[Holy fuck, Dave. He can't help but let his gaze flick up to the thoughtbubble, watching the scrawl after scrawl of thoughts and notes and doodles, everything that makes up the Dave Strider he currently knows. He doesn't know how to decipher it and almost bitterly he thinks that perhaps the old version of him would know better.
Luckily, that thought process doesn't show up in his bubble. Instead, he finds himself thinking slower than Dave's manic state, blue and slightly gray sometimes and while there are a lot of starts and stops it settles on one thing.]
("Someone you can talk to about the little things, who distracts you from the big things. Who listens to you even when it's stupid, and who agrees to help you without much of a second thought even if they're not sure why. Just...a best friend. Someone you'd die for.")
[Dave's own words reflected back and John allows the words to sit there for a little bit before they disperse.]
...okay. [It's hard to think of what to say when he wants to say so much, so there's another sip of his coffee before he tries again.] I think maybe we should make it clear, too, that I thought you were cool even before I remembered you. I don't think you need me to clarify that? But just in case. I'm not really used to people that I can just do this kind of thing with.
[ "i think you might actually be that cool" flicks by when john says cool and dave's eyes snap up. ]
You think I'm cool? [ absurdly it makes him think of sitting on the rooftop with dirk. he remembers asking that - no, asking you don't think i'm cool - but he remembers another part of it.
what is it about me that's important then and there hadn't been a single answer that'd made sense. is he on the other side of that now? ] I'm not, really.
[ like, he'll argue he is a lot of the time, but - ]
[He blinks slowly because that was definitely a reaction he wasn't anticipating. A hand goes for the cat again, mostly giving himself an outlet for nervous energy while he tilts his head curiously.]
Not in the conventional way, no, but that is way too much effort. [There's an amused little chuckle following that.] I think you're weird and fascinating and cool in situations where most people would be flipping their shit. [Outwardly, at least. But he keeps that to himself.] I think you're someone unlike pretty much anybody else I've ever met and that alone is pretty cool, yes.
[ he ignores the question and just kind of laughs again, this time a little more hollow and a little less genuine, but like. ]
There's no damn reason to lose your shit with most of this crap. I know it makes me sound callous and inhuman and what the fuck ever, but it's just - another fuckin' post scratch situation, so what?
I don't really know what that means, Dave. Me being myself in what regard? What you're used to? Now? Both? [There's just a light frown.]
I don't think it's inhuman given what I've figured out about whatever happened back there. Just. Maybe obviously don't say that to people who aren't--post-scratch?
...I didn't mean to come here and start that conversation, dude. Also have you ever seen Anya's face? Telling her no is about on par with kicking a puppy. It's awful.
Probably. [There's a shrug.] You can still do everything and give the world to a person while telling them no. I am just saying that I do not have that limit with too many people.
I...know I'm alone in that, don't worry. [ a small one shouldered shrug, and he's still looming at the counter instead of john. ] Expectations are the last thing you have to worry about.
John, I'm me. Have been for a while now. "Want " or "don't want" - the shit I would change has never been anythin' that could be changed and who cares about it?
Yeah. I get it. [He downs the rest of his coffee anyway.] Uh. I know I kind of started it but can I tap out on this stuff for today? For a little while.
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Luckily, that thought process doesn't show up in his bubble. Instead, he finds himself thinking slower than Dave's manic state, blue and slightly gray sometimes and while there are a lot of starts and stops it settles on one thing.]
("Someone you can talk to about the little things, who distracts you from the big things. Who listens to you even when it's stupid, and who agrees to help you without much of a second thought even if they're not sure why. Just...a best friend. Someone you'd die for.")
[Dave's own words reflected back and John allows the words to sit there for a little bit before they disperse.]
...okay. [It's hard to think of what to say when he wants to say so much, so there's another sip of his coffee before he tries again.] I think maybe we should make it clear, too, that I thought you were cool even before I remembered you. I don't think you need me to clarify that? But just in case. I'm not really used to people that I can just do this kind of thing with.
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You think I'm cool? [ absurdly it makes him think of sitting on the rooftop with dirk. he remembers asking that - no, asking you don't think i'm cool - but he remembers another part of it.
what is it about me that's important then and there hadn't been a single answer that'd made sense. is he on the other side of that now? ] I'm not, really.
[ like, he'll argue he is a lot of the time, but - ]
I mean, yes and no.
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Not in the conventional way, no, but that is way too much effort. [There's an amused little chuckle following that.] I think you're weird and fascinating and cool in situations where most people would be flipping their shit. [Outwardly, at least. But he keeps that to himself.] I think you're someone unlike pretty much anybody else I've ever met and that alone is pretty cool, yes.
What do you even mean yes or no?
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There's no damn reason to lose your shit with most of this crap. I know it makes me sound callous and inhuman and what the fuck ever, but it's just - another fuckin' post scratch situation, so what?
[ there are worse things in the world ]
You're...yourself.
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I don't think it's inhuman given what I've figured out about whatever happened back there. Just. Maybe obviously don't say that to people who aren't--post-scratch?
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its like dirk but worse
dont say that you cant say shit thatll cause shit ]
...You're a really good person. One of the best I've ever known.
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Are you sure? Maybe I'm secretly an asshole and you just don't know it yet.
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[ he shrugs, and looks away. ]
You've done a million little things that say you're not secretly an asshole. I know how to spot people who aren't right.
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...I didn't mean to come here and start that conversation, dude. Also have you ever seen Anya's face? Telling her no is about on par with kicking a puppy. It's awful.
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[ i wouldnt answer questions for her about things i would for yuri ]
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You're a stubborn little shit when you wanna be?
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Well, yeah. But not everybody has the advantage of knowing that already?
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Probably...not for the reasons you might think.
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[ he has tried not to guess. ]
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Expectations, dude. I don't want to fall short. But I also can't pretend to be someone I'm not.
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Yeah. I get it. [He downs the rest of his coffee anyway.] Uh. I know I kind of started it but can I tap out on this stuff for today? For a little while.
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I'll take them. I think I have time to drop these off at the dorm before my lab. When are you off tonight?
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