...He can't help glancing at the stairs, wondering how Mark and Stalas are doing. (Mark and Stalas. Wow.)

"There is no need to dwell on the thing you are probably dwelling on," opines Ivan.

"I'm not dwelling exactly," he says. "I'm—wondering."

"Also unnecessary!"

"I just - I hope they're okay," he says. "Those are not the two happiest people I know up there."

"Unless you are planning to go check on them..."

"No."

"Then stop wondering to the point where I notice and begin to dwell."

"I am missing at least one of the concepts I'd need to be nearly so discomfited."

"Eh?"

"My suspicion is that Ivan is reacting to something in the neighborhood of an incest taboo, differing species notwithstanding -"

"Was I not clear about not wishing to dwell?"

"- but I didn't grow up in a context where that ever came up."

"I won't say I don't find it weird, but I think the different species part is a little more prominent for me," says Miles. "Or something. By all means, let's not encourage Ivan to dwell, though."

"Thank you."

"Nothing? I mean, I suppose I'd ask for his life story and so on?"

"What if we met the otherworldly you when you did not at the time have a girlfriend?"

"Oh, shut up, Miles."

"Right. Heaven forfend that I dwell."

"Well, we already know what you'd do if you met your own alt, I suppose. Linyabel, suppose a one of you who was an elf complete with pointy ears walked in?"

"Plot elaborate plots and form an implicit pact of mutual aid, but I don't think that's what you're asking, and for what you're probably asking you probably need to hypothetically remove my husband and specify a couple of things about the other me."

"Would removing your husband be completely necessary?"