Chapter 7
You've been waiting at this coffee shop for an unusually long time. Not because she's running late. No, you decided to come here early. You're not really sure why, because it's left you sitting here anxious and you don't particularly enjoy it. At least it offers you a nice mix of silence and ambient noise for contemplation, something you don't really get at home where there are often at least two other very loud people around.
The weather in the Carapace Kingdom is as nice as ever; a little breezier than usual, though it's pleasant. You're quite fond of the breeze, you don't really get out a whole lot so you're not really used to feeling it anymore.
It starts to pick up somewhat dramatically, ruffling around your god tier pajamas a bit. It almost feels somewhat like a wind storm picking up, until you see a blue mass begin to swirl into existence. Turns out, even your feelings about the stray breeze you felt are incredibly gay, especially when that breeze turns out to have been June all along.
DAVE: damn girl thats a really dramatic entrance
DAVE: who are you and what have you done with egbert hahaha
JUNE: o-oh, really?
JUNE: i didn't mean to 8e so dramatic, heheh.
JUNE: i guess i just stopped caring so much a8out people seeing me in pu8lic?
DAVE: yeah i mean i guess it helps you look fuckin great doing it
DAVE: i mean hey hows it goin june
DAVE: hows things going in egbert land
JUNE: things are good!
JUNE: i'm gonna go get a drink first, i'll 8e 8ack in a sec!
DAVE: yeah sure take your time no hurry
She walks into the coffee shop, which gives you a little more time to anxiously await your coming conversation. Always a good thing, of course. What are you even going to talk about? You should probably plan ahead what you're going to say, just to be safe. Wait, what are you saying? Last time you planned anything out in regards to June, you ended up fucking things up completely.
No, not completely, stop beating yourself up. That's June's thing and she shouldn't even be doing it either. Shit, what were you thinking about again? Oh, you don't even have any time, she's already on her way back.
DAVE: damn that was fast
JUNE: yeah, i know! they're usually pretty fast whenever i come here.
DAVE: really cause every time ive been here ive had to wait like forever for my shit
JUNE: oh, huh, that's weird :/
DAVE: yeah
DAVE: anyways uh
You kind of wish she'd taken a little longer just so you could have actually thought even a little bit about what you were going to say. You take a deep breath and hope you can maybe, for once in your life, not be so fucking awkward.
DAVE: i just wanna say sorry again about what all happened
DAVE: i know you said i dont need to but like
DAVE: idk i still feel like i should
DAVE: regardless of how i feel or whatever i still like
DAVE: idk
DAVE: i just wanna get past all the awkward bullshit and like
DAVE: i just wanna still be friends
JUNE: yeah, i get that.
JUNE: 8ut i promise you don't need to apologize.
JUNE: though i will still forgive you anyway if you want me to.
DAVE: yeah i think thatd be neat
JUNE: well then, apology accepted, and i forgive you!
JUNE: and duh, of course we can still 8e friends, dummy!!
JUNE: i really care a8out you a lot dave, you're still one of my 8est friends.
JUNE: a little 8it of awkwardness isn't going to ruin that.
That's good to hear. Honestly, you shouldn't be so surprised. She's still Egbert, there was no chance she wouldn't want to stay friends.
DAVE: thanks june
JUNE: you're welcome!
JUNE: and, really, i still think i should 8e the one apologizing for what happened with terezi and karkat.
DAVE: i mean you didnt do anything tho
JUNE: i kind of stormed out though!!
DAVE: i mean yeah but that was like
DAVE: a reaction to what happened that wasnt anything you did
JUNE: still...
JUNE: i want to apologize for the awkwardness that THAT led to happening.
DAVE: i guess
DAVE: its no big deal tho i promise youre like
DAVE: totally good
She looks down at her CAFFEINATED BEVERAGE for a while, before taking a sip and making a face.
JUNE: jegus i still can't pick one that's not too sweet for me :/
DAVE: hahahahaha thats why i just get mine black
DAVE: even if its not totally up to snuff with the shit i make
DAVE: believe me june i am like
DAVE: the god of making coffee
JUNE: oh no, not you too!
DAVE: who else
JUNE: rose!!
JUNE: you remem8er when her and kanaya stayed with me and terezi a week ago?
DAVE: yeah when i was gonna kill you lol
JUNE: you're not going to 8elieve this.
JUNE: she went out that morning all the way home just to get her own coffee 8ecause she refused to drink mine!!!!!!!!
JUNE: like
JUNE: who does that!!!!!!!!
DAVE: sensible people
JUNE: ughhhhhhhh
DAVE: i mean i would do that too cmon egbert coffees like
DAVE: important
JUNE: i mean i guess...
