17

17

Keevan heard something as she walked past a tree and some bushes in the park. She peeked behind them.

“M-Motavo, what’s the matter?” Keevan asked, kneeling next to him. He jumped and stared at her, but then he relaxed. He wiped his eyes and hugged his knees.

“I have no chance with Amantis,” Motavo said quietly. “I was a little late getting to the park tonight and I saw him and Vanus kissing.”

“Amantis is afraid of Van,” Keevan said, feeling sorry for both Motavo and Amantis. “That kiss didn’t mean anything. Trust me, Motavo.” He looked at her and wiped his eyes again.

“Alright,” he said after a few moments of silence. “Can you...arrange for us to meet again?”

“Of course,” Keevan said with a smile, “and this time I’ll think of a place where Van won’t show up.”

“Thank you,” Motavo said quietly, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. “By the way, Keevan, what are you doing at the park this late? It’s dangerous for someone like you.”

“I was just coming home from work,” Keevan said, standing up, Motavo standing up with her. “I just decided to cut through the park.”

“Allow me to walk you home,” Motavo said. “It gets sketchy around town when it’s dark.”

“Okay,” Keevan said, hugging his arm. “Take me home, bodyguard!” Motavo couldn’t help but smile.

“Right away, my lady," Motavo said, playing along. He led her through the park and walked her to her home, playacting like a gentleman. When they arrived at their destination, Keevan thanked him.

“No problem,” Motavo said, bowing. Keevan giggled when he rose.

“Where are you off to now?” she asked him.

“I...I don’t know,” he said after a moment of thinking. “Back to the orphanage, I guess.”

“O-orphanage?”

“Yeah,” Motavo said, lowering his gaze. “I am...an orphan. But I never stay at the orphanage very long. I don’t like it there.”

“You can always come here,” Keevan insisted, taking his hand. “I have plenty of room here and my parents won’t mind.”

Motavo smiled at her and patted her head. “You’re way too kind, Keevan. Goodnight.” Keevan released his hand and said goodnight as well.

He sure is a strange character, she thought as she entered her house. She looked at her phone as she locked the door and traveled up the stairs to find four text messages from Karkat. He was back at home. He informed her that nothing had changed since the last time he was there. His mother continued to ignore him and she wouldn't put down her cell phone. Keevan quickly texted him back that she was sure things would get better and that she would always be there for him no matter what.

After she had changed into her pajamas, she sat on her bed and looked at her phone again. Karkat had texted back.

KV: I hope you’re right. Goodnight, love you, see you at school on Monday.

Keevan smiled and replied.

KK: Goodnight, love you too! I’ll see you on Monday, Karkitty~!

KV: *groan*

Keevan smiled at his reply and went over to her desk to charge her phone. As she lay in bed that night, she realized she was the happiest she had been in a very long time.

She didn’t ever want the feeling to go away.

 

Gamzee sat on the hood of his car while strumming on his guitar. He missed Keevan and was kicking himself for leaving like that just because he was there.

Gamzee stared at the darkening sky and strummed a random chord, feeling lonely. That random chord turned into a song he had wrote with the band. He was playing their first song, Clown Rebellion. That was the name of the band. He grinned, remembering how much weed they had gone through to think of that.

Gamzee heard a gasp and looked down from the sky to the girl standing in front of him, cheeks a-blushin’ and a Dell computer in her arms hugged tightly against her chest. She was Korean. Gamzee recognized her from the coffee shop.

“’Sup, sis?” Gamzee said, stopping his song. “Need somethin’?”

“U-um, no, not exactly,” she said in a small voice, pushing up her glasses with her right pointer finger while still hugging the Dell, “but...that song you were playing. I love your band.”

“Clown Rebellion?”

“Yes.”

“Well, well,” Gamzee chuckled, setting his guitar in the case next to him, “always nice to meet a fan. My name is�"”

“Gamzee Makara,” the girl said for him, unable to hide her smile. “I know who you are. My name is Aestus Cassus.”

“Mind if I call you Ae-sis?” Gamzee asked, sliding off the hood of his car.

“I-I don’t mind at all,” Aestus said with a smile. “I really am a big fan of your band. I never miss a performance.”

“Now that you motherfuckin’ mention it, I think I’ve seen you before,” Gamzee said, “always just sittin’ there, motherfuckin’ typin’ away on that computer.”

“I’m taking notes,” she said, blushing even more, “on how music affects the brain and whatnot.”

“Sciency,” Gamzee said, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I envy you college girls with your brains and such.”

“You aren’t in college yourself?”

“Dropped out of high school my freshman year.” Gamzee took a cigarette out of the pack in his pocket and popped it in his mouth.

“Would you mind not smoking?” Aestus asked as he was about to light it. “I can’t stand the smell of it.”

“Sure thing,” Gamzee said, putting his lighter away and putting the cigarette back in the pack. He yawned and thought about going to Keevan’s, but remembered that he couldn’t because of him. He glanced at Aestus and grinned. He could use a one-night stand.

“Hey, sis, you got anything planned for tomorrow morning?” he asked, hooking an arm around her waist and making her jump.

“Uh, n-no,” Aestus stammered, blushing again. “I don’t have class tomorrow. Why do you ask?”

“How’s about you n’ me have a little motherfuckin’ fun tonight? My treat.” He led her to his car and picked his guitar case up from the ground.

“I...I really don’t...” Aestus tried to say, but Gamzee was already holding the passenger door open for her. He took her hand and said, “Come on, sis. I wanna know you better.”

Hesitantly, Aestus got into his car. Gamzee threw his guitar in the backseat and got in the driver’s seat. He drove them to a nice motel down the road from the library where Keevan worked. He parked, let Aestus out of the car, and led her inside.

“Room for two,” he said to the woman at the front desk. “One night. King-sized bed.”

“We have one room open with a king,” the woman said. Gamzee handed her a credit card he swiped from his old man.

“Have a nice night,” she said, handing Gamzee the credit card back after charging him.

“Oh, we will,” Gamzee said, taking the card and shoving it in his pocket. “You have a nice night as well.”

 

Oh, God, how could you let this happen? Aestus thought to herself as Gamzee led her down a hallway to the motel room he had purchased. She couldn’t say no to him. Her laptop was still tight in her arms. She hoped he wouldn’t steal it.

Gamzee found the room and opened it with the key card.

“Ladies first,” he said, stepping aside with a smile.

“Th-thank you,” Aestus said quietly. She walked in.

He doesn’t want to know me, she said to herself. He just wants a one-night stand. He’ll probably be gone in the morning and then he’ll never speak to me again.

Aestus set her computer on the table in the front of the room and turned around to find Gamzee closing the door and locking it. Aestus sighed and took off her glasses. Might as well get it over with. Gamzee walked over to her and ran a hand through her hair.

“You’re motherfuckin’ beautiful, Ae-sis,” he said, grinning. She couldn’t help but smile. He leaned forward and kissed her gently. She didn’t fight it. Not even when Gamzee picked her up and dropped her on the bed.

She just let it happen.

I’ll be angry with myself tomorrow, but who cares? she thought to herself as he slid a hand under her shirt. This is Gamzee Makara.