Wither Away

3 - A Tradition

    "What?" I speak tiredly into the device.

        "Karkat, It's Kanaya." I had suspected it would be. "Is (Name) ready to go out before the party?" I looked to the bathroom, where steam had erupted from underneath the door.

        "She's almost ready," I said, walking back to our bloc-bedroom.

        "Kanaya, could we skip the party?" I asked. I heard her slight gasp.

        "Karkat, we have been waiting for another half a sweep for Dave's party. It's almost..what do the humans call those special, events that are passed down from their generations?"

        "Traditions."

        "Right, it's a tradition to go to his social gathering." I raked my fingers through my hair, knowing Kanaya really wants us to go. "Why wouldn't you want to go?"

        I paused before speaking again, "I don't think (Name)'s feeling up to it. She was feeling fucking great this morning, then, out of nowhere, she throws up. That's not normal for her."

        "Oh. Well, I suppose her health is more important," Suppose? "so if she really isn't feeling well enough, I can just alert the others of your absence,"

        "Thank you."

        "Very well, just have her message me sometime soon to let me know if she's feeling any better." I nodded, knowing fully well she couldn't see, then hummed in reply.

        She hung up.

        The shower stopped and I sighed, pulling out a black suit I had bought the other day. I grimaced, not wanting to even think of how it will look on me if I wear it. I will most likely just ditch the jacket and wear a shitty button-up dress shirt. If I could wear my regular attire, I would, but both (Name) and Kanaya would throw fits.

~ ~ ~

        After she came out from the shower, she waltzed into the room, eyeing me a bit to see what I thought of the short dress she had on. The same frilly (f/c) dress she tried on a night ago because she was scared she wouldn't look good in it.

        And she didn't look good in it at all.

        She looked amazing in it. As if she wasn't a human, but a fucking angel.

        "What do you think?" she smiled, giving a small twirl.

        I looked for the right words, but couldn't get them out of my throat. I couldn't find a way to get them out, or even react to her. My mind was plagued with other thoughts. And I knew she wanted to go, but I couldn't help just spitting out "You're not going."

Her smile dropped slowly, and she flattened her feet, hands at her sides.

        "Karkat, what are you talking about? We already discussed it with Kanaya and the rest!" she smiled nervously.

        "I called Kanaya, you're not going, (Name)." I didn't intend my words to be so sharp and piercing. The look on her face just told me I was using the wrong words, but what else could I say that would make her stay?

        "But Kar-"

        "I said no," I said coldly, walking out of the room and leaving her to just stand and analyze my words.

        I barely made it down the hall before I heard her feet pound against the ground.

        "Why not? You agreed to going and you even bought yourself and I nice outfits and I made plans with Kanaya and you - why not?"

        "(Name), can't you take no for a fucking answer? I said you're not going, and that's it! There's no arguing, no debate, nothing to discuss! So go take that piece of shit off and do something to entertain yourself!" I turned towards the kitchen, refusing to meet her eyes since I already knew they'd be even more upset than I can picture.

        I heard her come closer and felt my shoulders stiffen. (Name) grabbed her cellphone off the table and ran to the bedroom, shutting the door quickly.

        I knocked, knowing that she was just going to contact Kanaya for her to tell her I said no again.

        "There's no reason I can't go! You're being ridiculous!" she called out.

        "(Name), unless you've got a fucking ride, you're not going! And don't bother asking anyone because everyone's going with other people, including Kanaya! I doubt Kanaya would want to burden of having to rush over to pick your ass up along with her fucking girlfriend! You're staying home!"

        "I'll walk! I know my way there," she said a bit quieter.

        "You better not because," I thought of something to say, anything at this point. "Because no one will want you there anyway! You can barely ever stand on your own and all that excitement will be too much for you! You'll ruin the whole fucking party for everyone!"

        "And on top of that, you'd be going alone and everyone's got a date, and there's no fucking way I'd ever  dance with you!

        She didn't reply, I heard nothing.

        That wasn't what I wanted to fucking say! When I said anything, I didn't mean that. Maybe I should have specified. Fuck. I just wanted her to realize she's not strong enough, she was fucking puking her ass out on the floor this morning! I just didn't want to make her feel like her sickness was putting her down, and instead of trying not to do that, I ended up telling her no one would want her there all the while telling her it's because she's got cancer.

        And short whimpers were the only thing I got in reply.