Work Text:
Dave Panpa was lonely
So incredibly lonely
He had been lonely all his life. Going from workplace to workplace. No matter what he did, Dave was hated by his coworkers.
He tried to make friends. He always did. But he couldn’t stop himself from messing up.
Throughout his life he never had a single friend. And now, trapped in the Toppat airship, Dave believed he’d never get the chance to make one.
Dave sat in his cell, doing absolutely nothing. There’s nothing he could do. He used to cry. He doesn’t cry anymore. Any tears he had have been long since shed. No one was coming for him. He had long accepted that.
Dave pressed his head to the door of the cell as he heard two members of the Toppat clan chatting as they passed through the brig.
Hearing voices from outside his cell was the only connection he had to the outside world. Toppat clan members hardly ever walked past his cell, so he clung onto any quickly fading voice that he was lucky enough to hear.
It was then that Dave heard another voice ring through the brig
“I cannot BELIEVE Reginald would do this to me”
Two voices in only a few minutes? Today must be Dave’s lucky day.
“Giving me all this paper work and expecting me to have it finished by the end of the day? It’s ridiculous!”
The voice in question sounded quite annoyed, yelling with a thick Swedish accent. Dave noted that he only heard one set of footsteps walking through the brig. The voice was talking to themself.
At that note, Dave made another observation. The footsteps weren’t fading. The brig wasn’t that large. Surely whoever was on the other side of the door should have left by now.
Dave poked his head up to see through the cell window. It appeared the voice belonged to a blonde man with a blue top hat. He was pacing around the brig, rambling to himself.
He wasn’t leaving
Dave pressed himself against the glass of the window. Listening very closely to the man speak. He was complaining about his job. He heard people do that a lot. But never this much. No one actually stopped here to talk.
He hung on every word the man said. Payed close attention to every change in tone, every facial expression, every movement. God he was so lonely. Having someone so close for so long wasn’t something he thought he’d ever experience again. He hoped the blonde man would never stop talking.
Sven Svensson was lonely
So incredibly lonely
He had been lonely all his life. Spending his entire life in the Toppat clan, never able to make a single friend. No matter what he did, Sven was hated by his clan.
He tried to make friends. He tried very hard. But when he started talking, he always found it very hard to stop. In the end, his ramblings always drove people away
So he gave up on trying to form relationships. He threw himself into his work. Which wasn’t a hard task, considering he had So Much Work.
After years of having no one to talk to, Sven learned how to keep himself company by talking to himself. Which is what he was doing now.
Sven stormed through the airship, complaining to himself about the unfair amount of paperwork that the chief had given him today. No one gave him weird looks for this. Sven yelling to himself was a common occurrence on the airship. Everyone learned to ignore him.
Sven didn’t want to talk to anyone else. Even those kind enough to not avoid him never really listened. He decided to go down to the brig. No one was ever in the brig.
As soon as he got to the brig he began pacing around the room, continuing his rant. It felt good to get his frustrations out somewhere private. Though he did wish he could talk to someone else about these problems, he knew it would never happen. No one listened to him-
Just as that thought crossed his mind, Sven caught sight of one of the cells in the brig. There was a prisoner with his hands pressed to the glass. He was looking expectingly at Sven. As if he was waiting for something. He had been listening the whole time. Was he waiting for Sven to continue?
Sven slowly continued his rant and watched the man behind the cell door practically light up. He was really listening. He Wanted Sven to talk.
So Sven kept speaking and the prisoner kept listening.
There was something new, something thrilling, about being listened to. Sven felt important. He felt loved. It was strange, really.
Dave was so invested in the Toppat’s words that for a moment, he forgot where he was.
He forgot he was on a giant airship, stuck in a small cell with no hope of escape. None of that mattered to him in this moment.
And when the other man caught him listening, it didn’t matter that he was a Toppat and Dave was a prisoner. He had company. Someone who was there. Someone who was talking to him.
The blonde man stopped when he saw Dave, and for a moment Dave’s stomach twisted in fear. He was afraid the man would leave him here.
But he didn’t.
He kept talking.
As he talked, he seemed... happier than before. Dave caught him glancing towards the cell door every once and a while, presumably to make sure he was still paying attention, which Dave definitely was. Dave clung to every word as if it were his life saver.
