[It occurs to Joss a little late that his lack of reaction might offend Sagi, which really isn't his goal considering he invited him in order to apologize. He manages to muster a small smile; hopefully, it looks reassuring despite his... lack of practice, so to speak.]
'Tis very kind of you.
[He holds out a hand, as a sign he does accept the gift. He supposes he could explain his dispassionate reaction... Hien did tell him he should use his words more.]
Pardon me. I... do not often receive selfless gifts.
[Whoa, he knows how to smile. More or less. Something about it is weirdly heartwarming, somehow. Sagi smiles back, unfazed by Joss's awkwardness - at least it doesn't sound like he made a faux pas giving a plush bird to a tree, which is a relief to hear.] You're fine, don't worry.
[He hands over the Swablu, which Joss will now have to carry into the cafe unless he has somewhere to stow it. It's a lot smaller in Joss's hands than it is Sagi's, but it's just a regular storebrand Poke Doll.]
[Maybe Joss would have somewhere to put the pokédoll if he'd accidentally stolen Sagi's blank magnus, but some things were never meant to be. He's just holding it for now, the plushie definitely looking smaller than it actually is in his giant arms.
He answers Sagi with a bow of his head as he opens the door, gesturing for the teen to go in first before bowing low in order to pass through the doorway himself.]
[It being noon, the cafe is predictably bustling when they step inside, but not so packed that they have any trouble finding a table and ordering. Pretty soon, Sagi has obtained some water in a glass for once rather than a card, with one helping of pancakes on the way.
It takes him a while to say anything else. That's no fault of the cafe, which he thinks has a nice atmosphere - he's come here by himself before, it vaguely reminded him of Balancoire despite the actual place looking wildly different. He just can't think of any way to strike up a conversation besides asking Joss if he's raided anyone else's memories lately, and that is off the table. Does Joss even have anything he likes to talk about? Sagi doesn't get the impression that he likes to, well, talk.]
[Joss, as is often the case, has been growing increasingly anxious at his inability to find anything interesting to say ever since the two of them were seated and ordered their food. He abruptly straightens his back when Sagi speaks, as if standing at attention - or, at least, as much as one can when sitting in a much too small seat with their knees constantly bumping on the table.]
Hmm.
[... No. That won't do. Hien did tell him he needed to at least try to be more loquacious. After a few seconds, he adds:]
Reminds me of the Quicksand. A tavern from my world.
[Though this place has a much smaller amount of promiscuous miqo'te...]
[Joss's apparent jumpiness (sproinginess?) and unusual number of words when he actually speaks up of his own accord makes Sagi wonder if something is wrong, but Joss is awkward enough by default that he dismisses the thought pretty readily. Besides, he has to admit he's curious about the kind of place Joss is from. The fairytale associations that would normally spring to mind when he thinks about snow aren't something he can easily picture Joss fitting into. There aren't many things he can easily picture Joss fitting into, in general. He's too tall.]
[Thankfully, not all questions give him anxiety, and this one is fairly easy to answer.]
Always bustling. City it's in has similarities too.
[Well, superficially. Thanalan's deserts aren't quite as close to Ul'dah proper compared to Melona, and though it has domed roofs they're not actual domes covering the entire city. It's enough for him to be reminded of the city-state, though.
Actually, it occurs to him he should probably say that instead of just thinking about it. He's going to feel like he has a little shoulder Hien for the entirety of this conversation.]
Desert cities seem to favour domed architecture...
[Thinking about it, it's pretty much the opposite of Ishgard's tall spires. He idly wonders if there's a correlation between ambient temperature and roof height...]
Whoa. [Sagi looks legitimately impressed. He didn't think appreciating architecture was one of the skills knights tend to train in.] I guess you're another of us who travelled a lot before waking up here.
[That snowy city he accidentally saw was just about the furthest thing he could imagine from a desert, after all. He didn't notice any giant gold pipes.]
[Look, it's not because Sagi is stupid that everyone is. Some people are perfectly capable of enjoying architecture without an intrusive thought telling them to jump off a tower.]
I am... an adventurer. ["Warrior of Light" seems entirely too pompous, taken out of context, and not something he likes to brag about besides.] I am not often home, these days.
[But Sagi's comment seemed to suggest he also did a fair bit of traveling, which would be an interesting common ground. Joss doesn't like to pry, but it doesn't mean he isn't curious.]
Yeah, a little. Not as much as some of the others in our group.
[He sips his water. He hadn't really been including himself in the "us", to be honest, though it's not as if he thought too hard about it. He doesn't think.]
