[For all his struggling early on, Karkat had made an impressive comeback in his studies, climbed the ranks, and... Had actually let most of his teammates surpass him and beat him to becoming a SeeD. He wasn't their leader anymore-- he'd learned that the hard way, one too many times. They were all their own leaders.]
[So he stopped kicking himself (mostly), grew into his boots (he was still short), and watched them all soar with the quietest of proud smiles, even if he hadn't done a thing to get them there. Nepeta was no exception.]
[They'd all come such a long way.]
[Also Nepeta had grown up into a BAMF. Not that she hadn't been one at six sweeps, but-- Damn. He worried, still (Karkat always worried), but he was starting to wonder if he shouldn't be more worried about being left behind. Even coming back late from her mission, there wasn't even a shadow of a doubt that Nepeta would turn up fine.]
[...Okay, no, he'd worried himself into a right tizz in the days between their scheduled return and when they actually got back, but he wasn't about to go telling her that.]
[Though it was a bit evident in the exponential mess his hair was (not much different from normal, but she'd know the difference between Karkat's usual bedhead and Karkat's neurotic worried bedhead) and the way his entire person sagged in the doorway when it was her.]
huff huff hi /eyebrow waggle
[So he stopped kicking himself (mostly), grew into his boots (he was still short), and watched them all soar with the quietest of proud smiles, even if he hadn't done a thing to get them there. Nepeta was no exception.]
[They'd all come such a long way.]
[Also Nepeta had grown up into a BAMF. Not that she hadn't been one at six sweeps, but-- Damn. He worried, still (Karkat always worried), but he was starting to wonder if he shouldn't be more worried about being left behind. Even coming back late from her mission, there wasn't even a shadow of a doubt that Nepeta would turn up fine.]
[...Okay, no, he'd worried himself into a right tizz in the days between their scheduled return and when they actually got back, but he wasn't about to go telling her that.]
[Though it was a bit evident in the exponential mess his hair was (not much different from normal, but she'd know the difference between Karkat's usual bedhead and Karkat's neurotic worried bedhead) and the way his entire person sagged in the doorway when it was her.]
You're late.