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[parodeity]

DAVE STRIDER | RED | #E00707
TEXT | ACTION

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[windeity]

That's fine. [Weird. But okay. ] Do you want to hang out in one of the bedrooms then? It's just that the piano is down here.

[parodeity]

You wanted to play something? [ weird but john isn't calling him on it so ]

[windeity]

I want to try writing something else. But if not, we can think of something else? We don't have movies to stream but...I don't know. People in the olden days used to tell stories and stuff didn't they?

[parodeity]

Yeah. But you want to stay down here and work on a piece? [ why isn't dave saying what he wants ]

[windeity]

If we have nothing else to do. I also don't mind making a fort and telling dumb ghost stories since I think that is how those things go. [A raise of an eyebrow.] We're one wish a piece. So what do you think?

[parodeity]

[ unless john has dislodged him dave misses the look, gnawing on his lower lip. ] You were claimin' my wish didn't count.

[windeity]

Then that's even more of a reason you should ask for a wish. [Duh. He hasn't dislodged him but he does pull back a tiny bit now to get a better look at him. And also because yeah, standing like this is a little awkward.]

[parodeity]

You don't have to promise to grant it.

[windeity]

I'm gonna. [Mostly because Dave's being so stubborn???] What is it?

[parodeity]

Just... [ give him like...

several minutes here as he straightens up (ish) to look at john. ]

[windeity]

[They finally are mostly upright and looking at each other, John giving Dave another curious look. Yes...?]

[parodeity]

Can you stay with me.

[ it's one of his quieter voices and maybe it still doesn't explain anything. ]

[windeity]

[It doesn't. He doesn't know what Dave's actually asking, but he can at least understand the words "stay" and he remembers what Jake asked him earlier. The timeline split is a little...hard, maybe, give the circumstances. He hasn't even spoken to Vriska to see if she knew.

But that doesn't entirely matter at the moment. He's still giving Dave a curious and somewhat careful look. He doesn't want to answer wrong when this is maybe more crucial than he thought.]

Yes. [It's possible he doesn't quite know what he just agreed to, but he's also aware he'd do anything for his friends so...who cares? But he says yes and he waits to see what Dave will do, anything that might give him a clue what to do next.]

[parodeity]

[ it is and isn't the timeline split. dave has ample problems worth facing that even though he has always been prepared for it. it's more that he saw his brother and spoke to him and dave knows there are nightmares lurking just around the bend.

it's more that and he doesn't know how long john's going to consider him the right dave. ]

Just for tonight. I don't want... [ it sounds stupid and childish and he feels that way. ] Just stay.

[ he does the thing where he shifts, closer to john but not touching, hand flexing.

apparently he'll ask john to keep him company but not for a goddamned hug ]

[windeity]

[Like. He still doesn't get it, because while John is thoughtful and kind and loves his friends sometimes he's not so great at reading tones. However, it's the shifting that kind of draws his attention. Rose tended to radiate loner vibes, and Roxy wasted no time throwing herself all in for affection or comfort, but Dave seems to be a weird split between them. It's the fidgeting and the way he moves closer that kind of clues him in. It's the same way Dave's moved before when they first got here and after the shadows returned him.

He watches his hand for a moment before he reaches forward to grab onto his wrist to stop him from flexing it.]

I'm staying. [Firmly, assuredly. He looks at him and he already knows what Dave's going to say so he doesn't ask the question he wants. Instead, he just says:] It's okay.

[Whatever it is. It'll be okay.] It's still pretty rainy. Let's just make the fort and...[His eyes light up a little.] I have an idea. [Still not letting go but he's trying to gauge if this is "I'm freaked out" or "I need to be grounded a bit."]

[parodeity]

[ john grabs his wrist and dave doesn't struggle or pull back but just stills, only shifting enough to look over at john. maybe he's freaked out by the length of the day and the thoughts it brought but the larger portion of it - sort of - is that he needs grounding and comfort he's frankly terrible at asking for.

but john's hand at dave's wrist keeps him from moving around or reaching out, leeching comfort from the contact. and john lights up with an idea. ]

Okay. What's up?

[windeity]

[It's fine. He doesn't let go and he keeps a comfortable grip, thumb carefully pressing into Dave's pulse. He doesn't know if this is enough, but it's a start.]

It's a surprise. We need a huge blanket fort and our laptops.

[parodeity]

[ john, that's maybe weird. dave's pulse is steady, though. ]

I have my laptop. [ he's a little reluctant to start the fort and lose the contact but whatever? ]

[windeity]

[John trying to ground Dave this way is weird, but also maybe Dave should mention he doesn't want to lose contact yet??]

We might need both. Luckily we won't have to worry about the battery dying. [Hm.] One of the bedrooms is probably better. Plus we won't have to move all of the bedding.

[parodeity]

Yours. [ not pulling away is telling john? he does start to very carefully rotate his wrist to see if this can transition into less weird handholding or something -

no fuck that's still weird.

the room decision is easy at least. johns room should be as cozy and weirdly domestic as john. ]

[windeity]

[It's weird. But he kind of gets the point especially when Dave's moving his hand around and John doesn't fully trust Dave to stand still anyway.

So...it's a very loose hand-holding but still enough to be more comfortable as he begins to pull Dave forward to head for his room.] Okay. Still need the blankets and shit from your room though.

[parodeity]

[ loose hand holding is fine. or john can do that. dave kind of clings to the point of contact when john doesn't let go and happily lets himself be dragged along. ]

Yeah, fine, it's not like I'm hiding anything there.

[windeity]

[Dave seems to have calmed down a little so you know if handholding is the price he has to pay that's what he'll do. He heads for Dave's room first, popping in and glancing around briefly.] Do you want to grab all of them or just some?

[parodeity]

All, obviously? You said "epic" pillowfort.

[ dave's room has the same too many captchas problem as downstairs, but more of people than scenery. there's some eclectic bones on the shelves and some rocks and a feather or two.

and a completely unmade bed with too many blankets and some pillows. he hasn't slept much recently but he never makes his bed so it's impossible to tell. ]

[windeity]

I did. [Somehow this seems very Dave. He steps forward, unsure if he's supposed to let go of Dave's hand and choosing not to as he picks up a large pile of blankets to shove into his sylladex. Dave can grab the pillows.] It will be the best pillow fort ever. Where did you even find all of these blankets?