Staying Strong (Dave Strider x Reader)

Chapter 1

He's looking at you.

Or at least you think he is through his shades. You can't really tell... isn't wearing shades inside against school policy? Hmmm...

"Hey."

"Hey Dave."

"I didn't catch your name earlier," he says as he stands up straighter.

"I didn't give it to you," you say as you look over at him. He only smirks a little, you know, that smirk that all the Striders are known for? That one. "Besides, Dave, why would you want to know it anyway? What's Mr. Dave Supercool doing talking to the likes of Ms. Nobody anyway?" You ask him, curiously. You weren't being rude, but it just struck you as odd.

He seemed taken aback by the question, obviously not expecting it. After a moment, he answered, "I don't really know, it's just nice to talk to someone new." He said with a small shrug, to which you gave a half-hearted chuckled.

"I'm no one new Dave, I've been the same old ______ that's been here as long as you have!" You say as you start walking toward the front doors of the school. He walks along side you, keeping pace with you.

"So your name is ______?" He asks as you walk out the doors to the aun afternoon air.

"Yep, has been since I was born." You say, offhandedly, but now you realize how silly that sounded. You look over Dave, who was still walking beside you. He was wearing his Strider smirk again, and it was starting to irk at you. You almost wished you could wipe the smug smirk off his face. However, instead of getting rude, you stop to ask him if he rode the bus home.

"Yeah, I normally do, but since it's Friday and all, I think I'd rather walk home," he says as he stops with you. You can only shrug and start walking in the direction of your house. Dave starts to follow you, walking alongside you and keeping pace with you once again.

"So ________, how far from school do you live anyway?" He said, trying to make conversation.

"I live a few blocks away from the city limit, you?" You decide to ask him.

"Only a few blocks from here... wow almost all the way to the city limit? Dude, your legs must get some killer exercise from all the sick walking you do. Man, if I tried to walk that far, my legs would turn into the sturdiest form of jello Betty Crocker has to offer- all the jiggly biznasty in a pan, man." You aren't sure how to interpret all of that, but just assume he's complimenting your stamina.

"It's not so bad when you walk it often. I find the walk home relaxing, and I enjoy it." You say as you look up at the trees lining the sidewalk. You find yourself taking a deep breath and relaxing, breathing out all the stress from the week.

"Yo, you think I could walk that out?" Dave chimes in after a moment, and you snap back to reality.

"Excuse me?"

"I mean, do you think I walk with you to see if I can do it?" He said after a moment, not breaking his cool kid face. You simply shrug and tell him that it was his choice, but on the inside, your mind is reeling.

'Is he seriously going to walk you home? No, he's just challenging himself like all guys do, right? Right.'

After what seemed like a whole hour, you finally made it home to your sister's where you and Dave parted ways.

"Hey look, me and a bunch of friends are heading to the mall tomorrow, wanna hang with us if you're not busy?" He asks as you turn to thank him for walking with you.

'Walking home with me and then asking me to the mall? Dave, you are weird.'

"Well, sure. I should be free tomorrow, what time should I meet you there?" You ask as you adjust your bag on your back.