Chapter Text
Comic started spending the night at Blue's place... rather frequently after that night. Turns out that Stretch was out of the house most nights (having sleepovers with his own friends, the way Blue told it, although Comic noticed an uneasiness in his voice when Blue spoke of them). Over the next month, Stretch moved out of the house completely, leaving Blue to live alone.
Comic stayed over more frequently after that.
Blue even gave him a key, not knowing that Comic could just take a shortcut if he wanted (Comic hadn't told him about that particular power -- it wasn't that Comic didn't trust Blue, it was just that he was so used to keeping secrets, that by the time he realized he hadn't explained himself, it seemed irrelevant to make it known). Comic took that gift as an open invitation, and spent more and more of his nights in the home (and more often than not, embrace) of the starry eyed angel he had come to love so much.
Comic was careful to spend plenty of time with Papyrus, going out with him on errands and spending evenings with him watching TV, but when Paps went to bed, Comic would snap his fingers and show up at Blue's door. He didn't love Papyrus any less (not at all -- Comic was devoted to his brother's well being in every conceivable way!), but Comic had discovered a very important detail after those first two nights sleeping close to Blue:
With Blue, he no longer had nightmares.
So that was Comic's routine: get up, have breakfast with Blue; pop back home, ride with Papyrus to work; do his job with as little actual effort as possible; catch a ride home with Papyrus, and have dinner with him; pop back to Blue's, and find himself a good night's sleep. Comic became intimately familiar with Blue's schedule, making certain his night shifts at the gas station coincided with Blue's night shifts. When that wasn't possible, Comic would go home to Papyrus, but he wouldn't sleep.
He couldn't sleep without Blue anymore, because when he did, the nightmares were so much worse.
Now, he didn't just relive his own personal groundhog day: the feeling of warm blood running over his bones as a tiny body spasmed in its last shuddering throws before death; the bite of a knife slicing though his sternum, leaving him to crumble into dust as a child cackled; the loss of his brother, of kneeling in dust, of clutching at a red scarf as the icy wind howled over his anguished sobs and his SOUL all but shattered from the pain.
Now, he knelt under a starless night sky, in the dewy grass of the park, or on a rocky outcropping by the shore, or under the lights of a ferris wheel; now, he heard his strangled cries pierce clearly over the cries of crickets and cicadas, or the gentle break of the ocean tide, or the sound of a carnival ride playing its haunting melody; now, when he knelt in a pile of grey dust, it was not a red scarf he pulled from it:
It was a blue bandanna.
Now there was someone else that the demon could take from him.
Comic would wake up screaming, and even Papyrus would have trouble consoling him now. It took twice as long to still his shaking bones, twice as long to stem the flow of his tears. And when he had finally convinced his brother that all was well and he should return to bed, Comic would pull out his phone and text Blue. And Comic would wait, his SOUL shaking and trembling and aching, unable to do anything but try and still his trembling hands and quiet the whimpers that he didn't want Papyrus to hear, until Blue responded.
Then Comic would almost start crying with relief, and he would spend the rest of the night doing everything in his power to stay awake (usually involving copious amounts of caffeine, which in his personal opinion was the most magical thing humans had ever conceived, Barrier included).
Comic made certain never to sleep without Blue present anymore.
Thankfully, sweet, adorable Blue was more than understanding about it. In fact, he seemed to encourage the sleeping. Comic would saunter into the house, and Blue would be on the couch, laying on his side watching NTT TV. Blue would hear the door open, see Comic, and give him this adorable sleepy smile, his eye lights springing to life briefly before settling back into something more subdued (but no less vibrant and beautiful). Then Blue would pat the couch, spread his arms out, wide and inviting, and Comic would practically dive into his chest.
Since that night, it was Comic's favorite position: nuzzling his skull into Blue's strong, sturdy ribs, nestling himself in the space right below them, and letting himself bathe in the magic that held Blue's body together. Blue would giggle, welcoming Comic in no uncertain terms, usually with a kiss to accompany the hug. For the first few weeks, Comic almost always went right to sleep, lulled into a rapturous daze by the proximity of Blue's magic and the gentle ministrations of his fingers on his skull.
