Cherry Lips (Karezi)

Chapter One

"Terezi?"

"Yeah, Karkat?"

"Where did everybody go?" 

Terezi shrugged, her black lips smiling the tiniest bit. She pulled up the hood of her dragon costume and gazed at him. "Maybe they couldn't stand your rambly bulls*** for one second longer. And really, I don't blame them."

She was only teasing, but a look of hurt flashed across his eyes. Where had that come from? They always bashed each other- it was kind of their thing.

"Karkat? Are you okay...? I was just kidding."

He shook his head, trying to force a smile that came out more like a grimace. "Sorry, just been stressed lately. Being with everyone here has put me on edge."

"I know the feeling- I mean, I'm kind of here with a bunch of exes. Well, really just Vriska... remember when we were moirails? That was a crazy time."

Karkat snorted, his elbows on his knees and his back hunched over. "I was a lonely weirdo back then, Tez. I don't really have any exes... especially 'cause I'm still a lonely weirdo now."

"Lonely? You? No way." She sat down next to him, not close enough to touch- but near enough that she could if she wanted to. "What about me? You have me, right?"

He looked up at her, pain flashing deep in his eyes.

"Woah! What's wrong? You look like your OTP just broke up or something."

This, at least, made him smile- but there was no humor in it.

"Yeah, Tez, I do have you... I guess it's just not the way I want."

She looked at him curiously, head tilted in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Karkat groaned, hiding his face in his hands. "I mean... do you... do you ever want more from something? Or someone? More than what you have?"

"...yeah."

Now it was his turn to be confused. "You?"

"Yes, Karkat- I have feelings too." She smiled mockingly, but that dropped away quickly. "There's actually someone I want more from... every day of my life. But I can't- or won't- tell them how I feel. Is that how it is with you?"

He nodded.

"Well, how about we make a deal?" She asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe if we both admit the person we want, it'll make us feel better. Get it off our chests."

"I don't know... this feels like a bad idea. Are you gonna tease me? You're totally gonna tease me."

She shook her head, adamantly. "I won't- I promise."

Karkat sighed heavily, his eyes rolled, but he said yes anyways. "Fine, we'll do it. On the count of three?"

"One..."

"Two..."

"Three..."

"You."

"Wait- you've got to be s***ing me." Karkat snarled. "Is this a joke? You have feelings for me?!"

"Well... yeah." Terezi said, looking at him a little sadly. "I hoped you knew that- but since you never made a move, I guess I just assumed you didn't want things to be that way. I knew it was always complicated with us- and I thought you wanted it without any romance."

"Terezi." Karkat whispered, looking into her sightless eyes. "I want you. In every quadrant. I'm an idiotic, desperate, ignoramous and a fool. You're beautiful, strong, brave, fearless. But I still want you."

"I want you too." She barely breathed- just the faintest whisper- but he heard it.

And he kissed her.

Her mouth was warm, soft, yielding to his- her hair was soft and fine under his fingers- and she tasted like everything he'd ever wanted.

Karkat's lips tasted like cherries.