lucybox | so age shenanigans "lucy what do you use your musebox for" nonsense threads and holiday cards

so age shenanigans "lucy what do you use your musebox for" nonsense threads and holiday cards

[ one day dave strider wakes up and the tower isn't familiar or comfortable. it's place he's never been with weird trappings of familiarity. there are things that are clearly his or that he...thinks are his? turntables unfamiliar to him in specific except they're his exact set up. clothes in the closet a little too big for his frame, but the pajamas he'd been wearing are just black pants an a loose t-shirt so those are fine. there's stickers on the top of the bunk bed frame, the bed he woke up in, and some are sbahj. there are pictures pinned places he's mostly ignoring because they're too odd, and it's...

not his bedroom. it's not his apartment. after looking out a window, dave's pretty sure it's maybe not his planet.

which, okay. sburb has only just become a thing and already dave is pretty sure bullshit is par for the course. but a little more warning would have been nice? or any warning at all. the workbench in the room he woke up in is weird and a little unsettling and so dave goes...down the stairs because he hears stuff down there and smells.

food?

that is a weird thing to smell in the morning. what the fuck. he'll kind of peer around the corner with as much caution as he can muster, figuring he doesn't see his own corpse so either this doesn't go sideways at all or it just hasn't yet and - ]

Bro. [ deadpan neutral surprise, because, yeah. that's...no, he's younger, but still. hm. reluctantly, dave stops peering around the corner and drifts further into the room, regarding the kitchen being used as a kitchen with well but not perfectly hidden dismay and concern. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yeah, I'd definitely be down. No actual stores here, but when we get somewhere with them? First stop, Strider Bros Shopathon.

That'd be cool. [ and that's how dave tries to play it. like he's totally cool and it's no big deal and he isn't thrumming with repressed nerves at the idea. and it's just an idea. it might never happen. he shouldn't get his hopes up or get too into the idea of a life that belongs to some other future dave. but it's both terrifying and weirdly nice to hear someone who looks so much like bro express a desire to spend actual time in his company. repeatedly. ] So is all this stuff alchemized, then?

[There's a flicker of—wait for it—a smile.] Yeah, it would be cool.

Stuff, though, we mostly build. URSULA has some things for processing and we do some 3D printing. Some of it is salvaged from shipwrecks.

] yeah that's still enough for him to completely fumble the game again because what the fuck is his brother emoting at all??? especially a smile? holy shit he made bro smile and the guy just acts so casual about it, like they do this everyday. do they do this everyday? ]

Like how they do organs 3D printing?

[Sorry Dave. Dirk notices, and then wonders if maybe it'd be better if he didn't say he noticed. Dave seems overwhelmed already.]

Essentially. As long as we can get the materials, she can build most things.

You're really smiley.

] he...meant to say something about organs, and yet ]

[...Okay that's kinda a funny way to put it. But.]

Most people would say pretty much the opposite of that, but yeah. Compared to your Bro—to the version of me who raised you—I'm pretty damn emotive. It helps that you make me smile more than pretty much anyone in all realities.

[ look dirk is really! smiley! comparatively. at least he gets why dave always said so now that he's actually seen memories of the dude doing his completely impassive and impossible to read thing. dave is once again as near to gaping as he gets though. ]

I do? Holy shit how. Why? You think I'm funny or - like lots of people say that but -

[Right. This. Okay.]

You're funny, yes. I also find you relaxing company, and just a really good dude that I like a lot. You make me happy.

I make you happy. [ there's the faintest note of incredulity but. okay. that's a thing that just got said. The other parts are equally ludicrous but that part is just most so. he pushes at the idea like a kid wiggling a loose tooth that hasn't stopped hurting yet. ] What makes you happy? Notmally. Unrelated to me.

[That's. A question that makes sense but he doesn't know how to answer it.]

I don't know. Mostly the people I love? Being near them, hanging out with them, conversing with them, making things for them. You fall under that umbrella though but it isn't like there's much outside of that I'd say makes me happy.

[wait shit he just implied he loves Dave IS THIS GOING TO KILL HIM]

[ well it sure is gonna make dave just stare at dirk incredulously ]

[shit he broke it]

Uh.

Yeah.

[ you know what

there's absolutely no way he read the situation right. dirk wasn't actually saying he loved dave, specifically, just that he didn't mind hanging out with him. because letting himself believe he heard the first part is just asking for trouble when things are cleared up.

right. okay. recalibrate. ]

So...next level? [ video games. they exist still. yeah. ]

No, I'm sorry. [Literally he's going to kill Dave at this rate.] I shouldn't have shoved my feelings onto you at this stage. I know you've got a lot to deal with.

[ literally just stab him it would be faster and more painless??? ]

You...don't even know me? [ well, he knows. future dave? does that count? shit ]

[ugh. kill him] I know a lot about you. From future you. I'm tryin' to use what I know to be considerate and not totally fuck over a kid in a really weird situation, but I guess we can see how well that's going.

[ kill dave first ] You don't have to be considerate.

[ that sounds a lot like "unsure if want you to stop or continue" since that's what it is. like. bro is never considerate. it's nice? but it's weird as fuck and what does he do with bro-shaped people being Nice. ]

I like being considerate of you.

[Being Dave. Younger or older, Dave his brother.

[ top thoughts: "why?" and "that won't last" and "this is an elaborate prank, isn't it".

what he actually says: ]

...Okay. [ don't borrow trouble, dave. ] I'm sure it'll fix itself soon or whatever.

[Hm. He isn't sure about the reaction. But again, he doesn't want to push it.] Do you... wanna do anything now? [There IS the next level Dirk just. Is an awkward mess of feelings.]

[ tbh he wants to try to warp himself to wherever he's supposed to be (or whenever) but that seems like it would go over poorly. asking for training would probably not go over well from what little he's picked up and he doesn't...want to...anyway...

"i want to knock myself unconscious" is just stupid ]

Whatever you wanna do is fine? [ the Safe answer. ] I don't mind keepin' up the game, though.

Careful there, dude, you're bordering on the metaphoric there. [Dirk sounds affectionate about that, too?] We can keep playin' for a bit then.

I'm not playin' any games. [ "that's your job", he doesn't add. ] ...Don't you have other stuff to do? I mean, with other people.

[ not that he wants dirk to leave (he thinks) but this is the longest his brother has ever been in his vicinity for any given amount of time without like fucking off. ]

Not really? I mean there are people I hang out with, but most of my time is spent doing nothin' in particular with you.

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Was closing out tabs and noticed I never hit send oops

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