summonerd | i just wanna know: who broke it?

Kratos knows a request for his presence when he hears one, so he tells Zelos yes he will come with, and then sets about returning his things to his bag as Lloyd speaks. There's no reason to take the bag with him, so he leaves it where he was sitting, getting to his feet. He gestures for Zelos to lead the way and then follows.

Zelos probably wants to ask him another question, but Kratos isn't exactly in a hurry to find out what it is, and has no idea what to talk about otherwise, so he just waits for Zelos to say something.

A few minutes into their walk, finally far away from Lloyd that Zelos is pretty sure he won't hear, and, okay, this is starting to become awkward. This Guy is as silent as a fucking rock, no pun intended, and it's driving Zelos up the wall a little. He wants information badly but has no idea how to go about getting it. And the fact that This Guy left his bag doesn't escape Zelos either, and now without something to segue into what he wants to ask, Zelos does't really know how to start talking. Architect, he's supposed to be good at words. Why does that ability suddenly fail him when the person he wants to talk to is a fucking brick wall?

Well, he thinks after yet another false start, might as well just go for it, right? Fuck it.

"First things first, then," Zelos suddenly says, turning to look at This Guy with a grin on his face, "I wanna know your name. 'Cause, like, I'm pretty sure you know exactly who I am by now. Second," the Aegis stops walking, squints, "what were you doing with those core crystals back then?"

Edited 2019-06-20 19:27 (UTC)

"Oh," Kratos says, somewhat embarrassed. Of course Zelos doesn't know his name. They've only just met. "Sorry. It's Kratos."

He wonders if Zelos knows anything about him, has anything to attach to his name. Likely not. The humans wrote him out of their history.

And then Zelos asks about the core crystals.

"Ah," Kratos says. "Well, it seemed cruel to leave them in those caves, where it would be unlikely they would be found again," he answers. That, and nothing more. If Zelos wants to know what he intends on doing with them, Zelos will have to ask, though Kratos would really rather he didn't.

Kratos. Kratos, Kratos, Kratos. For a moment the name rings a bell of familiarity in Zelos' subconscious, until the lines align and he remembers Anna insisting that she was trustworthy because she was married to some Kratos guy. Oh. Oh. So then their group has stumbled upon Anna's husband, huh? And her husband is a blade that she's not even driving?

Great. What does that give him. Absolutely nothing other than an update for the affinity chart in his brain, Zelos thinks.

"Aah," the Aegis nods. He shrugs. Starts walking again while tapping his chin, pacing around Kratos like an animal surrounding prey, slow enough for it to be inconspicuous. "You got any particular place you wanna take 'em, or something? Or maybe," he side-eyes Kratos while circling him, grin growing, "you wanna take 'em along for when you free Martel?"

The name 'Martel' is an obvious one for Zelos; she's Sylvarant's lost Aegis. The one that was killed in the war. That much information he does know, though how the fuck someone could put her in a cannon eludes him, especially with how he's pretty sure that the blade powering up the weapon itself is Colette. Zelos bites down a shudder. Maybe it's another blade named Martel? Maybe it's a codename for his sister, or a second name unknown to Tethe'alla?

Questions, questions.

"Architect, no," Kratos laughs. "I wouldn't need any more than myself to save Martel, and I'm not- I'm not really looking to be a driver, again. At least, certainly not to more than one blade, and certainly not to handful of blades I don't even know." The the notion is absurd at best, and uncomfortable at worst. He keeps talking, not really thinking about it. "I've only ever driven Aegises before, and Mithos and Martel could at least consent to me becoming their driver."

He'd want to leave the option open for them, anyway, should they ever need it again. Martel likely will. Mithos might even, as well-- if Martel is alive, then there will be no reason for Mithos to keep her shards.

"I was- I hadn't quite figured out what I was going to do with the core crystals, actually," Kratos says, which is a lie, of a sort. The damaged ones are definitely going to Mithos, but the others... "In theory, give them to someone I trust, I suppose. Someone who knows where to get them drivers who wouldn't hurt them. Easier said than done."

If Anna is alive, who else of her companions is...? Nia, at least. Kratos wonders if Malik is still alive, because that man always seemed to have a good head on his shoulders. He wonders if he'll actually find the time to ask.

