Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

KARKAT: TALK BACK.

KARKAT PESTERLOGS where he talks to Rose about how he finally met her brother, a million random lines of Dave and Karkat talking, and then Karkat talking to Kanaya about how he met someone new. Group chat where the four are like were pretty busy right now but do you want to come over for a dinner sometime next week? A buncha stuff like that

ROSE: Socialize with charming guests. Be charming; you know the drill.

ROSE POV Kanaya, Aradia and Karkat come over for dinner and Rose orders takeout while Dave tries his best to cook. Aradia comes in late and Karkat’s like HOLY SHIT ARADIA??? Aradia’s like oh! Hi Karkat and he’s stood still, and you and Dave trade a look of dismay (perhaps old drama?) and Karkat rushes in, giving Aradia a huge hug. Oh. 

“I thought you were dead,” he sniffles. 

“Now that's quite a large assumption to make. What had you thinking that?” you say.

“In his defense, Maryam, you did move away quite abruptly.” Dave buts in, ignoring the glare you send his way. 

“Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa are you saying that for like, idk a decade short fuse over here thought you were dead because you just disappeared overnight??” 

“Eat shit, blondie, it was years ago! It’s not like I got the sudden notice that hey, everyone, Aradia Megido disappearing without a trace and having her last words to you be some shit about a second life was just her packing up and moving out!!” Did he just call Dave blondie?

Oh fuck. You didn’t realize how hard you were laughing until everyone’s gaze was laid upon you. Deep breath. You sit up, try to appear composed. 

“My apologies. I hadn’t anticipated that this would be the type of meeting that would have transpired between some mutual friends, nor that Karkat would have the gall to call Dave blonde, but at this point I suppose all other expectations should be defenestrated, if not already burned in the wake of embarrassment.” Karkat crosses his arms, sticking his tongue out at you. 

“That aside, I’m glad that you were able to reconnect. I’d much rather prefer this over the possibility of awkward tension, but I doubt dialogue will be of any shortage.” 

“You’re damn right they fucking won’t,” Karkat confirms. “I’m not just going to leave without catching up on what was missed. Now, if you all don’t mind, I’m fucking starving.” Kanaya and Karkat sympathize and they all relax and chill

KARKAT: GET BONED.

Karkat catches up on his feelings that he’s seen Aradia again, while he loses sleep over texting Dave about the weirdest fucking things. Maybe you’re lonely. Or, maybe, you’re just excited to have some new friends. He’s at a small cafe with Aradia where she mentions she’s kept in touch with Sollux too, although he’s about as antisocial as always. Karkat wants to talk to him again but he’s uncertain, because their friendship fizzled out and he’d rather leave it be with good memories than try to force something that never works again. Aradia tells him that she can’t vouch on Sollux’s opinion, but time has not made a single dent in her friendship with him and sometimes you just have to be brave enough to reach out. He says hell think about it

1. There at the park with Dirk and crabdad again when Karkat mentions he’s never seen actual bones before and Dave’s like holy shit you haven’t?? Man let me take you for an all exclusive tour to my mtv crib. Are you free on like, Sunday.. And Karkat’s like yeah
2. They lowkey break into the museum and Dave takes Karkat through to see different bones and they go to this lame kiddy fake bone digsite to mess around and then Dave plays a playlist while they sorta skid/dance down the hallway of bones and Dave drags Karkat to his favorite cabinet with bird skeletons because he got to donate one and there’s a little plaque with his name on it and Karkat sees Dave's smile and Falls. In The L Word and he’s like oh, shit. Oh, fuck. (lmao)

ROSE: Be bombarded by butterflies.

ROSE POV Rose is a chaperone on Roxy’s field trip to some botanical gardens and greenhouses and then oh worm Kanaya also works there!! Rose stays behind when the bus goes off and gets a tour of the place and Kanaya introduces her to the lepidopterarium (“bless you. ” “No thats saved for the pollinating flowers I mean the butterfly house”) and Kanaya places a bunch of flowers all over Rose and takes a picture with butterflies around her with Rose’s stress face and she makes it her lockscreen and Rose Dies. Because oh fuck oh fuck that’s LOVE BABEY

 [INTERMISSION] TROUBADOUR.

