WEEK ONE: MONDAY, 8PM, THE POOL

[parodeity]

[ for the record, dave actually shows up at the dinner served by the motel for some reason on monday, drifting over to sit with velvet, so he. kind of ate? she probably glared at him until he ate. why is she terrifying.

he's been probably a wreck most of the day but what else is new and he kind of slides onto the opposite side of the picnic table if that's where dirk is, looking anywhere but dirk for a minute or two before focusing and saying: ]

Yo.

[ he has to find a better way to start these things. ]

Comments

[splinten]

Not until you tell me yours.

[This is so stupid]

[parodeity]

...Guess that's that, then. Forget the other favor I was gonna ask. I should get back to whatever.

[ oh, wait: ]

Do you know what the fuck your "itch" is.

[splinten]

[Goddammit. His teeth grit.

Then he breathes out hard.]

The trial. Everyone would be gathered for the trial and busy focusing on the corpse. I can take a shot one-handed from a corner and get basically everyone in one go. If I can get you or Jake to help block me no one will even notice what I'm going.

[parodeity]

Better be me. I don't think any of them would know subtle if it walked up and knocked them the fuck out.

[ the harleyberts, he means.

...

harleybertglishes????

that's not as catchy. ]

At least you're assumin' there'll be one. You didn't say what all you think your itch is.

[splinten]

I'll tell you. Will you at least let me know your other favour to ask?

[A beat.] It's—building. Construction generally, I think. I keep wantin' to take things and put them together.

It would super help if I could have my mechanical crap right now, but obviously that ain't an option.

[parodeity]

I want to investigate shit.

[ that is potentially tied to whatever the fuck he has suddenly decided to do. ]

- uh, you could try takin' apart one of the...things. If...you used somethin' not a screwdriver. A fork? I don't know. [ vague. ] I was goin' to ask you to keep a photo or two in reserve for a few days. If I die obviously that doesn't matter, but just in case it...becomes relevant.

[splinten]

I'll keep a few. [BUT] You could probably do with a camera man whatever you've decided to investigate.

[parodeity]

You don't really have a thing that can be risked.

[splinten]

Do you? You're just—whatever your role is, you're—[Someone Dirk doesn't want to see dead]

[parodeity]

I'm the only person who can risk it. [ or - well, that's apparently what he's choosing to believe? the itch is not 100% helping but hey.

is dirk still holding onto his arm. ]

You have shit that can still help people, and you're not - [ ... ] Anyway, you can't come with.

[splinten]

[Yes he is, and his grip tightens every time Dave mentions going off.] I'm not what?

[parodeity]

[ ok cool so with how much he's mentioned that he'll probably get a bruise or something go team ]

You're...you can't be risked. [ it's unclear if that's what he was going to say or not. but he still doesn't really trust the alternate universe guardians, so it's possible it wasn't. ]

[splinten]

[Look he's nervous sorry Dave??? He'll be super sorry when he realizes.]

Yes I can. [His voice is quiet.] Dave, please.

[parodeity]

[ is he even gonna realize, the kid constantly wears long sleeves and hasn't even flinched at the pressure.

he does start to shake his head, though. ]

I'd have to... [ he'd have to trust dirk. that's the sticking point, here. he'd have to tell dirk everything, and he'd have to trust him. ] I still don't. I'm sorry.

[splinten]

[Dirk's grip relaxes, but there's a little fall in his face. But he nods, still watching Dave, like he'd rather do anything than accept this..]

That ain't on you, Dave.

[Dave doesn't trust Dirk and that's Dirk's fault.]

[parodeity]

Ain't it?

[ he should, or he should fall in line even if he doesn't. it's always on the tip of his tongue, but it wars with a desire not to go back. ]

Tomorrow. [ a pause, and he clarifies: ] I can spend tomorrow afternoon with you, if you want, instead of...

[ this. the usual evening meetup. ]

[splinten]

You aren't the one who raised you like this and treated you like that.

[Dirk taught him to be distrustful, and Dirk was the one who deserves his distrust most. It's not on Dave.]

Then you're goin' tomorrow night.

[parodeity]

No. But like. [ ... ] This has been remarkably shitty for you, probably, which isn't your fault, but like. If I fuck this up I guess you should maybe have one afternoon where I do not inevitably snap?

[splinten]

[Okay now he's going to get a bit wry.] So you're gonna give me an afternoon of fake smiles and fake calm to remember you by if you bite the metaphorically Russian bullet?

[parodeity]

Not exactly.

[ MOSTLY EXACTLY ]

- There was a thing I wanted to do, but it was probably stupid.

[splinten]

[He's curious.] What was it?

[Btw it isn't a death grip but that hand is still there. Dirk has clingy genetics.]

[parodeity]

[ it's resting on a sore bruise area now probably dirk thanks. ]

...Nothin'. You can decide if you want to meet up with me tomorrow afternoon or not. I'll be out from of the motel.

[splinten]

Please tell me at least that. [It's more plaintive than demanding. He has learned so little from Dave but if there's something he wants, Dirk maybe could try to give it to him.]

[parodeity]

It might be stupid. I'll...if you come, we can. See. If you think it's stupid, uh.

[ lmao shit. ]

I'll wait out there around eight? Or. Come and find me in town, actually, I'll be...waitin' somewhere.

[ this cannot possibly be more awkward than just admitting to whatever it was he wanted to do. ]

[splinten]

[And yet Dirk accepts it.]

Okay. I'll be there.