Chapter 5
What did you do?
You sure fucked up this time, Strider. She's not saying anything. She's just kind of looking around, as if she'd rather be anywhere but here, having any other conversation, with anybody else but you.
JUNE: i, uhhhhhhhh...
JUNE: i don't think i saw that coming.
Really? Really, June? Apparently it was so obvious everybody else could see it, but not you?
DAVE: yeah i shouldnt have said anything i guess
JUNE: no i mean
JUNE: i guess i'm flattered?
JUNE: i just...
JUNE: i don't know how to feel a8out it.
DAVE: thats alright thats cool no biggie i probably shouldnt have like sprung it on you like that or whatever
DAVE: i probably couldve like told you hey yknow june i kinda got smth to tell you
DAVE: instead of just blurting it out like an asshole or w/e
JUNE: you're not an asshole, dave!
JUNE: it is just a little strange, i guess.
JUNE: especially since we've 8een 8est friends for so long!
JUNE: i don't think i ever would have really picked up on that?
JUNE: or, i guess i kind of did on some level.
JUNE: i think i remem8er wondering it once?
JUNE: i don't know.
DAVE: honestly i think im just talking out of my ass again like i usually do yknow
DAVE: i think i just got like some kind of thing goin on in my head im probably just not even right or whatever
JUNE: w8, what do you mean?
JUNE: do you actually like me or no?
DAVE: hey yknow what lets maybe talk about something else
That sure sounds like a good idea right about now.
JUNE: no, i don't want to.
Well, shit.
JUNE: i want to know if you're messing with me or not.
She looks a little upset now. Fuck. You didn't want to upset her. You were just trying to take it back and deflect like you always do, because you're too afraid to tell a girl you like her.
DAVE: ok fine no im not messing with you
DAVE: i promise im really not trying to fuck with you
DAVE: i mean
DAVE: wait no that came out wrong
DAVE: look
JUNE: dave...
JUNE: really????????
JUNE: you're actually doing this right now????????
She thinks you're messing with her. God fucking damn it. Maybe you should just tell her everything that's been going on. That always works, doesn't it? Assuming you can even manage to get all the words out. You rack your brain for a good explanation for what's going on.
DAVE: goddammit june im being serious
DAVE: yes i kinda am like super massively gay for you and its been fucking confusing the shit out of me cause i THOUGHT i was fucking gay
DAVE: but then oh whoops turns out egberts a girl and like im totally fine with that believe me i know youre june and id never try to say otherwise but like fuckin
DAVE: its been confusing as all fuck thinking i was gay for years only to find out now im super into my best friend whos a girl
DAVE: i guess im fuckin bi or smth else idk but all i know is im confused as shit cause i love karkat but then there i am all fuckin losing my goddamn mind over this goofy adorkable fucking mess that is my best friend
DAVE: and the whole time i got my boyfriend yelling in my fucking ear about dave why dont you like talk to her and hook up dude itd be cool because apparently i guess trolls are into polyamory or whatever
DAVE: and i just dont
DAVE: i dont know what to fuckin do
DAVE: thats what im doing right now im not fucking messing with you
DAVE: jegus
DAVE: i mean JESUS goddamn
Congratulations, Dave, you did in fact tell her everything that's been going on lately. You hadn't exactly planned on telling her all of that, but it's all out there now. Instead of being NEUROTIC and SECRETIVE and DEFLECTIVE, you opened up your heart. Now you just hope you didn't scare her. You really hope you didn't scare her.
Well? Is she going to say anything? You're waiting.
JUNE: jeez, dave.
JUNE: i'm sorry i said you were messing with me.
JUNE: it's kind of hard to tell sometimes :/
DAVE: yeah thats probably also my fault
DAVE: with the whole constantly deflecting thing or whatever
JUNE: it's not your fault!
JUNE: i think i'm just a little on edge, i guess.
JUNE: it caught me 8y surprise!
DAVE: yeah im sorry about that too
DAVE: i probably shouldnt have said anything
JUNE: no, it's ok!
JUNE: i'm glad you told me...
She sighs, only increasing your feelings of worry.
JUNE: i just don't really know what to think a8out it.
JUNE: any of it.
You don't blame her. You yourself aren't really sure what to think about it. You've been struggling with it for months, and it's only exacerbated in the week since she came out. Obviously. You're not even sure why you're thinking about that.