1. Karkat and Aradia re Sollux, soulmates. Insert meta here because of Aradia experience w Rose and Karkat investing himself into soulmates like he did quadrants
2. Karkat and Sollux, catching up
3. Rose and Kanaya, talking about kids
4. Dave and Karkat talking about poems, Karkat reluctantly letting Dave edit them but it ends up well
5. Group chat where Dirk and Karkat send videos to each other back and forth while Kanaya and Rose pretend to not know a thing
6. Dave asking Karkat if he can babysit Roxy and Dirk for a bit bc Rose is going to botanical gardens again and he has a shift he needs to pick up and Karkat saying ofc
7. More social media, group pesterlog on planning a party at Aradia’s.

KARKAT: CATCH UP.

1. Karkat pov, meeting up with Sollux again. Them trying to talk through the shit they missed, and promising that they’ll try to keep in contact this time.
2. Karkat babysitting Dirk and Roxy, emotionally drained from interacting a shitton but he brings crabdad over and he lets Roxy and Dirk pet him oh so gently, and he’s like seriously educating them on dog stuff before Roxy interrupts him telling him for a fun guy, he’s kind of a tightass and Karkat is SERIOUSLY taken aback like who told you I was fun?? And she’s like haha Dave, for one. Also Rose a little bit but Dirk says you’re interesting but you’re like strict! But in a fun way and from there Karkat’s well how do I be more fun, huh? And she’s like hmm we should do things together!! Do you like writing? “Yeah” thought so! You can write a book with Dirk and I can draw you pictures and Karkat’s super surprised because he didn’t think of that, but before he knows it he actually does have a small picture book involving two knights that get together. Along the way Roxy and Dirk kind of interrogate him on Dave sdfjkal;jsd little kid shovel talk

KANAYA: Say Goodbye.

They’ve arranged another minor party, this time at Aradia’s house where Sollux joins in. She catches up with him and Karkat, where they have a little trio of whatever the fuck was going on and when Karkat starts getting a little bit too personal and emotional, she senses her presence isn’t needed and goes to Dave, where he’s sitting sipping some apple juice. She just sits down next to him for a second, observing Karkat and Sollux awkwardly hugging it out while Aradia joins them. 

“Is he always this expressive?” Kanaya’s surprised at Dave’s comment, but then they do talk about Karkat and Dave being like “I- I don’t know. Like to even get here tonight we had to hire a babysitter for Roxy and Dirk. Ive been so busy with work and my family that I haven’t had the time to fully process like, romance or actually being in the romance shit. Dont get me started on soulmates. I just avoid the topic when Rose is around so out of sight, out of mind you know?” continued convo here that ends with Dave saying he.. Likes Karkat a lot. And Kanaya telling him that if he’s asking for her blessing, she’s got it.

There interrupted by Karkat saying Aradia can make a joke!! And Sollux voice of course she can, it’s just that she doesn’t laugh when the punchline is there. Not everyone needs to bend over backwards to cater to someones measly attempt as a diss, loser. Sollux points to Kanaya/you “Maryam. Youve got a good sense of humor. Hit me up with a joke” It escapes your mouth before you even know it “What, you mean aside from your hairline?” Well, shit. Dave bursts into laughter next to you while Karkat drops to the floor, clutching his sides. Rose coughs, masking a giggle as well. Aradia is sitting patiently, a small uncertain smile on her face. “I suppose this type of humor doesn’t come as naturally to me.”
Sollux jumps in, reassuring her like “no no no, you’re fine. If we all laughed at the exact same joke shit would get boring fast. But thats where you come in.” He gestures at Dave, who’s struggling to muffle his laughter. “Tell a story about you and strider.” and thats when Aradia tells this story about how she saw Dave place a burrito next to some pile of model bones, and then accidentally put the burrito on the stand and bit the bone and he was so out of it he passed out. And then everyone just fucking laughs, while Dave just hides his face in shame. You pat him reassuringly on the back, while Sollux slings an arm around Aradia “there you go, you are now officially the life of the party.” and Aradia just laughs, grinning “well, you’re there to be with me through it all”. Kanaya’s realization that that was them exchanging those words. Soulmarks. You’re waiting, expecting a pause or a gasp or a look that they exchange where time seems to slow down and they realize, that those words that were exchange could have quite possibly meant that they were destined to be in each other’s lives, romantic or otherwise. But time keeps going, and soon enough Karkat breaks in to complain about coworker privacy. You almost miss Rose getting up, silent and swift, drink in hand. You follow her to the balcony. [insert talk here about soulmates, what they saw, what it means to them]