'I've only ever driven Aegises before.'

Most of what Kratos says after that gets lost to Zelos in the next two, three seconds that it takes for his mind to reconnect with itself. Because Kratos has... driven Aegises before? Is he implying he's driven Mithos and Martel together at the same time, as well? But that was centuries ago! Though, well, if he's a flesh eater then he's definitely got the means to have stayed alive for that long, huh? But he... if he's driven Mithos, then what... then of course he could tell what kind of ether is in the cannon blast, couldn't he?

The realization nearly succeeds in flooring him, but he perseveres and wheezes out a weak laugh while raising a hand to stop Kratos. "Hold on," Zelos interrupts. He licks his lips. Despite being a fire blade he feels his ether freeze in his veins, the sensation nauseating and causing him to take a quick, shallow breath to stabilize as he swallows back his shock. "You've... driven Aegises before? The originals...?"

Kratos raises his eyebrows at Zelos' surprise, but supposes it's warranted. Again: There's a lot history doesn't say about him, anymore. "Yes," he says, simply. Though it is not as simple as that. "You... must know at least about the War-- the first one," Kratos ammends. (There have been other wars since, and even wars before, but Kratos really only ever thinks about the one. The one he was born into. The one that was fought with the Aegises' stolen power.) "I was the one who freed Martel and Mithos, from the--"

He catches himself, last second, remembering Lloyd's warning about mentioning cannons.

"Well, you know," Kratos finishes. He sends a sideways glance at Zelos, checking on him. Kratos rubs his thumb over his knuckles idly, somewhat embarrassed. It feels-- strange, talking about this. Almost like bragging. "And then I was their driver."

The Aegises' driver was a blade...? And--and he was a flesh eater, at that? Well, Zelos guesses as he sets his chin in his hand, pensive as he processes Kratos' words, Kratos definitely has the age and means to prove the story, and it's always a lot easier to trust a blade to tell the truth than it is to trust a human.

Still, this complicates things. "The official story that I had been told was that the Aegises' driver was a self-interested human that stole the twin blades from Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, effectively putting a stop to the war by becoming the larger villain," Zelos says, cringing a little while reciting the lie spoon-fed to him from birth. Of course humanity would lie, especially to their own fucking weapon. He clears his throat. "But if you were their driver... Then you'd know the truth of what's happened to Mithos and Martel, huh?"

He's going on a gamble with a man who's still technically a stranger right now, he knows it, but if Kratos is as familiar with the Aegises and the weapon facilities as he should be, then he's an important person to keep around. Architect, he's driven Aegises before. Ether itching with anticipation Zelos raises his gaze to meet Kratos' again, eyes intense and searching for an answer that will hopefully make sense of everything. "I'd been told that Martel died sometime after the first war, though. How could Sylvarant be using her if she's dead?"

Kratos recoils at Zelos' recounting of "history", anger and hurt singing loud in his core. At least the story Anna told him still painted him as a hero for ending the war. He kicks one foot against the ground, clenches and unclenches his fists, and most importantly breathes. It's at least ten seconds before he can see clearly enough to formulate a thought, ether and blood both boiling in his veins.

"'Larger villain'," he repeats, with a scoff. As if one man could do as much damage as the warring countries. "I didn't steal anyone. Humanity stole the Aegises, ripped them from their home and their father and immediately forced them to fight against each other, no more than weapons in a pointless war, as if they were tools and not people." His anger, now, is cold, despite the boiling in his veins. "Not that I'm surprised," he spits. "That's all we are to humans. Tools. Be it for war or for--"

He cuts off. Swallows the ugliness in his throat. Thump thump thump goes his heart, a grim reminder.

"Anyway, I did not steal them," he says, carefully, though his voice still shakes with his fury. "They were prisoners, not property. I set them free."

Breathe, Kratos. Shed the anger off of your shoulders. Don't take it out on Zelos.

He runs a hand over his face, pushing hair away from it. "Martel didn't die in the war," he says, quiet. "She died a few years after it was over. We'd- We'd tried to find a place to live, away from everyone else, where no one would bother us. Sylvarant brought an entire army to our doorstep. Architect knows they weren't trying to kill her, but in the fighting her core crystal was shattered, and Sylvarant stole her shards."

