Hello everyone, I'm finally back with another chapter! I'm so sorry I took so long to update this story It's just been a busy year and I've also had a hell of a time finding a place to watch Daria after it was removed from Hulu! (Thank goodness for Paramount+) But I finally have some time to get back into this and I must say things are about to get interesting. I want to thank Carolina.H.S, Jedi Jessic, Princesakarlita411, me, psypsyqueen, guest and Merlenyn for reviewing last chapter!
I still own nothing but the plot and my oc's
Daria pov
Daria once again found herself spending the day alone from her friends…God was it strange to admit, but she did have friends (as in plural) now. Anyway, Daria was alone for the day since both of her friends were busy leaving her to sit alone and watch TV by herself not that she minded. Right now Daria was currently sitting down on the couch in her living room getting ready to watch a few episodes of Sick Sad World. "Daria, have you seen my new Teenage Superstars magazine?" Her sister Quinn asked just as Daria was getting herself settled on the couch.
"I couldn't help myself. I've plastered my walls with its hot, sexy pinups." Daria sarcastically replies to her sister.
"I'll ask Mom." Quinn just said in an annoyed tone walking away from the couch to look for their mother.
Just as Daria was getting ready to settle herself back onto the couch said mother walked into the room. "Daria, have you seen your father?" Helen asked her oldest child.
"Did you look under the Teenage Superstars magazine?" Daria replied.
"I'll ask Quinn." Helen said with a sigh, deciding it would be best to just go look for her youngest. Not even a few moments later both Quinn and Helen walked back into the living room again, chatting away and disturbing Daria's peace.
"I need some money for new clothes for the standardized testing 'cause I hate filling in those little circles-" Quinn proclaimed at the same time as her mother was talking.
"You shouldn't be wasting time reading junk when you could be enjoying a good book. Now, did you see your father? When was the last time you saw him?" Helen asked at the same time. Soon the two were out the door leaving Daria alone to relax again.
"Hello? Anybody? Please?" The sound of her father's voice interrupted what should have been a moment of peace.
A peaceful afternoon, one peaceful afternoon was all Daria had wanted for the day but with the sounds of her father's pleading tone Daria gave up on her plans. Turning off the television Daria got up from the couch and begun walking up the stairs stopping just outside the bathroom door.
"Is anybody out there? Am I the only one left in the house?" Jake asked in a panic tone from inside of the bathroom.
"If I help you with the first question, will you try to do the second one on your own?" Daria asked in an even tone.
"Daria! Thank God! Your mother's at her work thing and Quinn's at her school thing and... I thought I'd be stuck in here forever." Jake explains with a bit of relief.
"Okay, listen closely. There's a knob on the door. Turn it counterclockwise." Daria begun to explain slowly.
"We're all out of toilet paper, kiddo! Would you believe it?" Jake interrupts before Daria could further explain the concept of turning a doorknob.
"Oh. Well, I'll go grab some from downstairs." Daria said evenly. She begun to walk towards the stairs again only to be stopped mid-way by her father once more.
"There isn't any downstairs!" Jake proclaimed with a shout. "That's why I ran up here. Damn heart-smart chili!"
"I see." Daria says in an uncomfortable tone as she begun to walk towards the stairs once more. "Walking away now with too much information."
"Kiddo, could you hurry over to Drugs N' Stuff and pick up a few rolls?" Jake asked in a panicked tone.
"I get stuck on the hurry part." Daria said pausing in front of the stairs.
"Damn it. How in hell would Helen handle this? How in hell would Helen... hey, I bet that's one of those backwards-and-forward things! No, I guess not." Jake continued to mindlessly rant from inside the bathroom.
"I can hear you, you know. And she'd offer me a bribe." Daria told her father evenly.
"Yeah! If you can make it back in 15 minutes, I'll give you five bucks." Jake suggested.
"A decent bribe." Daria counters back, it was bad enough already that she would have to go out of her way to do this task for her father instead of mindlessly watching television like she had planned. There was no way that on top of doing a toilet paper run she'd only get paid five dollars.
"Twenty!" Jake desperately bribed.
"You're on. See you in a few minutes." Daria said before finally walking back down the stairs.
"Hurry, kiddo! This Teenage Superstars magazine is only 64 pages!" Is the last thing Daria hears as she rushes out the door.