As you head back home, you see someone waiting by your door, but. This isn’t just someone. You know that silhouette anywhere, that familiar mane of hair draping over a jean jacket. The dull shine of her prosthetic against the light. 

“Hey Kanaya. Miss me?” [insert convo here on Kanaya saying no, she cant do this again and having her and Vriska part on. Weird terms. Vriska going like wow, ready to get rid of me huh? Well, whatever, don’t expect me anytime soon. And she just leaves. It feels anticlimatic. But when Kanaya finally gets in bed it all comes crashing down on her with the history of her with Vriska, all those years with puppy love and longing glances and even as it want perfect she was in Vriska’s life. And Vriska was in hers. And having her cut that off was like severing a thread when there were already stitches all the way through her heart. So she cries, and when she receives a text from Rose saying “Thank you for your words earlier. I’m not sure what else to say”, she takes a deep breath, assuring herself that in time, she will be okay. She falls asleep.

DAVE: get an idea (rare achievement)

Dave gets let go from his job at the cafe bc his shifts were small and sporadic there anyways and he’s been late way too many times and its fine with olive garden and his job and commissions but then the rent raises just a little bit more and both Rose and Dave start panicking because oh my god what will they do but then Dave has… an idea. He knows Kanaya has a spare guest room or two and asks if she and Roxy can go to pay rent at her apartment while he texts Karkat if he by any chance has one spare room and Karkat says yeah. And now roommates (oh my god they were roommates). They do have dinner at like. Dominos pizza equivalent to discuss some things, cue all 4 adults actually talking to Dirk and Roxy and getting their thoughts and opinions before things are solidified in. 

                Dirk stays with Dave and Karkat, and Roxy stays with Rose and Kanaya, but as Dirk and Roxy mentioned they will need weekly sleepovers and everyone’s okay with that

DAVE AND KARKAT: AND THEY WERE ROOMMATES

DAVE/KARKAT SPLIT POV Dave and Karkat basically learning how to live with each other 

(edited note 12/14/2021 I completely forgot about the context of this. Im assuming it was Dave being clumsy)

Karkat: god you’re so fucking dumb. look at your legs you cant even walk

Dave: haha yeah thats what he

Karkat: you finish that sentence and I finish your life

ROSE AND KANAYA: Oh My God They Were Roommates

Rose and Kanaya basically learning how to live with each other 

ROSE AND DAVE TALK ABOUT:

Were you meant to spend countless nights on the couch, eating ramen for the 10th night in a row while you text your brother that you’re going to find a way to buy him a plane ticket out of his shithole soon? Was your mother’s emotional absence throughout your formative years just meant to be? You remember dragging Dave’s luggage into your room, sitting on the floor hugging each other like it was the first time you’ve ever been able to receive and give a comforting touch

KARKAT, KANAYA, AND ROSE: MEET UP WITH SOME NOT WELL KNOWN ACQUAINTANCES

KARKAT/KANAYA/ROSE SPLIT POV Rose and Dave ask Karkat and Kanaya to babysit Dirk and Roxy for one day bc they have someone to visit

