The Library
"Well, the library is about six blocks away, just past the primary school." Terezi heaved a weary sigh. "So, whose going to go?"
"I volunteer!" Rose said excitedly.
"I, as well." Kanaya said happily.
"Anyone else?" Karkat asked. He was answered by silence. Just as he was about to continue speaking, he got a text from Feferi.
Glub! )(i-tide, Karkat! Sollux and I are on our way back as we spearfish! Sea you soon!
FEFERI. WHAT TOOK YOU TWO SO LONG?
Not)(ing!
GUH. FINE. JUST GET HERE SOON.
BY THE WAY, DO YOU WANT TO GO TO THE LIBRARY?
W)(at?
YOU HEARD ME. LIBRARY.
Are you asking me out, Karkat? 38D
NO!
I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU WOULD EVEN SUGGEST THAT!
I was just teasing 38P We'll be t)(ere soon.
"Ok, just got word from Feferi-" Karkat said.
"It's about time!" Eridan folded his arms. "Why didn't she text me first?"
"Uh, I dunno, maybe because I'm the leader?" Karkat seethed. "Also because you're not the center of her universe!"
Eridan humphed. Karkat rolled his eyes and continued. "So Kanaya and Rose will go to the library. Sollux and Fef are bringing food. The rest of us will scope out a good place to sleep for tonight and the next, and then, Atlanta. Sound good?" Nods all around. "Good. Kanaya and Rose, you have my permission to- look at that, they're already gone." Sure enough, Rise and Kanaya were already on their way, hurriedly running through the streets, laughing as they did.
"Isn't this great!" Kanaya said.
"Indeed!" Rose entertained her. "A library, a scavenger hunt, and six months trying to survive with our friends is surely exciting!"
"I was more excited about solving another piece of the puzzle, but yes, that is also pretty cool." Kanaya said. "How cool will this be! And how very cool you are for knowing Ryan Otmisre! Here I thought I was the only one who knew of his work."
"Oh, yes! He's written some of my most favorite biblical poetry. I love this particular verse- Who's seen Jezebel? She was born to be the woman we could blame, make me a beast, half as brave, I'd be the same. I just love that verse so much." Rose recited perfectly.
"From the poem, Woman King." Kanaya stated.
"Correct!" Rose confirmed her statement to he true. They chuckled a bit before silence swept over them and they walked along together, side by side, looking around with smiles as their town woke up. The sun had climbed back into its perch by the sky now, illuminating the clouds a shade of pink as they walked underneath it. The summer heat was kind to them that morning, not beating down on them as it surely would in July. Rose then felt a spark looking at Kanaya, an idea popping into her head. No! Of course not! She scolded herself. Kanaya will surely take it as a romantic gesture, and that won't be very helpful at all, now will it? But, if I make it clear to her that it's a completely platonic thing...
"Kanaya?" She asked before she could stop herself.
"Yes?" Kanaya answered.
"May I...hold your hand?" Rose said, her face flushing.
"Um...Rose, I didn't kinks that you felt that way about me..." Kanaya blushed like a red tulip.
"I-I don't! I just...felt it necessary. It doesn't make much sense, but, would you mind?" Rose responded.
"Uh...okay...just so long as you don't mention it to anyone." Kanaya nodded.
"I didn't plan on it." Rose smiled. Kanaya slipped her hand into Rose's.
Upon reaching the library, the pushed open the unlocked door with their hands still interlocked. By that time they were talking of romantic dramas that they suspected were happening in their friend group and laughing about it. Kanaya did keep to herself her romantic feelings for Vriska. It was when Kanaya mimicked Karkat confessing to Jade that things got ugly with their first human.
"Imagine that!" Kanaya laughed. "I love you so much, Jade, please marry me and also bear my children!"
"Excuse me." An elderly female voice came from their right. The girls looked over at the woman behind the counter, who angrily tapped a finger on her desk.
"Sorry, ma'am," Rose hushed her tone. "We'll be quieter."
