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Even I can't convincingly sell platitudes like "you can't do everything", so I won't try. Nonetheless, you've taken on an inhuman amount. Isn't the standard advice in this situation "ask for help"? Did you plan to do that at any stage?

[He's such a hypocrite at times. Actually, most times. But especially this one.]

It's not that I can't ask for help. I've asked the shapeshifting Akira to look after the children a few times. Raven tries to help around the house when he can, as does Ren.

But everyone has their own needs and limitations. I suppose to some extent, I didn't want others to be burdened by such requests.

[He won't even point out the hypocrisy. He's too tired to bother.]

[He stares at that, pulse beating in his ears. It's infuriating. It's maddening. It's...

...down to him. He could be looking in a mirror.]

You mean you didn't dare to ask.

[Never ask anything. Never stand out. Never have needs. Oh, he remembers.]

No. I suppose not.

[What else can he say? Excuses would be only that: excuses. It's rather shameful, if anything.]

[He sighs, resting one fingertip on the screen of his phone.]

And I thought that therapist of yours was doing such a good job. A few months without them and you fall into what seem like old mistakes, is that it?

Oh, I'm certain Sonomura-san would have quite a bit to say to me about my... habits.

[Lovely. Just thinking about that leaves him feeling more pathetic.]

But what else was I to do? Out of everyone here, I was probably the most qualified to care for the children from the onset due to my experiences with Nanako-chan. I don't regret that, nor do I regret all the time I poured into helping you.

But I understand your points all the same. You wouldn't be the first to raise concerns, and I doubt you'll be the last.

You have spent a lot of time and effort on me. More than my own mother, if you want to know the truth. Or no, that's far too cruel. I've been waiting for the repayment to come due.

What you do is your choice. I don't like to act as though I'm owed anything.

I notice you didn't say you *aren't* owed anything. Smooth, Crow. How about coffee? I promise not to make it myself.

[Let him fix you, Crow. Or at least let him try.]

I wouldn't say no to coffee.

[It would be nice to catch up. So much has been going on in just a short span of time.]

[It would be nice. Even besides needing to do something for Crow, Magpie just... wants him to himself. Just for a little while.]

Not Leblanc or Jazz Jin, I think. Too much like sitting with a corpse on strings. Do you know Hanagokoro in Ginza? Near the station, with the red canopy?

[It's a special place, for him, an old teahouse where he used to go still wet behind the ears. He's curious to see if Crow knows it too.]

Certainly. I'll meet you there.

[With the compressed distances, it won't be hard at all to find his way there. He's done his best to spruce up. Hair perfectly combed. Concealer to hide any signs of exhaustion.]

[But it takes more than a bit of concealer to hide exhaustion from a careful eye. And Magpie's not the kid who sat nervously in the corner here, any longer. He is in his usual corner, though, in a wicker basket chair; he gets to his feet as Crow approaches.]

Welcome to the world of the living. [His grin loses some of its edge. It really is good to see Crow, not that he'll say so. Even if he looks like shit.

Hanagokoro, by the way, is old; it was founded in the Meiji period, though it's been reinvented several times since. The atmosphere's not unlike Leblanc, with lots of old wood and dim light and quiet—though the place is larger, and clearly caters to a higher class of clientele. Enough so that it might seem odd that Magpie likes it.]

Unless I'm actually a zombie and I've come to devour your incredible brain.

[Still, despite the joke, Crow makes his way over to Magpie, basking in the atmosphere. A change of scenery is always welcome. A chance to reorient himself just as much.]

[Sitting back down, he folds his elbow over the arm of his chair; a cognition will be over soon to take their order, if he thinks about it hard enough, he's sure. His hand dangles in its glove.]

Really, Crow. You think you can distract me with that?

You're in quite the wrong fake world to be a zombie. [Chitter, chatter.]

[Crow takes a seat across from him, folding his hands on the tabletop.]

True. And I suppose I'm too good humored to pass as the undead.

[Which is good. He rather likes being alive.]

It's been a while since we've done this, hasn't it?

[An outing, just the two of them.]

[His eye settles briefly again on the black ring on Crow's finger. He has a hazy memory of seeing them at the market.]

Quite a while. I'm sorry we didn't make it to Destinyland while I was—indisposed.

[Raising a warning finger, at his side...] Don't suggest we go now. If I were to come into contact with glitter antennae, I think reality might finally implode.

It's a shame Moth didn't get to go, either.

[His face falls momentarily, and he heaves a small sigh.]

But we'll have our chance, one way or another. It's right there. We just need to coordinate better and hope that Igor doesn't throw us any more absurd curve balls.

[Yeah, his face falls at the mention of Moth—not to sadness, just reserve.] That would be... ah.

[Because, of course, a vacant cognition arrives at that moment to take their order. He orders two coffees and tells her to drop dead, before she swans off, as happy as if he'd said "I love you".]

Fucking cognitions. Them being gone was the best thing about nonexistence.

Well, I for one am happy you've returned.

[There's no reluctance or hesitance in his voice. Just a simple statement of fact.]

It's easier, I think, knowing your younger self can still reach us, so it's less that he's a sacrificial lamb for your return.

[Oh, that's a bit. That's very. Fortunately Crow moves on, and Magpie seizes the opportunity to do likewise, rather than root to the spot and stab back.]

Yes. Have you heard from the other one yet? Amamiya.

He contacted Raven, and he seems to be preparing his plan to run away. I believe he'll be all right, even if it takes time.

[The important thing is they're armed with the knowledge that can alter their lives for the better. It's good to know.]

That's something.

[It's all he's giving, okay. He's got no quarrel with the kid. Let him grow up to be anything other than that. How about a more cheerful topic? Did anyone ever talk to Moth about his mother?... no. What about the things that can happen to idiot children who flaunt their knowledge of the cognitive world?... definitely not. Shit, it's like being six, not twelve, back with his...

Definitely not.]

I need to start going to more restaurants. All the conversation I have is unbearably depressing. Do you know that when I left, McRonalds was selling chocolate pumpkin fries? Were you too early for the joy of those? Did you even care?

I may have been too early for that, considering it was August, but that sounds exceptionally cursed and I am not sure if I'm better or worse off for knowing that this may happen.

[But congrats, Magpie. Now you get an utterly perplexed looking almost mirror image to enjoy.]

[Okay, good. Good. He can work with this. He can, and will, do this shit all day.]

Cursed is the least of it, I assure you. I think they were going for an American-style dessert motif, with the pumpkin and chocolate? But certainly those were never meant to go alongside a burger. It was like eating ghosts—actually, I heard we have one of those now.

[Yeah, his eyes have glazed over. Just a bit. Best not ask how often he got a proper meal in the latter half of October.]

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