I shamelessly allowed myself to get pulled into Homestuck out of curiosity. I wanted to understand the hype, and didn't even realize I was addicted until it was too late. (Pretend Sollux wasn't blinded in that fight with Eridan. And that he didn't lose his teeth because of Karkat. shhh~)

You do not under any circumstances eat the MIND HONEY. The consequences are highly unpleasant.

Karkat might be a lot of things, but stupid is not one of them. Yes, he rages, and yes, his temper is about as thick as a toothpick. But honestly, it comes naturally when having to deal with a bunch of fucking idiots who don't have a sense of normalcy. And when trying to track and predict his team's moves constantly with their sporadic attitudes and behavior, it can take its toll.

But fuck, honestly he thought that some of them might actually have some fucking brains. But no, of course he had to be proven wrong by their idiotic sense of stupidity. It's never ending! Never. Fucking. Ending. Karkat assumed some of them knew how to actually use their think pan, and now he's paying the price for it.

carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling twinArmageddon [TA]

CG: SOLLUX, WHAT THE FUCK

CG: SERIOUSLY, HAS YOUR THINK PAN FUCKING ROTTED?

CG: BECAUSE I THINK IT HAS

CG: THE AMOUNT OF RESPECT I HAD FOR YOU HAS GONE DOWN SO MUCH

CG: WHICH IS SAYING SOMETHING.

CG: BECAUSE IM PRETTY SURE MY RESPECT WAS IN THE NEGATIVES IN THE FIRST PLACE.

CG: SO CONGRATULATIONS FOR THAT

CG: YOU IDIOTIC GRUBMUNCHER.

TA: 2hut up kk. as iif you are iin any posiitiion two questiion my competen2e.

TA: thiis iis the be2t move

TA: you ju2t cant 2ee that becau2e of your iinferiior iintelliigence

TA: admiit iit

TA: youre pathetiic.

CG: OH MY GOG

CG: ARE YOU HONESTLY THINKING

CG: WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK

TA: ii dont 2ee what the problem ii2 here

CG: YOU ARE THE PROBLEM

CG: YOU IDIOT NOOKSUCKER

CG: WHY

CG: JUST ANSWER ME THAT, PLEASE.

CG: HUMOR MY APPARENT INFERIOR MIND AS TO WHY THIS IS SUCH A GOOD IDEA.

CG: I AWAIT YOUR INFINATE KNOWLEDGE.

TA: iif that wa2nt such obviious 2arca2m ii miight have made thiing2 ea2y on you

TA: but ok, ii can under2tand why you miight not 2ee iit

TA: the miind honey ii2 a very potent thiing obviou2ly

CG: NO SHIT

CG: IN CASE YOU'VE FORGOTTEN, LAST TIME YOU INGESTED THAT DISGUSTING PILE OF GOOP, YOU KILLED ARADIA.

TA: 2hut up 2marta22, iim not done talkiing

TA: anyway

TA: iits potency can make people lo2e control, but only iif you let iit

TA: AA was a mii2take because ii wa2nt expectiing iit, but now ii am properly prepaiired

CG: NO. JUST FUCKING NO.

CG: THIS IS SUCH A BAD IDEA

CG: JUST

CG: DON'T GO ANYWHERE, I'M COMING OVER

CG: FUCK, PLEASE DON'T KILL ANYTHING.

CG: I DON'T NEED A REPEAT OF THAT SHIT WITH GAMZEE AND ERIDAN.

carcinoGeneticist [CG] ceased trolling twinArmageddon [TA]

Shit, shit. Running an aggravated hand through his hair, Karkat pushed himself away from his husktop and hopped out of his chair. He didn't know what to make of this; half of his team was dead—a number of the casualties caused by a murder high science-wizard asshole, and the other from a batshit insane juggalo clown. The last thing, the LAST thing, that they needed was yet another person going out of their mind with power.