1. its basically Kanaya and Karkat dealing with Dirk and Roxy for one hour where the kids are all rambunctious bc they were used to living together but now they see each other a bit more sporadically and then Roxy and Kanaya design Roxy’s Halloween costume and Karkat and Dirk try to build a Lego house by the manual and once they’re done Dirk breaks it and then builds his own house and starts a competition
2. Switch to Rose and Dave staring down the unkempt graves of their parents. Rose borrowed Kanaya’s garden shears to cut off some of the weeds. They talk about not feeling sorrow but more just disappointments. In wondering if they parents/they could have been better. But Dave goes no use mourning now they’re dead and were alive. Rose interruption with two kids that deserve to live free of the burden of our ancestors and they say their last words and go. While they’re leaving Rose says that it feels like a string that she keeps tugging at, and it keeps weathering away, but it’ll still be a long time before she ever leaves it behind.
3. KARKAT POV Dave and Rose come back and Dave collapses into Karkat and Rose picks up Roxy for a hug. Karkat and Dave carry Dirk and walk back and Karkat asks him what happened and Dave’s like just said goodbye again. Parents and all and KK’s silent for a while before going I can’t wholly relate to your experiences, and I don’t expect you to tell them all to me, but you matter, and your feelings matter. And I’ll be here for you if you need me, to send memes or otherwise. “So what you’re saying is im valid” “you ruin everything” 

ROSE: Birthday time, gamers.

ROSE POV Kanaya’s bday!! She has a bunch of ideas but then starts panicking that she actually doesn’t know Kanaya all that well so she asks Karkat’s and Karkat like ugh fuck you it was a bday tradition for me and Kanaya to celebrate alone and Rose is like okay okay fuck this and Karkat goes BUT! Kanaya knows that this is senior university beginning application set for me and also review time before end of the year exams so I’ll let her know that I’ll be too busy, THIS TIME, and let you go alone. And Rose is like oh thank fuck thank you but this doesn’t help I don’t know what to do and Karkat’s like are you kidding me? You’re almost on par with how well I know her and I’ve known Kanaya before we both transitioned. You know what to do. Goth, fashion, creepy glamorous shit. Go for it.

1. Rose talks to Roxy and Roxy does a little brainstorm board while listening to lemon demon and Rose…. Has an idea. On Kanaya’s bday she takes her to a garden but it’s a garden that holds Very Poisonous Flowers with plaques and everything and Kanaya is enchanted but then they go to a nearby cat cafe at night and they pet cats while drinking coffee and then they try to catch black cats in the dark. A small one curls around Kanaya’s ankles before jumping up on Rose’s collarbone and she mentions jaspers and then they adopt it and call her Mutiny

KANAYA: Learn To Trick Or Treat Yourself

KANAYA POV she presents Roxy her costume!!! It’s a dragon fairy and she loves it and Kanaya’s sees Rose’s huge smile and feels her insides light up and suddenly they all realize Halloween’s coming up and Dirk wants a handmade costume and Kanaya says she has the time to make costumes for them, free of charge because they’re her friends, but she might have to sell them later for money and they all agree. Dave is a sexy plague doctor and Rose is angry she didn’t think of that first so now she’s a vampire and Dirk is a cowboy and Kanaya herself is a siren. She keeps working late into the night to finish the costumes (detail note: the first few times she gently takes mutiny out of the room and then closes the door the next few times) and Rose catches her and she passive-aggressive her way into trying to make Kanaya rest (working hard so you can stay behind and not join us when Halloween comes? /No im just almost done/ yes, as with all other things) and Kanaya sighs and just breaks like what are you even saying? I don’t mind our rapport and banter but when you’re like this I can’t even understand what you want me to think! And Rose steps back, shocked. And she leaves and Kanaya goes back to sewing and later Rose comes back with tea. And some tear marks. And she apologizes and says (with great difficulty and candor) that she doesn’t want Kanaya to overwork herself when she’s more important than the projects she tries to pour herself and base her worth onto. And Kanaya tears up and they hug. And then they go to sleep (same bed same bed) and mutiny curls up on their feet and its all calm 

1. HALLOWEEN TIME they all head out in their costumes and Dirk and Roxy keep getting a lot of candy bc they insist to have enough for the adults and with those costumes how can anyone resist and when they get back home they’re all happy and they take their candy to space it out so they don’t hurl rainbow all over the floor (Dave’s words). Later Kanaya thanks for making her take a break and now push herself so far all at once, and Rose just smiles and says it’s the advice she should take for herself as well. Kanaya says they’ll work on it together

ROSE AND DAVE: Birthday Time, Gamers (bis).

