[Gary actually falls quiet for a moment instead of firing back with a retort straight away. He lets Dave think he shut him up for good this time, up until they're in front of the bakery.
He places his hand on the door, but before pushing it open he turns back to Dave with a smirk on his face.]
Glad to hear you admit your dedication, at least. I'm so flattered.
[God. Why the fuck does he subject himself to this?]
Careful. If you repeat it enough times, I'm seriously gonna get to thinking you've got some sort of hankering for my lap bastinado that you're projecting all over the fucking place like you've got the IMAX label stamped to your forehead - which, by the way, if that is a thing then dude, you should at least try to keep a lid on it when we're out in public, 'cause that's just embarrassing and there are children around.
[Gary follows behind looking as smug as ever. Keep digging that hole, Dave Strider.]
Wow, you keep insisting things like that about me and I'm going to start thinking you've got some kind of hankering. Seriously, this is the second time already, Dave. It's getting weird.
[Gary still shows no signs of being embarrassed, ashamed, or annoyed. Just really, really, amused.]
Yeah, well. I'm just responding to the like eight hundred and fifty eight times you've insinuated I've been making romantic overtures at you, so I'm just saying; if my two times is weird, what the fuck does that make that?
[He isn't looking at Gary anymore. He'll have an easier time keeping his cool if he doesn't have to see that smug goddamn expression.
Instead, he lets his eyes sweep over the different items that are on display; Gary doesn't like anything that's too sweet, so he doesn't bother to spare the cakes so much as a glance. The rest, though... There should be something here that'll suffice.]
[Holy fuck. You know what? Fine. He'll shoot back his own one-word reply.]
Projecting.
[There, Gary. Fixed that for you.
As Dave puts his focus back on the task at hand, he's beginning to think that maybe he's out of luck. Cupcakes with frosting, cookies covered in sprinkles... He seriously doubts Gary will go for anything like that, and besides; the goal here is chocolate. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he spots something that might actually do.]
...Hey. What do you think of this?
[He gestures to the macarons with a nod of his head.]
[Sorry Dave, but it is physically impossible for Gary to give up the final word unless it somehow fits into a more sinister plan.
He was turning his nose up at basically every sweet he came across when Dave calls his attention. He notes the "bitter" on the sign.]
Oh, you remembered.
[Snicker, and a shrug. Yeah, that shrug is his answer. That's helpful, right? Well it better be because he's getting distracted by some ugly looking cake decoration off to the side, which he sneers at indignantly. People pay for this crap?]
After a brief moment of just wanting to flip Gary dual birds, Dave decides, "fuck it," and grabs a few boxes. He turns briefly towards the checkout counter, but then he notices Gary staring at that decoration.]
Dude, if you'd rather I buy that one for you instead, just say it straight out. It ain't a thing to be embarrassed about.
[From the expression on Gary's face and from, well, the fact that it's Gary, Dave knows that probably isn't actually the case.
But he has to get back at Gary somehow, and this is how he's opted to do it.]
[The sneer fades as Gary turns to Dave, a brow raised. Wow, was that a comeback of sorts? The upward twitch of his lips suggests that he's more amused by that than anything. Oh Dave. Oh Dave.
Maybe he should be impressed at how hard he's trying.
[Just gonna ignore that question about deflection.]
You were also so invested in the idea of seeing me in that shirt you picked out earlier you tried to fence me into a store, so like, I'm just saying. The chocolate-gifting equivalent of that would be if I pried your mouth open and tried to force feed you like we were playing a reenactment of Se7en and you ended up being the poor fuck to get stuck with the role of Gluttony, so.
[Wow, look at that smug face Gary's sporting, hovering around Dave and looking at him as if he expects that alone will make him crumble into dust from lack of being able to keep it together.]
[Dave doesn't reply immediately. He just lets the cashier ring him up and bag his items, and as he finishes paying and starts to walk away, it seems like he may have just learned to let Gary's quip roll off his back.
Then, as he approaches the exit to the store, he suddenly wheels around. With the flattest expression on his face and a tone to match, he begins to talk.]
