A/N: okay well here chapter four. I'm updating this story pretty fast aren't i ? ^^ but any way uhm mentions of the religion Christianity and a little bit of family troubles. So yeah R&R. Love you guys!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own homestuck.

When the final bell rang Kankri gathered his things and headed out the door. Now with the stack of papers he had to carry an additional load of three text books. He had to be sure to collect the remainder of his books tomorrow when he attended his first four classes. He had successfully made it through his first day at Beforus High. The school was a lot more lenient than he had expected, seeing that it was a private school, but none the less he already really liked it.

By the time Kankri reached the front doors his arms aches from the weight of the text books. He needed to stop by and get a sturdy book bag before the morning, or dig one from his closet. He moved through the crowd and slid through the door and set off in the direction of Karkat's school. Kankri moved quickly he didn't want Karkat waiting too long, he usually got angry when he had to wait up.

Karkat hated his school. He hated everyone in it, he was severely pissed at his father for making them move and he really just wanted to go home and stay in his room and watch his favorite movies or read his novels, but, no he was stuck in this shit stain of a place. Karkat hated it, he wished Kankri would hurry up so he would go home and he wished this god damn clown would stop following him like a lost duckling!

"Can you just please go home already, Gamzee!" He glared at the boy who was a good two foot taller, they were in seventh grade for fuck sakes and this kid was already nearly six foot tall.

"I would, bro, but my rude isn't all up and here yet." He drawled a lazy smile stretching across his face as he took a seat beside Karkat on the curb. Karkat huffed a little and crossed his arms and looked away from his new self proclaimed 'friend'. Gamzee had nearly every class with him. The guy was super annoying and strongly smelled suspiciously of weed. He was just so laid back and to Karkat it was really unnatural even if he was on something. What was even weirder was his face paint. The grey shapes around his eyes, mouth, and other places on his face were flawless against the white backsplash that seemed to be nearly the same sickly white color of his skin.

Karkat looked at him, "Then don't you have somewhere else to be dipshit?" He shot at the lanky boy, who just stared into the sky seeming to be dazedly contemplating it.

"Don't got no where to be except here waiting for my motherfucking ride." He said lazily before looking out amongst the sea of cars. Karkat sighed a little, it wasn't anything personal toward Gamzee, he actually kinda liked the guy, he just really didn't want to be here. "So-," Gamzee began looking over to Karkat," Did my miraculous new best friend not all up and enjoy his first day?" He asked. The question, as karkat had learned from being with his 'best friend' all day, even though with a lot of unnecessary adjectives was a legit question.

"I don't really no why you even care; but, no, I didn't particularly enjoy my first day." Karkat grouches back in reply looking up and down the side walk,waiting for Kankri to show up any minute. Where the bell was he, anyway?

Gamzee pursed his lips and fidgeted with a loose piece of concrete on the ground, "It wasn't my up and mother fucking doing was it?" He asked, worrying the concrete as he shifted to a criss cross applesauce position. The question drew a sigh from Karkat's lungs as he propped his elbows on his knees and laid his head in his hands.

"No, Gamzee, it wasn't because of you." He confirmed before peeking up just in time to see Kankri shuffling down the walk way with a bunch of books. 'Fucking over achiever', Karkat thought as he stood looking down at Gamzee. " There's my brother. I have to go." Karkat said his expression unreadable as he watched Gamzee nod before rolling up to his feet in one fluid, lanky motion.

"Alright, Kar-bro. You be up and safe getting home." He said with hazy eyes and a goofy smile as he patted Karkat's shoulder with a bit more force than necessary. Karkat grumbled a 'you too' before going to meet Kankri at the edge of the campus side walk. Kankri smiled and ceased his walking.

"Good evening, Karkat. Did you ha-"

" I don't want to talk about it." He interjected.

"It couldn't have been that bad." He replied before giving him a soft smile, "Could you please help me out? My hands are kind of full and my arms are beginning to hurt."

"I fucking hate this place, Kankri." He stated, taking two of the nearly identical males books.

