[Video]

[swansongs]

Hi everyone. [He offered a friendly wave.]

Okay, so, question. We're all crammed onto this train, right? And we don't have a lot of privacy, which, all right, I'm starting to get used to, but. What if we want to do something special for someone? Like...a date.

I've never done dates on a train before, I don't really know what to do. And before someone brings it up, I can't really...cook. I mean, I guess we could cook something together, but.

So, date ideas. Does anyone have them? I'd really appreciate it.

Comments

[irrationally]

It ought to let us go at some point. Nothing can go on forever.

[ Something Alice very much believes in, though it's usually applied a bit more pessimistically - believing that good things won't last forever. Thankfully it can also be supplied to a bad situation in this case, reducing it to something finite.

She even likes Dyme well enough to try and lighten her tone and the conversation a tad. Alice doesn't think she's very good at it, but at least she can make an attempt.. ]

If there's anything to hope for, it's that you won't need to have old and wrinkly dates with this person by the time you two are away from this train!

[swansongs]

[Dyme also tended to believe that nothing lasted forever, which meant he was always scared of losing what he had when good things started happening. Something bad had never failed to happen so far.

Old and wrinkly though, made him start laughing. It was even funnier considering he'd found out he was literally dating an old man.]

God, I hope not. I mean, it's a nice thought that we'd still be together when we're old, but I don't wanna still be on this train then.

[irrationally]

[ .. He's laughing. Alice isn't laughing along, since she's so bad at positive emotions, but somehow she feels.. kind of glad all the same. She thinks it's feeling glad anyway, as she's thinking about the emotion that blossoms in her chest. She's just happy that for once she's managed to make someone - a friend, right, maybe? - feel better rather than worse.

It makes her pause for a moment before she continues. ]

Well, then I have terrible news for you. You're older than me, so your chance of growing old on this train is even bigger than mine. [ She has a few years' worth more of escape chances! ]

[swansongs]

[He kept laughing too, feigning indignation.]

Calling me old now, I see how it is. [Though that reminded him he actually had no idea how old she was. He wasn't going to ask though; it would feel rude.]

I can't say you're wrong though. Not that I'm old, but that my chances of getting old here are higher than yours.

[irrationally]

I'm just calling it as I see it.

[ Granted, the age difference between them is.. probably not that big, Alice figures? Dyme does look obviously a little older than her, but it's not like he's already at the point where he should be having a midlife crisis, that's for sure.

Not that she isn't going to call him old just to tease him all the same. Alice may be pretty new to this whole concept of friendship still, but teasing seems like a fun part of it. ]

But it's true, you never know how much of a difference just a few years could make. [ Or more. ] Unless you're trying to say that you think I may die before I ever reach that point myself.

[swansongs]

Uh-huh.

[He'd missed having friends like this, where he could talk and tease and laugh. It both cheered him up and made him a little homesick at the same time.]

Oh god, no, definitely not. I can't imagine anyone here dying, honestly. I don't want anyone to die.

[Even the people he didn't like, he wanted them to be safe and healthy.]

[irrationally]

[ Dyme, you truly are too sweet for this world. Alice can't help but think that a little bit as well, since there are definitely people she is a-okay with seeing die..

But even she's aware that it's not exactly socially acceptable to say out loud, so she keeps it to herself. ]

That's so sweet of you to say. I think you may just be the first person who's told me they don't want to see me die. [ .. She's probably trying to make a joke, judging by the slight hint in her tone. But apparently Alice doesn't seem to realise this time that this isn't Prime Joke Material. ]

[swansongs]

[Wait, hold on a minute.]

Um. That's, well, not great, but. Yay? Also if anyone's ever told you they do want you to die, point me in their direction so I can punch them.

[irrationally]

I think you'll find there's quite a bit of work for you then.

[ It's said a bit differently from what she said earlier though. It was an awkward joke before, but this is awkward in a slightly different way - almost a bit more flustered. Alice doesn't exactly have a whole lot of experience with friends who are willing to stick up for her, despite her definitely being that person to others. ]

I mean.. not here. [ Before Dyme goes around punching random people on the train. Especially since he doesn't have any special powers as far as Alice knows! ] But back home it happened all the time.

[swansongs]

Good. I mean, not good that it happened back home, but good that it hasn't happened here.

[He wouldn't hesitate to punch someone, either, even if the only thing special about him was how determined he was. Sometimes determination was all you needed.]

[irrationally]

[ Even just those words are already so baffling for Alice to hear. Not.. really in a bad way though. So she'd feel bad ignoring them, even though her reply sounds a tad awkward. She's not good at this. ]

.. Thank you. For caring.

[swansongs]

No problem. It's what friends do, right?

[Or at least, friends like Dyme.]