Let alone another close friend. Gamzee was hard enough, but Sollux now, too? Shit. He can't handle this fucking pressure; why the fuck does he have to be such a fuck up of a leader? He had been sleeping before Terezi had decided to start messaging him on Trollian, because fuck, he felt like shit. She told him that she'd tasted Sollux's energy in the air because it was so thick, and was worried that something had happened since, "1 C4N'T USUALLY T4ST3 TH4T SORT OF TH1Ng, BUT BLU3b3RRY BL4ST 4ND BR1GHT C4NDY W3R3 SW1RL1NG 4ROUND H1S ROOM. 1 THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW, B3CAUS3 YOU'R3 OUR HONOR3D L34D3R. 4ND KNOW SOLLUX B3ST." Gamzee had snapped just yesterday, and he had completely run himself dry with worry that he'd ended up, literally, worrying himself sick. And now Sollux decided he wanted to be a huge retarded grubsucker and probably make himself crazy. Fuck, fuck.

Despite his elevated temper and sickness, Karkat shoved the door to his respiteblock open and let it slam back against the frame; striding down the halls towards Sollux's room. There wasn't much that he knew about this mind honey shit. Everything he knew about it had come from Sollux himself—which drew the question of, why did he do it? What the fuck has possessed him to think that this was a good idea, when he had always been so deadset against it?

Turning down one of the corridors, Karkat continued to mull over the situation. He was steadily approaching his friend's room, and…he didn't know what he was supposed to expect when he opened the door. He's seen that psychotic freak at both his high's and his lows, but somehow this seemed a little bit different. It's not like he could explain the feeling, either. He just knew that it made his skin crawl, and that was enough.

I swear, Karkat thought bitterly, people are getting more moronic by the fucking day.

And then before he knew it, he's standing in front of the gray door of Sollux's respiteblock. "SOLLUX, SWEAR TO GOG, YOU BETTER OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR AND FAST. I AM NOT GOING TO SIT HERE AND WAIT ALL DAY JUST BECAUSE YOU DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING SO IRRITATINGLY...stupid."

Mid-rant, the door swung itself open with a force that he knew his friend simply did not have; his suspicions were confirmed when he looked inside, and saw Sollux standing a bit away, eyes and hands crackling with his red and blue psionic power.

He couldn't help it; he hesitated. Hesitated and then strode in like he owned the place, like he always does, because Karkat refused to let Sollux see that he was frazzled; that he was even slightly phased by his appearance. Nope. Not him. Not one damn tiny bit.

As he made his way inside, the door shut behind him with as little as a swipe of Sollux's hand, even as it remained by his side. Karkat frowned when he noticed this, because now he knew that he really had eaten that disgusting yellow goop. He'd seen him use his powers a number of times, but the thing about it is that he had to aim in the direction of the object he was trying to affect. Karkat didn't quite understand the exact 'science' behind it, but he guessed it had something to do with how they focused their power. Seeing that he no longer had to do that sent a chill down his spine; one that he hoped he was able to hide.

"Sollux, fuck, are you out of your damn mind?! Are you even SANE?"

It was the only thing that he could think to say. And it was a perfectly plausible question, at that. WAS he sane? He'd seen him tip the manic scales plenty of times, and he could only assume that this was a direct consequence of his poor judgment. He hoped that was the case. It would at least make dealing with this a little bit easier...knowing that he hadn't exactly done this knowingly.

"Oh pleathe, kk" he started, a smirk slowly making its way onto his features. "I'm very thane, and that'th the betht part. I have complete control. And it'th amazing."

Before Karkat had a moment to respond, Sollux was already thrusting his hand up from his side and holding it out directly in front of him; psionic energy entangling over him as he was smacked abruptly against the wall. He couldn't even manage a proper scream as the wind was knocked out of him; all that came out was a pathetic wheezing sound, accompanied by a pained squeak. The only thing he could manage to do was slide down against the wall because his pathetic legs decided to give way underneath him.

Sollux, still smirking like the wiseass he was, walked over to where he was now sitting, his back pressed tightly against the wall like a cornered animal. Karkat gave a small, inward wince as he turned his head up so he could face him, realizing that his head had taken a hard hit.

"Thee what I mean? Thith ith amazing. I can't even hear the voiceth anymore; they're completely drowned out."

Limply, he could feel himself being drawn back up into the air so he was face to face with Sollux; all dead weight in his psionic grasp, and he had to resist the impulse to spit in his face. No, he didn't usually hate him this much, but this was going to far. Despite all the quarrels the two of them had, Sollux had never directly made any move that could be taken as a direct attack. But now, as he stared into his mismatched eyes, the threat was there. It was hanging so thick in the air between them, Karkat thought it could be cut by a knife.