DAVE: look i kinda really dont know what to think about it either
DAVE: all i know is
DAVE: i kinda really like you june
DAVE: and karkat said hes ok with it so i figured maybe i should actually tell you
DAVE: but i kinda fucked it all up
JUNE: you didn't fuck it all up, dave!!
JUNE: it's just a lot to take in.
JUNE: like
JUNE: i don't even know the first thing a8out polyamory?
DAVE: fuckin neither do i
DAVE: except that trolls are really into it but not legally or smth
DAVE: but now they are
DAVE: idk you have to ask karkat hes the one that knows this shit
JUNE: i haven't ever even really thought a8out it 8efore, i don't know how i feel a8out it.
JUNE: i'm already d8ing terezi, i don't know if she would 8e ok with it.
JUNE: i don't even know if *i* would 8e ok with it!
JUNE: 8ut i, umm...
She lingers on her trailing thoughts for a moment, looking as if she were trying to find the right words for what she wants to say.
JUNE: i don't know, dave.
JUNE: this is a lot to think a8out!
JUNE: i guess i'm glad you told me though.
DAVE: yeah i kinda wish i hadnt said anything tho i mean
JUNE: i'm sorry, i just mean i'm glad you were a8le to get it off your chest.
JUNE: i'm sorry i didn't take it the way you wanted though, 8ut i kind of just need some time to think a8out it.
DAVE: i mean for what its worth if you dont wanna think about it we can pretend i didnt say it
She sighs at you. You're blowing it, Dave. You really shouldn't have told her like this. You probably should have gone on an actual one-on-one date together. Why did you even think about doing a double date in the first place? Rose told you to just talk to her, but you had to go and make it complicated and set up some grand plan with your boyfriend.
Speaking of your boyfriend, what's he up to? Things have gotten awfully quiet. Normally you can still hear him yelling from the other room, but you don't hear a thing. You turn your head to try and get a closer listen, but you still don't manage to hear anything. Terezi didn't knock him out or anything, did she?
She very well might have.
JUNE: dave?
JUNE: you ok?
DAVE: huh
DAVE: oh yeah sorry im just
DAVE: i kinda just noticed smth
JUNE: what?
DAVE: yeah like
DAVE: listen
She cups her ear and listens towards your other room.
JUNE: i don't think i hear anything.
DAVE: yeah exactly
DAVE: i know you havent been over here in like forever so idk if you know this or not but like
DAVE: if im in here and karkats in there and hes yelling at smth
DAVE: i can hear him pretty loud and clear
JUNE: oh, shit.
DAVE: yeah oh shit exactly
DAVE: i dont hear either of em
JUNE: you think they're ok?
DAVE: dude i dont even fuckin know for all i know terezi fuckin knocked him out or is like eating him or smth
DAVE: or knocked him out THEN started eating him
JUNE: i think i'm going to check on them
She gets up, looking worried. You decide to follow her and check up on your boyfriend as well, making your way towards your living room. Opening the door, you're deeply shocked at the horrifying display you find.
DAVE: holy shit
DAVE: oh my god i was fucking kidding i didnt think yall actually had a fuckin thing what the shit
JUNE: terezi are you two really m8king out on their couch?!
Karkat gives a yelp and gets up, clearly painfully embarrassed. Terezi meanwhile just sits up, though her trademark grin appears to be missing.
KARKAT: LOOK, IT JUST, IT JUST KIND OF HAPPENED.
KARKAT: WE WERE ARGUING A BUNCH AND I SAID SOMETHING REALLY FUCKING SHITTY WITHOUT THINKING AND THEN-
TEREZI: TH3N 1 TOSS3D H1M TOW4RDS YOUR LOUNG3PL4NK 4ND K1SS3D H1M
DAVE: jegus fuckin chri-
DAVE: i mean JESUS fuckin christ when am i gonna stop doing that
JUNE: jegus fuck, terezi!
DAVE: i mean like look couldnt yall have at least said smth about it beforehand?
TEREZI: Y34H, PROB4BLY
TEREZI: 1 D1DNT R34L1Z3 YOU TWO H4DNT 3V3R T4LK3D 4BOUT B31NG OP3N TO TH1S K1ND4 STUFF
TEREZI: SO TH4TS K1ND OF MY F4ULT >:/
June seems kind of stunned, though you can't tell if she's mad or upset or just confused. Karkat is blushing and trying to stay silent. Honestly, you feel kind of bad for him. You get the feeling Terezi is maybe lying about who kissed who, though.
