counting your scars and missing the stars [discontinued]

Dave can read minds.

It's not like it just started or anything, he's been able to do since for as long as he could remember. Maybe he's a marvel superhero destined from a prophey to save the world or a mutant that the universe fucked up hugely on (is he the only one?), either way he has a power.

Again, he’s not sure how he even got it, not that he’s ungrateful, he is. It’s really cool and shit. Still, it's not easy, he's not gonna sugarcoat it. Reading minds is nowhere near like reading books, it's like cracking open the locked case that's on fire with your bare hands to get the book. He, of course, has to do all mentally and he’s not even going to bother trying to explain that to you.

It causes migraines that range from barely there to he can move or else he’ll puke is guts out and either the world is spinning so fast that he can see it or he’s dead. Painkillers, he’s tried everything from under the counter to prescription and the results stay the same. They’re like putting a bandaid on a wound made by a sword, (Dave’s tried that and he does not recommend it).

Dave cherishes it, even if there's nasty side effects, for all the tests he's cheating on. He got into honors with it, but.. he does feel a little remorseful about that little thing considering his twin worked her ass off to get into honors as well.

For all the blackmailing secrets he's found out, did you know that Jade dresses up as furry with Nepeta for fun? Nepeta, the crazy cat lady at age thirteen who's also obsessed with cat puns, and Jade Harley, John's chirpy half-sister who has an enormous pet dog that scares the shit out of Dave. Together. Wow. All in all, the pros weigh out the cons. Try to give him a surprise pop quiz, Mr. Hussie. You're known for them. Dave dares you.

Sometimes, more than usual, it sucked ass. Dave's spent hours locked inside his room because he found out what one of his close friends really thought of him. The "curling up in a ball and pressing the palms of your hands on your eyelids because if Bro caught you crying, he'd give you a physical thing to cry about."

Then there was the big move, they call it that but it was really him packing all of his shit that he could put it one bag and fleeing to go live with Rose (the twin sister he talked about) and their alcoholic mother until college, which years and years away. Because he had finally got the courage to read Bro’s mind...and what he found was exactly what he expected and not at all what he hoped, ( prayed) , for. The reading mind was in all reality just the high priced topper of the rum-soaked vanilla cake of Dave finally getting his head out of his ass. Bro was abusive, physically and emotionally and Dave was a dumbass to ever consider him cool.

The only person who knows he has this cool power is Rose, (Bro knows), because she figured it out over a what seemed like a regular Thursday breakfast when Dave started having coughing fit and then later muttered about how she puts way too much detail in her wizard porn, and how he's sacred forever now. It's not his fault, he mutters out loud his thoughts and it was a coping method when he was still living with Bro. He can't stand silence. Actually, she probably knew it the whole time, and was just waiting for the right time to use Dave's weird mind thing to her benefit.

And people wonder how Kanaya and Rose randomly started dating.

With pros and cons, Dave's learned to live with it, sure he's always on guard because if the wrong person finds out; he's fucking doomed..

“Hey, Dave!”

Dave stops walking towards to school to wait up for is friend, tilting his head to the side he knew John would come up to and there he is now, bucktooth and all nerd. He met John a long time ago, online, when he was ten or something? They've known each other long enough that the blonde calls John his best friend, his one best bro, even if the nerd knows nothing about what he's been through or that his mental health is shit.

The prankster smiles brightly, holding out his fist for a bro bump and what kind of cool kid would Dave be of he didn't give one back? A shitty one. He has a reputation to maintain. “Egderp, what's up?”

“Nothing, I don't think,” John frowns before another dorky smile lit up his kid like features which made Dave roll his eyes. It's not like John could see them, but it's the thought that counts. John’s mind: Well, there's a new kid, but he's my other best bro! What if they don't like each other, what if they leave me to hang out on their own! No, they'll become bros and we’ll all be best bros together.

“So, is there a new kid today-" “H-How did you know that?!” Dave started walking again, slowly in case John wanted to join with. Honestly, sometimes the kid's dumber than a pack of nails. The raven haired teenager is actually really smart though, just not with things right in front of him. Clueless. Oblivious. No common sense.

Dave's been reading John's mind ever since he met him in person, (online it doesn't really work that well (MAJOR puking involved)), and it hasn't come to bite him in the ass yet. “Well, I guess it doesn't  matter.  His name is Karkat and he's my best bro!”

“I'm not your best bro? Wow, you hurt me John. And here I thought-”,

“Dave.”

“We had something special going on. You crushed  my-”.

“Dave!”

“heart, you tore it to pieces. I hope you're happy. Cause I'm sure- fuck!”

Dave felt something pull him back just as the car sped in front of him. Oh. That's what John was trying to tell him, well..the car was a dark purple and looked really expensive, like it belonged to a rich person. Probably Eridan’s stupid powerful father, man fuck that guy.

Dave felt some emotion, it's something he doesn't feel all that often, but often enough. Disappointment? Fuck, maybe his mental health is worse than he thought. Feeling disappointment that a rich prick's car didn't run you over isn't the prime of health. “Now that I have saved your life, I was trying to tell you that Karkat's right over there!”

Dave pulls John's hand of his hoodie, a new one that Rose's mom bought him, the tag was still on it and it costed 250 hundred dollars. . She's trying to buy his love, ta much is obvious when his hoodie costs more than everything he ever owned before The Big Move. He starts looking in the direction his bestie is pointing in.

Oh, he was cute. Karkat's a ginger, wild red hair with a million freckles and pale skin, almost like he’s never been outside before. He has a lot more freckles than Dave, who only has a few sprinkled on his nose, he'll give him that.

What no one knows is that Dave has this thing called shoulder freckles which means he has a freckled shoulders and damn right can he say proudly that those looked fricken fine on him and they may be the only thing he never doubts. Sure, Dave covers them up with slong sleeved shirts, but that’s because of the scars. The scars are ugly and show how pathetic he is.

Karkat’s really tiny, bundled up in that grey sweater of his that had to be three sizes too big, and it makes him look even more adorable. Stop stupid gay thoughts, he's straight and if he wasn’t, then Bro... He can admit that some dudes are cute, no matter your sexuality. There’s a difference between that and wanting to a dick in your butt.

“He's really shy when you first meet him, so try to not flirt so much? He has bad social anxiety.”

Dave smirked, a rare occurrence considering he had mastered his poker face, but John gets to see it because he's his best bro.

"Dude, do you not know me at all?", he said before walking right up to Karkat, beginning to work his mind magic. His mind didn't seem to have any borders on it, not surprising for most people don't suspect that someone could just hack into their brain so they don’t even know how to put them up.

He knew he shouldn't do this to someone he just met, and he usually never does, but the kid's cute. Karkat looked surprise at his sudden appearance, but didn't say anything. Looks like John wasn't kidding about him being a shy little guy.

“Sup, I'm Dave Strider.” Dave feels like he might have to go to the nurse for some painkillers, if it’s the one that gives them to im without a doctor's or parent’s note, his head is starting to pound . Damn, the side effect of having a power.

“Hey! Wait up for me!”, John yelled behind him, but Dave ignores him as he waits for Karkat's response. And what he's thinking.

“K-Karkat.” The owner of the shy, meek voice hangs his head down, fidgeting nervously before, like on cue, the bell rings and he quickly rushes off to class without a simple bye. Dave just in time caught a quick thought.

God, that kid was actually really fucking good-looking but so fucking douchey. Wearing trendy, hipster shades when it's fucking cold, shitty January? He probably thinks I'm such an idiot, well fuck him! I hope I-

John has to drag a stunned Dave, who’s wondering why someone who curses like a sailor seems to shy on a first impression, to class.