This is about Resolutions

13 January 423

It was a nice day to save the world.

I would've never imagined even thinking these words myself in an unironic way. I mean, it wasn't like one could expect the armageddon to close up so suddenly and with myself being the only one that could actually do something to prevent the Big 'The End' from happening. Heck, it wasn't like I wanted to be subjected to this kind of attention. People like Reinhard or... Subaru would be better candidates to this. Sure, Barusu wasn't very strong with a sword but... he was the blasted protagonist of this series. He was the lucky SoB that is hauled through the horrors of this grim universe while 'aided' by RtD.

He had the capacity to actually make the difference through the looping. Something I actually didn't have despite my increasing Mana reserves. While magic was still an uncharted land of opportunity for anyone willing to devote time and effort in its study, I highly doubted I was going to get something about Space-Time manipulation if I was stuck with only Yang magic. Yin magic was a big maybe since it dabbled in limited dimensional manipulation, but I had little to no affinity to it.

Still, I couldn't refuse the current task at hand. Not when I was the only one I could concoct a brilliant plan to get through with this issue. In fact, I had the best idea one could get through the stuff I had at my disposal. And with Majima now as an essential part of my gig, I knew that there was no way I was going to lose this. Inviting Dvoynoy for a walk around Lupgana without making him suspicious of my behavior was tough. I had to word the message to make it clear that my priority wasn't actually to spend time with him. No, I had the perfect scapegoat to motivate this little stroll around the capital.

"Can I really pick one for free?" Meili asked with wonder only a child could muster, most of her attention aimed at the sweet treats that were on display at the local ice cream parlor. "Do you mean it?"

I smiled and patted her head. "I promised that I would pay for it."

Her eyes widened in pure glee as she swiftly took the opportunity to ask for a small cup filled with blueberry-flavored cream. A single bite, and her excitement doubled before my eyes. A chuckle came from behind us, and I turned to see Elsa staring at the scene with a mirthful tone.

"I hope you're not planning to steal my protege, Lord Bukharin," The assassin offered a light tease. "I'm not sure I would be able to contain my interest in your bowels any longer."

"Nothing to worry about then. I wouldn't want to deprive little Meili of her role model," I replied with a tense smile. I really wanted to appear legitimately unfazed but... I could still remember how Barusu wasn't spared much of a chance when he was cut apart by the scary woman. Like seriously, I might have gotten better at magic and swordsmanship, but I wasn't taking chances with Elsa of all people. "Plus, I don't believe she will be swayed by a single sweet treat."

As the woman nodded in agreement, a giggle came from beside me.

"Muh, Johnyah, you shouldn't doubt the power of ice cream," Ferris giddily pointed out as he paused from eating from his own cup. "In fact, I've heard girls love it when guys buy them gifts like this."

Since I couldn't exactly wander alone after what happened yesterday, Reinhard decided to give a more than happy cat-boy the chance of escorting me around as I tried to go through this difficult activity. I didn't mind the extra friendly company, especially if I needed some support if something soured during my plan's execution. I knew it was going to succeed, but I had my own doubts about possible interference that could undermine my state of consciousness during its process.

"Oh, should I then be worried about Meili finding you a worthy candidate as a husband?"

"Of course not. Little Meili is cute and I will spoil her until I can, but I don't think I can see her beyond her adorable self," I easily weaved through that further teasing. "By the time she is old enough to decide who to marry, I will be a boring old man that would spend most of his time reading and reminiscing about the past."

"But Johnyah, ya spend most of the time reading paperwork already," Ferris pointed out, and I huffed, turning to stare at him with a faux glare.

"Are you calling me old, Felix?"

"...I believe so, Johnyah."

"Gah," I exclaimed dramatically. "Betrayed by my second most trusted friend!"

The demi-human opened his mouth to protest at the demeaning title, but he quickly realized why I had said it that way before he could say anything about it.

"His Highness?"

"Fourier is my closest buddy. And I believe that's something we can both agree on."

He nodded, his smile rekindled. "Yep."

I turned to look at her ward with a confident smile. "What about you, Dvoynoy? Have you chosen your treat just yet?"

The prince blinked, tensing up in faux nervousness as he tried to keep up with the act. He had to appear the shiest possible, to distance himself from the known personality of his real self. I was once more reminded that I had been completely clueless about this trickery, but then again, there wasn't much known about Ivan. I should've suspected, and yet I had decided to not expect this much of a sucker punch with that issue.

