[after the ex-wife, and a brief, unrequited feelings thing for Aiden -- yeah, this wasn't where he saw himself ending up, either. he never expected his relationship with Melinoë to go anywhere beyond friends with benefits, but here we are, and he's not any more sure what to do with that than she is, to tell the truth]

[but at any rate, he shakes his head. has he mentioned he really isn't sure how long it's been?] Since the shit in Mementos, at least. [that's when it started feeling real, maybe, when it started to matter. when he realized it wasn't just about the sex]

[god, he's turned into everything he taunted Aiden for being. he has a fucking girlfriend. he has people he just might care about. how did it come to this?]

[speaking of, though, he pauses for a moment (hesitates, really), and then at length, and seemingly at random, he starts:] Have you ever dreamt that someone you cared about hurt you, and when you woke up, you couldn't help but be suspicious of them?