Working All Day

18

He held his breath, walked out of the room as quietly as possible and locked the door behind him. Once he was in his own room again, he called Cronus and waited for him to pick up the phone. After the third ring, he heard a low and groggy voice grunt.

"It's Karkat. I saw it." Karkat whispered.

"He didn't want to show you, but you have the right to know." Cronus answered a little more alert.

"Did you see his fucking thighs?" Karkat cut to the chase.

"No. I didn't think there was anything there." Cronus answered worriedly. "What's there?"

"Did you somehow lose a lighter, by chance?"

"I did, but-" Cronus paused and his breath hitched. "Please tell me he didn't."

"There were burns so red, they looked fucking black." Karkat answered quietly as he heard Cronus' hand run across his face. "Not only that, but there were purple bruises and I think that I've only seen deeper cuts in surgery. They looked like he was in a car accident."

"Do you have school tomorrow?" Cronus asked.

"Not anymore." Karkat answered. Tomorrow was Friday and not only had he not missed a day of school this year so far, but this was a family emergency.

"Thanks, Kar." Cronus sighed. "Sleep well."

"I don't think I fucking can now that I know what Kankri's been doing to himself." Karkat sighed.

"I know. I've been having a hard time letting him leave." Cronus sympathized before hanging up. Karkat fell asleep in the ungodly hours of the morning and only received a couple hours of sleep before he heard Kankri walking around.

"Where in the everloving fuck do you think you're going?" Karkat asked as he came face to face with Kankri.

"To work?" Answered a little confused.

"No you're not. Get your ass here. We need to talk." Karkat growled. Kankri stopped what he was doing and the pit of dread that ate away at his stomach grew by the second.