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DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < you know
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < the fridge is like
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < all fuckin set up and what not
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < the tea is there
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < jake is still setting the mood with his space cadet antics on a nearby hill
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < we could just like
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < uh
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < k33p doing our date
JASPROSESPRITE^2: WHAT?!
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < i mean....
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < platonically!
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < of coarse
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < coarse like a cat tongue, actually you know what never mind, that fucking sucked
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < but yeah!
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < whats the big deal
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < lets k33p tea partying and chatting about our Unique Sprite Issues and stuff
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < maybe even do a smidgen of choice "RP"ing if it strikes our fancy i thiiink that could turn out to be pretty cute and dope B33
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Hmmmm.
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Maybe.
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < you know…
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < a gotta say
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < the nepeta part of me is like
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < genuinely mystified about what the issue even is?
JASPROSESPRITE^2: What issue?
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < us dating
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < like as in a normal romantic tea drinking date
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Oh.
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Yeah, it makes sense that she wouldn't understand.
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < i mean the dave part of me is obviously all like no no no stop STOP STOP when i think about it
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < but
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < that little fussy brain tantrum
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < isnt makin me f33l weird or uncomfortable its just sort of cracking me up!
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < h33h33!
There’s a pause in the conversation, although whether it’s intended to give the reader’s eyes a break from rapidly changing colors, the author a break from html between every other word, or Davepetasprite^2 and Jasprosesprite^2 a break from the conversation is unclear. Davepeta’s laugh trails into silence, and they find themself staring down at the table. One part of them is remembering late nights of purple and red that were just a little too flirty for the things that were learned later. One part of them is remembering just a few moments ago, and the overwhelming - but not negative - feeling of meeting a catgirl that wants to marry you right here and now.
Finally, Jasprose speaks.
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Hm.
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Well in all fairness, how different could a tea date really be from certain past conversations between our human aspects?
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < *davepeta gives jasprose an excited pouncehug!!*
Davepeta wraps one arm casually around Jasprose, squeezing her shoulders lightly once before taking their arm back and drifting down into a chair.
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < youre so right jasprose!
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < whats a sorta date with your sorta ecto sisters half cat form
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < furm
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < while your mutual best furriends grandpa sits at the other end of the table
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Oh right.
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Jake, would you mind giving us some purrivacy?
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < (h33h33!)
JAKE: Oh uh of course! Ill just tally ho on over to that mound over yonder. Have a nice date?
He absconds. Jasprose watches him pass out of earshot before she turns back to Davepeta.
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Well, I had plans for this date, but I feel like they’ve been a bit circumvented now.
JASPROSESPRITE^2: I guess we can still have tea though??
JASPROSESPRITE^2: I have chameowmile!
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B00 < oh hell yes you know im down for that shit
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < even though the davesprite part of me has never had tea before i dont think
JASPROSESPRITE^2: You’ve never had tea?
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Well. To be fair, I don’t think my Jaspers side has ever had it before either.
JASPROSESPRITE^2: I’d recommend lots of milk though!!
Jasprose pours a dainty, steaming cup of tea and passes it to Davepeta. Davepeta eyes it semi-suspiciously and semi-eagerly for a moment, and their wings rustle slightly in the xenon breeze. They try not to think too hard about the cuteness of the entity across from them, and they really try not to think too hard about which history has brought said perceived cuteness with it.
Jasprose seems oblivious to Davepeta’s internal struggles as she pours herself a cup of tea and adds at least half a cup of milk to it. She picks up the cup and swirls its contents around a bit before taking a sip, and that’s when she finally looks back up at Davepeta.
JASPROSESPRITE^2:
What do you think?
Davepeta takes a sip. They start to wrinkle their nose automatically, but then they realize that it’s actually… really, really good.
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < *davepeta infurrms jasprose that the tea is very tasty!*
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < 10/10 would definitely come on a date again just furr this
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < ...
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < and definitely would like to know why part of me is appurrently all good with just saying things now!!
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Heh.
JASPROSESPRITE^2: I’m guessing Dave’s Freudian slips just push through any other personality they’re meshed with. Interesting.
JASPROSESPRITE^2: You already want to go on another date though??
And suddenly, Davepeta is 12 years, just under 6 sweeps, old, and they’re messaging Rose and they’re messaging Karkat and it feels like their heart might beat out of their chest just a little. Yes, yes, they want to go on dates, they want to hold this nice catgirl’s hand and they want to be liked and they want to hold onto something and someone.
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < i certainly wouldnt be opposed to the idea!!
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < but maybe we should get through this one furst h3h3
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Good idea.
JASPROSESPRITE^2: So... hm.
JASPROSESPRITE^2: I’m sorry, I just keep having this urge to lick my hand, and I may be a mystical catgirl now, but I really don’t feel like stooping that low.
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < hey im not gonna judge
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < pulling out weird cat behaviors is not gonna be the weirdest part of this whole shebang
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < and besides its basically just larping!