It took Daria longer than she would have expected to get to Drugs N' Stuff, and after waiting in line for a good five minutes she wasn't sure if she'd be able to get through the crowd and back home to her father in time to collect the twenty dollars. Ten minutes. I'll never make it home in time to get that 20. Of course, I could always turn back all the clocks in the house, but how will I get to his wristwatch? I wonder if they sell chloroform here.
"Next!" The woman at the cash register calls breaking Daria out of her thoughts. "Can I help you, dear?"
"No, I just came to enjoy your reenactment of the fall of Saigon." Daria replies dryly as she puts the toilet paper on the counter.
"You mean the crowd? Well, what do you expect during the homecoming parade?" The woman explains as she rang Daria up.
"Homecoming parade?" Daria repeats back silently cursing at herself, she should have known that after all she was at the game yesterday. And Kevin had mentioned it after he had dropped her home after they were done eating dinner.
"Everyone in town is lining up to see the parade." The cashier states as Daria finishes paying for her purchase and heading back outside.
It is when Daria goes outside, that she finally takes notice of the parade that is going down the street; she sighs as she begins trying to walk home. She sees a group of kids, led by Ms. Defoe, painting Lawndale Lions slogans on the storefront.
"Now, really look inside your work, and ask: in focusing so intently on my subject, have I neglected my negative space?" Ms. Defoe instructs the group of kids; she then turns to see Daria walking in their direction. "Daria! Have you seen Jane?"
"Not lately." Daria answers evenly.
"I was hoping she might help us paint windows." Ms. Defoe says in a disappointed tone. "We need her color sense." Just then two kids from the group started to fight with the paint they were using.
"CeCe, I'm going to throw paint on you!" A boy shouts out.
"Now, Gary, don't you dare!" The girl says as she runs away.
"No, people. Treasure you medium." Ms. Defoe scolds as she goes after the kids.
"Must get home. Must get home." Daria starts chanting to herself as she starts walking again squeezing through the crowd to stand at the curb, Daria looks up just as a large float of a football player holding an otter's head goes by; part of the head falls off, nearly crushing her as she stumbles back. Without realizing it she walks into the flashing camera of her best friend.
"You'll pay through the nose for that shot, missy. Unless you can give me a plausible reason for your being here." Jane says with a smirk. "Then again you are the QB's girlfriend now and that entails some obligation to make public social appearances."
"Yeah, you're just lucky I still allow a mere mortal to be seen with me." Daria said sarcastically rolling her eyes at the 'girlfriend' comment.
"Yep, through the nose." Jane responded back.
"I'd stay and talk, but I've got 20 bucks riding on my quick escape." Daria explained. "Join me?"
"Got a date... with a thoughtless delinquent." Jane stated.
"You're meeting Tom here?" Daria questions in disbelief.
"What better place than a high school homecoming to chronicle the anarchic death spiral of Western society?" Jane explains as the two began walking down the sidewalk.
"So, your date consists of making fun of people." Daria states dryly.
"If you must be all simplistic about it. You know not everyone chooses to have their romantic dates on a couch playing violent 90's video games and eating pizza." Jane said back with a smirk. "So you're here because-"
"My dad sent me on an emergency errand, and I got stranded." Daria explains evenly.
"I'm betting he's stranded, too." Jane says as she looks down at the toilet paper Daria was carrying. She then looks back to the streets where she sees the football teams parade float passing by. "Oh, look! The QB is passing by quick get closer and let me get a picture of you waving to your boyfriend."
"You know terrible accidents tend to happen in large crowds." Daria threatens dryly. "Something so terrible that I might lose a friend because of an unexplainable freak accident."
"Promises, promises." Jane smirks while looking at the parade. "At least stay for the cheer before you go. With Brittany leading the way you know it has to be good."
"If anything, that only makes me want to make a quicker escape." Daria said evenly. Recently things between Brittany and Daria had become icy at least on the head cheerleader's end. Daria knew some of it was expected as her surprising friendship with Kevin continued to grow. And despite everything Brittany did to try to gain back Kevin's attention, he clearly has moved on from their relationship. Leaving Daria to face Brittany's rath so to speak since Kevin has yet to show interest in any other girl since their breakup.
"Aww does the old girlfriend make you nervous?" Jane asked jokingly.
"No but the flying candy leaves much to be desired." Daria states as members of the football team began to hurling candy into the crowd, one child tries to catch it in their mouth only that caused them to fall over. "That's it. When the candy reaches escape velocity, it's time to leave."
"Where the hell is Tom? He was supposed to be here 15 minutes ago." Jane asked starting to feel a bit peeved at her boyfriend as she looked around.
