driftfleet | (no subject)

I try.

[ he smiles ]

You're a great friend too, and so's Kara. She's my best friend.

[ 'so you better not hurt her' is implied. ]

Is that why we're getting you bullets? [Oh, lead allergies.] In case I mess up?

Dude, Kara doesn't need me to fight her battles for her, she's perfectly capable of kicking your ass all on her own. I would never hurt you.

[ he'll just be sad and disappointed. ]

For what it's worth...I don't want to ever do anything that makes her want to kick my ass. I only want her to be happy and safe.

Then trust her. She doesn't need you to protect her - not from anyone, and not from any truth.

No. I think this one is just protecting me...like a coward. [Full circle.]

Take it from a coward, manning up feels way better than continuing to hide.

[ and still he can't take his own advice. ]

You know you're a terrible example of a coward. You don't have any powers and you still devote your life to helping other people even though it puts you in harm's way.

It took me a long time to get there. [ he shakes his head ] I still have to be pushed sometimes. You haven't been there yet but there was a time you, Kara, and Alex needed me, and I almost didn't go cuz I was so scared.

[ yeah, he ended up going, but he's still ashamed of how close a call it was. ]

You almost didn't, but you faced your fears and went anyway? Still sounds like it goes in the brave column, and not the cowardly one.

...Did it all go okay? We're all alright?

I had a lot of help from Alex.

[ and by that he means she left him with no alternative (also with no protection though, that was less cool) ]

Yeah, we're all good, we've been in plenty other trouble since.

Good. How does it feel to be the furthest along?

Kinda stressful, honesty.

[ he doesn't like secrets. ]

Why? ...Is Kara dating someone else? [His brain just went right for it.]

No - nobody's dating anyone awkward.

Have I told her I like her yet?

We are so not doing this - [ this is such a gateway to talking about things he feels he can't talk about ] deal with the now, it's plenty.

[He nods.] Is this why it's stressful? [He's been in the situation himself, but it was different for him. They didn't know he even existed, so that was easily the hard part.]

Yeah...you know, I don't even remember what being on the same page with everyone is like. Feels like someone's always ahead, behind, keeping something.

I didn't mind sharing more when it was me, but I wasn't sure you guys believed anything I was saying.

Definitely believed a bunch, definitely wanted to believe it all.

Thanks, Winn. You've always been good to me. Both places.

I could've been better. I'm sorry I wasn't.

Your best friend was telling you not to trust Daxamites, right? You were pretty great considering.

But I know it's wrong, it's wrong to stereotype and judge people over things they can't control - just like it's wrong to judge me for my dad, or Kitty for being a mutant, or a woman, or Jewish - or any of the superficial things people judge each other for. I know that and I didn't do anything about it, I was cowardly. I'm sorry.