First beat

[toocoolforthis]

Well, I can't say I've ever been this late to school before.
Unfortunately, I can't claim to be awesome enough to have played hooky for half a year.
Maybe next year.
In the meantime, I'm back.
I'm sure you're all either completely ecstatic or completely disgusted, so please, contain your looks of horror and/or joy.
A simple "Sup, Dirk" will suffice.

Comments

[strideallknight]

[At the very least, Dave knows Dirk well enough to understand this fact. Grudges are taken to the grave most of the time.

Okay, well, this can be either somewhat good or very very bad. He's hoping for the former.]

Yeah. Normal thing. Or it sorta was. That was around when his brother died, so....

[toocoolforthis]

[Oh.

That helps. Dave saying that... well, it puts things in perspective. It makes it so that this isn't about Bro being negligent, or dangerous. It's about Bro being a fallible human being. Dirk still doesn't like that it happened, but he can't be angry at Bro for it the way he was starting to be.]

So you almost fell. But you didn't.

i need to put more icons on this dude but this is the only one I've got that comes close so far

[strideallknight]

[Dave relaxes, in no small part relieved that Dirk sounds like he understands.]

Yeah, I was stupid. I figured that it'd be good for him to take his mind off of it, and obviously you can see how that backfired spectacularly in my face.

[He hesitates for a moment and takes a deep breath. It's really difficult for him to admit this, but he needs to say it to at least one of his brothers. Bro is out of the question. The guy doesn't need more guilt.]

There's one other thing. Keep it from Bro, okay? He's got no idea about it and I'm keeping it that way for a while. [Another small pause as he crosses his arms across his chest and looks away.] After that incident, I've kinda...avoided the open towers. And tall buildings with panoramic views of what looks to me like a huge fucking drop all the way down. I'm good on a goddamn broomstick, but anything else? Nope, fuck that.

I know your pain

[toocoolforthis]

[Dirk watches and waits as Dave talks. Then, when Dave finishes, he steps forward and puts an arm over Dave's shoulders.

He's been gone for months. He's totally allowed to give Dave a hug by the Strider code. That's a thing he can get away with.]

I won't let him know.

[strideallknight]

[Dave sags a little, needing that support more than he thought. Not that he's going to put his full weight on Dirk, but he needs the breathing room, at least for a short while.]

Thanks, man.

[When it seems like the moment is starting to stretch into awkward, he straightens up.]

So, think you can school me on astronomy? I've kinda been skipping the class and learning on my own, but I might've missed some shit that was supposed to have been covered.

[toocoolforthis]

[Dirk squeezes gently for a moment, giving Dave a sort of one-armed hug, then lets his arm drop when Dave straightens.]

Fourth year stuff? Sure, I can do that.

[strideallknight]

If you couldn't do fourth year stuff, I'd be worried you spent too many nights staying up late studying your ass off.

[toocoolforthis]

But that's the only way to do astronomy.

[strideallknight]

Smartass. That's not what I meant and you damn well know it.

[toocoolforthis]

You're the one who left yourself open for it. [He thumps a fist on Dave's shoulder gently.]

[strideallknight]

It was terrible and you should be ashamed of yourself. [There is a mocking eye roll.]

[toocoolforthis]

[He will ignore any and all mocking eye rolls because they're conveniently hidden from sight behind Dave's shades.]

Do I need to explain irony to you again? It was great, and you're just a philistine.

[strideallknight]

[In some ways, it's terrible to have shades, but mostly it's good to have them.]

No, it was awful and cringe worthy. I think you've been studying too much.

[toocoolforthis]

And you haven't been studying enough. Remember who you're asking for help, little bro.

[strideallknight]

I can't compare to a genius a year older and wiser than I am.

[toocoolforthis]

If you think I'm that awesome, then why are you calling my jokes lame?

[strideallknight]

'Cause that was something I expected from Egbert. Most of your jokes are awesome.

[toocoolforthis]

Ouch, bro, right in the pride.

[strideallknight]

If I didn't get you right in the pride, then you'd never get better. Consider it a welcome back to Hogwarts.

[toocoolforthis]

[Clearly this just calls for ruffling Dave's hair.]

Brat.

[strideallknight]

[jkfelwa Dirk please.]

Takes one to know one.

[toocoolforthis]

[He has to, it's his duty as an elder brother.]

Now who's being lame?

[strideallknight]

I'm stating a fact that you're more bratly than I am.

[toocoolforthis]

You'll need to give evidence, or I won't accept your claim.

[strideallknight]

Right now could be considered brat behavior.