"I wouldn't let it bother you. Just because he's a few minutes late doesn't mean he's an inconsiderate jerk who will ultimately bring you nothing but misery." Daria said evenly.
"I'm glad you're starting to warm to him." Jane says and then smirks again. "You know considering that he's not as thrilling as the QB."
"Not many people are." Daria replies dryly. "I need to cross this street now if I want to make it home before the next ice age. See you." She sees before walking away from her friend.
"Godspeed, Indiana Morgendorffer." Jane responds as she watches Daria walk away.
Daria with a bag of toilet paper in hand prepares to cross the street only to be stopped by her high school's principal Ms. Li.
"Ms. Morgendorffer, where do you think you're going?" Ms. Li asked as she pulled Daria away from the street.
"Slowly insane. But I need to pop in at home first." Daria answers dryly.
"As principal of Lawndale High, I can't just permit spectators to cross a parade route." Ms. Li states with as much authority as she can.
"Right. Isn't that how World War I started?" Daria asked sarcastically.
"If you were to get impaled on a float or sexually harassed by a clown, things could get ugly." Ms. Li explains.
"Things already have, but I don't have time to debate this right now." Daria says as she walks back into the crowd. I can still make it back in time. All I need is a catapult and a good tailwind. She thinks to herself as she tries to make her way through the crowd. When she suddenly runs into the Lawndale Lion's Mascot.
"Rah, rah, rah!" The Mascot shouts excitedly. "We're number one!"
"Um, I think the roaring '20s are back that way." Daria says sarcastically while pointing her thumb in the direction behind her.
"Let's do the Lawndale shuffle!" The Mascot says while getting into her personal space so that Daria would dance with him.
"How about the 'get the hell away from me' slide?" Daria says in an annoyed tone when the Mascot ignores her and starts dancing anyway.
"My head's too big." The Mascot says as he begins swaying on his feet.
"That's because it's so full of dreams." Daria says sarcastically just as the Lion fell onto the ground.
"Rah, rah, rah. Please help me up." The Mascot says weakly from the ground, Daria leaves him as other parade watchers help the Mascot back onto his feet.
"Ms. Li's gone." Daria notes after walking back to the previous spot she had tried to cross the street on. "I'm out of here." She tries to cross the street again when she suddenly hears a child crying. Looking over her should she finds a tearful Tad Gupty and one Kristen Thompson. "Tad? Kristen?"
"Daria?" Tad and Kristen say at the same time before running over to the older girl. "Oh, Daria, I'm scared!" Tad cries as he hugs Daria's waist.
"So am I." Daria says as a cutesy kitty float is going past the group on the street. "Where are your mom and dad, Tad? And aren't they supposed to be watching you too, Kristen?"
"We don't know." Tad began to explain while still wiping away some tears. "I saw a windmill in the toy store window, so I went to look, because they're such a clean source of energy."
"And I was looking at this football that I wanted Kevin to get me." Kristen adds in.
"And when we turned around, everyone was gone!" Tad exclaimed to his former babysitter. "Now I'm frightened I'll be stuck in this parade forever."
"I know the feeling." Daria says as she continues to look around in dismay.
"I'm not scared, I like the parade I think it's fun to explore by yourself!" Kristen said excitedly.
"You are your brother's sister so that doesn't surprise me." Daria says with a sigh. "Let's find you two a cop."
"Oh, no." Tad says shaking his head at the idea. "My dad says police officers too often utilize excessive force in their quest for efficient pacification."
"And I'm sure your father has had more than his share of scrapes with John Law." Daria says evenly.
"Won't you stay with us, Daria?" Tad asked in a pleading tone.
"Yeah Daria, you can help us, right?" Kristen added in.
"Come on." Daria says with a sigh not being able to resist the children's pleading looks. "Much to my surprise, my conscience tells me I should help you two find the Guptys."
"Yea!" Kristen shouted excitedly.
"Hooray! With you along, this'll be an exciting adventure, like the travels of Babar." Tad says as he took a hold of Daria's hand.
"Easy on the elephant comparisons, kid." Daria says as the group of three began their such for the Guptys, when a group of kids ran up to the three and sprayed them with silly string. "Stupid conscience."
So now what Daria had hoped to be a quick errand to earn twenty bucks has now turned into a search party for Tad's missing parents. With the two children in tow Daria walked along the parade route again in the hopes of finding the Guptys as quickly as possible while hoping that she could still make it home to earn that money.