"Watch your language, Karkat, you shouldn't get used to using such a lewd vocabulary because one day I am afraid it will get you in trouble." The taller of the two began, he had given Karkat that lecture a million times before, so he stopped there and focused on the second issue, "Plus, you shouldn't hate it. Father payed a lot of money for us to be in the schools we're in, mainly for our benefit. I know you miss your friends, Karkat, but sometimes we just have to move onn from our pasts and-" He began to drone on which earned a loud groan from Karkat as they began to walk in the direction in which Karkat had came, "Do not groan at me Karkat, I'm just trying to help." He said after the rude interruption.

Karkat sighed and shifted the books in his arms, " I know you're trying to help, Kankri, but you really suck at it." He said which made Kankri sigh, but his attention was brought to the horn he heard honking across the campus. Karkats attention too was brought to the honkin at the edge of the parking lot. It was Gamzee, and he had a bike horn, of course the idiot had a bike horn. He kept honking it until he knew he had Karkat's attention, and then he waved him goodbye, with that stupid smile. Karkat rolled his eyes over dramatically hoping Gamzee saw just how unamused he was as the flush spread across his cheeks. It was a matter of seconds after that Kankri put his two cents in.

"Speaking of friends, as I previously was speaking of yours, is that a friend?" He asked inspecting the boy in the parking lot. He didn't look like someone he expected Karkat to befriend, "You know I don't think dad would really approve of someone who looked like that." He said keeping it that simple. He didn't have to say any more for Karkat to understand.

"I don't even care what dad fucking thinks right now to be honest." He grumbled as he trudged forward,"It's not like I'm well acquainted with him." Karkat sighed. Kankri might be a prick at times but he had his moments of truth. Kankri was like the mom Karkat never remembered having. He watched out for him and made sure he stayed out of trouble, mostly with their father.

Carmine Vantas, was known as one of the best preachers around. He could lecture you all day on just one scripture from the bible. He was all about tradition and the old style way of doing things, or so he preached. The whole reason they even moved was because he claimed he was being called else where, though the boys were pretty sure the money had to do with it too. Though he feigned and strived for perfection, Carmine, had many flaws. Craving for both of his sons to be perfect spitting images of him self was definitely a big one.

Kankri let out a sigh as they neared there home seeing that the car was no where in sight, " He isn't home." Kankri said quietly feeling a bit crest fallen. That meant he had to prepare dinner, on top of doing his chores, and the home work he had been assigned.

"When is he ever." Karkat grumbled out as they made there way to the front porch. He jiggled the locked knob before looking to Kankri, " You have the house key right?" He asked taking a step back so Kankri could get to the door. Kankri nodded before shifting his stack To one arm and fishing his bright red lanyard from under his sweater which held a multitude of things, but most important to the moment at hand: the house key.

Kankri quickly unlocked the door and and opened it pushing his way in. They had only been in the neighborhood a week and they were already fully unpacked. Their father wouldn't stand for a messy home. Kankri sighed as he made his way to his room to put his things up as Karkat made his way to the living room and plopping on the couch. Karkat retrieved the remote from the coffee table and turned it on and began channel surfing. Kankri came down a few minutes later sleeves pulled to his elbows.

Kankri glances at Karkat before heading to the kitchen. There was a note on the kitchen table, stating there chores and what Kankri was to cook dinner. The boy sighed as he retrieved and discarded the note and began his chores.

It was about six o'clock when Carmine came through the door. He was a built man and in a quick description he and his sons were nearly identical. Kankri was finishing up setting the table as Karkat finished up the last of his chores. As soon as Carmine came within sight Kankri flashes the brightest smile he could muster, " Good evening, father. " he greeted as he set the last of the utensils on the table. Carmine gave him a small smile in return and a quiet reply before heading to his room to change from his work attire. Kankri sighed as his father left the room and Karkat trudged in.

"I'm still not done with my chores." He griped crossing his arms and snarling as he looked to the side. Kankri sighed a little before stretching.

