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[odare]

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[odare]

[Finnick exhales a gentle laugh through his nose, looking down sheepishly at the bottle he's picking at.]

I'm not totally sure who I am.

[laserhawk]

Okay.

[ it's normal. sometimes he doesn't either. ]

Who do you want to be?

[odare]

[He furrows his brow as he stares at the little bits of label he's pulling, scratching at. He thinks for a while. He remembers his conversation with Night Sky on her birthday.]

I want to be... Someone who makes a difference. I want to help people and make things better generally for people who are struggling.

[laserhawk]

Then that's who you'll be.

[ there's no doubt in his voice. it's clear and unwavering, like always. ]

Just give it time.

[odare]

[He nods, then looks up at Dolph again.]

And you?

[laserhawk]

[ he blinks, nonplussed. ]

What about me?

[odare]

Who are you, and who do you want to be?

[He's curious. And he doesn't like to be the only one sharing things.]

[laserhawk]

[ dolph falls silent. he turns the beer bottle in his hands. he's a cyborg. what he is has been defined for him, even if he's shedded a couple of labels and gained new ones in his departure from eden.

he's just dolph laserhawk now. no longer captain. no longer a terrorist. no longer . . . alex's. no longer the warden's ghost. beyond that . . . he doesn't need to be anything else. ]

Who I am is what you see. I'm just someone who owns a club.

[ he looks down at his beer bottle once more. ]

But I guess . . . I want to be someone who is loved. Who gets to be happy. Who is no longer betrayed. That's good enough for me.

[odare]

[Finnick raises a brow. Someone who owns a club. What an odd way to identify oneself. Though, Dolph obviously wants to leave his past behind, and that is his profession in this new world, and plenty of people identify themselves by their professions.]

Then you will be.

[Finnick smiles. Dolph can easily be loved. Finnick is sure that he is already. Finnick can also see himself loving Dolph, as a friend if nothing else.]

[laserhawk]

[ dolph snorts. ]

We'll see.

[ his luck would have to vastly improve for that sort of thing. ]

But I try. One step at a time.

[ he's not going to give up on it. ]

[odare]

[Finnick frowns.]

What, you think it's that unlikely that you'll be loved? Or is it the happiness you'll see about?

[Happiness is hard to achieve. Especially for people who come from worlds like they do.]

[laserhawk]

[ dolph pauses, considering his words. ]

No. It's not unlikely. The person who loved me . . . sold me out. He said he had to give up the thing he loved the most to achieve revolution for the people.

I'm not unlovable. I'm just tired of being left behind for something more.

[ alex, livio, astarion. they all had a bigger calling than dolph. jean loves him but he's married. so dolph just takes what he gets and hopes for a someday. ]

I just want something to last.

[odare]

Mmm.

[He gives Dolph a sympathetic look. He understands that feeling a little bit. In his last world, everyone wanted to go home. Everyone wanted to leave him behind for the more important things they had going on in another world, including his own partner.]

It's a lot to hope for in a place like this, but I hope you find something that does.

[He isn't sure just how often people disappear in this world. Maybe some people stay a very long time.]

And for what it's worth, I don't plan to leave you behind. The only way you'll be rid of me is if I'm yoinked to another universe. Otherwise I'll be a thorn in your side.

[laserhawk]

[ that prompts a light chuckle. ]

That's fine by me.

[odare]

Good.

[A smile.]

So where do you stay, anyway? Do you live with anyone?

[laserhawk]

I live in one of the treehouses. By myself.

[odare]

[He frowns.]

By yourself? Do you like living alone?

[laserhawk]

[ no, he hates it actually. ]

It's what I'm used to.

[odare]

[Seems like a no...]

I'd invite you to live here if I could. There's no one you could make your roommate?

[laserhawk]

[ he shrugs. ]

I could, but it's not what I want.

[odare]

What do you want?

[He tilts his head. Spit it out!]

[laserhawk]

I want to share my house with someone I love. Like I used to.

I'm not interested in settling for anything less.

[odare]

Mmm. Fair enough.

[A high standard, but makes sense. Finnick too prioritizes living with one or more people he can cuddle with. Though, he will cuddle with a lot of people.]

Well, stay over here whenever you want. Or I can visit you. I mean... If you like. I don't want you to be lonely, and you're a good cuddle buddy.

[laserhawk]

[ his expression softens. ]

I'm not that lonely these days. And . . . I'll remember that.

[odare]

Good.

[He smiles and reaches over to squeeze Dolph's real hand with his own.]

Feel free to text me in the middle of the night. I'll probably be up.

[Either because he's doing shenanigans or sex or having nightmares.]