[ karkat immediately goes to attack the stalkers that look like they're about to go after rin. he still doesn't actually want to hurt them? since, again, his dumb boysprit loves stalkers and there is actually a way to tame them, you just need bait.
right now he's the bait.
what makes distracting the stalkers long enough for rin to get away annoying is the fact that karkat also has to keep an actual eye on in during it. he has to make sure none sneak away, or that some other creature doesn't suddenly appear after him. it does make him slip a few times and get bitten, but he slashes at the offending fish to get it off of him.
he counts to thirty. after figuring that's enough time for someone as fast as rin, karkat very suddenly bolts from his spot, surprising the stalkers who had gotten used to him attacking them. ]
I swear to fuck if you are not at that rock I am going to shove this sickle up your ass.
[sharp red flashes over the rock, and luckily this time the peering, creepy eyes belong to your predatory friend instead of a predatory foe. thirty seconds was more than enough to cover that distance, for Rin, and he's waiting for Karkat's next move]
Please. You'd probably end up cutting off your arm before you manage to stick that up any orifice.
[ boys pls. you both just had a serious life or death moment don't discuss sticking things up booty holes.
he doesn't answer rin's question about being hurt or not (that's not important?) and instead grabs his arm again and starts swimming back to base. at this far of a distance karkat doubts the entire herd would follow them, and it should be simple enough to get rid of any strays.
[just as Karkat imagined, the speed Rin exhibited on the way here and just a few moments ago is absent -- so that he doesn't leave Karkat to be bait again. The journey back through the water is punctuated excitingly by stray stalkers, which Karkat fends off while Rin swims ahead. Because Karkat can't catch a break, this happens repeatedly,and Rin begins to suspect blood in the water marking them out. All the while, the drone continues to be confused about how to follow two swimmers that keep separating, going back and forth between them as shit goes down above]
[Rin diverts them from going straight back to base, and instead they emerge up on the beach of the shallows. Rin pulls his dive helmet off, looking over at Karkat with an odd expression on his face, somewhere between admiration and concern]
[ karkat scowls at rin's order. he was really hoping that he'd be too preoccupied with escaping to actually notice anything? he considers lying, since there's really only two people on base who are really good at reading through karkat's various tantrums and insults.
and then he considers what they just went through together, and karkat takes his helmet off as well. ]
Okay but it was more like a nibble?
[ just because he's admitting to it doesn't mean he still won't be difficult about it. ]
[Rin's expression is deadpan and sharp, but he doesn't push Karkat further as he undoes the top of his dive suit, which feels heavy and constricting now that they're back on land. He was relatively certain if he let Karkat back on base, he'd scurry away before Rin could bully him into any talk of bites]
I'm used to seeing "nibbling," I'm from a fishing town. Everybody's got a story.
[something the ocean gave them -- a scar, a fear, a bite -- or something it took away]
[ rin was right, karkat would have immediately bolted and locked himself inside his room if they went to the base first. although his reason for doing so is kind of varied. he didn't want rin to know he got hurt because that isn't important to karkat? karkat is the guy who was completely cool getting stabbed multiple times because it was his friend doing it, so. getting bitten by some alien fish to save rin isn't a big deal?
it's not a big deal. rin might make it a big deal.
he also doesn't want rin to see his blood. at this point, karkat is well aware that humans all have red blood, just like him. he just. karkat still doesn't want to deal with that, so it'd be easier if rin saw nothing. ]
[Rin is trying hard, very hard, to make it Not A Big Deal, with a flat face, sharp teeth just barely pricking his bottom lip as he holds back his own expression]
Obviously. You're still standing, with all your limbs. I know a guy who lost three of his fingers at sea. Do you need help out of your dive suit?
[where you're hiding all those bites from me, that you got for my sake, he doesn't add, those little points rending a little harder on his lip]
[ there is a very clear and obvious hesitation at the offer. karkat tries to remind himself that he is over the whole blood color thing, multiple people know now, rin isn't even aware of the hemospectrum, alternia isn't a thing anymore.
ten seconds pass. fifteen. ]
I can take it off by myself, dumbass. all these limbs I didn't lose means I can still do shit like that.
