John Egbert thinks that he's a pretty normal kid. He has normal friends, goes to a normal school, has a dad that's just as embarrassing as the next guy's, and plays piano. It's nothing new.
He's also almost one hundred percent he's not crazy.
But then, how else could he explain the wings tucked against the back of the new kid?
"…And I'm sure you'll all afford him a warm welcome," the teacher finishes, snapping John out of his shock. "If you'd like to say a little about yourself, David?"
"Just Dave, actually. I'm from Texas, I've got an older brother, and I like to mix music."
All John can do is stare. Dave is aware of those, right? They're big, too, big and black and glossy. Like a crow, his brain reminds him unhelpfully. He glances around the room surreptitiously, but they all look like they're just seeing a normal kid.
Well, a really, really attractive kid, but certainly not one with wings.
Whoa. Egbert, slow the fuck down. You are not a homosexual, remember? You like tits. And curves. And girls, and definitely NOT Dave-with-the-wings. Besides, the dude's wearing shades inside. That's just plain pretentious.
John takes a deep breath and closes his eyes for a brief second, hoping that when he opens them again everything will be normal.
He's so wrong, he might not ever be right again. In fact, Dave not only still has wings but is in fact sitting right next to him. He looks over when John jumps about ten feet out of his chair.
"You got a problem, bro?"
"What? No! Haha, of course not, why would I have a problem?" John titters nervously, focusing very, very hard on Dave's freckled nose and not on the wings that are rustling against his back as he leans forward over the desk.
"You're white as a sheet, dude. I dunno if that's just a normal state of being for you or what, but I ain't a ghost or anything."
"Wh-what? I never said anything about ghosts!"
"Calm down, dude. What's your name, anyway?"
Breathe, John, breathe. Take a deep air of breath. Breath of air! You mean breath of air, and you are definitely not flustered!
"Uh. John. I'm John."
"Cool. I'm Dave, obviously. Nice meetin' you."
John takes a deep, calming breath, as he instructed himself to do earlier. Just because someone has wings that no one else can see doesn't mean that they're not good friend material!
"You too! Do you want to sit with my friends and I at lunch today?"
Dave gives him a weird sideways glance but shrugs. "Sure. I don't have anything better to do."
"Cool." John grins, resolving that, wing hallucinations or not, he is going to do his very best to be friends with this new guy.
"Uh, no. Don't listen to this loser, Dave. Egderp here will get you, like, negative points on the cool-o-meter."
Vriska Serket is John's ex-girlfriend, and she hates his guts because he broke up with her in sophomore year. She'd started smoking, drinking, and generally doing things that made him uncomfortable, and his dad had agreed with him about cutting it off. She is also currently draping her arm over Dave's shoulder, looking at John with obvious distaste.
"Thanks, doll, but I think my 'cool-o-meter' is so high that even you can't bring it down a notch. Why don't you go fuck off, and I'm sure we'll be great friends. Tighter than a neon rubber band on the nerdiest braces," Dave replies scathingly before John even has a chance to reply. The entire classroom goes silent, staring at him with blatant disbelief. Vriska's gaze turns cold as a cruel smile curls her lips.
"Oh, we will, honey. Don't you even worry about it."
And she walks off, hips swaying and back straight.
John is still staring at Dave. "Dude, are you insane?! She's gonna eat you alive!"
He laughs, quiet and derisive. "Like to see her try. She's just pickin' on you 'cause she's got nothin' better to do."
John just shakes his head. "You're braver than I am. Most people are terrified of her."
"Not me, I guess. Anyway, where do y'all meet for lunch?"
"Oh, you still want to do that? We're outside by the big oak tree."
"Sweet. I'll see you there."
John doesn't have time to respond, since the bell rings as he opens his mouth. "Oh. Yeah, bye!"
He scurries off to his Pre-Calc class, but logarithmic functions are replaced with blonde hair that looks really soft (not that he's thinking about that!), freckles, and a really adorable smirk.
Platonically adorable, of course. John's not a homosexual.
Lunch is great. Very tasty, actually; John's dad makes turkey and cheese with exactly the right ratio of mayonnaise to bread. Not too soggy, not too little.
But mostly it's Dave.
He's surprisingly funny and easy to get along with. Rose and Jade take to him immediately, and even Kanaya smiles at some of his better jokes. Karkat is cranky and cantankerous, as per usual, but his insults are far less barbed than usual and John can tell that he's softening more every second.
"…But that's when I'm just like, 'dude, you suck so bad you're practically a vampire.'"
The whole group bursts out laughing; even Karkat, who's been pretending not to listen, has to disguise the milk coming out his nose with a spluttering cough. Dave smirks (god, that smirk) and leans back on his elbow, sipping at a bottle of apple juice. John feels an odd swell of pride in his chest as he watches his friends. He has no reason to be proud. Dave's not his friend - he just met him today, for crying out loud! - but he does nonetheless.
Also, it might be just him, but those wings are really attractive.
John is starting to think that he might be a little bit homosexual.
Dave, as it turns out, has classes with him all afternoon, and John is unreasonably happy about it. They quickly fall into an easy routine, trading insults and answers like old friends. John finds it remarkably easy to get past the wings, because Dave is… well, he's perfect. Exactly what he'd always wanted in a guy friend; Karkat is great and all, but he's gruff and sometimes just can't take a joke.
Dave, though, Dave is a different kettle of fish all together. John doesn't know how entirely right he is yet, but he can already tell…this is something new.
Written for Ferrah, who asked for no NSFW and some John/Dave. Hope I delivered, dear, and I'm sorry I didn't get to it until two days before it was due!
~kandyblood