Chapter Text
He's completely untouchable.
You think that's what intrigued you about him first.
Dave Strider is the new kid, the strange kid, the one his classmates whisper about but never speak to. It's easy to see why. He's attractive, he always wears a pair of aviator shades, he talks back to the teachers, he emits an air of complete "I don't give a shit". His attitude intimidates everyone. Ever since him and his just-as-peculiar sister transferred to your school, they've been subject of many conversations and passing remarks.
You have to admit, he intimidates you, too. There's no one like that in your strange group of friends. But at the same time, you sense something else about him. Maybe it's because you've stared at him (not like that!) occasionally, but when he thinks no one's looking he sort of... slouches more, curls into himself. He's lonely, you're sure of it.
You want to break his aloof exterior and find out what makes him tick.
That's what possesses you to mumble 'be right back' to your friends under your breath before scooping up your lunch tray and walking over to the round table where Dave sits alone and lunchless, earbuds in his ears and open spiral notebook in front of him. Jade gapes at you. Vriska grins in a way that tells you she'll want to hear about it later. Karkat just rolls his eyes, grunts, (you're sure you'll hear from him about this later) and gets back to arguing with Sollux over why yugioh was utter shit (Pokemon came first! No it didn't I'm thure it didn't I'm googlin this bullthit)
You wonder why Dave doesn't just sit with his sister. You don't think you've seen them together of their own will once. It's hard to think about, considering how Jade is both your twin sister and one of your best friends--
==>John: stop stalling and sit down, fucknuts!!!
You push that concern out of your mind and flop down across the table from him, sliding your tray in front of you.
You doesn't do anything. He doesn't look up at you or say hi or nod or even move to acknowledge that he noticed you.
Okay.
Fine.
You so expected that anyway.
You don't get back up. Instead, you eat your shitty tasteless school-baked smiley fries in silence, occasionally glancing at him out of the corner of your eye in a totally smooth, aloof, barely noticeable way. Every time you do, you see no change. His notebook, on closer inspection, is open to a page covered in scribbles and lameass drawings of birds in red pen. You're pretty sure he's noticed your so not blatant glances at him and his notebook, but he still seems hell-bent on not even looking at you. You're about to knock on his head and make a horrible joke about his resemblance to a statue when the bell rings and he magically starts moving. He shoves the notebook into his bag, which he slings over his shoulder. You barely have time to throw away your tray and run-you mean fast walk- after him. You reach out, tapping his shoulder with a bit too much force.
You're scared he won't turn, but he does with one of his eyebrows tilted upward in a flawless, questioning curve.
"My name's John!" you blurt.
He smirks, nods, and walks away without anything near a goodbye. What did you expect, a tender hug and a sincere outpouring of his deep suppressed innermost tortured emotions and secrets as the crowd of other kids conveniently disperses to walk around you, leaving you two alone to feelings jam to your hearts' content?
Instead, the cafeteria empties and leaves you standing alone with several annoyed janitors, a Jade and Karkat herding you to biology, and a Vriska cackling "tough luck, dude!!!!!!!!" and encouraging you to text her in class to fill in her on 8ll the dirty det8ils (what?).
==>John: spend bio being lectured.
"What in the hell did you expect, a tender embrace and a sincere, crapsaccharine outpouring of his deep suppressed innermost tortured emotions and secrets as the crowd of our fellow students unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity of it happening conveniently disperse to run around you, wanting to get as fucking far away from you two feelings jamming to your hearts' content?!?!" Karkat snaps, slamming his hands down on your group's table and earning more than a few stares (thank god your teacher is off running copies). Hmm, that speech sounds familiar, but that doesn't matter right now.
"No, what makes you think that?" you reply, scowling. "I just wanted to talk to him, geez!"
"Both of you, shut up!" Jade is scribbling the answers to the lab you two are supposed to be helping her with. Usually, she likes doing them and never complains, but today she's obviously frustrated by Karkat's yelling. She looks up and meets your eyes. "You can't help it if he's an asshole, John! Just get over it."
You groan and lean back on the counter-- "move you're blocking the diagram!"-- and let a pout tug at your lips. "But it's not faaair. He didn't even say hi when I sat next to him!"
"What, are you so entitle to people loving you that--FUCK, JADE, OW"
Jade leaves Karkat grasping at his shin and spitting curses. Though she's smiling it's weary, as if she can't believe how stupid you are. Wow, rude. "You know, John, maybe he was sitting alone because he didn't want to be bugged in the first place!"
"I wasn't bugging him. I didn't even talk to him!" you protest. Jade rolls her eyes and shrugs in a way that makes you feel defeated. It's hard arguing with her.
"Either way, I'm guessing you're gonna try and talk to him again," Karkat grumbled, looking away. You blink, surprised.
"How did you know?"
"Because that's the exact fucking thing you did to me!" Karkat snaps. You realize he's right and start to laugh. "Well, maybe I am!"
Jade sighs, clearing the counter. Apparently, the lab is over. She shoves the data table I your hands to copy and flounces back to her seat. "Do what you want!" she proclaims. "But I don't think it'll go over well. I guess you never know!"
You stick your tongue back out at her as you walk back to your seat as well. You dig through your bag to find a sheet of paper. "Have more faith in me, Jade."
==>Select character:
-Dave Strider
-Rose Lalonde
==>Be Dave, isn't he supposed to be the other fucking main character?
Fine, you are now Dave Strider.
==>Dave: Exposit, please.
School's over, and there's not much to do besides go home. You don't know what you'll head home to. You wonder if your bro will be home today. Probably not, he apparently has a hugeass project back at the shop.
You hop down the school steps twice, three at a time, and start walking. Bro and you have been living together since who knows how long, but now that your mom's dead Lalonde's staying at your puny apartment and the simple rhythm you had with him is askew. Rose doesn't do much at home. She spends the night a lot at her friends' houses and stays out past curfew. It's not like Bro cares, as long as she "gets home unmolested". Even though she's hardly around, you can't help but resent her for... bringing change, you guess. Whatever, you'll get over it. You get over things easy. You're Dave Strider, and life can't chuck anything at you that'll stop you.
That's the way Dirk always acted. That's the way you wanna be.