There's always one problem that's a universal constant.
Throughout all of time and space, thousands of years of civilizations rising and falling, and the creation and destruction of billions of planets, stars, and galaxies, one thing remains.
The issue of never having enough time. Time is the most valuable commodity in the universe. You'd think someone with the power to control it would always have enough. Someone who was an immortal God of Time would never have to count down, would never need to worry about time catching up, nothing. He would exist for an infinity, having nothing posing any threat to his life, now that a new universe had been made. Now that he was infinite.
However, it turns out that that assumption is incorrect. It's not himself he is worried about.
It is another. The light of his life.
It's common knowledge amongst trollkind that troll lifespans depend on the color of their blood. Lower-blooded trolls live shorter lives, such Burgundy bloods, which live a dozen sweeps or so, more if lucky. Higher-blooded trolls, such as Fuchsia bloods, can live for hundreds of sweeps.
In his case, this troll is a special one. The light of his life is a troll who does not have a place on the hemospectrum. That is to say, he's a mutant. A troll with bright red blood. This makes him a special case. His lifespan is about the same as a burgundy blood, living maybe a dozen sweeps.
It's been thirty years since Dave Strider entered the new universe with his matesprit, this red-blooded mutant. Time was never an issue or a concern before this.
However, now things are starting to become a concern. Trolls don't age like humans, they just get taller and grow longer horns. Regardless, a troll can sense when their life is nearing an end. It's extremely abnormal for a troll to live its life to the fullest, since Alternian society was extremely violent, and many trolls died young. In this new universe, however, there was not a single threat. Nothing that could cause the troll to possibly die before his time, save for a very rare freak accident, which has such a low likelihood of happening that it's basically not a possibility anymore.
Even then, when trolls died, they would come back as ghosts, living in dream bubbles that could be visited. Still, once they are dead, there's no coming back.
The two of them have been in a happy matespritship for a long time. But that's about to change.
"Dave."
Karkat's voice awoke the pale blonde from his slumber.
"Hm, what is it, Karks?" Dave asked, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "I have to tell you something."
"Well, go ahead. I'm all ears!"
"I..." He paused, sighing. "Don't freak out when I say this, okay? Got it?" He narrowed his eyes. "Got it." Dave nodded. "I've lived a long life. Mutants like me usually don't live long, but I've been around a long time." "What're you getting at?" Dave questioned, raising an eyebrow. "I'm not immortal. You are. I'm going to die at some point. It's been twelve sweeps. Time...time doesn't wait for me like it does for you and Rose and Jade and everyone else who's god tier," the mutant blood explained.
"So...what you're saying is that you're going to die eventually?" the Knight of Time squinted. "Aren't you smart. Someone give Mr. Strider a medal!" the troll grumbled. "I'm going to die soon, you dense fucknut."
"Wh...Karks, why didn't you just come out and say that?" Dave's red eyes began to fill with tears. "I didn't want to make you sad."
"Do you want to die?"
"Why would I want to die?" Karkat grumbled.
"I don't know. Some people are satisfied living out their lives and then passing on," the blonde looked down, trying to hold back the tears that were stinging his eyes. "No. I don't want to die, Dave. I don't want to leave you." Karkat's voice sounded unusually soft. "You told me we would always be together. I don't want to die ever. Please."
Oh god.
Tears rolled down the human's face, but he quickly wiped them away with his sleeves. He looked at Karkat, who was crying too. "Karks, don't cry. I...I'll find a way to keep you alive. Just give me some time."
Time.
The most horribly sickening ironic thing that someone who was usually all over irony desired. "I promise. I'll be with you forever. I'm not going to let you die."
And so, Dave got right to it, trying to think of ways to keep Karkat alive. His attitude changed drastically over the next few days, and he became irritable, obsessed with experimenting with his aspect. He even snapped at his beloved matesprit sometimes, which only made things worse, and hurt Karkat's feelings. He consulted with Jane, who he figured probably knew at least some way to help him keep the troll alive. She was a Life player after all. However, Jane could only bring back someone one time after they died. Maybe she could give him at least a part of his life back. Right? Couldn't that work?
It was a choice now. Either slow down time, or allow him to die and then bring him back. Both would allow him to live another lifespan. After that, though, Jane couldn't bring him back again. If he died, that would be it. Dave could go back in time and bring him back, or he could somehow try and slow down time for Karkat. There had to be some way.
Maybe it was best to let him die, then have Jane bring him back. Dave could slow down time. He could rewind, maybe, but that would rewind everything, and he could live another lifetime with Karkat, just...spend more time with him. He never thought time of all things would be a problem. He always thought there would be enough of it.
Jane knew how much Karkat meant to Dave. Without him, immortality was painful, dark, and cold. It was nothing but a lonely infinity without his love. It was worthless, and he'd seek out any possible means to a just or heroic death, even if he had to wait till the end of time itself. Anything to be with his Karkat for as long as he lived.
Karkat reluctantly agreed to die and let Jane bring him back.
The time up to the moment of Karkat's death were unbearably long, as if one moment was stretched into an icy sharp eternity with no foreseeable end. Dave and Karkat weren't themselves. Neither of them talked much, and they didn't kiss or make jokes or have sex anymore like they once did. It was a slow countdown, and Dave became extremely depressed and rarely left the room he shared with Karkat. The movies the two always watched had started to collect dust from not being watched.
Those scars from ages ago became familiar again. Regardless, razor blades weren't as cold and unforgiving as time. Even then, after some time, even the same candy red that gave him life became sickening, reminding him of how powerless he was over his own aspect. There was no more comfort in the metal; not like there ever was in the first place.
When the endless river of time finally claimed the troll's life, Dave was almost relieved. Sure, he cried so much that he thought he was going to pass out, but the anxiety that gave him heart palpitations and kept him awake at night had been vanquished.
Jane brought Karkat back, hating to see Dave in such a dejected state. The Knight of Time was sleeping when Jane brought him back, and she left him to rest with Karkat, who was now alive again, but very groggy.
"Dave."
"DAVE."
"Dave, you shithead. Wake up. It's Karkat."
The albino opened his eyes, seeing his matesprit leaning over him. He had to be dreaming. "Karks? Is...this a dream bubble? You don't look dead to me," the albino said, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "No. I'm alive again, assfuck. Jane brought me back, remember?"
"Not really. I was asleep."
"Okay wow."
Dave began to cry, smiling softly and sitting up to hug his matesprit. He held Karkat tight, breathing in his warm scent. Tears rolled down his cheeks, and his left hand moved up to the troll's soft black hair. "I forgot how perfect you were. Your hair is so soft, and you smell so good," the human sobbed, burying his face in Karkat's shirt. "I...I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being an asshole to you before you died. I know, I was a huge jerk. I was only thinking about my feelings, not about how scared you may have been, or what you were feeling. I'm so so so sorry."
"It's ok, Dave."
"Are we still matesprits?"
"Yes, Dave. Why wouldn't we be?"
"I don't know, I feel like I was such a fuckin' jerkass that you'd wanna break up."
"No, Dave. I'd never want to do that."
"I promise that you'll stay with me forever. I...while you were...I figured out a way to keep you with me forever. I'll slow down time for just you, and I can get Jane to extend your life if need be. That way, we can be together forever now, just like you wanted. How does that sound?" Dave laughed, wiping his tears.
"Sounds good. I'm sorry for not asking you about your feelings either, Dave."
"It's ok, Karks."
"I love you."
"I love you too."
