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“All roads lead back to this. Us. I have seen every possible thread of time in every possible existence, and we always stay. Always. ” A smirk. “I've ran from it, you've gone out of your way to escape it completely. Useless.”
“...every universe?”
“ Every universe. Have I ever lied to you?”
“...”
“Either way… they're different, all the timelines. You know they are, smart guy. Sometimes we kill each other before even speaking a word. Sometimes you're the one who is sitting on the big secrets. Other times we've exchanged very few words before disappearing from one another completely. Those are so boring...”
“Are there- no. No- never mind.”
“Speak up, Sixer.”
“...is there any time… we end up- happy? With each other?”
A chuckle. “You really are transparent. And… would you really like to know?”
“...”
“What if there is one? Maybe two? Maybe more?”
“...”
“What if you're in one now?”
“That's impossible.”
“Nothing’s impossible, thought that was your word of hand.”
“No. Not after everything that has happened. After everything you've done.”
“...but you still hope for it. You wouldn't have asked me if you didn't.”
“...”
“You still think about it.” A pause. “Sixer, riddle me this. Would it be so bad? A happy ending is a happy ending, after all.”
“No. There are always circumstances. How can I be happy with you when you're the one causing every bad thing in my life so far?”
“Wow, harsh. And untrue. I may have had a finger in some of the messes that were made, but nothing could've been done without you. You were so good at making bad things happen around you.”
“...”
“That's why I like you so much. It's why we match.”
“I'm nothing like you.”
“Hm, but you only say that to make yourself out as the good person between the two of us, right? Having some flaws is nothing to be embarrassed about, especially not when there's someone very willing to care for them and let them bloom.”
“So that's it? Everything you say and do comes down to you wanting to see me completely corrupt. All so you can see me destroy and devour at the same pace as you, yes?”
“...”
“So how can we be happy like that? Happiness with someone isn't assured mutual destruction, it's trust and forgiveness, it's lo-”
“...”
“...it's nothing you could ever understand, you're not even human.”
A sigh. “Gee, here we go again with the ‘mighty and emotionally rich human’ speech. Did it ever occur to you that people outside human range might have emotions too? That they just don't feel them in the same way?”
“...You can't be implying-”
“Oh no, I'm not. I'm really not. But really, the most humane thing the human's ever invented is probably how you think you're the only ones in the universe, and how you should get a prize for that, or something. It's stupid.”
“...”
“...”
“...but… if I- humans tried to understand? If outer earthlings tried to explain?”
“And finally the thumb gets released from the ass.”
A sigh. Pause. “If so. ...How would you explain it?”
“Explain what?”
“You know. Us.”
“...”
“...Me?”
“...”
“Bill-”
“I would say that as someone who has the capabilities to see both the birth and death of the universe, you'd be the only one I'd ever consider spending the time in between with. You'd be the only one who would never seize to surprise me. You would never be linear, never predictable. Not quite. It's rare to find that compatibility with someone.”
“...I-”
“I'd say you'd have to be mine. Completely. All strings attached.”
“...”
“And maybe, in return… I'd offer something of myself. As a mutual exchange. From back then until the end of time, yes?”
“...”
“Well?”
“...yes.”
A widened smile. “So why are you wasting your time being so darn defiant? If I didn't know better I'd say you did it all to spite me.”
“No… I know I can never fully let down my guard around you again. I know there’s always a chance of you-”
“Even if that’s the case, you’re still here. You still talk to me.”
“...”
“...you still always get a little bit…” A few movements, forward. “--closer than you planned for.”
“Bill, stop.”
“I will when you do.”
“...”
Another pause. “You're not this quiet around other people. Am I making you uncomfortable?”
“...Really??”
“Really! So I'm not, glad to hear that agai-”
“Bill, get off. Now.”
“Hmph.” Retreat.
“...”
“...”
“Sixer-”
“Is there anytime of the day where you don't have anything to say??”
“Probably not. Not to you, at least.”
“...”
“Ford…”
“What?”
“...There's no one around. You don't have to be all of…” A general gesture towards him. “-this. All quiet steel and ice playing the martyr. This is a useless front, and I know that because I know you better than anyone else.”
“No, you don't.”
“ Yes , I do.”
“...”
“...”
“I still can't understand why you talk to me like I still trust you.”
A smile. “Old habits die hard.”
“...”
“...oh come on Sixer. Why can't you slip just once? Just let one little emotion show on that cute scrunched up face of yours? You ask of these questions but you never commit! Can't you cooperate for once? For me??”
“Why are you so persistent with this?”
“Well, contrary to your beliefs, I don't actually get a rush of happiness when you ignore me for several days in a row. It's pretty childish, I'll have you know.”
“I don't think you should come preaching about what's childish and what's not.”
“See?? That too! You're the one being rude, not me! And I'm still always the bad guy!”
“And you earned that title well.”
“Oh, will you ever stop??”
“I will when you do.”
“...”
“...”
A smile. “...And you say we're nothing alike.”
A huff.
“And there it is. You, surprising me. Just keeps happening.”
“It comes with knowing how to surprise you.”
“...Really now? And how do you of all humans know that?"
“...”
“...”
“...Because- I know you better than anyone else.”
Another pause. Another blooming laugh.