(He can still taste rage on his tongue, horror in his belly, despair that wasn't even his bleeding out of him, choking him, drowning him--)

"Either they've found a way to make use of just her shards, or they..." Kratos hesitates, scowling as he tries to figure out how to explain without going into specifics. "There... is a way to fuse one blade's core crystal with that of another blade. I can't imagine how they found the technology for that, but."

Unlike the first time he'd seen Kratos angry, this time Zelos barely reacts to his rage. It's justified, anyway; humanity is nothing but a mesh of lies and cruelty for the sake of their own self-interest. In fact, Kratos' words, his rage--they all resonate in the air in a wavelength similar to another set of emotions buried deep in Zelos' own core, something cold and sharp that threatens to resurface as the two blades stand under the moonlight realizing just how deep humanity's treachery really goes.

Zelos keeps a passive, blank face as Kratos speaks, lowers his arms to his sides and then crosses them, taking in every word, every nuance, every fact with the utmost care and mindful attention. He averts his gaze, pensive. For a moment Zelos feels a cold, saddened sympathy washing over him at the mention of Martel's death, but it's quickly consumed by the fires of his own anger. It seems that humanity just couldn't keep themselves under control even after the war was done, and in their hubris, an innocent was killed, then brought back to life only to serve as a weapon once again.

It's disgusting. This whole thing only makes the cannon fire in the mines even more sickening than before, too. Zelos nearly gags, ends up laughing bitterly instead. His ether is boiling, now, and the temperature around him rises as a result.

"Leave it to humanity to find a way to butcher an entire fucking species for their own miserable gain, huh," Zelos grits out, rage radiating from him in literal heat. For lack of any other outlet he ends up glaring at Kratos, breathing erratic as he tries and fails to control his emotions. "Well, we can't fucking leave her in there. We can't leave either of them in there. So what do you suggest we do, then, driver of the Aegises?"

Kratos barely registers Zelos' anger other than that it is there, the slight rising temperature catching him more by surprise than anything else-- and really, only for a second. Zelos is a fire blade, it's to be expected. (Kratos' anger, light blade that he is, manifests in a pulsing of his ether lines, glowing faintly brighter to the rhythm of his heartbeat. The fact that he's a flesh eater means he glows barely brighter than a regular blade at normal, though.)

Zelos asks him what to do.

"We find Mithos, first," Kratos says, simply. "The tower is on the way." It will be slightly slower than taking the most direct route, yes, but-- "Mithos will want to save his sister, too. Better if we collaborate than let him run ahead on his own."

Kratos does his best to breathe, to keep his anger under control, but his mind is racing, feeding off Zelos' fury.

"After that, we head to Martel, and Colette. Saving them will be easy once we're there. Getting there is what will be..." He sighs. "Well, it'll be slower than it will be difficult. A party this large does not exactly move fast."

Great! Finding Mithos was already part of the plan, anyway. "Glad to know our goals align, then," Zelos grins, some of his anger lowered only through the joy of something finally fucking going his way. "I figured if anyone would have some sort of control over the situation, it'd be an Aegis. Like, I mean--two Aegises are better than one any time, right?" he laughs.

Kratos' next words stop Zelos in his tracks, though. The smile drops as he lowers his gaze, once again lost in thought while he tries to troubleshoot the next problem, to consider all of his options. It's true that travel time is the biggest issue here, and that the bigger the party the slower their progress will be--especially considering there's several humans with very basic and problematic human needs to take into account. A blade may go several days without food or sleep, for example, but a human cannot. Time at night that could well be translated into more ground covered is wasted sleeping, and the inherent need for food continues to put them in danger by forcing them to buy and trade in towns.

If they could somehow reduce all that travel time by reducing the amount of people traveling to Mithos in the first place...

Zelos raises his gaze to meet Kratos' once more, stance loose, expression questioning as he addresses the flesh eater before him once again. "You... You know where to find Mithos, right? Listen," he begins, voice careful and guarded. Arms still crossed Zelos shifts his weight from foot to foot, barely-contained excitement at the breakthrough he's made knocking on his core. "You and I are blades. Our travel time and distance could probably double just from the fact that we don't need to stop and eat or sleep as often as humans do. So..." Zelos trails off, wets his lips. Ignores the stab of guilt in his gut, takes a deep breath, and asks,

"What if--what if you were my driver?"

