Work Text:
Bluh. You're bored. Time to go find out what people are up to on this hurtling hunk of rock.
Your name is Terezi Pyrope and you pop into the common room through the transportalizer at the center of it. You are immediately greeted by voices.
"It's rather a shame that butterfly knives aren't as delicate or gentle as their namesake, wouldn't you say?"
"float like a bee, sting like a butterfly. like the butterfly said surprise motherflutter, thought i was all cute and gonna lisa frank things up but psyche, wont be making that mistake again, shank you very much"
"Riveting. Your word play has me upon a knife's edge, listening with bladed breath."
"i was about to get to those. thanks"
From the sound of it, Strider's gone and gotten himself into some kind of trouble. And… what's that? There's a whiff of cherry in the air. Delicious.
"H3Y COOL K1D" you start. "WH4TCH4 GOT GO1NG ON?"
"oh hey terezi" he mutters, apparently wrapping his fingers up in bandage materials of some sort. "just a bit of experimenting gone horribly wrong" A small grunt is followed immediately by the tear of paper tape. "lucky to be alive you know"
"1 D1DNT TH1NK WORDPL4Y W4S TH4T D4NG3ROUS"
Rose takes a moment to look up from her book. "Dave was playing with a knife and it didn't end well," she mutters, turning a page in what seems to you to be colored like one of Karkat's many romance novels.
"come on, rose, dont do me dirty like that"
You chuckle a bit. For as much as you all wanted the humans to think you were a cool bunch of trolls, you were, at heart, all dorks. And as time went on, the humans proved to be no different. Eventually you all agreed that if there's another universal constant, it's that teenagers, in general, regardless of their species, are humongous dorks. But at least there was an understanding camaraderie in that.
"I'm fairly certain there are some cleansing wipes in that medical kit, if you feel I have indeed 'done you dirty like that.' Just as there is aloe in case of any 'sick burns.'"
"youre hilarious. like im just laughing all of the tiniest of molecules of my ass onto the floor here"
Glancing over at the table, you get a whiff of a handful of colors, mostly mint and coconut-based from all the lightly-hued bandages and medical supplies. Marshmallow and vanilla smells too. There's also the thick and sticky scent of... licorice?
And Dave sees you picking up said licorice-ness. "oh that? you know what that is right?"
You snort. "OH NO, D4V3, 1 H4VE N3V3R S33N 4 ST3THOSCOP3 B3FOR3 1N MY L1F3!"
Rose tries her hardest to suppress a giggle, but a little of it manages to escape and tickle the air in the room.
"are you being funny or have you literally never seen one" He finishes patting down the ends of the tape on his fingers. "serious question"
"FUNNY" you mutter, sliding your fingers all up and down the smooth rubber tubing. "1V3 N3V3R H3LD ON3 B3FOR3 BUT YOU W4TCH 3NOUGH MOV13S 4ND 1TS BOUND TO POP UP ON TH3 SCR33N 3V3NTU4LLY. K1ND OF H4RD NOT TO S33 ON3 4T TH4T R4T3"
"or smell one?"
"Y34H. BUT 1 4CTU4LLY S4W 4 F3W 1N TH3 CR1M3 DR4M4S 1 W4TCH3D SW33333PS 4GO" You absentmindedly start swinging the heavy bell around as you think back to late mornings, staying up, gripped by a good film noir. "4LW4YS W4S S3R1OUS BUS1N3SS WH3N TH3 PR1V4T3 UNR3ST1G4TOR PULL3D ON3 OF TH3S3 OUT"
You run your nails over the sleek, cool metal parts close to the earpieces, debating whether or not you should keep this one or alchemize one for yourself. After all, if you came across another body, it'd be more convenient than placing your ear directly on a possible corpse's chest, and a lot less bloody for good measure. Not that you minded getting dirty for the sake of catching a culprit, but anything that could aid in the pursuit of justice should be given a good deal of thought.
"You look as though you really want to try it out," Rose comments. "Go ahead; I've been wondering for a good long while if Strider has a brain rattling around in that head of his."
"ow rose ow" Dave says, thumping his chest once with the side of his fist to drive the metaphorical dagger through his ribs. "i guess while were at it, terezi can see if youve actually got a heart somewhere in that ghostly shell of yours"
"No need. Kanaya can attest that there is indeed, and it's as cold, dark, and infected by the eldritch as you'd expect." She nonchalantly turns to the next page.