"What's your favorite part of the parade, Daria?" Tad asked as they walked along the route.
"The thigh... no, wait, the drumstick." Daria says sarcastically.
"Oh. I like the clowns." Tad said excitedly.
"Of course, you do." Daria says evenly as she continued to look around. "Keep looking for your parents."
"What's your favorite part of the parade, Kristen?" Tad asked his friend.
"So, we're still on this conversation?" Daria asked sarcastically.
"I like the floats." Kristen answers. "Some of them look really fun!"
"And some of them look like they've crawled out of my nightmares." Daria says with a sigh. "Come on guys we need to get you back to the Guptys."
"I also like it when they throw candy from the floats." Tad continues on with talking about the parade.
"Since when do you eat candy?" Daria asked in a confused tone while still searching for his parents. "You told me it was poison."
"Oh, it is, but every piece I catch is one cavity some other boy or girl will never get." Tad explained. "That's what makes it so rewarding."
"Tad, when you brush your teeth, do you ever scrub right through to your brain?" Daria asked while shaking her head at the young boy. "Why do you hang out with these kids again?" Daria turned to Kristen to ask.
"Same reason you hang out with my brother." Kristen answers with a shrug. "Because they're not as annoying as other people."
"I guess that's the best we can hope for sometimes." Daria says dryly.
"Oh, look! Do you think he'll be throwing candy from his car?" Tad asked pointing out Upchuck who was driving a convertible he spots Daria, and he honks the horn at the group.
"No, that car has things thrown at it." Daria explains evenly while trying to move the children along.
"Do my eyes deceive me?" Upchuck asked while pulling up to the group. "The divine Ms. Mmm... and who may I ask is your young suitor?"
"I'm not supposed to give my name to strange people." Tad says looking away from Upchuck.
"Or perverts!" Kristen adds sticking her tongue out at the teenage boy.
"And they don't come any stranger or more perverted than this." Daria said evenly.
"So quick to dismiss. I like that... for a while." Upchuck continues unbothered by the comments. "But you'll change your tune when you see what I've done with the back seat. Does the notion of satin upholstery get you excited?"
"Sure, if it's lining your coffin." Daria says dryly as the group continued to walk along.
"Grr, feisty! I'll be parked at the end of the parade route, gorgeous." Upchuck said confidently. "So remember, if the Love Machine's rocking, by all means, come-a-knocking!" Upchuck then pulls away with another honk of his horn.
"I can tell Kevin to beat him up if you want Daria?" Kristen suggested as they watched the car drive away.
"That's not necessarily, Kristen." Daria says shaking her head at the idea. "Life is already doing a good job as it is." The group than heads for the sidewalk, where they spot Tom standing in front of the pharmacy.
"Daria?" Tom says completely surprise to see her at the parade.
"Oh. Tom." Daria says narrowing her eyes at him. "Aren't you supposed to be with Jane? She was waiting for you in front of Drugs N' Stuff."
"Oh. She just said to meet at the pharmacy." Tom says with a shrug. "I thought she meant the other one. I guess it was just a big misunderstanding."
"That's what Pol Pot said." Daria says dryly.
"He didn't mean to kill two million people." Tom adds on. "He only wanted to scare them." Though Daria hated admitting it, Tom's added comments manages to get a small smile out of her. "Anyway, who are these two?"
"Tad here is from a former baby-sitting job. And Kristen is a failed runaway that I sometimes look after when her brother's busy with football." Daria explained. "They're lost, and we're looking for his parents."
"Hiya, Tad and Kristen, I'm Tom. Mind if I tag along with you guys?" Tom asked while kneeling in front of the two kids.
"Actually, we'd be better off-" Daria begins trying to find an excuse not to spend extra time with Tom, despite having another person besides Jane to hang out with she still didn't like him that much.
"We're all headed back toward Drugs N' Stuff." Tad exclaimed excitedly. "We can help each other."
"I guess it's okay if Daria says you can stay." Kristen says evenly narrowing her eyes at Tom.
"If you really want to walk with us, fine, but I don't think you'll find Jane. I've never seen this street so crowded before." Daria says with a sigh.
"It is a stunning array of pod people." Tom says as he looks at the crowd. "It's times like these I'm glad I don't go to your school."
"Uh-huh. And I suppose your ivy-choked prep school is any better?" Daria counters back before pausing for a moment. "Wait a minute. Was I just defending Lawndale?"
"You know, I think you were." Tom says teasingly.