But soon the day came that Comic caught up on all his missed rest, and while he was no less relaxed, laying there with Blue, he wasn't quite prepared to end his day. His thoughts began to wander, his hands began to itch, to want to explore. He started by stroking at Blue's ribs, over his thin nightshirt. It was easy enough: the flimsy cotton provided little resistance to Comic's wandering hands, allowing him to invade the spaces between the bone with relative ease. He felt the steady motions of Blue's breathing stutter, a squeak escaping into the air, breaking through the cheesy pop song playing from the TV. The hand on Comic's skull went still, clutching at him in surprise.
Comic propping himself up a bit to look his boyfriend (HIS BOYFRIEND, Blue was HIS and only HIS and STARS he was so fucking happy it was enough to make him burst!! He wanted to scream at everyone from the rooftops how fucking lucky he was because Blue! Was! His!). Blue's eyes were jittering a little, tiny hearts gyrating in his sockets, his magic making a bright blue mist across his face. Comic felt his own magic warm. "sorry. did i startle ya?"
"Y-YES..!" Blue breathed, looking down at him. "I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO SLEEP..."
Comic chuckled. "for once, i'm not tired." He shifted up more, getting on his knees, straddling Blue with his patella on either side of Blue's spine. He could still feel the soothing rush of Blue's magic around his legs, a phantom presence where the skeleton's abdomen would have been, sending delightful tingles through his bones. "no surprise there, though, right? you've been taking real good care of me, lately..."
"OF COURSE!" Blue agreed, a small amount of (well deserved, oh so well deserved) pride in his voice. "I AM VERY GOOD AT WHAT I DO!"
"ya sure are..." Comic purred. He leaned forward, pressing his frontal bone to Blue's, lowering his voice to a gentle murmur. "maybe... it's time i took care of you?"
Blue's eyes lit up further, his eye lights swelling to twice their previous size, the cyan hearts pulsing excitedly as his megawatt smile returned in spades. Comic was glad he didn't strictly need air, because he forgot to breath. That was the face of someone who had heard the magic words they had been waiting too long to hear. That was the face of someone who was just given a delightful surprise. That was the face of someone who wanted what they were just offered more than anything. And star damn it, but did it look good on Blue!!! He felt his SOUL shiver alarmingly hard, the sudden flood of heat and need almost enough to knock him over.
Blue wrapped his arms around Comic's cervical vertebrae, his eyelids drooping as one hand cupped the back of Comic's skull and held him close. "ABOUT TIME, LAZYBONES..!" He whispered, almost as breathlessly as Comic felt. "I WAS WONDERING HOW LONG I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT!"
Comic heard the quiver of long suppressed frustration, and felt a twinge of guilt. He pulled his skull down, nuzzling into Blue's cervical vertebrae, using his tongue to prod at the joints, one by one, pressing into the sensitive current of magic that coiled along the spine. "sorry. guess i've been pretty selfish, huh?"
"IT'S O-OKAY-!" Blue gasped, clutching at Comic's scapula now. "I F-FORGIVE YOU-!"
Comic smiled wider. He was so lucky. Blue was so patient with him, so understanding, so forgiving. He was so wonderful. He had to show Blue just how wonderful he was, had to let him know how much he was appreciated, how much he was loved. Comic kissed down, pushing Blue's shirt out of the way to expose his rib cage. Comic took a moment to appreciate the view: sparkling white bone, with nary a blemish, gleaming in the dim light. He ran his hand along Blue's sternum, making him shiver. Comic leaned down, nuzzling the bare bone as he left another trail of skeletal kisses.
Comic reached into Blue's chest cavity, purring at the sensation of dipping his hand into that dense, invisible mass of magic, the electrical charge running up his arm stronger and more enticing. Blue shivered, squirming a little, his breath becoming more shallow, quicker. Comic took his index finger and slowly, gently, ran it along the inner surface of Blue's sternum. The magic clung thick to the bone, feeling like the rind of a hollowed melon, only laced with pleasurable electricity. Blue arched his spine, throwing his head back and keening desperately as he grabbed at Comic's other arm. Comic threaded his fingers into Blue's, pinning his hand back into the couch, keeping it out of the way while at the same time maintaining his balance.
