Dave had probably gone overboard. Rose and Kanaya had worked out when everyone's birthday is and first up is Karkat's. Dave had never actually celebrated a birthday with someone before. Birthdays for him were spent alone, a cake was left for him on the kitchen counter and most of the time he was given a reprieve from strifing (not all the time, but enough for it to be considered a tradition to him). At first he had planned to put together a huge party, however Kanaya advised against it. Apparently trolls didn't celebrate birthdays the way humans did. Birthday parties were usually put on by enemies trying to single out a troll and draw attention to them; something about old times when the species was even more brutal and looked for any excuse to kill or make someone's life miserable. As a mutant, Karkat was even more sensitive to these types of events, as it put a mark on him, one slice and his blood was revealed; making him a culling target. As such, Kanaya said Karkat usually stayed in his hive all day, not even pestering anybody. Dave figured the troll would probably still do something similar even today; however that didn't mean Dave couldn't make it special.

So, for the past few weeks Dave had been alchemizing every romantic, comedy or otherwise, movie and book he could think of. He asked Kanaya for some troll titles, but they were so long that he could never remember them. He felt bad that everything he was giving his matesprit would be a human form of media; but hoped that he would like it anyway. Dave would practice and try to get him a host of troll media next year. The knight of time spent two weeks alchemizing and stashing the presents in his room. Finally, the night before he snuck out of bed and arranged the presents on Karkat's desk, so when the troll woke up he would be greeted with a ton of material to read and watch for his day of seclusion. Most of all, Dave hoped Karkat would let him spend the day with the troll. Dave carefully got back into bed and fell asleep.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?!" Dave was startled awake by the sudden and vociferous question. He looked bleary-eye over at the troll; who had somehow managed to get out of bed without Dave knowing, gaping at the waterfall of gifts that adorned the table.

"Happy birthday, or I guess, wriggling day."

"What?"
"Kanaya and Rose did the math, today is your seventh wriggling day. I think, I'm not so good you're your culture's time keeping system. I think it makes you about 15 in human years."

The troll at first blanched; his grey skin becoming as white as a sheet. The look in his eyes slightly fearful. He hadn't planned on his wriggling day while on the meteor. He didn't gather food or anything to stay hidden today. The others said they didn't care about his blood color, but he just felt so exposed now. Leaving his room today was a terrifying thought. In fact, Dave shouldn't even be here. Right, Dave, Karkat looked at the mountain of presents Dave had arranged for him and his anxiety subsided a little bit. Dave had done this for him; it must have taken hours, possible days to accumulate this many books and DVDs.

Dave was worried at Karkat's reaction. Apparently, the whole hiding on your birthday thing was a bigger deal than he thought. Didn't his bout through the game start on his wriggling day though? Well, okay that was NOT a good example of showing yourself on a day you would normally hide. In fact, it probably only made the day more traumatic for the troll. Karkat was picking up and looking at some of his gifts now. Dave stood up and walked over to him. Standing behind him, wrapping his arms around the small troll. "It's okay Kitkat." The only nickname that Karkat let Dave call him; apparently pet names weren't much of thing in Alternian culture. As such, Dave was only allowed to use it in private. "I know you prefer to spend your birthday alone, but I thought maybe this time you could spend it with me. We won't leave the room, I prepared food and everything. Please, Kitkat I want you to enjoy your birthday for once."

Karkat was a little overwhelmed; but he felt…cared for? Loved? Special? He didn't know the exact word to use for it, all he knew was that suddenly, in Dave's arms, he felt safe. Like nothing could get him. He turned around kiss his matesprit. Once, twice, three times. "Yeah, I'd like that Dave." A small smile gracing his lips. Dave just hugged him tight.

"What would you like to do? It's your day. We'll do whatever you want. We can watch one of the movies if you like, sorry their all human, I couldn't really figure out how to get troll romcoms."

Karkat just hugged him back. "No, Dave this is great, fantastic, perfect. Thank you. Here."

Karkat grabbed one of the books, it may be his birthday, but he wanted Dave to enjoy their time too. Once they officially became matesprits, Dave had asked him to read whatever book he was reading aloud. Dave said he liked the sound of Karkat's voice. The time player never once complained about the trashy romance novels; all he asked was to mark when they reached the end of a chapter.

The two snuggled up onto the bed and Karkat opened Sense and Sensibility and began reading:
"…The family of Dashwood had long been settled in Sussex. Their estate was large, and their residence was at Norland Park, in the centre of their property, where, for many generations, they had lived in so respectable a manner as to engage the general good opinion of their surrounding acquaintance…."

The boys stayed this way for most of the day. Dave found Karkat's voice soothing and relaxing, while Karkat enjoyed his romance novel, Dave remained in a state of semi-consciousness. The sonorous tone of his boyfriend's voice mixed with the reclined position in each other's arms, created an oasis of the mind for him. The mellifluous quality of Karkat's speech, it's like he was drowning in intimacy. The kind of intimacy he never knew he needed. This quiet togetherness and care and love. Dave felt like it was his birthday, with how calm and nice the moment felt. Between every chapter Dave felt a rising need to express his feelings and so each chapter was punctuated with a kiss. Karkat enjoyed it so much. He never knew something could feel this good, this safe.

Halfway through the day Dave forced himself up and went to his room, returning moments later with sandwiches and cake. Not the most romantic of birthday dinners, but it kept well in the mini fridge and Karkat didn't seem to care. "What's with the cake?"

"Human birthday tradition." Dave un-captchalogged candles and a lighter, placing seven candles on the cake. He sang the traditional melody known to most humans of the culture he was from. Karkat just blushed a deep red. Dave' melodic singing was not something he had heard yet, maybe he could get the boy to sing for him another time. His voice was so pretty. "Make a wish and blow out the candles."

Karkat did as he was told. His wish was something so sappy he could never tell anyone, not even Dave. It was just too embarrassing to admit out loud. Dave didn't ask though, so it was a non-issue. They continued the day, reading, listening, kissing. And Karkat had never felt so at peace. Eventually Karkat got tired of reading and just snuggled with Dave. The time player reached and massaged his horns and Karkat felt himself falling into the regular trance state….wait…that's not right…their matesprits now. It should evoke a different reaction. Well, this is more of a moirail activity right now, were they vacillating? Karkat couldn't keep that train of thought though, as the stimulation was creating a hypnotic effect on the troll. He loved Dave in every way imaginable; that was the last thought that crossed his mind before his consciousness faded into the deep blackness of a dreamless void.