A/N: AHHHHH I'm so so so so soooooooooooooooo sorry for extremely late update. I've been having so many problems + school + shit and argue so sorry. To make up for it. Have this chapter. I made it feelsy for your hearts to explode. So, yeah, forgive me. I do not own Homestuck nor the songs I am using. I own this story though, so don't steal it.

Chapter 4

Acoustic Blues

The car ride home was eventful. He got to know her more. Like her favorite color. Her favorite movie before she got kidnapped. She hadn't watched a good movie since then. He was thinking about watching a movie with her tonight. If she wasn't scared about being in the dark with him. Maybe if he picked the right movie, they could share a night of cuddles. Okay, maybe not cuddling but just, relaxing, before he had to go to work in the morning.

The drive back to his apartment wasn't that long. Only about 20 minutes, but he didn't want it to be a awkward ride, so he started a conversation. "So, did you have fun?" he asked with his one hand on the wheel.
"Yeah, I had a lot of fun, thank you," she said, giving him a soft smile.
"Yeah, well, I know how to treat a girl," he smiled back at her. Wow, she seemed like the only girl that could make him actually smile.

Jade looked away from him again, putting her attention on what was going on outside. Just staring at the passing trees, bare of leaves because it was autumn. But she just had that stare like she wanted to see the world. He wanted to make her happy. To get her life back, but it would take some time. Though, he didn't care. He would do anything to make this girl smile again.

"You have work tomorrow, right?" she was looking at him again. Play cool, Strider, play cool.
"Yeah, gotta go in for a couple hours, nothing too bad," he said. "Might take a case but nothing too special,"
"Do you always go on cases?"
"Not too often. See, I'm a detective, I am there to help out murders and shit like that. If I'm on a dumbass case and they need me for a murder scene, I gotta be there," he explained.
"Oh," like that made any sense to her. But she waved it off.
"Yeah. You wanna stay at my house again?" he asked. "I have a guest room, just gotta clear it out,"
"That sounds really nice, thank you," she smiled at him.
"Not a problem,"

Soon, the car ride went quiet, but it didn't matter because they were already in front of the apartment building. Jade got out of the car and grabbed most of the bags, Dave helped as well as they walked into the building. Waving to Meulin as they passed. Dave and Meulin signed for a minutes as they waiting for the elevator. They had a polite conversation, like he would usually have with the deaf girl on many occasions. The elevator came and Jade walked in, Dave followed as he said goodbye to Meulin.

"You know, she wasn't deaf to start out with?" Dave said to her as they rode the machine up to the fifth floor.
"What happened?"
"It was something with her boyfriend. He screamed so loud in her ear that she became deaf. I don't know. But her boyfriend left her because he couldn't forgive himself. Became a mute, now no one knows where he is," Dave said. "Like, he dropped off the face of the Earth, really."
"Oh," she said, dropping the conversation quickly. She didn't want to talk about other peoples tragedies and such.

The conversation did fall flat as he looked about the elevator. It was awfully silent, which made him go a bit tense. He didn't like it when things were quiet. Even in his house, him and his bro where always yelling or doing something. His love for making music made the home noisy. It made him really really uncomfortable when things got silent.

Thankfully, the silence was stopped by a ding. Informing them that they have reached their floor. The large gray, metal doors opened for them as the two stepped out. Both hands kinda full of shopping bags. But Dave had an extra hand if he put the bags on his wrist. He somehow fished out his keys to unlock the door, which was surprisingly unlocked.

He kicked opened the door to see his brother, just lounging on the couch in a shirt and boxers. Dave groaned as Jade cracked a smile. The spiky haired freak looked up at the two. "Oh, didn't think you'd be home so soon,"
"Its 5 in the afternoon," Dave told him, walking in and shutting the door with his foot. Jade followed him in and gave a small smile to Dirk.
"Is she gonna be living with us?" he asked, his nose cringing a bit.
"Probably, why?"
"Are you gonna pay for her?"
"I'll try,"
"Good, because I'm not helping with anything,"
"Fatass," Dave muttered as he walked into his room to put the shopping bags on his floor. Jade followed him closely, like a lost puppy.

"Okay, tonight, I'm gonna be cleaning out the guest room and probably passing out there, you can have my room one more night and that's it, got it?" he spoke to her softly, but slightly demanding. The night before, he slept on the couch, and he was about to sleep in another foreign bed. He already missed his really soft bed. One he paid a lot of money to get. One that he screamed at his bro from touching it just slightly. It was his head. He loved that bed… a lot.

