text;

[wakingsavior]

hi, everyone!
my name's john egbert, i'm new which is why most of you don't know me, heh.
i know it's probably silly because dave would've found someone, but is there anyone here who knows american sign language?
it's just that i'm deaf, so it's the easiest way for me to communicate, and so far dave's the only person who knows how to do it.
if not, that's cool, and thanks for your time.

Comments

[wakingsavior]

well, yeah, in theory.
i can sort of say a few things!
my speech therapist helped me with that and lip-reading.
iunno, i figure i probably sound kind of weird.

[ But he might try to practice when he's alone with Dave anyway. ]

heh, yeah.
if you've got my back, we're unstoppable!

[knightime]

you probably sound like an egbert
idk what that sounds like so dont ask me
pretty sure youd sound fine dude
and if people give you shit
i can punch them in the face for you
then theyll sound fucking funny too
and maybe missing a tooth or two

[Hah. John, you're such a dork.]

we werent unstoppable to begin with dude

[wakingsavior]

heh.
well, maybe, then!
i can try it out on you and jade.

[ You wouldn't have him any other way, Strider, and you know it ]

psh, we are badass.

[knightime]

you can probably ask jade
to help you
since
well she can talk
shed be more useful then me
and fuck yes we are

[wakingsavior]

you can still tell me if i sound like an idiot, though!
and that's important to any learning process.
or something.

[knightime]

you sound like an idiot
even over text
so you sounding like an idiot when you talk
isnt that big of a difference

[wakingsavior]

:PPPPPPPP

i was going to come do that in person
but then i realised you were right.

[knightime]

dude
are you like
texting a raspberry face at me
is that seriously a thing you are doing???

action;

[wakingsavior]

[ there is a couple minutes' pause.

and then John is in his doorway blowing a raspberry at him. ]

action;

[knightime]

[And Dave swings his door out sticking his tongue out at him like the mature coolkid he apparently is.]

action; 5ever

[wakingsavior]

[ They are the MOST mature. ]

<<'Is your roommate here?'>>

[knightime]

[Dave shakes his head. Fuck if he knew where his roommate was.]

[wakingsavior]

[ John comes in and shoves his hands in his pockets, pursing his lips thoughtfully.

Remembering all the little vibration and tongue things for speaking is hard, since he doesn't do it often, but dammit, he's going to. ]

I s-sound really... stupid.

[ It's a little lispy, the p sounds a bit like a b, and it's got an odd quality to it since he can't hear himself, and the volume fluctuates a little... but it's recognizable as words!

And he's totally blushing a little because he knows he sounds weird. ]

[knightime]

[Dave just stands there for a minute. He's honestly surprised the other talked to him. And...he honestly isn't sure how to respond but stand there in utter shock and stare at the other.

And he might be a little embarrassed because John was willing to be a little uncomfortable and say something to him.

Congratulations.

Dave Strider is more speechless then he already was.]

[wakingsavior]

[ After a moment of awkwardly standing there, John lets out a bit of a huff of air. ]

<<'Please say something? I know I sound weird. I mean, I'm pretty sure. I can't tell from first-hand experience, but...'>>

[knightime]

[He runs a hand through his hair, messily signing back.]

<<'I just didn't expect that. I guess. But hey, if talking makes you awkward, I guess I can do something in return. Not sure what, but shoot, fairs fair?'>> [Not that he knows what he could do in return for John talking. He certainly couldn't talk back or anything.]

[wakingsavior]

[ John grins sheepishly and shrugs a bit ]

<<'It's not too awkward, I just never really talk to people outside of speech therapy or telling someone I don't know that I'm deaf.

So it's less awkward and more something I've never really done before.'>>

[knightime]

<<'It was kind of cool. Hearing you talk.'>>

[It didn't really bother him that he couldn't talk. Sometimes he wish he did. When it came to his friends and stuff, but he didn't really care most of the time. The fact that John was deaf was actually nice. Because he didn't have to talk to be able to communicate with John.]

<<'But seriously. I guess I'd like to do something in return. Which isn't a whole fucking lot.'>>

[wakingsavior]

<<'It was?'>>

[ That's... news to John. But interesting information! He should practice talking with Jade. Or maybe Vriska. No, Vriska would be a jerk about it. Not that he minds much, that's just Vriska, but he'll stick with Jade, probably. ]

<<'Well, if you think of anything. It's cool if you don't think of anything, though.'>>

[knightime]

[He nods at John's question. Maybe he'd convince John to get better at it. If John could talk and read lips. He could probably get by with actual conversations. That would be cool.

He thinks a bit and instinctively moved to lift his sunglasses up, but stops and lets his arms drop. Technically, it would be easier if Dave didn't wear them while he signed, but he was also too self conscious for that. And really, he's too scared to do that. Even if it's John.]

<<'I'll think of something eventually I guess.'>>

[wakingsavior]

[ One day, he'll do it. And it will be an awesome moment, and John will appreciate it greatly.

Until then, though, John can follow him well enough with the sunglasses and the deadpan. ]

<<'Well until then, I'll just be the freaky one.'>>

[ He flops down on the bed that he's hoping is Dave's, and signs at the ceiling. ]

<<'We're going to get home at some point, right? Or... back to the Session so we can do our stuff and kick ass and save everything?'>>

[ He glances at Dave so he can see any response Dave might have to that. ]

[knightime]

[He would have made a comment about John always being kind of freaky, but he's more distracted about the rest of what John has to say.

Getting back...Dave rubs his temples. Whenever he thought about the Session and what he had to do next, it hurt. And he knew it hurt because he didn't actually remember what he was doing. There was just a huge gap in his memory.]

<<'I don't know. I've been here a week and it looks like people can just disappear at random. But I don't think we can choose to go back or not. Who're we saving exactly?'>>

[Wait. He doesn't even know where John is on the timeline. He should know this.] <<'What the fuck do you remember last anyways?'>>

[wakingsavior]

<<'Saving us. Dad and everybody and us. And maybe the trolls? It's all really confusing, but it's important, I know that much.'>>

[ John almost asks what that could possibly mean to Dave before he remembers - right, time shenanigans. ]

<<'I got to my quest bed and Vriska put me to sleep so I could take an epic nap, and then I woke up on the train.'>>

[knightime]

[Dave freezes up at the mention of Dad and everybody else. John...was so behind. John hadn't even reached god tier yet, but that felt ages ago for him.

He wasn't sure what to say now. He could bring John up to what he remembers, but he knew he'd be glossing over a lot of details that he couldn't completely recall either or things that some of the others knew.

Dave holds his hands up to sign...then just drops them again. Fuck.]

[wakingsavior]

[ John watches Dave and-- well, he doesn't know how to read that. The freezing, the aborted signing. Either something really bad happened, or Dave can't remember, or he's worried about messing up the timeline. He's not sure, though. ]

<<'You're time dude. Know all sorts of stuff you can't spoil me for. It's cool, dude.'>>