I'm counting on you, OK?

"I don't think it hurts too much. Most kids are terrible liars, after all. If they're taught to do it and it doesn't work, they might just think it's the wrong way to do things.

Really, Richter didn't have it in him to scold him to act as though he needed to put a lid on his excitement-- because despite that his was so quiet in comparison.. the feeling mirrored in the half-elf as well, lighting his heart up in a warm, wonderful flame.

"We have more than enough time to get all of the details sorted, but.. yes, Aster. I am indeed serious," as he took the hand offered to him, Richter couldn't help the smile that settled over his expression; softening the greens of his eyes as he stood. "The Stars are capable of having everything moved for us, so there's no need to worry on that front-- all you have to concern yourself with is where to put everything once we get there, though that is something I'm sure we can do together."

Planning where to keep their research, which room their experiments would go in and so forth-- what a wonderful opportunity to be given, to be able to simply live alongside someone you cared for.

"It is in the Sky-Strewn Isles, and it is more than a house-- the top part is an observatory, so that we may study and map the stars of this world. There's a library, and multiple rooms to use-- I've even made sure to include an extra bedroom should Emil ever come back." His voiced quieted at that, unsure if the boy would even want to join them.. but the choice was there if they could ever see each other again.

".. it does feel something close to a dream, doesn't it. But I promise it is real-- we will finally have a place to call our own, after all the years of wishing it so.. and perhaps, it will be more than we both could have ever imagined."

Letting go of the other's hand, Richter lifted his own; smoothing it across Aster's mess of blonde hair.

If everything's going to be moved, it sounds like they don't have anything to worry about, other than perhaps bickering over the catalogue system used in the library. And yet, somehow, he finds himself even looking forward to doing that.

It's a big step for them-- one step closer to the life they'd always talked about.

'...something that Richter never thought they'd be able to have for the past few years', a small voice reminds him.

"Hey, Richter? Thank you. For everything. I'm really glad we're going to have a place to call our own. I'm sure Emil really appreciates it too, even if he's not here right now." He rubs the back of his head sheepishly, grinning. "You know there's nowhere else I'd rather be than with you."

It's a simple sentiment, but he means it. If he had it all to do over, he wouldn't choose any other course than one that would bring them to this moment.

Though they'd only gone through a couple of the holes so far, shaped to their bodies and the positions they were expected to make, Lloyd was already looking tired; having narrowly avoided being knocked into the water on the last run. His hands were on his knees, bent over as he tried to catch his breath; while Twoishe chirped in excitement, ready for the next challenge.

"This kinda reminds me of tryin' to get through one of the temples back at home.. never thought I'd have to do one of these dumb puzzles again. How come you're so good at this, Aster?"

"Buuuuuut I do like solving puzzles, and it's pretty easy to anticipate the patterns if you think ahead!" Aster strikes another pose, his tiny dragon spiramon mimicking the movement. "You can think about it like a sequence of numbers!"

He taps his hand to the beat, repeating the names of the poses out loud as he inches closer to his friend.

As his friend poured over his books, notes between the two of them flung around the room of the boy's apartment, Richter leaned over his shoulder; motioning for the other to open the palm of his hand. When he had, a set of keys fell from Richter's fingers; the ring landing in one swift motion as a smile began to form on the half-elf's face.

"After all the time we've spent at one another's homes in this world.. I thought it might be time to find a place we can share together. One where the mess of our research won't get in anybody else's way but our own."

It was his greatest wish just to be able to see Aster again, but to be able to do this now.. something that he could only dream of during their childhood, something he could only pretend would somehow be possible.. it filled Richter with an emotion that remained completely indescribable; filling his heart with a warmth that spread across his entire body.

"That is to say.. I've had a home built for the two of us to live in. We won't have to save our stories for the next time we see each other-- nor say goodbye at the end of the night. That is, of course.. if you would like to stay with me there."

He lays the book to the side, offering his hand with a questioning glance.

"Something else we need to talk about? You sound so serious..." Part of him worries there's more secrets to be revealed, more horrible things to have to come to terms with, and then...

"Wait, are you kidding?!" Aster's eyes light up, and he springs to his feet, eyes practically sparkling as he holds the key in Richter's hand. "Our own place?" It's a dream come true!!

"Oh man, we'll have to move all our books, but that's not too hard... I do have a lot, but we could get a truck maybe? I don't know how to drive... but maybe you could? Can you drive? Maybe if we..." he trails off, shaking his head. Now's not the time to get hung up on the details.

"Sorry, I'm just... this is all we ever wanted, y'know? We talked about a place like this for so long back in Sybak, it's kinda unreal that we're finally going to get to have it." He smiles, offering Richter a hand up.

"Ohhhh, that." Whoops.

"Maybe I just got a bad one. We should try again!"

...

"Aster?" within an instant, the book was closed; placed down gently onto his desk as the half-elf slowly rose to his feet. Though he chose not to question the other immediately-- instead allowing his friend to explain himself further, to give the reason as to why he was beginning to look so distraught.

It sounded.. important. To the point where it would shake someone as bright and cheerful as Aster to his core, but..

"What happened to you there..?"

.. those same emotions did not mirror in Richter. His brow creased, slightly; furrowing downwards as his lips followed suit into a frown, but..

It's usually such a sore subject that they avoid it; is that what Richter is trying to do?

"You know what I mean," he grips his sleeve, leaning against the wall. "It's OK if you don't want to talk about it, I know it's hard. I just never realized how bad it was. Like, I knew it was bad, obviously, but... you must have been so scared. I know I was." It's a moment he'll never forget now, seeing it from two perspectives. And it makes his heart break even more for Richter, who's had to live two years with those images burned into his mind.

"We don't have to keep talking about it, but there is something I need to say before we drop it. Please, it's... it's important to me, OK?" He finally meets Richter's eyes, steeling his determination.

"It wasn't your fault that Ratatosk killed me. I'm sorry you've had to live with this for so long, but I remember now. And... I don't blame you, OK? Please remember that. None of it was your fault."

He holds Richter's gaze for a moment longer before taking a deep breath, inching a bit closer to the door.