❥ Here have some sadstuck that your resident writer made.
You knock twice on the door to his respiteblock, sharp and fast. "Karkat?" you call through the door, and when you receive no snotty or rude reply, you try the doorknob. Unlocked. You step into the room, eyes settling on a figure sprawled on the ground, surrounded by a pool of bright red liquid. You bolt forward, falling to your knees, a choked cry escaping your lips. With shaking hands, you reach out and unwrap Karkat's frail fingers from the handle of a small knife, the blade itself stained red with his blood. You glance at his other arm, then stand up and run as fast as you can, until you're outside on the meteor. You fall to your hands and knees, then proceed to empty the contents of your stomach onto the ground. "Dave?" someone calls, and moments later someone pulls you up. Rose and Kanaya, both their faces painted with concern. "What's wrong?" Rose asks, voice cautious. You fumble for words for a moment, glad you're wearing your shades; tears are rolling down your cheeks. Not cool. "Karkat - he..." you can't say much more, but Rose glances at Kanaya, and Rose takes your hand, leading you back towards his respiteblock. Suddenly, it's not her hand, it's Karkat's, as the two of you walk around the meteor, silent, but the happiness of simply being together suffusing the air. A strangled sob drags you back to the present, and you stare at his crumpled form again. You fall against Rose, chest heaving, and she gently sets you in a chair and kneels next to Kanaya. They talk back and forth, but the words are lost in the buzzing in your brain. The shock, disbelief, and pure worry mix and spin 'round your brain at a million miles per hour. Kanaya stands up, cradling him like a child, his bloody arm dangling down. With a sickening lurch, you read the word he had carved so desperately into his arm. 'MUTANT.' Rose takes your hand again, leading you after Kanaya.
You sit at his bedside, the dim light in the room not helping you stay awake. Your shades rest on the bedside table, the door safely locked. A hoarse sound sends you shooting up, out of your chair. He lifts his non-bandaged arm weakly, and you take his hand in yours gently, pressing your lips to his cold and shaky hand. You look at him, red eyes meeting red eyes, and strain to catch the whispered word. "Dave..." he mumbles, and your heart lifts. "Karkat, I'm here," you whisper, crouching down to his level. "I...I'm...I'm so sorry.." he struggles to get out, and you watch as his face goes slack, a rattling breath leaving him before he breathes no more. You let out a strangled sob and stumble backwards, dropping his hand and crashing into the wall, breathing hard. "No..! No! Karkat, come on! Speak to me!" You plead, tears rolling freely down your face. "Karkat, please, you can't leave me..." You sink to the ground, hiding your face in your hands. A key rattles in the lock and there is some shouting, before someone picks you up.
You lay on his bed, head under his pillow - there was no sopor slime on the meteor - breathing in his scent. Someone lifts the pillow off your head, and you bury your face in the sheets, refusing to look at them, your shades once again inconveniently out of your reach. Suddenly, it's not his bed, and it's his hands lifting the pillow off your head, his hands gently making you sit up. His arms wrapping around you in a comforting hug, his voice muttering soothingly in your ear.
You kneel beside his makeshift grave, crying silently behind your shades as Kanaya gently deposits his body into a shallow hole you had managed to dig. Suddenly, it's not his body, it's Bro's, and it's not Rose's hand on your shoulder, it's his. Suddenly, it's his arms holding you together, his arms holding together your shatter heart. But suddenly, he's not there, and you fall apart. You stand up, and on unsteady feet, run back to your room, and fall into your bed, sobbing.
You lay on your bed, finally calmed down, and you stand up, sniffling softly, before pulling open the bottom drawer on the little bedside table you had found, and pull out one of his shirts, burying your face in it. You mumble softly into the fabric that smells ever-so-slightly like him, ever-so-slightly of grumpiness and anger and lilac and love.
"I'll see you soon, Karkat. I promise."
