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His knees dropped into the wet grass below him, and he sucked in a few weak, painful breaths.
His heart was roaring in his ears and he dropped forwards, fingers running into the thin blades of grass and around the flowers beneath him. Mud spattered his jeans and he closed his eyes for a moment. He couldn’t breathe right, he couldn’t—
Crouching, Karl pressed his forehead to the muddy grass and wrapped his arms around himself. I want Sapnap and Quackity, eyes squeezed shut, he forced his leg beneath him. Come on, Karl. Get up, get home.
He was fine, but he hurt.
He hurt.
Stumbling to his feet. Karl squinted at the horizon, rain spattering down all around him.
Come on, Karl. Get home, get home. They had a party the next day, he wasn’t missing that for anything. Especially because if he had to cancel, then Quackity and Sapnap would assume it was part of the time travelling and stick with him to make sure he wasn’t hurting (even if he was) and he couldn’t have that. No, he was not going to ruin their fun.
Somewhere in the distance, he heard the wet rattling of bone on bone, a drowned’s gurgled. His hand clamped over his aching arm and he shook his head. Water scattered from the soaked curls dripping down in front of his eyes, and he stared up ahead when he saw the lights getting closer. He was close, he was so close, he just needed to get a few more steps.
His shoes collided with the stone of their porch.
Dragging himself up the steps, Karl fumbled with his keys and slowly opened the door, dripping into the hallway. He scraped his shoes, kicked them off, and then debated stripping completely for a moment before just settling with getting to the bedroom as quickly as possible. No matter how much he wanted to pass out, no matter how tired he was, he was not about to let himself go to bed in muddy jeans and a rain-soaked jumper. Sapnap and Quackity would kill him, especially if he crawled into bed with them.
Speaking of crawling into bed with them, he was not doing that that night, it seemed.
All it took was one glance at the clock and he knew that he was under no circumstances doing that. It didn’t matter, they had multiple bedrooms just in case one of them needed distance for a night. Three men sharing the same bed was a recipe for being in a miniature furnace. Not fun.
Shivering, Karl made his way into what used to be his bedroom (they all shared Sapnap’s, after enough nightmares they’d just…sort of wordlessly picked it as their bedroom, their home. Not that any of them minded, of course). There, he peeled off his shirt and jeans in the same way Fundy had to take off his binder after swimming—in other words, with a lot of struggling, effort, and knocking several things off their shelves and proper places as he wriggled around feeling very much like a fish out of water. After the last time his room had been used for a “sleepover”, though, Quackity and Sapnap had thankfully abandoned several sets of clothes. So Karl…borrowed a set of sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt from the pair and proceeded to dump himself on the bed, not worrying about his wet hair.
That was Future Karl’s problem, and sleeping was Current Karl’s agenda.
(As he thought that, a voice that sounded suspiciously like Quackity’s cracked, “The real gay agenda—sleeping.”)
+++
Waking up hurt.
Cracking his eyes open, Karl felt the immediate stab into his head and smushed his face into the pillows. The door opened, and he could dimly hear his fiancés whispering to one another. Then, there was a distinct pause. “Karl.” Sapnap whispered. On the bed beside him, the mattress sank down as his fiancé sat and fingers carded into his hair. “Hey, how do you—how was your trip?”
They knew that he was a time traveller.
They rarely spoke about it.
Smiling weakly, Karl reached up and grabbed at Sapnap’s wrist, felt calloused fingers brush his palms. “Fine. Just tiring.”
“Alright. Do you want us to cancel?” Right, the party. Cursing himself because he knew this wouldn’t turn out well, Karl shook his head.
Quackity jumped in this time, concern edging into his voice as he put his hand on Karl’s leg. “Are you sure? We don’t mind.”
“Nah. I’ll be fine. Just…” yawning, hopefully hiding the wince that came when his chest flared up with a random squeeze, Karl mumbled, “Just need a nap or something.” Although he couldn’t see it, there was a pause he knew was filled by his fiancés exchanging a quick glance.
