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[he chews on his lip for a moment, still feeling kind of shitty for putting this on odin when he's lost so much himself. but... he didn't want to burden anyone else with it, even though their friendship is relatively new. spoon2gether ride2gether.

eventually, he shifts and leans his head on odin's shoulder, exhaling and feeling utterly exhausted and miserable.]

I feel like I should be happy for them, 'cause they've gone home. Is it selfish to want them back?

There's no "should" to this. People you cared about are gone. No matter where they are, there's a hole in your life and it's shaped just like them. You've got all this love in your heart that can't go anywhere, 'cause the people who the love is for can't love you back anymore. It's okay to be overwhelmed by that. It's natural, not selfish.

People are gonna tell you that your friends are probably happy, so you should be happy for them, but. Don't let anyone guilt you into feeling anything other than how you feel. The only thing that'll make this better is time.

[ he puts his arm around archie and squeezes his shoulders a little. this is hard. he understands. ]

[for a moment, archie is so shocked at how coherent odin just was that he's not sure he hasn't fallen asleep. he smiles, despite himself.]

Thanks. That... worked quicker than I thought it would. [he takes a long drink from his disgusting coffee.] It's a shame ya never met May... I think she woulda liked you a lot. She's only 11 but she saved the world twice! She's a strong hero like you!

[ ... w-what really? Odin helped! ODIN HELPED. ODIN DIDN'T THINK HE'D REALLY BE ABLE TO HELP BUT HE TOTALLY HELPED. he smiles broadly, wholly unguarded in his happiness, before he realizes that hey wait, whoops! don't smile when talking about an 11 year old girl being gone forever. ]

Ahaha, you think? That's nice to hear. She sounds like an amazing person. Was she from your world? [ He's really not a strong hero, though. He'd like to say something like "if she comes back one day I'd love to meet her", but the last thing he wants to do is give Archie false hope, or comfort him with platitudes. raw honesty's the way to go, man, and he knows from his experiences back home that even if she comes back, it won't ease the hurt archie feels now and it won't ever feel the same. ]

You don't have to rush your feelings, though. If you feel better, that's great, but if you don't, that's okay. [ he nudges archie's shoulder a little. ] A-And that coffee looks amazing. [ amazingly disgusting, but he won't say that because archies HURTING ENOUGH ]

Yeah, she was the one that... uh, stopped me. The first time. The second time...

[he snorts.]

Oh, you'll love this. She rode a dragon into space and destroyed a meteor with it!

[ odin's relieved to hear that may's from archie's world, if only because he was kind of scared that she could have been from a fucked up war-torn apocalyptic nightmare like he was. it's good that she's going somewhere not completely balls to the wall batshit, but, as he's already said, that doesn't make her departure any better.

he's just glad he doesn't have to worry about archie being scared for her safety, because he's seen how people fall apart, worrying for their friends and their family like that, and he really couldn't bear to see archie suffer like that. he also doesn't comment on may being the one to stop him, because, well. that seems like the kind thing to do. ]

Seriously?! That's wild! [ he laughs, and while he genuinely thinks that's rad as hell, he's definitely just trying to be energetic for archie's sake. ] Man, I've literally had dreams about doing things like that. That's way too much sheer, concentrated awesome for one little girl to be blessed with. I'm jealous.

Right? She was-- is really cool. She's the reigning champion of the Hoenn region as well... she kicked my ass then the actual strongest trainer in the region. Then kicked more asses!!

[archie could talk all day about may and the things she's done for him. she really did save his life in more ways than one. even if he feels unending guilt over it. he swirls his disgusting coffee in the cup.]

...You two really would've gotten on. I think she probably understood similar stakes that you had at a similar age. Maybe she'll come back.

She does sound like an ass-kicker, so I'm not surprised she handed yours to you, buddy. And - man, you know what? When I was a little kid, before things went all... bad, me and two of my friends were in this superhero group we made up called The Justice Cabal. We pretended to battle to the death with wooden sticks instead of swords, and our parents would send us on missions, to like, "go pick up all the evil villain's toys that he left all over your room and pack them into the Toy Chest of Power-Sealing Purity" or whatever so we could save the day. I bet May would have fit in with us really well.

[ odin really wants to try that fucking coffee. it's as dark and as incomprehensible as his soul, after all. ]

She might, yeah. She might. If she does, I'd like to meet her. If she doesn't, Mightyena and Sharpedo and everyone else who loves you and cares about you are all still here, and I know that's not gonna fill the void she left behind, but - there are people who love you and care about you and wanna help you get through this. Like me. I'm at the top of the list, 'cause I'm the best person out of all the people you even know, so.

Yeah, she was like that but she has a giant fire chicken that can jump over skyscrapers! She could kick your ass too!

[he just has to ask, though it really truly is disgusting. archie has to suppress a gag every time he takes a sip.]

...Heh, yeah you are. [he thumps odin's back then ruffles his hair.] Thanks, bro.

...

Brodin.

[ odin wasn't expecting to be thumped on the back, so he sort of vaults forward a little in his seat, but he giggles like mad when archie ruffles his hair. and... he hopes the tears in his eyes can be played off as just a reaction from being TOTALLY VIOLENTLY ASSAULTED, because the truth is, being called brodin really touched him, and he wants to freak out about that, but he won't. archie needs him to focus. ]

I-I bet she could! Especially if she had a giant freakin' fire chicken, jeez. Not a lot of people could kick my ass, you know. Don't go broadcasting that I could get totally owned by a kid, okay? I've got a reputation to uphold.