Now I was supposed to clean up a mess the bastard had made by trying to tamper with the dimension's limits, and I had to do it indirectly. Recovering the gem wasn't going to be easy considering his minor prediction ability, and I knew that the key to this issue was my newest familiar. Which was probably going to take a while to ultimately arrive since I had told her 'owner' to try and get on the act of being a simple civilian with a dog wandering around the city as seriously as possible.

Knowing how Majima was vindictive with people she didn't like and having seen her glare daggers at the poor spy that I had assigned on the matter, I knew I was going to hear about grand disturbances happening in most of the city once I was done with Ivan. Hopefully my familiar wasn't ruining the poor guy's existence by being the silly pup she was. While I had yet to grasp at the fact that a legendary monster behind the consolidation of Vollachia was none other than a softie and a pushover, I could understand that this wasn't the first time this actually happened.

Puck was the main example I could draw on. He is mostly regarded as a simple familiar that considered Emilia as his daughter... but the truth was chillingly scarier than the early appearances. And if there is something I hate the most about the weather was anything that forced me to put two-three layers of stuff to keep my body warm.

"I... I believe I will settle for... Vanilla."

The very flavor I had picked for myself. Another unpleasant hint that confirmed the already-known truth, and somehow made its impact worse than I had expected it to.

The owner of the parlor delivered the treat to the Prince in disguise, allowing us to finally start moving towards the nearest park and enjoy the simple day before us. The very moment we started to check the bustling place, the previous conversation was resumed as Meili seemed to have her own questions to ask.

"But why would it be bad if I wanted to marry Lord Bukharin?" She inquired to the whole group, almost making me trip in surprise at the question.

I turned, looking particularly shocked by the awkward topic... but calmed down as I noticed that her stare added an extra detail to the query itself. It was an hypothetical one without any major foundation about it. And while I was able to spot that very hint quickly, some took a longer time to understand it. Mostly Ivan... and I could tell the only reason why he hadn't snapped at that 'challenge' was because it just was too childish to even act on it.

Moments later, when I knew the awkwardness had lessened just enough, I decided to speak up about the matter.

"Well, that's because you've yet to build up a sense of maturity to make that kind of decision," I answered quietly. "It's a big step to take, and sometimes not even adults are prepared to make it."

The girl frowned. "I thought it was about being 'old enough'. But... you're making it seem like age isn't important."

"Age is still important. You see, there are aspects of a life as a wife or a husband that can only be done by being old enough on a physical level. Your body has yet to reach its prime, and thus can't do a lot compared to what that kind of livelihood requires," I elaborated some more. "But it would be a mistake to assume it's the only element that defines true maturity."

"And what do you define as 'true maturity', Lord Bukharin?" Elsa asked with a fascinated voice, and only now I realized that I had gained the attention of the whole group on myself. Not ideal, but it was the kind of distraction I could work on while I waited for Majima to finally arrive.

"The capacity of handling a mistake. In this case, one as big as making errors in that kind of a relationship," I added with a nod. "There are many stories of both men and women that either come to live and accept flaws from their loved ones, or fail and end up losing everything for not seeing how much they were hurting themselves and those they care for."

"So it's about me knowing if I can solve this kind of... problems on my own? Something like understanding what not to do?"

I nodded. "Right now you've a greater understanding of the world than the one you had when you were younger. With the passing of time, your mind sharpens and improves. It grows together with your body and, eventually, it will find a true peak that will allow you to think about the good points and the bad ones of entering in a relationship."

The girl seemed to understand what I was saying, but she still huffed at my words.

"Mou, this is all so complicated. Now I know why Elsa says that I shouldn't be asking about these things," Meili commented before showing a genuine smile and nodding at me. "Still, thank you for answering my question."

"You're welcome, Little Meili."

Just as I said this, both the child and I saw a small creature walking towards us. It took less for Meili to recognize its frame since she was quite adept in seeing it and... she squealed.

"A puppy!"

A simple introduction to the crucial element for my success. Majima was wagging her tail as if she was the happiest familiar in the world, and from what I could see a couple of meters behind, I could tell why she looked so smug. As I had predicted, the guy I had assigned to the task seemed ready to give up on his job. A deadpan expression was plastered on his face as he stared from afar, clearly unwilling to risk his life by keeping too close to the vicious hound.