“Alright. How about Quack and I make breakfast? Eggs and bacon sound alright?” Nodding, Karl forced a smile when Sapnap and Quackity both huffed laughs. “Alright. You get some rest, I’ll get you in a few minutes.”
“Okay.”
For a moment, Karl allowed himself to close his eyes and sink into the pillows. He really did mean to catch up on at least a few more minutes of the sleep he needed. Unfortunately, his body decided to have completely different plans. For all intents and purposes, Karl was now awake and he did not want to be.
So, he stumbled out into the kitchen, hearing Quackity chasing Sapnap around the house because their fiancé had yet again decided it was time to steal the ingredients. His chest squeezed, and he couldn’t breathe for a moment.
Shakily, Karl leaned against the counter, fingers wrapped around the edge as he sucked in a few breaths.
His chest hurt, which had been on and off all morning, but this was different. Almost like it was spreading, somehow, all the way down to his right wrist from up his shoulder and darting up to his neck and jaw, curling little thorns of pain into his body. Even though he was perfectly fine, standing up and not bleeding or hurt or anything, his heart thudded loudly in his chest and throat. It kept clenching, too, like it did when he and Sap and Quackity were watching movies and the main characters got hurt or received bad news.
Taking a shaky breath, Karl closed his eyes, tried to fight off the swirling blackness forming at the edges of his vision. Okay, you’re okay. You’re fine, just—just a little woozy right now, that’s all. Probably some tiredness from the jump back. That’s it. He made his way to the living room and slumped down for a moment, staring at the ceiling and trying to steady his breathing out.
That’s all it can be. I’m just tired. Glancing at Sapnap and Quackity, who were fighting with pancake batter in the kitchen, Karl steadied himself and forced his feet again to move out into the kitchen. He was fine.
Right?
+++
He knew the party was going well when Sapnap decided to sing “All of Me” and dedicate to a doughnut he’d eaten the week before.
Of course, Karl would probably be enjoying the performance more if it weren’t for the weird anxiety clawing at his entire being. It’d been sitting there for hours, and he wrinkled his nose. Beside him, Tubbo settled down on the couch. “Hey, want to watch some guinea pigs eating watermelon?” Glancing over, Karl shrugged and watched, rubbing absentmindedly at his chest. Maybe he’d just eaten too quickly. Or heartburn. He was fine, he was one hundred percent, totally, totally fine.
There was nothing wrong with him.
Nothing at all, nope. It certainly wasn’t anything caused by the time travelling, or he would have experienced it before. It wasn’t like he wasn’t constantly time-hopping. Other than the occasional headache, he really didn’t experience any adverse effects. Ever. He’d just…gotten lucky like that, he guessed.
In the middle of the guinea pig video, a sudden wave of nausea swelled up in his stomach. “Very cute, Tubbo. I’ll—I’ll be right back, I promise.” He said. Then, he hurried off towards the bathroom, clamping a hand over his mouth as soon as he was out of eyesight to make sure he didn’t throw up all over the server house carpet if he did end up loosing the battle. That wouldn’t be good. Nope. Not at all. He was fine he was fine he was not fine he was going to puke—
Throwing the door closed behind him, Karl locked the door and rushed over to the toilet, knees cracking against the wood as he just managed to make it over in time. (Hah, funny. Sometimes, even a time traveller didn’t have time for things.) His world sort of blacked out in a way and the next thing he knew he was slumped on the hardwood floor, head aching painfully and tears in his eyes. Someone’s hand was supporting his head, wrapped around his neck. The nausea was worse, so much worse.
“Whoa, whoa, Karl.” Hushed whispers met his ears and he blinked a few times. Slowly, his gaze focused on Sapnap and Quackity. The former was holding onto him, the latter was standing back with a concerned expression and a potion in hand. “Okay, okay, let’s—Quack, give me that potion, please.” Karl closed his mouth and tried twisting away from his fiancé’s hands, squeezing his eyes shut. “I know, I know, but you gotta have this. Please, Karl?”
