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[duderaider]

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[cleptes]

You had a conversation about me?

[If Bela sounds surprised, it's because she is. Maybe her name would have come up between James and Nathan as they were friends, but she didn't expect a long conversation. One that she wouldn't have been privy to back then, but maybe he feels comfortable enough to mention it now.]

Well, I'm all ears, Nathan. With whatever details you want to share.

[Something to add to her memories of James. She also has pictures on her device.]

[duderaider]

[Nathan shrugs, vaguely embarrassed]

It was after the girl I was dating, here, disappeared. Elena hadn't -- I wasn't expecting her to ever show up, you know? [this was before she did; he thought she was safe from this place and tentatively tried to move on] James wanted to know what I did, to make peace with letting Elena go, because he was in love with you. He wanted to be with you.

[James had eventually settled on a tattoo, to honor his ex]

[cleptes]

James showed me the tattoo. [She thought it was a good way to honour Naomi.] He also admitted to caring about me, but it wasn't until the following month that we both decided what we were going to be. What label we would give to what was building between us.

[Bela pauses then, feeling a well of emotion in her chest.]

Then we confessed our true feelings to each other a few days after Valentine's Day.

Thank you for giving him good advice, Nathan. I believe it helped him a lot and in turn, it helped me.

[duderaider]

[Nathan nods]

For what it's worth, I'm sorry it ended like this.

[he'd been rooting for them. he was glad they made each other happy]

[cleptes]

It's worth a lot.

[She'll find a way to deal with the heartache.]

I've never had a love like that before. I'm grateful for it.

[duderaider]

Yeah, being a thief gets kind of ...

[he makes a so-so gesture. he gets it. he really didn't have anyone before Elena -- or at least not seriously. he and Chloe fooled around for awhile, but neither of them said the L-word]

Weird how Hell works like that.

[it's probably because you can't just skip town here]

[cleptes]

[Bela nods in agreement, not saying anything more about the life of a thief. She also never allowed anyone to get close and spent a good deal of her life not trusting people and being dismissive of them.

Hell had redeemed her somewhat.]

Yeah, it is. Also more intense.

[duderaider]

Yeah, this place definitely lends itself to intense. [partially because there are things that dial up your mood to about a hundred thousand around every corner. partially because ... ] Maybe it's because this is kinda all we've got?

[he's pretty sure they've talked about the both of them being dead, back home]

[cleptes]

For some people, it is all they have. Likely not the life they envisioned for themselves but at least they have company. Others to become friends with.

[Not being able to leave on your own accord meant spending a lot of time with people and building up connections. She bonded with Peter in the hospital.]

I'm grateful to the people I've met here.

[duderaider]

Me, too.

[he pauses for a moment, then holds up his glass a little]

To friends -- one of the few good things to come out of this place.

[cleptes]

To friends.

[ Bela raises her glass in return, then takes a sip. ]

Long may they help up to keep our shit together.

[duderaider]

Amen.

[he'll drink to that -- and does]

[when he lowers his glass again, he's silent for a moment]

So, uh. Anything I can do for you, besides y'know -- [alcohol and a shoulder to cry on] -- lemme know, huh?

[speaking of friends helping friends keep their shit together]

[cleptes]

At the moment? No. You've done so much already, Nathan.

[Distracting Bela from her thoughts, giving her alcohol. Just being present now.]

That offer also goes both ways, you know. I mightn't be able to dispense any good advice, but I've got plenty of booze and interesting stories.

[duderaider]

I wouldn't say no to an interesting story?

[that might help both of them, right now, to get away from circling the drain on the losses they've both suffered]

wrap?

[cleptes]

Then let me tell you about the time I was almost drowned by a vengeful ghost...