Hey - do you wanna write a story about her sometime? Not now, or anything, but maybe when you're feeling a little better. I used to write a lot of stories about me and my parents going on adventures, after they died. It made me feel better, if only for a little while. If you feel like it at some point - we could do that? You and her and her fire chicken taking on the world together. Going home and eating ice cream until you're sick. That kinda thing.

Oh, absolutely not.

[he seems a lot happier than he did a few minutes ago at least.]

...I'm not sure that would help, but I'm into the eating ice cream thing for real.

[ that's good. he's glad archie's at least a little better, but he knows it's not enough. as with everything in his life, he wishes he could do more. ]

Wanna do that right now?

Uhhhh?? Yes? Absolutely right now??

Yeah!! Are you kidding me?! Of course!! I-- hold on, hold on. Wait here!

[ Odin's just really, really happy that he can do something real and tangible for Archie, even if it's something as stupid as this, so he trips over himself in his excitement to get to the kitchen. it doesn't take long before he's back in his bedroom with ice cream tucked under his arm - four different tubs, all different flavors, most of them half empty and definitely belonging to one of his roommates, probably - and he's holding two big ass ice cream scoops. because spoons are for FUCKING COWARDS ]

Here. Here. Here. Okay. Here. [ he shoves all the icecream tubs at archie. just all of them right in his face. he gets first pick!!! ]

[unfortunately, when odin shoves them right into archie's face he jolts and his disgusting coffee (still with JUST ABOUT the consistency to splash) splashes into the open tub of vanilla. archie snorts.]

Guess that one's mine, huh?

Yeah! Yeah. If you want. Or-- no? I mean, I'd try it. The coffee. And the vanilla. I'd try the coffee on its own, but it's probably more palatable with the vanilla. Why do you-- why do you drink weird coffee?

[ it's kind of obvious he's scrambling for a good, positive conversation, but as he sits down with chocolate icecream and puts the other two containers on his desk, he's staring at archie like this is a very serious and very important question he needs an answer to BASICALLY right away. ]

[archie decides not to tell odin that it's to keep him awake when he doesn't want to sleep, so he goes with something he knows odin'll probably buy.]

Because I'm a pirate, so years of drinkin' grog have dulled my taste buds. I have to have it like this or I might as well just drink mud. What's the point when ya can't taste it?!

[ odin slowly finishes his scoopful of icecream, staring at archie. ]

That doesn't sound right, but I don't know enough about grog to dispute it. [ he sure knows about insomnia, though. way to miss another chance to have your cool new friend empathize with you and understand you, you emotionally constipated old nerd! ]

Can I try some? Of your cool pirate grog-defeating mud-coffee?

[he's pretty sure odin doesn't need to know more about his sleeping habits!!! gosh, it was kind of embarrassing to wake up after that sleepover basically laying on top of him. sometimes being a hugger is a hard burden to bare.]

Uh, sure. Don't throw up on me, though?

[ odin liked it! odin likes hugs. first good night's sleep he had in years. this stupid old man is so emotionally messed up he won't even sleep-hug his dumb platonic bro without getting embarrassed. gotta yell at him about that.

he takes a scoopful of the vanilla coffee, leaves his hand in the tub for a second, eyes archie suspiciously, and then-- ]

You know that's not an option, right? I'm gonna throw up. This is absolutely going to make me throw up.

Let's not-- okay, let's not... throw up in your room? C'mon. Outside. If you're gonna puke then I'll let out Muk so you can puke onto him. He loves puke.

Well, that's. The most disgusting thing. But.

[ okay. whatever archie wants. he grabs the ice cream, wrestling the vanilla out of archie's hands because he wants to carry everything like a good host, and he heads out into the garden, just sort of assuming archie's following him. ]

Do I, like. Need advice? Warnings? Is there a special way to imbibe this devil's nectar? A ritual that must be cast?

Or what? You throw up in the sink or toilet like a normal person? Fuck that. I want you to meet Muk anyway.

[he knows by now to follow odin, snorting at the question.]

Nope. Just put it in.

I-I mean. Yeah. Okay. I guess I just haven't adapted to the thought of willfully feeding one of your pets my vomit? It feels like I'm breaching a pretty basic clause of standard morality, but. Okay. "Just put it in". That's what she said, haha. Uh.

[ ok who cares. he takes a scoop of coffee and shoves it in his mouth. for a second, he stares at archie, glad to see that he really is doing better and glad to know that while this doesn't seem to be the healthiest way of dealing with his grief, he's having some amount of fun with odin right now.

and then he just opens his mouth and drools it all out in big black sludge. and then vomits. just right there. just on the ground. he's just vomiting in the garden. just there. there he goes. like a geyser, almost. yikes. ]

...Okay, when you put it like that, I-- FUCK!

[archie yelps and jumps back, just barely avoiding being splattered by vomit. oh jeez.]

Shit, Muk! Go!

[the slime boy appears in a flash of white light, looking around and bubbling curiously.]

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