One Last Whiff

OMG A HOMESTUCK FIC! ! WHAT IS THIIIS I DON’T EVEN- *dies*

HONK. HONK.

That sound kept ringing in Karkat’s head. Never has the trolls' leader been so afraid. He always thought a leader wasn't supposed to be afraid. One of many signs that he's failed in his duty.

HOONK. HONK.

Things were going so peacefully. Well, as peacefully as things would get around there. Until, out of nowhere, Eridan turned to the Dark Side. Using his "magic wizard's wand", he killed all of his teammates, though only knocked out Sollux, leaving only him behind for some reason.

HONK. HONK.

And to make matters worse, Gamzee seems to have lost his mind, too. He's working with Eridan as they prepare to join forces with Jack Noir. Karkat was at a loss of what to do. Eridan and Gamzee have turned evil. Sollux was out cold, his other friends were dead, and he had no idea where Vriska and Tavros were. Probably dead, too, for all he knew.

HOONK. HONK.

He's failed as a leader. He realizes that now. He wishes he could've been a little nicer to them before their time. Leaders were supposed to have that strict aura, of course… but hey, he's failed as a leader, so there was no point. But there was one troll in particular who he was worried about most of all.

HONK. HO-

Okay, that is seriously getting annoying. Anyway, the troll he was worried about the most was Terezi Pyrope. The blind troll who found her way by sniffing he knew and… some kind of emotion. An emotion he couldn't quite recall at the top of his head.

He didn't really understand his feelings toward Terezi. Everytime he was around her, he never felt quite the same. He always seemed to have a different attitude toward her compared to the rest of his teammates. Whenever he was around her, there was a feeling in his chest that… was actually kinda good. And whenever she spoke with this Dave Human, a burning feeling erupted in his chest, a hateful feeling.

IS THIS WHAT THE HUMANS CALL... JEALOUSY? He thought to himself, picturing his words in all caps like how he likes to talk.

He's observed the humans and their ways of "friendship", but never believed friendship was any sort of emotion. But with most of his friends dead and the others in danger, he was stricken with grief. But if friendship wasn't an emotion, he wouldn't feel this type of grief, would he? He just didn't know...

HONK. HONK.

But when he was with Terezi, he felt something different, different from how the humans described “friendship.” An emotion he’s heard the humans speak of, an emotion that many humans apparently fall victim to, helpless in its pull. Was it... love?

HONK. HONK.

Karkat wasn't sure what it was. But something inside of him was making him rush through the halls of their lab faster than he's ever run. There are two killers on the loose. Terezi was the only other teammate still roaming through the halls, probably hanging her stuffed toys with nooses, and likely has no idea what's happening. She was in danger, and Karkat had to find her fast. Her life was at stake. And it was a life Karkat was desperate to protect.

Mother…fuckin’… HONK...

Karkat stopped in place, his eyes wide with horror and terror. Down the hall to his left, a bright flash could be seen around the corner. There was a deafening scream, which nearly drowned out the sound of a powerful blast. Karkat bolted in that direction as quick as possible. He recognized that voice, the source of that scream can only be…

“TEREZI!” He skidded to a halt, turning the corner. There his friend was, on the floor before Nepeta’s shipping wall, a hole in her chest as her blood was splattered everywhere. Her red glasses were dropped on the floor, exposing her closed eyes. Horrified, Karkat approached his friend, kneeling down and holding her head up in his hands. “TEREZI. ARE YOU OK? WAKE UP, PLEASE!”

Terezi hissed and coughed, her red eyes squinting open, and her nose catching whiff of Karkat’s presence. “H1.. K4rk4t… 3r1d4n… c4ught m3 by surpr1s3… 1 w4s sur3 1t w4s… Vr1sk4… 1 th1nk… my t1m3 h3r3… 1s up…” She coughed, but still grinned and showed her sharp teeth as she spoke.

“NO!” Tears began to show in Karkat’s eyes. “TEREZI I…I CAN’T LOSE YOU. I LOST TOO MANY TEAMMATES ALREADY TODAY… I CAN’T LOSE YOU OF ALL TROLLS.”

Terezi coughed some more, but her grin remained vibrant. “Th1s stuff h4pp3ns, K4rk4t… hum4ns… 4nd trolls d13… 4nd b3s1d3s… w3 both kn3w… w3 would d13 4nyw4y…”

“BUT I…I DIDN’T WANT YOU TO DIE YET. I ALWAYS THOUGHT… WED STILL HAVE MORE TIME.”

Terezi hissed-chuckled, while still giving small coughs. “You’r3 cry1ng… 1 c4n sm3ll 1t… 1 alw4ys kn3w… you f3lt th1s w4y 4bout m3… 1v3 4lw4ys f3lt… th3 s4m3 w4y 1 th1nk…”

“BUT…BUT I THOUGHT YOU LIKED-“

“D4v3 1s 4 fun hum4n… but h3 1sn’t th3 s4m3… 4s you…”

“NOT… THE SAME?”

“H3h3h3… 1 gu3ss wh4t 1’m s4y1ing 1s… 1 l1k3 you too…”

“TEREZI…” Karkat wiped away some of his tears. “I JUST WISH THERE WAS… SOMETHING I COULD DO… FOR ALL OF YOU…”

Terezi’s grin widened slightly, her face becoming a smirk. “1f you r34lly w1sh… th3r3 1s som3th1ng… On3 l4st wh1ff… 4nd 1 c4n go h4ppy…”

“ONE LAST WHIFF… YOU MEAN-“

“Y3s… just th1s onc3… 1’d l1k3 to sn1ff your blood…”

“MY…MY BLOOD?”

“Y3s…” she coughed, “th4t’s wh4t 1’ve 4lw4ys w4nt3d… 4nd you know… you c4n trust m3…”

To this day, no one’s ever known about Karkat’s blood color. His blood was different compared to the other trolls, and no one but only himself and Jack Noir know its color. But Terezi was his closest friend. And on their final moments… Karkat made his decision.

Beside him, Terezi’s glasses lay on the floor, having been shattered by the impact. He slowly reached for one of the largest shard pieces. “OKAY TEREZI… IF THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT… THEN…” And with little hesitation, he took the shard and cut the back of his hand.

Karkat only lightly winced from the cut as he held his hand to Terezi’s face. The blind troll took his hand in both of hers, pulling her face closer as her nose caught the whiff of Karkat’s red blood. As her nostrils inhaled the scent, Terezi calmly closed her red eyes, smiling in peace. “1t sm3lls… lov3ly…”

Karkat gave a smile at seeing the peaceful look upon her face.

“…K4rk4t… you m4y th1nk you’v3 f41l3d… but… you’r3 st1ll my l34d3r… 4nd… 1 know… you’ll m4k3 th1ngs r1ght…”

His smile slowly became a frown. Terezi’s grip on his hand began to weaken, and she fell completely unconscious. Karkat could plainly see that all life has faded from her.

Karkat got back on his feet. He stood there for several minutes, staring at the fallen body of his beloved. He was always disgusted with the way humans feel these emotions… but having exposed his blood to someone he’s never cared more about, he feels like a hypocrite. But now, his only desire was to fulfill Terezi’s last wishes. He had to help the humans and put a stop to Eridan, Gamzee, AND Jack Noir. He hurried off to fulfill his duties as leader.