Hours went by and the two of them continued on like this, both of them desperately hanging onto this moment. But time is cruel, and eventually Sven had to leave. He looked at the prisoner sadly. Seeing two sad eyes staring back at him. Sven made up his mind at that moment.
This would not be his last visit to the brig.
Dave spent most of the next day desperately hoping the blonde man would come back. Every time he heard footsteps passing through the brig, he jumped to check the window. A horrible feeling forming in his stomach every time he saw someone other than the man who had stayed with him yesterday.
As the sun went down over the airship, Dave began to give up hope.
Until he heard the muffled voice of someone talking to themself in the room over.
Dave quickly jumped to his feet as the blonde man stepped into the brig. Both of them smiled as they locked eyes.
Sven leaned against the wall across from the prisoner’s cell, suddenly becoming a bit nervous. He never had to worry about starting a conversation with someone else before.
The prisoner looked happy to see him. That wasn’t something Sven was used to. It made him feel good. Being wanted was a nice feeling.
Finally, Sven began
“You will not believe the kind of day I’ve had.”
Just like yesterday, Dave listened like his life depended on it. It took all his focus not to bounce with excitement. The man had come back. He wanted to talk to him.
Today’s conversation felt a lot more intimate than their last one. The Toppat speaking directly to Dave instead of himself. It was nice. Dave felt.. included. He felt as if he could listen to him talk for hours.
“And then Reginald tried to tell me “Well Sven, as third in command you should be able to-“
Sven.
The man’s name was Sven.
Dave smiled. It was a nice name. A fitting name. Sven noticed Dave’s smile, and awkwardly smiled back, before continuing his story.
The next day Dave woke up with a smile on his face for the first time in years.
Sven.
Even just thinking the name made him giddy.
He had been so lonely for so long. Having someone around overjoyed him.
About a week had passed since the two of them first met.
The Toppat work day was long. Dave had already gathered that. He spent the whole day thinking about his new friend. He couldn’t really think of much else. This was the first thing to Actually Happen to Dave since he was captured.
It was almost funny how attached Dave had become to Sven. Especially considering Dave had never spoken a word to him. He was perfectly content to just listen to the other man speak.
And in a way he was scared. Talking drove other people away and Dave didn’t know how he would go on if Sven stopped visiting
When he heard Sven’s voice, Dave once again jumped to his feet. He smiled at Sven, but the grin on his face faded when Sven didn’t smile back.
Today had been a very difficult day for Sven.
Reginald was planning a heist. A big one at that. Sven’s usual work doubled. He had so much work to do, he had no choice but to skip his break.
Normally Sven worked through his breaks anyway, but ever since he had found the company of the prisoner, he tried to spend his break time in the brig.
He was mentally drained. Could barely collect his thoughts. Sven sighed as he backed up against the wall across from the prisoner and slid to the floor, looking towards the ground.
Dave had never before said a word to Sven. But seeing his only friend so sad brought something out of him. Without thinking, he spoke.
“A-are you ok?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Dave was instantly filled with regret.
Sven’s head shot up as soon as he heard the prisoner speak. This was the first time that had happened. The prisoner.. had a really nice voice. It was soft. It was sweet. For the first time in his entire life, Sven was speechless.
Sven’s face felt warm. He didn’t know why. For just a moment, any previous pain from the day had vanished from his mind.
The prisoner looked worried. Sven quickly shook himself out of his daze, unsure of how long he had been quiet.
“Y-yeah. I just. Uh. Well-“
Sven began his usual rant. However most of his focus was on the prisoner. He obviously didn’t talk much, but Sven found himself wanting to hear his voice again.
He was more engaging than usual. Throwing in a rhetorical question every once and a while.
“You agree, don’t you?”
“Isn’t that horrible?”
“Can you believe it?”
At first the prisoner only responded with a nod or shake of the head, but as he became more invested in the story, he let a few verbal responses slip.
Something about the prisoner’s voice caused a funny feeling to form in Sven’s chest. Not necessarily a bad feeling, quite the opposite actually. He wanted more of it.
Sven spent the rest of the day talking to the prisoner. When it came time to leave, Sven apologized to the prisoner for having to go.
However, before going, Sven approached the cell. He saw the prisoner’s face turn pink as he got closer.
“Say- I never actually learned your name.”
