[that's a pretty damn admirable trait, he'd probably figure. it's not that Dave doesn't want to talk more about the sort of life he led back home and in the middle of a video game, it's more that he can't quite drum up the courage to do it — and that's mostly out of an intense fear that dumping all that outright depressing bullshit is just going to upset Ryuji, or drive him away. and Dave, perhaps selfishly, would prefer if they could just sit here like this for as long as they possibly can, virus or not.]

[at the same time though, he knows very well how badly keeping secrets can backfire, even if they were kept out of necessity, or just out of trying to avoid hurting someone. it's not telling your best friend she was going to accidentally murder you, letting her sit with that for three years, then blurting out during an argument that you knew all along that it was going happen. it's wishing he had known that listening to some advice would have created an offshoot and gotten him killed pointlessly (even though, okay, he'll readily admit that was also largely his fault).]

[so he's at least on the path to trying to break that habit. to be honest with himself, and honest about his feelings. they probably wouldn't be sitting here like this, navigating a relationship together, if Ryuji hadn't barged on in and encouraged him to start trying, just by virtue of being himself.]

[in any case, if Ryuji was anticipating an insightful question about the meaning of life or something personal, even, then he might have to wait, because the deepest thought Dave is capable of having at the moment is about which direction he should flop. and on that thought, he's sort of swaying back and forth between faceplanting in his pillow and leaning on Ryuji instead.]

[right, right. here's his question:]

Okay ... Khaki Sun. What the actual hell?

It's been bugging the shit out of me since I first heard it — mostly just cause I wanna know what other sort of ... weird names don't line up between our Earths.

[Dave, no.]