User blog:Baluar/God Eater: Fall of the Heavens, epilogue part 3: A long way back (to nowhere)

SILLINESS!

I think I'm spending far too much time chatting with Roi for my mental health.

It was a cold night in the streets of the Far East Branch, but neither of the two figures (one of them very tall, the other one huge) seemed to care about it as they walked in a silence broken only by the occasional screech of a dying Aragami in the distance.

After a particularly loud roar which could only come from a Vajra, the larger figure began to speak.

-Romantic, isn't it? - For all response, the smaller figure shruged before adding:

-I've seen worse.

-Haha, yeah. - He wondered preciselywhere had she seen worse, but he didn't mention it. It was a while before the other figure broke the silence.

-How far are we from your house? Not that I'm complaining, but... it's cold out here.

-Want my jacket? - This seemed to catch the smaller figure off her guard.

-What the...?

-Seriously, I've no problem. - He took his dark green jacket off and handed it to the other figure, but after a fraction of a second pulled it back.

-Regretting your decision? - The smaller figure said, with more than a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

-Not actually... I just want to get this out. - The larger figure replied before dramatically taking a small orange bottle from one of the jacket's pockets.

-"Fanta"? - The woman read. - What the hell is that?

-I figured that if drinking alcohol makes one an alcoholic, drinking Fanta makes you... FANTASTIC! - A brief silence followed. - Ok, that was like THE lamest joke I've ever said. Still, it's really tasty.

After a brief period without speaking, the woman said:

-You do realize how cliché all of this is, right?

-Yes, but what can I do? Go out for a date in which we go to play videogames and hunt Aragami? No one likes that.

-As a matter of fact, I enjoy both those things.

-NO. Really? - The man replied.

-Yes, why would I lie?

-No idea. I like videogames too, you know? I've got a large amount of gaming stuff in home, all of it scavenged from the days before the Aragami. - He then drank the entirety of the Fanta bottle in one go. - Alongside a huge stash of this.

This seemed to raise Lina's interest.

-Seriously?

-Why would I lie? - Baluar replied, echoing the words Lina had said a few moments ago.

-To raise my interest and eliminate any chance I have of regretting my decision to visit you? You know, we just come from a date. Lying to get me interested wouldn't be out of the question.

-Fair point. You'll see tomorrow. Right now, the best we can do when we arrive is sleep. - He lazily said before stretching his arms above his head.

-True... I feel like I could sleep forever.

-You just woke up from a coma, remember? You were in bed for a looong time.

-I'm tired anyway.

"Fine", he thought. "And I thought I was lazy."

-So, here we are.

The house was fairly impressive, or so did Lina think. It wasn't particularly large, but it was pretty cozy and had most of the comforts she could ask for. Which, come to think of it, weren't that many. Her needs were basic: a comfortable bed, a nice temperature and something to pass the time with. The rest she could manage without and/or get elsewhere.

However, all her amazement was replaced with horror as a huge figure came from the dark kitchen.

-OH MY GOD WHAT THE HELL?

Baluar rolled his eyes. The shadow revealed itself to be a massive dog, which jumped over its master and knocked him off balance in the process. He fell on the couch and something fell to the ground, making a loud thump noise.

-Lina, this is Rufo. Rufo, she's Lina.

Lina still hadn't completely recovered from the shock that the dog had caused her.

-Want to sleep already? Go to my bed, I'll show you the way. - Baluar said while getting back on his feet.

-And you?

-I'll sleep in the couch, like I said before.... Nah, just kidding, I'll go to the guests' room. That's why I have one, you know, to have a place where I can sleep when guests come and I give them my own room. I'm just a nice guy like that.

-Shouldn't I, you know, the GUEST, be the one going to the guests' room?

-You know what? You're right. Now get in my room before I actually agree with you. - He said, loudly, before adding to himself: - Besides, the bed in there's more comfortable.

-Did you just say something? - Lina asked.

-No I didn't. - Baluar replied, speaking in a hurry.

-You still didn't show me the way.

-End of the corridor, left door. Act as if it's your home; cold in the night, grab an extra blanket. Wake up early and feel you're dirty, have a shower (plenty of clean towels in there, don't know where they come from). Feel hungry, open the fridge and help yourself. My home's your home.

-Woah, woah, don't overdo it, our relationship's still not there. - Lina said.

-So we have a relationship? - He replied, deadpan.

-Ugh, you and your big mouth...

-Yeah, good night to you, too.

Lina woke up from one of the best nights' sleep she had in a long time. She looked around, unaware where she was, until she remembered exactly whose home she was in.

After thinking on what would she do first, she decided that she'd have a shower first. However, before anything she checked whether Baluar's words the night prior were true, and looked around in the bathroom for unused towels. After finding one, she took a cold shower, just as she usually did.

However, while she was at it, her host also entered the bathroom. Fortunately for her, there was a curtain which hid her from his eyes, but it was still an awkward situation.

-Uh, guess I should have knocked the door. - He said before stepping back and closing the door.

-You didn't hear the shower? - Lina said, her voice hinting of an anger barely kept in check.

-Haha, no. I'm still sleepy. - He answered. - You should know that I'm a heavy sleeper, and I usually take a while to get fully awaken. People have in fact tried to slap me awake on occasion. Always useless.

-How am I supposed to believe you, huh?

-You're not supposed to. - Baluar answered. - And if I really was interested in catching you off guard, I'd have placed a camera there or something. Lyrr would've gotten me one in no time. - He made a brief pause before continuing. - At any rate, I've got to leave. Someone needs me back in the Branch. Doctors say you're free to do whatever you want, so... stay here all day and check my collection of games, go to the Branch and ask for some missions... I don't know, it's your choice.

-I can already go on missions? - Lina asked, washing the shampoo off her hair. - That's fast.

-Fenrir CAN be efficient every now and then. It's just... you know...

-A once in a lifetime event?

-Yeah, you could say that. - He answered, with a hint of a smirk on his face. - Say, you don't nee... nah, nevermind.

-What is it?

-I was going to offer you some clothes, but even with those extra 6 cm you just got, you're way too small for either my clothes or my sister's, so...see you later. Guess I'll wash my face in the kitchen.

-You wash your face in the morning? What a waste of water.

-Not really. Water here comes from the oceans. Even with all the reduction that the Aragami have caused, it's still a sizable amount of water in there, and purifying it is child's play. - He made a gesture with his hand. - Bye.

Before she was out of the shower, Lina heard a noise that very much resembled that of a door getting slammed. She was alone now.

After dressing up in her clothes, she found herself unwilling to go to Fenrir. She had just recovered from a coma, she needed the rest. Or that's what she told herself as she turned on Baluar's PC.

And then she realized it had a password.

-Shit.