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[doctorize]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, DOCTORIZE FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 018.07.154.55 *** DOCTORIZE has posted an AUDIO MESSAGE. If you wish to listen, type LISTEN01. <USER> LISTEN01 AUDIO MESSAGE PLAYING... <doctorize> This is the line for Dr. Daniel Dickens. If you'd like to leave a message, please do so here. I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible!

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[peccatore]

[It's so clear that Danny can't keep his mother out of his thoughts that, for a moment, Marco considers restating his offer to come back another day. But it likely wouldn't go any better than the first time.

Even though Marco is only his patient, however, it still feels... heartless to ignore how Danny is feeling. Sure, he wants to keep talking about how he's been holding up, he needs these appointments, but...]

... She liked me?

[A compromise, perhaps?]

[doctorize]

Yes, she did. She thought that you were a very nice person, and that it was good that I had a friend like you here.

[... Or rather, that it was good that it seemed like Danny had any "friends" at all here, in comparison to back home.]

[peccatore]

Ah.

[When Danny puts it that way, it kind of feels like Marco misled her, and he can't help feeling a little bad about it. It just about shows on his face, too. Although--]

If it wasn't even the real her...

[What was he thinking? He sighs.]

[doctorize]

[There's an ugly emotion that flickers across Danny's face at that remark for a second, but he forces himself to sound more sure about what he says next--]

Even so, whether she was the real thing or something feeding off my emotions and memories of her, the sentiment is still the same, isn't it? If going by only the logic of the latter, then that means she thought that way about you because I think that you are a good person.

[peccatore]

[At first, he's just caught somewhat off-guard--]

Oh, uh... Thank you. I- I'm not happy that I still need the reminder, but...

[And then he remembers how his words may have been misconstrued, and his eyes widen and he leans forward in his seat.]

I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean...! Of course I know how real she must have felt. I really do. If anything, I was... I was just feeling bad for misleading her. About our "friendship".

[doctorize]

[There's a pause, and then he suddenly laughs.]

So you don't think of me as a friend? I'm a little hurt by that, Marco.

[However, there's a teasing edge to his words here. He's not really all that hurt by the thought, considering... well. Danny doesn't actually think of him as a friend either.]

[peccatore]

That... I-I didn't mean it like that. What I mean is... You're my therapist. We're not supposed to be friends, right?

[What Danny might REALLY think of him, Marco is blissfully oblivious to.]

[doctorize]

Goodness, who told you something like that? [However, Danny waves it off with a laugh] Some patients do consider their therapists friends they can talk to, but it is perfectly fine to just see someone as only one's therapist as well.

[peccatore]

Really? I thought there was something about... professional boundaries, or something like that.

... I wouldn't mind being friends.

[Heck, he's told Danny so much about himself... That has to count for something, right?]

[doctorize]

Oh good! That would be sad otherwise if the feeling wasn't mutual.

[Which... it isn't, but Danny is a lying liar who lies--]

As for professional boundaries, everything that's said within this room is still absolutely confidential, of course. And my job is to counsel you, even if that might mean that what I say or do is more along the lines of what a therapist might say or do than a friend would.

But outside this office, though? I would be happy to be more friend than therapist, if that's alright with you.

[peccatore]

[Marco has always been a bad judge of character, almost paradoxically naive in spite of the paranoia that sometimes takes over him. AM got away with pretending not to hate him for months. Aunamee is dangerous, but surely it's not his fault. The Fourth God is just a child, and it's Marco who has been a bad influence on him.

So of course he takes Danny's words at face value. He smiles, half-polite, half genuinely touched.]

Of course! That would be more than alright.

[A sheepish laugh.]

I... swear I used to be more sociable, you know. Before... I got sick.

[doctorize]

Mm, I'm sure you were, but it's perfectly natural to develop social anxiety when dealing with something like this. So don't worry, I understand how you feel.

[Hell, Danny used to be more social before he started spending his days in a murder basement... though, that might not be the same thing here, um.]

[peccatore]

That... That's good to know. [He sighs, kind of torn between relief and embarrassment.] I've tried not to stop talking to people. I think isolating myself might make me less, um... grounded.