It's been nearly 2 weeks now since Jade Harley came back, and she's adjusting to it pretty well so far.

she has also adjusted to the necessity of becoming my beacon briefly, every few days.

She has?

if you wish to skip forward this amount of time without losing track of the prince, yes.

Okay. Yes, she has. Jade Harley has adjusted to that as well. To have her daily life, her time with her friends interrupted. To suddenly black out, and then wake back up a minute later. It's disorienting, and unpleasant.  But as far as things go, one minute out of every few days isn't that bad a sacrifice to make.

Not that she's letting herself think too hard about it being a sacrifice, though. It's one she's willing to make, and can make peace with, but... it's just a thing that's happening. No greater purpose to her being the one to make it or anything. It's like a sickness, that occasionally causes her to black out. That's how she's trying to think of it, anyway. Trying not to take it too personally.

Now that it's clear it's just going to be an intermittent thing, accomodations have been made. Don't worry about it, don't try and shake her out of it- just sit her down somewhere so she doesn't fall when she wakes back up, and record the angle of her arm as quickly as possible, and she'll come right back.

It's a minor thing, really. Hardly what she spends much of her time thinking about. No, she's spending most of her time, just... living, really. Once she got everything sorted out, she was ready to start working, to do everything she could to assist in Operation Fuck Dirk, but. There just wasn't really much to do. Outside of the occasional course adjustment, they just sort of leave the ship on auto pilot, and go do whatever.

Fortunately, there's at least a lot to do. Though this ship is more than big enough and powerful enough and has enough firepower to qualify as a warship, one would hardly think as much from walking around it. Quarters are decently roomy and cozy, there's a rec room with tons of activities, a large, fancy dining room and extravagant kitchens filled with more baking equipment than any one ship should reasonably need. There's a swimming pool, and even a theatre, where Dave occasionally puts on shows that are usually pretty funny, and Jake occasionally puts on shows that just sort of make everyone deeply uncomfortable.

Jade wonders if this is what it was like on the meteor. Everyone just sort of hanging out, killing time, enjoying each other's company, while some big confrontation looms on the horizon. Just them, and nobody else, since they'd apparently chosen not to bring along any kind of crew. Didn't quite feel right apparently, to ask a bunch of people to go on a trip for an indefinite period of time, to fight a battle that's definitely not theirs.

It makes sense. But Jade still wishes they'd brought some other people along, because none of her friends here are viable options for the way she usually likes to spend her time, and she's having a bit of trouble finding other ways to occupy herself. And going back to an empty, quiet, isolated room night after night is starting to get a bit... unpleasant.

This night, it is not just getting unpleasant. Things have officially reached fully unpleasant now, and no amount of practicing her bass or playing one of the handheld gaming devices she got from Roxy is going to produce enough noise to drown out the quietness and divert things away from unpleasant town.

It is with a heavy heart, that Jade resigns herself to the inevitable. She grabs her blanket, pillows, and a change of clothes, and heads off to rough it somewhere in this fully furnished and comfortable warship. Having her own designated room was nice for a while, a fun little experiment, but even since she was a little girl, she's sort of just gone to sleep where ever she felt like, or where ever some troll decided to knock her out to practice her powers.

Maybe she'll try the rec room for a bit. Plant herself down on one of the couches, turn on the big TV, and just lose herself in light hearted, cartoon shenanigans until she passes out in front of it. Let herself feel more comfortable, in a large, open space where people come to spend their time, with lots of well-used equipment that shines with the warmth of other people's activity. Well, everything except the pool table at least. That's covered in a thin film of dust. Nobody's touched the thing since this trip started, apparently. Too many bad memories.

When she gets there, she sees that she's not the only one out and about this late at night. Sitting right next to each other, are Dave and Karkat. Dave seems to be doodling something on a piece of paper, Karkat's halfway through a book which Jade is willing to bet is some cheesy romance novel. Jesus, how does someone who spends so much time embroiled in shitty romance stories take 10 damn years to finally be able to use his free hand to hold his boyfriend's hand in public?

Oh, wait. Maybe not even in public, because as soon as he hears Jade coming and looks up, he immediately tugs his hand away. Dave looks over, sees Karkat looking up, and then looks up himself.

DAVE: oh damn is it finally time for this
JADE: huh?
DAVE: cmon jade you know what im talking about
DAVE: the pillow and the blankets
DAVE:  its pretty obvious
DAVE: and besides it was only a matter of time
DAVE: really im surprised it took as long as it did
JADE: oh... yeah, i mean, i guess you two would be pretty familiar with this by now!
KARKAT: WELL IF THAT ISN'T THE BIGGEST GODDAMN UNDERSTATEMENT I'VE EVER HEARD.
KARKAT: WE ARE NOT 'PRETTY FAMILIAR' WITH THESE ACTIONS FROM YOU. JADE.
KARKAT: WE ARE, IN FACT
KARKAT: WAY TOO GODDAMN FAMILIAR.
KARKAT: GOOD FUCKING GOD IT'S BEEN LIKE NON-STOP FOR YEARS NOW.
KARKAT: FRANKLY THESE PAST TWO WEEKS OF YOU KEEPING TO YOURSELF HAVE BEEN A GODDAMN BLESSING.
JADE: oh, i... wasnt aware it was that much of a problem, i guess!
JADE: i sort of got the impression that you never minded
DAVE: jade i like to think that im a pretty cool guy who just kinda rolls with most things
DAVE: just an unending ball of coolness rolling right over any awkward little moments that might phase lesser beings
DAVE: but you kind of had a habit of just picking up that damn ball and throwing it at a wall with this stuff
DAVE: absolutely no rolling whatsoever just flying through the air uncontrolled wishing for the stability of unawkward ground again
KARKAT: YEAH, GOOD GOD.
KARKAT: I KNOW YOU CAN BE OBLIVIOUS SOMETIMES BUT I DIDN'T REALIZE YOU WERE THIS FUCKING BRAINDEAD.
KARKAT: DID YOU SERIOUSLY NOT NOTICE??
JADE: i dont know, fuck off!!
JADE: that stuffs hard for me sometimes and you never said anything!!!
DAVE: ok well
DAVE: yeah maybe
DAVE: but i think the times finally come to say it outright
DAVE: were not interested in getting in a relationship with you
JADE: ...huh?
DAVE: like listen trust me youre great and all
DAVE: and the blanket and stuff is a nice touch for whatever innuendo about sleeping together you were going to make
DAVE: but its just not gonna happen
JADE: ...what???
JADE: the blankets for sleeping!
JADE: i came out here to come crash in the rec room for the night!!
DAVE: oh
DAVE: you mean you didnt specifically come looking for us to try and make another pass
JADE: not this time, no :p
DAVE: okay well what time can we expect it then
JADE: ummm... well i mean that was just a joke?
JADE: i dont actually have a time planned, so
JADE: never??
KARKAT: BULLSHIT.
JADE: im serious!!!
JADE: im done with that!
DAVE: i dunno i mean
DAVE: id like to believe that but also i think this is probably the longest youve ever gone without getting any action in years
JADE: true
JADE: you would not believe how much easier that kind of thing gets when youre a god!
DAVE: point is me and karkat have just been kinda waiting on you to get too pent up and come banging on our door one of these days in some crazed lustful frenzy
JADE: ok is that just you exaggerating stuff or do you think im actually like that
DAVE: uhhhh
JADE: because i mean, like! yes, i enjoy that kind of thing! and ive even kind of been missing it
JADE: but jeez im not some kind of crazy sex monster
JADE: its just a fun thing to do! and if thats not an option then ill just find other fun things to do!

Jade huffs a bit, as she tosses her blankets and junk over the back of one of the couches, before returning to sit at the table across from them. This isn't exactly the most pleasant or flattering discussion she's ever had, but. Hey, at least it's a conversation. That definitely beats NOT a conversation.

DAVE: well thats pretty good to hear i guess
KARKAT: TRUST ME, I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE RELIEVED IN MY ENTIRE GODDAMN LIFE THAN I AM NOW, KNOWING I'LL NEVER HAVE TO PUT UP WITH ANY MORE OF YOUR PURSUITS.
JADE: oh, please, like you werent secretly totally into me :p
KARKAT: NAME ONE GODDAMN TIME I'VE EVER DISPLAYED EVEN THE SLIGHTEST HINT THAT I WAS "INTO" YOU.
JADE: jadesprite

And with that one name, Karkat reacts immediately. Eyes widening, face turning red, as he immediately turns in his seat, crossing his legs and facing the other way in some attempt to put some kind of distance between him and Jade, and the reaction is so immediate and visceral that she can't help but start laughing.

KARKAT: OH MY GOD, I WAS SIX FUCKING SWEEPS OLD AT THE TIME, THAT HARDLY COUNTS.
JADE: heeheeehee! yeah, thats true...
JADE: maybe youre right!
JADE: maybe im, heehee, just not as sexy as i make out with myself to be!
KARKAT: *OH MY GOD.*

Karkat's attempt at creating distance with body language has evolved into creating distance with body movement. He stands right up out of his seat and turns around, hands up and sucking in a long breath, utterly agog at Jade's comments, while she just laughs uncontrollably. Even Dave can't stop himself from joining in with a chuckle.

KARKAT: NOPE, NOPE NOPE NOPE, I AM DONE HERE, I AM FUCKING DONE.
KARKAT: I WILL NOT HEAR ANY MORE OF THIS NONSENSE.
DAVE: haha oh my god dude calm down
KARKAT: FUCK OFF.
KARKAT: IF YOU WANT TO STAY HERE AND KEEP TALKING, FINE, FEEL FREE, BUT I'M FUCKING LEAVING.
KARKAT: I AM GOING BACK TO THE ROOM AND GOING THE FUCK TO SLEEP.
DAVE: oh thats cool dude
DAVE: see you in a bit then
DAVE: love you babe
KARKAT: HRRRHNGH
KARKAT: YES OKAY FINE YOU TOO.
DAVE: ill make sure to be real quiet when i come in
DAVE: and real gentle when i slip in under the covers with you and cuddle up
KARKAT: STOP
DAVE: and maybe a few kisses upon your lips
DAVE: perchance that i might bring you a sweet dream of your beloved strider
DAVE: and see a smile on your unguarded toothy lips
KARKAT: I TAKE IT BACK, I'M FINDING A DIFFERENT ROOM TO SLEEP IN.

Karkat storms off, one arm raised high in the air to shoot a middle finger backwards, while Jade and his boyfriend both just cackle.

JADE: hehe, god
JADE: i cant believe hes still that uncomfortable even after you two finally got together!
DAVE: yeah seriously
DAVE: i mean i kinda get it i guess hes just that sorta guy
DAVE: but fuck if im not still gonna enjoy ribbing on him sometimes
JADE: hee, yeah
JADE: besides, im sure hes way more affectionate and junk in private!
DAVE: mmmmmmm, ehn
JADE: aw, cmon! no need to be shy and spare the details!
JADE: if theres anyone thats not going to get uncomfortable hearing them, its me :p
DAVE: yeah im not so sure im comfortable talking about that?
DAVE: especially since im not so sure youre really done chasing after us
JADE: what!!!
DAVE: like i mean sure me and karkat are together now
DAVE: but you havent exactly been the type to show much respect for the sanctity of monogamy before
JADE: ok yes but if a couple says no i dont really push them on it!
DAVE: you also havent been going after that couple nonstop for years
JADE: yeah, but thats DIFFERENT
JADE: i was only trying to date you both to try and make you get over yourselves and date each other!
JADE: because jeez you two were embarrassing
JADE: if you just werent INTO sex thatd be one thing
JADE: but you clearly were!!
JADE: dont think i didnt notice how much your eyes drifted down between my legs whenever i pulled my pants up to show off!
JADE: neither of you are all that subtle
DAVE: yeah i wouldnt really say they drifted down when you usually stood in front of me while i was sitting so i was fucking eye level with it
DAVE: youre not exactly subtle either jade
JADE: :p
JADE: anyway, as long as you two are a couple now, i dont really have any reason to interfere!
DAVE: mmmmmmmmmmmm....
JADE: oh, come on, what now!
DAVE: well just
DAVE: i dunno but that sounds like a really bullshit reason to me
DAVE: youre gonna make us date by really aggressively trying to bang us?
DAVE: it just doesnt really make any sense
JADE: it makes total sense!
JADE: see, youre both virgins and dont know how good it feels
JADE: but i come in and change that, and then youre both aware of that, and more comfortable expressing it, and bam!!
JADE: ...or, i mean... at least, thats... what i thought, anyway...

