When you awaken the next evening you find it hard to crawl out of the soper slime, instead stretching languidly and swimming your limbs about in the gelatinous liquid. Eventually, however, you decide you might as well get out and care for the pawbeast. You pull yourself free from the sleeping device and wipe the slime away from your eyes, then slide down the side of your recuperacoon to land on the floor. But when you reach over for the towel you used last night you realize it is not there. In fact, upon further inspection, the hive was a bit more organized than you were used to. You frown in confusion, but decide to wake up more before tackling this mystery, and look around the floor for your towel—you hated tracking slime over the floor if you could help it. You glare at the puddle forming underneath you, quickly realizing you have no choice but to do so, and head off to take a shower. Your lusus must have cleaned your respiteblock. Unusual, but stranger things had happened.
Your shower was uneventful, except for an instance where you knocked over the cleaning products and scared the shit out of yourself, and you finished quickly. Which is to say, it still took you 20 long minutes to get yourself awake and another five to finish washing.
You stumble out of the room to retrieve you clothes from your dresser—a black shirt with your symbol, dark jeans, and a deep brown over shirt, which you leave unbuttoned for the hell of it. You turn to feed your howling stomach—
—only to realize the door is ajar. Your eyes narrow. You are certain you closed that last night. Moreover, you are ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE that it had been closed before you began showering. Your lusus wouldn't be home at this time—they were, in fact, usually only home during the hottest hours of the day. And Tarqin couldn't open the door himself from this side of it—and he had been in the room all night.
What. The. Hell?
You were suddenly aware of movement in other areas of your hive. Equipping your scythekind specibus you head out, following the noise into the food preparation center. Peeking around the corner you look through yet ANOTHER door left cracked open, and you see...
Is that a pot? Of soup? Sure smells like it. But your lusus can't cook.
This must be a prank.
Suddenly indignant, you open reach for the door to let your moirail, or Gamzee, or whoever it is have a piece of your mind—
—yet stumble forward when it is opened by someone else. You are pulled forward as you do not release the knob, colliding into the warm body on the other side of the barrier. Both of you hit the floor unceremoniously, with you landing on top of the bright red sweater of the intruder.
"Kankri?! Oh my gosh, are you alright?" You scamper yourself off of him and reach out to help him up, only to realize he might not appreciate the contact.
"[Name]," he wheezed, "y9u really must watch where y9u are g9ing in the future. Such recklessness may result in injury f9r y9urself or 9thers." He lifted a hand to his head, only to pull away and wince at the blood coating his palm. "In fact..." Your scythe had nicked him above the eye as you fell, apparently, and now there was a good amount of blood on his face.
"I'm so sorry, Kri. I'll be right back." You leave to fetch a first aid kit before he can comment on your nickname for him. When you come back he is holding a damp paper towel to his head. "Here, let me see." You reach for his arm to move it away.
"N9 n9, I'm fine. Just a little scratch 9ver the eyebr9w. N9thing seri9us, [Name], I pr9mise."
"Please, Kankri, just let me look. I want to be sure, alright? It is, after all, my fault your hurt." You keep the pressure on his wrist light, trying not to push him. Already you can tell he is uncomfortable with the contact. He stands there silently for a while, watching you cautiously, before he swallows and gives a small nod of acquiescence, the muscles in his neck tight. You set the kit on the counter behind him, flicking it open with one hand while exposing the wound with the other. Kankri shivers slightly, tension radiating off of him, and his breathing becomes shallower. You notice his knuckles turn white from gripping the counter. The cut is clean and shallow, but as a head wound it bleeds profusely. With a sigh—and slow movements—you pull out some antiseptic, gauze, and tape. Kankri winces slightly as you apply the ointment and bandaging, but keeps strangely quiet as you work. With practiced movements you dress the wound, then hand him another damp towel to wipe off the rest of the blood while you put the medical supplies away.
