knightime | [Closed] Day(care) Dreamers

"Yeah this is really embarrassing. I seem to be making an ass out of myself lately. Not only was I more than fashionably late, I'm so late the Daycare is closed and I have to no clue where the hell your complex is." John is just rambling on and on. "Oh christ, this is John by the way. I'm trying to find your place so I can pick up Lily."

He feels so extremely bad right now and he's tired. He's so worn out, he's not even sure he'll be able to make it back to his apartment. But he will keep his safe driving skill to the max while he's taking that precious child home, just making to his own home seemed a little difficult.

"I need directions from the intersection in front of the Quick Mart about five blocks away from the Daycare."

There's a pause and the sound of clicking, probably from a computer is heard. "You know where the IHOP is from there? It's like the only one in the general area, mind you, so it's not like I'm asking you to find a needle in a haystack or anything. If you know where that is, you can head there and we can walk over to where it is. She's basically going to murder me if I don't get her an ice cream cake and there's a Baskin Robbins near there. It'll be easier to find IHOP than find my place," Dave says into the phone.

"We can head back to my place since she has stuff here anyways and I can drive you two back to your car and things are going to be easy as cake. I got to head out soon anyways, so it's not like I'll mind."

He also has a box with stuff in it for Rose because Rose either keeps having shit sent to his place as a joke or because Rose purposely leaves stuff at his place as a joke.

It's really just some passive aggressive friend ritual they do.

"Yeah, I know where the IHOP is." He goes there when he has no food in the house and no resolve to go the grocery store. So he turns at the intersection and heads out that way, not really meaning to keep Dave on the phone it sorta just happened. "She wants an ice cream cake?" Well okay, that child wanting something is not surprising. But that choice of want was surprising.

"I'll just call Rose when I get to IHOP and tell her we're keeping Lily for a little while. I mean no harm in letting her have the cake at the Baskin Robins, or I could get us something while we're at IHOP." John totally had enough money for that now that he thought about it. His gas tank would suffer for a day or two and then everything would be peachy keen.

"She's really adamant about it. So I'll meet you at the Baskin Robbins."

The line goes dead right after as Dave hangs up. He shoves his wallet and phone in his pockets before ushering Lily to get her shoes on and out the door. They'd get her stuff after since the silly girl wants her stupid ice cream cake.

Why does she want an ice cream cake? I mean, sure, he fucking loves ice cream cake as much as the next guy who loves them, but what the hell. Ice cream cakes are expensive.

He makes sure they get there safely, holding Lily's hand the entire time.

John puts his phone in his lap and continues his short drive with some rad tunes, nothing like a little 80's and 90' rock to complete your day. Maybe you even secretly listened to 'How do I live' on the way there. You'll never tell anyone that you hold a soft spot for crappy love songs ever. It was a little secret between you and Lily.

John pulls into IHOP and walks himself over to Baskin Robbins. He didn't see Dave or Lily inside so he takes a moment to sit on this bench and recollect his thoughts once again before seeing Dave. He was certain that this Dave Strider was THE Dave Strider from his childhood, he had to be! John remembers the fight more vividly than he wanted to. It was an awful feeling to remember. John and Dave had fought over something as trivial as whether going to High School was worth it, and how people would make fun of Dave's looks. At that point John had never seen a picture of Dave, and Dave had caught glimpse of John once when they voice messaged over Pesterchum (he had accidentally turned the camera on).

Somewhere amidst his thoughts Lily is slapping his knee now and pointing at the door. John takes the notion to look up- oh man. "Hey."

Dave was already heading inside to talk to whoever was at cashier. Compared to Lily and John, Dave looked overdressed. He handled weather terribly, and it was way too fucking cold to be wanting an ice cream. But Lily gets what Lily wants, and he didn't want to try arguing with the little girl if he could avoid it.

"Lils. Go pick out a cake from the freezer so I can buy it." It wasn't until the cake was paid for and the box securely in the small girl's arms did Dave really address John. "Sup. Sorry for making you go drive all around the city. I wasn't freezing my a-behind off at the daycare and I couldn't drop her off at home. Not that she's complaining. She's got herself an ice cream cake out of the ordeal."

Except now she's demanding they go back to Dave's place. Someone sure is high maintenance today!

John just follows them inside and watches that sweet little girl pick out a cake. John notices it's not something she would normally pick out, which tips him off a little. Eh, maybe it's just Lily doing something out of the normal- her mother would definitely dive into that with her when John brought her home finally.

