#1 Text + Action + Video

[fullofgusto]

text;

this thing is pretty useful and ursula was very helpful. took a little bit to get it to work. but it's working now at least!
this is public right? has anyone here seen my friends? i'm looking for two bros named dave and dirk and my other friends, rose, jade, roxy, nann... i mean jane and jake. also let me know if anyone has seen any trolls around! hard to miss them, especially karkat.
while i'm at it, i got what i think is the basics about this place. didn't really know what else to ask since i just got here. starting with that i guess. so this place is called iniidae. it isn't really what i expected when i opened the door to get here...
oh yeah! my name is john.

action;

[Nothing like the very real, if brief fear of drowning upon his arrival to this place to give him something of an appetite. Upon locating the kitchen, John's face lights up with delight and he immediately begins to search the area for some non-dessert like food.

Seeing the fridge, John yanks it open and looks over the food. Wow. That's a lot of fish. With a shrug, he takes the most tuna looking container and walks over to the counter.]

Is there bread anywhere?

[Dammit. Where the hell is the bread? John begins to rifle through the cupboards trying to figure out where it is, and where everything else is.]

video;

[The feed clicks on and a young man sits in the dining area with a smile on his face. He attempts to angle it on his wrist in a way that allows a proper view of his silhouette. John mouths the word 'ow' several times as his arm cramps up and he pulls it back so it's awkwardly facing the corner of his face.]

OK. So now that I've dealt with the food crisis. I've apparently been here before. I was wondering if someone could point me in the direction of where I stayed and if I left anything behind? Or any instructions? Written in pen... I hope.

Comments

[fullofgusto]

[John chuckles when he gets the slug to the arm.]

I didn't go far! Just peeking out the hall for later.

Why don't you live on base anymore? And for now, what can I do now that I'm here besides hanging out? Don't get me wrong, hangouts are a guarantee. Just wondering if I need to help out now that I'm here.

[parodeity]

I moved out a while back to one of the watchtowers. My bro lives with me. [ a pause, and he clarifies. ] Dirk.

[ not Bro bro. just in case john was going to assume. ]

Jade lives off base, too, in a different tower. Everyone else pretty much lives on-base...I figure you'll grab a room here, right? But as to what to do...currently there's like ten missions and the top one is I think healing sick fish? And exploring. I'm tryin' to broker peace with a warfaring alien race, but my progress is debatable.

[fullofgusto]

Dirk Strider. Still need to meet him with more than just a wave and 'hello'.

Is there something up with the base that made you guys move out that I should know about before I get comfy?

Also, nice job for being one of the bridges between aliens and humans again.

[parodeity]

[ uhhhhhhhh. good question. dave kind of shrugs. ]

There was a minor bomb scare, but nothin' that like, freaked anyone [ else ] out? It was generally me wantin' my own digs, you know?

[ lies but whatever it's dave he sounds convincing ]

Although, uh, there is one thing I should broach with you that I did previously that you...completely forgot about. Shit, man.

[ welcome to the kitchen btw he's been walking there? ]

[fullofgusto]

[He thinks nothing of it. For now.]

Cool. Am I allowed to visit, or have you become very private since we last saw each other?

[John gives pause at his last words though, staring at his good friend with perplexing expression.]

Yeah?

[parodeity]

[ TIME TO THROW DIRK UNDER A BUS. ]

While I am always down for bro time, the Strider tower is kinda a Strider-only zone. You know how my Bro was kinda into his privacy pre-scratch? Turns out he's got some secretive tendencies post-scratch, too.

[ this is a lie, this is dave's rule, haha oops ]

But we can totally hang whenever you want. I will be at your side at the drop of a hat, or more accurately the drop of a text? Zero transit time specifically for you, time player, I can make it happen. Hell, we can even do slumber parties if your nerdy little heart desires.

[ MOVING ON as he immediately starts getting stuff out in the kitchen to make the promised nachos, clearly familiar with the locations of...well, everything. ]

So. You know how we were talkin' about the gay butterfly effect earlier, on the platform?

[fullofgusto]

Only a little. I still haven't had a good chance to talk to your bro. But yeah, I'll definitely respect the need for privacy.

All of that sounds cool. I definitely want to help out now that I'm here, but also I was looking forward to some down time after everything that fucking happened. Just not too much of it.

That made Karkat kinda freak out? Yes.

[parodeity]

Ok, cool, so, leaving aside all the other stuff and going into the gay butterfly effect thing - which, again, while cool-sounding is not really a thing? Would make a cool movie or strip, but totally not a thing. You definitely did not turn me gay, that isn't how shit works, and also I am not? Gay, I mean. I'm not gay. Dirk's gay. Rose is pretty fuckin' gay, though she may not be the Full Gay, I can't be sure, it doesn't effectively matter unless she says it does?

[ don't

don't keep rambling about other people's sexualities although all of these are kind of Public Knowledge what with the dude-dating and the lady-dating respectively.

why isn't this any less awkward than it was last time, fuck ]

So anyway you know how we always say no homo and shit because we're not homo and also shit we say. Is not homo.