"Let me down, fuckass," he managed, his voice rough and though it wasn't as loud and strong as it usually was, it was an improvement over that whine that he'd emitted first. "I didn't come over here so you could try and use me as a fucking rag doll."

Karkat didn't want to admit it, but Sollux was in complete control here. If he wanted to, he could hurt him badly and there wasn't a single damn thing he could do about it. And right now, he sure as hell wasn't acting like he thought anything about their relationship. No, they hadn't crossed any quadrants, but there had always been a mutual friendship between them. Or so he'd thought.

"I'm not done with you yet, kk," he says, and Karkat can feel the pressure that's keeping him suspended constrict around him. He lets out a strangled gasp, and squirms around in attempt to get free-but nothing he does seems to have any effect at all. faintly, he can feel something slide down his forehead and into his eye, and it takes a bit of blinking to rid it. And then he curses, because he can feel that same liquid running down the side of his head and onto his neck.

And then Sollux leans in beside him and he can feel his tongue sliding up the side of his neck, only for him to pull back so Karkat can see him. He's still got his tongue hanging out, and on it is a candy-red blotch. He had only paused there for a moment before he was leaning back in, but this time Sollux is slamming his lips up against Karkat's, forcing his tongue through and he can taste metal and thinks about biting him, but no, he doesn't.

Instead he kisses back, returning that passion and all he can think is, What the fuck am I doing?

Sollux pulls back once again, leaving Karkat staring at him in complete silence. And silence is something that Karkat does not do well, but at the moment, he can't even think of a smartass angry retort. But Sollux doesn't say anything either, and instead settles for pulling Karkat's shirt up over his head, psionics still holding him in the air. And then he's kissing him again, and Karkat gets his barrings back to realize, no, this is wrong, and makes an attempt to snap his teeth against his tongue.

But it doesn't work. Sollux had pulled away just in time and gripped Karkat's shoulder, nails and all digging in, and he turns just enough to see the warm liquid trailing down his arm. Karkat simply grunted as the pressure continued to increase, before his arm exploded in pain.

He'd thrown him back against the wall behind Sollux, and hadn't even bothered to take his claws out of his arm. He had barely managed to throw his elbows out behind him enough to buffer the blow, but it hadn't done much. It did, however, keep him standing on shaking legs, but only barely. But barely was enough, because he raised his hand to point it towards Sollux, teeth bared as he let a growl rise up from his throat.

"Fuck you, Captor, this is not okay. Can't you see what this shit is doing to you?" he growled, using his unraised arm to wipe the blood out of his eyes. "I hate you so much right now. If it wasn't for the fact that there are other people on this goddamn fucking meteor, I would let you rot yourself away in this chamber because I would never let you out. I'd let that mind-shit rot away your think pan until you either burn yourself out, or die. Because fuck you, I don't even care what happens. I just care about what happens to them."

Karkat isn't sure how much of that is actually true, but all that matters is that Sollux thought it was. And unless he suddenly developed mind reading powers as well, he's pretty sure that his bluff is safe.

"Quiet, kk. I'm thtill the one who'th talking here," he says, once again making his way back over to him. The crackles of energy around Sollux has gotten so strong, he's starting to wonder if they are just going to start bleeding together in a phantasmagorical cornucopia of color. You've never seen him exert his powers quite like this before, and he would be lying to himself if he said that this wasn't starting to make him completely nervous. It's a lot scarier then you ever pictured that dipweed ever being capable of.

"You're tho pathetic right now, it'th funny. Thome leader you are, not even being able to control your 'thubordinateth,'" He taunts, standing before him as he drew his claws over Karkat's chest. He could feel the pricks trailing down his torso, cutting into him with every swipe he made. It was disgusting; all he could manage to do was grunt in mild pain. "I can't believe anyone even lithtened to you. Oh wait-they didn't really, did they? How could they, thuch an inferior lowblood. They didn't even have to know your blood color to realize that you were beneath them. Pathetic."

