[Seriously, Dave!! Though Minato's tone is...very neutral, and not at all judging. He mostly just wants to know, because this is an important aspect of Dave he needs to know.]
[Minato's quiet for a moment at that, contemplative, idly tracing a finger along the cobblestones.]
... It's not like I don't understand that.
[Seeing a friend get hurt is worse every single time, and Minato's got his own sense of self-sacrifice that makes this pretty hypocritical of him. But also--]
But... don't you think we feel the same way...?
It hurts to see you hurt, Dave. [He flashes him a weakly wry expression.] Even though I know we haven't been friends that long.
Yeah. I never claimed to be a good person. [ he tries maybe but - ] If it keeps someone else safe and alive? Then even if it hurts them that I take the fall, I will. My sister's the same way, actually.
I believe in that. That... a knight should defend and protect his friends. That he should be able to do whatever he can to take care of them, no matter what.
[Minato pauses, hands shoved into his pockets more deeply as he thinks.]
But I also... think that nobody can stand alone. Not all the time, no matter how hard they try. We have connections to other people so we can grow, don't we? So if you don't lean on those, I think you're stuck standing still. But it doesn't have to be one or the other.
[You can protect as a knight--and still lean on other people.]
...There are things I just can't ask for help for.
[ well. at least: ]
There are things I can't get help for. I don't really work entirely alone or anything, you know? At least, I stick to the group for the mot part. I try to help out. [ but yeah, when he has problems he keeps them close to his chest because when he's tried to reach out in the past so often no one has been there to catch his hand.
[Dave tries to help out, but does he get any help when he needs it? He says he can't ask for her for things, that he can't get help for things, but even so, he needs to.
Dave can't be all on his own through all of these struggles.
It'll only hurt him--and John--more. So quietly, Minato listens, and just as quietly, he finally responds with:]
Why not? Why can't you ask for help...or get help with those things?
[ he almost says no, rose was there but she hadn't been the last few years because she'd been drinking herself into a stupor. terezi was the same. karkat was around but they didn't talk about serious bullshit, and the mayor -
well, he talked to the mayor, but not about the dark shit. ]
It's okay. [ is what he goes with instead. ] My sister used to talk about whatever with me, but she's been a little preoccupied, I guess. And also is just not here?
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[Dave!! Why!!]
Aren't you?
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Do you...have any proper sense of self-preservation, Dave?
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I'll take that as a no, then.
[Well then.]
I guess it just means we as your friends have to look out for you even more, then. That's all.
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[ it just...
happens a lot ]
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[That answer comes immediately, if in a measured tone.]
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[Seriously, Dave!! Though Minato's tone is...very neutral, and not at all judging. He mostly just wants to know, because this is an important aspect of Dave he needs to know.]
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... It's not like I don't understand that.
[Seeing a friend get hurt is worse every single time, and Minato's got his own sense of self-sacrifice that makes this pretty hypocritical of him. But also--]
But... don't you think we feel the same way...?
It hurts to see you hurt, Dave. [He flashes him a weakly wry expression.] Even though I know we haven't been friends that long.
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Still...]
... But you won't let people help you, either. You're so independent, and you keep everything to yourself, on top of all of that...
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[Is that the symbolism Dave's getting at?]
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[...]
I believe in that. That... a knight should defend and protect his friends. That he should be able to do whatever he can to take care of them, no matter what.
[Minato pauses, hands shoved into his pockets more deeply as he thinks.]
But I also... think that nobody can stand alone. Not all the time, no matter how hard they try. We have connections to other people so we can grow, don't we? So if you don't lean on those, I think you're stuck standing still. But it doesn't have to be one or the other.
[You can protect as a knight--and still lean on other people.]
At least... that's how I look at it, I guess.
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[ well. at least: ]
There are things I can't get help for. I don't really work entirely alone or anything, you know? At least, I stick to the group for the mot part. I try to help out. [ but yeah, when he has problems he keeps them close to his chest because when he's tried to reach out in the past so often no one has been there to catch his hand.
so to an extent he just stopped reaching. ]
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Dave can't be all on his own through all of these struggles.
It'll only hurt him--and John--more. So quietly, Minato listens, and just as quietly, he finally responds with:]
Why not? Why can't you ask for help...or get help with those things?
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It's just...best not to think about those things.
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[Minato finally offers that up softly, shaking his head.]
But I don't want you to be all alone, either. That's... you've been bearing a lot on your shoulders all by yourself, all this time, haven't you?
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well, he talked to the mayor, but not about the dark shit. ]
It's okay. [ is what he goes with instead. ] My sister used to talk about whatever with me, but she's been a little preoccupied, I guess. And also is just not here?
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It's good you have your sister.
[He really, sincerely means that.]
But... well. I guess I'll just keep pestering you about this, so...fair warning. [Dave deserves to know!!]
You deserve to be able to talk to someone about all of it too.
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Minato's unruffled.]
I don't have anything to say. [Entirely sincerely!] You're right. I'm not good at talking about myself either. But... right now, I'm fine.
[He's had a lot of time to come to terms with his own situation, and not a lot bothers him about it anymore.]
But maybe...that's what we need, then. Someone to help each of us stay on track with this sort of thing.
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