"fucking tentacles again... so youve got what, hentaichycardia or something? pretty sure they make meds for that"
While they're busy bickering, you slip the earpieces into your auditory canals and stick the heavy bit on your own chest. The sound that greets you is a very clear thumping, much clearer than you'd ever heard anyone's pump biscuit before. Not that you'd heard too many outside of fatality checks during FLARPing, but there were a few that came to mind. Karkat's, and Vri--
No. No, that's… You don't want to think about that heart in particular. Not now.
Maybe later. Especially since Dave seems to be looking at you with interest right now.
He starts talking, but it's muffled. You pull out one of the earpieces. "WH4T?"
"i said like what you hear? getting a listen on some ill beats?" He's making DJ gestures with his sentences.
"TH3YR3 PR3TTY 1LL" you say, grinning. "B3T YOUV3 PROB4BLY GOT SOM3 S1CK B34TS YOURS3LF, D4V3"
"oh the sickest you have no idea" He bumps his chest twice. "takes one with the most hospital worthy of rhythm to make the baddest rhymes to ever caress the ears. these sweet beats dont need a defib because they are the defib and theyre gonna smack a bitch upside the head like live, damn you, live, you feel me?"
Rose is shaking her head. "You make it sound like you have a bad case of arrhythmia."
"to the untrained ear maybe but all the madness is orderly. like this orderly said we need nurses 2 and 3 in the or, stat to get some jams into that sad sad flat laser line. we clear?"
"...Terezi, you should probably make sure he's not dying of cardiovascular failure."
"OOH, D4V3, C4N 1?" You figure you were probably going to stick that thing on him anyway, whether he wanted you to listen or not, but since the invitation was practically being handed to you, wouldn't hurt to ask. At least for formality's sake; you knew what he was going to say, having "seer of mind" powers and all...
"tie those shoes to your feet because these beats are gonna knock em clean off" he says, turning toward you on his chair and sitting up a bit so you have clear access to his chest.
A few seconds later, you find yourself relieved and slightly disappointed that he does, indeed, not have the arrhythmia that Rose was purporting him to have. In fact, it's probably some of the most regimented beating you've ever heard. Chalk that up to him being a Time player, you muse; it's almost like he's got a metronome inside him. Or a literal clock.
It also takes you a few moments before you realize that the thumps you're hearing now aren't much unlike what you heard coming out of your own heart. Karkat would probably be making some kind of snide comment about it, saying well, of course they sound like that, the frog took a troll as a blueprint, didn't it? But if anything, it definitely makes you feel... closer. More unified. Humans were weird, but... here was another thing that your species had in common. Besides the camaraderie of dorkiness.
...But speaking of Karkat... hmm... this gives you an idea.
After a few minutes, Dave tries to get your attention by clearing his throat. You'd been kind of lost in thought and didn't notice, but his heartbeat has been picking up in tempo a bit as said minutes have ticked by.
"uh terezi youve gone quiet. is it really that bad? i thought rose was just joking"
Your trademark grin makes its way onto your face. "1TS WORS3 TH4N W3V3 THOUGHT 4ND W3 N33D TO P3RFORM SURG3RY... ROS3, WH3R3S K4N4Y4 4T? C4N TOWN G3N3R4L N33DS TO 4DM1T 4 N3W P4T13NT, ST4T!"
The tangerine-clad teen looks surprised, but actually starts standing up, sending a jolt of panic through Dave for a moment.
"now hold on a second--"
"1M K1DD1NG J33Z… S3R1OUSY D4V3 1 DONT TH1NK YOUR H34RT COULD B3 4NY ST34D13R 3V3N 1F YOU TR13D"
"aw yeah this dnas so fucking lined up you could scan that shit. find that barcode, ring it up with the rest of your groceries cause its always time to turnip the beet" he says, his expression unchanged; but the threat of an impromptu operation with a freaking chainsaw did a number on his heart's pace, every throb of which you were privy to.
You take the other earpiece out and hold the stethoscope in your hands. "TH4NKS COOL K1D. M1ND 1F 1 4BSCOND W1TH TH1S FOR 4 WH1L3?"
He nods. "assuming nobody drops dead between now and then sure"
Rose looks up from her book. "But please do return it. The list of recurrent disappearances and re-alchemizations is growing longer by the twenty-four hour period."
"is it really?"
"Yes, and if I have to alchemize another hairdryer, I may add a flamethrower function as a deterrent."