Tears threatened to start streaming down his face. Shaking his head even more, he shoved weakly at Sapnap’s hands, crying still.
“Sap. Sap, don’t force him.” Quackity hissed, and Sapnap let out a pained sound. Still, he listened, didn’t try to force the potion into Karl’s throat. “Karl, we’re going home.”
“No, wait—” Slowly, Karl let himself be helped upright, looking at them painfully. “Please—”
“Karl, you just threw up and passed out. This is because of the time travelling, isn’t it?” Leaning close, Quackity held his gaze. Karl looked away, tears welling up in his eyes.
“I don’t want to ruin the party for you. I’m fine, I promise.”
In the corner of his eye, Sapnap and Quackity exchanged a look. Neither of them believed him. That was fine, they didn’t have to believe him. He could show them he was fine.
Slowly, he got to his feet, bracing himself against the counter. In his chest, his heart slammed into his rib cage repeatedly, hammering out an angry beat that Wilbur probably would have been jealous of. Except this wasn’t a song, this was his heartbeat and it was loud, it was far, far too loud and he really shouldn’t have been aware of his own heart beating. “Whoa, Karl!” Hands wrapped around his arms, held him upright.
Sucking in weak breaths, Karl blinked past the darkness still swirling in his eyes. It’s okay Karl, you’re fine. “See?” The words were weak. In his chest, his heart squeezed even more. It almost sent him to the ground. “I’m fine.”
“Karl, you—okay, let’s get you home.” Quackity resolved, leading him into the hallway.
“Quac—I’m fine, I’m fine.” He reassured, and Sapnap and Quackity got a few steps ahead of him. “I’m fine, we don’t have to leave.” Neither of them spoke for a moment.
Then, the floor swerved and Karl nearly hit the ground again.
“Guys—” the words came out choked, and he saw Sapnap and Quackity whip around to look at him, concerned. “Something feels wrong.” Frowning, Sapnap hurried over. Their fingers laced together.
That was the last thing Karl remembered.
+++
Karl’s head cracked against the floor with a very painful noise.
“Karl!” Sprinting over, Sapnap pulled his fiancé into his arms, felt for a pulse. “Come on, Karl. Karl!” There wasn’t anything, and he glanced up in a panic, “I can’t—I can’t find a pulse.”
Dream’s mouth stretched into a thin line. “Quackity, grab him. Bad, potions. George, keep the kids out of the room. Phil, I want you to prep for a server jump if we need it.” Then, he strode over, shoved Sapnap into Quackity’s arms, and leaned over Karl with practiced ease. He laid the other man out on the floor, checked for a heartbeat and breathing, then calmly placed his hands on Karl’s chest and started pushing in an even rhythm.
“Kar—Karl.” Sapnap whispered, clinging to his other fiancé. Meanwhile, George was trying his best to get Tommy, Tubbo, Ranboo, and Purpled out of the way, back into the main room with Eret and Wilbur and the others. Phil was missing, and Bad was hurrying back.
“Come on, Karl. Stay with us.” Leaning down, Dream forced air into Karl’s lungs, the other man’s chest jolting up and down twice before Dream was back to pressing on it. “Come on, Karl.”
Slowly, Sap’s vision began to blur. It took a second for him to realise why, wet heat streaming down his face from tears. Quackity was holding onto him, shaking as well. Come on, Karl. Please. Please don’t die.
There was a low gasp from Karl, and Dream leaned back. “Bad, potions!” Sapnap watched, still clinging to Quackity (both of them were very well the only thing holding one another to the ground instead of interfering). Meanwhile, Bad ran in, started coaxing potions into Karl as Phil reappeared.
Before he knew it, Karl was being whisked away, and then everything sort of…blurred out, until all of a sudden he was sitting in a fairly uncomfortable chair with one of his hands wrapped around his unconscious fiancé’s, listening to the consistent beat of a heart monitor and watching the oxygen mask fog up every so often.
