Rufus Catch-All

[misstrust]

Comments

[soulus]

No.

[He still has them. He can't even get rid of them, because people might wonder from where they came.]

[misstrust]

... Are you worried they're poisoned?

[soulus]

I have no interest in them.

[misstrust]

You should probably just eat them or give them to someone else, then. If you don't know if you developed a sweet tooth since years ago, might as well try now?

[soulus]

I'm not interested in developing anything like that . . .

[misstrust]

Then just don't waste food! People have starved, you know!

[soulus]

Then why don't you take them?

[misstrust]

Fine, I will!

[ FRIENDSHIP. ]

[soulus]

[He fishes out a giant lollipop and cotton candy, both wrapped, and holds them out to her.]

[misstrust]

You're sure you don't want to share?

[ This man has no joy in his life. ]

[soulus]

Carrying them around puts me at risk. I would rather get rid of them now than later.

[And he does not want to test whether he's developed a sweet tooth or not in the last century.]

[misstrust]

[ In response, Dorothy unwraps the cotton candy, pinches a bit of it off in her fingers, and holds it out to him. ]

Just a bit, then.

[soulus]

[He stares at the candy pinched between her fingers, then ignores it.]

The other reward was different. It was something of mine.

GO TO BED

[misstrust]

[ Dorothy, undaunted, merely holds it closer and continues talking like it ain't no big thing. ]

Something-- you mean like something personal? From home?

I DID

[soulus]

[He also continues talking like he's suddenly gone blind.]

Yes. The rest of the team must have received something of theirs.

GOOD

[misstrust]

[ She's just gonna stick the cotton candy in his mouth if she can get away with it. ]

Would you consider yours helpful?

[soulus]

[He lithely dodges her hand. Not today, cotton candy.]

I don't keep anything that isn't helpful.

[misstrust]

[ Sir, why are you so stubborn-- ]

Nothing sentimental at all? Goodness, that's-- expected.

[soulus]

. . . The candy isn't helpful. That's why I will not eat it, either.

[This clearly makes sense.]

[misstrust]

[ No, it very well doesn't-- ]

You do know candy might just give you a burst of energy, right? Imagine how much more productive you could be with just a bite. That's why they don't encourage children to eat a load of it in one go-- no one would be able to keep up with them.

[soulus]

Highs are always accompanied by lows. Relying on candy will also drain assets over time.

[misstrust]

Then isn't it a relief that you're getting such an incremental and temporary amount?

[soulus]

. . . Not particularly.

[misstrust]

... Rufus, you're wasting more energy by just refusing this tiny bite, when you know this could be over very quickly.

[soulus]

I can just leave.

[In fact, he attempts that.]