"absolutely hair-razing--"
Licorice-scented stethoscope in tow, you transportalize out and wander off down the corridors and hallways, tapping your cane as you go (so much monochromatic metal, it all starts to smell the same), until you come to one particular respiteblock. With a wide grin on your face, you give the door a few knocks.
...No response. Is he dead? Looks like you bringing that thing along was a great idea after all. But you decide to give it another knock before resorting to busting the door down.
"UGH. FINE, WHATEVER, COME IN."
Ah, okay, he's not dead. Even better. You step inside and the door closes behind you. From what you can tell, he's been on his crabtop, doing who really knows what. Probably arguing with some version of himself, or watching another human romcom. There's a definite agitation you can smell in the room, but goodness knows, with Karkat, there's a lot that could be causing it. Point is, you get why he was so absorbed a few moments ago.
"OH. TEREZI. WHAT IS IT?"
"NOT MUCH. D4V3 HURT H1MS3LF 4ND 1 GOT TO BORROW TH1S FOR 4 WH1L3." You hold up your loaned listening device.
Karkat freezes midtype, hands hovering over the keyboard, mouth agape. "...HE HURT HIMSELF SO BADLY YOU HAD TO CHECK HIS VITALS? WHAT THE FUCK DID HE EVEN DO?"
You cackle. "H3S F1111N3. JUST N33D3D TO B4ND4G3 H1S F1NG3RS. TH3 ST3THOSCOP3 W4S JUST LY1NG OUT ON TH3 T4BL3"
"FANTASTIC. SO, WHAT, YOU PLANNING ON CRACKING ANY SAFES?" he mutters, turning back to his computer and typing, slightly more agitated. "GOODNESS KNOWS THERE'S STILL LIKE A FUCKTON OF CHESTS ALL OVER THE PLACE, AND IF THESE NUMBWITS DECIDED TO ADD TUMBLER LOCKS YOU'D BE FUCKED WITHOUT THAT."
Chests he says? You chuckle; he has the right word, but the wrong context. "GOOD PO1NT. BUT NO, NOT R34LLY TH3 K1ND OF H31ST 1 H4D PL4NN3D. B3S1D3S, 4 S3RV4NT OF JUST1C3 WOULDNT DR34M OF FL1RT1NG W1TH BL4T4NTLY CR1M1N4L 4CT1V1TY. UNL3SS 1T L3T TH3M G3T TH31R TROLL. BUT TH3N TH3YD H4V3 TO G3T 1T D1SM1SS3D 4S P4RT OF TH3 1NV3ST1G4T1ON B3FOR3 TH3Y G3T F3D TO H1S HONOR4BL3 TYR4NNY"
He slams his hands down on the keyboard and shuts the PC with a huff. "RIGHT. HOW STUPID OF ME TO FORGET."
Yeah. Not in the best mood. Part of you wonders if it's your fault, but given that you've both carried on longer conversations with him clicking the keys throughout, it was probably the asshole on the other end of the internet. You step forward and make your way to the bed he was sitting on and take a seat next to him.
He's not even paying attention to what you just did, sitting so close. Would he notice if you...?
"...THE FUCK?" His voice reverberates through his chest, playing simultaneously with the considerably-tempoed thud of his heartbeat. You can't tell if it's nerves or irritation--knowing him it's possibly both--but you have to slide the chestpiece up a little so there's no risk of you going deaf from how loud it is in there.
"D444NG, K4RK4T, YOU SHOULD R3L4X; BR34TH3 4 L1TTL3!"
"NO, I MEAN, TEREZI, WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING THAT?"
You begin to smell cherries, and grin. Getting flustered, are we? You mean him?
"B3C4US3 1 H4V3 1T?"
"WELL THAT'S JUST GREAT. YOU KNOW THEY SAY WHEN YOU HAVE A WHACK MALLET, EVERYTHING LOOKS LIKE A NAIL."
"1 M34N 1 BROUGHT 1T W1TH M3 B3C4US3 1TS FUN. DO 1 R34LLY N33D MOR3 OF 4 R34SON?"
He sighs and rubs his forehead. "NOT REALLY I GUESS, BECAUSE WITH YOU, THERE NEVER REALLY IS MUCH OF A REASON FOR THESE STUPID LITTLE SHENANIGANS, IS THERE?"
You shake your head. "NO, TH3R3 1S 4LW4YS 4 R34SON, 3V3N 1F 1TS 4 SM4LL ON3." You give him a quick kiss on the cheek.
