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[parodeity]

DAVE STRIDER

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

VOICE | TEXT | VIDEO | ACTION

Comments

[windeity]

No! No, no it's not that. [...] I don't know, it was just weird to think about.

[...conversations...] We were friends for a really long time back then.

[parodeity]

Yeah. Can you like, take it from the top and explain what's up? I know why I didn't want you to, but I don't get why you kind of don't want me to.

[windeity]

I never said--[Okay right maybe an explanation.]

Did you and Jade live together after we beat the game and made the new universe?

[parodeity]

I don't know. [ not something he usually has to say to john, but he shrugs and thinks about it honestly. ] ...It's probable? I remember goin' on some kinda dig with her and Karkat, and I know I at least probably lived with him.

[ it's...a good guess, anyway? they were together, they probably presumably stayed together. dave hadn't told him about bro, but he hasn't told john, either. ]

No idea how I ever got any quiet time. Did you know she kissed sprite me after I was combined with a cat somehow?

[windeity]

If you were dating in that other timeline I guess that would make sense. [He's put enough pieces together to make some guesses. There's a small laugh though even as they head inside to rent their skates.]

I'm also not surprised to hear that. She dated sprite you for...a while. And she was kind of part-furry herself.

[parodeity]

Yeah, I remember. She yelled at me because Davesprite broke her heart. [ like they were the same person - which they were, up until they turned thirteen and the timeline split. it's not like dave can't figure out why davesprite would do or think or say the things he did, but he didn't do them, himself. ] But what's your point here?

[windeity]

It was late. [?] When you snapchatted and said that Jade said you guys should come over for my birthday. It was really late and I am not sure why but it seemed kind of weird. The thought was nice but it was dark out and I was turning 19 and you guys had been somewhere else all day before deciding to come over. And I guess it maybe turned out fine but it was just...I know you guys. I know it wasn't on purpose but it almost felt like an afterthought.

[He hands Dave his skates.]

[parodeity]

[ he ignores the skates. ]

...Yeah, well. It's not late now. It's thirty-two days and a handful of hours and minutes and seconds I won't bore you with until your birthday. And there isn't anywhere else I am supposed to be or want to be. You're the guy I'm with, and you're the guy I want to be with, and you're...my priority, here. You might not have been in a timeline where I didn't have you for three years, and didn't really have Rose even though she was right there, and definitely didn't have Terezi or any options but one guy I eventually learned to jive with - [ or maybe he was, but dave doesn't remember who the fuck he snapchatted the most or least, or any of it ] - but you were when we were thirteen and I can prove that to you just as easily as I can prove you are now. So...

[ so? ]

You're not an inconvenience. You weren't then, I don't think I've ever thought you were, so...

[windeity]

[There's a faint grin.]

...one of the things that fucked me up back then on the ship was feeling like my friends didn't have time for me or I was being replaced. And I know that was back then and maybe it wasn't true, but then you combine it with stuff like that. [It's awkward. John's not usually an insecure person but he's thought about it on and off and it's enough to make him wonder.] But I know. I know, things are different here.

[A beat.] My 18th was just an excuse for a giant party and after a while it never really felt like mine. I would have been fine with that if that had been what it was. You also sometimes overworry about stuff I'll like and I don't want you to do that. Worry, I mean.

[Case in point: the heartstone. Other presents. Existing sometimes.]

[parodeity]

I like worrying about you. I mean, okay, sometimes in practice it sucks and involves my stomach tryin' to punch me through the space-time continuum, or that's what it feels like, but I like worryin' about stupid shit and I want to spend one April 13th where I'm not missing you or watching the world end but just thinking about you?

[ and his birthday. but he'll back off if john genuinely tells him to. ]

But I don't really want to do it for me, I want to...I don't know, I figured maybe you could use a decent 13th, too. You've remembered, like, every sucktastic version in history, apparently, so maybe we could try to give you a new memory instead?

[ is...what his general plan was. ]

And for a guy who maybe replaced you I kind of sucked at it, so whatever.

[windeity]

[...this time he actually laughs, pulling them away from the rental counter so he can just kind of loop his arms over Dave's shoulders and look at him.]

Anybody ever tell you you make a pretty okay boyfriend, Strider? [That was apparently the right thing to say even if his hold is a little tighter than normal.] The birthdays I have remembered so far have not been great, somehow it always starts at 13. ButI do like the idea of new memories.

[parodeity]

So I can throw you a party, full permission? [ he just loops his arms around john's waist in response. ]

[windeity]

[He just leans into him anyway. The skates are probably carefully bumping against Dave's shoulders.]

Yeah. [It'll make Dave happy and he kind of finds himself excited about it.] Full permission. Gonna be hard to do it in our dorm but we can figure it out.

[parodeity]

I can figure out a location. [ he kisses...the tip of john's nose, then snags the skates and pulls away so he can change into them. ]

Thanks.

[windeity]

[Rude. But he's grinning like a total idiot anyway and he moves to pull on his own skates.]

Thirty-two days, babe.

[parodeity]

I remember. See, now, you have two things to look forward to. Or more than two? Lots of things.

[windeity]

You say that like I don't look forward to most things involving you and our friends. But yeah...it's a little exciting.

[parodeity]

D'you have anything you want for your birthday in particular, btw?

[windeity]

I haven't really thought of specific presents if that's what you mean. I think you know my tastes by now though.

[parodeity]

I hope they do a couple skate. [ RANDOMLY. ]

[windeity]

Why do you think I brought you here? [Wry. Dave plz. It's a mirror ball and neon lights and cheesy music and couple skates.]

[parodeity]

Because this is entirely your jam, and you can't tell me otherwise? [ hope john has his skates on because dave does and he's ready to go?? ] And you're pretty much the best boyfriend. In the boyfriend olympics I would be willin' to bet you'd take the gold medal.

[windeity]

[Another laugh. Yeah okay he super can't tell him otherwise. John has his skates and their in tuxes and heading out to the rink.]

You don't understand baseball but you understand how the Olympics work. Consider me swooning. [He holds out a hand.] Ready?

[parodeity]

Well, yeah, because it's like gold-silver-bronze. That's it, right? Or is there some kind of extra trophy?? [ but he slides his hand into john's. ] Ready.

[windeity]

That's how that goes, yeah. [Let's not talk about the Olympics. He pulls on Dave's hand and to the multicolored rink they go. SKATING!!]