"We never had this conversation." Daria says quickly.
"What conversation?" Tom says playing forgetfulness. "Maybe we should hop a float." Tom suggests after they had been walking again for a good five minutes. "We could see more people that way, and more people could see us?"
"One: I don't hop floats. Two: I don't hop." Daria replies dryly.
"Come on, Daria. You gotta embrace the nightmare." Tom proclaimed. "Don't you want to wave to the crowd?"
"Look, Tom, I know that you and Jane see this whole thing as a big joke, but that's not me." Daria states as she spots Quinn waving from the float. "I stand corrected. This whole thing is a big joke."
"Daria there's Kevin!" Kristen proclaims excitedly. "Let's hope on that float!"
"So, she's little football fan uh?" Tom asked with a smirk.
"Well, her big brother is the QB." Daria explains dryly. "And considering the options-" Before she could finish her sentence Tom, Kristen and Tad hop onto the football team's float. "Wait, I didn't say I was gonna-"
"Daria! Come on! Don't leave me!" Tad shouts as he begins to cry. "Daria!"
Now completely irritated, Daria rushes over and is helped onto the float by Tom. "Okay we're on now what?"
"Kevin!" Kristen shouts while running on the float.
"Kristen?" Kevin says surprised to see his little sister running on his float, but it wasn't just his sister, Daria, Tad and who he thinks is Jane's boyfriend Tom is also on the float. "Daria? How much money did someone pay you to be here?" He asked while jumping down from the platform he had been standing on.
"Not enough." Daria said dryly as Kevin picked up his little sister and put her on his shoulders.
"Is that toilet paper?" Kevin asked in confusion as he walked up to Daria.
"Long story short my dad is stranded in the bathroom at home, and in my attempt to profit off of it I became stranded." Daria explained dryly.
"But what are Tad and Kristen doing with you?" Kevin asked still not understanding the situation completely. "On this float with…Tim?"
"It's Tom actually." Tom corrects.
"And it was his genius idea, that hopping a float would be the best way to find the Guptys and Jane." Daria finished explaining. "Returning the two kids back into their care once more and helping Tom find Jane. Though, we haven't had much luck with that brilliant plan."
"It was just an idea." Tom says with a shrug. "But I guess we should get off and go back to the sidewalk."
"I'll come with you guys." Kevin says while moving to get off the float with them.
"But aren't you needed for the throne, Football King." Daria asked taking note of the other players and the Football Sweetheart looking at the group in confusion.
"Oh, right." Kevin says before pointing at a random player. "Jason take my place, I have to help look for my sister's babysitters." He just states before leaving with the group.
"Kevie, what's going on? You're supposed to be waving on the float!" Brittany could be heard squeaking as the group were making their clean escape. "Kevie! Kevin!"
"You're not gonna answer her?" Tom asked looking back at the head cheerleader.
"Answer who?" Kevin asked back as the group continued to walk away from the float. "I don't hear anything. Does anyone else hear something?"
"Just the sound of happy parade goers." Daria says dryly.
"Yep!" Kristen nodded in agreement from on top of Kevin's shoulders.
"Wait till I tell my parents I was on a real live float!" Tad says excitedly once the group reaches the sidewalk. "Tricia is gonna be so jealous of all the fun things I got to do without her."
"Nothing like the terror of being lost in a parade to get the blood going." Daria says sarcastically just as the Lawndale Lions Mascot was approaching the group once more. "Uh-oh speaking of terror."
"Here we go, Lawndale, here we go!" The Mascot shouts after running over to the group.
"Didn't I just leave you for dead a while ago?" Daria asked while trying to back away from the Mascot. "Beat it."
"Come on, let's have a cheer!" The Mascot shouts grabbing a hold of Daria's arm much to her dismay.
"Mr. O'Neill, why don't you help the cheerleaders pump up the crowd on the street instead." Kevin said while pulling him away from Daria. "They have a spot open right there!" He said pointing him in the direction of the street.
"Wow. That was the modern equivalent of laying your cape over a puddle of water for me." Daria says in surprise as she watches the Mascot cheerfully walk towards the street. "Wait, that's been Mr. O'Neill in that costume the whole time?"
"Yeah, he volunteers for the job every year." Kevin explains. "And Ms. Li lets him since he's the only one at school willing to…what's the word I'm looking for here, Daria?"
"Debase himself over some perceived notion of school spirit?" Daria answers for him.
