Re: Unspoken Attraction (Dave/Karkat)

raunchyJanitor Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:39 am

Ladies and gentlemen, may we present to you Dave's brother and guardian at his finest. Seeing this as the perfect chance to take a shower and not get sabotaged, Dave went ahead and stepped into the bathroom, locking the door behind him until he was finished. He came back out of the bathroom squeaky clean, clad in fresh clothes, and most importantly, awake. There was nothing quite like having hot water to help bring one back into the world of the living.

Since tv wasn't really an option at that moment, he fired up the computer again to find that Karkat had gotten on earlier and had left a pesterlog open with Sollux. He rested the side of his head in his hand and propped his elbow on his desk, reading over the log. He knew that Karkat and Sollux were supposed to be pretty tight pals and all, but he couldn't get how the troll could handle having such an asshole for a friend, much less why he would go to him to seek comfort. It was clear that Karkat was upset and trying to vent, but the way Sollux kept shutting him down was actually kind of dispiriting for Dave to read.

**solarOrigins** Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:44 am

Karkat rolled onto his back and stretched with a yawn, a few of his joints popping before he sat up and rubbed his eyes with a still sleepy little chirp.

raunchyJanitor Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:54 am

Dave exited out of the pesterchum the instant he heard the yawn and opened up a web browser and googled sign language.

**solarOrigins** Sat Sep 24, 2011 4:00 am

Karkat looked around groggily, chirping softly when he spotted Dave. He got out of bed to see what he was doing with another little curious chirp.

raunchyJanitor Sat Sep 24, 2011 4:06 am

Dave found a website that worked as a video dictionary for sign language and searched 'good morning', studying the demonstration on the video sample.

**solarOrigins** Sat Sep 24, 2011 4:13 am

Karkat quirked a sleeply little eyebrow at what he found on the screen. He knew Alternian sign language (or AltSL as John called it) and he knew American sign Language, which was surprisingly similar. He didn't know that Dave even wanted to learn.

raunchyJanitor Sat Sep 24, 2011 4:26 am

Dave waved at Karkat with the back of his hand when the troll got close enough to be reflected off the monitor, mumbling, "Morning little dude." He stopped memorizing the motion of the greeting on the screen and turned his head towards the troll. "You're up early."

**solarOrigins** Sat Sep 24, 2011 4:31 am

Karkat chirped in a way as if to say 'so're you'. He moved over to his bag to see if he couldn't find some clothes to wear for the day.

raunchyJanitor Sat Sep 24, 2011 4:51 am

Dave finished burning his first lesson in ASL into his brain and went on to several other basic greetings, not really giving a fuck that Karkat could see that he was trying to give a fuck. Although it had the Strider subtlety about it that was likely indecipherable by any other eye. It was uncool to care about things, yet he found himself breaking that rule the more he hung around Karkat.

**solarOrigins** Sat Sep 24, 2011 5:00 am

Karkat put on a pair of jeans and decided on a plain blue t shirt and rather than just go off and do his own thing, he sat on Dave's bed to wait for him and see what he wanted to do. He seemed in a good mood today.

raunchyJanitor Sat Sep 24, 2011 5:14 am

After basic greetings, salutations, various nouns, and introductions were searched and studied, Dave realized that Karkat still hadn't left his room or had grabbed his book and so he cocked his head to the side to check up on what he was doing. Nothing. He was just sitting there expectantly. Dave took that as his cue to slowly spin around in the computer chair like a cliche movie villain so that he was facing Karkat straight on. He casually watched him in a fairly leaned back position, bringing his fingertips together as he asked, "You waiting for the second coming of Christ or have you picked up on indoor, badass bird watching?"

