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[parodeity]

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[parodeity]

You think it'll help the two of you, yeah? And I've never had an objection to gettin' to know...well, anyone. The only people who rubbed me the wrong way were, like, Komaeda et al.

[ does that count as good judgement or bad? ]

It...doesn't mean I trust you like I did, still. But I'm willin' to try it this way.

[splinten]

[GENUINELY didn't expect an okay so he's still. Kinda surprised.]

Okay. And I won't tell anyone anything you tell me. Okay?

[parodeity]

[ dirk he has no issue hanging out with jake he just doesn't want to tell. anyone shit. unless they reach some level of him wanting to tell them shit?? he already warned dirk that hanging out wouldn't equal sharing immediately, so. if dirk thinks it will help... ]

I'll try to believe that, yeah.

[splinten]

[His hope is that it will help two things. Dave's trust in him, yes, that's an issue. But also, Jake's fear and uncertainty about Dave. Sharing is important but he thinks that Jake and Dave actually knowing each other better will help them both.

Besides, of course he wants his boyfriend and brother to get along.]

Okay. Then... is there anything else there you want to deal with?

[parodeity]

I...don't know. On that topic.

[ he has zero interest in going into his feelings about trust any further because it all sounds terrible. ]

Next is trips.

[splinten]

We can come back to it whenever, then.

[Since that is how Dave is right now. He'll take the point they've made it to as some degree of progress. At least it, hopefully, means Dave will stop trying to force himself as much.]

On trips, I think it's for the best that I stay off of them until you reach the point where you can trust me with that again. Your decision made sense and I understand why you did it.

[parodeity]

Not to mention whatever "complicated" reason means you don't want to go on 'em anyway.

[ he decides not to bother asking for an explanation. forcing open shut doors has never been a hobby of dave's. ]

Works for me. [ he fails to mention he plans to make more of them and won't be taking rose every time because it does not seem 100% relevant. ]

[splinten]

[Very gently.]

Dave. You're deciding how I feel about a thing for me.

[parodeity]

[ he stills. ]

Which thing? I agreed with your assessment.

[splinten]

The thing where you think complications mean I don't want to go.

[There's a pause, then.]

Maybe it's your turn to remind me of the list.

[parodeity]

If you don't want to discuss said complications you don't have to.

[ that's not...reminding dirk about the talking about things clause at all. that is the opposite. that is not a good try, even. ]

[splinten]

[It is in fact the opposite, yes.]

You can't help me learn to talk about things more if you don't push me to talk, bro.

[parodeity]

But you don't want to talk about them? You wouldn't tell me about them last time, I figured it was a no-go this time too.

[ look ]

It's not the same thing as you tellin' me about feelings you don't mind sharin' but just forget to do.

[splinten]

It kinda is when my whole life I've been scared of sharing feelings that might drive people away.

So. Ask me?

[parodeity]

Well, maybe now I don't wanna ask.

[ ...

this particular display of immaturity lasts half a minute, before: ]

What're the complications.

[splinten]

[u tried]

Time travel still doesn't come entirely naturally to me. While I didn't have any initial objections, and I'm happy we've taken the trips we have, I'm not entirely sure how I think about it right now. Everything has been such a mess that I haven't really had the chance to sit down and decide what I feel about that kind of time. When I think about it as time sort of pocketed out just for us, I really like it. On the other hand, when I think of it as desynchronized time, it's harder to accept.

This isn't... this is new. I wasn't hiding this from you. It's something I started to think about before the Christmas trip you didn't take me on.

I... didn't want to tell you because we're already so precarious, I was scared you would just decide that time travel was bad for me and not give me a choice in it.

[parodeity]

[ while dave's expression seems completely neutral to the untrained outsider, there is a definite twist as he tries really hard to stop himself from saying something. it is always an effort that takes some. well. effort?

the something he forces himself not to say is pretty much about what dirk thinks he would say. he's also not sure if his own feelings on the topic would be good or bad to share. probably bad? bad. okay.

right. words. he should say some of those. ]

...All right. [ that's neutral enough there we go good show ]

[splinten]

[There's a pause.]

You were going to say that you'd just not take me on any time travel road trips anymore, weren't you.

[parodeity]

No I wasn't.

[ HE STOPPED HIMSELF FROM SAYING IT THAT SHOULD GET POINTS. ]

It doesn't really have anythin' to do with me, anyway.

[splinten]

You totally were.

[HE KNOWS YOU! Dirk sighs out, and then he shrugs his shoulders.]

The thing is... I do want to go on trips like that with you. I really enjoyed every single one we took.

[parodeity]

[ nnngh. there's another moment of complete standstill silence, before dave finally comes out with: ]

I don't think we should talk about it that much. You shouldn't make that kind of decision based on anythin' other than your own feelings and comfort.

[ he does not want to respond to wanting or not wanting to go on trips, or liking them, or how he felt about them; all those things might hurt to share or hurt to hear, whenever the decision inevitably comes back. ]

So: it doesn't really have anythin' to do with me, anyway, but thanks for sharin'.

[splinten]

It does have to do with you. It's a thing we do together, which I enjoy because we do it together. Some time, when you're up for it, I'd like to talk to you about time travel, and how you feel about it and imagine it. I'd like to understand it better from the perspective of someone who knows it best.

I don't want to give up trips with you. But I also don't want to go in them without being sure how I feel about it.

[parodeity]

I don't mind talkin' to you about time travel and me. I'd just...prefer not to talk about my feelings about those trips.

[ dave sighs, gaze dropping to the ground below. ]

So. Consensus is shelve it?

[splinten]

[He wonders if it's the bunk bed thing again. He wonders if Dave doesn't want to dream about things he can't have.

There's a small pause, and then, he says,]

Jake runs on Hope but that hasn't traditionally been part of my outlook. I don't like thinkin' about things I'm sure I can't have, not if it hurts to do so. Between us, though, it's unacceptable to me that the things that we shared are impossible to repair and make stronger.

We can put it aside for now. Later, though, I'd like to come back and talk about things more. Okay?

[parodeity]

[ it is absolutely the bunk bed thing again, and for a second he doesn't breathe in or out before just letting the air go, eyes still on the ground. ]

Maybe. Look, regardless of the outcome of you thinkin' about things, it was...nice. I just don't want to discuss it like it's goin' to be a thing if it's in limbo. Or if that would impact your decision. There's always goin' to be other stuff to do, so let's just drop it until you come to a decision or I do. So...next item.