"Dave, stop," Rose's voice was calm and collected, just like he always.
"I can't do that Rose," He continued to scan the skies of LOWAS, his instincts telling him he was looking in the right area.
"Dave," the sudden warmth, the note of pity and pleading finally caused him to look at her, something he hadn't done even when she had appeared out of nowhere to confront him, "It's not going to bring him back."
"I know that," Dave snapped and flinched, grabbing at the gaping wound in his abdomen still oozing blood the color of a melted creamsicle.
Rose sighed and pulled a long white scarf from her sylladex as she approached the orange sprite. He attempted to hold still and put on the best stoic face as she snuggly wrapped the white cloth around him, covering the wound. As she examined his severed wing, he curled it in defensively and sighed.
"I have to go," he knew if he spoke louder than a whisper he might break into tears and that was something he couldn't do, not in front of her, "I have to go, Rose. I just watched my Bro die. I nearly died. This game is deadly, Rose, and I'll be damned if I'm missing this opportunity again. I have to go tell him."
"But how do you know these damn dream bubbles are even real?" she rolled her eyes in exasperation and tugged as she finished the knot in the fabric extra hard to prove her point, "When you gamble with life, be it yours or someone else's, someone is going to always lose."
"Well then use your damn Seer powers Rose," Dave pulled away from her, "Use the fucking powers the game has given you. Tell me, who's going to lose this bet?"
Rose turned away, unable to meet his gaze and he scoffed, "Oh I see, now you don't want to meddle. Well there's a fucking first for everything."
"Dave," when she turned, her orchid eyes glistened with unshed tears and Dave had to swallow a lump in his throat.
"If," Dave took a deep, shuddering breath, "If I don't come back, you tell that other son of a bitch who thinks he's me that he better fucking tell John how he feels before he loses the most valuable thing he's ever had. THAT is the bet I lost."
Rose simply nodded before grabbing his hand and squeezing it firmly. Dave smiled at her faintly before something caught his eye and he turned his gaze skyward. There, in the distance, a faint glimmer blinked through the black. When he was human he wouldn't have noticed it, but something about the crow instincts melded with the knowledge being a game construct allowed him, told him that it was the faintest sheen of a dream bubble reflecting the light of Skia as it passed through the void. With a final squeeze, Dave released Roses hand and spread his good wing, passing her a sad smile and a sideways glance before shooting off into the air as fast as he could manage.
The wound in his chest ached as his lungs began to burn with the forced effort of flying so fast. The air became thinner and thinner and his speed increased as he left the atmosphere and gravity of LOWAS and soared through the void. He wrapped his arm reflexively around his chest, feeling the orange blood soaking through the bandage as his brain tried to panic over the perceived loss of air. But the game mechanics soon kicked in and he was able to breathe again, though his speed was unhindered. Like an orange blur he bolted through the darkness, avoiding the belt of asteroids and only faintly noting the purple dot that was Derse off in the distance, his focus set on the rapidly growing orb ahead of him.
With a dull boom, Dave entered the invisible barrier and quickly slowed his decent as soft green grass and a white house came into view. When his feet hit the grass, it was as soft as taking a step. His feet. Dave looked down. Instead of the ghostly tail of wispy orange, there were his black jean clad legs and foot filled sneakers. His hands reached out, a pale pink skin enwrapping each digit with blushes and hairs, not a solid smooth orange. He pulled at the hem of his broken record shirt as tears rose in his eyes, his shades dangling from his collar. Trembling, his knees buckled and he fell into the grass as sobs wracked his body and he wrapped his arms tightly around his chest, breathing deeply.
"Hey Dad, have you seen my ConAir DVD?" Dave's head shot up at the sound of John's muffled voice carrying through the house.
Remembering his purpose, Dave scrubbed hurriedly at his eyes and scrambled to his feet, dusting off the grass that clung to his jeans. As he approached the door he chewed on his lip as he debated putting his shades on or leaving them off. Finally deciding that he had to be the Dave John knew, he quickly put on the shades and gave himself a final once-over before ringing the doorbell.
