Work Text:
“So you're hitting that, then?”
Dirk looks up from his mini paper plate of chips and queso dip to the older alternate version of himself. He's just known as Bro by all of the people here but shares the same name, same birthday nonetheless. Like a twin brother who is a decade older, he muses as he examines what his features may become in a few years.
He traces the gaze from behind the pointy shades to the troll with one broken horn sitting with Aradia and Nepeta, the latter of which is hoarding a pile of candy which Vriska keeps trying to snatch pieces from. Sollux sits next to Aradia, buried in his iPhone, button clicking furiously with a scowl.
“Equius, you mean? Yeah, when Aradia let's me. She's been pretty clear that she doesn't trust a human to really know the meaning of kismesis. I don't think she quite understands the human concept of casual sex.”
“Is that what you are to him then?”
Dirk shrugs at Bro, “Sometimes, I guess. Like I said, it's up to her.”
Bro turns from him with a soft contemplative hum. Dips a chip into the salsa and turns back to him as he raises to his mouth.
“You're not in hate with him then?”
“We play. That's all. Rough as it may be, we aren't in an official kismesissitude.”
The song winds down and the music ceases completely. The third Strider leaves Terezi poking at the broken fairy bull piñata still hanging from the tree with her cane. Dave comes to over to the table where they stand near stereo to put in the next batch of three CDs.
The bickering of Vriska and John against Karkat about the artistic value of some stupid movie carries across the yard in the silence. Bro shifts attention back to Dirk.
“So he's a pony.”
“That's the gist of it. Forced.”
“Would you mind if I took the beast for a trot about?”
Dirk looks up at him again, seeing Dave's back straighten in the reflection of Bro's shades. Takes note of the smirk just playing at the oldest Strider's lips.
“You want to saddle him up and take him for a ride, you have my permission. Aradia is really the one to talk to about it, though.”
“She's got him whipped.”
“Literally as well as figuratively,” Dirk smirks as Dave fumbles the CD cases and they spill to the ground with a loud clatter and Terezi cackling at him. “Sometimes I make the whole trip to their place just to find that Aradia says we're only allowed to watch My Little Pony together that day.”
Bro smirks back at him.
“I bet they'd be great together. I'm imagining a horse drawn carriage here.”
Dave groans.
“Oh, that would be beautiful. The dress I'm seeing her in, something Spanish with a corset and that whip of her cracking away at that sweaty naked back.”
Dave gags and slams the stereo's disk drawer shut. The music returns loudly. Louder than probably necessary as Dave purposefully fumbles with the knob.
He stands and turns to walk away, catching Bro's grin and bristling. Dave's eyes linger on the backdoor as it slowly opens to reveal Tavros.
“tav wow you sure are just in time to come around here and check out this great moon with me i promise youll flip your shit over it,” he states all too clamorously, painfully forced and obvious to everyone.
“sURE, iS EVERYTHING ALRIGHT,”
“that sure is something I should be asking you what with the disappearing act of the stoner clown and his lovely drunkard assistant we had going on there,” managing to keep his face straight as he leads Tavros around to an unoccupied corner of the yard.
“rOSE IS CURRENTLY GIVING rOXY THAT, sTERN LOOK AND, uH, a TALKING TO, i GUESS, aND HOLDING HER HAIR BACK IN THE BATHROOM, aS SHE VOMITS THE ENCHILADAS,”
“gross dude”
“kANAYA KEEPS REAPPLYING HER LIPSTICK, wHILE STARING AT gAMZEE, iN SOME SORT OF ASININE THREAT, bEACAUSE, iT'S JUST LIPSTICK, aND NOT A CHAINSAW, wHICH IS WHY kARKAT ISN'T THROWING A FIT, pROBABLY,”
Dave reaches up and brushes a fallen strand of hair from Tavros' forehead. Their eyes meet and Tavros looks away. The human's hand falls to Tavros' chin and pulls his face down and over, forcing their eyes to meet again.
“did they hurt anything”
“nO,” the troll sighs, not looking away this time to hide the saddened look his eyes hold. “nOTHING WAS RUINED,”
“just your mood it seems”
“i SUPPOSE, tHAT MIGHT BE TRUE,”
Dave lifts himself towards his boyfriendsprit. Lips meeting, soft and brief, as Tavros sighs again. He wants to apologize for his alternate universe ecto-mom because she's his family and he feels partly responsible. He wants to yell at Karkat for not watching over his moirail and keeping him in check. He wants to go to the two and demand to know why they have to party hard even at more casual get togethers. But he knows the answer to all those things, and it's just not worth it. So he pecks at those dark lips once more.
When he pulls away, strong arms wrap around him and pull him in tightly. A face burying itself in his white hair takes a deep breath. Clawed fingers simultaneously tighten in his shirt and find their way to raking through his hair.
“tHANK YOU,” comes the muffled whisper.
“those two are somehow perfect for each other and the worst thing to happen at the same time like a wildfire or something”
“a WILDFIRE,” Tavros questions.
“yeah you know how they actually benefit all that nature stuff while still being destructive that i dont really get or whatever but they need to happen for things to keep the cycle going then ok yeah they start moving into where people are living and it suddenly becomes this terrible thing that we gotta stop house are burning people are risking their lives to stop it some die in the blaze babies are crying and theres just all that smoke that lingers for a while”
“tHAT'S, a PRETTY GOOD ANALOGY, aND IT'S A GOOD THING, tHEY HAVE EACH OTHER, wHEN IT DOESN'T CAUSE TROUBLE FOR OTHERS, pROBABLY,”
“yeah youre getting it now”
Tavros releases his hold on Dave and smiles down at him, that sadness faded from his face. The troll bends down for a third kiss, deeper and slower this time. Warm tongue pushing past his lips, demanding this kiss be somehow more profound than the two previous ones. Another thank you hidden within it. A declaration of pity or love or whatever it was they felt for each other whispered in the way Tavros' lips pressed harder. The lip nibble he gives to Dave at the end promises the chance for more appreciation to be shown later that night.
Tavros finally steps back from the long post-kiss embrace at Terezi's catcalls and crude remarks about what they're going to do once their guests are gone and Tinkerbull still sticking to his agreement to stay away for the night. Even if it is true and causes a smirk to twist at the corners of his mouth when he thinks about it. Tavros laughs as Dave walks over to his best friend and lightly smacks the back of her head.
The troll nods to himself. Alright, he thinks, the night isn't over just yet. After all, he still has to set out the dessert!