Considering you told him to relax and breathe a few moments prior, you were doing him no favors. He turns to face you, eyes massive, practically physical question marks near his temples. His mouth is unusually silent, made up for by the absolute ruckus coming from the organ between his lungs. And naturally, it's strongly punctuated with the scent of blushy red fruit. Yum.
"L1K3 TH4T, S33?"
Still no words, but you'd swear his gaze is tangible. Damn, he is impossibly cute when he's caught off guard. You can't help but kiss him.
So you do.
It's only a split second before you knock him over, your lips on his, his back on the bed. The whole experience is a sensory overload for you. A variety of textures greet you as soon as your mouth meets his, from the warm and slightly rough skin of his lips, to the smooth, slightly moist surface of his most prominent teeth. There's a subtle sweetness to his mouth, strangely addicting and intoxicating. You've flustered him to the point of blushing so much that you'd swear his entire head is a ball of cherry candy with how powerful the scent is. And you could swear you're hearing your own heartbeat in your ears if his weren't already drowning it out through the earpieces you're still wearing. In fact, the stethoscope is still very much pressed up against his chest, but now your chest is holding it in place, so it's starting to get a little hard to tell whose heartbeat is whose.
You wish it could last forever, but you need to pull away for air. The scent palette image you get as you hover a few inches above him is burned into your head: his soft, ruddied face, sweat beginning to drip down the sides, his mouth parted slightly in an attempt to get more oxygen into his body. He seems stunned, his eyes resting on you, like he never expected this. Which would be unusual considering how this wasn't your first makeout session. But perhaps it's been so long since the two of you had really done anything in this close of proximity to each other that it just caught him off guard.
You smile and lie down next to him on your side, resting your head on his shoulder, one hand on his chest where the listening device's bell still is. Your other hand is behind his head, your fingers gently tapping out on the blanket the rhythm still pounding through the earpieces.
He sighs heavily, still trying to catch his breath. "WHY IS IT..." You take off the stethoscope and set it to the side. "WHENEVER WE END UP LIKE... LIKE THIS... YOU SEEM TO BE SO FASCINATED WITH MY PUMP BISCUIT?"
"WH3N3V3R W3 3ND UP L1K3 TH1S?" you smirk. "K4RK4T, 1F YOU 4R3 T4LK1NG 4BOUT US M4K1NG OUT, TH1S 1S ONLY L1K3 TH3 S3COND T1M3 W3 H4V3 DON3 TH4T"
"POINT IS," he resumes. "YOU ALWAYS MANAGE TO GET... SO... CLOSE."
"4R3 YOU ST1LL UNCOMFORT4BL3 W1TH SO MUCH VULN3R4B1L1TY? L1K3... S3R1OUSLY, K4RK4T, 1TS M3. WH4T DO YOU TH1NK 1M GO1NG TO DO W1TH TH3 KNOWL3DG3 TH4T 1 M4K3 YOUR L1TTL3 TROLL H34RT B34T 4 C4P4C1ON1T3R 4 S3COND?" You lightly poke him in the cheek, the smile on your face full of cheese.
"PROBABLY SOMETHING VERY, VERY FRIGHTENING."
"OH? L1K3?"
He shakes his head. "I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE… MAYBE TELL EVERYONE ON THIS FUCKING METEOR ABOUT IT? ABOUT HOW THEIR LEADER CAN'T THINK STRAIGHT FOR TWO FUCKING SECONDS BECAUSE OF A FL--"
He shuts up immediately, the heat from his face growing quite intensely. But your own face is starting to feel hot itself. The difference between knowing what someone's next words are and actually hearing said words is stark and admittedly flustering. But really, this felt all too familiar; hadn't he choked on the exact same words the last time you two got all close and cuddly?
"W3R3..."
"TEREZI, NO."
"W3R3 YOU JUST..."
"STOP. TEREZI. CEASE. I BEG OF YOU."
"...W3R3 YOU JUST 4BOUT TO B3 4N OBNOX1OUS 4SS 4G41N??" you growl, playfully ruffling his hair, much to his protests. Dodging the obvious aside--which was the obnoxious part--you both settle down after a few moments before you decide to continue talking. "1 M34N... 1 DONT KNOW, K4RK4T, M4YB3 TH3R3 1S JUST SOM3TH1NG R34LLY SW33T 4BOUT B31NG 4BL3 TO H34R WH4T 1S K33P1NG SOM3ON3 YOU C4R3 V3RY D33PLY 4BOUT 4L1V3"
He opens his mouth to protest, but it catches in his throat and he lets it fade. Silence meanders into the room for a bit. "...DEEPLY, HUH?"
