Just like she got used to the idea of being constantly at war with her cousin?
He didn't want this to be his life. He knew she couldn't return to Atherdale, but why did they have to be here, of all places?
"I don't know why anybody fucking lives here," he muttered.

"Yeah. Are you okay?"

"I feel like that's not true but I'll let you have it for now," he buried his fingers in his hair, inhaling deeply before a curt exhale. "You're right. We'll figure out a way through this."

"We are not doing that," he agreed. "I'm sure they have people around with experience cleaning... viscera. If it's such a common problem, they should, anyway."

"She kind of is too, though," he whispered in return, then added in a normal tone, "I guess they're good for each other."

"Do you think you'll sleep at all tonight?" He asked after a beat.

He exhaled, running his hand along the wrinkles in the blanket between them. "Yeah. You'll have to eventually, though, right?"

"There's something up with him," he nodded, tilting his head, which rested in his hand which rested upon his knee, to look at her. Somehow Pari was a fiercely grounding force for him, and though the subject matter was insane, the cadence of a gossipy conversation was such a familiar touchstone, it was a welcome constant in what had been an ocean of unknowns. "... Minor demon?" He tried.

"Which of us do you think would win in a fight?" Vic asked out of the blue, shoveling food into his mouth and surveying the group gathered at the table.
"That's a stupid question," Kyros did not look up from his textbook as he pierced a piece of lamb off his plate.

"Uh, what?" Kyros looked to her. "Who is the only person sitting here who has actual martial arts training?"