"I got mine done while dinner was on. Though I still need to do my homework for the night. Not coining most likely cleaning up he dinner mess. Kankri said the slightest to of displeasure in his voice before he clapped, " but none the less it's dinner time and I worked hard this evening to prepare us a proper meal so I would appreciate is you would cooperate with dad and make it a pleasurable one." He said quietly so his father wouldn't over hear. Karkat merely grumbled as he moved to retrieve a pitcher and fill it with water. Kankri smiled a bit sadly as he watches before going and standing by his chair at the table, waiting for his father.

Carmine entered a few minutes later just as Karkat was putting the pitcher on the table. The man made is plate and then took a seat in which the boys followed suite. The tired looking man gave them a smile as the three of them joined hands and began to pray. It seemed forever to Karkat as his stomach began to squelch and growl in demand for food, but none the less minutes later after everyone/thing and their/it's mother had been blessed and prayed for, the broke there grips and were free to eat. Carmine reaches for the pitcher and began pouring himself a glass of water, " How was everyone's day?" He asked glancing between the two boys. Kankri looked to Karkat who was just stabbing at his food before taking it upon himself to fill the silence.

"My day went well." He started " I did have a bit of trouble finding a few of my classes and a little bit of an accidental confrontation with someone in the hall," He explained as his family are and listened, or at least pretended to, "If it wasn't for Cronus I may have, as much as I'm afraid to say it, beaten to a pulp." He says smiling a little as he remembered how Cronus probably did really save him. Carmine swallowed the food in his mouth before speaking.

"What do you mean that you had a confrontation?" He asked curiosity and worry melded in his voice.

Kankri poured himself someone water and took a sip, " I accidentally ran into a girl in the hallway. I tried to apologize but she wouldn't let me get the words out; but, like I said my new acquaintance, Cronus, helped me out of the situation." He further explained which seemed to calm his fathers nerves. Kankri looked to his father to Karkat to see if he was listening, though he seemed preoccupied with eating his dinner. Carmine let out gruff 'humph' before also looking at Karkat.

"And how was your day?"

"It fricken sucked" he said, not looking up to meet his fathers eye and continuing to slowly eat. Kankri pursed his lips wanting to scold Karkat but knowing better in front of their father. Kankri's eyes drifted to Carmine. His face was expressionless as the look in his eyes spoke volumes of rage, but thankfully he dropped it and went back to silently eating. That was how the rest of dinner was eaten that night, in silence.

When Karkat had finished eating he quickly stood and put his dishes in the sink and went straight to his room. Kankri watches and sighed finishing up his own dinner and looking at his father, "May I be excused? " he asked, voice quiet. The only response he got was a wave of the hand, and he took that as the sign to quickly put his dishes in the sink and head to his room.

It was nearing ten o' clock and Kankri was trying to finish up the last of his homework. His dad and Karkat had started fighting about twenty minutes ago and it was getting harder to concentrate on his work as his ears pleaded him to eavesdrop. It wasn't five minutes later though, he heard the two doors slam and the house rattle at the disturbance. Then everything got extremely quiet. Kankri sighed and leaned back in his chair closing his book, he would finish the other problems in the morning. He presses the heels in his hands into his eyes as he felt a head ache start to ebb at the back of his skull. He continued to rub his eyes hoping to run some of the sleep out of his system, but his attention was soon turned to the pitter patter of feet bearing his room. He sighed a bit and leaned back in his desk chair looking to the door as it slowly cracked and Karkats head pokes through.

" K- Kankri?" His asked his voice sounding so small. Kankri's expression quickly changed from tired to worries as he swiveled his chair in the direction of his brother.

"Yeah, come here " he said quietly adjusting his position a bit as Karkat quickly rushed in and crawled into his lap burying his face into the neck of Kankri's sweater. Kankri enveloped the younger into his arms holding him close and rubbing his back soothingly as he whispers small reassurances into his ear. 'Just another night.' He thought with a small sigh as Karkat's breathing soon slowed as the tiny boy fell asleep in his arms.