Shelby's P.O.V.
Karkat insisted something was wrong. He refused to tell me what, only insisted I keep within a five foot radius of him. He'd go on and on about this brooding feeling then when I'd ask, he'd get all weird and quiet and tell me I needed rest. Which sounded really stupid when I just woke up from a nap.
The whole situation had pros and cons. He was never too far to cuddle, and I got plenty of them. The babies loved him and his rubs, and kicked for him. I decided they knew his voice, because each time he'd talk they'd squirm. There were also downfalls.
Each time I'd go to lay down, he'd follow, and then tell everyone to report to our shed. Which while one minute was lovely, I was asleep and getting some sweet snuggles, the next he was gruffly addressing someone to check the border or arrange a raid. And each time he'd go to the bathroom it was a massive fiasco. He wanted me to be close, but not too close. So I'd spend the majority of the time climbing trees before he'd call, ask what I was doing, then yell at me to get down. Then if jump down and he'd call nervously to make sure I hadn't fallen.
"Who missed their Uncle Steven?" Steven wrapped his arms around my bulging waist, nuzzling into it. I groaned, trying to shove him off.
"I have no brothers, and I'm positive if I did, you wouldn't be one of them." I grumbled.
"Don't listen to them, my little meatballs. Uncle Stevey loves you." He pressed an obnoxiously loud kiss above my navel.
"Karkat, pry him off, will you?" Karkat nodded stiffly and hit the pressure points in Steven's arms, making his grip lax so he could lift Steven off and set him away from me.
"Good?" Karkat huffed. I have him a small nod, curious to his strange mood today. He wouldn't sit close to me, just keep his radius' furthest distance. He refused to look at me, just stare at his worn out shoes.
"But I wanna spend time with my meatballs!" Steven whined.
"And I want to not have to lug an extra twenty five pounds of baby around, but we can't all get what we want. Karkat, I'm going to lay down. Try to keep them outside of the shed?" He gave me the same nod as before, rising to his feet and helping me to my own. He then took about ten steps back and followed me to the shed, then stood outside the door while I walked in.
"Do you want me to stay out here or go inside?" His voice was monotone, eyes glued to the floor.
"Whichever you like, you're not my slave. Maybe you can give up the whole 'ehhh, something's wrong' crap and actually give me more than five feet of space from you." His ear twitched and he took a step back.
"Six."
"That's not my point." I grumbled. "My point is that if something bad was going to happen, wouldn't it have already happened?" He looked up, eyes wide.
"Don't say that."
"Say what?"
"It's never too late."
"Karkat what the hell-"
"What's your human term- jinx, you'll jinx it."
"Oh what's going to happen, a break in? The security has increased with every inch of my bulging and disgusting midriff."
"Don't be so hard on yourself."
"Stop being so stoic and actually talk to me. Sound like you care, even if you actually don't. It's a minor comfort and I'll take what I can get." I said, stepping outside and walking over to him, wrapping my arms around him best I could. He chuckled, the sound thrumming in his chest.
