FIFTEEN ♋

[selfhatred]

I'M NOT GOING TO THE REST OF MY CLASSES TODAY.
COULD SOMEONE PICK UP THE HOMEWORK FOR ME AND HAND IT TO ME LATER?

[Filtered to other Vantas-Leijons]

i don't know

it's

Uncle Sal, Aunt Di...dad's here.

Comments

[Action, from now on]

[mo_cara]

[It's funny how fast Gamzee can move when Karkat's involved. It's like his normal meandering confusion just disappears when it needs to, so it won't take very long for him to show up in the Charms corridor, looking for his friend.] Best friend?

[selfhatred]

[The corridor is pretty much empty by now. The three older Vantases are no longer in sight, but Karkat is sitting on a window ledge, legs curled up to his knees. He looks out of sorts, his brow furrowed. He's not as confused as when Nepeta found him, bury he still has no idea what to say as he looks up upon hearing those two words.]

[mo_cara]

[It's probably good that Gamzee's not the sort to push for talking, then. Instead he just ambles up to his friend, sits down next to him, and wraps his long arms around the much smaller body.]

[selfhatred]

[It doesn't occur to Karkat until Gamzee's arms are around him that they haven't really talked since the announcement. He just leans up into the hug, pressing his face into Gamzee's chest. He could finally let go of the tension that had been rising in him since spotting his father in the corridor after class. He tightens his fingers in Gamzee's robes, shoulders shaking as he let out a muffled sob.]

[mo_cara]

[It isn't as though Gamzee hasn't wanted to talk, hasn't been worried about his friend and what's going on with him, but he's also gotten used to the fact that sometimes Karkat just doesn't want to tell him. He knows there are all sorts of things the younger boy shares with people who aren't him that he'd probably never talk with the Slytherin about, and he's pretty zen with that. It doesn't mean he doesn't worry, though.

One hand rubs soothing circles in the middle of the Gryffindor's back, the other strokes his hair, and he rocks a little, just holding Karkat close and letting him cry.] It's ok ... m'anwylyd, I'm here ... [The words seem to mean less than the soft, comforting tone they're offered in.]

[selfhatred]

[Karkat might tell other people stuff but that didn't mean that he told them everything. Gamzee was the only person who knew mostly everything about him, and honestly right now he could forget that he still owed him an explanation to the way he'd acted.

His body shudders as he leans against the older boy, closing his eyes as he felt his tears stop, reaching up to rub one eye with the heel of his hand, sniffling.]

I don't know what to do, Gamzee. I don't know how to react. First time he's seen me in four years and the first things he says to me are "you've grown" and "you're becoming a fine young man". How the fuck am I supposed to respond?

[mo_cara]

[Gamzee smiles as he presses his face against the smaller boy's hair. The question is so undeniably, so completely Karkat.]

You say, "Hell, yes, motherfucker, I am, and all on my ownsome, too." [It's half joke, half fierce pride in his best friend, because he thinks karkat's dead da is right, he is becoming a fine young man, without even a da or mam to help him.]

[selfhatred]

[That actually kind of makes him laugh a bit, and it's not totally true. His aunt and uncle were pretty much his parents at this point, but the sudden reappearance of his dead father had made him remember that they weren't. Instead of responding to the half joke, he runs his sleeve under his nose.]

...This might be the last chance I get to have with him. Whatever it is, it's not going to last. He's dead. He can't stay around forever.

[mo_cara]

What are you going to be doing? [Gamzee asks gently, rubbing circles into the smaller boy's spine.]