parodeity | subnautica ic inbox 1.0;

Because I hide fevers from you?

[ dirk lost dave in the transition there although it's not like dave can judge - or like he really cares. conversations with dave can go all over the place at the whims of other people because he'll follow along, or they can go all over the place because he can't stick to a script to save his damn life.

he drops his chin onto dirk's shoulder, figuring he missed the conversational jump. no, not the fevers - dirk's probably talking about their hugs, but dave still doesn't follow. ]

He's your computer password, isn't he?

It's the most obvious possible password for a computer no one but me could ever touch.

[So it was ironic. A dumb joke for a system that was a maze of files and encryptions, where all the walls he ever put up were just for Roxy's amusement. There was no point to any of that at the end of the world.]

I don't want to weigh you down with this or anything so I'm just going to ask you to confirm something for me. I'll know I can go through with it as long as your answer is yes.

Just tell me that you'll hug me once we get rid of him.

It'd be the same password even if that weren't the case.

[ it was bro's password, and dave had typed it in too many times to count.

even if he doesn't know the right answer to stopping dirk or asking him to do what he's offering to do, dave does know the answer to the question being posed now. ]

Dude. I'll give you a hug whenever. You know this. Regardless of puppets?

[He breathes in. It isn't quite steady. He closes his eyes. His fingers grip just short of causing pain.]

You won't ever fully be comfortable if I keep Cal, no matter where I put him. It will hurt a little when I lose him, but I've already lost him once and whatever pain I experience from it will be soothed knowing that you can have some peace of mind.

I seriously care about you more than any dumb puppet. Okay?

...I know.

[ but there's a hesitation born of sixteen years not knowing that before he replies, because no, dave doesn't know that, because it's simply never been remotely true. it's fine to believe dirk will prioritize him over smuppets. cal is another matter entirely. ]

[In the end, Dirk is still a kid. He raised his own damn self, he figured everything out on his own from archives and bad experiences. And the whole time, he kept Cal. Cal had saved his life. Cal was his best friend. He told Cal everything, treated him like he was a real person, developed the technique of flashpuppeteering just to fabricate the illusion because yes, no one else was around, but it was a little closer to real for him, and couldn't that be enough? He built robots, friends that would move on their own, and he could have mechanized Cal any time but he didn't. Cal had saved him just as he was. Cal had protected him just as he was. And all those years, Cal and Cal alone was the safeguard of every weakness and vulnerability. Cal kept him sane and safe. Cal let him survive.

Dirk presses his face into Dave's shoulder.]

Please let me do this for you.

[ see, it's true dave's never going to relax with cal there, won't want to sleep near the fucking thing, will try to put as much space between him and it as humanly possible.

but it's also true he's never going to agree to something that's clearly fucking dirk up. if someone is going to be fucked over by something, dave will pick himself as the loser in the situation any time, without hesitation. ]

No.

Edited 2016-08-14 00:37 (UTC)

[Dirk pulls back. He looks at Dave.

He's lost.]

What?

[His hands are gripping Dave's hard, twisting the fabric in between white-knuckled fingers. His face draws together.]

No. You're not living with Cal on base. Do you think I'd let that be a thing? He has to go.

...I'm not gonna give you permission.

[ and his jaw is set and haha this is so stupid, he'll end up bunking at the farm probably, but just. no. dirk's holding him too tight and has admitted it'll hurt and he's not the only self-sacrificial moron in the family.

it's fine?

this is fine. he can deal with this. ]

So. No.

[This is really stupid. They're both self-sacrificial, and they both dig their feet in. Dirk lets go of Dave, but it's so he can fold his arms.]

Believe it or not, Dave, I don't actually require permission to destroy my own property.

[Really, really stupid.]

Yeah, you do. 'Cause I'm not talking to you ever again if you destroy him.

[ dave you

want him to destroy cal you fucking moron

he's not crossing his own arms but he jams his hands into his pockets, scowling. ]

[He can't deal with this?? He can't even believe what Dave is making happen.]

Are you fuckin' five? You can't give me the silent treatment for something you want. There isn't an argument here. We both agree on what we want done.

[ karkat fucking warned you, bro! ]

Fuckin' watch me. Because we don't agree on it at all, okay!

[ yes, he's five, and he's also just going to

storm out, attempting to abscond

so ]

[Dirk Strider throws up his hands. Because what the fuck. What the ever-loving-fuck!]

I love you too, you fuckin' ass.

[FINE. STORM OUT. DIRK WILL STORM INTO JAKE'S ROOM! BECAUSE SCREW YOU.

He absolutely meant that 'I love you' though. He didn't want Dave to leave without hearing that. He heard it's a bad way to end fights to not say that. Not that the fight is over. Still!]

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