"It was quite a shock," he agrees. "The hospital wasn't much help, unfortunately."

"That's a shame. Well I'll—change the records and take care of everything. I'm sure you want some time to recover. You could've called—but then we wouldn't've been able to verify, yes."

He nods. "Thanks for being so understanding." Smile.

She smiles back, then finally notices Sadde. "And you...?"

"Providing moral support."

"I see. I expect you'll be wanting to go back with Mr. Owens?"

"No, I'm going to class, actually."

"I'll be fine," agrees Theo. "He's just here because, well. Awkward and potentially distressing scenario."

Of course. Sigh. Does he even have to try to seem sincere here, seriously.

"I see. Well, class will be starting in a few minutes, so I do believe you should move along, Mr. Woods."

"Mmhm."

"And, ah, Mr. Owens, is there anything else I can do for you...?"

"I don't think so," he says. "Thank you, though, for everything."

She seems to spend a while trying to think of a good reason to keep him there and, failing to find any, says, "You're quite welcome. Good recovery."

"Bye," and then out he goes.

"So how should we deal with the inevitable rumors that we're an item?"

"I–?" Pause. "Oh. Uh. By telling people that we're not, probably? You can do that today while I keep pickpocketing Matt, doesn't that sound like fun."

"Okay. Mind, they might not believe me, but I'm staying here for damage control anyway."

"– Yeah, I was wondering why you were staying actually."

"To deal with rumors and stuff, yeah."

Nod. "Okay, well, I guess I will see you after school then?"

"Mmhm. Later!"

Off he goes.

And Sadde goes to class.

A few people ask him questions! Like: that was Theo right we're not just all hallucinating, and why was Theo alive and y'know not dead. Most of them are pretty quiet, though.

Weird.

It's because he didn't actually die! Weird, right? The doctors have no clue what's up with that, he just woke up in the morgue, there are some toxins that make people look like they're dead? But he wasn't bitten by a snake or anything.

… Are there venomous creatures here? People were pretty sure there weren't, this place is pretty safe.

There aren't! That's what's so weird about it.

Huh.

Maybe they should tell someone.

The doctors have been informed, they probably have a handle on it?

Okay. They'll just… get back to work… on the last day of the year…

Who are they kidding no they won't so what was it like, like obviously traumatizing but c'mon. He died and woke up in the morgue and– is his mom even here? She isn't here, quite often, he sometimes has parties and like is he okay?

(They might well keep this up for a while.)