Day: So a little side story while I'm working on my LONG Homestuck fanfic, Haunted High. Hope you Enjoy!

Midnight: Homestuck doesn't belong to Day. That right goes to Andrew Hussie, the true ruler of this petty human world.

April 13

Rose stared down at the note she now held in her hand, the other held to her face concealing a grin. She couldn't help but find it a bit humorous and yet a little childish.

But then again that's exactly the way John was.

He was a child, a eighteen year old child who just loves to play Hide and Seek.

It was a prank he plays every year on his birthday, an occasion that everyone gathered to celebrate no matter how far away they were. It involved everyone and expanded across the entire city. The objective:

Find John before night fall.

Rose had no idea why John plays these games, (probably so he doesn't have to eat his dad's Betty Crocker cake) but what she did know is that if they didn't find him on time they would all be in for a world full of pranks. A lesson they had learned a few years back.

When Rose re entered the kitchen everything was just about set up. John's dad was adding the finishing touches to the cake with the help of Jade while Karkat and Terezi struggled to place the banners, Terezi constantly messing Karkat up to purposely get on his nerves, which worked every single time. Dave just sat on the couch slurping his apple juice and looking chill as usual.

The other Trolls would have come but, they all mutually decided that Karkat needed the break, what with everything that's been going on. But of course Terezi being Terezi just had to come. You know, to make sure Karkat wasn't having too much of a good time by himself.

Everyone was dressed in their typical clothing, everyone deciding to wear something more casual.

It was your typical birthday party, there was cake, balloons, a pinata and a choice group of friends and family. All that was missing was the thick headed birthday boy.

All the attention in the room was drawn to Rose who was still descending the stairs, John no where to be found.

Dave was the first to notice the Heir of Breath's absence,

" Hey Rose, where's Egbert? I thought you went up there to get him? What? Did you already lose him?"

Rose glared at her oh so chill brother before turning her attention to Jade.

" I found this on John's desk."

She said as she handed the note to the black haired girl. Confused, Jade grabbed the letter from Rose and began to read out loud, everyone in the room giving her their full attention,

" Hey guys, it's my birthday and you know what that means, Hide and Seek time! Good luck finding me! Signed, John."

Everyone exchanged glances before the entire room let out a collected sigh. Karkat was the first to state his 'displeasure'

" Why, in the holy fuck does that newt sucker insist on playing this stupid fucking game?! I'm mean for fucks sake, what's the point! And why do we have to find him, every fucking year?! Can't we just leave the dumb ass to fend for himself?"

Karkat's rant was completely ignored, everyone else in the room (other then Terezi who was to busy making Karkat even angrier) focused on the current situation.

" Dave, Jade you two look downtown. The amusement park, video stores, gaming blocks, anywhere John might be."

Rose suggested, or well ordered really. Jade responded with a salute and a small giggle before grabbing Dave from his bored position on the couch and dragging him outside. Rose waited for the cool kid's protests to disappear (of being moved against his will, because that was so 'uncool) before turning to the only trolls who had decided to come, who by now had begun to bicker among themselves.

Rose sighed, a dull throbbing bouncing of the walls of the back of her head, a sure sign of a head ache coming on. She raised a hand to massage her temples, the other still holding John's note.

" Karkat and Terezi, you two have uptown."

Said trolls paused in their bickering, both choosing instead to look at each other. A wicked grin cracked Terezi's face as she latched her arms around the smaller boy's arm. Karkat gulped, a light red blush dusting across his face as Terezi began pulling him to the door.

" FUCK YOU LALONDE!"

Was all Rose heard over Terezi's crackling laughs before the couple disappeared behind the door.

" John?! John you here?"

Dave watched as Jade continued to call for there other dark haired friend, knowing full well he wasn't here.

Jade's hands fell to her side as she turned to look at the cool kid, a look of defeat written clearly across her face. Dave could feel his heart pinch at the sight.

" Well he's not at the amusement park or the gaming store. Where else could he be?"

Dave sighed, deciding he had enough of this deterred Jade. He walked up to her and grabbed her hand, the sudden act startling the raven haired girl. She turned to him, a dark blush evident on both of their faces. Dave shook it of, he didn't have the cool kid tittle for nothing you know.

" Come on Harely, let's keep looking. The dumb ass has to be around here somewhere."

Jade stared up at the boy, a large grin replacing the confused frown. She nodded,

" Sure!"

Dave let a faint smile corrupt his poker face at the shorter girl's antics.

" Cool."

They continued their search, their hands never leaving the other's. They completely missed the flash of blue that disappeared into the crowd a moment later.

" Terezi for the last fucking time he isn't here. Can we please fucking leave now?"

Karkat's question was completely mute to the blind girl's ears, her focus instead trained on the thousand different scents that blocked her senses.

The couple was currently in one of the many malls that occupied the city. People were literally everywhere doing what ever it is humans do in malls. Karkat grimaced, hating himself for being dragged here. He knew he should have stayed on the meteor.

He growled at anyone that happened to stare at the two trolls, the humans mumbling things among the lines of ' must be cos players'. Stupid humans. At one point one of them even snapped a picture of them. The vile things. Karkat ended up snapping at them causing them to scurry away.

He turned to his companion who by now was waste deep in several food concoctions. How she obtained these, he would never know. She turned to him, crumbs littering her face. Even her forehead had food on it.

She laughed her scratchy laugh, a wide smile on her lips.

" Come on Karkels, try some! I don't know what it is but, it's delicious!"

Said troll let out yet another sigh, something he has been doing a lot of lately before a small smile broke his grimace. He would never risk saying it out loud in fear of the out come but he found Terezi's smile rather contagious and inviting. He liked seeing her happy.

