A few weeks had passed since Karkat's final episode and John's return. The first week was the hardest to get through as Karkat rarely ever let the boy leave his sight. Following him whenever he left a room and such, panicing whenever he woke and John wasn't beside him. He would have nightmares but didn't dare sleep in the slime, he couldn't sleep unless he was beside John and in his arms. And John, he would stay up for hours just stroking the troll's head and hearing his steady purring. He had missed that sound so much.

Sollux had stayed for the first week along with Terezi, just to make sure things were safe. They stayed out of sight for the most part so as not to trigger Karkat's defensive instincts, though their lingering scents didn't go unnoticed. Whenever he got a wiff of them he would growl and bristle, though he tried not to. He knew who they were and that it was safe, but something inside him still saw them as threats. Dave had wanted to stay for John sake, but Terezi had made it clear that with Karkat's already dislike of him that he was more likely to be seen as a threat over anyone else.

The next two weeks slowly got better. The two other trolls had taken their leave once everything seemed to be working out, which was a great strain off of Karkat's mind. Now that their presence was no longer lingering in his hive he was more inclined to allow John a bit more freedom in his movements. He no longer followed him into every room, though he did whine when he left a bit. And if he didn't see the boy after a certain amount of time he had to find him. Whenever the Heir sat down Karkat was beside him, or more often then not, wrapped around him and/or nuzzling into him. He would purr loudly and chirp when John ran his fingers through his hair, brushing past the base of his horns. At night things would escalate into intense makeouts before dwindling into simple caressing and tangling embraces.

John was taking all this in stride. Taking care of Karkat and allowing him to do whatever he needed to in order to feel safe again. He had been disturbed at the state of the room the first few days. He could only break away to clean it when the troll was asleep, along with the other parts of the hive. Terezi and Sollux had helped in cleaning up the blood and slime which helped. Another thing that helped was Tavros and Gamzee dropping by with anything they needed since John wasn't able to leave the hive without Karkat freaking out.

It made him feel guilty for letting his matesprite become so insecure and vulnerable, but he had no idea something like this could happen. If Tavros hadn't shown up at his house that day...It wasn't something John liked to think about. The only thing John could turn into a positive was that Karkat was so very cuddly. Like a giant kitten. He would be lying if he said he wasn't enjoying all the attention, though he did wish it was from the troll's own accord and not his anxiety. He was calming down though and hopefully the Cancer would be himself again soon.

Meanwhile, the weeks outside Vantas's hive were just as active. Whatever had gone down with Vriska was still a mystery as both Kanaya and Rose were keeping thier lips sealed. She had not shown up on Trollian since the incident and even a 'visit' from Sollux turned up nothing on the Scorpio. As in, she was literally no where to be found. No one was complaining about her absence, but it did leave one to wonder about possible retaliation which she was known for.

- turntechGodhead [TG] bagan pestering gallowsCalibrator [GC]

TG: yo terezi

GC: W3LL, 1F 1T 1SN'T MR. COOLK1D STR1D3R.

GC: :)

TG: the one and only

TG: so has there been any sign of the bitch yet

GC: NOT TH4T 1 KNOW OF.

GC: K4N4Y4 H4SN'T G1V3N 4NY H1NTS 4BOUT H3R 31THER SO 1 C4NT 3V3N B3G1N TO GU3SS WH3R3 SH3 M1GHT B3.

GC: 1N F4CT 1T 1S SOM3WH3T 4NNOY1NG TH4T 1 HAVN'T B33N ABL3 TO F1GUR3 1T OUT

GC: :(

TG: i bet

TG: figuring this shit out is kind of your thing

TG: so you got nothing then

GC: 1 D1DN'T S4Y TH4T D4V3

GC: DO YOU R3ALLY H4VE SO L1TTL3 F41TH 1N MY SNOOP1NG AB1L1T13S?

TG: yea youre a god at snooping

TG: what was i thinking not believeing you had the rest of the world at your finger tips

TG: not counting the missing anti-christ the universe is spread before you like the legs of an old pro turning a trick when you got a twenty tucked in you belt

TG: no resistance there being turned and molded in whichever way pleases you most at any given time

GC: D4V3, WH4T 4R3 YOU T4LKING 4BOUT?

TG: nothing never mind

TG: so what scoop were you able to dig up then

GC: W3LL, FOR ST4RT3RS WHY VR1SK4 H4D GON3 4FT3R TH3M 1N TH3 F1RST PL4C3.

TG: thought it was because vantas got john and she didnt

GC: Y3S, BUT JOHN W4S H3R T4RG3T H3R3, NOT K4RKLES.

TG: seriously

TG: i thought she had a fem-troll boner for him

TG: unless this was some quadrant shit with the black-love or whatever

GC: 1T'S C4LL3D BL4CK-ROM, AND NO 1T W4SN'T.

GC: TH1S W4S R3V3NG3 PUR3 4ND S1MPL3.

GC: SH3 H4D T4RG3T3D JOHN BUT H4D TO G3T R1D OF K4RKL3S 1N ORD3R TO G3T TO H1M.

TG: how do you even know this

GC: SH3 TOLD M3

TG: she told you

TG: when exactly did she do that

GC: WH3N 1 W4S ON MY W4Y TO H1S H1V3 TH4T D4Y.

GC: SH3 D1DN'T COM3 R1GHT OUT 4ND S4Y 1T, BUT SH3 COULDN'T H4V3 B33N MOR3 OBV1OUS3 1F SH3 TR13D.

GC: JOHN P1CK1NG K4RKL3S W4S L1K3 S4Y1NG SH3 W4SN'T GOOD 3NOUGH FOR H1M.

TG: which would be an ass biting understatment at this point

GC: HUSH D4V3, 1M ST1LL T4LK1NG

TG: the floor is yours

GC: TH4NK YOU

GC: 4NYW4Y, 3V3N 1F HURT1NG JOHN W4S H3R M41N OBJ3CT1V3 SH3 W4SN'T GO1NG TO L1M1T H3RS3LF TH3R3.

CG: SH3 ST1LL H4D 4 GRUDG3 4G41NST K4RKL3S TOO.

TG: which is where all the chat tag bulshit comes in.

GC: 1ND33D 1T 1S.

GC: EQU1US WOULD H4V3 B33N F41RLY 34SY TO R3CRU1T CONS1D3R1NG TH3 GRUB QU33N AND 4LL.

TG: grub queen

TG: this some more troll bullshit

GC: Y3S D4V3, TH1S 1S WH4T YOU WOULD C4LL TROLL BULLSH1T.

GC: TH3 GRUB QU33N 1S HOW W3 R3PRODUC3 4ND B31NG W1TH K4RKL3S WOULD PUT JOHN 1N 4 R4TH3R ODD PL4C3 B3CU4S3 OF TH4T.

TG: what you mean like egderp siring a bunch of half troll babies or something

GC: NOT 3X4CTLY, BUT CLOS3 3NOUGH.

GC: TH1S 1S HOW VR1SK4 GOT H1M 1NVOLV3D THOUGH.

GC: 4S FOR 3R1D3N, H3 W4S N3V3R R34LLY 4 P4RT OF TH1S TO B3G1N W1TH.

TG: what are you talking about

TG: karkat said he was all over him too

GC: OH TH3R3 W3R3 CH4TS TH4T TOOK PL4C3.

GC: ONLY NON3 OF TH3M W3R3 4MPOR4.

TG: more mind shit

GC: 4S 1F TH4TS 3V3N 4 SUPR1S3 4T TH1S PO1NT.

GC: SH3 US3D H1M TO UP H3R NUMB3RS 4G41NST K4RKL3S 4S W3LL 4S 4NNOY H1M.

