Post by newwwwusername on Dec 17, 2023 20:14:12 GMT
Full title on AO3 : I've Been So Good (I've Been Helpful and Friendly)
Title from : Karma by AJR
Chronology : Pre-TPTGW
Background relationship : Max/Sandra (mentioned)
Headcanon : Autistic!Dennis (if you squint)
Dennis had been calling Sandra every day to help her learn her lines for their upcoming show, and he figured it was going pretty well.
She was getting her lines down pretty well, as was Dennis (the best he could considering they were generally focusing more on Sandra's lines), and she seemed rather glad to have his help.
As the days passed by, though, Dennis began to wonder if that was all she cared about him for. After all, she didn't generally seem to want to hang out with him outside of their calls running lines.
That had sort of always been the case, but he (maybe a bit selfishly) thought that his help would make her care about him more as a friend. He certainly cared a lot about their friendship.
"Sandra?" he said after they finished reading lines one evening. Sandra had been getting ready to say goodbyes but paused when she heard her name come from the other end of the line.
"Yeah, Dennis?" she replied. "What's up?"
"Are we... Okay?"
"Yeah" she replied, now a bit confused. She was unaware of any issues the two had been having, but maybe she missed something? "Why?"
"Well, it's just that... This is stupid, sorry"
"No, it's fine" she dismissed. "What's going on?"
"I don't know" Dennis sighed. "I guess I just kinda thought that this would, I don't know, bring us closer together" he spoke. His breathing was beginning to pick up slightly as his thoughts began to tumble out his mouth faster than he could stop, but he was hopeless to do anything about it. "I mean, I know I've never been, like, your favorite person to hang out with, but I just thought-"
"Dennis"
"I mean, I thought maybe if I helped you with this that you'd maybe see me as more valuable or something, and-"
"Dennis"
"I know that that's, like, selfish, though. And, like, really shitty. I mean, I did also genuinely want to help, I just-"
"Dennis!"
"Sorry" Dennis breathed. He realized only then that he'd been fighting back tears the whole time. "I'm sorry. Shutting up now"
"Dennis, you are important to me, whether you're helping me run lines or not" she told him. Something in her voice told him that she was being genuine. "You don't have to earn my friendship by trying to be more 'valuable' to me"
"I- Just-"
"You are valuable to me, just for being my friend, Dennis" she told him. "I'm sorry if I haven't made that clear to you, but you are very important to me"
"Oh" Dennis let out a breath of relief. He was suddenly quite embarrassed. Sandra probably thought he was such a mess... "Sorry for, uh, doubting you"
"You got worried" Sandra shrugged, though she knew he couldn't see the gesture. "It happens to the best of us. Hey, how about you come over for dinner? Max and I have been getting pretty bored, just the two of us"
"Really?" Dennis asked, his face lighting up in excitement. "I mean, if it's no trouble, yeah, sure"
"Great. See you soon"
"Alright, yeah" Dennis smiled. "Uh, see you soon"
He ended the call and couldn't help the excited jump as he frantically began looking around for a presentable outfit.
Title from : Karma by AJR
Chronology : Pre-TPTGW
Background relationship : Max/Sandra (mentioned)
Headcanon : Autistic!Dennis (if you squint)
Dennis had been calling Sandra every day to help her learn her lines for their upcoming show, and he figured it was going pretty well.
She was getting her lines down pretty well, as was Dennis (the best he could considering they were generally focusing more on Sandra's lines), and she seemed rather glad to have his help.
As the days passed by, though, Dennis began to wonder if that was all she cared about him for. After all, she didn't generally seem to want to hang out with him outside of their calls running lines.
That had sort of always been the case, but he (maybe a bit selfishly) thought that his help would make her care about him more as a friend. He certainly cared a lot about their friendship.
"Sandra?" he said after they finished reading lines one evening. Sandra had been getting ready to say goodbyes but paused when she heard her name come from the other end of the line.
"Yeah, Dennis?" she replied. "What's up?"
"Are we... Okay?"
"Yeah" she replied, now a bit confused. She was unaware of any issues the two had been having, but maybe she missed something? "Why?"
"Well, it's just that... This is stupid, sorry"
"No, it's fine" she dismissed. "What's going on?"
"I don't know" Dennis sighed. "I guess I just kinda thought that this would, I don't know, bring us closer together" he spoke. His breathing was beginning to pick up slightly as his thoughts began to tumble out his mouth faster than he could stop, but he was hopeless to do anything about it. "I mean, I know I've never been, like, your favorite person to hang out with, but I just thought-"
"Dennis"
"I mean, I thought maybe if I helped you with this that you'd maybe see me as more valuable or something, and-"
"Dennis"
"I know that that's, like, selfish, though. And, like, really shitty. I mean, I did also genuinely want to help, I just-"
"Dennis!"
"Sorry" Dennis breathed. He realized only then that he'd been fighting back tears the whole time. "I'm sorry. Shutting up now"
"Dennis, you are important to me, whether you're helping me run lines or not" she told him. Something in her voice told him that she was being genuine. "You don't have to earn my friendship by trying to be more 'valuable' to me"
"I- Just-"
"You are valuable to me, just for being my friend, Dennis" she told him. "I'm sorry if I haven't made that clear to you, but you are very important to me"
"Oh" Dennis let out a breath of relief. He was suddenly quite embarrassed. Sandra probably thought he was such a mess... "Sorry for, uh, doubting you"
"You got worried" Sandra shrugged, though she knew he couldn't see the gesture. "It happens to the best of us. Hey, how about you come over for dinner? Max and I have been getting pretty bored, just the two of us"
"Really?" Dennis asked, his face lighting up in excitement. "I mean, if it's no trouble, yeah, sure"
"Great. See you soon"
"Alright, yeah" Dennis smiled. "Uh, see you soon"
He ended the call and couldn't help the excited jump as he frantically began looking around for a presentable outfit.