"He's also not supposed to go on the streets." Kevin explains thoughtfully as if suddenly remembering why the Mascot wasn't part of the parade itself to begin with. "But I'm sure Ms. Li won't mind the change in her carefully thought-out plans."
"Why wouldn't she? It's not as if she has an obsessive need to control every event that has to do with the school." Daria says giving Kevin a small smirk.
"Yep, that's not Ms. Li at all." Kevin says smiling back at Daria.
"Well, it looks like you're finally having fun Daria." Tom adds in.
"I don't know what you're talking about?" Daria says in a slightly annoyed tone.
"You just smiled a little." Tom points out.
"A twitch, more of a tic really." Daria says quickly.
"I knew you that were having fun." Tom declares. "Why hide it?"
"Did he just meet you today?" Kevin asked whispering the question to Daria.
"Apparently." Daria whispers back in a deadpanned tone.
"You need to learn how to laugh out loud at the ridiculous horror of all this." Tom continues on not noticing the conversation the two were having. "Look – cheerleaders and there's that darn Leo again!"
The group turns to see the cheerleading squad start walking away because Brittany was annoyed by Kevin's departure and the Lawndale Lion stealing their spotlight. In their hurry to leave the walk right into the path of the unstable 'kill the otters' float which causes the drivers of the float to panic and turn the car much to quickly. The car's tires squeal as the float narrowly avoids the cheerleaders and the crowd as it is toppling over. The driver and his buddy barely get out in time to avoid the car exploding.
"Wow." Daria says in amusement.
"It's like the Hindenburg." Tom comments equally amused.
"Oh, the lack of humanity." Daria says as she watches everything unfold, she hears the crowd cheers and applaud as fire fighters arrive to put out the blaze.
"This is magnificent." Daria says with a smirk. "When Homecoming Parades Turn Hellish."
"Now, aren't you glad you were here to see this?" Tom asked turning to face her.
"Well, I definitely understand why you wanted to share this with Jane." Daria finally admits. "Sorry you never hooked up."
"It's okay." Tom says with a shrug. "By now she'd be so busy snapping pictures she'd forget I was even here. You know how she is."
"Yeah, I know how she is." Daria says nodding in agreement.
"Thanks for getting lost in the moment with me." Tom says while intensely staring at her.
"Um, you're welcome?" Daria just says in confusion.
"What do you think of all this, Tad?" Tom says remembering the younger boy he looks around and notices that said boy is gone. "Tad? Tad?"
"Oh, no." Daria says in a slightly panicked tone.
"He couldn't have gone far?" Tom tries to reason as he looked around.
"Did we pass any windmills?" Daria says with a sigh. "Wait, maybe he's with Kevin and Kristen?"
"I think we might have lost them too." Tom said as he and Daria are walking the parade route once again, this time in search of Tad, Kevin and Kristen; they wind up in front of Drugs N' Stuff.
"Tad? Kristen, Kevin?" Daria calls out as they walk down the sidewalk.
"I was holding his hand last, Daria." Tom states. "I'll take responsibility."
"Tad? Kristen? Kevin?" Daria says in disbelief. "I can't believe this."
"Hey, it could be worse." Tom tries to reason.
"Let's see... in the past half-hour, I've lost the chance to make 20 bucks, lost my dignity on a float, and, oh, yeah... I lost two seven-year-old children and a QB." Daria says in a deadpanned tone.
"Well at least you're still carrying the toilet paper, right?" Tom pointed out.
"Yeah. Okay, at least the trip wasn't a complete waste of time." Daria says while glaring at the reason why she was out of her house in the first place.
"Daria! Tom! We found my parents!" Tad shouted gaining the two's attention. "They were looking for us!" He states the Gupty family plus Kevin and Kristen approaches Daria and Tom; Mr. Gupty was holding Tad in his arms.
"Of course, we were looking for you, honey. We were so worried." Mrs. Gupty reassures her son before she turns to face Daria. "Daria, Tad told us all about how you stayed with him and Kristen."
"How can we ever repay you?" Mr. Gupty asked.
"I hear uncut diamonds are as good as cash on the open market." Daria's deadpanned tone is meet with laughter by Guptys.
"Yes, well, thank you, Daria." Mrs. Gupty says gratefully. "The next time you baby-sit, we'll be sure to have some extra carrot sticks in the fridge, just for you!"
"Come on, honey, Daria here is a hero. I say we get her some dried fruit." Mr. Gupty insists.
"My cup runneth over." Daria says dryly.
