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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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[parodeity]

[ dave just. laughs. inappropriately. ]

I...think it's best we don't get into what I would or wouldn't do.

[windeity]

[A sigh.]

Alright, alright...[But the rest of the drive is filled with irrelevant chatter and it's not long before he pulls up to the facility.]

Another hour?

[parodeity]

[ look john doesn't need to know dave can relate to malik on any level? he just nods, before reaching out to flip a cd to john. ]

To keep you busy. [ scrawled on the front is ASPECT RATIO, whatever the fuck that means? one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three, twenty-four.

...the theme is pretty easy to figure out after like, one song. why does dave choose to waste his time in these specific ways, we just don't know. hopefully it keeps john occupied while dave fucks off? since that is immediately what he does. ]

[windeity]

[Dave disappears and John sits in the car with the CD as the snow falls.

And promptly snickers as soon as he picks up the theme. Clever, Dave.

It keeps him busy for a while but after a short amount of time things shift. The snow's tempting even if it's light flurries and by the time Dave comes out of the building he'll find John sitting on the hood of his car, earphones in and a portable CD player in his lap, tongue out as he attempts to catch snowflakes and listening to the music.

It's probably exactly why he doesn't notice Dave approaching.]

[parodeity]

[ john's such a fucking weirdo. but dave's initial impulse is to snap a picture, no flash, because he likes the image, and because john said he should carry his camera around more so he's shoved it in his sylladex. then he'll head over to stand by the hood of the car, making a face and snapping a picture when he's in john's line of sight.

his cheeks are already starting to go red from being outside, and there's no way he's not cold again, but.

he taps an ear, indicating he wants john to take one earphone out. ]

[windeity]

[The first picture is probably a sideview of John with his tongue out trying to catch snowflakes. The second is probably John staring at the camera with a pretty doofy grin because he's actually very happy here.

But he gets that Dave's cold and he takes the hint, removing the earphone and letting the music filter through.]

An hour already?

[parodeity]

Thereabouts. Toss me your keys?

[ he'll drive to location two, apparently. dave lets the camera on its strap fall to his chest and holds up his left hand, raising an eyebrow. ]

[windeity]

[He doesn't ask about Malik. Instead, he gives Dave another skeptical look before he tosses over the keys and slides off of the hood of the car...after catching another snowflake.]

Still not gonna tell me?

[parodeity]

Have I ever guessed wrong about shit you'd enjoy?

[ so, no? but he'll reverse roles and open john's door as he gets in. ]

Your lack of trust is appalling.

[windeity]

Well no, but that is because...I don't know, you are just good at that shit. [But he'll get in the car and store the CD player in the glovebox, shoving the CD itself into the actual stereo.]

Also it is not a lack of trust. I am just curious!

[parodeity]

You can just admit it's 'cause I know you, Egbert.

[ and he is putting the car in reverse so he can like, leave the parking lot and go towards a Mystery ]

[windeity]

I already know you know me. [He glances at Dave from the corner of his eye.] It's why this is kind of really exciting and mysterious.

[parodeity]

Well now you might be gettin' your hopes too high, so simmer down and erase all expectations?

[windeity]

I don't think so. You are not exactly someone who can disappoint me in stuff like this.

[parodeity]

First time for everything. Shut your eyes, will you?

[ to enhance the surprise, even though he just told john to calm down...pick a side, dave ]

[windeity]

Okay, okay. [Which. He does.] How far are we going? Or is that part of the surprise too?

[parodeity]

Not that far. Call it the space of like, two or three songs tops. And it's not like a "surprise" that much - I mean, it's just an idea, and you can say no when we get there if you want?

[ presumably this is some mundane bullshit and dave is just making it sound dire for some reason ]

[windeity]

[He goes quiet for a sec.]

I doubt I would say no. It's Saturday, and I like hanging out with you. And the summer Saturday was fun even when you thought it was going to be dumb.

[parodeity]

There's still a part pending to that.

[ whenever john asks for more summer. but anyway!

eventually they pull up to The Stardust, and dave parks. ]

- around this time of year, there's an outdoor one, too. [ a rink, he means. ] Noooot usually somethin' I bother to do, but -

[windeity]

I know. I am saving it.

[For Reason. But once he feels the car stop be opens an eye, listening to Dave explain and slowly perking up.]

...ice skating? [He sounds weirdly hopeful about this.]

[parodeity]

Yes? [ hopeful is good, probably. dave usually Avoids the outdoor rink for the most part because 1) cold 2) fucking COLD but john's being a moron pressing his face to windows and catching snowflakes with his tongue.

so. ]

Skate rental's pretty cheap.

[windeity]

[Winter!!! He pulls away from where he's peering out the window where the rink is and he turns, grinning widely as he unbuckles his seatbelt.]

It doesn't look that crowded yet either. [But.] Are you sure? This requires...you know. Being outside.

[parodeity]

Pretty sure that occurred to me when I drove you here and mentioned the outdoor rink? [ he can deal for a while...and at least it's not, like. NATURE. ] You know you want to, so why not?

[ and OUT OF THE CAR dave goes? ]

[windeity]

[And John immediately follows! There's a slight bounce in his step as they head for the rink and the skate rental area and he's tilting his face up a little toward the sunlight and the snow.]

I am curious. What made you think I would like ice skating? [Since he raised such a fuss about dancing, after all.]

[parodeity]

Because you like physical activity and, for some godforsaken reason, winter. And this is like the unholy child of both those things?

[ and it is also the nearest he thinks he can get john to dancing for the forseeable future ever again so there's that. once they hit the skate rental he simply pays the fee for both of them and assumes john will grab whatever they eat or wherever they go next. ]

You also like...I dunno, cliche bullshit?