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[ there's a pause.

he actually has the same thought. he hates when magnus does this to him? oh man, he hates when magnus does this to him. but he switches over to voice.

ring ring motherfucker ]

[Insert a string of star wars ridiculous expletives here.

There's a few seconds pause, but then he picks up.]

... Hey.

[Smooth, Dameron.]

[ ah, shit. his heart goes weird. ]

Hi.

[ it's been a little while since he's heard Poe's voice. there may have been calls here and there at bootcamp, but if there were, they were far and few between, given his schedule. it's kind of. yeah. heart-weird. he runs his hand over his eyes. ]

I've gotta move somewhere without cameras.

Tell me something fun while I walk? Tell me something cute about BB-8.

He does a pretty good rendition of the theme song for your show, if you want to hear it.

[Sounding further away like he's not talking directly into the mic:] Hey, buddy, you want to say hi?

[There's a pause and then the sound of something rolling over hardwood, and then a 'yiiip!' sound. And then a series of cheerful beeps and whistles, and then a few bars of Import My Heart's themesong rendered in those same beeps and whistles. And then a questioning sound.]

Dead on, bud.

[Poe pulls the communicator back to his ear.]

See, told you.

[ Owain laughs so loudly it's basically a scream, startling a few off-shift cameramen into looking around as he passes for whatever shot they're missing. fuck, he loves bb-8 so much. he misses him already? he can't believe they've been apart for so long. for the rest of his trip he talks about how much he loves that god damn droid.

he's back in his bedroom soon enough and he shuts the door behind him. there's a secret path behind a bookcase that leads to the rose garden out the back of Darkhaus, and owain slips inside to find some privacy. there's an echo to his voice now that he's here, but. their conversation is for them and them alone.

he takes a breath. ]

Why d'you not have the right to talk about Peter?

[Poe, on the other hand, is just in his room, where he's been for the entirety of the text conversation, too. BB-8 happily just hanging out with him as he fondly ran his fingers over the droid's head.

When they finally got to the point of the conversation, however, his hand stilled, and then pulled away to rub at his own eyes as he lied back in his bed.

He was shit at text. He knew that. That had been proven. But he was shit at talking, too, and far less able to censor himself as he knew was required.]

... You know perfectly well why I don't have the right to talk about Peter. [It wasn't an admonishment. If anything, it sounded apologetic.]

If he was just your best friend that would be different, but that's- [See? See? Already putting his fucking feet in it. He cut off with a 'tch'.] ... Even as just your best friend, still pretty sure I don't get to say shit about it.

[ he's overanalyzed every facet of his relationship with poe to such a degree at this point that he honestly can't pinpoint what, exactly, the reason is for his resistance on this. there are too many variables, too many words. probably based on space, again, owain figures. the zaps and the looks and the dislike. peter sure does fucking suck at getting along with the people that matter to owain.

it's hard to commit and connect poe's response to anything deeper, for a fair few reasons. self-preservation, mostly. he'll try, though, because. well. yeah. ]

I'm starved to hear you say shit, man. I hate that you pull back so much.

[ not that he doesn't understand why, just. he hates it. hates being behind poe while he starts his new life and moves on, seemingly super fucking easily. he slumps back against the wall and hunches over a little as he speaks, lowering his voice to dull the echo. ]

But - he's just my best friend? I don't really get what-- like, my whole problem right now is that my best friend and my family aren't getting along. That's all. I didn't mean to make you think... that I was using this as an attack on you, or on what we've-- on us? It was just.

Just me being bad at communicating.

[He sighs, trying not to have it audible but of course it is, running a hand through his no-longer-perfect hair.]

Trust me, pulling back is not my preferred method of communication, either. [It's almost said to himself, under his breath.]

And you're not - look, it's not about me. I know that. But listen. Peter isn't just your best friend - or at the very least, he doesn't fucking think so. Even in space, talking about his fucking girlfriend and he still-- [He cuts off again because Poe? Poe? What the fuck are you doing?

He lets out a frustrated sound.]

He has every right to hate me and that's fine, I get it, and I deserve it, but Leo is your family and he doesn't get to play the jealous infant card with that.

