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[parodeity]

DAVE STRIDER | RED | #E00707
TEXT | ACTION

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[parodeity]

There's no way you got sent that thing one hundred and one times. Who changed it on you?

[ he just perches on the edge of john's bed, hands in his lap and eyeing his best friend dubiously. ]

[windeity]

Okuyasu. Then I told him about the Batterwitch and my cake curse. [He scoots over to give Dave room at least even if he stares at the ceiling.]

[parodeity]

[ dave isn't sure if he should take that as an invitation or not, so he stays where he is for the moment. ]

So...how're you feelin'? [ may as well just. hop right into it. he really wishes rose were here but she's not and it's just john and dave handling their own emotional maitenance.

like. dirk and jake exist but dave's pretty sure jake would feel awkward as fuck and dirk is maybe even worse than dave at emotions. it's really hard to tell.

so. ]

[windeity]

[Don't leave him to his own emotional maintenance? He's not good at that. Still, Dave asks and John shrugs to himself again.]

...I don't know. [It's a start.] Like maybe it's not fair.

[parodeity]

[ well. he'll like lay down next to john after a second or two of thinking, a little awkward and stiff but on his side eyeing john like he might explode or something. ]

I'm still here. [ he has no idea if that helps. ] ...Things seemed kinda awkward between you two.

[windeity]

[At least they're laying side by side and he's fine with that.]

I know. [It's an affirmation that it's a good thing and it better not change.] It would be different if you weren't. And things have always been kind of awkward between me and Vriska but just in different degrees. This time it was "hey I called you a monster and we friend broke up but now we're stuck here" awkward.

[parodeity]

Did you still think it? About her bein' a monster I mean. Which I assume was about the troll murder deal which. All of them could have stood to chill on a little bit. [ his fingers curl into john's sleeve, a barely there touch. ]

[windeity]

[He shifts just a little into that contact but doesn't do much else at the moment while debating how to answer.]

Yes, it was about that. It was a while ago when we were hunting for treasure and before I got the stupid timehopping powers. [...] I don't know. I don't think she is now, but she has also changed a lot. We all have.

[parodeity]

[ dave stays put, figuring maybe he can work up to a hug if john seems to need it. ] I knew you were tryin' to fix shit. I mean, we talked about it. Told ya you wouldn't be able to not because that's the kind of guy you are. A Mr. Rogers episode about friendship and forgiveness.

[ he scoots a little closer. ]

And now you don't have the option.

[windeity]

[He turns just a little to get a better look at Dave.]

No. I don't have that option, and it sucks. Especially knowing what she is going back to. It's not really a great feeling, I guess.

[parodeity]

[ there's the scooting again and a hand on john's sleeve progresses to an arm carefully slung over his waist. ]

I'm sorry. [ it's not something he knows how to fix. ] We can try being optimistic here:

[windeity]

[Oh. That's fine. He's not sure how to react but he does shift his legs enough to knock his knee into Dave's. It's appreciated even if he doesn't quite move yet. A hand comes up though to close the gap a little more, lingering on the bed somewhere between them.]

We can. [Lightly, though not entirely happily.] You think she and Terezi will come back someday?

[parodeity]

Maybe. [ he's not sure. dave isn't sure if he wants that or not - no, vriska coming back would be good for john so that's easy. having terezi around and not hopped up on soda and juggalos had been nice, too. ] 'Rezi was weird to have around a bit. But I do miss her.

[windeity]

We got used to them, then things got weird, and then we started getting used to them again and now they're gone. [It's baffling.] But Dirk and Jake came later. Maybe other people will come back.

[He still wants the girls to show up.]

[parodeity]

I mean, it was just...awkward. [ a shrug. ] I didn't catch you up on everythin' on the meteor, exactly. I mean. I guess I went over general details, but.

[windeity]

How...awkward was awkward? Like more awkward than me and Vriska?

[parodeity]

We dated. She cheated on me with the juggalo hidin' in the vents. Also, she became a soda alcoholic?

[ so

probably a little more awkward maybe, shrug??? ]

We were like. Friends still. But it's kind of hard to really hang with someone who has a drinking problem. They're not really themselves and you mostly miss who they used to be.

[windeity]

I didn't even know. [Truthfully he had no idea and he wonders what else he might have missed if Dave hadn't told him.] When she found me and Roxy she seemed exactly the same as always. Did you ever tell her that?

[parodeity]

Tell her what? About the drinking? No, not really. Karkat talked to her eventually but mostly our policy was to let the Seers do what they were gonna. [ a small frown. ] The trolls didn't really get why being drunk on alcohol all the time was bad. Kan sort of did a bit maybe.

[windeity]

[...well it doesn't take a genius.]

Rose too?

[parodeity]

...I think it was 'cause of her mom. I didn't...know what to say.

[windeity]

When did that start? [And how long did it last?]

[parodeity]

Second year, roundabouts. She managed to alchemize it. [ and it didn't quite stop ]

[windeity]

I'm sorry. I had no idea....[He frowns. How could he have?] The second year, I think, was the weirdest for all of us.

[parodeity]

Dude, how were you supposed to know? It wasn't your fault, or even really hers. It just felt like losing her a bit, you know? And I didn't know how to help her. I kept thinking you or Jade would do it better.