[ apart from others. something new for the both of them. that's the explanation for her tells, surely, the way she avoids his gaze; the novelty of it is something sinclair can't deny, and the thought of this moment seeping into what they've done in the past and what they'll do in the future...

he'll imagine it even if they don't, he thinks, even if it's not remembered, certain as he is that it will be. maybe something deep within himself would recall it, and he'd seek it out with the question he could not ask today.

plainly mannerless mariachi, though... he supposes they had different experiences in that moment. he can only hope, here, that it's somewhat the same. ]

Mm. If you like it, we can do this instead of chess, sometimes. On the bus.

[ ah.

why? speak freely, she says, and he does. suggesting pointlessly dancing like that.

( he can. he wouldn't actually mind- ) ]

I-I mean... Maybe we'll have to do something similar to help fight an Abnormality, o-or... There's lots of things we've seen, so sometimes I can't be surprised...

[ just. move past that and run it back to the subject at hand, yes, it's fine. ]