Jade just nodded at his request. A bit happy by the fact that Dave was doing all this stuff for her from just knowing her for almost two days. She was very grateful, one could say she could be happy again. Maybe.

"So, hungry for dinner?" he asked as he set the bags beside of his head. "Or still full from all the fired chicken you consumed?" he gave a slight smirk as he twisted his bare wrist. He just simply heard a crack and sighed, relaxing.
"Uh, no, I'm not hungry anymore…" she said softly as she looked up at him. "Thank you, by the way,"
"For what? Taking care of you?" he asked. She nodded. "Well, its no problem at all. I want to do this," he gave her a small smile.
"Still, thank you," she smiled back at him.

She really couldn't explain it. But she felt like she belonged with it. It did feel a bit soon considering she just met him two days ago. Yet, he was doing so many things for her. Like taking care of her, buying her things. Letting her stay in his house (with his very loud brother, but that didn't matter). She felt so grateful. So much that she didn't know what she would do if he didn't meet her. Even for meeting a boy two days ago, he was really hot. And his shades made him look very mysterious. Which she really liked.

"So, dinner?" he asked
"Nah, lets wait a bit," she smiled as she stretched. "I'm gonna go take a shower," she said as she grabbed her towel.
"Don't fall this time," he said, smirking.
"Shut up," she said, giving him a slight shove as she walked pass him, giving him a smile before walking into the bathroom.

Dave's eyes followed her as she walked out of the bedroom. He had to admit, she was absolutely the most adorable girl he's ever seen. And he saw that she trusted him. Even from what she's been through, it must have taken a lot. He wasn't the 'best' guy ever. He always wore sunglasses (for a good reason). He always had a smug look on his face, never really shown his emotions to anyone BUT Terezi. It was kinda his thing. He was raised by his Bro to seem like an emotionless dick. Not Dirk but his actual Bro. His big brother that raised both Dave and Dirk. That man had passed because of an event at a shooting. He would never forget it.

Dave ran a hand through his hair as he turned and walked out of his room. He decided to start cleaning out the guest room, since that was where she was going to be staying. He rolled up his sleeves and opened the door.

Immediately the first thing that happened was the fall of many colorful smuppets. They all fell on top of him in a fast rush as he toppled over. He let out the most girlish scream as they did. Feeling the plush rumps glaze across his skin. Once they stopped falling, he pushed them all away and screamed. "DIRK!" The boy came running.
"WHAT?!"
"Did you make a shit ton of these fucking things fall on me when I opened the door?!"
"…no," Dirk said, his face dropped, as did Dave's.

It was months ago when their big brother died. Dave was just a rookie, not even a full cop yet. It was a night when it was the youngest Strider's first outing. Dirk tagged along as Bro led the team. He had high hopes for them. The call was about bank robbery. A group of men with masks over their faces held the place down. Ten to twenty people were being held hostage as the team showed up.

When it was about 15 minutes in, Bro got impatient and took a few, well bodied men in with him. That was when Dave and Dirk heard the bang and rushed inside. Bro was on the ground, bleeding from his stomach and the men with masks were being arrested by the other cops. Dave and Dirk tried their best to save him. Dirk had fled to get a medic as Dave held him in his arms. Bro's last sentence was short, but meaningful. Dave had never made the attempt to tell anyone about it. He told Dirk that he died by saying good-bye. It was something he would never forget, no matter how long he'd live. He promised he'd make Bro proud. He had too..

It took both the Strider's to take out the smuppets. They decided to stash them in Dirk's room. Considering Dave was holding back so many tears, he didn't want Dave to break down every time he opened his closet. Dirk stored the poor things in his. Until they figured out what to do with the freaky things, they would live there.

Once that was done, Dirk went to go make something to eat as Dave stayed in the room and cleared the rest of the garbage. He made the bed perfectly as he went over to the closet. He was scared to open it, in fear of another waterfall of smuppets. Yet, he opened the closet to find absolutely nothing inside of it. Did Bro even use this? No wait, there were things, here. Dirk's old CD's, Bro's old swords and… wait, a second. Was that his old guitar? Shit, it was.

