Work Text:
He says to Arthur, I hope we can be together.
He says to Neil, I hope you don't want to join.
He's a wise man, he's an English man, he's a dreamland for the Protagonist, he doesn't show at the start.
They know there will be months and years with hurt and pain, but they need to go ahead.
Then, they'll be able to keep up with the youngsters.
Arthur lives in an ivory tower. Simply put, if you can see the future, progress doesn't take much work.
He says, I know how you can live your best life.
He says, they can see each other again.
He's not wrong. Of course, Arthur isn't losing himself to dreams of that sort of person. He stopped when he was fully awake and saw them have their fall from Heaven broken, smashed into a million pieces.
Arthur could have already hurt himself, but he hasn't. As for his fear of being held, being kissed, the past has shown he's very much safe from all that.
He stays up, waiting.
Neil remembered he had to be somewhen. It was his birthday today and he wanted to enjoy the present.
Maybe his gift to himself could be more sleep. He has to be careful though, or else he might sleep away his whole future.
Could that actually be a gift? Passing through but never touching the immaterial ambivalence of time, alone in this gift he bears by himself.
Show me to the bar!
He agreed with Neil.
He should have answered. One clear cut answer to cover all of time.
He stepped lightly in the warm sea, enjoying a reverse gust of wind. When they take on a mission, they're always one step away from death.
Arthur believes he can come back. And Neil's looking for an ending. A long flood of night will pass, giving way to dawn.
Arthur and Neil, one will cause you to fall in your mind, one will help you find a place to climb.
They were there.