Moments later, but not many...

CALLIOPE: i'm sorry again aboUt yoUr head!

CALLIOPE: and, Um, also aboUt the meat.

CALLIOPE: i probably shoUldn't have been carrying that mUch at once.

KARKAT: IT WAS A LOT.

KARKAT: BUT NOW THAT YOU'VE GOT IT ALL OUT OF YOUR SYLLADEX, INSTEAD OF LEAVING OMINOUS INSCRUTABLE STEAK-WARNINGS FOR ME, WE COULD MAYBE HAVE A NORMAL PEOPLE TALK ABOUT...

KARKAT: WHAT IT IS YOU WANT?

CALLIOPE: well...

CALLIOPE: they weren't sUpposed to come off as warnings!

CALLIOPE: i even left them extra bloody for yoU!

KARKAT: YEAH.

KARKAT: THEY WERE DEFINITELY SUPER BLOODY.

CALLIOPE: yoU seemed in need of a bit of extra sUstenance.

CALLIOPE: a little more protein woUld fill yoU oUt nicely, i think!

KARKAT: GROSS.

CALLIOPE: i think a lot of people woUld disagree!

CALLIOPE: bUt as to why i've been... lingering...

CALLIOPE: well, it's somewhat embarrassing, bUt...

KARKAT: MORE EMBARRASSING THAN CRAWLING AROUND OVERHEAD LIKE A PAWBEAST, LEAVING RAW RUMP-CUTS IN MY LOAD GAPER IN THE HOPES THAT I'LL EAT THEM AND GET HUGE?

CALLIOPE: we'll jUst have to chalk that Up to a cUltural disagreement.

CALLIOPE: at any rate, i'm trying to be vUlnerable here!

CALLIOPE: i know i probably shoUld have jUst approached you earlier, bUt this is a disclosUre of exceeding delicacy, and i worried that maybe yoU woUldn't take it the right way if we hadn't already established sUch great rapport!

CALLIOPE: bUt asking yoU to oUr room woUld have expedited the process, i sUppose.

KARKAT: UM,

KARKAT: NO.

CALLIOPE: no?

KARKAT: LISTEN, IT'S VERY FLATTERING, IF OUT OF LEFT FIELD CONSIDERING THAT WE NEVER FUCKING TALK TO EACH OTHER, THAT YOU'RE ATTRACTED ENOUGH TO ME TO HEAP CARNAL TOKENS OF YOUR AFFECTION ON MY DOORSTEP, AND IN MY RESPITEBLOCK, AND IN MY GAPER, AND MY BED, AND SOMETIMES MY LAUNDRY, AND ALSO WEIRDLY ENOUGH NEVER IN THE KITCHEN?

KARKAT: I SUPER APPRECIATE YOU GATHERING UP THE COURAGE TO DO ALL THIS.

KARKAT: THAT SAID, NO?

KARKAT: I'M ALREADY UP TO MY CARTILAGE NUB IN PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED ROMANTIC INVOLVEMENT.

KARKAT: ALL BOOKED UP!

KARKAT: ALSO, WOULD ROXY EVEN BE OKAY WITH THAT, CONSIDERING I'M SEEING HIS HUMAN SON? I KNOW INCEST IS A FAKE HUMAN IDEA BUT DAVE REALLY SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT IT FOR SOME REASON, LIKE, REALLLLY SEEMS TO CARE ABOUT IT. IS HE THE ONLY ONE?

KARKAT: HONESTLY, PUTTING ASIDE THE FACT THAT WE'VE BOTH ALREADY GOT OUR OWN SHIT GOING ON, YOUR VENT STINK, THE FAKE INCEST THING, AND YOUR SCARY HEAD, IT JUST WOULDN'T REALLY WORK OUT BETWEEN US.

KARKAT: TO PUT IT BLUNTLY, YOU COULDN'T HANDLE ME. I'M FUCKING CRAZY.

KARKAT: MY RAGING MAELSTROM OF NEUROSES WOULD TEAR THAT PERFECTLY POLITE, BLAND PERSONALITY OF YOURS RIGHT OFF ITS HINGES.

CALLIOPE: UUUUUUUUh...

KARKAT: OKAY I KNOW I'M COMING ACROSS LIKE A NEXT-LEVEL DOUCHE HERE, BUT TRUST ME.

KARKAT: I'M DOING YOU A FAVOR BY PREEMPTIVELY SQUASHING ANY FALSE HOPE OF THIS TRAVESTY BEFORE IT FUCKING RUINS YOU.

KARKAT: ALSO I BARELY KNOW YOU.

CALLIOPE: oh.

CALLIOPE: oh! yoU thoUght-

CALLIOPE: oh! ^u^;

CALLIOPE: oh karkat.

CALLIOPE: this is very embarrassing.

CALLIOPE: no, that's not what i meant at all!

KARKAT: OH.

KARKAT: OKAY, YEAH. OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU MEANT.

KARKAT: WOW.

KARKAT: THIS *IS* EMBARRASSING.

KARKAT: OKAY, WAIT, BUT THEN WHAT *DO* YOU MEAN?

CALLIOPE: i sUppose i was wondering if yoU'd, Um, mind reviewing... this! u///u