Blue's other hand had crept up to cover his face, clutching at his teeth in a futile effort to muffle the noises that still slipped though them. Comic purred, finding he enjoyed those noises. He again ran his finger along the sensitive underside of Blue's sternum, this time paying special attention to the transverse junction (magic always condensed around the joints, even the rarely used ones). Blue's voice got louder, his whole body jerking in time with Comic's gentle strumming. Comic felt the warmth in his SOUL building, listening to Blue practically singing as he played him like a harp.
"COMIC-!" Blue panted, reaching out with the hand not held in Comic's own, cupping his jaw and tugging him insistently closer. Comic pulled his arm from Blue's ribcage, leaning closer and following Blue's guiding hand up to bring them into a kiss. Comic wrapped the arm, now dripping with cyan ectoplasmic residue, around Blue's skull and held him, basking in the intimate moment, when he could feel the love, hope, and compassion not only in the flow of magic swirling around his legs, but in the motions of the monster beneath him; in the way his fingers curled behind his jaw and trailed down the spines of his neck, in the way his chest heaved, brushing against his own, in the way he pressed his face against Comic's, finding the angle that would allow the most surface contact because he wanted to feel him as badly as Comic did.
Comic felt the warmth in his chest building, so strong and insistent he was certain his SOUL would burst into a thousand pieces. He wanted this so much. He wanted HIM so much. He wanted him to be happy, so, so much. He wanted it so much it hurt.
Then there was a flash of white light. Blue's gaze drifted from his to something above them, and his expression became one of wonder and awe. Comic pulled up, letting go of both Blue's hand and his head, straightening his back and tilting his head up to investigate.
Two inverted hearts were floating above them, circling each other. Comic recognized his own SOUL, an off white little thing lined in a dull grey, emitting a pale blue light that matched his jacket. The other was a pristine, snowy white, outlined in sparkling silver, emitting a neon cyan light more brilliant and captivating than any he had ever seen.
Blue's SOUL..!
Comic looked up at them, then down at Blue. Blue's face was still flushed, his eye lights as brilliant and beautiful as ever. He smiled, subdued by his normal standards, but sweet and understanding and no less lovely. "I TRUST YOU," he said, his voice still shaking from their activities.
Comic felt himself shiver, his SOUL throbbing visibly just overhead. He reached out, tentatively, carefully, and coaxed the two delicate organs down to the space between them, within easy reach for Blue. Comic then carefully (STARS do it carefully!!) wrapped his hands around the cyan glow, looking at Blue one more time for conformation before making first physical contact.
And felt the emotions break into him like a tidal wave.
Love. Hope. Love. Patience. Love. Compassion. Hope. Love. Trust. Hope. Love. Compassion. Love. So much hope. So much love. Love for HIM! STARS so much Love! How can something so small have so much love? Comic felt himself start to cry. He had no idea how much, how strong, Blue really felt. He had never dared to hope. His SOUL swelled, throbbing and burning with more happiness than he had felt in what to him had been an eternity.
Patience. Understanding. Mercy. Hope. Love. Love. Love. So much love. Enough to drown in. Enough to live off of forever. Such a perfect creature, you deserve every happiness. Comic thumbed the soft, tender membrane of the organ in his hands, gently kneading the fleshy magic. It quivered under his touch, pulsing faster, stronger. Below him, Blue shook loud enough to make his bones rattle, his whimpers going higher in pitch, his eye lights rolling in the back of his skull as his jaw fell open.
Pleasure. Comfort. Satisfaction. Trust. Pleasure. Happiness. Trust. Happiness. Yes, feel good, be happy, that's all I want. You deserve all of it, everything. Comic put a little more pressure into his work, using the slick ectoplasm now leaking from the tiny pores to smooth the friction. Pleasure. Pleasure. Pleasure. Joy. Comic heard Blue's gasp, then a moan. There was a wet, squelching sound, and Comic's hands were suddenly drenched, dripping with liquefied magic, silver and cyan ooze bursting from Blue's SOUL, trickling around Comic's bones and splashing to the cushions below, some of it landing on Blue's spine, where it lay glittering with its own light. Did he-? Stars he did-! Comic shivered, the heat in his own body rising exponentially.
Fatigue. Happiness. Love. Love. Fatigue. Love. Embarrassment. You've no reason to be embarrassed. You're beautiful. Comic brought the still quivering, wet mass to his teeth, letting his tongue run along it, cleaning it of the magical residue. Stars, he even tasted amazing! Blue's voice broke over him, sending laces of electric fire through his SOUL. Pleasure. Pleasure. Happiness. Trust. Love. Love. I love you too. So much. Resolve. Desire. Worry. Confusion. Fear. No, no, no, why was he afraid, don't be afraid!! Hesitation. Self-doubt. Stop that, you're perfect!!
