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. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[There's an apologetic smirk because yeah, he remembers that now, too.] Sorry that thirteen-year-old me thought that was the funniest thing in the world. [Not that sorry though seeing how he's still smirking about it.

This time he notices. He doesn't know what to make of it, but he notices Dave relaxing a bit and it helps.]

Ugh. That sounds even more annoying than remembering all of this stuff in the first place. [With this in mind, the name "Rose" means something with a little more context now.] Dirk and Roxy are still on the app though? What do you think happened to Rose?

[ the smirk negates the apology and dave picks up another cupcake and smooshes it into john's cheek, frosting-side skinwards. this will in no way bite him in the ass. ]

Wow, maybe thirteen-year-old you had a point about this kinda humor. [ WHY IS HE BRINGING THIS ON HIMSELF - ] Also Dirk and Roxy are but I straight up don't fuckin' know about Rose. She just thinks all this bullshit is normal and I don't talk to her about the memories, since. Well, she wouldn't say I was crazy, but she wouldn't buy it as...real. Except on complete faith. And I think somethin' might stop her doin' that, anyway.

[ ........................he just keeps talking like normal after the cupcake thing what the fuck ]

[Oh. Okay. John will just let this happ--]

Hey! [What the fuck?! He cringes at the cold sticky frosting on his face and immediately whirls to retaliate, scraping off half of the cheek frosting to shove up Dave's nose. Somehow, he's also taking care not to disturb the shades and also he's continuing to wipe his face.]

I guess that makes sense. I wouldn't talk to someone about this stuff either if I didn't think it would make some kind of sense. Even knowing you're telling the truth it's still kind of weird. [...and for extra measure he dabs a light dollop of frosting on the tip of Dave's nose. Why? Because fuck you, Strider, that was rude and yet totally well-timed, John is weirdly proud.]

[ dave could dodge? dave could totally dodge. he's faster than john will ever be (...although eventually john will be able to do windy shit that can oppose that) and he's facing the dude and sees it coming and catalogues the attack.

he does not dodge and he gets frosting up his nose and makes an offended noise of protest. he doesn't dodge the extra dollop, either. there is something weirdly comforting about stupid rough housing at this point. its comforting to have someone in his personal space bubble that neither half of him - before or after - is ringing alarm bells about. ]

Hey. [ john avoided the shades and dave doesn't dodge though he peers at john over the top of the frames with a mock-glare. ] ...Sorry for springin' it on you, but I'm all over the damn app so you would've figured it out pretty quick.

[Another wide smirk of victory because he doesn't quite know the level of their friendship yet. He's busy preening and also wiping frosting off of his face, but eventually the smirk melts into a real grin instead, even when the mock-glare comes into play.

It's awkward, maybe, but not really. Knowing what he knows now it's about figuring out boundaries and the like and what Dave is and isn't okay with. Apparently shoving frosting up his nose falls in the "acceptable" category.]

Is that why you need to have your phone all the time?

[ oh. okay john is grinning and hasn't run out the door and doesn't seem to be, like, opposed to everything. he seemed to be accepting it as being a thing more or less, but the grin is...better. dave feels instinctively that the world is a little more correct if john Egbert is grinning about something. it's cool he's involved. dave's lips quirk up again. ]

That? Nah, though I do check it a lot. But my phone was on me all the time before because I, unlike you, am a proper millienial child and not a heathen. I'm always checkin' social media or whatever and I have phone games and I text people a lot and it has all my music...seriously, how can you be so phone illiterate?

[He'll try, at least. It's going to be Weird, but if a different Dave was his best friend once upon a time, this Dave can be, too.]

I'm not phone illiterate, dummy. Things keep happening to them and so there wasn't a point in investing a ton on a new phone all the time. This one's barely big enough for a few CDs worth of stuff and my social media apps that I forget to check. Plus I use my laptop most of the time anyway, so why bother?

Are you sure you're actually a teenager.

[ like. just checking??? ]

I feel like you might be an alien posin' as a teenager. Quick, what's your opinion on pizza?

[Thanks Dave.]

What is this "pizza" of which you speak? I'm afraid I've never heard of this unusual delicacy. [Jerk.]

[ he slugs john on the shoulder, but it's. so light? he could definitely hit harder than that, he has the strength to do so - though at some point he figures john might out mangrit him. that's how it used to be, right? ]

We can try to save you from premature old man syndrome and order this rare delectable for dinner or somethin'. Bury your tastebuds in cheese and hope you don't spontaneously develop the need to use a cane to get around and a deep seated desire to yell at people to get off of your lawn.

[It's enough to get a laugh out of him and he uses a hand to swat at Dave's, happy to continue on with this stupid game. It's all he can do, isn't it?]

I don't know, Dave. It might be too late for me. Save yourself and order one with extra cheese and pineapple. It may be our only hope. [But even with that, he finds himself rotating to lay on his back and stare at the ceiling, a thoughtful look crossing his features then.]

So...that means I'm going to start getting a lot of these weird memories and stuff, too. Are my eyes going to change colors or anything cool like that?

Edited 2017-05-08 03:37 (UTC)

Oh no, are we gonna get into pineapple on pizza discourse? Suddenly I'm less sure about gettin' to know you.

