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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

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[windeity]

[He leads him to a very specific practice room and a very specific piano. It's the same one that John brought him to on his birthday and he gestures to Dave to sit on the bench.]

...do you want your song first, or your other present first?

[parodeity]

Song first. [ he's sitting with one leg to either side of the bench, eyes on john. ]

[windeity]

Okay. [He's being careful because of the tattoo.] So...do you know why I brought you here, exactly?

[parodeity]

You played my birthday song in here. And also kissed me.

[windeity]

Yup. And then I stalled for like almost two weeks like an idiot before we got together. At least this time I won't stall. [He says. As he stalls. But he's playing a light, gentle melody.]

[parodeity]

You can't really stall on getting together at this point.

[windeity]

Nope. And I don't want to. I never want to stall with you ever again. [...] It's not particularly romantic, maybe, but...I wrote this for you. [Give him a few moments to figure it out before he starts to play slowly but surely. The notes are solid, like he's been writing and practicing for a while. He doesn't look at Dave but his eyes aren't on his fingers either. They're on his right wrist instead.]

[parodeity]

[ he doesn't have to look over at dave. eventually dave shifts to bring his other leg over to the piano side of the bench and leans against john as he listens to him play. ]

[windeity]

[A slow and pretty song, stable and sure. It doesn't last for long, given it's short, but Dave leans into him and John turns his head just slightly to press a kiss to his hair.]

...everything I feel for you is something I can never hope to accurately describe to someone else. They would never understand, and I don't need them to. I don't need a label for what this is because I love you and that's pretty much the entire point. So...I called it Unlabeled.

[parodeity]

...you're ridiculous. [ his fingertips brush john's wrist, just under the bandage. ] I love you too.

[windeity]

Am I ridiculous when I have a new muse like you? [Just throwing that out there. He tries not to move when Dave's fingers touch his arm.]

[parodeity]

Yes. [ but he turns and presses a kiss to john's cheek. ]

[windeity]

Shut up. [But he allows it and he grins.] Was that okay?

[parodeity]

You know you're my favorite composer.

[windeity]

I'm the only one you know personally. [His left hand idly begins to play Dave's original song.] ..I do have something else for you if you want it.

[parodeity]

When don't I want things from you?

[windeity]

A good point. [He holds out his hand, a small red box dropping into it as he hands it off to Dave.]

[parodeity]

[ ? he'll take it to open. ] I know it's red because me but this feels like Valentines.

[windeity]

[His hand moves to cover Dave's suddenly before he can fully open it.]

Promise me you won't get weird?

[parodeity]

...you only ask me that when you're about to do something insane.

[windeity]

It's not that insane! You just have to promise.

[parodeity]

[ haha no. he's faster than john and drags his hand away and has the box open in a second. what the hell is in there? ]

[windeity]

Hey! [Yeah no Dave is a lot faster which means he opens the box and he'll find a small, gold ring. It's a basic band and looks like this.

It's attached to a chain though.]

[parodeity]

[ okay, dave isn't sure what he's looking at. it's fairly obviously not one of the usual kinds of rings people get in relationships because haha he doesn't even have so much of a second of misunderstanding that since why would john. a promise ring also seems semi pointless and he's pretty sure john can't have one of those.

or is virginity a requirement? he's not actually sure. jewelry isn't his thing. it's almost definitely not john's thing either so dave's reaction is less weird and more complete bafflement. ]

I give. What's this all about?

[windeity]

...this was one of the first things I ever received from Retrospec way back in October. Like before we even got the cat. And I never understood what it was until I got some memories back and remembered conversations with Vriska to put it all together. It's like...a life ring. Supposedly it brings ghosts back to life, and...you know. You kind of fixed a lot of my life by just being here. So it only felt right for you to have it. The chain is just so it doesn't get lost.