Kratos blinks.

That's... a lot to just ask someone.

He's not against the idea, exactly, and Zelos' point about speed has merit. He's not sure Zelos has factored in the fact he's a flesh eater, and even if he does not need as much sleep and food as humans do, he certainly needs more than blades do. Though... it would still be slightly faster.

But.

"Technically, I do not need to be your driver for us to go on ahead on our own," Kratos says, just to make sure Zelos has thought of that as well. "Though I am not opposed, if you want me to be your driver." He can certainly understand why Zelos might want that, might want a driver who isn't human.

"It's just... your current driver," Kratos says, slowly, becuase Sheena had not seemed like a bad person, for the little he's interacted with her. And if she has Anna's trust (and she must, or they wouldn't be traveling together), then she must be alright. "Won't she be worried?"

Fucking damn it, Kratos, don't bring up Sheena into this. Zelos recoils a little, hides that behind a roll of his eyes and him putting his left hand on his hip while the right plays with a red lock of his own hair. To be honest, the idea of leaving his driver behind already made Zelos feel guilty from the get-go, but being reminded of her worrying after the encounter they literally just had in the dreamspace makes that cold guilt at the pit of his core solidify and spread. It's not like Sheena's a bad driver, all things considered. And--he did promise her to take her home, anyway. He's kind of contractually obligated to see that one through, right?

Plus, Kratos does have a point: there's no need for Zelos to swap drivers for them to just leave, even if the idea of having a non-human driver sounds like a blessing. He's just being a pushy, presumptuous asshole by putting someone who already said doesn't want to be a driver to blades he doesn't know in the spot like that. Kratos is probably just being polite with him.

Ugh.

"Sheena's alright," Zelos ends up saying, shrugging nonchalantly while avoiding making eye contact with Kratos. "She's a fast learner, and she did break me out of Meltokio, so. You could probably trust her to help with freeing Colette and Martel, so I guess staying with her as my driver makes sense."

Bitter shame at his own behaviour this whole conversation is already starting to creep up Zelos' back. He sighs and lets go of his own hair, rolls his head back to meet the other's gaze, frowning, the motions exaggerated and highly dramatized to hide the rest of his boiling nerves. "Mithos goes first, though," he says. "We need to get to him fast, but we need strength in numbers for later, so maybe we could temporarily split up with the others instead."

Kratos is pretty sure he's said something wrong, but he can't quite figure out what it is. Was it wrong to bring up Zelos' current driver? Perhaps it was in bad taste. (He is very used to Aegises very, very eager to run, after all.) Still, he's not sure he can fix what he broke, considering he is uncertain what broke if anything broke at all, so he will have to set that aside for later. Zelos is right, anyway. The sooner they find Mithos, the better.

The sun is starting to peek up over the horizon. Kratos hasn't been paying enough attention tonight to be sure, but it feels... early. Shouldn't it be another hour or so before sunrise?

"You're right," he tells Zelos. "That's a good plan. Should we..."

Kratos' eyes drag themselves towards the sunrise again, worry thrumming faintly in his veins. A sunrise he's not even sure is early is not cause for alarm, but he thinks about how long it's been since the cannon went off, thinks about how Mithos felt it as well as he did, thinks about how long Mithos has had to make hasty decisions, thinks about how much of a headstart Mithos could have gotten. Would... it even do them any good to chase after him? Would they even catch up to him? Can Kratos afford not to try?

The sun stares at him, mockingly. Is it higher in the sky than it was a second ago?

Kratos turns on his heel and nods for Zelos to follow. "Let's go, then--"

He only gets a step before he stops again. Anna stands before him, arms crossed, eyebrows raised, alive and well and that's not fair.

"Without telling anyone?" Anna asks, watching Kratos carefully. Architect, he looks white as a sheet. Because he's been caught red-handed? Because... Well, it must be like seeing a ghost for him, huh? Maybe she should have let them go.

Kratos breaks eye contact with her, shoulders tense, hands clenched. Something uneasy stirs in Anna's soul. There's so much she has to say, and now isn't really the time.

She sighs.

"If it's a matter of time, Malos is the only one still asleep," she says. "We can have him awake and camp packed up in like ten minutes. Or..."

She swallows.

