lucybox | slams hands on table best friends

slams hands on table best friends

[ dave strider ends up choosing cinematography to study because, fuck, why not? it's almost graduation when he finally decides, and it's sort of at random. it's not that he doesn't like video-taping shit (he does) or that he isn't into special effects and sound stuff (he is) but there's a lot of shit dave is into and he wasn't sure how to translate that to college. he loves music; he loves dance; he's really into the film shit and his shitty comics, but he definitely can't do art because the shitty comic quality isn't shitty on accident. but he consults with his siblings and he thinks about it hard and he makes a decision.

and god, it was easier to be excited about that decision before memories and past lives and powers came into play, but it's still kind of cool. dirk hated college but dave likes the idea of it. he likes the routine normality that it seems to suggest, the way he feels kind of grown up and like a half-competent adult when he packs up his shit and heads off to university. it's still in the city so it's not like he's really gone, but it's enough of a distance to allow him to pretend.

these days, somewhat to his surprise, dave wants to pretend. rose doesn't remember a thing about anything going on and his parents probably never will, and it's strange and too much like playing pretend every day to live there. he can't tell them about anything. he can't even tell roxy, because he doesn't want to mention most of the things he knows to anyone. even the tiny things are seeming more and more dangerous, because then it's just a chain of memories, all the way down the line, and eventually they'll all remember the shit he doesn't say, but -

but. well. he can, for now, pretend to be an ordinary kid at college. he has a schedule? he has a mini fridge. he has a room, and he's carefully pinned up a few posters and sorted all his things. he's mindlessly listening to music with his earbuds in when the door opens, and he tracks the movement even behind his shades and sits up. ]

Yo - [ he's absolutely never met the guy who just waltzed into his (their) room but dave absolutely knows him. he reflexively reaches up to adjust his shades. okay. shit. that's john egbert - or...someone? maybe his name is different? but it's john, egderp, the dork who really likes mc...whatever and hates cake and who gave dave these shades, once upon a time, and he's here and really a real live person and ok dave maybe stop staring you're being weird.

shit he's in kindergarten again? how the fuck did you make someone your best friend back then. did you just go up and say "mine" and call dibs? does someone else have dibs???? can dave fight them for dibs -

STILL STARING, DAVE ]

Uh, [ internal screaming ] I'm Dave. Sup.

[ an attempt was made. i guess. ]

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[There's a nod to show he's listening even if he doesn't verbally respond, pushing his glasses up with one hand while also tearing off a piece of tape as Dave chatters.

It feels weirdly comfortable. Sometimes people ramble and John, awkwardly, doesn't know how to respond. But this all seems to be generally okay and he wonders if Dave is like this with everyone.]

Strifes like. Fights? [He seems a little uncertain but okay. Maybe he should be concerned? Nah, it'll probably be fine.] Shut up, it's not a mancrush. Jeez. [But he's almost fondly shaking his head as he's taping down the last corner of his poster.] If we're going off of every college movie cliche we should also be using that music to pick up girls.

[But he turns, appraising him for a moment before he nods again.] I'm self-taught, but I could try? I mean not just because of bonding exercises or whatever but it could be cool practice playing to mix into something. Projects are fun.

I think we should also be takin' some kinda ill-advised road trip. Possibly to pick up a girl? And possibly avoidin' a homicidal maniac. It depends which sub-genre of the college movie cliche we're knee deep in, here. Horror? Romcom? Tragic Nicholas Sparks flick? Shit, I guess Imma have to die if that's it, or someone else is. No one ever survives Sparks, he's almost worse than the horror genre in terms of life expectancies on characters.

[ what is dave even saying. he's not sure, he's rarely sure, he just kind of lets his mouth operate on automatic while the rest of him does whatever. people always take it differently. rose lets him talk himself out and comments or mocks him as she likes, dirk listens and seems to give a fuck, roxy laughs and throws the chatter back. it's almost never serious shit, because he sticks to the light and absurd when he has a choice, but it's almost constantly there. when dave's quiet and not at least murmuring to himself something's up, because coolkid or not he constantly keeps himself occupied and reassured and distracted. ]

I'd like that. [ understatement. circling back around to the offer of a project. the poster doesn't need him to hold it up, now that it's taped down, so he jams his hands in the back pockets of his jeans to keep from drumming out a rhythm on his arms or legs or showing other overt signs of nerves. ] Y'know, give me somethin' new to work off of. Love Rose though I do, I'd like new shit to mix in - Rose is my sister. Rose [ lalonde ] Strider, you'll probs see her at some point, though she's like, an English major.