Meili giggled as she was the first individual Majima came to. The pup barked just once, showing some excitement while holding herself back from speaking at the friendly kid. The moment the familiar was brought closer to the child's face, she decided to lick at the giddy young assassin's nose, making her giggle some more at the action.

We all stared, with the rest of the group blissfully unaware of the kind of being Meili was playing with. Once the child was done coying after the good pup, Majima was allowed back to the ground and soon approached the confused-looking Dvoynoy. The shy noble stared down, visibly surprised by the fact the dog was now sniffing at his shoes and wagging her tail faster in a display of eagerness.

It was clear she wanted to be picked up.

"Maybe it would be best if-"

"I- I can do it," 'Dvoynoy' interrupted Elsa, his eyes still locked on the puppy's form. "It's just a cute dog."

I held my breath as I saw the noble lift up the familiar to try and get the same reaction she had with Meili. A terrible move on his part as he was left open for the successful end of his threatening circumstance. A blink, that was all it took for a distracted Ivan to fail to react as Majima swiftly broke away from his hold and bit down at the pocket holding the gem the man was hiding away.

Surprise restrained Elsa from reacting quickly enough as she brought her guard up a moment too late, with the familiar swiftly bailing from the successful attack to rush back to me. I pulled her up, allowing her to drop the gem on my waiting hand as I conquered a true victory out of this.

"J-John?" Felix was shocked by this sudden development, but he pulled up his guard to match Elsa while he tried to make sense of what had just happened.

"I'm sorry for withholding this twist from you, Felix. I didn't mean to cause this much of a scare but... I had to take steps to avoid certain unpleasant situations from fully unfolding," I replied tensely, already starting to make use of the gem's power to revert the mistake made by Ivan. "Let's just start with the fact Ivan doesn't have a brother... and that he will now return to be the same as before."

Dvoynoy tensed up in clear panic, his act now dropped together with his usual mad one at what I had just said."

"YOU WHAT?!"

The exclamation resulted in a renewed sense of hostilities between the two parties, but I managed to keep some decorum as I swiftly moved to defuse the situation.

"Don't worry, you prick. You're not going to perish as the contract dictated a long time ago," I lamentely dryly as I brought up the magical copy of it. "Here, give it a look."

Confused and still frightened, the now-revealed Prince almost stumbled in the effort to catch the flying paper. It took him a moment to read over the content in the document... and the changed elements of the clauses that were previously meant to act as a restraining order of sorts. He was silent for a moment, and then... he flashed a full grin at this.

"I'm no longer kept from properly courting you! I knew the force of love would've swayed you to-"

"I would give it a proper read before chanting victory," I flatly interrupted. "You will be surprised by what I've also changed."

He looked down on the paper and... his little happiness was crushed in a massive scowl .

"Wait, what do you mean I can't use the gem for anything nefarious without your permission if I am within three hundred meters of distance?"

"What is said on the label. You've been misusing this gem for too long, and you literally brought the end of the world close to happen all because you wanted to be a stalker."

"While I find this story interesting, Lord Bukharin, I have to ask what you are talking about with 'end of the world'."

I turned to stare at Elsa and sighed tiredly. "To void the contract Ivan tried to meddle with dimensional laws, coming close to collapsing everything in the process. Stuff would've come to an end by tomorrow."

The assassin turned to her ward, expecting him to say that it wasn't the case. Much to her annoyance and shock, Ivan merely shrugged.

"All for the sake of love-"

"I really don't know what kind of problem your mind has to have you so obsessed with me, but I will put this straight once and for all," I interrupted once again. "Threaten me, my family, those I care for ever again, and I will make sure you no longer rule over Gusteko and that a saner individual replaces you for good."

His jaws dropped low at my ferocity.

"I will not deal with your crap ever again, I'm absolutely furious and I'm glad that the spirit that was responsible for this gem was alerted of the stunt you've pulled-"

"Y-You mean that you- You alerted her and-"

"You made a lot of enemies today, Ivan. Enemies from your own allies all because you couldn't just stop being a massive jerk," I interjected fiercely. "You reap what you sow, and now you shall face punishment for your attitude."

...

...

"Argh! And I would've gotten away with it if it wasn't for you meddling love interest and unknown dog."

"Eat dirt, jerk," Majima flatly shot back, earning a gasp from Ivan.

"Oh my! You have a talking animal spirit too. Does that mean you can turn in a Miraculous and-"

"No, I'm not dealing with that!" I half-yelled at that effort to break the fourth wall. Again. I was really getting pissed at this behavior. "We're not having this conversation. Just leave."

He deflated instantly, trying to gain some support from his own group, but even Meili was glaring at him for what kind of crap he had tried to pull. One thing was handling a contract for the betterment of their organization, another was covering for someone that had committed an action that could've indirectly led to the end of their group. And that thought wasn't a pleasant one for both Elsa and her assistant.

Despite my irritation, I still threw him the gem. I couldn't use it if I wanted beyond that single opportunity, and I really wasn't aiming to ruin my psyche for unlimited power. Adding extra clauses to the contract also prevented him from pulling a stunt like this ever again, so the only good use that rock had left in it was sparing the guy from being killed and leaving Gusteko in a swift civil war between dangerous factions.

Punishment was going to be delivered, especially when Edna guaranteed that the spirit that created the gem was going to issue a proper 'reprimand' for Ivan to receive. One that he wasn't going to ever forget considering the magnitude of this stunt. After giving some awkward farewells to both Elsa and Meili, trying to salvage with the kid the fact that what had happened could've been faked up by me, I ended up dealing with another big concern.

Felix was swiftly standing in front of me, a serious look on his face and... a nervous one as he regarded the deadpan expression on Majima's face.

"What?" The familiar asked dryly, making the cat-boy look back at me with a greater questioning look.

I sighed, knowing that now I had to calmly explain what just happened without making him worry too much. And reveal about Edna's existence.

"So the Fokker Dr. I wasn't that favored by Manfred?" Anneli asked with a surprised tone as I continued to narrate the story of her ancestor.

After the complicated mess that devolved earlier that morning, I was quickly brought back to Reinhard to explain to him too what had happened. I tried to have Felix accept being the only one knowing, but the brunet was stubborn enough to coerce me into telling the truth to the rest of the envoy. The redhead was, of course, annoyed by my attempt, but still glad that I managed to sort things out and... get a new ally in the process.

It was decided to not mention the fact that Majima was actually the monster that was supposedly held in the deepest floor of the castle, all because any hints of bringing this up could've very well sparked a war with Vollachia. And that wasn't going to fly for anyone, especially me since I didn't want to be remembered as the main cause of such a major conflict.

The negotiations would then resume as planned, this time uneventfully as everyone was much more serious and less inclined to waste too much time on the process of getting things done for once. There were some blocks that dragged the event for a couple more hours than planned, but in the end an agreement both sides could accept was signed and... I was invited for a little celebration by the Emperor's dining room.

There I found the actual extent of his lover's interest in her ancestor. Anneli was... rather intrigued by Manfred and his 'brilliant recounting of flying his plane'. The table was filled with documents, papers, some from the Red Baron himself, others from people that had known and worked for him. I would've never thought that I would've been offered to give a History lesson about this very character... Yet I was doing that and the girl was listening to all the words I was giving. She was also convinced of my genuineness when my own narration matched on numerous occasions with the journal she kept close to herself.

Maps, pictures- this was a goldmine for an historian, and I was enjoying that time there as I brought extra info about the entire topic.

"Your ancestor wanted to try a much more improved plane than the one he was known for. The D. VII was meant to be the one that would've solved most of his problems with the Dr. I, and perhaps turned the aerial war in favor of Germany if they had lasted longer."

I was also glad that they knew that a 'Weltkrieg', or Great War in German, had happened and was seeing the faction in which the Red Baron was once part of as the losing side. The real issue came when it was time to explain how that loss actually went for them. Since Manfred hadn't lived to see the end of Germany, I had to explain how things didn't go well once the Empire came to an end. Vincent would inquire why the Emperor of such a proud nation would allow this to happen, and the response was less than flattering.

"Kaiser Wilhelm II was... delusional. While there was a legitimate reason in Germany being superior to both France and Russia military-wise, it didn't have the... stamina to get through with both enemies by the time other nations joined against it," I answered seriously. "It didn't help that he gave too much power to two military officers that preferred to foster their control over the nation rather than win the war."

"So he was... undermined?" Anneli pressed on and I sighed.

