~SkepHalo Oneshots~

Countdown

Premise: Soulmate AU where you can see a timer that counts down to when your soulmate dies.

Credit to ColeyDoesThing's video on fanfic tropes for the opening. Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc8waRF7HY0

⚠Trigger warnings: car accident, death⚠

"I'm so glad we finally realized we're soulmates!" Darryl exclaimed.

"Yeah!" Zak agreed. "Well, not just for the counter thing," he added.

"Of course," Darryl agreed, nodding.

"...By the way, what does mine say?" Zak asked.

"Are you sure you wanna know? I don't know if I'd want to."

"Yes! I want to know!" Zak declared, holding out his wrist so that Darryl could read the number.

"Oh my goodness, that's a big number! Hang on, let me divide that into years..." He thought for a minute before exclaiming, "You have eighty-six years left to live!"

Zak stared at Darryl, mouth agape. "Eighty-six?! I'll be over a hundred!"

"That's amazing! You'll be able to do so much with your life!"

"Wow... Hey, do you want to know yours?"

"I dunno..."

"C'mon, let me see!" Zak insisted.

Darryl sighed. "All right, here." He extended his wrist, allowing Zak to look at the timer.

Zak read the number, and his face fell. His bright smile was replaced by a frown, the excited light in his eyes vanished, and his brows furrowed in disappointment.

"What?" Darryl asked. "Is it bad? I mean, don't tell me I'm dying tomorrow..." His eyes widened at the possibility. "...Am I dying tomorrow?"

"You have two years left to live," Zak said quietly, his tone serious.

"...What...?"

Zak's solemn expression broke into a smile. "Nah, I'm just trolling. You have eighty!"

Darryl exhaled in relief. "Oh my goodness, don't scare me like that, you muffin! This is wonderful, though! We'll be able to spend eighty years together!"

"Yeah...!" Zak tried to share in Darryl's excitement, but he couldn't help but frown as he stared at the number on Darryl's wrist:

730 days

——

Two years later...

Zak awoke, his face snuggled into Darryl's chest, as usual. His soulmate's arms were wrapped around him, pulling him close. Zak tilted his head upward to look at Darryl's face and found that the man was already awake, smiling down at him.

"Morning, muffin," Darryl greeted him as he kissed Zak on the forehead.

"Morning, baldboy," Zak responded with a sly smile.

Darryl frowned, offended. "Hey, I'm not bald! We've been together for two years, you should know that by now!"

Zak giggled. Two years... has it really been that long already? he thought to himself. As Darryl moved his arm to ruffle Zak's hair, he glanced at the man's wrist for confirmation. His heart dropped into his stomach at the sight of the counter: 4 hours.

"Um... hey, Darryl?"

"Yeah?"

"Could we maybe... just stay here for today?"