Chapter Text
The sky didn't just fall; it tore.
Great, but devastating jagged fissures of violet and obsidian ripped across the horizon, bleeding a static that tasted of copper and burnt rubber. Alarms shrieked in a rhythmic, soul-piercing cadence, echoing through the metallic corridors of the underground command center. People screamed. Soldiers, both humans and trolls hardened by decades of cosmic warfare, collided in the hallways, their faces masks of pure, unadulterated panic.
The world was being scratched..
Dyce clung to the fabric of a heavy, torn cape. He was small, a fragile thing of grey skin and wide, shimmering red eyes, all buried in a red hoodie that smelled of the faint lingering scent of gunpowder and ooze, he clung to the chest of a towering mountain of a man.
Commander Karkat Vantas stood like a bulk wall against the tide of chaos. His black bodysuit strained against muscles forged in the fires of a thousand battlefields, a thin hardened scar sliced across his eye, a permanent souvenir of a war that had finally come to collect its debt. He didn't look at the crumbling ceiling or the fleeing crowds. His gaze remained locked on his son, cradling the small wriggler closer.
"Papa?" Dyce’s voice was a thin reed in a hurricane, he peered up, his small nubby horns pressing against the fabric of the cape. "What’s happening? Where’s Dad?"
Karkat’s hand, calloused and massive, cupped the back of Dyce’s head, pulling him close. His voice was a low rumble, shaking with a tension he refused to let break.
"Dad is busy, Dyce. He’s helping the others get to the shelters."
"He’ll find us soon, right?" Dyce asked, his lip trembling. "He always finds us."
Karkat’s throat tightened, he looked at the horizon, where a city block simply vanished into a void of white noise.
"Yeah," Karkat lied, the word tasting like ash, unsure of his loves current position or fate. "Yeah, he will."
A thunderous boom rocked the foundation. The floor tilted violently. A nearby support pillar detonated, showering the corridor in shards of reinforced glass and searing heat. Karkat didn't hesitate. He pivoted, throwing his massive frame over Dyce, shielding the boy with his own body. The impact slammed them both into the floor. Shrapnel hissed as it embedded itself in Karkat’s cape and shoulder, but he didn't make a sound.
Dyce shrieked, the sound muffled against Karkat’s chest. "Ah! Papa! What’s going on?! Why is it breaking?!?"
Karkat pushed himself up, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He looked down at the boy, he wanted to tell him that the universe was folding in on itself. He wanted to explain that there was no 'safe' left in this reality. But all he could do was force a jagged, terrifying version of a smile.
"It’s just a big storm, kiddo, a really big one. But I know a place where the sun always stays out."
Karkat scooped Dyce up in one arm, clutching him to his chest with a grip that was almost bruising. He sprinted, his heavy boots thundering against the metal grating, weaving through the wreckage toward the restricted research lab.
The lab was a graveyard of half finished projects and shattered monitors. In the center stood the rift gate, a ring of humming silver alloys that flickered with a pale, ghostly light. Karkat slammed a sequence of overrides into the console, his fingers trembling.
"Stay here, little one right here on the platform," Karkat commanded, setting Dyce down.
Dyce looked at the shimmering veil of the portal, then back at his father. "I don't want to go alone…you and dad are coming right??"
Karkat knelt, his massive chest heaving. He gripped Dyce’s shoulders, looking deep into those red eyes familiar irises, eyes that were a perfect mirror of his own and Dave's
"I'm putting you somewhere safe, Dyce. A place where nothing can hurt you. We... we have to make sure the path stays open from this side. We will find you when it's over. I promise."
The lie felt like a knife in his gut, he knew the calculations. The energy required to push a soul through the rift during a collapse was a one way ticket. The gate would incinerate the moment the passenger cleared the threshold.
"Wait! Karkat!"
The doors to the lab hissed open. Officer Dave Strider skidded across the floor, his boots screeching. He wasn't wearing his shades; his red eyes were wide, rimmed with exhaustion and grief. His black and red bodysuit was smeared with soot, and his freckles stood out sharply against his pale, sweat-streaked skin.
"DAD!!" Dyce wailed, reaching out for his human father, making grabby hands. Dave rushed over and crashed into them, wrapping his arms around both Karkat and Dyce in a crushing embrace. He smelled of smoke and salt. He pulled back just enough to look at Karkat, his expression desperate.
"Tell me you picked a safe timeline," Dave breathed, his voice cracking and strained. "Tell me he's going somewhere where he won't have to see any of this."
Karkat glared at him, though his eyes were brimming. "Of course I did, you idiot. I spent three months calibrating the coordinates for peaceful Earth-C. It's a paradise compared to this shithole."
Dave let out a choked laugh, a sound of pure agony. He turned to Dyce, cupping the boy's face.
