towerofanimus | Something's on my mind

Entry tags:

Something's on my mind

Characters: [OU]Dave Strider and Open to anyone
Setting: Room 2-14, Cafeteria, Graveyard
Format: Either
Summary: Dave is back. Back again. Gdi.
Warnings: Language mostly

Room 2-14

He's momentarily confused when he gets up. Well, minus the fact that he knows he hasn't been ehre for awhile, but also because this isn't his room? He checked the room number and...okay. He guesses that he's in another room. The trunk has some of his stuff in it.

Dave quickly changes to his God Tier outfit (shit is comfortable) and just heads out.

Better reimmerse himself in this bullshit. Not like he has anything better to do.

Cafeteria

Just eating the porridge. He doesn't think he minds it so much considering that it's porridge and back to nutrition bars. Oh boy.

He glances around him, trying to find familiar faces. He isn't really holding his breath though, and it's more of a passing action to keep himself preoccupied while he eats.

Graveyard

As routine, he always ends up dropping flowers on graves of his friends. It's just a thing he kind of does now and it feels weird not to do it. He knows that nothing really comes from it, but he's still gonna do it.

After that, he just browses through the rows, seeing if there are new names and if any of them are familiar to him.

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Especially for someone who's been here so long, the graveyard is a place that carries with it a lot of memories. It's a place that makes the ache of loss all the sharper, while at the same time drawing one in because of that same ache.

So when she steps onto that particular floor and is shown what could only reasonably a memory, she is understandably startled. That shade of red has never left her mind. ~~And yet-- it's not like that time when they were both older.~~

The first thing she does, of course, is to freeze, still as death and white-dressed as a ghost, but very much alive.

Dave is used to specific floors being frequented by other people. But he feels like whoever is here is actually watching him. He looks away from the graves he was looking at and looks up.

Of course he'd recognize Namine. Right...he knew some time had passed since he been here. He had been relocated, so his name must have been taken off his old dorm room long ago.

To her, he's a face she wasn't expecting. Hands in pockets, he makes his way over to her. "Hey."

She doesn't start moving until he does, but once he does, she's walking double speed to meet him, only not running by force of will.

Because he knows her, doesn't he? She hopes so, hope so desperately - that it's that and not because he's just looking for help in this place that seems new. He seems to know her - but she also tends to remind herself that she ought to be careful about investing herself in such an assumption as that.

It's too good to be true.

"Dave...?"

That'll have to be her greeting. And first thing's first -

"You know me, don't you?"

Please tell her he knows her.

He rubs at the back of his neck sheepishly and quirks his mouth up in an apologetic smile. He knows how it must feel to having to ask when people remember them or not. It's always a toss up and it's better not to get your hopes up in a place like this. But-

"Yeah. I know you. I made an awkward mess of myself during Valentine's Day to you. Can't really forget something like that." He remembers being here. "I've been gone for awhile." It's a statement. He didn't think he'd be one to end up gone for so long after being here for so long himself.

"Don't have to worry about reintroducing yourself to me. Lucky, right?"

She sort of deflates - not because the answer wasn't the one she was hoping for, but because it's such a relief. Her shoulders ease downward, lips shaping into the beginnings of a smile she cannot help.

It's really hard not to hug him.

"You didn't do anything wrong." Awkward mess or not. It helps, though, to keep her from any urge to act out - being reminded of that draws back some of her shyness. "But-- yes, you've been gone for... far too long." All the time kind of blends together, after all, but she knows that much.

"Right. I know how fortunate that is, and-- I'm so, so glad to see you again, Dave. I've missed you. Terribly, even."

"I didn't do anything wrong, but you can't deny that we were basically turtles on our backs. Or at least, that's how I felt. I'm that guy who let out a fart in a completely quiet room filled with people." That's gross, Dave. "I didn't think I would have ended up gone," Dave admitted. It honestly didn't seem like it would happen, but he guesses it did in the end.

"Yeah. I missed you too. I mean, this place is no joyride, but there are people here I miss." He's not sure how many are really still around, but that doesn't make him miss them any less.

"Well-- I can't say you're wrong, exactly." Because wow she was not prepared for that at all when that happened, but. "Still, I thought it was sweet. It made me feel--... or would have made me feel... special." She shakes her head slightly, half to clear it. "I wasn't expecting it, either. It was hard to imagine at all. I was... worried."

Give her a second to shift; she's touched, really. "I'm sure they missed you, too. No matter what this place is like, at least none of us have to be alone."

"You don't have to correct yourself," Dave mentions idly. "It doesn't matter which way you say it. It basically means the same thing with maybe a few more words thrown in. Don't discredit yourself." Even if she doesn't think she has a heart, Dave was gonna be adamant that what she thinks she feels is legitimate. "I'm back now though. Can't imagine them throwing me back in just to toss me out. There's not a lot of time left, right?"