When you come back Kankri is pouring some soup into a bowl. He places it on the table and tells you to sit down and eat while he talks. "I came 9ver t9 ap9l9gize f9r my th9utless acti9ns again. N9 9ne answered my kn9cking, and I 6ecame w9rried, s9 I let myself in. I h9pe this d9es n9t trigger y9u, 6ut I fell asleep 9n the c9uch in y9ur c9mm9n r99m after my arrival and did n9t awaken until after the sun had risen. Y9ur hive is very peaceful, I'm afraid, and I c9uldn't keep myself fr9m n9dding 9ff. I'm afraid I 9verstepped my 69undries and assumed y9u w9uld all9w me t9 stay until nightfall, 6ut if I guessed inc9rrectly, then I am sincerely s9rry. Als9, I t99k the liberty 9f placing y9u 6ack int9 y9ur recuperac99n, as y9u seemed t9 have fallen asleep 9utside 9f it. If such handling triggers y9u in any way, I h9pe y9u will f9rgive me f9r that as well. M9re9ver, I picked up a 6it ar9und y9ur hive f9r y9u. I didn't want y9u t9 trip 9ver anything, and hurt y9urself, 9r s9mething." You hold up a hand to pause his rant, a feeling of peculiar happiness welling up inside of you. "Yes, [Name]?"
"Thank you, Kankri. For making me soup, and cleaning up my messy ass hive."
He paused for a moment, and you knew it was because hardly anyone ever thanked him for anything. Then a blush spotted his cheeks, a flush of bright candy red flowing beneath his smooth grey skin which made you want to smile. "Yes, well." He cleared his throat. "I just 6elieved it was the m9st pr9ductive acti9n t9 acc9mplish at the time. Th9ugh, I d9 appreciate y9ur gratitude, [Name]. H9wever, I have t9 remind y9u... well, perhaps this is n9t the time f9r an essay—I mean, a c9nversati9n 9n the use 9f impr9per and p9ssibly triggering w9rds, even if they are applied in a sincere and respectful ap9l9gy. Rather, we will c9ntinue it later, when y9u are in a m9re receptive m99d f9r 9ne of my speeches." He made a disgruntled sound. "D9 y9u need m9re rest, [Name], 9r am I starting t9 69re with my c9nversati9n, as y9u cann9t seem t9 keep y9ur eyes 9pen f9r any length 9f time ar9und me lately." Oops. You had closed your eyes again. "It w9uld n9t h9nestly surprise me, c9nsidering the way I f9und y9u f99lishly and unc9nci9usly sprawled 9n the exteri9r 9f y9ur recuperac99n. Shall I temp9rarily 9vertake y9ur care myself t9 keep y9u healthy, seeing as y9u cann9t seem t9 d9 s9 pr9perly y9urself?"
You flushed slightly, but hopefully not enough for him to notice. "No, you don't need to do that! Last night was an accident. I was holding Qin when I fell asleep. I normally get more than enough rest." You glanced down at the fiddling fingers you held clasped in your hands.
"Um, wh9 is Qin?" Kankri asked curiously.
"Tarqin. My pawbeast."
"Ah. He certainly is an affecti9nate fell9w, isn't he?"
"So he ambushed you while you were here?" you asked with a grin.
"I guess y9u c9uld say that. I was attempting t9 rest 9n y9ur c9uch when he suddenly landed 9n my chest. It... was startling t9 say the least." You could imagine. Tarqin was one of the largest pawbeasts you had ever seen. "He fell asleep in my lap f9r a69ut three h9urs, th9ugh I have n9t seen him since."
"He'll show up." Suddenly a thought crossed your mind. "You slept on the couch? And you're lecturing me on properly sleeping in my recuperacoon?" You snort. "Isn't that a little hypocritical, Kankri?"
"Well, I wanted t9 6e sure y9u were alright, and f9r that I ch9se t9 stay here. I was n9t g9ing t9 f9rce myself int9 y9ur recuperac99n with y9u." He blushes as he says the words. "Such an acti9n w9uld und9utedly 6e greatly triggering and highly unwelc9me c9ming fr9m any9ne 9ther than y9ur matesprit, n9t that I am suggesting whether y9u have a p9ssi6le matesprit 9r n9t, and theref9re I did n9t attempt, n9r even p9ndered the p9ssi6ility, 9f sharing y9ur sleeping space. S9, alth9ugh my acti9ns may 6e hyp9critical, in fact are s9—as I am s9 fully aware 9f—I will n9t ap9l9gise f9r wishing f9r the safety and well-6eing 9f 9ne 9f my cl9sest c9nfidants. Even if she is d9es s9metimes ign9re the advice I give her." Kankri fixes you with a stern look. "Y9u kn9w, [Name], I was previ9usly under the impressi9n that y9u enj9yed my c9nversati9ns. If such is n9t the case, I will attempt t9 refrain fr9m 69ring y9u further multiple l9ng essays and lectures thr9ugh9ut the night."
