The wave of horror crashing against his shame is just about enough for Zelos to stop dead in his tracks, his pacing around Sheena interrupted, but leaving behind an incomplete red circle over the dark green grass of the fields around them. He still hasn't noticed it, so focused on Sheena as the Aegis is. Instead Zelos is glaring, hands closing into fists and opening back again as he regulates his breathing, as he tries not to break control.
In the distance, though, the dark clouds over the sunlight finally do break. Rain pours down, far away from the two of them.
And with the rain so too comes Zelos' resolve crashing down.
Maybe it's the sight of Sheena freezing up and crumbling under his gaze, or maybe it's the sound of the storm in the distance, or the lack of sunlight, the way the dreamspace reflects every single emotion that Zelos' expression refuses to display. Perhaps it's simply the mixture of horror and shame finally reaching a boiling point in his throat, clogging it and his thoughts. Whatever it is it pushes Zelos to stumble backwards, hands curled into fists and tapping against his thighs as he reaches for the dreamspace's port, ready to disconnect them both if that'll push them both out of here, away from each other once more.
He finds the concentrated block of ether mixing with mana, the space where their consciousnesses merge, and pulls until the scenery melts away into darkness. When he wakes, Zelos makes a tremendous effort to remain motionless and keep his eyes closed, pretending to sleep still, listening in and trying to focus on the way the ambient ether changes with his companions' signals, looking for Sheena's and paying careful, close attention to the way their resonance link feels after that. How badly did he fuck up, he wonders. Involuntarily Zelos shudders, but after that he stills again, too afraid to face the repercussions of his actions just yet.
So he hides. Hides, lies, pretends. Watches from a safe distance. It's so pathetic that Zelos almost breaks the mask and laughs.
Everything's bad
In the distance, though, the dark clouds over the sunlight finally do break. Rain pours down, far away from the two of them.
And with the rain so too comes Zelos' resolve crashing down.
Maybe it's the sight of Sheena freezing up and crumbling under his gaze, or maybe it's the sound of the storm in the distance, or the lack of sunlight, the way the dreamspace reflects every single emotion that Zelos' expression refuses to display. Perhaps it's simply the mixture of horror and shame finally reaching a boiling point in his throat, clogging it and his thoughts. Whatever it is it pushes Zelos to stumble backwards, hands curled into fists and tapping against his thighs as he reaches for the dreamspace's port, ready to disconnect them both if that'll push them both out of here, away from each other once more.
He finds the concentrated block of ether mixing with mana, the space where their consciousnesses merge, and pulls until the scenery melts away into darkness. When he wakes, Zelos makes a tremendous effort to remain motionless and keep his eyes closed, pretending to sleep still, listening in and trying to focus on the way the ambient ether changes with his companions' signals, looking for Sheena's and paying careful, close attention to the way their resonance link feels after that. How badly did he fuck up, he wonders. Involuntarily Zelos shudders, but after that he stills again, too afraid to face the repercussions of his actions just yet.
So he hides. Hides, lies, pretends. Watches from a safe distance. It's so pathetic that Zelos almost breaks the mask and laughs.
Maybe him being a coward is a universal constant.