[Text]

[gloomyapoplectic]

Ok For Any That May Be Confused
This Is The Alternate Kanaya Maryam That Some Of You May Have Encountered
Just
To Clear Up Any Uncertainty

I Am Posting This Message With The Intent To Contact The Cerulean Karkat
So Karkat If You Are Watching The Network It Would Be Nice If You Could Be Drawn To The Unmistakable Scent Of My Failures So That I May Talk To You


[Filtered to Terezi Pyrope]

And Terezi If You Could Perhaps Find Yourself Drawn To The Much More Literal Scent Of My New Font Color That Would Also Be Very Convenient For Me
I Need To Speak To You About Something As Well
That I Believe Pertains To Concerns You Likely Have About A Certain Someone

Comments

[caliginous]

[DOOF. He sits up without much trouble and shoves her head down.]

Please. Then again, you're not really cut out for the multiple quadrant demands, are you?

[Its a playful rib, judging by the way he pulls her over to give her a very firm noogie.]

[gloomyapoplectic]

[She reaches out futilely to try and shove him, to no avail, since her head is now down and all. And he messed her hair up. Dick.

She reaches around to try and tickle his abdomen, since that's all she can clearly see of him right now.]

I am so! And you're one to talk. [Half-joking. And he probably knows it.]

[caliginous]

[The whole Thief of Heart thing makes it impossible for him to not notice that, so he squirms for a second before he grabs both of her hands and tilts her head up seriously so she can get a load of his frown.]

Excuse you. What did I say about that?

[gloomyapoplectic]

[She meets his gaze steadily, looking totally and completely innocent except not really.]

And what did I say as an according response? I gave you fair warning.

[caliginous]

Except my say on the matter trumps your say on the matter.

[He's using his Not Playing Around voice, which would be intimidating only to small rodents, but is still slightly intimidating because of the look on his face.]

I'm not playing games, Maryam. So I suggest you forget about it.

[gloomyapoplectic]

[She is a little intimidated, especially because she knows she's doing a Bad Thing, but this is really important and it needs to be resolved.]

My say on the matter is perfectly valid, unless we are not talking about the same matter.

[caliginous]

[Karkat's eyes narrow a bit and he releases her wrists to fold his arms.]

I'm not fucking stupid, Kanaya, or did you forget that I can see every god damn emotion fluttering in and out of that blood pusher of your's?

[Which means he picked up on that guilt, but he's not exactly sure what it ties into, so he doesn't comment on it.]

Can you just fucking drop it?

[gloomyapoplectic]

[She frowns, pushing herself up to look just a bit more dignified while she's being intimidated.]

Why would you even tell me in the first place if you were going to pretend like nothing happened afterwards? You know I don't operate that way.

[Seriously, Karkat, she dwells on things forever, you should know this.]

[caliginous]

[He snaps rather angrily and defensively.]

I had a moment, so fucking lynch me. You try dealing with everything that got shoved in my lap. You wouldn't last twenty four fucking hours.

[gloomyapoplectic]

[She actually feels kinda sad at that.]

It is okay to have moments-- I am glad that you did. I like when you're honest with me. But you should not pretend it didn't happen.

[caliginous]

[Whoops, he's forgotten about the movie, because he's lost knee deep in a rant now. In fact, he's on his feet and gesturing pretty wildly.]

No. No! No no no no no no!

[He makes a strangled noise of frustration.]

I have one job Kanaya, and since I've already impressed this upon you once and you haven't gotten it, I guess I need to do it a second time! And if you make me repeat myself again, so fucking help me...

[He tenses and makes a choking motion before continuing in a lower, growling tone.]

I am flawless. You got that? Flawless. My plans and webs are ineffable beyond anyone's god damn imagination. You know that. I know that. This whole Tower is going to fucking know it.

But guess what? That shit doesn't hold weight or water when the one pulling the strings is tangled in a teal noose dangling over the precarious cliff of the rushing redrom rapids! And I swear to fucking Christ that I will personally tie you do your fucking sleeping square post if you bring this up again.

[His voice cracks rather violently at the end of that speech after he runs out of air.]

You get me?

[scalemate]

[She's been waiting here all smug, especially when Karkat mentions that he's admitted something to her. And then he goes on his rant, which is the most ridiculous thing she has ever heard...

"Teal noose over the precarious cliff of the rushing redrom rapids"? That is a confession. Definitely a confession. And unless there's another tealblood in the tower that she doesn't know about, there's no way he can back out of it.

