sortinghat_rp | FIFTEEN ♋

Okay.

[When he gets to the Charms corridor, Karkat will be standing there conversing with a much older man in military uniform. For all accounts Karkat looks okay, if not a bit uncomfortable.]

Edited 2012-09-26 21:01 (UTC)

[Kankri pulls up short when he sees not a ghost, but a solid, real-looking older man. His eyes go wide, and his feet just refuse to carry him any further forward.]

Armand?

[Of course, it might be just as surprising for Armand and Karkat to see Kankri, whole and in the flesh, as well.]

[Twins with good timing, get. Sal arrives within seconds of Kankri and for the second time in less than twenty-four hours his face goes ashen and he feels like he's going to pass out.

Both of his brothers, his dead brothers, are here at Hogwarts and he has no idea how to handle this. To his credit though, he manages to keep his face straight and at least give an unsure greeting.]

Hello, Armand.

[Karkat looks rather small when compared to his father, considering his dad is ten feet taller than him. Armand certainly looks the part of tall, intimidating military official. The boy's hand is wrapped around the strap of his bookbag as though for support, journal tucked against his arm. When he spots Kankri, though, his face flickers from uncertainty to shock to slightly weirded out.]

Uncle Kankri?

[This time, unlike last night, Kankri can see Sal, can see him go ashen pale in the torchlight of the corridor. He's probably a similar shade, himself. After turning his head briefly to glance at his twin, his first instinct is to do something that Sal used to do to him when they were boys.

He reached out to his side until he found Sal's hand, and he wrapped his around it both protectively and in need of soothing himself.

His heart leaps into his throat as his focus shifts to Karkat, his hand still clinging for comfort to his twin's.]

Do you recall when I told you that I was loath to explain my current predicament until I had more of an idea what had caused it? This is...what I meant.

[This is weird. This is so weird. Not only is his dad alive but his uncle has a fleshy body. Now he can see how similar they are, if only for the fact that he has a few inches in height over his dead relative. Karkat's hand tightened just a little before he glanced up at his father, biting his bottom lip.]

There's no way this can be coincidence.

_{[It's needless to say, Armand is quite confused by this entire predicament. He doesn't understand why he's here or how. But in a way, he doesn't mind it--he's gotten to see his son again. One last time. Seeing his brothers brings all sorts of mixed feelings, though. Of course he's glad to see them.

But.

The last time he saw Kankri was at his funeral eighteen years ago. And yet here he is, in the flesh. How does he even react to something like this?]}

Hello Salvador. Kankri.

[Sal grips Kankri's hand tighter than he intended. This is...more of a punch in the gut than he'd anticipated. He turns his head to Karkat, giving him an apologetic smile.]

Sorry about the Kankri surprise. It just happened last night and we weren't sure how to bring it up to you and Nepeta right away. [He draws in a shaky breath and squeezes Kankri's hand, looking for reassurance before looking at Armand again.]

You look good, Armand, all things considered.

[Kankri squeezes Sal's hand in return. He's not going anywhere. Not for the moment, anyway. Holding onto his twin makes him feel less small (and considering Armand veritably dwarfs him at the moment, that takes some doing). He cranes his neck to look up at Armand.]

I'm inclined to agree with Karkat, actually. I'm not entirely certain what's going on, but considering that this defies all known laws of nature and magic, it's far too much of a stretch to assume that these incidents are unrelated. I'm beginning to grow concerned about potential ramifications down the line of such an incredible effect, honestly, although I must admit that I'm in no real hurry to reestablish the standard equilibrium.

[He pauses, realizing he was rambling.]

It's been a while. I would ask how you've been, but I feel like that query might be a little redundant.

[Karkat on the other hand was looking down at the floor, thinking. It wasn't Parent's Day, that was for sure. He pursed his lips together and looked back up, rubbing the back of his shin with a foot as he shoved his hands into his hoodie, looking at his uncles.]

I just walked out of Charms and he was standing here. I wasn't sure what else to do.

_{[He isn't responding right away. He's still trying to take this in, but it's completely overwhelming. He knows he's not supposed to be here. That Kankri isn't supposed to be here--but where has he even been?
And yet here he is. He still can't wrap his head around it. It's a bit disorienting.]}

I suppose it would also be redundant to ask how I even got here.

_{[His lips twitch. He's trying to find a way to say what he's trying to, but... He doesn't know where to begin. This isn't exactly his forte.]}

I'd be more interested in finding out how all of you have been. _{[And then his hand clasps on Karkat's shoulder. It's brief, but's there. Squeeze and all.]}

You've grown.

There've been a lot of strange things happening since last night. Kankri having a pulse again and you being here are just a few of them.

[A smile twitches at the corner of his mouth.] It has been four years since you've really seen him if you don't count Parents' Day.

They're strange by magical standards. Impossible, even. Whatever is causing this particular rash of incidents is more powerful than the magic of any witch or wizard.

[He makes note to mention this quickly, lest Armand begin to believe that being dragged back from the hereafter is a common occurrence.]

[Feeling the hand on his shoulder and the squeeze made Karkat stiffen up before glancing away from where he was looking at his uncles. It felt different to how it had when he was a kid, just ten years old at the airport and being seen off to England. He shifted his grip on his book bag before looking up at his father. Even though he had a bit of height on Kankri, he was still barely up to the center of his dad's chest.]

I'm fourteen now, dad.

_{[The significance of everything he's been told is crippling. It's hard for him to wrap his head around, especially considering he didn't know anything about magic. He knew just enough from his brothers.

And then Karkat spoke and it was like his blood ran cold and he goes rigid.]}

Fourteen. _{[He's missed out on so much and it's a horrible feeling. At the same time, he can't help but be proud of his boy.]} You're becoming a fine young man.

He's been doing very well here at school. Excellent marks in most of his classes. [Sal gives Kankri's hand a small warning squeeze. He can't just stand here anymore, he's going for it and taking Kan with him. He grips his twin's hand tighter and takes a few quick strides toward Armand to wrap his free arm around him and drag him into a hug.]

[The warning squeeze makes Kankri look up at Sal, and damned if he doesn't know his twin well enough to read him after all this time. There was a storm brewing.

And by a storm, I mean a hug.

Kankri could slip his hand out - deity of your personal preference knows nerves have made it slick enough - but instead his smaller fingers curl around Sal's and he jogs the first step before matching him, letting himself be dragged into a hug. It takes him a minute before he responds. He's so small compared to the three of them - especially Armand - that he doesn't really know what to do with his free hand: the one, still, never lets go of Sal's.]

[Karkat really know how to respond to that. He really didn't. The first time he sees his father in four years (hush, parents day doesn't count since he never approached him), and the first things he hears are "You've grown" and "You're becoming a fine young man". His dad had always been like that though, and things had always been kind of awkward between them.

He shifted awkwardly when he saw his uncle go for a hug, wondering if he should just leave for now and let them catch up. Then again who knew how long this would last? Still, he glanced away as though he was walking in on something private, biting his bottom lip as he wondered what to do or say.]

FIFTEEN ♋

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#keywords accurate #so, so accurate

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