Chapter Text
It started, as most things between them did, with a dumb message.
**PESTERLOG**
-- ectoBiologist [EB] began pestering turntechGodhead [TG] --
EB: hey dave.
TG: sup
EB: what are you doing?
TG: lying on my bed contemplating the futility of existence
TG: and eating stale apple jacks
EB: wow.
EB: living the dream.
TG: yeah man this is peak human achievement
EB: i'm jealous!
TG: as you should be
EB: can i come over?
There was a pause.
Long enough that John checked the screen twice.
Then—
TG: damn no hello no pleasantries no witty banter
EB: hello.
EB: may i come over please?
TG: wow manners
TG: proud of you egbert
EB: dave.
TG: lmao yeah sure
-- turntechGodhead [TG] ceased ectoBiologist [EB] --
John stared at the screen after the chat ended.
His heart was already beating too fast.
This was ridiculous.
He’d gone to Dave’s apartment a hundred times before. More than that, probably. Movie nights, gaming, just hanging out. It wasn’t unusual.
So why did it suddenly feel different?
Because lately, everything about Dave felt different.
The way his laugh got stuck in John’s head for hours. The way John noticed stupid details, like the exact shape of Dave’s hands or how his hair curled slightly at the ends when he hadn’t bothered styling it.
Or how every casual touch—an elbow bump, a hand on his shoulder—made John’s entire nervous system light up like a broken pinball machine.
John had spent the last two weeks trying very hard not to think the obvious thought.
*Oh no.*
*I’m in love with my best friend.*
Not ideal.
Very bad, actually.
Catastrophically bad.
Because Dave was… Dave.
Cool without trying. Funny in that dry, weirdly specific way that made John laugh even when he wanted to stay annoyed. Guarded, but softer than people realized.
And beautiful.
John hated that word.
But it fit.
By the time he got to Dave’s apartment, he’d already talked himself out of saying anything.
Good.
He wouldn’t say anything.
He’d hang out. Play games. Go home. Continue suffering quietly.
Perfect plan.
Dave opened the door wearing a half-zipped hoodie and mismatched socks.
John immediately noticed two things.
One: Dave looked annoyingly good with messy hair.
Two: This realization was a problem.
“Sup,” Dave said, leaning against the doorframe like he didn’t care.
John swallowed.
“Hi.”
Dave narrowed his eyes behind his shades.
“Why are you staring at me like I’m about to reveal the secrets of the universe?”
“I’m not staring.”
“Bro.”
“I’m not!”
Dave smirked.
John hated that smirk.
Mostly because it made his stomach flip.
Dave stepped aside. “Get in here, Egbert.”
John brushed past him.
Then Dave’s hand touched the small of his back.
Barely there.
A guiding motion.
Less than a second.
Still—
It felt like someone had dumped electricity straight into John’s bloodstream.
His breath caught.
He kept walking, praying Dave hadn’t noticed.
Dave noticed.
Of course he noticed.
He noticed the way John stiffened. The tiny hitch in his breathing. The way his ears went red.
Dave said nothing.
But something unreadable flashed across his face.