Jealousy.
The world around them all shuddered and shook in the wind. The warm Summer's night wasn't too harsh on them and every now and then a cool breeze would brush their cheeks. Though normally, as teenagers do, the group would be chattering away endlessly, but in the middle of the night they were all too tired to do so. Up and down on rocky slopes, Dave did his best to navigate them around the harder places to track. Karkat had chosen wisely who should lead them into the night- Dave was Jake's best geography student, and had received much praise for his 'impeccable sense of adventure'. They moved along quietly, everyone struggling to keep their eyes open. It proved that Terezi was the only one smart enough to bring two bottles of water, as soon the word got around and they began trading her dollars in exchange for two-second sips.
Nepeta had packet her things in the pocket of her jacket- her secret picture and her kitty claws. She passed out very soon after departure and fell face-foreword into the dirt, causing a momentary pause to see if she was okay and to have Equius carry her the rest of the way. She was very grateful for the hours-long cuddle session and fell asleep happily in her moirail's arms.
Vriska was getting bored putting one foot after another. She frequently made little 'hmmph's and folded her arms and kicked at rocks. Beside her, Kanaya slushed along, very tiredly trekking along. And Vriska watched her best friend, her only friend, with a curiously racing heart and reddened cheeks. She knew of her feelings for her and she knew they were reciprocated, but she hadn't really cared enough to pursue them. "Ah, well," she shrugged to herself. "Might as well make this journey a little more interesting." She slyly inched closer to her friend, whose arms hung limply at her sides. First, she slipped her pinky, then her ring finger, and then Kanaya noticed at looked at Vriska. But Vriska wasn't looking- she was looking straight ahead. And so Kanaya decided to play along and laced her fingers with Vriska's. And no one noticed. It was just the two of them in their own little world. Equius and Nepeta in their own little world, and Vriska and Kanaya.
"Ahm, ah, so, Jade." Tavros stumbled a while later into the trek. Jade glanced over with a smile.
"Hi, Tavros."
"So uh, what do you think?"
"Of what?"
"Of walking."
"Well, my feet hurt." Jade laughed. "I'm a bit tired and thirsty. Otherwise I like it just fine. Sometimes I forget I'm walking and I almost doze off. It's really nice out tonight, don't you think?"
"Yea, it is, I guess." Tavros smiled, always pleased by her warm smiles. "Did you say you were thirsty? I can get some water for you if you want."
"I think Terezi's run out, but it's okay, thank you."
"I have some water." Tavros said.
"Really?" Jade perked up.
"Yeah. I was saving it for when I really needed it." Tavros said, retrieving a mini water bottle and handing it to Jade. "Take it."
"Tavros, are you sure?" Jade said.
"Yea. It's important that you stay hydrated. You're the sharpshooter. I'm just the distraction. We already have one of those." Tavros smiled wearily. Jade handed him back the water bottle.
"You're just as important as everyone else." Jade said seriously. "You stay hydrated. It's important that I don't depend on you for something as vital as water. Jane wouldn't have liked that."
"Someone just earned another girl-scout badge." Feferi smiled at her. Jade giggled. Tavros put back his water.
"On your toes, guys." Karkat said loudly. "We're close. I can see it now."
"Really?" Sollux said, hurrying his steps to catch a glimpse. Soon everyone was more awake, stopping at the edge of the mountains for a peek at the town below. The sun has just begun to climb into the sky, not leaving a lot of time to get moving.
"There's North Main Street." Dave pointed out.
"Cmon, let's go! I'm starving!" Terezi cheered, beginning to rush down the mountain.
"Hey!" Karkat shouted. "Not so fast! I'm the leader, I say when we go."
"Guuuuh." John groaned. "Karkat, aren't you tired?"
"I am, but I think we need a plan. We're too suspicious as this big pack." Karkat said. "It's like professor Dirk said. Most of the time you can't just hurl yourself at something at Mach 20 like a fucking meteorite crashing smack-dab in the middle of jack nowhere. We need to split up. Go in one at a time from all sides. We'll congregate behind that building on those outskirts. We'll decide what to do from there.
"That being said, I want Kanaya, Rose, Gamzee and Egbert in one group, Kanaya as leader. Rose, keep Kanaya from clown-hunting, please."
"Sure." Rose yawned.
"Secondly I want Eridan, Feferi, Sollux and Aradia in another group, so long as Sollux and Eridan don't become total dickbags and end up arguing, and I'm putting Aradia in charge. Thirdly, I want Dave, Equius, Nepeta and Jade in a group, Dave as leader. Fourth and finally, I will lead a group of Vriska, Tavros and Terezi. Any fucking questions because I am REALLY not in the mood right now."
"Neither are we, Mr. Grumpus." Terezi stuck an insubordinate tongue.
"I'll take that as a no." Karkat said. "Now my group will take north, Dave's East, Aradia's west, and Kanaya will do head on. And I'll leave you all to it."