You nod. "D33PLY"
A dual sigh fills the air as the two of you relax just a bit, him staring at the ceiling (you assume), you taking in all the sensations of the moment.
"SO... YOU S33M3D 4G1T4T3D 34RL13R."
He rolls his eyes, shutting them afterward. "OH THAT. I... WELL..." A sudden realization gives him pause. "...OKAY YOU KNOW WHAT, I THINK FUTURE ME WASN'T BEING SUCH A FUCKING IDIOT AFTER ALL."
"1 F1GUR3D YOU W3R3 PROB4BLY H4V1NG 1T OUT W1TH H1M OR SOM3TH1NG."
"YEAH. I WAS GETTING IMPATIENT ABOUT--" His breath hitches for a moment. "...UM... FUTURE THINGS. BUT IT SOUNDED LIKE HE'D BEEN IN GAMZEE'S PIES OR SOMETHING BECAUSE HE WASN'T MAKING A DAMN BIT OF SENSE. HIGH OFF HIS ASS, WHAT A MORON. BUT... I DON'T KNOW. HE SAID EVERYTHING WOULD BE ALL RIGHT."
"4LL R1GHT?"
"YEAH. OR AT LEAST, HE WAS HOPEFUL IT WOULD BE."
Thoughts began running around inside your head. High? What kind of high? Not Rose's human soporifics... and you knew for a fact that Gamzee was out of his slime. What about... Ahh, yes...
You reach behind you and grab the stethoscope again. "H3Y. DO YOU W4NT TO G1V3 TH3 THUMP 4MPL1F13R 4 TRY?" You extend your hand out to him, the medical instrument neatly folded round itself beneath your fist-curled fingers.
You can almost hear his expression fall flat. "YOU MEAN LISTEN TO MY OWN PUMP BISCUIT? I AM PROBABLY THE LAST PERSON IN THE UNIVERSE WHO WANTS TO HEAR THAT, GIVEN I KIND OF HATE MYSELF TO THE FURTHEST RING AND BACK. IT'S LIKE 'GEE, KARKAT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO AUDITORILY OBSERVE WHAT IS BASICALLY THE ORGAN EQUIVALENT OF A TRAITOR MOVING YOUR DAMNINGLY MUTANT BLOOD AROUND THROUGH YOUR VEINS?' WHY THANKS, SURE, I WOULD ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO HATE MYSELF JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE."
You shake your head. "1 M34N YOUR3 SER1OUSLY M1SS1NG OUT B3C4US3 1T DO3S SOUND PR3TTY 4M4Z1NG--" He's blushing again, heehee. "--BUT 1 M34NT M1N3, YOU DORKW4D."
Now you're practically drowning in the scent of cherries again. Ahhh... But while you're busy enjoying it, you realize that, if he decides to take you up on this offer, this will be the first time Karkat has ever heard your heartbeat before, at least to the best of your knowledge. If you thought about it, you hearing his was just about a regular occurrence by this point, as before this little get-together you'd caught hints of it here and there through surprise tackles, sneaking up behind him, and just your everyday shenanigans of getting close to him in general. Your hearing may have been more sensitive than most, but his own heart wasn't doing him any favors by being ever so slightly louder than other trolls' in the first place (must've been all the anxiety, you can't really blame him). Heck, there was even the situation where the two of you got stuck in a hole in the ground and you had all the time in the world to figure out his blood color (much cuddling happened, after quite a bit of making out). Considering you had heard so much of his blood mover thumping that day, you'd almost swear you could pick it out of a group of recordings if given the chance. And this occasion a few moments ago had solidified the sound even more in your memory.
But he's never had the opportunity to hear yours... until now.
"I, UH..."
"W3LL? M3OWB34ST GOT YOUR TONGU3, K4RK4T?" You cackle a bit. "1 C4N HOLD TH3 H34VY P4RT 1F 1T M4K3S YOU MOR3 COMFORT4BL3"
A few moments go by before he sighs, resignation tinted with relief. "...OKAY. YOU HOLD IT, THEN. I'LL JUST..." The two of you sit back up and he takes the metallic portion. After flipping it around a few times, he sticks the rounded ends in his ears. "OKAY. GO."
