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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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[windeity]

[It feels weirdly like a test and he's unsure how to answer as he flies upward, pulling Dave along with him as always.]

Do you think there can only be one north star?

[parodeity]

No, but I think there's always one thing people use more than anythin' else.

[ ironically, this one isn't a test. ]

[windeity]

If we are talking real stars, I follow Sirius. But metaphorical stars...my north star is different.

[parodeity]

We're talkin' metaphorical. So what's your poison, Egbert?

[windeity]

...the people that need me, I guess.

[parodeity]

That's why you get yourself into trouble sometimes, y'know. [ "people who need me" is a large group that encompasses a lot of probably ill-advised north stars, bro.

but there's the same sort of exasperated fondness he felt trying to talk john out of fucking dying in another life in the statement. ]

[windeity]

[That only gets him to grip Dave's hand a little tighter.]

And that is also why I have people like you guys to bring me back if I get lost on my way back. [Since we're going with star metaphors. He stops then, floating just below a cloud as he looks up at the sky once more.] That is why I asked if people could have more than one. Because sometimes the people who need me might not be the same as the people I need.

[parodeity]

I think, [ dave says, voice slow and quiet and fingers cold, ] You can have as many as you like. I'm too used to navigating by inevitability and the alpha timeline or -

[ what people want from him. ]

- or other things.

[windeity]

Does it bother you? [He's looking at the clouds and not at Dave and the question's quiet as his fingers grip Dave's harder than before.] The idea of inevitability and navigating solely by that instead of anything else you could choose.

[parodeity]

No, I told you, that feels - [ wait. he hadn't told john that yet. it'd felt heretical, the idea of messing with that, but it had been john doing it so it'd been fine because whatever the fuck universe john made out of a mess was fine with dave.

so. ]

- it makes me uneasy when I'm not on the right path. Too ingrained to avoid dead Daves.

[windeity]

Trust me, I would like to avoid dead Daves, too. A lot. I guess I was just wondering since I think...you are more bound than I am sometimes.

...are those your metaphorical north stars then? Or is there something else?

[parodeity]

Time always is.

[ a north star. ever since he ascended - before, really. as soon as he entered the game. maybe before that, too. ]

...But I guess it depends on what I'm tryin' to navigate.

[windeity]

[There's a slow nod. He knows he doesn't understand these things nearly as well as Dave. He doesn't understand their ascension or time or paradox space, he doesn't understand aspects or inevitability or balance the way Dave does and for a few more long moments he's silent. He floats, capable of staying up at least ten thousand feet in the air.]

We don't need to find our way back yet. We're almost there. [He points up at the cloud above them.] We'll navigate together to get back home. Are you ready?

[parodeity]

Like we've established, [ and his grip on john's hand actually tightens. ] I'll follow you wherever.

[ so "ready" doesn't come into it. but cold or not, he doesn't look uncertain or ill at ease for the moment, so he's probably also ready. ]

[windeity]

[There's a nod and he soars up again, pulling Dave along as they pop through the clouds. It's cold and strange and possibly just a little like going through vapor but he can now say that he has which is way more than he ever expected in life. Clouds aren't solid enough to sit or anything and he doesn't let go of Dave's hand even as his other skims through the cloud itself.]

...this is awesome. [It's practically whispered because John's still filled with child-like wonder at the concept of being so high up. He's not afraid of plummeting thousands of feet for whatever reason even if his flight won't last forever until he gets better. But this is enough.]

[parodeity]

[ dave's not afraid solely because he's been doing this for a long time and he knows if john fucks up he can bail him out. oops.

he shivers and shifts closer and nods. ]

Best view of the stars in the world, too.

[windeity]

I mean yes, you are practically sitting with them. How could this not be the best view? [But Dave moves closer and he gets it, they can't stay long when Dave's not great at retaining his own bodyheat. He doesn't object, at least.]

I kind of wish I'd gotten this back sooner when the nights were still warmer. How did we do this without freezing our asses off last time?

[parodeity]

Either the godtier clothes keep you warmer, which makes sense, or it's part of the package we ain't got back yet. I don't know if we got all the divinity bullshit back or not, 'cause some of it I just won't test.

[ john's still holding his hand. dave looks down at their hands, apparently considering something. ]

[windeity]

It makes sense until you remember my godtier clothes were short sleeves. For some stupid reason. You and Jade had long sleeves so what the fuck. But maybe. I know we are getting things back in pieces, so maybe that is it.

[He's still touching the clouds and staring at the stars and therefore completely unaware of what Dave might be considering. On the other hand, he's not loosing his grip either.]

[parodeity]

[ mostly he's thinking - ]

Do I have any favors left to call in?

[windeity]

Seeing how I dragged you outside to fly at 4am and some other stuff? Yes, probably. Do you know what you actually want?

[parodeity]

Yeah. [ what if he shifts to just drape himself on john's side instead of holding his hand to LEECH HIS HEAT. ]

[windeity]

[John drops a little through the cloud but quickly kicks back up, an arm looping around Dave's waist before turning to stare at him and giving a slightly incredulous laugh.]

Okay, sure. [Whatever.] I'm sorry, I definitely did not think about how cold it'd be up here. We can head in soon? [At least John's still a portable space heater so that's nice.]

[parodeity]

I think you're a genetic mutation.

[ ...THANKS, DAVE. he's either rhapsodizing about science factoids or insulting john ig there's no inbetween.

presumably he means about being warm, though, since he's clearly pretty much hanging off of john for that exact reason. it's not subtle. he's cold and john is warm and this is unfair. ]

But we can stay out longer if it's like this, since you're weird.

[windeity]

[FFS DAVE.]

I am glad you're benefitting off of my weird mutation. [It's a little dry, but okay, fine.] I promise I will make it up to you. It's technically Saturday now, isn't it?