oculusriffs | ic contact for reverienet

[a cat nap is just going to have to be in his future, then — he probably won't even realize it happened until he's already awake and sporting an extremely uncool case of bedhead, just smashed a bit on one side, on account of sleeping so hard. poor bastard.]

You want me to put in a good word for you, you mean.

[he pauses, seemingly considering that quite seriously. hmm. he turns Lisa around in his hands to look at her straight on.]

[hm.]

[......... hmmm.]

[finally, he shrugs, still holding her out in front of him, as if he's ready to give her the "don't bite the hand that feeds you" rundown right now.]

Yeah, I can do that. Hey, Lisa — [if only giving a cat a pep talk was the weirdest thing he's done. this doesn't even slightly approach the surface of his entire adventure with the alchemiter. but, Ryuji seems to genuinely want to bond with her, so he'll. give it his best shot??]

You probably shouldn't pick fights with the person scooping your shit.

[....... you can give a better shot than that, Dave.]

I mean, I'm just saying — it's not like you've got pissed off space ghosts taking care of you. Space ghosts can't keep you warm or give ear scratches, and they probably can't smell or actually hold a scoop either, so you'd be cold and stuck with a literal smelly shitbox the rest of your life.

Maybe Ryuji smells weird, too? I dunno, I don't have cat senses. But it's cool, you can trust him.

[He didn't expect this to happen so soon? It's going so fast, from 0 to 80 in a 25mph zone, and Ryuji's staring onto this fine mess and waiting for the inevitable irritability to start kicking in. Is Dave going to live up to his new titular role as the Cat Whisperer? Is Ryuji ever going to make friends with Lisa?

Find out next time, on---]

Oh my god.

[He literally just referred to Ryuji as his pooper scooper and he doesn't??? know how he actually feels about that at the moment. He's not wrong, it's just. Man, he's willing to accept the responsibility that comes along with pet ownership no problem, but he doesn't want to talk or hear about the gross litter box cleaning that he has to do- it's a begrudging task that even a true labor of love wouldn't satisfy.

And then, in a smaller voice, just to himself, as his features twist into increasing levels of incredulity:]

Dude...

[This is actually terrible, why did he ask Dave to do this?]

Do I...?

[Ryuji lowers his nose and lifts his shoulder upward a little bit to see if he actually smells. Embarrassing human being, right here.]

I don't smell. [Confirming to himself, really, voice still low and self-assuring.]

Dave... man... that was... super goddamn heartwarming and all, but shit.

But what? I thought it was pretty good — and now Lisa's got my word that you're dependable.

[okay, so his encouraging spiel was kind of gross, and maybe he'd been teasing Ryuji with the whole smelly thing. but he isn't actually lying when he says "dependable." Dave doesn't necessarily trust so easily, nor is he really the type to let people get all that close. so, to have at least two people on board this space station that he feels like he can really trust ... well, it kind of means a lot to him.]

[so, maybe he'd cracked a lot of jokes in his cat pep talk, but the sincerity's there, too. Dave does absolutely think he's dependable. and maybe someday soon he'll figure out how to leave that sentiment somewhere Ryuji can easily find it.]

yeah i hear you
most people who wind up in charge have no business bein there
and usually the guy you actually want to be the leader has no idea or at least he doesnt figure hes right for the job
i always thought obama was pretty alright though
i bet hes good at rapping
anyway you see those blue spots on the planet
those have gotta be water right
so ive been thinking about names for those
like poseidons asshole or kick it barack falls
i dunno those are kinda dumb too i need to work on them more

Wow your Oboner is showing again bro

What's with that anyway

Oh, huh, yeah I mean I guess I saw the blue spots? It would make sense for it to be water, but for some reason I kinda thought it'd be some form of deadly gas? The type you walk into and your skin just kinda melts off in agonizing pain.

To be fair though you could still work poseidon's asshole with that

[Phrasing?

Why?]

My choices seem kinda egotistical now though

Gonna have to change it up

And you're only good as your word.

[It's one of those cliche things that stuck with Ryuji from a pretty young age. He can't do the lying thing, can't try to impress people with dishonesty, and is pretty much immovable when it comes to the things he values. If people don't like that about him or think he's naive to behave that way, that's their problem.

And granted, the lack of space deodorant is totally shittsville, population: Reverie Station... but like everything related to the way Dave unravels himself, from what Ryuji can see reading between the lines (as bad as he is at that to begin with), is reassuring.]