[probably to continue trying to stop himself from making it a Big Deal, rin continues undoing his own suit, pushing it down past his hips and leaning against a nearby rock to yank one foot after the other out of the constricting material]
[ he stalls for another couple of seconds. he's grateful that rin is probably under the impression that karkat is only being stubborn about this because he doesn't want to admit that it was more than a nibble.
with a very exaggerated groan, he starts to remove the dive suit. everything is fine until he gets it down to his waist area where there is a very large and gross bite mark. he stops there. ]
[maybe don't threaten the guy who got injured saving your life?? Rin huffs, managing to contain the concern for Karkat pretty badly, especially as he moves closer to assist with the dive suit anyway]
I'll bring everything back to the equipment room and meet you at the med bay. If you're not in there, you're getting thrown back into the sea.
karkat just snorts but he actually doesn't shoo rin away. whether he's accepted his fate or he's just too tired to actually fight him off, it is a mystery. ]
I could always just lock myself in my room. It's not like you can get in there.
[ although the fact that karkat is even pointing that out implies he's probably not gonna do that?
mostly because he doesn't want rin to blab to like... dirk, or something. ]
Mature. And useless, since I know people with explosives. Careful...
[Rin's surprisingly gentle, holding the tight material of the suit away from Karkat's wound so he can actually get out of it, moving with Karkat's movements instead of acting as brusque as the tone of voice he's got]
Getting an infection would give you a fever and make you dumb, which you can't afford, considering you're already making idiot decisions to save some new guy's useless hide.
How exactly are you useless? You've been here for like ten minutes and you're already actively doing shit.
[ plus rin is cool and funny and he actually seems to enjoy's karkat company, for some reason? all of that is the opposite of useless.
karkat's the one who fucked this up. if rin had chosen anyone else to do this with, it would have gone more smoothly. no one would have gotten injured. they would have noticed the sand shark before it almost bit rin's head off. it's mistake after mistake with karkat, and he knows sooner or later rin is going to realize this. so. ]
Like dragging grouchy, unsuspecting aliens into dangerous situations? I'm a real credit to the base.
[the dive suits removed, Rin collects both, drops them onto the sweet, unsuspecting drone who's just emerged from the water. motioning for Karkat to walk with him, he heads over to where another entrance to the base juts out of the shallows (since they've been building, horribly, upwards)]
-- Forget it.
[he feels like it'll be a long time before he can actually contribute something worthwhile to the base, given his extensive limitations in comparison to people who can fight, and fly, and program machines, but it's not time to dwell on that. Karkat's injured, ironically by a shark bite, and it's time to get him inside and patched up]
[(he's not ready to apologise yet, also because he's got more flaws and dysfunctions than he can count, besides his long-term friend, his inferiority complex)]
Do I need to reiterate how you might lose a limb after all if I don't find you in the med bay ten minutes from now?
karkat still does not look happy about this turn of events. this isn't that bad? it's just a small wound and he is sure that it'll be fine.
granted, if the situations were reversed and rin was walking around with this injury, karkat would be acting like it's The Biggest Deal Ever. so, he's a hypocrite. sue him. ]
Fine. You're completely overreacting. But fine. Try not to get lost in the base.
[red eyes roll, and as they enter, Rin heads one way (knowing where he's going, thanks, he's not Sousuke), Karkat the other. Rin turns, though, directing the drone to follow him, and also waving a rude hand gesture at Karkat]
Quit making sarcastic comments and move your ass, already, or I'm gonna end up lapping you. See you in ten.
[he wants to watch Karkat actually go, but figures he should trust that he won't be a complete tool, considering he said he wouldn't. a less inflammatory wave over his shoulder, and Rin disappears down the hamster tube to the left]
[ karkat stares after rin as he leaves, trying to weigh the pros and cons of actually ditching. again. he really should get this treated though before someone else notices.
he doesn't know if rin is the type to tattle? he kind of seems like he'd tattle, he's too strict about these things. and even though rin does not know who the number one person to get karkat in trouble with is, he does know others who are close enough.
he wastes another seven of those ten minutes before heading to the med bay. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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right now he's the bait.
what makes distracting the stalkers long enough for rin to get away annoying is the fact that karkat also has to keep an actual eye on in during it. he has to make sure none sneak away, or that some other creature doesn't suddenly appear after him. it does make him slip a few times and get bitten, but he slashes at the offending fish to get it off of him.
he counts to thirty. after figuring that's enough time for someone as fast as rin, karkat very suddenly bolts from his spot, surprising the stalkers who had gotten used to him attacking them. ]
I swear to fuck if you are not at that rock I am going to shove this sickle up your ass.
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I made it, are you hurt?
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[ahah... we have fun here]
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[ boys pls. you both just had a serious life or death moment don't discuss sticking things up booty holes.
he doesn't answer rin's question about being hurt or not (that's not important?) and instead grabs his arm again and starts swimming back to base. at this far of a distance karkat doubts the entire herd would follow them, and it should be simple enough to get rid of any strays.
boy this was a Trip. ]
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[Rin diverts them from going straight back to base, and instead they emerge up on the beach of the shallows. Rin pulls his dive helmet off, looking over at Karkat with an odd expression on his face, somewhere between admiration and concern]
Let me see where you got bit, oi.