According to the laws of all cliche college movies we have to wait for spring break for any kind of ill-advised road trips. If it's a horror movie though, I guess we can shoot for December. [There's a teasing grin.] You gave me shit about Mcconaughey but you know enough about Sparks? Lame, Dave.

[But then again he's fine with Dave shoving his hands in his pockets. The other posters in his bag are smaller and easier to handle and he's getting better at unrolling them to tape up. A small Pacific Rim poster, one for Alien, one for Die Hard and one for Pulp Fiction. He's decided this is the route he wants to go. He can multitask.

Besides, if he's honest, the chatter's nice. Thinking about it back home he didn't have a lot in the way of friends that were this chatty, just people he hung out with sometimes and got along with. Home was quiet, too. It's one of the true reasons he was so excited to leave even if there was a slight amount of guilt in doing so. It was complicated but nothing he needed to mull on much. They're still learning and John in particular is still learning what parts of Dave's commentary to answer and what parts just to accept.]

Sure though. I don't have a guitar here so we'll have to borrow one but the campus seems pretty big. There's probably a music department. [Probably. Or he could play the piano but again for some reason he doesn't seem too gung-ho about offering up that idea just yet.] English majors are really smart aren't they? Maybe I'll see her around or. [...well. Okay. Would Mr. Coolguy Strider want to hang out with his sister? Part of him thinks that if he had a sister he would want to, but that's him.] I don't know. Maybe all three of us could hang out or something.

[Okay. Say something else.] ...Egbert. [...sure, John. That works, too.]

Nice to meet ya, Egderp. [ teasing. ...IMMEDIATELY REGRETTING THE TEASING BECAUSE WHAT IF WITHOUT YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP MAKING FUN OF NAMES LIKE THAT IS NOT OKAY? dave is a lowkey disaster in the sanctity of his own mind like all the time. he pretends he isn't second-guessing everything he says to shrug like john's suggestion is not a Huge Deal and like he wouldn't 100% ditch everything else in his life to hang out with his sister and his past-life bff. ]

We could do the hangin' thing. She's pretty much the best. [ even though dave can't talk with her like he used to, he still loves rose ~~lalonde~~ strider with every fiber of his being. ] She's also extremely smart - the kinda smart where she's sharp enough to cut you and spill your organs across the kitchen floor, and smart enough to talk you into cleanin' them up yourself.

[ ... ]

I somewhat regret that metaphor, so like, movin' on here. Knowin' Nick Sparks is totally not lame, since I do not enjoy Nick Sparks. You can totally know shit you don't like?

[And a liiiiift of the eyebrows. There's a few moments where he's settled for staring at Dave instead of saying anything.]

That's going to stick, isn't it. [Ugh. He should have seen that coming. He's not upset about it, but at the same time it tugs at the back of his head again that there's something he might be missing here. He doesn't know what and he doesn't know why, but the way that Dave's been addressing him this whole time is...different.] Just don't call me that around Rose.

[And he's moving away from the wall to empty out the rest of the duffel bag now that the posters are gone. Its contents appear to be a small laptop, a few DVDs/blurays, and general everyday items so he doesn't need his full attention there.]

So what you're saying is that the homicidal maniac we have to escape on our epic road trip is your sister. Gross. [But you know, moving on is a great idea.] And you can not. Knowing shit about stuff you don't like still means you're putting in effort to learn about the dumb thing. Why would you do that?

[ oh thank goodness when he finally says something dave's shoulders slouch in released tension and there's that tiny not-quite-a-smile again. ] You have to admit it's clever.