You... you think it's time to give it a chance or should I wait a bit for it to sink in first?

oboner
man i dont know i just think he had bold economic policies
cant actually remember what they were i just know that theyre bold
anyway im banning you from bogglin at any weird shit that i say from now on
since you just followed that oboner line with a fart joke

[of all the different conversations Dave has had here, the ones he's had with Ryuji always wind up being the strangest. there's something he finds peculiar and almost nostalgic about it. like it's always been this easy to shoot the shit for hours about the stupidest topics. which ... is a bit of a weird feeling, honestly, considering they've only known each other for two months.]

dont think theres anything egotistical about wanting to be immortalized in a landmark though
thats how basically the majority of places get their names isnt it

Like you could ban me from that. My aesthetic is straight up rebellion so... good luck?

But also you just admitted to the part where some of the shit you say is weird, so even you recognize it and you gotta respect that at least you know yourself.

Poseidon's mighty asshole and all

Embrace it, yo!!!

Embrace the bung

[This is just absurd at this point.

He wants to say thanks for getting him out of a weird(ly depressive) mood, but he also doesn't want to move past... well, this. Talking to Dave has a calming sort of effect on him.]

But yeah, we gotta get there first.

Probably easier said than done

You think it'll be weird? I've honestly never been around so many people constantly in my life. I know that sounds dumb since I lived in Tokyo all my life, but it's easy to tune everything out when you're just a nobody in the crowd. And bein' here, it's like a little village or something. You can't escape seein' the same people over and over again.

Not that I mind that either, since I've met some really cool people since then. Obviously you're counted in that crowd.

But then emptying out onto a planet and actually being alone. Or having the capacity to? I guess. Kinda scary.

Exactly.

[that's a pretty bold thing for Dave to agree on — he is a kid who's got a bad habit of hiding behind his words, after all. but he also had a lot of time stuck on a meteor to think, to grow up a bit, and even though he may have a bizarre habit of accidentally calling people hot moms or just plain saying things he regrets when he's mumbling to himself and someone happens to hear ... he at least tries to make sure the things he does say, when they're directed at friends, aren't too terrible. it's still a work in progress.]

[he turns Lisa back around in his arms, so she's kind of facing Ryuji.]

It's up to you. I think you should go for it, if you want.

[honestly, he's ... not really sure what to do next. should he set Lisa down? should he keep holding onto her, as if, in doing so, he could continue channeling his cat soothing powers he didn't know he had?? he's pretty sure Lisa isn't pissed right now. at least, not yet.]

[Nobody out there is immune from the possibility for growth and change; a year ago the Ryuji standing before Dave right now probably wouldn't have paved the path for any of this. He'd be wrapped up in his own head, pissed off at the world for everything, and alone.]

Shit. Well here goes nothin'.

[Embracing the possibility that this might end okay, he makes a step closer. Anything? Growling? Hissing? Okay, not so much. Another step, slow, like he's trying to make sure that there's an air of respect and amicability to what he's trying to accomplish. Ryuji should probably breathe a little more instead of holding his breath, as if the halfway distance of the room could carry his own carbon dioxide outward offensively.

Eventually he reaches the bed and sits at the edge.

She looks so cozy. He wants her to like him so much, but he believes that he's relatively poor at those types of social skills, worsened only by the fact of his own negative image in feline-kind's eyes. He looks at Dave, scrunching up his lips to one side of his cheek. Is this going to be okay? Ryuji's hand connects to Lisa's head, fingers curling. This is it. The moment of truth.

He breathes through his nose, unable to hold it in anymore, and presses a soft stroke to her rounded head, scratching just once behind her pointed ears.]

This is effin' unbelievable. [And then, takes his hand back and doesn't push this any farther than that. Ryuji looks abso-freaking-lutely reverent. Like he's just done the impossible.

Cue the cheesiest grin, ever.]

[it’s Dave’s turn to have a moment where he tries to process what he thinks about this cat pat endeavour and Ryuji’s dopey grin at his own success, and the only word his brain manages to pull together is “cute.”]

[which, holy shit, he has no idea what to do with that word. they’ve both already figured out today what happens when it’s blurted out loud. does he just ... compartmentalize it and pretend it never crossed his mind? seems like that’s down the line of how he usually handles confusing thoughts. at the same time, he’s pretty sure cat pat successes shouldn’t go unacknowledged. hey ... say something, Dave.]

[.............]

Not bad.

[not bad. not bad!!!! excellent work, Strider. you really sure can words. he may as well have just said cute and then flushed himself down the ramenized toilet.]