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and then he considers what they just went through together, and karkat takes his helmet off as well. ]
Okay but it was more like a nibble?
[ just because he's admitting to it doesn't mean he still won't be difficult about it. ]
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I'm used to seeing "nibbling," I'm from a fishing town. Everybody's got a story.
[something the ocean gave them -- a scar, a fear, a bite -- or something it took away]
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it's not a big deal. rin might make it a big deal.
he also doesn't want rin to see his blood. at this point, karkat is well aware that humans all have red blood, just like him. he just. karkat still doesn't want to deal with that, so it'd be easier if rin saw nothing. ]
I'll just put a bandaid on it and it'll be fine.
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Obviously. You're still standing, with all your limbs. I know a guy who lost three of his fingers at sea. Do you need help out of your dive suit?
[where you're hiding all those bites from me, that you got for my sake, he doesn't add, those little points rending a little harder on his lip]
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ten seconds pass. fifteen. ]
I can take it off by myself, dumbass. all these limbs I didn't lose means I can still do shit like that.
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[probably to continue trying to stop himself from making it a Big Deal, rin continues undoing his own suit, pushing it down past his hips and leaning against a nearby rock to yank one foot after the other out of the constricting material]
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with a very exaggerated groan, he starts to remove the dive suit. everything is fine until he gets it down to his waist area where there is a very large and gross bite mark. he stops there. ]
Okay so, two nibbles.
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[maybe don't threaten the guy who got injured saving your life?? Rin huffs, managing to contain the concern for Karkat pretty badly, especially as he moves closer to assist with the dive suit anyway]
I'll bring everything back to the equipment room and meet you at the med bay. If you're not in there, you're getting thrown back into the sea.
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karkat just snorts but he actually doesn't shoo rin away. whether he's accepted his fate or he's just too tired to actually fight him off, it is a mystery. ]
I could always just lock myself in my room. It's not like you can get in there.
[ although the fact that karkat is even pointing that out implies he's probably not gonna do that?
mostly because he doesn't want rin to blab to like... dirk, or something. ]
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[Rin's surprisingly gentle, holding the tight material of the suit away from Karkat's wound so he can actually get out of it, moving with Karkat's movements instead of acting as brusque as the tone of voice he's got]
Getting an infection would give you a fever and make you dumb, which you can't afford, considering you're already making idiot decisions to save some new guy's useless hide.
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[ plus rin is cool and funny and he actually seems to enjoy's karkat company, for some reason? all of that is the opposite of useless.
karkat's the one who fucked this up. if rin had chosen anyone else to do this with, it would have gone more smoothly. no one would have gotten injured. they would have noticed the sand shark before it almost bit rin's head off. it's mistake after mistake with karkat, and he knows sooner or later rin is going to realize this. so. ]
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[the dive suits removed, Rin collects both, drops them onto the sweet, unsuspecting drone who's just emerged from the water. motioning for Karkat to walk with him, he heads over to where another entrance to the base juts out of the shallows (since they've been building, horribly, upwards)]
-- Forget it.
[he feels like it'll be a long time before he can actually contribute something worthwhile to the base, given his extensive limitations in comparison to people who can fight, and fly, and program machines, but it's not time to dwell on that. Karkat's injured, ironically by a shark bite, and it's time to get him inside and patched up]
[(he's not ready to apologise yet, also because he's got more flaws and dysfunctions than he can count, besides his long-term friend, his inferiority complex)]
Do I need to reiterate how you might lose a limb after all if I don't find you in the med bay ten minutes from now?
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karkat still does not look happy about this turn of events. this isn't that bad? it's just a small wound and he is sure that it'll be fine.
granted, if the situations were reversed and rin was walking around with this injury, karkat would be acting like it's The Biggest Deal Ever. so, he's a hypocrite. sue him. ]
Fine. You're completely overreacting. But fine. Try not to get lost in the base.
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Quit making sarcastic comments and move your ass, already, or I'm gonna end up lapping you. See you in ten.
[he wants to watch Karkat actually go, but figures he should trust that he won't be a complete tool, considering he said he wouldn't. a less inflammatory wave over his shoulder, and Rin disappears down the hamster tube to the left]
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he doesn't know if rin is the type to tattle? he kind of seems like he'd tattle, he's too strict about these things. and even though rin does not know who the number one person to get karkat in trouble with is, he does know others who are close enough.
he wastes another seven of those ten minutes before heading to the med bay. ]