JAKE: *Jake hurries back out into the central area, a little disappointed at having not been able to find any kind of utility belt amongst his things (blasted game!) but still excited to set out on an adventure with his weird science family… Who don't appear to be outside anymore. He looks around in dismay, dismissing the notion they might have gone on without him. He'd just have to look more thoroughly, that was it, so he crosses over to edge of the hub first to make absolutely certain they hadn't fallen off first.*
DIRK: *With plans to scope out the general vicinity of where a strife may or may not be happening later, Dirk enters the main area with his thumbs jammed into his pockets to resist pulling his sword out. (It's so much more dramatic when he does that, but he doesn't want to alarm any passerbys. His sweeping gaze around the room is meticulous--and then sort of freezes at the sight of Jake. Shit, English still probably hasn't noticed him, he COULD potentially leave, but--no, no aborting the mission now. Dirk moves a bit closer to the searching English and clears his throat, hoping to not utterly startle Jake if he hasn't noticed Dirk's presence yet.*
JAKE: *He is indeed a little too distracted to notice at first, but he manages not to jump too much in surprise. Pretty fortunate considering how close to the edge he's standing. Seeing who it is he feels a subconscious need to play it cool, which less fortunately is something he's never been very good at.* Oh, Dirk! What brings you out here on this fine- *Pausing to look up at the blankness overhead as an excuse not to be looking anywhere else he winces sheepishly.* Not day?
DIRK: *Yikes. Dirk resists the urge to raise an eyebrow at that rather awkward stumble, which maybe saves him from a little awkwardness of his own when he remembers what his intent was on coming into this area.* Oh, just. You know. Running a little perimeter check. How about you?
JAKE: Having a quick shufty about the place, eh? Very good! As for me, well, id meant to be taking a crack at one of these game levels with my kinsfolk. *Looks from side to side again, but the area is still clearly deserted apart from them.* Only they seem to have, er, scarpered away somewhat. But im sure theyll turn up soon enough! Howve you been, anyhow?
DIRK: *nods, he's doing his best not to look completely stiff but it's hard not to when you suppress most emotions in the first place.* I'd been wondering if anyone else was going to get around to the game-playing. Glad to see that the bucktoothed quartet will be on it.
DIRK: Speaking for myself, I've been as well as one can be when trapped in death-defying games.
DIRK: Which is at least tolerable.
DIRK: *Oh man the awkward. His voice is just a fraction unsure as he shifts, pointedly looking at the empty space right next to Jake.* And yourself?
JAKE: *Oh no, sweaty palms - He sticks his hands in his pockets in an attempt to look as casual as possible, which is difficult especially with his conscience prodding at him to actually attempt to speak frankly.* Me? Oh fine, fine. To tell the truth its been a trifle dull for the most part! It has been nice to speak a little with the relatives face to face though, theyre a good sort. Though i must admit i do worry a little, considering the history. I dont know, it all seems well and good to me, i doubt anybodys truly holding a grudge - i know i most certainly dont! - Only poor old jane, you know how she can be. She does tend to let these things weigh on her, and she had such a shocking time of it. *rambliiing*
DIRK: *The nervous rambling is almost enough to get Dirk to laugh, if he weren't bordering on the same situation.* Yeah, she does have something of a dilemma on doing that. I haven't actually had the chance to converse with her yet, but that can and will be easily remedied soon.
DIRK: How about Jade? She seemed a lot less evil when I talked to her.
DIRK: She didn't so much as snarl at me. Really kicked the bad habits to the curb, no doubt thanks to the game's reset.
JAKE: *He chuckles half-heartedly, thinking how very different she was now from their first true encounter.* Yes, i daresay all canine behaviors are done with, at least as far as i can tell. Shes still rather spirited though! And not in the least bit nefariously-minded, youre quite right. Quite the contrary. *Glancing back at Dirk and seeing he's not looking anyway he takes his hands out of his pockets to cross his arms across his chest, trying to summon up some resolve.* So were all alright, it would seem. How splendid.
DIRK: That's good. *Silence. Now would be the best time to breach that topic that had been briefly mentioned earlier, except Dirk has no idea where to start. Deep breath.* I'd like to apologize. To give an actual apology, I mean.
DIRK: For how I was before.
DIRK: When everything was right along the line edging towards the madness that ensued from the trickster travesty.
JAKE: *He's left speechless for a second, just long enough for him to realize how very unprepared he was for this after all.* Oh come now dirk, you know thats all in the past! Goodness me, its not like you were the one making a complete confectionary-laden tit of yourself. If anything, im the one who should be saying a proper sorry to you. What with everything that was going on, i never- It wasnt, well, there wasnt time and everything was all so terribly out of whack and i still ought to have done it. *He stares at the floor now, face feeling uncomfortably warm.* Everything you said, you were hitting the nail square on.