[ he's being, probably, too familiar. because he is. and he can't help it. so many of his memories have been absolutely terrible or absurd, but there are some good ones. rose, of course, and the familiarity of his twin sister is always a blessing in memories. dirk, though dave hasn't remembered much of him in person. jade. the various other people he felt fondness for but hasn't learned much of. and john.

rose and john and jade were the sun at the center of his universe, he thinks, and desperately he wants that back and has missed it ever since he realized it was missing. rose is still here, but different. she doesn't know. john doesn't, either, but he wasn't here at all and now he is and every single memory and feeling he's scraped together about john egbert makes him want to trust the guy completely and follow him around like a puppy and rag him off to rose and jade immediately. that'd be how things were supposed to be. all four of them together doing pretty much anything. ]

Also, no, if we had to escape Rose we'd basically be dead meat, re: the horror movie thing. [ DON'T SAY RE: ALOUD ] And obviously the reason you'd learn about the dumb thing would be so you can defend your viewpoint on it bein' a dumb thing against people who think it's not a dumb thing?

[ ... ]

I'm a reformed internet troll. Maybe minus the "reformed", sometimes.

Is that what we're calling it? [There's a light hum but this time since he's facing him he can at least see the not-quite smile. It's something. John, as it were, likes making people happy most of the time even if he also likes making fun of people. Nothing should be taken too seriously except for the things that should. (It makes sense to him and that's all that matters.) Seeing Dave kind of smiling makes him feel like maybe he's doing this whole "good roommate" thing right.

More or less he wants to climb the ranks from being "amicable" to "friends" and learning to speak the Strider way is something he'll pay attention to for as long as he has to. Dave likes stupid references and casual cutting remarks. John likes those things, too, even if not to the same degree. It's something he can work with even if the abbreviation earns another roll of his eyes.]

I bet I could outsmart your sister somehow. She's never met the great John Egbert, master of mystery and blahblahblah. [John, shut up.] You know that whole thing sounds dumb, right? But that explains a little.

[And back to the pile of clothes. This is going to keep going for a while even as the pastry box gets scooted to the side on the floor and his laptop balances precariously off the edge of his bed.] I've met a lot of trolls in the last couple of years. Some of them can be pretty hilarious, especially if you point out their point is dumb. [Just saying.]

Okay, I'll literally pay to see you try to outsmart Rose. [ it's not an impossibility, but dave finds teasing his sister fun - he's like a cat on the edge of a cabinet, shoving a china bowl off to see it shatter on the floor. there's only trouble to be had from poking at rose (except not really because she loves him) but he can never stop doing it. or encouraging other people to do it. ]

And I've done the same thing? I mean, it's not hard, the trolls flock to me. My blog gets lots of hits from random web denizens tryin' to start flame wars they can't handle, and SBaHJ gets hit up with that kinda thing, too. Though the fan followin' will do the trollin' back for me sometimes.

[ save every universe from dave strider's comic please ]

[I'm glad we made it 24 comments before a cat metaphor came up, I am proud of you. Anyway, it's not like John knows. He can see the challenge in that and he knows saying "no" isn't something he wants. If the whole thing also means spending more time with the Strider siblings then that's what it'd take.]

You're on. Just wait, it's going to be the most awesome plan to come together to outsmart someone I've never even met. [You know what. He's just going to plop on the floor in front of the dresser to cram his shorts and jeans into a drawer.]

What's your blog about? [Probably more "cool guy" stuff but it's not like John's going to go search for it or anything when Dave isn't looking??? (That is absolutely what he's going to do.] And the other thing. You have a fan following? Really? [Ah yes, and there goes Dave dropping Gs again. Just more things for John to be aware of, he thinks.]

[ HOW VERY DARE YOU CALL ME OUT ABOUT CATS!!!!!!!!!!!! ]

My blog is about...kinda whatever? I had an entire series on posts about Tony Hawk at some point. Mostly how I think he should retire? [ THE ELDERLY SHOULD NOT SKATEBOARD. ] And like game reviews and reviews of game reviews and random shit. But yeah I do have a fan followin', for my webcomic? Sweet Bro and Hella Jeff, it's not super popular so you may not've heard of it.

[ please read it and quote it with him he distinctly remembers jokes about sbahj. but he will (try to) play it cool. ]

People actually buy shirts from it and everything? And not just my brother, although he buys a lot.

[Lucy I want a thread where they have a cat and I blame you.]

I have definitely never heard of it. [His tone is light like it's not a big deal but he's absolutely committing it to memory. When Dave isn't around for John to embarrass himself he'll search for both blog and comic for himself.] But that's pretty sweet, seriously? Most of the webcomics I know don't have merchandise or anything at all. [And since it's a decent segue and John's curious:] What's your brother like? If you're the cool guy and Rose is the smart one.

