[Hopeless. At one time, when he and Gary had just met and Gary didn't yet know any better, Gary had thought of him as someone with potential. The contrast between then and now - a Gary who knew him and a Gary who didn't - really hurts, and it might have been the last little push needed to finally transition Dave's increasingly hysterical laughter into sobs.
He brings a hand awkwardly to his face, reaching behind the shades to shield his eyes as if, in doing so, he could hide what was happening from Gary. There's a part of him that's immediately resentful; you should have known things would end up like this. No shit Gary didn't actually know you half as well as he thought he did, because if he did, he would've ditched you a longass motherfucking time ago.
That's why he wears the mask, isn't it? Because if people saw the real him - the him who was so goddamn weak, who had failed to live up to every expectation that had ever been thrust upon him - none of them would ever give him the time of day. He's always known that on some level, and so he must have known he couldn't possibly keep this up with Gary; Gary, who was always too perceptive to truly be fooled by any of Dave's acting.
A voice inside him, already trying its best to cover up the hurt - to prevent the hurt by lashing out - says, fuck him. You don't need him anyway. You never did.
Dave needs to say something here. Something harsh and scathing. "I don't give a shit what you think," or "Guess for all your talk you couldn't actually tell jack shit about me, huh."
no subject
He brings a hand awkwardly to his face, reaching behind the shades to shield his eyes as if, in doing so, he could hide what was happening from Gary. There's a part of him that's immediately resentful; you should have known things would end up like this. No shit Gary didn't actually know you half as well as he thought he did, because if he did, he would've ditched you a longass motherfucking time ago.
That's why he wears the mask, isn't it? Because if people saw the real him - the him who was so goddamn weak, who had failed to live up to every expectation that had ever been thrust upon him - none of them would ever give him the time of day. He's always known that on some level, and so he must have known he couldn't possibly keep this up with Gary; Gary, who was always too perceptive to truly be fooled by any of Dave's acting.
A voice inside him, already trying its best to cover up the hurt - to prevent the hurt by lashing out - says, fuck him. You don't need him anyway. You never did.
Dave needs to say something here. Something harsh and scathing. "I don't give a shit what you think," or "Guess for all your talk you couldn't actually tell jack shit about me, huh."
Instead, what comes out is:]
I lied to you.