(Untitled)

[horus_neferti]

It had taken a long time to find a road that led to New York. There were plenty of roads, but almost none he could use. They were still alive in a city like this. Lost, forgotten, but not dead. Eventually he had given up, and just followed the centipede smell, because even if New York had the protection of rats and birds, they had still infested

Comments

[d_dreiberg]

Daniel had woken to find himself back in his comfortable brownstone and had spent some time since arranging for all damages to be repaired. Things had settled down in the aftermath of Veidt's plan - people were trying to return to normal lives.

But for him, it would always be somewhat empty. Everywhere seemed to be reminders, echoing in the hollow places Discedo had carved out in him.

He returned one afternoon - he heard the phone ring as he struggled with the keys, fumbling them out of his pocket and into the lock. "Hold on, hold on..." He said as if the person calling could hear him.

Daniel dropped the groceries and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

[horus_neferti]

"Hi." Neferti replied warmly. As if he were meeting Dan after only an afternoon out. He was surprised that Dan had picked up on first try. Dan was a superhero and apt to be out fighting crime. He'd been about to hang up really, but had told himself one more ring.
It was nice, hearing Dan's voice again, and left a comfortable warmth in his stomach. He would have been satisfied with that, if he'd had to have been. But he didn't think he would have to be.

"So... I'm not sure where I am." He explained. "I stepped off the road into an alley. Somewhere near 73rd street." He chattered casually. "I.. wanted to see you. I hope that's ok..."

[d_dreiberg]

"..." Dan didn't reply for a long time, maybe long enough for the other to think he wasn't there at all. He was stunned, too stunned to speak. He'd gone through some months thinking he'd never see Neferti again, and he was just starting to come to terms with it.

"...Neferti? Is it really you?" He said, when he'd mustered the strength to speak. He sank back against the wall. "How... how did you get here?"

[horus_neferti]

Neferti listened to Dan's brain for a while trying to sort out this new, rather unexpected development. He smiled faintly, because he could remember the expression on his face from when he had said or done something to cause a similar reaction.

"I found a road. I walked." He explained, the smile on his face very apparent in his voice. "I got lost a while, which if I may say, wasn't very fun."

He let the news sink in a little bit longer. and grew solemn for a moment. "I'll understand if you don't want to see me. You have a life here. This isn't some strange filthy world to make-do. I just thought maybe you'd consent to seeing me, even once. Either to say goodbye properly, or to say hello."

[d_dreiberg]

"No - no, I do want to see you..." Dan ran a hand through his hair; since he got back from Discedo, he'd lost a bit of weight - most likely from all the fighting he was doing at night. Even though a good portion of New York had been destroyed, criminals weren't scared into submission.

"... there isn't any life without you." He murmured, almost too low to be heard. "Tell me where you are again."