[ something weak flares in his chest and makes him speak without thinking. ]

Then why do you keep fucking--

[ --doing it. fuck, nevermind. he knows why. the why has been hammered in over and over and over again. dwelling on not being enough or not being loved enough or not being wanted enough and rehashing the same tired shit over and over and over again isn't going to do anything. he gave everything he had to poe when he was ported out and got less than fucking nothing back. it's hard to keep trying after something like that.

but whatever. the peter thing. he focuses and he knows it's the wrong reaction, given what poe is saying, but it's such a ludicrous line of thinking that he actually laughs. ]

Are you saying-- Poe, he's like, super, super straight. C'mon. He's not jealous, he's-- just. They don't mesh.

[ the smile's still there, but it fades, and he goes quiet for a moment. ]

And-- listen, he shouldn't hate you. Nobody should hate you. Literally everyone I've talked to about everything between you and I - including people from your world - has made it pretty clear that I'm the one that's been in the wrong. You haven't done shit.

Edited 2018-02-10 20:46 (UTC)

Because you don't deserve me fucking with your head. [Sorry, Owain, you chose to do this over voice where things can't be deleted mid typing.] And there is a long fucking list of things I could say that would fuck with your head. So.

Just - anyway.

What is it with earth and this 'straight' thing? is it just so that they can pretend that their behaviour isn't- whatever. If he's not into you, then maybe he should stop acting like he is.

... And that's not-

That's not true. Also probably all of those same people then told me it was my fault, especially if you spoke to anyone from my universe, because I can guarantee you I got a number of those lectures.

I just.

[He scrubs his face so hard that it's audible over the line.]

I'd rather you and everyone else hated me than have you blame yourself, alright? So don't- don't do that.

[ he's not sure if he's annoyed or scared or anxious or what, hearing that. maybe that's what poe means by messing with his head. if that's the case - ]

That's what I want to hear, though. All of that. I just wanna hear how you feel? I haven't gotten shit since you hooked up with this guy. It's scary having to guess all the time.

[ but. again. whatever. this conversation doesn't mean much with the voices of people telling him he's going to ruin poe ringing in his ear. everything keeps coming back to the same thing - poe chose someone else, odin hates it, poe's shutting his feelings down for who he's with, odin hates it... it's destructive and ruining everything. his own damn fault.

this still sucks. ]

But yeah, okay. [ he sounds tired. he's been over this too many times to fight about it again. ] As long as you remember that I'm the one that's still hoping for... whatever. To happen. While you're happy. Away from me. There's no excuse for that, really.

[ cycling back... may as well joke his way out of poe not gettin dumb primitive earth sexuality. ]

And-- Peter just likes girls? He's super into boobs and stuff. I don't have boobs. Therefore, he's not super into me. There's no attraction here. I don't know what to tell you.

Yeah, I... sorry. I can't seem to escape either saying too much or too little. I just - don't want to say something that hurts you. That's it. That's all.

[He doesn't sigh, when Owain reminds him. Just runs his hand through his hair.]

... Yeah. I know. I don't.. I haven't forgotten, trust me. I just-

[Just what, Dameron? Now he sighs.] ... You deserve better. That's all.

And Peter - I'm not going to argue with you, Owain, but either you're blind to it or he is.

[ owain hesitates, and something resistant in him gives, a little bit. a realization, maybe? for fuck's sake. he breathes out, exasperated. annoyed with himself. ]

It's-- fine? I'm-- man. I've been treating you like shit again? Thinking that you hate me or don't give a shit about me and getting all self-absorbed just because I can't be the center of your world and-- why am I like this? Always being unfair to you. Either asking for things I won't have or assuming the worst about how you feel because I'm stuck in my head. I gotta stop.

[ he breathes out. it'd be easy? to do what they always do. "i don't deserve better, i just want you". go on about how he just deserves a chance with poe despite the fact that he's with someone else. get an i know and then silence. it's probably obvious, at this point, from the way he breathes a little faster and gets prepared to speak up, that this is where want to take things, but - he cuts himself off for once, deflating. ]

It doesn't-- fuck.

[ there's an uncomfortable squirm in his stomach as he slumps down the wall, sitting on the hard ground and staring up at the dark hallway ceiling. desperately scrambles for a topic change. ]

Peter likes girls who would call him a piece of shit and step on him. Let's start there? I don't think that's really the tone of our relationship.

