Chapter Text
Dave reached the roof of the observatory with a few minutes to spare, so determined not to dwell he scoped out what there actually was up there. A walkway ringed the domed roof, a sloping ladder leading up to a smaller, round platform around a series of antennas stretching up into the night. Out of one side rose the telescope, large and broad enough to stand on, and Rose had assured him in was strong enough to take his weight briefly when he messaged her about his plan and convinced her to get Mom to take everyone out down the garden to sled, even though she expressed her dissapproval.
TG: rose its just how we do things ok
TG: i dont fucking bitch about your weird psychoanalysing shit with mom
TG: dont try and make a fucking show about how i deal with bro
TG: i need to get this out of my system somehow
TG: im really fucking pissed with him
TG: you have no fucking idea
TT: Would you be so set upon his suffering if the person in question here was not John?
TG: of course i fucking wouldnt
TG: but he decided to mess with the one guy i actually give a real fuck about
TG: id do anything for john you know that
TT: You know you are probably going to be utterly destroyed.
TG: yeah
TG: but i need to do this
TG: stand up to him
TG: cause im the only one who ever will
She reluctantly conceded, and shortly after assured him they would all be gone. No excuses for Bro to hide behind, no one around to dart off to and use as a shield. Just them, alone, with an argument to settle and a fight to answer it, just how it always had been.
"Dave."
He turned and levelled the sword at his brother, who frowned and gently unsheathed his own with a rasping hiss. Slowly, purposefully, Dave took off his shades and slipped them into his sylladex, staring Bro down and daring him to follow suit. The elder Strider's jaw set, and then he reluctantly did so, uncovering his amber eyes and warily watching Dave pace side to side across the constricted walkway, on guard and ready for the first strike.
"Loser gives up their shades for the rest of the trip." Dave announced abruptly, and Bro nodded almost instantly, starting to crack his neck and roll his shoulders like he always did to warm up if given time. Unmasked, their stares and the air between them grew intense, and then Dave had darted forward into a low blow Bro easily parried and pushed back from, a warning shot never intended to hit.
"We really gonna do this?" Bro asked quietly. In response Dave charged him again, thrusting forward, each hit sent glancing off to the side by quick blocks and forcing Bro back further and further. He wasn't striking back. He wasn't trying. The realisation frustrated Dave and he clenched his teeth, putting all his strength into a downwards slice.
Bro flickered from view and then a foot was slammed into Dave's back and sent him crashing forwards into the railings, sword dangerously close to slipping from his grasp. He pulled it back and rolled in time to see the other blade slice into the metal where he had been, panting and stumbling up to a flurry of quick, disorientating jabs that he only just managed to match. Better. Dave darted back and then with a slight run up he used the railings to pull himself up and kicked off the dome, rolling in flight to land smoothly behind Bro and cracking him in the small of the back with the hilt of his weapon before he could turn around. His brother stumbled and Dave quickly kicked for his legs, but Bro jumped over the kick and landed facing him again as Dave scrambled up, the two both barely out of breath and watching the other for tells.
"You fucked up." It was a risk, but Dave spat it anyway, pacing carefully out of reach of the blade. "He actually gives a fuck about you, and you screwed it up, didn't you?"
"It isn't like that." Bro responded firmly, but without shades to hide behind Dave could see the flash of panic. He had him.
"Oh, it isn't? Well I didn't see you fucking comforting him last night, I saw you shutting the door in his face."
"You...saw." His voice wavered but he pulled it back, of course he pulled it back. Dave bared his teeth.
"I saw you being a massive selfish dick and breaking my best friend's heart, yeah."
Bro's eyes flashed and Dave saw him tense to the left, swiftly jumping to the other side and swinging on the rails again to avoid the charge. Bro thudded into the fence behind him and span with a glare and a scowl.
He was getting angry. He was getting sloppy.
"What's the matter, asshole? Totally happy with just shoving him to one side for a finer ass-"
Bro flashed again, but Dave felt him behind him and dodged the fist that swept through where his head had been. He fell to a crouch and sprung his legs back, catching Bro's and sending him off balance long enough to dive away and move around to the other side of the dome, knowing it only bought him a second or two.
"-but you can't face the fact you made him cry?"
Bro's angry footfalls stopped and Dave didn't think, he leapt up and just caught the ladder, using it drag himself rapidly over the dome and swinging across to dive at Bro's stiff back. His brother heard the creak of the metal and turned but Dave's momentum still hit him full in the chest, forcing him to the ground. They struggled violently, free hands both clutching at sword-bearing wrists, until Bro managed to pick up enough force to spin them and force Dave to the ground beneath him, face twisted in actual anger for the first time Dave could remember.
"You think I wanted to fuck this up? It might fucking shock you but I actually give a fuck about that kid so shut up!"
"Holy shit." Dave stared, then regained awareness of his situation and folded his legs in, kicking Bro hard in the tense abdomen and sending him back enough to get back to his feet. "You're actually hot for him, aren't you? Holy shit."
"Shut the fuck up you little smug prick!"
Bro grabbed the rails and pulled up onto them, diving for the ladder and cracking Dave's face with one boot as he leapt. Dave staggered and tried to blink away the ringing in his ears as he heard Bro drop again, but a hand had grabbed his hair and slammed his face into the rails before he could manage it. Desperately, he flailed with his fist, and to his shock Bro must've been so focused on holding him down it actually impacted his jaw, his brother letting go and swearing as Dave unsteadily leant back on the bar and stared at the sliding double image of the larger man. He'd dropped his sword, he noticed through the buzzing mess in his head. That gave him a really stupid idea.
"You know what? He's better off without you." He slurred, and Bro fixed on him with an angry snarl. "You've already fucked him up enough."
Bro lunged.
Dave sidestepped and grabbed his stupid spiked hair, smashing him into the metal and then wrenching his head back to place his sword blade over his throat. Bro locked up, hands clenching and releasing as he realised his sword was no longer in them, Dave's body pressing him forward against the railings as soon as he tried to use his legs.
The younger Strider hocked a wad of bloody spit past him, panting and waiting for his head to stop spinning as Bro let out a frustrated growl.
"Give, you stupid fuck." Dave said coldly, too dazed to even really realise what was happening. Bro shuddered, then raised his empty palms and slumped as Dave slipped the sword away and swooned backwards, just catching the ladder to steady himself. "Ha! Ha..."
"Fuck you." Bro hissed, producing his glasses and shoving them into Dave's free hand. He blinked down at them blankly, realisation just starting to dawn. "Taking advantage of a bad fucking day, asshole."
"I beat you."
"Go to hell."
"Holy fuck, I actually-" Dave looked up and his brother was gone, vanished over the side to ninja the fuck down the building below. He took a step forward to follow but just unsteadily slumped to one side, laughing weakly and groaning as he gave in and collapsed to lie down on the dirty metal floor.
"You magnificent fuck." He told the sky, dropping his sword so he could fumble out his phone and typing slowly, having to blink several times and squinting to actually see the screen.
TG: rose
TG: i think i might be dying
TG: so like hurry on back and be my hero and shit
TG: but i did it
TG: i just kicked bros ass
Dave took a deep breath and gave a woozy smile, pretty sure he was about to pass out.
TG: thats really all there is to say on the matter
He was unconcious moments after hitting send, spiked shades still clutched triumphantly in his other hand.