The water line begins to rise

[knightime]

Characters: Dave Strider and everyone ever
Format: Any/Whatever
This log is: Open
Location: Mostly Pool; But eventually Black 2-A
Summary: Despite being told otherwise, Dave still goes to work. He ends up buying memory charms and heads over to the pool to try and swim a little. Swimming at this time of year is stupid. Dave thinks this is incredibly stupid.
Warnings: Sad attempts at swimming, stupid Striders, feelings everywhere, language, and whatever labels you can attach to a Strider, maybe mentions of death

The best way to keep his mind off things? Ignore it completely. It was such a useless tactic. Something that would backfire on him eventually, if it hasn't already. It's becoming more obvious that sleeping is becoming harder for him to get. And with that small memory charm tucked with his other ones, he was beginning to wonder if he should just yank it off and leave it off somewhere. At the same time, this memory was something that belonged to another Dave. A memory he didn't seem to even own. It scared him and confused him. On one side, it couldn't be that he had forgotten it. His Sis was alive and well. She was a message away on his PDA. On the other, he felt like something was amiss. Whenever he thought about it, it hurt. In many ways. Well, mostly in the form of a headache. But his heart ached too. It left him slightly panicked. Even if Bro wasn't who he grew up with, it was still a version of Sis. A version that died. And it freaked him out. It just added on to whatever else plagued his mind.

He got up early (did he even sleep? he can't remember) and headed to work. Things were always slow and mostly mundane. He liked it that way. Just letting whatever music played in the shop to distract him for those few hours. While he was weary, it was nice. He stopped by the shop. Recette wasn't there, but the mayor instead. Weird. He left with two memory charms. He wasn't sure who would get the second one yet, but he knew where one of them was going.

Of course, instead of giving it to said person, he ended up redressing and headed to the pool. The lake was still somewhere he refused to approach. Of course he's still scared. Even if he denies it otherwise.

He threw the towel to the side and stood at the shallow end of the pool. He just stared blankly. Dave must have looked so awkward. Skinny and pale and covered in freckles. His trunks, a bright red that contrasted strongly with his skin. He finally put a foot into the water and almost wanted to go back to the dorm. Holy shit it is balls fucking cold. Who the hell actually enjoys this bullcrap??! He grit his teeth and finally settled into the water. He could at least tread water to some extent. Actual swimming? Not so much. Oh, dog paddling. If you could call his sad excuse of paddling as that. Most of the problem?

Dave didn't want to dip his head into the water quite yet. That feeling of suffocation still lingered in his mind and he was still trying to ease himself into it. Treading water is really fucking hard to do when you're shivering your ass off. God, he's already considering getting out again. Why is it so goddamn cold? Isn't spring supposed to be warm or something? Dave never ventured too far from the shallower side, but he was getting better. Even if it was slower than he hoped.

If you hadn't caught him at the pool, you'll probably catch him heading back to his dorm, shivering under his towel and smelling strongly of pool water. A hot shower and maybe he can get to sleep tonight.

Comments

[fracturedsoul]

Dave has probably been at the pool for a while when Dirk decides to go take a swim. It's cool out, but that's nothing he can't handle. He's been here a week and he's practically itching to go swimming. A pool isn't quite his style compared to under... under... flooded ruins, but he'll take it.

Wearing a pair of school-issued trunks, Dirk comes up to the side of the pool and stops when he stares down at the clear liquid. He hasn't noticed Dave; rather, he's distracted himself and is now lost in thought trying to figure out what this wet stuff is called. Shit. He knew it once.

[knightime]

Oh come on. Like he needs Dirk to know that he sucks at swimming. Not that anything he does can really go under swimming. Maybe flailing in the water sadly. That's pretty much as far as his knowledge goes. Basically staying afloat.

He considers trying to get out and abscond without the other noticing, but water makes noise. He really doubts he can get out of the water without Dirk noticing. So...he'll just tread in the spot he is, observing the other behind his shades. This is so awkward.

[fracturedsoul]

He continues to stare for nearly a minute. Fuck. H₂0. Dihydrogen monoxide. Liquified ice? Frowning and gritting his teeth, he rubs the side of his head with his right hand, perhaps drawing attention to the shitty tattoo and even shittier JPEG artifacts etched into his shoulder.

It's only then that he notices there's actually someone in the pool. Oh. Shit. Did he just momentarily lose his cool? In front of Dave? Again? Dirk schools his expression back into a blank stare. "Hey."

[knightime]

Dave watches the other. Okay, he knows water can be pretty cool and all, but the other is spending a crapton of time just looking at it. Oh. Hello. Those tattoos look horribly familiar. Why do you have those etched into your skin? That's kind of...yeah, he has no idea what to say about it.

He tilts his head slightly in greeting. What? You think he was going to just say hi back?

[fracturedsoul]

A wave would be nice, at least.

He watches Dave watching him. This is awkward. It is pretty obvious how uncomfortable Dave is around him, for whatever fucking reason, but it's not like he can just avoid the kid. They're roommates. And Dirk really, really wants to go swimming.

Fine, so be it. He steps back a few feet, takes a running leap, and cannonballs into the deeper end of the pool. He does wonder why Dave is staying so close to the shallow edge. They were from the same part of the world, it seemed; who lives in fucking Houston -- or, well, above it -- and doesn't know how to swim?

