Chapter Text
Karkat looked down at the piece of paper again to make sure he was at the right room. Building 4, Floor 1, Dorm number 3. The hall was abuzz with other college kids filling their dorms with loads of crap and Karkat felt a little self-conscious holding a small backpack and a laundry bag with enough clothes to last between washings. He stuck his key in the door and opened it to a dark room. When he flipped the switch, a dull yellow bulb gave a sickly glow to the room. The walls where bare and white, two desks and beds mirroring each other at opposite sides of the small room. There were also two mirrored doors; one a closet, the other a small but private bathroom with a shower.
Karkat sighed in slight relief. He had always heard about public bathrooms and showering facilities but he had lucked out and got one of the newer dorms where privacy actually meant something. He was also slightly relieved that his roommate wasn’t there yet, it meant he could claim whichever bed he liked. Setting his sparse belongings on the bed same side of the closet, Karkat pulled back the curtains that covered the large window at the back of the room and was greeted by a cloud of dust and a solitary spider which he unceremoniously stomped on as it scurried across the floor.
The view wasn’t bad. Just outside his window the ground slopped gently down into a big open green area where some kids where already breaking out Frisbees, laying out to catch the last few rays of the sun, and a small cluster of art student’s had their easels set up, painting the world around them. Karkat pulled the curtain almost closed, letting in a little of the outside light before unpacking his stuff. It only took half an hour to hang up his few clothes, set up his toiletries in the bathroom, and arrange his laptop on his desk. Karkat looked around confused, his roommate still wasn’t there. He pulled out the paper listing his room assignment and read the name.
John Egbert – Performance Major
Karkat conjured up the mental image he had laughed at when he first read his assignment; a tall, lanky, nerdy prick with an affinity for scarves and chai tea lattes. Poking his head out the door, Karkat was disappointed when he saw no one matching his description. In fact he didn’t see much of anyone, least of all anyone looking ready to move into a dorm. It was getting on towards sunset, and all the kids had pretty much moved in, classes meeting in the morning to start the school year off. Karkat shrugged and closed the door. Maybe his roomie was a no-show. It happened more often than one would think. Maybe he’d actually have the whole room to himself. Karkat liked this idea.
Out of things to do, Karkat pulled a DVD out of his small case of movies and popped it into his laptop, propping it on the desk so he could stretch out on his bed and watch. It was some silly little romcom, the kind that made him forget about the dull world around him and daydream about finding that perfect someone. He must have drifted off to sleep because the next thing he knew, the movie was almost to the end. But it wasn’t the movie that had revived him to the world; it was the sound of voices and a key in the lock.
“This way, Dave. I found it!” an all too cheerful voice rang out on the other side of the door.
Karkat prepared himself for his vision to come true, a smirk playing on his lips. That smirk quickly disappeared as a mop of black hair appeared around the door. The boy was maybe an inch taller than Karkat and had broad, firm shoulders and a lean form. Worn jeans hung loosely at his waist, a plain white t-shirt exposed under an unbuttoned blue patterned shirt. An overly toothy grin spread across the boy’s mouth and his glasses had slid down his nose a bit, but it was the bright blue eyes behind them that caught Karkat’s attention.
“Oh! Hi!,” the boy quirked a goofy grin, “Sorry I’m late, I hope I didn’t wake you up.”
“John, man,” another voice came from behind him, “your great with the pleasantries and all, but this shit’s heavy.”
“Sorry, Dave,” John moved aside to reveal a slightly taller, slightly more defined blond boy wearing aviators, carrying a big brown box with chords jutting out of it like vines, “I guess I’m that bed over there.”
Dave grunted and waddled over to the bed, depositing the heavy load with a groan, John setting his backpack and box next to it. Dave stretched and glanced at Karkat’s laptop which was playing the very mushy end of the movie and grimaced.
“Ugh,” he stuck his tongue out, “what is that shit you’re watching.”
Karkat scowled, “I didn’t know I had to ask your permission, seeing as this isn’t your room.”
“Whoa, careful John,” Dave turned to his friend, “Sounds like you got an emo kid. Watch your razor blades.”
“Fuck you,” Karkat sneered.
“Dave,” John scolded, “Please? Thanks for helping me, now get out. I don’t want him to hate me before he knows me!”
“Alright,” Dave snorted, “But if you need me, I’m just the next building over. Ya hear that, emo pants?”
“Out!” John pushed his friend out the door and slammed it behind him.
He turned towards Karkat with an embarrassed blush and a nervous laugh, “Sorry about him.”
“Charming company you keep,” Karkat turned his attention back to his computer screen.
“He’s really not that bad once you get to know him,” John rocked back on his heels in the silence that followed, “Oh! I’m John by the way. You must be Karkat.”