"If the two of you really want to go on ahead, I guess that's fine? By me, anyway. But I don't want to tell Lloyd and Sheena the news, so..."

Kratos doesn't answer, staring first at the sunrise-- weird??-- and then at Zelos. His face says he's waiting for Zelos' opinion.

Honestly, Zelos is just so focused on Kratos that he simply can't sense Anna's presence until she's staring them right in the face, arms crossed and eyebrows raised. Right away there's a cold, piercing sensation of shame and guilt embedding itself into Zelos' core, one that he forcibly keeps locked in there and away from Sheena no matter the cost.

When Anna speaks Zelos recoils a little, stumbling back a step and then flinching when both pairs of eyes settle on him instead, expectant and observant like a crowd waiting for their Aegis to speak, waiting for the empty promises of a weapon meant to look like a saviour. It's a familiar sensation and scene to the Aegis, one that he'd thought he'd left behind along with the painful, lonely life of an unnatural being only made to wage war. Violet eyes snapping between Kratos and Anna Zelos swallows down a lump, then releases it slowly in a small, breathy laugh, one that gets caught behind bared teeth, behind a sneer that tries to disguise itself as a grin.

Something in him snaps. In the absence of control, when put in the spot like this, the Aegis turns to anger. Because how dare these people trap him like this. How dare Kratos reject him. How dare Anna look at him like he's betraying them, how dare she bring up Lloyd and Sheena after what's just happened.

And how dare Zelos almost try and run away like this, to break his own drivers' trust by replacing her like it's nothing. To think he gets the chance.

Ridiculous.

"Tell them what news?" Zelos decides to play stupid, shrugging, grin dark and head tilted while he regards Anna. Because even if he rejected him, Kratos doesn't deserve the brunt of his rage, and even if Anna doesn't deserve it after what she's gone through, either, in the Aegis' mind she's still a more acceptable target to unload on. The temperature around him rises again, though it's more subtle, a small change in the face of his irrationality. He scoffs. "That we're packing up and leaving together in ten minutes? Sure, I can do that. No problem. Not a single problem."

Zelos is being irrational and he knows it, knows that the anger he feels in his core is misdirected when it should be kept bouncing in this isolated bubble that he's created within himself, knows that of all the people here he's the one that carries the most sins. And yet he cannot stop, focused instead on releasing it in the only way he knows how: outwardly, destructively and painfully, severing whatever progress and bonds he has made. "Besides," Zelos adds, turning on his heel to leave before he causes more damage, "Lloyd's all alone. Someone's got to check in on your son."

Malos wakes up not much longer after Anna does, truthfully. He's worried for about half a second about where the fuck everyone is-- only Nia's still around, asleep-- but Lloyd's ether signature is still nearby, and a glance in its direction shows Malos that Lloyd's chilling up in a nearby tree. Sheena's up there with him. You know what? Valid.

Kratos and Zelos' ether signatures are farther away, but still nearby. Same direction the tug in his core crystal tells him Anna is. After a few minutes, which Malos spends rolling up his bedroll and also Anna's, Zelos' ether signature aproaches, and the emotion bleed gets...

Oh. Yeah, that. It was about time for that, huh.

Malos cuts himself off from it, not wanting to feel all of Anna's frustration and guilt right now, especially considering Zelos is in sight now and there's something Malos wanted to talk to him about.

"Hey, Zelos!" he calls, sending the Aegis a smile. Zelos looks like he's uncomfortable about something, but Malos presses on, anyway. It's good news he wants to share, and like, who wouldn't be uncomfortable if they'd just had to excuse themselves from a married couple's argument. "Listen, I wanted to thank you for earlier. Saving Anna's life, getting us out of there... You were incredible, y'know? So, really. Thank you."

Edited 2019-06-24 19:03 (UTC)

Removing himself rather hastily from what he's pretty damn sure is about to turn into a verbal smackdown between Kratos and Anna, Zelos makes his way back to camp while keeping a tight leash around the emotional bleed, determined not to let Sheena feel any of this guilt and rage no matter the cost. Poor girl's already had to suffer through her own blade kicking her out of the dreamspace, and having to explain just why he feels like the world's worst douchebag would just be making it worse. Besides, Zelos isn't really quite sure what he's going to do now that he's gone out of his way to be a horrible blade to everyone in the surrounding area. He's in some deep fucking shit, isn't he?

