personal overflow post;

[parodeity]

Comments

[admiringly]

[ DAVE..... those details are Important. ]

No, it's... Don't be sorry. You can't help what nightmares you get, and I wouldn't leave you alone. I'm sorry you have to have dreams like this.

[ If Chiyo's honest, while the entire situation is awful, a part of her is glad to see this part of Dave. It's something she thinks Dave would be very reluctant to talk to her about. ]

You... you don't have to talk to me about it, but have you talked about any of this with... anyone?

[parodeity]

My nightmares?

[ like. not RECENTLY - ]

I've talked about 'em with Dirk.

[ who forgot. but. ]

[admiringly]

[ Hopefully, Dave doesn't mind hugs right now because Chiyo is going to hug Dave. ]

I'm sorry.

[ There's a sharp pang in her heart. She didn't share everything with Rin, but there's a hollow feeling when she remembers how he used to be on the network. She imagines it's only worse for Dave. ]

[parodeity]

[ it's fine, he will accept hugs from chiyo whenever, even if he's a little stiff at first. ]

It's - [ it isn't okay. ] - it is what it is. You know? People forget, or they remember. it's kind of hit and miss.

[admiringly]

That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. [ She hesitates before adding: ] I've cried. I've cried a lot. I like to think it's better if they don't have to deal with these.... nightmares, but it's lonely.

[ Chiyo knows she's not alone and she has friends and family who will be there for her, but that doesn't mean she doesn't miss the people who forgot, that she doesn't miss them remembering. You're not completely forgotten, but parts of you are. ]

[parodeity]

...It is. Especially if you were in the middle of...an argument, or whatever, and they forgot that, too.

[ how do you fix a thing someone else doesn't know is broken? ]

[admiringly]

[ Chiyo looks like she could cry, and she presses her face into Dave's shoulder. ]

Yeah. It was hard enough talking to my brother about everything that bothered me before, but now it's even worse.

[parodeity]

[ and dave's hugging her becomes less awkward and more steady and secure. ]

Yeah. Yeah, I know what that's like. If you ever want to...talk about whatever. I'm around to listen?

[admiringly]

[ She nods into his shoulder. She's not quite ready to talk about how lonely it makes her, and this isn't her nightmare. ]

Yeah, I'll come to you when I'm ready. I was just... starting to tell him something, and— [ She shakes her head. ] Rin's an idiot. [ She's an idiot. ]

You know I'll listen to you whenever, too, right?

[parodeity]

Yeah, I know.

[ whenever one of them is ready to talk, maybe. ]

Thanks. For...being yourself.

[admiringly]

[ Someday, one of them will be. ]

You're great, too. I wouldn't be who I am without you.

[parodeity]

[ chiyo what the fuck that's too sweet. for a second he hugs her tighter, before he starts to let go. he doesn't say "you would be better" or anything, he just. smiles. it's tiny but maybe genuine. ]

My world would be a hell of a lot darker without you around, Sunshine. I think -

[ whatever he thinks is lost, because that's when the dream fizzles out, in a series of gentle white fireworks ]