"Listen to me, Dyce. You are the best thing we ever made… Do you hear me? The absolute best."
"I love you, Daddy," Dyce sobbed, clutching Dave’s suit.
"I love you more than all the stars in the sky," Dave whispered.
Karkat growls, leaned forward, grabbing the collar of Dave’s suit and pulling him into a kiss. It wasn't a soft kiss, it was a desperate, starving attempt to memorize the taste of each other. The salt of tears, the copper of blood, the heat of a love that was about to be severed by the end of existence. They clung to each other for a heartbeat that felt like an eternity, a silent vow exchanged in the space between breaths.
Another explosion rocked the building, Dyce winched as he covered his head in terror. The ceiling groaned, a massive slab of concrete shearing off and crashing just feet from the portal, the family of three held each other tightly.
"Now! It has to be now Kat!" Dave yelled, tears swelling up and threatening to fall. They both knelt, showering Dyce in a final, frantic flurry of hugs and kisses.
"Be brave, Dyce!" Karkat roared over the noise. "Be a strong little man! We love you! We love you so much!"
"I'll find you!" Dyce screamed, his voice breaking. "I'll wait for you!"
Karkat punched the console as the rift surged, the silver light turning into a blinding, hungry white. The facility shuddered one last time, the walls beginning to dissolve into digital dust, the two men looked around in horror, the end was near, they barely had any time left.
Karkat stood and placed his large hands on Dyce’s back. With a guttural cry of love and loss, he gave one final, powerful shove.
"Go! We love you!! Live!! Survive!! Grow up!!"
Dyce felt the sensation of being stretched, a sudden, violent vacuum that sucked the air from his lungs. He saw his fathers, two silhouettes of strength and devotion, standing hand-in-hand, bright smiles and tears streaming down their strong faces, their figures blurring as the white light swallowed everything.
Then a snap…
And then…silence….
Dyce hit the ground hard, he stumbled and squeaked as he rolled into the grass. It wasn't metal, It was soft, cool, and smelled of clover and damp earth. He doesn't know the last time…if ever he touched real grass.
He lay there for a long time, the silence ringing in his ears. The sky above him wasn't violet or black, there was a faint tear in the sky where he felt through.
But now…it was a soft, pale blue, dotted with fluffy white clouds that drifted lazily in a gentle breeze. There were no alarms, no screams, just the distant chirping of a bird and the rustle of leaves.
Dyce sat up slowly. He looked around the lush green meadow, he….was alone.
"Papa?" he whispered.
No answer.
"Daddy?"
Only the brisk soft breeze answered him.
The silence returned, heavier than any noise. Dyce curled into a ball on the grass, clutching his red hoodie, he choked on his own breath, lip quivers as his throat tightened up, there he began to sob, deep, racking wails that shook his small frame. He didn't care about the beautiful sky or the peaceful air, he wanted the smell of gunpowder. He wanted the feel of Karkat’s rough cape and Dave’s warm hugs, he wanted the chaos, as long as they were in it with him. He wanted his dads….
".....Oh, you poor, sweet thing."
The voice interrupted his meltdown, he perked up, a hicupp caught in his throat. The voice, it was melodic and soft as velvet. Dyce froze, wiping his nose with his sleeve he looked up to see a woman came into view, and was standing over him.
She was tall and elegant, dressed in a flowing, yellow and green colored dress that swayed in the wind. Her skin was a soft grey, and her eyes were a warm, intelligent jade. She had long, meticulously sharp horns and a smile that radiated a maternal warmth Dyce had only ever seen in old pictures.
This troll… he knew her, she was his Auntie Kanaya. But she wasn't the scary, rigid military officer Dyce remembered from home. There was no uniform, no sharp scary command in her tone. She looked the same but…softer.
"W-who... who are you?" Dyce whimpered, not sure he could trust his own eyes right now.
Kanaya tucked in his dress as she knelt gracefully in the grass, ignoring the future grass stains on her dress. She reached out, her movements slow and deliberate, and gently pulled Dyce into her arms. She smelled of jasmine and expensive tea.
"I am Kanaya, little one," she cooed, rocking him back and forth. "Where on earth did you come from? How did you get here?" She had seen the anomaly in the sky and rushed, having seen a body fall through...fearing the worst, she was relieved to see the boy was unharmed.
Dyce couldn't answer her, just buried his face in her shoulder and screamed a squeaky sob again, the grief pouring out of him in a torrent. Kanaya didn't ask more questions, she simply held him, her eyes shimmering with a mixture of confusion and profound pity.
"It's alright, there there…" she whispered, kissing the top of his head. "You're safe now. Let's get you somewhere safe.. shhh” continues to hold tight and soothe him.