Dave shrugs a bit. "I don't think a lot of my friends are really here anymore." But the ones that are still makes all the difference.

"Yes I do." There's more purpose in her response, even though it's quiet, almost but not quite benign. "It wouldn't be fair to you if I went around saying things like that." Despite what his feelings or beliefs on the matter may be; what right does she have to say things like that around him when she turned him down on those very grounds? "... Mm. It'd be an awful waste."

And she'd really rather think she's got at least a little time to spend with him. "But some of them probably are." Herself included. "You'll never know until you have a look around."

Edited 2014-05-10 07:09 (UTC)

"I'm pretty sure you're more worried about it than I am." This is such a silly thing to argue over. "Wouldn't be a bit unfair either way?" On one hand, she feels like it's unfair for her to say she feels something. On the other hand, it starts feeling like that he didn't do enough to merit her to feel something.

Feelings are incredibly difficult. "It would be inconvenient for everyone involved." And he guesses that he wants to see things to the end, despite how bleak the end is looking.

"I know. I've been looking a bit. I guess I'm not really surprised." Which is a little depressing to actually say that he's watched most of his friends come and go. He doesn't say it for that reason. He's a little upset, but he's also over it. Got to keep his attention on things that do matter. "Glad to know you're still around though." He'd really miss her if she were gone.

"Maybe." She can concede that much, at least; she does tend to worry. Still, does that mean she's wrong to, at this point? As for the rest-- well. "... None of it's really fair. Not to any of us." It's always felt a little unfair to interact with anyone, knowing what she is and what that meant and how, were they to invest any sort of emotion in their relationship with her, what a disappointment she would inevitably be.

Feelings are incredibly difficult and no one understands. "Right. So it would make more sense for you to stay." Which... isn't ideal in some aspects, but the aspects she's actually focusing on are the ones that are related to 'more Dave time'.

Her lips press together slightly; right, graveyard. "Sorry." Because even if he doesn't say it, she knows he's got every reason to be upset. The last part makes her blink, frown ebbing away in favor of a hesitant smile. "... You know? I am, too. I would have hated not to be here to see you again."

"Things being unfair just seems to be the painful norm. But I don't think we've had anyhting fair happen to us in a long time with this place." He shrugs a bit. He's grown so used to this since training for SBURB.

Dave snorts a bit. "It would make sense, but since when has this place made sense. But I'm pretty sure they won't really toss me out, if that's a worry. Want to drag as many people down with them as possible." Because they all know their time is becoming very limited in this place.

"It's fine. Don't really need to apologize. I didn't expect a lot of people to still be around. The population seemed to be dwindling even before I disappeared." He would have probably been upset before, but time alone has him stronger. "Yeah. I missed you a lot."

"I'm not sure there's really anywhere where everything's fair." After all, it's not like the life she lived before this place was much better (though the example she would cite would be Roxas', maybe Sora's - not her own). "But you're right. And here, it's deliberate."

It doesn't exactly get her down, though, not when her situation now is still better than it was before. "I guess they don't want to be alone, either." Though for much less acceptable reasons than the average folk.

And maybe it's kind of flattering that he missed her, but mostly she's just grateful, glad to be able to hear him say it rather that it's the case at all. (Not that it doesn't feed some part of her that still hasn't quite grasped that it's not unusual for someone else to care that she exists or want to be around her.) So the smile he gets is quietly but openly warm. (Her eyes may or may not be stinging, just a little.) "I'm just-- so happy you haven't forgotten me."

"You'd think they'd at least be a little better about dealing with us if it's because they don't want to be alone. Like a little less on the experimenting and shitty games that usually get us killed is all I'm saying. I don't think that's too much to ask for, but hey. That's just me. Maybe it's a culture thing." Dave is mostly being sarcastic.

He feels his heart flutter a bit, but keeps as straight a face as he can. "I'd be pretty pissed if they threw another me into this fray, honest. This piece of crap of a tower has been my shindig for awhile now. Can't be letting another fresh me take over, can I?" He would feel bad if he had forgotten her. Even if he can't help it.

Being forgotten hurts, and he can't imagine the feeling being great considering how she views herself.

"Well-- if they can take what they want anyway, why wouldn't they?" Except - that sounds wrong. "I mean... if they're willing to do that no matter how bad it is for everyone else, that is. They don't have any reason to do things differently." Although she can think of a few good ones, but she says it as a matter of their perspective.

"No, of course not. That would be very impolite." For both parties? Anyway. "And it would be a lot harder for him. ... For you?" Gosh, how does one even pronoun there? "... If not for the experiences you've already had. And-- you'd have to make friends all over again."

