[They can feel him stare at them. Somehow it feels like a great weight upon their back. Uncomfortable.
Their eyes remain locked on the surface of the bar, expression pensive.]
I don't know. Maybe I like feeling normal too. And the people here aren't so bad either.
[Some a little odder than most. Some a bit quicker to anger. Some gentler, and quiet. Some excitable and full of personality. But that's the sort of people they're used to. That's the way people seem to be.]
[He misunderstood. He assumed Dante meant he would miss Vergilius being like this, "normal" and...]
[That was rather selfish of him. Jumping the gun. Why would he think Dante would think about that? They had their own worries and wishes and wants, and...of course. A life free of that albatross of responsibility. He can't blame them.]
...Free of burden. It's understandable. To stand with others as equals.
[It feels like the air's changed. The way he paused before his reply... Had they said something wrong?]
I-It's not a burden, really. That's a bit...
[They rush to correct him, even though there's less to correct than there should be.
They've said too much. Dante keeps the Sinners on their path, and Vergilius keeps them to theirs--a rule that follows them both, even to this world. Even to this moment. They strayed from the path, and as always he reins them back in. For better or worse.
For just a moment, they had let themself forget...]
Not that being able to treat one another as equals isn't nice, but... I know it can't last forever. I haven't forgotten.
[They trail off. He's probably just joking, but even they can't deny it'd be easier if either Faust or Yi Sang were around. Hell, if any of them were around, especially now that both Rodya and Ishmael...
...]
It's probably difficult enough for everyone right now with the two of us missing. Or one of us missing at a time, depending on how you want to look at it.
[They don't like the way that sounds, even if, logically, they know it just means that they're likely to return from the very same place and time they disappeared from. It's the only way they can explain the fact that they never knew Rodya, Ishmael, and Vergilius had vanished at all to begin with.
But the way it's phrased...]
I could always ask when I go back. We'd all be on the same page by then.
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[He could lie about it. But he feels like he can be honest for Dante.]
Yes. I will. More than I probably expect to.
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...Well. If he's going to be honest...]
I'll probably miss it too.
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[Now that earns Dante a quizzical look. He straightens, his eyes fixated on their face.]
Why would you miss it?
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Their eyes remain locked on the surface of the bar, expression pensive.]
I don't know. Maybe I like feeling normal too. And the people here aren't so bad either.
[Some a little odder than most. Some a bit quicker to anger. Some gentler, and quiet. Some excitable and full of personality. But that's the sort of people they're used to. That's the way people seem to be.]
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[He misunderstood. He assumed Dante meant he would miss Vergilius being like this, "normal" and...]
[That was rather selfish of him. Jumping the gun. Why would he think Dante would think about that? They had their own worries and wishes and wants, and...of course. A life free of that albatross of responsibility. He can't blame them.]
...Free of burden. It's understandable. To stand with others as equals.
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I-It's not a burden, really. That's a bit...
[They rush to correct him, even though there's less to correct than there should be.
They've said too much. Dante keeps the Sinners on their path, and Vergilius keeps them to theirs--a rule that follows them both, even to this world. Even to this moment. They strayed from the path, and as always he reins them back in. For better or worse.
For just a moment, they had let themself forget...]
Not that being able to treat one another as equals isn't nice, but... I know it can't last forever. I haven't forgotten.
[So he doesn't need to worry.]
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[Of course. It definitely can't last forever.]
I told you once that you shouldn't make friends with this old guide.
[Because it has to be professional. Because they have to play their roles. There can't be more. They only can do so much.]
[There always has to be space between them, even though-]
But. [A quieter admission.] It hasn't been bad. I suppose.
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[They lower their head, fringe hiding much of their profile. Even so, the faintest hint of a smile, distant yet earnest, peeks from behind.
A memory comes to mind:]
"...Smile, for this is all but a merry dream."
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[A smile. Now that's something he won't see every day. He definitely won't see it whenever they do eventually find their way back to the City.]
[Distracted, he almost misses the second part.]
Pardon?
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[A little while. As if it hasn't been half a year already.]
It seemed fitting.
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[A little huff of a noise.]
At least it isn't a complete nightmare.
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[A shrug.]
But I don't think it's bad advice. We know it won't last forever, so... Why not enjoy it while we can?
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[A funny thought. Can he enjoy this? He doesn't deserve to. Does Dante deserve to enjoy it?]
I'm...not the sort to enjoy things. I will admit.
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[Though leaving it as such doesn't sit well with them, given his reply.]
But if enjoying is a little too much.. I guess there's always just appreciating it.
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[A happy medium, it seems.]
I guess I could...appreciate it, then. The good parts, at the very least. More than I expected.
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Wonder what she would think of this place, hrm.
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She might find the rifts and kaiju interesting. Last time she had a mystery to puzzle over, she seemed to be enjoying herself.
[Would she even have access to Faust here? They're still not entirely sure how the Gesellschaft works.]
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[It is a reminder that Dante, of course, is closer to the Sinners than he ever will be. It's by design, of course.]
Then maybe she deserves the vacation. Let's call LILITH. Maybe they can give her a hand.
[He is very dry about this suggestion.]
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[They trail off. He's probably just joking, but even they can't deny it'd be easier if either Faust or Yi Sang were around. Hell, if any of them were around, especially now that both Rodya and Ishmael...
...]
It's probably difficult enough for everyone right now with the two of us missing. Or one of us missing at a time, depending on how you want to look at it.
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[His own eyes also flit away, pensive for a moment, before landing back on Dante's face.]
Probably, yes. Though I still have no idea how LILITH makes it work with...the timelines, or whatever they got. Perhaps we're not missed at all.
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But the way it's phrased...]
I could always ask when I go back. We'd all be on the same page by then.
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[As if it would be that easy.]
Do you think LILITH will let you remember, though?
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[But they already know a few things they shouldn't. Though it might be better not to mention those directly.]
But, you know, one of my duties is to remember.
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[He smiles at that, a brief little thing.]
So you did remember this old guide's advice. I guess you have some brain to you.
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