying right now. Any belief I had in god dissolves quickly as wet hits my neck, alerting me to Karkat's fresh tears.

He hugs me tighter, surprising me.

It startles me even more to realize how much Karkat must trust me, to tell me all of this. I doubt even that Kanaya person knows half of what Karkat just told me.

My giddy, triumphant feeling is quickly quashed when Karkat mumbles something that sounds like a curse, but I can't tell.

"You thay thomething, KK?"

"Mmph." The corners of my mouth turn up involuntarily, unable to comprehend how endearing Karkat's sighs are.

"You thould really learn how to articulate."

"Shut up."

"Tho, um, he got a parole?" Fuck, why the hell did I just say that?

Karkat flinches against me, and his hands tremble.

"U-Um, yeah." Well, nothing for it now.

"How?"

"I wasn't there for his parole hearing, and neither was Nanda, so no one said anything against him."

"What about your mom?" Whoops, that slipped out.

I feel his jaw clench. "Don't even talk about her." He hisses, and now I can completely understand why.

I sigh, and squeeze him tighter in return. Slowly his shoulders relax again, and I find myself counting his heartbeats. One, two. One, two. One, two. Aradia used to sing to me when I was younger, but this lullaby could top hers any day.