Step one: You say, 'We need to talk.'

[callbacks]

Who: Dave Strider callbacks, Jade Harley eclectictype, mingle threads with Dipper Pines sneezelikeakitten and Penny in4apounding possible
Where: Ruins of Alph
When: December 19th, 2015
Summary: Reunited at last, Dave and Jade have a much-needed feelings jam. Because Unown-infested ruins are obviously the place for that.
Rating: PG-13, kids talking about death within
Log:

[The actual reunion went off fine--hugs were had, greetings shared around, heights compared (very important)--but now Dave's nervous. He picked the Ruins as the place to talk because they're private, especially this time of year when not too many people are spelunking, and because he likes them. He figured Jade might think they're cool, too, and the statues and carvings are something to look at when the conversation gets hard. In a way, it's like being back at the Frog Temple. Almost homey.

But no amount of familiarity is going to make this discussion any more comfortable. Dave sighs, glances down the corridor where he's letting his Murkrow hop around as a deterrent to the Psychic Pokémon who live here, and looks back at Jade in the lantern light, hands in his pockets.]

Okay. So, I guess I should just. Start talking?

[Or maybe they could just, you know, not, and go back to pretending everything is and has always been one hundred percent totally okay. Dave would be fine with that plan of action.]

Comments

[eclectictype]

[Well. That's it, then. She asked him to explain what happened and he obliged, even if he didn't have to.

One second becomes two, then three, then suddenly a whole minute passes and Jade realizes that she's just been standing there staring at her feet, unsure of what to do.

Wordlessly, she steps forward, opening her arms and embracing her friend.]

Dave, I know I couldn't control my involvement in this. But I am still sorry for hurting you--whatever horrible, hurtful things I said--or she said though me--none of it was true. I hope--I really hope there is another version of me out there that is going to help fix this. Because...it looks like it's game over but, there is still something worth fighting for.

[She squeezes, pressing her face into his shoulder.]

It's you, Dave. You, John, Rose, our teen parents, all of you are what makes it worth continuing to fight. I think we will not remember this conversation if we go home, but I want you to be sure in your heart that I feel this way and that will not change.

[...]

But, for now, let's start our new game here and be happy. Maybe it's not exactly the reunion we were expecting, but we are still together at least.

[callbacks]

[Oh.

He shivers in a way that has nothing to do with the weather outside, because the cold settled in his stomach some time ago, sat in there and spread until he barely felt himself at all, just dread and failure and shame.

But it's over, she knows now, and Dave squeezes his eyes shut as he holds Jade close, returns the first human gesture of belonging he's had in far too long. He breathes in once, too sharp.]

I'm sorry for--everything that happened before on LOFAF, okay? I was an asshole and I wasn't thinking about how you would feel and if I'd known it'd be so long before I saw you again, I would've--if I could've done anything else, I would've--I would've.

[He hasn't talked to her in three years. Not the real her.

He missed her so bad.]

You should've gotten so much more than you did. You put so much fucking work in, Jade, I--I'm sorry I couldn't do better. Sorry I couldn't...change anything, in the end.

[eclectictype]

[Right...back on her planet. Like she said, Jade still remembers--has nightmares about Dave's bullet-filled corpse in front of her.

Shot dead.

Her fault.

Not again.

She had no idea he was still thinking about all of that...and he was saying sorry for it? --No, of course, he's the one that's aware of all the time loops and what's needed to keep them stable. So...chances are that had to happen though neither of them wanted it to.]

I don't care about what comes out of it for me, I just did everything I could so you all would succeed and be happy.

[Jade feels her heart thudding at a regular pace--but it's so loud suddenly, pressed up against another person, amplifying each others' beats. Sort of like music.

It's not all, of course, Jade can't pretend it's for purely selfless reasons that she did as much as she could for the session to succeed. She looked forward to being together with everyone again so much, after all that time alone.]

I kept a lot of secrets from you, too. You know how many messages I had saved and then ended up deleting? A lot. And I probably would have kept them from you forever. So...please, don't feel bad about what happened on LOFAF anymore, all right? Let's just...be more honest with each other from now on.

[callbacks]

[Dave huffs a little laugh across her hair, voiceless and dry.]

Haha. I mean, we've seen what happens when I try to be a cagey fuck, at least.

[He won't be trying that again anytime soon. But so much happened, and there are so many things floating around his head now that he just doesn't understand, that he doesn't even have the vocabulary to address. He spent too long in his own head, alone on that too-empty meteor as they all fell apart.

He breathes out and pulls back, reluctant. (She was warm.)]

I'll try. Okay? You know I'm not good at this stuff, the touchy-feely sentimental shit. But I won't keep big things like that from you anymore.

[...]

Or, you know. Awkwardly try despite my chronic logorrheal tendencies and actual inability to keep my big flap shut.

1/2

[eclectictype]

Pffft--well, it won't be an immediate change. We will just have to take it day by day and not overload the sentimental shit.

[Ah, she still has his silly janky scarf. Jade will just...put that back around his shoulders and smile.]

Everything will be all right. I'll make sure of it.

[eclectictype]

...Oh shit, Dave, I just thought--where's Dipper?

[He went to go explore on his own, but--]

Dave. Dave. This isn't good. That kid is a real mystery seeker, he'll see something and chase right after it, I don't want to be responsible for a twelve year old getting maimed by Pokemon??

[callbacks]

Well--I don't think there's anything real dangerous down here, but yeah, we should find him before he gets stuck down one of the puzzle traps, yeah.

Not that that happened to me or anything.

I'm just saying.

[eclectictype]

Of course it didn't.

[How many times, Dave. How many.]

And I think Penny came out, too, so that is two younger people we're in charge of now. When did we become parents, Dave, and were we really prepared?

[callbacks]

Jesus, Jade, holy shit, don't phrase it like that. Penny's only, like, a year or two younger than us, we're like foster siblings, tops. Babysitters, maybe. Admirable upperclassmen and role models.

[Haha.]

...But we should probably go look for them.