You wince as blood splashes across your screen. The beginning of the meeting consists of watching depression and suicide videos. You've never been good with blood. It makes you squeamish and the sight of it makes you sick. However, you have to gain their trust. You have to act like this shit appeals to you. Though you do your best to keep your focus off the screen, your attention is pulled back when you hear your notifications ding with a direct message from Karkat. Letting your curiosity get the best of you, you open the message.

carcinoGeneticist: You still have the full usernames up in the chat, don't you?
turntechGodhead: i can change it?
turntechGodhead: and how did you know?
carcinoGeneticist: Rookie mistake. Go to options and click on chat. You'll see abbreviations. Click that and it'll take care of it for you.

You do as your told before returning to your private chat.

TG: thanks.
TG: btw i noticed youre not typing in all caps anymore
CG: And I noticed you're not typing with proper grammar anymore.
TG: had to give off a good first impression
TG: does it bug you?
TG: i can type like i did before if you want
CG: No, it's alright. I had to give off the impression of authority. Part of being a leader is having your follower's respect. If I don't come off as intimidating, they'll think I'm growing soft and walk all over me.
TG: whyd you change your avatar?
CG: Intimidation. After you were in the club, there was no reason for it.
TG: well it worked
TG: nearly shit myself man
CG: Good. My goal isn't to scare everyone into submission. They all know me well enough by now to know that isn't my intent. The thing is that there are a lot of people who I went to school with that weren't scared of me for my physical attributes. If you're loud and threatening, people grow to fear you.
TG: did it work?
CG: Very well. What about you, though? Do they fear you? Or do they walk all over you?

You stop a moment, your hands hovering over the keyboard. You suppose you're feared to an extent, but not enough to stop people from despising you.

TG: i never really tried it
CG: You have to strike fear into them, Dave. Make them know that you won't tolerate their incompetence.
TG: how?
CG: Are you well built? Able to hold your own against someone?
TG: i think so?
CG: Violence. Violence and fear go hand in hand. You want to make all the pain stop? Use it to your advantage.

Again, you stop to consider that. You've been trained in fighting for years. Maye it's about time you used that to your advantage. You still want to know more about Karkat though.

TG: hey uh karkat?
CG: Yes?
TG: do you think we could maybe video chat?

There's no response for a minute or two and you're beginning to worry you scared him off. That is, however, until another message comes through.

CG: CrimsonGeneticist.

Just then, the suicide video that had been playing in the background of your chat shuts off. You exit the chat box and look up to find Karkat standing before the group, all eyes locked on him. In the main chat, he types:

CG: The meeting is adjourned for now. I have something to take care of. You are all dismissed.

His eyes are locked on you as everyone else disperses. He motions you forward with a finger and you stand, obeying. You follow him through the back entrance of the building. It leads to an overgrown garden with wildflowers and shrubs and trees with small budding flowers on them. He sits on a stone slab bench and you take a seat beside him. Once again, he messages you through the private chat.

CG: You can call me now. I never log out of the game. Besides, for artificial plants, I think this place is beautiful.
TG: yeah it is
TG: okay, give me a second

You minimize the tab and open the video chat, typing in the user he provided and adding him. As you wait, you click on the small, dim desk lamp beside you and check your reflection in your phone. When the request to add him is finally granted, you press video and sit forward in your seat, waiting anxiously. He almost doesn't answer. When he does, you're greeted by a dark screen from his end. You clear your throat and offer him a small wave. "Uh, hey. I'm Dave."
"Hello. Nice to meet you, Dave," comes his response. You still have no visual on him, but you can see enough to know he's shuffling in his chair.
"I'm guessing the whole me not being able to see you thing is intentional?" you guess.
"That's right."
You sigh softly. "I'd kind of like to know who I'm talking to."
"Not even Sollux has seen me before and we've been friends for the past two and a half years. We've never even voice chatted before. What makes you so special?"
You shrug. "The fact that you agreed in the first place."
There's a long silence before he chuckles softly, which takes you by surprise. "Alright, wise guy. Close your eyes and don't say I didn't warn you." You do as your told and close your eyes until he says, "Alright. Go ahead I suppose." You let your eyes flutter open. The sight before you nearly takes your breath away.
His auburn hair is longer than yours. It's long enough, in fact, that it's pulled back in a small pony tail. His eyes are nearly identical in color to his hair. They're framed by dark eyelashes. He's very fair skinned, if not more so than you. His face is thin and speckled with light brown freckles. His lower lip is pierced on the right side, which really draws attention to his full, pale lips. Though he may not seem so to most, you think he's absolutely gorgeous.
You offer him a smile. "You look good. I don't see why you'd hide. You should definitely at least let Sollux voice ch-" You're cut off by your phone vibrating on your desk. You audibly growl in annoyance, which causes the boy on the other side to crack a small smile. He motions for you to answer, so you do. You put it on speakerphone and turn up the volume all the way. "Hello?"
You can hear a sniffle from the other end. "Dave...?"
Oh, fuck. You know that voice anywhere. You hadn't even check the caller id before you answered, but you don't need to. You know it's John. Karkat furrows his eyebrows and sends a message asking if he should hang up. You quickly shake your head and hold up a finger. He nods and sits back in his seat. "Yeah, I'm here. What's wrong?"
"You were right," John hiccups. "She didn't even show up..."
You feel the anger boil inside you. "I'm sorry, John. I told you she was bad news..."
"And I should've listened... I'm sorry..."
You see another message from Karkat, asking if you have the hots for him. You frown and press a finger to your lips. "Don't worry about it. Are you going to be okay?"
"I guess... Heh... Sometimes I think things would be easier if I was gay..." Karkat's eyes widen at that and his finger fly across the keys.

Karkat: TELL HIM HOW THE FUCK YOU FEEL YOU DOLT! IF YOU DON'T YOURE GONNA LOSE HIM! GO! NOW!

You groan softly. Maybe you should just get it off your chest. Taking a deep breath, you speak up. "John? Speaking of that, I kinda wanted to tell you something..."
You can hear him blow his nose and sniffle. "Yeah...?"
You sigh and finally just let it out. "John, I really like you. Like, as more than friends. And I mean you did just say that things might be easier if you were gay. We could always at least try, right? Uh... Obviously after this whole situation calms down I guess but... I want you to go out with me."
Your heart beats at a million mile an hour as you wait for his response. Unfortunately, his reply makes your heart stop and sink to your stomach like a stone. "Dave, I'm really sorry... I guess I shouldn't have said that but... I'm not a homosex-"
You don't even wait for him to finish before you hang up.