"It's cool man, I think she's got something up her sleeve though. Haha, look how excited she's getting." John takes one hand, Lily of course reaching out for the other. If someone were paying attention to this little episode it would seem like Lily was John and Dave's child really.

"I'll call Rose when we get back to your place, I told her I would bring her back after IHOP and Baskin Robbins, but a little longer away from home shouldn't be too bad on her."

"I guess. Rose probably doesn't care as long as she comes back happy and in one piece. If she's neither of them, that's when we start having problems." The walk back to Dave's apartment was mostly the sounds of Lily speaking. She talked a mile a minute, so Dave usually resorted to short responses to let her ramble on.

When they get back to Dave's apartment, the girl automatically demands for candles. The apartment is surprisingly clean (at least everywhere that isn't Dave's actual bedroom). At some point though, while Lily is carefully putting candles into the cake, Dave just stops. He stops and stares at the calender on his wall.

John listened to her ramble and ramble about something special. She kept insisting it was a special day that needed a party and a cake and hats and everything! She was quite a handful when she wanted to be. When they get back to the apartment and got ahold of those candles- it might have clicked for John.

Lily picked out colors Dave would usually wear, she also picked out what she said was Dave's favorite flavor. He looks to check on Dave who is staring blankly at the calender. Oh. Today is circled.

"Everything okay Dave?"

Dave doesn't respond for a few minutes, just keeping his eyes on the calender and his back to them. It takes him a moment before he responds. He was pretty sure his voice would have cracked if he had not given himself time to actually thinking over his words. "I only have seventeen candles left in that bag. I never went and bought more." He stopped really doing candles by that time. They decided other ways to celebrate when he didn't really want to keep celebrating with birthday cakes.

Lily didn't seem to mind, putting all the candles out. Dave doesn't seem to say anything else, and lights the candles himself, before Lily makes him sit down in front of it and whines to John that they had to sing happy birthday for him.

This is still confirming it for John all too well. He completely lost track of Dave right before he turned seventeen. Stopped talking to him just as he got into High School, and stopped trying to keep up with him around that age. John sits at the table with Lily and rambles out happy birthday in the cutest way possible because Lily didn't know all the words.

Lily demands now that Dave blow out ALL of the candles and make a big happy birthday wish. She doesn't want Dave to tell though since if he did it would never ever come true. She's also asking how old her favorite preschool care taker is because he needs to have a proper celebration of his age.

Dave blows out all the candles. Demanding little girl. Who's birthday is this? After, he plucks all the candles out and serves slices to the three of them. "Did you want to take this back home? I'm sure your moms would like to have a slice too." He didn't really want it. He wouldn't be able to eat it without feeling torn about it. God, this is dumb.

"One demand at a time, Lily. I'm twenty-one. Now I'm more legal than I apparently was at eighteen."

John helps Lily as she devours the ice cream cake, scolding her when she eats it a bit too fast and figures out it's a bit too cold for that he just wipes her face a little with a napkin and lets her finish. He finishes his after that.

"I have an idea Miss Lily." She brightens up of course. "How about Dave and I walk you back to my car and we take you on home, and if it's okay with the birthday boy we can take him with us." She seems to like the idea of hanging out with Dave longer, and refuses adamently to take his cake because it's not her either of her mommy's birthdays!

Dave has already finished his slice. Why the hell wouldn't he? It's his favorite flavor. Rose must have taught her that. Damn it, Rose.

There was very weak protesting from Dave. He knows at this point that once Lily wants something, she wouldn't stop until she got it. By the time they've packed up Lily's bag, the cake is safely tucked into his freezer, and Dave has gotten his coat and everything on to go out. "Had to tell her it was okay that I would come. You just had too." There was also a box tucked under his arm. The name was addressed to Rose Lalonde but was his address.

Rose taught her a lot of essential things about both of them, it seemed. She always knew where to tell John to go when he was hungry on the way home, or that her mommy was making dinner for the four of them.

"Well, she likes you. Plus I have to take you home now anyways." John is pleased with himself as he zips Lily's coat and put her little hat on her head securely. "Now Lily you have to hold my hand and Dave's arm when we cross the street."

This was again looking like they were the parents, endearing indeed.

Dave doesn't say anything, walking in step with Lily walking between them.

It's funny how damn chatty he usually is, but how dead silent he has been since being in the presence of John. It's ironic. Not the good kind of ironic. At the very least, he can talk to Rose and tell her how she's ruining his life.

But for now, he just makes sure Lily doesn't trip and fall or nothing bad happens to her on the way to the car.

