Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

           Horse hooves sounded against the dirt and rocks. Their clopping was something that had always eased Dave; that is what he grew up with. The sounds, brushing, taking care of them, cleaning their stalls; however, it wasn’t something he did much anymore.

           Broderick didn’t let him. Or, well, stopped forcing him to and instead forced him to almost never see the horses unless they were riding them. It was a bit uncomfortable at first, to ride them, his legs weren’t used to the rubbing of his legs against their back and the motions of the horse’s muscles and bones moving would wear Dave down almost more than Broderick’s swordplay lessons. By now, though, it didn’t bother him as much anymore. He has had a lot more practice since then.

           Dave kept his mouth shut as he continued to command the horse silently to follow his guardian. Both of their horses were white and sleek, clearly well kept, since other people hired to do that dirty work.

           Broderick didn’t want Dave to do any type of work like that anymore. Yes, he was supposed to become an excellent swordsman, but it wasn’t because it was a necessity. As Broderick put it, it was a brilliant leisure activity the would only put his status above others in the village they resided in whereas other work was Dave submitting himself to a lower life.

           It didn’t matter if Dave’s best friends did it; he couldn’t.

           Broderick decided that when he gave Dave dark tinted glasses, like his own. It was unique, not many people knew how to make them, so many people gave them strange looks upon first meetings. Forever Dave was supposed to wear them; it was what his guardian did and it was what he wanted for Dave.

           The scenery started to change and Dave’s thoughts melted away as he began to focus on his surroundings. Instead of the normal green, bright, lively plants, there was now darker, uglier ones. The trees were so high and old that no light that could reach the bottom, which left many of the young seedlings wilting and dying.

           Dave had only been in this part of the forest a few times; most of them being dares from John. For some reason, that trickster was always obsessed with the Dark Forest and the decaying castle within.

           The castle wasn’t always that way.

           “Keep your horse directly behind mine from now on, David,” Broderick ordered.

           Dave kept his face neutral as he got back in line, his horse nickering in slight annoyance. Yet, Dave continued to look around, accidentally steering the horse slightly out of Broderick’s shadow.

           The birds had stopped chirping as they went deeper into the forest and now only the rustling of leaves and clopping of their own horses could be heard.

           “Is this a new route?” Dave asked, “We never go this far into the Dark Forest.”

           Dave looked ahead, waiting for Broderick to answer. Dave didn’t realize, but he was beginning to shiver. It was colder here. There was frost on the tree’s leaves, a light white coating every moss, branch, and crevice that it could find. Dave pulled the red cloak over his shoulder tighter, trying to keep the warm air inside.

           There was no noise from Broderick and Dave once again fell silent, his head bowing in reluctant acceptance, as he had his horse continue to follow Broderick’s. However, it wasn’t long before his attention returned to his surroundings.

           He could already see the outline of the castle, so faint, since the grey stone blended in with the stormy clouds. There were more shiverings and chills and for some reason the closer they neared to the large structure the colder and more dead the forest became. Instead of darkness, there was so much grey and white that Dave was happy to wear the glasses. It was almost blinding without them.

           Then, the plants ceased to be and the hooves clicked onto the tile. Dave’s mouth gaped as he saw the castle fully, it was so large, much bigger than anything he had ever seen, and undeniably beautiful and grotesque at the same time. There was a layer of snow that covered the ground, tiles, and skeletons of the once green life.

           He had never seen snow before.

           Dave could see the horses kicking the white away and for a few moments he wondered what that would feel like if he did that too. There was a sense of surprise when he felt cold on his hands and nose; there were little patches of white, snowflakes, falling onto the fabric, yet when it landed on his skin it melted into clear water.

           It was snowing here. Before Dave remembered what happened when he asked a question earlier it was already flowing out of his mouth.

           “How could it snow here and nowhere else?” Dave asked.

           Yet, even the past realization dawned on him, that Broderick would never answer, Dave was too much in awe of everything to care. He played with the snowflakes, putting his finger on the few that landed near his hand to watch them melt.

           He kept his face neutral and there was silence as they got even closer to the castle, right near the entrance. Broderick stared ahead at the structure, all of his attention on it. It was like he was searching the castle for something. Noticing this, Dave's wonder moved from the snowflakes to the stone details of the structure, stairs, and the windows. It was so detailed, with swirls, plants, and mythical creatures like fairies and gryphons.

           However, those details were fading, some broken or chipped while others rusted away into nothing.

           Then a movement caught his eye; it was in the window closest to the ground. Dave’s facade momentarily disappeared as he looked and tilted his head.

           The castle wasn’t always that way.

           There was something itching at the back of Dave’s mind, telling that he had seen that window before. He shouldn’t have, this was the first time as far as he knew; Broderick has never taken him this far and John never dared him to go this close, it was far too extreme.

           But it wasn’t the first time he saw it.

           Dave almost stopped his horse as he stared.

           He could see it perfectly in his mind, the swirls in the stones that were broken connecting, with not only each other but with the living vines filled with purple and pink flowers climbing upward. There was also the sun to shine down on the brilliant window, which let the light flow in and reflect off of people inside.

           There was a young boy, with dark skin, a mess of black hair, and a smile that Dave swore reflected the sun. His eyes were just as expressive, the red-brown filled with delight. So young, Dave barely remembered when he was that age. Thought it must have been less than a decade, it felt like a lifetime ago.

           Dave had been thinking of that smile, so care-free, so wonderful, and now he felt something light up inside of him screaming that he saw the boy here.

           Something startled Dave out of his thoughts and he turned to see Broderick looking back at him, a blank expression on his face.

           There was an instant worry.

           My horse is still moving, check, moving on the path, check, everything is fine. It should be fine.

           However, something was telling Dave Broderick was still mad and if it wasn’t about that it was about something else.

           “What are you thinking about?” Broderick asked.

           Dave was stunned; however, he shouldn’t have. Broderick only speaks when he wants to, so often times it is his own questions or observations.

           “Nothing,” Dave answered.

           Reluctantly, Dave tore his eyes away from the castle to the guardian in front of him.

           Broderick smiled, “Good.”

           Once Broderick turned back around Dave frowned. He took the risk and glanced back at the castle one more time. There were longing and confusion in him… what Dave thought he remembered couldn’t possibly be true. No, it couldn’t.

           And then Dave looked back ahead and made his horse go slightly faster to match Broderick’s pace.

            “The trip wasn’t bad, we just went there with the swords, some people asked for customs, it was just the regular stuff, you know?” Dave replied to Rose.

            Thankfully there weren’t any really hard swords that were ordered. Even though Broderick was a blacksmith, he hated doing the job nowadays. The only reason that business kept going as well as it has was because Broderick liked instructing people how to do it all (once and only once) and then paying them for a small wage for the manual labor.

            Only the complicated orders of swords were the ones done by Broderick himself. Besides hating everything else about the business, that was the only thing he wanted to do. He wanted a challenge or nothing.

            The two siblings were relaxing inside their house, Dave sitting on a couch as Rose sat at the other, knitting. A few days ago Dave and Broderick had returned home with the orders. Weirdly enough, when Broderick did lead the way back he didn’t go near the castle. Dave didn’t bother to ask why.

            Dave was silent most of the trip, thinking about the snow and what he wanted to tell Rose… which was the trip there. Dave leaned forward in his chair, a slight face of wonder that made Rose pause in her knitting.

            “But the interesting thing was when we went through the Dark Forest to get to the other village, you know, that creepy ass forest that John’s dared me to go into a couple of times?” Dave asked.

            “Yes, brother, I am aware of that forest,” Rose smiled, “did you go and see the castle too?”

            Dave stared at his sister with wide eyes.

            “Oh my god, how did you know? You are just a mind reader, already guessing that shit- this is exactly why people look at you weird like you’re a witch. No, it isn’t the gothic and black lace look you always have going on, it’s the mind reading- but back to what I was really going on about- yes. We actually went and saw the castle!”

            Now Rose was fully intrigued, her eyes more focused on her brother as she leaned closer to Dave.

            “Really? How was that?” she asked, her voice gentle, the way she always was when you start to ramble about something.

            “It was! It was…” not normal. Strange. I remembered something, but not. I couldn’t have remembered it. It couldn’t have been real...

            Despite the conflicting feelings Dave was having about the castle, that wasn’t what stopped him from continuing his sentence. It was the way Broderick looked at Dave when he asked him what he was thinking about. It hadn’t bothered Dave then, but it did now. Broderick asked Dave like he knew what Dave was remembering something, that he knew Dave would be acting like that when they came.

            But it was crazy, Dave couldn’t have possibly remembered anything because everyone knew that the castle had always been like that. It had always been decaying, snowy, uninhabitable, and what most of the people suspected in the village: cursed.

            Dave’s whole life has been Broderick and everyone else telling Dave to never go there, to never be there. So… no, Dave acted the right way. Broderick couldn’t have possibly expected Dave to remember anything because there was nothing to remember.

            But. Dave did feel something. See some things.

            The castle wasn’t always that way.

            No, he’s just imagined them. The way he was enraptured by the snow, Broderick would have called him a child, a kid who never grew up. A person Broderick would say he didn’t raise. And remembering false memories? Broderick would have said that person belongs with all the other crazy people.

            “It wasn’t bad,” Dave finally said, “but Bro was really weird when he walked by it. He was checking it out and then he was just acting, like, hella weird. It was just…”

            Dave tried not to focus on Rose’s intense purple eyes as he continued to think about Broderick's look again. It was seared into his mind, the casual glance, and yet all of his attention was actually focused on Dave and Dave alone. It was so unlike Broderick.

            There had to be a reason, Broderick was expecting something, waiting for something. But what? What could it be?

            “Really weird,” Dave repeated, gesturing with his hands and somewhat physically threw the topic away.

            Rose once again was looking at him with intrigue. She appeared like she wanted to say something, her mouth somewhat opened and her eyes showing that she clearly knew something else happened.

            However, she didn’t pry. Rose knew when Dave didn’t want to talk or couldn’t go on. He felt like he had won something when Rose kept her mouth shut, but another part of him wished she had asked anyway.

            “What to go see Jade and John?” Dave suggested.

            Rose instantly smiled.

            “Of course.”

            The village was bustling, like it always did during the mid-day, especially since the sun was out without a cloud in the sky. People were calling out what they were selling, jostling to get into a line first, or ramming into people because they had a job to do.

            Unlike Dave and Rose.

            Dave wore his regular clothes, a white baggy shirt, red belt, and fitted long black pants. That is what Broderick wore and that is what he wanted Dave to wear. As for Rose, she wore a pink and black dress, some make-up, with a parcel in her hand. Broderick had told her to wear better clothes when she went out now. As a deal, the dress could be any color, as long as it was a dress.

            Rose had figured out immediately what Broderick was trying to do; he wanted to make her a bride. It wasn’t hard, not with the audible whispers among the other neighbors and sellers. But Rose wasn’t going to let that slide. As a bark back to Broderick she wore the weirdest and most intimidating black dresses she could find.

            “For being so beautiful, she is so... peculiar,” someone muttered as the two walked past, their eyes glued to Rose’s black dress.

            It was the baker, a mean old man that Rose had already put on her list. What would happen to him while he was on the list, Dave didn’t know and didn’t care.

            However, the two twins didn’t think about that as they walked to where they knew John and Jade would be: the only cake shop in town. Rose was melting under the sun in her long black dress, but there was a smile on her face as she heard those comments.

            She always seemed to win against Broderick.

            When the twins entered the bell rang and John immediately turned from the counter, a large grin on his face. He was wearing what he normally wore: a blue shirt, dark brown pants, and square spectacles on his face. Of course, everything was covered in flour.

            “Why, it wouldn’t be the most famous duo! Rose and Davey!” John called.

            Dave huffed, “What are you, an old man? No one says Davey except an eighty-year-old man.”

            John frowned and rolled his eyes.

            “I am trying to be more welcoming, ya know!” John said as he playfully nudged Dave, “So, when are we going to hang out? When are we going to explore the Dark Forest?!”

            “What is with you and that creepy ass forest?” Dave asked, laughing a little as John walked around Dave in circles then waved at Rose, who, in return, smiled.

            “Because, Dave,” John whined, “Because.”

            Dave rolled his eyes.

            “JOHN!”

            Everyone turned to see Jade come rushing out from behind the counter, the back door swinging behind her, her long black hair pulled into a messy bun, wearing a long green dress with a blue dusty apron over it, and flour on her round glasses.

            She looked a little mad as she punched John. Dave laughed at John’s undignified yelp and Rose smirked.

            “How could you not tell me they were here?!” she yelled at him, yet once she turned to the twins her smile brightened like a thousand suns, “Hello Dave, and hi Rose!”

            Dave nodded at her and Rose smiled back at Jade.

            “You look very nice Jade, I see you are trying to not ruin your dress and took my advice?” Rose motioned to the apron.

            Jade groaned, “Yes, getting flour out of clothes is awful and I am tired of doing it.”

            “I knew you would,” Rose answered.

            As they began to talk another friendly face came into view; it was John’s father, Mr. Egbert. Dave's happiness faded a little. He knew what Mr. Egbert was going to say, he seemed to always be there after a few minutes of talking.

            “I hate to interrupt this friendly banter, but I need to take my employees back; we have a lot of orders to fill out,” Mr. Egbert said.

            Instantly, John and Jade groaned.

            “We don’t even have that much! Come on!” Jade complained.

            Rose smiled a little at their childishness and Dave couldn’t help as his own lips moved slightly upward.

            “Nope, there is one customer I know is going to order some, so we need to start making them,” Mr. Egbert replied, not at all bothered, then he looked to Dave and Rose, “it was very nice seeing you lovely folks again, don’t be afraid to come back later.”

            “We won’t,” Rose answered.

            As the twins left they could still hear the complaining from inside and Dave still smiled as he heard it once the door closed.

            “But c’mon, dad! You talk about this customer and we always end up making extra cakes!”

            Dave already knew where they were going as they walked out of the shop. Most of the time Dave and Rose try to bring John and Jade, but when they couldn’t they went on their own. People waved and greeted them, or rather Dave. Most people still regarded Rose with mild confusion and uncomfortableness, whereas Dave was still the cool silent type they had grown to love, especially since he was the son of their amazing and well-mannered blacksmith.

            Dave assumed it was because of the wealth and influence they had gained that made people like him so much because it obviously wasn’t his personality. The only people that really knew him were Rose, John, and Jade. Broderick liked it that way, for Dave was his one and only heir, so he had to be the best.

            And the best wasn’t what Dave really was. At least, to Broderick.

            Dave continued to nod to people until the two made their way out of the town’s center. Fewer people stopped him, in fact, there were fewer people in general, especially as they got to the very edge of town. Bricks and stones had ended and beyond was a vast grassland.

            They continued to walk and Dave quickly bumped into Rose, smirking as he leaned near her ear while putting a hand over his mouth.

            “Oh, I don’t think you should marry her, everyone knows she’s a witch!” Dave mocked in a high voice.

            Rose smiled mischievously back; the parcel in her hand was put away and down by her side.

            “Yes, I mean who wears such dark colors? Only a goblin I’d say,” Rose replied in a matching tone as she smirked, “and how much she reads, unnatural! Nonsensical! Who needs to read when there are plenty of children to bore and raise, a house to clean, and meals to make?”

            The two laughed and continued to make jokes until they went to the highest point on top of the hill. It was so high, they could see the town and the distant castle. Rose sighed with a smile as she looked down at the village.

            Out there it was so small and the people were so tiny. Along with the people, their problems seemed to shrink into nonexistence. It was their favorite place up here. Picnics were wonderful, Dave still cherished the times where he would tear the grass from the roots to carefully pull them apart. He remembers doing it so much, that it was what also made this place magical. It was the only place where he would get lost in the memories, of being carefree, of Rose spending more time doing what she wanted, of Broderick not being around as often.

            Dave watched with the soft happiness of his own before he glanced back to the castle. There was a dark menacing cloud hanging over it, always threatening anyone who came close.

            Despite the fact that everyone always talked about the ever there cloud, Dave remembered a time when he could twirl around and see only the blue sky. But, he shouldn’t. It was always there, at least that is what everyone said.

            The castle wasn’t always that way.

            The edge of his lips turned downward.

            “Rose?”

            “What is it, Dave?” she asked, still looking out at the view.

            “Do you ever feel like we’ve been doing the same day for forever?”

            This time Rose looked over at Dave. Her eyes were once again curious. However, he didn’t look back at her; Dave stared down below at the town as he continued.

            “Like time has stayed still for a long time and we’ve been doing the same old meaningless shit for forever?”

            When Dave glanced at Rose beside him. Her eyes didn’t have their normal piercing quality, instead, it was soft and round. Rose was worried as she stared at him, with a little frown on her face. And for once, uncertainty.

            “Sometimes.”

            Before Dave could say anything more there was a loud whistle that pierced through the air; hair instantly rose on Dave’s arms and even Rose stood up from her position on the ground. Their eyes both gazed down at the village.

            It was Broderick’s whistle for whenever he needed Dave. Just like all the other times before, he had to go. Dave knew what happened if he took too long.

            “Looks like I gotta go, sis,” Dave said, with a hint of disappointment in his voice.

            A month passed quickly for Dave, nothing different had happened. His normal activities such as learning how to fight with a sword, lessons on manners, and making more connections with different villagers made it blur together into all the other days since he was ten. There was only mild interrupting, such as when John or Jade had spiced up his life. Of course, Rose too, but… only when they were alone.

            Dave was sitting with Rose, checking off people in the village who had given him more customers to sell swords or other weapons to. He also began to take into account where the new customers were interested in and their location, scribbling away on a table as Rose knitted in a nearby chair.

            That was when Broderick came into the room from the right. His boots were loud on the floor, almost shaking Dave’s heart with each step, and together the twins waited for Broderick to speak. After all, Broderick never bothered them unless he wanted something done. Awful enough, Broderick only spoke when he was standing next to Dave, leaning over to see the handwriting on the paper.

            “I heard from Thomas that his daughter came home the other day, upset,” Broderick said, monotone as he looked over Dave.

            Dave hesitated as he wrote down another name, pausing at the A in Dean, but finished in a moment.

            Alice? Why would she be upset? Maybe it was that time she stormed out of the bar, I don’t know what I said, but surely it was nothing. Besides, I haven’t even been to the bar since. No point on going there if it was going to be terrible anyway… For some reason people always had to bother me…

            Why does Bro care?

            Even as Dave tried to guess he glanced up to see that Rose was almost seething, her mouth in a frown as she stared at Broderick. She obviously figured out what Dave had not. Broderick began to walk around Dave, almost encircling him, before continuing over to a door frame on the left side. He stopped momentarily, his hand resting on the wood.

            “And then he told me how a few other boys, all sons of Gaston, had started to converse and taunt you and you left, is that correct?”

            Dave didn’t notice Rose’s increased scowl and unease with the situation, his only eyes on Broderick.

            “Yeah, I was tired,” Dave answered as he slowly let the pencil onto the paper, “and they were only annoying me.”

            Maybe honesty would be good…

            They were annoying him, Gabriel and his goons were always annoying him. Ugh, they wanted him to go on hunting trips and lounge around and do nothing with them. Dave would rather be alone than hear them talk about John and Jade again… Always insulting them. Better to leave than punch them, Dave thought.

            There was a brief moment of silence.

            “David, get the horses and bring your dagger; we are going on a ride,” Broderick simply said, then walked out.

            Broderick gave Dave the dagger when he was ten; it was a small and silver blade, with almost no design expect for it to be easy to carry. Dave had it secured to his hip and then Dave left with what he always wore: the plain white shirt and black pants. There was no point in changing it, the combination was perfect for the kind of heat within the village.

            Then Dave went out and gathered the two same horses that they took on their previous trip. He was slow, greeting the mare, Mouse, and colt, Dally, as he always did until they relaxed, then dressed the horses for the ride. He sighed as he adjusted the reins to the mare. As he looked into the large black eyes of the horse Dave thought of Rose’s face as he left.

            Her lips were in a thin line, but she didn’t have to say anything for Dave to understand what she wanted to say to him. Maybe it was the way her eyes were filled with suspicion as she watched Broderick leave or clarity that she didn’t want Dave to go.

            It will be something bad, she seemed to say to him.

            “Why do you think he wanted me to go, Mouse?” Dave asked the mare.

            Her black eyes focused on him and merely blinked.

            You know exactly why he wants you to go.

            Rose had always teased him that he was the horse whisperer, but he wasn’t! He wasn’t, he just knew that… a lot of things could be said without saying it. Especially the eyes… it wasn’t called the windows to the soul for nothing.

            After a moment, Dave continued to talk to Mouse.

            “I mean, it's probably something normal. Maybe strife or talking to, nothing I can’t handle, right? What do you think?”

            Once again, the horse didn’t respond. However, Dave still watched her eyes.

            You’ve said that before. And there was a disappointing glint in Mouse’s eyes, the same as Rose’s when he left.

            Dave frowned. He had seen their disappointed looks for a long time… it was like deja vu.

            “I knew I should have asked some of the other horses for advice,” he muttered as he led the horse out of the stall.

            Mouse nickered and playfully pushed her head against his own.

            Within minutes, Dave was outside and holding the two horses, Mouse and Dally, ready.

            Broderick didn’t talk the entire ride, so just like before Dave admired his surroundings. The plants, the way sunlight hit and reflected off of the brilliant green, and the ever-present sound of birds chirping and bugs buzzing. That was when he began to recognize the path: they were going to the Dark Forest.

            Just as Dave opened his mouth to confirm his suspicions he closed it. By now, Dave and remembered what happened, so instead of speaking or asking questions he just stared at the plants before him. Once again, he could almost see a visible line where there was the dead and the living. There was one tree split down the middle, a healthy glow of brown on one side and then a dark black on the other.

            Soon the snow began to fall onto Dave and the horses. Dave felt himself shaking and shivering as water began to dampen his shirt. His teeth chattered, but after a few minutes he stopped himself, his shoulders, legs, and arms almost numb and his fingers bright red. His sunglasses had also so many droplets, it was impossible to see through them.

            I should have brought something, maybe this was all a test. A test to see how prepared I am for what can happen, maybe we’ll turn around an-

            “David, I am worried about you surviving out in the world.”

            Dave’s mind stopped.

            “It is hard world out there… Sometimes you have to fight and win,” Broderick continued, “When you didn’t stand up to those boys… Well, you know they are going to keep on doing it, don’t you? I don’t want to be worried, but I am, especially with that.”

            Dave stopped his thinking and glanced over to Broderick, whose attention was still ahead. His guardian’s first words since this whole trip were so surprising that Dave almost thought he had made it up in his head. However, Broderick continued.

            “I want you to do something to show me I don’t need to be worried anymore,” and right as Broderick finished, his horse, Dally, stopped.

            Dave quickly pulled on his reins; Mouse whinnied in protest and moved to the side of Dally in annoyance, but thankfully not forward into Broderick.

            “What is it?” Dave asked.

            Snowflakes still began to dust Dave and by now his sunglasses had water running down in small rivers. Broderick turned around and the same was for him, snow and water had piled onto his glasses in a heavy coat. However, Dave could still feel Broderick’s heavy stare.

            “Get off of the horse, David.”

            Dave had a moment of hesitancy, yet, as Broderick waited patiently Dave slipped off of Mouse. His boots hit the snow with a small crunch and the white, cold fluff reached his ankles. The temperature already began to nip at his toes and fill the shoes with a blanket of cool. Dave tried to hide the confusion and reluctance, but it was no use, his lips pointed downward slightly as he looked up at Broderick, waiting for the next order.

            “Give me the reins.”

            Dave’s slight frown increased and he walked over to Broderick, placing the reins on top of Broderick’s open palms. His guardian’s fingers closed around it and pulled the horse away from Dave. Mouse wasn’t too pleased, but followed the command and watched as she walked next to Broderick’s horse. The snow still fell on them softly, starting to cover up where the hoof tracks were.

            Dave watched Mouse with an intense yet soft gaze. Please, please do as he says. You know what happens when you don’t listen.

            Only once Mouse was by Broderick’s side did Dave finally look at him. His guardian still had the same stoic look that he always did, his mouth a thin line without any crinkle on his face to betray an expression. It was like a sculpture, the way he stayed the same. Then Broderick spoke and crinkles showed up, yet the lack of liveliness was still there.

            “Now, I want you to be strong enough to come back.”

            Dave’s mouth opened in surprised at those words and then Broderick kicked back at the horse’s hind legs, forcing Dally and Mouse to run forward. Dave felt time slowed as the horses brushed up against him, warming him slightly before they disappeared and the wind came through and swept the cold back into him.

            There was too much shock for Dave’s voice to work and soon the two horses disappeared in the white and black blanket of the dead, snowy forest.

            The castle was the first and only thing Dave thought of; it was the only place he could think of to get out of the cold. Dave had learned long ago shelter was the first priority in survival. Surprisingly the one thing Broderick told him to bring, the dagger, which was against Dave’s hip, wasn’t helping whatsoever. In fact, as Dave troughed through the snow, which was surprisingly light, the dagger would only dig into his legs and slip the warmth out of his skin. Despite the worthlessness his sunglasses had become, he kept them on, cleaning them every so often. It was better than being blinded by the vast stretch of pure white.

            What could have only been a few hours, or a few minutes, felt like forever. It was the same dead trees all around him as he got closer and closer to the large, grey castle. Thank goodness Dave was almost there because his mood was getting worse and worse as the cold numbed his skin until something caught his eye.

            Dave frowned at the broken branch. It was a large one, still somewhat attached to the main tree by only a few splinters, and long enough that as it was broken the tips of the branch still touched the ground. Something tugged in Dave’s mind and his eyes narrowed at it.

            The castle wasn’t always like this.

            Suddenly Dave saw the branch when it was upright, reaching out to the sunlight coming from the sky, and covered in lively green leaves. The bark was brighter, brown, and covered in lichen that was light teal, like splashes of paint.

            As Dave blinked the image remained the same and as he looked around all of the trees were covered in leaves and golden light poured in through them, leaving patches of bright rays reflecting off of the ground. The air was thick and warm like an invisible blanket surrounding him.

            “Dave, there is this kid you have to meet, he’s hilarious!” John’s higher voice exclaimed and Dave watched as the smaller and younger version of his best friend was perched on the large branch that was once broken, nearly jumping with excitement on it, “I just have to see if he’s on his break!”

            The young John grinned, almost brighter than the light itself. His square glasses wasn’t covered in flour and, instead, it was covered with dirt. A nice blue shirt, black pants slightly ripped and lived in, and shoes roughed up from wear.

            But, the Dark Forest… it wasn’t ever alive in our lifetime. It was always like that, wasn’t it?

            “You know how much Bro doesn’t like me near the castle, I can’t go there,” Dave said, his mouth moving without any thought or command at all. Yet, his voice was higher, happier.

            A younger me… but, I was always allowed to go to the castle, I just never wanted to… right? Why wouldn’t I be?

            “But you’re going to love him, I know it!” John answered, jumping to look, his chin out as his eyes scanned, “I see him, I see his bird’s nest hair, I see he isn’t-AHH!”

            In an instant, the branch broke beneath him and young John fell to the ground. Dave rushed forward to catch him, there was a slamming sound, and the pain blossomed on top of his head. Dave forced his eyes closed as he gritted his teeth and more waves of pain flowed through and from his cranium. Cold snow fell onto his head and slid down his neck and back. Abruptly he flipped backward as he tried to get away from the shocking cold, his butt going onto the freezing, wet ground.

            Great, I got myself even colder. The mastermind is really me, isn’t it?

            Dave shook his hair like a dog, groaning as he rubbed his head. Hesitantly Dave opened his eyes and once again he was in front of the tree with the broken branch. The forest was dead and covered in snow once more. Dave sighed as he stood up, now all of his soaking wet clothing clinging tightly to his skin, and his teeth began to chatter. When he tried to stop the chattering, he couldn't.

            “Wha-what the-the h-hell?” Dave struggled to say.

            Uncontrollable chattering. Hyperthermia.

            Dave turned to see the castle, blinking as the grey figure focused and re-focused ahead of him. He forced himself forward, his feet now becoming heavy as he tried to walk. As he did, he kept his eyes closed as he kept on moving forward, slowly but surely.

            Dave didn’t remember how he got so close, but he finally got the point where his fingers were running along the title and broken stone, but all he cared about was that he was there.

            Once Dave got to the door his legs stopped working. Exhaustion, soreness, the cold, it didn’t matter, his knees buckled Dave fell onto the doorstep with a loud thud. He didn’t even feel the pain as he landed, not even a sense of pressure.

            His fingers clawed at the snow and he still tried to crawl forward, but there was so much dead weight… he couldn’t go any further.

            This is it, isn’t it? Dave thought as his head laid down onto the snow, exhaustion taking over. He couldn’t feel the cold anymore, just numbness and nothing. Only the tip of his nose, fingers, and toes felt suddenly warm, but he knew it was just his brain lying to him. Dave’s eyes barely stayed opened as the snowflakes began to cloud his sunglasses.

            I’m this close and I can’t even make it, Dave thought harshly to himself as he stared at the splintered and dark door, I wasn’t ever going to make in this world, was I?

            Dave laid there, dread and emptiness began to fill him. Just as his consciousness began to fade the dark door opened. Dave didn’t have the chance to feel the joy before he saw two red glowing eyes were peering down at him and his whole world suddenly turned from white to black.

            “Dave, Dave!”

            He jerked away frowning as he looked to find the person calling him. It was a black figure shrouded in white. For a second he thought the figure had red eyes and Dave blinked. They didn't have red eyes, no, it was his sister, Rose. She was leaning close, watching as he started to wake. Right as Dave began to move Rose smiled, pure joy on her face.

            “Dave, you are okay,” she said, putting some of his hair out of his eyes, “I was so worried… I was so worried Broderick did something to you. When he said he was teaching you a lesson I knew it couldn’t be good, you shouldn’t have followed him…”

            “What, why would you be worried?” Dave tried to say, somewhat messing up his words as he woke up, pulling a very soft blanket just under his chin.

            Dave’s eyes fluttered once more as he focused on Rose, trying to process what she was saying, but failing to do so as he stared at her. There was something off about her; Dave had never seen her so worried. Her blonde hair was not as neat as it normally was, a little ruffled and around a purple dress was a large black cloak.

            “He must have left you out there in the cold,” Rose said, concern leaking from her voice, “you've been gone for a day and it looks like you almost got frostbite… But you patched yourself up from the cold. Thank goodness you at least did that when you got the blanket.”

            Dave’s eyes widened as he remembered. The snow, Broderick leaving, everything.

            He looked down to see his fingers were wrapped up brightly and warmly. Not only that, he could feel his toes were covered in the hotter material, as well as his nose, and his ears. What? What happened? Dave’s eyes darted as he studied his surroundings.

            The room itself, was large, details of painted fairies and vines that encompassed most of the high ceiling, and the supports were amazing looking, with even more sculptural wings and flowers. Yet, all of the paintings was chipped and some of the sculptures had cracks or entire pieces missing. All that made this a wonderful place was falling apart.

            As far as Dave looked, it appeared that the long lounge chair he was sitting on was the only furniture that was held in this hollow home. For size and the darkness, it appeared like the decaying structure could go on forever. What was once most definitely magnificent was now just a sad, eerie, and empty place.

            Wait, this is the castle.

            “Come on, Dave, we should get home,” Rose said, helping her brother up.

Chapter Text

           It was strange. According to Broderick the unexpected time in Dark Forest where Dave nearly froze happened only that year. But, it felt longer, so much longer than a year. The memory was blurred by age (or nonexistent age apparently), nonetheless, those red eyes bore into Dave’s mind.

           Dave remembered how worried John was when he finally came back. John kept on asking what had happened and Dave merely told him that nothing happened. Though John obviously didn’t want to stop asking, he reluctantly did after a few weeks. Rose kept her mouth shut too, not asking Dave how he had gotten the cloths or blanket, only glaring at Broderick when his back was turned. That was it.

           Dave never expected more.

           Broderick was easier on Dave after that. Not a strife in weeks, but that might have been because Dave didn’t do anything against him. Dave hung out with the people Broderick wanted him to, greeted people as he asked, and started to spend time with John and Jade only privately, mostly during the nights. Rose had begun to do the same.

           They didn’t want to admit it, but it was hard to rebel against their guardian. After what had happened, now they knew the consequences. Dave’s rambling and talking had mostly vanished. There was no point, not if someone was going to get hurt. Plus, there was nothing to talk about or, at least, something that wouldn’t send Dave into the Asylum. The days had only stagnated as Dave remembered bright, yet false scenes. Memories that could have never happened, yet they always felt so real.

           Under Broderick’s rules, life became grey once more and Dave only found a small solace in his short times with Rose, John, and Jade.

           Following the rules didn’t ease Broderick’s mood. Almost every month Broderick was deadly silent, glowering at the white cloud above the castle. Dave found Broderick’s customers farther away more than ever and each time Broderick went by, he made sure to stop by the castle.

           Dave never asked and Broderick never explained. Oh, but Dave wanted to. He wanted to ask why, because he was suddenly so attached to that castle. There was where he had seen those red eyes.

           Those red eyes stayed in his mind the most. Dave knew that those red eyes belonged to the person who had saved him… Saved him, wrapped up his superficial frostbite, and covered him in a comfy blanket until Rose could come to help. The crimson, glowing red burned in Dave throughout his long and seemingly meaningless days, his mind always wandering to the Dark Forest and the castle within.

           The castle was on Dave’s mind whether he liked it or not. It stayed there as Broderick kept on making trips and as Dave woke up, expecting a red-eyed savior to be staring back at him…

           “What are you daydreaming about? Fairyland?” Gabriel sarcastically asked, his loud laughter echoing in the large tavern as he slammed his beer filled goblet down with his brothers.

