Game of Gods

Chapter 3: First Impressions

So… This must be the place. Karkat stood in front of Apartment 13, its door seemed ominous to him. He kept checking the address he wrote down nervously: 21605 Fir Drive, Apt. 13. What am I fucking doing?!?! Karkat paced back and forth across the doormat. Why am I even checking it, I was just here last night… And that is by far the creepiest stalkerish thought I have ever formed. Seriously, I must be the biggest shithead waste of genetic material in this whole god damn city! I just met- NO! I CAN’T EVEN FUCKING SAY THAT!!!

His pacing became more erratic and he seemed to be sweating through the disguise Kanaya had whipped up for him to go out. I saved her from some pathetic lowly maggot of a criminal and now I’m asking her questions for that stupid shit stain of a Tumblr blog that I use to cover my own tracks! I must look like some horrible awkward stalker. But what am I supposed to do? It’s been over six months since we’ve gone into hiding and up until two months ago I’ve been stuck with those lameasses for social necessities and half of them are psychopathic most of the fucking time! I’m no better though, but come on, of all the sad people I’ve saved only one has had the balls to look at me and then even thanked me! Not one of those ungrateful bastards has even thanked me for risking my messed up life for their necks. This is the first face to fucking face interaction you’ve had with a normal person! JUST MAN THE FUCK UP AND KNOCK ON THE DOOR!

Knock. Knock. Knock. Everything seemed still, uncomfortably quiet in fact. Karkat waited for a few seconds and then started making a beeline for the elevator at the end of the hall. This was a stupid idea in the first place. The sound of a door opening made him jolt up and stiffen. “Karkat!” He turned around to see John’s grinning face hanging out of the now open doorway. “My apartment is down here, what are you doing down there?”

Karkat swallowed his panic and dread before John could notice. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling. “Nothing, don’t worry a fucking second over it because you wouldn’t understand with your inferior brain.”

“Whatever you say.” His head popped back into the apartment. “Come on in, my dad made a cake for you if you want it.” John was right about that, Karkat walked in and immediately saw the largest cake he had ever seen plated on the coffee table. It’s three layers were lined with grey frosting and screaming diabetes.

“What. The literal Fuck?” Karkat couldn’t stop eyeing the mass of cake, “Your dad baked that for me?”

“Well it’s not for me! I actually don’t like cake for the most part. Dad’s the one who's into baking, more of an obsessive hobby than anything.” He petted the white dog that seemed to appear from nowhere. “If you think that’s something, you should see the ones he bakes on my birthday, he baked about seven total last time.”

“You like cake Karkat?” John sat down on the couch and reached for the soda he left on the table. Karkat said, “Cake’s alright I guess. It’s been a long time since I had any.” He sat down with John and cut himself a slice. “Is it any good?”

“Oh, I may not like it anymore but my dad makes the best cakes!” Karkat slowly took a bite out of the cake. He savored its rich sweet taste. They never really celebrated birthdays, couldn’t remember when they were, so this was special. Karkat’s seemed to bulge out of his skull, “Oh my fucking god this is good.” He started to chow down into the slice and then cut himself another. John just smiled at him, “I’m glad you like it.”

After the third slice he asked John about the dog, “Oh Bec? Yeah, we found him on the street about three months ago. He looked sad and tired so Jade snuck him into the house. She and I had to fight like hell to keep dad from kicking him out.” Karkat seemed to stare at the dog, his bright green eyes shining back at him. “Don’t worry Karkat, he’s friendly.” Karkat reached out to pet him and to his surprise it didn’t bark at him or anything. Bec just sat there content while Karkat petted him.