A wince! There was some sign that his blows had done something and hadn't been entirely useless. He didn't plan to stake his victory on just that much, but before he could even react much at all, Gamzee's hand was around his wrist.

Karkat winced himself at the tight grip, and glared through narrowed eyes as he was pulled in close. Even as he lowered the shades, that look remained. It wasn't that the blood lust wasn't unnerving. It most certainly was, especially from one he once viewed (however begrudgingly) as a best friend. But at the same time, seeing that look, knowing how serious Gamzee was, drove up his own determination. He couldn't let him turn that intent on anyone else.

The words did their job just fine: they drove up his rage while lowering his ability to think clearly. The fist neatly cut off a would-have-been shouted retort, replacing it with a grunt of pain. A second quickly followed with the second punch.

What could he do now? Karkat knew he couldn't just pull his arm from the clown's grip - not by force. Trying to punch him with his free hand might just invite a secondary grasp, and he already knew his blows were the less effective of the two.

But wait. Hadn't Kanaya said something before? Hadn't she told him what she did in the Veil? She had... that's right.

Karkat hazarded a laugh as it rose to mind.

Then his leg rose in a swift kick for the globes.

"Your rotted think pan doesn't understand shit!"