Karkat ==> Chapter 18

                                    

                                          
After about ten minutes of walking, you come to find yourself at the park where you had your first date. You try to contain your excitement as he leads you to the pond. One paddle boat sits aside from the others. A handful of pillow and blankets are littered inside. As he carefully steps in and holds his hand out to you, you can't help but let your mind wander. 'What could he possibly have planned? He shouldn't have done all of this. It is romantic, though...' You try not to think about it too much as you take his hand and step in behind him. He pushes the boat away from the shore with the oar and sits across from you as he rows you out to the middle. Once he comes to a halt, he secures the paddles and smiles at you. "I really hope that you like this. I'll be devastated if you don't."
You roll your eyes playfully and grin. "I'll love whatever it is you have planned."
Dave nods and takes a deep breath, letting it out shakily. "Okay. I guess I'll just cut to the chase then." He clears his throat and fiddles nervously with the end of his shirt. "I know things between us have moved kind fast over the past few months. I feel like I've been too demanding of you."
With a frown, you shake your head. "Of course not. You haven't asked anything of me."
"Not yet," he murmurs under his breath. 
Your blood runs cold. "What do you mean by that?"
Dave nibbles at his lower lip, toying with a loose string hanging off his jacket. "Karkat, I love you with all of my heart. I just get so afraid that..." He hesitates. You motion him on, so he sighs and continues. "I just worry, you know? I mean I know that you and John have been trying to patch things up, even if only for my sake but..." 
Dave grows silent again, so you coax him on. "But what? If you don't like me talking to him, I can stop."
He quickly shakes his head. "I could never ask you to do that."
"Then what is it?" You repeat as your nerves race through you.
"I'm afraid you're going to fall in love with him again, okay?" He finally admits, looking away.
Your heart shatters as you stare at him in shock. Did he really think that? Was that really a concern for him? You don't have those feelings for John anymore... Do you? Your eyebrows furrow as you ask, "Is that why you gave me that money? Was it like a bribe to make me love you more? Because, if so, I don't want it."
Dave's eyes widen in fear. "No, it wasn't a bribe!"
"Then why-" You begin.
"-Because it's no secret that you still love him. You're always going to love him. I can see it from the look in your eyes when you talk to him. He makes you glow in a way that I... I've never been able to do before... And I just want to make sure that I'm not just your fallback because... I really fucking love you, Karkat. I want to be your knight and your soulmate and your world like you are for me. I just want to be what you are to me. My everything. My world and my stars and my universe and my galaxy." He pauses a moment to rub the tears away from his eyes. "I'm just afraid that your heart still belongs to John... If so, I want to know now... Just so I don't have to get hurt..."
You allow the tears to cascade freely down your face. You can see just how heartbroken the thought of you leaving him for John really makes him. That only makes you love him more. You rest your hand on his knee and coo softly, "Dave, I love you more than Bob Marley loves weed. I love you more than Joanie loves Chachi. Fuck, I love you more than Bill Cosby loves pudding pops. That's got to count for something, right?"
He can't help but burst out laughing through his choked sobs. "Were those really the first examples of true love you could think of?" He asks in disbelief.
You smile sheepishly. "I love you more than Rose loves Jack?"
"I thought Rose loved Kanaya?" He jokes, smiling as he sniffles.
"Her, too," You reply with a grin of your own.
"Who's the iceberg?" He retorts, biting his lip.
You tap your chin thoughtfully. "I believe that'd be us."
"A thorn in everyone's side?"
"I like to think of us as more of  a flaming ball of homosexual hormones bent on destroying everyone and everything in our wake," You tease.
"God, I love you."
"I love you, too, Dave."
"Enough to marry me?"
Your smile immediately drops as he produces a small, black box from his jacket pocket. Your eyes widen and tears drip down your cheeks as he opens it to reveal a gorgeous diamond ring. "D-Dave..."
"I understand if you say no-" He attempts to warn you. You don't give him the chance. Rather, you pounce on him and hug him tightly, bombarding him with kisses and nearly tipping the boat over in the process. "Yes, Dave! A thousand times, yes!" You squeal in excitement as he slips the ring onto your finger. You bask in it's majesty as you come to the realization that you've yet to give Dave anything for all he's done for you. You've had an idea for a while now, but this would be the perfect time to put it into effect. "Dave?" You ask once you're both situated again.
"Yes?" He hums, beaming from ear to ear.
"I've been thinking about this a lot and I suppose it's more prominent now than ever. I really wanted to give you something In return for all you've done since we first met. There's only one thing I have on hand to give to you now,  though it isn't much. It's something I've never given to anyone before, not even John."
"You don't have to-"
"I insist." He purses his lips to hide a smile, allowing you to proceed, so you do so. You kiss him long and lovingly, moving to carefully sit on his lap. Once you break apart, you can see that he's giving you a curious look. You close your eyes and attempt to steady your heartbeat before opening them again and clarifying in a voice hardly above a whisper, "I want to give you me, Dave. I want you to be my first and only."
The shock is evident in his expression. His mouth opens and closes as he searches for the right words.  "Are you sure?" He asks timidly.
You nod. "I want to do this before the surgery and after. What better time to do it before than now?"
He clears his throat awkwardly as he glances away. "I didn't um... Bring anything with me..."
"Do we need it?" You ask, worriedly.
He shakes his head. "It just might be a little painful and awkward and uncomfortable."
You lay back on the pillows and blankets, wrapping your arms around his neck as you pull him back with you. "I'm okay with that if you are," you purr with a small smile. He nods and returns it, leaning down to kiss you. Each move he makes is gentle and cautious; nothing is rushed.
                          
This would go down as by far the greatest day of your entire life.