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[parodeity]

DAVE STRIDER | RED | #E00707
TEXT | ACTION

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[windeity]

[Give him a little bit to think that over.] Are you afraid that it won't come true the right way? Or that it won't come true at all?

[parodeity]

I'm not afraid. [ he's always afraid, but. ] But some things it'd hurt too much to hear "no" to. So people ask for less or they just don't ask.

[windeity]

Doesn't it still hurt to kind of be left wondering? If you never ask, you don't get an answer at all.

[parodeity]

Yeah, but... [ that's a hurt he lives with every day? ] That's more like a toothache.

[windeity]

[There's a small sigh.]

Okay. What if we did a practice run? You ask for a wish, I grant it, nothing bad happens.

[parodeity]

And what do I get if you say no?

[windeity]

I don't know, an "I told you so" and permission to kick my ass? The point of the exercise is that I am not going to say no, jeez.

[parodeity]

Ok I obviously don't need permission to kick your ass? [ he curls his arms around his legs, curved in on himself as he perches on the chair. ]

[windeity]

Then we'll come up with something else. [He approaches the chair, leaning over the back of it but giving Dave space.] You're stalling.

[parodeity]

Is it still just us?

[windeity]

In the house? Yeah. Why?

[parodeity]

Just wondering. [ with the new arrivals. ] Jade's grandpa seemed a little at sea.

[windeity]

Yeah. I told him Dirk was here so hopefully they figured it out. I don't think they realized they were both around. [The conversations with the two of them were...weird...and yet John's a little tentatively excited to see them. Maybe it'll be good for everybody. Plus--]

If they came, maybe that means Jade and Rose will show up, too.

[parodeity]

[ there is that. dave attempts a smile. he wants rose so badly, but.

but.

he wants his rose. ]

The pivot point must've been three years.

[windeity]

...what do you mean? [Dirk and John talked about movies and sidequests. Jake was talking about being alone. He was focused more on the fact that they existed than what that actually meant even though he at least understands they came from different timelines.

He thinks about what Terezi told him when she was still here and promptly ignores it. It's strange and a little awkward to have these people know him without knowing them. He wonders what exactly changed.]

[parodeity]

The divergence. [ he's just watching the fire now, idly. ] ...Still. They might actually be yours.

[windeity]

Oh. [...] I don't...maybe? But I do not actually know them. I've only met Dirk once before now, and I've only learned about Jake through a letter and what Roxy's told me.

[parodeity]

I don't either really? B...Dirk talked to alpha Dave, but I obviously didn't live it. [ he says "alpha dave" like "real dave" and barely even notices. ] Anyway. You really don't have any wishes?

[windeity]

[He notices it, but he doesn't know what to do about it. So he's quiet and he looks at the fireplace as well.]

Tell me yours. That's my current wish.

[parodeity]

...oh my god that's like asking for infinite wishes you dork.

[windeity]

Nepotism. [A grin. He's probably using that word wrong but whatever.]

[parodeity]

That doesn't even make sense in this context? [ absolutely wrong. ] I just.

[windeity]

[He looks a little more thoughtful suddenly.] What's up? [Time to try and coax a cat, apparently.]

[parodeity]

How do you do it?

[windeity]

Do...what?