Ollie blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Thrice.
His mind, normally sharp when calculating his money and physical assets, had entered an irreversible loop.
There were sparks behind his eyes. His brain tried to reboot.
Too bad his ears were still echoing "Because I am. So, please be aware of my efforts."
Huh?
Wait.
Wait.
WAIT.
That—that was a CONFESSION, wasn't it???
A REAL ONE!
FROM A REAL PERSON!
From KYLE!!!
Nearby sensors might not have picked up the sound of his internal screaming, but it was definitely heard in the higher realms.
Ollie crashed.
A small, pitiful system reboot screen flashed in his soul.
He swayed. Eyes glassy.
Then—
SPLURT.
A tiny nosebleed escaped.
Kyle caught it in real time, moving with the speed of a trained adjutant whose prospective wife had just combusted from romantic input.
Coolly, he reached into his pocket. A tissue appeared like he'd always been prepared for such things.
Without a word, he dabbed under Ollie's nose.