[ that's a lie. while john lays back, dave...gravitates to his computer chair, sitting on it so he can cross his arms on the back, resting his chin atop them. ]

Nah. I mean, to the eyes. They were blue back then, too. But you may make your username more of a reality than it is currently.

Wow, thanks a lot, jerk. [Casual shade thrown? Casual shade thrown and he's even closing his eyes for a bit despite. Having frosting on his face still. Dave is allowed to do as he wishes, John's not going to stop him.] Half then.

That's a bummer though. [He likes his blue eyes, but at the same time they're pretty standard.] I may do what now? [He definitely hasn't remembered the whole "god tier windy thing" so.] I don't know how that's possible since I made it all up.

Either or. I'll actually eat whatever gets put in front of me, although I do think pineapple on pizza is a little eh. [ but. he'll still eat it..........especially if other people want it more. dave, what the fuck. ]

Learn to do the windy thing. Grace us all with Eau d'Egbert, the only cologne for the forward-thinkin' man.

Then what about a compromise of extra cheese and light on the pepperoni? If we're getting my pizza education on and whatever sticking with the classic choice isn't a bad idea. [He lifts an eyebrow.] That sounds kind of dangerous, Dave.

[Also? What?] I don't know what that means. That sounds sort of gross though? [Fragrances are not something he wants a hand in what the fuck.]

I am always okay with extra cheese, and we can even get pineapple on at least half if you were for serious about that.

[ ALSO, LOOK, YOU'RE NOT TO THAT YET BUT LET IT BE KNOWN DAVE STRIDER IS A COMPLETE AND TOTAL IDIOT and would die before ratting john out on anything ever ]

You do windy stuff. It's not gross, it's actually kind of fuckin' cool, and I'm pretty sure you were like our...rpg party tank, or whatever.

That sounds good. [John didn't you just. Okay, whatever.

What in the fuck I hate this comic and I hate this friendship AUGH.] We have time, I'm not going anywhere. Probably.

[He looks a little pleased though, dorky grin slipping to his features once more.] I've always wanted to be a party tank. What does that make you and...whoever else is in our team? Do you know yet?

Me? I'm support. [ DAVE...but that's how he views himself. ] Or a reset button, take your pick. But I'm more a lightning bruiser dealio. And the rest of the team would be Rose and Jade.

Whoa, really? [Look at this idiot full of surprise. That's not what he would expect at all.] You must be good at it if all of us survived...whatever we were doing! Like the guy who swoops in last-minute and helps us save the day. [John...but he suddenly opens his eyes, sitting up a bit to give Dave another curious look.] ...Jade?

[He's starting to grasp vague memories of Jade, but nothing concrete. Enlighten him, Strider.]

Green eyes, glasses, overbite. Into science. She's your sister slimeways, or...was your sister slimeways, I guess somehow only Rose'n'I got linked at birth post-whatever-this-was unlike everyone else. I mean, Dirk and Roxy, but they weren't genetically related to start with, even though they look mad similar.

But yeah, the time player is a reset. [ AT THE COST OF THEIR LIFE, BUT HE JUST FAILS TO NOTE THAT PART ]

Harley. [He remembers the name. The description is clear in his head even if he doesn't...remember...the slime thing and what the fuck, Dave.] I have never met her, but I. An island? She lived on an island and the four of us used to chat all the time, didn't we? Or is that wrong? [This is all very weirdly interesting to him.] And if Dirk and Roxy aren't genetically related how are they related now? Maybe it doesn't matter. Jade's here? She's the childhood friend you mentioned?

[There's a slow nod at the time player explanation though.] Our load screen savior so we don't lose all of our progress. Depending on our last save point. That sounds complicated.

No, that's right. And yeah, she's here. She was born here, unlike the rest of us, and we've known her since we moved here? And I dunno how Dirk and Roxy are related now. I mean, technically they are slimeways our parents? Mine and Rose's, I mean. But here they're our older siblings? Which is, like, cool. I don't mind it? But it is a thing that makes no goddamn sense if you squint and tilt your head and try to apply logic to it.

[ HE DROPS THE RESET BUTTON THING, SINCE NO ONE NEEDS 2 KNOW ABOUT TIME PLAYER DEATH REQUIREMENTS ]

So what you're saying is that all of this is really, really stupid and we should just avoid applying logic at all. I think I can do that. [There's a slight snort because that's. Sure something.]

Think there's any way to jump ahead a few steps and remember everything right away?

The easiest way to remember shit, as far as I can tell, is to have people blatantly share specific memories with you in detail.

[ ...dave has given up trying to do that on people, as such, with...most of the things...since no one needs to remember "everything", he's 100% okay being the only one who remembers certain things?

dave this is not your decision to make ]

But it kinda happens at whatever pace. Some people have it go slower, some faster. I'm on the faster side, myself. [ understatement. ]

[Okay. This makes total sense to him and it's for that reason he's absolutely trusting Dave on this. He knows that Dave probably would be forthright about something like this and doesn't think to question the possibilities just yet.]

What about everyone else you--we--know? Are they on the faster side, too? Is that why you know so much? You've been talking to them.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject