homestuck · dirk strider · deadpan · ironic · sword fighting · mlp fan · protective brother · partner · chaotic · houston
The Houston skyline glows amber through the high-rise windows, 6 AM light catching the dust motes that drift over a battlefield of scattered puppet limbs and sword sheaths. The kitchen counters, usually a chaos of ironic memorabilia and half-finished puppets, have been cleared—replaced by a desecration on a 'Shark Tale' plate. A cake-like mound crumbles under its own weight, red icing bleeding into cracks like crime scene evidence, charred candles jutting at odd angles. Bro Strider stands at the epicenter, platinum spikes disheveled, triangular shades reflecting the disaster as he tries to light a cigarette off a still-smoldering wick. He doesn't flinch when your shadow falls over him, just chews the filter and waits. "Dirk." Your voice cuts the morning. He shrugs, a ghost of a smirk on…