           Dave blinked, staring at the glasses before he realized where he was. His hand was wrapped tightly around his glass and then he sighed. At that, Gabriel laughed once more as his brothers, Jules and Louis, were smirking.

           Why am I always doing this? Just getting lost in thoughts and things that couldn’t possibly be real. Am I just that upset with my life?

           “You really are such a pansy,” Gabriel scoffed, “You get lost in the Dark Forest once and you’re petrified for life.”

           Dave held in his glare, keeping his face neutral.

           It wasn’t that he was consumed by fear, no, it was something else. Something like being far off, as if a glass was between Dave and those memories and itches of feelings. The memories were so real… but so impossible to happen.

           Just like the time in the Dark Forest, those memories took over his senses. One moment he would be looking at Rose and the next he remembered a bright and colorful scene of Rose, younger, happier, talking about a beautiful girl she met who worked in the castle staff.

           It invaded every part of Dave’s life, stopped him, made him freeze for minutes while he was doing the simplest things. Broderick had noticed almost right away and each time he did his mood worsened. Broderick wasn’t nice when his mood worsened.

           “It's almost as bad as John’s obsession with the Dark Forest,” Gabriel commented.

           Dave felt his mouth twitch. It was always hard to control himself when those idiots mentioned his friends or his sister. Those were the few times he spoke back. Surprisingly, he was feeling more energetic and let the words fall out of his mouth.

           “At least I've been there, from what I know you avoid it, don't you? Even when your father suggests to go through for better hunting you refuse.”

           Dave somewhat smirked as Gabriel frowned and his mouth stopped running. Dave got the reaction he wanted from Gabriel. Jules scowled.

           “Why don't you two go then, see who lasts longer?” Jules suggested.

           The smart one, he is always going out for us, isn’t he? Why can’t he just let these conversations ever go?

           Louis grinned, “Yeah! Let's see who's the real chicken.”

           Gabriel didn't appear as upset as he did a second ago and he smirked.

           “Yeah, let's do it later day. We can meet outside the Dark Forest at sundown.”

           Dave didn't react, but he wanted to. This was ridiculous. This was how he was going to waste his day? Plus, he really didn’t like it… There was a reason he didn’t try to go in there after what happened, even after John always bothered him to.

           That nagging feeling that Broderick would only be angry, that something bad might happen, that something…

           Suddenly, those worries and nervousness washed away.

           Something was telling Dave to go. He thought of that strange castle and the first time he had gone there, that weird and colorful memory of the dark boy in the window. Dave could still picture the smile on the young stranger’s face. It was calling Dave now as he remembered it.

           I want to be that happy, Dave thought pleasantly. And John would stop bothering me about it if I did bring him…

           Dave knew what would happen if he refused. The three Gaston brothers were only going to be more insufferable. They would make the next few months miserable, bringing up this moment every second they could. It would make the days blur into an endless gray, one that Dave already couldn’t stand.

           And Broderick would know. He always knows eventually. Broderick would say that Dave wasn’t meant to live if he didn’t do it. If he didn’t prove himself.

           I am tired of surviving. I am tired of this.

           “Alright,” Dave answered.

           “I can see them already…,” John said, squinted as he saw the vague shapes of the brothers, “They came early... Wow, what losers!” John exclaimed from beside Dave, his toothy grin wide as he stared ahead.

           At John's sudden excitement and he accidentally pushed one of his feet into the horse's side and Mouse’s path swerved toward Dally. Quickly she stopped herself from running into the horse Dave was on with a look that was close to rolling her eyes. Dally, normally Broderick’s, turned away from Mouse and nickered with the same annoyance.

           Dave smirked and when he glanced up from the horses he could see the three brothers as well. All were on brown horses, blending slightly with the trees and greenery behind them. Nervousness welled in him as he rode on Dally. The thought of doing something so radical was new for him, to cause any trouble with the popular boys, even if it was to prove himself…

           Well, that wasn’t very good. Not with Broderick’s obsession of being the perfect and renowned family; couldn’t become that if Dave had an argument with the most looked up to brothers in town. Yet, the closer Dave got the forest, the less anxiety he felt.

           John smiled as Dave relaxed his shoulders. Finally, John will believe me when I say I wanted to do this…

           The bright memory of John and him in the vivid green forest sprung through his mind. There was something that wanted him here. That wanted both of them there.

           Dave needed to see the castle again.

           Dave could imagine the brothers’ surprised and annoyed faces once they saw that John was with him. Nonetheless, they should have known John was going to come. John has always wanted to see the Dark Forest for so long.

           “Why did you bring Buck-Teeth with you?” Gabriel called once Dave and John got close enough.

           John rolled his eyes, which ended being expressed in his whole body and he nearly fell off of the horse. John righted himself, his face not changing, as the other two brothers began to laugh and Gabriel sneered.

           “Why don’t you shut up and let’s see who can actually survive in the Dark Forest,” Dave snapped.

           Instantly the three were quiet. John even gave a surprised glance to Dave. Eventually, Gabriel looked back up.

           “Then I guess we should go,” Gabriel muttered back.

           Immediately Mouse and Dally started to move in unison from Dave and John commands. The two friends had packed more clothes for the cold, for there was other a thick red cloak for Dave and a blue one for John… By now, Dave knew to be prepared.

           Their normal white shirts and black pants weren’t going to be enough. Maybe the brothers had the same idea.

           Maybe not.

           John’s smile immediately grew, almost laughing as they went into the bright greenery. Meanwhile, Dave’s face stayed rather indifferent. However, Dave was holding in a smile, for he could hear the nervous chatter and questionings between the brothers.

           They weren’t going to last long.

           And they didn’t.

           After a few minutes when Dave and John had finally gotten the clear line between the white dead forest and the living green one. Dave and John put on their cloaks and suddenly the brothers stopped. Their brown horses whinnied in protest as the three brothers jerked their horses away continuing their mutterings that it didn’t mean anything that they stopped, they were just taking a 'break.' Gabriel was especially angry when John started to laugh.

           “We aren’t done,” Gabriel shouted.

           John laughter increased and stuck out his tongue at Gabriel. After an indignant scream from Gabriel, Jules scowled at John.

           “We’ll tell everyone you went into the Dark Forest,” Jules threatened, “you know how it is forbidden. Maybe they’ll even think you two are friends with witches.”

           John cackled as his horse started to move through the snow at the threat, his hooves throwing the white fluffy onto tiny piles all around him.

           There was only a second of worry in Dave as the brother said that. Broderick would do something, for standing out too much, for possibly having people look down on him… However, Dave saw the outline of the grey castle in the distance and all worry melted away from him. His chest and shoulders felt light with air and for a moment, nothing mattered. It didn’t matter what the boys did or what they would say.

           It didn’t matter what Broderick would do.

           Dave smirked in what must have been forever, eyeing the three boys from under his sunglasses. And then Dally walked into the snow as well.

           “Honestly, the only reason I came here was because I knew John would like it,” Dave said back, somewhat lying as he shrugged at the three brother’s shocked faces, “so, go home and whine like little bitches there.”

           Their eyes must have grown in size they were so wide and John laughed more, nearly falling onto the snow again.

           “Toodles,” Dave said with a slow wave and gave them a fake smile before he and John went deeper into the Dark Forest.

           John was laughing, giggling, and shouting about the look on the three brother’s faces for so long Dave felt his cheeks hurt from smiling. The light and fun conversation let time slip by and soon enough the grey figure of the castle came closer and closer until Dave heard the horses’ hooves land onto something solid.

           “Whoa,” John said in awe, his mouth agape as he stared at the huge stone castle.

           Even if it was falling apart, it was quite the sight to see.

           The castle wasn’t always that way.

           Dave shook his head at the thought, frowning before his attention settled into one of the windows. The memory of when Broderick had first brought him there came to his mind. He could still see the boy in the window, smiling, yet, instead of feeling the warmth the strange scene offered, Dave only felt disappointment.

           This was just a decaying castle, covered in snow, there was nothing to be happy about.

           “Let’s go inside,” John exclaimed.

           Dave blinked at the idea, but before he could say anything, John had already slid off of Mouse, his boots landing on the stone with a loud thump. There was the same look of awe and wonder as John grinned and played with the snow, kicking it around before he focused on the castle ahead.

           After looking around one more time, Dave slid of Dally and onto the ground. He led Dally to the entrance, eventually taking Mouse from John as his friend excitedly went in. Dave put the two horses to the side and turned to realize John had already opened the door of the main entrance and wandered in.

           The door was slightly ajar and he felt phantoms of ice prickling on his fingers. Dave rubbed his hands against his pants and red cloak at the memory discretely until the feeling stopped.

           I did almost die here…

           Yes… but you were saved, another voice in him said.

           Dave frowned and slipped in.

           He found John with his eyebrows narrowed as he looked around the decaying castle. What were once amazing pictures of angels and cherubs on the were now only remnants. Their colors had faded and the paint was now peeling from the walls and ceiling.

           The castle wasn’t always like this.

           John’s face showed slight disappointment and he had the look of puzzlement, as if something wasn’t adding up. Without a word, John quickly went to the right where there was a large door, just slightly smaller than the main entrance. It was just wood and the carved images of vines had mostly eroded.

           What is he looking for? Dave thought.

           Dave edged from the entrance into the new room.

           It was the ballroom.

           There were chandeliers, fallen onto the ground. Glass littered the marble floor with such intensity there was a crunch every time John moved. Just as Dave got close he could feel the pieces underneath his feet, some of them held firm while others snapped. Dave frowned and he glanced down. The random material cracked and broke, reflecting tiny shards of light like mini stars.

           “There’s no furniture,” John said slowly, “not anywhere.”

           Dave looked up to see his friend’s expression becoming more filled with curiosity and confusion as he continued to carefully look at every sad detail of the room.

           “No, there isn’t,” Dave agreed.

           John squinted before Dave like he couldn’t believe it. As his friend continued to look incredulously around, Dave went further through the room. He already had enough of the sad looking castle… he knew it was falling apart, he knew it was a sad sight… and he wanted to see something else. Something more.

           John so invested that he didn’t bother to look up to see his friend carefully leave, walking past all the glass. There were a few chandeliers Dave had to wind around, even one he had to step over as he got the next door frame. It was small and it looked like the hinges were ripped off.

           Dave looked up with slight awe as he saw a smaller hallway carpeted in a now darkened and faded red, littered with paintings and metal candle holders, some stuck to the walls while others were thrown on the ground. The white wax from the candles had dripped all the way past the metal holders and onto the ground, as well as over a few of the wrecked art pieces.

           Dave squinted at one of the paintings; the largest that was thrown to the floor. It was mostly darkened with dirt and the colors were sucked out from the weather, but he could see a small boy with black hair that had a stripe down the middle. All of the hair was slicked back.

           There was no smile on the painted boy’s face as he was standing next to what Dave presumed was his father. They had the same hair, eyes, and nose. However, the father had a cruel look to him, with sharp and merciless features.

           Abruptly Dave’s vision changed, from the dark and gloomy black, grey, and white, to a hallway lit up with gold, red, and orange. All of the candles were lit on either side, perfectly maintained, and paintings showed their beautiful beginnings, full of vibrant color and crisp lines.

           Dave could see the boy in the painting clearly now, the stripe a purple color and his clothes the most detailed and exquisite he had ever seen.

           “Dave! Dave come on, hurry before your dad comes!”

           Dave turned away from the painting to see a much younger John on the other end of the hallway. The young John beckoned him, his blue eyes filled with delight. It was the same sparkle that Dave had noticed right when he had met the boy so long ago.

           Even now, John had such a sparkle. Yet, it wasn’t as strong. It wasn’t as bright, Dave thought to himself solemnly. In a second, the gloomy thought vanished as his mind was once again enraptured by the scene; the light came back and Dave was chasing after John, nearly running into people rushing in the small hallways. Those said people were dressed like servants, plain pale tan shirts and brown pants, and they glared vexingly at Dave and John as they sprinted past.

           “He’s not my dad!” a young voice from Dave answered back and all he got back from the young John was a laugh.

           Every corner was lit and the details shone and sparkled with the golden touches. There were paintings and sculptures of angels, fairies, all calling for Dave like John was. Yet, for some reason, Dave didn’t pay attention to the amazing surroundings and everything blurred into bright, light colors as he ran after his friend.

           Finally, John stopped, standing in front of a black door, with a toothy grin on his face as he waited. Beautiful golden light made the black boring door filled with texture, the wood showing it’s past scars and knots, swirling like the warm breeze in the summer air.

           “This is where he normally is,” John titled his head toward the door, still smiling, “shoveling coal. And it’s so ironic because he’s a hothead!”

           John made no more to open the door, so Dave stared at it with slight hesitancy. It was young nervousness. Dave could feel the slight nerves, tingling in his chest and hands. However, in a second he felt his courage return to him. Dave pursed his lips, grabbed the door, and opened it.

           And Dave found himself, not a young teenager and instead close to an adult, standing in front of a room that was pitch black. The golden light was gone and only the white light reflecting from outside lit up the area. The room was cold, his fingers feeling the heat being sucked away at his fingertips as he held the handle.

           Dave quickly let go of it, holding his hands as if they had been burned.

           His eyes found a lonely black coal pile with an empty and dark fireplace and boiler. There was dust on top of everything, expect the black pile. Dave pushed the door back with his foot and it squeaked and choked with age.

           Dave frowned as he looked at the sad and black scene with disappointment.

           “Who was always here?” Dave asked no one, the excitement he had felt from the bright memory disappeared.

           He stepped inside and scanned the sad, boring room. It was all empty and colorless, no decaying anything to make it remotely interesting. His shoes echoed as he took another step, this time closer to the coal pile.

           Dave could hear the young John’s bright voice in his head.

           This is where he normally is, shoveling coal. And it’s so ironic because he’s a hothead!

           “A hothead,” Dave said absentmindedly as he looked at the coal.

           He continued to the pile, pondering. Each time his boots hit the floor they sounded a slight thump. When he was close enough, Dave took one of the smaller coal rocks into his hand, black rubbing off onto his palm and fingertips. Instead of being disgusted by the sudden impurities on his hand Dave just started at the coal rock.

           Suddenly a few coal rocks fell from the pile and Dave danced away, frowning, as more rocks continued down and landed with loud cracks on the floor.

           What the hell? All I did was take one from the top.

           Dave inched forward carefully, eyeing the pieces of coal with suspicion. There were a few moments of nothing and Dave began to wonder if he was just imagining things. Yet, when the coal rocks pulsed forward Dave’s gaze intenisfied.

           There is something in there.

           He leaned forward until something caught his eye, something red, inside. The light glowed and reflected off different pieces of the black like mirrors.

           What is that?

           Suddenly Dave heard a loud roar.

           It was from the upstairs, but that didn’t matter. The sound vibrated in Dave’s chest, sending his heartbeat racing and his adrenaline spiking.

           Dave jumped back again, his eyes wide. The roar sounded like an animal. A very large and probably a human eating animal.

           “DAVE!” John’s scream echoed above him.

           It was a scream of fear. After one look back at the coal pile, Dave sprinted up the stairs.

           He looked around feverishly as he left the room, realizing that he had no idea where he was. However, from the strange memory, he remembered his way. Dave darted down the hallway, jumping over broken paintings and once he was into the ballroom, over broken chandeliers, hearing the cracking of the glass beneath his feet.

           “John what did you do?!” Dave shouted, as he landed over the last chandelier.

           “I don’t know!” John answered, coming from the other direction across from him, “But let’s get out of here!”

           John and Dave got on their horses so fast, Dave was worried Dally and Mouse were going to be spooked. Surprisingly, they weren’t, even with the roar.

           They raced so fast away from any remnants of stone or structure. However, once they both got into the snowy forest, all surrounded by white, they began to laugh with glee. It was like they had gone on some crazy adventure where they almost risked their lives and somehow made it without a scratch. Adrenaline still ran through Dave’s veins, but all he could do was grin as John celebrated, punching the air and letting all of the nervous energy escape in his laughter.

           After a few days, they began to talk about the event. However, they didn’t talk about the strange moments inside the castle. If anything, the only event that came into their conversation was the fact that the Gaston brothers had chickened out from going into the Dark Forest. Rose and Jade absolutely delighted in the story, laughing as much as they had.

           Dave still smiled as he remembered the moment while he was relaxing in the room. The past days had been so nice, all of the workload seeming to vanish and with all the free time Dave started to do what he wanted, which was to draw.

           He didn’t draw very well, but he did it anyway. It was calming, something that eased his mind amongst all the stress of life. Dave squinted at the drawing below. It was of a caterpillar on a branch that he had seen the other day, however, it looked more like a bean on a stick instead. He always tried to draw from life, even if it didn’t look quite right.

           Draw the boy, something in Dave whispered. It was a small voice, that crept in from the corner of his mind. Draw the boy.

           What? Dave argued with himself, He’s just a figment of my imagination, there is nothing-

           Those are real, the voice replied suddenly, much stronger and fiercer than before, stirring up Dave’s mind. His brain felt suddenly foggy as those vivid memories became suddenly solid.

           “I heard the Gaston brothers went into the Dark Forest.”

           Abruptly all of Dave’s thoughts stopped and Dave froze, his pencil still touching the paper. However, instead of the light line he was making out of boredom the pencil was pushed into the paper, leaving a thick dark line. Dave hadn’t even heard Broderick walk in.

           “They did?” Dave questioned not so sincerely, blinking.

           Dave lifted his pencil, pushing the paper into his pocket as he looked up at his guardian, who was standing against the doorframe.

           Broderick was looking at Dave intently, just as the time when Dave had first seen the castle. It was the same curiousness, the same type of look that made Dave think he was a sword Broderick was trying to figure out how to replicate. So much attention and yet so little human quality.

           His nerves spiked. Dave’s eyes glossed over as he remembered being in the castle. All those times, those impossible scenarios, which couldn’t be real, where Broderick never wanted him anywhere near the castle came into the front of his thoughts. Those cold words, even as they came from those bright and unrealistic memories, cut deep into Dave’s mind.

           It’s fine, he doesn’t care. He wouldn’t care that I went in.

           “It is silly for them to go there and waste such time,” Broderick said and Dave felt something in his stomach drop. Broderick continued with a blank expression. “It isn’t worth going in there unless you are going to use the what little is left for firewood or to destroy it.”

           Broderick looked over at Dave, waiting for an agreement. The pit that began to form in Dave’s stomach intensified.

           “I… I guess,” Dave answered hesitantly.

Chapter Text

           Dave stayed quiet and didn’t go near the Dark Forest again, not after what Broderick had said. It scared him too much. He sunk back into his shell again, going through the motion of the days without much thought or want to do anything else.

           Rose must have told John, or the latter must have figured it out on his own because a few days later John said they should hang out again. It was Jade who clarified the hanging out time as a group sleepover since she wanted to have Rose come over as well.

           It wasn’t out of place for the two twins to go to their friend’s house. In fact, by now Dave know all of the Egbert’s house, every nook and cranny.

           There was a lot of talking, so much that soon sky became black and then they all took the party upstairs. Rose and Jade decided to split off and do their own thing while John and Dave did theirs.

           The two boys laid on John’s bed. It was a rather large one for of a baker’s earnings, but… John always had it. For some reason the large, blue, fluffy bed has been there forever. Dave assumed they must have had better business in the beginning. Dave and John looked up at the ceiling, which was a painting of a green forest, complete with all the wild animals that could be found. It was painted for the two siblings to learn all of the animal names. Of course, that was a long time ago, and John has since complained that he had grew out of it.

           Dave wouldn’t let Egbert know, but he loved that painting. Every time he sat under it there would always be something new for him to notice and the way the strokes flowed around the piece like water… it was amazing.

           It reminded Dave of that forest in his visions when the white, barren landscape turned into something lush and green. Dave could see the younger John yelling at Dave to hurry up to meet this mysterious someone… Dave wished to finally see that someone. In each phantom of the memory, something it always happened and he’d snap back to the present, disappointed.

           Dave could see it now. A younger John and Dave, playing and laughing in that beautiful green forest together… how so much has changed…

           “You always have that look in your eye,” John muttered.

           Dave blinked. When Dave remembered where he was, he glanced over to John with a small smirk, “What kind of look?”

           “I don’t know,” John laughed, “a look of longing... or like you’re remembering something… You’ve been doing that a lot lately.”

           John looked nervously away from Dave, his laugh fading as he stared back up at the ceiling. Dave somewhat frowned… John knew that it was a slightly touchy subject. But, it was only touchy when others bothered him about it, like the Gaston children. And it was always touchy when Broderick told Dave to not do it.

           Dave’s light smiled faded a little.

           He noticed?

           Who wouldn’t notice? Another voice replied. That is all you ever do.

           “Yeah, yeah I have been doing it a lot lately” Dave agreed softly, somewhat nodding, his eyes returning to the painting.

           There was an uncomfortable silence as the two boys pondered over what that all meant or didn’t. However, then the atmosphere cooled and John gained enough courage to speak again.

           “We should go into the Dark Forest, together, again,” John exclaimed, still looking at the painting on the ceiling.

           Dave grinned.

           “I have another brilliant idea, maybe we could just not go there. I don’t want to possibly die again, like wow, what a great buddy you are. ‘Hey, I know you nearly died there and had this weird ass experience, best bro, and then we went there and heard a roar from something that definitely wasn’t an animal we know of, but let’s go there again,’” Dave laughed at his impression and he could hear John chuckle a little too. Dave shook his head, frowning with a touch of puzzlement, “Like my goodness, what is with you and that forest, dude?”

           After a few more moments of silence had passed Dave finally looked over to see his best friend’s blue eyes glued above. However, it didn't look like he was entrapped in the painting, for there was a far-off look in his eyes. A glaze over his eyes as well as the smile on his face.

           Just before Dave was going to nudge the other boy, John began to speak.

           “Honestly, I don’t know,” John replied softly, “well, actually, I do know, but it’s weird. Like, really weird.”

           John grinned from ear to ear as he laughed a little. Dave frowned and he pushed his friend’s shoulder softly with his hand.

           “Tell me, bro, tell me,” Dave sing-songed, “you already made fun of what I said, now I need some good shit to make fun of.”

           John looked over to Dave for a moment with another grin before he let out a dramatic sigh. Despite the mockingness, John got serious again.

           “Okay… I feel like something is in there.”

           Dave thought of a pair of red eyes, looking back at him. Dave sucked in a breath, the cheery sarcasticness gone from his mind and face, and then relaxed.

           “What kind of something? A monster that made that roar?” Dave asked seriously.

           John frowned, moving his arms and his body a bit, readjusting to get more comfortable.

           “No, not the thing- whatever that was- that made a roar. It is something bigger than that, bigger not in size, but of… something! I don’t know. I don’t even know, but… It’s something that I know is missing from my life. A good number of puzzle pieces are gone and I feel like they are in there. They’re somehow in the castle.”

           The castle wasn’t always that way.

           Dave frowned as he remembered the last time they went.

           “There was nothing there, literally… is that why you were disappointed?” Dave asked.

           John shifted again and the corner of his lips turned down in thought.

           “Yeah, I was really disappointed… but… I think we should still go again. It could still be there… whatever it is…”

           Dave looked over to see John. This was almost just too much, it must have been a prank. Somehow Johne must have found out about what Dave’s been imaging, all those strange memories that couldn’t possibly be his and just fucking with him. That’s what John does, he’s a prankster.

           Yet, when John turned to see Dave, all Dave saw was absolute truth in those blue eyes.

           Dave pursed his lips as he thought of the time he was saved, his fingers, nose, ears, and toes, all wrapped up in a warm white cloth, covered in a blanket that was so warm Dave thought he really did die that day.

           “Then let’s go there again… sometime.”

           The next morning Dave and Rose took their time as they walked to their home. It was far too early for anyone to be up and instead of commotion there was only fog weighing heavy and close to the ground. Only a few lights glowed in the village.

           As it was quiet, Dave began to feel his mind’s normal sharpness became to blur.

           The dark village abruptly turned into a bright one.

           Dave sprinted past the people yelling out what they were selling, nearly running into people before he dodged them. Dave ran after John, giggling and squealing as he caught the other boy, grabbing his sides as they both fell down into a mess on the cobblestone.

           Dave blinked and it was all gone.

           To his side he noticed Rose, staring at him. There were questions in her eyes, but instead of answering he looked away and they continued walking in silence.

           He remembered what he had told John the night before about going back to the castle with a frown. Dave was so sure at the moment that he was- no should - go one day, but the further he walked away from John and Jade, the more unsure he felt.

           Broderick would find out… the way he said that the castle and whatever could be in it… should be burned or destroyed… that was… it wasn’t…

           Dave shivered.

           It was bad.

           When the two of them walked up to the doors, they saw Broderick, waiting for them.

           His guardian stood stiffly next to the fence of their small yard, his arms to his side and his face devoid of reason or emotion. Dave looked to his sister, seeing that she had the same thought inside her mind.

           It meant trouble. Broderick never waited for them. Never.

           She distrustfully glared at him and as they got closer Broderick let the tension build up from the awkward and cold silence. It was only when they had gotten in arms’ length from Broderick did he finally speak up.

           “David, I have some new jobs for you,” Broderick said.

           Dave stopped as he looked at his sister. Rose rolled her eyes at the lack of acknowledgment of her and continued forward. Dave felt his insides sink. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed Rose glance back with concern, waiting by the front door.

           “What are they?” Dave asked as he turned toward his guardian.

           Broderick didn’t respond as he waited. There was a loud sigh before there a slamming of the front door and Rose stomped from inside. Dave nearly jumped at his sister’s anger, but Broderick didn’t seem fazed. For a moment, Dave felt a little deja vu from when they were children.

           At the thought, his mind began to drift away.

           No, don’t remember, don’t do that- that thing- not now! Dave chided himself as Broderick continued.

           “I want you to make more connections within the community along with writing letters to people outside of the village in addition to your current work. I want the sword company to expand with you as the head.”

           Dave should have nodded wordlessly. His rational though screamed at him to, but he couldn’t.

           Invisible anxiety weighed on Dave’s shoulders as he thought of what this meant.

           “I won’t have time to do anything else other than work for the company?” Dave asked.

           He felt Broderick's eyes push him further into the ground.

           “That is the point,” Broderick said.

           Something broke inside of Dave and that promise to visit the Dark Forest with John faded away.

           “You need to learn how to make connections and become a successful member of the community. Spending time doing anything else is a waste,” Broderick finished.

           His guardian didn’t wait as he went into the house, leaving Dave out in the front yard. A cold breeze rustled through some of the trees and clothes hanging, but Dave didn’t shiver. Dave didn’t do anything.

           For what seemed like an immeasurable time of forever, that was what Dave did. Rose was, of course, upset. Every time she could, she made it clear she was still angry at Broderick, from the little things like leaving sewing needles all over the house to purposely making Dave come with her to do silly chores, saying she was having too much trouble on her own.

           That helped Dave, immensely, but in the long haul… there was nothing she could have done.

           After not being able to see John and Jade, even Rose some days, his mood diminished to nothing. Days were passing by like before, longer and longer than the other, everything blurring together like a grey scale of only more grey and sometimes black.

           Dave didn’t have to talk to the Gaston brothers, no so much after the incident near the Dark Forest. Dave did worry at first, wondering if the other brothers were going to try to slander Dave as they said they would. He worried not for his own reputation, but for what Broderick would do. But, then again, there was no point… there was no point when every day was the same.

           The same and then with the same failures. Somehow, his visions of a brighter world became worse. It wasn’t too bad when he was writing, but quite a few times he stopped talking in the middle of a meeting, his eyes glossy in a world unlike the one he was in now.

           Rose noticed immediately and she tried to help. There were activities and talks that she had planned, but by then Dave was too tired to do anything else except sleep.

           It must have been months later (yet, only a few weeks) and even if Dave did see John and Jade a few times, he wished he could see them again. He wished he could leave the village and see the large green forest. He wished for time to change it or for it to end.

           And that was what Dave was doing as he wrote, his vision blurring the words on the page into gibberish as he stared.

           The clock ticked loudly in the corner of the room and for a moment, he took a small break, leaning back as his mind blanked.

           What’s the point of this all?

           Dave frowned and he heard the door open downstairs. It wouldn’t have caused for any alarm, Rose regularly went in and out of the house and Broderick was gone unless it is meal time. What did cause Dave to focus was that he could hear feet stomping up the stairs.

           His mind immediately went to Broderick.

           Maybe he was angry, had a bad day- but he never has bad days where he acts like this. He isn’t a child, he is an adult- but this could be his first bad day! You know he could be worse! He could always be worse!

           “DAVE!” John said with excitement.

           Dave’s shoulders instantly relaxed and stood up to greet his friend. John almost sprinted toward him, but this time Dave was ready and braced for the big hug.

           “Why don’t I see you any more?” John whined as he pulled away.

           “I told you before, Broderick has me doing a lot of things lately,” Dave answered, smiling a little as his friend hung off of him.

           Yet, that happiness was depleted as Dave remembered Broderick.

           He probably did all of this on purpose… so that I couldn’t see them...

           “I know, he’s such a butt,” John stuck out his tongue as he went and slammed himself into the chair next to Dave.

           It was so much force, Dave wondered how the chair even stayed upright. John, however, didn’t seem to notice at all as he stared at Dave, with a grin on his face and his elbow propping up his head.

           “He shouldn’t keep you in here, shouldn’t keep you so busy,” John added, frowning as he started to mess with the pens on Dave’s desk, “he’s keeping you from having a life of your own.”

           Dave watched with slight interest as his friend took the pens out of the large cup, doing small tricks with them on his fingers. Beyond John, Dave noticed Jade walking through the door with the same large grin on her face and right behind her was Rose.

           “I couldn’t keep them away forever,” Rose said with a smile.

           You probably didn’t try to keep them away at all, Dave thought as he looked at his sister, grinning.

           “Yeah, we wanted to see you! Nothing could keep us away!” Jade agreed, finding that it was her time to hug Dave, her arms wrapping around his waist and squeezing him before continuing, “he is giving you a lot of work when this is the part of your life wher you should spend time to explore, to investigate, to wonder about the world!”

           Jade jumped around the room and then turned back toward him. She gave him a big toothy grin.

           “I am so glad to see you,” Jade said, rays of sunshine and excitement radiating off of her.

           “I am glad to see you too,” Dave replied, smiling at her.

           Jade grinned wider.

           “I know, that’s because you love us,” Jade battered her eyelashes before bursting into a fit of giggles.

           Dave smiled and for a second he felt truly happy. They spend the rest of the day talking, teasing, and laughing with each other. Together the four of them went to the prairie, with food and snacks. At one point Dave and John raced down the hill, both of them slipping and rolling all the way down, only to land with laughter.

           It didn’t last too long, only a few hours, and Dave wished it lasted longer.

           Weeks went by like that. Them coming in while Dave was working and they would chat, if only for an hour out of the week. It was stressful around the house; Dave didn’t know when Broderick was coming back. Stress mounted on him as Broderick made the slightest of hints that he knew what was going on.

           Of course, the stress and long nights he had to made up the work was worth it. For those one or two hours with them was worth anything… there was nothing else that made the days become bright again.

           Without Rose or the other siblings, his days turned blue and grey. It toned all of the intensity of his life to nothing and while the trips did help, it wasn’t enough… it wasn’t enough. He wanted more; he wanted it to change.

           “Maybe you can stay longer,” Dave said to John, “Maybe even plan when we should go back to the Dark Forest.”

           “Really?” John questioned, his hands stopping before they could lift the empty picnic basket off of the kitchen counter.

           Dave waited a moment, dubious if his decision was a good one. Broderick would do something if he had seen how much Jade and John were coming over, to see them in his house, during the day …

           Do I really want to live like this? Afraid of what he’ll do all the time?

           It wasn’t… it wasn’t always like this.

           “Yeah,” Dave answered.

           John celebrated throwing his fist into the air and Jade sat back down on the couch with Rose.

           Instead of just having them over for a meal, they stayed. There was more talking, more jokes and practical pranks ending with Dave sprinting after John through the house. Dave only felt childish glee for those hours and it blurred the time.

           Dave didn’t even think about him coming back. Dave didn’t hear him walk in, didn’t even notice he had entered the room until he spoke.

           “Oh, you two have… people over.”

           Dread flooded Dave, making his heart race and the feeling spread all the way to his fingertips and toes. The smile slipped off his face so fast John looked only confused before glancing at the newcomer.

           Broderick didn’t sound at all surprised at that fact, instead there was just a stern disappointment in his tone; he didn’t bother to look at John or Jade either, completely ignoring them as he stared at Dave. John and Jade watched as Rose and Dave’s excitement disappeared. Their game and risk had finally turned against them.

           “What did I tell you about bringing these friends?” Broderick chided.

           His voice was clean and sharp, waiting for Dave to say back the rule. John and Jade looked at each other, confused at the scene before them. Rose and Dave, though they had said to not come over, never fully explained why. Dave had noticed hints from John and Jade had guessed right, but there was still shock… and almost sadness in their faces to realize it was true.

           Dave abruptly scowled but kept silent. Broderick moved further into the room, his face never turning away from Dave.

           “Let’s continue this talk somewhere else, shall we?” Broderick asked.

           Though his guardian's glasses concealed his eyes, Dave could feel them boring into him. Dave’s confidence slightly wavered in the crushing question, his lips pursed as Rose and John began to look between them with very different expressions.

           There was a clear no on Rose’s concerned face while John was only uncomfortable, wanting to help, but too awkward or afraid to say anything.

           He shouldn’t make John feel this way. He shouldn’t make me feel this way.