Geez. He's kind of hoping to get some time alone before he has to face Lloyd and Sheena, given he's supposed to fabricate a lie that sounds convincing enough for them not to pursue the issue any further. It's not to be, though, because Malos calls his name and all of Zelos' time and energy is instead redirected at keeping himself in check so as to not lash out at an actual innocent just because he's hurting and it feels better to let it all out. He doesn't try to smile, but he does soften his expression and stance a little, trying to appear open, and--

Oh.

What the fuck, Malos.

Shame warms up Zelos' cheeks. Seriously, what the fuck is it with this fucking family? First he gets an apology out of nowhere, now he gets thanked out of nowhere, and, quite frankly, given the messes that Zelos has just created everywhere he's been, he doesn't feel very 'incredible' or worthy of any praise or gratitude. He tries to hide the surprise behind a last minute smile, letting out an anxious, breathy laugh as he raises his hands to--nothing, really. It's kind of stupid to be doing a defense/pacifying gesture at a time like this, but. Maybe that's just instincts.

The Aegis shakes his head. "Ah, no, I--" he gets stuck there, swallows hard. Shrugs. Add anxiety and slight panic to the horrible mixture of emotions in Zelos' core, then. Holy hell. "Anyone would've done it, right? We needed to survive. That's all it is."

Malos gets to his feet, his smile a little sadder, but still genuine. "Hey, don't sell yourself short," he insists. "Sure, anyone woulda done it, but doesn't mean I shouldn't thank you for it. I really do appreciate what you did. 'Specially for Anna."

Looks like maybe there's more on Zelos' plate, though...? Malos is pretty sure talking about it isn't gonna help shit, so he's not even gonna offer. Instead, he decides, he's just gonna pull Zelos into a hug.

Oh, Architect. Please don't mention Anna like this after Zelos just lashed out at her completely unfairly, Malos, you have no idea what kind of person you're trying to praise here. He doesn't deserve it. Your gratitude would almost certainly shatter and fall to pieces if you knew what he's just done. Guilt still eating him up from within his core, Zelos is halfway through forming yet another protest against Malos' words, laughing awkwardly and flapping a hand about as his brain works. It's just about enough time spent fumbling and distracted for Malos to grab for him and pull him into a hug, and the moment that they make contact, the Aegis freezes.

Physical contact isn't something he's used to unless it's meant to control him or sell an image to the public, usually an undesired violation of his personal space that he has no choice but to grit his teeth through and wait out. But the hold that Malos greets him with is different from that which his caretakers and the public have given; not exactly something soft, but not overwhelming, either. Firm and purposeful while still also having a sense of emotion to it. It is nothing like the types of contact Zelos has ever experienced or allowed to his person, more like a comforting weight than shackles falling around him.

It takes him a two full seconds of rigidity as he processes the action before Zelos' mind finally deems this to be perhaps safe, something that, while he's not sure if he wants it, he can accept without the grit teeth and hatred that he's used to storing in his core. Something gentle, perhaps. Wordlessly, he slowly relaxes his body, and even if Zelos makes no real move to return the hug, his forehead still comes to rest against Malos' chest, eyes closed as he tries to use the opportunity to calm down and takes deep breath after deep breath.

Zelos remains silent, absolutely refusing to bring any sort of attention to this and mentally begging Malos not to speak a word of it either. And slowly, all the overwhelming emotion in the Aegis' core is gently filtered out, taken string by string and shredded away to make way for a blissfully empty nothingness instead.

Edited 2019-06-25 15:10 (UTC)

Malos realizes not long after he's initiated the hug that he didn't fucking ask permission first but. Zelos doesn't tense or complain or push him off; in fact he seems to relax into the hug after a moment, which Malos counts as a small victory. Still, better not push his luck. He lets go of Zelos and sends him a small smile.

Then he moves to his pack to get out the Emergency S'mores Rations because, fuck it, yesterday was awful and they're stuck here until Anna and Kratos figure out their shit, anyway. "Yo, Zelos, you mind relighting the fire?" he asks. Then frowns a little. "Actually I guess if you'd rather I get the flint to light it that's fine, too, must be pretty insulting everyone asking you to light shit just 'cuz you're a fire blade, huh?" He laughs, a little.

