[Dave sees him flustering and focuses his gaze elsewhere, as if that'd help either of them out here. it probably doesn't, especially considering he now knows that he's apparently Ryuji's favorite Dave? not that he's even met any other time loop Daves out there to gauge otherwise. and, well, it's not like those Daves would be much different than he is.]

[he'd been purposely avoiding going into specific hypotheticals about their future, in both an attempt to downplay the shitty possibilities for Ryuji's sake, and maybe also an unconscious attempt to downplay it for himself. like maybe finally getting something he'd been missing actually is as simple as one time loop. but then Ryuji goes and points them out in that blunt way he does, and it's like the apple of knowledge has suddenly lost its charm. it snaps him back to reality. of course he knows better, as much as their home seems to be trying to tempt him into thinking otherwise.]

[stupid fucking serpent of a space station. it really is like it's trying to play specifically on his weaknesses.]

[Dave smirks a little bit, despite himself.]

You really do get it. [he doesn't mean that like he was testing how much Ryuji understood, or if he remembered everything. he just doesn't meet very many people who genuinely get it. if he had thought to talk it out with someone else, there's a pretty damn good chance he'd be paradoxing himself into an incredibly stupid death right now.]

You're right though, I've got better things to be thinking about than dumb shit like that.

[it's time to shift into a different gear, like they always do.]

Did you wind up finding anything this go-around?