"That's not the problem, missy." She scoffed. "We don't service fags here." Rose and Kanaya were stunned. The woman tapped impatiently. "Please leave."
"Excuse me, ma'am, but I'd prefer you not use such vulgar language when speaking to me!" Kanaya seethed, her eyes red as flames.
"I'll speak to you however I damn well please." The woman said. "This is a respectable establishment and we do not service your kind here."
"Ma'am, I would really like you to reconsider." Rose backed Kanaya up. "For law states that you absolutely must service those who come for it as an establishment of the state, no matter their gender, race, religion or other difference that may conflict with yours."
"Yeah, but the law didn't state that we have to serve no fags." Said a burly man. "Law also states the freedom of religion, so we can practice ours wherever we please."
"You do realize how stupid you sound?" Kanaya hissed. "Stating that my sexual orientation conflicts with your religion is like being mad at someone for eating a doughnut when you're on a diet! Now, I have come here to check out a book and that is what I will do, please and thank you!"
"You ain't taking another step, you creatures."
"Sir and ma'am." Rose said, trying her best to be calm. "My girlfriend and I mean no harm to you. However if you continue to refuse us the service provided by the government, I will call the sheriff of this town and make you."
There was a long pause.
"You got twenty seconds to find your book and get out." The woman said. "Twenty, nineteen..."
"Go. Go go go." Kanaya told Rose, who dashed off as fast as she could to the poetry shelves.
"Fifteen, fourteen..."
"O...o...O!" Rose mumbled to herself. "Oakland, Oakley, Oather..."
"Ten...nine..."
"Rose, come on!"
"Oppal, Oppena, Oregon..."
"Six...five..."
"Rose!"
"Oregano, Orson, Otmisre!"
"Three...two..."
"Come on...come on...here!" Rose cried, snatching a note and envelope from inside.
"One. GET OUT!" The demonic librarian roared as Rose and Kanaya ran for their lives from the burly man chasing after them.
"Did you get it?" Kanaya panted as they caught their breath outside. Rose barely had time to nod before instinct took over and he was smothering Kanaya with her mouth.
"Rose!" Kanaya shrieked.
"Kiss me, make them mad." Rose said, kissing her again and again, and Kanaya getting it and kissing her back with delight, her hands grabbing at her hair and the shirt on her back. They made out gloriously, laughing on each other's mouths, flipping off the bigoted rednecks inside. They just kept going and going, until long after the purpose was to piss of the assholes of the library they were still kissing, but a lot softer and deeper. Their hands cupped each other's cheeks and touched their neck, and they didn't bother to stop anymore, nor to care who saw.
"Rose," Kanaya whispered on Rose's lips. "Rose, is this real?"
"Real how?" Rose kissed the corner of her mouth.
"Real like...you really mean this...you have feelings for me."
"Yes...I do."
"Me, too." They kissed a while longer before they finally stopped.
"Think we should read the note?" Rose asked. Kanaya answered with a nod, unfolding the note to read it.
My dear stufebts, (*stufents. *students.)
nice job with this fuckin' clue. wouldn't a guessed you'd happen upon it. u guybs (*guys) must be sum pretty smart bitches to get this un. as a rward (*reward) here's seven hundred bucks. Spend wiiiiiiseleeeeeey!!! Wonk ;).
-prbofessoberf Roxalicious.
"She must have been really drunk when she wrote that." Rose laughed.
"I never did ask you, Rose," Kanaya said. "Was it Roxy who named you?"
"Indeed it was!" Rose said with a smile as they began walking back. "How EVER did you guess?" She laughed, taking Kanaya's hand again.
As they began their walk back, they would never guess that they had been watched during their kiss. And who better to see such a thing that Vriska Serket herself! But Vriska said nothing as she watched them, betrayed, and then scurried back off to the group, never to reveal what she had seen. Because, sure, she's a bitch, but she's not that big a bitch.