In the meantime, he makes his way over to the tree Lloyd and Sheena are nestled away in, cupping his hands over his mouth and calling up to them: "Lloyd! Sheena! Get your asses down here, I'm making s'mores!"

Edited 2019-06-25 17:16 (UTC)

Oh, that--definitely lasted shorter than what Zelos thought it would. He almost leans forward again when Malos lets him go as if chasing after him, but he manages to hold his ground instead, face carefully blank and instead busying himself with running a hand through his hair as if to brush it. Not wanting to unpack whatever the fuck that was, Zelos seals it away for never and loses the envelope in the mail.

Malos making such a big deal about the fire is funny, though, and despite the emptiness in his core left behind by the flames of his own emotions Zelos still chuckles at it a little. He directs a hand towards the dying embers and flips a wrist, raising his hand palm-up, bringing the campfire back to life to a satisfying popping height that quickly warms up the area. "Here you go, chief. Only the best from the best," he jokes. Then Zelos tilts his head, curious. "What's a s'more?"

Chilling out in this tree was a good idea that got even better as soon as Sheena decided to join him. Lloyd continues carving at the sword miniature in the rising sunlight as Sheena and him shoot the shit, joking around quietly and just relaxing with one another after such an awful day and night cycle. Her presence, as per usual, helps calm him down until his discussion with Kratos and all of his fears are pushed down into his mind, to be left for later, when he's not exhausted and sore.

Malos calls down from below, and Lloyd perks up, a grin landing itself onto his face in no time. Excited laughter bubbles out of his mouth as he shoves his tools and the miniature back into his pockets and leans over on his branch, just enough to yell down "fuck yeah, I love s'mores!!" without earning an irritated smack from Sheena. Lloyd glances back at her, all smiles because this is the best thing to happen to him in the past week, what the fuck.

"I would die for Malos," he says, half-joking, half-serious, and then he jumps off of the branch he's balanced himself on, taking the larger branches of the tree as steps in a ladder. On the last branch, he jumps and rolls down to the ground, picking himself up and jogging over to where Nia sleeps. Crouching down for a second, Lloyd pokes at her shoulder and waits for her to wake up.

"Hi! We're making s'mores, come join us if you want any!"

That done, he makes his way to Malos and begins lightly punching at his grandpa's shoulder, all excited energy. "S'mores! S'mores! S'mores!"

Nia hisses half-heartedly at Lloyd as he wakes her up, and Malos calls: "Hey, Lloyd, don't bother! Cats can't eat chocolate!" to which Nia replies "I'll eat your ass, Malos!" and Malos snickers. He keeps laughing as Lloyd bounds over and starts punching at him, Lloyd's excitement contagious and a nice distraction from whatever the hell Anna's emotions are doing right now.

"Here, Zelos," he says, "probably just be easier if I show you." He plops himself down next to the fire and settles himself into the classic marshmellow roasting position. "Technically, you don't have to roast the marshmellow, but it makes 'em scientifically better." He tosses the bag of marshmellows over to Lloyd while he waits for his to roast. Not that it really takes long. "And when it's nice and brown, you slap it between some chocolate and some crackers and-- There! Perfect S'mores! --hey!"

He doesn't even get to hold up his s'mores triumphantly before Nia's snatched it out of his hands.

"Ha!" she laughs, then takes a bite before Malos can even demand it back. Rude. "Repayment for healing your sorry ass."

"Coulda made your own!" Malos shoots back, then sighs and turns to Zelos. "Anyway, you want me to make you one or do you wanna give it a shot? Making 'em is all part of the experience, I think, but."

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsNaR6FRuO0

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mithos was right, humanity should burn!

WE SHOULD BURN HUMANITY... TOGETHER

done and done

Oh god I can't believe we're doing this

kratos decides to be somewhat responsible

GOD DAMN IT

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Zelos baby you're being irrational

NO HE'S VALID

GOD. ALSO HAPPY 500TH COMMENT

(malos voice) prepare to feel valued, you bastard

aaaaaaAAAAAAAAAA

thanks aly for shenanigans ideas

What the dink is a s'more. Do you need more S

Puppy Mode: ACTIVATED

smores heaven now