#daniel; dash

[pm] Aw, ain’t no reason to get all jealous. Sometimes she needs me to reach for the stuff way up high. And who’s to say she’ll even be there today? […] Yeah, I’ll swing by for lunch. Maybe I’ll bring you something sweet. […] Mmm, yum, yeah I’ll fix us that and I’ll make enough for you to have leftovers for a couple days. Ain’t gonna do it every night though. [user is smiling widely while texting her because he feels all warm and happy.] I love you more.

​[PM] I'm not jealous. Obviously. I'm [...] possessive. She doesn't need your help, honey. She asks because she likes the way your arms look when you stretch and that sometimes your shirt rides up. [...] Yay! Thank you <3

Leftovers will work. We should do steaks Friday night - I can handle those. I'll make 'em how you like, with potatoes and vegetables and a healthy pour of whiskey. And then you can take me to bed for the whole weekend [...] You couldn't possibly, you loser.

[pm] You can use it, but I wasn't sure what you could've done with three jars of jam. And you ain't gotta ask, just give me a heads up. I spent a good while thinking I'd forgotten how to count. [...] I hope Wyatt enjoys it though. I think I told him last year I was gonna make apple butter for him, but I never got around to it... Remind me this fall to make apple butter. [...] And that's all true, I do love you <3

[PM] This is your heads up: I gave Wyatt three jars of your jam :) He said getting it was the bright spot in his day, so I'm sure he's enjoying it. Told him if he makes anything good with it, he's gotta invite us over for dinner. [...] ​I could've had apple butter last fall??? I will absolutely be reminding you about that.

You should learn how to make fruit cream or cordial or whatever is inside chocolate candies like the ones you got me the other day. Homemade chocolates <3

[pm] Thanks, honey. And please do, and sign your name on my hand too. Was already gonna surprise you with a treat, so now you've spoiled it. I'll hurry back but traffic is annoying today.

​[PM] PROPERTY OF TALIA SHAW, right in the middle of your forehead, got it.

All yours all the time, darling.

​See, anon? I'm sorry that you seem to be confused: He belongs to me.

[pm] Eh, I don’t know. Just wanted to get back to yours. Ain’t feeling good. And that’s great, honey. Love that you ain’t dealing with that moron today. Maybe I’ll try to track you down on the trails later. […] Yeah, hunter bullshit. I just get tired of thinking about that stuff. Get too stuck in my head about it all. [del: Ain’t much you can do] Just wanna have lunch with you and bother you while you’re supposed to be working.

​[PM] Oh no. Do you think you still have that weird cold? Or allergies? You can always track me down, but if you're not feeling too hot, maybe you should just rest.

[... ...] Well, if it would help to talk about it, so it's not all stuck in your head, we can do that. I know I don't get understand know too much about it all but [...] I want to help. You can absolutely do that, no matter what. We can have a nice makeout session in your truck, how does that sound?

[pm] The leaves are pretty colors. Thought of you. Woah, I'm still figuring out this new phone. Bad photos are bound to happen. Eclipse Peak. Somehow there's phone service here?

​[PM] They are pretty colors. Thanks for Glad that made you We've entered peak fall foliage time. While that's entirely reasonably, it does feel like taking bad photos is just who you are.

Oh are you by that weirdo temple? Not as cool as the Maybe you're just high up enough to get cell signal. [...] Be careful, okay?

[User sends his GPS coordinates.]

[User has been having a slow-motion crashout since earlier in the week when she realized she accidentally sent a text through to Daniel and saw the message clicked over to "read." When this notification comes through, user upgrades said slow-motion crashout to very immediate crashout. After standing experimentally and pacing with a hitched gait for several minutes (fuck, if her stomach didn't still ache), user looks out the window. There's snow outside, melting, and the trees are still in the late winter sun. Almost instinctively, her body turns to face in the direction she would need to take to head for the specific coordinates Daniel sent.]

[User thumbs over to the conversation thread with Daniel, the last message, before her slip-up, was her proposing that the two of them quit their jobs and move out to the middle of the Pines. User pans back to the message from his satellite phone, able to recognize that the GPS coordinates are for somewhere in the middle of the Pines.]

[User looks back out her window, at the snow, and the trees, and the worn denim sky, and sun filtering down.]

[pm] Hey Hi Hey, Talia Hey, Talia. How are you? Hey, how have you been? Hey How have you How are you? Talia, can we Do you want Hey, Talia. How are you? I was wondering if you'd wanna grab lunch Hey, can we get lunch? I wanna tell you that I'm Talia, can we talk? I need to apologize Talia, can we please talk? I need to apologize to you. Maybe we can grab lunch and Hey, Talia. How are you? I wanna Hey Can I come over?

[User gives up and sends nothing.]

[User was going to bother Emilio this weekend, figuring they could both use a distraction from the Valentine's of it all, but mostly just drank and watched her favorite movies. Roman Holiday. Singin in the Rain. The Sting. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. The Philadelphia Story. These did not distract her. User considered messaging Owen for a hookup but, of course, he's with Wyatt.

It's just that they had plans, for Not Valentine's Day.

User isn't there, not yet, but there'll be a time when she'll take into account the apologies she owes.]