This time, instead of holding him back with his psychic hold, he shoves him back harder into the wall with his hands; pinning him there by the arms. Karkat briefly contemplates snapping at him with his teeth, but thinks better of it. It wouldn't do any good, anyway, seeing as he's annoyingly just out of his reach. Perhaps if his horns had been anything but pathetically short, he could have mustered up enough strength to headbutt him away. Obviously this wasn't going to happen. Karkat still struggled in his grip, hoping he could overpower him.

"C'mon kk, ith that really the betht you're able to do?" he mocks, Karkat's eyes narrowing as the blood beneath his skin boils. Rage is building in his head, and all he can think is Kill him, save yourself the trouble. Kanaya killed Eriden. The only reason Gamzee wasn't killed was because he was your morail; Sollux doesn't have that luxury.

With that, Karkat can't help but wonder for a moment if Sollux would have made a good kismesis. He had never felt this much hate for someone in his whole life, not even for his past selves. And saying as he was constantly mad at something or another, this was saying a lot. The rage that was bubbling under his skin would have worried him, if he wasn't already worried about the person that was standing before him, and literally held Karkat's life in his hands.

No, fuck this, I'm not letting this fucking nooksucker get the better of me.

With that, Karkat let out a strangled yell as he pushed himself forward and threw Sollux off balance; taking him to the ground as he straddled him, hands digging into his throat as he snarled down at him. Karkat was the one with the control now; he'd be damned if he gave way and let himself be pushed around. He'd be damned.

"Oh look, you are actually capable of putting up a fight; what a thurprithe. C'mon, you pathetic excuthe for a troll." His words came out in a strangled, breathy tone, but somehow still managed to hold that arrogance that Karkat was really hating at the moment. Rage was leaving him blind, and he contemplated killing him right here. He dug his nails into Sollux's neck, and watched as his murky yellow blood started to ooze over his fingers.

"Fuck you," Karkat snarled, teeth bared in a sneer. "I'll show you what I can do, and I will leave you wriggling here on the floor like a grub, begging for my fucking mercy. But you know what? I won't give it to you. Because you are worth less then I am, lowest then the fucking lowest blood there is. When I am through with you, you're going to wish you had never fucking crossed me, you filthy grubsucker."

In response, Karkat can think that he heard a small groan, but he's not exactly sure. But what he is sure of is that he can feel Sollux leaning his hips up into him, and he grins. Karkat knows he's in control now, and he doesn't even give a fuck about anything. He's empowered, seeing that disgusting grubfucker writhing beneath him like he had been doing moments ago to him, and fuck, it felt good.

Anger was still fizzing around in his head, and Karkat leaned down close, hovering just over Sollux's head as he whispered, "Now you know what it's like to be completely powerless, completely vulnerable without anyone even pitying you." Now Karkat could be sure that he heard a whine coming from underneath him; he growled and released his hands from his throat only to rip thought his pants and wrap them around his bulge. Through the haze of his rage, Karkat could see the sporadic red and blue threads of energy start to die down, and eventually dissipate into the air around them. But he didn't dare stop what he was doing.

He can hear Sollux moan beneath him, a far cry from the strong bravado that he had been holding beforehand. It sounded pathetic; something that was...normal? It didn't hold any of the air of confidence he had when he had first come in, or when he pinned him to the ground, and...

And that was all it took. He can feel his head clearing, hate slowly fading as it had when he watched the psionic sparks disappear into the air. He looks down at Sollux, and regrets it because - Fuck, are those tears forming in his eyes? - and he scrambles off of him quickly, too quickly, because the world around him tilts and he barely manages to keep himself sitting upright.

"Shit, Sollux, I...Fuck," He stutters, once again at a loss for words. Karkat turned his gaze back to Sollux, and watches as he slowly pulls himself up into a sitting position as well, and watches as he fumbles awkwardly with the front of his pants, to cover himself up. Karkat can feel bile raising up the back of his throat, because fuck, he didn't mean to do this. He didn't mean to put Sollux in this sort of situation and fuck, is this pity that I'm feeling for him? Fuck, no no no no no.

When Sollux looks to him, Karkat opens his mouth to say something more, anything more, to let him know that he didn't mean to do this, but Sollux is speaking before he can remember how to make his voicebox work again.

