i wanna feel lethal on the inside, i wanna read american psycho again

> Dave: Almost die.

AN: KARKATVANTASS612 happy birthday this one goes out to you homie

After your unscheduled encounter(and murder?? you're not really sure if Cal was alive or if you've been going cuckoo your whole life), you take it upon yourself to talk about anything other than what just happened. Not purely for the reasons you usually would, but to put something on the backburner and chill the fuck out for once in your life.

You just destroyed something that, at first glance, someone would for sure make fun of you for being terrified of, but it was also something that you had to grow up with and fight. Whenever you were strifing, he would always bring that stutid gog damned fucking puppet. You remember the first time you tried to stop focusing on defense and swiped at Cal instead like it was yesterday. He cared for that thing more than he did you and it enraged you to the point you couldn't even look at it. The next time on the roof, he had thrown Cal at you as a distraction and sliced through your back bad.

You should stop thinking about it. Witness brings things into existence, or whatever the fuck.

It had never screamed at you like that before. It was bone chilling, really, and you can't get the sound out of your head. Now that you're thinking about it, that was probably the point. It had only ever laughed at you before, mocking and sharp and loud, especially when you lost. Which was practically all the time, now that you think about it.

Karkat has been watching you like a fucking Mother Hen and it's honestly a bit strange to see; you've never had somebody look at you with real, genuine worry before. As you talk, he gives you a look that you can only describe as pity, and you almost want to thank your Bro for never introducing you to it because you hate it. He talks back of course, but for now, you don't really listen, just absently nod and laugh when you're supposed to.

You've got a splitting headache. Cal did more damage to your psyche than you thought he did in the heat of the moment, and you curse yourself for not realizing sooner.

"Hey, can we stop early for today?" You ask before you can second guess yourself, and he stops in place and immediately nods.

"Yeah. You wanna sleep first, I presume?" Karkat continues walking, only to the nearest corner, before plopping himself down. You follow suit, noting how much more damp you feel from touching the floor than you usually do.

"If it's alright, yeah, that'd be awesome." You rest your head on your knees so light doesn't penetrate your vision.

Before you know it, you're out like a light.

...

That is, until you're rudely awaken by a shake to the shoulder and a harsh "Dave!" whispered directly in your ear. Your eyes fling open, already on high alert. You don't say anything, but look to Karkat with a face of what you hope is utter confusion and slight resentment.

The visual you're met with is a petrified Karkat frantically putting a finger to his lips and pointing to your right. He looks paler than he usually does, if that's even possible, and his eyes have reddened in contrast to the pale pink they're supposed to be. The sight makes your anxiety spike, and you look over to see what's got his panties in a bunch.

Just about four feet away from you is a bundle of charred, blackened nerves and wires carefully shaped and blended into a relatively humanoid form. It stalks like a wolf on the prowl, fluid and with a quietness you haven't seen in days. Quietness is a trait you assume too soon, as it suddenly broadcasts a distorted, screaming, guttural gargle that's all too human and all too peculiarly not, just like everything else in this place.

You open your mouth to scream, yell, anything to drown out the merciless noise it's making(a dumb idea in retrospect), but nothing comes out. Still, Karkat clamps a hand over your mouth as well as his own. The thing's biggest bundle, sat at the top of it, drones left and right as if looking for something. You steady yourself, holding your breath, and keeping everything still just as you taught yourself years ago. It comes to you naturally, and before you know it, you're back in your normal pattern.

You can feel Karkat shaking minisculely next to you, and the hand over your mouth starts to loosen as the monster's gaze lingers on you both for a bit too long than you're comfortable.

The carpet sploshes underneath it as it finally continues with its surveillance, seemingly not registering you two's presence. You don't relax until you can't hear a trace of it anymore, and when you do, you rip Karkat's hand off of your mouth and heave many gulping breaths.

You're shaking all over, and when you look over to Karkat, you can see that he is too, with the addition of rocking slightly back and forth.

"What the fuck," you say after you've both calmed down as much as you can for the moment. "What the fuck." You're hesitant to speak at a normal volume in case it's just around the corner, so you're talking a lot softer than you usually do, and when Karkat responds, he gets the memo.

"What was that," he breathes heavily. "Has it been here the whole time? Sweet troll jegus- do you think it heard us?!"

"I don't think so. It couldn't have, we would have seen it way before if it did."

"Right." Karkat runs a hand down his face. "Right," he parrots, he closes his eyes for a moment, brows furrowed and expression set, before opening them again.

"We have to get moving," he rasps, standing against the wall with wobbly legs. "Away from it. Anywhere but where it went."

You frown. "You haven't slept."

He ignores you, instead grabbing your hand and pulling you up. "I'll be fine, Dave. Just trust me on this."

Stumbling before regaining your balance, you look at him.

Eyes, filled to the brim with pleading and desperateness meet yours. Even with his inhuman gaze, you've never seen that much emotion on an individual before. Which, probably isn't saying much considering your upbringing. Even so, he studies you through your shades like they aren't even there.

You blow out a breath, looking away. "Alright. Just. Make sure to sleep once we get far enough." You pull your hand away from his. "That shit can fuck you up, seriously."

With every silent step you take, you can feel his gaze boring into the back of your head.