"Guess so. But hey, you'd think that they'd maybe have a conscious or somewhere in their mind where they won't just be a complete fuck about things." Dave shrugs. "Being too hopeful, I know. I put too much faith in them to be decent."

"For him," Dave says. Because it's technically not him. But the line is pretty fine. "I don't think it would be as bad making new friends and experiences as being the person who has to live with knowing someone they knew doesn't remember them." Or remembers being here. All the times he's seen his friends come in here with no knowledge of their previous experiences.

"You'd think." She's just learned not to hope for something like that. "... But I've known enough people who lived without remorse to know that it's entirely possible that they don't have it either. Still-- I think I prefer your way."

There's a little tilt to her head, a wry, apologetic twist to her mouth... at least until that last bit. "...." Her eyes lower, shift to the side. "I guess... we both know how that feels. Don't we?"

"I know." He hasn't personally met people like that, but he's not naive to think that they don't exist. They do. He just wouldn't know because most people are dead from his world.

"Yeah," Dave's voice comes out a little quiet. "But we can't really wallow over it. There's nothing we can do but keep walking forward."

She lets out the quietest of sighs. "... I'm sorry. That you have to know that, I mean." She'd rather it not even be a fact. "I really would like things better your way."

"Yeah." And she makes an attempt at a smile. "That's the best thing to do, too, I think. We can always--... make more memories."

Is it hypocritical to say that when she knows all too well how much the loss of the old ones hurts?

"It ain't your fault." And he wasn't going to blame her for something that she didn't do. She was someone that made his day much better. "It'll be fine."

He quirks his mouth up in a small smile.

"We don't have a lot of time for that, do we? Last I checked, we got only a limited amount of time here."

"I hope so." And since when has she ever had a hard time blaming herself for things?

There's a quiet sort of pain, almost, in her own smile.

"No... I suppose we don't. But it's still time. I--...." She thinks, for a moment, of explaining her situation to him - the circumstances of things in her own worlds. She chooses not to, not just yet. (If ever.) "... I've learned how important every second is, even if there's not very many of them left. And-- I'd rather they be filled with as many good memories as possible."

Sounds a little final there, Naminé.

"I know. No matter the amount, it's still something. Knight of Time." He knows the importance of it. "You work so closely with time that you really appreciate it." Every second that you can get for yourself to enjoy is a God send.

"Good memories is gonna be a bit hard though. I can't say that what's coming to us will be just sunshine and rainbows." He knows that won't stop them from trying though. "Sounding a little fatalistic though, aren't we?"

"I guess you would, wouldn't you." Still, better to be clear that she does, too, right? Even if she had to learn it differently.

"... I know. And we are." It's only there that she hesitates, and not for long. "So-- let's change that, then. We could go do something right now, something-- something silly." What, she hasn't got a clue, but she has to try, doesn't she?

"I wouldn't mind silly. We got a silly idea on the mind or are we pulling suggestions out of a hat?" Silly is a lot better than continuously talking about a heavy subject that won't change or leave anyways.

"Um--" The time it takes her to answer probably suggest that it is in fact the latter. "Well... is there anything that you've always wanted to do? Or-- would regret not doing?"

Dave pauses to think about it. He doesn't actually know. "I think some of the stuff I'd like to do isn't a possibility in this realm," Dave says with a shrug. I've done plenty I've enjoyed. "Is there anything you've always wanted to do?"

"--...." She hesitates, just for a moment.

A lot of the things she could say are things she dares not.

"... Yes, I suppose. I always--... well. There were things that I would have liked to do, just-- not ones I could do." Things she needed a heart for. Anyway, "But we could always... go watch another movie together? For old time's sake? ... That was one of the things I missed while you were gone."

"It's not like we have a lot of time left. I think we can forgo some shit for the sake of doing them. Who's gonna know? I mean, unless you wanted to do something like attend school. I don't think we can really go to school here. But there's a lot we can do." Even stuff that might require heart. Unless she wants open heart surgery maybe.

"We could watch a movie. I wouldn't mind a movie. We can watch them until our brains leak through our ears."

"--...." She wonders, really, if he knows what it is he's saying. But even now she's too hesitant to go asking for the opportunity to really go on a date, or any of the related shenanigans. So instead, "... You know? I actually did sort of want to try that, but... I think I can stand to miss that one."

"Maybe not that long, but-- that sounds like a good start."

Disciple was standing over other graves as well; the ones for her family. Dolorosa and Psiionic each got a flower for the months she was gone, which seems like a lot until you compared it to Signless' (it was completely covered). Feeling a bit bad she didn't get enough flowers for each of them, she decided to walk around some to look.

Di then see's a familiar amongst the rows of graves. Could it be...Rose Strider? Her old roommate?! She hopes so, as she runs right to them and glomps them into an iron grip, snuggling her old "friend"!

