To say Kratos is nervous would be an understatement. But, the Aegis is right to have questions for him, and running away from his problems isn't going to solve them. So Kratos breathes, slowly, to center himself before he answers the question asked.
"Yes, well," he says. He hesitates a second there, because half the reason he's still here is because Malos asked it of him, because Anna is alive, because even though he is upset he does not want to leave her, does not want to lose her a second time. But thinking about Anna stirs discomfort in his core, and if he speaks about her he doesn't think it's going to come out even close to neutrally, so likely he should save Zelos from that nonsense. Zelos probably doesn't care that he married a human woman, anyway. In fact, if Zelos has been hurt in the way Aegises tend to be, he might even think lesser of Kratos for it.
So: "I would not be that much faster, on my own," Kratos says, instead. "And my energy would likely be better spent defending you from Tethe'alla. The most I could do is save Martel from a few days of pain, but it will still be weeks before we reach her. Hopefully she will not begrudge me the difference." He remembers what Zelos said, earlier, and ammends: "If... if Martel is even involved, anyway. I suppose we won't know until we get there."
(Or not until he asks Mithos, but, he keeps Mithos' name quiet, out of habit. Mithos would rather the world forgot he existed.)
More importantly than all that.
"Forgive me for my actions, earlier," Kratos says, carefully, meeting Zelos' eyes. "I could not stand the thought that they were hurting Martel, but that does not mean I had any right to take it out on you. I am sorry."
lloyd's a good boy!!!!
"Yes, well," he says. He hesitates a second there, because half the reason he's still here is because Malos asked it of him, because Anna is alive, because even though he is upset he does not want to leave her, does not want to lose her a second time. But thinking about Anna stirs discomfort in his core, and if he speaks about her he doesn't think it's going to come out even close to neutrally, so likely he should save Zelos from that nonsense. Zelos probably doesn't care that he married a human woman, anyway. In fact, if Zelos has been hurt in the way Aegises tend to be, he might even think lesser of Kratos for it.
So: "I would not be that much faster, on my own," Kratos says, instead. "And my energy would likely be better spent defending you from Tethe'alla. The most I could do is save Martel from a few days of pain, but it will still be weeks before we reach her. Hopefully she will not begrudge me the difference." He remembers what Zelos said, earlier, and ammends: "If... if Martel is even involved, anyway. I suppose we won't know until we get there."
(Or not until he asks Mithos, but, he keeps Mithos' name quiet, out of habit. Mithos would rather the world forgot he existed.)
More importantly than all that.
"Forgive me for my actions, earlier," Kratos says, carefully, meeting Zelos' eyes. "I could not stand the thought that they were hurting Martel, but that does not mean I had any right to take it out on you. I am sorry."