"I got it!" John's muffled voice was accompanied by clomping footsteps as the boy scampered down the stairs to the door.
Dave's chest clenched and his heart raced as he heard John approach. The doorknob moved and Dave took in a sharp breath, and then there was a slight stir of pressure as the door swung open and Dave's heart stopped. There he was. John. Black hair, glasses, buckteeth, Slimer shirt, everything. John just stood there with a confused look on his face and Dave realized he had just been standing there, gaping at John for who knows how many seconds in complete silence.
"Dave?" John asked hesitantly.
"Sup," Dave nodded, not because he didn't have more to say, but because he knew if he did his voice would start cracking and he'd probably start crying openly.
"Dave?" John broke into a huge grin and grabbed Dave up into a fierce hug.
Dave stood stock still for a moment, shocked by the suddenness of the embrace before he tentatively wrapped his arms around John, returning the hug. John was warm and soft, and as he rested his head on John's shoulder, Dave could smell the other boy's shampoo and soap and committed the smell to memory. All too soon, John released him and pulled back.
"What are you doing here?" John beamed, "You coulda told me you were coming."
"Just passing through, bro," Dave struggled to sound nonchalant as he shrugged while his heart threatened to beat its way out of his chest.
"Well do you wanna come in?" John laughed his melodious laugh that sounded to Dave like a symphony of wasted time and missed opportunities.
"Actually," Dave took a breath, "Can we take a walk?"
"Sure," John shrugged before turning to yell back into the house, "I'll be right back, Dad."
As they padded across the grass and onto the sidewalk, Dave stuffed his hands in his pockets. His mind was racing, though he couldn't decide what to say. John happily walked next to him for about half a block before the silence was too much and he spoke up.
"Sooooo," John radiated such a derp-tastic happiness that it might have been sickening coming from anyone else, "What brings you my way?"
Dave made up his mind and stopped cold, turning to face John as the other boy stumbled to a halt, "John, I've wasted too much time already."
"What?" John looked confused and Dave took in a deep breath.
"I like you John," the blonde laughed nervously, "Dude I've liked you for a long time."
"Well I like you too Dave," John rolled his eyes, "That's why we're friends!"
"No you dumbass, I mean," Dave clenched his jaw and then just leaned in, catching John by surprise as he kissed him.
"Oh," John breathed as a deep red blush colored his cheeks, a silly smirk spreading across his lips.
"Yeah," Dave sighed, "I like…no. I love you John. I don't know when it happened, or why it happened, but I love you John. Can you forgive me?"
"Forgive you for what?" John giggled.
"Well, I dunno," Dave shuffled his feet, "For waiting so long to tell you? For loving you?"
"For waiting so long, yes," John smiled, "But never apologize for loving someone."
"But you've said you're not a homo," Dave continued to look at the ground.
"That's right," John's smile dropped a bit, "I'm not."
Dave shook his head and turned to continue walking, but John grabbed him and turned him back. It was Dave's turn to look confused and John just rolled his eyes before leaning in to kiss Dave. It was tentative and wet and chaste and Dave melted into it, removing his arms from his pockets and wrapping them around the other boy. When they pulled apart, John was blushing even deeper.
"Love isn't gender specific, Dave," John giggled, "Just because I don't like guys doesn't mean I can't like You."
Dave laughed a genuine, pure laugh at that. He felt so light, so at ease. He kissed John again and again until both boys were out of breath and then the flood gates opened and Dave began to chatter uncontrollably, forgetting to care when his voice cracked.
"I waited so long to tell you and I shouldn't have and then the game happened and then you went through that portal and I was so lonely and I thought I'd never get the chance to tell you and then there was the fight and then when I nearly died I couldn't stop thinking about you and…"
"Dave," John's smile faded slightly, "I'm dead, aren't I?"
Dave stopped and took a shuddering breath before nodding the affirmative. Suddenly the world around them shimmered like a mirage and John's eyes faded to pale white empty orbs and Dave felt his wings twitching behind him. John pulled back, not out of fear or disgust, but to look his friend over.
"What happened to you?"
