[ But rather than meditate on that, Set’s question is one that gives him more pause. He pulls the cigarette back to his mouth and takes a long drag before he answers. ]

Good question. Dunno.

[ It’s a disappointing answer, but an honest one. ]

Honestly, getting dragged here fucked up my plans real good. ‘Cause if Oblivion ate up my world, that’s fine with me. That’s what I was helping a guy with anyways, just called it a different name. A bigger end than anything even I could do, so no more Cycles at all—A definitive “the end.” So, I feel like I’m supposed to say that. But that’s a contradictory desire, even for me, considering it’s done. I guess I just wanted to see my guy pull it off is the difference.

[ Tezcatlipoca thinks of Daybit with the last sentence, and his expression does pull into a small frown. The emotion with it is brief, but complex. There’s admiration and nostalgia that’s warm and fond, but it’s tinged deeply with disappointment. That wouldn’t be surprising in itself—Tezcatlipoca had just explained that it was a goal left unfulfilled, so what could be more frustrating to gods as driven as the two of them? But it’s disappointment that’s more personal. Not grief necessarily (how would a god so strongly tied to destruction feel such a thing—), but certainly loss.

He taps out (unnecessary) ashes from the cigarette, and the pang is gone as quickly as it appears. ]

I’ll have to get back to you on that one.