I don't hate you. [He doesn't ramble - just states it, with utter certainty. Lets it hang there a second before he sighs.] And I'm pretty sure we're both - look. I don't hate you. At all. Or anywhere close, so just - believe that, at least.

[He messes his hair, and unlike a month ago it stick out in all sorts of weird ways when he pulls his hand away again.]

So let me get this straight.

You screaming at him that he's a dickhead and literally kicking him in the face doesn't... fit that tone.

I know. I know. It's just-- hard to-- give up everything I want. To somebody else. And. To know that you're thinking-- of him instead of-- and it's been, what. Heading into two months? I've gotta stop. I'm being a scumbag, and.

[ yeah. whatever. he's the one who said they needed to drop this, so he should drop this. make wild claims to be better and find someone else so they can just be friends and everything can be good between them. he doesn't, in the end.

just laughs, again, at the fact that he's totally kicked peter in the face. quiet and watery, but a laugh nevertheless. ]

He tries to do the same to me, man. Face-kicks and insults. He's competitive and aggressive and stupid when he's with me. If I were a girl he liked, I'd be able to be like, yo, on your knees!, and he'd just drop. It's gross. He's a gross guy.

You're not a scu-- damn it, this-- just-- I hate the idea that you beat yourself up on my behalf so just - don't. Do that. Please.

Just call me names instead, I'd prefer that.

[He leans back, staring at the ceiling, thinking about flickering lights of stars.]

That's a very specific type of service, sure, but that's not what someone looks for in their entire relationship. That's called going to a club and taking someone home to step on you.

He just - look. He was jealous as fuck the entire time in space, and if he's just doing that as a friend then he needs to back off. That's all I'm saying.

Man.

[ he lays down on his back. feel rejected, feel guilty, feel lonely or feel angry with himself. there's gotta be a way out of this cycle, somehow. he weakly tries the name thing. ]

You... dingus.

[ a pause. and then a laugh, again, small and quiet. can't even call poe something mean as a joke. he breathes out and tries to force himself to relax, and it doesn't work, not really, but the small progress he makes is better than nothing. ]

If he was jealous, it's because he doesn't really make many friends? He and I were really close, and then out of nowhere, it was like, oh, hey, here's the really fucking hot dude I've been boning down on, and also I'm in love with him and want to pledge my life to him, and you get to just kinda sit there and think I'm gonna leave you for someone you probably assume is cooler than you in every way. That's all. It's not... romantic, and it's not...

[ he trails off. ]

It's not like I haven't thought about it. Him and me. I mean, we're close, right? Closer than most friends are. But it's just because we both go hard into shit. I think.

Yeah, you can do better than that. [But his voice was oddly quiet.]

Yeah, well, if he wasn't an idiot maybe he'd realise that even if -- it all had gone differently - it's not like you guys would stop being friends. And fine, fine, it's not romantic, he just acts like it is, because that's a huge difference.

[Does he sound a little annoyed? He might be a little annoyed. He's trying to rein it in, though.]

I'm just saying. Whatever he's doing, he needs to get it straight in his head - and maybe stop being a shit to your family in the meantime.

[Sighs.]

You know I don't hate him, right? He's a good guy. And I know what his friendship means to you. It just. Fucking annoys me when he messes it up.

I'm not... gonna punish you. You found something more in someone else? You've only ever been kind to me since then, I just... have... sucked. At it. And, like, you wouldn't be all that you are to me, if I could just-- insult you. Like that. So.

Chill, okay? We gotta start acting more like friends, rather than-- I mean, you're not even my ex and that's how I treat you. We didn't even... ugh.

[ he listens to the rest of this. examines poe's annoyance at peter from every angle, bouncing it in his head. it occurs to him that he might be-- jealous, or something-- but the thought makes something squeeze like a vice in his ribs. there's no way? not after everything. poe can't still feel enough for him like that to be jealous. he thinks. ]

I know you don't. He doesn't hate you, either. If that means anything.

[ but. in a perfect world, he and poe would be best friends. he and leo would be best friends. his family would love each other and owain wouldn't always feel stuck between them. in a perfect world.

a long pause, and then a breath. ]

Things could have been so much different to all of this. [ a pause, again. ]

I shouldn't be doing this show. Locking everyone up together with cameras trained on their every move is hardly cohesive towards forging strong familial bonds.

