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[parodeity]

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[splinten]

[Dirk doesn't smile. He almost never does. Dave is one of the few people who can consistently get that to break out.]

You pulling away.

[parodeity]

[ ...does he mean that figuratively or literally.

dave opts not to ask. ]

It's not all the way.

[splinten]

[Dave, you fucking know.]

It's enough.

[It's too much.]

[parodeity]

[ yeah. ]

Yeah. It's exactly enough.

[ dave is a dick, news at eleven

but no he's pretty sure this is the solution. he does not have someone who will talk him through this shitty idea because he doesn't go to people for help often if ever. especially not about this kind of thing. ]

[splinten]

[Haha Dave you know what

you probably have the speed stats you need to catch your brother's punch but he just went for it anyway because fuck you.]

[parodeity]

[ he super does

but he just lets it happen without batting an eye and doesn't bother to fight back or let himself get knocked over? just. allows himself to get punched. so. let him know if it helps?

he's going to have to loop a few more days in if this bruises, so karkat won't get upset. ]

[splinten]

[It doesn't help at all? Maybe it would help if Dave fought back. If Dave gave him anything at all. But Dirk, Dirk hates hurting the people he loves, and he cracked and he's angry at himself and he's angry at Dave and he can't do this anymore.

He's shaking. His whole body is trembling.

He makes it stop.]

I'm sorry. That wasn't okay.

[His hands are still fists but now at least he everything still. It's bad in a fighter and it's bad in him and Dave doesn't deserve it, but he sort of fucking does. Dirk is not okay with any of this.]

Med bay has a salve that heals bruises faster.

[parodeity]

[ he shrugs one shoulder, expression still neutral, but does reach up to feel around the damage, absently. ]

S'fine. [ it's not, but he's not complaining? because his new plan is just. to do this. and dirk's the only one who's going to notice there's anything off, he's sure, so he just has to perfect it so that isn't the case. ] It'll cut down on the loop time, so I'll get some later.

[ ... ]

Your hand ok?

[splinten]

I'm fine.

[He isn't fine at all. He can feel it building. It's the same thing, it's the same thing all over again. It's Jake a whole planet away, not answering messages, not wanting anything to do with him. It's a lonely apartment in the middle of the ocean after everything has ended. It's holding on to Lil Cal because Dave Strider is too far away.]

Don't worry about it.

[He wants to hold AR in his hands so he can feel the electric burn when he cracks him into pieces.]

[parodeity]

[ they're really really good at this.

dave pulls back further, which shouldn't be possible, but. is. ]

...A'ight. You need me over the next month, ping my communicator.

[splinten]

[It's just a moment, just half a second, and then it's gone. But in that second, Dirk's face betrays so much pain and so much fear.

Only that. Dirk walks away instead of flashstepping. He tosses his shades on and exits via the water route. He isn't going back to base.]