ROSE POV The strilondes bdays!! They celebrate it at a ribs restaurant at afternoon and Dirk gets sauce all over himself and there’s embarrassing bday celebrations and afterward they go to a small carnival to do some Ridez and Dave and Roxy and Kanaya do the fun rollercoaster rides while Rose Dirk and Karkat go to haunted houses and all and they all meet up at the ferris wheel but Dave doesn’t like the big mechanicalness of it and Karkat doesn’t want to be so high up and Dirk and Roxy are tired so they just wait down while Rose and Kanaya go on it and they don’t kiss but oh my god do they hold hands. They hold hands I can’t do this

DAVE POV holy shit this ride is so fun but you are about to puke your guts out. You burp, and Roxy laughs. Okay, never mind. Just indigestion you guess. Dave and Kanaya catch up on how living w Rose is doing, they gossip and laugh a bit. When you meet up with Rose and Kanaya you manage to sneak Kanaya a quick wink before encouraging them to ride alone. Being that the ride is upwards of five minutes, you glance around and find a game stall where you get to knock down bottles for a prize. [Dave and Karkat go to the stall, Karkat carrying Roxy and holding Dirk in one hand while Dave tries not to think about the absolute logs of arms he’s got there. He pays for 3 shots, misses the first two w Karkat’s teasing and finally hits down 4 bottles from the entire stack. Dave voice great! What do I win my cool dude and the shopkeeper is just. You can have a plastic ring my cool dude. Ah, well. Whatever. Dave turns to Dirk and he’s like hey little man do you want a plastic ring and Dirk shakes his head and extends out Karkat’s hand and Dave just fumbles the ring on and they’re blushing by the time they meet back up with Dave and Rose. Karkat says they’ll handle Dirk and Roxy for the night and when they arrive back home and put them to bed Dirk’s like “goodnight bro. Gnight Kat” and Dave just teases him about it while they put on a movie. It quickly becomes white noise, and Karkat asks him if today was okay *worried tone* if it was too much he’s sorry and then you interrupt him with a hug, burying your face into his shoulder. He’s warm, and nice. “It was great dude. Thank you” and Karkat hugs you back 

[INTERMISSION]: PLEONASM.

1. Rose and Karkat talking about class, Karkat offering to babysit Dirk and Roxy again because it’s really a pleasure at this point
2. Them talking about the holidays??

KARKAT: SAY HI. COOK SINIGANG.

KARKAT POV time passes by fast and he has no idea how. He celebrated his small semblance of holidays with Kanaya and Rose and Dave where they were all kind of distanced from any childhood holidays, but they do try. Out of Roxy and Dirk’s insistence they get Kanaya’s bonsai tree and decorate it and exchange presents and despite its distance from anything traditional it was kind, and peaceful, and happy. And then Karkat’s dad comes by a day after sending him a text that he’s coming and Karkat goes into a cleaning frenzy and Dirk and Dave try to help him. Signless comes along with a hugeass basket of food because he knows Karkat hasn’t mastered his favorite dishes yet but he missed seeing his son irl and that’s why he’s there. Basically Signless teaching Dave and Karkat how to cook Filipino foods. He has to leave unfortunately but wishes them the best and Dave and Karkat watch mamma mia two while eating leche flan. Dave teasing Karkat for getting emotional over kids and kk’s like well don’t you like kids? Trying to raise them despite the hell world we live in. it’s the one thing im grateful for from my dad and Dave just looks to where Dirk is sleeping and he’s like well we’ve kinda got one already haven’t we? And Karkat’s pondering and he’s like… yeah

KANAYA AND KARKAT: CONFESS.

KANAYA AND KARKAT SPLIT POV Its new years and they’re both planning to confess and they all went on a couple hour drive to Kanaya’s older sisters house to celebrate bc she’s holding a party there.

