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You never thought you of all people would fall in love. Sure, there was Terezi, but that was nothing more than a school-boy crush. No, this was much, much different. You could never get her out of your head. The way she moved her bony figure, the long braids, the piercings that gleamed, the way she smiled. You loved all of it. Most of all, you loved how she talked to you, like you were on the same level as her.
You had met her at the gas station. She was trying to buy cigarettes and was getting harassed by a drunk older man. After a few moments of heated argument, she kicked the guy in the balls then punched him square in the face. It had scared the shit out of you, but you've never seen a woman handle herself so well. She had smirked at you, then paid for her cigarettes and left, leaving you there with wide eyes and jaw on the floor.
The second time you met her, you were taking a walk in the park at night. Your parents had gotten pissed at you for your failing grades and you needed to cool off. As you were walking along the park benches, you saw a figure on one of them, lying down. Your heart raced, and you had thought it was a body.
But no, it was just her.
You two sat and talked for a while. You learned her name. Meenah. You silently repeated the name to yourself, letting it role off your tongue. She smirked and asked if you were going to tell her your name, or if you were just going to remain as the anonymous shorty.
Meenah laughed when she heard your name, causing you to frown and blush.
What the hell kind of name is Karkat? she had screeched, eyes watering from laughing too hard. You told her it was better than something shitty like Meenah, and that caused her to laugh even harder.
You wouldn't admit it, but you were having a great time.
You two exchanged numbers and texted and phoned for weeks before making plans to go to dinner together. Being in college, you didn't have a whole lot to spare, but you figured you could splurge for Village Inn.
The two of you had a great time. You didn't want the night to end. You loved being around her.
You did offer to drive her back home, and she quickly accepted.
When you walked her to her front door, she grinned and grabbed you, pushing her lips to yours.
It was your first kiss.
When she released you, you were a blushing stuttering mess. She simply winked and patted your shoulder, wishing you a good night and to call her in the morning.
When you two started dating regularly, she let you go a little further each date. You didn't always want to, because you wanted to wait longer, but she insisted and you always gave in.
Most of the time, you just tried to talk to her. About life, family, friends, goals, anything. But she didn't like talking much. She would just light up a cigarette and smile, then change the subject.
On the rare occasions that she did talk about her life, you always learned something new.
She has a tattoo of a fish on her left ass cheek. She was addicted to meth for three years. She went to college to become a teacher but got thrown out for missing too much class.
You loved learning things about her. It was like she was a never ending mountain of information.
On the night just after your one year anniversary, she came over unexpectedly, even though your dorm wasn't supposed to have visitors this late. She looked worn down, like she had been crying. She asked in a shaky voice if she could come in, and you of course let her. You sat her down on the couch and got her a cup of hot coffee and asked what was wrong, sitting next to her.
It had taken her a few moments, but she finally said that she ran into an ex of hers, one she used to do meth with. He had robbed her, and she was so scared she didn't know where else to go.
She stayed the night.
It was also the night you lost your virginity.
She insisted, saying it was okay, saying she wanted this, and that she loved you.
You cried when it was over, because you loved her so much and you couldn't even protect her from the world.
When you woke up, she was lying there next to you, still asleep. Smiling to yourself, you moved a little closer to her and kissed her shoulder.
You closed your eyes again, wishing the world would just freeze in this moment for a while.