Dave reached into the closet and pulled out a rather dusty, tan acoustic guitar. Wow, he hadn't seen this thing since he was a teenager. He gave up on it when Bro got him the turn tables for his 14th birthday. Bro must have saved it. Maybe he was going to sell it if they didn't have enough money for other shit. But here it was, a bit worn down from the years in the closet, but Dave set it in playing position as he tuned it.

Yup, it seemed Dave never forgot the lessons he was taught when he was 12. He played a simple tune to warm up. Ode to Joy. The first song he learned. He sat on the bed as he finished playing. Once the song was over, he was thinking about something else that he should play. A song dawned on him as he played the first couple notes. Then he started singing. It was his favorite song by 3 Doors Down.

Jade was out of the shower and now drying her hair. It took her a while before she suddenly heard the sounds of acoustic music drift through the house. Or, apartment. She smiled softly as she got changed into bed attire as walked out of the bathroom. She followed the sound of it as she heard Dave singing.

"Well I took a walk around the world to ease my troubled mind. I left my body laying somewhere in the sands of time. But I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon. I feel there's nothing I can do… Yeah.." The words poured out of his mouth naturally. The didn't skip nor did they stutter. She could hear the emotion in the words. It was practically music to her ears.

The song continued as she pushed open the door slightly, leaning in. "I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon. After all I knew it had to be something to do with you. I really don't mind what happens now and then. As long as you'll be my friend at the end." He took a deep breath, but his fingers never stopped playing the tune. She heard the guitar increase in the volume as she noticed he was getting to the chorus.

"If I go crazy then will you still call me superman? If I'm alive and well will you be there, holding my hand? I'll keep you by my side with my superhuman.. Might. Kryptonite." He started tapping his foot on the floor as he got lost in the song. While his fingers ran across the strings, he closed his eyes. He didn't noticed Jade standing in the doorway. Hearing him sing.

"You called me strong, you called me weak. But still your secrets I will keep. You took for granted all the times I never let you down. You stumbled in and bumped your head. If not for me then you'd be dead. I picked you up and put you back on solid ground." Suddenly, Jade was feeling a sort of connection to this song. He saved her from Gamzee, he was the reason that she was still alive. He was helping her as much as he could. He cared about her… a lot.

"If I go crazy then will you still call me superman? If I'm alive and well, will you be there, holding my hand? I'll keep you by my side with my superhuman might. Kryptonite." The door opened a bit more as she sighed happily, her damp hair pressed against her back. She pushed her glasses further up her nose as she smiled.

"If I go crazy then will you still call me superman? If I'm alive and well, will you be there, holding my hand? I'll keep you by my side with my superhuman might. Kryptonite." His voice sounded like it was meant to be this way. She didn't really understand it, (nor could she explain it) but she loved his voice. His singing voice, that is.

He took a deep breath and sung the last chorus. "If I go crazy then will you still call me superman? If I'm alive and well, will you be there, holding my hand? I'll keep you by my side with my superhuman might." he did a little guitar solo to himself. "Kryptonite…"

Once Dave finished the song, he looked up at Jade. Surprised by the fact she was just chilling there, eyes closed. "Oh, hey," he said to her as he shifted and set the guitar on the bed.

"That was a nice song," she said softly, opening her bright green eyes and looking at him.
"Its one of my favorite songs that I made myself learn while I was a kid." He replied to her.
"You have a nice singing voice." She gave him a smile before looking at the room.

The room was about the size of Dave's. A bed, a closet, a desk. Almost everything she needed for living. A dresser sat beside a window. And the window even led out to a fire escape. Maybe she could make a small little garden there. If she had the time.

"Thanks." Dave said as he looked around. "Don't normally sing for a lot of people. I was kinda hoping no one was around…"
"Oh!" Jade squeaked, slowly backing away. "I guess you want to be alone. I'll, uh, get out of your hair." She turned around and was about to scurry back to Dave's room before he caught her attention.
"No! Wait, you can… you can stay. I don't mind." He tried to give her a smile of reassurance, but that didn't work if she was turned around.
"Are you sure? I mean, I can leave you alone if you want to practice your guitar." Jade responded with as she turned back around. Seeing his smile, she knew it was alright. She pretty much marked that smile as the sign of 'everything is gonna be okay.' She trusted him was all.
Dave smiled. "Any requests?" he asked, tapping the guitar softly.
"Uhmmm." She said, walking back in and stilling next to him. "Cactus in the valley?"
"Hmm, I think I know that song. Isn't it a duet?"
She blushed. "Yeah, it is."
"Sing it with me?"
"I don't sing…"
"Come oooon." He pushed her gently.
"Hng." She playfully groaned.
"It won't be that bad. I mean, I'm the only one here? Its not like there's an entire fucking audience in the closet awaiting to hear your beautiful singing voice."
"You haven't even heard me sing!"
"Which gives me every reason to want to."