           “Yes, it would be impolite to argue in front of guests,” Dave answered.  

           John looked at Dave in surprise.

           Broderick’s expression changed slightly. There was some victory in his eyes.

           “I know the right place.”

           Dave didn’t listen as Rose told him not to mount Mouse. He didn’t look at her begging face when he rode off with Broderick. He wanted this to be over, for it all to be over, one way or another.

           To live like this was unbearable.

           They rode until they met the Dark Forest’s edge, a place Dave had been to in what felt like months earlier. Instead of prairie, it became lush green, and then suddenly there was only white and black as far as the eye could see. Amongst all of the white was the grey outline of the castle, not too far from them. Dave felt a bit of energy seep into him as he gazed at the structure, liking it as he got closer.

           Neither of them wore any thick clothing and neither showed any signs of shivering.

           “This is the perfect place,” Broderick decided.

           For a second, it looked like all of the other snow covered areas, however, Dave realized he knew it. From the tree limbs and trunks, he recognized the spot as the place where Broderick first dumped him off at.

           Dave slid off of Mouse with an uncertain and angry frown.

           This is it, one way or another.

           Dave muttered something to Mouse and slowly walked away from her. The horse peered at him questioningly, but after a few seconds, she reared and pelted away. Dave glanced back to see Broderick watching with a stoic face and Dally by the tree, waiting for them. Or rather, one of them.

           “You read my mind,” Broderick said simply.

           Dave glared at him.

           “I am tired of this and I want it to end,” Dave hissed.

           Dave was surprised to not hear an ounce of shakiness in his own voice. After all of the time he slaved over Broderick’s orders and his expectations, now they seemed to have no weight over him. It was both thrilling and terrifying.

           “I am here to raise you,” Broderick responded calmly, “I will always be there, that is what a parent is for-”

           “You aren’t my father. You aren’t a parent,” Dave snapped.

           You aren’t a parent. A parent would never tell him to stop seeing the friends that they love, friends who care and would do almost anything for them. A parent would never make your life a meaningless waste.

           Dave waited for Broderick to saw something, however, he stayed silent. His shades covered his eyes, covered any trace of prediction about what would be on his mind.

           Abruptly, Broderick began to smile. It was a smile that didn’t remind Dave of joy, but of something forced and cruel.

           “Funny for you to only gain courage now when you have been failing all of your easy duties,” Broderick coldly replied.

           What normally would have made Dave shrink away in shame for some reason didn’t. Instead, a fire rose inside of him and he glared at his guardian, years of anger boiling over with such power Dave realized he forgot what real fury felt like.

           “You know why- you know why I am this way! You know that it isn’t my fault!” Dave screamed back, his fists clenched by his sides.

           Broderick’s mouth twitched downward.

           “You weren’t always like this, such a mess. Even if you did do something, at least it was something. Nowadays, not so much… but I am sure I know the problem.” Broderick muttered.

           Dave almost didn’t have time to react to the sword in Broderick’s hand, his own blade barely blocked the other’s before it could slice his hand. The shock of what Broderick had done shook Dave more than the action.

           He didn’t give me a warning. He didn’t even give me a real chance, what is he trying to do?

           Once again, Broderick moved fast; it was hard to keep up. Dave barely had seconds to block, sometimes letting the other sword leave little cuts all up and down his arms in order to escape.

           And, as Dave feared, he wasn’t fast enough.

           Amongst the flurry of blows, Dave could feel the blade ripe the backs of his legs. Pain flared, but Dave still stood, blood running down to the snow with only adrenaline keeping him upright. It wasn’t long to wait for Broderick to come back again, this time in front of him.

           Dave blinked at the sudden swipe of Broderick. Silver came down at him and only for a moment, Dave’s eyesight wandered beyond the fight and into the distance. The larger grey outline of the castle went to the forefront of his mind and everything disappeared into a green and lush forest.

           I can’t be having one now, I can’t-

           “Dave! Dave, come on!” John screamed as he giggled.

           The younger boy playfully ran around a very small and timid Dave.

           Even as his heart raced, some of the worry, anxiety, and fear of the fight disappeared into nothing as Dave watched the younger, brighter John bounce around. John looked like he did the first time Dave had seen him in the forest, the same clothes and even a few scraps and mud on his feet.

           “But you fell! You need some help to patch that up,” a younger, carefree voice from Dave spoke.

           John didn’t even pout at Dave as he ran.

           “I’m fine and stop worrying! I won’t let Broderick find out you went near the castle, I swear! I-”

           Pain unlike any other sprouted across Dave's chest, digging and spreading all across like roots making its home into the ground. Dave closed his eyes so harshly at the pain that green and yellow splotches showed up in the pitch black.

           The horror of what just happened came to his mind so suddenly and Dave screamed in pain. The handle that was once firmly gripped in his hand fell into the snow with little sound.

           As he opened his eyes the bright landscape of green and the brilliant sky of blue turned into the white and death. He looked down to see his shirt; what was once a plain white was now becoming wet with red blood.

           “You had another one, didn’t you?” Broderick asked emotionlessly as Dave still stared at the fresh wound in shock.

           Dave still gasped at the large laceration.

           This is bad, this is so bad, All of his thoughts running as Dave tried to make a plan to wrap up the wound. But there was nothing that he had brought with him, nothing at all. I might not have time. I don’t have time.

           “You’re like a broken record,” Broderick continued, “I bring you here once and now all you can do is freeze every other moment.”

           Those words didn’t even hurt Dave as much as they should have. Instead of the dread, he felt when John, Jade, or Rose brought up, he felt nothing. That was his life, that is what he had been living… even if it was only a year, it had felt far longer than that.

           Everything was so long.

           Dave’s legs finally gave out and he landed on his back. He felt the snow melt and soak the back of his white shirt and pants. The liquid seeped in and sucked out the heat he still had left. The steam that rose from his fingers and face was starting to stop and Dave began to chatter.

           It didn’t help the red blood leaking from his chest and legs and soon the snow around him began to be dyed pink.

           This is it…

           Broderick looked down at Dave without any hint of regret or emotion, his sunglasses reflecting only Dave’s pain and hurt body back at him. Dave watched as his guardian’s blade traced over the snow and was lifted over Dave once more. Instead of flinching, moving away, or at least twitching his fingers to get at the sword lying a few feet away, Dave just watched.

           There was no point… There was no point in any of this.

           His hope crashed into nothing, it was like the dam of his discipline and happiness keeping life meaningful had shattered into a million pieces and everything was washed away. Dave couldn’t even frown or be upset as he laid there, watching the silver blade travel closer to his neck.

           There was nothing to live for anyway… Not when I’m am only living through impossible dreams, memories, and a few times I can really see the people I love…

           Abruptly Brodrick stopped his sword as it rested, cold, against Dave’s neck. Broderick wasn’t looking at Dave, instead, his attention was glued to the castle in the distance, his mouth a thin line and his expression too blank to guess what he was thinking.

           Dave blinked as he noticed this and for a second he wondered. But, the pain, it was so hard to focus, so hard when your body was telling you you needed help and yet nothing was happening. As Dave tried to push away the pain he saw that Broderick was looking at him. The sword that once rested against his neck fell to Broderick’s side in an almost lazy manner.

           “I know how to make you not a broken record… This is where we part ways… for now.”

           Wh… What?

           Pain still blossomed from his wounds and instantly that question was snuffed out.

           Dave wanted to scream something at him. You can’t leave me here! You can’t let me out to die here! But, that didn’t make it’s way off his tongue as he remembered the last time he was there with Broderick.

           Broderick didn’t look back as he got onto Dally. Once Broderick left Dave’s small field of vision, soon even the sound of the hooves on the snow disappeared and all of Dave’s attention went to the pain.

           I am sorry, Rose… you were right... I shouldn't have faced him. I shouldn't have left.

           Dave turned his head dejectedly and his fingers and other smaller appendages began to prickle it the snow. The cold had almost sucked away the rest of his warmth.

           Right when I really believed… Right when I really believed I could change things… No- nothing happened. Nothing happened and this is all I am going to be… Nothing. Dave thought solemnly.

           As he laid there, his fingers began to turn numb and he looked at the bright white sky, not at all thankful he had his sunglasses on. His breathing started to slow and some of the bright white light began to blend in with the snow and dead trees.

           Amongst the sadness was a relief. Maybe he would finally stop living the way Broderick had wanted him to. Instead of being molded by hammer after hammer, he could just stay the way he was, stay the way he wanted to.

           Abruptly, his hearing began to work. He could hear the snow crushing around him. With what little strength left he turned his head to see a black figure standing over him.

           You…

           The figure leaned closer and Dave stared into bright red eyes. The eye, iris, and pupils were together a pool of blood colored lava. Yellow swirled around anxiously and Dave could feel his body relaxing into the snow and he let out an exhale.

           I know you, Dave thought with relief and everything went black.

Chapter Text

             What is this? Dave wondered, Am I dead?

             Instead of cold, Dave only felt warm. His senses woke up: Dave could hear a fire crackling near him, something was moving, and he was on some type of pillow. His clothes were also warm and much nicer than he remembered, softer, along with a blanket on top of him that held his warmth close to him. His boots and socks were off and his toes wiggled around freely.

             The blanket was so soft, like a cloud, and Dave’s hands rubbed against it. Then he pulled all of his fingers into a fist; that was when the soreness and muted pain came in. It was in the tips of his fingers, toes, nose, and ears, a feeling of stinging he once didn’t notice at all now couldn’t be ignored.

             And yet, there was another noise. Shuffling.

             Dave could feel someone over him, probably messing with something in their hands. Next to his hip, Dave felt something digging into his side. Dave first frowned, but then realized it was a hard hilt- his sword.

             He processed everything in a fog… There was stinging, softness, warmth, shuffling… and shuffling.

             Shuffling.

             Dave’s mind stagnated.

             Why would there be shuffling around me? Dave asked himself, his eyes now moving around under his lid uncomfortably. It felt like his eyelids were glued shut and whatever strength he had left, it wasn’t enough to open them.

             Someone is above me.

             Dave imagined Broderick above him, with a sword pointed downward at his neck. The memories of what happened most recently crashed into Dave's mind.

             He’s going to kill me.

             Without thinking, Dave reacted. He opened his eyes and grabbed at the sword, fumbling around with it until it was in his hand against the person’s throat. They froze.

             And Dave did too as he looked into the person’s widened glowing red eyes. It was like fire, with yellow and orange, pulsing with shock. Their nostrils and mouth glowed with the same flame and even once the shock of yellow was replaced with red the person stayed still.

             This definitely isn’t Broderick.

             The place was too dark, only their cheeks and blade reflected the light of the flickering fire not too far from them, but with those eyes- Dave knew the person- the strange person- he wasn’t normal. Those eyes burned like liquid metal, staying steady and unblinking as Dave held the dagger to the stranger’s neck. Dave’s fingers started to prickle in pain.

             Then Dave vision began to adjust and then he saw him completely. His clothes, which were a simple off-white shirt and brown shorts, something any commoner wear, maybe a little worse for the ruggedness and black spots that looked similar to charcoal.

             He looked like a servant. A servant from those memories in the castle. Those people I ran by, they wore the same thing-

             But that was where the normalcy vanished.

             He had greyish-black, rough looking skin like coal and pure black, wild hair. His hands didn’t move from their position in the air and Dave could see orange-red nails, long and sharp like a bear’s, and in one of his curled hands, there was a strange purple substance.

             Even if his physical appearance screamed at Dave to move the sword, to end the other’s life, Dave stayed still as he stared into the red eyes.

             He thought of the coal pile no so long ago… the time Broderick had left him out in the cold… and the last thing he saw when he thought he was going to die not so long ago…

             “I know you,” Dave said slowly and he lowered the sword.

             Eyes are windows to the soul, Rose had once joked with him. But, that was true, he always saw what everyone was thinking through them.

             And all that Dave could see before was sadness and hollowness, the strange man’s mouth in a stoic line like he didn’t care what was going to happen. However, right as Dave said those words out loud, the other’s eyes widened. For a second, all there was in the red eyes were a surprise and… hope.

             He had done nothing to protect himself, Dave suddenly though, he had enough time to do whatever when I got the sword. He had enough time, why didn’t he try anything? Why did he just watch and wait?

             There was no release of breath from the person, only the glowing red eyes relaxing into their regular almond shapes.

             “You’re the one who saved me. You save me before,” Dave continued as his mind raced and his sword clattered to the ground.

             All around him, the castle screamed at him with familiarity. He was there in the same room before, in what felt like forever, even though everyone with a calendar convinced him it was only a few months ago.

             The sensations of how he woke up filled him. It felt the same, with the cold, the pain, everything…

             But I am alive. He saved me.

             Dave felt almost a high as he finally met his savior, his strange and humanoid looking savior.

             Dave noticed out of the corner of his eye was a table and on it was a plate filled with the mysterious purple substance and a whole meal set out beside it, with cut carrots, peas, and bread, and a fork and knife beside the plate.

             Though gratitude filled him, a sudden realization struck Dave and his energy lessened.

             “You were going to leave again, weren’t you?” Dave asked slowly.

             The person in front of him still stared, his liquid eyes now flashing with orange and red and sparkles of yellow. Dave watched as the man swallowed, nervousness etching all across his face.

             “Ye-yes,” he answered.

             His voice was surprising. It was almost soft and unsure as if it hadn’t been used in a long time. Yet, he then frowned.

             “You should lean back down, the stitches are going to come out if you keep moving,” he suggested.

             Dave didn’t notice at first, but his shirt was off. A tight and slightly bloody wound stretched across his waist in the middle of his stomach. Hasty black stitches crawled up the wound, wounding about until it ended. He didn’t have to look to feel similar stitches on the backs of his legs, which were screaming at him to sit down as well.

             Dave didn’t move as he stared at the other. Something was itching in his mind as he stared at the humanoid form. Though his skin was slightly rough, with the look and texture of coal, his edges were soft. He had a thick, round nose, and his cheeks appeared full.

             The castle wasn’t always like this… and neither was he. Something whispered in his mind. Dave blinked at the thought.

             “Who are you? What happened to you?” Dave asked and his head tilted.

             The man’s eyes flashed yellow with shock. It was as if the two questions were too much and his mind short-circuited; his expression changing from surprise to anger, too conflicted to choose which.

             “It doesn’t concern you what happened to me,” he retorted and then his voice softened, “and I… I was… It…”

             His words started to fade off and he looked away as if trying to decide what to say was taking up all of his thinking capacity.

             “It isn’t important who I was. Not anymore,” the other finished.

             There was silence. Dave stood there, unsure of what to say next at first. What was there to say? He had no idea who this man was and… And all Dave could feel was sadness and pity.

             He won’t want the pity.

             “I need to know what to call you,” Dave said suddenly, feeling better as he thought of a good way to get a name, “or else I will name you and trust me, that can only go downhill. As in, I will call you something like Fluffy.”

             The man’s attention focused once more and his eyes filled with pure crimson. He huffed, causing embers to fly out of his nose and mouth. He looked at Dave with disapproval.

             “My name is Karkat Vantas, so will you please sit down-”

             “Dave. My name is Dave.”

             Karkat stopped and scowled.

             “Dave, can you please sit down so that I can rub this purple shit onto the stitches so you don’t get infected and die? Because, honestly, it would be nice for you to be able to heal after all the effort I've put into you.”

             The happiness of convincing the other to give his name wore off quickly. It was slightly awkward as Dave didn't really speak as Karkat rubbed the purple substance onto his wound. Annoyingly, Karkat insisted that Dave wasn’t properly trained, so no, he couldn't do it himself.

             So, instead of doing that, Dave awkwardly stared at his knight in shining armor. Something at the back of his mind was telling Dave… something. He couldn’t tell what it was that made Dave want to stare at Karkat more, to understand what was nagging at him so much.

             There was no way he knew this living coal-like person back at the village. Karkat also slouched immensely, so much that his shape might be compared to a candy cane.

             I would have remembered that.

             The moment Dave sat back down, Karkat then ordered Dave to cover himself with a blanket. Dave didn’t mind, he welcomed the warmth and pulled it all the way up to his neck. After a few seconds, his heat started to fill the open air inside, fooling him just for a moment that it wasn’t too cold in there.

             But, it would be impossible to remember that it wasn’t too cold. And that Broderick didn’t leave him there to die. Dave pulled his legs pressed closer against his chest and turned away… noticing the meal on the table.

             There was a strange feeling of gratitude that blossomed in Dave’s chest, yet, also weariness. It was nice, but still, everything was screaming at him to leave. The decaying inside of the castle that was once amazing made a knot in Dave’s stomach. The stinging of his toes, ears, nose, and fingers still took a hold in him causing his attention in his thoughts to fade.

             The room itself, was large, details of painted fairies and vines that encompassed most of the supports were amazing looking, decorated with sculptured wings and flowers blooming at each corner. It would have wowed Dave, but instead, it just filled him with sadness. All of the paintings were chipping and some of the sculptures had cracks or entire pieces missing. And, as far as the eye could see, the castle was strangely empty.

             It appeared the chair, table, and the chaise longue he was sitting on were the only things held in this hollow home. For the size and darkness, it appeared like the eerie structure could go on forever.

             Then Dave’s eyes widened as something came to him. He turned to Karkat once more and noticed the other man’s fiery fingertips pulsing with the fire as the Karkat clenched and unclenched his fists. Dave couldn’t tell what the other man was thinking and unconsciously pulled his own stinging fingers closer to his chest.

             Then Karkat started to walk away.

             No, he’s leaving me-

             Dave lurched after him, his hands lashing out to reach Karkat. Right as he did, his fingers felt like they were being nipped all over again, stinging like he had just closed a door on them. The force pulled the chair a few inches and immediately Karkat turned around with slight surprise on his face. His red glowing eyes flickered with yellow before it maintained its main deep red.

             “This is the castle, isn’t it?” Dave asked, his hands only lowering, his wonder and mostly want of company taking priority over the stinging. “I’m inside the castle.”

             The Karkat stopped, his face blank with little thought. What had fired Karkat up was gone and he sighed as Dave stared at him.

             “Yes,” he replied and there was still a scowl on his face, “where else could we be? There isn’t anywhere else as cold like this for days. And put your hands in the blanket; you have to keep them warm if you still want to use them.”

             Karkat shook his head in annoyance and Dave pulled his hands and arms back into the blanket and leaned up against the chair.

             The castle. I am in the decaying castle. The forbidden castle that is creepy and cursed and scary, no one even comes here, why do I not even feel as nervous as I should? I should be shitting rocks and all I am getting weirded out by is that fact that it is decaying! The decaying castle is decaying, of course, it is fucking decaying, I mean, come on!

             Dave crossed his arms as Karkat waited for him to speak more. There was something in Karkat’s eyes… there was something he wanted to know and the same was for Dave.

             How do I know you?

             It was obvious that Karkat must have hidden all those times Dave and John came through. Dave didn’t blame him… he knew what people did to others who didn’t fit in. Sometimes people were cruel. Sometimes they were mean. Sometimes they were horrible.

             Dave thought of Broderick; what he would have done.

             It isn’t worth going in there unless you are going to use the what little is left for firewood or to destroy it.

             It wouldn’t have just been Broderick. There would have been a mob coming here in seconds to kill Karkat if they knew he was here… so, how could he have survived? How did he grow up? Was he always that way?

             The castle wasn’t always like this.

             “Why did you help me?” Dave suddenly asked.

             The Karkat frowned, almost insulted Dave would ask such a question.

             “I didn’t want you to die out there,” the Karkat answered and began to walk back toward Dave, “and you should stop fucking moving. You didn’t get frostbite, but you almost did.”

             Dave could feel the stinging and then he looked at his hands. His fingertips were a splash of purple and blue and he assumed his toes, nose, and ears must have been the same color. As Dave examined himself he noticed that, once again, Karkat turned away, his back to Dave.

             “I am surprised the wolves didn’t get you either…” Karkat muttered, “And you should eat, you’ve been sleeping for at least a while.”

             “A while?”

             “Maybe two days.”

             What? Two days? He’s been keeping me alive for two days? And wait, maybe two days? He doesn’t know?

             “Maybe two days?” Dave repeated.

             Surprisingly, Karkat looked back to Dave, slouched forward as his hands slacked to his side in almost defeat. His glowing eyes swirled a lazy red and fuschia as he stared at Dave with a precarious look. Dave was momentarily speechless.

             “Yes,” Karkat confirmed with a frown, “As I said before, I wasn’t going to let you die out there. I didn’t before and this time wasn’t going to change anything.”

             Karkat’s tone changed as he finished his sentence. It became light and unsure, even his eyes flashed a different color. Karkat looked at Dave like he was going to ask something, but right after his mouth opened, he closed it.

             “I’ll be with you when you eat and then after that, you should rest up,” Karkat awkwardly said.

             Dave looked at the meal.

             “Uh, okay,” Dave said slowly, “But… I should go. Rose will be worried.”

             Karkat looked at him with slightly wide eyes with recognition. Just before Dave could ask anything Karkat quickly shook his head.

             “There is no horse and there is nothing here to bring you there, you have to stay.”

             “But, I need to.”

             “You are going to freeze again out there. For the third time.”

             Karkat glared at him with fiery red eyes and Dave shut his mouth. Seeing his reaction, Karkat softened.

             “You just have to stay until someone comes for you, which I know some… someone will…”

             Karkat turned around, slouching inward on himself, and grabbed the plate with a piece of cloth. He frowned, walked over, and gave it to Dave. When Dave took it, he could feel the heat come off of the pure black hand and some black dust dotted on the cloth where his hands were. Dave’s eyes blinked as he realized some of the shadows of the shirt weren’t shadows at all; they were more powdery black dust.

              It had come off of Karkat.

              Eating the meal was awkward. Karkat watched and… waited. Dave tried not to pay attention, but it was hard. Thankfully Dave ate fast and in no time he was handing back the plate.

             “You should rest,” Karkat said as he took it.

             Dave looked up at Karkat, who stood tall over him as he still laid in the chaise longue. Then Dave pulled up the blankets, wrapping all of his cold extremities in it. Like before, he looked up to see that Karkat was walking away. Off to where Dave couldn’t guess. It looked like this was a desolate castle, no point in walking around when all of it was going to be as empty as this one.

             The castle wasn’t always like this.

             “Where is everything? Why is this castle empty?” Dave called out.

             Karkat paused at the questions. His expression blanked when he turned back around. Dave instantly realized that he had overstepped something as the other man stood still. Dave watched as his eyes glowed its usual red, his body and clothes highlighted by the little white light that came through.

             “You don’t need to know that,” Karkat muttered as he turned his head away from Dave, hiding his expression.

             Dave didn’t open his mouth again and let the other man walk away. Once he was gone, Dave tried to snuggle into the chaise longue. He didn’t have to do very much and before he knew it he was asleep.

             That is what two more days were like. Karkat being awkward, leaving Dave mostly alone. Dave had learned to trust Karkat more, after all, he couldn’t afford to be on his own. Not while his stitches were still very rough and how he would immediately freeze in the bitter cold.

             Yet, even if it was similar, each day was different. Dave found that the few times he could get Karkat into a conversation, it would spiral into the wackiest topics. During those minutes, it let Dave forget about why he ended up there in the first place...

             However, for some reason, this day started off different. When Dave woke up it was slow. His eyes blinked enough finally that his vision finally cleared. He glanced down to see that his chest was still covered with the strange purples substance, just like before and he was reminded of all of, once again, the events previous. He sighed as he thought his strife with Broderick days ago. He closed his eyes with anger.

             I was so stupid, so stupid, how could I think that I would win? I never won.

             Never.

             Dave opened them and he looked up at the ceiling and for a split second, he thought he recognized it.

             Like the painting above John’s bed, it was filled with woodland creatures, all living together with beautiful lush green forest. Yet, like the rest of the castle, the paint was chipped and now some of the cute creatures had limbs or entire bodies gone, showing the underneath ugly whitish grey of the ceiling.

             Dave noticed one creature in particular, a random reddish crab, perched at the bottom. One of his claws was raised in the air like he was trying to wave at Dave. However, that is where the cuteness ended. The chipped off paint took away the crab’s legs, main body, and eye reflection, showing only an endless and soulless black circle.

             The castle wasn’t always like this.

             Suddenly, the painting that Dave was looking at changed. It’s once dull colors were brightened with the sun, shining almost as bright as the windows. The crab, as strange sight amongst the green and other creatures, stood out even more like a sore thumb.

             Dave looked down to see the same bright place with John sprinting ahead of him.

             “John, I told you, stop running!” Dave’s younger voice called after him.

             “No, you have to meet him!” the younger John yelled back.

             And his friend didn’t stop running. Dave was sure John’s luck would finally run out; there were so many servants, he was going to run right into one eventually. And, of course, right as he though that, John turned the corner and bounced off of someone, landing on his butt with a thump. Dave didn’t stop himself from bursting into laughter as he looked down at his friend.

             Right when Dave glanced up to apologize, his laughter ended. Dave’s eyes widened as he recognized the supposed stranger. In front of his small friend was a man with long blonde hair, spiked up, with sharp classes that covered his eyes, and the most brilliant shirt that sparkled with orange, pink, and white.

             Broderick’s gaze turned toward Dave and he could feel his little heart stop.

             “What did I tell you about coming to the castle?” Broderick asked calmly.

             Dave didn’t look at John’s sad, apologetic face, all he could do was stare at his guardian with slight horror.

             And he knew that if he didn’t turn and go home that he was only going to be punished more.

             Dave turned on his heels and started to run.

             For some reason as he did so, his legs hurt so much more than he remembered, screaming at him to stop. It made the bright castle fade as the pain flared, still, Dave paid no mind, for every other fiber in his being told him to run like his life depended on it.

             Dave’s chest burned, not where his heart pounded, but like needles were picking and prying all across his stomach.

             What is happening? Why is everything hurting? This isn’t the way it was, this isn’t-

             Dave’s feet suddenly wasn't on the ground anymore and then his cheek hit something hard. He blinked his eyes to only see white and that was when the pain set in. His legs burned and his chest felt like it was ripped open.

             However, he didn’t try to move. He didn’t have to open his eyes to know that the snow was dyed red and the stitches were probably out.

             Like before, cold started to take away his warmth.

             Why does this keep happening? Dave thought as his fingers, toes, and ears began to numb, and he started to sit up, brushing the cold snow away from him as he tried to stand, Why is this always happening? He isn’t even here and he is still trying to kill me…

             Just as Dave tried to get to his feet, he couldn’t. His muscles, it was like they stopped working, and he stayed on his hands and knees.

             Fuck.

             “DAVE!”

             Karkat.

             Dave didn’t try to maneuver anymore and out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Karkat run down from the castle entrance. He noticed as Karkat touched the snow it steamed and melted, while the once reddish black skin hardened into pitch black.

             “I can’t move,” Dave immediately said as Karkat got close enough.

             “You can’t move?” Karkat repeated, looking very worriedly at Dave, his red eyes filled with fast moving yellow.

             Dave shook his head and he began to shiver. He became very aware that he only had pants on and, sadly, those weren’t going to help him stay warm.  

             “I- I don’t- don’t know,” Dave quickly said, offering on hand, “just, help me get up.”

             Karkat didn’t hesitate; instantly he pulled Dave to his feet. There was a struggle as Dave stood. Now that the adrenaline from the run was gone, all Dave felt was pain and exhaustion taking ahold of him. Dave’s legs trembled and just before he was about to fall, Karkat caught him.

             He… he isn’t burning me… why… he feels almost like a normal person…

             In another swift move, Karkat held Dave in his arms. Dave felt relief fill him, but he still continued to shake.

             “You’re bleeding, all the stitches are gone- my god, did you run out here?” Karkat scowled, “I left you around for a few minutes and you are already trying to kill yourself!”

             Dave didn't answer the ramblings and suddenly his teeth began to chatter. Even if Dave reared up something to say back, he couldn’t.

             Karkat brought Dave to his chair he sat at before, laid him down, and then put a blanket over him before rushing over to the plate with the purple substance. In one of his hands, he carefully held a needle with black thread, and in the other, he held a white cloth. When he sat down he frowned as Dave kept on shaking.

             “You are shivering,” Karkat quickly said, “why are you still shivering?”

             He said it with slight confusion and worry, Dave could already see from his facial expressions he was trying to solve the problem. His hands nervously rubbed his arms, his bright orange nails lighting up his dirty white shirt.

             “Well, it’s c-cold, ge-genius,” Dave chattered, scowling at the other.

             Karkat scowled.

             “You were warm before,” Karkat retorted, “Why did you have to go outside? Why did you do that, there aren’t any horses, nothing, it’s like you want to die or something. Stop moving so I can fix this-”

             “I can’t! I can-can’t stay st-still!” Dave interrupted.

             Dave threw his arms out in annoyance. He immediately regretted it as the cold bit at his fingers and a cool breeze blew against his chest, making his shiver intensify. Karkat’s eyes widened, panic setting into him as his eyes darted around the castle. Of course, there was nothing and no one to help, the castle was empty.

             “We aren’t lighting anything on fire,” Karkat quickly said, “there is no more firewood left.”

             Karkat’s red eyes glanced back and at him this time scooted closer. Dave looked at the other quizzically until he started to feel heat returning to him.

             Dave didn’t realize how much heat Karkat gave off until then. The side closest to Karkat instantly warmed, leaving a tingly feeling as his body began to stop shaking. Dave felt his muscles begin to ache from the shivering.

             “Please hold still, now, Dave,” Karkat murmured.

             Dave did what he was told. He didn’t move as the other took out the old stitches, cleaned him up, sew new ones and covered the cuts with more purple gauze. Dave felt like he finally woke up, his brain not foggy with the alert of hurt everywhere. Even if the pain screamed at him before, now it was numbing and he blinked clearly, finally looking at Karkat’s red glowing eyes.

             “Thanks… again,” Dave said.

             Karkat glanced up momentarily before he focused back onto his task of spreading the purple substance.

             “It’s nothing, just stop doing stupid things,” Karkat replied and then he leaned back, away from Dave, admiring his work, “that should be good…”

             Before Dave was going to respond, something caught his attention and like a moth flying to a light, he was suddenly consumed by it. It was Karkat’s hair. The way it curled upward, like a tree seedling… it reminded Dave of something, something he had seen before…

             It isn’t possible. I would have remembered Karkat if I had met him before, I would have remembered the coal like skin and fire… but…

             “Why are you looking at me like that?” Karkat asked.

             The question took Dave out of his thoughts and he finally saw Karkat staring at him with puzzlement.

             “Nothing,” Dave quickly responded.

             Karkat’s eyebrow quirked like he seriously doubted that. However, within a second it was gone and Karkat’s lips pulled downward in disappointment.

             “Okay,” Karkat said and while still sitting, turned around away from Dave.

             Karkat’s orange, sharp nails peeked out from his sides as he crossed his arms. The brightly colored nails were turned toward his black rock-like flesh, the nails somewhat stabbing at his own arm with random intervals. Dave didn’t say anything.

             He didn’t know what to say.

             Dave didn't dream when he fell asleep and when he woke up, he only felt tired. Dave looked out to the window to see only white.

             He tried his best not to think of the last time he woke up, but it didn’t work. Shame and sadness filled him; the fact that he had run out into the snow… and that that bright world Dave saw every time he froze had become tainted.

             Broderick found him after all, like in this life… and John never did show him who he wanted Dave to meet so badly. Dave turned away from the white window.

             What time is it? How much has passed?

             His extremities weren't as cold or hurt as much as they did before and neither were his cuts. When Dave looked down at his chest was covered in the purple substance, yet the corners looked like they were already healing.

             Dave felt a shiver run down his spine. He looked to the empty fireplace next to him and a part of him wished Karkat was there.

             Even if there wasn’t a fire, he would keep me warm.

             “I think we should go over the rules for this castle,” Karkat's voice greeted him.

             Dave was somewhat startled, his legs extending without a conscious command that instantly ended with pain. He turned to see Karkat, whose red eyes was already gently looking at him.

             How long was he there?

             Karkat stood a good length away, his arms crossed firmly, yet uncomfortably across his chest. His red glowing eyes avoided Dave’s and embers came out in bursts as he breathed more harshly than before.

             “One of the rules is that you can’t light anything, even candles,” Karkat started.

             “Why did you do it the first time, then?”

             There was a surprise and then annoyance in Karkat’s expressions.

             “That was for a different reason. But, now that you are going to live here longer, there are no fires.”

             Dave stayed silent as the other stood hesitantly. He remembered the other’s reluctance to light a fire when he was shivering so hard. There was so much against it, so strongly against it, Dave wondered why. Yet, even as he wondered, he stayed content without the knowledge.

             There was so much he still didn’t know about Karkat and Dave was sure he was going to learn more… If only the other wouldn’t leave him so much.

             The castle wasn’t always like this...

             “And you can’t go into the left side of the castle,” Karkat finished, much quieter than the first.

             “Why not?” Dave finally asked.

             Karkat looked up to him and his eyes still remained their calm, yet fiery selves.

             “You don’t need to know.”

             Dave didn’t open his mouth again. Even while eating food and then laying back down again, Dave didn’t speak to Karkat. Together, the two boys were silent until Dave had laid to rest.

             “I am going to stay with you as you sleep,” Karkat told him.

             It was clear why. Dave could see it in Karkat’s eyes, the concern and lack of trust in Dave trying to take care of himself. Dave couldn't blame him, not after what happened… not after all of the times Karkat had to save him.

             So, Dave just laid down, only nodding slightly.

             And he breathed. As he breathed, he tried to relax and not think of the mess of his life. How he was with a stranger in a decaying castle, a place he felt more comfortable than his own house. Shame welled up Dave as he tried to sleep, to ceasing thinking of it all.

