Faust sank into the chair after Maria's words, lost in his thoughts. Elbows on his knees, head cradled in his hands—he looked like shit, and he felt like it too.
Could the dream be why I'm flipping out like this? Eh. Part of me wants to say sure, why not, but… honestly, I don't want to connect it to anything that happened. It was a weird moment with weird fallout—nothing to be shocked about. Just let the past stay in the past… even if that "past" was only a few hours ago.
"So, Faust—are you gonna tell me or not?"
"Fine, alright… I'll tell you…"
Before speaking, he started staring hard at the floor. Like he was afraid whatever he'd done was about to come out—stressed, almost ashamed?
His right foot began tapping fast and light against the wood.
Knock-Knock-Knock-Knock
"Faust?"
But he was gone. Eyes weren't focusing, mind lost in fog…
What's happening…? I feel drunk. My eyes… me… everything's blurry? Sounds. Sounds are muffled. Can't hear. Can't understand… like… like it's all coming from far away…
...."Faust!"....
I can't hear you… I don't get it, Maria.
He was completely out of it. Eyes slowly closing as he leaned toward Maria's bed—and before too long… or rather, just in time—he smashed his head into the wooden corner of the bedframe.
THWACK.. BAM!
"Oh fuc..."
His head hit the bed first, then the floor with the momentum. But the impact snapped him right back to reality.
"You okay, Faust?"
"Huh— Y-yeah. Oh, my my....World's back."
"You sure you're alright?"
"I said yeah didn't I"
"Sounds like you're back to normal too."
"Yeah, I am."
Faust picked up the toppled chair, stretched his back.
Crack crack…
Damn! My back's stiff as hell, what?!
"We never did get around to talking about that dream of yours, huh."
"Yeah, you could say it got a little interrupted."
"So you gonna start now?"
Faust brushed off his clothes, tugged up his sagging pants a bit.
"Maria. Honestly? I'm feeling a lot better right now. Like, no need—but maybe another time, yeah?"
"B-but we haven't even talked about anything yet."
"Sure, sure, yeah yeah, sorry, but I've got stuff to do. Gotta meet up with Klint—Winter City or whatever the hell."
"When will you come back?"
"Well… if you mean the things I gotta do, I've got the Tenth Heir to deal with, some debts to handle, that kinda thing. But if you're asking in general… I'll come whenever I feel like it."
"Alright. Whatever you want then."
"Glad you get it. See you another time."
Faust walked out without looking back—he even left the door wide open. If a sudden gust of wind hadn't slammed it shut, it would've stayed that way until his next visit.
He was trying to remember something, but it just wasn't coming. Hoping it might jog his memory, he started smacking the side of his head.
BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
Hmm… alright, think. What the hell was so urgent that I bolted like that? Oh. Right. Klint.
"Unfinished business, unpaid debts, guys who just won't die, and a duel that got left hanging."
Though calling it "left hanging" isn't quite right… more like… yeah, it actually got left hanging actually.