**solarOrigins** Sat Sep 24, 2011 5:21 am

Very slowly, and very carefully, Karkat repeated what Dave had just said to him in sign language. He paused when he was done before smirking and asking 'Do you know what I just said?'

raunchyJanitor Sat Sep 24, 2011 5:45 am

Dave shook his head and for emphasis, attempted his first sign in ASL that wasn't a curse word, 'no'. He then moved his hands deliberately and formed a statement with long pauses as he tried to remember what each of the symbols were in turn since he hadn't tried them out before, 'But I understood wait, second, coming, and badass'.

**solarOrigins** Sat Sep 24, 2011 5:50 am

Karkat grinned. 'Do you want me to teach you?' He tilted his head to help convey that it was a question. 'It is easier to be taught by someone who knows rather than teaching yourself' He made sure each sign was slow and deliberate so Dave could try and understand better since he knew so little.

raunchyJanitor Sat Sep 24, 2011 7:08 am

Dave hadn't spent that much time at the computer learning about this language, so he really could only discern 'me', 'teach', and 'you'. Luckily, that limited vocabulary was all he really needed this time to figure out what the troll was trying to tell him. He motioned his hand for 'yes', nodding his fist as well as his head, knowing full well that he could have just said it out loud; it's not like Karkat was deaf. But what better way to learn a language than to put it to use immediately before it was forgotten? "Could you show me how to say, 'Bro's an asshole'?" He asked, sharing an uncharacteristic grin with the troll.

**solarOrigins** Sat Sep 24, 2011 11:37 am

Karkat nodded with a chirp of amusement, patting the bed next to him for Dave to come sit. It would be easier to teach Dave if he was closer, that way Karkat could correct him if he needed to.

raunchyJanitor Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:05 pm

Dave stepped across the room and took a seat beside Karkat, keeping about a twelve inch space between them. "Okay, Teach, show me the ropes."

**solarOrigins** Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:09 pm

'Let's start with the alphabet' Karkat smiled and started slowly signing, pausing after each until Dave signed it correctly.

raunchyJanitor Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:24 pm

Dave didn't get what they were signing, having not picked up on the word for 'alphabet', but he figured it out when they stopped at the final, twenty sixth sign and he bopped himself on the forehead with his palm. "Wait, sorry dude, but could we do that over again? I didn't know you were showing me the alphabet." Besides, repetition was an important key to learning.

**solarOrigins** Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:28 pm

Karkat nodded and started again. The alphabet was a vital part of ASL and AltSL because you would have to spell your name when you meet someone, there were no words for names.

raunchyJanitor Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:37 pm

As Dave followed along with Karkat's sign off again, the alphabet song slowly crept into his conscious mind and he was suddenly mouthing each of the letters, too busy looking between Karkat and his hands and making sure that they mirrored one another to notice. It also helped so that the signs would be more easily recognizable when he had a well-known kid's song aiding him along the way.

**solarOrigins** Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:31 pm

Karkat repeated the alphabet for Dave a few times until he could do it himself. Karkat then sighed a few basic phrases that Dave would need to know, making sure that he understood what they translated as. He smiled widely every time every time Dave got it right.

raunchyJanitor Sat Sep 24, 2011 4:25 pm

Dave would smirk back each time he made the correct sign, not surprised that he was learning so quickly since he was simply the best there was. Although his movements were slow since he still had to think quite a bit to recollect the appropriate signs, he was able to sign off, 'thank you for teaching me this'.

**solarOrigins** Sat Sep 24, 2011 4:32 pm

'You are welcome. Thank you for wanting to learn. It is nice to have a way to talk that doesn't make a mockery of me.' Karkat was positively grinning. 'But I must tell you ASL uses the whole body to speak and not just your hands. If you want to be completely clear, you have to take your glasses off.'

raunchyJanitor Sat Sep 24, 2011 4:47 pm

Something inside Dave made him feel happy the way Karkat was so lit up and he wanted to keep that good vibe going. So he removed his glasses, placing them on his lap and blinking rapidly for a moment as his eyes adjusted to the light. 'Now what?' He signed, watching Karkat's hands carefully.

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