Only Safe in Your Arms

Chapter Seven: Taken

It's funny how one person can just take over your life and make it so wonderful.

•| Karkat POV |•

Karkat sat content in Dave's lap, still watching cartoons. Sometimes they would laugh, and that was shocking. Dave was too cool to laugh, and Karkat was too.. Karkat to laugh. But around each other they didn't care, they laughed, and they laughed, and they laughed.

"Hey Dave," Karkat smiled, leaning his head onto the others shoulder.

"Yeah Karkat?" He grinned back, pressing his lips onto the boy's nose. He was so cute.

"I feel a lot better, now, because of you." He held onto Dave's hand.

"Anyone could have stopped you, but I'm glad I'm the one who did." Dave have Karkat a butterfly kiss, before running a hand through his hair. "Hey Karkat, we should do something."

"But.. Not with the others.. Right?" Karkat replied a bit unsure. He was already getting uncomfortable, the thought of being social after this whole experience was frightening.

"Well, I mean, if you don't want to we don't have to. I was just thinking Terezi and Egbert could come over or some shit. You know, nothing too extreme."

Karkat nodded uneasily, he wasn't sure whether it was a good idea. His wrists were aching from what happened. "I-I guess so.." He stuttered, which only caused Dave to hold him closer.

"Karkat, nothing bad is going to happen to you, Terezi and John won't judge, I promise." Dave pecked at his cheek, a small smiling brisking his face.

"But.. I tried to.. Do that thing, I broke her promise, I can't tell her.."

"She's your Moirail, I don't think she won't end it because you broke a promise."

Karkat swallowed hard, no way in hell did he get the whole thing. He decided not to speak and hold his tongue. The Cancer shifted down onto the couch, clenching onto a pillow. "I really don't want to.. If you want to, go ahead. I'll just be up in my room. I can't face anyone right now, clearly I'm in no shape to do so.."

Dave ran his fingernails lightly over the trolls scalp. "Karkat, you're going to have to face them sometime soon. Everyone will start thinking things if you don't, and you know that."

"Yeah yeah.." He mumbled, clenching his fists. He looked down at his wrists, the bandages red with old blood. It was pure disgust really. Karkat wanted to throw himself off a bridge, couldn't he just get a new life or something.

Dave stopped and glanced down. "Alright. C'mon Karkles." He said, picking the small boy up, carrying him towards the bathroom. "We gotta fix up your bandages again. And it's going to hurt." He tried to be semi-quiet, however Karkat did hear him, which made him thrash out.

"No. No!!" He screeched, trying to pull away from the Strider's hold. "It's going to hurt!! We just fixed them too!!" He wailed and whined, but no success. He was sat on the counter and his wounds were starting to be unwrapped. He winced, of course. Every slightest move hurt, sent chills down his spine, terrible things.

"It's alright." The Strider cooed, bringing his lips atop of the others, gently and slowly mellowing his whines. Quickly after, he finished up and he was good as new. "Now, sleepy time you grump." He teased, picking him up again, careful as can be.

Karkat wrapped his legs around the boys middle and wrapped his arms around his neck, laying there like a child that fell asleep. "I'm not a grump." He uttered, closing his eyes.

"That's what a grump always says." He smiled, pressing his cheek onto the troll's ear. Dave walked up the stairs and set him down in the bed, covering him up and kissing his head. "Go to sleep for a little, you'll feel better."

Karkat nodded and shut his eyes, curling up into his usual position. The other went out and down the stairs, immediately going to his phone.

•| Dave POV |•

-- turntechGodhead [ TG ] began pestering gallowsCalibrator [ GC ]

TG: yo pyrope

TG: come to karkles hive i gotta tell you some shit

TG: and no i cant tell you over this because its too personal

TG: don't tell karkat youre coming

TG: hes asleep but still i don't want him waking up to a message

TG: so yeah head over as soon as you can

-- turntechGodhead [ TG ] ceased pestering gallowsCalibrator [ GC ]

Dave impatiently awaited her arrival. Even though Karkat said not to, he couldn't hold in everything. He was in a relationship with the bloody twit. And, Dave thought Karkat's Moirail should know this sort of thing, shouldn't they?

A knock at the door broke the awaited silence. Dave scurried to the door and opened it, a small smile on his face. "Hey Pyrope." He started, letting her inside.

"Dave," She replied sweetly, using her cane to get to the couch safely, taking in a big whiff of the air. "It smells, different in here." She spoke once more, turning in Dave's direction. "Did something happen?"

"Actually.. Yeah. That's partially why I called you here." He walked to the couch sitting next to her. "It's a big of a long.. brutal story, so I'll cut to the chase. Karkat tried to kill himself, and shit went down, I mean, he's fine now, he's sleeping.. But. It wasn't pretty.. " His voice cracked mid sentence, you could almost hear him wanting to cry.

"H- he did?" Her voice filled with worry, her hand covering her mouth. "Oh god.. You're sure he's okay?!" She said more frantically, beginning to freak out.

"He's fine, he's fine. He's in good hands. Which is the other thing I wanted to talk to you about.."

"Hmm~? And what's that pretty boy?" Terezi's voice had become more calming and now playful, knowing her Karkat was safe and sound.

"Well.. Um. I- I'm pretty sure in your troll language, it's a thing called.. Matespritship? Right?"

"That's the romantic, love quadrant yes."

"Well.. I'm in a, Matespritship with Karkat, and I was making sure that was okay with you."

"Dave" She giggled slightly. "You don't need to ask for my approval to date him. I'm his Moirail, I help him with his problems and makes sure he doesn't kill anyone. It's not like I'm his human lusus where you have to ask for the blessed marriage, or whatever Rose or someone was explaining to Kanaya to me."

"Oh, I knew that." He grinned, a weight lifted off his shoulders.

"Yes yes. Of course the ironic blonde knew it." Lightly, she cackled and stood. "Now, can I go see Karkat?"

"He's asleep, but yeah." Dave stood up, walking towards the stairs, helping Terezi.

Once they made it to the top of the stairs Dave opened the door to find Karkat fast asleep, maybe even purring. Who knew. All Dave knew is that he was adorable.

"You know, Strider." Terezi walked towards Karkat and sat on the bed. "You have a real keeper right here. Don't let him get away." Her voice more quiet than usual, of course. Wouldn't want to wake him, would we?

"Yeah, I'm taken by the best." A smile crept onto his face as he slid over towards the two of them. "I really am~" He leaned down and kissed his boyfriend. Who cares if he was asleep?

Karkat twitched a bit but settled back down into his slumber, making Dave blush. It really was going to be a good relationship..

~~~~~((Admin Note: EEEEEEEEEE!! Thank you guys so much for over 100 reads! It makes me so happy to see the votes and reads on this and I really hoe you guys are enjoying it. Sorry for not updating as recently. I've been busy! But I'll try to post more soon!))~~~~~