“Excellent deduction,” Karkat tried to make his voice as emotionless and detached as possible. He didn’t like getting close to people, and it was bad enough they had to room together.
“Well I have to be honest, I was expecting someone more,” John searched for the words, “Eastern European. Russian, I guess.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Karkat wrinkled his forehead.
“Well,” John blushed again, “Karkat Vantas isn’t exactly what I’d call an average American name.”
“So you’re a racist,” Karkat raise an eyebrow.
“N-no!” John stammered, flushing an even deeper red, “That’s not what I meant, honest.”
“Whatever,” Karkat smirked to himself, “You’re not what I pictured either. So we’re even now.”
“So what are you watching?” John plopped down on his bed and bounced a little.
“A movie,” Karkat’s voice was flat.
“Ah,” John looked away, a bit of a nervous flush in his cheeks, “Well. I’ll just get settled in I guess.”
Karkat looked over and mentally kicked himself. He was going to be rooming with this guy, he needed to be a little less hostile. That Dave guy had just gotten his feathers ruffled, and here he was taking it out on John.
“Just a silly romcom,” Karkat sighed.
John perked up, “I love romcoms!”
“Down boy,” Karkat couldn’t help but smirk, maybe this wasn’t going to be so bad after all.
“So I’m curious,” John rocked a bit on the edge of his bed, “What DID you think I’d look like?”
Karkat described his flamboyant hipster model to a very eager John who laughed at every little nuance and finally giggled, “Wow, for once I’m happy to disappoint!”
“I’m happy to be disappointed,” Karkat sat up on his bed and looked John over.
Aside from his earlier observations, Karkat noted how John’s feet seemed a little too big for the boy, turned slightly inward. His jeans were a little long and the hems were frayed. His fingers drummed on his knees. They were long and elegant. His arms weren’t all that scrawny, in fact there was some nice muscle definition there, though that didn’t seem to carry exactly with the rest of his body. A small bit of gut gathered under his shirt to form the tiniest of belly bulges, though as they came up to the chest his muscles seemed to be a bit more defined and stretched his white undershirt a bit. His neck was thin, a small silver chain glinting against the pale skin. His glasses were square framed, the newest fashion trend throwback that everyone seemed to be touting these days. His hair was a thick mat of tangled black that somehow managed to lay flat. His eyes were a star shine blue that sparkled endlessly, and they were staring deep into his own. There was an awkward moment and Karkat looked away.
“So,” John laughed a little nervously, “A Biology major, eh?”
“Yeah,” Karkat rolled his eyes, “For some reason I just rock at it.”
“I thought about going into biology, always been fascinated with genetics and such.”
“And yet here you are,” Karkat scoffed, “A soon to be actor.”
“Performer,” John corrected, “Aspiring Magician to be technical.”
“Ah man,” Karkat groaned, “We’re not going to have rabbits running around our room are we?”
“No,” John laughed, “Though I can’t promise anything about playing cards. Those can get a little mischievous and appear in random places.”
John’s wink brought a smirk to Karkat’s lips and he rolled his eyes. Suddenly John’s pocket rang with an annoying techno beat and he dug for it, flipping it open with a “Yo.”
“Oh heya Dave,” Karkat turned back to his laptop as John flopped onto his bed with a laugh, “No Dave, I’m fine! Yes he’s actually nice. Whatever.”
John rolled his eyes and mouthed sorry to Karkat who had turned a scowl his way.
“Dinner? Sure! Alright, see ya in a bit!” John hung up his phone and turned to Karkat, “Sorry about that. I’m headed to…”
“Dinner,” Karkat finished, “I heard.”
“Did you wanna, I dunno,” John fell short on his invite bringing a scoff from Karkat.
“No thanks. I think one run in with your friend Dave is enough for today.”
“Alright,” John sighed, “Well I’ll try not to be too late.”
“I won’t wait up,” John laughed at Karkat’s dry tone before grabbing his phone and heading out the door.
Karkat sighed and glared at his computer, unsure of what to do. He wasn’t that tired and he didn’t fancy another movie. Finally he pulled out his cell phone and scrolled through the contacts. When he landed on the name he wanted he typed a brief text message.
HEY FUCKASS. FOOD?
He flopped his phone next to him and buried his face in his arm, his fingers impatiently drumming on the bed as he waited for a reply. Soon enough his phone lit up and vibrated.
could you maybe a2k me iin a more poliite manner? ye2 iim hungry. iill meet you on the green iin 10.
Karkat rolled off his bed, snapping the lid of his laptop shut and tossing it into the middle of his bed. Grabbing a grey hoodie from the closet, he made sure he had his wallet, keys, and cell phone before heading out to meet his best friend for dinner.