"Mom! Dad! We're missing the parade!" Tricia says impatiently while pulling her mother towards the street.
"Well, I guess we'd better find a good spot." Mrs. Gupty proclaims. "Thanks again, Daria. Kevin, we'll see you again when you come pick up Kristen at eight."
"Sure, Mrs. Gupty see you then." Kevin says as the group walks away. "Kristen behave yourself this time!"
"You really are a good parent, aren't you?" Daria says sarcastically as she faces Kevin. "Despite the questionable people you allow to take care of Kristen."
"You're the one that said the Gupty's were safe enough." Kevin counters back with a lopsided grin as he stared back at Daria. "And I trusted that you were right about that since you're right about most things."
"To be fair at the time I hadn't known them to misplace children during a crowded parade." Daria says evenly with a small smirk. "Although, I guess this counts as a mark on my previously clean record."
"Not to interrupt the conversation about Daria's fall from grace." Tom interjects reminding the two that he was still there.
"Oh, right sorry." Daria says before looking around. "Um, this is where I saw Jane before, but she's not here now."
"We've done what we can. I wouldn't stress about it." Tom says with another shrug as he leaned closer to Daria. "We're having a good time, right?"
"Um." Was all Daria had a chance to say before the sound of Upchuck being beaten with nightsticks by to police officers on the parade route caught her attention. "I wonder what he's done this time?"
"Whatever it is you know he deserves it." Kevin says as he watches the scene unfold.
"They're gonna kill him." Tom says as he watches the scene as well.
"Doubtful this is probably the most action Upchuck has had all year." Kevin says with a laugh.
"Or at any point in his life." Daria adds on they both laugh together and wince when Ted DeWitt-Clinton snaps a photo of them.
"Thanks, Daria. It's for the yearbook." Ted says as he puts down his camera. "I'm getting some really great pictures of couples tonight." He says as he quickly moves on to the next place.
"No, Ted, we're not a..." Daria tries to explain in a hurry.
"Didn't you used to date that guy, Daria?" Kevin asked as he watched Ted walk away.
"Well, it's about stinking time." Jane says as she approaches the group before Daria could answer.
"We've been looking all over for you." Tom says while turning to face Jane.
"What do you mean, been looking?" Jane questioned as she stared him down.
"Tom and I ran into each other." Daria explained. "We've been up and down the entire parade route."
"Together? And yet, no torn clothes? No blood? No missing organs." Jane says in an amused tone.
"No, we got along... pretty well. Right, Daria?" Tom says while turning his head to face Daria again.
"Right. I guess." Daria says dryly.
"I said to meet at Drugs N' Stuff." Jane stated while playfully jibbing a finger in his chest. "Where were you, you big dope?"
"No, you said at the pharmacy." Tom corrected while putting her finger off of his chest and giving it back to her.
"He was at the other one waiting for you." Daria continued explaining. "That's where I met him... ran into him."
"Mm-hmm. I tried there, too." Jane says as she thinks back on it. "You guys must have left before I got there, I guess."
"I guess." Tom says evenly.
"Well, come on. Let's get some pizza and compare battle scars." Jane says while grabbing Tom's arm and starts walking in a different direction. "You coming Daria? Kevin or should I say you're majesty!"
"Kevin is fine." Kevin says with a grin before turning to face Daria. "Feel like a meat lovers or a-" He sentence is cut off when two students in a paint fight rushes past them, using his quick reflexes Kevin moves Daria out of the way covering her with his body as the paint falls on him. "Watch where you're throwing your paint!" He yelled turning to face the paint fighting couple as the blue and yellow paint pour onto his head and uniform.
"Oops, sorry." The girl says sheepishly.
"Yeah, sorry Kevin." The boy says before running off.
"Oh, no, they've attacked the football king." Jane says jokingly. "Now we will surely have to go to war!"
Kevin just rolled his eyes before pulling away from Daria to check her over. "You okay Daria?"
"Yeah." Daria says feeling a bit shaken up by the whole ordeal. "Wow. That was the modern equivalent of laying your cape over a puddle of water for me."
"Well, I must look like one colorful puddle." Kevin says evenly. "I'm gonna spending a long time in the shower washing this paint off."
"I guess we should wait for you to clean up before going out for pizza huh?" Tom said.
"No, come out like that, Kevin. Show the world that the football king is strong!" Jane encouraged.
"As fun as it sounds but, I don't think the pizza place wants me staining their floors and chairs with paint." Kevin said shaking his head at the idea.