Yeah, you caught me. I've got the unironic hots for you and just can't spit it out. This is step one in my prolonged, complex, and meticulously thought-out courtship ritual. When I hand this shit-- [he rattles his bag a little] --over to you and you nonchalantly bring it back to your place to eat for later, one day you'll be sitting there just chewing on a macaron and suddenly your teeth'll hit something hard and it'll turn out I used my powers to poof like, a goddamn wedding ring in there, so what I'm saying is make sure you don't end up, like, scarfing those motherfuckers down in one bite or anything. My plan basically hinges on you being a thoughtful chewer, 'cause it'd put a real damper on things if you ended up inhaling it or choking on it or even just straight up swallowing it. Are we done here.
[The first fit of silence seemed more like a reaction, and therefor was actually funny. This time it seemed to be a lack of one, which only annoyed Gary. He follows behind with an unimpressed expression when Dave suddenly spins around. Gary stops and quirks a brow.
That was a reaction.
Gary almost says something but decides against it. Instead he merely stares at Dave, waiting to see if he would immediately realize how embarrassing he was just being, or if he'd wonder what he just said to have Gary stare at him with such a flat expression - maybe a hint of faux surprise too? Did Gary take him seriously? Is he just in awe of how stupid that spiel was? Or if Dave would be halfway impressive and just turn and walk away.
[And then, as the silence stretches on, sweat starts to form on his brow.
Fuck you, say something. Say something. Don't just stare at him like that, what the fuck is wrong with you, you colossal fucking douchenozzle. You immense asshole. Say. Something.]
[Gary would be impressed with Dave opting to engage Gary in a stare down if he didn't already know the outcome. Because, honestly. He knows Dave, and he knows himself. It was an uphill battle. And that hill was paved with glass shards and Dave was barefoot. Gary's all too aware of that. So he remains silent.
Annnd there it is.
He's not surprised at the result. But that doesn't make it any less funny. Which is why he bursts out into a fit of snickers as he begins to walk around Dave and head out the bakery.]
[Gary's propensity for taking the lead is something that Dave is grateful for at times like this, because if Gary's in front of him, that means Gary can't see him. Thank fuck for that; he feels like his face was just lit on fire, holy shit.
He's just going to take this time to trail behind Gary a little and regain his bearings.]
[Predictably, Gary seems perfectly content at the moment. He hasn't stopped smirking and he's walking like he owns the place. Not that it's particularly new for him, but it's been a while. He ignores the comment by Dave. It's a sign of his frustration, after all.]
Tell me you have something actually fun in mind now.
[Putting the pressure on Dave still, of course. If that little experience in the clothing shop has taught Gary anything is that he has to keep him on his toes.]
[Dave glances around. He's still holding these goddamn macarons, so maybe they should just drop these off at Gary's place and call it a day. But it feels like it's been ages since he's gotten to hang out with Gary like this, so maybe...]
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He places his hand on the door, but before pushing it open he turns back to Dave with a smirk on his face.]
Glad to hear you admit your dedication, at least. I'm so flattered.
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Careful. If you repeat it enough times, I'm seriously gonna get to thinking you've got some sort of hankering for my lap bastinado that you're projecting all over the fucking place like you've got the IMAX label stamped to your forehead - which, by the way, if that is a thing then dude, you should at least try to keep a lid on it when we're out in public, 'cause that's just embarrassing and there are children around.
Seriously, man, get a grip.
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Yeah, he's just going to clamp his mouth shut and scoot his way into that bakery now.]
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Wow, you keep insisting things like that about me and I'm going to start thinking you've got some kind of hankering. Seriously, this is the second time already, Dave. It's getting weird.
[Gary still shows no signs of being embarrassed, ashamed, or annoyed. Just really, really, amused.]
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[He isn't looking at Gary anymore. He'll have an easier time keeping his cool if he doesn't have to see that smug goddamn expression.
Instead, he lets his eyes sweep over the different items that are on display; Gary doesn't like anything that's too sweet, so he doesn't bother to spare the cakes so much as a glance. The rest, though... There should be something here that'll suffice.]
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Observant.
[That's all he says before he starts casually scanning all the sweets. Passing most of them; too sweet, too sweet, too sweet...etc.]
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Projecting.
[There, Gary. Fixed that for you.
As Dave puts his focus back on the task at hand, he's beginning to think that maybe he's out of luck. Cupcakes with frosting, cookies covered in sprinkles... He seriously doubts Gary will go for anything like that, and besides; the goal here is chocolate. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he spots something that might actually do.]