"COMIC..?" Blue's voice broke him out of his trance. Comic looked up. Blue's hand was hovering, just short of touching Comic's SOUL. "C-CAN I..?"
Comic sucked in a breath. He hesitated, uncertain. He trusted Blue, completely, without question. But what if Blue found something in there, felt something, that made him dislike Comic?
Comic ground his teeth. No. Blue had trusted him in the most intimate way possible. Blue had given himself freely, without asking for anything. Comic could not, would not, allow his own self consciousness to prevent him from giving Blue the same. He nodded.
Blue hesitated a moment longer, then, carefully, almost with reverence, took hold of the culmination of Comic's entire being in his hands. Comic felt like he was being held, enveloped in something warm and safe and caring, protected and loved and oh stars it's like being submerged in a sea made of everything wonderful in the world, please, please don't let go, don't ever let go, STARS, don't stop, don't stop, don't stop..! He threw his head back, closing his eyes as he bit back a loud, mewling cry that reverberated through his entire body.
Happiness. Awe. Love. Love. Love. Desire. Pity. Pain. Sorrow. Love. Love. Love. Resolve. Comic's head swam with too much information at once. Blue's SOUL was pumping him full of love and understanding and acceptance and he knew, he knew everything, he could feel it, see it, taste it, everything that Comic had ever been or will ever be was right fucking there in Blue's hands and he still loved him, oh stars!!
At the same time, Blue was doing... something (it was hard to tell what, exactly, SOULs didn't translate textile sensations in exactly the same way as the body did) that was distracting and wonderful and so, so good. It was driving him crazy! Comic thought he would melt from the heat of his own magic, the electrical tingle that had been running through him for so long now like lightning that would surely burn him alive. Comic distantly heard his own voice, now completely out of his control. An agonizing, tantalizing pressure built inside him, coiling tighter and tighter, until he was certain something would snap-
And then Blue did something, something warm and soft and hard all at once, that sent an electrifying wave through Comic's entire being. Suddenly Comic's whole world dissolved in a chaotic mess of pleasure and light and warmth.
He saw stars in a whole new way.
Happiness. Love. Desire. Love. Hope. Satisfaction. Love. Love. Love.
Comic started to waver, dizzy from all the stimulation. He shifted his grip on Blue's SOUL to something one handed, slumping forward and only just catching himself with his free arm in the cushions by Blue's head. He shuddered, still riding the throws of ecstasy beyond imagining, gasping for air he did not need as sweat slicked off of his trembling bones, soaking his clothes which felt all too heavy and constrictive.
Blue carefully returned Comic's SOUL to his body, pressing it carefully into his chest until it was absorbed. Comic loosened his grip on Blue's SOUL, letting it drift from his hand and settle as it pleased. He was too disoriented at the moment to actively return it.
After a moment, Blue shifted under him, wrapping Comic in his arms and pulling him to the side, snuggly between Blue and the back of the couch. Comic purred, nuzzling into Blue's chest, shifting and slithering until he was once again in his favorite position, snug in the niche of Blue's abdominal region, his arms around Blue's spine and his fingers lacing through Blue's lower ribs.
Blue's hands, now slick with something Comic didn't have the mental faculties to identify, clutched at the back of Comic's skull and the space between his scapulae, his fingers threaded around the spines of his vertebrae. Comic purred, nuzzling closer, lethargy hitting him now that the adrenaline rush was wearing off. He blinked, shifting his head up, wanting to get one last look at Blue before he sank into oblivion.
Blue was looking back, his bright starry eye sockets filled to the brim with large blue hearts, his cheek bones shining with fuzzy cyan light, a smug, satisfied grin stretching across his face. Comic smiled back, closing his eye lids again and resuming his comfortable position.
What had he done to deserve this kind of happiness?