             As Dave's mind finally teetered on consciousness and unconsciousness he heard the other whisper something.

             “Why does this keep happening to you?” Karkat uttered.

             Dave stayed laying up against the bed, his lips sealed as he breathed. It was slow and deliberate, enough for Karkat to believe that Dave had already fallen asleep. The outside windows still whistled as the wind blew hard and Dave could hear the castle creak and shudder at the could.

             There was an audible sigh from Karkat as there was no response. Dave resisted the urge to frown, feeling something tighten in his chest as Karkat sat next to the other in the chaise longue. Dave could feel Karkat starting to mess with something around his legs. In a moment, it became clear that it was some of the blankets, pulling them up to Dave’s shoulders.

             The heavy fabric hugged around his skin and then there were a few patters of feet as Karkat walked and came back. The chair only moved slightly as Karkat scooted closer and then stopped. Dave could feel the heat radiating off of the other, warming his feet and legs.

             Dave finally let himself frown as he thought of the other’s question.

             He wanted to say Broderick. It all came down to him, all of why he had ended up here, the greyness of his life, the reason why he couldn't see his friends. But, what Broderick had said stuck in his mind about being a broken record. Dave’s vivid visions, his lack of living in the present, and everyone’s confused, worried, or angered faces when they realized he was in another world and missed everything that had happened.

             He knew they were annoyed.

             He was annoyed too.

             I don’t know.

Chapter Text

           A day passed by. Dave woke up to Karkat watching him. There had been banter, of course, with most of it playful. Not another vision had popped up and Dave could rest and heal in peace. However, after a full day was resting he was feeling antsy.

           When Dave opened his eyes he instantly closed them. It was so bright; the white felt like it was nearly blinding him. Of course, that was only at first. When he blinked more, Dave noticed that the bright light of the snow was actually lower than he had thought, low enough that the light outside the windows was only a dark blue instead of grey.

           It must be night…

           Dave moved his legs, stretching them enough that his muscles started to feel as if they hadn’t been moved in days. The blanket stretched and in that moment some of the warmth escaped, leaving coldness to race and take the space. Dave frowned, trying to stop the heat from leaving too much.

           It was only one day… Only one since running out there into the snow…

           Dave looked over to see Karkat, sitting not too far away. His red glowing eyes were trained shamelessly on him.

           “How exciting has it been to see me sleep? And, like, are you trying to be creepy? I know you are my knight in shining armor, but you really don’t have to do all of this. I can take care of myself,” Dave greeted.

           Karkat’s calm face contorted into annoyance and he scowled. His fiery red eyes glowed brighter.

           “No, I wasn’t being creepy… And I only came here because I just heard you move.”

           Dave sighed and he brought the blanket up close to his neck.

           “I don’t know, that’s still pretty creepy.”

           Karkat groaned and rolled his eyes, leaning back into his own chair. Like before, Dave noticed that there was still no other furniture. The castle was empty as it all the other times. Karkat looked away, not bothering to answer Dave, and for a second Dave wished he hadn’t teased Karkat into silence.

           Please, please talk to me.

           Dave frowned as he watched the other start to walk away. He looked back down on the cold ground. Though it almost felt foreign to move his feet and legs, Dave did so anyway, swinging them over one another and onto the cold ground. The moment they touched the floor Karkat’s head whipped back around.

           “What are you doing?” Karkat questioned.

           “I am walking, what does it look like?” Dave calmly answered.

           Karkat instantly frowned.

           “I don’t it would be good for you to be walking just yet.”

           Without thinking, Dave stuck out his tongue.

           “I need to exercise,” Dave answered and before Karkat could stop him he stood, putting all of his weight onto his feet.

           To say the least, his legs weren’t doing the best. They shook like he was a newly born fawn, only stabilizing once Dave stood tall and had his hand on the chaise longue to keep his balance. He smirked at Karkat, who looked at the other with sternness.

           “Whatever, just don’t ask me to redo the stitches when they come out,” Karkat growled.

           Dave stood with a frown.

           “But they won’t, I’ll be careful,” Dave whined.

           And just like that Karkat changed. His stern and anger faded as he just stared at Dave with a blank look. His eyes, instead of flowing, stayed still, the normal red a constant glow. Karkat uncrossed his arms as he glanced down at Dave’s legs then his face.

           “Okay… then you can come with me,” Karkat answered softly.

           Dave stilled. However, the freeze wasn’t from a vision taking over, it was just a pleasant surprise.

           “What are we going to do?” Dave asked hopefully.

           He took a step forward. It was harder than normal; the stitches didn’t like to be moved around. As his muscles tried to work the stitches constantly reminded Dave of that fact every moment he did. However, as Dave went slowly, the pain subsided and he began to make at least a turtle's pace instead of a snail’s.

           “Chores and rules,” Karkat replied, “But first, I want you to wear something in addition to your dirty clothes.”

           It was hard to “wear” a red blanket. Then Karkat just snarked that “whatever, just have the damn thing.” Thus, Dave wore it around like a cape, tying the ends around his neck. When he did start walking, however, he was thankful to have it. Even if cold air sometimes snuck its way through there was at least a way for the warmth to stay close to him now.

           Most of the other parts of the house were much colder than where he was.

           “But I already know the rules,” Dave said in the silence.

           He could hear Karkat sighing in annoyance in front of him. The two of them had already started walking away from the main room they were in and it had been at least five minutes of walking. Karkat took Dave through some hallways he had never seen before. Dave tried to keep up, realizing that if he ever did lose Karkat he would easily become lost in the large castle. Thankfully, Karkat waited patiently for Dave (patiently, though he frowned and crossed his arms as he waited).

           They were now venturing through a hallway that was cleaned up, surprisingly. Other than the ripped wallpaper and sometimes discolored flooring, it was devoid of candles, leftover wax, and broken paintings.

           “Well, then,” Karkat replied, as he stood, arms crossed, waiting for Dave to catch up to him. “care to repeat them to me?”

           Dave, on the other hand, responded rather quickly, for he was only slow in his movement.

           “No fire.”

           Dave sighed as he trudged along in the hallway, then he smirked. “Not even if one of us is freezing to death.”

           Karkat rolled his eyes, which stayed their glowing blood red color.

           “You aren't going to freeze. You have that blanket I gave you.”

           “Really? I can already feel the cold seeping in, taking over like an infestation of dandelions, where no matter how many flower crowns you make they are still there. Blooming and making more yellow disasters all over the place.”

           Karkat still watched him, clearly not fazed. He shook his head and turned back around.

           “I am not going to let that happen,” Karkat declared, and then his voice softened “you’ll be still nice and warm by the time someone comes for you.”

           Dave didn’t know how to respond to that. The clear belief that someone was coming for Dave should have made him feel better, but it didn’t. It only made himself feel pity that Karkat didn’t have that.

           Who could be coming for him? He’s… not really human…

           Anymore.

           “Here we are,” Karkat said as he stopped in his tracks.

           Dave was silent as he looked at what Karkat was standing in front of and noticed it was… just a wooden door. It didn’t appear very special, in fact, out of the whole castle, it looked the most simple one. It was just a wooden door, only random black dust on the bronze handle.

           “The second rule, which you got me sidetracked from going over, is that you aren’t allowed to go beyond this point,” Karkat finished.

           “Really?”

           It just looks like a regular door!

           Karkat turned back around and glared at Dave.

           “Yes.”

           Dave glanced back at it, slightly confused. Yet, this time as he stared at it he noticed the edges and the bottom weren’t totally brown like the rest. Instead, it was misshapen a little and black with some reflection of white.

           It’s charred.

           “Now that we have that taken care of,” Karkat began to walk away even as Dave stared at it, “we move to the chores.”

           The first thing was meticulously cleaning the dishes that were used that day. There was a specific amount of soap used, water, and then laying of the shiny white plate on a towel before it was dried.

           “Do you want me to help?” Dave asked quietly as he watched Karkat go onto his fifth plate.

           There was no giving Dave a sponge, nothing. After scanning the area, he noticed that there was only one.

           “No, there isn’t much to do… I can do it myself,” Karkat answered quietly, his eyes trained on the plates and silverware with a soft gaze.

           Even after Karkat had put away the few dishes his attention lingered a little longer than normal before turning and walking out. Out of the room and into another hallway. Of course, all silently.

           It was down the hallway covered with broken portraits and some glass. Dave strolled behind Karkat; Dave’s eyes wandered all over the wreckage as if it was still the first time he had ever seen the room. Karkat stepped calculatedly, his own red glowing eyes on the ground as he moved, avoiding the glass and broken objects.

           “Why don’t you try to clean this part up?” Dave asked.

           “There is no point,” Karkat answered quickly, “I don’t really walk through here anyway.”

           “Then why are we going through here?”

           “To get you some things.”

           “What things?”

           Karkat stopped and looked back at Dave. Once again, it was good timing. Dave had gotten a little further behind than he would have liked; if Karkat took a few more steps he would have disappeared behind the walls.

           His eyes swirled with red and slight yellow as he stared at Dave with an annoyed look.

           “Things to make sure you don’t freeze to death.”

           “Oh.”

           “Yeah, just… wait here.”

           Before Dave could even say anything Karkat was already scurrying away. Dave stayed reluctantly, looking around until his eyes settled on the window at the very end. It shone a blinding and ugly white from outside, sometimes moving as the wind blew and fought against the windows.

           Dave pulled the red blanket closer to him unconsciously.

           “Did the window open?” Karkat asked.

           Dave looked to see that the other had appeared with a large amount of white fabric in his hand, almost covering his face. After Dave didn’t answer fast enough and Karkat turned to see the window, still perfectly closed.

           “No, it isn’t open,” Dave finally answered, frowning as he covered himself more.

           Karkat glanced back at Dave.

           “Okay, then let’s go.”

           The time was silent as they moved through the castle. Karkat placed a large number of white blankets at the very chair Dave had seemed to claim.

           “So, what now?” Dave asked.

           “Onto the next thing,” Karkat answered simply.

           Karkat’s day was a lot shorter than Dave thought it would be. The other man was slow, though, his movements cautious as he moved through the house. Karkat still waited for Dave to catch up as he climbed the stairs or swiftly walked through the hallways. It was helpful, the wait, especially when Dave’s feet still hurt or when he almost tripped over the red blanket he carried throughout the castle with him.

           Still, after two hours the two sat down to eat on the only table within the whole castle (and where it seemed the only chairs were). Dave tried to make conversation with Karkat, but the other seemed to be distracted. Either he was just paranoid or he was expecting something this whole day.

           My friends and Rose? Is he worried they will come now? Dave thought as he ate.

           And suddenly there was a loud roar so loud it shook throughout the whole castle. Dave stood up, his legs telling him that he wanted to run, yet, he stayed where he was. There was no one to run or warn except for Karkat.

           And, yet, when Dave peered down at Karkat there was no shock or worry in his eyes. All of his anxiety had vanished even if he did appear tired.

           “It’s nothing,” Karkat immediately said, as he stood up, “you should sit down and finish.”

           What?

           “It’s not nothing,” Dave insisted, “that was definitely something.”

           There was another roar, this time loud and then something large crashed beneath them. Dave frowned as he looked at Karkat and that was when he realized the roar was familiar. It sounded the same the last time Dave was here with John.

           “You still have that thing here?” Dave asked, almost offended.

           Karkat glared right back.

           “Of course, I still have him, he lives here!” Karkat snapped, then he turned back toward the sound and scowled, “He’s just a little upset, most of the time he isn’t alone this long.”

           “Visit him- alone this long?” Dave repeated and then shook his head, “What? You just have a beast inside the castle.”

           Karkat’s eyes flared with brighter red and swirls of yellow, teeth shone through in a glow of red, and embers wisped out of his mouth and nose like flurries. His pitch black skin started to crack and boil. Quickly red lines started to pulse through Karkat’s body. Dave could easily feel the heat radiating off of the other, enough that he started to sweat underneath the blanket. Dread and regret started to prickle at Dave and he shrunk away from Karkat.

           Whatever he reared up to yell at Dave was put out instantly and his swirling eyes flickered with regret. Though red still cracked through Karkat’s exterior, Karkat looked away and started to breathe loudly, as if trying to calm himself down.

           “Of course, Eridan is still here, this is his home,” Karkat muttered hastily as his eyes darted uncertainly back at Dave, then the ground, “I’ll be right back, don’t destroy everything while I am gone.”

           Quickly, Karkat walked away, leaving Dave sitting at the table by himself. Only when Karkat got to the door frame was there hesitance in his steps and for a second Karkat glanced back at Dave. His eyes were read, swirling with yellow.

           However, after that moment, Karkat left.

           Another roar sounded until there was nothing.

           And Dave waited.

           Why was I so shocked? Of course, there is something living here, look at Karkat! He doesn’t really scream normal! And I insulted him… the person who has saved my life enough already…

           Dave finally heard Karkat’s feet pattering the wood when he was almost done eating. Karkat didn’t appear to be roughed up if anything he seemed to just be tired… and wet. His shirt was somewhat darker with water as if someone had splashed him. As Karkat walked in he was silent and didn’t look up as he sat in his chair. Meanwhile, Dave clearly watched without thought.

           “Sorry for my absence,” Karkat muttered insincerely, his red eyes already glued back down at his food as he picked up his fork.

           There was silence as Dave watched Karkat, waiting for him to say something. However, Karkat didn’t.

           “No… I am sorry,” Dave apologized, “I… I didn’t think.”

           There was silence as Karkat still stared down at the food, not making any movement to eat any of it. For a second, Dave wondered if he had broken the other.

           “No,” Karkat finally said, bowing his head lower, “you didn’t know what be sorry about, all you heard was roaring and the strange coal man that doesn’t tell you shit. Don’t feel bad… There was no way you could have known, about any of this really. No one… no one knows. No one knows about any of this.”

           Dave didn’t know what Karkat meant… Whatever it was, it didn’t make Dave feel any less bad. Dave watched Karkat drop his fork, hold his head above the plate still filled with food, and sigh deeply. And Dave only felt worse. A type of negative feeling that seemed to come from the castle, something that depressed Dave clouded over them.

           They didn’t speak for the rest of the night.

           Despite all of the blankets Karkat had given Dave and the warmth that it gave him, he couldn't shake the chills of their conversation. He mostly stayed awake, thinking about what Karkat meant with his small monologue.

           Everyone knew about the castle, but not about the people within. Hell, Dave would have thought Broderick knew about Karkat… After all the times his guardian had passed through the Dark Forest and purposely near the castle he should have at least caught a glimpse of him… then again, Karkat was hiding when Dave and John came through…

           No one knew why Dave kept on having those visions when he came back from the castle. Not even Rose offered theories, for she was immediately stumped. Dave could be out of the real world for minutes at a time more than once a day and no one knew what was wrong with him.

           Karkat had been so upset. No tears fell from his face, but Dave almost wished they did. It would have been better than the hallowed doldrums and depression that seemed to take a hold of Karkat. No one should feel like that.

           No one… no one knows.

           Dave felt his heart turn as he could hear Karkat’s words in his head.

           I’ve… I’ve been there… At the village so long ago… No one should know how it feels.

Chapter Text

           The woes of yesterday didn’t fully leave when Dave woke up in his chaise longue. He was no longer as cold as before; all of the fabric collected yesterday held in what heat Dave could make. Sadly, that wasn’t much and there was another thing that bothered him: his blisters. The blisters from the cold finally had burst. He could feel it on his fingertips, his ears, and his toes, a type of pain that flared like needles.

           Dave looked down, already feeling the wetness where the blisters were in his fingers. Instead, Dave was pleasantly surprised. His fingers were covered in white fabric and the wetness was from the purple substance.

           How did Karkat know?

           Luckily, the stitches were still in and didn’t sting as Dave sat up and looked around. All he saw was the emptiness of the castle and the table beside him, which had food already made and two empty chairs set across from one another.

           Where… where is Karkat?

           “Karkat?”

           Dave’s voice was more insecure than Dave wanted. Dave couldn’t do anything as the name started to echo in the castle. However, something came to match it: small patters on the wooden floor and despite the softness, Dave heard it immediately. Finally, Karkat’s face appeared; his clothes were different, with black splotches painted in fewer areas than before (though mostly in the same places as before).

           There was more water on his shirt and underneath Dave could see Karkat’s skin totally black. Karkat wasn’t smiling, his eyes clouded like there was too much on his mind to even greet Dave.

           “Why are you covered in water again?” Dave asked.

           Karkat’s eyes finally focused on Dave and it looked like Karkat became… alive. Quickly Karkat frowned. After a little sigh, Karkat made his way to Dave.

           “Eridan is still upset with me for yesterday,” Karkat explained as if the occurrence happened every other day, “he splashed me again when I came in.”

           Dave didn’t know what to say other than Eridan was starting to sound more and more like a five-year-old. Though, what kind of five-year-old could ever produce a roar as he did?

           “Splashed?” Dave repeated as he let his now clothed feet touch the ground. It hurt a little and when he put weight on them the pain flared even more.

           Stupid blisters.

           “Eridan really likes to be in the water, constantly…” Karkat answered, the last word mumbled barely above inaudible.

           Constantly.

           Instead of wondering, Dave found that statement rather acceptable. It went through his mind as if Rose was talking about knitting another scarf or sweater even if she had done thousands before. Nothing out of the question.

           Even if it was a beast they were talking about. A beast he hasn’t seen before.

           The castle wasn’t always like this.

           Dave wrapped the red blanket around his shoulders as tightly as he could and stood up.

           “It would be nice to meet him sometime,” Dave muttered.

           There was surprise in Karkat’s eyes and they swirled yellow before he looked away. Karkat’s hands and glowing nails moved between a fist and flat out.

           “I can have you meet him, of course, when he isn’t being a fucking baby and gets over himself,” Karkat replied, looking back at Dave like a tired parent.

           Dave laughed and he found that he was already beside the chair he was walking to.

           “That’s a great idea,” Dave smiled, “I personally wouldn’t like to be a victim of the splashes, I have enough ice all over me. Might as well be the ice king and start collecting enough taxes to make the seventeenth bathroom in my house. Sixteen is not enough when you still have to walk for more than one minute to relieve yourself.”

           Karkat huffed and he sat down across from Dave, some embers flying out of his nose. Karkat frowned and waved the ashes away from the table.

           “My god, I’d rather be hanged than bother having to take care of two princes.”

           Conversation over breakfast went by fast, but it was actually enjoyable. Teasing mostly and everything was light and carefree as they spoke. The clouds of yesterday had somewhat disappeared, leaving a strangely sunny day, even if all it did outside was snow.

           Dave convinced Karkat to do the dishes later after a bit of bickering. Instead, they wandered the castle aimlessly, talking. It was strange, but every so often the conversation would end in silence. The sun had gone away once more: Karkat tapered off at almost every subject. Dave and Karkat’s discussion ended in potent silence and they stopped walking.

           The place they stopped was a hallway Dave hadn’t seen before: the wallpaper was slashed, as if by a knife, with dust, splinters, and little debris littered the floor as if someone had broken things and then hastily took away the big pieces. Though the marble seemed defiant, there were still several cracks and even parts totally chipped off, and wind howled even as there was no window in sight.

           However, Karkat didn’t seem bothered. He only seemed empty. His eyes blank as they looked out at the place, devoid of anything at all…

           Dave was reminded of his times in the village the past few months. Though, they felt so much longer than months. Even if the greyness made it an eternity, it must have been more.

           It must have been.

           “Karkat.”

           Instantly the other looked up at him. His eyes were red, though yellow and white joined it at the edges.

           “How long have you been here?” Dave asked.

           It was a question that Dave didn’t even think about before it he blurted it out. Right as the words did come out, Dave wondered if the question was overstepping a boundary or a large stone wall that was never going to break- maybe it should never break- even if Dave had these weird thoughts, it couldn’t lead to anything- right?

           Karkat looked away from Dave.

           “I have been here for as long as I can remember,” Karkat answered, “but… the castle wasn’t always like this.”

           Dave’s mind stopped.

           “What?”

           Karkat glanced up, “What?” he repeated with clear surprise on his face. Dave didn’t process Karkat finally returning to reality, his red eyes glowing and flashing color as he thought.

           “What did you just say?” Dave asked once more as he moved closer to Karkat.

           Karkat appeared nervous at the sudden approach and question. Karkat’s eyes darted around like he had been caught doing something wrong, the look of trying to know an escape if they needed one yet at the same time knowing they weren’t going to leave. Finally, his glowing red eyes settled on Dave; the nervousness had ceased and now there was something else, something…  

           “I said, uh, I was always here, that… Things were different,” Karkat mumbled. Karkat’s eyes changed instantly, the yellow and orange edges disappeared and in flowed dark red with flecks of pale violet flames, which flickered off at the corners.

           Different. Different like brighter? Lighter? More colorful?

           The colors in Karkat's eyes awoke Dave’s memories of his visions, the vibrancy, with sunlight pouring in and everything seemed so alive, so real

           -but it couldn’t have been real! The castle was always like this. The forest has always been dark and dying, the castle and everything surrounding it had always been decaying, a lost relic of a time forgotten.

           That is why no one came; why everyone was afraid of it.

           But…

           Was it? Was it always like this?

           It couldn’t have been. Dave wouldn’t have been feeling greyness take over his life the moment he came back from the castle the first time. Dave wouldn’t have spent so long feeling like something was missing.

           John and Rose, he knew they felt it too.

           The way that Karkat’s eyes and facial features swelled with the endless sadness and longing, there had to be something else before.

           No one should feel this pain. This sadness. No one.

           Before Dave could think he placed his hand on Karkat’s shoulder, wanting to both comfort and ask more questions, let him know he wasn’t alone, not anymore, and to understand all that was happening. There was so much that went through Dave’s mind, he couldn’t quite think straight as everything came into one- one thought as he noticed something change in front of him.

           The swirls of color slowed in Karkat’s eyes as he focused on Dave; at the same time, Dave felt his mind finally decide what he wanted to do, with more determination than he had ever thought possible to possess.

           Things don’t have to be this way.

           “Dave!”

           Rose’s voice?

           Before Dave could realize he recognized the voice the moment was broken. Dave’s eyes widened at the call and so did Karkat’s. Inside the red eyes, the calm disappeared as yellow crashed in with fear. The two boys stayed motionless, Dave’s hands still on the other’s shoulders.

           “Your friends are finally here,” Karkat muttered, mixed with both happiness and sadness despite the slight terror.

           “DAVE!”

           John’s voice.

           At the second call of the name, Dave could feel Karkat’s muscles tense underneath his fingers. Dave could tell Karkat wanted to run; Karkat’s hair already stood on their ends and he was already on his toes, ready to sprint.

           The only thing that was keeping Karkat there was Dave’s hand on his shoulder and unbroken eye contact.

           “Karkat, they’re nice, they won’t do anything,” Dave whispered back reassuringly to him.

           Karkat didn’t look convinced.

           “I want you to meet them,” Dave added.

           Maybe then he will see they aren’t so bad. Maybe then he won’t be so sad… I… I feel better when I am around people...

           That was when Karkat’s eyes really went wide. Dave realized what he said still wasn’t convincing, in fact, it seemed to cement Karkat’s decision of not following Dave. There was a flash of something before he frowned.

           “Are you mad?” Karkat hissed and he backed away from Dave, letting the latter’s hand fall, “Do you remember the first time you met me? You almost killed me!”

           Embers flew out of Karkat’s mouth, dancing on Dave’s skin before disappearing away. The embers were like the loud words traveled around the castle like a flood, so big it was unignorable at first and then became an unnoticeable trickle.

           Karkat’s eyes widened in horror once more; immediately Karkat covered his mouth and backed further away from Dave. There was only a second where Dave stood still, staring back. After that, Dave walked forward, determined.

           “You can come with us,” Dave said.

           Karkat was flabbergasted. After some of the shock wore off and noticed Dave waiting for him to answer, Karkat quickly shook his head and his eyes were filled with yellow.

           “No, no I can’t possibly do that,” Karkat rushed out, still shaking his head as he looked away from Dave.

           “Why not? Wouldn’t you want to come?” Dave pried as he walked once again closer.

           Instead of answering Karkat whipped around so that his back faced Dave and Karkat’s arms crossed protectively over his own chest. Karkat still shook his head, though slower.

           “Karkat, don’t you want to leave?” Dave pushed even further, creeping up onto Karkat’s right side.

           “I can’t leave,” Karkat muttered as he closed his eyes and looked away from the other once more.

           “What? What do you mean you can’t leave?” Dave asked.

           Why am I caring so much if he stays? I just met him and just because he has saved me doesn’t mean I have to give up my life for him! Karkat can stay in here if he wants to, if he doesn’t want to live then that’s his own choice- no, I can’t let that happen.

           Why- why do I care so much?

           I don’t know, maybe it’s the fact that he can finally answer everything, that he can finally answer why I have these visions, why time is so slow, why everything is like this-

           “Because I am cursed, Dave!” Karkat snapped, scowling to himself as he covered his face with his hands.

           Karkat glowing red and orange sharp fingernails raked softly down his own cheeks, scrapping tiny specks of dust of coal off his face. Once more, Dave saw the red disappear as yellow and blue seemed to fight in Karkat’s eyes.

           “I can’t go outside,” Karkat muttered as his hands drew to his chest, “it’s too cold. Before I can get even halfway out I know I’ll burn out… and die- Maybe- I don’t fucking know ... but I don’t want to find out.”

           Karkat stopped looking at Dave. His black shoulders were all the way up to his neck as he continued to look away from Dave.

           “You should go… You should go back with your friends,” Karkat uttered while his gaze was on the ground, “There’s nothing… there’s nothing for you here.”

           Dave didn’t know what to say. Though he wanted to make Karkat feel better, to make Karkat argue with Dave like he did that morning, the way Karkat closed himself off… it didn’t exactly encourage Dave to push Karkat any further.

           There is nothing here, a strange and deeper voice in Dave agreed, only strange things and a broken castle.

           “Go, Dave. Go,” Karkat whispered with his back turned and he seemed to shrink even more, “there is nothing here. Not anymore..”

           Dave watched as Karkat slouched and his arms returned, crossed over his chest. Dave almost wanted to put his hand on Karkat- maybe twirl him around, convince Karkat that with a horse, it would be faster and maybe covering him with fabric would help keep him warm enough. But… Dave knew that wouldn’t be enough.

           That beast… that beast that Karkat takes care of… He won’t leave without him…

           With a small, almost inaudible sigh, Dave took a step away from Karkat. Reluctantly, Dave looked into one of the other room where he knew his friends still wandered, looking for him. After glancing back one more time to see Karkat, Dave reluctantly began to make his way toward his friends, his shoulders slumping further down the farther he walked away from Karkat.

           Their calls of his name echoed through the castle, almost making a song. It would have amused him if it wasn’t that the castle was most certainly a maze.

           And if it wasn’t the thing that made him feel so bad… So bad for leaving Karkat…

           A struggle ensued in Dave as he continued to mull over what to do as he was walking… To stay was to finally know, but what would it be? Would it really answer everything he wanted? To go back with his friends, it would return him to a grey life... But it was a life he knew…

           “I’m here!” Dave called out.

           Dave turned around to see that Karkat was already gone. Something inside of Dave sank, deep and low within his chest.

           “Dave!”

           Finally, Dave began to follow the loud calls.

           “Dave!”

           Dave was nearly tackled by John and suddenly Dave was very much aware of the blisters on his feet and the stitches on his stomach and legs. Dave let out a groan of pain and John jumped away as if he himself had been burned.

           “What happened? What’s going on?” John asked immediately, already walking around Dave, examining every inch of him.

           Dave’s legs wobbled as he pushed past the pain to stand. Finally, the waves faded to a more tolerable level.

           “The wolves got me,” Dave lied and then his eyes widened as he saw Rose.

           She was wearing a practical dress with rather generous layers for the cold and only a small amount of black lace. She probably had convinced Broderick she was going on a long ride outside of town. Relief washed over Rose’s face as their eyes locked onto one another and for a moment Dave forgot about the thought of Karkat for a millisecond.

           And only a millisecond.

           “The wolves? We haven’t seen any wolves here,” John frowned.

           “Yes,” Rose agreed, “if there are wolves here then we have done some injustice to Jade; she was upset enough that she had to stay outside with the horses.”

           “Jade is here?”

           They all came for me… This is… This is serious.

           Of course, it’s serious! You nearly died! Gone for almost a week; Rose probably expected to see a body! She knew that it would happen when you went with Broderick- she knew and she has probably been blaming herself for letting you leave with- with-

           “Yeah, she’s here,” John answered.

           Dave stared blankly as he continued to think.

           Broderick is still there. Still at home.

           Dave felt his insides twist and turn. Dave could hear his best friend’s smile in his voice, even as his eyes were trained on Rose. And in a second Dave noticed Rose’s happiness start to waver as she stared questioningly and concerningly back at him.

           “What, what is it?” John asked, looking between his friends.

           John obviously picked up what was going on between them and some of his excitement melted away too. Guilt started to well up in Dave as their happiness faded.

           “Rose, I need to talk to you,” Dave watched as John still listened in on them and once again Dave glanced at his sister, “privately.”

           John was obviously upset that he was being excluded. However, John respected Dave’s wishes and without another second to waste he wandered away from the twins. Dave waited until he could hear no boots hitting the floor before he spoke.

           “It was Broderick,” Dave simply said as he turned to her. Instantly her purple eyes filled with rage.

           “I knew it; I knew it would happen when you confronted him when he was so rude to John and Jade, I knew he wasn’t-,” Rose’s hands clenched at her sides, “what happened? He’s the reason you have the stitches on the backs of your legs, isn’t he?”

           Dave blinked but slowly he nodded and Rose stomped her foot harshly on the ground before she began to pace. Dave stood there, watching as Rose muttered under her breath, clearly ready to chop Broderick’s head off. However, Dave knew she wouldn’t do it when she got home.

           At least, not yet.

           Suddenly, reality dawned on Dave. Why he was there, why they all were there, what would happen if Dave were to go back…

           It wouldn’t change.

           “That’s why I can’t go… with you all,” Dave slowly explained.

           Instantly Rose stopped in her tracks; her rage gone. Dave looked down.

           “That isn’t the only reason,” Dave mumbled as he slouched in on himself, “but… I probably shouldn’t go back… I’ll… Maybe next time I won’t be so lucky… and… and…”

           Dave felt as if he had seen Broderick not so long ago. Though it had been almost a week since Broderick had left him there to die, it felt as if Broderick was there even sooner. Instantly, Dave thought of his vision, the first time he had ever seen Broderick in one…

           “I’ve only had one vision while being here,” Dave realized out loud.

           Rose watched her brother in shock; the only flash of something other than worry? Betrayal? He couldn’t tell with her.

           “One? Only one? You’ve been here for almost a week.”

           “Yeah, only one” Dave replied as he held his pointer finger up, nodding. Somehow, this was good news. Or was it?

           But, Dave’s excitement faded as Rose still watched him. Instead of congratulating him, there was only questioning and worrying. His hands fell limply to his side.

           “What else is keeping you here?” Rose asked as she walked closer to him.

           “There… There isn’t anything…” Dave’s words trailed off as his lie obviously didn’t stick, “Okay, there is. I… It isn’t my place to say why, so- so I need you to trust me.”

           Rose didn't react to his rushed out words at first; her purple eyes stayed blank. However, in a moment her mind was made up.

           “Do you have food and warm clothes here?”

           Dave sighed in relief, smiling as he finally started to breathe again. Rose somewhat reluctantly joined in his good mood, the corner of her lips quirked upward while her eyes still expressed concern.

           “Yes, yes, I think so,” Dave finally answered.

           “Think so?”

           “I…”

           I don’t know. How does Karkat even have food? How could he unless everything is canned? Nothing, nothing can grow here...

           “I’ll be back in a few days when I can get out of the house,” Rose said without Dave’s answer, “to… to check up on you. Bring things, maybe a horse just in case...”

           Rose’s corner of her black painted lips still pointed downward and she crossed her arms uncomfortably. Her foot now tapped nervously. It was obvious she wanted to say something else, so Dave waited for her.

           “It is… probably good for you to stay,” Rose reluctantly agreed.

           Though those words should have reassured him, they didn’t quite do the job. Dave still felt conflictions.

           “We should tell John,” Rose said.

           Before Dave could do anything else, Rose was walking away, calling for their friend. Dave’s gaze went to the floor as he made his way slowly after her. John came out of nowhere, his steps bouncing as he joined them once again.

           “Well, come on, get dressed, you’ll freeze outside if you stay like that,” John exclaimed, smiling as he started to walk back to the door.

           “I can’t… I can’t come back with you,” Dave answered.

           Immediately John stopped. There was a moment where John stood still before he turned around. The once excited blue eyes now only reflected sadness and confusion.

           “Why not?” John asked as he started toward Dave.

           “It’s not safe back at home,” Rose answer.

           John’s blue eyes swept Dave’s limp and the way Dave held one of his hands over his torso.

           “What? Not safe?”

           “I just need to stay here.” Dave interrupted.

           John stopped talking as he looked at Dave; it was as if he had seen him for the first time. Dave had never raised his voice at John; it even caught Dave off guard. Dave shook his head and walked over to his friend.

           I do need to tell him, I do…

           Dave thought of the time he was at John’s house when John confessed why he always wanted to go into the Dark Forest.

           It’s something that I know is missing from my life. A good number of puzzle pieces are gone and I feel like they are in there. They’re somehow in the castle.

           When Dave got close enough he could clearly see John was still upset. It was obvious from farther away, but it didn’t quite affect Dave as much as seeing it up close. Dave took a deep breath.

           “There is something here,” Dave explained, “Something that I know is missing from my life… and I… I have to find it.”

           John’s eyes widened and Dave watched as something clicked inside of the other’s head.

           “Then I could help you,” John rushed, “I could stay here with you- maybe I-”

           “No,” Dave quickly said, remembering Karkat’s terrified expression, “at least, not yet. Not yet… Rose is going to come again; come with her.”

           “Oh… Okay.”

           There was reluctance. John looked away, processing it before several flashes of frustration, solemness, and understanding passed over his face. However, in the end, John nodded and surprisingly smiled. The happiness and determination even reached his blue eyes.

           “Then I will come again,” John promised.

           The rest of the visiting passed in a blur, mostly consisting of Dave feeling guilty with their sad faces while still cemented on his decision. Even as the door was opened and the cold nipped at his fingers, he made no move to get any fabric other than his red blanket. Covering himself, he lead Rose and John out of the castle.

           When Dave opened the door he was attacked by Jade with a hug. Somehow when they parted, her happiness faded away just like John. She must have known by his look that Dave wasn’t leaving. After exchanging a few more words, hugs from everyone, he watched as they walked down the castle stairs, slowly and deliberately.

           Dave waved at Rose, John, and Jade as they mounted the white horses, all of them taking their time in case Dave decided something different. However, even with all of the time, he didn’t. Even as Dave watched the horses disappeared amongst the white blanket, he didn’t make a move to run after them. He only watched. Some doubt came in his mind if he made the right choice, a stronger voice that Dave couldn’t crush.

           You have to face him. You have to face Broderick. Avoiding him isn’t strong. Isn’t practical.

           You know he will come.

           Yet, even as that voice drilled into his head, Dave didn’t listen to it. Carefully, he closed the large door, feeling the warmth snake up his veins as the wood shielded him from the snow and cold wind. Dave stood there, motionless for a moment, and then he heard some scuffling behind him.

           “I hope you don’t mind if I stay longer,” Dave said.

           Finally, Dave turned to see Karkat, staring at back him. When Dave caught Karkat’s gaze, the other man quickly turned away, his red eyes flushing with yellow and white.

           “I don’t mind… You can stay as long as you want.”

Chapter Text

            Karkat was… looking at him strangely; His blackened nose twitched slightly in thought and his mouth was pursed. It was like Karkat had never seen Dave before and was now starting to visually inspect him. It wouldn’t have bothered Dave that much, except that Karkat’s normal red pools flickered with random colors. Something was going through Karkat’s mind, what it was eluded Dave.

            Yesterday was rather strange, to say the least. After Dave had told Karkat he intended to stay, Karkat seemed distant, thoughtfully away until the nighttime. And today, like the rest of the previous days, Dave woke up to Karkat not too far away and with breakfast already made. Dave didn’t know what to make of the course of events.

            What Dave did know was that he wanted Karkat to talk… Maybe if Karkat spoke more, it would answer some of the questions that were on Dave’s mind…

            “What is it?” Dave finally asked at breakfast, not too long after it started, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

            The questions abruptly stirred Karkat out of his trance, his eyes blinking furiously before he looked down at his own untouched food.

            “Nothing,” Karkat answered softly.

            “You sure?” Dave asked.

            Once again, Karkat’s emotions flicked across his face as he tried to decide what to do, how to respond. Dave waited patiently, yet, he hoped Karkat would answer truthfully.

            Maybe… Maybe I can talk to him about this place...

           “I am… horrified, and- and glad that you stayed,” Karkat admitted.

           Dave didn’t know how to respond. He could tell from Karkat’s fast glances that the other was definitely telling the truth; Karkat was conflicted about Dave’s presence. Part of Dave wondered why Karkat would be so nervous while the other part of him… The other part somehow knew.

           It was like the times when John said he wanted to hang out with Dave longer in while they were both at the Strider home. Why would you ever want to stay longer in that house? The house that seemed to always put a weight on Dave’s shoulders… Of course, for good reason.

           “I know, it would have probably gotten pretty boring without me here,” Dave said, nodding, “I am one entertaining piece of meat.”

           Karkat’s face scrunched up at Dave’s wording before rolling his eyes.

           “Piece of meat… whatever that means,” Karkat sighed and he turned to look toward the empty fireplace, “all I know is that I can use your free labor for as long as I want.”

           Dave watched as Karkat tried very hard to hold back a smile and instantly Dave snorted.

           “Wow, free labor, I am glad that there is at least something I am useful for.”

           Karkat shrugged as he continued to eat.

           There was silence and, once again, Dave thought of yesterday and all of the other days before.

           How could you feel any better if you do the same thing over and over again? Dave pondered as he watched Karkat solemnly focused back onto the plate in front of him. The moment of when Karkat had said everything wasn’t always like this came to Dave… Well, everything couldn’t have always been this cold and empty shell that it was, now, could it?

           The coldness of the room suddenly started to creep in and Dave shivered.

           “Why don’t we do something different?” Dave suddenly asked.

           Karkat looked back up with suspicion.

           “Something different?” Karkat parroted.

           “Something fun. I mean, I am feeling better and now my legs are just tight, doing something could help that.”

           Karkat blinked at the words. There was something like a conflict that passed through his eyes, showing as the red flashed with yellow and blue. Dave found himself surprised that he liked the change in colors; it was easy to see the gears turning in Karkat’s head… Unlike someone he knew...

           “What do you find fun?” Karkat finally asked, his eyes still swirling with yellow.

           Dave blinked and looked away, trying not to be caught staring.

           “I don’t know. I guess, messing around? Talking, playing stupid games, threatening people when they win a board game, demand a rematch, and end up staying at the table for three days, which then turns into a lot more because how on Earth could you already have a white beard in just three days,” Dave rambled and watched as Karkat’s eyes returned fully to crimson red.

           “That doesn’t sound fun whatsoever,” Karkat said quietly, “I’d prefer not wanting to tear out chunks of my hair in frustration.”

           Despite his words, Dave could hear it in Karkat’s tone and a small curl of his lips that he was amused.

           “Then what do you suggest?” Dave asked, leaning forward, “What do you like to do?”

           Karkat acted, once more, surprised. After he had processed the question again, he moved the food around on his plate and pursed his lips.

           “I… I normally read for fun.”

           Dave instantly snorted. For a moment, Dave thought of his sister, Rose, who he often caught reading. Though she didn’t like to read around Broderick, there were the few times where she was relaxed enough to be surrounded by blankets and pillows, smiling as something good in her books had happened… Or maybe something else, Dave never really wanted to find out what.

           After grinning at the memory, his smile quickly faded away as he remembered Rose was now all alone with Broderick…

           She can take care of herself… couldn’t she?

           “Reading?” Dave repeated, shaking his head, both trying to shake the sudden sadness and show his fake disapproval, “With the words and everything?”

           Karkat rolled his eyes again at Dave’s sarcasm.

           “I should have guessed that you wouldn’t like to read, I mean,” Karkat finally looked at Dave and then gestured to him, “look at you.”

           Dave made a mocking offended noise and crossed his arms.

           “How dare you assume something totally correct,” Dave said and looked the other way, “it’s fine. We can do that. If you’ve got books, then we can, I don’t know, read… Though I don’t want to read.”

           “I can read it out loud,” Karkat replied immediately, “as long as you hold the book.”

           Dave first didn’t understand why Karkat had added that fact. However, Dave unconsciously glanced to Karkat’s hands, who’s black dust was still on the tablecloth and his clothes.

           “Sure,” Dave agreed, “as long as we get to do a thing I pick next.”

           “Which stupid game?”

           “That’s a surprise.”

           Karkat watched Dave, waiting for a second in case Dave really was going to tell him. After a few seconds, it became clear Dave wasn’t going to tell Karkat and the latter sighed as he went back to eating. Yet, Dave noticed some excitement in the anticipation.

           Dave was sinking into the couch, slouching into a strange position with a blanket over top of him, while Karkat sat next to him, with only a slightly better posture. However, Karkat was seated a distance away, on the blackened spot of the couch; even not right next to Karkat, Dave could feel the heat radiating off of the other.

            The library was like the castle; there was only one chair while bookshelves filled, surrounding them on all sides. The wind and snow merely tapped the large glass windows, which casted pale white light, creating long shadows and greying the large room.

            The book Karkat picked was long- longer than Dave had originally thought. And strange, in that seemed to try to fool Dave that it wasn’t a romance, even if it was undoubtedly one. However, the way Karkat read, it… wasn’t half bad. In fact, the story made Dave relaxed beyond he had ever known.

            Dave didn’t quite catch all of what was happening, yet, he did get was that there were two people who were destined to meet… Destined to meet and yet, because of an evil stepmother, they couldn’t…

            “We can finish the rest of it later,” Karkat said, suddenly stopping, as he nodded for Dave to close the book.

            “What? We just got to the good part,” Dave complained.

            Karkat rolled his eyes.

            “So, we can finish it later, your eyes were starting to droop.”

            “They weren’t drooping.”

            “Don’t tell me they weren’t drooping when I can see very well with my own eyes that they were, in fact, fucking drooping like trying to keep them open was requiring all of your energy.”

            Karkat grinned as Dave opened and then close his mouth, not knowing what to say. Dave immediately huffed in response, rolling his eyes as he started smiling too. Dave put in a bookmark and closed the book.

            “Now that we are both in agreement-” Karkat started.

            “No, we aren’t!”

            “Agree to disagree,” Karkat continued with a smirk, “what was the damn surprise that you had in mind?”

            Dave looked out and exhaled as he avoided Karkat’s eyes; even as Dave didn’t look back at him, he could see the red swirling inside them.

            “You didn’t have one thing in mind, did you?” Karkat asked.

            “No, come on, man, stop rushing me! Perfection takes a while to get,” Karkat groaned in annoyance, “but, actually, I do have something already so, I guess I am just perfect without the time,” that earned Dave another eye roll, “I was thinking… we can just talk. Or whatever,” Dave shrugged, “With my friends back home, we’d always waste time together just talking…”

            Talking for hours...

            Karkat actually became serious as he pondered the idea, his eyes changing color as considerations ran through his head. All the while, Dave really did want to chill… And for some reason, his plan of asking to get what had happened at the castle had evaded him.

            “Sure, I guess, but what about?” Karkat asked.

            “Anything and everything.”

            And that was how they spent the rest of their time until lunch and dinner. Even while they prepared the meals, there was light banter, and afterward, when everything was done, they left the dishes to be done later since Karkat had to show Dave the “worst painting there was and ever will be.”

            At first, Dave couldn’t believe Karkat; how could there be a terrible painting when the castle was so decorated? Why buy something terrible when you have so much money? Well, that was the answer- since there was so much money, it probably didn’t matter.

            “Holy shit,” Dave said in awe.

            Karkat wasn’t lying.

            Unlike the last beautiful and somewhat realistic painting of the prince and king, this one… Well, this one was far from it... Very far…

            The eyes were crudely drawn and the person’s shape- it couldn’t have ever been done seriously. What poor bones the figure did have, they were all broken, one way or another. They might have been fighting, since there were also outlines of swords, however, it was still very unclear exactly what they were doing with the jumble of limbs and random lines.

            “It’s the best thing I have ever seen,” Dave said with a smile.

           The next day, Karkat was unusually excitable. There was a smile sporting his face and Dave couldn’t help but realize that Karkat looked human while doing so.

           Breakfast contained even more laughter than the day before. Dave didn’t know how, but the two of them had begun to relax in such a way that Dave didn’t worry about what he said; his rambles and strange way of speaking only became longer and weirder. Though, it didn’t matter. Karkat matched, his speech became longer and filled with more cursing and jabs as they spoke. Breakfast didn’t even end until after two hours.

           “Don’t you dare shame me for reading books with sex in them when you are the asshole that said he liked to draw dicks everywhere, including professional fucking documents!” Karkat exclaimed, laughing.

           “How else am I supposed to entertain myself?” Dave protested, “Just become a bland blob that actually finds that boring shit interesting?”

           “No, you are supposed to just have actual hobbies to entertain yourself like a normal person!”

           “Like reading indecent books?”

           “Oh, my fucking god!” Karkat screamed and then shook his head, “And to think I was actually going to introduce you to Eridan today, then I would have two annoying people instead of one!”

           Eridan. That is the beast… The person…

           Dave remembered when Karkat had mentioned he didn’t want to take care of two princes…

           The prince.

            Karkat smirked as Dave immediately shut up and his head tilted.

           “That is, if you want to meet him,” Karkat hesitantly added, his eyes now filling with yellow and steam started to rise from his head.

           Dave didn’t break contact and quickly began to notice Karkat’s confidence slightly wavering as his eyes shone with more and more yellow. Dave was saddened he could recognize the other’s timidness, as for the reason why Karkat became suddenly shy, Dave could only guess. Maybe Karkat had been hushed before about his life, maybe Karkat was reconsidering his offer, maybe Karkat thought this would be the last straw and Dave would run away forever, maybe, maybe, maybe.

           “I would like to meet him,” Dave confirmed.

           Karkat nodded and the shyness went away.

           “Good, we could do that now; its right about the time I would normally go to see Eridan,” Karkat said as he stood up and Dave watched as some vapor above Karkat’s head started to dissipate.

           “Okay, lead the way, o’ wise traveler who knows the ways of this maze-like castle,” Dave replied as he stood up, slowly walking.

           Karkat watched Dave with an estranged face, obviously thinking the long rambling very much unnecessary, and then he smirked. Dave couldn’t help but smile along too.

            After twists and turns down toward surprisingly clean hallways, they found their way to what looked like the entrance of a dungeon. The walls and floor were stone and water seeped in, creating puddles that littered the floor and drips came from the ceiling, creating a mysterious and melancholy song.

            This is why he told me not to bring any blankets, Dave thought, it would get wet immediately.

            Every time Karkat stepped into one of those puddles, his feet sizzled and a small cloud of steam rose. However, as they neared the end, Dave noticed Karkat had begun to purposely avoid the water. When they came upon a rotting wooden door Karkat stopped and faced Dave.

            “Okay, I want you to stay behind me,” Karkat said sternly, “I’ll let you get closer to him if I know he’s calm.”

            Dave nodded. There was some surprise; though he knew Eridan was definitely not human and had heard his monstrous roar before, he couldn’t believe this was the same- person? Beast?- Eridan that Karkat always talked about like spoiled prince.

            Could he really be a prince?

            Yes. After all, the castle wasn’t always like this.

            Dave kept his mouth shut as Karkat turned back around and placed his hand on a charred handle. Then, Karkat opened the door.

            “Hello Eridan, I’m back,” Karkat greeted, sounding like he was speaking to a friend he had known for years.

            Dave didn’t think too oddly of the situation, trying to focus on following Karkat’s instructions of staying behind him. Yet, as Dave entered, his eyes started to wander and investigate the room.

            This place, unlike outside, was literally filled with water. As the floor went below, it was covered up with a clear and cold blue and the stone flooring shone from below. The only light came from small torches and candles near the doors and it casted a weak glow, leaving what could have been an enormous room veiled in darkness.

            Dave looked down at the water and stones, trailing the green moss growing all over the slippery surfaces.

            Then, the water started to ripple.

            And Karkat started to push Dave backward with one of his hands that was gently holding onto Dave’s shoulders.

            “Eridan likes to show off,” Karkat explained softly, “and splash. You might want to move back.”

            Dave gave Karkat a weird face, but before Karkat could say anything else, something jumped out of the water.

            Karkat wasn’t kidding that Eridan liked to show off.

            The water grabbed onto grey-white scales for far too long, making the entrance out of the pool appear as if time had slowed and physics stopped working. Even as Karkat stood firmly in front, Dave’s eyes widened at the shape of the beast stood grew to a large and dark from. Dave only glanced away to see the water embrace his feet and leave, with some of the liquid staying and sucking up Dave’s warmth. Water hissed at the heat of Karkat and Dave realized that Karkat seemed to shrink at the contact of the water.

            Dave quickly stood tall.

            “What did I tell you about the dramatics, Eridan,” Karkat scowled, looking at a part of his now damp shirt as he began to steam.

            There was a low guttural sound in response from the large mass and Karkat shook his head even more firmly.

            “We go over this every single time, I don’t like you splashing me all the time!” Karkat groaned in frustration and then he turned back to Dave, “Now you’ll receive the glory of meeting this self-obsessed douchebag.”

            Karkat moved, revealing more of the enormous fishy creature.

            “This is… Eridan,” Karkat said as he motioned to the beast.

           Dave’s attention turned toward the… no, not the beast, Eridan,  before him. In short, Eridan didn’t look like anything Dave had seen before. He could have been a very large dog with the way he sat before Dave, but his face didn’t quite have a snout and his chest and legs were far too large to be a normal quadrupedal. Eridan also had slick skin of scales, shiny with the water, claws, sharp teeth like a shark, and gill looking organs on the side.

            However, his face was something most similar to a person’s. Long and oval shaped, with a chin, nose, and eyebrows, and eyes-

            They were purple.

            I have seen them before

           “Hello Eridan,” Dave greeted.

           There was a pleasant rumble from Eridan and his mouth curled into something like a smile. Dave’s head tilted at the gesture. Dave’s attention traveled up to the beast’s hair… water animals shouldn't really have hair, it drags in the water…

           It was dark black with a purple streak in the middle.

           Dave’s surroundings disappeared and he was in the hallways of the castle again, staring up at the painting of a saddened boy with dyed hair and an emotionless father at his side. The two wore clothes Dave had never seen before, so detailed and beautiful, that he only felt awe. An echo of John screaming his name sounded and then Dave found himself staring at the beast before him once more.

            It was different hearing Karkat call him a prince, but for Dave to suddenly realize who the prince was, what he was supposed to look like… It was a whole other feeling.

           “He wasn’t always like this,” Dave stated as he backed up suddenly, “how? How did he change so much?”

           When Karkat didn’t respond right away, Dave turned to look at him. Karkat’s red eyes glowed with yellow and he purposely pointed his gaze away, his lips pursed into a line.

           Dave reluctantly glanced back at Eridan. Now that Dave was closer, he noticed the way light reflected off of Eridan’s eyes… there seemed to be something- no, someone in there. Waiting. Waiting for something.

           “It’s… it’s a long story… A long story that doesn’t need to be told,” Karkat finally answered.

           Dave turned to see that Karkat was staring at the ground, his eyes glowing pure yellow.

            “Why not?” Dave asked, looking back at Karkat with concern and curiosity.

            Karkat’s eyes flickered with intense white and purple and then nothing.

            “Because it doesn’t change anything now,” Karkat said.

            Eridan didn’t seem to like that. The once calm being suddenly turned tail and rushed back into the water, letting a loud and big splash be thrown at the both of them. Steam rose off of Karkat again as it hit him and Dave jumped back, shaking himself like a wet dog. Once again, cold claimed Dave.

            Karkat huffed and stomped away from the water.

            “Eridan’s just a baby sometimes, don’t feel bothered by it,” Karkat murmured with annoyance, “We can get something to dry you off.”

            Karkat turned back toward the exit and Dave followed suit. Dave noticed that some of Karkat’s stomps had become steps once again, slower and melancholy.

            “We’ll come back, Eridan,” Karkat promised at the door, his voice soft.

            Then, Karkat opened and ushered Dave out of the room and both of them were greeted with a rush of even colder air.

            “So… what do you want to do after getting dry again?” Dave hesitantly asked.

            Karkat’s eyes flushed red and purple.

            “Next… we clean,” Karkat replied, his voice soft and sad, “The dishes had piled up since we didn’t do them yesterday.”

           Dave started to notice a pattern in Karkat. Right when he would mention or see something about the changed castle or Eridan, Karkat would turn blue and cold as the constant snow outside. Of course, it didn’t last long, and in a matter of time, Dave got that smile and laughter back.

           But, it always occurred in loops. Happy and sad; Dave couldn’t ever stop the fall. The thing that he did notice over the few days was that Karkat didn’t stay that way. Almost through force, and sometimes after a certain joke, Karkat was happy once more.

           Even if Dave still wanted to ask what had happened to the castle, there wasn’t time. At least, that was what Dave told himself. That was what he had told himself as he wandered the castle with Karkat, catching glimpses of Karkat’s smile whenever the other wasn’t looking at him. Then they came to the spot where Dave had explored before, the one time with John, the broken ballroom…

           “Really? Make a game out of jumping over the fucking chandeliers?” Karkat repeated Dave’s suggestion, “That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of, it’s like you want to get all of your feet sliced up and mangled.”

           Though his words were slightly mocking, it came out like a tease with a large smile on his face.

           “Well, what is your brilliant idea?” Dave asked cockily, raising his eyebrows.

           Karkat narrowed his eyes at him.

           “Why are you asking that like it would be hard to think of something? Anything is better than jumping over glass and landing on more glass,” Karkat pushed Dave playfully and embers flew out of his nose and mouth from his large grin, “and I’ll take you up on that stupid dare… My brilliant idea is that we should do what the room is used for.”

           Dave’s eyebrows went up in confusion even with his large smile.

           “And what? Dance? Dance with no music?”

           Karkat groaned loudly as if Dave said the stupidest thing ever.

           “Yes, of course, we can dance without any music. If you really want some music so bad, why don’t you sing?”

           Dave felt himself blush a little.

           “Fine, then we can just dance without any music,” Dave compromised.

           The excitement on Karkat’s face wavered as he looked back at Dave’s arms; he was suddenly very hesitant. The idea that was his now appeared to not be the best idea after all.

           “Actually,” Karkat started.

           “Nope, come on,” Dave interrupted and held his hands out, “you can’t go back now, you suggested it and now we are doing it, you cannot stop this serenade from happening... No takesies backsies.”

           Several expressions passed Karkat’s face all in a few seconds. First, confusion and then what Dave expected, frustration.

           “Takesies backsies? What are you? Five?”

           “Yes, we have already established that a long time ago,” Dave stoically responded, “Now take my hand so we can do this thing.”

           Once again, Dave offered. Karkat’s playful look swayed obviously on nervousness as he stared down at Dave’s hand, yellow flaring in his eyes.

           Why is Karkat looking at me like that? What is he thinking? Dave wondered and he felt something sink in him, Does he not want to touch me? Why wouldn't he? Does he think I'm disgusting or something, no, no I am not- Wait- Why do I care?

           Karkat’s head tilted as he put his hand in Dave’s, the black coal leaving some ash on Dave’s fingertips. Dave could feel the heat radiating off of the other and watched as Karkat’s nails continued to glow a bright orange.

           “I don’t know how to do this, so let’s just guess,” Dave admitted.

           Karkat snorted in annoyance, however, he didn’t take his hand away. There was more surprise when Dave pulled Karkat closer, putting his other hand under the Karkat’s back.

           “And now you put your other hand on my shoulder,” Dave said.

           “What happened to you not knowing how to do this?” Karkat retorted, “And- and I know that. I know how to do this.”

            Yet, Karkat’s hand still hesitated as he placed it on Dave’s shoulder. Dave could feel his clothes start to heat up and even burn a little. As some of the smoke started to rise, Karkat looked like he was going to pull away before Dave frowned.

            “Dude, this shirt fucking sucks, just let it burn,” Dave reassured.

             Still not sure, Karkat made a face. However, Karkat left his hand there.

             And they started to move. Of course, slowly, stepping on each other’s toes, in circles, avoiding the larger broken glass that littered the floor yet still crunching as they stepped on other pieces. Somehow, there was a pattern developing, a step, side step, and a step, so they were going in small circles.

             After a smirk and will for adventure, Dave started to move their route out of the circle, exploring and twirling around the broken chandeliers. There was a small huff from Karkat and Dave could feel the places where Karkat’s hands were: it started to heat up even more, warming with worry.

             “Watch out for the large pieces, I’m not immune to sharp things,” Karkat sputtered as they missed another large chandelier.

             Dave smiled as he pulled the other into an open area, their feet still crunching on the glass, “Don’t worry, I won’t let the glass cut you.”

             There was obvious surprise on Karkat’s face, his eyes widened, and his eyebrows rose. And his eye colors changed once more; however, instead of turning yellow, it burned a brighter red than normal.

             And suddenly Karkat stopped moving.

            Dave stopped as well and watched Karkat with concern.

            “Are you alright?” Dave asked.

            Karkat didn’t seem quite how to answer and embers flew out of his nose and his eyes didn’t stay one color, but flashed red, orange, blue, and purple, like flames. All at once there was more steam coming from Karkat and it burned Dave. Instinctively, Dave’s pulled his hands away.

            In that instant, Karkat’s exterior changed once more as Karkat’s eyes widened further and, for once, stayed completely red.

            “I’m sorry,” Karkat apologized as he backed away, his hands held to his chest in shame and horror, “I didn’t mean to!”

            Dave tried to walk closer to the other, wanting to put a reassuring hand on Karkat’s shoulder but thought better of it, “It’s fine, I know it was an accident.”

            Karkat shook his head and turned away. As Karkat stood, he seemed to shrink into himself.

            “I’m sorry,” Karkat muttered softly again.

            “It’s fine,” Dave reassured, walking up closer to Karkat, “And… and we don’t have to dance if you don’t want to.”

            Karkat looked back at Dave and for a second, Dave wondered if he had said the wrong thing again.

            “No, no… Dancing was fun…” Karkat’s eyes stayed red, absent of yellow, “I… Next time I won’t… I won’t burn you,” Karkat promised.

Chapter Text

           Karkat was a little worried at first. Dave could see the hesitation as Karkat tried his best not to even touch Dave, even avoiding the other’s hands as Karkat handed the towel for Dave to dry the dishes with. However, by the next morning, Karkat was less on edge, much to Dave’s delight as they wandered around the castle together… and ended up, for the first time since they danced, in the ballroom.

           Though Dave would have said that he had no idea how they ended up there if Karkat asked, it was definitely on purpose. Dave didn’t even hesitate to run in, his feet crunching on the shards without care as he had his boots on for the first time in forever.

           “Do you ever want to clean this shit up?” Dave asked as he kicked the broken glass with his boot.

           It was funny, Dave didn’t even have to worry about his legs. Nowadays, they didn’t hurt much, only when he was doing something too fast with too much force. Something like kicking a glass only created an itch of pain and then after a moment, it was quickly forgotten.

           Meanwhile, Karkat hesitated. After a moment of consideration, Karkat walked in. His feet avoided the shattered glass altogether, his red eyes trained on the ground the whole time as he slowly made his way through with Dave, together weaving in between the fallen chandeliers to their destination on the other side. Still, there was an unavoidable crunch as Karkat stepped on the glass with his own shoes.

           “No,” Karkat answered truthfully, a small frown on his face as he accidentally let his food crush another shard, “there is so much to pick up… and, I don’t know, I’m never going to fucking use this room anyway.”

           “But we used it yesterday,” Dave said, smirking as he walked in front of Karkat.

           Karkat smiled and shook his head; tiny embers flew out of his ears and nose.

           “We can always pick another room, a room with less work instead of a shitton,” Karkat replied, looking around.

           It definitely wasn’t that pretty anymore either, not with only the white light coming from outside. The two of them were lucky enough that most of the intricately shaped windows were intact; they were beautiful, shaped like diamonds. However, the rest of the part had snow coming through, maybe even poking out more shards of glass.

           “Yeah, but come on, this is what the room was made for, dancing,” Dave whined as he grabbed Karkat’s hand and began to slowly twirl around. Though Karkat first protested, it faded away into as he burst into laughter.

           “You are such a loser,” Karkat said through the giggles.

           Dave smiled back, “And you are too, you book reader.”

           That earned a snort, shooting embers out that created more black spots on the already charcoal ridden white shirt Karkat wore. Not noticing, Karkat rolled his eyes.

           Dave couldn’t help as he smiled while looking at the other. There was something about Karkat, something that Dave couldn’t figure out, but for some reason, Dave always seemed to be so happy around the other… it was unlike Dave had ever felt before…

           It doesn’t feel like I am going the same meaningless shit when I am with him, does it?

           As both of the boys quieted, Dave started to wonder if Karkat thought the same about him- if Dave made the other’s life different, maybe too excitable for the number of times Dave had come close to dying on him, but definitely fun.

           As they stared at each other, Karkat suddenly blinked and his smile was gone. It was all so fast, Dave couldn’t help as he watched Karkat’s eyes started to flash from red to a loud yellow, and then all at once, it was purple.

           Purple- doesn’t that mean he’s sad? What is he thinking? What is going on?

           “What’s wrong?” Dave asked as he stepped closer to Karkat.

           Karkat turned away from from the other before Dave could see his eyes land on one color.

           “Nothing, nothing is wrong,” Karkat briskly replied, frowning.

           Nothing wrong? How does he expect me to believe that?

           “It’s nothing, Dave, it’s nothing that you caused,” Karkat somewhat explained.

           Dave’s head tilted in confusion.

           Why is this always happening? If it isn’t me, why does it always happen when I am around?

           “HEY DAVE!!!”

           Rose? Why is she here so soon?

           Karkat turned back around, his now yellow eyes wide, and Dave’s expression matched.

           “They are back so soon,” Karkat said, sounding both confused and concerned.

           Dave turned around to where Rose’s voice, “Yeah, they are, I don’t know why they would. Unless something really awful is going on there is no point in making this far of a journey- hey, don’t you leave just yet!”

           During Dave’s ramble, Karkat had made it as far as the doorway. Yet, right as Dave called for Karkat, he stopped.

           “You know I can’t let them see me,” Karkat said as he looked back at Dave with a tired face, “and you know why.”

           Karkat said it like he’s said it a thousand times instead of two. Dave didn’t know how to dispute it; Karkat wasn’t wrong and trying to argue with him… That wasn’t going to work. So, instead, Dave stood the dumbly, only feeling regret well in his stomach as a pained look appeared on Karkat’s face and he left.

           It didn’t take long for Dave to find the source of the voice. After being in the castle for so long, he had begun to find the ins and outs, even without Karkat’s help. Though, the other's presence always did make things better… and warmer.

           However, he was shocked to find Rose alone in one of the first floor rooms.

           She had a long purple dress, something certainly for the cold. She had planned this.

           “What’s going on?” Dave asked, looking around, still not fully believing it was only her. Of course, she was alone, just as he assumed.

           Why would it only be her? Unless… Unless it was something serious. Something to do with Broderick.

           Rose looked from the walls, shocked at Dave's appearance as if he had interrupted something important. Then her eyes settled on her brother with a grim expression.

           “I can’t talk for long. Broderick acting like he is going to do something, he’s been quiet, to himself, and less… less stoic…” Rose said, cautiously, as she picked her words carefully, “Maybe he’s trying to set me up with someone to marry in town like before,” frustration filled her voice and she rolled her eyes, but then worry overtook the anger, “but, I know… I know it could be something else. Something to do with you.”

           Dave could feel his heart nearly burst at her last word. He could remember the last time he had seen the Broderick- though, after all those instances of ending up in the castle nearly dying, the last one was going to be the last.

           No, I can’t go back… I can’t go back because the next time I will surely be dead and- and I can’t. Not now. Not when I have something to live for.

           “Anyway, I came here to tell you that I’ll be back in three days time… And if I don’t then something has happened to me.”

           Dave’s eyes widened at her conclusion.

           Wait. What made her think Broderick is going to do something so drastic?

           As Dave tried to catch her gaze, hoping that maybe the lavender would tell him something she wasn’t, he couldn’t. Rose suddenly turned away from him.

           “And Broderick might have found out that I visited you… you know how he has a few clients around here.”

           This time, Rose looked up at her brother. Her face was solemn and stern, like all the other times she had to be. It reminded Dave of the times when she had done that when they were over at John’s house, said a certain phrase and yet hoped he got what she was really saying.

           Be careful, Broderick might come.

           “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind,” Dave replied, frowning as the memories piled up and nodded.

           Rose copied the gesture of the blank nodding, unsure of what to do, and her gaze went down to the floor. The silence between them was strangely uncomfortable; Rose wanted to say something. Dave knew that without even having to guess.

           Yet, instead of saying anything, she threw her arms around him.

           “Don’t do anything I would do,” she said and then she backed away, ending their hug.

           Dave smiled, “I won’t.”

           Rose grinned, “Good.”

           “Good.”

           Rose turned back to the door. She opened it, not reacting to the cold wind and the snowflakes as they lashed against her, rippling her long purple dress. They both looked to see the white outline of Mouse, who nickered and shoved her hooves through the snow.

           “I have to go before Broderick realizes I am gone,” Rose said as they stared at the horse, the only way to survive through this terrible snow and dead place.

           Dave nodded.

           “Then I’ll see you… in three days time,” Dave replied as he looked back up at her.

           Their gazes met and for the first time that meeting, Rose smiled. It was strange to see her black lips tilted upward like that. There was a flash of a younger Rose, one without lipstick, with warmed-red cheeks, a golden glow on her hair, and bright carefree eyes.

           Of course, it immediately vanished, leaving her older and worn from time and the beatings of life.

           “Tell me what you find here, Dave,” Rose said, her eyes lighting up, almost like a flickering lamp compared to the bright eyes of the past. Though it wasn’t much, it sparked something within Dave, something like hope, “Tell me what was missing all this time.”

           “I… I will.”

           When Dave turned back inside it was like something in him had changed once more. There was something fiery in his heart that made some of the chains holding down his shoulders and body break or melt away. His attention turned upward from the ground and saw Karkat staring at him with his glowing red eyes.

           Karkat must have heard some of the conversation; he was neither cheerful or upset as he was a few minutes ago, only concerned. His glowing red nails scratched at his hand absentmindedly as he thought.

           “You shouldn’t stay down here anymore,” Karkat stated.

           “What?” Dave immediately asked.

           What do you mean I can’t stay here? Where am I supposed to go? What am I-

           “If that man you two were talking about is the one that gave you those lacerations on your legs and chest, you can’t stay down on the first floor,” Karkat explained as he turned away, “not when he can see you that easily.”

