☼ [IC Contact@Rakuen] ☼

[knightime]

[It's silent for a moment...]

why the fuck do i even have an answering machine???
ok dudes and dudettes
this is dave fucking strider
you obviously wanted to come in contact with me but hey
looks like im not answering
just leave a message or something
i might get back to you
...
alright im kidding
ill get back to you whenever i get to noticing your message

beep beep motherfuckers

Comments

[knightime]

[Dave digs into his pocket...

...And pulls one out and holds it out to Dirk. Happy Birthday.]

[fracturedsoul]

[ ...Aw. He takes it as he hands Dave's over.

Even though it's not his birthday.

He clips the charm onto his bracelet, and after a moment's pause he just makes a face. ]

[knightime]

[Dave took the charm from Dirk and attached it to his own bracelet.

...

The face Dave makes can really only be akin to one who is completely and utterly terrified.]

[fracturedsoul]

[ So Dave probably got something a little more noteworthy than Betty Crocker's name.

Dirk pushes his own irritation aside to focus on Dave. ]

Hey. You all right?

[ Not again. ]

[knightime]

[Dave just slowly sits back down on his bed. Even with his vice grip on the sheets, his hands were shaking.

Even though all he was doing was remembering, that sinking feeling was back. Just the feeling that he felt when him and Rose were watching that timer go down.

Their quest beds saved them...? He feels like there's still something missing, but there aren't any gaps anywhere. He remembers the explosion and coming out of the green sun. But that didn't explain how they survived.]

[fracturedsoul]

Dave.

[ Dave probably won't appreciate this any more than last time, but Dirk has to know. He grabs the memory charm, intending to pull it away and clip it onto his own bracelet. ]

[knightime]

[Dave doesn't actually stop him this time. He's a little perturbed by the memory and the fact that he had no idea exactly how he was still alive, but that they were. Wait. Why did they change clothes?

Have fun with that momentary memory, Dirk. It's not a very happy one.]

[fracturedsoul]

[ Wow. No, this is not fun.

Without the benefit of Dave's other memories to let him know what's going on, Dirk is kind of confused. But he gets the general concept: Dave and Rose killed themselves to blow up some giant sun. They lived, somehow, but they weren't expecting that outcome.

Even with the emotional impact dulled due to it being a borrowed memory charm, the sudden terror in the pit of Dirk's stomach is more powerful than any he's ever felt before.

After a moment, he takes the charm off and just holds it in one hand. ]

Oh.

[knightime]

[Dave just takes it back, clipping it back on and letting his hands fall to his sides again.

Dave keeps his head down, knocking his shades off as he rubs his face with the heel of his palm. Sometimes, he forgets that he's still only fourteen trying to do something way beyond his years.

And sometimes, it actually really does reflect on his face once in awhile.]

[fracturedsoul]

[ The memory fades when Dave takes the charm back, leaving only that sense of pure and utter dread. Though Dirk can only remember the basic contents of the memory in a detached, unaffected way, it's still an overwhelming thing to know. No wonder his bro and Roxy's mom had been the biggest heroes of their time.

He sinks down onto the bed next to Dave and, without really thinking about it, pulls the younger boy into a hug. ]

[knightime]

[Dave is surprised at the sudden affection from the other. But he kind of awkwardly hugs him back after the initial shock. If he were honest, he would admit that he actually really fucking misses Sis now. Suddenly the reason why she wasn't around for that entire year on the meteor was slapping him in the face.

But he's got a lot of mixed feelings now. Because Dirk is the alternate universe of the alternate universe Sis he'll eventually meet. He's not sure what's going to happen when they meet. But he's talked to Dirk for awhile now.

And he definitely liked having the other around, even if it unsettles him too.]

[fracturedsoul]

[ Dirk's still unused to this whole hugging shit, but what Dave must be feeling right now trumps his stupid social awkwardness. He's really grown to like the kid, even if he's not at all what Dirk had expected a younger alternate version of his ancestor to be like.

Dave is a dork. But he's an endearing dork. And Dirk is counting him as close of a friend as Jane or Jake or Roxy. ]

Wanna talk about it?

[knightime]

[Dave just shakes his head. Not really. It wasn't something he liked to bring up in general, so having it forced out was a little nerve wracking. He liked to just keep it tucked away and let everyone think he was ok. He much preferred that.

He did appreciate Dirk trying though. He just wasn't really prepared to talk about it.

He doesn't know if he'll ever be. Dirk might not know, but Dave still blames himself for not being able to do anything about it. In control of time was a heavy burden when you have to know when sacrifices had to be made to keep the timeline going. Sis' death or any of the other guardians shouldn't have had to be a casualty they had to accept.]

[fracturedsoul]

[ Okay. They don't have to talk about it. He'll just hold Dave until the kid decides to pull away.

He doesn't have much experience in comforting people -- a little more now than he did before coming to Rakuen, but still -- so he doesn't know what to say or do here. ]

[knightime]

[Dave kind of just awkwardly moves away after a bit. Uhm.

He kind of wants to think of a happier subject, but he's drawing blanks. This is fucking awkward. Fuckkkk. Dirk probably thinks he's the lamest fuck right now.]

[fracturedsoul]

[ He lets go and sort of scoots over to put some space between them. Awkward. He doesn't regret it, but. Yeah.

He actually thinks Dave is pretty damn cool right now. ]

Anyway. How many more do you need?

[knightime]

[Dave holds up seven fingers. Yeah, Dave surprisingly isn't very far into collecting his charms for being here the entire time...]

[fracturedsoul]

[ Wow, hasn't Dave been here for fucking ever? Dirk kind of frowns a little. ]

Okay. I'll get you some more.

[knightime]

[Been here since the start.

Dave just shrugs lightly. It doesn't seem to bother him that much.]