But that didn't mean he was flushed for the annoying troll. Nope, no way in fucking hell.

Terezi sensed her companion's smile and slight blush and couldn't help but comment on it.

" Karkels, is that red I smell?"

This of course caused the red to grow until it clouded Terezi's senses with it's candy red sent.

" O-of course not! Now hurry the fuck up and help me find Egbert so we can get off this gog forsaken rock!"

He stuttered, dragging her out of the store by her arm. She just laughed her crackle of a laugh that made Karkat's blood pumper speed up and flush darken.

Of course with them being so distracted they didn't notice the familiar buck toothed smile and squared glasses that passed right by them and out the store seconds before.

Rose huffed, her hands resting on her knees as she tried to regain her breathing. ( A/N: haha, Breath)

She stood, her violet gazing landing upon a almost abandoned playground.

Her gaze roamed the rusted swings as they swung on their browning perches, the soil below them worn into groves. The slides were littered with leaves and other random debris, no one around to remove the clutter. The playground was broken and practically falling apart, the aging wood caving in on some parts of the structure.

The only thing that did seem in good shape was one of the Pogo rides. There were about five of them all in a line, four of which were falling apart and breaking at the screws, their paint long since stripped. Two were already lying next to their spring stands half buried in the ground. She couldn't even tell what most of them originally were.

The only one that seemed in semi- good condition was the green Ghost Slime one. The neon green surface was darken from age, the paint chipping in several places. The metal was rusted but, not as much as she thought it should have been from years of neglect.

But, that wasn't what drew her attention, it was the raven haired boy that was currently sitting on the Pogo.

" John."

She breathed as she began making her way towards the boy. She stopped a few feet away, her outstretched hand falling to her side at his depressed face. She paused before asking,

" John, what's the matter? What are you doing here of all places? It's your birthday, you should be at home with us celebrating."

John continued to stare at the ground, his three bucked teeth poking out as he bit his lip. He sighed before responding, never once looking up to meet Rose's eyes.

" It's not just my birthday Rose,"

Rose looked at the boy puzzled.

" John, what are you- Oh."

And then it hit her, it was the anniversary of the day the Earth was destroyed.

But why that bothered John now was a complete mystery to her.

John's voice broke through her pondering thoughts as he answered her unasked question.

" I was the one that caused it Rose. It's because of me we had to play that stupid game."

Rose looked at the broken boy, a look of understanding and compassion crossing her features. She walked up to him and leaned down before wrapping her arms securely around his body, resting her head on his shoulder.

John froze up, the feel of Rose's warmth on his back causing his face to go several shades of red.

" R-Rose what a-are you-?"

" John, it's not your fault. We all decided to partake in that devil of a game. We all have equal blame in the Earth's destruction. But thanks to your leadership we were able to rebuild our beloved world. It's because of you that we're here now."

The air was silent as she waited for John's response. It never came. Instead she found that he some how managed to turn around in her arms and plant a soft kiss to her cheek.

Rose's cheeks burned such a red that it put Dave to shame. She looked up at John through thick eye lashes as he pulled away, their eyes finally meeting.

Violet and aqua clashed as they stared at each other, the world around them melting away completely. A light blush dusted John's cheeks as he gave Rose a large buck toothed grin.

" Thanks Rose, I think I needed to hear that."

His smile was contagious because she too found herself smiling. She returned the kiss, causing John's face to once again explode in a splash of ember. She pulled away and leaned up to his ear, her warm breath causing goosebumps to rise on John's skin,

" Your welcome, John. But I think I deserve more then a simple kiss as a repayment."

She was surprised to see John's face darken, if that was possible. They were still tangled in each other's arms, her's tightly wrapped around his neck while his rested gently on her waist. He reached one hand up and pulled at the collar of his blue jacket.

" U-um, well, g-gosh I mean i-if you w-want maybe w-we could, u-um, go to a-a m-movie? I mean as r-repayment and all f-for pulling m-me out of-f my stupor."

Rose giggled at his stuttering, a smile hidden behind her hand. John looked up at her before laughing himself.

" Sure John, I'd love to. As repayment of course."

A dorky grin broke his lips as he rose from his place on the playground item until he somewhat towered over her. He had grown in the past few years but not by much. Put at the moment he held a good centimeter or two over her.

He began tugging at her waist as he began to walk away from the run down park.

" Come on, there's a theater just a few blocks this way!"

Rose just giggled at his excitement and the feel of his hand on her waist before falling into step with the raven haired boy, the party completely skipping her mind. She would worry about that later.

What the couple didn't see was their friends who currently hide in the bushes not far off.

" See I told you they were here!"

Jade said in a hushed whisper in fear of being caught. Dave just nodded in approval, a faint smirk on his cool kid face.

"Nice going Egbert."

Terezi just had this crazed look on her face as she continued to eat several sweets. Karkat was rampaging as usual.

" Why in the great fuck are we squatting behind this bush like a bunch of fucking weird ass creepers? We found fucking Egbert so why aren't we just leaving? Why do you insist on dragging me into you strange human antics? Seriously, WHAT THE FUCK?!"

They ended up having to tackle the rampaging troll and cover his mouth to keep him from blowing their cover. Terezi had a lot of fun sitting on top of him to keep him from escaping.

Day: I'm... I'm not even sure what happened here. It-t all started out so w-well so how did i-it come to- to THIS?! *cries in corner* I'M BANNED FROM THE FANDOM AREN'T I?!

Midnight: What she means is 'sorry for them being so OOC, and I'm sorry I'm such a fuck up'. Anyway hope you enjoyed and Comments are always welcomed.

Day: W-WHY?!