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < *davepeta licks their cute lil paws with their cute lil pink tongue to show jasprose that they are genuinely ok with weird cat behaviors*
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < *and no one at the table thinks about any other possible uses fur tongues because what the heck man its the furrst date what are you gonna do with that shit use it to open the door fur the lady*
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < *everyone is just so chill about the appurrance of davepeta’s tongue*
This is… not necessarily true. Davepeta does lick their hand, just a little bit, making sure to be extremely careful of their claws, and Jasprose’s eyes track the movement of their tongue, just a little bit. She clears her throat. (Just a little bit.)
JASPROSESPRITE^2: *Jasprose kindly does not acknowledge the presence of Davepeta’s tongue or ramble outside of the safe haven of RP-asterisks, which she also hereby decides she will never use again, probably.*
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Wow, we’re both purretty bad at this date thing, huh?
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < hm
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < yeah maybe a little bit but its all good
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < were both really good at the cat puns thing so thats really exciting!!!
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < and maybe we just need some classic date ice breakers to get us going
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < or maybe just some time to contemplate our own existences because WOW im still just a being thats existing huh! thats a thing that happened and isnt going to stop happening anytime in the near future
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < wack
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < *thats the sound of davepetas tail as it swings around in excitement and accidentally bumps into a nearby block of ice!! oh no the ice is all broken!!*
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Um
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Don’t furrget your tea, by the way, it’s much less good when it’s cold.
Davepeta quickly takes another couple of sips of their tea. A few drops end up caught on their (adorable) cat face, and they’re moving to wipe them up when they see the smile on Jasprose’s face.
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < whats that face for
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < shit *fur
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < B??
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Oh, it’s just
JASPROSESPRITE^2: You’re cute.
12 years, almost 6 sweeps, messaging the crush you don’t want to admit and holy fuck, how far down had Davesprite been pushing this shit, and why has Nepeta brought it to the surface?
Jasprose doesn’t meet their eyes when they look up. There’s a bright pink blush lighting up her cheeks.
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Don’t let that go to your head or anything, I don’t even know how I meant that to sound.
JASPROSESPRITE^2: But... you are.
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B00 < well i think youre cute too jasprose!!
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < i love your fun little face tentacles which sounds like a really fucked up euphemism but isn’t!!
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < theyre just so funky and adorable
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < B))
Jasprose’s blush deepens, her smile widens, and Davepeta’s heart picks up in pace, just a little bit.
JASPROSESPRITE^2: You know, Fun Little Face Tentacles would be a pretty fun name for a book.
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < ooh yes it sounds very squiddles-y
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < but this one is squiddles puberty edition
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < where all those cute lil dudes get together and come of age and realize all of their feelings fur one another!!
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < and of course squiddle romance is even more complicated than leprechaun romance so the shipping has infinite pawsibilities!!
JASPROSESPRITE^2: I’ll admit that I don’t know much about shipping beyond wizards, but that sounds fun!!
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Jade would absolutely pawstively love that.
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < yeah it would be so fun!
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < we should write them togethfur that would be so cute
JASPROSESPRITE^2: ...
A pause. Just long enough for Davepeta to realize what she must be thinking - did they just imply that they and Jasprose would be cute together - and just long enough for Davepeta to remember why this date was a bad idea for one half of the parties involved.
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Yeah, that would be cute!
JASPROSESPRITE^2: I could write all the words, and you could draw all of the pictures.
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < oh my god yes
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < i could draw SO MANY shipping charts fur every chaptpurr!!!
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < and lots of other lil drawings of kitties and stuff but mixed in with fried jpegs for the ironies
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < jasprose that would be glorious on so many levels
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < were working on that as soon as were done with our date
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Sounds like a plan :)
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Seriously though, don’t let your tea get cold!
Davepeta doesn’t. They and Jasprose keep talking for a long while, but finally, the tea pot is almost empty and the sunlight is beginning to slip away. There are just enough shadows for the former part of Davepeta to not be able to see the latter part of Jasprose so clearly, and that’s what they’ll tell themself after.
Davepeta and Jasprose are laughing at something, another outrageous plot point that Davepeta suggested for Fun Little Face Tentacles, and Davepeta finds themself leaning in a bit closer to Jasprose than they strictly meant to.
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < uh
DAVEPETASPRITE^2: B33 < sorry didnt mean to get all up in your business there
JASPROSESPRITE^2: …
JASPROSESPRITE^2: It’s okay.
And then Jasprose leans in closer. Davepeta’s heart discovers new, unprecedented speeds. They’re pulling away and pushing in all at the same time, caught between the past and the present, subjective morality and situational choices, and Jasprose leans in closer, and Jasprose leans in closer, and Davepeta closes their eyes, and
JAKE: Right sorry to interrupt you all but there are quite a few skeleton monsters coming over this way!
JAKE: Ive dispatched as many as i can of course but i just thought you might like a bit of warning before they all come rattling in
JAKE: Um
JASPROSESPRITE^2: …
JASPROSESPRITE^2: Thanks Jake.
She straightens up and away from Davepeta, Rose suddenly more evident than she’s been all day in the lines of Jasprose’s face and the set of her shoulders. Whatever moment was beginning to grow is gone now. Davepeta’s had enough shipping experience to know that it won’t be back again.