Kanaya rose up with her new precious cargo, whiskey carried him back to her hive, a stunning architectural marvel of curved glass and brick and stone, nestled in a forest of iridescent trees. Inside, the air was warm and smelled of cinnamon, old books, and fabric.
"Rose! Darling, please come quickly!" Kanaya called out.
A human woman emerged from the library, a book tucked under her arm. Rose had a sharp, brilliant gaze and a smile that could light up a room. She wore a simple, comfortable skirt and top, her gaze dropped from her wife to the sobbing child in Kanaya's arms with immediate concern.
"Kanaya dear? What happened? Oh my word, who is this?"
"I found him in the meadow, Rose. He's... I don't know how to explain it, but he looks so familiar. He's downright heartbroken…I am inclined to believe…hes from another timeline?”
Rose stepped forward, setting her book down on a nearby table as she got closer, her expression softening. She reached out and gently stroked Dyce’s blonde and black hair. "Oh, you poor baby, you're trembling. Let's get you some warm milk and a blanket…would you like that?”
Dyce couldn't say much of anything, but nodded to the offer.
For the next 24 hours, Dyce existed in a haze of grief. He allowed them to bathe him, to dress him in oversized soft clothes, and to feed him soup that he barely tasted. He didn't speak. He only cried, falling asleep in fits and starts, waking up screaming for his dads.
Rose and Kanaya watched him with growing curiosity and heartache. They had never seen a child like him, a troll with blond hair? It was unheard of…perhaps a mutant from wherever he was from? He was the perfect blend of traits that seemed to echo people they knew, yet felt shifted…altered.
On the second morning, the sun streamed through the hive's wide windows, casting golden rectangles across the floor. Dyce sat at the kitchen table, clutching a mug of cocoa with both hands. He looked small and fragile, his red eyes puffy, he's been on and off crying all night.
Kanaya sat across from him, her expression tender. "Would you like to tell us your name, sweetie?"
The wriggler opened his mouth, a bit strained from the sobbing and screaming, he gulped as he finally spoke.
"D-dyce," he whispered.
"Dyce?," Rose repeated, smiling warmly. "That's a wonderful name. And... Dyce, do you know where you live?"
Dyce looked down into his cocoa. "Ah…not here…My dads put me here, they said it was safe."
The room went silent, Rose and Kanaya exchanged a sharp, bewildered look.
“You are indeed safe here my dear..” Kanaya rests an elegant hand on top of his.
"Dads?" Rose asked softly. "Can you perhaps tell us their names?"
Dyce looked up, a single tear tracking through the freckles on his cheek. "D-dave Strider... and Karkat Vantas."
Rose nearly dropped her tea eyes widened. Kanaya froze, her hand pausing mid-air, covering her mouth.
"O-oh my stars…what did you say?" Kanaya whispered.
"K-karkat and Dave" Dyce sobbed, the dam breaking again. "I want my daddies! Please! I want to go home!"
Rose stood up abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor, pacing the kitchen. She looked sharply at Kanaya, her eyes wide with shock, usually she could foresee things like this, but never a spark or vision, this was unheard of.
“Could he be adopted….from us?” Kanaya began, before looking at the boy, leaning to his side to rub his back trying to soothe his sobs.
"It's…likely.. but the features are undeniable…" Rose whispered. " But it's impossible…I mean Dave is... well, Dave is Dave. And Karkat is...er Karkat."
"Rose, look at the child," Kanaya said, her voice trembling. "The hair, the horns, and the eyes. He is a biological impossibility unless..."
"He …really is from another timeline," Rose finished. Rose didn't hesitate. She walked off to the next room and fidgeted with her phone, calling up the only people who could help in this matter.
“Yo whats up my Eco twin~~”
"Dave… Good morning…ah..everything is fine, but... could you and Karkat possibly come to our hive. Promptly, like right now…. Yes, bring Karkat. And Dave, please, just... be prepared. We have a situation. A very... small, life changing situation."
20 mins later, the front door of the hive swung open. The couple that walked in was a far cry from the soldiers Dyce knew.
This Karkat was lean, definitely short, having lost a foot or two compared to the mountain of troll Dyce was used to seeing. Karkat was wearing a dark jacket over a dull red shirt that hugged his frame nicely. He looked matured, the aggressive edge of his youth smoothed over into a loud, bustling kind of respectable troll. While he was currently arguing with the man beside him.
"I'm telling you Dave, Rose sounded serious.. I mean a little life changing situation….? Why are you walking so slow? Move your ass, Strider!"
This Dave beside him was the picture of mellow. He wore red lounge pants and a loose shirt, his signature shades firmly in place. He moved with a cool, effortless glide, a slight smirk on his lips.
"Chill babe. The hive isn't going anywhere. Rose just likes to be dramatic."
