What You Notice First
The first thing you notice is the tattoo on the back of his neck. Its shape like clockwork gears moving in sync. It's the tattoo that draws your eyes toward him.
Then you realize the rest of him. You notice his platinum blonde hair and the black sunglasses he wears. He wears a red baseball tee with a red disc on it. He wears regular blue jeans and black sneakers. You watch as he puts the headphones on to hear the music. Soon his head begins to nod to the beat. Then something outside catches his attention. You turn your head to see the direction where he’s looking at, outside the music store.
Outside you see a girl pull up on a bright red car. Do you know what brand it is? No you're no freaking car expert. The thing stunning about her is her red-orangish hair and how bright it is. She wears these weird red sunglasses and adjusts them in the car mirror. Even though her hair is slightly above shoulder length if you squint you may see that she also has a tattoo on the back her neck. You can’t make out anymore of her features even though you are at the front of the store and gazing from behind the display mirror.
The guy with the shades then puts the headphones away and goes out the door. He then walks up to the girl in the car and is met with a sharp toothed grin. He then willingly gets in the passenger seat beside her and buckles his seat belt. She starts the car and places both hands on the steering wheel. You watch as they both drive away. And then they are gone.
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Your name is John Egbert and from the reader's view you might sound like a stalker. Well the answer is no, you’re just a twenty four year old working in HMV. You also happen to just notice him. The fact that he shows up every single day doesn't help either.
“John you aren’t getting paid by just standing their and gazing at customers.” You hear someone complain.
You turn around to see a frowning Sollux.
“Oh sorry.” You apologize.
He sighs. “I need you behind the cash register.”
“Right.”
You make your way to the cash register and begin to help customers. Yeah, just a few more hours until your shift is done.
John= Go home.
You get the keys out of your pocket and unlock the door.
“I’m home.” You mutter to no one specifically because you live alone.
“Hey.”
“Sup.”
“Good evening John.”
“Why hello.”
You blink, not expecting a response. In front of you sit four people on your couch. They all smile and stare at you. Well at least two of them are.
“You live in a fucking dump John.” Says one of the frowners. To specify this guy is named Karkat Vantas and he tends to swear a lot.
“Please Karkat, please refrain from swearing. We are guests in John’s apartment.” Says the young woman beside him. Her name is Kanaya Maryam and she is a lot kinder than Karkat.
“How the heck did you get in here?!” You yell a little loudly.
It’s Sollux who answers, your co-worker/ friend who likes computers. “I know how to pick locks.”
“You left work after me!”
“Yeah and I decided to drop in and say hello.”
“You know that's a criminal act of breaking and entering someone’s home.”
“John, you aren’t going to arrest your manager.”
“Fine. Only because your actually really nice person who let’s me play What’s New Pussy Cats in the store seven times to drive customers crazy.”
“You’re welcome.”
You sigh and decide to sit yourself in the dining room with Rose and Kanaya as Karkat and Sollux sit on the couch, flipping through channels.
“So anything new today John?” Rose questions.
“No it was boring.”
“Lies, he was looking at the mysterious guy with the time tattoo on his neck.” Sollux yells.
“Sollux!”
“Oh? Isn’t this the fellow who has been coming to the store everyday for the past week?” Kanaya pipes in. “Not that I watch him from my clothing store across the street.”
“That’s him. John has been staring at him everyday.” Sollux nods.
“Not everyday!” You whine.
“Oh, so fucking Egbert has a crush?” Karkat yells.
“No, no I don’t.” You huff.
“Relax John, we’re here and queer.” Kanaya says as Rose stifles a laugh.
“I just want to be friends with the guy! Is that too much too ask?” You argue.
“Really? Just friends?” Rose says in much disappointment.
“Yes. In fact I’ll ask him to join our group tomorrow.”
“Okay, whatever, just do it on your break.” Sollux replies without giving you a glance.
“Good.” You smile. “I’ll do that.”
“Sure.”
“Tomorrow.”
“Can we order pizza? Also I've decided to make this couch my new home. Sollux go back to the rom-com!”
“I’ll make new friends so I don’t have to deal with you dweebs.”
“And we’ll love you anyway.” Rose smiles slyly as she grabs the phone.
Dave= lounge on the couch.
“Terezi I swear if you change the channel again I’ll throw my shades at you.” You scowl.
“No you won’t.” She cackles.
“You can’t even see what’s on!”
“I can too! Just because society claims I’m legally blind doesn’t mean I can’t see anything. Besides I can smell or like the screen if I have to!”
“Please don’t.”
You push Terezi and head for the fridge.
“Are you getting something to drink? If so get me a cherry cola!”
You sigh and grab an apple juice and a cherry cola. You throw it at her and she catches it. Is she really blind.
You crash on the couch beside her and you both open your drinks while watching an episode of Criminal Minds because Terezi has a thing for criminal justice shows.
“So that boy was looking at you again.” Terezi mentions.
You pretend to not know what she means. “Who?”
“The nerd with the glasses and the blue eyes!” She exclaims.
“I thought you couldn’t see.”
“I have my ways. Anyway you keep going into that music store everyday this week.”
“So? I like music.” You respond.
“You never buy anything though. You just stride in acting all cool and stuff. ‘Oh i’m too cool to buy all this over-priced crap but I’ll read the label and nod my head just to make you think it’s good’. With your stupid shades and tattoo you could get anyone swooning.” She says, while over dramatically swooning into your shoulder.
“I don’t do that. And shut up.”
“Oh really? I bet that the boy who works there and keeps staring at you will talk to you tomorrow and ask you to hang out.”
“No he won’t. And because I’m so confident in this I’ll take your bet. Loser has to do chores next week and buy the winner their favourite drink.”
Terezi extends her hand to you. “Add in a shitty comic drawn by the loser and I’m in. Remember that you have to iron my clothes.”
You shake her hand. “Don’t talk yet, I’m not going to lose.”
“No until tomorrow that is.”
“You know what? I think I told you just a moment ago to shut up. Now let’s figure out who the psycho killer is.”