background bc that is usually important in a story
Karkat had a shitty first year at college.
The first semester his roommate had been rumored that he wasn’t even a student, among other things, and his friends to this day won't speak his name out loud in fear that he'll somehow magically spawn behind them. Karkat tries not to dwell on the thought of he who shall not be named like he is literally Voldemort. No chances. Unfortunately, he was reassigned to another roommate the next semester instead of having a two-person dorm to himself. Sollux was a fairly introverted guy who never left the dorm aside from occasional trips to the grocery store and to buy from his plug. How they never got busted for the smell was beyond him at the time, but now he knows how much fucking paperwork it takes. Deep down he was a sweet guy, and they got along great by basically only talking when necessary and just existing near each other. But once Karkat heard that RAs get to dorm by themselves and get paid for it while listening to people complain, he signed right the fuck up. That year, Karkat fell into a deep depression and felt isolated from his family he was finally away from, although they were only about an hour and a half drive away. Not to mention he called his grandmother almost every day just to tell her that he’s walking to the laundromat or about what he had for lunch. Karkat was raised at the beach and missed the ability to just go listen to the waves when he’s too sad or overwhelmed to deal with his emotions. Almost that entire year he was so lonely and he did not want to suddenly break the chill vibes with his roommate and start you know, talking to him further than a “hey you have physics today right?”
One nondescript day he was sitting alone in some choice seating by the window at the library on the loud floor where study groups can meet when a kid wearing fucking sunglasses, inside, asked if he was sitting alone or waiting for anybody, and Karkat stupidly said he was waiting for somebody and resumed smacking at his keyboard. This shit had to get done somehow. Fifteen minutes later, the same guy returned and just said he was gonna sit next to him because the sad vibes were getting to him. They weirdly sat near each other while the sunglasses kid kept trying to strike conversation and Karkat trying to inconspicuously let him know that he wanted to be left alone. This obviously didn't happen as the kid pestered him until they exchanged phone numbers and social media accounts. That kid did not shut the fuck up. Karkat was so intent on pretending to not care about their conversation that he never caught his name until he checked out his Instagram. Dave Strider. He wasn't a fan of selfies which was unfortunate, Karkat thought to himself. Most of the pictures posted to his feed were either group pictures or memes that looked like they have been reposted a countless number of times until the picture resolution deteriorates from being reposted so many fucking times across different social media sites. Maybe it was sort of a meme that Dave wears sunglasses indoors, or maybe he was one of the kids who begged their parents for those sick ass transition glasses as a kid and then never got new ones. Although, the frames fit his semi-adult face so that most likely wasn't the case unless his head has always been like an average twenty-year-old head size.
Looking at Dave’s Instagram feed made Karkat pretend to be Dave looking at his own profile. You know, because that is a completely normal thing to do after exchanging social media handles. There were absolutely no pictures of him pre-transition, as if there was a set date that Karkat transitioned. A couple of pictures from high school still have to be archived because they show how fucking lonely he was. The most hurtful ones were of him attending a semiformal dance with his one and only friend, Terezi. They both had huge plans about what they’re gonna do come college, she was going to move to Oregon and his plans, quite obviously, fell through. One fucking mental breakdown and suddenly your family doesn’t want you moving across the country anymore.
Dave added Karkat to a group chat a few hours after he got Karkat’s number. He returned to his dorm and felt his phone buzzing in his pocket.
Dave Strider added ?? to the chat.
JE: ?? dave, who did you add?
DS: oh i met him at the library
DS: he looked sad
DS: introduce yourself my guy
?? changed their name to Karkat Vantas.
KV: MY NAME’S KARKAT. I’M A FRESHMAN, MAJORING IN CLOUD COMPUTING AND SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND MINORING IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. I DON’T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY. DAVE ADDED ME HERE I GUESS.
DS: woah dude do you actually hate yourself
JH: hi karkat!! im jade and also evs!! we might have some classes together, you should send me your schedule if ya want!!
RL: Hello Karkat.
JE: are you in my 8 am? bio in stewart hall? your name seems familiar.
Karkat ended up emailing his professor asking for another extension because that goddamn program was not writing itself like he thought it would, and stack overflow wasn't as helpful as it had been in the past.