Migraines and Sore Throats

Chapter 9

The currently alive Sollux was now floating down a good foot or two away from Karkat, the dead Sollux in Karkat's arms was laying there limply because he was dead after all. Anger was burning through every fiber of Karkat's being and he didn't know where to start. He could do the usual start his screaming, calling Sollux a variety of colorful curse words and ending with an apology and everyone returns to their previous buddy-buddy state but no. Karkat was far too angry for that. Instead of his usual angry ranting Karkat did something much more effective.

The Knight of Blood looked The Mage of Doom straight in the eyes, mostly the one where he wasn't blind in, then stormed off without a word, leaving his half dead friend alone with himself. That was good right? Karkat had left Sollux stupefied. He had left Sollux wondering exactly how mad Karkat was. He kept trying to tell himself that he was proving a point to the egotistical psionic, even as angry tears started streaming down his face as he stomped down empty hallways to the computer lab. He tried to convince himself that Sollux would think twice about fucking with his feelings and cheating death as he plopped himself down in front of a row of computers and let out loud sobs. He tried so hard but it just didn't work.

Meanwhile the Gemini was very much stunned at the sudden, and quiet, exit of his usually vocal friend. He really did feel bad, this was the second time Karkat had witnessed Sollux's death after all, and quickly went after his friend, leaving the others to mix and mingle with the newest members of team asshole. His mind was quickly working, trying to figure out what had stopped his friend from yanking down the gates to let the flood of curse words and angry shouts pour from his mouth. There was nothing Sollux really did. Hell, he thought that Karkat would leap into his arms upon seeing that he was alive and (partially) well. Of course the surprise he felt at first grew when he stumbled upon seeing the same stoic friend of his sobbing his eyes out, candy red tears staining his grey cheeks.

"I didn't know you'd be that excited over seeing me again." Sollux said with a small grin. Karkat however, wasn't amused and shot a glare at his friend. "Sheesh, don't get your fucking panties in a twist KK." He sat down in front of his friend, who was still silently glaring daggers at him. "Dude, come on. By now you're usually telling me to shove some exaggeratedly large object up my nook or down my throat. Sometimes both. What the fuck is wrong with you?" Karkat sniffled and wiped his tears, still trying to keep that angry look. What was he supposed to tell Sollux? He himself didn't really know why he was angry.

The two sat there for a moment. The only Thing keeping them from complete silence was Karkat's occasional sniffle. He still didn't know what was bothering him. He should be ecstatic that Sollux was alive, he should be happy that his best friend cheated death for the second time already. He should be happy yet he wasn't for some reason. Karkat had to say something, that's why Sollux was just sitting there quietly. Eventually the cancer troll sighed and shifted himself to face the other better.

"You don't get it, do you?" Karkat begun, his voice still a bit shaky. "You just...just...just float over here all willy nilly and alive and make a stupid ass remark. Is that it? Is that all I get??" Anger was starting to bubble again, this time mixing in with his sadness. The candy red tears were beginning to well up in his eyes once again. "I was worried fucking sick Sollux! You blasted us off into endless space and started bleeding and..." The tears were spilling over his eyes but he forced himself to keep his voice steady as he glared at his bewildered friend. "And you stopped moving! I thought I lost you for good this time! I thought I'd never be able to see your stupid smirk or hear that godawful lisp as you try to gloat about your latest and greatest code! I thought I'd never be able to hang out with you again! I thought I'd never be able to see you again!"

"Karkat..." Sollux mumbled, starting to feel a hint of remorse for not being more sensitive to his friend earlier. He slowly reached out extended arms for a hug but Karkat pushed his arms away. He wasn't finished talking.

"I watched you die twice! Don't you DARE try to act like this is fine! This isn't fine Sollux!" The red tears were blurring Karkat's vision but he could still see his friends grey arms reach out towards him, this time he didn't push them away. Lanky arms wrapped around Karkat's short frame as he sobbed into Sollux's shoulder. The psionic troll would be lying if he said he wasn't shedding a gold tinted tear or two as well. "I know they say self-sacrifice is a noble thing but I don't fucking care. I wish you were just your normal selfish prick self at the time. Don't do this to me. Not again." Karkat hiccuped and Sollux shop shed him, rubbing soothing circles on his back.

The two sat there for a few minutes. Karkat's sobs quieting down until they were just dry hiccups and Sollux just holding him, whispering sweet nothings into his ear. Eventually the two calmed down enough to pull away from their embrace a bit to actually look at one another's face. Karkat's eyes were puffy from crying and his face was stained with red streaks. Sollux's cheek had the slightest hints of golden stains as well. The Mage of Doom smirked at his friends poor state and pressed their foreheads together.

"You're fucking pathetic you know, crying your eyes out over a bipolar asshole. You're supposed to be our brave leader KK, you can't cry. Besides, you should've known that I wouldn't of left you and your lonely self without at least calling you nook sniffing dumbass one last time." Karkat let out a weak laugh, happy that a rare smile was being brought onto his face after what just happened.

"M'not as pathetic as you and your need for constant validation, or your constant need to "do good." That's probably the only reason why you fried your fucking thinkpan earlier, to save us and make you look like some sort of cliche hero. What, did you expect me to immediately take the role of the damsel in distress/love interest and praise you and build statues over your heroism?" Sollux chuckled.

"Nah. Damsels in distress wouldn't cry like little bitches, you know, the way you just did." That earned a little laugh from the both of them. Both trolls happy that they could move on from the dark and depressing so quickly. Karkat took a little longer to calm down from his little laugh fit, Sollux watching Karkat giggle with a grin spreading across his face.

"What?" Karkat questioned when he finally did calm down, wiping a laugh induced tear from the corner of his eye before his arms returned to wrap around Sollux. The yellow blood merely shrugged and commented nonchalantly.

"I pity you."

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The two were walking slowly, hand-in-hand, back up to the very roof of the meteor. They both knew that Sollux wouldn't be accompanying Karkat and the others on their sweep long journey through paradox space so they decided to make the most of their time. They had shared a small and quick kiss earlier, nothing special. It was just a little peck in the lips that left them both with happy grins plastered on their normally grouchy faces. They reached the roof and reluctantly let go of one another's hand before walking back to the group. They didn't want anyone thinking that they were something, they didn't even know what they were in all honesty.

The two rejoined their friends and spoke for a moment or two before Aradia announced that it was time for her and Sollux to take their leave. And so, Karkat gave his long time best friend and quadrant confused crush one final hug before letting him and the Maid of Time float up above the hunk of rock the rest were standing on. After one final wave, Sollux and Aradia used both their telekinetic abilities to push the rock away from any danger and into the final stages of the long and wretched game.

Karkat didn't know why but he felt at ease. Maybe it was because he finally let himself be fully open with someone and it didn't backfire on him. Maybe it was because now he didn't have to feel so confused and needy all the time now. He didn't have to feel constant jealousy of other. Yes he was sad that he wouldn't see Sollux for a long time but now without Sollux, Karkat could live a calm life. One free of constant quadrant confusion.

"Yo." There was a light tap on Karkat's shoulder and he frowned and turned around to face the source. It was a human, one that had recently god tiered to become the Knight of Time. "I don't think I've formally introduced myself. I'm Dave, Dave Strider."

Ohhh shit. So much for a life free of constant quadrant confusion.