Our avatars are in a room together

...That's just stu—

(...well... wait... shit... Günther and his narcolepsy... if the whole floor were covered in them, he'd be safe, especially while he was healing up...)

...—pendous. As an idea, I mean. Uh... I don't know, maybe the mall.

Xenos' Penthouse

Wasn't me doing the time travelling though, Kora.

A roof

-Archer is seated on a roof several-stories-up in the city-

-it's overlooking The Breezy Place-

-he's quietly smoking a cigarette, watching the door-

Apartment

Yes, the Maul, obviously. I was asking to test you. Mhm.

Xenos's Penthouse

"...Oh. That's...fun."

Xenos' Penthouse

Yeah, it was instead... my daughter... from either the future, or a parallel timeline to this one.

-he's not amused at all, he's serious, and it's clear that this info has made a substantial impact on his psyche-

Xenos's Apartment

"Is that...bad?"

Underdome

...Nothin' else seedy going on here... nothing triggering my spider senses at me... I think it's safe to leave this alone for now...

-BACK to the bike-

How's about somewhere warm to sleep tonight?

Park

   "Just taking a stroll, is all. Quiet night."   

Xenos's Penthouse

The knowledge that someone out there was crazy enough to hook up with me? Yeah.

I just. Don't get it.

At all.

I never even considered that as a possibility.

…

(Grumpy grunt of concision...)

So, okay, lots of pillows and blankets...

...bedframes...

Good, those too...

(Franz is now making a list and looking between Gracia and Gunth for input.)

Xenos’s Apartment

“Do you remember who you’re talking to? ‘Kora The All-Consuming?’ Xenos I literally ate civilizations. And I’m engaged.”

Woods

(@Eires) (glances up at Eires) H—hello... What brings you, um, out here?

Underdome

That sounds nice right now, honestly. If you've got somewhere in mind, I'm all ears.

Park

I see. Well, the same as me, then. Except I'm not walking.

Xenos's Penthouse

No, no, no.

I just- can't fathom it happening to me.

I know you're 'all-consuming' too, but you at least ate planets because it's your diet.

I don't have dietary requirements as a reason.

And just- it's hard to imagine, okay?

I didn't think I deserved anything close to that. My entire life I didn't think a love life would be a relevant factor in my existence...

Xenos’s Apartment

“But here you are. With actual, tangible, literal proof that you’re worth that. Give yourself a little credit.”

Park

   "... -stifles a bit of a giggle- That you are!"   

Streets

It's pretty good! I'm surprised there's so many open spots there.

-He heads to the building Xenos' penthouse is in-

Xenos's Penthouse

-sighs deeply-

I can't.

I just... can't. When I first found out, I went back to Ahxen. For a few days.

I needed to be alone.

-he folds his arms slightly-

On that arid planet, amongst those ruins. I questioned my entire view of myself.

How can someone like me, even find such a relationship without a lie?

I lead with my past, because I accept who I am, and what I am. I know what I did was wrong.

And because I don't want people to- mistake me for something I'm not- that's why I'm honest at the start.

Because it'd be hella awkward to find out your friend, boyfriend, whatever, turned out to be a tyrant and mass-murderer, while the two of you were looking to buy a house together or something.

And throughout my life, the only affection I've ever seen was sycophants.

There's a whole- civilisation- that consider me a god-king. Do I think they have true affection for me? If I showed them weakness, they'd gut me.

Apartments

No toasters. They're smug and lascivious.

We can just toast bread in an oven.

Streets

Maybe it's new and they haven't had time to get tenants yet? Seems strange otherwise...

Park

-Blinks-

Er- yes, that's what I said.

Xenos's Apartment

"Can't speak for you, but I think Eve fell for...who she thought I could be...or was gonna be. Basically you fall in love with the best of someone and accept their worst. Or help them work through it."

...Okay...? But— how about toaster ovens? They're like a small oven, and you can— I've made pizza out of little bagels in Grandmother's toaster oven.

...What say you, toaster expert...

(Smiles gently at Gracia from the mattress.)

Apartment

Hmm... ovens don't conceal food like toasters...

Alright. I won't judge the half-caste offspring just because its dad whored around.

Xenos's Apartment

-nods slowly-

I just. I don't know. Some of me is screaming 'Well fuck, why didn't I notice that sooner'

Completely rocked the boat. I was content with not giving a damn about it.

Because I thought "it'll never be relevant, therefore, I don't need to care!"

But now that it can be, it's like. On my mind. Twelve hours a fuckin' day.

And I hate it, because it's just. Urgh. Where do you even start with that shit when you're wary of friendship. Because I find it hard to distinguish who's a friend, and who's just being a sycophant...