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[helpdesk_hero]

This is David Alleyne, I'm not available at the moment.
Please leave your name, contact information, and what this is regarding after the beep.

Comments

[resurrxion]

It does, yeah.

[ he says it all the time so he knows it himself. he picks up the coffee cup again, offering a half-smile. ]

You know what the hardest thing about my powers is?

[helpdesk_hero]

I know what the hardest thing about your powers would be if I was in your position. But I don’t know what it is for you.

[For David it would be the knowing he was immortal and he would lose everyone he loved.]

[resurrxion]

It's consent. And probably my own ego.

[ josh offers a golden hand out to him. ]

I sense everything about a person's body. All the time. The more my power grows, the more aware I am of how much pain is in the people around me.

I know when someone's dying way before they do. With my power, there's nothing I couldn't do to save them. I could stand in the middle of Excelsior and heal every single person in its limits. I could regrow limbs. Give sight to the blind. Give sound to the deaf. Some people would call it a miracle.

But others would be upset, because good intentions or not, I'da made a critical, life altering choice without asking. Totally robbed them of the opportunity to to weigh in because I thought I knew best.

[ his lips quirk. ]

So like, do me a favor? When you talk to people, stop talking at them? Stop explaining. Let them talk.

[helpdesk_hero]

[For a long, long moment David is left silent, contemplative. When at last he speaks, it's with a smile.]

You've grown up so much since we first met. I like the man you've grown into, Josh. I like him a lot. More than that, I respect how wise he's gotten. Sometimes it feels like I'm the reckless one now.

[resurrxion]

[ a small shrug, he offers a lopsided smile. ]

A little. Maybe.

[ he spins the coffee cup between his hands again. ]

We both know I had to fuck up a lot to learn the lessons I did. So at least those fuckups mean I can give sagely advice.

[helpdesk_hero]

[Nope, gotta laugh at that comment.]

I am now imagining you dressing up like Sage and that is horrible. Can like a sage, with a big white beard on top of a mountain. Great images.

[resurrxion]

I could make it work. I mean, if I'm stealing anybody's outfit I should be stealing Emma's. I look damn good in skintight white leather.

[helpdesk_hero]

I bet Laurie would like it. Would even offer you the contact info for the woman that does my clothes but she's more focused on dresses.

[He might flush a little to admit that.]

Josh? Thank you. Fuck, I've missed being honest with you. Got so in my head about being a burden or hurting people and I forgot I'm better when you're reminding me not to be an idiot.

[resurrxion]

Nah. Knowing me I'd just tear the thing off by accident and get nailed for indecent exposure.

[ not that he can claim to be much better. he doesn't really bat an eye at the dress, though. david's classy. of course he likes dresses. ]

And no kidding. Dude, I love you, did we learn nothing from how weird you got when you were hiding President David from the team? Secrets are for chumps.

[helpdesk_hero]

[He winces when President Alleyne gets referenced. Fuck he hates when that is brought up. He fears his potential darkness.]

I would literally rather consider my death record than that mess. I would rather talk about fighting Belasco again than talk about that.

[resurrxion]

And... have you? Talked to someone about Belasco, I mean.

[helpdesk_hero]

Balthier, of course. And, well... Tommy did sort of show up when Belasco jumped me in Excelsior. Kept me from getting my head split open on his axe. And then split with a stop sign. And then saved me from a street light beating. Apparently he has some powers like Mr Drake now, which definitely prevented me from disappointing a lot of people with another point on the wrong side of the win/loss columns.

[resurrxion]

Romantic partners do not count and are shit therapists.

[ immediately. he's fairly certain he and alani covered how bad of an idea that is. ]

Friends are marginally better but you gotta get a handle on that, dude.

[helpdesk_hero]

You mean actual therapy? There aren't people out there who people like us can talk to.

[Privacy would be... impossible actually. So would secrecy.]