DIRK: Yes, I know. But your actions weren't completely unwarranted, and it's not like the relationship fell apart wholly due to your misconducts. *his shoulders hunch a bit in the twitch of a shrug, the nervousness getting to him a little.* There were errors made on both sides.
DIRK: The sooner those facts are accepted, reviewed and reflected upon, the sooner that we can come to a conclusion on this.
JAKE: *Rubbing at his arm he feels like he should argue the point more, if only he could. It was the truth, so instead he just nods uneasily.* And uh, just what conclusion would that be? *Even when trying to lighten the mood his voice sounds tight.* Cripes, but you do make it sound rather dire.
DIRK: *Dirk, on the other hand, seems to be trying to keep his expression (and by this, he hopes his tone will also be) flat. Joking is difficult right now.* Well, the preferred outcome would be that we can make a reparation back to how things were before, affiliating with one another in a platonic way.
DIRK: Meaning by a synonymous definition, *and at here he tries to crack a tiny smirk,* we'd just be bros.
DIRK: But if that's not going to fly in your cockpit, then I understand. *There's a certain guarded formality in those words, though.*
JAKE: *He'd thought Dirk had been straying into the overly-formal, and it made him feel strangely hollow to hear him speak so clinically about all of this. The smirk and the notion that comes along with it however comes as a relief, kick-starting a hurried and disjointed mental process. That was what he wanted, wasn't it? To go back to how things were before, if that was possible. He had missed him terribly, if not the him that had made him feel so unbearably guilty. There was a tiny voice that back-talked, suggesting that things could never be that easy, but he quickly squashes it back down.* Double hockey sticks, why didnt you say so sooner? That would be a most amicable conclusion indeed! Us two staunch compadres back in action, i cant think of anything better. *He claps him on the shoulder as a final enthusiastic punctuation mark.* You really mean it, chum?
DIRK: *Woah, okay. Dirk wasn't really expecting such a... enthusiastic reaction, but the touch kind of throws him for a loop and jumbles his thoughts up the most. His eyebrows shoot up in utter surprise before he's able to mask it again, and then gives Jake that teasing smirk again. It probably looks a bit... manufactured, though. The Strider is nowhere near okay enough to give a real one.* Yeah, of course. You didn't think I'd leave my best bro stranded all on his metaphorical lonesome, did you? Give me some credit, English.
JAKE: *The degree to which the ways in which they cope with the stress of the situation are completely opposite would be funny if it weren't also a tiny bit sad. Making sure to keep talking so as to stifle the thinking he takes his hand back, stance seemingly relaxing.* Ill give you that, and more besides! Im just over the moon to know well soon be back at the top of our game, a dynamic duo to look out for and no mistake. And the girls should be thrilled to hear everythings hunky dory again too.
DIRK: *The chipper attitude grinds just a little too harshly on some little part of Dirk, and he can feel his throat contrict as he tries to swallow the unintentional wounding. Jake's just being cheery, after all. Dirk can see that when he finally risks looking at the boy fully.* I'm sure they'll be euphoric. *The tightness gives his voice an off-kilter tone that he doesn't like, and abruptly the urge to leave is stronger than ever. He really, really needs to get back to his room.* Maybe you can let them know at a later time.
DIRK: I've got to get some shit put in order. *He makes a jerky motion with his thumb back to where he had come from.* Flames to stoke. You know how it is.
JAKE: *That hollow feeling seems to ebb back, his chest feeling oddly tight as if to compensate and keep whatever was left lurking inside neatly locked away. Looking increasingly distracted he glances around again, then over towards the escalator.* Yes, yes, of course. Im do worry those pesky scamps have gone on up ahead without me anyway, id better go and see to that now myself. Youll excuse me if i run along to check, wont you?
JAKE: *Only nominally waiting for his reply he begins walking over in a slight daze, looking back to wave a jerky farewell.*
DIRK: Of course. *The words are barely spoken before Jake's leaving, and... Wasn't this talk good? It was supposed to be good. It was supposed to make things better, except now Dirk feels a lot worse. The tightness in his throat has turned to a burning ache that sinks down lower, leaving a sore trail as Jake absconds. There's an extra pang with the somewhat wooden movement of English's goodbye, to which the blond just responds to with a nod before he turns back the way he had came. It feels like he's leaving with his tail tucked between his legs more than anything, and for the first time since getting into this new level of the game, Dirk wishes that he didn't have to have emotions.*
JAKE: *Boarding the escalator he feels increasingly ill, sure that for all he'd said he'd handled that far less well then he could have. Maybe this was how it was supposed to feel? Trying to reassure himself during the long journey up towards the game terminals he begins to run as if to distance himself from what has just transpired, feeling all the more dizzy and out of breath by the time he reaches the portals. One is already glowing blue, and with a gasp far too panicked to be warranted for the situation he slaps his hand on the touchpad before jumping in after who he mistakenly thinks will be his closest relations.*
