[ he remembers admitting to missing being friends with his now ex-boyfriend, months earlier, and having the question of whether or not that was true thrown back in his face days earlier. ]

I miss you.

[ it's true. he just has no idea how to bridge the gap of not trusting dirk like he did before. ]

But our relationship isn't just about us any longer. When we first got here it could be and we just...lived in one another's pockets for the longest time, I guess, but. We can't go back to that. And whatever new thing you keep talkin' about buildin' out of the ashes will take time. Not the kind I fuck with, but actual chronological time.

[ he's said again and again it won't be the same, and this is what he means: a thousand other people have claims on dirk's trust, and dave will never challenge any of those. but he knows they exist, and trusting dirk on some things means trusting a bunch of other people, too, now. or it seems like that. ]

I...do you want to stop? We can have this, or build your new thing, or whatever you want.