"After you died, Rose and I continued on for months alone," Dave looked off to the house that now had all the modifications Rose had made to it.
"What about Jade?" John looked worried suddenly.
"In our timeline?" Dave shook his head, "We were all doomed. I learned all I could about the game. Then I went back and prototyped myself with my sprite. It gets really complicated from there, but I was able to stop the Alpha Timeline you from dying. But John, I had to come see You. Had to come tell You. Because YOU are my John. And I know I'm not how you remember me but…"
John placed a warm hand on his cheek, "You are exactly how I remember you."
From where John's hand touched him a heat spread across his body and the orange wings faded and his skin became a soft peach color again, his tail again replaced by legs and jeans and sneakers. John's eyes faded back into a crystal blue as the world around them shifted and they were suddenly in the boy's bedroom. Dave shook his head in disbelief, a happy laugh escaping his lips. John tentatively reached for his shades and Dave grabbed his hands as they touched the rims.
"Please?" John breathed and Dave nodded his consent, guiding his hands as the black haired boy removed them.
John took in a sharp breath and smiled reverently, staring deep into Dave's auburn eyes. The blonde smiled and slowly leaned in till his eyes closed and their lips met again, this time hot and potent. Wrapping his arms around the other boy, Dave crushed their bodies together and guided John to the bed, lowering both of them so John was on top of him, his weight pressing down on him, though not unpleasantly. As John pulled back for air, Dave planted pliant kisses down his jaw and onto his neck causing a soft whimper to escape John's lips as he thrust his hips involuntarily, grinding harder into Dave. The blonde found the hem on John's shirt and ran his hands under it and up along John's back, the skin feeling like fire wherever he touched it. Wriggling his legs loose, Dave wrapped his thighs around John as the boy thrust against him again and recaptured the blonde's lips. Suddenly John was panting and pulling back.
"Wait, wait, wait."
Dave released him but John didn't go far, only propped himself up over the blonde and caught his breath. When Dave quirked a look, John smiled and kissed him softly before explaining.
"This is going to have to wait."
"I've got all the time in the world," Dave winked playfully and John giggled, planting another soft kiss on Dave's swollen lips.
"But you have to go back," John sighed.
"What?" Dave propped himself up on his elbows as John slid down his body and planted his feet back on the floor, "No way. I'm staying right here."
"But you're Dave's Sprite now," John mused, "You have to help him win the game."
"He'll be fine," Dave scoffed and flopped back down, attempting to tug John back on top of him but to no avail.
"That's a risk you shouldn't take," John smiled, "Don't ask me how I know, but I'm willing to bet that he's going to need your help. In fact, I think you still have a very important role to play."
"But what about you?" Dave sat up as John stood, "What about us?"
"We're doomed," John shrugged, "But I think we're doomed to be together if you ask me."
Dave wanted to argue but he knew John was right, "I'll be back. Nothing and no one will keep me away from you forever."
"I'm counting on it," John helped Dave to his feet and draped his arms around his shoulders, kissing him warmly again, "But for now you have to go make sure that I don't fuck up again, and that you survive to tell me all this in the Alpha timeline."
"Of course," Dave smirked and kissed John passionately again.
"Don't worry," John giggled and it sounded like soothing rain on the dry gravel of Dave's old rooftop, "I have a theory that when this is all over we'll be together; all the failed timelines, all the alphas, merged into one wicked memory."
"Huh," Dave smirked, "I kinda like that theory."
"Good," John beamed before kissing Dave once more, "Now get going."
"I love you," Dave whispered as he nuzzled against John's cheek, trailing wet kisses along the skin.
"I love you too," John sighed happily.
With a final parting kiss, Dave felt his good wing spread as the bedroom around him faded back into John's front yard and the boy's blue eyes returned to pallid white. With a smile and a forlorn tear, Dave took to the skies once more, powering through the void with as much determination as had taken him to this far reach of darkness. He was going to help win this game. He had the knowledge of the games inner workings and even if Alpha Dave didn't want them, he'd put them to use. He had the jackpot in his sights, all he needed was to help assemble the winning hand and the prize was his. John was his.