[Dave....

Wow, that was so eloquent and reassuring, so well deserved and perfectly said. Ryuji, of course, has to stoke the fire-]

Huh? Well, yeah. No shit, sherlock.

[He's still riding out the cool, calm, emotionally stable state of being high off of this mission coming up critical success. Maybe it'll pave the way for a functional relationship between the two. Maybe he'll be seen as more than just a really diligent regal pooper picker upper.

Who knows what's in store?]

That was all you, dude. All I did was---

[He pawses for a moment, looking at Lisa content in Dave's lap, and then upwards. Ryuji really, really can't help himself when it comes to being a dick, so he mirrors the action he just did on the ball of fluff by reaching up and patting Dave on the top of the head once, then twice. But since he's just kitten around, he makes sure not to be in the crosshair of a nuclear swipe attack. Just in case. Just in case.

Flush him first, basically.

And this asshole? Starts chuckling, covering his own mouth to cover it up. He has a cool image to maintain.]

oh my christ no
im not embracing any bungs

[yeah. completely absurd.]

[he is still curious about what happened, and he still wants to ask. at the same time, joking around instead of admitting you have a problem or are in a mood is pretty standard Strider protocol, so it's all too easy to roll along with it.]

[but that last series of rambling texts sort of gnaw at him, too, because of how relateable he finds them. he knows what it's like to be alone in an entire city of people. hell, he never really even understood what it was like to be around people who actually cared about him until their Sburb session started.]

[he's not exactly quick to trust people here, Ryuji and Terezi, and ... well, maybe even Dirk, aside, but he is at least aware that there are people who care about him. and he'd really rather not lose that the way he lost it back home.]

[because he finds the idea of being alone again terrifying, too.]

something like a buddy system wouldnt be a bad idea
if we ever decide to send out an expedition at least
that way when you stake a claim on ryussia youd at least have a witness
someone to sign and notarize the paperwork you know

I can't believe you're talkin' about turning this into a bureaucratic thing. Freedom to do whatever the hell you wanna do and I have to sign a title or something?

Ughhhhh

Pass.

[He can't even begin to comprehend that there are some people out there, probably even some people on this station, who would jump at the opportunity to go on their own. Embrace the maddening quiet that probably exists down there.

But before even going down planetside, there are so many things they still have to figure out on the station. Ships to get there. Supplies. Rations. It's almost a hypothetical at this point to be worried over, but Ryuji can still speak to it like it's anywhere from a minute to a year away.

He puts his arm down for a spell, staring up at the ceiling just above his top bunk. Thinking about Dave, about his friends from home, about everything else that's gone on since coming here, he eventually just says what's on his mind.]

Yeah, a buddy system is probably a good plan.

If it ever does come up, promise me you'll take me with you. Or vice versa. Okay?

I know it sounds kinda dumb to say

But I don't know if being alone is what I'm actually afraid of... or just bein left behind

[THE GODS KNOW WHAT YOUVE DONE DOT JPG!!!]

[you know that little tuft of bangs that's been curling just like his mom's, since he hasn't been able to cut his hair? it just sort of floofs stubbornly right back into place underneath those completely asshole-ish headpats Ryuji just did. Dave can't believe he's done this!]

[and he seems genuinely surprised at first, because Ryuji's actually patted him like he's a goddamn cat, a joking gesture of affection (????) that wasn't a friendly sock on the shoulder or an insult that isn't actually insulting at all.]

[okay, so. time to short circuit, then. he should be mad. he should be pissed, right? like, he should be fucking flying off the handle right now. and he's annoyed, sure, but not actually angry, which is weirdly just as surprising as the fact that he's been headpatted in the first place.]

[his eyes narrow behind the shades. he's feigning anger, for some reason, but even the actual annoyance he does express seems kinda half-hearted.]

You do realize the only reason I'm not kickin' your ass right now is Lisa.

[he says, as he sets Lisa down on the bed.]

[He could easily offer to let Dave borrow the scissors that wound up at the bottom of his shower a few weeks ago, but then it wouldn't allow moments like this, where his little fluff of a bend manages to become perfectly un-miffed in the blink of an eye. It's practically spring loaded. And it's great.

And here comes the hyped up Davefury that Ryuji (kind of) wanted to see, right? An explosion of pure grit, a reclamation for justice in a world of head patting usurpers that needed to have their ass handed to them. One eyebrow quirks upward.]

You don't wanna set a bad example for Lisa, right?