Well, he was going to get drunk tonight, but guess that isn't happening. Oh well.

John isn't really talkative on the way back either. They both listen to the four year old ramble on and talk about how this was the best birthday party for Dave ever and she tricked him into getting the cake for himself and it was the best plan. Looks like someone took after their Uncle John in the tricky department.

They arrive at the car and John let's Lily in the car to buckle herself up in her big girl seat as usual.

"You're alright with me driving you back, right?"

Dave just goes to take a seat in the passenger seat. His expression is blank as usual. He does kind of look like he's giving John a deadpan look.

"No, J-Egbert. I don't want you to drive me back so I'm just going to walk all the way back. This is a wonderful idea to do in December. Of course it's alright. It's not like I have a choice. Going against a pampered child raised by those two? I knew it was a bad idea to let them adopt."

He hates everythingggg.

He can't tell behind those awesome shades, and it's like getting really dark soon. Why in the blazes would Dave want to wear sunglasses in the nighttime? He would never understand.

"Well, I was just checking since you seem to have some sort of weird hesitance around me!" John is throwing that out there. "Rose and Kanaya are wonderful mothers, really. But I swear to goodness they've made her into a child genius before she's even ready to graduate preschool."

John is unsure of everything right now.

"Thanks for pointing out my social awkwardness. Sure do feel real confident about myself now." It's half a joke and half true. Dave wasn't exactly the most socially forward guy in person. But John wasn't wrong that he was being fairly hesitant around him.

Whatever. Just drive! He really doesn't want to talk about this.

"She's going to graduate college by the time she hits her double digits."

"Shi- I mean dammi-oh jesus I should just drive now." A few stumbles trying not to say curse words later, John starts the car and pulls out of the IHOP parking lot to head back to the residence that Lily should have been at like six hours ago.

"She's going to make all of us really proud. I heard Lily learned her ABCs faster than anyone else and everything. Such a smart girl." John felt like he was raising her as well anyhow and it was kind of nice ot have her in his life. It would be nice to keep Dave in his life as well, but how awkward would that be to tell him that?

Dave doesn't answer John, just looking out the window. Even as the sun was setting and it was getting darker, the shades never left his face. He probably even wore them at night!

Dave remembers that. Partly because he helped her learn them. But he doesn't say that to John. The little girl had basically attached herself to him the first day they met. He ended up babysitting her a lot when they needed one because she wouldn't let anyone else babysit her.

He just hoped this wouldn't last too long.

He pulls up to the residence of Rose and Kanaya, working women who were very fortunate to have the job titles they have. Financial stability too. Something John wasn't going to get working at Target of all places. Lily seems excited to see her moms at least. Lily is babbling about seeing her moms when she gets inside and unbuckles herself.

John lets her out of the car and beckons Dave to come along with them, Lily is knocking on the door and giggling uncontrollably. She did have one heck of a day and she really should be tired! But she is a big girl, she can go to bed when ever she wants to! John is going to try and act like everything isn't awkward between he and Dave while Rose is outside, she would psychoanalyze that shit in a heartbeat and pinpoint exactly who was feeling what in this not friendship.

Whatever Rose was up to was backfiring at the moment.

Luckily for all the parties involved, Kanaya opens the door. She picks up Lily and admits the other two to come in.

Kanaya just speaks pleasantly to John while Lily babbles about her entire day. Dave seemed to have already disappeared off. It's minutes in before Rose emerges, and apparently Dave. The two are speaking quietly, and Dave actually looks like he's frowning. The box is still tucked underneath his arm, but it looks like it's been opened now. Rose just seems to smile pleasantly, despite the upset expression Dave has.

Dave's expression slowly changes to a more defeated expression and it seems he gives up with whatever conversation they have, moving back to in front of the door, near John.

John apologizes a few times for being so late bringing her back, how she insisted they have a tiny celebration for Dave and everything and how he worked over and didn't mean to. He does pull his weight in his department, unlike everyone else! Kanaya seems understand and apologizes for her earlier burst of anger, she really is a pleasant woman.

John just glances at Dave for a moment, what is he hiding behind those sunglasses? What is he hiding from John? He needs to know. John was absolutely going to find out all the answers he needed to know tonight, if not he was going straight back to Dave's house everyday until he found out. Wow okay, maybe not every day that sounded really stalkerish of him.

"Dave, I need to get home and eat dinner. You cool with going now so I can take you home?" John looks to Rose. "Thanks for letting us borrow Lily for the evening. She's always a jewel to have around."

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