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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]

Yeah? [ he remembers that talk, sitting at the side of his high school pool. dave's restless again, shifting, and john didn't move so dave moves again, turning and straddling john and staring down at him in the dark and trying to think of words that make sense beyond the vague headache.

he only comes up with things john already knows. ] You're the only person I've ever been in love with in this lifetime.

[ it's said almost idly, even though he hadn't bothered to indicate he remembered any other, and then he leans down and kisses john because that's easier than words. ]

[windeity]

[His hands automatically slot themselves over Dave's hips and he grins instead.]

Yea--[He's very rudely cut off when Dave kisses him though, keeping it quiet and slow anyway. He eventually pulls away though because...yeah. There's no indication he remembered their previous life together which sucks, but. It's life now, he thinks.] ...yeah. Would you love me in the next one, too?

[parodeity]

[ this life. red eyes in the dark, and one of those stupid laughs that covers an uncertain reaction. he'd told john about it once, how he laughed when he didn't know what else to say sometimes. ]

I'm the one who's loved you twice. [ not the same way. it wasn't in love with anything in return, but something childish and secret and then the friendship that was always there.

a could-have-been but wasn't. ]

[windeity]

[He gets a better look as his eyes adjust in the dark again. He knows that about Dave, knows sometimes words are too much and the world's too big, but it's that phrase that makes it click into place.]

...[There's a deep breath before he just. Kinda. Launches himself at Dave even though Dave's in his lap which means they're both tipped over and he squeezes tighter than Dave's probably used to. There's a rushed, mumbled "holy shit you're back" and he's going to stay here for now. Farewell. Good luck moving him.]

[parodeity]

[ this effectively means dave's suddenly forced to use all of his flexibility, bent backwards in a kneeling position and not really bothering to stop it happening anyway. he doesn't protest or try to get john to make this more comfortable and less whatever it is, and john's stronger than he thinks and it's maybe too tight but he doesn't protest that either.

for a moment or two.

he smacks john on the arm after a second, though. ]

[windeity]

[Yeah, like, sorry about that. Sorry about that? Maybe not that sorry given he doesn't bother to move at all until Dave starts smacking him. His grip loosens by, like, a minute amount.]

What?

[parodeity]

If you're gonna bend me over weird at least make it worth my while. [ dryly. ]

[windeity]

[He'll settle for another kiss? But also letting up so Dave doesn't snap in half or anything.]

I mean that can be arranged, but maybe later. [Much later, since Dave's back to remembering and John remembers his boundaries and also would be content just to stare at Dave all day instead.]

[parodeity]

[ the boundaries typically include no making out in bed, but he did say "no rules". ]

Do I need to call ahead to schedule an appointment? That always sounds so business like and I don't think that's what you're goin' for.

[windeity]

Oh my god, shut up. Also you kind of already did, that's why I took the day off. [But...]

Oh. Your eyes, um. How's your head?

[parodeity]

You just took the day off because I said "stay home", I didn't call ahead. [ he didn't even have to ask hard. not being bent backwards is less uncomfortable and he loops his arms lazily around john's neck but does nothing further. ] That ain't why it hurt. Mostly.

[windeity]

...that's kind of calling ahead. [Lmao no it's not. It's John being completely at Dave's whim and not even remotely caring. His hands rest against Dave's lower back to hold him in place, frowning as he leans his forehead against Dave's.]

Mostly. [...] Do you remember everything? Or is it still coming back?

[parodeity]

It so the fuck is not. [ at all ] ...Do you remember when I told you to think about horses?

[ it's the weird double-vision, but with memories, settling into place. ]

[windeity]

Yeah. It wasn't real at first, and then it was. That's what it's like?

[parodeity]

Yeah. Just weird thinking about how I was thinkin' and how I...was.

[ the kid he used to be who he doesn't even remember how to be anymore.

dave's fingers tap a frenetic beat against the back of john's neck. ]

[windeity]

[His fingers pick up an underlying melody of notes that play against Dave's spine.]

...it was a very interesting month, to say the least.

[parodeity]

[ a shift or a shiver. it's hard to tell which, though he's just looking at john. his fingers don't still. ]

You didn't ditch.

[windeity]

I did not. Were you expecting me to? [His fingers mirror the movements.

[parodeity]

[ a...good question. ]

I wasn't exactly me.

[windeity]

I wasn't exactly me either when we first met, was I? And you still stayed.

[parodeity]

That's different and you know it. We weren't together.

[windeity]

How does that change anything though?

[parodeity]

Dude, come on. You agreed to go out with me, not the guy whose biggest concern was whether or not he liked a girl or what his college major should be.

[windeity]

What makes you think they're really so different to me? You're still you, aren't you? I am pretty sure I agreed to go out with all parts of you.

[parodeity]

I didn't remember even less than half our life together.