Chapter Text
He walked over to her, and spoke as calmly as he could.
“Why… didn’t you tell me about this?” Rose gave him only a glance before continuing to read, and replied.
“She asked me not to tell you. I stayed true to my word.” She said.
“Did you both know?” He asked. “You and John?”
Rose nodded slowly. “Yes. We’ve known for quite a while now.”
Dave paced slowly across the room.
“She leaves today, you know. She’d be at the airport now I suppose. Ready to move on, start over in Boston. We probably will never see her again after this.” When Dave didn’t say anything, Rose slowly closed her book and placed it on the sofa next to her. She then folded her hands in her lap, and looked at Dave.
“Are you going to let her?” She asked.
“What do you want me to do?” He replied. “I’m not doing some rom-com scene from one of John’s stupid movies.”
Dave thought he heard a quiet curse from nearby, but Rose continued, so he ignored it.
“Yes, that would be too cliché. Ironic, almost.”
Dave turned his head to Rose, and frowned. He could see where this was going, but he knew it would end up like this.
“Fuck, I’ve got to stop her don’t I?”
“Congratulations. What you said just now was in no way idiotic or insensitive. I suppose there is a first time for everything.” Rose smirked. “John?”
John stepped out from behind the kitchen counter.
“Hehe, hey Dave!” He waved at him. Dave frowned at Rose.
“You planned this, didn’t you?”
“I have no idea what you mean. I just thought John here might be useful in the case that you needed a lift.”
“I have a car you know.”
“Technically I’m here so that you don’t chicken out when you get there!” John told Dave.
“Whatever.” Dave replied, grabbing his keys. “We’re taking my car. Let’s go.”
==>
In that car trip, Dave Strider made the worst decision of his life. The trip could have been a motivating, gentle ride into the airport as he reminded himself how to be cool. Be cool. Get the girl.
It was, however, spent dreading his life as he held firmly onto the door frame, trying to keep his glasses in place as the car lurched in all directions.
Despite what he expected, John was a terrible driver.
It was he who’d convinced Dave to let him drive.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Egbert?” Dave had asked as he’d opened the driver’s seat door.
“I have to drive, Dave!” John said. “Trust me, I’ve seen enough movies to know how this works. The wingman has to drive so that the subject can make an astonishing tuck and roll exit from the car and arrive just in time-“
“John, you’re not driving.”
“… I’ll pay for parking.” John said, and Dave paused for a moment.
“Fine.” He chucked him the keys. “But if you get a scratch on her, I swear…”
These events led to Dave almost having a heart attack. John was really getting into the corniness of the situation. More so than Dave was, that was certain.
“John, do you think you could just slow down a li-“
“No time Dave! What if you arrive a second too late, huh?!”
==>
When they did arrive at the airport, there was no tuck and roll action whatsoever, but Dave did make his movements slightly faster than usual, and John rode off to find a park.
10 minutes.
He briskly walked into the heated terminal, his hands stuck in his pockets.
5 minutes.
He was jogging now, his feet only slightly leaving the ground with each step.
2 minutes.
He was flat out running, very uncommon for a Strider unless of course he was in an intense battle. This was so uncool. Strider’s didn’t run. Unless they were in sexy running gear and preparing to beat the crap out of their fellow runners in a professional race. Not that that had ever happened. Dave had certainly not been involved in athletics as a child. That would just be silly.
He saw her at the end gate. She was handing the ticket to the inspector, about to board the plane.
Fuck. NO.
He was breathing heavily when he spoke to her from a few metres back.
“Harley.” He said.
Jade turned, and gaped when she saw him. She apologised to the ticket inspector.
“Dave what are you doing here, I have to go-“
“Jade, you can’t go.” He said, taking a step closer.
“Dave, we discussed this. Please, don’t make a scene.” She told him. “You can’t tell me what t-“
“I wasn’t ordering you to stay.” Dave said. “I… I’m requesting you to stay. I’m begging you Harley. You just made a Strider beg. That is an achievement.”
She took a step back, as he took one forward.
“Dave I can’t…”
“If making a scene is what it takes, that’s what I’ll do.”
And then Dave Strider got on his knees. In the middle of the airport. Surrounded by people. But it wasn’t them that embarrassed him. It was Jade, staring at him with her big, green eyes.
“Jade I’m sorry that you were scared.” He said. “I’m sorry I went and died on you. I’m sorry I was an ass hole and deserted you without even warning you. I’m sorry that you can’t look at me… But Harley, please. This is killing me.”
He stood, and she hesitated, but didn’t move when he stepped towards her slowly.
“I know you still see the blood, but…”
He lifted his shirt up slightly, and took Jade’s hand. Jade gasped as he placed her palm against his stomach.
“See? Nothing there. No bullet holes. Only skin. It’s just me, I promise.”
Jade looked from her hand, and back to Dave again. Their eyes met, and this time, Dave was so happy to see no fear, only relief. For the first time in a long time, Jade smiled at him.
It was her beautiful smile. The infectious one that made him grin. The girl fell into Dave, wrapping her hands around his neck and burying her head into his neck.
Dave held her close to him. She was warm. She may have been from the Land of Frost and Frogs, but she was so welcoming that it reminded him of the Land of Heat and Clockwork.
It was with her arms wrapped around him that he felt at home.