She rolls her eyes, smirking. You take a hesitant sip of your own CAFFEINATED BEVERAGE, only to be surprised by how pleasant it actually tastes. They must have stepped up their game since you were last here.
JUNE: so, speaking of terezi...
JUNE: we kind of talked a8out, y'know...
DAVE: yeah me and karkat talked too
JUNE: i kind of freaked out a little the other night 8ut i don't think i was actually upset with what had happened.
JUNE: i think i just got really confused and started getting stressed and just kind of
JUNE: 8lew up.
JUNE: like i used to.
JUNE: 8ut we talked a8out it and i told her i didn't really mind, i guess?
JUNE: she wanted me to let you know though, if you don't feel comforta8le with it, she won't make any more moves on karkat.
DAVE: actually thats kinda what we talked about
DAVE: i told him i kinda just flipped out cause it was like
DAVE: surprising
DAVE: and the night was already uhhh
DAVE: not goin that great
DAVE: but i told him that if he really wanted to then he should go for it
JUNE: oh.
JUNE: i guess i'll tell her that, hahahaha!
DAVE: yeah lol
DAVE: i mean im literally kinda tryin to do the same thing like
DAVE: i like you
DAVE: and karkats even been trying to convince me to ask you out for months now
DAVE: so like
DAVE: i was just being hypocritical
DAVE: plus i forgot how the whole quadrants thing worked i was just completely in shock
JUNE: yeah, that was actually pretty surprising!
JUNE: i think it's 8urned into my retinas forever now. :|
DAVE: hahaha me too dude me too
DAVE: i mean uhhhh june
There's a pause, and you're not sure how to fill it, so you take another sip of your drink. June follows suit. You contemplate a passing carapacian for a moment, wondering what this random chess man's day must be like. Probably completely boring and yet wonderfully distracting from the awkwardness of the conversation.
JUNE: so, i guess we should pro8a8ly talk a8out the trunk8east in the room, shouldn't we?
DAVE: oh shit sorry i was just watching this dude goin around
DAVE: whats up
JUNE: daaaaaaaave...
Oh. Yeah. Your feelings. You should uh, pro8a8ly talk a8out that trunk8east, shouldn't you?
DAVE: oh yeah
DAVE: i uhhh
You take a moment to think, trying to gather any scraps of thought you may have pulled together when you first attempted to think about what to say.
DAVE: i gotta be honest i dont even entirely get it myself like
DAVE: most of my life ive known you as my best bud
DAVE: like i think weve spent more time as friends than we did before we were friends at this point
DAVE: and i think we kinda have this really good back and forth yknow
DAVE: like talkin to you just kinda feels natural
JUNE: mmhmm, i get that.
DAVE: but then like
DAVE: june you are probably the goofiest motherfucker ive ever known
DAVE: not in a bad way i mean like
DAVE: its really fuckin adorable june
DAVE: idek how long ive felt like that i just
DAVE: youre kinda really cute when you get all goofy and shit
JUNE: c-cute?
DAVE: yeah and like
DAVE: idk it honestly confused me for a bit too cause like
DAVE: ill be honest ive kinda had a thing for you for a long time now
DAVE: but for most of that time like i knew you as
DAVE: yknow
JUNE: yeah...
JUNE: thank's for not saying it.
DAVE: yeah
DAVE: but it kinda tripped me up a bit when you came out cause i still had all these feelings for you and stuff
DAVE: but i also thought i was gay
DAVE: ive been workin through that tho and i kinda realized it doesnt even really matter like
You take a breath. This is hard to talk about, but you resolve to say it. You're sure it needs to be said. It's better than sneaking around and making plans like before, at least.
DAVE: all that really matters is i think youre like cute as shit like both with how goofy you can be but also like
DAVE: june idk if you know this or not but like
DAVE: you *look* cute as shit
DAVE: like today you look pretty as fuck
DAVE: even before you came out i still thought you looked stupid cute like its ridiculous
DAVE: fuck karkat was right ive got feelings for a girl and im still making it gay as shit what the fuck
JUNE: w8 did he actually say that?!
DAVE: yeah he said it like a week ago
JUNE: hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!
JUNE: no fucking way.
JUNE: i mean, i guess he's not wrong.
DAVE: oh fuck not you too
JUNE: heheheheh. >:P
DAVE: but yeah just
DAVE: even beyond all that
DAVE: i feel comfy around you
DAVE: kinda the way i feel around karkat
DAVE: idk if that makes sense at all
She's blushing, swirling her cup around and trying to avoid eye contact. She takes a big sip, presumably attempting to come up with a response. It takes a while before you get one, but you don't mind the wait. You're at least glad to be done with your part of the talking for now.
