Each Touch

Forget-me-nots

The sounds of pencil scratching on paper, the bed creaking, papers shuffling, and deep sighs encircled the two boys, John and Karkat. It was another study session, this time for a science test that was coming up. Their second to last unit before everything starts to revolve around finals which for sure is going to gain multiple sessions. Karkat had left John to do some problems he had just helped him understand a few minutes back.

"You would add the negative one to eighty-eight right?" asked John.

"Mhm, then you'd bring over the mass number and find the element on the Periodic Table," said Karkat, eyes glued on his homework.

John looked up at Karkat, who had his back to him. Science wasn't his strongest subject, neither was it Karkat's but he seemed to be doing it like it was drilled into his DNA. He sighed and set his pencil down, his head leaning against the palm of his left hand; Dave was busy, so he couldn't join him and Karkat.

The dark haired teen's lips pouted as he rolled his pencil on his paper, he's been attached to Dave for the last 5 years. It wasn't like Dave always had to be with him, but it felt weird without having the blond beside him. How was it for Dave when he wasn't there with him? Does he feel the same? Does he even think about it?

"Hey!"

Karkat had threw an eraser at the other's head, knocking him out of his daze. The blond stared at him annoyed, apparently he had been calling John's name for the past minute. He clicked his tongue and turned back to continue to work on his homework only to be interrupted by John.

"You still have the forget-me-nots Dave got you," pointed out John.

On the Vantas' desk, a small vase holding the red forget-me-nots sat in the corner. Karkat blinked and turned back to look at John who was staring at the vase with content, an odd look in his eyes that he's never seen before. He scratched the back of his neck and confirmed the statement. John has never pointed out anything in his room but his still growing RomCom collection.

"Kankri said since someone so willingly went out of their way to buy me flowers I should keep them for as long as they can last," said Karkat, "It was no use trying to fight back, he had already grabbed them from my hands."

"Yeah..." trailed John, "Do you like them?"

"Eh...I mean...I guess? They're flowers."

"Hmmn."

John readjusted his glasses, picked up his pencil, and started to work on his homework; Karkat stared at the other confused. It was weird for John to just go quiet all of a sudden without a reason. The blond rolled his eyes and turned to continue on his homework.

Another few minutes of silence and John's eyes were back looking at the vase of red flowers. Red is Dave's favorite color. His pencil stopped moving as he was yet again distracted, thoughts of what Nepeta had said to him just a few days ago troubled him.

What if he was trying to do something special? It was ironic, it was something he could pull off...Were flowers romantic? It couldn't be-they're plants. And even if they were, Dave bought him flowers too...A big bouquet, it was very pretty but the color scheme can use more work.

...

The thoughts were swirling around in his head, it was hard to concentrate with Dave slowly invading his mind. Whatever Dave's business is is his business though...

Dave did kiss John.

His heart jumped and his stomach fluttered, head burying into the grey sheet covered mattress. He hadn't thought of the kiss in about three weeks. It still made him feel...What was the word? Happy? No more than happy, euphoric.

"What the fuck is wrong with you John? You're even more spaced out than usual." groaned Karkat.

Blue eyes peeked over at the Norwegian; he knew he was blushing, he could feel it hot on his face. There were muffled words which irritated the other. What was John's problem? If he needed help he would have already made obvious indications.

"If science homework is fucking you up this badly then stop," huffed Karkat.

"It's not the science homework." John had his head up now.

"Then what is it?"

"...It's the vase."

Karkat blinked, "The vase...The vase of flowers?"

"Yeah."

With a sigh, the blond got up and grabbed the vase. He went over to the bookshelf and placed it on the highest shelf he could reach, turning around he stared at John with an "are you happy now?" expression on his face.  The other smiled sheepishly, a look of guilt and embarrassment on his face. He hasn't meant for Karkat to actually move the vase.

"S-Sorry Karkat, I-"

"No it's nothing, wanted to move that thing anyways," interrupted Karkat.

John bit his bottom lip and stared down at his homework, he caused a small bit of trouble that wasn't even funny. But the flowers bugged him. Just having the knowledge that it came from Dave himself...

"Can we take a break Karkat? I'm not feeling it right now." John sat up, stretching his arms.

Karkat sighed and set his pencil down, "Sure, not like I was getting far anyway."