Mn. I was going to wait until I had more actionable data to post anything to the network, but it turns out just asking people to share their stories got me more and better information than combing old posts myself. Not a bad idea from the other me.

[More evidence that Consort Shen is the superior version, maybe? Or at least the more confident one. Funny how often those things can look the same.]

And thanks. [Of course Shen Yuan of all people would automatically take being called sincere as a compliment.]

I never thought about it either. Or maybe I was choosing not to think about it? I don't know. But it seemed easier to just assume I was...ugh.

['Normal' was how he was going to put it, but that's such an asshole phrasing, even he can see that. And while he's still thinking it over, there's the lamppost...and there's Sanguine Station.

It belatedly occurs to Shen Yuan that this is the first time he's going to meet Mike in person. Consort Shen got to hang out with him first, but Shen Yuan only has vague, dream-like impressions of his time in Trench. So it really is the actual first time, damn. So much for making a good first impression.]