Karkart lazily opened his eyes. Light almost blinding him as it seeped into his eyes. He blinked a few times, adjusting to the unwelcome light. He ached all over and his head's pounding was in tune with the pounding in his chest.

"I don't think sleeping next to this dumpster is the best idea, but it is ironic." A familiar monotone voice chuckled. Karkat looked up at the sound of the voice to find Dave smirking at him.

"Thanks, for, you know, 'saving me.'" Dave helped Karkat up and lightly patted his back, as a sign of friendship.

"No problem. I got a friend who owes me big time. So, you can stay there until you get yourself back up on your feet."

"But, I'm on my feet already." Karkat stared at him with a puzzled look.

"It's just a phrase, I didn't mean it literally. God this is ironic." Dave laughed and walked East, out of the alleyway with Karkat following close behind. He didn't know anything about his surroundings and it frightened him, but at the same time, it made him feel empowered. As he stepped out if the alleyway, all the negative thoughts melted away. It was a nice sunny day, the faint calls of birds could be heard in the distance, the smell of rain was strong in the air, everything was content. For the first time in 2 years of being in that hell, Karkat was free. The Sun felt like heaven on his newly washed skin.

It didn't take long before they were in front of a light violet house with a bright red and blue door.

"Yo, Sol! Open up!" Dave yelled, pounding on the poor door. Each pound went straight to Karkat's head, causing it to feel heavier and ache terribly.

"Goddamnit Dave, will you th'top banging on my door! You're giving me a headache." The door slowly opened, reveling a bot, around 18 with jet black, messy hair, he wore glasses slightly tinted red and blue, he also had blue eyes. His attire consisted of a yellow and black striped jacket with a black shirt, red and blue headphones hung around his neck, and black jeans.

"Who the hell i'th thi'th." The boy asked, leaning against the door sill, annoyance clear on his face.

"His name's Karkat. He's yours." Dave basically pushed Karkat into Sollux's arms, reluctantly, Sollux caught him.

"Are you th'eriou'th!" Sollux yelled in Karkat's ear. A feeling of sadness and disappointment ran over Karkat, no one wanted him, of course, who wants a pop culture retarded child that's completely broken in both the mental and physical sense.

"Yep, you owe me man. Remember, I helped you out with -"

"Aradia and Feferi, Iknow, god, fine. But thi'th i'th the ONLY time I'm doing thi'th, got it?"
"Thanks." And with that, Dave was gone.

"Th'o, KK..." Sollux started.

"Karkat." He corrected, venom slightly in his voice.

"Whatever. Th'o what'th up with you? Why the hell did Dave dump you here?"

"Humantrafficing, or at least that's what Dave calls it, is it the right word?" Sollux smiled slightly but quickly went back to his poker face. His face then showed a bit of concern, but just like the smile, it quickly vanished.

"Geez, th'orry 'bout that. Mu'tht have th'ucked. Th'o I gue'th Bro bought you, raped you, and now you're here." Karkat, shocked, swiftly nodded. Before he could ask Sollux how he could possibly know of his misfortune, Sollux answered it for him.

"He doe'th thi'th really often. Well, Bro buy'th people often. Dave normally doe'thn't th'end them here though. Did you run away?" Sollux asked, adjusting his glasses.

"Yeah."

"Well, welcome to my humble abode. Don't touch any of my th'uff and we th'oud be co-"

"SOL!" A voice yelled from upstairs.

"Ug. WHAT DO YOU WANT ED?!" All that could be seen was violet flying down the stairs.

"Sol! Look I havve a vvery bad problem and - wwho's this?" A bot, probably 17, stood infront of Karkat. He wore a long sleeved black shirt, despite the weather (seriously, these people dress like it's winter outside) and a black/blue striped pants. He had, probably, a dosen rings on both hands. His hair was slicked back and had a single highlight of violet, contrasting the black. His appearance screamed 'I'm better then everything and everyone should be graced to be in my presence.'

"Thi'th i'th KK. He'th going to be living with me for a while." Karkat felt the need to correct the fact that his name wasn't 'KK', but the other didn't give him the chance.

"Wwhat?! You're kiddin' me right? There's no wway he's livving wwith us!" The boy basically threw a tantrum.

"ED, calm, the fuck, down. He'th th'taying with u'th, and that'th final." ED huffed and stormed off towards the kitchen.

"Well, um, he seems very -"

"Childi'thh, full of him'thelf, a fucking pompou'th a'thhole? Ye'th that'th what he i'th."

"Then why -"

"Doe'th he live with me? He'th my boyfriend. We bought thi'th place together, th'o, you have to an'thwer to him too. He'th name'th Eridan by the way."

"Oh, okay." As if on queue, Eridan regally graced us with his presence.

"Wwell, if you're goin' ta livve here, I havve a feww rules. 1.) Sol is off limits 2.) I am off limits 3.) Don't touch any of our stuff 4.) Wwelcome, you are noww our maid."

"ED -"

"No, Sol, those are the rules, and I expect them to be followwed. Noww, there's a pile of dirty laundry upstairs that need to be wwashed. Get to it noww. Chop, chop." Eridan then left the room with a flick of his hair. Karkat looked over at Sollux who had a sympathetic look on his face.

"Th'orry, I gue'th rule'th are rule'th, and there'th no changing hi'th mind once he'th laid down the law. Think'th he'th f'n royalty and that we should all be ble'thed to be in hi'th pre'thence." Sollux did a mocking bow towards the kitchen. "Welcome to hi'th palace kind th'ir. The laundry await'th for you up'thari'th." Karkat laughed as Sollux bowed towards him and took his hand.

"I hope you find your job at Palace Eridan mo'tht enjoyable." Sollux leaned down and kissed Karkat's hand before they both burst out into uncontrollable laughter.

"Thanks." Karkat said, calming himself from the fit of laughter. He hasn't laughed like that in a long time.

"For what?"

"For letting me stay here, I honestly thought you were going to throw me out."

"Well, I do owe Dave, and you have no where el'the to go, th'o."

"I'll go start the laundry." Karkat chuckled, heading towards the stairs.

"You don't have to."

"It's fine. Rules are rules." Karkat headed up the stairs with a bit of pep in his step. He felt empowered and happy. For once in his life he felt pure happiness.

"Welcome to Palace Eridan."