"I AM CHILL! I-i just don't like going in without at least knowing what to expect"
Dyce, who had been hiding behind Kanaya’s legs, watching the men enter, his little eye widened at the sight of them, he let out a small, strangled gasp while clinging to the jade looks dress
"D-daddy?"
The two men stopped dead in their tracks, slowly turning their heads dramatically toward the ladies, and their guest.
Karkat was tense, his mouth hanging open. He cast his gaze down at the small child, the grey skin, the blonde and black hair, the red hoodie. He looked at the way the boy's nubby horns curved, the exact shape of his own, but smaller.
“Kanaya….what the hell…is this?” his voice tense, almost scared.
Dave pushed his shades down slightly, his red eyes scanning the boy. The smirk vanished, he just stared at the child, then at Karkat, then back to the child.
"Uh," Dave gulped letting out a nervous chuckle, his voice losing its cool. "Karkat?"
"I see him, Dave!" Karkat shouted, though his voice cracked.
Dyce seized up and couldn't take it anymore, releasing Kanaya's gown and all but sprinted across the room, his small boots thumping on the floor, and slammed into Karkat’s legs, hugging him with every ounce of strength he possessed.
"PAPA!"
Karkat stiffened, nearly bowled over by the child, his arms hovering in the air for a second. Dave twitched as he was prepared to help his husband, but he paused to watch the scene before him. Karkat snapped head up at Kanaya, his expression one of pure, bewildered terror.
"What is this? Why is there a wriggler clinging to my shins? Rose! Kanaya! Explain this immediately!”
Rose stepped forward, her voice soft. "Desr Karkat…He's from another timeline, A world where... Well, like things were very different…devastating, terrible we assume? Gentlemen….he's your son.. or so he said"
The silence that followed was heavy, the loud, abrasive Karkat suddenly went quiet. He looked down at the boy, who was sobbing into his hip, clutching the shirt as if it were a lifeline.
Karkat slowly, hesitantly, lowered his arms and wrapped them around Dyce. He wasn't a mountain of muscle like the Commander, but he had that familiar warmth, mixed in with the smell of old books and cinnamon.
"I-is he…..he's really ours?" Karkat whispered, his voice uncharacteristically small, not able to wrap his head around the fact, he was spiraling.
Dave knelt beside them, his hand hesitantly resting on Dyce’s back, he could feel the boy shaking. The cool exterior Dave maintained became frayed, shifting as brushing a stray lock of blonde hair from Dyce’s forehead.
"Hey there, little man," Dave whispered. "You've had a rough trip, huh?"
Dyce peeled his face from karkats pants to blink a tearful stare at the man, his eyes searching Dave's face. "You're not... you're not a soldier dad…"
Dave smiled, a genuine, sad smile. "Nah. I'm just a guy who likes music and naps. But I think I can handle being a dad."
Dyce looked up to Karkat, then at the mellow Dave. They weren't the giants who had saved the world, and certainly weren't the scarred warriors who had fought through the apocalypse. They were soft, they were peaceful.
And for the first time since the sky tore open, Dyce felt like he could breathe….
Karkat kneeled down as well, the two at his level, pulling the boy closer, burying his face in Dyce’s neck. "I don't know where you came from, kid. And I don't know how the hell we ended up with a kid in another life. But you're not going anywhere."
He glanced at his husband, knowing he was jumping the gun here, but wanted to affirm that Dave was in on this too. Raising a kid was a big responsibility, but they could do it together. Dave gave a firm nod.
“Hey kiddo…how'd you like to come home with us? This is our first time being dads..but we can do our best.. whatcha think?”
"Y-you mean it?" Dyce asked, a hiccup breaking his voice, he obviously missed HIS dads but these two reminded him so much of them.
"Yeah," Karkat grumbled, though he was squeezing the boy tight. "Now stop crying before you get snot all over my shirt.. It's cotton, you little brat!" He grumbled, but froze, not meaning to sound harsh. but to his surprise Dyce was smiling softly and snuggled further into his chest, and didn't seem to be afraid of his brash turn of phrase.
Dave laughed, a low, warm sound, and wrapped his arms around both of them, nuzzling his love and apparently new son.
"Welcome home, Dyce," Dave whispered.
In the quiet whisper of his aunties hive, surrounded by the scent of jasmine and the warmth of a family that shouldn't exist, Dyce finally closed his eyes.
He had an overwhelming sadness that his fathers were gone, lost to a void of white noise and falling stars. But as he felt the steady heartbeat of the man holding him, he knew he wasn't alone…
He had been sent to a place where there was no war, no sirens, and no fear. He had been sent to a version of love that didn't have to fight to survive. And as he drifted off to sleep in Karkat’s arms, held between two versions of the same devotion, Dyce finally felt safe…