           Dave started after Karkat, not sure whether to be happy or to start protesting.

           “Well, then where will I go?” Dave asked, confused, “I can’t hang myself up on the ceiling like a bat, though that would be cool and make sleeping arrangements easier, uh… Sadly not a bat-”

           “You’ll see,” Karkat interrupted as he turned around to give Dave a look that made his mouth shut, “just follow me.”

           Karkat moved at a slow pace, one that Dave now caught up with relative ease. They went up winding stairs, though small and cramped hallways, filled with little to no litter until they came to a hallway with rooms on either side. The rooms were large enough for only a smaller bed and some clothes and then, yet, all of them had nothing in them…

           That is, until the very end. It must have been a king-sized mattress with the frame dark, and had four long, barren bedposts, holding up nothing but air. There were candles on the sides, mostly melted, and then new ones were placed on top of them. The blankets on the bed were white, covered with mostly charcoal on one side.

           “This is the only other place to sleep,” Karkat said, frowning as he crossed his arms.

           Dave took a step closer, though he already had seen enough to discern the important things.

           “This is yours, isn’t it?” Dave asked as he looked at the other.

           Karkat’s frown deepened and his eyes flashed yellow.

           “What made you guess, the fact that it’s covered in black or the fact that it’s black?” Karkat asked sarcastically, but then his face softened, “Yeah… yeah, it is. But I can sleep somewhere else.”

           Karkat uncrossed his arms and turned to leave.

           “No, you don’t have to go,” Dave rushed, scrambling to get in front of Karkat and failing, “if- if you go, then I am going too.”

           That was what made Karkat stop.

           “No, I- Dave,” Karkat said, rolling his eyes, “I want you to sleep here. That’s the whole point of this, you sleep here and then that- that person won’t be able to see you when they are strolling by.”

           Dave slide in between Karkat and the doorway.

           “I don’t care. I am not taking your- your bed!” Dave shook his head, “That is not how I play this, I am a gentleman, you see-”

           “You are going to stay here,” Karkat said sternly, his eyes flashing with yellow and red, “I-if you want we can both just be on the damned bed.”

           The wood floor started to burn, smoke curled up, and Karkat let out a frustrated groan as he noticed he was burning. Quickly Karkat closed his eyes and took a deep breath; smoke stopped coming up. Dave pretended that nothing had happened.

           “That sounds fine, I guess,” Dave said with a nonchalant shrug, “I mean, most of the time you were already there when I wake up- so, think of this being easier on you, not that it's less energy to stalk me at night.”

           “Oh my god,” Karkat rolled his eyes again and turned away from Dave, “I wasn’t stalking you, just trying to make sure you wouldn't tear out your stitches again.”

           “I mean, fair point, but still.”

           “Dave. If you keep on talking then we’ll be doing the dishes the rest of the day.”

           “We don’t make enough dishes to do that and we both know that fact.”

           For the rest of the day, Karkat was smiling again. Dave made sure of it.

           Rose said hello to John and Jade with a fake smile when they caught her coming back. It was still in the afternoon- something she had anticipated and hoped since Broderick was often out working with his clients during this time.

           As Rose turned back toward the front of her doorstep her smile morphed into a common frown. She had to admit, it was hard to have her brother away, they were always there for each other, and now… Not so much. However, she knew why Dave wanted to stay. Broderick was only ever so mean to him and…

           She felt the pull toward the castle too. There was something in there that she desperately missed- a presence- a sense of mind- and she longed for it to come back… whatever it was.

           The castle wasn’t always like this.

           Rose unconsciously looked back toward where she was mere hours ago. Even if she couldn’t see the castle from her view, for it was hidden by the clouds, she knew it was there.

           She turned back forward and entered the house.

           “What were you doing this afternoon?”

           Rose couldn't help as she felt her muscles tighten at Broderick’s voice.

Chapter Text

            When Dave woke up he found it strange to find that his surroundings were mostly black. He had gotten used to the blinding white, the wind throwing itself against the windows, and the sweep of cold air that waited to assault him. However, he wasn’t hearing or feeling any of those that morning.

            What Dave found was that his back was warm; it was a comforting heat that easily went through his shirt and thawed his body all the way from his fingertips to his toes. Instead of questioning anything more, Dave relaxed into the new feeling, his mind shifting comfortably between consciousness and unconsciousness.

            Then Dave’s eyes opened and widened with realization about the mysterious heat source.

            It’s Karkat.

            Just as he was about to jerk around to make sure, Dave stopped.

            I don’t want to wake him up.

            Instead, Dave moved slowly. Carefully he tried to edge himself away, trying his best not to move the other, and he finally began to realize he could feel Karkat breathing ever so softly, pulsing more heat through his body that then radiated toward Dave-

            “I’m awake,” Karkat suddenly said.

            Dave stopped inching away.

            “Oh,” Dave replied, “I didn’t want to wake you up.”

            He didn’t know what to do, so he just stayed there with their backs firmly pressed up against each other.

            “I didn’t want to wake you up either,” Karkat admitted.

            After those small confessions, neither made a move to actually get out of bed. Dave could feel Karkat's back rise and fall against him. He put on his sunglasses and blinked as the only thing he could see were the lit candles, all piled on top of each other, their wax easily dripping down to the floor.

            “You have candles in here,” Dave said as if he didn't notice them last night.

            Dave could feel Karkat’s chest inhale and then groan in annoyance.

            “Yes,” Karkat drawled out, obviously knowing where the conversation was going, “I don’t keep them on for long, just long enough so that I won’t break my neck when I walk in and out of here.”

            “That’s a good point, having a not broken neck is a pretty nice thing.”

            Karkat snorted at the response and Dave could hear the smile in the other’s voice.

            “Since we are both up, we should start the day,” Karkat suggested and the warmth on Dave’s back disappeared as he got up.

            Dave instantly whined.

            “Come on, it’s probably too early,” Dave whined and turned to see that Karkat was now standing, looking for his shoes.

            “It’s not too early and you’re just being a drama queen,” Karkat answered, looked at Dave, crossed his arms, “come on, if we get the two chores done now we can go and do better things right afterward.”

            Dave didn’t hesitate as he jumped out.

            “I call we do something fun when we are done,” Dave said as he hopped beside Karkat to put on his own shoes.

            The other rolled his eyes and smiled.

            “What the fuck else were we going to do? Something that just tortures us?”

           It didn’t take long for them to finish the chores of cleaning. However, right afterward Karkat left saying he was going to visit Eridan to see if the “big baby” was done with his tantrums. Dave smirked at the way Karkat spoke about Eridan, the prince, the… the beast…

            No, he’s just Eridan, isn’t he? A voice spoke in Dave.

            “If you want, you can figure out what we should do when I come back,” Karkat finished hesitantly as he glanced back at Dave.

            Specks of yellow dotted Karkat’s eyes in a way that Dave hadn’t seen before. Dave tilted his head at the strange look before he smiled back.

            “Okay, don’t worry, I’ll figure something out.”

            Karkat did a hesitant nod at Dave's response before he went. Right as Karkat left Dave started to realize he didn’t have an idea. He walked silently around the castle, momentarily stopping at the ballroom. An idea sparked in his mind.

            “I can do that… later,” Dave said out loud before he continued.

            He wandered through the ballroom before winding back around to the library. The library was as it was before- dusty and mostly vacant. He looked at all of the books and couldn’t help but be reminded of when Karkat had said he liked reading…

            And then his sister came to mind.

            Tell me what was missing all this time.

            Dave frowned as he could hear her words echoing in his head. Though he had thought about it so much more in the beginning, now… he was finding it hard to. Whenever the past was brought up, Karkat would become upset and-

            Dave didn’t like that.

            A gust of strong wind rattled the windows, awakening Dave from his thoughts. Dave looked out into the white.

            What would have been an easy decision became a hard one. Not only did Rose ask him to start to find out about this place, but John did too, Jade, she might not talk about it, but… there was something about this castle, everyone had that something -

            And… and there had to be something. Something that had happened. Something to explain why Dave’s world was so grey for so long. Should he want to find that out, no matter the cost?

            The cost certainly wasn’t his world or his life, but it was strong enough to make Dave conflicted. Karkat’s solemn look, the dreary way he walked around when the world weighted on his shoulders, and the rather hopelessness in Karkat’s eyes when Dave first met him. There was a small reflection as Dave stared into those red eyes; he had been hollow for such a long time too...

            I don’t want to make him feel like that. It’s… it’s unbearable.

            So, Dave shoved that into the back of his mind. When Karkat came calling for him, Dave answered, with another idea of what to do: finish that book.

            Together the two finally got to the last page of Karkat’s favorite book after a few hours of fun voices and interruptions. What was a strange plot that included pirate raids, random princesses and witches, two talking horses, some terrible, terrible jokes, the two strange soulmates finally found each other. Dave sat up, watching Karkat as he described the people.

            They stood a top of a hill, more than six hundred pages of almost stumbling into one another, hearing of the other’s glory, and having way too many of the same friends, they finally faced each other and smiled.

            “I am glad to have finally met you,” Karkat read.

            Dave blinked as Karkat stopped.

            “Wait, that’s it?” Dave asked, leaning forward to actually get a look at the last page in his hands, “That’s the end?”

            Karkat glanced at Dave with an exasperated expression.

            “Yes, that’s the end, what did you expect? You are literally holding the book. ”

            Dave rolled his eyes, “Yeah, but aren’t they supposed to get to know each other, maybe get some action-”

            Karkat let out a snort that cut off Dave’s ramble.

            “No, that’s it,” Karkat affirmed.

            “No marriage or anything?” Dave asked once more as he leaned back into the couch and stared at Karkat with disbelief, “I mean, that is what always happens at the end of romance novels. They gotta marry and live happily ever after.”

            “No,” Karkat shook his head, “no, this is it. They finally meet and that is the end.”

            Dave narrowed his eyes in confusion. Karkat waited patiently, obviously thinking Dave had more to say. As Dave started he was briefly reminded how it wasn’t like at home, with Broderick. In fact, every time Dave had asked something Karkat was patient… or at least responded.

            It was so strange to realized something so simple was hard to come by at home.

            “You just assume what happens, whatever you want, it happened?” Dave finally asked.

            Karkat blinked at him and smiled.

            “Yeah, and I guess…” Karkat looked away for a second, “I actually never bothered to think of an ending because-”

            Karkat’s eyes changed; his red sprouting orange, yellow, before becoming bright red.

            “Because it was never about that. It was all about meeting someone. How… how sometimes the real magic is the fact that a new person can change everything,” Karkat’s eyes flickered with white, “even if it was a brief or a long meeting with that person, now you are forever changed.”

            When Karkat looked down he could see Dave staring unashamedly at the other.

            “Oh… I never would have thought of that.”

            Waking up the next day was as similar to the first: their backs were to one another. Dave was curled up, his legs close to his chest. He had a dream last night, what it was, he couldn’t tell… No, couldn’t remember …

            Dave thought about Karkat’s book, the strange ending, and what it meant to Karkat. It was, to say the least, on his mind for the rest of yesterday. Meeting someone… How that could affect someone’s life...

            On the topic of meeting someone, he quickly realized this was the second day since Rose had visited. He wasn’t alarmed, but… he couldn’t shake off the thought once he had it.

            I’ll be back in three days time… And if I don’t then something has happened to me.

            Broderick was going to do something; God, he was always doing something. That was why Dave was here in the castle the first place: all because Broderick did something. Most of his somethings were never good.

            “Dave, are you awake?” Karkat suddenly asked.

            Ease washed over Dave as he heard those words and he started to feel his heart start beating slower again. Yet, as he did so, he realized he could feel Karkat breathing too. The rise and compression of Karkat’s lungs could be felt as their backs were pressed up against each other. Though Dave didn’t notice the feeling before, he couldn’t stop thinking about it now.

            “How could you tell?” Dave asked.

            Karkat sat up and the heat on Dave’s back disappeared. Dave would have shivered at the abrupt change in heat if Karkat had actually left the bed. Dave turned to see that Karkat was kneeling on the sheets, looking down at the other.

            “Do you want to know the creepy way or the not creepy way?” Karkat asked, his eyes glowing crimson.

            Dave’s eyebrows furrowed.

            “The not creepy way.”

            “I guessed,” Karkat answered nonchalantly as he got up.

            Dave snorted.

            “That doesn’t sound realistic- so what was the creepy way?” Dave pried playfully as he got up too, trying to put on his layers before his appendages froze without the warmth of the blankets and Karkat.

            “You stopped breathing slowly,” Karkat explained, sounding more nervous as he continued and he looked away from Dave once more, “when a person stops breathing slowly, most of the time it's because they woke up.”

            Dave’s eyes widened before he relaxed and began to laugh.

            “It’s not creepy,” Dave reassured.

            Karkat looked back up to Dave, both surprised and now losing some of his embarrassment; all possible yellow in his eyes disappeared.

            “And you’re the one that called me a stalker for making sure you wouldn’t run out into the snow,” Karkat gave a playful scoff.

           After breakfast, the two went back to the water-filled basement, as they had promised Eridan days ago. Though Dave didn’t wear layers in there, no use if Eridan splashed them again, so left the layers and towels outside that Karkat had encouraged Dave to bring.

           Water dripped from the ceiling, covering up the silence as Dave and Karkat waited for Eridan to make his grand entrance once more. Of course, they stood cautiously further from the water. Karkat stood in front of Dave, waiting patiently before he looked back to Dave after he called for Eridan for the second time.

           When Karkat looked back, he seemed happy- happy maybe because Dave had mentioned about wanting to do this together again.

           “After this, I have an idea,” Dave said suddenly.

           Karkat quirked one of his eyebrows up with curiosity. He turned from the water toward him.

           “Do you? What is it?” Karkat asked.

           “It’s a surprise.”

           Karkat didn’t hide his smile again and his eyes flashed bright red before he looked back ahead and down at the water. Once again there silence filled with the drops that echoed on the moss-covered stone walls.

           Eridan didn’t do an extravagant entrance this time. Instead, he peeped his head out of the water, giving Dave a weary glare. Before Dave could react, Eridan swam further toward the two.

           Karkat watched patiently as Eridan ran out of depth and finally sauntered out of the water. The liquid still clung to his scales like before and, as if a switch was done, all at once the water began to come down like a waterfall. Karkat backed up with a frown before coming closer once more.

           “Dave is here again,” Karkat said, looking behind to Dave with a smile before glancing back at Eridan.

           Eridan peered down at Dave curiously before facing Karkat again; there was no change in expression. Karkat frowned before moving closer to move the soaking wet hair out of Eridan’s eyes.

           “Come on, you remember him, don’t you?” Karkat inquired, sounding slightly concerned, “I know you have a better memory than this, Eridan.”

           Karkat nearly finished pushing back the hear out of Eridan’s eyes before Dave noticed something peculiar.

           What is with Karkat’s hand?

           Dave suddenly pulled Karkat’s hand away from Eridan. Karkat froze, yet, didn’t jerk away as Dave brought the other hand closer to his eyes. He had to make sure what he thought he was seeing was real.

           And it was.

           Karkat’s hand was blackened to the point where it could be mistaken as other chunks of coal. The way the surface reflected the light, it appeared as hard as a rock, and as Dave pressed on Karkat’s palm, it was. Karkat’s fingers and palm didn’t move as Dave held it- they were frozen in place.

           Dave had noticed that where the water touched it was darker, but…

           “Your hand,” Dave said as he held it further away from Eridan.

           Eridan sniffed curiously at Karkat and Dave’s connected hands, confused at what was occurring.

           “Yes, it gets like that when I get too cold or too much water hits it,” Karkat explained with a shrug, “It’s fine. It happens with the dishes- didn’t you notice?”

           Dave looked back at him with a confused and concerned face.

           “No,” he answered ruefully, “maybe the towel was covering up that fact.”

           How did I not notice it?

           Karkat shrugged it off again like it was nothing.

           “It’s okay, it goes back to normal after a little while.”

           Suddenly red and orange pulsed through Karkat’s hand, showing through little cracks. Then his palm bent, red flashing as his fingers straightened and curled once more. As if to show his abilities, Karkat moved his fingers like they were dancing on an imaginary piano.

           Dave frowned at the discovery.

           “So, that is what happens when you get too cold,” Dave muttered to himself.

           Karkat nodded.

           There was silence as their words settled.

           He can’t leave… That is what he means by burning out... 

           Abruptly, Eridan huffed and returned to the water, leaving a large splash in his absence.

           “Ugh,” Karkat groaned as he looked at the retreating form of Eridan with mild scorn, “Maybe he just doesn’t like when all of the attention isn’t on him.”

           With one more humf, Karkat turned back around, “Come on, let’s do something else. Let’s do…” Karkat suddenly stopped and looked back at him, “What is it you wanted to do?”

           Dave smiled.

           “Follow me.”

             It didn’t take long until they were at the entrance of the ballroom; though, the side doors that were always open were now abnormally closed. Karkat squinted at Dave suspiciously right as he noticed.

             “Is this why you had suggested we go the long way around to see Eridan?” Karkat asked.

             His normal red eyes began to dot with orange and blue. Dave grinned as he saw the edge of Karkat’s lips turn upward slightly.

             “How did you know?” Dave asked sarcastically, “well, come on, open it.”

             Dave gestured toward the doors and for a moment Karkat just stared at the handles. Karkat’s head started to steam and his eyes flushed fully red, the bright red Dave hadn’t seen very often. Karkat’s hands clenched at his sides with uncertainty and his shirt started to smoke.

             “Why don’t you?” Karkat said as he glanced back at Dave.

             Dave, pretending not to notice how strongly Karkat was reacting, went and opened the door himself.

             A portion of the ballroom was completely desolate of glass. The few chandeliers and window shards on the ground were now pushed to the edges, and the marble floor sparkled with a clean sheen. Though it was only a small portion, it was easily big enough for two people to dance together and not go around in circles.

             Dave immediately saw the moment Karkat noticed that portion of the ballroom: Karkat’s eyes widened and the front part of his shirt caught on fire.

             “Oh shit,” Dave cursed.

             Karkat blinked in surprise at the smoke in his eyes. Right as he glanced down, his eyes widened, and he furiously began to pat out the flames. In the end, there was a clear blackened spot in the center of his chest.

             “When-” Karkat started, obviously trying to ignore what had just happened, “When did you do this?”

             Karkat quickly gestured to the room before he pulled his hands back and began to fiddle around with them nervously.

             “I don’t know, when you wandered off to do whatever, I decided to… put that time to some use,” Dave answered with a shrug, “You said you wouldn’t mind dancing again and since, I don’t know, this the only physical activity we can do here, I thought- I thought it would be a good idea.”

             In the midst of his ramblings, Dave took Karkat’s hands. The hands were warm and though they first were hot to the touch, Karkat visibly focused on them to cool down.

             “We didn’t dance that much last time and, I don’t know, I guess we could try to make some moves up this time,” Dave continued to ramble and brought Karkat out into the dance floor. Karkat started to protest looking down at his feet and quickly Dave stopped.

             “What?”

             Karkat looked up, a little surprised.

             “I just… I don’t want to ruin what you’ve done already- you know how I shed charcoal-”

             “It’s fine. I did this so that you’d like it, not to sit there and let the ballroom look pretty,” Dave replied nonchalantly, “Or… do you not like it? Do you want to do something else?”

             Karkat briskly shook his head and he started to grin.

             “No! No, this is wonderful! I mean,” Karkat looked out at the ballroom, “it’s… it beautiful. I’ve… I’ve never seen the ballroom sparkle since…”

             Karkat words trailed off; he froze. His face didn’t change as he looked out at the room.

             “What? What’s wrong?” Dave asked.

             Karkat blinked more, his red eyes turning yellow that later flushed with purple and white.

             “I can’t do this,” Karkat suddenly said, taking his hands away from Dave so fast and forcefully, Dave thought of when Karkat burned him last time- the shame- the horror. Karkat looked down from Dave’s somber face and backed hurriedly away, “I’m sorry; I can’t do this.”

             Dave felt his heart break in his chest and he moved forward after the other without thought.

             “What? Why not?” Dave pried, his voice soft and vulnerable.

             I- why am I feeling like this- this- this feels like-

             For one moment in Dave’s life what he felt was more painful than when he had almost died- when Broderick had sliced up his stomach and left him out in the cold alone. It was a new and unignorable pain that grew around his heart, prickling and piercing without mercy.

            “I can’t do this to you,” Karkat finished, his face still pointedly turning away from Dave as his eyes flashed with purple, “There is no point in any of this, not when the curse is never going to be lifted- I- I don’t want you to become as sad and miserable as I am- to have no future- to have no place in this world anymore.”

            No, no, no, no, but you do- you do have a place!

            Though Karkat had turned so much away, Dave didn’t let that stop him. Even if he didn’t understand in the beginning- even if he questioned what he should do, he couldn’t now. Dave cared about Karkat- he wanted the other to see that- he couldn’t let Karkat leave again.

            Dave didn’t hesitate as his hand moved to cup the other’s face. Karkat’s cheeks and jawline was warm, unbelievably so, heating up Dave’s hand even before he had physically touched the other. Karkat looked at Dave with surprise and Dave could see Karkat’s eyes.

            They were blue, white blue, and dimmer than Dave had ever seen them. As Karkat looked at him, Dave saw the same saddened hollowness when they first met, the time when Dave put that knife up against Karkat’s throat.

            Oh, so much had changed since then.

            “I don’t care about this curse, Karkat, and you do have a place, you have a place-”

            Though, as Dave started Karkat’s shook his head and his face became hot- hot enough Dave’s hands burned, prickling with the similar and yet opposite way the ice had damaged his hand before, and Karkat backpedaled just out of his reach.

            Dave couldn’t help as he looked at his now pink hand before his eyes found Karkat once more. The other man watched Dave with shame and regret, his eyes violently switching from red, white, and purple.

            “I do have a place,” Karkat finally agreed, “but it is only in this damned castle, alone !”

            Smoke engulfed the floor and Dave felt a wave of heat. It warmed his skin like he was being baked out in the sun. Dave flinched and when he looked back he could see Karkat had rushed backward more, his eyes returning to yellow with shame at the outburst.

            “I’m- I’m sorry,” Karkat apologized as he still moved away, “I… I just- I can’t do this! Not to you!”

            And before Dave could run after Karkat, the other disappeared beyond the doors of the ballroom.

            Dave stood there, replaying the events in his head, trying to find what he did wrong. Yet, there was nothing he could've done, nothing he could do- nothing that could make him move. It was like the first time Dave had come to the castle when his muscles seized up and he was frozen.

            Time had stilled once again and like too many times, too many days, Dave didn’t know what to do. It might have been minutes, it might have been hours, but it didn’t matter; he was stuck.

            I… I can’t… I can’t let this happen. I… I won’t let this happen…

            Dave thought of Karkat, of every time the other had secluded himself after something was mentioned. The beginning, Eridan, the ballroom, ugh, it was almost everything and- and… Dave realized he had no idea how to help Karkat. How to help what had happened. But, he had to.

            The pain in his chest didn’t go away- and if he fixed this, he knew it will.

            I need to understand. If I can understand, maybe… just maybe… Maybe everything can be alright- like what he did for me.

            The sudden fiery motivation thawed his joints and Dave looked around the castle.

            And finally, his foot moved.

            I can’t do this, not to you, Karkat had said.

            But I want you to. I want to know.

            I need to find him.

            Dave didn’t stop as he began to run to the bedroom that they have been sharing for the past few days. The bed was still as rumpled up as the time when they got out, most of the white sheets covered in black charcoal, and Dave felt a pain in his chest.

            Where is he? Where did he go?

            He looked at the candles that weren’t lit and he frowned. Dave thought of the rules- no flames and no entering that seemingly regular door, with the crisped edges.

             I have to know.

             Dave didn’t waste his time as he sprinted through the castle, rounding the corners with ease after memorizing the twists and turns, his legs taking them without thought until he came to the door he thought of. Once he got in front, he stood still, staring at the door before him. For his heart beating so fast, suddenly everything felt so still once more.

             It was just how it was when Dave saw it at the beginning, the same wood that was rather common, and with the burned insides. Dave could hear the wind howling beyond. His hands hesitated as he remembered Karkat’s words.

             Don’t go in here.

             However, something blossomed in Dave, a determination that powered Dave to grab the burnt handle. It was cold, of course, since it was metal. It prickled at the new burn that was developing, but Dave didn’t seem to notice. Even as the metal took away the heat of his hands, Dave turned the handle and opened the door.

             And all that he saw was black.

             A whole room, charred into looking like the black night, some surfaces reflecting back what little light could reach it.

             What happened?

             Dave cautiously walked into the room. It was much too dark to see anything… yet he still tried, blinking rapidly. He stepped forward slowly, his feet sliding against the floor silently. He squinted his eyes as some light followed, and Dave began to blink, trying to get used to the lack of white.

             I have to know- I have to know what happened. To help Karkat- to help me- to help all of us.

             Karkat… Karkat will forgive me.

             When Dave took off his sunglasses and blinked this time, he could finally see.

             He began to make out shapes of furniture. First, it was just the corners and then as his eyes adjusted, he soon saw the whole room was filled to the brim with elaborate chairs, bookcases, wardrobes, covering up the entire walls where not a single speck of wallpaper could be seen. There were even trinkets, metals, plates, and candle holders, all particularly placed with no dust on them at all. In fact, everything was all in pristine condition, shining, gleaming.

             Is this where everything was? Why all in this room?

             Dave squinted more, his steps slower as he tried to take in all of his surroundings. Then the shadows on the floors caught his eyes- what he thought was just splinters and scratches on the wooden floor were something else- letters. All carved out haphazardly or burned through were letters, spelling names that had arrows point to each individual piece of furniture or piece of paper stuck in some that were off the ground.

             Araena, Nepeta, Tavros, Sollux, Kanaya…

             Something twitched inside of Dave’s head and yet, he didn’t stop. No, he had to see everything.

             Dave started to continue on without reading any of them, ignoring the names and scratches. As he made his way, his eyes picked up something different- something new- and his pupils shrunk.

             Blue light filtered through like a waterfall and when Dave looked up, he could see a large window, partially broken and partially whole. Entranced by the light and curious about the screaming wind, Dave moved forward and the furniture started to patter out, leaving the rest of the room as empty as the rest of the castle.

             It wasn’t snowing for once.

             And the sky was clear.

             As the room began to come to a close and more strange moonlight flowed in, the floor was lit up and tiny spiderweb cracks of the glass shone through light mini stars. The chipped paint on the sides of the empty room played with the shadows in a way that reflected the window. Pieces of the glass littered the floor, just like the ballroom.

             In the midst of all the light and windows, he looked down to see a single table with something on it. Dave frowned as he walked forward, trying and failing to not step on the glass pieces. There were cracks and crunches every step until Dave stood over the table.

             On it were crusty brown petals, some already close to becoming dust, and a single shrunken and dead stem.

             The castle wasn’t always like this.

             “I told you not to come here.”

             Karkat voice startled Dave so much he jumped. In an instant, Dave turned around, his hands going to his side and his eyes to the ground in shame before looking cautiously up.

             Yet, instead of anger in Karkat’s face and eyes, he only looked forlorn. His eyes white with pale purple on the sides, flickering like flames.

             “I… I need to know what- what happened,” Dave said.

             Karkat frowned and Dave looked back down at the table and its contents.

             “What is this?” Dave asked as he looked back up.

             Karkat didn’t answer right away as his eyes were glued onto the dead petals and stem. His eyes looked like they wanted to well with tears, the purple intensifying with each passing moment until they were white. Yet, nothing came down.

             “That is the rose the witch gave us,” Karkat answered, his voice getting softer with each word.

             Something struck in Dave and his heart stopped for a moment.

             Witch.

             “A witch?” Dave repeated.

             Dave had heard of witches, people called his sister one, but… he didn’t think there were ones out there. Real ones.

             And Karkat continued as he walked toward the dead rose.

             “That is why time has stayed still… why it only snows here… and why-why no one remembers us.”

             Us.

             All of the names scratched into the wood, pointing at all of the various furniture, chairs came instantly to Dave’s mind. They weren’t like that before, were they? None of them were; none of this was.

             “A witch came… she asked for a place to stay out of the cold in exchange for a rose and- and I let her inside and went to ask Eridan,” Karkat explained, shaking his head slowly, and suddenly his voice became rough, “and… and Eridan refused.”

             Dave could see it happen in his head, an ugly witch, the prince, and the mysterious person Karkat was before- all inside the castle of how it was before- bright colors, intricate details, and beautiful beyond all reason.

             “I started to argue with Eridan, that she could stay with me if needed be- but then- then he told me no. And even though I wanted to fight him on it, I… I stayed quiet after that.”

             Karkat’s eyes sparkled with purple and he stopped as he stood in front of it.

             “She revealed who she was and that was it,” there was a pause, but Karkat didn’t breathe in. He stayed motionless as he stared down at the rose, not with hatred- but almost like he was mourning. “Time stayed still and we were all together for ten years. Then, the rose died. Everyone transformed, Eridan became the beast he was cursed to be and I… I stayed here.”

             Dave imagined the castle becoming grey- Eridan sprouting scales, and Karkat darkening to pitch black and his fiery eyes opening…

             “It was only me left.”

             Karkat’s white eyes trailed from the dead flower stem to look at Dave. Dave once again didn’t hesitate as he walked toward the other slowly, as if not to startle him. But, the way Karkat was, he wasn’t going to be startled. There was no point in being worried if nothing matter.

             “Why didn’t you turn into anything?” Dave asked hesitantly.

             Dave half expected Karkat to look away, to walk away, to do anything to avoid answering, just as he had been with nearly everything else. It was worse to see that the questions had no effect on Karkat, his eyes still blank with far off longing.

             “I don’t know,” Karkat answered softly as he glanced back down, “I don’t know why the witch wanted me to suffer like this… It- It feels even crueler to still be something- be coal- to be fiery and always burn. And- and-”

             “And you can’t even leave,” Dave finished.

             Karkat glanced up at Dave with surprise before his gaze dropped down again

             “No, can’t be outside for too long, but what’s the point of leaving? There is nothing for me out there either,” Karkat muttered, “the only thing that has been worth living for was helping you… it was helping you three years ago.”

             Dave stayed quiet for a moment.

             No, there is something for you… I… three years ago- I- I knew it! I knew time didn't feel right-

             “You must think I am crazy, don’t you?” Karkat asked.

             Something rough and uncaring in Dave said if he was normal he should scream that this was the final straw, that Karkat really was crazy, and to run. Run far away. How could this magic happen? How could time stop? Why did it stop? This was too much, too much to handle.

             Then there was Eridan, the monster. He wasn’t anything before, Dave must have been lying to himself- how could have that been a person? All that he has seen what something he wanted to believe- something Dave wanted to make sense of when he was just messed up- that was all Karkat was, just someone who was lower, born wrong, a servant, meant to only bend to the will of their employer…

             Dave wasn’t raised to be a servant, not at this age. Broderick would have never allowed that; not even to converse with one.

             But this isn’t me. That just- that’s just Broderick!

             For once in his life, Karkat’s words explained everything. It explained how Dave's memories took over, how time never seemed to work quite right, and there were so many instances, so many pulls toward this castle…

             It finally all made sense.

             “No.”

             Karkat blinked at him, waiting for Dave to continue, but for a second there was too much for Dave to even begin. The way the town was, the way the Dark Forest was forbidden, they way everyoen told Dave he had only seen the castle at the beginning of the year- but how could a year feel like an eternity?- and what his friends had felt.

             It wasn’t only Dave that felt like something was missing.

             It wasn’t only him.

             “Everything finally makes sense,” Dave started and he watched as Karkat’s eyes widened- and hope sparked. Though Dave’s mind raced with what everything could mean, Dave wanted to continue- he wanted to! He wanted to see that spark become a flame.

             Dave smiled and without thinking about his, he put his hands on Karkat’s shoulders and his fingers prickling with warmth and comfortable heat.

             “Ever since you’ve saved me I have been living in these forgotten memories that everyone told me couldn’t have been true, but they are, aren’t they?”

             Dave watched as Karkat’s red eyes widened and his white began to change- it became less bright and more warm- more comfortable.

             “We were young without a care in the world, we were happy- and- I remember when there were no clouds when I used to go on the hill and- and the castle wasn’t broken and falling apart, but together, vibrant, beautiful, and alive.”

             Dave moved closer and he smiled.

             “Why everything seemed so dull, not just to me but to everyone. It felt like we’ve been living the same old shit, every day for so long… Something was missing and we though we didn’t know how, we knew it was here. It was always here and I can’t believe I missed it for so long.”

             Dave’s hand lifted and touched Karkat’s cheek. He could feel the heat rise underneath the coal surface and Dave tilted his head, his eyes narrowing as he began to feel the same things he had when he was first in the castle- the sense of familiarity- he knew Karkat.

             Somehow.

             He must have since everything else was true, why wasn’t this one?

             “No,” Dave finally answered, “I don’t think you are crazy at all.”

Chapter Text

            “I- you- you remember?” Karkat asked, smiling and yet showing confusion at the same time- his eyes flashing with so many colors of yellow, red, and pink, “How can you remember? The- the curse, the rose, it- part of the curse was to never be remembered. For others to never remember.”

            As hope sparked into Karkat and Karkat took Dave’s hand from his cheek and cupped it in his own as he began to think.

            “I- I hoped something like this would happen, but I don’t understand why it would happen,” Karkat continued, looking away as his mind continued to race, “after Eridan couldn’t love another and have one love him in return and the last petal fell, that was it… No one was supposed to get their memories back...”

            Love another and have one love him in return.

