A Royal disaster

Chapter: Nine

POV: Cronus

As I stood on the doorstep of Porrim's home and prepared myself to knock, I noticed the door opening. I saw two people coming out and saying their goodbyes. I was glad that their visitors were leaving, because I wanted a moment to myself with Porrim.

After the person was fully turned to face me, I saw it was Kankri. I was searching for him all over town. How was he here of all places.

"Hey Kanni! Wvhere havwe you been? I'vwe searched all over towvn for you."

"Hell9 Cr9nus. Can we talk at h9me a69ut this?"
"Yes, sure. Wvho is that behind you?"
"IT'S YOU!"
"Oh, hi Karkat."

"I REMEMBER YOU. DOES KANKRI REALLY LIVE WITH YOU?!"
"Uh, yes he does?"

"Ah, I see y9u tw9 met already. That makes things much easier."

POV: Kankri

Cronus explained briefly to me why he was here in the first place, and we walked home. Karkat was laughing the entire time Cronus and I were talking. I wonder why.

When we got home we put Karkat in bed and started talking.

"So, wvhat wvhere you doing at Porrim's house?"

"Cr9nus, Karkat and I have just left an a6usive h9useh9ld. 9r at least, Karkat still lived in 9ne."

"Wvait, wvhat?!"

"Karkat still lived with dad, and he had started drinking again. He has a6used Karkat severely in the tw9 weeks I had been g9ne."
"Wvhat wvere you doing there in the first place?"
"I g9t really upset at the meetup and I figured I wanted t9 g9 h9me. When I was there f9r a69ut 30 minutes, I heard the d99r 9pen 6ehind us and I ran upstairs. After that I heard that dad was drunk 6y the way he was slurring his words. I heard him threaten Karkat and I sneaked d9wnstairs. I saw him raise his hand and in blind rage I jumped in6etween them. I was s9 scared. Dad and I fell 9ut against each9ther and I t99k Karkat 9ut 9f there."
"Wvowv. That sounds vwery horrifying. Do you wvant to take a bath?"
"Actually, yes, I w9uld like that."
"I'm going to prepare one for you then."
"N9! D9n't d9 that. I can d9 it myself. It's n9 pr96lem really."

"Kankri, don't lie to me. You'vwe just gone through a traumatic experience and you havwe to unwind from that."

"6ut..."
"No excuses!"

He walked to the bathroom after he said that.

I walked into the bathroom soon after that. I watched him contemplate which bath salt to use. It was endearing to see really.

"So you are really a mutant blood aren't you?"
"Yeah, I supp9se I am."
"Howv come no one noticed wvhen you wvent to school?"
"I didn't g9 at all really. I used t9 6e h9mesch99led."

"I bet it wvasn't fun."
"Y9u're right a69ut that."

"So wvhy did you come to school after all that time?"
"I didn't want t9 6e l9cked away in my r99m f9rever. I c9uldn't learn m9re at h9me.Dad was... dad was s9mething else when it c9mes t9 teaching."
"Do you perhaps... wvant to talk about it?"
"Sure if y9u want.

"My dad taught like he was teaching pe9ple in church. He was always g9ing 9n and 9n a69ut h9w he had seen h9w he was a messiah f9r the tr9lls and h9w he was g9ing t9 change the w9rld. At first me and Karkat were happy f9r him and tried t9 supp9rt him. 6ut it 6ecame clear t9 us that we... weren't his pri9rity anym9re. We had t9 d9 all the ch9res perfectly. We had t9 take care 9f the h9me and prepare the f99d. At first... he wasn't a6usive. 6ut then he spiraled int9 a depressi9n, 6ecause he had l9st h9pe f9r all 9f tr9ll kind. It was 6ad t9 see him like that. And after the depressi9n came the drinking. He always smelled like alc9h9l. It was 6ad. It reeked thr9ugh9ut the entire h9use. Karkat went away m9re 9ften and f9r l9nger peri9ds 9f time.

And I'm s9rry if I'm ram6ling 6ut this is imp9rtant t9 me.

After Karkat tried sneaking 9ut 9f the h9use 9ne night, dad saw him. He dragged him inside the h9use 6y his feet and Karkat yelled and screamed. I w9ke up 6ecause 9f it. I saw dad raise his hand... and slap him. I heard Karkat running t9 his r99m and dragged him int9 my r99m. We snuck t9 P9rrim's h9me that same night. We t9ld everything t9 the D9l9r9sa. She was sh9cked t9 put it lightly. She gave us a 6ed and f99d. We returned h9me the next day. He st9pped hitting us f9r a while, 6ut after an9ther m9nth he fell int9 his ha6it 9nce m9re.

I made him g9 t9 reha6. He had t9 6e clean. He had t9 st9p his 6ehavi9rs f9r 9nce and f9r all.

He went, 6ut he didn't change. Karkat didn't n9tice it at first. Until I g9t 6ruises. He underst99d I was g9ing thr9ugh the same shit 9nce m9re. Karkat walked away. He spend his time at a friend's h9use. I think he was with Terezi Pyr9pe. After three weeks he came 6ack. Like, the day I started sch99l. And when he heard a69ut the pr9ject, he started crying. Dad then kicked me 9ut. And the rest 9f the st9ry is kn9wn."

I was full on crying now. The funny thing about trolls is that their blood color is also their tear color.

Cronus was just, looking at me. Not even blinking. He must've been shocked.

I tried to stand up to leave and go to my own room, but Cronus pulled me back into a hug.

"Kankri I am so sorry for you. Is there anyfin I can do for you. Like, anyfin at all?"

"I... d9n't kn9w. Y9u c9uld stay and cuddle with me in the bath..."
"I wvould lovwe to!"
So we ended up in the bath together for a second time in 48 hours.