To Know Pain is To Know Love

Chapter One

Sollux was starting to freak out.

It had been a whole week and a half since he had last heard from his best friend and long time crush, Karkat Vantas. Ten whole days of zero insults and zero late night rants. Now normally, this wouldn't have bothered him, because christ knew what sort of shit Dave kept his best friend occupied with. Except no one had heard from Karkat's boyfriend, Dave Strider, in those ten days either. And someone had mentioned that Dave had skipped town at some point, leaving Karkat alone. This meant Karkat would've messaged SOMEONE by now, as Sollux knew he got lonely and excruciatingly bored fairly quickly. But no. Not a peep to anyone. So, back to the original point, Sollux was starting to freak out.

He stood in front of the door to Karkat’s apartment, having knocked several times, but still not receiving an answer. “Kk, open the door, I know you're in there!!” He yelled while pounding on it again, glaring a hole through the thick yellow door.

Nothing. Complete and utter silence. Sighing, Sollux decided to try the doorknob, though he was sure it would be locked (Dave was big on that sort of shit). To his surprise and confusion, the knob turned, and he was able to push the door open easily. Something was definitely wrong here. Stepping inside and shutting the door quietly behind him, Sollux glanced around the apartment’s small living room. Clothes and various other items were strewn across the floor, and Sollux noticed that none of Dave's belongings were in this room or in what he could see of the dining room. No extra shades, no turntables, no laptop; nothing. There was a deep, lingering silence in the room that the pale gold walls seemed to absorb and then reflect back into it. It was stifling, Sollux quickly realized, as he hurried out of the main room.

He continued down the hall to the master bedroom Karkat and Dave shared. Slowly, he pushed open the door and inhaled sharply at the scene before him. More clothes and belongings were littered along the floor; again, all of them Karkat's and none of them Dave's. The troll in question was lying curled up on the bed, eyes halfway open and dull. Sollux hesitantly stepped closer to the bed and called out to his friend quietly, “Kk..? Are you okay?” Sollux immediately berated himself for asking such a stupid question when it was quite fucking obvious he was not ‘okay’.

Worry and fear welled up in him though, when Karkat continued lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling blankly without responding. Sollux mind immediately assumed the worst and concluded that Karkat probably hadn’t moved from the bed in days, judging by his dirty, limp state. Figuring he should probably skip all the bullshit and cut straight to the important things, like the shit Karkat often forgot to do when on his own, he asked, "When was the last time you ate?” Karkat shrugged and Sollux let out a relieved breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. Good, a response.

"Slept?" Another shrug.

"Have you at least been drinking water??"

"Two days..."

Sollux shuddered ever so slightly. Karkat’s voice was dead and rough, nothing like the loud boldness it normally was. "What?"

"Had water two days ago..."

"God fucking dammit, Karkat-"

He cut himself off in frustration (worry, his mind corrected), and picked his best friend up bridal style (was he a few pounds lighter?), carrying him like a limp rag doll down the hall to the small kitchen. He awkwardly set him down in one of the chairs at the small dining table, then filled a cup from the cupboard with water. Karkat slumped over on the table and closed his eyes. Sollux set the cup down in front of him and narrowed his eyes at the troll’s slumped form in concern. "Drink this. All of it."
he commanded, crossing his arms tightly.

"No…”

"Yes."

"Why?"

Sollux was taken aback. He wasn't expecting that question out of everything Karkat could have said.