Nightmares

[caliginous]

Characters: Karkat Vantas and Terezi Pyrope
Setting: Dorm 1-12
Format: Action
Summary: Karkat's finally woken up from his hellish little nightmare.
Warning: Talk of torture, and probably really gross teenagers

[Karkat woke with a start, drenched in sweat and glued to his bed by fear. He didn't bother to sit up, unsure if another nightmare would start once he actually started to look around the room. What he did do was allow his hand to move up to his neck. No sleep paralysis. That wasn't a good sign.

His collar was there, but the chain that had been holding him in his nightmare was not. His hands were free. Maybe he was ok after all. He's still not quite ready to test the theory, so don't mind Karkat as he sits on his bed and shakes nervously for a good long while. At least his roommates weren't there to witness the pathetic display.

Eventually, Karkat does sit up, only to spot how pale he is in the mirror across from him. He notices a deck of cards stashed under an eightball on the nightstand next to him and sighs softly. He was awake...for real.

So why didn't he feel any better?]

Comments

[scalemate]

[She barely even registers the crack in his voice, just that it's Karkat's voice, and man, she has never been so happy to be cursed at before. So she ignores his request, throwing open the door and grinning like an idiot when she sees him. And now he's getting tackled and hugged as tightly as her scrawny arms can muster.]

[caliginous]

[Karkat swears violently when he's pinned to the bed and squirms briefly before he realizes who is hugging him (which is a good thing, because his powers had been about to kick in out of reflex). He breathes a small sigh and goes dead-weight in her arms, letting his eyelids hang almost serenely.]

Thanks for the food. I'll never eat another pumpkin as long as I live.

[scalemate]

[She lets out a relieved laugh, kissing him on the cheek and then snuggling close. He's probably going to be stuck like this for a while.]

Be thankful I didn't send you those weird nutrition bars the whole time!

[caliginous]

[He's ok with that -- except that hearing her voice reminds him of that nightmare and he can't help but cringe a little.]

...yeah. Heh. Right.

[scalemate]

Are you okay?

[It's kind of a dumb question. Of course he's not, but pushing him probably isn't the best idea right now.]

[caliginous]

No. In fact, I haven't been this bad since the last time I was this bad.

[Ok, that didn't even make sense, but he doesn't care. His voice loses all of its air by the end of his sentence and he has to take a huge breath to recompose himself.

He can't really stop himself from looking visibly shaken, though.]

[scalemate]

[It doesn't make sense at all, and on any other day she'd be making fun of him.]

Do you want to talk about it?

[caliginous]

No. I don't even want to think about it.

[His hands shake, though the rest of his body stays still. Terezi is in his way, or he'd be wringing them to prevent it. His skin is still clammy to the touch, despite the fact that his hyperventilating has stopped.]

[scalemate]

[She frowns, tightening her grip. There's really no way she can calm him down.]

Are you sure?

[caliginous]

I don't know what was worse. Dying while Feferi tried to kill the rest of you, or--

[He can't even say it. Karkat pales again and hiccups as his breath catches. Or maybe it was just a result from the effort to keep his eyes tear-free.

Because Terezi was here. She was here, and she didn't leave him chained to that chair like a piece of mutton on display -- even if it felt like she had done it for the past three nights in a row.]

[scalemate]

[God, Karkats and their insecurity. She isn't going to touch that whole nightmare of his unless he brings it up. She sighs, leaning her forehead against his.]

It's okay. You're safe now.

[Until the Tower tries to fuck with them again, at least.]

[caliginous]

[It takes him a second to muster up the courage, but eventually he's hugging Terezi close to him and burying his face in her shoulder quietly. This is fine. He can deal with this -- even if he can't speak properly, he doesn't really care.

Eventually, he speaks, voice hoarse. He doesn't lift his head from Terezi's shoulder, probably because he knows he won't be able to keep himself from shedding a tear or two.]

I've never lost control like that in my life.

[scalemate]

[She plants a kiss right between his silly, nubby horns. She's so tired and stressed out that it's really hard to keep her own composure here.]

You didn't lose control. It was just a dream.

[Maybe? Probably?]

[caliginous]

It didn't feel like one.

[The kiss helps a little. He just squeezes her briefly and finally manages to gain the composure to turn his head upwards to meet her eyes with at least one of his. Karkat stays nuzzled into her neck though.

He senses her unease. Its one of the unfortunate side-effects of both his class and his caste.]

--wait. You saw it?

[scalemate]

[She frowns, shifting slightly. This is going to make things about fifty times worse.]

It was on the network, like the labyrinth.

[caliginous]

Wh--

[3...2...1...pale as a banshee]

What?

[scalemate]

[Y u p.]

Some of the people who died had their dreams broadcast.

[Awkward... Pause.]

I am not sure how many people saw it, though.

[caliginous]

[Karkat simply lets his head fall back so that he can stare at the ceiling for a long time.

Fuck his life.]

[scalemate]

[She frowns, tugging at a lock of his hair.]

I am pretty sure most people were too distracted to watch it!

[caliginous]

"Pretty sure", she says.

[He mumbles under his breath for a while before finally settling down enough to ask the real question.]

So what'd you have to do to get them to let you help me?

[scalemate]

[She doesn't blame him, honestly. She'd be pretty pissed if everyone had seen her in a situation like that. She shrugs at his question, though, smiling.]

Nothing at first. I've been having nightmares lately, though. It's no big deal!

[The bags under her eyes say otherwise.]

[caliginous]

You're lying.

[He didn't have to see the bags to know that. Did you forget who your matesprit was, Terezi? Its a toneless accusation, but he doesn't seem to mind. He adjusts himself, slipping his arms under her's and pressing a kiss to her jaw.]

...thanks.

[scalemate]

[She giggles, swatting at him playfully.]

I am the best matesprit ever. Admit it!

[caliginous]

[He smirks a little and pulls his head back to look up at her again, answering playfully.]

I thought you told me not to lie.

[scalemate]

[She gasps, looking highly offended.]

Jegus, see if I ever give you food again!