You're Always You

Chapter Fifty-Five

David Minett

Heeey, buddy! You, me, here, now.

....

David had thought finding Divine Dickfart would be harder, but apparently pity was taken upon him upon receiving a text.

Actually, he couldn't rightly say he trusted this shit at all, but what choice did he have, really? David would rather go off and waste time, than ignore something that was potentially serious. So, here he was, going out and heading for the place Loki had given him.

And...he'd lied to Lydia about it.

Which wasn't easy, okay. David didn't keep secrets. But...he knew that announcing he was planning an imminent return to his own reality would crush her, and he couldn't do that. He just hoped that he didn't just...disappear when he went home. Obviously there was a David in this reality that...well David had had to replace. Surely Loki would just...switch them again? And he couldn't imagine that much would change....

Hopefully....

He hated feeling conflicted about this, but Dave didn't belong here. He meant when he said he would love Lydia no matter where or when they were, and that was true. But...could he be blamed for being homesick? For missing the fact that Lydia remembered what he did?

That was maybe the biggest thing sitting in his chest about this. That she didn't remember. That she was Lydia, but she didn't...she didn't remember all of the memories that came with the pictures she'd seen. If David stayed here, he'd reminisce about so many things...by himself.

He would have a whole life inside of him that didn't match the rest of the world, and that was painful.

He had to go back.

Which was why, even though it hurt, the idea of leaving this reality's Lydia high and dry, he had to stay hopeful that everything would work out in the end.

Now if only this asshole would show up.

David checked his phone repeatedly while waiting for Divine Cockmuffin, half to check the time and half to check for any texts, but neither yielded much useful information. He was beginning to grow impatient, when finally a vehicle pulled up and....

Ah, fuck.

Dave furrowed his brows as Richard ended up being the one to get out, and start coming towards him. This....

This would go very badly.

Sigh.

"David," Richard said as he approached.

"Dickie," David responded.

Dick scowled, but decided not to comment. Wow, he really must have done some anger management. "Been a while," he said instead. "Haven't talked to you since when, high school? Whatcha been up to?"

....

"Been in the Army," David replied warily. "Just got back...almost a month ago."

Dickie nodded at that. "Yeah? Where y'workin'?"

Oh you know where I'm working, don't you asshole.

"I don't think that's any of your business," Dave responded, frowning. "What are you doing here?"

"Came to see you, asshole," Dick said, as if that was obvious. "You were waiting here for me, weren't you?"

....

Fucking Loki.

This was a setup. Damn it.

"....Right," Dave murmured. "Sure."

"So," Richard started. "Buddy o' mine told me a few things. About you?" David didn't know where this was going, so he remained silent as Dickie continued. "About how you've got my girl?"

....Fuck.

David snorted and shook his head. "Dickie, the fuck are you talking about? Geez, liars attract liars, huh? I don't—"

Whack.

"You're one to talk, shithead," Richard retorted, watching David stumble backwards from the punch he'd just taken. "Having fun over there? Kissing my girlfriend? Fucking her?"

Well, yes actually, but that wasn't really the point.

"You've got five seconds to give me one reason I shouldn't fucking kill you right—"

Whack.

"That's why," David rebuked, shaking his hand a bit after returning the favor. "That's for using a woman as a fucking punching bag, fuckass."

Dickie stood up straight, his nose bleeding, and he huffed angrily as he moved to punch David again, but the ex-Army sergeant caught the other man's fist and twisted his arm around, before pinning him to the ground. "One twitch and I could break your fucking wrist," he said, leaning towards Dickie's ear. "Weren't you listening when I said I've been in the Army?"

"Fucking—" Dick spat, but he was cut off by his own groan as David put more pressure on his twisted arm.

"And y'know what? Yeah. I've been enjoying myself. Plenty. I can guarantee Lydia's never shouted your name as loud as she's shouted mine."

"I'll fucking ki—"

Crack.

Yeah, that was broken.

"You never were one for listening, huh Dickie?" Dave mused, shaking his head. "Now you're gonna have to go see a doctor. And whose fault is that? Not mine."

"I'll have you in cuffs for that," Dick spat, blood flecking the concrete ground.

"Self defense, buddy," David replied patronizingly, patting the other man's shoulder with his free hand before standing up. "You punched first. Now, you can follow me home, if you want, but I'm gonna break a lot more than your wrist if you do. You're not touching Lydia again. Got it?"

Richard didn't argue, and only rolled around to sit up and cradle his wrist as David walked away. He flung a curse or two, but otherwise, Dave was getting away free, heading for his apartment once again. Despite not driving here, and being somewhat vulnerable that way, he wasn't worried.

Dickie usually turned into a giant pussy when he was put in his place.

However, he was going to have left a mark, something Lydia would...definitely notice when he got back. Sigh.

He would...have to tell her some of his mother's furniture dinged him in the face. At least a punch mark wasn't so obvious as a handprint.

* * * * * *

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XOXO Alice