[Maybe the revelation would have been more of a shock if Joss weren't from Ishgard, where a chunk of the standing army is probably perpetually babyfaced because they hire 15 year olds and elves get their growth spurts late. Still, it does come as a bit of a surprise, but for a different reason.]
Hmm. I would not have pegged you as military. [A pause.] No offense meant.
[Thankfully, some of the awkwardness gets buried by the waiter bringing them their food. Joss thanks him with a nod.]
[He can say that much perfectly cheerfully. In his teenage mind, it was forever ago, and not nearly as big a deal as... other things.
For example, the plate of pancakes topped with fruit that just arrived. He resists the urge to grab a fork and immediately start attacking them with a ferocity worthy of a battle announcer - he can imagine his mom looking over his shoulder if he did - but it's tempting.]
Oh wow, these look even better than last time we were in here.
[He woke up late and hasn't eaten yet, that's all. Waking up is hard. Accurately expressing the number of people you perceive yourself as being is also hard.]
[Joss stares at his plate of waffles, the chocolate drizzle and whipped cream on them tantalizingly enough for him to only notice Sagi used an incongruous plural after a few moments. Even then, he doesn't piece the reason together just yet. Maybe Sagi visited the café with another tall, sad tree and confused them.]
First time I come here. [He pokes the waffle with his fork.] ... These look good.
[He'd normally have a proper lunch, but a little indulgence can't hurt once in a while...]
[Sagi glances over. It's true, Joss's food looks good too. But tasting someone else's food while they're actually there would be rude, so he ignores the impulse.]
Yeah, I only came in here once before. Looking at the food they serve from outside makes you wonder if it tastes as similar as it looks... Sometimes, anyway.
[He proceeds to attack his food with a merely moderate amount of ferocity. No more talking, he has progressed past the need for talking.]
[Good because Joss would be very weirded out if Sagi dug into his plate without asking.
He's just going to nod and hum agreement before starting to eat as well, his attack a lot more subdued than Sagi's moderately tempered foodlust. Not that he's judging. He knows how hungry teen boys can be.
Sadly, he has no reason to talk about his god trauma, because he's just eating his waffles in silence. Also because he can't think of a conversation topic to have *while* eating waffles. It's hard being bad at conversation.]
[Surprising himself a little, Sagi relents before his plate is completely clean. It's not because the pancakes aren't good, they really are - simple yet hearty, the best kind of occasional comfort food. It's more that after a while, sitting and eating across the table from someone else starts to remind him of who he isn't sitting with. He wonders why. It may not be something he's gone out of his way to do in the past few months, but eating alone never gives him trouble.]
Hmm... It's different than it was back then, too. Travelling, I mean. Not just because every new place feels so cut off. I guess it's... quieter.
[His gaze wandered up to somewhere left of Joss's shoulder while he was, in his mind, thinking that. A second later, when he realises, he hastily redirects it back to his plate.]
I lied, have a tag bc I want this thread to move along
[Joss notices the stare. He slowly, delicately puts his fork down, his mind racing with ways to phrase what he's about to say in what he hopes is a concise, inoffensive manner.]
... Because your friend isn't here?
[His tone is neutral, his expression free of judgement. He doesn't know Sagi has spent most of his life feeling alienated in some way or another, but considering how touchy the subject seemed when he'd accidentally intruded into Malpercio's memories he can't help but feel the teen must have had some rough experiences with the way people perceived his difference.
Sometimes, all people need is a little acceptance. Fury knows Joss can relate to that.]
[The clinking sound from Sagi's side of the table is him momentarily losing focus as he went to pick his fork back up and driving it slightly too hard into the side of the plate.]
...Yeah. When you put it like that... yeah.
[He doesn't look up. It feels like he's been waiting to admit something like that for a long time, and he can't begin to pinpoint where a feeling like that might have come from. For one thing, it hasn't been a long time since he woke up alone, objectively. For another, just waiting around for stuff to happen isn't like him.]
Is it that obvious?
[So obvious that even Joss could put words to it - but not him, apparently. Until just then.]
[Joss slightly shakes his head. He'd initially just thought Sagi likes to think aloud, for no particular reason.]
Only since my accidental intrusion. I'm sorry.
[Joss isn't the type to pry... but as much as he avoids doing it himself, he knows that sometimes talking about hurts can help. He likes to think that for all his communication flaws, he at least makes an adequate listener.]
Uh huh. Ever since I was - small, he's been living in my heart.
[The gap in that sentence isn't long at all, because he only rethinks it as it's already on his tongue and immediately decides it's true enough. It does compel him to add:] It's complicated.