So Terezi jumps to her feet, grinning. She is so smug right now.]

I knew it!

[gloomyapoplectic]

[Oh shit. Um. OK she hadn't planned this that well, so Terezi jumping out of her hiding place on top of Karkat's ridiculous rant (which Kanaya was frozen stupidly in place for, gaping at the cerulean with wide eyes) kind of just breaks her brain.

And then she feels so unspeakably guilty and a little accomplished but more guilty than anything.

So she shuts her gaping jaw and bites her lip -- she can taste the metallic tang of blood as her fangs pierce the skin, but she doesn't even care; her guilty conscience hurts worse. She knows this has to get resolved, but Karkat trusted her, and she went back on it.]

[caliginous]

[Terezi's voice cuts through him like a spear, and all of his anger suddenly evaporates to terror. He jumps so high out of his skin that he nearly trips over himself and is forced to catch all of his weight on the arm of the couch.

His eyes wide, jaw hanging, Karkat stammers wordlessly, looking between both Kanaya and Terezi, not unlike a kicked puppy.]

That's--I--When did you--

[All of his limbs tense and quiver like a coiled spring, and its very obvious that he is about to be out that fucking door.]

[scalemate]

[...Oh. Okay, that kicked puppy look makes it a little hard to feel accomplished about this, but it isn't hard to tell he's ready to book it, so she grabs his arm and locks both of hers around it tightly.]

No absconding this time! That was a confession!

[gloomyapoplectic]

[Okay she really doesn't want to do this but she also doesn't want him flailing and smacking Terezi in the face or something. So as soon as she sees that look on his face, she rips herself off the couch and takes a hold of his other arm, and she's not shy about holding it tightly.

But she doesn't say anything. She feels so bad.]

[caliginous]

[He's never been so blue in his entire life. His entire face darkens in pigment the second he's pinned by both Kanaya and Terezi, but it doesn't stop him from thrashing and trying to squirm south out of both of their grips, even if he has to claw himself away.

He's so colossally embarrassed, his life is ruined and he can't even deny it. He can't even be mad at Kanaya right now -- there's simply no room for it amongst his shattered pride and the sea of bashfulness that has taken over him.

With how hard he's struggling to pull himself together in addition with trying to get away from them, he's begun to sweat slightly.]

Let go.

[scalemate]

[Awww, Karkat, that blush is adorable! Terezi isn't letting go at all. In fact, she leans in to plant a kiss on his cheek. Yeah, okay, she feels a little bad, but mostly she's ridiculously happy. Ecstatic, even, and it's coming off of her in waves. DOESN'T THAT MAKE IT BETTER KARKAT?]

Calm down, jeez!

[gloomyapoplectic]

[Kanaya holds tightly to him, even though his thrashing sort of hurts -- she frowns, and despite how terrible and deceitful she feels, she's trying to remain calm since Karkat clearly cannot.]

I will continue to hold on until I am confident that you will not immediately abscond when freed.

[caliginous]

[His entire spine gives an uncertain shudder when Terezi plants that kiss, gulping firmly to accent how pale his skin turns. He's only vaguely aware of just how ecstatic Terezi is, too wrapped up in just how horriblly pathetic he feels all of a sudden.

Eventually he goes dead weight in both of their arms, hoping that they'll release him once he does.]

[scalemate]

[She loosens up just a bit, from death grip to firm hold, and frowns. Okay, now she's getting a little worried. Maybe this wasn't the best idea? She knew he'd be upset, but she'd prepared for a little bit of yelling or something, not... Completely shutting down.]

Karkat?

[gloomyapoplectic]

[Going dead weight doesn't really make it any better, as when karkat does that, Kanaya holds him for the purpose of keeping him from falling over, holding his arm with one of her own and setting her opposite hand on his back.

OK she's worried now. But she'll let Terezi do the talking. This isn't really about her, after all.]

[caliginous]

[When that doesn't work, he just...sits on the couch and tries to place his face in his hands. He does his best to suck up his wounded pride to make conversation, but it doesn't work very well.]

...what?

[scalemate]

[She plops down beside him, scooting close. She's back to grinning again.]

Don't be such a wiggler.

cee said to skip her

[caliginous]

[He can't bring himself to talk. Everything is caught in a bubble in his throat. The admonishment doesn't really coax anything out of him but a frustrated little mumble, followed by a shaky hand running sheepishly through his hair.

He could do this. He could handle this. EVERYTHING WAS UNDER CONTROL.

Finally, he looks at her and forces his spine straight as well as eye contact.]

What about it?