The Blood in their Breath (JohnKat) [IT'S CANCELLED]

Chapter 4: Homework, Dinner, and Also John Stays Over

John is allowed to stay over at our house, because of my extremely persuasive mother. Meulin and Nepeta didn't bother us; they were more focused on the 'canon' ship. Nepeta was actually in Kankri's room, which was the attic. You can easily pull the stairs down, and my dad prefers to leave them down when it was just the two alone together. Uh, Kankri and Aureli, I mean. We head to my room, which is the first room on the right, in our hall connected to the kitchen. It's a mess; clothes are everywhere. My dad says that if I can't get my room clean by Sunday, I don't get my candy. Candy is fucking delicious, don't judge me. But I have a secret stash underneath one of the loose floorboards.

"So, Karkat!" John begins. "Wanna work on our homework together? I mean, only one of our classes is different."

"Whatever," I answer, taking out my stuff. "So... I need to create a country..."

"Shouldn't Gamzee and Tavros be helping you with that?" he asked.

"No," I respond. "They didn't help me with anything else before, why would they help now?"

"Because you have three days left to do it," John answers. "Do you have any ideas?"

"No. I suck at coming up with anything."

"Well, think of yourself as a leader of this country. What would you name it?"

"Why the fuck would I want to lead a country?"

"I dunno. Pretend you do! What do you want to call it?"

"I dunno. Magic-y Magic-y Bullshit Island."

"Karkat, be serious!" he says, laughing.

"I don't know. Let's call it Snow Island and put it beneath the equator."

"Why?"

"Because the sand would be white like snow, and the dipshits that discovered it were too mentally challenged to realize it was sand."

"Well, that's good! I guess, I mean, I wasn't in the past, so I don't know what they'd think. Probably that. Any people on the island beforehand?"

"Uh, no. Well, like, maybe one, because... the rest of his people died out."

"Why'd they die out?"

"I don't know! They just didn't survive! This is a fictional country and this stuff happened in the past whether it's real or not!"

"Aw, Karkat! You're doing good! Really good! Why'd they die out?"

"They all got cancer, or something..."

"All but one?"

"Yeah. Their people is naturally cancerous, but he was the most recent generation and it had built up a natural resistance to cancer."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Well that's cool."

"John. I feel like a small child. You keep asking me 'Oh what's this' and 'Oh what's that'."

"Karkat, I've only asked you what the people are like and what you want to name the country."

"Whatever. You could help a bit."

"Aren't I helping?"

"No. Not at all."

"Yeah I am! I'm helping you unlock the power of your imagination!" He grins, and I punch him in the arm. "Ow!"

"You asked for it."

"No I didn't."

"In what way didn't you ask for me to punch you in the arm?"