005.

[gloomyapoplectic]

Characters: [AU] Kanaya Maryam and [AU] Karkat Vantas
Setting: Floor 38, backdated to after this post
Format: Action
Summary: Karkat is flipping shit about spidermom and Kanaya needs to hold up her end of the moirallegiance.
Warnings: Language, will edit for anything else

[She's awfully tired of getting killed and maimed. It makes her even less inclined to leave her respiteblock than she normally is, especially with the knowledge that her latest murderer is still out and about, and she doesn't know what would set him off and what would get her clubbed to death again.

She isn't too far from the dormitories, just relaxing on one of the sofas on the thirty-eighth floor, watching the clouds outside the window. She likes being this close to them. It reminds her of being on Prospit. Though she can't help but wonder how much higher this Tower will go.]

Comments

[caliginous]

[Karkat is just about at his boiling point. The conversation with Terezi didnt go as nearly as bad as it could have gone, but there were too many other things going on that were stressing him the fuck out. Every tired step Karkat took, he could feel his spine twitch a little harder.

He stopped only when he spotted a familiar pair of horns up on the 38th floor, pausing to lean against the door frame and stare rather blankly.]

[gloomyapoplectic]

[Kanaya doesn't hear him. Even if not for Karkat's ability to be sneaky and spider-like, she'd probably still be too absorbed in the clouds unless he happened to be wearing tap shoes. She's kind of asking to get killed again with that inattentiveness.]

[caliginous]

[Part of him is tempted to just leave her there and move on with his life, but he doesn't. However, Karkat makes no move to interrupt or greet her either. He simply moves over to the back of the sofa, turns around, and slides down it, stopping only when his butt hits the floor.

Then he just stares back out into the hallway, eyelids drawn, hiding in the shadow of the furniture.]

[gloomyapoplectic]

[The sound when he hits the floor catches her attention. Kanaya practically bolts off the couch, jumping off and away from it like it may very well eat her.

She eyes it for a moment with suspicion. After deciding that it's not going to harm her, she returns to her cushion so that she can rest on her knees and look over the back, down at a familiar pair of nubby horns.

Any trace of fear vanishes instantly for both worry and relief.] Karkat.

[caliginous]

[Karkat doesn't look up -- whether that's cause for worry or not, Kanaya can be the judge. He's still not 100% sure why he's here. Most of him just wants to be curled back up in his room, waiting for everything to be over.]

Kanaya.

[Its a hollow, exhausted greeting.]

[gloomyapoplectic]

[Oh. That's...concerning.

Then again, Karkat in general has been concerning. Not that she's been much help, what with managing to die again and all. She frowns a little, folding her arms on the backrest of the couch to stare down at the top of Karkat's head.]

Something happened.

[...forgive her. She's mostly stayed away from the network since Feferi showed up.]

[caliginous]

Isn't something always happening?

[He doesn't seem to be offended at her lack of knowledge. He didn't really want her to know anyway. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have even bothered with the dramatics, but Terezi's little peptalk had really frazzled him.]

[gloomyapoplectic]

[She sighs a little.] While your resignation is concerning, the point you present is completely valid.

[She guesses she'll find out what happened later. Karkat can't hide things from her for too long.

She looks at him thoughtfully before asking herself: WWSD (What Would Signless Do?) Then, quietly, she notes:] I cannot imagine the floor is a very comfortable place to rest.

[Not-so-subtle invitation to sit with her on the couch.]

[caliginous]

Floor's fine.

[Its grunted out without much change in tone or posture, though cerulean does choose to place his face against his knees to rest his eyes.]

[gloomyapoplectic]

[Wow, geez.

Kanaya stares for a moment longer.

Well, if he's going to be like that!

She gets up off the couch and circles around until she's behind it, as well. This is done, of course, so that she can seat herself next to Karkat in a similar position, with her knees drawn up. She doesn't hide her face, though. She opts instead to rest her head on Karkat's shoulder.

She doesn't say anything. Hopefully the silent "I'm here" is clear enough.]

[caliginous]

[The weight of her head gets his attention, and he finally lifts his head to look at her.]

Feferi's gone, at least.

[gloomyapoplectic]

[Kanaya raises her head just a little to meet his gaze with surprise.] Is she?

[Without waiting for too much confirmation, she lets the news soak in before leaning on Karkat again, shoulders slumped in relief.] That's good.

[...Eridan will be upset, but her own relief at one of her biggest fears no longer being a factor overtakes her concern on that matter. She wisely decides not to bring up Eridan around Karkat.]