(not totally confident on all the accuracy, so hopefully this is fine!)
"Ah... This is yours?" Caelestis gazed sheepishly at the woman that had strode hastily from some ways away, appearing unsurprisingly distraught as far as he could make out from the current distance. To be fair, it wasn't exactly his plan to materialize in the middle of what appeared to be… someone's garden, but with that story not being something he was about to explain to any stranger, little plausible excuse naturally remained to provide towards this garden's apparent owner as a result. He looked down guiltily at his feet, still crunching down upon a few pitiful stems that belonged to the plant beds in question. Freshly budding, darling things—one could assume—at last attaining their first delightful glimpses of light, only to be crushed back down by the firm presence of a shoe thudding down from above. He stepped aside, only for yet another dreaded crunch below to be felt.
"Some lovely pumpkins you have about here," he commented with an awkward semblance of a chuckle. Hopefully not including whatever he'd just cruelly trod upon.
From what could be made out of the surroundings, to Petchoa's hat, as well as the rest of her attire, one particular theme was indeed quite prominent. As well as the realisation that it was, in fact, a witch's garden that he had been found standing inexplicably within. Between simply embarrassingly careless, or that of a petty garden thief, Caelestis found himself wondering as to which it would be more preferable to appear as by now. "I… apologize for your plants. Please, allow me to intrude no longer." How wonderful it would be to simply phase back out of existence at the moment, alas.
follow-upp
Caelestis flinched only slightly at the man's sudden appearance. "Nikolai," he voiced. "Always so fanciful, are you?" Though he carefully held together any remaining calm, the sheer noise itself that ignited promptly within his mind stifled back down any greatly convincing further attempt. So composed, mysterious, and suave. Caelestis' eyebrows furrowed, fingers clenching ever so slightly. It was like everything he tried to be at a glance, yet now, all the intricately woven ties felt so hopelessly unraveled, only laughable. Reminiscent of his own persona, yet less flawed.
He could only carefully inhale and exhale in an attempt to not be fazed through Nikolai's… lighthearted dialogue, though he had a feeling for little true likely effect.
Fortunately, the topic changed once it seemed the man had had enough of his momentary fun, and Caelestis let out a looser breath in relief. "Well, I'm… alive, I suppose," he replied wearily, arms folding anxiously still. "Whatever that may count for." What was exactly considered adjusting well? Particularly when in many ways, he rather felt worse by the moment so far, and it was difficult not to fear for the moment when his mind at last gave into the Sin's ever persisting urges—although compared to the extent of NV's suffering under its influence, this was still better. Drawn out of the thoughts, Caelestis' drifting gaze snapped back to the other party as Nikolai continued, the implication clear of who he was speaking of.
NV. The air grew heavier, and even Envy itself finally quieted enough so for deeper thought. A weight lifted within his chest, although from the hardening glint in Nikolai's eyes, it was clear that wasn't all.
Ah, that. That lingering, looming what-if that he couldn't bring himself to try to shake away, even when uncertain as to how to address the thoughts, as well. Now there was no avoiding the reality of what the future held. To think that after everything—the pain, the suffering, and the long-deserved relief that they had at last been given—to just revert it all back to how it had been…
"I…" He paused when the words would not find themselves, gazing unfocused at the ground, until he could only listen instead to Nikolai's words that would not wait. All the more too much to think of, yet spoken so nonchalantly. Caelestis' breath heavied, eyelids lowering in thought. They weren't things he was accustomed to discussing with others, but the questions themselves were not unwarranted, and it was merely all more unsettling for that very reason. What… what did he want…? How long could this wanton, improper living all last for?
Even knowing that Nikolai likely didn't expect any genuine answers, he remained silent for several moments before accepting his inability to reach a conclusion. "I never truly decided of any intentions to return Envy to them," he expressed instead. "It's as you said, I suppose." They shouldn't have to experience that again, now more than ever. It felt diseasing—a permeating plague throughout his body and soul, spreading, polluting—but a part of him wondered still, just how long he could last. And… no matter what were to happen, such a sacrifice would be a worthy one to make for their sake, after all.