All in Time

Chapter 13

That was awful. I was in my room, huddling under my blanket, hiding from the world. I felt like they had just ripped my heart out and lit it on fire.

I felt a hand on my back and the bed sink down a little under some weight. The hand was definitely Karkat.

"Come out from under there," Karkat said. I just huddled under it more. I didn't want to.

"No." I replied simply. I could hear him sigh heavily.

  "Dave, you've been under there since we got home. You're going to smother yourself," he grumbled. He's been really considerate today.

  "Dumbass," I heard him mumble. There was the Karkat I know and love.

  I poked my head out from under the covers but I didn't go any farther. Karkat puts his fingers in my hair and played with the strands, and I sighed.

  It only took an hour to ruin my day.

"Hey, you're fine. Trust me, my family won't be assholes. Well, I hope they won't. That'd be pretty douchey of them if they did," Karkat said. I let out a small huff crawled a bit more out the blanket.

"Do they know about the whole bisexual thing? I don't want another one of those situations," I asked.

"Of course they know. I'm not a fucking idiot and I told them when I was 16. They're fine with it. If they weren't we wouldn't be going to see them," he answered.

I climbed out of the blanket some more and shove the side of my body into Karkat's, pulling the blanket on the both of us right afterward.

Maybe I can be like Karkat for a change. Confidently talk to my family about my problems rather than cower from everyone.

***

Before I knew it, it was night and Karkat was sound asleep. He looked so cute when he slept. All soft edges and ink patterns. He did have a shift at three in the morning, though, so I didn't bother to wake him up to tell him that I couldn't sleep. He's too caring and would stay up the whole night trying to help me and I would seem needy. I mean, I am, but Karkat didn't need to deal with it. He probably had enough on his plate as is.

I watched him sleep, even if it was creepy. His cheek was squished up against his arm. I wanted to get close but I didn't want to bother him, either. He looked so peaceful and I didn't want to disturb something so calm. I wish I could sleep like him.

After a good half hour of watching him and not feeling any sleepier, I got up and left the room, closing the door softly behind me. I padded my way across the apartment, not turning any lights on. I only bothered to switch on the stove light to see into the kitchen cupboard.

  I grabbed a box of cereal and a cup, pouring some of the cereal into it. This was done to make it seem like I wasn't eating all of the cereal in the middle of the night but Karkat had probably caught on by now.

  I ate the contents quietly as I walked around the apartment in an attempt to tire my body. The only good thing about having sleep problems is that I don't have to have nightmares, but the bad thing is that I'm too tired to do anything the next day.

  I didn't realize that I had finished my cereal until I reached into an empty cup. I put the cup into the sink before heading back to the bedroom. When I walked in, I checked the clock.

  2:48 AM. Karkat would be up soon.

  I got back into the bed, trying to fall asleep. I didn't make any progress, though. I heard an obnoxious noise come from one side of the room. It was Karkat's phone nagging at him to wake up.

I felt some shifting and grumbling about how it was too early for this shit. I closed my eyes in an attempt to convince him that I was sleeping. I listened to the rustling of some clothes and a zipper being pulled up.

Gentle footsteps moved around the room and stopped somewhere.

"Dave, I know you're not asleep," I heard Karkat say. I opened my eyes and half heartedly glared at him.

"Come on, babe, get some sleep. It's three in the morning and from the looks of it you haven't even gone to sleep yet," Karkat said. I groaned audibly.

"Karkat, I can't sleep. I don't want to deal with the nightmares again," I whined, giving in to my needy urges to make him pity me and spend all of his time with me. At the same time, I didn't want him to pity me. I didn't know what I wanted.

A mess, that's what I was.

"Hey, come here," he whispered, gesturing for me to go into his open arms. I did, obviously, wrapping my arms around his waist protectively as he sat down next to me on the bed.

"Listen, the nightmares can't get you. They aren't real. They're all in your head. You're stronger than the nightmares and I know it." He murmured. I have no clue why, but when he spoke like this I felt warm and loved. Maybe that was normal, I don't know. I'd just never had someone make me feel like that before.

"Ok. I'll try to sleep. If I get a nightmare, can I call you?" I asked. My antics probably piss him off though, regardless of how many soothing words of encouragement he whispers into my ear.

"Yeah, of course. I have to go now, though. Love you, I'll talk to you later," He said, giving me a small kiss before leaving the room and, eventually, the house.

Everything was quiet now and I silently wished I could've gone with him. I screwed my eyes shut and tried to fall asleep. It took forever, but I did.

I surprisingly didn't get any nightmares. Who knows when my next one would be, though. I got up, stretching my arms out above my head and slipping my shades on.

Look at you, Dave. Going to sleep without someone having to hold you like their life depends on it.

______________________________________________

Hi!

Ok, I'm back again with a new chapter.

Dave is pretty freaky and he likes to watch people sleep. Well, some people at least.

He normally can't sleep well without Karkat near him (bc that just makes everything cuter while also showing that Dave has some psychological issues) and he's slightly proud because he was able to sleep on his own. He's basically a little kid with the body of an adult.

Man I am going to have to tear everything apart now to enhance the conflict. You can't really see it right now.

Also, if you didn't see my post about it on my account, I recently got in a relationship and my gf is leaving on Thursday so yeah. I might be a little slow for a few days but I won't be gone long.

Anyway, see you guys later! Bye!

~Ghostie