> Regardless of the fact that he is trying prevaricate and you are fully aware, you nod, moving your hand up first to cup his cheek, then down to take his hand and lead him in. His hands are colder than yours, and that is incredibly strange given the fact that you have always been made of ice, and him of flames.

> You are certain that the warmth of the coffee will help ease his vocal cords back into use, but you will not push him. There is ample paper about the kitchen and you are endlessly patient. You squeeze his hand gently and let it go as you enter the kitchen, gesturing at the table as an invitation for him to sit. "How do you take your coffee? I'm afraid I've grown accustomed to having it preposterously over sweetened. I do recall you drinking it black on the meteor, though in retrospect I am still unsure as to whether or not what we were imbibing was actually coffee."

> You pull two cups from the cupboard, preparing your own coffee with an expertise earned from many late nights adhering to Sollux's schedule. Dave's cup you fill three quarters of the way before turning around to face him once more, just in case he is making use of the notepad in the center of the table.

> He needs time before he can visit more serious subjects, and for once you can give that to him, whether 20 minutes or 20 years, though you hope it's closer to the former. Enjoying a cup of coffee with your brother was not something you had ever expected to do again, and it affords you equal parts patience and contentment. "Are you hungry?"

==> Dave: Get to Syracuse in a timely manner

> It’s hard to stay calm in a situation like this, even for someone with as many walls as you. Rose, though, had always had a nasty habit of tearing down every wall you’d ever built up. The irony of the situation was that you’d missed that about her, the insistence and the way she broke you down with a single glance.

> You breathe a deep sigh and put your hand on the back of her head, squeezing her as close as you can there in the night. She moves back and you let her, composing yourself even as you know she’ll see right through you with your shades off. The idea doesn’t bug you as much as it would have a few years ago.

> The horror shows, then, as you take a deep breath and prepare to answer. It stalls in your disused throat and you bow your head forward. Gently you take her hand and kiss the knuckles, then let it down and shake your head. “A lot. It’s kinda cold out here, though. We should go in. You said something about coffee?”

> You’re stalling and there’s no way she doesn’t know it, but all concerns are gone on that front. She’s here, and so are you, and suddenly you’re not in a rush for much of anything.

Then it would be wise to state your purpose in a concise manner. Then it is less likely that I will misconstrue any intentions for innuendo or anything else characteristic of our wonderful conversations.

how fucking rude

i am not in this for syndication rose

thats not my goal

In the realm of experiences between us, there is hardly anything that is new. You should expect a few repeats.

been there

done that

Such fond memories.

true story one time on the meteor i was hanging out with rose and we were sitting on a couch and it had been a while since either of us had a haircut and kanaya came up behind me all mushy and kissed my ear a little before realizing i wasnt rose and she turned fucking bright green like BRIGHT GREEN and went running off and then rose made me get a haircut

You have discovered my secret. I'm afraid I must now kill you.

i thought you said pickle so i suddenly assume you have sollux in a jar fermenting and thats why he never comes out

Love is a very fickle thing.

wow i thought you were like

really devoted to sollux though

It is approximately four in the afternoon, Karkat has given in to exhaustion, and I fear my strength is waning. He is half atop me, head resting just beneath my breasts and arms strewn carelessly about my midsection. There is a puddle of mindless sleep drool forming on my shirt, cascading from lips that call to me so insistently. I cannot take it any longer. Forgive me Sollux, for I must sin.

> Every memory you have spent four years attempting to keep at bay is suddenly before you, stretched in twists and turns and there is far too much emotional upheaval for you to attempt to brave at once, or even alone. You and Dave had always been close, even before realizing the familial bond you shared, but your mutual understanding had grown far beyond family those three years you spent on the meteor. He had become your best friend, your brother, and at times the two of you had been even more than that.

> He had shared everything with you, and you had in turn shared everything with him. He knew when you were equivocating, when you were downplaying your own feelings, and most of all he knew when you wanted to say something so badly, but were too afraid to say it. You had been each others' confidante, and both of you had made sense out of the chaos for each other. By the way he is returning your hug now, you know he was just as lost without you as you were without him.

"Too long." is all you can say as you bury your face into his neck. You stay like that for several minutes, just enjoying the way it feels to hug him again. You are suddenly unsure of how you made it so long without him, and are simultaneously thankful that you no longer have to be away from him.

> Finally you pull back, a curious hand reaching to rest the pads of your fingers just below his lower lip.

"What happened?" You ask plainly. You hardly care for eloquence in this moment, and you had always been more than happy to drop your pretensions when you were with him.

==> Dave: Get to Syracuse in a timely manner

> Memories flicker through your mind; the depths of the Dersite moon, watching the final seconds tick down for what felt like an eternity. And then weeks, months, years after when the only company you’d had was three trolls and a quiet, jumpy Carapacian. The dead had scarcely counted, old mad ghosts with no concern for the living. The only other human you’d had was Rose. As much as you’d cared for Terezi (before it had been broken off) it just wasn’t the same. She didn’t understand.

> Rose had. When you’d witnessed the rupture of reality, she’d understood. When you’d been terrified at the prospect of meeting Dirk, she’d understood. At every turn she’d been there. The idea of losing her for good had been too much to bear. Even if he lost everyone else, it would be her loss that would end the worst for you. As she holds your face your arms come up, hesitantly at first and then more rapidly as the emotions boil over. You wrap them around her and hold her tight, eyes closing, letting yourself simply feel her proximity and revel in the fact that this is her.

“Yeah. You, too. Been a while,” you murmur as quietly as you can. You don’t trust your already-weak voice to hold out with all the emotions boiling just inside.

ghostsinthefiiiiiiiire replied to your post: cynophobicgerent replied to your post:...

Vriska!!!!!!!!

Is it so hard for you to be away from me?

cynophobicgerent replied to your post: cynophobicgerent replied to your post: It is good...

ROSE.

Karkat.

I honestly haven't the slightest. Perhaps they found it humorous, which is, again, distressing.

It feels as if it has been a while. How have you been?

why would they do that???

thrasonicgoliard replied to your post: It seems that whenever I walk away from the...

do you guys have any alcohol im going to need it to survive

There is a small variety of beer in the fridge, however I would consider most of it swill.

There may be something stronger available in the cabinet above the refrigerator.

randomegbert replied to your post: It seems that whenever I walk away from the...

I fear I cannot elaborate any further. It seems the horrorterrors may have taken an interest in implied incest.

It is genuinely distressing.

soulsinshadow liked your post: It seems that whenever I walk away from the...

This is legitimately disturbing.

It seems that whenever I walk away from the computer for any length of time something interesting happens.

Today it was chocolate cake, erections, and implied incestuous relations.

I am sorry I missed it.

cynophobicgerent replied to your post: It is good to see Dave and Karkat getting along so...

WE’RE GETTING ALONG FINE. NO NEED FOR SARCASM.

thrasonicgoliard replied to your post: It is good to see Dave and Karkat getting along so...

i touched him

I feel as if I should be concerned as to what manner of touching occurred, given the juxtaposition of these responses.

It is good to see Dave and Karkat getting along so well.