Before the game it was just something he would do on a whim. It was kind of silly, but he said it was tradition for friends to do. You never saw it on any of the movies you watched, but then again he said that people also didn't burst into dance in high school or have high speed chases every time they wanted something. So you let him do it, even if it was a little weird. It all started when you were eleven, about a year and a half after you'd met on some stupid kid mmo.
TG: hey harley
GG: oh, dave! hi!
TG: hey
TG: yeah
TG: so i think weve progressed in our friendship enough
TG: so
TG: i have a present for you
TG: now don't flip your shit
TG: i mean its nbd really just
GG: wow, a present? Awesome! :D
TG: I think you deserve
TG: yeah sure
TG: so here
TG has sent GG a file: 3
GG: oooh, sunshine? it sounds cute!
TG: yeah whatever just open it
You open the file to hear silence at first. Then the clearing of a throat, a little shuffling, and a guitar starts to play.
It's wonderful! You didn't know Dave can play guitar. At least you think it's him. You don't know what his room sounds like, after all!
You almost giggle at the thought of recognizing him by the sound of the paint on his walls or something, but then a voice comes in and you have to stop to listen.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.
You make me happy, when skies are grey
You'll never know, Jade, how much I like you,
So please don't take my sunshine away."
It goes on for a couple more verses, and you're mesmerized. This had to be Dave! His voice was young still, yeah, but it had a twang to it that made your mouth turn up immediately. You barely realize once the song ends, you're too busy thinking that one of your closest friends for a long time has a really nice voice and wow, you guys should talk on the phone sometime! You know grandpa probably wouldn't like you using the phone and running up a long distance bill, but you have internet and there's probably internet phone stuff somewhere so…
Oh.
He's trying to get a hold of you again. Oops!
TG: yeah so its nothing special
TG: i know be awed by my voice
TG: yeah i play guitar
TG: im pretty much a fucking god at musical shit of all sorts
TG: harley
TG: swear to god if youre laughing at my voice ill block you
TG: okay i wont
TG: please answer
TG: was this stupid
TG: yeah this was stupid you can forger i ever sent that
GG: what? No, it was super pretty!
GG: wow dave, i had no idea you sang so well!
GG: youve been hiding that from all of us!
GG: dave?
TG: yeah i know im the fucking bomb arent i
TG: how did you even survive the first eleven years of your life not hearing my amazing voice
GG: hehe youre silly dave
TG: yeah i know
TG: but
TG: did you like it
GG: yeah, of course i liked it dave! it was super pretty! :O
TG: cool
TG: shit i gotta go
TG: bro wants a strife
TG: ill talk to you later
GG: yeah, bye dave!
/Turntechgodhead has ceased pestering gardengnostic/
And that's how it starts. It was never really a big deal to you, sort of cute and sweet, but pretty silly.
Then the game started, and everything was so exciting but so scary!
Even so, sometimes when Dave messages you he sends along a clip of himself singing for you. Sometimes he's be singing something new and different, but it's usually "you are my sunshine." That's definitely your favorite one to hear. You make him promise that if you met up in game, he definitely has to sing it to you.
And then you do meet up in game, and it has to be one of the most exciting moments in the game so far! You finally can put a face to the voice and the jokes and the mannerisms and it's absolutely fantastic, even if you are nervous.
He doesn't sing to you for a little while, because you're both too busy doing serious things like hunting for a universe frog and being cool together and playing around and, you're not going to lie, you forget about the song for a little little while.
Until Jack shows up.
And… Dave…
It's all so fast! You have no idea what's happening! You go to shoot jack and finally end whatever he's doing, because he shouldn't be doing it at all! But… He messes it all up. He transports like Bec used to sometimes to play "fetch the bullet" and all of a sudden… Dave is dead.
You can't believe it. This is absolutely terrible! How could it happen?
Suddenly memories of him flash into your mind and you know you had to fight through whatever cold, hard thing is trying to plant itself in your gut and revive him. Everything will be okay, right? You just have to kiss him.
But can you really do that until he's dead? Because he isn't, you realize as you kneel next to him and cradle his head in your lap. This wasn't what was supposed to happen at all! You were just hunting for frogs, having fun!
Panic envelopes you and you forget for a moment that you can revive him. For a moment it's just you and your best friend, the boy you might or might not have a teensy crush on maybe a little, and he's dying in your arms.
You pull his shades up and stare at his eyes, pausing for a moment in wonder. Wow, they're easily the prettiest color you've ever seen!
But he's staring back at you, and you shake your head out of your state of panic.
"Dave, it's going to be okay. I promise!" You say, taking his hand and pulling it close.
He gives you a teeny tiny smile, so small you couldn't have noticed if it was on anyone else, and you feet your heart break.
"Dave, wait, no…" You say softly. And then the song comes to your head and you take a deep breath, clear your throat softly, and press your hand to his cheek.
"You are my sunshine… my only sunshine…"
His eyes are going a little unfocused, but you see a spark of recognition run over his face and have to continue.
"You make me happy, when skies are grey…
You never know, Dave, how much I like you…
So please, please please don't go away…" Your voice cracks and the last line isn't even you singing, it's you crying. Pleading.
But as you look at him again, his eyes are empty and distant. You stop, freeze for a moment. A hand makes its way to his chest and you can't feel a heartbeat, and it's over.
He's gone.
You lean down and place a small kiss on his forehead, then break down and cry.
The thought wiggles into your mind that you can revive him with a simple kiss, and you know that okay? It's just that you never realized that this game would be so serious, so dangerous… You never thought you'd have to watch one of your best friends die.
You don't know if you can handle it, really. But if you're going to get revenge on Jack for what he just did, you suppose that you're going to have to keep fighting.
You take another deep, cleansing breath through your nose and exhale slowly, leaning down to do the kissy thing. You hope you and Dave can laugh about this later, because he hasn't sung you your song yet and he owes you that and… You just really want to hear his voice right now.
::A/N::
So this happened. It's a dedication to my tumblr-brosef who I adore with all my face. love you Katie! This is for you!
Also, thanks for reading! It makes me really happy :)