[There was a slightly longer pause than normal, and then, in a low tone:]

... You know that's part of the-- that's part of what's unfair about it, right? Because yeah I argued a lot that we "didn't even" to myself but we... Did even.

Don't really think it's fair to you to not acknowledge that.

But that... Doesn't change the fact that I still want to be friends. And you call your friends dickheads all the time.

[He listens to the rest and then kind of shrugs - before remembering that Owain wouldn't have been able to know he did it.]

I don't think it's the worst thing.

I've been watching it.

It looks like people are having fun. You've got some cute people on that island with you.

That's...

[ his pulse picks up. it's difficult, to have his feelings reaffirmed and sealed away at the same time. there's no sweeping soar of hope that always comes when poe tells him that there's something there between them, but he can't deny that this means something. ]

Yeah. I mean, yeah. That's a lot, but. Yeah. If that's how you see me, that helps? I think. I think. I mean-- it-- sucks? It sucks, because if we were something it still means what you get from him is more than what... what you ever got from me, but--

[ ugh, fuck. another pause. he's not doing this again. he breathes, a few times, and he's silent, until finally, finally, he forces himself to stop spiralling. ]

I don't know. Whatever. [ a pause, and then fondly, despite the ache-- ] Dickhead.

[ he smiles. it slips. bleh. this still sucks. ]

Show talk, then. You gonna be cool if I end up dating someone here?

[Part of him wants to interject, but - he can hear the way Owain is putting it aside, for now. And he doesn't want to keep digging that hole deeper. So. He just answers the last part.]

You remember when I said that there were some things I don't get to say shit about?

I don't get to say shit about you dating literally anyone.

I mean unless they are a complete prick in which case I will punch them, but.

Look. I'll be cool. Long as you're alright with it and you're doing it for you I'm not going to - fuck that up for you.

[ it makes sense as an answer, but. spoilers! owain hates it. ]

I think it's kind of a shitty move for you to always just--

[ it fizzles and dies, the energy in his voice. he takes a moment to collect himself and try again. ]

Just-- you keep saying you don't get to say anything, and it kind of sucks? You're putting these limitations on yourself that I don't feel need to be there. I get that you think staying reserved is in my best interests, but being kept in the dark on how you feel doesn't do anything except make me-- second guess. Everything. It doesn't help me. It's never helped me.

[ but he knows that words and poe go together like oil and water, and telling him he prefers poe opening up to him even if it breaks his heart doesn't really seem like it would help after everything they've been through. ]

[Poe sighs, heavily, and he rubs his eyes, pressing hard enough against his eyelids to make stars burst into his vision.]

It's not just for your best interests, Owain, it's not exactly like I - Look. I'm not trying to... keep you in the dark.

It just isn't fair of me to be some sort of gate keeper for - that. For you.

I don't know. Whatever. I have mixed feelings on the subject. But I haven't decided to set fire to any of them, yet, so that's a win, right?

[What are words, tho.]

[ he'll be able to get it a little easier once he's had some time away, and he can examine this and attribute more of poe's resistance to the fact that he's doing this for his own sake as much as owain's. and, you know - for the sake of who he's with. for now, though, owain just bristles a little, trying to connect the dots but not fully being able to. he presses on. ]

I don't... want you to be a gate keeper. I mean-- I mean, yeah, okay, there's a part of me that's still just waiting for you to be like, "no, dude, keep waiting for me forever, it's all gonna work out between us soon", or... something, but.

[ bleh. he breathes out. something stirs in him and he figures he should reference it, in some way. ]

Everyone's mad at me for doing that. I've been fucking-- hounding you. Chasing you away. And I've-- I mean-- there's the start of something, for me? For someone. And it's not-- it's not going to go anywhere, they're not even competing on the show, but it's.

[ he swallows. ]

It's nice to have this fleeting interest in someone. I don't know if I should, like - embrace the fact that I can feel like that for a person, even after everything, or if - or if it's too cruel? Because, like. You're still-- you. To me. What if in a week you're like, "actually, I love you after all" and then I'm-- just.

It's hard.

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