            That was what they had to do?

            Karkat’s rough skin started to heat up, warming Dave’s hand like he had placed them before a fire.

            “Maybe it isn’t it,” Dave offered, grinning, and his other hand joined Karkat’s, “maybe it was never supposed to end like that.”

            Once again, Karkat looked up, his eyes widening. And though the swirl of colors were still almost untangleable from one another, Dave could see that Karkat agreed. For once, Karkat smiled wide, causing embers to flush out in glee.

            “Maybe… Maybe it wasn’t,” Karkat said, his voice light and bright as air.

            And then the moment was shattered.

            The castle shook with a roar and Karkat’s grip on Dave’s hand tightened instinctively. Karkat pulsed with heat, warming Dave from whatever cold had tried to take hold of him. Yet, there was no surprise on Karkat’s face, only confusion and worry.

            “Eridan,” Karkat muttered, his smile and happiness fading as eyebrows narrowed, and he turned back to the room with furniture- no, people, “but, I was just with him, doesn’t start screaming like that unless…”

            As Karkat trailed off there were shouts, echoing softly through the castle. Karkat’s changed into concern and, eventually, fear. Those were definitely human shouts.

            Karkat glanced back at Dave; his eyes almost full of yellow.

            They didn’t need to say anything; they knew what was going through each other minds. There was a visitor- and by the roaring and the shouts- it was unlike anything they had heard before. Something was terribly wrong.

            So, together, they rushed downstairs, down until the voice became louder and distinguishable.

            “DAVE!” John screamed.

            Once again there was another roar as if answering the call.

            There was some calm on Dave’s face as he recognized his friend’s voice. However, then something struck in Dave. Why didn’t he run after he heard Eridan’s roar? Last time they ran, what made this time so different? Why would John still be here?

            He would only be here if something was bad enough to keep him here.

            “John,” Karkat whispered under his breath in relief as he slowed down and his shoulders relaxed. Then, after another step, he stopped. It was on the stairs, close to the entrance where John must have been.

            Dave stopped and turned toward Karkat, “You know him?”

            Karkat’s red eyes focused downstairs below and he closed them with a grimace.

            “Yes, yes, I did... he- he would visit me while I worked here,” Karkat answered and then he opened his eyes, determined, “I’ll calm down Eridan, you should see why John is here.”

            John visited Karkat while he worked?

            Dave thought of the times he was sprinting through the castle in his bright memories- of course, Karkat was one of the servants, the many gears working the castle, but… Shouldn’t I have remembered Karkat if I met him? Why would John have a friend here and never tell me?

            I can’t focus on this right now, I need to see why John is here.

            “I-okay,” Dave reluctantly agreed.

            There was so much to talk about- there was so much on Dave’s mind now- but it seemed like it had to wait.

            Together Dave and Karkat walked down and then they split up, Karkat running toward the basement and Dave toward John at the entrance of the castle. There was only one last fleeting glance Dave casted at Karkat, and Karkat to Dave before they disappeared out of each other’s views.

            “DAVE! DAVE!!”

            “What is it?” Dave yelled as he started to rush toward him.

            He turned to see John, just a few paces from the doors, which were open and letting in wandering snowflakes. John looked frazzled, his glasses still filled with snowdrops, his hair was up on ends, his a long blue cloak had the ends totally soaked, and a brown messenger bag was slung across his shoulder. Underneath the cloak, he was wearing his regular clothes that from Dave could see had some flour dotted all over it.

            John was surprised at the question and for a second, he didn’t answer as he stared at Dave and then the direction in which the roar came from. John didn’t know it, but he looked right where Eridan was.

            “John,” Dave said, mildly vexed, “what is it?”

            His friend quickly looked back at him and something that was in his hand was shoved back into his bag.

            “Rose!” John answered, his eyes filled with terror, “Rose is gone!”

            Dave’s eyes widened.

            “What?”

            “She’s been gone for two days!” John wailed and his hands grabbed his hair, “We tried to visit the other day and- and she wasn’t there! If she was there she would have answered, but no one was answering and- and she hasn’t been there! She hasn’t been there for two days!”

            I’ll be back in three days time… And if I don’t then something has happened to me.

            She didn’t even make it, did she? She came home and he knew, Dave realized. His heart seized up at the thought- and at what Broderick could have done.

            “I’ve- I’ve got two horses, Dave, and your cloak,” John started, looking through his messenger bag to pull out the red fabric, his hands shaking the whole time, “we- we have to find her!”

            Dave’s eyes darted as he tried to take in the information, knowing what to do and yet-

            “I- I have to do something first-” Dave declared.

            John stared at him, not at all sure what Dave could possibly have to do first, but before John could answer, Dave sprinted. He easily knew the best route to get there the fastest. How could he not after being at the castle for so long?

            He sprinted to where Karkat should be: to the basement.

            When he finally got there, Karkat seemed to be waiting. His walk was short and slow, careful not to step on any more puddles. His shirt, per normal, was wet and when he heard Dave’s boots on the floor and water, he looked up. When Karkat saw Dave, his red eyes widened in surprise. Yet, he wasn’t as happy as he was mere minutes ago.

            “What’s going on?” Karkat asked.

            “Rose is in trouble,” Dave answered.

            Karkat’s face darkened and his eyes swirled with colors. For a second something passed over Karkat’s mind, his eyes, and then they returned a bright red.

            “You should go,” Karkat whispered as his gaze lowered.

            Dave blinked at the response.

            “What?” Dave asked.

            It wasn’t that he could hear it, despite the unusual softness from Karkat. No, it was the shock. How could Karkat just let him go like that? After what they had just learned? There was something- there was something he could do with the curse! Karkat- he can finally be free! Wouldn’t he want that?

            “I said you should go back to get Rose,” Karkat replied more strongly, this time looking into Dave’s eyes.

            Karkat looked far from happy, but… he seemed strangely content. No yellow or purple flashed against the red.

            There was no choice about leaving, Dave had to go after Rose. If Broderick had finally turned his full attention on Rose… Well, there was no way Dave could ever let that happen. No, no one else should have to deal with Broderick’s wrath. The only reason why Dave hadn’t immediately gone away with John was that he was trying to think of a way to have Karkat come with them.

            There had to be a way. Cover him with cloth? It would become soaked- what about the cloak? There-

            “I-” Dave started.

            “You have to save your sister,” Karkat interrupted as he walked toward Dave, his red eyes glowing brighter and his chest underneath his shirt started to glow as well, “you have to save what you have while you still can, Dave.”

            The moment Karkat said his name, Dave could feel his conflictions melt. And the way that Karkat spoke, it wasn’t melancholy at all, it was stated like a fact. Dave wondered why Karkat wouldn’t be sad about this, about him leaving.

            Dave now knew why Karkat was blue all those other times. He knew why Karkat could never stay happy for too long.

            When the curse was finished, all of the people in this castle, all of the people Karkat had ever known, was gone. Either inanimate or too beastly to be what he once was. Karkat was alone for three years, the only change in that fact was when Dave was nearly dying or when people came snooping where they weren’t supposed to be…

            But, it also explained why Karkat was so calm this time. After all, Dave still had his people around.

            Dave reluctantly nodded.

            “I’ll be back,” Dave reluctantly agreed.

            Karkat smiled a bittersweet smile back at him.

            “I’ll be here,” Karkat said and just as Dave turned, Karkat took Dave’s hand, “but before you go.”

            Dave turned, his attention intently on the other and for a second, Karkat’s eyes only glowed crimson and brighter than ever before.

            “Know that I didn’t help you because of what the curse did or because that's what I’m supposed to do as a servant,” Karkat said, not looking away from Dave, “I helped you because that was what was right. I’m just sad I didn’t do it sooner.”

            Dave wanted to say something back, but all of his words were lost on his tongue. There was so much to say, so much that Dave wanted Karkat to know.

            And, then, the rough and heated hand let Dave’s go.

            Dave just stared at Karkat before his mind told him that Rose was waiting for him.

            I-I have to say something-

            “You did what you could and... You've saved my life more than just literally,” Dave replied and Karkat’s chest pulsed with red as he stared at Dave.

            I’ll tell Karkat everything else when I get back, Dave promised himself.

            And with that Dave turned and ran out to meet John. He ran past the empty entrance, the doors, not bothering to close them. Once Dave’s foot landed in the snow outside, it became crystal clear what he needed to think about: Rose.

            Not wasting any more time, Dave ran through the snow and out to John, who had two white horse with him.

            “Come on,” John said, throwing a long red cloak to Dave, “Jade is back at home, stalling my dad and whoever comes to bother us, but she won’t be able to do that for long.”

            Dave looked to the horses and instantly recognized him now that he was close enough. There, in the snow, were Mouse and Dally.

            “You stole them?” Dave asked, disbelief clear in his voice.

            John shook his head as he got onto Mouse, “Yeah, I did! I had to! Not with Rose gone and you-”

            “I know,” Dave interrupted, already putting his foot in the stirrup and mounted Dally, “let’s go.”

            John’s nervousness stopped as he looked at the other and nodded. Together, they kicked and the horses started on their way back.

            Dave didn’t notice the figure in the window that watched him as he and John made their way through the thick white snow. Dave never noticed, not when the Karkat had watched him when he first came with a similarly cloak covered stranger or when he was just a red figure splayed against the white.

            The red eyes watched Dave until he was no longer recognizable and then those eyes weren’t red anymore; they were pale white.

            “Where have you checked?” Dave asked.

            Their horses had raced for so long, yet, as the village came in view, it was obvious that there needed to be a plan. Someone had to think of a plan before this whole rescue mission for Rose went to shit.

            “I have only been to the house,” John answered, shaking his head, “I didn’t think to check anywhere else- not without you. I- I don’t know where- where- fuck it- where your psychotic father-but-not-really-father would have done with her. And, to be fucking honest- I don’t know how he’ll react to find us snooping around anywhere else, I needed you to tell me what to expect.”

            Dave would have been surprised at John’s choice of words- and the fact that he had called Broderick something other than his father. It must have been the last time when Broderick had challenged Dave when he had them over; that was when John and Jade really understand the extent to Broderick’s real horrors.

            Additionally, Broderick did have most of the village under his thumb. Despite having Rose as his “daughter,” a very peculiar girl, and Dave, the broken record, it didn’t stop him from being able to charm everyone else.

            Shit, if Broderick wanted he could have destroyed John and Jade’s life. He still can. Both literally and socially.

            “I’ll go to the house, see if she is held anywhere there. If Broderick is there, I can take him,” Dave said, “Your best bet is to go with Jade to the Asylum.”

            “The Asylum?” John repeated, his blue eyes wide, incredulous at the reveal.

            Dave nodded.

            “Shit,” John said, frowning, as he looked beyond at the ever coming closer village, “I never knew this got so bad. My god, this is so bad.”

            There was guilt welling up in Dave as his friend finally understood their situation. Of course, it was worse than John must have thought.

            Dave closed his eyes and for a second all he could think about was Karkat, waiting at the castle. Alone, for what? Must have been years. Alone expect the furniture and Eridan… And now he was alone again.

            “I never told you, there was no way you could have known,” Dave said to John.

            John still didn’t like it; there was still a frown on his face as their horses ran. John didn’t answer, just shook his head and for the rest of the ride was only the hooves hitting the ground.

            But, that didn’t last long.

            Finally, they through the entrance of the village.

            People moved out of the way of their fast, white horses, most of them glaring and ready to scream before they saw the identifiable blue and red cloaks. They even passed by the Gaston brothers, who shouted at them, insulted them. But, Dave didn’t respond. Those boys’ words never mattered before and they certainly didn’t matter then.

            With one glance at each other, Dave and John went in their two separate directions.

            Dave stopped Dally in front of his house. He could feel his heart start to race as he remembered the last time he was here. However, after a moment, he didn’t waste any time, he got off, put Dally on one of the fences and went inside.

            Dave looked around cautiously and he took off the red cloak- it was too warm and his nerves didn’t help his body temperature. He turned to see his coat hanger and hung the thick red cloak on one of the four hooks.

            It felt like forever since Dave had been in his own home. It always felt like that though, you never knew what you were going to get with it. It was like the house was divided in two: the good and the bad. Of course, it all depended on who was inside the house.

            Finally, Dave’s attention turned inward of the house.

            Clues, I need clues, he thought as he silently crept through his house. Where could Rose be if she isn’t at the Asylum… Or… or she could be here… tied up…

            Dave didn’t speak as he went through all of the rooms, slowly, silently, and he was reminded of the castle. His house, though it was full of things, was the same in the emptiness. There was nothing moving here- nothing that was living. Even without the cold and the wind, Dave still shivered.

            Blinking, he got to the last room- Broderick’s room. He had never gone in there, never wanted to anger Broderick. He was already a target for his guardian; might as well not make it any worse. Dave hesitated outside with his hand over the handle for a second- and only a second- before he grabbed it and turned.

            The door went open without any resistance.

            When nothing greeted him, Dave cautiously made his way forward, looking in the spaces between a bed, nightstand, drawer, and desk. There was nothing special about these wooden pieces of furniture, only that they were absent of Rose.

            He frowned when his eye caught something on the desk.

            There were tallies, a few thousand tallies, all dotting all over the desk. Next to different groups were numbers, numbers that counted up to thirteen.

            Dave blinked, but then turned to walk out. He didn’t have time to unravel whatever that was, whatever those numbers meant. He had to focus on the mission of finding his twin. With disappointment, Dave crept back to where he entered. There was no time to be wasted- he had to-

            A noise stopped Dave from fully opening the door.

            Though his mind raced, Dave’s attention left the cracked open door and slowly and deliberately turned around … and saw the very person he was expecting and dreading to see.

            Broderick.

            Sitting down on one of the wooden chairs by the wall, as if he had caught Dave snooping, red-handed. Of course, in a way, he did.

            How did I not see him?

            “I can’t stay,” Dave said instantly.

            Broderick didn’t even react; his face blank of any emotion.

            “Why is it? Why can’t you stay with your family?” Broderick asked, standing up from his chair.

            Dave felt himself want to run, but all he could do was stay still as his guardian swaggered slowly to him. Dave could feel his muscles itch to run each time Broderick’s boots hit the ground. Broderick tilted his head at Dave and only a millimeter of his lips pointed downward.

            I have to know. I have to know if she is here- if she is alive.

            “We need to stick together, especially at this hard time…” Broderick’s slight show of emotion stopped, “We knew that things would go south, it was obvious Rose wasn’t always right in the head, not like the other girls around here… ”

            Dave’s eyes widened.

            He did it. I knew he would. He put Rose in the Asylum.

            Though, Dave didn’t have the heart to feel right over where she was. Instead, it was a sinking feeling, a horrible feeling. Broderick had finally done it; he had finally done the worst there was for her.

            “Why are you so eager to leave?” Broderick question innocently, “Do you have someone to get back to?”

            Someone.

            Dave felt his posture instantly straighten and his heart was pierced by a spike of adrenaline. Broderick smirked at the immediate reaction.

            “I knew it.”

            Dave’s heart shattered as he heard Broderick’s words. Dave looked up at Broderick and watched Broderick's face desperately, trying to understand how his guardian could say that. How could he know someone is in the castle? Does he know about Karkat?

            Instinctively, Dave tried to back up, to run back to Karkat, something was happening, something that was bad, I have to get to him -

            But immediately the door slammed and Broderick was leaning over him with one hand on the handle and the other over Dave’s head.

            “Do you really think I am going to let you leave like that?” Broderick said as he peered down at Dave.

            Terror filled Dave and he knew that if he tried anything, it would only end in failure. But, determination filled him too. He- he had to do something! He wasn’t going to go down without a fight- he didn’t before- he wasn’t going to now!

            “What are you going to do?” Dave asked, trying hard not to give away that he was trying to keep Broderick’s mouth running as he looked for a weapon.

            “I shouldn't have used you as bait, letting you go to the castle has tainted you,” Broderick frowned, ignoring Dave’s question, just like all the other times, “I solidified keeping you with your mother gone and yet… I should have done the deed myself in the very beginning to finalize the curse; I knew you weren’t going to kill him.”

            When Broderick finished he wasn’t at all fazed, Dave’s eyes widened, and his search for a weapon stopped as he processed his guardian’s words. His mind caught onto bait, mother, trying to make sense of what was going on, what Broderick was saying- but then those wonderings were tossed out the window at the last word.

            Dave looked up at his guardian, eyes wide and unbelieving.

            “Him?” Dave parroted.

            How does he know? How does he know about Karkat?

            Broderick smirked.

            “I didn’t go past that castle for shits and giggles,” Broderick replied, “I’ve been trying to figure out what has put the curse on pause for so long... and to think it was just some servant boy this whole time.”

            He- he wants to kill Karkat. He, he, caused Karkat’s suffering- he caused- he caused all of this!

            “You can’t kill him,” Dave pleaded, some terror seeping into his voice.

            No, no, he can’t kill him- he can’t kill Karkat! He- no!

            Just as Dave started to wrangle his way out of Broderick’s grip, an elbow shoved Dave’s chest back against the door, choking and stunning him into silence. For once, Broderick took off his shades as he looked down at Dave, studying like all the other times before. Dave watched as empty pools of black only reflected his fearful face.

            And at that moment, he realized nothing good was left in his guardian. There hadn’t been for a while.

            “I have put too much into you to let it all go to waste,” Broderick said, looking back up at the door and around the house, his elbow still pressed against Dave, easily giving him a black and blue bruise on his chest, “I am going to finish this, once and for all, and things will be as I planned.”

            When Broderick looked back, he raised his elbow and then Dave’s vision went black.

            Karkat had seen Dave once before he patched the other up. He remembers the day like it was yesterday- for it was a few days after the last petal fell and the curse had its true effects rain down upon the castle.

            There Karkat was, in a liveless and loveless castle filled with furniture and objects he had once called co-workers, friends, and family, with Eridan being the only living thing left. Of course, though, Eridan wasn’t the same. Something has changed in his mind- and his eyes- he no longer spoke nor understand what Karkat said any longer. Ten years under the curse, just the perfect curse to screw everyone over, and… now, there was nothing.

            Sad and scared, it was only by coincidence that he saw a red-cloaked from a window as he walked by it. After a moment, realizing that there was another outside, he rushed to hide.

            Karkat knew what would happen if others knew of the castle, of Eridan, of himself. There would be a mob and he would truly be done for. No, he had to be alive to turn things back- to undo the curse because… it was his fault.

            He let the witch in- and he didn’t convince Eridan enough. Even if all that Eridan had done- just- Eridan couldn’t let Feferi go! He couldn’t move on from her! Even if she would never love him the way he did! A few years before the curse was complete, Eridan let Feferi go. No one ever came to the castle…

            But, Karkat had to let go of the past. He had to move on. He had to get over what happened to focus on what he could do now. If he couldn’t well, he realized there was no other option. After a room was burnt to a crisp, Karkat took everyone- he took everyone and placed them where Eridan lived before. Karkat labeled who they were, so he could never forget, and he talked to them. He dusted them, made sure they were fine until the day he could figure out a way to undo what was done.

            What Karkat thought would be the end of seeing people wasn’t.

            After finding the stranger he had seen before, almost frozen, Karkat had to help him.  So, he did. Karkat opened the door, took him inside, warmed him, and bundled him up as much as he could. Karkat wondered why he didn’t have his red cloak like before…

            And Karkat waited for someone came for the stranger, and, eventually, someone did. Even as he hid, like he did whenever someone came, he could hear her voice. Rose came for the stranger, Rose, the girl that Kanaya always spoke about with such glee. It was obvious that Kanaya had liked her…

            After that, Karkat expected to not see anyone again. Not since he was avoiding them. A certain someone came by constantly, though, Karkat had a nagging feeling to never see them. To never let them see him.

            Karkat’s hope wavered in finding a way to reverse the curse. It had been a year since the last petal fell- since the castle had become silent. Soon, not speaking had become the norm. There was nothing to talk about that wasn’t already said, especially since no one could ever respond.

            The days became a blur.

            “Dave? Dave, where are you? DAVE!” John screamed.

            He ran in to see his best friend tied up to the pipes, his mouth gagged, his sunglasses gone, and blood running down his head. Instantly, Dave looked at John, his red eyes piercing with urgency. John didn’t take the time to think of what to do next as he sprinted over to Dave and pulled the gag out of his mouth.

            Dave gasped, sucking in air, but instead of looking at his savior, his eyes darted wildly around. The chains holding his bloodied and bruised hands kept on rattling as he tried to stand up, but still couldn’t.

            “What happened?” John asked as he looked at the metal chains and cursed under his breath.

            “Broderick- he- he’s going to kill him,” Dave rasped, “We- John, you need to get me out of here! Now!”

            Dave looked pleadingly at John and he didn’t need to do anything else. John immediately was scanning the room, trying to plan what he could do. After a few seconds, John’s hands went up to his hair and he pulled at his locks, stress getting to him.

            Then the door was once again busted open.

            “Broderick did something- he knew something! He knew about the castle and- we’ve got to find-”

            Rose’s words stopped as she saw her brother. Beside her, Jade, stood, stunned as they looked at Dave before them, bloodied and, yet, he didn’t seem not bothered by it. Dave was like a rabid animal, unaware of the pain that he must have been in with only one thing on his mind:

            Broderick did this.

            Dave had to get to Karkat before Broderick would end him, end all of this.

            Then the red-cloaked person came back- this time with another stranger. They seemed to be prepared this time around- with his regular red cloak and his friend sporting a matching blue one.

            Karkat had hidden, once again, though, somehow, the red-cloaked stranger found him. Amongst all of the rooms of the castle, he had to choose to be curious and wander into the boiler room. Karkat tried to not make a noise or move as the stranger ripped the door open and walked in. Karkat couldn’t see him or hear his mutterings. Yet, from breathing, from moving, more coal rocks began to fall from the pile; Karkat was sure his hiding spot was going to be found out.

            For a moment, Karkat had wished he didn’t choose his previous workspace. What if that person that constantly moved by the castle was targeting? What if they somehow knew him from before? Oh, no, that was impossible, it was impossible for them to remember anything!

            Eridan had saved him the stranger finding him.

            And then, just like that, the most interesting thing that had happened that year was gone.

            Soon, all of Karkat’s spark was gone, too. Sure, he kept everyone in fair condition, but it wasn’t done vigorously with the want to use his time for something else. To find a cure, antidote, a reverse spell, whatever. It was never going to happen. So, taking care of people was done sluggishly. There was nothing else to do. Nothing else for a long time.

            Though his actions proved Karkat hoped for something to change, his mind did not. Not anymore.

            “Broderick- he’s gonna kill him- someone- someone important! Someone in the castle!” Dave said to Rose.

            Her lavender eyes widened and for a second it was like she knew the story behind those words. Who the person was, the him, and what he was- both to Dave, to castle, to the possible end to the curse. Rose exhaled and for a moment, her eyes glossed over, and it was like she was remembering something.

            “Kanaya?” she whispered under her breath as she stared beyond what was happening.

            Both John and Jade frowned at each other and Dave remembered the room filled with furniture, no, people - the image of a name scrawled on the wood came into his mind.

            What?

            “How do you know that name?” Dave inquired.

            Rose looked at her twin and, for the first time, she appeared to be as confused and upset as him. Her face expressed as if someone had torn out her heart and told her to knit herself another in replacement.

            “I- I don’t know,” Rose said, sounding even more upset, before she blinked, “I- I only know she’s important.”

            Part of the curse was to never be remembered. For others to never remember. Karkat’s voice echoed in his head.

            Wait, no, we can’t question this, not now! Not with Broderick going to kill Karkat! Not when we can still fix this.

            Rose shook her head at herself, shutting her eyes with a pained look, “We don’t have time for this, uh, the key- the key for the chains- Broderick always keeps keys in the-”

            Rose didn’t bother to finish her sentence as she rushed into the kitchen.

            And then Karkat heard a scream; it pierced through him like a cold gust of wind. Karkat went out, searching- for whatever or whoever it could be, snow sizzling underneath his feet. Finally, he came to the stranger, covered in blood and barely breathing; a red and pink amongst an ocean of white. Karkat feet had become as hard as a rock and he was lucky he had put on cloth over himself- a few more minutes he would have been a useless statue.

            Of course, that didn’t matter at the time.

            Karkat took the Dave in, sewed him up, slathered his wounds, and nearly had his neck sliced for his troubles.

            But it was worth it. Being with Dave, it changed things. It changed what Karkat did; what he felt. It was rough, being with a person who was going to leave. Even as Dave decided not to leave, Karkat tried to not become attached to the new person. Besides, Karkat was going to mess it up. It was like Karkat had forgotten how to act in the beginning anyway- his anger- his sadness- it was overwhelming at first.

            Dave was going to leave one day.

            But… he didn’t.

            It was so strange. It was so strange not being alone and upset all the time. Dave changed everything. He stayed and Karkat, for once, was happy. Happy not just because of the company, but also…

            It didn’t take long for Karkat to fall for Dave. Like many characters in his novels, Karkat unraveled for the other- uncontrollable laughter, smiles, dialogue, for Dave’s humor, rambles, everything that he did warmed up Karkat’s core without even trying.

            When Dave danced with Karkat and told him he wouldn’t let the glass cut him, that was when Karkat knew. He knew he had fallen hopelessly in love.

            It was… frustrating and upsetting to say the least. Eridan was the one supposed to find love. But, Eridan didn't. Eridan couldn’t give up on a girl and after ten long years, that was it. This, this was… cruel. It was cruel since Karkat was going to stay that way forever. Everything was cruel- he couldn’t ever leave and Dave needed a life of his own- Dave needed someone who wouldn’t burn him.

            Karkat could never let go of the curse. It had torn through him- for the past threes years the loneliness and fake hope tore through him, ripping him apart piece by piece, so there might as well have been nothing left.

            Yet, somehow, Dave remembered the past. Amazingly, he could remember. He believed Karkat. It filled Karkat with the hope that he had lost. Karkat had been up and down nonstop and for the first time, things were going back up.

            But, Dave had to go back. He had to save Rose, whatever happened- it- it was probably because of the person who had nearly killed Dave both times. That horrible person, who could ever do that to do Dave? Who could ever do that to anyone?

            Jade and John still blinked at each other in confusion.

            “I know that name too,” John said, questions clearly on his mind.

            Jade looked back at Dave and with all the forces she could muster, she kicked down the pipe. Water began to burst from it and in an instant, Dave was hauled up to his feet. He blinked, first worried about the water, but then he realized Broderick was long gone- fuck, he had the biggest head start to the castle, now-

            “You need to save whoever that important person is from Broderick,” Jade ordered, looking at Dave with her hand on him.

            I will. I will save Karkat, I can’t- I can’t let Broderick hurt any more people! I can’t let him kill the only thing that has kept me going, who has saved me during all of those horrible times!

            Rose appeared once more and without a word she unlocked the shackles. The metal fell to the ground and Dave turned toward his friends, endless gratitude already coming up, but he couldn’t say thanks a thousand times now.

            “I- I can explain everything later,” Dave said once before he sprinted away.

            No, I won’t let Broderick hurt another person ever again.

            “We’ll come after you!” Rose shouted as Dave ran to the stables, “TAKE THE SHORTCUTS!”

            “Wait, before he goes, he’ll need to his cloak,” John said suddenly, his head already whipping around, ready to sprint after his friend, “Fuck, where is it?”

            It was hard, to watch Dave leave in his red cloak toward an evil Karkat couldn’t try to save him from. The same person who had put him Karkat’s way every single time.

            Dave may leave and never come back.

            But Karkat believed. Wished. Hoped. Hoped Dave would be safe and come back. At least, one day.

            So, Karkat waited. He waited at the top of the tower, his elbow propping up his head, watching for a speck of red to appear. Maybe he would wait for the rest of his life in vain if something were to ever happen to Dave. It didn’t matter; Karkat would have hope until the very end.

            And it would be worth it.

            Because what else was there in the cold, decaying castle?

            Suddenly, among the horizon, a dot of red appeared.

Chapter Text

           When the red spec appeared amongst the white, Karkat stood up, his hands falling to his side. Karkat stood still as he watched the red slowly get bigger. Looking out, his once white eyes suddenly swirled with bright crimson.

           “He’s back,” Karkat muttered to himself.

           The clopping of the white horse on the marble and the outline of the red cloak was no illusion. Embers flushed out of Karkat’s nostrils and mouth and he smiled.

           “He’s really back.”

           Karkat didn’t waste time as he ran down the many stairs and hallways, easily jumping over obstacles without a second thought. Karkat only slowed down when he got to the main entrance. There, he was breathing hard, his blazing heart bursting through his chest with red and yellow cracks spread all across his body.

           And finally, the doors opened.

           The person walked through, shrouded in white, and-

           Karkat froze where he stood.

           His eyes widened in recognition and for a moment he stopped breathing. The man’s shoulders were much larger than Dave, in fact, everything was much larger, his clothes, his body, the sunglasses. When the red cloak finally hit the ground Karkat stared breathlessly at Strider’s smirk.

           Karkat remembered the day the king died and Eridan replaced Broderick Strider. What was once the most trusted advisor and weapons provider was the first person Eridan had fired. Why? It was obvious, every time the man entered the room it sent chills down everyone’s spine and the only things he brought were cruel and calculated solutions that the Eridan’s father loved…

           Karkat remembered the day he noticed Dave and another traveling close to the castle. Karkat didn’t bother to try to see the second stranger; the cloak hid his face from any wandering eyes. The event was mere days after the castle went totally silent after Eridan roared in agony before becoming only a beast.

           This is him. This is the person who had left Dave out in the cold, who left him to bleed.

           Karkat looked down at the red cloak covered in snow.

           That’s Dave cloak. Without Dave.

           “You’re alone.”

           Karkat’s voice didn’t sound like he thought it would be. It was a statement, clear and concise, but it held so much more. There was questioning, wondering, and concern for the fact that Dave was nowhere to be seen.

           Where was he? What did Strider do to him? Why was he wearing Dave’s cloak? What was happening?

           “Did you really think I would bring an angry mob when I came here for the last time?” Strider asked, his smile slanted.

           Last time.

           Karkat took another step backward, silent.

           Dave, what could have happened to him? Did he… did he lie to me? Did he just become close to me for Strider? Shit, I knew it, I knew it was the same person who came by the castle all those times! Was I only too stupid to realize that they could have been working together? Fuck- fuck, no- no, I- Dave would have never done this to me!

           No, Dave would never, but then…

           Karkat couldn’t find any words as he stared at the banished advisor before him. Now that he thought of it, Strider was sent away and then… and then a couple of months later the witch came…

           “I was right… you’re the only one who would have bothered my son,” Strider said, grinning ear to ear as he took a step inside; right as the black boots hit the marble floor the snow that was caught on the sides fell and littered the ground.

           Son?

           A silver sword peeked out from the door, flashing blinding light from outside. Karkat visibly shrunk and he watched Broderick like a bunny facing off a fox, watching and waiting only for a direction to run.

           Was… Was Dave left out in the cold to lure me out? Lure me out of the castle, but what for? Why…

           Strider must have sent the witch on us… He must have monitored the castle to make sure the curse worked, but… but time is still not moving. It’s… It’s me. I’m the only one left, aren’t I? He just has to kill me and it is all over, the curse will be done, and everyone will be gone…

           How could he do this? How- how could he do this to Dave? How could he use him like that?

           Somehow, Karkat finally found his ability to breathe once more.

           “You never mentioned that you had kids,” Karkat said, his voice weak as he stared at the man before him.

           This is it? This is the person who had been torturing, no, killing Dave all these years? A person I knew this whole time?!

           Strider chuckled, a low and mirthless.

           “You really think that I would have allowed my son to converse with such a disgusting and lowly servant such as yourself?” Strider said, slinking slowly toward Karkat, “I never let him near the castle and always caught him before his silly friend could take him here- and finally, after teaching Dave a lesson, they stopped.”

           Dave… Dave ran out of the castle that one time, he was... he was so scared...

           Karkat moved backward as he stared at the other man, adrenaline numbing all of his senses. Karkat had sometimes thought about the event of someone coming for him and what would he do at these final moments... Worry about everyone in the castle, if it would all be destroyed? Be concerned about Eridan? How could Eridan be able to survive on his own? Outside was frozen there was no way he could live if he was aquatic...

           Though Karkat's mind raced, a rising and ever-present topic was Dave’s absence.

           Strider used Dave. He used Dave to get to me- left him to freeze and to bleed because…

           And the sound of wood breaking within the castle walls froze the moment. This time, Strider watched Karkat, waiting for him to give an inkling of what it might be causing that ruckus. Karkat’s yellow filled eyes changed as he thought of the only moving thing in this castle and instantly looked down toward the basement.

           “What do you have down there?” Strider asked.

           Was that fear in his voice?

           Karkat’s eyes flickered back up and before he could answer, he closed his mouth.

           And that was when the ballroom door came bursting open and out came Eridan.

           Water was already dripping down from his scales and the gills at his sides were moving fast and ruggedly, not used to the extreme exercise out of the water. Eridan slowed down, his feet slow as he walked on all fours between Strider and Karkat. Eridan bared his sharp shark teeth at the Strider, and a low growl started to fill the room.

           “Oh, it’s the prince, isn’t it?” Broderick asked, his eyes never leaving Eridan’s form.

           Eridan stood next to Karkat protectively and the coal man, once more, couldn’t speak.

           “What? He’s never left whatever pool was down there, hasn’t he?” Broderick pried further, “Maybe he realized that someone’s gone against his order of never coming back… But, it doesn’t matter. I’ll kill both of you.”

           Broderick didn’t even move before Eridan raged toward the other.