Comic spent the next few weeks preparing. He had to be certain that everything was perfect. He went all around town, procuring the necessary items, although the most important one had been burning a hole in his pocket for over 2 months. He got candles. He got wine glasses. He got a bottle of that fancy high-end wine he once heard Blue admire in a catalogue (that had been pricy, but it wasn't so bad he couldn't manage. Just a few weeks of abstaining from Grillby's again). He got a CD player and CD of cheesy romantic violin music, just like in those sickening, badly written soap operas Blue watched every wednesday. He got a three layer cake with three different flavors, specially made by Muffet.
He was going to do it. He was going to ask him.
Blue got off at 2am that night. He went to work at around two (not a particularly long shift, compared to some of the hours Blue had worked), which gave Comic more than enough time to set up his plan. As soon as Blue left, Comic started cleaning (Paps would be so proud!) Blue's livingroom, removing stains and sweeping away the dust. Comic was already sweating by the end (he was a lazy guy, and this was more work than he usually put into anything), but he kept going, only stopping to check the time on his phone:
[ 2:17 PM ]
[ 3:41 PM ]
[ 4:06 PM ]
[ 5:32 PM ]
Comic sighed. The cleaning was done. How to pass the time? He took a long, relaxing bath, smiling as he thought about what tonight would bring. That killed a few hours. Next he tried watching TV for a while. After that could no longer hold his attention, he dug out an old joke book. He found a joke he had forgotten about, and couldn't help wanting to share, so he called Blue and left a message about it (although it was hard making the delivery, given how hard he was laughing). When he finished reading that, he switched to his quantum physics book. Not the most entertaining of pieces, but it killed time.
Which Comic hadn't checked in a while: [ 10:53 PM ]
Yikes. He was cutting it close. Comic got up, and made the trip back to his and his brother's house to get the supplies. He brought them back to Blue's and set up what was intended to be a romantic evening. Candles (which he did not light, wanting to wait until Blue was there so he could show off with a little fire magic), music, cake, wine, and...
Comic pulled out the fuzzy velvet covered black box, opening it with a flick of his thumb. The ring. That was important. Sure, it wasn't a monster tradition, but it was a gesture he though Blue would appreciate. Blue always cried when he saw human-style proposals on TV. It was something that more and more monsters were beginning to adopt.
And Blue deserved it. He deserved everything Comic could give, and then some.
Comic smiled, closing the box and putting it back in his pocket. He checked the time again:
[ 12:42 AM ]
Almost time. Almost time now. Soon, Blue would be getting off his shift. He would catch a ride on the midnight bus, and then he would walk through that door...
And Comic would kneel down...
And he would hold out the ring...
And... And...
Comic checked the time again: [ 1:55 AM ]
What would he say? Would he say yes? What if he didn't want-?!
What if..?
No. Blue loved him. Blue loved him just as much as he loved Blue. Hadn't he seen, heard, felt, the proof of that? Not once, but three times now?
Comic paced, trying to fight his nerves down. It would be fine. Blue loved him. He might say 'not now,' but surely he wouldn't say 'never'. Comic just had to be brave.
He checked the time again.
[ 1:07 AM ]
Comic felt his whole body go cold. No, no, no, no, no, no!!!!! Not NOW not when he finally, finally-!! Comic felt himself start to shake, his legs giving out on him as he sank to the floor, holding himself. His vision blurred, blackness creeping in from the edges. He couldn't lose them, he couldn't lose Papyrus again, he couldn't watch it happen, he couldn't lose-!!
Then it hit him. If everything RESET, then he would be Underground again. Underground, without Blue. Because Blue was from a different Universe. And even if they reached the surface again, there was no guarantee that whatever happened to bring Blue to this universe would happen again. He would never see Blue again.
He would never see Blue again.
Something inside Comic broke. He was flooded with pain, terrible, soul-shattering pain. Then there was a familiar numbness, a familiar cold. He clutched at his ribs, tracing the proof left behind the last time he had felt this cold. He laughed, low and humorless.
He really would never see Blue again.
Blue paced up and down the halls, unable to work off his energy. He didn't have anything to do at this point. Stepping into the breakroom, Blue pulled his phone out and played the recording from earlier that day back:
"why can't ya trust an atom? heh heh heh..! because- because they- they make up everything!!! ah hah hah hah hah heh heh heh heh!!!"
Blue's near perpetual smile became more genuine. Stars, his laughter was so beautiful! Blue played it back again, leaning against the wall, one hand drifting up to his clavicle, thumbing over the bone through his scrubs as he thought about what Comic's face looked like when he was leaving the message. Probably dusted over with that gentle sky blue of his, grin splitting his face wickedly, knowing stars-damned well how it made him feel when he did that.
