[The last thing he's about to do is lose it in front of Dante, but. But. It's a big but -- the but that he's been keeping his mind off of the whole thing, and not counting the days beyond how long it takes him to finish something. He's added to this world, and taken away from it, and he's not even a single step closer to going home than he has been since he shook the water off.

Nero shrugs with one shoulder. Sure. Maybe. He's got buddies now. Something resembling a fucked up little family that all share a tree. They've pulled away from the main settlements, he's survived the pit, survived being human, and gotten a shorter temper out of it.

But he's still not where he's supposed to be. Kyrie and Nico -- for fuck's sake, they probably think he's dead.]

So you decided to not be around 'cause you fucked up and pissed me off? [For Nero, the tone isn't as sharp as it could be. It's almost pitying, actually. 'Cause yeah, he's got friends, and Wanda and Himeka got a league of their own, but now that he thinks about it, the only one he knows who knows Dante is Thancred.

Not that Thancred's bad. He seems chill, actually. But that still isn't a lot. Well. Geralt, too. But Geralt's never brought Dante up to him except the once, so he's no clue if they're close or not.] Funny. Kind of like how you and Vergil decided to ditch me the second I found out I had a family, and made the entire world my problem. Must run in the family, makin' decisions for everyone else.

[Nero pauses, looking out the window. The van might not have anything around it, for the most part, but now outside there is a sky, dotted with stars.] Guess I never made it easy for you to swing by, either.