[ Living off the street, just like how Levi had found him here, dragged him home to wash up and bullied him into taking one of the empty homes so that he didn't have to live in the gutter. Dolph had been skittish and reactive like an abused stray cat on the street.
He gives himself credit for not visibly reacting to mention of Alex, content to silently indulge in the fantasy of twisting the man's head off with his bare hands, should they ever meet.
As Dolph reveals his fear, Levi just watches him evenly, then sets his own cup down with a soft tap. ]
[ no, it wasn't. alex wasn't the person dolph thought he was. alex gave him so much. taught him love and life and futures. he soaked it up like a sponge. made those things his own. so he chose love. and here, he chose his own life. his own future.
finally he nods. before, he would have asked levi do you think I could? so he could internalize it. make it true. but he's no longer that person who needs that. levi is not his crutch. ]
[ maybe levi is right. despite his first impulse to dismiss it, dolph knows how forlorn jean feels. the loss of his friend in the fight, the way he feels he'll never come first place in someone's heart. all of these aspects kept him apart from others. made him unsure if someone could love him the way he wanted to be.
dolph had cleaved through because all he wanted to do was loving jean. ]
Yeah. You may be right. It's a long time coming but.
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He gives himself credit for not visibly reacting to mention of Alex, content to silently indulge in the fantasy of twisting the man's head off with his bare hands, should they ever meet.
As Dolph reveals his fear, Levi just watches him evenly, then sets his own cup down with a soft tap. ]
You won't fall short. You want it bad enough.
And it wasn't you that fucked up the first time.
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finally he nods. before, he would have asked levi do you think I could? so he could internalize it. make it true. but he's no longer that person who needs that. levi is not his crutch. ]
Right. I'll . . . work on it.
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Levi reaches over and taps the deep blue stone with the tip of his finger. ]
It's not all on you. That's the point. If he fucks up, you tell him he fucked up, and he'll do the same to you.
But out of everyone here you could have picked, Jean's the best choice.
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Aren't you biased?
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Of course I am. I'm also right.
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Yeah. You are.
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"...the opposite is true, too.
I'm glad he has you."
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Me?
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He falls into a somewhat pensive silence for a moment or two, looking into his tea.
"...I think you can care for him in a way no one else could."
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dolph had cleaved through because all he wanted to do was loving jean. ]
Yeah. You may be right. It's a long time coming but.
I'm here now.
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"I'm glad." Warm, sincere.
He leans back again then with his cup, relaxed once more. "So you both'd better be good to each other, or I'll be kicking both your asses."
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Somehow, I think we'll manage.
[ the tendril of hope that circles his words is faint. but it's there. ]