Chapter Text
[Sif has been looking at you weird for a while...]
"Isa."
[CRAB!!!]
"Uhh, Yeah Sif?"
[He's looking straight at you, his eyes piercing you to your bones. He looks kinda creepy like this... Reminds you of all the times you found him reading late at night with his flashlight eye.]
"You mind if we talk for a second? Alone."
"UMM. YEAH SURE SIF."
[CRAB CRAB CRAB CRAB CRABBBBBB]
"Are you alright, Isa? I've noticed you doing some... things. You're acting more- There's really no other way to say it, Isa you've been acting dumb. Acting like you're just 'really lucky' whenever you find a key that we need. I know you, Isa. I know you aren't stupid. You're really smart actually, and I know something is up. So what is it? Can I help?"
[CRAB CRAB CRAB WHY IS HE ASKING THIS NOW????]
"What do you mean? I really have just been getting lucky?! I don't know how I would know where the keys are, I've never been here?!?"
[You feel awful lying to them.]
"Right. So you finding the switch to the Death Corridor trap instantly isn't something strange? You always trust me to handle traps, and yet you immediately put your hand out in front of me and stopped me before I could look around, and then hit the hidden switch. I know I only have one eye, but that was really well hidden."
"But how would I know where it was beforehand? I just had a feeling."
"I don't know Isa, but I know that people with 'a feeling' still jump at massive falling rocks! And I know that people with 'a feeling' don't just nonchalantly strut into The King's chambers and talk before Odile gets a chance to talk to the man who froze her entire home. I know people with 'a feeling' don't grit their teeth hard enough to shatter. Don't act like nobody noticed that either, maybe the others didn't but I did."
[!!!] "But, that'd be impossible, right? It's impossible to have been here before-"
"Is it? Because you sure seemed to have a few theories! You knew to ask me about Wish Craft, to ask me to read those books! You knew that I could wish properly, you didn't have an inch of doubt on your face when you said how I taught you. You knew that a wish could have given The King the ability to harness Time Craft. Don't think I believed you when you said you didn't wish for anything. I know you're indecisive, but you aren't going to just ignore something I told you either. I know you wouldn't just listen to me tell you how to wish and not bother with it. You aren't callous."
[If only he knew... If only he knew how callous you were!]
"I..."
"Isa, I know you're not stupid. And you know I'm not stupid either. If I see something, the only thing I can do is observe for more. And all signs right now point to you. Did something happen? Is that... Is that why you're looping in time? Did-"
"Oh Siffrin... Why? Why did you have to figure it out now? Why couldn't you have figured it out before? Why couldn't you have never figured it out?"
"Isa, I-"
"Can't you see? It's too late now. Nobody can help, now. It's already too late. Because I was too much of a coward to try and ask for help. Because I was too much of a coward to tell anyone about the loops! Because I was too much of a coward to say anything! Because I was too much of a coward to tell you how I feel! Especially you, Sif. I'm too much of a coward to tell you how I feel about you. And I'll never get that chance. Because it's already too late.
"..."
[He's just staring at you with a scared expression. Or at least its probably scared. Whatever. It's too late anyway. You coward.]
***
"...So what is it? Can I help?"
"Nope! Was that all?"
[Sif seems... sad, at your response.]
"Alright. I'll miss you Isa. Come visit me sometime on your travels, okay? It'd be a shame if I couldn't look at the stars another time with you."