echidna | ❄ tenth reminder

[ action ; 1338 benny ; morning ]

[ so the previous day you likely noticed that Jade was a happy, cheerful drone! fortunately, today she is back to her normal self, up bright and early and just a little confused, all things considered. but for now, she's settled herself down at the breakfast table, humming and working at a bowl of cereal.

everything seems pretty normal, save for the pair of dog ears she's now sporting. ]

[ phone ]

Hi Mayfield, it's Jade! [ wow she sounds super excited! breeeeathe! ] I have so much to tell you!

I went home! I'm not really sure how, or if that kind of thing happens a lot but I went home and I don't think I remembered being here or what but it's really weird! I'm also not sure why I'm back but I guess I'm kind of glad because now I can tell everyone-- or maybe I'm not supposed to say anything! Does anyone know anything about that, I mean, I don't want to spoil anything for my friends who don't know what's going to happen.

Timelines are getting kind of difficult to keep track of, maybe I should make a list.

Anyway, does this going home thing happen a lot? Because I keep getting pulled out at kind of inconvenient times!

[ action ; around mayfield ]

[ Jade is quite active around Mayfield today, once again having donned her girl scouts uniform, but without the wagon of cookies in tow. She's chopped some holes into her hat to accommodate her newly regained ears, and is approaching just about everyone, be they girl or otherwise, with the intention of recruitment. ]

Hi, did you know that you look like you would make an excellent girl scout?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I think it's scary. What if one day we go home for good? We won't remember anything about this place.

Maybe that's for the better. If we had to go, and I could remember, I think I'd just...

[He trails off, though, knowing he's being selfish.]

But it's different for you. I know that. You four haven't lost anyone.

I just- we've been through so much together here, thinking that I'd go back and it would be like it didn't happen at all, I...

I know.

[Pulling her close. She's come to mean so much to him, and to think he might go back and never know her as well as he does now, never know her well enough to share his secrets with her, is terribly depressing. Especially if, as he suspects, she died before he ever had the chance to talk to her in person.]

We'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen.

Yeah. [ She can't help but cling a little, because the idea of going back and forgetting everything is almost terrifying. She might never have the chance to get close to him like this, and even if there is some way for them to meet, it wouldn't be the same. ] I love you.

[ She says it without thinking, and unlike all the trollmance she's been trying to sort out, it feels perfectly natural. She doesn't know how she means it, exactly, some combination platonic and romantic, but the specifics aren't so important. ]

[He's incredibly startled by what she says, and confused as well. It's not the kind of thing that's easily said where he's from, even in his sappy movies. He also has enough of a sense based on his time in Mayfield to know it's a little easier with humans, and he feels he knows her well enough to not mistake this for a red confession.

Beyond that, though, it's just overwhelming that she would say that to him. He feels very strongly for her, as his friend, as his partner during the most difficult time in his life, and maybe in a way that could be more if he let it, although he doesn't intend to find out. But he's almost never heard someone say something like that to him before. His lusus, to the extent he could communicate, though never once he could speak. Gamzee is nothing but platitudes, easily brushed off. But this feels different and it scares him. It's hard for him to understand how anyone could feel that way about him, and it's hard for him to accept, and he tenses badly.

He's also never spoken those words to anyone before, and he's not going to now.]

I...oh.

[ She laughs a little, not quite sure what to make of his reaction. Then again, it wasn't something she had planned to say in the first place. There's a faint flush to her cheeks, and when she picks up her head to look at him, she's smiling. ]

I don't know if that's something trolls say, but uh... it's pretty important for humans! You mean a lot to me.

Oh. Thanks.

[He's just really uncomfortable and while he doesn't step away, he lets go a little. It isn't that he's upset with her, or even that he won't be touched when he has space to think about it, but he doesn't know what to do right now.]

Um, anyway, I told Kanaya I'd meet her, I'm kind of running late for that.

Oh, I... [ she steps back, wondering if she made a mistake. ] Guess you should get going then.

Yeah, sorry, it's...she needs math tutoring. So I'll see you later, I guess.

[ wow that. is not even a convincing lie anymore. she looks hurt despite her attempts to hide it. ]

Okay, bye.

[ her ears droop and she turns sharply, absconding right out of there. ]

[Oh wow he feels like such a fucking asshole, why is he so relentlessly awful?

Taking a step after her, although if she's already out of earshot he won't chase her.]

Jade, wait.

[ She is in the range where she could reasonably pretend she didn't hear him, and seriously considers that option. ]

Sorry, it was a weird thing to say and you shouldn't keep Kanaya waiting.

It wasn't weird. I'm the one being weird.

[Picking awkwardly at his shirt sleeve.]

Sorry.

[ She keeps her back to him, shuffling her feet. ]

Um, it just slipped out really, so I probably shouldn't have said it in the first place.

The last thing I wanted was to make you feel bad. I mean for...for giving a shit about me, what a goddamn crime.

I'm sorry. I fuck up everything. I don't wish you hadn't said it, I just...

[ She finally turns back around, looking a little more neutral. ]

No, it's alright. I shouldn't have... you mean a lot to me, Karkat, and I trust you more than anyone. I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable.

Thanks, Jade.

[It's still not close to an adequate reply, and he knows that, but it also isn't the insincere brush off he gave earlier. He's touched by what she's saying and he lets it show, but he wouldn't know how to begin responding to it.]

[ Jade watches him carefully, and she knows him well enough by now to understand. She can see it in his face, hear it in his voice. The tightness in her chest unwinds, and she even manages to smile a little. ]

Yeah, you're welcome.

Well.

[Fidgeting, looking very awkward.]

I really did need to go over to Kanaya's before schoolhive.

Okay. [ she's starting to feel a little awkward too now. ] I'll see you at school.

[ aaaand dashing off. ]

❄ tenth reminder

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject