witchesreign | [action] the lobby near the dormitories.

[Since arriving and being interviewed, Sollux had spent the entirely of his stay at Balamb Garden curled up in his room. He couldn't sleep - not when he was so wound up and distinctively lacking a recuperacoon. But the outward world was a scary place, and he didn't have very high hopes for it. Despite the fact that his hosts had yet to actually do something terrible to him, it was nigh impossible to put the possibility out of mind.]

[But eventually he goes out, if only to prove to himself that he can and that he's allowed to. He's almost surprised when nobody stops him from leaving the dorms, and once he's to the lobby he's officially out of ideas of what to do with himself. Everyone he's seen is the same, pink skinned alien race he saw in Timber, and he doesn't feel comfortable talking to them. At least not of his own accord.]

[So he finds a slightly concealed area of the lobby and perches himself on it, watching people pass by, and trying to coax himself down from persistent idea that he should be trying to escape. It's not like he actually has anywhere to go.]

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[Frown.]

I'd say count yourself lucky, but your moods are worse than the Sollux I know's, and he had his eyes blasted out by a creepy science stick and then was dropped down a flight of stairs after both of his girlfriends were killed and he spent most of his sweeps hearing voices.

[He stares at the floor, pointedly away from Karkat. He doesn't even know how to phrase this, and it isn't like he ever wants to talk about it. But people keep being confused about what's wrong with him, and he doesn't know how else to explain.]

[He swallows.] Do you know what the Empire does to people who commit high treason?

[His ears swivel forward in vague interest.]

Haven't the foggiest.

[He's a little surprised that Karkat doesn't have a guess - after all, the troll Empire has been never anything less than ruthless. And in the face of that ignorance, he really doesn't know what to say.]

[He could list all the torments he'd endured over the last two sweeps, but Karkat didn't need to hear any of that. And he doesn't think the kid would really understand just what it's like out there. Not from his perspective.]

Well it...it kind of fucks up what's left of your life.

[Well he didn't figure it was anything good, not from the way Sollux had reacted and from what he did know, but... Specifically? He really hadn't the foggiest.]

I can sort of see that.

[Well the severity started at culling and went upwards from there, it seemed.]

Whatever, never mind.

[His expression doesn't quite soften, but it becomes less irritated.]

I don't mind listening, you know.

[Sollux looks back to him uncertainly. Then it just turns sort of distant.]

We had to go against the Empire for something important. A bunch of us got caught doing it. They decided I was too useful to kill, but...they needed to make me cooperate. [He breathes out shakily, and again decides to cut it short.]

...They did a lot of things to me, and it's hard...it's hard to get over. So that's my deal.

[He purses his lips, and nods a little.]

Apologies from me wouldn't do you any good even if I were willing to offer them, but... [Shrug. It's as close to an empathetic gesture you're getting, yet.]

[He shrugs a little in returned, leaning back and looking away, like he's suddenly tired of dealing with it.]

You wanted to know.

Did telling me help?

[He tilts his head kind of ambivalently.]

It's not really a secret. [And muttered:] And it's better than you just thinking I'm crazy for no reason.

Well obviously. [He stands up and dusts his pants off needlessly. By the way he looks pretty ridiculous in the Cadet uniform.]

You're usually pretty crazy, it's a Sollux thing. But it's never for no reason.

[Don't worry, Sollux has already had the Karkat-Looking-Ridiculous-In-Uniform experience.]

[He wishes he could call this experience comforting, but meeting this Karkat has just left him feeling alienated and strange.]

Yeah. Seems to be a theme.

[Swings his arms at his sides a little, awkward.]

Yeah. ...you staying in the dorms?

[He nods.]

Haven't left them much. That's where everyone stays, right?

[action] the lobby near the dormitories.

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