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[parodeity]

DAVE STRIDER | RED | #E00707
TEXT | ACTION

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[parodeity]

My best friend. That doesn't change even if you can't handle certain topics.

[windeity]

[A long pause.] Do you think I'll ever be able to? Whatever those are.

[parodeity]

...I dunno? Not really up to me. I kind of assumed "no".

[windeity]

...you didn't even ask me. [It's quiet, but he concedes finally.] It's okay. Just...maybe consider trying?

[parodeity]

...Because whenever I edge near the topic you kind of freak out a little and ignore it. It's fine, Eggs.

[windeity]

I wanted to talk last night and you said no and then tricked me into falling asleep. This is not all on me, Strider.

[parodeity]

It kinda seemed like an anti-best friend move to talk to you about somethin' just because you got so exasperated you were willing to force yourself to?

[windeity]

Okay, well, I am not forcing myself to right now and you're still saying I don't want to so...I don't know. I just want to help and I don't know how, okay?

[parodeity]

So, what. You want to talk about what happened before we woke up here?

[windeity]

Is that why you can't sleep? [Since we're doing questions for questions.]

[parodeity]

It's...a chunk of it.

[windeity]

And the rest is what? Something else?

[parodeity]

[ a shrug. ] I don't feel...comfortable, falling asleep without any sort of...safety system. I wake myself up because I get worried.

[windeity]

[A headtilt.] Like a security alarm or a guard dog or something?

[parodeity]

I mean, I guess either thing. But it's...not safe here, and I don't even have, like. Rose a few doors down within range to back me up. That helped on the meteor until we figured out wht we were doing. I'll acclimate, I just...haven't yet.

[windeity]

Okay well...I am not Rose, but you know I don't mind hanging out right? Like that is an option you can have.

[parodeity]

...I didn't want to ask you to move or whatever just because I'm having residual death effects.

[windeity]

You make it sound like that's not something that is kind of important and like...it kind of is? By a lot. It is seriously important.

[parodeity]

Is this going to hurt you?

[windeity]

Which part? Why should this be about what's hurting me when you're the one who's freaked out enough you can't sleep?

[parodeity]

Because you're my best friend and I care about you more than I do about me. [ duh. ] So if talking about what happened to us hurts you, I'd rather not do it? Why do you think I haven't tried more than once or twice?

[windeity]

Of course it's going to hurt. [Plainly.] But it's going to hurt even if we don't because it does not change what happened. And being here means it won't change. So I guess I just think...maybe we should focus on things here and making things better. That was the point of heading for the new universe in the first place wasn't it?

[parodeity]

I don't know. I mean, I guess that was it? But I always cared more about going someplace with you guys. I only even ever played the game because Rose's house was on fire, you know this.

[windeity]

I know. I know...you kind of refused until the last minute and it was only for Rose and that is fine, I get that. But you've kind of always done that? I am still kind of mad about the Tumor, by the way, but at the same time not really since that is how things had to go and Karkat and I already talked about that and...whatever.

Obviously it sucks that I waited three whole years to get back to you and Rose so that you, me, and the girls could hang out together like we were supposed to. But it's more than that. I'm just...I'm sorry. For not being there when I was supposed to be.

[parodeity]

[ yeah, he has always kind of tried to just take on the world and not let john have any of it when it hurts. he has tried to keep rose from it, too, but she has always been good about ignoring him. ]

John, [ and holy shit what? ] You seriously don't have to be sorry. I'm the one who -

[ didn't save jade. and. ]

If anything I'm glad you weren't there. We didn't...at least one of us.