All in Time

Chapter 24

(Karkat's point of view)

I had to go meet my mom today, and I couldn't be less excited. She had left the family without a second fucking thought, and expects me to forgive her.

Kankri had already had enough of her, but he promised to come with me to see Mom. Ugh, I can't even call her that. We're going to see Eris.

I couldn't think about how I was going to stand her. She didn't even know her sons. She had missed so many important things. She missed our elementary school, middle school, and high school graduations. She missed both of our proms, our first dates, everything. She missed things that molded us.

It's not that I never wanted her in my life, it's that I didn't want her to try and weasel her way back into it. She had missed her chance, and she didn't get another one.

We all agreed to meet in The Park Down The Street From The Arby's. I had been the last one to get there. Kankri and who I assumed was Eris were sitting at a table.

  She had dark brown hair, just like mine and Kankri's, and I thought about changing my hair color for a split second. Her eyes were brown, like Kankri's. They were incredibly similar as far as looks were concerned. I at least had some things that set me apart, like my one dull blue eye. I almost felt like it was a lucky charm for a moment.

  I sat down next to Kankri, not wanting to be closer to Eris than necessary.

"Oh, Karkat, you've grown. It's really good to see you," Eris said. I scoffed. Of course I had grown, she just missed it. She seems to miss a lot of things.

"Yeah, I have," I mumbled quietly. Kankri gave my leg a shove under the table and I shoved him back for it. It was obvious that it was a silent demand to keep insults out of this. Like that's even a fucking possibility.

"Well, now that everyone's here, why don't we talk about what we really came here to talk about." Kankri said, trying to break the ice. Sorry, Kankri, it's like a god damn ice age in here.

Damn it, Dave's rubbing off on me.

Anyways, I heard Eris ask me a question. It felt strange to hear her talk to me in such a way.

"So, Karkat, what's your job currently?" She asked.

"I work at CVS. I can't get anything better right now. I'm in college at the moment. My senior year." I answered simply. She asked Kankri the same question.

"Oh, I'm a social worker. I work at a hospital," Kankri said. His demeanor was oddly lighter than mine, especially considering that he was the one who blew up at Eris first.

"That's nice. Karkat, what are you planning to do?" Eris directed towards me again. Did she ever stop asking questions?

"I want to be a tattoo artist," I muttered, leaning my head on my hand.

"Isn't that a bit of an unstable job?" She asked wearily, like she was afraid that the slightest thing could make me explode. It wouldn't be shocking if Rosa, apparently the one she had gotten mine and Kankri's phone numbers from, had told her about my emotional instabilities, regardless of how long I've been pretty okay.

"No. You'd be surprised at how many people want tattoos nowadays. I, for one, have tattoos. I've been in places that have people all the time." I told her. I wasn't really showing any particular emotion. I wanted to distance myself even further.

"You have tattoos? May I see them?" Eris questioned. I rolled my eyes, but complied. I unzipped my jacket to show her my absolutely covered arms. It was weird to think that I ever had unmarked skin. Eris gaped a little.

"Um, well, I can tell you that Karkat's very good with art. He'll do just fine," Kankri was always the one to change the subject. I let out a little bit of a bitter laugh.

"Yeah, she would've known our talents if she'd stuck around, don't you think, Kankri?" I knew that the things I was saying we're rough stabs at long lost affection, but I couldn't give less fucks. Kankri excused us before roughly grabbing my arm and dragging me a bit of ways away.

"Karkat, stop doing that. You're being rude. I hate her just as much as you do, but she came to us, okay? Let's just try to be at least a little nice. Is that so difficult for you?" Kankri whisper-yelled.

"Yeah, it kind of is difficult for me. Do you expect me to forgive her? 'Oh, you basically left without telling me and made me figure things out for myself because Dad was so upset and couldn't tell me without choking up, but that's okay because you're here now, twenty years later.' No!" I hissed at him.

  "That's not what I'm asking of you, but Karkat, please, just keep the insults and snide remarks to yourself. You can brood all you want when you're back home. I'm holding my own back, you can do it, too," He responded quickly.

  "Well, it's easy for you. You're used to being calm. Hell, you were trained on how to do that. You work in an ER." I growled.

  "That doesn't mean that you can't hold your tongue. Let's get this over with and then we never have to talk to her again." He sighed, turning me back in the direction of the table before I could answer.

  "Sorry about that. Where were we?" Kankri said when we got back to the table.

  Eris and Kankri continued talking, but I ignored a lot of the conversation. I didn't care about what she had to say. She wasn't going to gain my affection ever again. She didn't deserve it. Dad deserved it, but he isn't here anymore. Nepeta, Muelin, and Dessie deserved it. Rosa, Porrim, and Kanaya deserved it. Kankri deserved it. Dave deserved it.

  It was certain that I never wanted to see her face again. I've lived this long without her, so I can live the rest of my life without her. And don't think for a second that I won't do it happily.

______________________________________

Karkat is bitter and has Mommy issues, but I low-key don't blame him. He could've been less of a bitch, but this is Karkat we're talking about.

This is the only chapter you'll see from Karkat's point of view. It was done so that you know what went down. This also loosens a lot of the tension around Karkat right now. Not for Dave, but that'll be fixed.

Okay, I don't have much else to say.

Alrighty. Check ya later.

~Ghostie