[In roughly the same way he imagined Joss's thoughts on that one knight crest he drew to be complicated. Not a secret, but too tangled up with other things to be worth picking out in detail.]
[Joss nods with a hum. He doesn't know in what exact way it's complicated, but it's fair of Sagi not to want to dwell on it when it's supposed to be a nice moment.]
I see. Thank you for telling me.
[That said... The situation does bring to mind some things he's had to deal with, personally. Though Sagi's ethereal friend might not rebel and start wrecking an entire military camp, and Joss guesses he has better friends to confide in already, he figures he may as well offer.]
Master Sagi. Should you need an ear... I'll be there.
[Sagi looks back up at Joss in surprise, but the look quickly resolves into an earnest smile.]
That's really kind of you, Joscelaint. Thanks.
[While he may not feel like reeling off his whole life story right here and now, or ever, he means it. His gratitude does nothing to make him look any less babyfaced.
He returns to his food with a little more gusto than before. Presently, the rest of the pile of pancakes joins the extremely short list of his successful assassinations. No further migraines nor invasively relived second-hand memories interrupt either of them before the food is paid for and they're getting up to leave.]
Oh, hey, Hythlodaeus. Were you here for lunch too?
[Sagi is now hemmed in on both sides by tall people before he can exit the cafe. If Hythlo were to burst into tears without warning, he might drown. Fortunately, the man seems to be in a more jovial mood today, so instead he exacerbates their height difference by leaning down to pet the Espurr on the head. Soft.]
[Sagi already asked the question lingering on his mind, so he's just going to stand there, the little Swablu plushie safely tucked between his oversized collar and his shoulder.]
[Sagi would just glance up at Hythlo while petting the cat, but he'd prefer not to break his neck, so he has to stand up instead. It's clear that he has no idea where this is going.] What is it?
[Joss can't help but feel a slight sense of dread at the tall man's unbridled good cheer, but... Well, this is a conversation between Sagi and Hythlodaeus. Maybe he shouldn't listen in...]
[It happens so suddenly that even Sagi turns a little pink with embarrassment. This isn't a secret, so he isn't perishing on the spot like Joss undoubtedly will soon, but wow, really? In the middle of a cafe? His teenage heart can only stand so much whiplash.]
I, well... You didn't ask. Where did this come from?
[...He still can't help feeling faintly happy about admitting it, though.]
[Joss is only moderately perishing for now, torn between not intruding on what will undoubtedly be a somewhat private conversation and avoiding the awkwardness of leaving without a word - especially since Sagi didn't say anything about wanting him gone.
He's just going to silently overthink this while Hythlo and Sagi continue their conversation.]
[Unfortunately, Sagi only brightens up once the initial surprise wears off. If he made physical contact with the quietly suffering Joss right now, it would probably annihilate both of them.]
I do. She's back home in the sky, though.
[The sky thing is something he may have neglected to mention to Joss, but surely this is fine and won't produce any weird cryptid trains of thought much later.]
[Sagi heard Joss mumble something but has no context for guessing what, if anything, it means. He would simply ask, but Hythlo bringing his girlfriend up unexpectedly means his train of thought has well and truly pulled into a station.]
Who knows if we'll get the chance, but if we do, I'll take you to meet her. She likes meeting people.
[That said, he thinks that's about all there is to say on the matter if Hythlo isn't interested any more. Unless one tree or another blocks the exit somehow, he'll quite happily just carry on walking out of the cafe.]
[Insofar as he thinks ahead at all, which isn't much, Sagi mostly expects Hythlo to burst into tears for nebulous reasons. He's unbothered by having to stop and turn around, though. He's in a good mood now.]
Well, she saved my life. We were getting chased by soldiers, and all of a sudden, she drove them off for us.
[The version of the story that he likes to tell acquaintances (and indeed complete strangers) omits the parts about the murder attempts and the spying. It's fine.]
After that, we started travelling together. That's how I got to know her.
[Joss doesn't have any blank magnus, but even he can feel the waves of Mushy Feelings emanating from Sagi.
It's kind of cute... if a little embarrassing, and even if he can't help but feel a pang of bittersweetness.]
Cherish the moments you spend with her, Master Sagi.
[Not to be pessimistic or anything, it's just you never know when your loved one might get a STD (Spear Through Diaphragm) or die from some fantasy plague.]
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pokespe inbox
why is bko like this
'Tis very kind of you.
[He holds out a hand, as a sign he does accept the gift. He supposes he could explain his dispassionate reaction... Hien did tell him he should use his words more.]
Pardon me. I... do not often receive selfless gifts.
