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[outstandingbalance]

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Comments

<oliver>

[catphishing]

It's fine.
It's not your job to deal with my insecurity.

<latrodectus>

[outstandingbalance]

That's true. Though maybe I should start charging.

[crowedthedead]

The time for that is long passed. [It's been way too long for 'impressing Natasha' to be a concern. She knows what a mess he is. She's here anyway.]

To surviving?

[outstandingbalance]

To surviving.

[Natasha, raising her bottle.]

And making the best of it?

<oliver>

[catphishing]

That would be a really easy way to get rich.

<latrodectus>

[outstandingbalance]

Maybe that should be my back up plan.

<oliver>

[catphishing]

Maybe, but I don't see the investigative business drying up any time soon.

[crowedthedead]

And to making the best of it. [He clinks his bottle against hers, and takes a long swig before he settles down on the nearest piece of furniture.]

Things could be worse. Hard to believe sometimes, but they could be.

[outstandingbalance]

They could be better too.

Not being worse isn't saying much, all things considered.

[crowedthedead]

No, I guess it's not saying much. [He takes another drink, a little more thoughtful and melancholy.]

It feels weird that I've managed to be kind of happy here. I feel bad when I'm not miserable. Like clearly I'm doing this wrong.

[outstandingbalance]

I don't know about that. This isn't something to get too comfortable with...

[She goes quiet just briefly, an uncomfortable chill passing down her spine as she remembers that's exactly what the Fog God wants. For them to make peace with their new bodies. To enjoy it here.

Something like that.

At the same time:]

I don't think we can be miserable all the time either. If there's a way to be be happy without losing sight of our humanity, you should take it.

<latrodectus>

[outstandingbalance]

No. I think we've still got plenty coming in on that count.

But I think we've got off track.

[crowedthedead]

I worry about that, y'know? Losing perspective. Thinking that this is all there is. All there ever will be. [His voice is quiet, stark. A fear laid bare the way he can only ever seem to do with Natasha.] It's been a year with no end in sight.

[outstandingbalance]

I think we all do. We've seen it happen.

[Her lips tighten and she glances away.]

It hasn't happened yet, though.

[She takes a healthy swig from the whiskey bottle after that, feeling the need for it.]

[crowedthedead]

[His smile is a little bitter, and he takes another drag of whiskey.] Maybe not yet. How long until it does?

I lose time some nights. I think I shift into a bear and go out into the woods and- I don't know.

<oliver>

[catphishing]

We are, but I don't have most of the plans back on track at in stone.
I can message you when I know more of the details.

<latrodectus>

[outstandingbalance]

I'll look out for your message.

[outstandingbalance]

I don't know. [Her expression falls, growing a little more guilty.] I hear dying makes it worse. The more it happens, the more you lose.

[crowedthedead]

Yeah, but it's only been twice for me. My roommate didn't start losing things til- more than two deaths. [A brief, humorless laugh.] I don't know when. He's died a lot.

[outstandingbalance]

[That's worthwhile information.

And troubling.]

How many times has your roommate died?

[crowedthedead]

I lost count. I think there was probably at least once while I was gone, and then- [He takes another swig as he tries to do the mental math.] Four or five, minimum? I'm not sure.

[outstandingbalance]

That would be more than enough to mess with someone's head.