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[it's quite late. still dark, not quite the morning. there's a light rattling at the backdoor.

fortunato might recognise the noise of a lock being picked-- or attempted to, at least. archie's certainly not terrible at it, but it's taking him longer than he'd like. it's been a while... did magnus change the lock? he could just call but-- no, he's started. might as well see it through...

archie is

well. he's making a decision right now.]

[ In some ways, it's a small miracle Fortunato sleeps at all. Nightmares are normal; good dreams are frankly odd. He doesn't enjoy sleeping. But he's found he tires easily, and wakes at strange times, even after so long in this world with his sight coming in and out, rather than complete blindness and confinement.

Maybe that's why he's awake at this odd time of night. He's got his bedroom door open to accommodate Alf, who's decided to lie down at the foot of his bed, and for a second he assumes it's nothing if she's not reacting- but she does begin to whine, after a moment, though she doesn't move.

Jesse isn't doing anything either. Maybe...they're not good at being guard dogs. He probably should have expected that.

But that's why he sleeps with the knife Magnus gave him nearby. He should go get Magnus, to see if this is something to worry about- after all, he immediately realizes, he can see absolutely nothing right now. He starts to move quietly out of his room, towards the area of the backdoor, moving toward Magnus' room. ]

[he finally manages to get through, stumbling into the kitchen with a light curse. maybe fort will recognise the voice? he stands up in the middle of the room, hands on his lower back, stretching as he cracks it.]

Ahhh... fuck.

[okay. lights off.]

Alf? Jesse?

[ Fortunato's become keen to voices- but he doesn't know Archie well enough to be sure it's him from a few short words. He hesitates in the hallway, contemplating his next move, before continuing to move again, slowly.

...But the dogs ruin this yet again, because hearing their names called, they've finally decided to pay attention. Both of them come scampering toward Archie from the respective places they were sleeping, making excited noises.

Which of course puts Alf right in Fortunato's path, and it's not as if he can see her. Suddenly he finds himself falling flat on his face.

He's not holding the knife in a dangerous position, luckily. But he is falling in front of a potential intruder. That...could be bad. ]

[so much for stealthy, huh... archie hears the thud and curses lightly, putting his hand on the dogs to push past and-- oh. right.]

Ah... Fort, I'm so sorry! I forgot you lived here as well... [he notices the knife, but doesn't think much of it. maybe he was just cutting himself a sandwich! archie crouches to offer the poor guy a hand up.] Are you okay? I can heal if you need it...

[ Fort? It takes Fortunato a moment. But he talked to Archie recently enough to remember the man, suddenly, even if he can’t see. Of course, that means he doesn’t take Archie’s hand, though he would.

He shoves himself upward again, sitting first. Alf takes the opportunity to lick his face. ]

I- I am fine. [ It really isn’t the type of thing to be healed- especially as his own healing ability is dulling any pain more quickly. ] Why...why are you here?

[ Did Archie break in? Isn’t he Magnus’ friend? ]

[he retracts the hand when he realises fort isn't going to take it. nothing personal-- it be like that sometimes. when the two dogs start to accost him, all archie can do is hold back jesse.]

I, uh. Wanted to see Magnus. Is he in?

[could've just called, huh...]

...Right now.

[ It's still the middle of the night, isn't it? He uses an alarm, and the house is quiet. It is definitely still too early.

He does suppose he trusts multiple people who trust Archie- Magnus, Lucina. But this is strange. ]

I- I think he is asleep.

Yes. Right now.

[archie is many things. archie doese many things. following normal logical lines hasn't always been one of them.]

I'll go sleep on his floor until morning. It's fine. [a beat. he looks back to fort.] Hey, are you okay? I know Lucina porting out hit ya hard.

[ Well. Okay? Fortunato supposes he can’t stop him, and...Magnus really isn’t the type to be mad about a friend sleeping on his floor. Magnus may even want company.

Of course, Archie distracts him before he can respond to that with his other question. Right. That seems...so long ago, though it wasn’t. ]

Yes. I am. [ He feels a bit ashamed his hurt over her port-out was that obvious. But it doesn’t matter now, really. ] She has been back, for some time. It is nothing.

It's never nothing. You don't gotta tell me but... don't tell yourself it was nothing.

[he saunters back to the kitchen, evidently fixing to get himself a drink.]

You want anythin'?

[ Fortunato will say nothing, as Archie offered. The entire situation had made him feel foolish for being devastated. He'd told himself, when he ported back in, that there was no use in getting too close to anyone here- and yet he did. Losing Lucina made him feel totally unmoored.

He's ignored the feeling since. She's back, for now. He ought to be grateful for a few minutes more.

He follows the sound of Archie moving toward the kitchen, hovering a bit awkwardly. ] No. Do...do you want me to wake him? Magnus.

Nah, it's okay.

[he says, clattering around, noisy yet somehow silent. he clearly knows the kitchen.]

Sorry for wakin' ya. Next time I'll call.

I was awake.

[ He won’t lie about that. He doesn’t like people to worry over him- he just hopes Archie won’t ask why he was awake.

Alf whines. Fortunato follows the noise and picks her up, suspecting that’s what she wants. ]

Magnus would give you a key.

[he knows better than to ask why, even if the curiosity is there.]

I'll make sure to ask him! Ah-- hey, how'd you learn to lockpick? [he raises his casted arm.] Gotta tell ya, doin' it one handed ain't that easy.

[ Well- the camp where I was trained to save the world isn't a real answer, is it.

He pauses, using petting Alf as an excuse for it. ]

I taught myself. [ He would have had to, eventually. It could have happened. ]

[he chuckles lightly-- this isn't a great attempt to bond but he sure is trying.]

Heh. Same. When I was a teenager.

[ Fortunato, at the very least, is aware that sometimes people have an easy time talking about themselves. He hasn't gotten good at making his redirection not obvious, but he can at least make an attempt. ]

Oh. Why?

Fun.

[he says with a shrug.]

Because I thought it was cool. Stupid reasons, really, but certainly a useful skill. [his tone indicates he's expecting fortunato to share more of his learning it...]

It is.

[ But you're not going to bait him, Archie! Nope! ]

...It would still be okay, if you wanted a key.

[damn! shit! foiled!

he blinks.]

Oh! Yes, of course, I didn't consider something! How could I forget to check in that the other people here would be okay with some random weirdo like me havin' a key! Ah...

[ Ah, that's a good point, Fortunato supposes. But from what he's heard, it probably won't be a big problem. ]

You know Tina and Angus. [ A pause. ] We could ask Sabrina.

[ Now that he thinks about it, he supposes it's kind of weird. But Magnus and Lucina like Archie, and it's not as if Fortunato is used to as much privacy as he has in this world, really. ]

[he nods.]

I'll ask her myself. Don't worry about it. Reckon you got enough on your plate.

No.

[ He never finished the school year, after porting back in. He doesn't plan to go back. There's still work, and so much time spent at church, but...he does come upon times, often, where his life feels a bit empty. ]

It would be fine. Have you met her?

Nope! I've seen her, but we've never spoken. So that'll be fun, tellin' her that's whats up. Hopefully I make a good second impression, am I right!

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