Baby Steps (Bro/Tavros)

[solarOrigins]

When the game was over and won, the universes combined with what was left, recreating the human's home. The trolls were brought with them, all of them returned to the state they had been granted just before the game, and they were given a chance on earth.

Since Jade was alone on her island, the trolls were offered placement there rather than being forced onto an unsuspecting society with their grey skin and horns, and while most of the trolls accepted, a few passed it up in favor of living with the other children.

Karkat wanted to stay with John and Kanaya wanted to be near Rose, so Mrs. Lalonde paid for the surgery that rid them of their horns and gave their skin human color. Tavros had little choice on where he could go. He had been returned to his wheelchair upon the end of the game. The luscious jungle island that Jade called home was not friendly to the wheeled device, and no matter how Tavros wished to stay near his flush crush, he had to leave in favor of civilization, which would be more physically accepting of his disability.

He joined the other two in their operations, feeling strangely light with the absence of his horns, and set about to find where he would stay. As nice as it would have been to stay with John, who was rather nice to Tavros, there was no room with the other former troll staying there. He was hesitant to stay with the Lalondes, they intimidated him almost as much as Vriska had back on Alternia. He had almost given up on finding a place for himself when Dave had offered a place in the Strider apartment.

Tavros accepted hesitantly, they were bros, but he didn't want to intrude when he knew they had a small living space to begin with.

Now the former troll found himself sitting at the bottom of a tall staircase with his duffle bag in his lap, staring up into the abyss. Dave hadn't mentioned anything about there not being an elevator, but he knew they lived on the top floor. There was no way he was going to be able to get all the way to the top on his own.

Pulling out the cheep cell phone the egberts had gotten him (he refused to let them get him a nice one, they were so expensive!) he dialed Dave's number, keeping his eyes on the stairs he was facing.

[midnightVigilante]

Dave had been walking around at a rapid speed around his and Bro's apartment for most of the morning. Some would call that pacing, he would not however. Cool people like The Strider's don't pace. He just happened to be walking around in a similar fashion.

He could handle a game that changed his entire universe into said game. He could deal with becoming a hero at 13. He could deal with living on a meteor with Rose and four trolls for three years. He easily helped defeat a crazy black carapace, a flashing seizure inducing green monster, and an evil fish overlord. So why was he nervous about Tavros coming to live with them?

Oh yeah, because this was the real world again. Even cool kids like Dave make mistakes. He and Tavros had become tight bros during Sburb. What if he accidentally offended Tav? Or made him so upset he wanted to live somewhere else? For all the 18 years of his life only Dave and Jeff shared the apartment. How much would having a third person change that?

Jeff wasn't home at the moment. He was....the younger Strider really wasn't sure where he went. After breakfast Jeff had grabbed his key, shouted leaving from the door (even though Dave had been on the couch nearby) and left. His phone started vibrating and "These Boots are Made for Walking" started playing from his pocket. He ironically made that Tavros's ringtone. Hooefully he'd think it was funny too. "S'up?"

[solarOrigins]

"Uh, let me open with a joke, I think" Tavros greeted. "You see, um, a paraplegic stays with a friend, stop me if you've heard this one before, but uh, this friend lives on the top floor and there's no elevator."

With the hand not holding the phone, Tavros moved away from the bottom of the stairs, moving out of the way of some kids running up on their way home.

[midnightVigilante]

"Haven't heard that one before. But now is not the time for jokes." Dave grabbed his keys and was heading for the door. "I'll be down to help you up in a minute. Didn't think about the stairs Broseph. Sorry. See ya in a moment."

[solarOrigins]

"Its not really a problem, um, I think. It is just really hot and I am, uh, really sort of tired from my flight and cab ride. I just, you know, assumed, since practically everywhere here, um, is, you know, accessible for people like me" Tavros replied, wiping some sweat off his face. "Um, you'll have to make a few trips I think. And maybe have to, um, carry me"

[midnightVigilante]

"At least you got to sit the whole time," Dave said teasingly. He locked the door before heading down the stairs. "I'm sure I can get all your bags up in one trip. Then, I can carry you like a Bride up the stairs. I will whisk you away to the Hineymoon Suite. And....dear lord I'm talking like Jeff."

[solarOrigins]

Tavros laughed. "Sitting can be just at tiring as walking you know" he smiled, patiently waiting. "But, uh, I only brought one bag really, and my chair. And I can't leave my chair alone down here while you carry me. Um, isn't your Bro home? Could you ask if he could help maybe?"

