"So have you heard anything from your brother?" Karkat asks you about a week after your return from the hospital.
You shake your head. "Nope. Nothing. They're bound to notice my absence by now. I'm sure he's stalling the school. Y'know. Covering my ass and all. But trust me when I say I'm gonna get the beating of a lifetime when he gets back."
"You could run away," he muses as he clicks away on his mouse. The two of you had rejoined Homestuck and have been fighting monsters in the woods near the club for about an hour now. To be perfectly honest, you kind of missed it.
"And go where?" You scoff as you slice the head off an Orc. "Your place? You won't even meet me at like a cafe or something. I have no money and no options. It's here or nowhere."
He shrugs. "I can always send you money and stuff. You could send me things, too."
"You don't have my address and I don't have yours," You counter.
Rolling his eyes, Karkat sends you a message through the game. "Now you have it."
"Cool. I send you mine later."
"You don't have to. I'm just saying. You've got to do something before he kills you. If that means I have to provide for you, then okay."
"I will do something," you reply, biting your lip in concentration.
"Such as?" He asks skeptically.
"Suicide," you tell him.
Pausing the game, Karkat slams his hands down on the table and points at you accusingly. "That shit didn't work last time. What would make you think it's a good idea to try again?"
"My well being? My mental health? My physical health? Doesn't that matter to you?" You huff as you pause the game yourself.
"I told you I don't want to lose you yet. You promised me," he snaps, his eyebrows furrowed. "Besides, ending your life isn't good for your well being because you'll be dead."
You cross your arms over your chest. "Don't act so innocent. You'd still be trying to kill yourself if I hadn't stumbled along."
"That was different!" He snarls back. "I stopped once we met. You didn't, and I know it's my fault."
Sighing softly, you roll your eyes. "Don't be so hard on yourself. It wasn't your fault."
"Shades. Off. Now," he suddenly demands, motioning to your aviators.
You frown. "Why?"
"I want you to look me in the eyes when I make you say this. Off. Now."
Grumbling irritably, you take off your shades and fold them, setting them carefully on the desk. "They're off. What do you want me to say?"
Karkat narrows his eyes at you and hisses, "Tell me you'd be able to forgive yourself if you died and left me here miserable and all alone." You open your mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. This causes him to raise an eyebrow and prod, "Come on then. Say it." You clench your jaw and keep silent, glaring at him. He smirks triumphantly and gloats, "I told you so."
"Don't get too cocky. It'll happen one day," you retort as you slouch back in your chair.
"Is that so? You want to know what it's like to have someone you love die before your eyes like that?" He challenges, standing from his chair and kneeling over to search for something off screen.
"What are you doing?" You ask nervously. Returning to his seat, Karkat holds up a shiny revolver; the sight alone makes your blood run cold. Your eyes widen in shock as you stammer out, "H-How did you get that?"
He runs his finger down the barrel and hums, "Oh, this old thing? I was told by my parents to get one for self defense."
"K-Karkat... Don't even joke like this..." You beg, your eyes never once leaving the gun.
"Who's joking?" He asks as he holds the gun to his head, cocking the hammer back.
"B-Baby please don't... I-I'm sorry... I-I promise I'll never--" You don't get a chance to finish before he pulls the trigger. You flinch, squeezing your eyes shut, but the gun doesn't fire. Tears slip down your face as you hold your hands up in defense. "I-I'll never try to hurt myself again... K-Karkat please st--" Again, he cocks the gun and pulls the trigger. Again, it doesn't fire. "Karkat, PLEASE!"
"Dave, calm down. It was to teach you a lesson. The gun isn't even loaded." He pops out the chamber and spins it before pushing it back in place. Once more, he cocks the hammer and holds the gun to his head. "See? It's not--"
This time, as his finger squeezes the trigger, the gun fires. You scream in horror, shielding your eyes from the bloodbath before you. You can hardly breathe, every intake of air growing more and more strained. You instinctively fumble around from your phone and dial 911.
The operator answers and asks you to state your emergency. You're hardly able to manage to calm yourself down before practically shouting into the phone, "M-My boyfriend shot himself! P-Please! H-He needs help!"
"Sir, calm down. I need the address," she shushes you in a soothing voice. You relax enough to find the address he'd given you and recite it to her. "An ambulance has been dispatched. Are you with him now?"
"N-No," you whimper. "H-He's at his house. We were on a video call and... A-And..."
Her calming voice cuts you short. "Please try to remain calm. You said he shot himself?"
You nod, though you know she can't see. "Y-Yes..."
"Can you hear or see anything from his end?" She asks you.
"N-No... H-He fell out of his chair..." You pause and listen a moment. "W-Wait... I-I think I hear something..." A moment later, the door to Karkat's room flies open and a handful of paramedics rush in. "Th-The ambulance is there..."
"Excellent. Have they acknowledged you?" The operator presses.
Again, you nod. "Y-Yes..."
"Good. You can end your call with him now. How old are you?"
"Seventeen..." You answer.
"Is someone home with you?"
"N-No... I'm home alone..." You snivel. "I-I need to be with him..."
"What is your current location?" You give her your address and she pauses a moment before assuring you, "I've sent a squad car to take you to the hospital. Stay on the phone with me until they arrive, okay?"
"O-Okay..." She asks you a handful of pointless questions before you hear the pounding on the front door. You immediately shoot out of your chair and run over. Throwing the door open, you're greeted by two cops. "They're here," you whisper into the phone.
"Great. They'll take you to the hospital."
You thank her before shakily hanging up. You waste no time in following them to their car, climbing in the back and impatiently bouncing your leg, your fingers nervously tapping on your knee. The endless stream of tears cascades down your cheeks, dripping from your chin and onto your thigh. Your heart shrivels in your chest and your stomach flips like an acrobat on speed.
Once the cruiser comes to a stop, you jump out of the car and rush inside, wiping the tears from your eyes. Much to your dismay, they're immediately replaced by new ones. You're halted by a doctor who places a steady hand on your shoulder and explains the situation. "You're here for the young boy, aren't you? The suicide attempt? He's been rushed to the ER. You can't see him yet. You'll have to wait out here. I'm very sorry..."
You collapse to your knees which can no longer support your weight. The officers help you into a chair. One of the nurses provides you with a pillow and blanket. "It might be a while," she says. "And it's getting late."
By now, every part of you aches. Nothing feels real. In fact, you don't feel anything at all. You spend an hour and a half crying until you have no more tears. Then, you curl up in the chair with your knees tucked to your chest, sniffling and hiccuping until sleep finally takes its toll.

((Welp. Sorry. I just screwed everybody over. I fucked everyone's day. But enjoy that chapter my little Marshmallow Matey's. <3))