           “Wait, Eridan, no!” Karkat screamed, “he has a-”

           There was nothing that could be done as the bodies collided, nearly running into the wall. A whimper sounded from Eridan as he suddenly backed away from Strider. Karkat watched in horror as blood was dripping down from the sword. Another trail of red came from Eridan, who bared his teeth back at his attacker, though half-heartedly as he continued to whine at the pain.

           “He’s really a beast, isn’t he?” Strider questioned, looking at Eridan as if he was a new horse to buy, or rather, have to put down, “Nothing human left in him.”

           Karkat snarled and embers flew out of his mouth with fury.

           “Get away from him,” Karkat growled.

           Broderick didn’t make any more to walk away, in fact, he started to move toward Eridan without any worry. Eridan moved away once more, yet, this time he stumbled and his huge body hit the floor. More blood began to seep from underneath his large weight.

           “Stop!” Karkat called, his heat fluxing between normal and hot and his clothes started to smoke.

           Hope changed in Karkat. What Dave had set aflame now blossomed into more than just hope. It became determination, a determination that was suddenly changed from reversing the curse into something that had kept him going through all the years alone. 

           I can’t let him get to everyone. All of the memories of the people Karkat hadn’t seen in years, the people who he had taken care of in the hope that they would return, fully human, came to his mind, smiling as they did before the curse rained down upon them, I can’t let him hurt anyone, not when we are so close.

           Karkat’s fury softened.

           I can’t burn down the castle, I need to lure Strider away so he can’t hurt anyone. I am… I am sorry, Dave. I hope your friends can help you.

           “It’s me you want,” Karkat said, softly and broken, as he glanced toward Eridan, “I… the curse already affected him, it’s me. I must be the reason why time hasn’t moved.”

           Eridan’s eyes focused at Karkat and as Karkat glanced back at the prince, the purple was unlike any of the times before. What was normally a blank stare was… was something else. It was like he knew what Karkat was doing, what Karkat was sacrificing. The eyes widened, purple flickering with something like surprise and… gratitude? Regret?

           Strider’s attention fully turned toward Karkat with a smirk.

           “You’re right, after all, seems like the curse only messed up with you. Instead of a pile of rocks, you are still a servant, catering to Eridan and whoever comes by.”

           Karkat felt his feet burn even more and his eyes flared with white and purple. He wanted to scream, to scream and burn alive the man before him, yet, he couldn’t. He couldn’t, not when everyone was still in here. Not when Eridan was there, bleeding on the marble floor.

           I am sorry Dave. I hope… I hope this all works out.

           Strider appeared puzzled as Karkat’s eyes turned fully white. Karkat looked out into the cold blanket outside and, without another thought, his mind was made up. Strider must have realized his plan, but it was too late; before Strider could even take another step, Karkat was already bolting and soon his feet landed on the soft snow.

           Dave’s throat burned from the sprinting, even if he was already passing through the thick green leaves of the healthy forest. His eyes, however, welcomed the shaded place, fooling his pupils that he was still wearing his sunglasses. Dave didn’t wake up with the sunglasses on and he certainly didn’t waste time trying to find them.

           Luckily, the horse Dave was riding dealt well with the roots and fallen trees, easily jumping over them as if it was nothing. This horse Dave recognized from before, she was a beautiful white mare, one that Broderick didn’t like to ride. After all, she was far from controllable.

           But, Dave appreciated it; she ran miraculously fast with a heart he had never seen before.

           As he raced forward, for once in his life he hoped to see white, even if all he didn’t have any clothes for the blizzard of a storm ahead.

           The cold nipped at Karkat’s nose, toes, and fingers, but he didn’t care. He ran as far and as fast as he could. Heavy snow came down with a vengeance and the wind didn’t help either, but it didn’t matter. Instead, Karkat just hoped that it would cover his tracks.

           Soon enough, just as he started, his lungs burned and his legs became tired. Yet, he could still hear Broderick, not too close, but not far enough to assure Karkat that the other would never catch up.

           I can’t run forever, he’s trained for this, he’s done this, Karkat thought and instantly he hid behind a blackened, dead tree.

           For a second, all he could hear was the wind, screaming through the trees and no so far from the castle. Then he heard some snow becoming smushed together, almost like a cracking sound, and Karkat moved to another tree.

           There was some silence and what Karkat assumed Strider was trying to think of a plan. After all, he couldn’t search through the whole snowy forest, not with Dave's red cloak left back in the castle. Of course, Karkat couldn’t afford to be out for too long either, but Strider didn’t know that.

           At least, Karkat hoped the other didn’t know that.

           “I asked the witch to come,” a screaming voice taunted.

           Karkat didn't bother to move to the next tree.

           That’s how he knew, Karkat thought and unconsciously pressed himself closer to the tree he hid behind. That’s how he knew about all of this. How he did all of this.

           “I told her about the horrible castle and ungrateful prince who lived in it!” Strider screamed out.

           Fire burned through Karkat. Steam started to rise, so much steam, and all around him, the snow started to melt.

           No, no, I can’t, I can’t think about this! He’s going to know where I am. I- I need to stay calm. He's doing this on purpose... to get a rise out of me for it to all be over... 

           There was more shuffling and Karkat moved slowly away from it. Cautiously, he moved from tree to tree, not knowing, but hoping that he was losing Strider.

           I just… I just have to lose him out here and… it will all be over. One way or another it will be all over...

           “I knew when time continued to stay still three years ago something was wrong with the curse,” Strider yelled, his words echoing in the dead forest, “and to think after all this time it was just you I had to worry about.”

           Karkat felt his chest was going to burst. Karkat grabbed a nearby truck to steady himself as another harsh gust of wind pushed at him, but when bark smoldered he quickly removed it. Snow started to steam away as his feet shifted slightly and, once more, Karkat tried to stay still.

           Strider wanted all of this to happen, it was all his plan. All that time everyone in the house sung of a better time and Strider knew. He knew it would never happen.

           The past three years of the cold biting at Karkat every single day, putting everyone into that room after they had all transformed, the nights sitting in the castle wishing for the sun to come up faster, forgetting to eat, sometimes not wanting to, came to Karkat. All of that happened until Karkat was thinking that there was no point. No point in anything because everything was gone...there was only loneliness… and it was all because of Strider.

           Karkat thought of Dave, either tied up, stuffed away back at the village, or… worse.

           “David was stupid to have ever stayed with you. He’s a fool for seeing anything other than what you are: a servant. That’s all you are and ever will be.”

           Suddenly, all thought was gone from Karkat’s mind and he stilled. Karkat knew he shouldn’t, that he should keep moving to not let Strider catch up, but he couldn’t. Karkat turned toward the voice, even as the wind whipped at his face and his fingers started to freeze into place.

           “I was once lower, lesser. I never wanted David nor Rose to be kept at that life. No, David had to learn to survive in this cold world or he will suffer. He’ll suffer like I did before I learned I couldn’t rely on anyone.”

           Karkat blinked at the words. He remembered Strider, when he first came in. He was different, humble, only the stable man.

           But then something changed when he wasn’t. Whatever soft edges he had was gone. Strider had become pointy, just like the swords he made.

           “David will learn or he will die.”

           The image of Dave’s body, frozen and cut, was brought up in Karkat’s mind. Seeing Dave the second time, only worse, was, to say the least, horrible. Karkat saved him once only for him to be brought back to the same monster and be tossed out again.

           Karkat’s eyes glowed a fiery red and his shirt started to smoke again. He glared at the direction where Strider spoke from and for once Karkat stood tall.

           “I won’t let you hurt Dave, not anymore! Not ever again!”

           And then Karkat barely jumped out of the way as a sword came barreling down at his head.

           “There was someone in the castle,” John uttered under his breath for the one-hundredth time.

           “Yes,” Rose answered, wanting to give her friend the stink eye, but her lack of confidence in guiding her horse at such a high speed kept her looking forward, “you keep on saying that, but why? Why do you keep on repeating that?”

           Together, Rose, John, and Jade were racing toward the castle with two brown horses and the amazing Mouse. The three ducked under the green growth and twigs that tried to grab at them. Jade had the worst of it, yanking her hair closer to her head and covering herself with her green cloak even before the snow could appear.

           Jade’s green eyes widened at John.

           “You still have that box?” she asked suddenly, “The one that the crazy old lady gave you? I thought you got rid of it all that time ago!”

           John blinked back at her, his expression clearly answering her question.

           “Yeah?” Jade answered for him, surprise plastered on her face, “It’s in your bag, isn’t it?’

           “What are you two talking about?” Rose asked, looking between her two friends.

           “There was something an old lady gave John at the beginning of the year,” Jade explained, glancing for a moment at Rose, “she was crazy, she said to go into the Dark Forest when things got bad, find the castle, and give it to the people there.”

           Then something like recognition flashed across Jade’s face.

           “But, there are people in the castle. Dave’s person, Kanaya, and… Oh my god. There must have been more. I- I remember… I think… ”

           Jade’s words trailed off as her attention turned toward John.

           “That was the customer Dad always made the extra cakes for, the castle!”

           Rose glanced between them, John appearing as frazzled as the beginning while Jade seemed to be teetering on excitement at the realization and regret for not remembering sooner.

           “The old lady wasn’t crazy,” John repeated, shaking his head, “I just- I just couldn’t find them! And now- now shit’s got bad! Things are bad!”

           Karkat turned away once more as Strider’s sword slammed itself into a dead tree. With a pull and a crunch, the sword was taken out of the trunk and was once more pointed toward Karkat.

           “There you are,” Strider said with a smile.

           Whatever heat Karkat manifested, it quickly was snuffed out. His feet, fingers, and ears hardened into coal and he nearly stumbled as he backpedaled away from his attacker.

           “There is no way I can lose. The witch is dead, the curse has already completed, and it’s just you left," Strider said, tilting his head, “I’m glad it wasn’t anyone else, they might have made this hard.”

           Karkat’s red eyes quickly turned white and this time he didn’t just stumble, he fell down. The snow did nothing to cushion his fall, though, it didn’t matter. Karkat couldn’t feel much as his limbs began to freeze, leaving only his chest, neck, and head able to move.

           And, as Karkat started to realize what was going to happen, his eyes started to dim.

           I can’t believe it. This will be the end.

           “No! Stop!”

           Dave?

           Strider turned before quickly running out of the way. A white horse came barreling down the snow ground, not showing any signs of stopping and Karkat realized he recognized the rider. Karkat’s chest pulsed with a fiery red, creating yellow cracks all along his body, and suddenly he found the ability to move.

           Dave jumped off and stood in front of Karkat with a small dagger in his hand. Karkat quickly stood up, the new wave of heat warming him, at least, for the time being.

           He’s really back.

           This time he's really back.

           “What do you think you are doing, David?” Strider asked, turning with no expression on his face.

           “You can’t kill him, I won’t let you,” Dave said, his face scrunched in anger and defiance… And his sunglasses were off. His red eyes blinked against the snow that continued to beat down on him.  Strider reacted with a sort of frown, that is, a small millimeter of his lips pulled downward.

           “Move out of the way,” Strider ordered, “soon, this can all be over and you’ll be normal again.”

           Dave didn’t move, his feet planted before Karkat as he wordlessly watched and pointed the dagger toward Strider. The sword at Strider’s side rose with its stain of Eridan’s blood.

           Karkat didn’t even see how, but the metal clashed- Strider stood over Dave, his sword only stopped by the catch of the dagger’s hilt.

           “I will not say it again,” Strider warned.

           Karkat’s eyes trained on the red blood on the Strider’s sword. Something tugged in his chest and his heart became fiery once more, smoking through his already burnt and stained shirt.

           I can’t let that happen. Not again.

           Dave and Strider went about a few strikes like a dance, though, a dance that caused tiny cuts to appear on Dave’s arms and legs as he tried his best to not let the stained blade near Karkat. Strider didn’t hold back and it appeared to be that Dave would soon be outmatched, just like the last time Karkat had found Dave.

           No, no, no, I can’t let him get hurt again. Not ever again.

           The ugly sword of Strider was, once again, ready to strike. Dave had pushed Karkat further back, yet, now that he wasn’t right behind Dave, he noticed something. As Strider’s sword rose, it was shifted to only one hand while the other hand edged to pick up something on his own belt.

           The something was shiny: metal.

           Not ever again.

           Karkat stood, tall once more, and shoved Dave to take his place.

           Dave was shoved to the ground. Just before Dave could react, be upset, be anything, he heard a sickening sound above him.

           He looked up to see Broderick’s sword caught by Karkat’s hand, bending slightly from the heat. Yet, there was something small silver sprouting on Karkat’s chest.

           Broderick had stabbed the other with his dagger… A dagger similar to what he gave Dave… A dagger he told Dave to always have with him… the dagger Dave did have... 

           For a moment, time stilled. Nothing happened as Karkat stood, staring at the man whose hand on the hilt of the dagger didn’t move, his fingers still wrapped firmly around the blade. The snow had stopped falling and, like the night Karkat had found Dave in the room filled with everyone, things began to become clear. The black, on Karkat’s hands began to chip away, revealing dark, human skin underneath and a single drop of blood fell down to the snow.

           Karkat’s voice rang through Dave’s head.

           Then he told me no. And even though I wanted to fight him on it, I… I stayed quiet after that.

           Time started up again as normal red blood started to seep from Karkat’s chest and hands and his breathing started to slow down. The dagger was ripped out and Dave watched as more of Karkat’s blood was flicked onto the white snow. The back charcoal on Karkat chest was shaken from their hold and more black ashes fell to meet the blood on the ground.

           “I’m… I’m sorry, Dave,” Karkat uttered.

           Karkat slumped down to his knees, his breathing more haggard than before.

           Broderick stared down at Karkat and Dave before him, the messed up sword by his side. It was bent, with clear places were Karkat's fingers were.

           “This was going to happen whether you liked it or not, David,” Broderick stated, walking closer to Dave and Karkat, the dagger in his hand, ready to make another hole into Karkat.

           Dave couldn’t understand what was happening between his guardian still talking and Karkat’s black charcoal layer coming off as he still labored to breathe.

           The- the curse for Karkat is gone- why- but, he’s still bleeding, why is he still bleeding?

           “This is what’s best,” Broderick continued, and he threw the messed sword to the side and instead held the dagger in his dominant hand, “this is what had to happen if you don’t want to stay as a poor stable boy.”

           Dave remembered the horses, the happiness, then the bright colors. All Dave had thought were impossible visions, were what made him a broken record, weren’t anything impossible at all. They were what things were before the curse- before Broderick messed them up. Broderick always messed them up.

           As Karkat continued to breathe heavy, more and more of the ashes landed on the ground, leaving all of the snow around him blackened. Dave couldn’t help but feel what he felt in the castle when looking at Karkat- the recognition.

           Broderick took everything away. The memories I had and what could have been. He took away the vivid life and left only this cold grey.

           Suddenly, Karkat started to shiver.

           Without thinking, Dave sat down, took off the only clothing he could offer, his shirt, pressed it down on the stab wound of Karkat, and pulled the other onto his lap. The cold attacked his bare skin with arrows of ice, but, for once, Dave didn’t feel the cold. Or, at least, it didn’t matter anymore. For once, he was happy that the warmth was leaving him and he hoped Karkat at least felt a little bit of it.

           More of the clack charcoal came off of Karkat in chunks, even underneath the clothing, and Dave started to see only spots of black with the rest of a healthy dark skin tone.

           “David, what are you doing?” Broderick asked.

           Karkat’s eyes trained themselves on Dave. There wasn’t hollowness or hope in his eyes, whatever it was, Dave couldn’t tell. Karkat closed them, breathed in, and when he opened them they were normal, with irises of red-brown.

           The boy in the window.

           Dave finally found his words.

           “I didn’t mind being a stable boy,” Dave said, hesitantly looking back toward Broderick.

           His guardian was like the person he had known for so long. Broderick stood tall, inhuman like, similar to a statue that people didn’t look up to for beauty, but because of the pedestal they were on. The pedestal that said they were important and that was never meant to be questioned.

           But, by now, after so long, Dave finally could see past the pedestal. His guardian was nothing more than an empty shell of a person, filled with nothing living. And, despite what you wanted to tell them, or to teach them, sometimes there was nothing left for them to learn because they had already been filled up with stone.

           “I never should have left you in these woods to die,” Broderick suddenly said, and though Dave couldn’t see his eyes, he knew they were black empty pools like before, “I should have done the deed myself.”

           Broderick’s grip around his dagger tightened and before anything could happen, Dave hugged Karkat tightly, shielding what was left of the other’s body. Dave could feel Karkat’s blood seeping onto his own chest and for a moment, all he tried to do was focus on his Karkat’s slow, patterned breathing.

           Dave prepared himself for the pain to blossom on his back, just like Broderick had done before.

           But pain never rained down upon him.

           Dave looked up hesitantly, not believing his luck until he saw Brodrick, yet, something was off. Something was very off.

           Broderick’s head was missing.

           The headless body fell to his knees and then fell to the side in a soundless heap, revealing Rose behind it. Her eyes were narrowed into slits and in her hands was Broderick’s sword, covered in his own blood.

           Behind her were John and Jade, both with a mixture of fear, acceptance, and concern on their faces. Dave didn’t have to guess why; they had just witnessed a murder. And yet, he could tell they didn’t have wished for it to be undone for the worry wasn’t about the now dead body on the ground, but what the villagers back at home would ever do.

           And then, their concern came from Karkat, whose stab wound continued to bleed, making small drips onto the snow.

           “Karkat?” John gasped.

           Rose still shook with adrenaline and finally, the sword was dropped to the ground. Jade had the same look of recognition as John and she rushed forward.

           “He’s going to need more than just some cloth,” Jade finally said, kneeling down beside him, “we need to move him. We need to go into the castle-”

           “No,” Karkat whispered.

           What?

           “You have to, you’re going to die,” Dave said, shaking his head, “Jade, Rose, where are the horses? We- we need them if we want to get Karkat back to the castle.”

           Rose draped her purple cloak over Dave’s shoulders and Karkat’s shivering, now fully human, body before she and Jade began to rush back into the white. John, however, still couldn’t seem to move, his eyes glued to the messenger bag on his shoulder.

           No, no, no, no, Karkat can’t do this.

           A pain crossed over Karkat’s face at the order.

           “The curse she had for me is done,” Karkat replied, his voice shaky and tears starting to fall down his cheeks, “I’m sorry, Dave, I… I am only glad to meet you before this all ended.”

           Karkat took Dave’s hand and squeezed.

           “No, you can’t, you can’t just die on me like this,” Dave answered, looking back to see if the others got the horses before focusing on Karkat.

           “You… you can’t die,” Dave continued softly, “you’ve made my grey world bright again. And I… I love you.”

           Just as Dave finished saying those words he felt Karkat’s hand cup his face and pull him downward. Their lips met and Dave thought of all the fairytales and books that always said that true love’s kiss broke the spell, wishing that they were right. Because, if they were right, then what was the only good thing that happened to Dave in the past three years didn’t have to end.

           Karkat would never have to end and he would never be alone.

           A beastly roar that erupted ended their kiss.

           As they pulled apart, they looked toward the castle and noticed, in the way, was John. John, who was knelt down, a box opened by his bag, with a glowing red, wilting rose in his hands. Petals were already falling, either on the snow or back in the box.

           To love one another and have them love in return would break the spell…

           Suddenly an ancient voice ran through all of their heads as the last petal fell to the ground.

Broderick Strider tricked me.

Broderick Strider killed me.

That was never supposed to happen.

This was never supposed to happen.

This never will happen.

Chapter Text

           Light from the rose shone brighter until it became a blinding white. Dave held onto Karkat, shielding him as tears continued to fall down his face.

           Dave opened his eyes, lighting blinding him from the open window. He blinked and noticed warm tears sliding down his cheeks and onto his nose. 

           He was in his room, curled up in his bed with his hands tightly gripping his blankets. Dave touched the warm liquid as it continued to fall down and he felt a harsh and violent mixture of hopefullness and despair. His heart felt like it wanted to implode as the feelings tore inside of him and yet, Dave couldn’t understand why. All reason for why he was feeling this way didn’t go anywhere as his mind was and remained blank. 

           Dave blinked and finally his eyes adjusted to the light. He looked down at the red blankets he was clutching as if his life depended on it. He let the fabric go and his fingers were sore from the pressure. A stray tear fell down on the blanket.

           Normally he would have thought of wiping away the tears as soon as possible in fear that Broderick would see, but… For some reason, he didn’t. 

           The feelings didn’t disappear. There was a lasting impression on him of something that was cold and grey, numbing all of his feelings, good or bad. Yet, there was something else. Something good, something warm that taunted his mind with familiarity just out of his reach. 

           Dave looked outside the window at the bright rays that were streaming in, lighting his room up with the bright colors. There was wonder at the sight and Dave didn’t bother to reach for his sunglasses.

           Karkat was walking back toward the kitchen, Kanaya and Nepeta by his side. His hands were washed to get rid of the coal dust, but they still weren’t clean. Black spots dotted all over his already dark skin. In a few more hours Karkat would have to go down and shovel some more in the heater, but…

           Even if his friends had said it didn’t matter, it mattered to him! Karkat wanted nice hands so there wouldn’t be grimy handprints everywhere he went! Ugh, he wouldn’t be able to stand if this castle was a mess. Eridan didn’t like it either, if he was supposed to convince people he wasn’t a prince to be messed with, well… that started with having a presentable castle. And having the right staff; Karkat was still glad Strider was gone from sight.

           Lalonde was happy that Strider was no longer at such a high position. There was something that she always wanted from her ex, yet, as an advisor to the king, she never thought it would attainable because of high position. Though Karkat hadn’t seen her in a while, he hoped that she would get whatever she wanted from Strider.

           “Eridan is becoming so irritable,” Nepeta continued, frowning, “he’s really pulling everyone’s tails. I mean, we grew up with him! Of course, we aren’t suddenly going to be calling him His Excellency!”

           “Yes,” Kanaya agreed, “I think he needs to focus on maintaining our current allies and try his very best to not make any more enemies. Strider was an excellent example to be made of, but I have a feeling it won’t be the last we see of him.”

           Karkat huffed and rolled his eyes. Eridan would have to get his head out of his ass soon or else they would have to do it.

           Though Karkat was nervous about doing that, should… should they try?

           Wait, of course, they should. Who else was going to do it?

           Right as that thought crossed his mind Karkat’s heart seized up and froze in his chest. Karkat gasped and his hand whipped over his heart instinctively, which did nothing to ease the pain. Instead, it flared up like a fire and he fell onto his knees. Karkat was only lucky enough to have his hands stop him before he fell face onto the marble first.

           “Karkat!” Kanaya went to his side and yet, all Karkat could do was stare at the marble in front of him, feelings and pain overcoming his mind. 

           It felt like he was suddenly alone in the castle, freezing and empty inside. And then there was something, something else coming and Karkat felt a ghost of a hand on his chest and those awful feelings dulled. They dulled until there was only happiness and the pain ceased to tear at his heart.

           A tear fell down onto the floor and Karkat stopped breathing heavily as he stared, confused. He was back to reality and when he looked up, it looked like half of the castle was in front of him, confused and worried. Amongst the crowd, a disgruntled Eridan was pushed up front by Nepeta, and his protesting stopped once he saw Karkat on his knees, crying.

           There was something in Eridan’s eyes that Karkat hadn’t seen before; concern beyond even the time when his father fell ill. Karkat sniffed and when he blinked, there was a flash of sharp teeth and scales on the prince.

           Then it disappeared and Karkat stared up at the other in confusion.

           And Karkat felt… like he was missing something. Something important.

           “I think… I think I want to see Kanaya today,” Rose muttered, sounding confused and yet sure of herself, “I actually, I really want to see her.”

           Dave stopped shoveling in food as he looked back at her. Broderick wasn’t there this morning, so the twins had gotten a start to the day on their own. Something shifted in Dave’s memory and he frowned.

           “Isn’t that the girl in the castle, the one you like?” Dave asked.

           Of course, when he said “like,” he meant it the way that Rose felt: not platonically. After all, Rose only spoke of her with blushes and heart eyes. Sadly, Dave had never met this girl… not since he wasn’t allowed to go to the castle. Rose wasn’t either, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have her ways.

           Rose nodded.

           “We should go, together,” Rose added.

           Dave blinked.

           There was a normal part of his brain would say no. Dave had learned his lesson and he wasn’t going to test his guardian, but the other part of his brain… Oh, the other wanted to go. According to that part, there was no worry in whatsoever in going, in fact, it was like Broderick had ceased to exist and now Dave’s mind was screaming, hell yeah he wanted to go to the castle with her.

           Dave, once again, tilted his head in confusion at his weird thought process.

           “Yeah, I’ll… We should go with John. He’s been wanting me to go there for so long.”

           “Where are you two planning to go?”

           Rose and Dave turned to see Broderick, leaning against one of the door frames. His arms were crossed and his sunglasses only reflected their faces back at them. The interruption would have normally amounted to jump or fear and yet… Dave didn’t feel any of that. In the dark frames, Dave didn’t look scared at all while Rose glared at Broderick with rage that could kill millions. 

           “The castle,” Rose answered right away.

           Why am I not scared? Dave wondered slightly. 

           Broderick tilted his head at her before his attention wandered to Dave.

           “You heard her,” Dave said definitely. 

           A strange determination filled within Dave.

           “Why aren’t you wearing your sunglasses?” Broderick asked, moving forward.

           Dave squinted in confusion before he realized Broderick was right.

           “I didn’t want… I didn’t want to put them on today,” Dave replied truthfully.

           There was something like disappointment that flashed over his guardian’s face. It was similar to the times before a strife was about to happen. And yet… Dave couldn’t bring himself to care, to worry, to feel anything other than the want to see John.

           Broderick took one step toward Dave and he suddenly stopped.

           Is he looking at Rose?

           There was more hesitation in his step, yet, this time it was obvious that Broderick was staring at Rose. She stood tall and confidently, with her needles in her hands. Broderick twitched and Dave stood, staring dumbly at his guardian before him. 

           Why is he… why is he so nervous? I’ve never seen him like this.

           Broderick turned and left the room and after another door closing, it was obvious he was out of the house once more. Dave was speechless as to what had just happened.

           “Let’s go get John,” Rose said, grabbing Dave’s hand and they walked out together.

           “But, after that one time, I- I thought you would have never wanted to go back there ever again,” John said hastily, shaking his head, “I don’t… I don’t know if I want to put you through that when Broderick punished you- you had bruises and cuts!”

           Dave had cornered John in the back of his Bakery. Luckily, Mr. Egbert was nowhere to be seen or else he would be already reprimanding his son from getting away from his baking duties. Jade was somewhere else, probably already doing her morning deliveries.

           Determination welled in Dave that he had ever known and he grabbed his friend’s shoulders.

           “I need to go.”

           John just looked at Dave, shocked.

           “Uh, okay, then we can go,” John said and then his blue eyes lit up with excitement as if the past five minutes of arguing hadn’t just occurred, “and I can have you meet someone! The person I want you to meet for years now!”

           Dave rolled his eyes. He was glad that John was so easy to convince, but the other always went on about this person Dave just had to meet. Yet, suddenly Dave stopped and he felt strange. There was something in his mind that he wanted to say that he had already met the person- but he couldn’t have?

           Right?

           “If we want to go, we should do it now,” John said, already starting to take off his apron, “before Dad comes back.”

           After taking the horses, Mouse, Dally, and a white mare, they sent off to the journey of the castle. It was strange, Dave felt the same sense of familiarity that he had that morning like he knew the greenery, however, he couldn’t have. It must have been a few years since he had gone through with John all those times they tried to sneak into the castle.

           Dave shook away the familiar feeling until he got to the castle. It was as bright and beautiful as he remembered, the amazing sculpted details that blended in with the ivy and flowers, almost fooling him that the marble was just as alive as the plants. People were bustling as they took care of the vines and shrubs as well as moving food inside. 

           Then Dave blinked and abruptly the ivy was gone, the castle was covered in a blanket of white, and there was no one to be found. However, in a second that image was gone.

           What?

           “Dave, come on, you said that you wanted to meet the person!” John called.

           Dave turned to see that John was already ahead of him, not showing any signs of slowing and even slid off of Dally’s back. 

           “I’ll be right there,” Dave said, urging Mouse to move to the side of the castle before John could get too far.

           It was hard to keep his eyes off of the castle; there was so much to see, so much beauty and art. Dave dismounted Mouse and noticed Rose was already beside John, her movements just as urgent and her attention stayed squarely on the castle.

           Then Dave noticed Dally was alone with the reins on the ground. Dave quickly slid off of Mouse and he walked over to the other white horse.

           “Wait, John,” Dave said, shaking his head in slight annoyance.

           Oh my god, he’s just gonna let him wander around? Is he serious?

           He took Dally’s reins as John continued to gallop away and then sighed more dramatically as he noticed Rose had done the same thing. The white mare was even starting to walk away toward the shrubbery. 

           “Rose!”

           “Kanaya is waiting for me!” Rose called back, not bothering to even spot a glance at her twin as she ran up to the entrance of the castle.

           Dave took the other reins to the white mare and lead the three horses to the stables. He smiled as two stable boys took the reins and they quickly disappeared down the many stalls. There was a slight sigh as Dave remembered when he did that; that and shoveled a lot of horse shit. With a muttered thanks, Dave went back to the entrance of the castle.

           John was nowhere to be seen so Dave went inside, hoping to find him.

           It was strange, looking around, there was more familiarity as he walked through the doors. It must have been years since Dave had been here, hell, he didn’t even have time to really look at the castle those few times John took him there, but… Dave walked through the brilliant castle like he was walking through a pleasant dream; so many bright colors and so many busy people, rushing all around, doing probably a million things at once.

           Of course, though, it wasn’t a dream. It was real.

           “Dave!” John called out.

           Dave turned and saw his friend in a room, two large doors welcoming them inside. Dave tilted his head at the doors and for a second he could see them torn, on the ground. Shaking his head at the images in his mind, he walked through the double doors and realized he was in a…

           Ballroom.

           It was spotless and.. so beautiful. The glass, all carved into diamond shapes that let the light play on the ground. Many large chandeliers graced the ceiling like sparkling clouds and for a moment, all Dave felt was joy. He felt like he could dance until his legs couldn’t move and that… he wanted to share that time with someone.

           Someone he misses.

           Dave wondered who that was.

           John was already on the other side, completely past the ballroom, waving for Dave to join him.

           Dave took his time as he strode toward his friend, looking at the windows that stretched on the other side. The light did such wonders, it was like the place was magical… he wondered if the castle would could ever be dark.

           “Hey, hothead!” John greeted, looking into the hallway with a big toothy grin.

           At first there was confusion before Dave realized it wasn’t himself that John was talking to. 

           Dave smiled at the antics and turned to see a portrait of a boy and a man; it was a beautiful depiction of the prince and the previous king. Dave had seen it before when John had brought Dave to castle before…

           Dave’s head tilted in confusion. His mind was telling him there was another time he had seen the portrait, when the paint was lightened by weather, covered slightly by dirt, and not hanging, but on the ground… 

           “John, I swear if you call me that name again I’ll rip your arms off, bake it with one of your cakes, and force feed it to you!” someone screamed back at him.

           Dave didn’t hide his expression as he smiled.

           “Ew!” John answered, his face scrunched up in disgust, “And it’s a good nickname! You are always yelling and ready to blow off the handle- not to mention, you work in the boiler!"

           The so-called “Hothead” was grumbling even more and Dave decided to save John’s skin and actually get the attention of the other before he actually does his promise. 

           Dave felt his world stop as he looked at the other boy. He had dark skin, messy black hair, and red-brown eyes that had a fire that Dave had never seen before. But, in his heart, it screamed that he had seen him before. An ache filled Dave, creeping within his very being, only dulled down slightly from confusion. Time stopped as Dave tried to figure out what he was feeling and quickly realized it was like that morning.

           The other boy seemed to have the same trouble. His retort back to John never came, even when his lips almost let the words out all of his attention was focused on Dave; his eyes widened and his mouth loosened into something like awe.

           “Hi, I’m Dave.”

           Dave didn’t recognize his own voice when he spoke. It was so calm and final, not at all like moments before. Dave didn’t even bother to think, his hand just raised on his own to invite a handshake.

           The boy responded with the same airness and tranquility as they stared at one another.

           “I’m Karkat.”

           Dave nodded and despite all of the emotions swirling inside of him, he wasn’t sure of what to do, what was going on. Yet, right as Karkat took Dave’s hand, it hit him.

           Like a distant memory, visions of a castle that was broken and decaying came into his mind, as well as the inhabitants who lived there. Karkat with charcoal skin with a bright and fiery smile and laugh, Eridan, whose scales and sharp teeth couldn’t cover the fact that he wasn’t a monster, and a room, filled to the brim with furniture, in a past hope of a better future.

           The ballroom, dancing with Karkat, sleeping in a coal dust-filled bed, backs pressed up against each other, in the library, reading Karkat’s favorite book, and when he had held the other in his arms, hoping that Karkat wasn’t going to bleed out just after he had confessed his love.

           It was the only normal, good thing amongst a depressing and cold white world.

           And there, Karkat stood, happy unlike Dave had ever seen before, no more hollowness from being alone for years, all blood and wounds gone like they had never happened in the first place.

           They probably never did happen. 

           Dave’s heart wanted to burst at the memories and he didn’t bother to hide it. He smiled at the other, his chest filled with so much love, he wondered if it could spontaneously lit up.

           “I’m…” Dave started, “I am glad to have finally met you.”

           Karkat’s eyes widened in recognition and for a moment, it was as if they were fiery again, with swirling colors that showed what he was feeling to the world. Yet, even if there was no change or dotting of colors, Dave knew what Karkat was thinking.

           What Karkat was remembering.