It was like a breath of fresh air seeing them, or more, two breaths of fresh air. It felt amazing to see two familiar faces. Yes he had been skulking around Feferi and Eridan but they just...they weren't his Feferi or his Eridan. At least these two seemed a bit more like his friends. Just a tiny bit like them.

Equius was the first one he encountered. With Karkat protecting Her Imperial Radiance now he needed newer, better weapons and the troll for the job was Equius, or more formally known as The Marksman. His weapons were handmade and built to be nearly as strong as he was. They were perfection.

The first time Karkat saw Equius he felt the smallest of grins tug against his lips. The Marksman looked nearly the same as his Equius, the only difference here was the Aquarius and Pisces signs branded onto his upper arm and the right horn was completely intact. It was exhilarating seeing Equius and Karkat genuinely wanted to run over and hug him but he had a reputation here and he was intent on keeping it as it was. So instead he briskly retrieved his weapon and asked, though it sounded more like a command, that Equius join him in training soon. It wasn't much but for Karkat this was all he had for any kind of a chance to at least feel like he was back home.

~

"Come on dude. You and I both know that not bathing isn't exactly the smartest fucking thing to do especially since you're covered in goddamn cuts and dirt." It was like scolding a younger kid to stop playing and go to bed, only in this case it was an adult troll not wanting to take a bath.

"You just don't get it Dave...it's not that I don't want to take a bath, I'm not a fucking pig I know I need to be clean and shit, but I just...can't. I somehow got myself emotionally attached to the fucking blood and...I don't know I'll feel naked if I don't look like I just came out of battle!"

"What blood?! All the blood you had on you was washed off the last time you took a bath!" Karkat huffed in frustration and looked down. He knew this was silly and gross but he just...couldn't. It was a difficult for him to let go what little things he had left.

"Dave, I just don't want to take another bath! Can't you just accept that?!"Dave let out a sigh and stood up, locking himself in his room. Karkat frowned and looked down, his hand tightening into a fist. He was being stupid and he knew it. He was being irrational and disgusting and difficult and...and he was making Dave's life harder than it already was. Here Dave was, willingly volunteering to spend his days taking care of Karkat and going to work and supporting the two of them with whatever money he had and Karkat wasn't making his life any easier by refusing to take baths or eating or talking. The troll sighed and laid down on the couch, closing his eyes. A quick nap couldn't hurt, maybe when he woke up he'd be mature enough to bathe himself and make up with Dave...it was the least he could to make amends with the person sacrificing so much...

~

Dave was frustrated, fuck he was so frustrated. Taking care of Karkat was really stressing him out and he just couldn't handle it. Yes, he loved Karkat to death. Yes, he loved having Karkat near him and knowing he was safe. Yes, just told Karkat the other day that everything was fine and he wasn't bothering him or burdening him but...he was stressed.

Dave was spending money, a lot of money. Food, clothes, bills upon endless bills. Water, heat, electricity, food. Everything was suddenly costing more and Dave just didn't have the money. He was going to need to get a second job if he was going to keep up with everything.

Dave sighed and closed his eyes, lying back on his bed. Everything was supposed to go perfectly. He was supposed to fix Karkat, he was supposed to make everything right. He was supposed to make Karkat better so he could be happy again. Instead Dave was just making things worse and running himself in debt. And for what? A troll who didn't want to be fixed? A troll who didn't want to talk or eat or even take a simple fucking bath?

Dave was frustrated. He wanted to cry, in fact he could already feel the tears prickling at the edges of his eyes. This whole thing was stressing him out and he needed to relax. He had to take a step back from the situation, enjoy a little Dave time. But he couldn't do that. Karkat was here. He couldn't leave him by himself. Could he? He'd done it before...he could do it again.

No, no. Not this time. Not after just storming out on him like that. That might make Karkat feel like a burden and Dave didn't want to have to reassure an already emotionally destroyed troll that he wasn't a burden. He was just frustrating and Dave needed a break.

The albino stood up and wiped his eyes. He knew what to do, Karkat might throw a temper tantrum but oh well. He'd let the others deal with that. Dave made a couple of quick calls and soon enough he was getting prepared for a relaxing night out with his best friend.

He walked out his room, slowly just in case Karkat was out in some other part of the apartment and got startled. Karkat was there, laying down peacefully on the couch. Dave smiled as he walked up to the troll, pushing the hair out of his face gently. He looked so calm and peaceful. So happy. Dave's heart swelled with happiness as he remembered seeing that exact look of serenity on Karkat's face years ago. It was look a small blast from the past and it was enough to give Dave hope for the future.

"I'll be back later," Dave whispered as he leaned over the side of the couch, tugging the discarded blanket more onto Karkat, "have a nice nap. Be safe." Dave ran a thumb over Karkat's cheek before hesitantly walking to the door and leaving.

~

"Karkat...Karkat dear. Wake up." An ice cold hand was soothingly rubbing circles onto Karkat's back and slowly easing him awake. The cancer troll looked up groggily to find Kanaya staring down at him. At first his instincts took in. He began to panic slightly and his hand tightened into a fist, his eyes darting to find his sickle or anything within his reach that could be used as a sort of weapon. Then he saw Sollux and Equius. The two of them were awkwardly standing off to the side, eyeing down Karkat as if expecting him to jump up and begin attacking them. Karkat didn't blame them for being paranoid though. "Did you have a nice nap?" The rainbow drinker's soothing voice yanked Karkat out of his own thoughts. He nodded stiffly.

"The human said you needed to bathe." Equius grunted from the corner. He awkwardly shuffled his weight from one foot to another. Karkat could see that this was extremely awkward for him, acting as a moirail to a troll that never was and never will be his moirail. "And we were...informed that we had to give you one. Which is demeaning in my book but...if you really cannot take care of yourself..." Sollux smacked the blue blood's arm and rolled his eyes.

"I can wash myself thank you very much, I just don't want to. Now if you'll excuse me." The cancer troll replied curtly as he stood up quickly. The sudden movement caused his head to spin but that didn't make him stop. What made him stop was the firm yet dainty hand pushing him back down on the couch.

"Yes Karkat we know you can manage to wash yourself but in this case we have to do certain things for you. In case you did not notice you are covered in several wounds, some of which can be considered fatal if you just leave them be so we-- well I'm here to help you clean them up and properly take care of them." Karkat opened his mouth to say something but quickly shut it and nodded stiffly instead. Kanaya smiled smugly, gladly accepting that she won this argument, and lead Karkat to the bathroom with Sollux and Equius close behind.

A few minutes of awkward stripping later and Karkat was sitting in a bathtub filled to the brim with nice warm water. Kanaya was kneeling against the side and pouring shampoo in her hand as Sollux and Equius stood by the door. It was awkward, even more so when Karkat knew all three of them were staring at his brands. It was only a matter of time before they asked....

"I want to know the full story behind my sign being scorched onto your chest." Sollux asked bluntly. Everyone could feel the tension in the atmosphere rise as Karkat slowly looked over at the golden blooded troll. Sollux gulped but kept his bored looking expression, hoping that maybe Karkat couldn't see the small the spark of fear beginning to form in Sollux. It wasn't his fault, those intense red eyes would make anyone scared.

"It is a long story." The scratched up troll finally said in Alternian, dragging a thumb over the Gemini sign that was branded on his chest. "And it probably isn't something that should be told while I'm butt naked in the tub."

"Well...we'll have some time after this..." For a moment Karkat looked as if he was about to smile, like an old memory was suddenly being remembered and suddenly the feelings of joy were washing over him. He supposed it couldn't hurt to let out some old buried feelings and stories of his life for the past couple of sweeps...