"Is there a way, to uh, improve one's addiction. To a supernatural thing, not tobacco."

"Do you want to talk about yourself or your own interests at all? I'm sure we'd be happy to hear."

...One last thing. As salt in the wound or peace offering.

Tiny tiny whisper. "The things you know, the things about Violet. What will happen if I tell..." No. Not everyone. Start smaller. "...if I tell her about them? Inaaya, I mean."

To Oscar: "I would suggest exercise, spending time with friends, connecting with your values, and self-care. Possibly a bath bomb."

To Terrence: "No."

To Sal: "Probably oral sex."

"If you're advising Oscar to put bombs in his bath I think I trust you less on the rest of these matters," Sal says primly, in an instinctive attempt to preserve some reputations.

Terrence didn't really catch the first part that Sal whispered, but he heard the "oral sex" part, and now he's ????

And you might think "Terrence, that's the least weird part of everything that's been said," but Terrence is not real good at judging these things.

"You're in love with Roby," Nessa informs him, helpfully. "A public toilet might help you sort through this. Or Jing Yi's friend Ruby."

" - What?"

To Oscar: "You might be in love with Terrence. Same advice. Or just get him drunk and kiss him, I'm sure you two will work it out."

Oh, god.

Well, he feels less awful about all this somewhat public talk about Violet now.

Terrence is astonished and turns beet red. He is scandalized. He looks at Oscar. What???

He almost writes this down on instinct but then, wisely, doesn't.

Oscar is still recovering from the Roby information but what Nessa just said explains some of his reaction. Also, Terrence is staring at him.

"I assume Nessa means brotherly love?" No way does she mean that. "I mean, I don't really like men that way. Or I don't think... Not that it's wrong if you do! Better to move on from this, actually." How incredibly awkward.

"Nor do I!"

"Oh, you definitely do."

Nessa, take a hint.

Never.

"Sad how nowadays society looks upon affection between two people of the same sex with suspicion." Something something brotherhood of the oppressed alienation.

Terrence is not turning any less scarlet. "I like women," he objects to Nessa, weakly.

To Terrence: "you can like both!"

To Oscar: "If you want to keep arguing with me about whether you are or are not attracted to men, I could describe what everyone in this room thinks of when they masturbate, but I believe this is generally considered socially inappropriate."

Okay! Cool cool cool cool! Sure! What!

Sal did NOTHING to Nessa. He does not deserve this.

"Good Lord. Well, I guess we can trust each other to not spread this around."

"Now, remember what I said last time. You should follow your dreams and follow your star-- specifically, Aldebaran-- and sell all of your stock on September 19, 1929."

"I'm going to be honest, whatever this is is surely the least of the secrets we're obliged to keep."

"Uh, thank you, Miss Clapper, I guess." He writes down the date again to remind himself.

"Yes. It was lovely speaking to you." And Sal has vanished from the room as quickly as possible.