[midnightVigilante]

"Jeff isn't home right now." Dave was almost on the ground floor. "He went.....somewhere. I don't really know. He doesn't work today. I don't really know what he does when he leaves the house. I never ask." He shut his phone when he reached the bottom of the stairs. He placed his hand on Tav's shoulder before giving him a quick side hug. "Took you long enough to get here. You're chair will be fine by itself for a minute. Besides us only old folks, parents, and young kids live here. I doubt any if them would steal a wheelchair."

[solarOrigins]

Tavros spilled his own phone into his pocket. "That's what John said when he helped me to the changing room at the mall" Tavros replied defensively, gripping the worn armrests. "I would, um, really rather you take it up first."

[midnightVigilante]

"I'm.....I'm not going to ask," Dave replied slowly. He helped the younger male out of the chair and set him on the bottom step. Next, he folded the chair and lifted it. "I'll be back faster than you can say Dave Strider is the coolest guy around. Now, don't run off or something."

[solarOrigins]

Tavros snorted and rolled his eyes playfully. "Like I could if I wanted to" he stated. He pulled his phone back out and started scrolling through the menu for something to do.

[midnightVigilante]

It took Dave about five minutes to get the chair upstairs and to get back down to Tavros. Damn thing was heavier than it looked. He hoped the Taurus didn't notice he was sweating. He was smirking as he handed Tavros his only bag, then picked up the older boy bridal style. "Be happy I like you so much. Anyone else would get to crawl up the steps."

[solarOrigins]

Tavros laughed playfully. "But, uh, I thought we were anime wives. You wouldn't do that to your anime wife would you?" he grinned.

[midnightVigilante]

Dave was laughing as he started up the steps. "I never said anything about you being my anime wife. I am not ready for that commitment just yet. You can be my anime girlfriend. Besides don't you have a thing with Gamzee? I thought that's why he hated me and wanted to me to be his kissing attitude or whatever. Because I was quote, unquote messing with his man."

[solarOrigins]

"I pretty much, um, think of you as a moirail" Tavros admitted. "Gamzee hates you for other reasons, not just that"

[midnightVigilante]

Dave nodded, but had a puzzled look on his face. "I'm not sure what that is or what it means. I'll assume it means something good. Why does Gamzee hate me anyway? I haven't done anything to him."

[solarOrigins]

"Its really, um, not my place to say. Its a quadrant thing." Tavros admitted simply. "Can we, uh, talk about something else?"

[midnightVigilante]

Dave only shook his head and shrugged. "I honestly still don't really get the whole quadrant thing. But, they clearly mean a lot to you guys so I won't push it." He pushed the front door to the apartment open with his hip, he'd left it slightly open when he went back down for Tavros. He put Tav down on the couch, then closed the door.

[solarOrigins]

"Its like you're my best friend, um, but also like what humans refer to as a Brother? Um, only more, romantic?" Tavros struggled to find words. "Like, I mean, brodates are a thing for moirails, and feeling jams."

[midnightVigilante]

The younger Strider had a puzzled expression on his face now. "That just makes it sound even weirder. Like you said, let's talk about something else." He flopped down next to Tavros on the couch. "So, what've you been up o lately?"

[solarOrigins]

"Okay" Tavros smiled. "Um, mostly just recovering from the stress of the surgery and stuff. But, uh, Ms. Lalonde said in a month or two I can get prosthetic legs if I feel up to it." He leaned forward a little bit and lifted his leg up to move it by hand, moving to a more comfortable position on the couch. "What about you?"

[midnightVigilante]

Dave flung both his legs onto the couch and into Tavros's lap. He leaned back and put his arm under his head. "Not much. Getting ready for college. Trying to get a job. Talking to the others. Not much fun stuff." He poked the other male with his foot. "But now you're here. Need to find cool things to do."

[solarOrigins]

Tavros laughed. "Um, I can teach you some neat trading card games, I think. That would be fun wouldn't it?"

[midnightVigilante]

"If it's Yugioh or pokemon, no thanks." The blonde moved his legs from the other's lap and stretched. The vcr clock said it was 1:20 pm. "Jeff should be home soon. Maybe. Or he won't come home at all. We'll see. Wanna play on the xbox while we still can?"

[solarOrigins]

"Um, okay. Will you teach me?" Tavros asked. "And, Actually, um, I was thinking about showing you magic the gathering, or maybe, um, dungeons and dragons"

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