"Hey, what's more stain?" Jane says in amusement. "At least we'll know what it is!"
"No way, I need a shower…or at least a hose or something." Kevin states evenly.
"Well, I guess hose bath in my backyard is the least I could do." Daria offers.
"Also gives you a chance to try to collect the money from your dad?" Kevin says with a raised colorful eyebrow.
"Two birds, one stone." Daria says in a deadpanned tone.
"I guess, we'll see you guys later then." Jane says with a shrug.
"Yeah, see you around." Tom says evenly as he and Jane begin to walk away.
"I'll call you later." Jane shouts to Daria as they cross the street.
With the parade almost finished it doesn't take Daria and Kevin very long to get through the thinning crowd so that they could make it back to Daria's house. Kevin makes a beeline for her backyard clearly uncomfortable with the paint that was now starting to dry on his scalp. Daria quickly enters the house hoping that her father was still stuck on the toilet and willing to pay anything to be free of it once more.
"Daria? Daria?! Please come home, Daria." Daria could hear her father ranting from the bathroom. "Come on, I've read this article about the Kardashians five times! I knew I should've made it thirty bucks. Damn it!"
"You're right you should've made it thirty." Daria says from outside the bathroom.
"Daria! You finally came back!" Jake cries in relief. "I thought I'd be stuck here forever."
"Yeah, sorry the Homecoming parade made it harder to get back here sooner." Daria explains sheepishly from outside the door. "Plus, I had to help some lost kids and-"
"Aww, I missed the Homecoming parade?" Jake interrupts Daria's explanation as he began to groan in disappointment. "I've been looking forward to that all week!"
"I'm just gonna put the toilet paper outside the door and leave now." Daria states while rolling her eyes at her father.
With her task finally complete, Daria decided to check to see how Kevin was doing in the backyard, on her way back downstairs she remembers to bring him a towel. He would likely need one once he was done washing up with the hose. When Daria finally made it to the backyard Kevin was slightly bent over to allow the water from the hose to wash over his head, from where Daria was standing it looked like most of the paint was off his body. Though to be fair a lot of the paint was mostly on his football uniform, as Daria approached him with the towel Kevin had decided to shut off the hose.
It feels as if time stops as Kevin stood in front of her shirtless and soaking wet, from his hose bath. Objectively Daria has always known that Kevin was good-looking, clearly, he had to be for the likes of Brittany Taylor to have dated him for as long as she did, and for her sister Quinn to use him as a steppingstone to boys in their grade. But Daria had never paid any mind to his looks in the past especially since he was irritating to her back then. His looks were only an observation, and she never thought too deeply about it. But at the same time, she'd never been this close to him while he was shirtless and wet from trying to clean paint off himself. Even in the setting sun, Daria could clearly see his boarding chest, pecs and slight abs, and it made her feel embarrassed in a way that she hadn't felt since before she got over her crush on Trent.
"So did I get it all off?" Kevin asked staring at Daria as the water from the hose still glisten down his body unbothered at the idea of standing in front of her like this. "Daria?"
"Uh?" Daria asked as the sound of Kevin calling her name snaps her out of her daze.
"Did I get all the paint off?" Kevin simply asked again.
"Oh um, yeah." Daria says as evenly as possible. "Oh, here I thought you could use this." She quickly adds holding up the towel.
"Cool thanks." Kevin says as he took the towel and began drying himself. "So did you want to try to catch up with Jane and Tom for pizza?"
"Oh um, I don't know I'm kind of beat." Daria says quickly facing away from him, when she felt that she was staring a bit too much. "I think I'll just order a pizza here and stay in…I can hit my dad up for that thirty to help pay for it."
"Cool, maybe we can finally try to get pass the Jungle level on Goldeneye?" Kevin says cheerful after wrapping the towel around his neck. "I mean I don't have to pick up Kristen until eight anyway!"
"I guess we might as well since you're inviting yourself over again." Daria says as dryly as possible, as she walks back towards the house before Kevin could say anything else. It was only when Daria was safely back inside her house did she feel that she could breathe a little easier again. She knew she would need to shake the image of a wet shirtless Kevin out of her head if she was going to get through the rest of the night. After all their dynamic may have changed greatly in what felt like a short amount of time but there was no reason to make simple acceptance something awkward and uncomfortable.
A/n and that's the end of this chapter I hoped you enjoyed it! I know that a lot of people have been waiting too long for this and I apologize once again but hopefully it was worth it. See ya next time.