#if it wasn't obvious; Aster is completely unaware he's seeing an alternate timeline

[infinitethree]

With the immediate crisis mostly resolved– bar the more long-term issue of what to do about Innit, of course– that means Aster can fucking breathe.

Sure, Daz…pretty much hates him right now. And Theo and Day are a little pissed at him too, even if they largely agree that his actions were for the greater good.

But the immediate issue of Daz trying to off himself has been stopped, and the bastard is being forced to deal with some of his shit.

What had been a fairly pleasant morning in his kitchen with frozen pancakes, sausage, eggs, and a protein drink has been hijacked, though. Aster can feel the fucking Observers present, and given the lack of questions…

He’s about to learn some horrible new information about Daz. Information that will only increase the burden on Aster’s shoulders and Daz’s fury towards him.

Right on cue, his everything his hijacked to show–

Huh. It’s…the Christmas celebration-gala-thing.

Except that, uh, it’s not one he recognizes. Usually they kind of blend together, and Aster doesn’t often stay that long, but he would definitely remember this happening.

…Because he’s watching himself dancing with Daz.

No, he realizes. Not just dancing– they’re wearing matching suits.

This doesn’t seem to be one of the times when he’s in Daz’s head, thankfully, and he has some limited range of movement. He floats down closer to try and get a better look at himself and the bastard.

Both of them seem happy. Maybe more than happy; they look like they’re entirely engrossed in each other.

Weird!

“I can’t take my eyes off of you,” Daz murmurs, tone warm and fond in a way Aster has never heard before. “That’s my line,” other-Aster chuckles, his smile growing.

Daz tells him, “I don’t get to make stuff like this often; it’s nice seeing you in something so nice. I can tell you think it doesn’t suit you. You’re wrong, though.”

Wait wait wait– he made that? So then they’re dating? Is this the future, and they date? Date and get serious enough that Daz claims him?!

“You shine just as brightly as your namesake on the inside. I’ve only put that awe-inspiring sight where everyone else can see it too,” Daz tells other-Aster.

…Despite having no interest in this sort of thing, Aster can’t help but feel a little flustered by that. Shit, this bastard is smoother than he ever thought possible. If Daz showed any interest in romance, he’d have a string of broken hearts trailing after him.

When other-Aster just seems awed, Daz laughs softly and leans in. “Was that too poetic? Sorry, let me be blunter. I was able to dive down and see what your soul truly looks like. This is inspired by what I saw. Even with code tinkering, it pales in comparison to the real thing.”

And then, just to make it absolutely clear what kind of relationship they have, Daz drips other-Aster backwards into a long, deep kiss.

Other-Aster, far from fighting it, just slides his arms up around Daz’s neck.

Once the kiss finally breaks, Daz’s stare bores into other-Aster’s. “You stole my heart, but I can’t even be mad about it. Nothing in my life has ever been as good as you. Your devotion is the balm against the long, lonely, miserable years that led me here. With you at my side, I could take on gods. Without you, I have less than nothing. My deepest, most fervent fantasy is the one you already know; to die peacefully of old age in my sleep alongside you. Neither of us leaving the other, instead simply refusing to accept even a moment being so far apart. To the point of madness; to the point of ruin– I love you.” It looks like other-Aster is tearing up a little as he eventually croaks, “It’s a shame we’re already married. That’d be a hell of a marriage proposal.”

Aster’s not-entirely-existent eyes go wide as he realizes that they’re both wearing fancy netherite ear cuffs; stars-themed with basalt for Daz, dark shiny stones and swirls for other-Aster.

And then he’s sent somewhere else.

A wedding– their wedding?

He’s left reeling as he watches Day walk other-Aster down the aisle and–

Innit is there. Innit is not just there, Innit is handing Daz off to other-Aster.

Whatever the vows are, Aster doesn’t process them. He’s too busy freaking out about Innit being actively present in Sanctuary, and how nobody seems to be batting an eye.

Abruptly, Aster finds himself back home and staring down at his food.

That’s definitely not anything that’s happened so far, so–

In the future, he and Daz get married. And Innit gets a body…but is chill enough to be able to give Daz away at the wedding?

He’s pretty sure that if he could have heard Daz’s thoughts for that, it would have been just…love. It was so blatant on his face, and in the stupidly romantic gesture of making and wearing a representation of Aster’s soul.

It almost makes sense, in a weird way. Isn’t there a whole trope about people who hate each other hooking up? It’s just flipping from one side of an axis of strong emotion to the other.

On the other hand, though, it’s still him and Daz. The two of them barely tolerated each other before all of the current events, and now Daz actively hates him.

In what fucking world do they get past that and start dating– let alone get married?

…Wait a fucking second.

Is this a hint? Is this, like– what he’s meant to do, to get Daz to a more stable place? Pretend to fall for him, and make Daz love him?

Holy shit, he’s really not sure if he’s comfortable pretending to love Daz in order to anchor him in reality. No matter how much a little part of him points out that other-Aster seemed pretty damn thrilled to be with him, it’s still super fucked up.

Also, y’know, if Daz ever realized the truth, it would be crushing. It could do so much more harm than good.

Then why did other-Aster do it, then? What did he learn that made him decide to either pretend to fall for him or actually fall for him?

For once, he wishes he could have seen more.