[A moment, and he sets the phone onto the sheets beside him. Frees his hands, lets him fold them together with his forearms draped across his kneecaps as he contemplates the opposite wall.]
That whole remodeling bit we did with Hadriel's ceiling - that was your idea. That weren't any kind of destruction, pal.
Well, no. But how many bad choices d'you think you've made, exactly?
[Not like Shadow's been nothin' but destructive since he got here. In fact, the whole deal with Delight's bar kinda seemed like the exception to the rule.]
[He's gettin' better, he wants to say, at askin' why instead of reducing everything to a reactionary, immediate judgment. Maybe not the judge Shadow is lookin' for, but he never promised him anything.]
[After a point, everybody makes their choices. Regardless of what they were made to be, there's a freedom to pick things apart here. Form yourself into something variegated, and unique.
Maybe that's just an uncharacteristic spurt of optimism on Sans's part.]
[It's a disgruntled if good-natured and comparatively cheerful dismissal. He works very hard to not give a damn, and yet - here he is. Giving a damn. 'Cause once you care, you're fucked.
[An empty comfort, maybe. But it's maybe more of an affirmation than Shadow's ever gotten in his entire life. Either way, it ain't exactly a ringing endorsement, and he doubts that's really gonna be enough.
[He could press. He could, conceivably, press for more information, and maybe that'd clear things up some. But if he's learned anything -
The most he can do is listen, and not be completely obtuse about it. That, and leave a loophole where he can. A back door. He always did know how to exploit back doors.]
Well, if you change your mind, you can lemme know. Okay?
[He was sleeping. Failing to sleep. And now he has the prickliest guy in the cave, literally, both thanking him and apologizing to him in the span of maybe two minutes. Something's definitely up, even if he ain't about to 'fess up as to what.
He's done all he can do, so to speak. Someone a little better than Sans might'a taken the cue to actually question Shadow further, to genuinely pursue if he's doin' all right, 'cause all signs point to no, not really. He's already exacted a bit more than a token effort, and anything more than that is liable to fuck over his reputation as a generally uncaring, lazy, self-absorbed asshole. Which he is anyway.]
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( audio; )
That whole remodeling bit we did with Hadriel's ceiling - that was your idea. That weren't any kind of destruction, pal.
( audio; )
[Not like Shadow's been nothin' but destructive since he got here. In fact, the whole deal with Delight's bar kinda seemed like the exception to the rule.]
( audio; )
Do you regret doing 'em?
( audio; )
[He's gettin' better, he wants to say, at askin' why instead of reducing everything to a reactionary, immediate judgment. Maybe not the judge Shadow is lookin' for, but he never promised him anything.]
( audio; )
[After a point, everybody makes their choices. Regardless of what they were made to be, there's a freedom to pick things apart here. Form yourself into something variegated, and unique.
Maybe that's just an uncharacteristic spurt of optimism on Sans's part.]
( audio; )
[It's a disgruntled if good-natured and comparatively cheerful dismissal. He works very hard to not give a damn, and yet - here he is. Giving a damn. 'Cause once you care, you're fucked.
Well, shit. Here he is.]
The reason you got made ain't you, Shadow.
( audio; )
It seldom is.]
What brought this on anyway?
( audio; )
[Being obtuse is the only way he knows how to express concern, apparently.]
( audio; )
The most he can do is listen, and not be completely obtuse about it. That, and leave a loophole where he can. A back door. He always did know how to exploit back doors.]
Well, if you change your mind, you can lemme know. Okay?
( audio; )
[He was sleeping. Failing to sleep. And now he has the prickliest guy in the cave, literally, both thanking him and apologizing to him in the span of maybe two minutes. Something's definitely up, even if he ain't about to 'fess up as to what.
Yet.]
You sure you gonna be okay, pal?
( audio; )
[HE'S NOT LYING, EXACTLY.
He's done all he can do, so to speak. Someone a little better than Sans might'a taken the cue to actually question Shadow further, to genuinely pursue if he's doin' all right, 'cause all signs point to no, not really. He's already exacted a bit more than a token effort, and anything more than that is liable to fuck over his reputation as a generally uncaring, lazy, self-absorbed asshole. Which he is anyway.]
If you're sure.