GC: H4V1NG NO R34SON TO CORR3CT 4NYTH1NG 3R1D3N D1DN'T S4Y 4NYTH1NG 4BOUT 1T.

TG: so how did you get him to admit that now

GC: NOW NOW, D4V3. 1 C4N'T GO T3LL1NG MY 1NT3RROG4T1ON T3CHN1QU3S

CG: :)

TG: whatever

GC: DON'T 'WH4T3V3R' ME D4V3.

GC: YOU KNOW YOU'R3 JUST DY1NG TO KNOW WH4T TH3Y 4R3.

TG: you got me

TG: im suffocating here

TG: choking on the cruel air that would allow me to keep living in a world where i didnt know how you gathered such refined and irrefutable information

TG: look im even busting out the big words here

GC: 1'M HONOR3D TO R34D TH3M. 1 KNOW YOU DON'T US3 TH3M OFT3N.

GC: :)

TG: thats because no one is worth the time it takes to write them out

GC: TH3 KN1GHT OF T1M3 DO3SN'T H4V3 T1M3?

TG: not for that shit

GC: 1N TH4T C4S3 1 SH4LL CH3R1SH 3V3RY LONG WORD YOU TYP3 OUTFOR M3.

GC: 1'LL 3V3N S4V3 TH3M TO 4 SP3C14L FOLD3R.

TG: why stop there

TG: put that shit on a doc and print it out

TG: paste up copies of it all over the place

TG: make some big ass posters of it

GC: TH3N 1 C4N 3NJOY TH3 D3L1OUS C4NDY R3D T3XT NO M4TT3R WH3R3 1 4M.

TG: exactly

GC: :)

GC: D4V3.

TG: terezi

GC: D4V3.

TG: terezi

GC: 1 FORGOT TO 4SK 4BOUT J4D3.

TG: its all cool

TG: she flipped out when she got the message because she basically missed everything

TG: she was pretty pissed because i forgot to message her back that things were taken care of

GC: WH4T DO M34N?

TG: she didn't get the messages until a few hours after everything calmed down

TG: she was messaging me like crazy because she couldn't find john at his place

TG: when i told her everything was fine now and had been for a while she flipped out at me for making her worry like that

TG: fucking popped into my house and pummled my arm like i was a fucking punching bag

GC: OH?

GC: AND HOW DID THAT END FOR YOU?

GC: :)

TG: no horizontal tangoing here

TG: just a chat a bit more punching on her part and some decent re-wrapping of the dicework vantas did on my arms

GC: 1T W4SN'T K4RKL3S.

GC: TH4T W4S VR12K4.

TG: whatever

TG: fuck it

GC: D4V3?

GC: 4R3 YOU ST1LL TH3R3?

GC: D4V3?

GC: :(

TG: terezi

TG: ive been meaning to ask you something

GC: WH4T?

TG: if egbert hadn't gotten him to calm down

TG: would you have really killed him?

GC:...

GC: JOHN W4SN'T TH3 ON3 WHO H4D C4LM3D H1M DOWN DUR1NG TH4T P4RT1CUL4R 3P1SOD3.

GC: 1T W4S JUST BY LUCK TH4T K4N4Y4 AND ROS3 R34CH3D VR1SKA 4T TH4T MOM3NT 4ND BROK3 H3R CONTROL ON H1M.

TG: dont change the subject

GC: 1'M NOT.

GC: BUT Y3S, 1 WOULD H4V3.

GC: 1'M NOT PROUD TO S4Y 1T, BUT W3 WOULD H4V3 H4D NO OTH3R CHO1C3.

TG: but he was still your friend

GC: THAT DO3SN'T M4TT3R.

GC: 1T WOULD H4V3 B33N FOR TH3 B3ST.

GC: DO YOU R3M3MB3R B4CK 1N TH3 G4M3 B3FOR3 3V3RYON3 W4S R3V1V3D?