[ ty i have like 2 dave + cat icons and he would let a cat walk all over him and tbh john would just have Two Cats. dave counts as a cat. ]

Dirk's three years older than us - so's Roxy, she's our older sister. We're two sets of twins. [ which people usually find weird or interesting but dave is just...used to. his voice, generally a texan drawl of a monotone, is a little more lively when he starts to talk about his family. for, like, a strider. ] Dirk's into robotics and he's kind of a fuckin' nerd but he'd do anything for the people he loves. He's also super into [ HORSES ] chocobos and that kinda shit? He's like hella smart but he's casual about it, except he uses a bunch of bigass words like everyone else in the family, I guess. Roxy's brilliant in a science-y way and loves cats and basically loves everyone in general.

[You say that like he'd care if Dave was a cat.

What's clear here is that while Dave's chatting about the Strider siblings he's utterly fascinated to hear all of this. Even as he's putting things away he has his body half-turned toward Dave so he can see and hear everything. It's enough to give him a clear idea who the Striders are and they all sound...really great. There's a grin that's not quite as bright as he matches names with descriptions and realizes they're all, from what Dave says, smart and interesting people.]

You're also probably the first twin I've ever met. Two sets is pushing it. [But at the same time he doesn't make a big deal of it.] They all sound pretty cool. [There should be more to say to that, but he just wants to hear Dave chat about what makes him happy.] I don't have any siblings so this probably sounds like a lot of stupid questions, doesn't it? It's pretty quiet where I'm from.

Nah, it doesn't sound stupid at all. [ immediate, because while he gives people shit he really doesn't want john to think he thinks he's stupid? his taste in movies seems kind of stupid but john himself seems great. seemed great? dave wants to know more, wants to know what matches up and what doesn't.

is this the guy who'd give him the shades and tell him he might actually be as cool as he thinks he is? (the kicker is he doesn't even think he's cool, he just says he is, talks himself up. he used to kind of jokingly buy it, but recently he's not sure)

or is this someone else entirely? he can see where the lines match up, but he's not sure what differences are waiting to be found. there were things that were different for him, too. ]

I mean, I'm sure I have just as many questions about the only child life? Like, how the fuck do you get out of chores. What's it like havin' your own room all to yourself. Etc.

[Shrug. He appreciates hearing it but at the same time he can't help but think he doesn't exactly match up as being nearly as interesting. Maybe it's just because he's used to himself that he feels this way, but he's more inclined to ask questions and prod and poke and discover. Read between the lines, maybe.

But seeing how he's on the floor and not-quite folding his clothes the right way, it's safe to say that he got out of chores somehow.]

Well, now that I'm here I'm not going to know anymore. [But sharing doesn't seem bad.] Back home it's just me and my nanna, and she doesn't really care much about what my room looks like since it's just my room. She takes care of a lot of stuff though and I help out with whatever she asks. [Maybe those weren't serious questions, but it's on his mind now.] She's the one who suggested I apply here in the first place.

[ thank you nanna egbert dave loves you for this gift, a john, on this day. ]

What's in the pastry box?

[ ............SOMEHOW THAT'S WHAT COMES OUT RATHER THAN ANYTHING ELSE, but belatedly it strikes him as incongruous. does this john like cake? this changes everything if so. ]

[And there's an actual grin.]

Cupcakes. Want one? [This is definitely the main difference, please save yourself, Dave.]

[ oh my god thought the eventual cake-related meltdown would be Glorious. dave is stunned, but immediately says: ]

Yeah, sure. [ he'll take anything he's offered because that's. a good way to be friends? holy shit he hasn't had to make new best friends since the age of like eight. but also, he has not actually eaten today because he's kind of terrible about remembering to. ] What kind?

[Apparently John Egbert is winning at the school of making friends and channeling his inner kindergartner by learning to share his food and win over people. He looks briefly confused before he shrugs, scooping the box up from the floor to pry it open.]

No idea. Nanna just sent it with me before I left but probably funfetti or something? [He's not picky, this is the worst. Prying open the box reveals four cupcakes of varying flavors though there is absolutely one funfetti cupcake. Dave, does he have to make sure you're actively eating like a normal person???] Whenever anything good happens or anything sad happens she bakes and sends me with a bunch of pastries. [He's also holding the box to Dave to let him take the first pick. That is apparently how you make friends.]