...Hey. What do you think of this?
[He gestures to the macarons with a nod of his head.]
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[Sorry Dave, but it is physically impossible for Gary to give up the final word unless it somehow fits into a more sinister plan.
He was turning his nose up at basically every sweet he came across when Dave calls his attention. He notes the "bitter" on the sign.]
Oh, you remembered.
[Snicker, and a shrug. Yeah, that shrug is his answer. That's helpful, right? Well it better be because he's getting distracted by some ugly looking cake decoration off to the side, which he sneers at indignantly. People pay for this crap?]
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After a brief moment of just wanting to flip Gary dual birds, Dave decides, "fuck it," and grabs a few boxes. He turns briefly towards the checkout counter, but then he notices Gary staring at that decoration.]
Dude, if you'd rather I buy that one for you instead, just say it straight out. It ain't a thing to be embarrassed about.
[From the expression on Gary's face and from, well, the fact that it's Gary, Dave knows that probably isn't actually the case.
But he has to get back at Gary somehow, and this is how he's opted to do it.]
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Maybe he should be impressed at how hard he's trying.
Nah.]
What's your obsession with showering me in gifts?
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What's yours with picking out my wardrobe?
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I got you a hat once. On Christmas. Why are you always deflecting?
[The shirt doesn't count because you didn't wear it, you bunghole.]
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You were also so invested in the idea of seeing me in that shirt you picked out earlier you tried to fence me into a store, so like, I'm just saying. The chocolate-gifting equivalent of that would be if I pried your mouth open and tried to force feed you like we were playing a reenactment of Se7en and you ended up being the poor fuck to get stuck with the role of Gluttony, so.
[Fuck you, it totally counts.]
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Deflecting, Strider~
[Please did you think he was going to let that go?]
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He's just going to turn right around with his macarons and throw his haul onto that checkout counter, without even acknowledging that.]
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Silence is a form of deflecting too.
[Hah. This is hilarious.]
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Then, as he approaches the exit to the store, he suddenly wheels around. With the flattest expression on his face and a tone to match, he begins to talk.]
Yeah, you caught me. I've got the unironic hots for you and just can't spit it out. This is step one in my prolonged, complex, and meticulously thought-out courtship ritual. When I hand this shit-- [he rattles his bag a little] --over to you and you nonchalantly bring it back to your place to eat for later, one day you'll be sitting there just chewing on a macaron and suddenly your teeth'll hit something hard and it'll turn out I used my powers to poof like, a goddamn wedding ring in there, so what I'm saying is make sure you don't end up, like, scarfing those motherfuckers down in one bite or anything. My plan basically hinges on you being a thoughtful chewer, 'cause it'd put a real damper on things if you ended up inhaling it or choking on it or even just straight up swallowing it. Are we done here.
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That was a reaction.
Gary almost says something but decides against it. Instead he merely stares at Dave, waiting to see if he would immediately realize how embarrassing he was just being, or if he'd wonder what he just said to have Gary stare at him with such a flat expression - maybe a hint of faux surprise too? Did Gary take him seriously? Is he just in awe of how stupid that spiel was? Or if Dave would be halfway impressive and just turn and walk away.
He was curious.]
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Fuck you, say something. Say something. Don't just stare at him like that, what the fuck is wrong with you, you colossal fucking douchenozzle. You immense asshole. Say. Something.]
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What.
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Annnd there it is.
He's not surprised at the result. But that doesn't make it any less funny. Which is why he bursts out into a fit of snickers as he begins to walk around Dave and head out the bakery.]
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Prick.
[Gary's propensity for taking the lead is something that Dave is grateful for at times like this, because if Gary's in front of him, that means Gary can't see him. Thank fuck for that; he feels like his face was just lit on fire, holy shit.
He's just going to take this time to trail behind Gary a little and regain his bearings.]
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Tell me you have something actually fun in mind now.
[Putting the pressure on Dave still, of course. If that little experience in the clothing shop has taught Gary anything is that he has to keep him on his toes.]
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[Dave glances around. He's still holding these goddamn macarons, so maybe they should just drop these off at Gary's place and call it a day. But it feels like it's been ages since he's gotten to hang out with Gary like this, so maybe...]
Do you maybe wanna go catch a movie.
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