(A/N) I am soooo sorry I haven't updated! People get busy, you know? Anywho I will try to whip as many chapters out as I can before school starts and I don't have anytime to work on it at all. I also apologize for my short chapters. I just can't seem to make them in the thousands word count for this story.
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Karkat awoke from his 'not exactly sleep state' slowly and looked around. It seemed that only an hour had passed since he had made himself comfortable on his new companion's couch, if that was what Karkat could call him. He felt a bit awful for dragging him into all of this. It has to be hard to just make a friend and find out they're kind of dead at the moment. Regardless of the situation.
He might as well make the best of it though, cause at the rate things were going he doubted he would be out of this situation anytime soon. If he does ever get out of this alive, Karkat promises to himself to take Kankri out on the best date in the entire world to make up for the trouble he had caused. Well, if Kankri still wanted to hang out with him that is.
Floating off the couch, he slipped through the back door to the balcony (quite literally) and took the place across from Kankri.
"Hey."
"Hi."
"Sorry about all of this."
"I suppose thats alright. It's not like you can help it. I just don't understand why it's me."
"That can help me?"
"Yes."
"Well...There has to be a specific reason. Sollux said being in a coma is all about fixing up loose ends, as if you are actually dying. Which, I guess in a sense I already fucking am. But its like, I have a chance to do it properly, you know?"
"And who is Sollux?"
"Oh yeah....Well he's like my..Guardian angel or something? I guess everyone has one. He didn't really explain that."
Kankri hummed in response taking a drag from his cigarette. Karkat frowned a bit but went on.
"So there has to be a specific reason you and you only can see me. Unfinished business to take care of. Any ideas?"
"Not quite. There wasn't much we had to make a friendship yet. Other than the urge to make one."
"Well gee."
"What?"
"Nothing, never mind."
The silence that they sat in was nothing short of a bit strange and unforgiving. Karkat playing with the railing, passing his hands through it. Kankri slowly going through his cigarette. It was only when Kankri reached for a second one did Karkat finally break the silence.
"Stop that."
"Excuse me?"
"You had one cigarette already, you don't need another."
"I think I will do what I please."
"It bothers me."
"And why would it be bothering you if I'm the one smoking?"
"My dad died. Lung cancer. Smoked to much. My Step-dad always said the old man was going to croak one day..."
"Ah. I'm very sorry to hear that-"
"I mean, plus I'm in the middle of dying here. It's a bit insensitive to just make me watch you throw yours away."
Kankri was silent for a few moments after that. He walked slowly over the the edge of the balcony and looked back at Karkat. He sighed, lifting the pack of Malboro's and throwing it off the side as far as he could. Karkat blinked surprised for a moment, but burst out into a smile.
"I wouldn't want to be a bad role model. Especially when were trying to save your life."
"...Thanks Kankri"
"You're welcome."
The night went on from there, and after dinner. (Mainly just Kankri eating and Karkat groaning about how he can't) Kankri went to sleep leaving Karkat on his own. Karkat had pretty much scouted, sorted, and snuck through the entire place and its belongings at this point. He was getting rather bored. Laying, or well...Floating in the middle of the kitchen, Karkat spotted his notebook. Had Kankri read it? Is that why it was laying out? Or did he just move it?
Karkat carefully ghosted (no pun intended) his fingers over the cover surprised to find that he could feel it. He could feel his notebook! Maybe...Maybe this had something to do with his coma adventure. The only thing was, what was he supposed to do with it? Publish it? Of course, Kankri said he would certainly consider having it published, but it wasn't even finished yet. He was only at the very tail end of the middle. It would take a lot of time and work to get it done. Time that he didn't have. Karkat gazed nervously down at his hand, watching it flicker and waver a moment. He suddenly felt very cold. Very empty and purposeless. How was he supposed to finish it? Was that even what he was supposed to do? Maybe he was supposed to just let it go, and rip it up.
Maybe, He wasn't even supposed to survive this.
And with that, Karkat's vision faded to nothing.
