Alina looked at him very seriously, her eyes wide with warning.
"Do not encourage him."
Dante frowned faintly.
"What does that mean?"
"That means if he starts floating upside down and telling ghost stories about haunted bananas and the great ghost wars, you must not participate. You must not ask questions. You must not look interested."
Dante was silent for a moment, clearly processing the information.
"…He tells stories about haunted bananas?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I do not know. No one knows. It is just Boo."
Another pause settled between them.
"I will… try not to encourage him."
"And Felix pretends he is bored but he actually listens to everything and cares very deeply," she continued, pointing a warning finger at him. "Do not be fooled by the eye rolls."
"I will threaten him with—"
"No threatening!"
Dante looked genuinely confused now.
"Then how do you maintain discipline?"
"With kindness. With patience. With understanding."