1. Kanaya’s and Rose share a drink of cider and reminisce, jesting on new years resolutions which start from trying to be less annoying to Dave to promising to never touch a single needle ever again and Kanaya holds Rose’s hand as she takes her to the middle of the field in a huge ass backyard and from there Kanaya points out venus and the big dipper, planet of love etc etc. Not much in romance but a lot in symbolism and Rose points out its five minutes to midnight and there’s this one minute of tension before Kanaya notices Rose has a firework and Rose is like… yeah haha I was wondering how to bring it up, amongst other things and they’re both like lets set it so they grab some sticks and Rose has a lighter and when they count down from then they set it aflame and start running away from the firework laughing. Kanaya thinks that maybe this is perfect enough for now
2. Karkat shows Dave his small space in the attic where Porrim allowed him to store his old stuff and they laugh at Karkat’s old writing and Dave questions Karkat’s old clothes and sweaters and binders and Karkat’s like.. I haven’t really thought about throwing them out yet there’s just so much that im attached to? The sweaters are all half rotten anyways so I wouldn’t know their use. We can donate the binders though and Dave’s like hell yeah. Leave the sweaters to be ill find a use for them and then they go out to the balcony to wait for new years but their legs get tired and they end up sitting with Karkat between Dave’s legs and leaning against him and they get scared by fireworks and Dave’s like damn... What a fucking blast huh. And Karkat’s like yeah. And he holds in the confession bc he doesn’t ever want to ruin right now.

DAVE: be sick in the cool way like communication communication communication 

DAVE POV Back to school baby Karkat is Struggling and Dave is drained from the influx of tourists that came around early January and in that amount of time Karkat’s just extremely irritable and Dave tries to bug him the first few times but them easily catches on that he’s really stressed and he spends a few says sulking and sad. He then goes to Kanaya and he watches her make some suits while they talk about Karkat and Rose. Later at night he goes to Karkat like are you mad at me? And Karkat says no! I mean you’re not any more endearingly annoying than usual what made you think that and then they just talk it out with sowwies there isn’t much conflict with these assholes and then the next day its Saturday and Dave takes Dirk and Karkat out to go in the snow and they make a bad snowman and get sick. Cue them trying to cope with each other. (Detail: add in a mention of Karkat becoming too sick to chaperone at school dance and Dave asking who’s gonna do it now? And Karkat being like eh idk ill see to it later)

ROSE: Be in the Lonely Hearts Club.

ROSE POV Rose is chaperoning at the Valentine’s Day dance. She’s grumbling off to Kanaya about how it isn’t even cool and she doesn’t care because it’s a bunch of kids either trying to dance or being bored but she has to. Sigh she has to. Kanaya asks if she may join just because she has a teen client and would like to get a taste for what’s the baseline in teen fashion so cut scene there they are with shitty streamers and cutout hearts with a dj that Dave could’ve done a better job with and ed sheeran playing the bg. “You are both disgusted, and you are certain everyone else around would agree. You don’t tell Kanaya you used to like his music for 3 weeks when you were younger.” a student comes up to the dj to request a song (lonely hearts club) and the dj quote unquote turns it up

1. Kanaya asks Rose to dance and Rose accepts. There slowly dancing and twirling in the corner when Kanaya confesses that “this isn’t the most opportune time nor place but I feel that it must be said that I was intrigued by you from the second I found you telling Karkat about your non-phase gothic escapades, and as I spent more time with you I discovered that adored spending time with you as well, and that I adore you. Nothing is expected of you upon me saying this, of course, but I would like it if we could pursue uh...” “Something…” “Something.” “Of the more purposefully romantic nature?” “hopefully, if that is the case” and then Rose leans close and smiles “I would love to, but I simply cannot kiss the lights out of you in a middle school dance” “but is it not cliché? Is it not the most opportune moment?” “And after stealing my heart, you threaten to take away my common sense as well.”
2. They keep dancing with a lot of hesitance and impatience and after the dance they walk hand in hand to a bridge that overlooks the city at night, and then they kiss backlit by those street lights. Hella.
   