"I would say he decided to submit to the 'experts' in this situation. The situation in the homefront was dire with blockades and lack of manpower had crippled the nation's industry. People were getting tired of the conflict, and knew that things could only get worse by the time too many enemies started to rally against their country," "I could say much about what happened to Germany from the formation of its first republic to what I can tell about today... but I think it's best I don't discuss this out of compassion than else."

"You're sounding ominous with that reasoning, Lord Bukharin."

"Only because the matter isn't one I feel quite happy to talk about," I remarked. "The topic isn't... pleasant. Another Germany was reborn from chaos and anarchy, but it was just a dark shadow to the previous Imperial order. This one, it... it killed many innocent people. We're talking about millions of innocents."

"S-Surely it wasn't all of Germany," The blonde tried to rebuff, only for me to sign again.

"I wouldn't say all, but there was much hatred. And finding a scapegoat for this hate was easier than trying to curb it with diplomacy."

Much to my eternal relief, the conversation would then veer back to the Great War. The discussion about planes eventually concluded with a single idea that I ended up endearing Vincent with. A project sponsored by both Lugnica and Vollachia, one that would aim to the creation of a working airplane. It was something that could've sparked interest from both sides, with Lugnica appreciating the improved way of moving around, while Vollachia and other military minds would love the applications of this possible new weapon. Not that I was planning to trigger a war with anyone... but these kinds of tools were going to be important to hunt down the Witch Cult. They couldn't hunt and kill what they couldn't see or reach with their own magic.

Making my way back to my room, I paused to check around the castle to see how it looked one last time before leaving. Tomorrow was going to be the official last day of our stay here in the Vollachia Empire, and I knew I wasn't going to visit it again anytime soon.

With Majima quietly resting on my bed, I gave a look through my papers to see if I had managed to get all the copies I needed to archive once we were back to Lugnica. It was a quiet and swift work, one that still left me yawning as I finished by the time I had to go out to eat something for dinner and then go to sleep. I turned back to the bed, a bored glance coming from the familiar made it clear the pest was now awake and I sighed.

"I hope you're ready to leave this place. I will have to go back home quite soon."

"You promised me food and shelter. I don't see the problem behind that thought."

...

"Aren't you... going to miss this? I mean, this place was once your home and-"

"And now it isn't," She flatly mused. "I might be nostalgic, but I will not miss what then became my prison. Maybe I will think about it but... I will not miss it."

I nodded at the response, understanding the logic she was going for on this very occasion.

"I'm sorry for troubling you then."

...

"You talk as if you miss someone... or someplace," Majima pointed out. "I'm not troubled by the questions, but rather the real reason that got you to ask those to me."

I frowned at her, the pup adjusting herself on the bed.

"I might know you for a single day, but I can feel through the Familiar bond that I'm correct with that,"

"Now I have one there and... maybe it's only for the best when I stay here. I would put them in harm's way if I came back to them now."

"Maybe. Or maybe you know you can't make that choice if you had the opportunity," The familiar lamented. "Look, teasing aside, I believe there is nothing wrong in... being honest about what you miss."

...

"I miss my spot. I miss my sleeping grounds and... I hate this castle. It ruined such a nice place," The pup whined briefly before shaking her head. "It's the memory that makes me happy. I still remember the nice place and, even though it's now gone, I can still dream about it and remember those good days."

"You want me to-"

"Do you miss them? Do you remember them?"

I slowly nodded at the interruption and Majima sighed.

"Then fucking remember them forever, and I don't mean just their faces. I want you to remember their names, their behaviors, their antics, and what they meant for you," She replied with a serious tone. "I want you to remember them completely, and never forget them."

"That's... awfully kind of you to be this encouraging."

She sighed. "I'm tired of feeling your sadness. The bond is bouncing some tunes I don't like, especially since those are strong and... annoying to handle at times."

"You can actually feel what I feel?"

"Partly. It's what a proper familiar can accomplish... and I can't help but feel bad over the fact you seem to have held this determined look for so long," The pup answered readily. "Thinking about the present or the future, hardly about the past. You know the past hurts you more than it helps you."

"So are you telling me this because you actually care or... because you don't want to feel these kinds of emotions?

"Both. I just want to nap in peace without having a gloomy 'master' that muses about the fact he can't go back home. Sadly for my 'master', he isn't the first one to feel like this, and he probably will never be the only one to be like that."