[knightime]

He's still trying to figure you out, okay? And if he were honest, it freaks him out that you exist. That there's so many parallels between their lives that he doesn't get. He wants to know more. Curiosity. But that would mean returning back to finish the session.

Oh, of course Dirk can swim. Now this is even weirder. What is he supposed to say if the other asks? Well...huh. That's a lot more complicated now that he thinks about it. The other doesn't know how to sign. He can't speak. Wow, this is basically the most awkward swim ever.

[fracturedsoul]

Hey, Dirk knows Dave can't talk. And no one would be stupid enough to bring their PDA into the pool. Right? That makes this pretty damn awkward, but a growing boy needs his exercise. He's not going to let his muscles atrophy into nothing while he's stuck here. If Dave has a problem with it, he shouldn't have gone swimming.

Dave can swim. Right? Dirk tries not to stare at his roommate as he begins paddling laps from one end to the other.

This is more awkward than that time he broke into a flooded apartment and found a stash of sex toys. That's how awkward this swim is.

[greenspaces]

Hi!

[ Walking over to him, dressed in a nice bathing suit. In a two-piece, it's obvious that she starved for four months. No one should have the right to be that skinny. But at least you can't see her ribs as much any more. ]

Are you here for swimming too?

[knightime]

[He's always a bit sad that Jade is still so skinny. Of course, he's kind of skinny himself. But he was skinny for different reasons.

Dave nods at her, not able to reply through his PDA anymore.]

[greenspaces]

[ She's holding down actual, delicious food now! This is good! ]

Do you want to go underwater with me? I brought goggles. [ Look at that, two pairs. ]

[knightime]

[He wants to say no. Because what if he freaks out and makes a fool of himself? But then he remembers, Jade wouldn't force him into the deep end. If he freaks out, he can just stand up.

She'd make sure he didn't drown and she wouldn't laugh at him.

He held his hands out, nodding a yes to her.]

[greenspaces]

[ She gently leads him into the water -- down the stairs, into the three feet area. Shallow and easy, she thinks. This is the same way she learned how to swim. ]

You have to put the goggles on, so you don't get water in your eyes. [ A smile, and she hands them over. ] Make sure you let bubbles out through your nose while you're underwater!

[knightime]

[He pauses for a minute. Well, since it's Jade...

He slips Sis' shades off (he needs to ask for his old ones back. He doesn't care if they're broken, he just wants them), leaving them at the edge of the pool. He fumbles with the goggles until he puts them on.]

'You'll make sure nothing bad happens right?' [He's trying to not cling to her too obviously.]

[greenspaces]

[ She takes his hand, patting it reassuringly. ]

Nothing bad will happen. I promise. If you start to run out of air, you just stand up. You can pull me with you!

[overthroen]

Rose finds the pool occupied by splashing noises sometime later in the day, and having seen Dave's post on the network before, she's got a pretty good idea of who's in it. She dips her hands in the water - doesn't feel hot or cold, actually. She's wearing a minimum of clothing so that she can jump in if Dave's around.

At the dorms, because this derp can't swim

[savedbyasong]

Shion was just entering Black Dorm when he saw Dave. He guessed from the towel and the shivering that he had went swimming, brave after he had drowned.

"Hello Dave, how did it go?"

Derp

[knightime]

He fumbled with his PDA a bit, fingers shaking slightly. This was a dumb idea. Why did he think this was a good idea? He doesn't even like the cold.

terribly
its ass fucking cold out there
okay
its probably not that bad
but it was still cold

[savedbyasong]

It is cold, it is getting warmer though I think. [Why did he walk over campus in just his towel in February? No wonder he was cold.] Do you want a hot drink?

[He really is just the mother of Black Dorm.]

[knightime]

i was probably gonna shower
the smell of chlorine
kind of sucks
seriously
people who find enjoyment in swimming are weird
this shit isnt that great

[Although, Dave would probably like it more if he knew how to swim even decently. He really is just hiding his shortcomings by hating it.]

[savedbyasong]

It's important though, to know how. [Shion is such a hypocrite because he can't swim either, but his only time actually swimming was in a sewer so he has reason to hate it.

He still thinks he should learn, he's just... a little worried he will drown...] Go get a shower, or you will freeze.

[knightime]

what
can you swim???

[Hey, don't give him lip service then be a complete hypocrite!]

what
you arent interested in seeing my frolic about half naked???
ladies would kill to see this

[pencilpremonition]

Becca caught Dave on his way back to the dorm--she wouldn't go near the pool, and the smell of pool water made her hair raise a bit. Literally? Probably not, but the feeling lingered anyway, crawling across her skin. She nodded quietly to him, sketchbook tucked under her arm as she, too, headed for the dorm.

"Had fun?" she asked gently, hoping a bit of conversation would get her mind off it. Why did water both fascinate her and make her nervous? Surely one of her memories would tell her, when she unlocked them.

[knightime]

no
its fucking freezing
i am freezing
i willy continue freezing i guess
but whatever
the weather here sucks shit
it better warm up or ill fucking flip all the tables possible

Swimming ended up not so bad. Kind of awkward, but eh. He was at least improving. He wasn't as worried about drowning as he was before.

[pencilpremonition]

Becca laughed softly and shrugged out of her jacket, offering it to him. "Why'd you go swimming if you're so bothered by the cold?"

[knightime]

He declines the offer. He'll be taking a shower soon anyways.

because
because idk
it seemed like a good idea at the time

He's not admitting to the fact that he can't swim and that he was told he should be prepared to swim in cold water.