"What? But I do like your speeches, Kankri." No need to mention how much.
"Then why w9uld y9u ign9re me like y9u did last night? As y9u did earlier?" You noticed a spark of hurt deep inside of his expression, though he did his best to conceal it from you. It was that vulnerability which had endeared you to the troll, while his voice was what had drawn you in the first place. It was the fact that, despite his unsuccessful and predominantly annoying habits, he only wanted the best for those around him, and no one else seemed to see what you did in the talkative troll. The nobility, the honor, the kindness that he tried to express.
You focus on his face, taking a calming breath before speaking. "I've never ignored you, Kankri. Not once. My eyes may have been closed, but my ears were open. I'm sorry that I gave you the wrong impression, and I will do my best to see that it doesn't happen again. But please don't be disappointed in me. I really do try to hear what you're saying."
He took a deep breath himself, calming whatever emotion was within him, and then plastered a smile over his face. You just wished it didn't look quite so forced.
"S9, d9es cl9sing y9ur eyes help y9u t9 hear me 6etter, 9r s9mething?"
"Well, yes and no. I don't ... well, I don't need to close my eyes to hear what you're saying, but it lets me hear you. I really ..." You paused, looking away and flushing. Kankri's eyebrows drew closer together.
"Y9u really...what? [Name], y9u really must finish y9ur sentences." He crossed his arms over his chest, a sign he was preparing for a long sermon. You interrupt before he can really get started.
"I-I really love your voice, alright? It ... it makes me happy to hear you talk." You glance up at him to see a look of surprise on his face. "When you speak it calms me, and makes me feel like everything is alright. Even if I've been having the worst solar cycle of the sweep, just five minutes of listening to your lectures can make me happy again." By this point you feel the need to finish your revelations, as Kankri was beginning to look uncomfortable. The silence lingers for an embarrassingly lengthy period of time.
"Are y9u...?" He clears his throat, swallows dryly. "Are y9u suggesting that, perhaps, y9u may 6e feeling... pale f9r me? If y9u are... well, [Name], I am very flattered that y9u w9uld feel this way t9ward me, 6ut y9u are fully aware that as a celi6ate I—"
"What? No! Kankri, I am not asking you to be a moirail to me! I already have one, remember?"
He eyes you nervously. "Then are y9u suggesting that y9u may feel—"
"No, I am suggesting nothing of the sort. I just like your voice, alright? No big deal. Besides, even if I were I wouldn't ask such of you. I would never pressure you that way. It wouldn't be fair."
"9h, um, that's g99d. Excellent, actually. F9rgive me f9r jumping t9 c9nclusi9ns." He rubs at the tensions in his shoulder. "6ut, perhaps, it is time f9r me t9 g9. I must see t9 Karkat, y9u kn9w. Make sure he has n9t 6urned d9wn the hive in a fit 9f rage, 9r s9mething."
You nodded. "Of course. And, um, thanks again, Kankri. For everything you've done for me. Go safely." With a few more parting words you saw him off and locked the door behind him, completely embarrassed by what had occurred between the two of you. For a minute you indulged yourself in banging your head against the door. Did you have to ever show your face again? Hopefully not... Your moirail could bring you food, right?
With a sigh you went to find your violin. The melodies you could make from its strings could sooth you almost as well as Kankri could. See? You didn't need him! You could take care of yourself! With determination you move off to lose yourself in the rhythms and beauty of your music.
An hour later, after you had just completed a rendition of The Coast of Galicia, you look over to the snoozing pawbeast curled up on a chair nearby. He blinks at you lazily, and rolls onto his back. Kneeling down by the chair you rub his face. "And where were you, you traitor? I could have used the excuse of feeding you to escape." He purred in response, ears pricking at the mention of food. "Don't get cute with me. You're in a lot of trouble, mister."
"Meeeoooowww."
You scowl, heading out to feed your pet when you are overcome by a strong cough. "Damnit" you curse aloud. 'I guess Kankri was right to be worried for my health,' you thought to yourself, deciding it was a good thing that he had made you that soup. You were going to need it to kick the cold you could feel coming on.