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[parodeity]

DAVE STRIDER

consider this your warning about stairs. itll just keep happening bro. im telling you man

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Action same night of the housewarming party

[windeity]

[The drive back to the dorm is pretty uneventful given that Dave is driving and John is mostly quiet. He has his head against the window thinking about everything and it's only when they're driving home that he notices his head's a little dizzy and the slight queasy feeling he's ignoring.

He says nothing though and when Dave parks he follows him upstairs and into their dorm. He snags a bottle of water out of the fridge and a bottle of aspirin from his desk to set on the nightstand, toeing off his shoes with a strange amount of grace before flopping on his bed fully dressed. There's a pause while he looks at Dave though.]

...come here?

[parodeity]

I was gonna get you that. [ the aspirin and water. but he will...go...stand near john's bed he guesses??? hands in his pockets, awkward. he'd tossed the keys to the car on john's desk. ]

[windeity]

[Dave stands there and John considers him for a moment before he makes a show of rolling his eyes. He sits up a little before he grabs Dave's wrist to pull him down with him, casually curling around him in another hug since goddamn, he's not that drunk to notice Dave was eating it up. It's not enough to trap him if Dave really wants to leave but. Still. ]

I told you, this wasn't my first party. Usually I am by myself is all. But I appreciate it.

[parodeity]

[ DON'T YOU DARE CALL HIM OUT LIKE THIS

it's not like he can't read the body language where john's about to grab his wrist, but he doesn't stop him even as he lets his hand be tugged out of his pocket, and he does not struggle when he gets pulled down? so. okay.

it takes him a minute or so of being very still to decide that it's maybe okay to reciprocate again, though. ]

Not the point.

[windeity]

[Cling away, spider monkey. The water bottle is one of those that has a nozzle that he can just sort of pull off and drink without lifting his head. He stays close and sips at his water though.]

Then what was the point?

[parodeity]

...I just wanted to. [ IT'S A STUPID POINT, AND HE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT. ] Why did you call me over here? Do you need to be cradled through your hangovers, Egbert.

[windeity]

Yup. That is exactly it. And tomorrow you can make me breakfast while I wonder why the fuck I stopped counting. [There's a smirk but all the same he's busy wrapping himself in Dave's limbs and his bedding somehow.] I need to text Ayano tomorrow, too, and make sure she's not dead.

[parodeity]

[ a sudden visible frown - mostly because the mention of ayano makes him remember her black eye.

you don't get black eyes on accident. not like that. not really. ]

...Okay. [ apparently he's just committing to staying here until john lets go, what the fuck ]

[windeity]

Okay. So...where were we when we were on the floor discussion-wise? [Hope Dave is comfortable.]

[parodeity]

You were very drunk. [ b/c he said "okay" obviously hope john is patient ]

[windeity]

Not that drunk, asshole. I am being serious here.

[parodeity]

And I'm not? We were talkin' about how people don't want to accept any of this as legit, okay? That's where we left off.

[windeity]

Oh. Right. I remember that..so like I get it. I get why people wouldn't want to but it's. Different for me. I have a lot of reasons I want to accept this and believe it's real.

[parodeity]

I... [ like. okay. he remembers when he started out? no one knew what was up and dave had to ask people about getting the memories at all because no one talked about it and ] Why?

[windeity]

Because it means I had people that would stick with me no matter what. And it means maybe something there is a reason for stuff happening in this life. I know it is an exception and I get it, a lot of people had happy lives before this bullshit started.

[parodeity]

There isn't a reason for anythin' in paradox space that ain't "just because". But you had more than just us for that. You have more than just me, even if you've always had that and pretty much always will.

[ because it isn't like dave strider can back out of a friendship with john egbert?? ]

[windeity]

...I've been getting more memories back than I've been telling you. And every time I remember stuff about you, it kind of feels like a part of my life makes a little more sense. Maybe I do have more people, but right now this is about you and me and the fact that I wish I had met you when we were ten years old. You're...one of the first people I have felt really comfortable around for months.

[parodeity]

...like what? [ can't be anything that dave is scared of, surely, or john would be more...something. ] I wished you were here ever since - for a long time.

[windeity]

I kinda got weird at Anya and Ami's party because I remembered my dad gave me a suit for my 13th birthday. I remember stupid chats with you and parts of the game that I don't understand and Jade had a dog and just so many little things. I remember your raps and talking about movies and begging me to play the game with Rose. I remember talking to a different you that wasn't you and all I wanted was to talk to the real you because you were my friend and you were the Dave that understood what was happening the same way I did. And part of a letter from you. Just so many little things...and I got tired of being around people and still feeling kind of alone so that is why I made the deal with you to share stuff whenever you wanted to know. And I figured out people maybe felt the same, so that is why I want to learn what I can.

[There's a pause as he swallows a little, nestling his face against Dave's shoulder.] I want that back. What we had. I don't even know all of it but I want it. But it felt stupid asking you when you had a whole other life here before I even showed up.

[parodeity]

[ it's a lot. it's a lot and john still doesn't know the things that wait: their guardians, dead, all of them always dying - a universe that had to be reset more than once. they had lost so many people. dave isn't certain their happy ending was what it was supposed to be. and he doesn't know what he should be most afraid of. ]

I can't remember it right. [ his voice is small and quiet and he doesn't remember telling even dirk this - not really. ] This whole other life I had here. When I think about things more and more the first memories to come to mind aren't here. You asked me how I learned turntables and the first thing I thought was "watchin' Bro" but that never happened here. I talk to Rose and I keep missing steps because she doesn't remember the inside jokes I go to first.

[windeity]

[It hurts in a way it shouldn't. He's barely started the journey and he knows there's more waiting for them both, knows that Dave isn't telling him everything for a reason. Of course he's scared of what's coming but at the same time he refuses to run away from it. Instead, he's running right toward it.

When Dave speaks he finds himself curling into his back and pulling him closer anyway, still not saying anything but also letting his eyes shut a bit. For some reason he's found that Dave will talk more if he's securing him. If that's what it takes, then okay.]

Can I ask you something? [He doesn't even wait.] Which life feels right now? Either of them?

[parodeity]

...mine. [ and it is the least helpful answer in the world? ] Texas and LOHAC and before. And all of this bullshit after the fact.

[windeity]

So you do believe we can have both of them together. [And he doesn't ask what LOHAC is, though he has a slight feeling he should know.] Then you should be even less surprised I want this.

[parodeity]

I...find it hard to remember this life first, before the rest. But the portions of it lived since I remembered shit ain't hard. It's just another series of chronological loops.

[ quietly. and unsure how to answer the other part wtf ]

[windeity]

Things that are supposed to happen when they happen because they have no choice but to happen. A pattern we have to go through and cannot really erase from existence. I don't get time travel still, but I think I understand that a little better.

[There's a long silence, almost like maybe he's fallen asleep.] ...I almost didn't come to the city, you know. That was sort of a last minute decision.