JUNE: i guess...
JUNE: i have to admit the thought of
JUNE: me and you
JUNE: may have crossed my mind a few times.
JUNE: i kind of dismissed it when we were younger 8ecause
JUNE: well, do i even have to say it?
DAVE: idk june you tell me
DAVE: are you a homosexual
JUNE: daaaaaaaave!!
JUNE: i mean, i think i am now?
JUNE: 8ut i don't really know, 8ut also a lot of people have told me it really doesn't matter.
DAVE: yeah rose kept tryin to tell me that too
DAVE: like labels dont really matter all that really matters is being you and liking who you like or w/e i forget the details
JUNE: that's a good way to put it.
You each use the lull in the conversation as an excuse to check your phones and take yet another sip of your CAFFEINATED BEVERAGES. Thankfully, it seems nobody is bugging you.
JUNE: the thing that really makes me hesit8 though is that
JUNE: i don't know yet how i feel a8out d8ing multiple people.
JUNE: at least, if i can handle it or if i'm comforta8le with it.
JUNE: it's fine if terezi does it 8ecause she's used to it, i'm ok with that.
JUNE: 8ut, this is still my first actual rel8tionship with someone, and i am still getting comforta8le with it.
You nod in acknowledgement. It seems you two were on more similar of a page than you previously thought.
JUNE: i'd really like to get comforta8le with just d8ing terezi for a little 8it 8efore i explore anything serious with any8ody else.
JUNE: if that makes sense?
DAVE: yeah it does i get that
DAVE: i dont blame you tbh
DAVE: nor am i like upset or anything dw about that
JUNE: good.
JUNE: i just
JUNE: it's not a refusal!
JUNE: nor is it me saying "oh no i don't actually like you 8ack"!
JUNE: i, ummmm, kind of feel the same a8out at least some of the things you said.
JUNE: i guess i am more just saying
JUNE: "not right now."
DAVE: i totally get that
DAVE: i dont wanna push you into anything you dont feel ready for
DAVE: i just figured i should like
DAVE: let you know how i feel and all yknow
JUNE: yeah, i understand.
DAVE: when or if or w/e you feel like giving strider a try you know how to reach me
JUNE: jegus, dave, you make that sound so weird!!!!!!!!
DAVE: that is my specialty
DAVE: also goddamn does terezi really have you saying jegus now like whats up with that
She laughs and rolls her eyes. Gottem, Strider.
JUNE: no she does not!!
JUNE: i mean, not intentionally i don't think.
JUNE: i just kind of started saying it a 8unch without thinking a month or so ago, and now that we live together i just
JUNE: don't ever really correct myself on it?
JUNE: 8esides it's funny knowing she sort of got it from you, in a rounda8out kind of way.
DAVE: oh yeah she kinda did didnt she
DAVE: wait but all the trolls kinda say it dont they
JUNE: i don't even know, actually.
JUNE: i just thought it was you this whole time.
JUNE: like she picked it up from a convers8tion you two had forever ago?
DAVE: idk maybe
DAVE: maybe she spread it throughout all the other trolls somehow
The two of you chuckle at the thought of that, before the conversation grows silent yet again. This time it doesn't feel so awkward though, it just feels like you're enjoying being out and hanging out together on your DEFINITELY TOTALLY NOT A HUMAN DATE. You're not sure why you called it that, when it sort of actually is kind of a date, but you try not to think too hard about it.
JUNE: well, i think i will pro8a8ly get going i guess.
DAVE: yeah karkats probably waking up in a little bit here i should like
DAVE: get home and go bug the shit out of him or smth lol
JUNE: heheh.
JUNE: come here, first.
You walk over to her and she pulls you into an embrace. Part of you wishes she had asked first, but you don't mind quite as much as you normally would. You reach and return the hug, holding there until it starts to feel awkward.
JUNE: oh and one last thing!
One last thing? Huh? What does she mean by tha-
*smooch*
Oh.
She just kissed your cheek.
Huh.
DAVE: i uhhh
DAVE: uhhhhhhh
JUNE: 8ye, dave!!!!!!!!
Before you can react, she withdraws into a swirling mass of blue and disappears. There is a rush of wind around you, before the breeze slowly dies out. She's gone.
She kissed you. You're blushing a deep shade of red. You're just kind of standing there, awkwardly, in the middle of the outdoor seating of this coffeehouse. Maybe this could work out between the two of you.
Only one way to really find out.
> END OF ACT 2