"That'll work. I thank you," he finished, his tone almost jovial. Or what passed for jovial in Drake's voice. He gave one last, definitive nod and shook the Ringleader's hand firmly. Somehow it felt a lot more final and binding than signing the papers before.
"Likewise." His eyes darted to the side, almost too quick to catch, and back again. A split second decision, because Arkady had been so decent to him, Drake thought he deserved a gesture in return. "I made some... hasty decisions back in '71 that I've come to regret. I'm sure glad that you could look past them. Later then!"
With that, he made his way out, his mind already cataloging the best strategy for getting out of his lease and still getting most of his deposit back. A little nasty smirk twisted his lips for a moment. He'd known letting that hardnosed bully of a landlady get him in bed would pay off some day. Dracon took in the Carnival along the way, wondering at how much it had changed and how much it had stayed the same. He made a bit of a face as he passed the food tent. He surely hoped that bit hadn't remained the same. The cook they'd had back in his time had been atrocious.