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((The Monday Triple: page 1 of 3))
‘I wasn’t trying to insult you, Garovel... Believe me, I know how much you want to save innocent lives. I mean, shit, without you, I wouldn’t even... uh... y’know... I just--’

‘Yeah, alright, fine, we both know what an incredible humanitarian god-being I am, but that’s only part of what I was getting at. The real point, my young friend, is that you let yourself get a bit too worked up back there. You and I are supposed to be the reasonable ones here, remember?’

‘Sure, but...’ Hector didn’t quite know how to argue that point just yet. He only knew that he wanted to. ‘Mrgh...’

‘Look, I get it. You’re feeling more confident in your abilities and want to help as many people as possible. That’s a good thing. Great, actually. Especially considering where you started. But not everything--’

‘No, that’s not it,’ said Hector. ‘That’s not it at all...’

The reaper fell quiet a moment. ‘What do you mean?’

‘It’s not... agh... it’s not that I’m feeling more confident... In fact, it’s the exact opposite.’ Hector’s gaze drifted from side to side as he eyed his companions. ‘If anything, I’ve been... really fucking frustrated with myself.’

‘...Why?’ Garovel sounded genuinely incredulous, as if he’d just heard something completely nonsensical to him.

‘Because! Garovel...! I’ve barely been able to do ANYTHING lately. Everybody’s been having to protect me.’ Hector could hardly believe that he was having to explain something so obvious. ‘And I hate that.’

‘Hector... if that’s what you really think, then you’re an idiot.’

‘No, I’m not. YOU’RE an idiot.’

‘Really? That’s your comeback?’

‘Shut up. When you said that these people here were in trouble, I was just... I was SO ready to help them, because it sounded like I actually COULD! For a change! And isn’t that the whole point?!’