DAVE: i mean its something weve been trying to talk about since its been kinda coming up lately but yeah no we hadn't
TEREZI: WH4T DO YOU M34N BY 1TS B33N COM1NG UP L4T3LY?
Oh no. You shouldn't have said anything.
JUNE: he's talking a8out-
DAVE: i kinda told her i have a crush on her
TEREZI: 1 M34N Y34H 1 KN3W TH4T 1 JUST D1DNT R34L1Z3 YOU W3R3 T4LK1NG 4BOUT 1T SO MUCH W1TH H1M
JUNE: w8.
JUNE: so was i the only one who didn't kn8w?
She's starting to raise her voice. This doesn't seem like it's going to end well.
TEREZI: JUN3, COM3 ON
JUNE: no, h8ld on.
JUNE: what the actual f8ck is g8ing on here?
JUNE: i c8n't tell anym8re if you guys are f8cking with me.
DAVE: june i told you nobodys fucking with you
JUNE: c8n it, strider!!!!!!!!
TEREZI: C4LM DOWN JUN3
TEREZI: 1 D1DNT 4CTU4LLY KNOW 1 JUST
TEREZI: 1TS H4RD TO 3XPL41N 1TS MOR3 S33R STUFF >:/
TEREZI: 1 K1ND4 JUST P1CK3D UP ON 1T
JUNE: ughhhhhhhh.
JUNE: f8ck this i'm g8ing 8ut.
TEREZI: JUN3 W41-
June walks out your front door and slams it shut before Terezi can finish her sentence. This is really not going the way you planned. Maybe this is why plans are a bad fucking idea. Especially when they're your plans.
TEREZI: LOOK, 1M SORRY D4V3
TEREZI: 4ND YOU TOO K4RK4T
TEREZI: BOTH FOR M3 4ND FOR H3R
DAVE: you dont need to apologize for her its fine im the one that told her im into her
TEREZI: 1 M34N M4YB3 1 DONT
TEREZI: BUT 1M ST1LL SORRY
TEREZI: 1 SHOULD PROB4BLY GO C4TCH UP TO H3R 4ND TRY TO H3LP H3R C4LM DOWN
DAVE: yeah thats probably a good idea
TEREZI: B3S1D3S, 1 DONT KNOW TH3 W4Y HOM3 OTH3RW1S3, 4ND 1 DOUBT YOU GUYS R34LLY W4NT M3 4ROUND R1GHT NOW
DAVE: i mean any other night and youd be more than welcome but yeah tonights uhhh
TEREZI: FUCK3D >:/
DAVE: yeah that
DAVE: well i mean be safe and good luck catching her
TEREZI: TH4NKS, COOLK1D
She makes her way out through your front door, making sure not to slam it the way June did. Karkat is still hiding, still blushing, but with a worried look on his face.
DAVE: look i really dont wanna fight tonight
DAVE: this has kinda been a fucking disaster of a night and its probably all my fault even this whole thing between you two
KARKAT: I WASN'T ACTUALLY GOING TO TRY AND FIGHT, DAVE.
KARKAT: ACTUALLY, I KIND OF FEEL LIKE FUCKING SHIT?
DAVE: yeah i can kinda see that i can imagine anyone would hate themselves after getting tongue from terezi
KARKAT: DON'T YOU EVEN FUCKING START, STRIDER.
DAVE: ok now is not the fuckin time to call me that especially not after how vriska egbert popped out and shit
KARKAT: UGH.
He throws his head into his hands and lays on his side on the couch, exasperated and bothered by this whole incident.
DAVE: look i just like
DAVE: idk this is all my fault i guess im more upset with myself
DAVE: i dont fuckin know
DAVE: i guess we shouldve talked about this more i just didnt think you actually were into anyone like that
DAVE: especially not her
DAVE: i mean
DAVE: well idk maybe i can see it idk i thought i was kidding earlier but i guess the two of you having a hate thing kinda makes sense idfk
KARKAT: LOOK, I'M SORRY, OK?
KARKAT: IT ALL JUST KIND OF HAPPENED.
KARKAT: I BROUGHT HER IN HERE LIKE WE PLANNED AND ONE THING LED TO ANOTHER AND I JUST
DAVE: dude its fine
DAVE: i guess it just
You let out a deep sigh.