Jade's energy suddenly drains away, as she remembers, she did after all see how her little plan worked out. She'd gotten so caught up in the actual moment, the actual things she's done, that she forgot when she wasn't in any moments, watching things this version of her never actually did, until her words started seeming just a bit too familiar.

JADE: i dunno, i guess maybe i was just being kinda selfish after all
JADE: i mean i told you that
JADE: and i even kind of told myself that!
DAVE: knew it
JADE: ugh!! i guess it just kinda sucked?
JADE: like, i kind of had things for both of you when i was younger!
JADE: and it kind of seemed like there werent really any other options anyway?
JADE: at least, not without settling for some random person id never met before
JADE: and for reasons im only starting to understand now, it felt like anyone i met that way wouldnt really be 'important' enough for something really long term
JADE: rose and kanaya were a happy couple, roxy and callie had their own thing, dirk is, yikes, even before all this, terezi was still obviously pining for vriska, john jane and jake were obviously out of the question and id only ever been interested in john before anyway...
JADE: so all that really left were you two! but you seemed to be coming together and i just... wanted to fit myself in there before it was too late, maybe
DAVE: wait wait
DAVE: hold on go back
DAVE: what the fuck was that about john

Jade looks at Dave, eyebrows raised up from behind his sunglasses, as she thinks over what she just said- and realizing it, immediately places her head in her hands.

JADE: oh my god
DAVE: hahaha
JADE: oh, no no no...
DAVE: hahaha holy shit jade did you have the hots for egbert
JADE: can we *please* not talk about this
DAVE: oh no absolutely not
DAVE: i have slipped on the incestual banana peel way too many times to catch you now that its finally someone elses turn
DAVE: go ahead jade lemme enjoy this freudian pratfall from the other side for once
JADE: this isnt fair!!
DAVE: oh yes it is its totally fair now cmon spill it
JADE: we were a magical prince and princess of a golden dream kingdom on a moon, what was i SUPPOSED to think!!!
DAVE: hahaha
JADE: i was like eight and the clouds on prospit never thought to show me he was my fucking brother!!
DAVE: i cant take this
JADE: i thought, one day hes gonna wake up and we were gonna get married or something! because i was a stupid kid!!
DAVE: jesus youre killing me
DAVE: hey, hey
DAVE: did you ever see sleeping beauty when you were younger
JADE: stop
DAVE: oh my god you totally did didnt you
JADE: nope were not talking about this anymore!!!!
DAVE: you absolutely tried waking him up with true loves kiss didnt you oh my god
JADE: yes sure and then i met you and we started kinda-flirting and i was so swept away by your coolkid charm and style that i never ever ever thought about john again!!
JADE: and then karkat saw me with my sprite double and said the most directly sexual things to me that anyone who wasnt some random creep on a furry forum had ever said, and it was kinda weird at the time but still sorta stuck with me and who knows maybe it was some kinda weird awakening for me!!
JADE: hey, you wanna talk about that instead???
DAVE: haha no im good
DAVE: i think im fine just letting this solid gold sit for a bit
JADE: uuuuuuuuuuuughhhhhhh

By now, Jade's just got her head resting in her arms, which are resting on the table. She was a fool, to get greedy, and desire a nice conversation before bed. A foolish, foolish, fool, and this is now officially the most humiliating day of her entire life. Dave is just absolutely losing it, pounding a palm on the table, and Jade thinks she's ready to wrap this day up. She slumps herself out of her seat, dragging her body over to the couch and just flopping onto it. Tugging the covers over herself like they could drown out Dave's laughter.

