[ dextera is weird. he doesn’t fight that—he doesn’t even register it as being an insult, however childish, just an apt observation that this younger gen has made about the world. certainly to anyone, this whole conversation would be weird on an objective level.
but although the consequences feel massive, they aren’t, not really. speaking softly to this phantom of the past won’t have any rippling effect. the real thing standing behind him, so tense in his discomfort that it feels like the air would warp around him, is going to be the same coming out as he was going in. it’s dextera’s selfish indulgence to have this moment, even if he didn’t know—and still doesn’t—how it would turn out. ]
…
[ he taps the last sentence again. it’s okay to him.
then he decides to put the notebook away in favor of shrugging off his coat just enough that it slips from his shoulder, giving him slack at the sleeve. gesturing first with it to his own eyes, dabbing at tears that don’t exist, he offers it out. this child gen has been cleaning his face on his sleeve and dextera’s coat isn’t any better, but that’s not what really matters about the gesture. not in his mind, anyway. ]
no subject
but although the consequences feel massive, they aren’t, not really. speaking softly to this phantom of the past won’t have any rippling effect. the real thing standing behind him, so tense in his discomfort that it feels like the air would warp around him, is going to be the same coming out as he was going in. it’s dextera’s selfish indulgence to have this moment, even if he didn’t know—and still doesn’t—how it would turn out. ]
…
[ he taps the last sentence again. it’s okay to him.
then he decides to put the notebook away in favor of shrugging off his coat just enough that it slips from his shoulder, giving him slack at the sleeve. gesturing first with it to his own eyes, dabbing at tears that don’t exist, he offers it out. this child gen has been cleaning his face on his sleeve and dextera’s coat isn’t any better, but that’s not what really matters about the gesture. not in his mind, anyway. ]