“… I think I ordered too much again.”
“Ugh, you do this every time, Leo.”
“Listen, the portions looked smaller on the menu. I swear I could’ve finished them.”
“As the saying goes: a man who doesn’t know his limits will always suffer.”
“Of all the- I don’t need to hear that from you of all people, Jean.”
“Nah, I think he’s got a point. If anyone knows about going over their limits and suffering it’d be Johnny boy here.”
“Aw come on, that’s all in the past, I’m temperate now, keeping things all nice and moderate.”
“Uh huh. Sure.”
“I’m slowing down, pacing myself, you know? For instance, I’m on my third whiskey now instead of my fifth.”
“When people say that they mean glasses of whiskey and not bottles, Jean.”
“Do they? Eh, I’ll do better next time.”
“Well, our next order is here. A Year Zero Muscaria Brandy and yakitori.”
“No blood noodles yet?”
“Not yet.”
“S’all right, gives Fruity more time to rest at least.”
“Is the Kid doing alright over there?”
“Yeah, I think so, they should be sleepin’ off the worst of it right now.”
“Ugh, don’t know how they can do it, all that ‘sleep’ and DreamSmoke™ stuff freaks me out.”
“Fruity was a mortal once, I think they’re more used to it than we are.”
“… What do you think they dream about?”
“I dunno, their old life maybe? They don’t really like talking about it but from what I gather it wasn’t pretty.”
“Think it’s as bad as how Malphas treats them?”
“I don’t even want to think about that…”
“…”
“…”
“… It’s all my fault. I fucked it all up.”
”Daisy.”
“It’s true! Ya know it’s true, Leo. Fruity only got fucked because of me.”
“If there’s anyone worth blaming it’s Malphas, not you.”
“It feels like my fault.”
“For doing what exactly? Falling in love? There’s nothing wrong with that.”
“I-… I dunno, Johnny. I just feel like such a selfish fuck. Sometimes I think it would’ve been better if-”
MMmrghh…
“Oh shit.”
“Kid’s stirring.”
… Day… zee…
“Heh, you better watch out, Daisy. Fruit Cake heard someone talking shit about their girlfriend.”
“Fruity…? Ya awake or are ya still- oh!”
Mmm… warmm…
“H-hey come on, we can’t get all snuggly right now, Fruity.”
“Yeah, I’m all for PDA but, uh, nothing involving my sister, please.”
“Alright, their blood noodles are here, wake the Kid up.”
“Come on, Fruity, wakey wakey eggs and bakey.”
Mmmpphhmm…
“I forgot how much of a heavy sleeper they are.”
“Oh, like you wouldn’t believe.”
“Sun's up, guns up, Fruity, we’ve got your favorite.”
…Mmm…
“Come on.”
“…”
…
”… Ryo-chan…”
…Mmmhm…
”It’s Daisy, it’s time to wake up, love.”
… Mm…
Daisy…
I’m…
Mrm…
…
… Awake.
“Enjoy your little trip to Sleepytime Junction, Fruity?”
Hmph. Yes.
“Come on, wipe that crust outta your eyes, it's time to eat.”
Blood noodles. Spicy.
“That’s right. Eat up, Kid, you deserve it.”
“You gonna say that thing again? I always liked it when you do that.”
Hmm.
You bring your hands up gently and slowly before putting them together. A soft clap. Like thunder from far, far away.
Itadakimasu.
Daisy leans down and kisses the top of your head.
“One of these days you gotta tell me what that means, Fruity.”
You lean down, pick up a pair of chopsticks, and with the full might of your body let out the loudest slurp you possibly can as you inhale a mouthful of noodles.
They’re delicious, as they’ve always been. You sigh and lean back, letting the heat of the spice radiate through your body.
“So, how’re you feeling, kid?” Napoleon says, as he pours himself a finger of brandy. “You happy?”
You see them there, all around you.
Napoleon, Jean and Daisy.
Your squadmates. Your friends to the end.
They made you a promise, one that can never break. And in return you’ve made them the same promise.
A stubborn tiny light against clustering darkness forever.
You smile back.
Yes.