[But he absolutely takes stock of him putting her down and out of reach of any thrashing that's to be had. Preemptively, Ryuji scoots a few seat's widths farther away from Dave.]

hey, i don't think i ever asked... why DO you wear sunglasses, anyway? do you wear them at night so you can keep track of the visions in your eyes?

[HAJIME!!]

do you want the real answer
or do you want an answer in the form of an 80s pop song

[now he can't help but wonder if this is also at least part of what's been bothering Ryuji. is it the footage of that one kid simply melting into nothing that was posted on the network earlier? Dave saw it. he didn't comment on it, because it's easier not to worry about it. he doesn't really want to bring it up, either.]

[worrying about his friends is all too easy, though. and whatever thoughts he has about himself or his given title, Dave is still intensely protective over the people he cares about. that's what a knight does, that's their natural instinct — both the storybook and the Sburb varieties.]

of course dude
im not gonna leave you behind
cant imagine anybody who would

[an affectionate thought said plain as day, for once.]

couldnt begin to guess what kinda stuffs down there
but id bet if theres any kind of threat it can be zapped
or maybe joked to death i dunno
but youd fit right in with any expedition either way

[He didn't know where that Jedi kid was, either- he had never been invited to his room before, so Ryuji did the only thing he could think of. Go from door to door to door and see if Ezra's name was still there. And when it wasn't, he knew that he had vanished, and that... was that, pretty much. It left a lot of questions, too- like did he get to go back home? Or... did he get sent to another reality, another station, maybe where there was another Ryuji, or not another Ryuji, or maybe even nothing there? It's a pretty fucked up thing to worry about.

Coupling that with the recent development of how to deal with his serial killer acquaintance from back home after he told Hajime he was, in fact, a serial killer... it was just a pretty crummy situation all around. Ryuji thought he could keep himself a little better together, but it left him with tiny cracks; worries that people would exit his life, and then the ones that were already there would end up wishing he would exit theirs.]

Hearin that is as good as eatin' a bowl of ramen, man

So, uh. Thanks! Sorry if I'm bein' a dumbass about this sorta stuff.

It's pretty easy to talk to other people about what's going on but when it comes to stuff about me, I dunno, I just sorta turtle up. Nothing against turtles of course, cause they're awesome. But yeah. Making other people heavy on account of me just feels kinda wrong, I guess.

[He wants to apologize again, too, but he already said it once.]

Man, you shoulda seen my lightning magic when I could use it forreal! Something's blocking my power. The best I can do lately is just a helluva lot of static friction and cool pikachu shit. But I guess it's good for makin' hair stand on ends?

the real answer is fine

it's something i've been wondering about for a while now, i just never thought of actually asking

[oh, it's a poured out molten pit of Davefury he wants to see, is it? well, he can definitely deliver. he stands, fists clenched, hackles raised, like he's ready to reach over and pop Ryuji upside the head for his insulting transgression, to dunk some serious revenge on him like the ghosts dunked a bunch energy drinks in the toilet, and he just.]

[just.]

[.... nah.]

Yeah, you're right. I'll just have to get you back later.

[he relaxes, rolling his shoulders casually.]

Won't even stop time or anything, and I can still guarantee you won't see it coming.

[could this be even worse than the two of them just duking it out right now? possibly.]

if youre worried about being a burden or inconveniencing me then dont
its fine
i mean
i was pretty much literally leaning on you for a whole fifteen minutes
so its fine

[a bit blunt, and sincere. so, that's winding up to be the influence Ryuji has on him. Dave doesn't mind helping in his own weird ways if Ryuji needs it, though ... he'll just be pretty bad at admitting when he himself needs it.]

[anyway, this paragraph is here to point out that Ryuji used the word forreal. it's not the first time he has, but it is the first time that i sort of get the context.]

the pikachu thing makes a lot of sense tbh
have you actually tried zapping anything lately

im wearing them ironically

[that's ... the real answer ... apparently...]

[but a minute later he aims to clarify.]

have you seen the remake of starsky and hutch
with ben stiller and owen wilson and snoop dogg

[This. Is. Actually worse.

Ryuji stares at Dave when the heavenly flurry of righteous vengeance doesn't seem to happen, and his eyes wander left and right before quirking a brow upward. Wait, what?]

Are you kiddin' me!?!

[He's outraged, to say the least. His provocations were all for naught. He tried poking the fire, only to be met with the cool indifference of a later. Will he ever be able to sleep again?]

O...kay. But. I bet you didn't see that combing, either.

[Heh.

He high fives... himself.]

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