I could tell that there was something more about this... but I couldn't tell if it was a personal story, or a second-hand account. I stuck with merely thinking about this strange topic, keeping my attention on the main argument. I really missed my family and, as much as I tried to keep my attention on the paper, to try and drown myself with work and trying to spend time with others- I was still missing them.

Will I ever be able to find them again? Maybe. Or maybe not. Maybe it's for the best and... actually it's not.

I didn't resume the conversation as I felt rather unwilling to go beyond that point. Majima didn't speak any further than that, allowing me to walk up to the door and give a simple order to the guard standing outside of my room.

"If someone comes and ask about having me join dinner, tell them that I will go to sleep early because I'm too tired."

The knight nodded, looking a little surprised but still accepting of the order. "Yes, Lord Bukharin."

CLosing the door softly behind me, I turned to the bed and, after Majima had moved away to give me some space, I laid on it and allowed the pup to nestle herself on my chest. All the struggles of the recent days finally came crashing down on my weary mind, and my consciousness faltered as I felt myself dragged away from reality. I wanted to sleep and rest.

I wanted to dream about them once again.

A set of bright smiles shone over the dinner table. A joke was offered by dad as mom chided him for the cheeky remark behind it, and... my sister sharing a chuckle with me as we both enjoyed the lively present, away from worries and trouble from the world surrounding us. A little paradise for those that loved the humble and lovely nature of a small family reunited to eat by the table.

Afterthoughts: KIRYU-CHAN! I mean- JOHN-CHAN!

I just got the idea for the Omake EX. Let's just say that John isn't the protagonist of it... since a bunch of 'minor' characters are going to lead the gigs in that sidestory. Also, it will introduce a character that I've recently introduced in a QQ-only story. She is adorable, you will all love her.

Omake 14: What if (Everyone?)

"I really appreciate that you both have been caring, understanding, and kind towards me. But I also think that I'm not a doll that risks being broken at the simplest action," She said with some annoyance. "Which is why, I think I will offer an alternative to this messy and... troublesome situation."

I was scratching the back of my head as I tried to grasp once again at the sight before my eyes.

It was morning and it's been a full month since that strange decision was made by Crusch and accepted by almost everyone in that room. The Twins weren't entitled to an opinion about it for good enough reasons, but I still was confused how the heck I got roped in this bizarre ordeal despite how absurd it really was.

Crusch had tried to nail the issue with a blunt solution. One that, surprisingly enough, found agreement not only with Fourier and Ferris, but also Priscilla and... Satella.

The big bed was heated by the amount of sleeping individuals enjoying the quiet in there. I was floored- no, I was absolutely blank-minded over the insane disposition we had all agreed to. I wasn't even sure how they all accepted Satella in the fold despite the circumstances surrounding her predicament. It had to be a dream of sort- or more of a nightmare considering the immense insanity I was currently embroiled in.

No official proclamation was made, but the 'odd' schedule of these 'reunions' would usually draw the attention of many important individuals that were confused by this development, especially those that expected most of the members of this 'group' to eventually be candidates for the Royal Election. Some called it a conspiracy to rig the entire process... but the truth was far more complicated.

The sheets shuffled, and a familiar pinkette pulled herself out of the covers and onto my chest as she stared at me with a mixture of confusion and bliss.

"Good... morning."

I nodded at Ram, the maid having joined this madness the moment her investigation about Roswaal had resulted in her confirming my accounting of the situation. Rem had decided to not join the group, with some considering coaxing her into it despite her visible reluctance. The desire to join that intimate 'alliance' as strong as her uneasiness about it.

"M-Morning."

Instead of trying to keep awake, the girl merely settled herself on top of myself. I held back a hum as I felt her warmth onto myself, my body remembering what had happened the night before and... still far from active to move out of the bed.

A big mess. One that surely was going to grow in number the more I ended up 'pulling individuals' toward us.

I wasn't sure I was happy about this or not. I just enjoyed the pseudo-harem, one that was devoid of a major figure... only lots of affectionate individuals open to broaden that relationship to those they saw fitting.

Yep, I think this is a nightmare. Wake up!

Gah!

I almost screamed as I woke up in bed alone and... sweating.

...

"Fuck, I need to stop drinking wine after dinner..."

Sleep returned, this time lacking the horrible set up I had seen unfolding inside my head.