Chapter Text
Terezi Pyrope was not the happiest troll in existence. In fact, it was quite the reverse. She had spent her last half an hour cradling a weeping Karkat. He had so tragically discovered Nepeta’s body no more than minutes after discovering that he was the topic of her dreams. He has never been seen so emotional. Whether it is the guilt or that he had loved her back, he was dead inside. Or so he kept complaining about. He really was a wreck. His face puffy and red from the tears he had shed. His breathing coming in shudders and sobs. You had managed to get him to a recuperacoon before his body gave up on him through dehydration. He is asleep now. And she is free to return to the core because that was where everyone else was. Terezi sighs. Today has been long. Too long for any respectful troll to deal with, but they have all dealt with more than their fair share as well.
Upon re-entering the core, she promptly sits beside Dave and begins licking his screen. This is a normal thing for her to do and Dave is quite happy to let her do it. After all, he does kind of like her, but he is to cool to admit in the company of so many others. As for Terezi, she is happily laughing away at the cool-kid who she feels is too cool to accept her flushed feelings for him. Neither of the pair know about the strife in the others head. They know only of their own. Not that this stops them from being great friends. Dave draws something on the screen and promptly moves out of the way to let her lick the screen for the hundredth time this hour. Terezi’s tongue makes short work of the colours and she begins laughing uncontrollably in her chair. She found it funny. Dave is overjoyed. His face portraying his emotion of sheer love of the girl whom is laughing her guts out at his seriously cool joke. He quickly checks himself before the others spot this and begin questioning him. He hates discussing his emotions but he guesses that if he wants to get the girl of his dreams he will have to someday.
Terezi cuts off his thoughts of her by shuffling up beside him and making him blush. She smells the collection of blood in his cheeks and laughs at him. He stiffens his resolve and the blush fades, much to her disappointment. She loves it when he blushes. It means she’s won. She thinks now may be a good moment to tell him. Terezi musters up the courage and…
‘Cool-kid?’
‘Yeah TZ?’
But her words fail in her throat and she just opens and closes her mouth like fish, wishing words out words that are not there anymore.
‘TZ?’ Dave asks portraying no emotion.
‘Nothing.’ She manages. Her mind is reeling. She cannot say it in here, not with so many people around. She must be brave. She couldn't cope without Dave's witty raps and humour. No. She must be brave. She must do this.
‘Whatever.’ Dave says and continues drawing.
Terezi makes a momentous decision in her mind and begins to summon the strength of will to drag him free of the gaze of Rose and Kanaya. Not that she really dislikes them; she just wants Dave to herself so she can’t embarrass herself in front of them. Dave just is not expecting this to happen. But when she stands up suddenly grabs his arm in a death grip and drags to the transportalizer and zaps them through he does not realise what just happened.
‘TZ what the fuck?’ He questions coldly before stopping. He notices the clear and obvious teal blush on Terezi’s face. ‘Um…’ She shifts uncomfortably on the spot but remains silent. He begins to catch on to what she is trying to say but failing. She was going to say something but he cuts her off;
‘TZ? Do you have a reason for dragging my butt out and then just standing there not saying anything? Rose and Kanaya will be ques-‘But suddenly he can’t speak anymore because his lips are not his own, Terezi has got them under hers. She stands on tiptoe reaching his lips upon his tall frame. He wants to give her a chivalrous shove and hide away from these emotions but instead he surprises even himself when he puts his arms around her lower back and kisses her back. They hold it for a moment longer before drawing away. Neither hides their blushes. Dave is bright red and Terezi is a bright teal.
‘That was amazing TZ’ He says ‘didn’t know you felt that way.’
‘Dave?’
‘Yeah?’
‘I love you.’
‘I guessed.’ He gives her that smile that she loves to smell ‘I think you know I love you back.’
She just giggles like a little girl with her next idea.
‘Dave? Take off your shades.’ She commands.
‘Now that’ he responds coolly ‘is taking it too far.’
‘Aw, come on Dave.’ She pleaded ‘please.’
‘Ok Terezi but you have to promise not to lick my eyes out of their sockets.’
‘Promise.’ She quickly responds. She waits patiently while Dave slowly removes his shades. She sniffs in awe at the deep crimson eyes hidden behind those shades. He blushes deeper as she sniffs in his face. Not obnoxiously, but delicately trying desperately not to ruin the mood.
‘They’re beautiful’ she breathes ‘really beautiful.’ He blushes even deeper, his cheeks matching his eyes. Terezi cackles and he shuffled awkwardly before replacing his shades where they belong.
‘Let’s go back. Rose will be worrying.’ Dave says.
‘Ok cool-kid’ she smiles ‘let’s go.’
Dave reaches out and takes Terezi’s hand and leads her back to the transportalizer. The last thing he is going to worry about is what Rose and Kanaya think because, as far as he is concerned, he has the best god damn girl in all of paradox space. Terezi feels Dave’s hand slide into hears and lead her back. She goes willingly with him. He is her knight in shining armour. No one is going to change that. Ever.
‘Actually TZ,’ he says stopping suddenly ‘I don’t want to go back just yet.’
‘No, me neither cool-kid.’
‘I know where there is a comfy bed…’ She laughs when he stops, blushing again.
‘Dave, I would never turn down the invitation.’ She joins him in blushing.
‘This way then m’lady.’ He says mockingly. She laughs and follows him, unbeknownst as to what can possibly go wrong. But when she is with him, she feels she can take on paradox space with a smile.