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[He hands over the Swablu, which Joss will now have to carry into the cafe unless he has somewhere to stow it. It's a lot smaller in Joss's hands than it is Sagi's, but it's just a regular storebrand Poke Doll.]
Well, shall we?
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He answers Sagi with a bow of his head as he opens the door, gesturing for the teen to go in first before bowing low in order to pass through the doorway himself.]
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It takes him a while to say anything else. That's no fault of the cafe, which he thinks has a nice atmosphere - he's come here by himself before, it vaguely reminded him of Balancoire despite the actual place looking wildly different. He just can't think of any way to strike up a conversation besides asking Joss if he's raided anyone else's memories lately, and that is off the table. Does Joss even have anything he likes to talk about? Sagi doesn't get the impression that he likes to, well, talk.]
They seem busy in here today.
[Yeah, that's about it.]
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Hmm.
[... No. That won't do. Hien did tell him he needed to at least try to be more loquacious. After a few seconds, he adds:]
Reminds me of the Quicksand. A tavern from my world.
[Though this place has a much smaller amount of promiscuous miqo'te...]
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What about it?
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Always bustling. City it's in has similarities too.
[Well, superficially. Thanalan's deserts aren't quite as close to Ul'dah proper compared to Melona, and though it has domed roofs they're not actual domes covering the entire city. It's enough for him to be reminded of the city-state, though.
Actually, it occurs to him he should probably say that instead of just thinking about it. He's going to feel like he has a little shoulder Hien for the entirety of this conversation.]
Desert cities seem to favour domed architecture...
[Thinking about it, it's pretty much the opposite of Ishgard's tall spires. He idly wonders if there's a correlation between ambient temperature and roof height...]
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[That snowy city he accidentally saw was just about the furthest thing he could imagine from a desert, after all. He didn't notice any giant gold pipes.]
I've never seen buildings like it.
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I am... an adventurer. ["Warrior of Light" seems entirely too pompous, taken out of context, and not something he likes to brag about besides.] I am not often home, these days.
[But Sagi's comment seemed to suggest he also did a fair bit of traveling, which would be an interesting common ground. Joss doesn't like to pry, but it doesn't mean he isn't curious.]
You have traveled much, I take it.
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[He sips his water. He hadn't really been including himself in the "us", to be honest, though it's not as if he thought too hard about it. He doesn't think.]
Mostly for work. I was a soldier and all.
[There it fucking is.]
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Hmm. I would not have pegged you as military. [A pause.] No offense meant.
[Thankfully, some of the awkwardness gets buried by the waiter bringing them their food. Joss thanks him with a nod.]
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[He can say that much perfectly cheerfully. In his teenage mind, it was forever ago, and not nearly as big a deal as... other things.
For example, the plate of pancakes topped with fruit that just arrived. He resists the urge to grab a fork and immediately start attacking them with a ferocity worthy of a battle announcer - he can imagine his mom looking over his shoulder if he did - but it's tempting.]
Oh wow, these look even better than last time we were in here.
[He woke up late and hasn't eaten yet, that's all. Waking up is hard. Accurately expressing the number of people you perceive yourself as being is also hard.]
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First time I come here. [He pokes the waffle with his fork.] ... These look good.
[He'd normally have a proper lunch, but a little indulgence can't hurt once in a while...]
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Yeah, I only came in here once before. Looking at the food they serve from outside makes you wonder if it tastes as similar as it looks... Sometimes, anyway.
[He proceeds to attack his food with a merely moderate amount of ferocity. No more talking, he has progressed past the need for talking.]
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He's just going to nod and hum agreement before starting to eat as well, his attack a lot more subdued than Sagi's moderately tempered foodlust. Not that he's judging. He knows how hungry teen boys can be.
Sadly, he has no reason to talk about his god trauma, because he's just eating his waffles in silence. Also because he can't think of a conversation topic to have *while* eating waffles. It's hard being bad at conversation.]
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Hmm... It's different than it was back then, too. Travelling, I mean. Not just because every new place feels so cut off. I guess it's... quieter.
[His gaze wandered up to somewhere left of Joss's shoulder while he was, in his mind, thinking that. A second later, when he realises, he hastily redirects it back to his plate.]
I lied, have a tag bc I want this thread to move along
... Because your friend isn't here?
[His tone is neutral, his expression free of judgement. He doesn't know Sagi has spent most of his life feeling alienated in some way or another, but considering how touchy the subject seemed when he'd accidentally intruded into Malpercio's memories he can't help but feel the teen must have had some rough experiences with the way people perceived his difference.