DAVE: haha what, we done
DAVE: cmon no more juicy details to share
DAVE: i thought you liked talking about juicy details
JADE: yeah no thats just about it
JADE: nothing left to do now but lay here and wait to die
DAVE: hah fair enough
DAVE: if its any consolation i do buy you now about not wanting to get involved with us anymore
JADE: ugh
JADE: honestly the worst part is i do still kind of want to?
JADE: i mean i just said i was sorta into you both for different reasons
JADE: and its sorta hard to let go of that
JADE: but like
JADE: i mean, thats my problem and im just gonna have to deal with it
JADE: and even if i do want it, im not gonna go after it anymore while youre both happy together!
JADE: thatd be shitty
JADE: besides, even if karkat werent in the picture, it wouldnt work out between us
DAVE: wait whys that
JADE: ...youre gay?
DAVE: ok but didnt you just like talk about how we used to flirt, and how i uh
DAVE: yknow, have uh
DAVE: looked at you, in a
DAVE: way
JADE: ...really?
DAVE: shut up this stuffs still weird
JADE: ok, well! that first part happened before you really had yourself figured out
JADE: and the second one, um
JADE: i feel like its probably a bit easier for you to be into a girl with my particular gifts
JADE: i dont think ive ever seen you show any interest in any other girls!
JADE: so maybe youre just, STILL figuring yourself out
DAVE: well i mean
DAVE: ok i can see how you might come to that conclusion
DAVE: but im still pretty damn sure im bi
JADE: thats not what you told obama
DAVE: ...
DAVE: ok what
DAVE: what does my main man obama have to do with this

Jade Harley thinks about that other timeline she witnessed. Dave marrying her only out of a sense of obligation, never truly being happy with her. Telling the former president that he thinks he's gay, and then leaving without ever even thinking to let his wife know. She thinks about whether it's worth bringing up, and getting into that mess of a timeline at all. ...Maybe some other time.

...She also thinks a bit about that other her. If she was actually happy with him. Did she realize it was a sham, and just lied to herself? Did she not care, because she had what SHE wanted? Was she selfish? Unaware? Thought he'd come around? She has no idea. She's well aware of that Dave's thoughts on the matter, but somehow... her own feelings never seem to came up.

Well. Whatever that Jade's feelings were, she's at least not going to let herself fall into that same trap. Dave's happy, and there's plenty of ways she can be happy too, with or without someone else.

DAVE: cool so youre just going to leave me wondering about that incredibly cryptic statement
JADE: huh?
JADE: oh, yeah
JADE: i dunno, it was nothing i guess
JADE: im just tired
DAVE: well damn if it wasnt a hell of a non-sequitor jade
DAVE: anyway if youre that tired i guess ill let you get some sleep
DAVE: im sure youre looking forward to dreaming of your true love john egbert kissing you tenderly

Jade picks up a pillow and throws it hard at Dave.

JADE: you couldnt leave well enough alone, could you??
DAVE: haha yeah sorry
DAVE: sorry, i know youre not really the type for tender kissing youre more into-
JADE: SO HELP ME I WILL THROW THIS ENTIRE COUCH AT YOU STRIDER!!!!
DAVE: hahahaha
DAVE: okay yeah im done now
DAVE: goodnight jade

Jade hears him still chuckling a bit, as his footsteps grow more and more distant, and she flops back onto the couch, pulling the blankets back up most of the way, only stopping to grab the remote off the little coffee table and put something on the TV. She'd really appreciate a distraction and some white noise right now.

Worst day ever.