Quackity settled down on Karl’s other side, passing over a coffee to Sapnap. Staring down at it blankly, he swallowed and took a sip. “Thanks.” His voice was hoarse, he must not have spoken for a while but it didn’t feel like any time had passed, really. “He’ll be okay, right?”
Quackity didn’t say anything.
One of the doors opened. Looking up, both Sapnap and Quackity watched as Phil, Dream, and Techno entered the room. “Hey.” Sapnap whispered, and Dream went and settled down beside him on one of the other chairs. Touching his leg, Dream smiled at him, mask pushed up beyond his nose.
“Hey.”
“How—what’s the diagnosis?” Sapnap asked, bracing himself to hear the worst. Phil and Techno glanced at each other. Heart dropping to the ground, Sapnap stared at them with worry. “Guys?”
“Well, they think he had a heart attack, and the electrical disturbance in his chest possibly might have caused sudden cardiac arrest.” Dream explained, rubbing Sap’s leg reassuringly. “But they think he should be alright, as long as he takes things easy for a little while.”
“Oh, he’ll be doing that if I have to tie him to the bed.” Quackity growled underneath his breath. Looking at Karl, he sucked in a breath and then ran a hand through light brown curls. “He’s going to have medication, isn’t he?”
“Probably.” Phil mused, and Techno nodded beside him. “He should be fine, though. He has all of us and so do you.”
Smiling, Sapnap glanced back at Karl, mumbling, “I thought I was supposed to be the dumb, reckless one.”
+++
When Karl woke up, it was to people holding his hands and a mask pressed to his face.
Immediately, he knew that the people were Sapnap and Quackity. He recognised the callouses and the feeling. He just managed to crack his eyes open, saw Sapnap and Quackity sitting on either side of him. “Hey, I think he’s waking up.” There was a long moment, and then their gazes went to him. Smiling behind the oxygen mask, Karl curled his fingers in theirs.
“Hey.” He rasped, voice hoarse. Taking a few breaths, Quackity hesitated.
Then, he got up and strode off, brushing past the hospital door with a tight look on his face.
Panic burst in Karl’s chest like a rose flowering in some montage in a documentary. “Wait, Quack—” He tried to get up, coughing the whole while. Sapnap grabbed his shoulders, gently pressed him back down as he stood. “Sap—what—”
“You need to stop.”
Karl glanced up at him. “What?” Shifting from one foot to the other, Sapnap took a shaky breath. “Sap, what are you—what do you mean?”
“You need to stop! Stop—this! The time travelling?” Gesturing around them, Sapnap burst out, “You—I watched you die, Karl! You had a seizure! In the hospital!” He ran a hand up into his hair, past the bandana. “I can’t watch you keep killing yourself, Karl! I love you too much! Why—why would you—”
“It’s me or it’s you, what choice do you expect me to—”
“What do you mean?” Sapnap asked, looking at him. “What—I—I can’t lose you, Karl.”
“And I can’t lose you!” Pulling himself out of bed, Karl stumbled forwards and grabbed Sapnap’s arms. His knees started to buckle underneath him and he gasped, feeling pain strike through his chest.
“Karl!” Sapnap slowly went with him to the floor, and Karl clung to him weakly. Pulling Karl closer, Sapnap pressed kisses to his hair and held him closer. “I can’t lose you. Please, Karl. I don’t—”
There were footsteps in the hallway and Quackity appeared in the doorway. Panic splashed across his face and he ran over, panting and close to a panic attack. Behind him, Schlatt appeared, concern on his face. “Karl,” Quackity whispered, and Karl glanced at him.
“I’m not losing you. If I have to choose between you or me, you better be damn sure that I’m picking you.” He whispered fiercely, and Techno appeared, looking in. Fingers curling in his fiancés’ shirts, Karl repeated, “I’m picking you. I’m picking you.” He kept repeating himself over and over again, trying to burn the words into his mouth and into his fiancés’ minds. He had to, he didn’t have the choice.
Sapnap’s fingers curled against his shoulder blade and Karl closed his eyes.