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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's sort of sweet, actually.]

I don't think that's a wrong assumption to make in any case. Music still played a pretty big part in stuff, didn't it?

[parodeity]

[ it is until you realize he meant that bro mixed shit and MAYBE if he were JUST FLUENT ENOUGH AT MUSIC he could connect to his fucking guardian.

luckily dave won't explain!

the other half is sweet, though. ]

It's what we got to know one another over. So yes. I can't say I can't imagine a world without you in it, since I've been there several times, but...that world sucks?

[windeity]

[Wow that sure is depressing!! But okay, whatever. John laughs lightly from behind the camera, peering both at the preview screen and at Dave anyway.]

Did you know I still have no idea how we all really met? I know it was through the internet but otherwise I don't know. Not that it matters. I think it's the same for me though. I like a world where you guys exist. It's weird how people can be such a huge part of who you are sometimes.

[parodeity]

You specifically. [ he hasn't been without rose ever, really, save childhood; and jade only during childhood and the meteor trip. ] I have had to exist without you specifically way too many times.

[windeity]

And you're still worried that I'll disappear on you. I know, Dave. [It's a scary thing to think about.] Do you feel off-balance when the four of us aren't together?

[parodeity]

[ he shrugs. it jostles john's arm. ]

- You all represented different shit and gave me different things. There was overlap, but - it wasn't like a cookie cutter same thing friendship across the board.

[windeity]

Well I know that. I have enough memories of the three of you now to know that. [...] We'll find her again someday. She might come back and if she doesn't, we'll go get here. It's funny, isn't it? The three of us lived close together and I don't remember Jade living as close either.

[parodeity]

Yeah, but. [ this sounds bad. ] ...she’s integral but she’s the one I can work around not having.

[ rose would be impossible. john - harder than anything. jade - ]

I’d die to bring her back but I know how to breathe without her right next to me.

[windeity]

[...there's a slow nod.]

I think I understand. It would be better if she were here but it's not the end of the world right now if she's not. I still hope someday to meet her. I hate remembering so much about her and not knowing her.

[...] That's what it was like for you when you remembered me, wasn't it?

[parodeity]

Not exactly. With you it was like -

[ he could avoid it but he...tries. ]

It was knowing the answer but not being able to give it? Every time I got nervous or upset or sad or whatever I wanted to open up a chat window with you and I couldn’t. It was...yeah.

[windeity]

[...every time John thinks he understands their friendship, there goes Dave. For a second, he considers him carefully before he nods again.]

Can I have my arm back for a second? I promise you can have it right back.

[parodeity]

[ john asks and dave lets go, immediately, not knowing where he’s going with this but. ]

[windeity]

[Still holding the camera, he reaches for his phone and he starts fucking around with it until Dave's phone chimes.

Whenever he looks at his notifs, he'll find:

"-- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering turntechGodhead [TG] at 14:17 --

EB: well! now you can, i guess. haha."

That's all he says and he holds his phone in one hand, cutting a semi-curious and semi-nervous glance at Dave instead. So...there's that.]

[parodeity]

[ dave like...pauses when john fucks with his phone, and hears the chime and. doesn't know what to expect? he's set so many different sounds up, and he fingers twitch and he stares for a moment before he dips his hand into his pocket to pull out the phone.

it's been about half a year since he's had pesterchum. the entire time every single name has been grayed out, every single time he's pulled the program up by muscle memory that lets him down.

ectoBiologist is online, and pestering him, and dave can't decide if he wants to stare at the screen or at john.

eventually he replies?

TG: hey
TG: sorry about this
TG: the bullshit which is about to occur
TG: its messed up

which is like all the warning john gets before dave does exactly what he did to dirk in another life: simply throws himself at john in an ungraceful and ridiculous hug, not bothering to explain further. ]

[windeity]

[The thing is that they're on ice and ice is slippery. Not expecting Dave's reaction there's no time for John to brace himself or dig his toe into the ice and so to compensate he reacts as best as he can. One hand grips the camera tighter so he doesn't lose it, but the other drops his phone on the ice in lieu of grabbing Dave instead.

Which is fine, really. The phone isn't important and his arm snakes around Dave's shoulders to pull him closer since this is still, again, not entirely expected. Dave usually has to barter his way for any kind of physical affection so to openly take it...well, he's happy about that even if he's a bit puzzled.

All he can really do for right now is hug him back and wait to see what Dave does because like hell he's going to be the one to point out Dave acted first.]

[parodeity]

[ it's fine? dave can catch them before they fall probably? but john's strong enough to stop them falling probably and while dave's a little briefly worried about the phone he doesn't snap out a hand to grab that but just clings kind of like he did at the party. he can't remember if he's actually initiated some kind of hug so far without john starting it or without trading for it but whatever.

NOW people probably think they're crazy. at least there aren't too many people around yet, and also dave doesn't actually care right this second as he just presses his face into john's shoulder and pretends he isn't weird as fuck. or fails to care enough to pretend. ]

We need to get you a drop proof phone case. [ - OKAY THEN. ]

[windeity]

[Okay then. He doesn't particularly mind right now either and he keeps them upright and still and lets Dave cling since this is getting to be normal by now. People eventually stop staring and he looks at Dave for a second.]

That is probably not a bad idea. Maybe we can go get one later. [Since this is definitely a thing that is still occurring.]

[parodeity]

[ okay. breathe in, breath out, let go. dave's actually not half bad at hauling himself together quickly when he has to or thinks he has to, and he dips to grab the phone and check it over for damage, careful.

he does not mention or acknowledge the part where he was clinging to john for a minute or so there. ]

They have ones that are waterproof, too.

[windeity]

[He still doesn't care that Dave was clinging and there's a slight frown when Dave pulls away all together. The phone's fine with a little bit of ice dusting it but otherwise it's undamaged.]

I am not throwing my phone into another body of water. I think drop-proof would be fine.

[parodeity]

[ well he pulls away to hand john his phone and then waits for him to pocket that? and then will reclaim the arm and hand he'd previously been hanging off of. ]

There's drop plus water proof ones, and I don't see why we can't get you one of those?

[windeity]

[The phone immediately goes on his pocket and he sort of holds out his arm and waits for Dave to reclaim it. Once he does, he turns the camera to catch some of the snow and better ice skaters.]

You are really worried about me destroying my phone again somehow aren't you?

[parodeity]

I like being able to get in touch with you. [ THAT'S NORMAL, JOHN! ]

[windeity]

I think Retrospec sent me another computer. [So there's that.]

[parodeity]

Doesn't mean we can't try to protect your phone. I spent time helping you pick that out??

[windeity]

[There's a snort.]

Yeah, okay. Do you want to do that before we go home?