You press the chestpiece closest to where you figure he'd be able to hear it the best, observing the scentful colors shift as his expression goes from startled, to surprised, to... is that awe? He seems a bit mystified. It's not anything you're doing is it? Admittedly, you know your pump biscuit is beating a little faster than it usually does, but to be fair, not many people have heard it. Especially grumpy little trolls who type in gray and all caps.
He closes his eyes and sits that way for a few moments... until you decide to return the favor from earlier. You feel him jolt a bit as your lips are back on his, but this time, he gets a front row seat to how fast he's making your heart beat.
It doesn't take long before the two of you are back on the bed's surface, but this time, you've both tipped over onto your sitting side of the bed, and... surprisingly, in an altogether astonishing moment of initiative, he's now busy on the counterattack... gently peppering your mouth with delicate little kisses?? The tenderness is just too overwhelming for you and you feel your face heat up far warmer than you've ever felt. Aaaah, how could he even be this cute, this had to be illegal somewhere...
When he finally pulls away, breathing heavily, the look you detect on his face is… really dazed. Then again, so is your own--and goodness knows you certainly feel dazed--but with him, he's definitely wearing a blissful-looking daze. A very slight smile works its way across his awkwardly adorable teeth, and you know it's serious. He doesn't even break it when his palmhusk starts buzzing.
You gently sniff the air as he's quietly tapping the on-screen keyboard, his fingertips almost dancing across the surface as he... ahaaah, he's arrived. This was precisely the moment he was talking about earlier. Bingo.
He chuckles a bit, muttering something about understanding. And you smirk, proud to call yourself a seer of mind. Past Karkat will just have to wait his turn to get here.
He quietly puts his phone away and, to your surprise, takes the stethoscope out of his ears, placing it to the side.
"?"
"TEREZI, I... IS IT OKAY IF... I MEAN..."
"OH, 4R3 YOU DON3 L1ST3N1NG?"
"NO! ...NO, I JUST..."
The words are practically right there on the edge of his lips, but no dice. They're not budging. That was Karkat for you; even after twice the amount of making out as last time and him actually showing a teeny bit of initiative this time around, somebody else was going to have to take the reins here. You chuckle and roll your eyes. "WH4T, YOU W4NT TO DO TH1S TH3 OLD-F4SH1ON3D W4Y?"
More cherries. If blushing actually grew fruit, the two of you could've gotten rich running your own produce stand after all this.
"...I MEAN YOU SAID IT, NOT ME. BESIDES, IT'LL PROBABLY HURT MY EARS IF I LEAVE THOSE THINGS IN FOR TOO LONG."
Cackling softly, you reach up and pull his head down to your chest, making sure his ear is reasonably close to your heart. You can definitely feel his against the side of your hip; it's drumming so hard and fast behind his ribs you just know that in spite of the mutual mouth exercises, getting to this point verbally was really difficult for him. But you didn't mind being the one to push him off this diving board and into the natatorial basin.
All is quiet save for the sounds of your breathing--yours soft, his hiked but gradually calming--random clinks and tanks in the lab's walls, and the gentle occasional rustle of varying fabrics. You can't get a clear read on his expression from this angle, but whatever it is, it smells... soft. Tender. Equally tender is the way he's wrapping his arms around your waist, holding it gently, like he's afraid of breaking you but you're the absolute last life preserver the sinking liquid transport has.
It doesn't take long before you feel his breathing and heartbeat slow, a slight edge of snoring rounding out the inhales. You caressingly kiss the top of his head, quietly saying "1N C4S3 YOU W3R3 WOND3R1NG... TH1S W4S TH3 H31ST 1 H4D PL4NN3D. BUT 1T S33MS L1K3 YOU GOT 4W4Y W1TH MY H34RT TOO. 1 GU3SS W3 W1LL H4V3 TO C4LL 1T 3V3N." Letting yourself soak in his warmth, you slide into a gentle slumber as well, perfectly peaceful. Yeah, borrowing that thing really was a great idea after all.
...
In the end, you couldn't return the stethoscope. Soon as you and Karkat had woken up, you realized it was missing, almost as if it had grown legs and wandered off (and trust you, you both practically tore the room apart looking for it). Rose, fed up, makes you alchemize a new one, but you happily oblige. Now the meteor's main medical kit contains a brand new stethoscope in bright candy red.