Eh... Force of habit more like. You spend the equivalent of thirteen years doing everything that you can to keep your mutant red blood a secret and see how fast you get over it. Which I'm working on, because in the long run? It's not even important anymore. There are no Drones. No other trolls aside from my friends - which are either dead or they know and don't give two fucks about it.

[ hold habit's really die hard. Karkat had been a recluse because of his blood color. hiding away in his hive and only coming out to shop and watch movies and the like. most trolls do participate in rather violent gaming and yet Karkat had not once sought to do any FLARP session. one wrong move meant his life could be forfeit. should anyone have caught him with a blade or too hard of a swing in the wrong place and it would have been over. just like that.

and it doesn't bother him as much now. not entirely. yeah sure, Karkat is aware that there's something much deeper about his particular hue, especially since ancestors are a real thing though he had always wanted to deny it. what exactly, he's not sure. all Karkat really knows is that his sign isn't really a sign but more of a pictograph representing the death of some asshole who couldn't keep his mouth shut. maybe he should have paid more attention to this stuff and to his schoolfeeding.

can't do anything about that now though.

trolls killing trolls is normal. Karkat accepts this as reality. funny thing is, he wouldn't hold it against Kimblee at all, if the other had openly voiced such an opinion. well, maybe a little, but only because you do not kill off your friends like a douchebag would. Karkat doesn't mind brutality that the hemospectrum causes... he just wants the opportunity to be normal. to be an average, bloodthristy troll without this stigma because of a thing like blood color - something that's completely chance.

once inside Karkat looks over what the café has to offer. ]

Probably am going to be boring here and just get a vanilla latte.