"Oh gog, kk, I'm tho thorry, I didn't mean for thith to happen..." And as he speaks, Karkat realized that this is pity that's forming knots inside his gut, and he's no longer able to meet Sollux's gaze. With his anger completely subsiding, the adrenaline that had been keeping Karkat moving was completely gone, and he realizes that he doesn't have the energy to keep himself upright. So instead of letting himself slump over in an even more pathetic heap, he leans backwards and sits himself up against the wall for support.

Hearing something shifting, Karkat turned his gaze up carefully to see that Sollux was scooting over closer to him, and inwardly, he cursed. Fuck, gog damn it, this is fucking pathetic. He knew he looked absolutely repulsing, wearing his disgusting red blood outside of him like this, and he wished he could muster up the energy to drag himself out of this room. But of course he couldn't, so he simply let his eyes shut in defeat. When he did, he felt something cool press up against his cheek, and he was leaning into it before he could give it another thought.

"Shit, you're warm and...fuck, did I do thith? You're bleeding...Hey, jackath, I need you to open your eyeth."

Letting out a weak grunt, Karkat opened his eyes as instructed, but it felt like there were weights sitting on his eyelids. While Sollux was insulting him again, it had a different tone then it had earlier, and he knew that he didn't have to be worried this time. When he got a solid look on him, he knew that he was correct, because he was looking at him with...an expression he must be imagining.

"Stop looking at me like that, dipweed. You look like you're completely flushed for me." He knew he sounded tired, and all he wanted to do was curl up in a pile and go to sleep. But apparently Sollux had other plans for him, and fuck, he just wanted to be left alone.

"Shut up, idiot," was Sollux said before his hand lit up with a familiar blue energy, and Karkat couldn't keep himself from involuntarily flinching. Much to his annoyance, Sollux had noticed and gave him that look, completely pitying, and sighed.

"Relax. I'm not going to do anything to you. I'm jutht getting a towl, becauthe you're bleeding all over my floor."

He wasn't lying, because there was a blur of white and a towel appeared in his hands. Though he much preferred his cold hand to the softness of the towel, was a welcomed feeling against his throbbing head. I fucking hate head wounds, he thought wearily. They bleed too damn much, and are more trouble then they're worth.

Letting out a quiet breath of air, Karkat let his eyes drift close once more. He could hear Sollux commanding something of him, probably to open his eyes again, but he couldn't be bothered. Fuck, he was tired. He just needed some sleep. Just a bit.

When he opened his eyes again, he was instantly aware that the light burned his his eyes and sent a wave of pain to his head, and that he felt heavier. And upon closer inspection, Karkat realized why this was - laying on his lap was Sollux, curled up in a ball, sleeping. Karkat didn't move immediately; instead, he just watched him.

It was hard to believe that earlier, he had been attacking him. He didn't know how much earlier this was, seeing as he didn't know how long he had been asleep, but that wasn't the point. The point was that, for all the trouble that he had been today, he looked completely innocent. And while he would have liked to let him continue sleeping there, his legs were asleep and were making it aware that they were uncomfortable, and he couldn't help but try and move them.

Sollux's eyes were open a moment later, wide eyed and looking confused. But once they settled on him, he relaxed and pulled himself up onto his knees and once again sat himself beside him. Karkat, glad that he had regained use of his legs, pulled them up towards his chest. It was apparent that even after his rest, he still wasn't well; his body had protested against even that small movement, and his head sent a swell of nausea trailing through his body. And he failed spectacularly at keeping himself from letting out a discomforted moan, closing his eyes once again.

"Hey, are you okay?" he heard Sollux ask, before he followed up with a small curse, and Karkat could almost picture him scowling at himself. "I mean, of courthe you're not but, I gueth how are you feeling?"

"Like I just got the shit kicked out of me tenfold, and was stuck in a laundry cycler and...fuck," he breathed, another strangled groan passing through his lips before he raised his hand to rest against his forehead. Sollux, who had moved a bit away from him when he'd woke up, had positioned himself back up close to him since he suddenly felt his hand once again being pressed against him, though this time against his chest.

