Things had finally calmed down after the craze of the moss, people rebuilt and recovered and life moved on. He and Astarion had finally pried themselves out of the house and were getting back into the swing of things, more or less. Astarion had grudgingly gone back to work and Roberto was writing again, which meant he had to move around the city and talk to people again.
He'd been working on that, meandering and chatting with random strangers about the recovery efforts post-Nightmare Moss outbreak. It was what most places were concerned with and the articles that sold right now and his own personal curiosity and concern that was driving him. Interacting with people on the street helped make it feel a little more real but also more in the past.
Anything that helped it feel more like the past helped Roberto's nerves.
He was walking with his notebook in hand, a cigarette hanging from his mouth, the scruffy black kitten standing on his shoulder and surveying the world from his perch. It was a sunny day, still so much cooler then he was used to on Noman's, and Roberto was taking his time to enjoy it while it lasted. At least until he spotted another new figure meandering along as well and blew out a stream of smoke as he turned to face them, hand half raised in a lazy sort of wave.
"Hey there, how's it-- Nicholas?" Roberto freezes halfway through his attempt at a greeting, staring at the kid in shades and a suit that's too big on him. He looks exactly like when Roberto had last seen him, springing out of the elevator to stop the little monster from murdering both him and Meryl. Moments too late for him.
Not that Roberto blames the kid, his luck had just run out after all.
"Huh. Not a face I was expecting to see turn up here." Did he know? Had he seen what Roberto had tried his best to hide from at least two of the kids? Damn damn damn.
@enduringdevotion
