Mutated Ectoplasm

30. Inhuman

Hey everyone! With this chapter starts a new arc in this little fic. Hopefully you all enjoy it and that it interests you in the near future. This is where things get a little darker from here on out.

This chapter does have a lot talking, I'll admit, but I tried to make it interesting. There is fighting in the end, so try and stick it out.

Anyway, see you all at the end of the chapter!

Breakfast wasn't exactly what anyone would call tense, but that's what it was for Karkat. For everyone else, it was a normal breakfast with friends, but the halfa didn't have that luxury due to simply existing like he does now.

Then again, it's probably pretty normal to feel this way when you figure out your dad has a man after his life.

Don't forget the fact that the man trying to kill him was in the same breakfast table with them, smiling like he'd done nothing wrong.

Yeah, this morning wasn't a good one in Karkat's book.

"Everything alright, kid?" Spades, plopping down into his own seat, breakfasts in hand. It was pancakes and maple syrup, the classic combo. "Looks like you didn't get much sleep last night. Insomnia acting up?"

"Nah. Always difficult sleeping in a different bed." Karkat used the mask of exhaustion to hide any emotion he needed to. Can't have Oberon turn on him in the middle of the goddamn morning. "You know how it is. Even if it's comfortable, it's still weird."

Total lie. He'd been awake a good amount of the night thinking about what he'd overheard, piecing it together with everything else he knew. Some parts of it made sense, but the rest didn't Why did Oberon want to kill his dad? Was it over the accident? Or was it something else?

"Yeah, I know the feeling." Eridan laughed a little, looking a little tired himself. He took a bite out of his pancakes, chewing thoughtfully. "I've been in a lot of hotels and no bed feels the same. Takes a couple of hours to fall asleep."

"You're just always fussy about where you sleep." Feferi flicked at the boy, giggling as he weakly glared back at her. "I remember you trying to keep the mattress to your bed when we were ten. The whole thing was falling apart, but you didn't want to give it up."

"It's not my fault I'm sentimental."

"She's right, you know. Your mother and I had to do this whole heist while you were away at school, changing it out before you could get home." The man chuckled softly, staring off into space. "We thought you wouldn't notice at all, but you practically knew it as soon as you came home. Good times."

Things got quiet at the mention of the story, but since Oberon didn't appear sad, nobody commented on it. Karkat noted it but ate his own breakfast quietly so not to ruin the mood. He wasn't going to do anything about that mess.

His phone buzzed, giving him some relief. At least he wouldn't have to stay for this.

"Hey, I'm getting a text from Sollux," Not a lie, and completely excusable as far as he was concerned. "I'll be back. It might be important."

"Okay, kid. Come back soon, though." Spades pointed at his plate of pancakes threateningly, eyes narrowed. "Otherwise you're going to come back to an empty plate."

Karkat rolled his eyes, the only genuine thing he's done all day. He went into the next room, pulling up Ghostian quickly. The message was from Sollux and it was a short one.

TA: whatever you're planniing two do, ju2t do iit.

Karkat blinked at the words, taken aback by the tone of it. This was a new chat, unconnected to virtually anyone else. It wasn't even connected to whatever they last talked about on Ghostian, it was just this singular message.