Work Text:
Every Wednesday at 12 o’clock Jade Harley, once her bag had been filled with books and slung over her shoulder, unlocked her window on the fifth story and clambered out onto the stairs. After taking a deep breath of city air and a long glance at the buildings and establishments surrounding her, she hurried to climb down to the ground. She did this every Wednesday at 12. Every Wednesday. For a girl that lived on an island for most of her life, the city was a big and bustling change. But nothing could stop a Harley from exploring and adapting. After all, that’s what Harley’s do best!
Just as she continued her routine Wednesday after Wednesday, the small hill that she sat on as she read her books stayed the same as well. The same trees that lost their leaves in the fall and bloomed in the spring and that she sat underneath for shade in the summer. The flowers stayed the same, sweet smelling and colorful. The birds chirped the same, rabbits made their burrows the same and the bustling city that she overlooked stayed full of life and excitement. As much as Jade enjoyed the discovery and exploration of the city, she thought her hill was just as nice. It was quiet and familiar.
On this particular day, the sun shone bright and hot, giving the pages of Jade’s book an undeniable glow. She had even squinted at one point. The squinting stopped though, as a shadow moved across the page. It shaded her from the sun, a cool breeze brushing against her neck. Huh. It was odd for another person to be up here with her as she had never seen anyone else on this hill at this time on this day. But she decided it was best to greet this person, and abruptly turned to have a look at just what was causing this shadow. A boy with dark, messy hair and a cold glare stared down at her.
“You’re in my spot.” He nearly growled. Well... as much as a human being CAN growl. He had a sort of gravelly, rough tone that wasn't really intimidating per-say. Instead it just sounded like he yelled too much.
“Your spot?” Jade lifted an eyebrow, blinking up at him. Thanks to the shadow he was casting, there was no need for her to block her eyes from the sun as she looked up at him. She didn't have a hard time noticing his slightly prominent features, russet brown eyes, dark bronze skin and of course that unruly mess of hair. She decided he would be quite cute if he wasn't barking obscenities at her.
“Yes, my spot. I come here every Tuesday and- UGH! Look it’s none of your business what I do here!” He spoke with a flurry of hand gestures, nearly dropping the sketchbook and watercolors he held in his arms. So he was a painter then? Huh... that was actually quite interesting! She found herself becoming a little intrigued and then he began to rant again. “All you need to know is that you have planted your ass right down in my fucking spot. Now move.”
“It... uh...” Was this guy a total idiot? He seemed to have no sense of common courtesy or manners or... any sense of time at all! It was Wednesday! Not Tuesday. “It’s Wednesday.” She pointed out, her lips closing and pressing together into a tight line, almost a smug smile if she would have let the corners of her mouth turn up. At her words the boy groaned, rolling his eyes as if it should have been obvious to Jade what he was doing there.
“I know. I couldn't make it yesterday. So I needed to come today.” He grumbled, shaking his head and combing his fingers back through his messy hair in exasperation. “And I need my spot.”
“You know this really isn't your spot. It’s not anyone’s spot.” She leaned back on her hands, aware that she may be here arguing with this boy for a while. “I am sitting here now though, so I think for now this is actually my spot.” After a short pause of biting her lip and staring up at him, she spoke again. “What do you need the spot so badly for anyway?”
“I... I just.” He frowned, glancing off into the distance. It wasn't a dramatic gesture, but watching him gaze longingly toward the city made her want to giggle a little. “I’m a painter. I get the best lighting from that spot... ok?” The boy looked back at her after he was done speaking, his brown eyes a little softer than they had been at first. Hm...
“Say please.” Jade added, her tight lipped expression softening as well into a little smile, just pulling at the corner of her lips. “Say please and I will move over for you.” For a moment, Jade thought he was going to give up and turn away. But instead, he gave a long sigh, hung his head, and then spoke.
“Please.”
“You got it!” Jade moved over a little, leaning her back against a nearby tree before patting the spot where she had once sat. “Join me?” She asked sweetly, as if no argument had gone down at all. The boy sniffed, looking her up and down with one eyebrow raised before sitting down just inches from her.