[ nO NOT THAT LINE AGAIN dave very deadpan turns the oven on and curses his fate ]

[fullofgusto]

[John listens intently and occasionally moving to help with the nachos but Dave seems to have the whole thing under control. He resigns himself to leaning against the counter top in the meantime. As for Dave's explanation, the gears are turning, but they're just grinding against each other. You'd think that's what's supposed to happen, but its more like a tentative touch and nothing is going nowhere.]

...I think?

[John thinks back to the discussion before it made Karkat way too uncomfortable.]

So, we're not gay. and I didn't make you gay. I get the feeling you're approaching a not gay singularity, but what happened to bring this up?

[parodeity]

Nothing happened. I just - y'know, nothing happened, I've just always gone both ways, but never really...acknowledged it.

[ because of various reasons that don't matter so much anymore. ]

It's bisexuality, not homosexuality, to be explicitly clear?

[fullofgusto]

[John has a rather blank stare right until he says the magic words and those gears finally allow things to click together for him.]

Oh. OH! Alright! I get it now!

[parodeity]

[ THERE we go. dave...kind of figured john's reaction would be about the same as last time but. it's a relief that hasn't changed, even so. ]

Yep. Not that it matters much, since I'm flyin' solo for the foreseeable future, but. You're my best bro? And now you know.

[fullofgusto]

Thanks for telling me. Pretty sure I won't forget it this time.

[John leans against the counter, giving that a bit of thought before speaking up shortly afterwards.]

Have you always known or was there some kind of moment of realization where you just went, "This makes so much more sense now"?

[parodeity]

[ john's leaning against the counter and dave slides the nacho...bean dip stuff...into the oven and doesn't bother to set a timer. he's the timer, it is him. ]

Uh, no, I didn't always know. Or I tried not to know, which is the same difference. It was never super relevant. I mean, I didn't spend much time talkin' to people beyond you guys, and I'm sorry to say you just don't do anythin' for me that way Egbert.

[ john: the only dude he bothered to get close to up until the game started. ]

But like I told you, I had time on the meteor to think about shit I used to say and why I used to say it. Also, like, the whole "holy shit I wanna kiss a guy" thing was kind of a huge hint that I wasn't, like, only into girls?

[fullofgusto]

[Master of time and all that, hurr hurr. John get's a little flustered at the mention of him not being a candidate for such affections, though.]

That's fine! I didn't really give it much thought either beyond us being best bros! Not that I wouldn't if I felt the same way...

[John rubs his head, feeling the Strider Enigma growing stronger with each failing. He manages to calm down enough to remember a much earlier conversation from before the game.]

Oh yeah.

[parodeity]

[ john earns a laugh for getting flustered, sorry. ]

And, uh, I guess I should say at this point that Karkat and I were datin'? Until like. Last month. Just so you don't stumble into anythin' awkward conversationally.

[ he has zero faith john can't, like, manage that if he isn't forewarned.

hell, dave is pretty sure john might accidentally make things awkward even forewarned, but he knows it wouldn't be on purpose. ]

Aaaaand now you're up to date on that, so. Nachos.

[ OPENS THE OVEN. ]

[fullofgusto]

[Dating. What? John stares incredulously at Dave for a moment. Probably a good thing he found out now when he didn't know about it otherwise bad things would have happened.]

What? Are you two alright or are things awkward as hell?

[Thank god. Food.]

Yes please.

[parodeity]

[ ok. he will grab plates and the chips and then he will...leave the dip in the pan and put it on the counter. THEY CAN JUST EAT LIKE THIS, WHATEVER. ]

There's soda and juice and water in the fridge, you can pick whatever. Also things are probably in the awkward stage but we're both all right, I think? I mean, I'm all right. Uh, it wasn't, like, over anythin' that you need to be worried about. It's just a thing, no big.

[fullofgusto]

That's good. Good that I won't be causing problems by talking to either of you. Not necessarily about each other, but you know what I mean.

[OK. He is definitely grabbing a drink, and some kinda flotation device to get out of this hole. Soda in hand, John offers Dave a smile.]

Thanks for the nachos.

[parodeity]

Nah, it's chill. I mean, you wouldn't be anyway? You're friends with both of us, it ain't like you gotta take sides in any scenario.

[ he gets a half-smile back. ]

No prob. What kinda best friend would I be if I didn't make at least a little bit of a fuss over your arrival?

[fullofgusto]

Was definitely hoping that wouldn't happen.

[John scoops up some nachos before providing his reply. Would it work...? He's not sure.]

...Nacho best friend?

[John almost flinches at his own pun.]

[parodeity]

[ dave snorts. ]

You're lucky I'm ridiculously fond of you.

[fullofgusto]

And I'm going to take full advantage of that!

[None of his friends can escape his antics. No one can.]

[parodeity]

You're allowed, Egbert. It's been how long since we met? And you're still my best bro.

[ god help him. ]