DAVE: i mean its a troll thing i just dont get it but i guess im trying to get it i just
DAVE: i mean fuck
DAVE: here i am over here trying to do the same fucking thing just
DAVE: without the weird troll hate date stuff i guess
You decide to walk over towards the couch and reach out your hand. He hesitates a bit, before grabbing it gently, after which you sit down next to him. You both let go and your hand finds a new resting place on his head, something he doesn't seem to object to.
DAVE: im sorry i freaked out babe
KARKAT: I'M SORRY TOO, DAVE.
DAVE: im not mad i dont think or at least im trying not to be
DAVE: i dont even have a fuckin leg to stand an argument on or be mad about
DAVE: it just kinda caught me by surprise i guess
KARKAT: IT CAUGHT ME BY SURPRISE TOO!
KARKAT: I MEAN YEAH I KIND OF WENT ALONG WITH IT BUT IT HONESTLY JUST CAME OUT OF NOWHERE!
DAVE: i know babe i believe you its alright
DAVE: even if it hadnt i wouldnt be mad like i was LITERALLY in the next room trying almost the same thing with june i guess
DAVE: not that i mean like i dont think we would have ended up suckin face or anything
KARKAT: JEGUS FUCK DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO CALL IT THAT?
KARKAT: IS THAT HOW HUMANS DO THAT?
KARKAT: THAT'S FUCKING DISGUSTING DAVE.
DAVE: no its a fuckin
DAVE: its slang
DAVE: idk i just said it like that to be funny or smth
DAVE: but anyways i mean
DAVE: i mean thats what this whole night was for anyways was me trying to hook up with her like i cant really get mad at you for hooking up with terezi
DAVE: even if i think its kinda weird
He really doesn't seem to want this conversation to keep going.
KARKAT: DO YOU HAVE TO KEEP CALLING IT WEIRD?
KARKAT: I FUCKING KNOW IT'S WEIRD, AT LEAST WITH HER I GUESS.
KARKAT: WE DID KIND OF HAVE A THING YEARS AGO?
KARKAT: BUT THAT WAS LITERALLY BEFORE YOU EVEN EXISTED.
DAVE: thats a story youre gonna have to tell me some time that sounds kinda hilarious to be honest
KARKAT: OH FUCK YOU.
The two of you start giggling. At least the night is starting to look up, and you don't have to get into a giant argument where you back and forth on the same things, each repeating yourselves until you're blue or red in the face, until you realize you're actually both on roughly the same page.
DAVE: so
DAVE: is it a thing then
KARKAT: IS WHAT A THING?
DAVE: you think you two are gonna actually be a thing
DAVE: like a hate thing or whatever you are
He groans, but he doesn't sound like he's frustrated with you for asking. He almost seems more frustrated with the idea of there even being a "thing" with Terezi. You don't blame him. You're not even sure how June can handle her, though considering how different she's been lately, you almost wonder even more how Terezi can handle June.
KARKAT: I DON'T KNOW.
KARKAT: IT DEPENDS.
DAVE: on what
KARKAT: ON A LOT OF THINGS, ACTUALLY.
KARKAT: LIKE WHETHER OR NOT JUNE IS OK WITH IT.
DAVE: yeah thats a good point
KARKAT: NOT TO MENTION WHETHER TEREZI WOULD EVEN WANT TO OR IF IT WAS JUST A ONE TIME THING.
KARKAT: OR IF YOU'RE OK WITH IT.
KARKAT: ASSUMING IT EVEN ACTUALLY WERE TO CONTINUE, IT WOULDN'T HAVE TO IF YOU WEREN'T OK WITH IT.
That's a lot to think about.
DAVE: i mean
DAVE: idk i dont really wanna think about it tonight its kinda like a lot
DAVE: i mean i think i could maybe like come to terms with it and i mean like
DAVE: im not gonna get in the middle and break up your whole hate thing
DAVE: lets talk about it tomorrow or whatever
KARKAT: ALRIGHT.
DAVE: i love you karkat
KARKAT: I LOVE YOU TOO, DAVE.
You reach over and give him a peck on the cheek, which flusters him and sets him off grumbling. He's so adorable when he's angry. Hell, even when you're upset you still find him adorable. Even if things don't end up going well with June, you take comfort in knowing you at least have Karkat.
> ==>