Equius stared at Terezi for a moment before looking away. He couldn't believe they had come to this. It seemed that just a few months ago, they'd had enough food to have a feast every night. Now, they were lucky to find a piece of stale bread in a cabinet. The lack of food showed, in the weak smiles and shriveled bodies. Terezi walked over to Equius and squeezed his hand.
"I know, right?" He startled for a moment before remembering she could read his mind. He always forgot. "I mean, what happened?"
"We used too much of our resources and ran out too quickly," he said tersely.
"Dude, I already knew that. It was a joke. I just mean...I know we're in a doomed session. We have to be. It's the only way to explain why only the two of us survived, right?"
"I suppose though, although it is always possible the alpha timeline was meant to be like this." Terezi frowned and held his hand tighter. There was something unsettling about the idea of such a sad session being the only right one.
"I hope not. I've had a lot of time around here, and have figured out a couple of my powers. One of them seems to be that I can see what I'm thinking in other timelines."
"And?"
"Hold on, I'm getting to it. One of the loudest streams, the one I keep finding, is one where I'm still on this meteor, but with a lot more people. It's actually how many people we started off with before Gamzee killed everyone. And, you know, there's actually food."
"And?"
"What do you mean, and?
"What does it matter if there's a timestream where we're happy?"
"I-I just felt happier knowing this isn't all there is…"
"It doesn't matter! We are stuck on this goddamned ship with no food, most likely dead by the time we reach the new session! Pardon my language." Terezi stepped away from her matesprit. She was glad her sunglasses were there, because tears were beginning to well up in her eyes.
"You think I don't know that? You think I'm just ignoring the fact that I am destined to die? Maybe I'm trying to make things a bit happier for us here before we just become another alternate person in a dream bubble?" Equius stepped closer to her again and tried to hug her but she pushed him away.
"Nepeta, I'm sorry. It's just hard to keep my head up when-"
"Nepeta? NEPETA?! Really? Is that all I am? A red replacement to your moirail! Well good news for you then: you'll be joining her soon!" Sobbing, she ran out of the room, trying to find an escape. Finally, she found an old cupboard to hide in. Is this really what she'd been reduced to? She climbed inside, pulled the doors closed, and let loose. Bright turquoise tears fell into her lap. Face scrunched up tight. Sobbing.
Terezi didn't know how much time she spent, taking out her pain and rage inside in the small closet. She was only roused when she heard someone walking towards her.
"Go away! Find a cat or something! I'm sure it'll make a much better replacement!" she cried. Silence. The closet door began to open. "I said leave me a-" Instead of a bitter matesprit...Gamzee? "H-how did you survive?" she sputtered. "Equius punched your skull in!" The clown only smiled in response, and pulled out a long, deadly knife.
"No-please!"
Equius was trying to find food when he heard the scream. It could only be one person.
"Terezi!" He ran around the meteor, trying to find her. "TEREZI!" He had come across a small cupboard, and a thick teal substance was leaking out from it. He tried to open the door as gently as possible, but still ended up flinging it across the room. As he looked inside, his knees buckled, sending him crashing to the floor. Terezi was inside, a large stab wound through her throat. She was dead.
He sat there for several minutes before regaining his composure and standing up. There was only one person who could be responsible for this. He thought it had been his imagination when he heard the occasional honk or saw a flash of purple. He was wrong.
Equius took the body and carried it to where the others where. Despite it being almost a year since their deaths, everyone still looked as though they were sleeping. It turned out there were no bacteria to eat you alive in space. He laid his late matesprit down beside the human Dave. He always had suspected that she had harbored red feelings for him before their journey. He looked around at the other bodies in the room. .Kanaya. Vriska. Tavros. Eridan. Aradia. Too many to bear.
Eventually he turned and left the room. One way or the other, there should only be one left on this meteor.