   

DAVE: confess

DAVE POV he wakes up early in the morning to take the heart box chocolates to lay them out in front of the kitchen but he already finds Karkat awake, making breakfast and Karkat finds Dave just standing there with a bunch of chocolate in his hands “dare I ask who those are for.” “Me. There for me. Chocolate for breakfast you know how it is” and Karkat’s like absolutely not especially when im making a good breakfast and Dave’s like valentines a special occasion to you or what and Karkat says its always been a nice day just to appreciate that a lot of other people are appreciating other people and thats its just been an amalgamation of romance and cheesy bullshit and corporate advertisement and Dave’s like word.
Dave voice So romance master what’s the plan for today and Karkat blushes and he just goes I was hoping to go for a walk around, give you the liberty to take some pictures and Dave’s hell yeah! And Dirk wakes up and Karkat takes crabdad for a walk + Rose asks Dave to look after Roxy so she’s here too. Dave basically takes pictures of Karkat the entire way through while he talks about his favorite places (now the key thing here is that in this chapter Karkat’s trying to ponder if he should confess AGAIN but since its Dave’s pov he’s oblivious and a bit too afraid to confess just yet so ITS BIG PINING TIME. IT’S WHEN YOU BOTH KNOW YOU LIKE EACH OTHER BUT YOU CANT DO THE LAST MOVE YET. After they arrive home they put Dirk and Roxy to bed and then put on a romcom but it’s a new one and it focuses on soulmates and then they start talking about soulmates. Tldr Karkat thinks he’s cursed bc he doesn’t have one and Dave’s like nah man. You have me. And Rose and Kan and Dirk and Roxy and if we stand for nothing I think im gonna have more than just the average couple of words for you and Karkat laughs. He then points out Dave’s soulmark and Dave tells how he wore the sleeve to support Rose and all, but to him it doesn’t really matter y’know? It’s all just words and I’d rather focus on making fun of its infinitesimal bullshits instead about worrying about it too much. And then they sleep on the couch and if I ever reach this far this is when people start screaming at me in the comments

ROSE: Be undeniably gay. You are so fucking gay. 

ROSE POV she wakes up in Kanaya’s arms and its honeymoon time they wake up, exchange kisses, Kanaya helps Rose learn to cook again and they knit/crochet, they go by and pick up Roxy and when Karkat opens the door (Dave’s in the shower atm) and sees them he Knows and he yells his congratulations and they just sit down and talk about it and in a hush Karkat says he tried to do the same thing yesterday but he couldn’t he couldn’t just yet because Dave would keep interrupting him but he’s such a mess. Rose says she can’t help in this scenario. Maybe Dave’s just obtuse. Maybe he’s planning something but she wishes him luck nevertheless and Dave comes out and bids them hello and congrats before they leave with Roxy. They go to build a bear but they only buy the bear and shoes so Kanaya can make a whole wardrobe later and when they get home they leave Roxy to read while they dance again in the living room and it is so tender okay. Leave me alone

INTERMISSION: MALAPROPISM.

edited note 12/14/2021 this header was just here with nothing inside. however since the definition of malapropism is “the mistaken use of a word in place of a similar-sounding one, often with unintentionally amusing effect” (Oxford Languages) im assuming its about the main 4 stumbling over their words over text

KARKAT: MAKE LIKE BEYONCE AND PUT A RING ON IT.