Just like he knew what he was doing that first, wonderful, magical night, that they shared everything with each other.
Blue shivered, his SOUL spasming in his chest just from the memory. It had been everything Blue had hoped it would have been, and so, so much more. Comic's SOUL had been beautiful, the color of white marble, outlined in shining steel, glowing with the blue of a clear midday sky. It had exuded the beauty of nature while holding a modicum of strength, displaying how he had survived all the sadness he had been unfairly subjected to. It was nothing at all like Blue's boring soul, which reminded him more of a tacky neon street sign, and spoke of nothing but frivolous ideals.
And Comic's hands had been so safe, so warm, so perfect, like they had been sculpted just to hold Blue's essence. He had never felt so complete, so fulfilled, as when he had been held like that. It had felt so good, so right, like the universe had been set in motion and the earth spun and the sun shined just to create that One. Perfect. Moment. He hadn't wanted him to let go.
And then Comic had trusted him, trusted him, with HIS SOUL. And Blue couldn't believe it. It had looked so strong, so solid, but had felt so soft, so tender and vulnerable. There had been so much fear, so much pain, so much sadness and longing, and so little hope (STARS how did he live this long with so little hope?!?!?!?!), it had brought Blue to tears. But there had been so much love, so very much of it, and so much of it had been for him. Blue had wanted nothing more in the world right then than to fill that tender, fragile manifestation of the man he adored with all the happiness and pleasure and love he could muster.
He had realized right then how fragile Comic really was, how easy it would be to break him, how little it would take to shake him to his core and tear him apart.
And he had realized just how much he liked hearing Comic say his name like that, in that voice so full of want and love and need. It was a voice meant only for him to hear, a voice only his name would be spoken with (his and only his). He could still hear it, if he closed his eyes and-
"What are you still doing here?" A voice asked, bringing Blue sharply from his daydreaming. It was his supervisor.
"I'M WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO DO..." Blue admitted.
"No, I mean, why are you still at work? Your shift ended half an hour ago."
Blue looked at the time. It was 1:32. He looked back up, confused. "NO IT DIDN'T, MY SHIFT ENDS AT TWO..."
"You had a 12-hour shift. That doesn't change just because of Daylight Savings time," His supervisor chided. "We can't keep paying you all these hours! Go home! You work too much! And thats saying something!!"
Blue froze. Daylight Savings time! He had forgotten. He had forgotten all about it! It had been a few years since he came to the Surface, and it wasn't his first time going through it, but it was such a new concept that he simply hadn't thought about it. Daylight savings... when they set the clocks back...
Comic.
Blue ran down the hall, dialing frantically as he bounded down the stairs. "C'MON. C'MON. ANSWER. ANSWER!!"
Comic didn't answer.
Blue tried again as he jumped from the last stair on the ground floor and raced though the front doors.
He tried again as he bypassed the bus entirely, opting to run down the abandoned streets.
He tried again as he ran though the park, breaking through the bushes, vaulting over fences, trespassing to cut his travel time as he raced to get home.
He tried again as he slowed to a stop in front of his door, panting and heaving, clutching his phone to his skull in a hand that now shook so violently he feared he wouldn't be able to keep his grip.
He opened the door.
He stepped inside.
He did drop the phone.
Blue felt moisture slide down his cheek as he stared at the carpet, jaw hanging uselessly open. He took one shaky step, then another, approaching what he hoped and prayed was not what it seemed. He sank to his knees, throwing up clouds of sparkling grey granules that clung to his cloths. He forced his shaking hands into the pile of dust, and pulled up Comic's ratty blue jacket.
There was a thump as something fell out of one of the pockets and hit the floor.
Blue looked, desperate for a distraction from the waves of grief trying to bring him under.
It was a little black box.
Blue reached out, opening it.
Inside glittered a beautiful diamond ring, cut in a starburst pattern, surrounded by sapphires and blue topaz, all set in a band of white gold.
The dam broke, and Blue collapsed into the pile of dust, clutching the clothing item that still smelled of the musk of his beloved to his face, sobbing and screaming his name, over and over, as his tears ran unabated.
He would have said yes.