Planning ahead is always best.

[A small smile is creeping onto his lips.]

I don't think I've met them. Probably should, at some point.

Want to talk? Might help you ignore them.

[Subject's up in the air. If you say yes he's more then willing to ask about your life, Karkat. He's not a man to pry, though.

besides he needs to get better at initiating conversations and knows this very well since he no longer has atsuro to act as his conversation starter sob]