"kk? Shit, what's wrong?" he heard him say, his voice sounding panicked even to his dulled ears. Daring to peek an eye open, Karkat glanced in Sollux's direction long enough to catch sight of his pitiful expression, before shutting them once again as the light made his head spin even more.

"I think I'm going to be sick, that's what," he gasped out, jaw clenching as he heard something else rustling in the distance, and was thankful when he felt something being pressed up against him. Opening his eyes just barely, he turned over on his side and emptied his stomach into the container; body shaking from his movement. Despite his unpleasant state, he could feel Sollux's hands tracing over his back in small, careful circles as he continued to wretch. This went on for a few minutes before eventually he had emptied himself out, and was left with empty dry heaves. Karkat, for the most part, felt like shit cooked over in a microwave.

"Here," Sollux said quietly, holding a glass of water out to him, which he took thankfully. Rinsing the aftertaste of sick out of his mouth, he leaned back up and slumped himself back against the wall. Luckily his eyes had adjusted enough to the light, so they were no longer making the world spin. There was a moment of silence that passed between them, before Sollux was speaking again.

"...I really do pity you, you know. I didn't...what I did earlier, I wathn't thinking. I thought...After that thing with Eridan, who completely beat me with hith thtupid white-thcience wand, I needed to be thtronger. When he killed Fef, I jutht..." He paused then, turning away so that he was facing the floor. "...I didn't want anyone elthe that I cared about to die. I didn't want to be tho powerleth. I jutht thought that, jutht maybe if I willingly ingethted the mind honey, then I could control it. If I could to that, then I wouldn't be tho worthleth. I thould have known better, but I wathn't thinking. And then I almotht killed you, and I...I jutht...I didn't want...I don't know what I would do if you died."

Karkat didn't say a word. And Sollux, taking his silence to mean something, let a dry laugh echo in the air. "But you probably hate me now. Why wouldn't you. I don't detherve to have your pity, much leth your friendthip. I wath lucky you even put up with me for ath long ath you have, I'm tho thorry.. I thould have jutht..."

Before Sollux was able to continue with his statement, Karkat was wrapping his arms against him and pressing his body against him. He didn't know what else to do in order to get him to stop talking, to stop apologizing, because it was driving him crazy. He wasn't mad this time, however. He was pretty sure all of his anger towards him had burned out, leaving only pity for him. Something that had been returned to him, as well.

"I guess it wasn't just a look of pity you were giving me earlier. It really meant something," Karkat said, tightening his grip around Sollux just a bit. "But I don't hate you. I could never hate you, and you have no reason to apologize. I knew that you never would have eaten that stuff if you were in your right mind, and...I came over here originally to try and snap you out of it. I'm the one who's a failure. As a leader, as a friend, as...as someone who does have flushed feelings. I should have tried harder. I'm sorry."

Unlike last time, he meant ever word he said. There was no doubt. It was surprising that he had never realized before what Sollux meant to him, but it didn't really matter. Not right now. When Sollux raised his head back up to look at him, all Karkat could see was hesitance.

"Are you...Doeth that mean you want to be...?"

"Idiot. I'll be your matesprite if you'd let me. You don't have to second guess yourself on this one."

And with just that, the hesitance was gone and a smile crossed his features. It was hard to believe that he had been thinking that Sollux could be his kismesis, when he was so clearly his matesprit. And when Sollux pressed his forehead up against his own, suddenly everything felt right.

"Good. I promithe not to almotht kill you next time I want to thay thomething completely thappy to you."

Karkat simply snorted back a laugh, a smirk planting itself firmly on his face.

"Fine. And I promise that I won't bleed all over your floor next time."

When Sollux wrapped his arms around him, his head resting in the crook of his neck, Karkat wondered why he hadn't done this sweeps earlier.

Fuck if he cared. Past Karkat was always an idiot, anyway.

Longest one-shot I've ever written, and it was for characters that I have no idea how to properly characterize, and a fandom that I've only been apart of for a few months.

And it came out so weird. Like...not what I had in mind. Though the inspiration came from a picture on Zerochan, and if you want to see it, just go there and attatch /878484#full at the end of the URL.

Might post a second chapter as to what I had ORIGINALLY planned. Sort of. The intimate part was cut out because I don't think you can do that here.3