Dave could feel his face grow hot. His name. Sven wanted to know his name.
“Oh uh...” he tried to keep himself together.
“It’s Dave.” He answered, giving a weak smile.
Dave.
The prisoner’s name was Dave.
Sven smiled. It was a nice name. A fitting name.
Sven placed his hand on the glass of Dave’s cell, as if reaching out to him, before nodding and turning to leave the brig.
“Goodnight, Dave.”
The next day Sven found it hard to focus on his work. He sighed dreamily as he remembered the previous day.
Dave.
It was rather silly, he thought, to be so distracted by only a name.
But it was far more than a name. Every part of the Toppat prisoner was utterly captivating.
The prisoner had been slowly taking over Sven’s thoughts since their first conversation, but after yesterday, Dave was the only thing on his mind.
Sven was absolutely smitten
Dave was anxious, to say the least.
Sven would come back. He always came back. He had nothing to worry about.
But no one else had ever come back. Once Dave started running his mouth it was over. No one ever wanted to talk with Dave Panpa.
He tried his best to shake those thoughts. Sven was the exception. Sven stayed when no one else did. He had to trust that.
Dave couldn’t tell how late it was. It seemed like longer than usual. Maybe Sven really wasn’t coming back-
Before he could even finish his thought, Sven came running through the door.
“H-hey! I got off work early. Wait until you hear about the day I had-“ Early. Time really does slow when you’re anxious.
Dave could barely hide his intense relief. Sven came back. Early no less. The Toppat wanted to spend all of his free time with the prisoner. Dave felt his face grow warm at the thought.
The conversation went on as it had the day before. Sven talked on, occasionally looking for Dave’s reassurance, which the prisoner happily gave. They talked and listened and laughed well into the night.
Both of them had gotten tired of standing after so long. They both sat with their backs to Dave’s cell, the two of them separated only by the metal door. Sven continued to talk. Dave continued to listen.
It was nice. So so very nice. So nice that both of them barely noticed that they had been talking for way longer than usual. If not for the fact that they were both struggling to stay awake, they would have talked until morning.
Dave smiled as he heard Sven yawn from the other side of the door. Cute. After a while Sven slowly faded into unconsciousness. His words turning into a light mumble before he went completely silent. A quiet snore becoming the only sound that came from the blonde toppat.
Dave closed his eyes and relaxed, listening to the sound of steady breathing coming from the other side of the door. For the first time since his capture, he felt completely and totally at peace.
“Sven? Sven, wake up.”
Sven rubbed his face as he slowly woke up. Someone was speaking to him. He definitely wasn’t in his bed. Quickly remembering the events of last night, Sven opened his eyes and looked up to see Chief Reginald Copperbottom looking back down at him.
Behind Reginald were two other Toppat members, both of them were looking down at Sven in confusion.
“Oh thank goodness you’re alright, Sven” the Chief extended a hand to him, seemingly relieved. Sven took the hand and wobbled a bit as he was pulled to his feet.
“What were you doing passed out in the brig?” Reginald seemed concerned about his third in command, reasonably so.
“I uh..” Sven looked around the brig. Forcing himself not to look at the cell behind him.
“I come down here sometimes. It’s quiet. Guess I must have fallen asleep. Very sorry, Chief. Wont happen again.” Technically none of that was a lie. He just hoped Reginald wouldn’t press.
“It better not. You had us all dreadfully worried. These two found you here unconscious and thought something had happened to you!” Reginald gestured to the toppats behind him.
Sven bit his lip. He had really upset the chief. He clasped his hands together in front of him.
“I promise I’ll be more careful next time, Chief. I’m sorry I worried you.”
Reginald shook his head.
“It’s alright, Sven.” The chief turned to the other two toppats “both of you get to work now.”
The two of them nodded and quickly left the brig. Reginald gave his third in command a sympathetic look before turning to leave the brig as well, motioning for Sven to follow him.
Sven, without getting a chance to look at the cell behind him, followed his chief. Dearly hoping that Dave had still been asleep throughout that interaction.
Dave was very much awake. Having to sleep on the floor of his cell made him quite a light sleeper. He had heard every word, but didn’t dare to look up through the cell window.
It took all his strength not to call out when the man who was supposedly the chief of the toppats took Sven away from the brig. He didn’t want Sven to leave. He wanted Sven to stay with him.