GC: WH3N W3 F1RST M3T?

GC: G4MZ33 H4D K1LL3D TH3M 4LL 1N H1S OWN PSYCHOT1C 3P1SOD3.

TG: what about that

GC: TH4T 1S WH4T COULD AND MOST L1KELY WOULD H4V3 H4PP3N3D 1F TH1NGS H4D TUR3D FOR TH3 WORST W1TH NO ON3 TO CULL H1M.

GC: 4S CRU3L 4S YOU HUM4NS F1ND 1T, CULL1NG H1M WOULD H4V3 B33N B3TT3R FOR 3V3RYON3 1NVOLV3D.

GC: 3V3N FOR K4RKL3S.

TG: what troll dont have tough love theropy or anything

GC: TH3ROPY?

TG: yea like

TG: extended shoosh paps in mupltiple sessions that you end up paying shit tons of cash for

TG: where some stranger sits on a couch and listens to you bitch and moan about your problems and then proceeds to tell you everything stems from one bullshit moment in your life

GC: D4V3, TH1S SOUNDS 4N 4WFUL LOT L1K3 MO1R41L1G3NC3.

TG: you pay for that

GC: NO

GC: 4S 4 MO1R41L YOU 4R3 OBL1G4T3D TO M4K3 SUR3 TH3 OTH3R 1S MOR3 OR L3SS ST4BL3.

GC: TH4T M34NS L1ST3N1NG 4ND T4LK1NG TO TH3M 4BOUT 4NYTH1NG TH4T M4Y OR M4Y NOT B3 BOTH3R1NG TH3M.

TG: wait

TG: then what the hell happened with vantass

TG: or does he not have one or what

GC: K4RKL3S MO1R41LS TO G4MZ33 AND SOLLUX MO1R41LS TO K4RKL3S.

GC: ONLY TH3Y T3ND TO FL1P ROLLS 3V3RY SO OFT3N.

TG: so captor dropped the ball on this one

GC: H3 B3L13V3S 4S MUCH, BUT SOLLUX'S PR3S3NC3 WOULD H4V3 DON3 L1TTL3 MOR3 TH3N SLOW TH3 PROGR3SS OF HIS D3T3R1OR4T1ON.

GC: B3S1DES, YOU SHOULDN'T T4LK 4BOUT N3GL3CT OF MO1R41L1GENT DUT13S.

GC: WH4T W1TH TH3 D1S4P3R1NG 4CT JOHN PULL3D UND3R YOUR W4TCH.

TG: hey he said he was ready to go and left

TG: its not like i could have tied him to the bed or anything

GC: BUT 1T W4S YOUR JOB TO K33P 4N 3Y3 ON H1M.

TG: there was only one of me for egderp watch

TG: vantas had two

GC: G4MZ33 C4M3 BY WH3N H3 COULD TO T4LK TO H1M, WH1CH 1S HOW W3 FOUND OUT 4BOUT 1T, R3M3MB3R?

TG: that accounts for one of them

GC: DO YOU KNOW F4R 4W4Y SOLLUX AND 1 L1V3 1N COMP4R1SON TO K4RKL3S?

GC: TROLL14N W4S TH3 MOST W3 COULD DO TO ST4Y 1N CONT4CT 4ND H3 STOPP3D R3SPOND1NG TO US ONC3 VR1SK4 GOT GO1NG.

GC: TH3R3 R43LLY W4S NO W4Y 4ROUND TH1S.

TG: she really thought of everything then

GC: JUST 4BOUT.

TG: terezi

TG: yo terezi

TG: dont leave me hanging man

GC: 1'M GO1NG TO H4V3 TO CUT TH1S SHORT D4V3.

TG: what why

GC: :)

- gallowsCalibrator [GC] ceased trollingturntechGodhead [TG]

TG: terezi

TG: what the hell

- turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering gallowsCalibrator [GC]