[ john it is impossible to lose when dave is like DIBS!!! ON THE NERD!!!! internally at least he didn't say that out loud. he could have. ]

That sounds like a lot of pastries. [ also. he will reach for the funfetti cake? while watching john to be sure that is not what john wanted. if john looks the least bit disappointed he will abort the mission and pick chocolate.

also maybe sometimes he has to be watched re: eating but nowhere near as much as he would do in a canon state, good luck with that someday john???? ]

[John becomes the manifestation of that one TFLN "I walked into a party and someone across the room yelled "Dibs!" But Dave's comment earns a little chuckle and John shows no signs of caring that Dave is taking the funfetti cake.]

Hah. Yeah, it's a kitchen nightmare. I used to come home to bowls of batter everywhere. [He's also going to take what looks like some kind of marble cupcake made of vanilla and chocolate. (John will rise to that challenge someday but you know what, for now there are cupcakes.)] But they're pretty good. I'm kind of surprised they made it this far. [He'll look at the cupcake thoughtfully.] I guess they were "you'll be missed but I'm proud of you" cupcakes or something.

[ can you tell me that is not a thing dave would do completely on accident with someone/something someday, though. the kid has foot in mouth syndrome sometimes? ]

Well, hey, there's worse things in the world than bein' told someone's proud of you. With cupcakes? In fact I think literally every thing that exists in the world is worse than that, because it's pretty damn rad. I should institute a rule where people can only tell me they're proud of me if cupcakes are involved. Dirk would probably follow it.

[ dirk is a sucker, though ]

So it's you and your Nanna?

[Solution: do another thread with me doing such a thing because Dave's a disaster.]

I guess. [There's a quirk of his lips because sometimes it's overbearing but he does appreciate it? After everything??? It's a strange sort of thing.] In that case I'm proud of you for coming to that conclusion.

[He's trying to tease him but also sounds a little sincere about it. Whatever. The question is a little bit of a strange one since he's not sure how much he wants to say, but there's a bite of his own cupcake before it's back to putting shit away.]

Yeah. [He hesitates again.] Nanna thinks Dad will come back someday but I'm not sure about that. It's been a couple of years since the last time I saw him.

[ ty if you for some reason want me to do an alt au thread or smth with dave walking into a college party and shouting dibs at john and then wanting to Die, i can, but why would you torture dave strider this way!!!!

for the record dave is being a weirdo and eating the frosting first off his cupcake. stop him. why is he eating it like this.

so he has frosting kind of on his mouth when john drops a Serious Bomb and also on like. his fingers and - HE COULD LOOK MORE SERIOUS FOR THIS, MAYBE, SHIT. ]

Uh. [ okay just. tries to wipe it off on his hand. ] Hard to say about that kinda thing. That sucks.

[ john used to love his dad, didn't he? there's another difference to catalogue and be careful of - though dave doesn't think john doesn't love him (maybe?) so much as they're apparently not close.

weird. ]

Sorry for bringin' it up, you can totally punch me if I broach somethin' weird, 100% allowed.

[Because torturing Dave Strider is fun??? Also since this is entirely your fault I am here for all John+Dave threads ok.

Dave eating the frosting first is at least helping ebb off the "this guy's too cool" vibe John was getting and he's relaxing again even as he realizes that was a pretty big thing to bring up. Then again, Dave asked. He'd have to explain sooner or later especially if Nanna starts mailing care packages like she threatened.]

It's okay. [And it is. This John, in reference to Dave's John, is a John who probably misses his dad on occasion and has a stray thought of "huh, wonder what he's doing" but ultimately doesn't put a lot of thought into it. Dad disappeared to do whatever and maybe will come back and maybe won't. John doesn't plan on waiting forever so there's nothing he can do much about it. They were close when he was younger, but in recent years he's more interested in the relationship with his Nanna and moving on.

It's probably weird, yeah.] And I'm not going to punch you, what the fuck. Our RA would probably get pretty mad if they found out I did. [And like. He has zero interest in hitting Dave but whatever.] You didn't know and that's okay.

[On the other hand this probably puts all of John's family questions into perspective.] Does the immediate punching offer have to do with the strife thing?

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