"Alright, I'm going in first." Dave announced, peering at the waking town from behind a tree. "I'll walk down main. Do as I do, but don't go the exact same way. We'll meet in front of that red door. Then we'll head to the congregation-spot. Wake Nepeta up and make sure she doesn't fucking faceplant in front of anyone."
"That shouldn't be a purroblem." Nepeta smiled. "I've had a good long catnap!"
"Yeah, and now you smell like a muscle beast." Jade said playfully.
"Nepeta hisses fiercely and fluffs up her tail!" Nepeta played along.
"Alright we got it." Dave said. "You guys can rp your asses off later. Follow my lead and wait for the signal." And then he was off. He started off slowly and casually, his hands tucked in his jean pockets and his eyes casually looking around from behind opaque shades. Then he sped up. He acted as if he had seen something and started in a slow jog towards the red door. He took his time, crossing a crosswalk and back, finally reaching his destination and kicking up against the wall. The three in the bushes watched him intently. Waiting... Waiting... There it is. Dave snapped his fingers and Nepeta pushed foreword, trying to be as casual as a cucumber...if that is how the rhyme goes. She held her hands behind her back, her claws in her pocket, easily and gently making a slow path to the red door. Dave glanced at her every now and again, making sure she was doing the right thing. Nepeta coasted easily down the sidewalk, crossing the crosswalk and circling around, then heading up the other side of the street and crossing again to finally meet Dave at the red door. Nepeta and he made casual talk, Dave correcting a cat pun every now and then, until Nepeta snapped her fingers and Equius followed in pursuit.
He followed more straightly to the door, his hands at his sides like they always were, moving swiftly but not too swiftly. Even before he reached the red door he snapped his fingers and Jade followed easily. Jade trotted along, keeping her eyes on the red door, until she stopped and waited. She pulled out her cell phone, (nice move, Dave would later add) and pretended to text someone until she snapped it shut and continued her pursuit. Once all in front of the red door, Dave began down the alley and passed the building of congregation and behind it, where Vriska and Terezi were already there, giving each other the side eye.
"Where's KK?" Jade asked.
"Who cares?" Shrugged Vriska.
"He should be here in three, two," Terezi said.
"Oh, hey." Karkat said. "Fancy seeing you here. Alright, I've been nice, can we shut up now?"
"Hi Jade." Tavros waved. Karkat looked at him strangely.
"Ok, so," Dave said. "When do we drink water and shit?"
"When Terezi and her thousands of dollars of water money goes and buys shit." Karkat said.
"Fiiiine." Terezi said. "But I choose Dave to help me."
"And Dave obliges." Dave nodded.
"And then Karkat calls you both idiots and sends you on your way with the locations manager to go do your sloppy make outs." Karkat glared.
"Is somebody jealous?" Nepeta teased, crouching with her hands on her knees.
"No I'm not jealous!" Karkat flushed.
"Reeeeaaaally?" Nepeta purred. "Because I've seen you be grumpy at Tavros and Dave now! Are you just grumpy that they get more action than you?"
"Shut up shut up shut UP!" Karkat was practically bouncing up and down with anger.
"Karkat, please!" Jade cried. "We're supposed to be unnoticed here! Jesus, you're so stupid!"
and Karkat was defeated. He stared blankly into her eyes, her angry face, while the knowledge reached to him that this was the girl, this was the girl he was so in love with, and she just called him stupid. She thinks he's stupid!
"Fine." He said. "Fine, fine, FINE! Terezi, go get water for everyone with Dave. Dave, make out with her all you fucking like! I give zero shits! Nepeta, for the record, I am not jealous of anyone or anything! Now will you please shut up and stop being such a stupid sack of shit? I cannot believe you would even suggest that! You fucking idiot!"
Nepeta wasn't hurt, but for her sake Equius placed a protective hand on her shoulder.
"Oh no. Don't you start with me. Don't you fucking start!" Karkat hissed, pointing a finger at Equius. "You putrid fucking unbathed imbecilic brute! I don't care if you snap me in half, do NOT-" but he was cut off as Jade hugged him very tightly and warmly, her hands clutching to the fabric of his shirt, her head buried in his shoulder. And everyone was quiet. Watching. Waiting. Karkat was absolutely stunned. His face was redder than anyone had ever seen it and he couldn't bring himself to hug her back. After a good ten seconds she finally let go, her face hot with anger.
"Now will you please cut it out? We have a job to do, Karkat." Jade said calmly, staring Karkat in his wide eyes.
"Would someone like to tell me what's going on?" John asked with uncontainable laughter. Behind him was the rest of the eight, patiently waiting on their leader to speak. Karkat paused, still in shock, and cleared his throat.
"Uh...Dave and Terezi are going to find water." Karkat regained his leaderly firmness. "And, um, Sollux and Fef can go find food. Eridan, body count real quick."
"All accounted for." Eridan reported.
"Good. So...um...the rest of us, let's get into the woods a little farther away and set up camp for the night...or...something...Gamzee, how are you over there?"
"Mother...fuckin...sleepy..." Gamzee yawned.
"Uh...ok then...good."