This made her smile. Was he flirting with her? Why would he? She was a broken girl, yet he was fixing her within every hour. She now had trust issues around men, and he was the most trusted guy in her life right now. She was terrified of the world, so she stuck by his side. Did Dave maybe… like her? No, that can't be. It really can't. They only met a few days ago. But if he was really doing all these things for her. And only her.

Her self argument was interrupted as he waved his hand in front of her face. "Helloooo? Earth to Harley? You in there?"
She blinked. "Uh yeah, sorry."
"So, wanna sing?"
"Uhhhhhh."
"Please?" He flashed her a smirk. "Its just me. And I know you. You're like an open book to me. Letting me hear you sing would make my day."
"I… I guess…"
"Awesome!" He said as he strummed a simple tune before cuing her in.

Jade took a deep breath and started to sing. "I never meant to wither. I wanted to be tall. Like a fool, left the river. And watched my branches fall. Old and thirsty; I longed for the flood to come back around. To the cactus in the valley that's about to crumble down. And wipe the mark of sadness from my face.. Show me that your love will never change.. If my yesterday is a disgrace… Tell me that you still recall my name.." her voice was soft and sweet. Holding out the notes for the right amount of time and taking breath when needed. She had a beautiful singing voice. Yet she never really sung… a lot.

Now it was Dave's turn. "So the storm finally found me, and left me in the dark. In the cloud around me, I don't know where you are. If this old world goes up in arms all I can do is stand. And I won't fight for anyone… until you move my hand. And wipe the mark of madness from my face. Show me that your love will never change. If my yesterday is a disgrace. Tell me that you still recall my name."

Jade soon took up the next part of the song. "Oh here… In the shadows, here I am, and I need someone by my side.."
"It becomes so… hard to stand… and" Dave said before both of them took the next line. "I keep trying to dry my eyes."
"Come and find me." Dave sung.
"In the valley." Jade matched his note. "And wipe the mark of sadness from my face. Show me that your love will never change. If my yesterday is a disgrace. Tell me that you will recall my name." She sang as he tapped on guitar. Soon picking up the melody again.

Jade leaned in closer to him and sang with him. "And wipe the mark of madness from my face. Show me that your love will never change. If my yesterday is a disgrace. Tell me that you still recall my name.." He finished up the song as he held out the last note, looking straight into her eyes. She gave him a soft smile. And he smiled back.

"You have a nice voice." He said, smirking.
Jade blushed and straightened herself. "Uh, thanks. You too." She said, pushing hair out of her eyes, wrapping it around her ear.
"You're a natural. Knew you could do it." He said while putting the guitar on the bed. "Don't deny it either."
She giggled. "Thank you."
"Welcome." He answered.
He stood up and held his hand out for her. "Shall I escort you to bed, madam?" He asked formally. Making her giggle more.
"You may." She said, taking his hand and standing up. He moved through the house to his room. Opening the door and leading her to his bed.
"Here you are." he said as he let go of her hand and pulled back the covers. "All nice and warm for ya." He smiled.
"Why thank you," she said as she sat on the bed, snuggling into the warmth. "I promise you'll get your bed back tomorrow." She said.
"Yeah, because I'm sleeping in the guest room. Gonna make sure there's no ghosts in it. Ya know, just in case." He smirked. God, was he always this childish?
"Whatever you say, Dave." She said. Laying down against the bed. "Good night."
"Good night." and with that, he walked out, closing the lights and the door. Smiling and venturing into the guest room. Wow, that went better then he thought.

SORRY ITS SO SHORT. I'm finishing this at 2 am. Hopefully its all good. The two songs I used for this chapter are called.

Kryptonite By Three Doors Down (acoustic)
Cactus in the Valley ft. Owl City - LIGHTS (Siberia Acoustic)
(again I own nothing but the story)

Both VERY good songs. I hope this chapter gives you the lovely feels that is needed for your heart. Also, no shout outs this time. Sorry!

*gives you all hearts and love*

~Kitty