The Meanings of Red

Chapter 10

An incessant beeping pulled Karkat out of his sleep.  He groaned and brought his hand up to rub his pounding head, but felt a tugging sensation preventing him from doing so.  Confused, he looked down at his hand and saw an IV in his wrist.  He looked at his surroundings, even more confused, and noticed for the first time where he was: the hospital.

            “What the…?” he whispered.  He heard a light snoring and looked to his left to see Strider sleeping on the couch in the little alcove by the window in the room.  He was about to say something to wake him up when the door opened.

            “Oh, you’re awake,” Bro said, holding a tray with two bagels and two glasses filled with juice—one apple, the other orange.  Bro looked at his brother and sighed.  “And the lil’ man is asleep.  Typical.”  He set the tray down on the counter to Karkat’s right and sat down in the plastic chair that was there.

            Karkat just stared at him as he took a bagel and spread cream cheese all over it, not comprehending anything from the moment he awoke.  He hoped that Bro would elaborate, but he just continued to eat his… breakfast?  What time was it anyway?  More importantly, what was Karkat doing in the hospital?

            “Um… Bro?” Karkat spoke, his voice all scratchy and dry.  Bro looked up, his pointy shades hiding his gaze, but Karkat could tell that he was looking at him.  “What’s going on?”

            Bro swallowed and frowned.  “Do you seriously not remember?”  Karkat shook his head slowly, his brown eyes full of confusion.  Bro sighed.  “You, uh, showed up on our doorstep yesterday covered in blood and barely conscious.”

            Karkat’s eyes widened.  “What?”

            He must’ve been louder than he thought because he heard Strider groan suddenly and looked over to see him holding himself up with one hand and rubbing his eyes with the other.  His shades were placed neatly on the windowsill behind him.  When he saw that Karkat was awake, his eyes widened.  “Karkat!” he exclaimed, getting to his feet a little unsteadily before walking over.  “Thank baby Jesus you’re awake.”

            Karkat didn’t answer; he was too busy staring at Strider’s eyes.  They were the colour.  The colour he hated so much.  But it was different, this red was different.  It was softer somehow, kinder.

            Strider’s thick, dark eyebrows that contrasted against his light hair pushed together, creating a crease that asked a question.  “What’s wrong?” he asked.

            “Your eyes…” Karkat said, trailing off.

            Strider tensed, and all emotion drained from his face.  His eyes flickered to Bro, and when Karkat looked over, he saw that Bro was also tense, but was hiding it better than his brother.

            “Shit,” Strider muttered.  He turned away and went to get his shades.  “Shit.”

            “So that’s the secret,” Karkat stated.

            Though Strider stood facing away from him, he replied with a “Yeah.”  He sighed in frustration and ran a hand through his hair.

            “Could the atmosphere get any thicker?” Bro complained.  “So Dave’s eyes are red, so what?  Mine are orange.  No big deal.”

            Karkat vaguely remembered his first trip to the Strider household, when Bro lowered his shades and showed Karkat his strangely coloured eyes.  Why didn’t he think of it before?  Bro’s eyes were orange, and Strider’s were red.  It was that simple.