#loop 55

I'm glad you changed your mind! About! Doing that!!!

I'm sorry. I'm terrible. I'm horrible.

It's not... great. What you wanted to do was bad.

(You're reminded of what the Director had said in the garden.) (How much of that was projection and how much was the truth?)

But now you know. I'm just as awful as the Director.

Dusk... I forgive you.

...What?

You didn't go through with it. I don't know what it's like to live with your Curse, but I know I'd probably...

No, I know I would've done the same as you. We're the same person, dusk.

But... but I don't... deserve your forgiveness... I'm so-

I don't care. I love you. Can we just put this behind us?

...

Dusk? Please. Can you-

(You hold onto him as he crumbles up into you.) (You lean back, he takes every inch he has available of you.)

You really forgive me? You said you love me?

Yes, dusk, I do.

I'd been so cruel. I'm sorry. Forgive me.

(You reassure him again and again.) (He doesn't seem to get any less frantic.)

Can I… be selfish? Can I touch you? Would that… be… okay?

(Does this hug not count as touching???)

Yes, dusk. I'd like that.

Dusk.

Ha... ha... I feel so alive...

(You give dusk his new headwear.) (Dusk now has two hats.) (Hehe.)

Alright, mx. funny person. How about I give you...

(They dig into their pockets looking for something.)

(...They pull out a handkerchief.)

...

Snrk...

(The two of you spread out through the grass to find flowers.)

(There's little tiny ones, which you know require more work with your hands to tie into crowns.)

(Seems like this activity will take a while.) (You begin picking them...)

(One... five... ten... you don't want to take too much.)

I got enough. Let's sit together and weave them in.

O-okay.

(It's so...) (So nice.)

(You've missed dusk.) (You've missed having someone next to you, sharing body warmth.)

(You missed him, you've missed him SO MUCH!!!)

(Dusk...)

Heh... idiot, you got a leaf on your face.

I really missed you...

...Ha?

I mean, you don't... have to lie to me... to cheer me up.

(You remove your "gift" from dusk and sit up straight.)

No, I'm serious! You can be fun.

Sometimes.

No, I'm not allowed to be fun. I need to be the grumpy black hole that everyone hates.

Nobody hates you.

Only four people can see me, and I'd say at least half do.

...Loop doesn't hate you. They just.

Uh. They don't like Siffrins. Just not you specifically.

I don't knooow, they seem to like their "stardust~"

Shut up! You're going to get us killed by the Director!

Haahahaaha! I didn't say anything directly! It's fine!

(…Dusk said he was worried about what'd happen if he lost the garden game.)

…I promised you I'd look after you, dusk.

...

So. I'm doing that. Right now.

Tch.

What? You told me to!?! What's wrong?!

I failed the garden game, that's what's wrong.

Then I'll go-

NO.

You are going to let me figure this out. I'll find a way to make it work.

Why didn't it work?

...You know why.

(Their Curse.)

Then I should-

Just. Stay. Out. Of. My. Way.

(...He's so angry.)

(You read more, but the ick feeling doesn't fully go away even by the time dinner happens.)

(It's delicious. You still can't believe you're eating something that's not a samosa.)

(Mirabelle forgoes her speech.) (You drag dusk to help you with Lupus' bath.) (He worries the bathwater will ruin his nails.) (He's proven wrong, quickly.)

(You dress up Lupus in their new pajamas, sending them to bed.) (You required to do your nightly fashion show before you can join them.)

Sif, is that you there?

(You're about to pose but-)

DUSK!?

Sh!!! Shhh! Don't let him know I'm here!

Wh-what? Where? Ah!?!

…I forgot to tell him something. Don't worry, he's not here.

Do you think we could put a bell on him like Mira? It's a little unnerving not knowing where he is.

You can't hear my footsteps, so I doubt you'd hear a bell.

(You wish they'd get along.) ...That wouldn't work, Isa.

(You squint at dusk.) (Just what the stars are they doing here?)