Sometimes, all people need is a little acceptance. Fury knows Joss can relate to that.]
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...Yeah. When you put it like that... yeah.
[He doesn't look up. It feels like he's been waiting to admit something like that for a long time, and he can't begin to pinpoint where a feeling like that might have come from. For one thing, it hasn't been a long time since he woke up alone, objectively. For another, just waiting around for stuff to happen isn't like him.]
Is it that obvious?
[So obvious that even Joss could put words to it - but not him, apparently. Until just then.]
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Only since my accidental intrusion. I'm sorry.
[Joss isn't the type to pry... but as much as he avoids doing it himself, he knows that sometimes talking about hurts can help. He likes to think that for all his communication flaws, he at least makes an adequate listener.]
You must have been together a long time.
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[The gap in that sentence isn't long at all, because he only rethinks it as it's already on his tongue and immediately decides it's true enough. It does compel him to add:] It's complicated.
[In roughly the same way he imagined Joss's thoughts on that one knight crest he drew to be complicated. Not a secret, but too tangled up with other things to be worth picking out in detail.]
no subject
I see. Thank you for telling me.
[That said... The situation does bring to mind some things he's had to deal with, personally. Though Sagi's ethereal friend might not rebel and start wrecking an entire military camp, and Joss guesses he has better friends to confide in already, he figures he may as well offer.]
Master Sagi. Should you need an ear... I'll be there.
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That's really kind of you, Joscelaint. Thanks.
[While he may not feel like reeling off his whole life story right here and now, or ever, he means it. His gratitude does nothing to make him look any less babyfaced.
He returns to his food with a little more gusto than before. Presently, the rest of the pile of pancakes joins the extremely short list of his successful assassinations. No further migraines nor invasively relived second-hand memories interrupt either of them before the food is paid for and they're getting up to leave.]
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Sagi! Oh, and master Joscelaint, too!
[Guess who's here, with his Creepy Eyes Cat who instantly turns to stare at the two of them.]
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[Sagi is now hemmed in on both sides by tall people before he can exit the cafe. If Hythlo were to burst into tears without warning, he might drown. Fortunately, the man seems to be in a more jovial mood today, so instead he exacerbates their height difference by leaning down to pet the Espurr on the head. Soft.]
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Master Hythlodaeus.
[Sagi already asked the question lingering on his mind, so he's just going to stand there, the little Swablu plushie safely tucked between his oversized collar and his shoulder.]
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I was! Ah, what a pity we hadn't seen each other earlier, else we could have dined together.
[He directs Sagi a sly look, almost vibrating with good cheer.]
In fact, there is something I've been wanting to ask you about, Sagi!
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I can leave. If you wish me to.
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I believe the decision should be up to Sagi! Although, of course, I would be curious to hear from you as well, master Joscelaint.
[He claps his hands together.]
But what I meant is--Sagi, I was completely unaware you have a young lady!
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I, well... You didn't ask. Where did this come from?
[...He still can't help feeling faintly happy about admitting it, though.]
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He's just going to silently overthink this while Hythlo and Sagi continue their conversation.]
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Hythlo seems to entirely ignore Joss's awkwardness, engrossed that he is in bullying Sagi.]
Fai mentioned it to me the other day! Milly, yes? He said you care for her greatly!
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I do. She's back home in the sky, though.
[The sky thing is something he may have neglected to mention to Joss, but surely this is fine and won't produce any weird cryptid trains of thought much later.]
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Oh. This is why Sagi has wings. He lives in the sky. Floating landmasses maybe? Like...]
Vanu Vanu...
[He's just muttering to himself, it's fine. Carry on.]
i tried to think about what that could have been misheard as but my first mistake was thinking
Va nous?..
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Who knows if we'll get the chance, but if we do, I'll take you to meet her. She likes meeting people.
[That said, he thinks that's about all there is to say on the matter if Hythlo isn't interested any more. Unless one tree or another blocks the exit somehow, he'll quite happily just carry on walking out of the cafe.]
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I would love to meet her, indeed! How did you meet?
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Well, she saved my life. We were getting chased by soldiers, and all of a sudden, she drove them off for us.
[The version of the story that he likes to tell acquaintances (and indeed complete strangers) omits the parts about the murder attempts and the spying. It's fine.]
After that, we started travelling together. That's how I got to know her.
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It's kind of cute... if a little embarrassing, and even if he can't help but feel a pang of bittersweetness.]
Cherish the moments you spend with her, Master Sagi.
[Not to be pessimistic or anything, it's just you never know when your loved one might get a STD (Spear Through Diaphragm) or die from some fantasy plague.]