But as always, Sven had work to do. He couldn’t just stay with Dave all day, no matter how much Dave wanted it.
It was almost laughable how attached Dave had become. But really who could blame him? Sven was all he had. Without him, Dave was completely and totally alone.
Sven had work to do. But he could barely focus on any of it. He wanted to be with Dave. He wished he could be with Dave all day instead of working.
Dave meant the world to him. He was Sven’s only friend. Without him Sven was completely and totally alone.
The day went by quickly. But not quick enough. Sven and Dave counted down the hours until they could finally meet up again.
“Hey.” Sven called out in the brig, smiling when he saw Dave’s head pop up through the window.
“Sorry about this morning. Things came up and I had to leave.”
“I know. I heard.”
They stood there looking at each other. Both of them had a million things that they wanted to say, but were far too scared to.
Sven walked over to his usual spot across from Dave’s cell but he didn’t say anything. Not yet. Dave was looking at him nervously, as if he was waiting for something bad. Sven looked down at his feet before saying a single word.
“Thanks.”
Dave’s eyes widened, clearly not expecting to be thanked.
“F-for what?” Dave’s hands were pressed to the glass of his cell window. Something he only did when he was really invested in what Sven had to say.
“For listening. And for not telling me to shut up or go away. And for actually wanting me around. No one else was ever interested in what I had to say. Everyone just avoids me. So you listening.. It uh..” Sven didn’t look up. His face was red and he felt sickly nervous just saying these things.
“It means a lot to me.”
Dave didn’t know what to say.
Sven looked so much different than he normally did. He wasn’t as animated when he talked. He looked nervous. His face was red, which made Dave smile as he felt his own face get hot.
But Sven’s words were the most shocking part of it all. It was so. Sweet. To hear that he meant as much to Sven as Sven meant to him. It made Dave’s heart beat heavy in his chest.
Dave was smiling so wide it made his face hurt. He couldn’t help it. Dave couldn’t remember the last time anyone was so kind to him. For the first time since before he accepted his fate as a Toppat prisoner, Dave felt tears stream down his face.
After not hearing a response, Sven nervously looked up.
Dave was crying.
“H-Hey-“ Sven ran up to the cell door, putting his hands against Dave’s through the glass. “I’m-.. I’m sorry I-“
“No no- don’t be sorry- I-” Dave choked. Sven couldn’t tell if Dave was laughing or sobbing. It could be both honestly.
“It’s- it’s just.” Dave hiccuped through his words “I was so lonely- before you started visiting me. I had- I had been alone- for such a long time and I- I didn’t think anyone was coming for me. I thought I was always gonna- always gonna be alone.”
Oh god.
Sven had never considered how long Dave had been in this cell. They had captured him after the diamond incident. That was so long ago. Sven moved one hand off the window and put it to his own mouth in shock while Dave continued.
“But- but then you showed up and- you stayed. You came back. Even after I- even after I talked you came back. And you actually like being around me!” both of their faces were bright red at this point. Sven hadn’t heard Dave talk this much. Ever. The two of them had definitely talked back and forth before, but it was always Sven going on long tangents.
“B-before I met you I never had a friend. I never loved anyone. I...” Dave slowed as his own words caught up to him. His face somehow managing to get redder. He looked down, not saying another word.
Sven looked at Dave in shock.
Dave loved him...
Dave Loved Him.
Sven pressed his forehead to the window of the cell and laughed. Not a malicious or mocking laugh. He was just so happy. Dave looked up at him in surprise.
“I.. don’t know what to say..” that was a lie. Sven knew exactly what he was going to say.
“You’re the first person who ever really listened to me. All the other toppats think I talk to much. But you were always so kind to me.. I...”
Sven paused. Anxiety and Joy overwhelming him.
“I love you..”
Dave felt like his face was on fire. As if all the blood in his body had rushed to his cheeks at that moment. Now it was Dave’s turn to laugh, though he laughed more nervously. He pressed his forehead against the glass, just as Sven was. Their foreheads would be touching if it weren’t for the cell door that divided them.
Dave wished he could reach out and touch Sven. He wished he could hold him and touch that soft looking hair and kiss him. Sven wanted that too. But neither of them were upset. Far from it.
For the first time in either of their lives
They weren’t lonely anymore.