"..Ah! hat guy, it's a pleasant coincidence that we meet here!" Nagito greeted, sitting down next to the indigo haired boy. "..Yeah, whatever," Scaramouche's demeanor does not seem very welcoming, but.. Nagito doesn't care, really.

"there's something I'd like to talk about, hat guy." Nagito smiled. Scaramouche felt.. a bit eased after seeing his smile. it was strangely.. comforting?

Scaramouche's usual scowl softens into a neutral expression. No smiling, but nor was he frowning.

"what is it? make it quick." Scaramouche crosses his arms, as Nagito leans onto the table, resting his cheek in his hands, "it's just that.. I've noticed, you always walk around like you're not afraid of this killing game we're in,"

"Like you're confident you'll survive. Is that because you know something that the rest of us don't?" Nagito narrows his eyes, as he stared deeply into Scaramouche's indigo eyes.

Scaramouche felt.. a bit weirded out by his staring, but decides to brush it off as he answered. "heh, if you think any of your mortal friends can lay a finger on a single strand of my hair - you're wrong." Scaramouche smirked, although the question did make him raise an eyebrow.

"I know more about myself than most of you all do," Scaramouche crossed his legs, "it'd be a shocker both to myself, and the twins if I manage to die here."

"oh.. so the twins are in on your secret as well?" Nagito questions, his usual smile remains, awaiting for Scaramouche's answer. "I guess you could say so. what about it?"

"I suppose it isn't a surprise, since you and the twins are from the same world.." Nagito looks to the side, as he places his hands on his lap to think a bit more clearly,

"but there's something strange I've noticed about you too, hat guy." Nagito smiled once again, as Scaramouche's frown comes back - rolling his eyes.

"it's Scaramouche. not hat guy." scaramouche corrects him, nagito raises his hands up defensively, "ahaha, sorry. 'hat guy' is what Aether introduced you to me as," nagito laughed off, with a smile.

..seriously? 'hat guy' was the best Aether could come up with? that's stupid. who does he think he is?

"okay, but back to what I was supposed to say.." nagito rests his arm on the table, setting his gaze back onto Scaramouche. "you're so.. special. your eyes, and those strange marks on your body.. "

..well that was a surprise, to say the least. not for the eyes, but for the marks on his body?

"..uh, okay. thanks for the first one, but what about the 2nd one? hah, who told you about that?" Scaramouche leaned forward, questioning Nagito's knowledge about him.

"hehe, relax. it's just something I noticed on my own." ..okay, was Nagito some sort of.. stalker? "pff, okay." Scaramouche leans away from him,

"am I given permission to ask about them, Scaramouche?" Nagito smiled innocently. Scaramouche gave it some thought, and after a bit of thinking.. why not? they're alone in the dining area, and Scaramouche would never meet Nagito ever again after this whole game.. no one would believe him if he dared to tell the secret.

"..hm, okay," Scaramouche uncrossed his legs, "so long as you promise to keep your useless mouth shut.. I'm willing to tell you about it."

"that's amazing! I can reassure you, this worthless human will keep his mouth shut, no doubt!" Nagito replies, excitement laced his tone, even his expression says it all. he was.. happy? what a strange one..

"These marks are permanent on my body. it's a part of me," Scaramouche places a hand near his abdomen, where one of the marks was most noticeable on. "and that's all I'll say."

"my, my.. you're such a special one! so many strange features.. it's almost as if you aren't a regular human!" Nagito exclaims, "your eyes.. how encaptivating," Nagito leaned forward, getting close,

"you're eyes fade from darkness to a bright light.. much like how hope shines light on despair's darkness!" Scaramouche.. was shocked by the analogy, to say the least. Him? Hope? who even thinks of that the moment someone sees him?

"..you must be crazy. have you seen the way I've treated everyone on your side?" Scaramouche raises an eyebrow,

"Even so, you still push us in the right direction, don't you? Even if you treat us harshly.. you still guide us to righteousness.." ..maybe Scaramouche hadn't thought of that, but wouldn't Aether be more fitting as a 'symbol of hope'?

"and the fact that you're not a regular human.. has the heaven above sent such an angel to assist us in a desperate time of need?" Nagito took Scaramouche's hands in his, "Aether may be a bright star, but I believe in you, Scaramouche.."

"you're my symbol of hope.. in my heart."

Those words.. struck through Scaramouche's heart. it was.. almost impossible to believe, that someone like Nagito would see him as a brighter source of hope than Aether was.

"..hah, you really are crazy," Scaramouche smiled, "I never thought someone like you would ever see me under such a light."

"As long as if it's the light of hope.. I see it within you. The way you've never given up through your hardship.. is truly admirable.." Nagito's eyes mimicked that of the brightness of hope, and the dimness of deep despair to swirl into circles into each other,

".. did Aether tell you about it as well?" Scaramouche had a scowl on his face, before Nagito shook his head. "Ahaha! No, it's a lucky guess."

"..I guess you were titled as the ultimate lucky student for a reason.." He mumbles, "what are you gonna do now? Now that you've dubbed me as your.. 'symbol of hope', or whatever?"

"of course, as a follower under the path of hope.. I shall stick by your side till my end!" Nagito smiled brightly. Scaramouche stares at him with a blank expression.

"..no you won't," He says, looking down from Nagito's eyes, ".. it's either you die here, or we'll never see each other ever again." His finger loosens against Nagito's, but he doesn't dare let Scaramouche's hands fall.

"Hmm.. maybe you're right. But it doesn't mean I can't imagine myself being with you.. and being with you through spirit.." Nagito trails off, before shaking his head.

"oh, what am i saying! A god like you wouldn't want an insignificant human such as I am following them around like a duckling.." Nagito goes back to his pessimistic thoughts, before Scaramouche squeezes his hands,

Scaramouche speaks in a loud voice, "As an ambassador of hope and my devoted follower, you must see your worth and uses. Don't tell me you'll keep on calling yourself useless while following under my steps?" ..fuck. he wasn't good at this at all. Were his words.. good enough? How was he supposed to comfort?

"..ahaha! of course! Look at you.. trying to shine your hope onto me as well.." Nagito smiled, the touching feeling that a deity was trying it's best to lift his spirits.. how cute!

"..gh, I'm not good in this sort of thing. I'll kill you if you laugh again." Scaramouche threatens, Nagito couldn't help but smile. "I don't mind getting killed by you.."

"you shouldn't be saying that."