“That’s all it took?”
“That’s all!”
“...Huh.” The boy nodded his head just slightly, giving Jade another once-over before opening his sketchbook and beginning to draw. For a moment, Jade watched his pencil strokes, quick but even. Once her glancing had turned to staring and she noticed him peeking over at her now and again, she promptly looked away, returning to the pages of her book. It was a few moments until she heard his voice again. “I... Well isn't it common knowledge that when you meet someone new you tell them your name?” He sighed out, looking at her with furrowed eyebrows. He didn't look exasperated now, just curious and awfully grumpy. She could tell he was trying to be friendly though and she respected that. So she told him her name.
“Jade.” She smiled, extending her hand. “Jade Harley.” Her grandpa had always taught her to shake hands with someone when she introduced herself. He had once said that you could tell a lot about a person from their hands. When the grumpy boy took her hand, she couldn't help but understand what he meant. His hands were rough, calloused, but still gentle and warm. He had a steady hand and a careful grip. The same way he held his pencil and paintbrushes no doubt. Compared to his rough voice, Jade was surprised by how gentle his hands were. Upon sitting back again, she couldn't help but give another grin.
“Karkat Vantas.” He replied, the hint of a smile forming at the end of his words. Not a full smile, just a little upturn of the left corner of his lips. It was still nice though, and it gave Jade a warm feeling in the pit of her stomach. With all the yelling and arguing over with, it wasn't difficult to find this Karkat boy quite attractive. It was awfully difficult to look away though.
When she finally did, her nose returned to the pages of her book. While reading, Jade often liked to underline and tag her favorite passages. She did this with a little green pen that she kept in her bag. It seemed that Karkat must have wanted to talk again, because when she glanced up to look for her pen she noticed that it must have become his turn to stare at her. Jade thought for a moment that she was going to mention it, but instead, she smiled a small, toothless smile. Anyone who saw it may have described it as bashful; they may have also said she was blushing lightly. But lucky for her there was no one else around. Well... besides Karkat, of course.
Once her pen was equipped she dived back into her book, underlining and writing her own little notes as she tagged her favorite pages. Karkat did look over a few times more and in turn, Jade watched him as he took out his watercolors and began to paint. His brush strokes were as even and careful as his pencil strokes. The color flowing from the tip of his brush as if it were magic and the brush was his wand. The paper nearly glowed in the light, the reflection from his little dish of water rippling across his face in bright streaks as the sun hit it.
Soon enough, Karkat’s painting was finished and he had set it aside to dry before turning to Jade with the same light grin as before. She noticed that when he did that his cheek seemed to dent in on one side giving him a single dimple. Karkat just looked at her for a moment, taking in the silence and warm summer air before speaking.
“So, Jade Harley.” He started, leaning back on his elbows casually. “What are you doing, exactly?”
“I am reading.” Jade grinned smugly, looking up from her book to lift her eyebrows at him. She was teasing him now, obviously, and she couldn't help but giggle when he shot her a playful glare. “I like to come here and read. It’s really quiet and lovely. Sometimes I like to underline my favorite passages in books, you know?” She smiled more sincerely now, moving to lay on her stomach beside him and showing him her book. “It’s a lot of fun!”
“Hmm...” Karkat’s eyes scanned the book, reading her favorite passages and the sweet little notes she added outside of the margins. Jade watched as his eyes moved, looking the page over with an interest and curiosity that Jade found quite refreshing. It was new that she found someone so genuinely interested in her little hobby! “That’s actually pretty cool, Harley.” He nodded in approval before turning his eyes back to her. “Sorry for uh... well you know.” Jade sighed softly, a smile on her lips. “My friends tell me I have a pretty short temper.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Jade waved her hand, shaking her head. “It’s ok... but thank you for the apology!” She closed her book, stuffing it in her bag and then turning back to Karkat, lying on her back beside him and looking up at the leaves of the tree above them. “I can get pretty heated at times too!”