KARKAT POV Karkat’s bday!!! Dave and Dirk wake him up with corned beef and they say that Karkat can do whatever he wants until 8 pm, all expenses paid. And Karkat chooses to go to the book store where he reads blurbs with Dave and Dirk which were p fucking funny for a while until Dirk started reading a horse book from the steamy romance section and then they get Karkat’s books and head back to the apartment which Karkat appreciates because he doesn’t want to make a big deal out of it. Kanaya and Rose come by, give their respective presents (a shawl and a free pass to have Rose help grade his tests, one time usage) and Karkat starts tearing up when Dave’s like don’t cry just yet it ain’t done Rose please let Dirk have a sleepover and Rose is like lol k and he takes Karkat to the museum again, where Dave’s like okay get your memory ready or your phone either one and the lights turn off and Karkat’s yelps and then it turns on again and Dave’s gone but there’s a paper in front of him that asks [bone question here] and Karkat was about to bring out his phone, but he remembers. Just a little bit and it takes a while of muttering before he remembers and heads to bone aisle #9 and there he finds another note and he googles most of them, but he gets some of them by heart and he finds himself back to the kiddie bone digging pit, where Dave is sitting and waiting. Cue Karkat being like Dave *laugh stifle* what is this and Dave’s like idk man go digging. Let’s see. And Karkat takes a shovel and starts digging into the big marked x that looks more like a k and he comes across a plain box, levels a look at Dave and tentatively opens it. On top is a ring and he almost has a heart attack but Dave jumps in like “this isn’t a proposal” “OH THANK GOD-” “just thought itd be a nice romantic gesture. Or maybe the wrong one for the wrong time? Lol sorry uh-” and then [insert Dave confession here] and Karkat is fucking tearing up like bro… I love you. And Dave’s like hell yeah bf achievement? And kks like sure you doof. “Oh btw before get out of here and get called on for sorta trespassing check this out” and he takes the second thing and holds it out and its a quilt made of the old clothes Karkat said were too worn down to donate but too dear to throw away and thats when he really starts crying and Dave starts panicking and trying to wipe his tears and then they kiss?? it’ll sound more romantic in the actual thing trust me on this and then they’re walking home together and when they’re at home and they drag the tv to Karkat’s room where they’re watching tv in bed Karkat goes “you know, fate-written or not, I love you. And im probably going to be a pain in your ass because of it” and Dave’s like man that’s all I can ever hope for. Also double entendre on pain in the ass there wow and they just keep watching.

DAVE: mourn the loss of the love of your life. despairingly wait until he comes back from work

DAVE POV is Dave and Karkat staring down at his phone with his dads contact on like “just tell him” “but I won’t WANT to at least not right now ugh you’re infuriating” its Monday morning either you do it now or you do it after you finish school and we both know the former at least gets it out of the way” and s they tell his dad. Signless is like im happy for you son and when he hangs up Dave’s like see? Not that bad and Karkat just sighs in relief and gives him a little kiss. Then he has to get ready for school and Dave mourns a bit but he does drive Karkat and Dirk and Roxy over to school. When he’s back home he just thinks about Karkat and how lucky he is that everything really is okay, now. It isn’t perfect ofc but it is okay. Karkat and Dirk come back home and Dave greets them with a hug and smooch and just makes sure Roxy got home to Rose and Kan and Karkat’s like yeah. She did and then they both help Dirk with his homework and then they go over to Rose and Kan’s place to watch home alone and they have a big fun convo. It’s all just really happy. Later they take Dirk home and sleep.

INTERMISSION: PLENARY

1. Group chat on Dave and Karkat finally getting shit together and everyone’s like congrats!!
2. Rose and Dave discussing if Dirk and Roxy can get pesterchum
3. Dirk talking to Kanaya
4. Roxy talking to Kanaya and Karkat

Epilogues. ROSE/DAVE SPLIT POV

1. Rose looking at Kanaya, reading her book in a crop top. And she reads her own words on Kanaya’s torso. And she looks down at her arm sleeve. And slowly, she picks at it. Kanaya looks up like Rose, love? And Rose slowly peels it off and the Velcro sounds so loud, but she looks up. And she sees Kanaya, and she knows that she loves her no matter what. And she doesn’t want this weight of her own stubbornness on her for the rest of her life. She unvelcros it off, and she sees it “this isn’t the most opportune time nor place..” and she sighs and shakes her head and she shows her arm to Kanaya who gazes upon it with amusement and she just thinks that the universe can be right this time
2. Dave wakes up and takes out the pancake batter that was in the fridge last night and starts to warm it, Rose’s late night call still in his mind, and his surprise at how much lighter his arm feels with the armband peeled off of it. and Karkat comes out and hugs him from behind, slowly wraps his arms around his waist and starts papping his chest, shoulders, and arms and then shoots himself awake and grabs Dave’s arm in panic and Dave’s like wait wait wait babe its ok its ok and he shows him his arm. Rose told me she took hers off and I never found the reason to keep mine bc I know I’ll love you no matter what and he shows them words and Karkat starts crying on the spot. And then they hug again and Dirk comes out to just join them by clinging to their shirts and bam uhhh some extra stuff happy ending. Everything fits into place.