#looking d.ave in the eyes

[mute-call]

"Oh, uh-- okay, yeah." That's weird. That's a really weird way to respond. What is so important or secret or scary about Dave's job that he can't just give a straight answer?

Is Steven being paranoid if something about that avoidance makes him uncomfortable?

...probably. After all, he brushed over his involvement with the Toy line; Dave's probably doing something similar. He was probably involved in something that wasn't his fault, but would still make him look bad if he were to admit to it. Steven's definitely overthinking things.

"You... know they free-roam, then." Dave's as much of a Freddy's expert as Bell's ever met, but Steve hadn't been certain as to whether the other man knew that little piece of information. It's not the sort of thing the company likes spreading around-- they don't even tell new hires until after they've signed up-- but this does make things easier. No more need to beat around the bush.

"That sure would be something! But I don't think it'd give 'em enough room to stretch their servos, which is the whole point, so... yeah, if there were a better way to handle this, I'm sure someone would have figured it out by now. In the meantime, it's not so bad! It's almost become habit at this point."

Except when he's on the phone with Dave and gets so distracted he nearly dies. Maybe Mx. Miller can literally save Steve's life by scheduling out more dates instead of them calling every other night. What a funny thought.

"It wasn't around for long, you probably never... um." He takes a deep breath. He wants Dave to be honest about his weird, mysterious job, right? Well, honest communication is a two-way street! And besides, this'll come out eventually-- with everything else Miller knows, it's a wonder he hasn't figured it out already.

"We... had the Toy line?" Shame and something else keeps his gaze firmly planted anywhere but on his date. Another breath in, and his expression relaxes as he pushes those feelings wayyy, way down. Out of sight, out of mind. It doesn't matter. It wasn't his fault, and it doesn't matter.

"Yeah," he continues, his voice cheery and his expression flat. "What a-- a whirlwind that was! Boy, just one thing after another. Heh. But that's what happens when you try out new tech, and all-- nothing works perfectly the first time around."

Why did he switch shifts? What a great question.

"I just realized that the manager stuff wasn't for me. I don't actually... love... dealing with people, um, which is a pretty significant part of the dayshift, haha!" It's not technically a lie. "So really, this new position is just perfect for me! I get to work with the band without all the drama of babysitting angry parents, you know what I mean."

He gives a wry smile, still looking at a point somewhere over Dave's shoulder.

...he feels better when the topic changes again.

"That's so neat! Well--" Nope. No. "Maybe I can meet your dad sometime" is not an appropriate thing to say on a first date.

"--well I hope he's liking it!"

This conversation is getting away from him, what with the reminiscing about his failures and the near-faux pas. Maybe it's time they returned to a safer, more familiar realm.

"So where did we get to in our last call? I know you had been telling me about Fredbear's. Got any more juicy trivia for me tonight?"

Dave  grins,  relaxing  from  the  comment  and  returning  it  with  a  ❝  It's  you  !  ❞  They  fold  their  arms  on  the  table,  as  their  smile  softens  and  a  warmth  gathers  on  his  expression.  He  finds  it  a  bit  easier  to  be  William  when  speaking  with  Steven,  and  it  chokes  him  like  tangled  wire.  Steven  just  makes  it  so  easy.  He  has  a  spark  to  him  William  likes. Or,  maybe,  it  is  simply  because  Steven  holds  objectively  correct  opinions  about  his  comfort  franchise.  ❝  Yeah,  I  think  y'should've  .  .  .  but  hey  !  Like  I  said,  makes  things  easier  and  now  we're  done  'n  good.  ❞

William's  gaze  turns  away  from  Steven  .  .  .  falling  on  another  table's  centerpiece  a  good  distance  away.  ❝  Yeah,  I  .  .  .  ❞ 

Well  fuck.

This  is  clearly  a  setup  for  something. Dave  Miller  grips  nails  into  him.  William  Afton  says  '  he's  so  nice  !  He  understands  you  !  '  The  wire's  deep  cuts  are  why  he  is  bleeding  romance. 

He  goes  for  the  middle  ground.  ❝  Classified  info,  how  about  we  leave  it  at  that  ?  ❞  A  forced  smile.  He  will  not  allow  himself  to  get  tangled  in  whatever  ploy  this  is.  If  Steven  turned  on  him  and—

He  really  should  stop  caring.  Easier  said  than  done.

❝  I  didn't  think  you  were  bein'  sarcastic.  ❞  Dave  leans  forward,  a  little  closer  to  him.  ❝  Yeah,  that's  a  shame  .  .  .  maybe  you  could  trick  them  into,  I  dunno,  P  'n  S  and  lock  the  door  ?  ❞  No  way  could  Steven  here  pull  that  off,  but  hey,  why  not  imagine  just  for  fun  ?

William  —  William,  again  —  feels  a  warmth  bubble  over  him  as  he  listens  to  Steven  discuss  more  about  working  at  Freddy's.  ❝  You  were  ?  What  location  ?  I  bet  I  know  it  !  ❞  Maybe  he  had  never  been  there,  but  he  loves  keeping  tabs  on  the  company's  history  !  ❝  You  willingly  chose  the  nightshift  though  .  .  .  why's  that  ?  ❞  Maybe  the  hesitation,  William  fears,  is  a  tell  that  the  thrill  of  the  night  is  more  Dave's  speed.

Being  called  by  his  name  earns  a  blink  and  snaps  him  back.  ❝  Really  ?  That's  .  .  .  that's  really  cute  !  ❞  Just  like  Steven  !

Ah,  personal  questions.  ❝  My  father's  work  brought  him  to  the  Midwest.  ❞  That's  all  he  will  say.

[tenebroum-a]

➰!!

blast from the motherfuckin’ past. | accepting selectively!

fandom: home.stuckmuse: d.ave st.rider

         ON THE ROOF THAT WAS CREATED just days ago, dave sits, shaded eyes roaming over the expanse of can-shaped buildings before him. he leans back on his hands, fingers curling around the steel rim for support. it’s hard to believe that three years ago, he was sitting on a roof very similar to this, looking out over oceans of lava and structures balancing precariously on steel supports. but now, he’s the dj and the world is his turntables.

           a breeze whips through his hair, and when he looks up, john is sitting next to him, that doofy grin plastered all over his face. his eyes roll behind his shades; leave it to his best bro to be a fucking dork after all this time. ‘ i was comfortable ’ he complains, shoving lightly at his friend’s shoulder, ‘ & then you had to come up & blow wind in my face. wasn’t aware we were reenacting that scene from con air. bring the bunny & the wife beater next time, egbert. ‘