“I know what that’s like...” He started, lying back as well and tucking his arms up and under his head. “Painting helps with that though... I never thought it really would but it really works wonders sometimes.”
“I’d say...” She glanced at him, turning on her side. “I’d love to see your paintings sometime! I bet they are really lovely.” He went silent for a moment, taking a breath before speaking. His pitch was a little higher than usual, quicker.
“Sure.” Karkat swallowed, peeking over at her but looking away when he met her eyes. “ I- uh... Well I’d really like to see you again, you know...” Jade smiled softly, reaching in her bag and pulling out one of her books. She had finished this one, her notes and underlined passages filling it’s pages. One of her favorites!
“Here...” Jade sat up, taking out her green pen and scribbling her name and number out in curly cursive on the first page. She added her chumhandle as well, gardenGnostic. Most everyone had pesterchum these days! It was one of the most efficient means of contacting her. Once her information was written in the book, she took Karkats hand and placed the book in his palm, grinning. “Give it a read! It’s really good. You can even write in some of your own notes if you want!” For a moment, Karkat just blinked at it, his cheeks burning a light shade of red.
“I-... Wow ok.” He sat up as well, nodding to her with a slightly larger smile than before. Still not a big bright smile, just a light grin, but it still made Jade’s stomach give a little flip flop. Karkat packed the book into his own little bag, blinking as he noticed his painting. “Dry already.” He commented, lifting the painting to the light to have one last look before standing. He slung his bag over his shoulder before extending a hand to Jade who happily took it and stood herself, her own bag hanging over her own shoulder. “Ok don’t be weirded out.” He started, clutching the painting in his hands.
“Weirded out?” Jade tilted her head, adjusting the strap of her bag.
“Uh... yeah. I mean...” He paused, giving a familiar frustrated sigh before holding out the panting to her. “Here.”
Upon taking it and having a good look, she was able to see what he meant. It was her. He had actually painted her!
“Huh...” Jade blinked at the paper, her green eyes wide with surprise and excitement. She looked... really nice! He had done a beautiful job, honestly. Using a wide assortment of colors and smooth brush strokes... Karkat had gone into exquisite detail. Adding the tiny freckles on her nose and shoulders, even the slight smile she always wore when adding a note to one of the pages in her books. It was... well, amazing! Just incredible! She was nothing short of flattered!
“Shit. It’s weird isn't it?” He grimaced, his brows furrowing and causing his forehead to crease. Jade looked up from the page, smiling brightly and shaking her head.
“No! No it’s... it’s beautiful Karkat! You’re so talented.” Jade giggled, being careful not to wrinkle his painting as she rushed in to hug him. “I love it!” When she pulled away, she got one glance at his blushing smile before he cleared his throat, his usual scowl replacing it.
“I’m glad you don’t think I’m a creep.” He mumbled, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his grey hoodie. Jade carefully packed the painting into her bag, making sure it would not get damaged before closing it up again.
“’Course not!” She shook her head, “In fact, I’m going to frame it.” Karkat blinked at her a moment before nodding.
“Right. Thank you.”
“No problem.”
For a moment, there was silence. Jade didn't really want to go... but it was getting close to dinner time. Besides, they would see each other again!
“So I’ll see you again?” Karkat interjected her thoughts, seeming to take the words from her mouth. Jade nodded, grinning at him and waving before taking off.
“You got it, Vantas!” She called out, waving for a minute more before bouncing her way down the hill towards the city. “After all, you've got my favorite book!” Jade giggled and watched him lift a hand to wave back before turning her head and trying her best not to trip over herself.
On that particular Wednesday, something was different. That day, she climbed back up to her apartment window, pushed it open and slipped inside before walking over to her desk and putting Karkat’s painting in a frame. She decided to hang it across from her window, so every day at 12 o’clock the light hit it at just the right angle. On that day, she sat to her computer and opened pesterchum with a stomach full of butterflies and a new friend request.
carcinoGeneticist [CG]