Dave yelps a bit as he's knocked to the ground by...a giant mass of hair? No it's a troll.

??? But why is a troll tackling him? He doesn't really recognize her either. He's seen her in passing, he thinks, but he doesn't actually know her. She's also older, so that means she wasn't any of the trolls that were involved in the session. "Uh." Eloquent.

Sudden physical contact with a stranger. At least it wasn't one that involved murderous intent. That's the norm here, last he checked, so he doesn't think he can really argue with this. At least it's a snuggle versus a stab.

Well that was a deep sound. Even though she heard female trolls sound that way, she doesn't remember her old friend having that octave. Not loosening her grip, she shifts and gets right into his face, inspecting him.

"Wait a minute...you are not Rose Strider! You may act and look like her, but you do not have her unique features or familiar smell!"

Oh, hello. You are...definitely troll. Yep. Honestly, he was hoping that maybe he'd recognize her, but nope. He doesn't recognize her at all. Oh well.

"I'm not. She hasn't been around here for awhile, I'm pretty sure. I think the easiest way to describe it is that if you believe in the existence of alternate universes, which I'm sure you will. There was like two of me and doubles of a hell of a lot of other people crawling around this place. She's basically an alternate universe version of my friend as thought she were raised as I am." Man. What is their lies when they can just be so chill with the thought of many alternate universes.

"I like to think I'm less angry than her though."

This was all highly confusing, but Di just nods and listens.

As soon as he said his last statement though, she begins nodding enthusiastically at it. "You sure are! In fact I am surprised you're not throwing me off right now." Speaking of, she then hops right off of him, grabbing his hand so he can get up as well. "I am so sorry about that, kind stranger. I guess I was just hopeful that at least something has stayed while I was away..."

"Naw. It's not really my style. If someone really wants to get physical, who am I to deny them? I guess I'm more glad you didn't suddenly try to beat the shit out of me. I mean, in a place like this, I wouldn't be surprised if it did happen, but I'm still not gonna wish for it to actually happen, you dig? But I like to think I am much more calm and not quite as much as an angry person as she was. Even if it was almost endearing." He appreciates the help up. "Naw. We all kind of wish that. People still being here while we're gone. I'm still kind of seeing who's around and who isn't."

"Yes, it is quite difficult trying to figure out who is gone and who has stayed. It is like I barely recognize anybody here."

She then placed her hands on his shoulders, with a determined look shining out her eyes. "But do not worry, male Rose, for I will take really good care of you, and make sure nothing horrid happens to your frail small body." And of course, she's not gonna assume Dave has the same type of abilities Rose has, because he is different!

"The easiest way is to just check all the dorms, but even that's a bit of a stretch. We get a few of the same names coming and going." Which makes it kind of hard to find out whether they'll remember you or not.

"Dave." Her determination is a bit endearing, if not a little weird. This is probably the fastest friendship(?) he's ever made. "Hey, man. I'm sturdier than I look. Maybe I could do to eat a bit more, which is laughable in a place that serves us only food bars, but I can hold my own." He isn't really offended though. She just sounds like she wants to help. "Promise you don't have to do too much to take care of me. I'm like a cat. Just keep my water and food bowls full. I wash myself and I can go to the bathroom on my own."

He's got the time thing too, but they are different.

[A familiar face more or less drops itself right in front of him. Chidori settles her chin on her steepled fingers, pushing her slightly too-long bangs out of her eyes and looking at him intently, as if that will tell her what she wants to know.

It doesn't seem to, however, and after a moment, she sinks a little lower, expression curious.]

Dave.

[That's it, nothing else.]

[Dave stares back through tinted plastic.

Is she trying to figure out if he remembers her or not? He puts the spoon back in his porridge.] What can I say? This place just couldn't handle me not being around that they had to take me back.

Looks like you're [Doing good? Probably a shitty thing to say. Well? Haha, in this place?] surviving.

As one does when the only other option is dying.

[But there's a smile tugging at her lips, faint though it may be.]

It's good to see you, Dave.

Well, yeah. But we're gonna pretend we have a few options between surviving and dying. Maybe I'm having a damn party now that I'm back and this place is falling apart. It's like the ball dropping on New Year or something. Get excited.

[Except the ball is this place shutting down, so less exciting than a stupid ball dropping to call the next year.]

It's nice to see familiar faces. Man, I'd feel pretty gipped if I didn't know at least a handful of people still here.

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Something's on my mind

Graveyard

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Graveyard (Lol, I'm so sorry! XD)

No problem hahaha!

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Sorry. Been having computer issues :(

That's fine. I'm like 10 days late too. Let's be late together!

Late party FACE IN HANDS

Cafeteria

computer problems sorry for being late ;w;

shh it's ok

;w; <3