Dave Strider x Reader (Alternia High)

20: Moon Project // pt 1

The day came.

The Moon Project.

You nervously shifted backstage. The stage was pleasantly decorated - not too extravagant, not too simple. You liked it that way.

The speakers were on both sides beside the stage. On the side opposite of where you were standing was the setup for the music which included a laptop, wires connected to the speakers and a few chairs.

You spotted Dave's headphones on the table. You rolled your eyes, acting like you didn't care, even though nobody was watching. Of course, deep down, you did.

You looked through your script. You weren't really into the plot right now, especially since you and Dave barely even practiced. Ever since you kinda stormed out that night, you guys barely talked. You did kind of feel bad thought because he had tried calling you, but you just didn't feel like picking up. You avoided having to talk to him for the next few days. Eventually you did start walking to school together again, but it was just silent along the way, except for some conversations about the Moon Project. Dave had also been messaging you saying that he was sorry and that it wasn't what it looked like. You just dodged your way out of it by not answering those questions, but instead just talked about the Moon Project.

He just went along with them. You did feel like you wanted him to keep trying to talk about the both of you instead of just going along with your dodging-conversation-moon-project-related-stuff. But at the same time, you were glad he was actually discussing about the project.

The few practices the both of you had had awkwardness and the feeling of just wanting to talk about the relationship in the air. You could barely focus. Dave couldn't, either. So it wasn't really surprising that even on the actual day, none of you guys had anything memorised.

Dave seemed to take the practices lightly, and you just couldn't seem to figure out why.

You sighed as you sat down. The other students were getting ready - some seemed to be getting ready for a fashion show in their eccentric yet eye grabbing outfits, while some just seemed to be reading over some lines in casual clothes. You looked down. You were wearing a suit, and your (h/c) hair was neatly combed. The scent of Dave's apple shampoo was still lingering in the air, even though you hadn't been at his house for a week now.

Weird.

The scent was still in the air. Even though it wasn't strong, it was there somewhere.

You turned around to find Dave standing there with his hands in his pockets. He wasn't in his princess dress. He was in your hoodie, along with jeans and sneakers.

You motioned to his outfit. "What?"

"I'm not cheating on you."

Those were the words that you had been wanting to hear, but now that he just said it, it wasn't like you would just be okay with him again in a snap of a finger.

"Really?"

"Yeah. If I was cheating on you, wouldn't I not want to wear my girlfriend's hoodie while doing that?"

You just shrugged. "We have a Moon Project to present soon."

"Hey, (nickname)," he said reassuringly as he sat down next to you. The both of your legs were now crossed as you guys faced each other. "We're not doing the project. Well, at least not your princess and prince play thing.."

"It's weird. I know. I just couldn't think of anything else after that night.." You mumbled, looking down.

"Hey."

He put his hand under your chin to support it so that your head wouldn't face down. He gently pushed it up so that the both of you would still be looking at each other. When you seemed to stay that way for a few seconds, he put his hand down.

"I know you've been upset.. Lately," he began. The way he talked to you was simply enough to make you feel comfortable. You felt how he was comforting you. You felt how it was you and him, and nobody else, even though there were crowds of other students in the room. You just felt the comfort. That was just why you loved being with him.

"But I'm not out with other girls behind your back. Maybe you still doubt that. But why would I even attempt to do such a thing when I knew it would end up with me losing you?"

You knew and felt that he really did care about you.

"Why didn't you even try to talk about it when I kept asking you about the project?" You mumbled.

"Maybe if I kept on bugging you about it, you would want to not talk to me even more. It was better to keep talking about something than to lose you all at once."

You just shrugged.

"Here, take this hoodie," he said. You looked down at the red hoodie in his hands. You grinned. That boyfriend of yours really went to your room just to get the hoodie. "Wear it, so that we can match."

You looked back up at him. "What about the project?"

"You trust me, right?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

You shrugged. "I guess so."

"Then get changed.  Just be by the backstage curtains there somewhere easy enough where you can just come onto the stage in a few minutes when you're done."

You nodded and got up with the hoodie in your hands. Just as you were about to walk away to change, he grabbed your wrist. You jerked up and turned around to him.

"We're good right?" he asked playfully.

"Hhmm.. Yeah, we're good," you said, laughing.

He pulled you down gently for a quick peck on the cheek before letting your wrist go. Your cheeks were faded red.

You shrugged and turned around, grinning all the way to the changing room.