vatheon | Soldier on

Entry tags:

Soldier on

Who: Zelos Wilder (

chosen_gigolo) and Guy Cecil (

relinquishing)
Where: Golden Victory; Zelos is finally getting around to reopening the place after the bodyswap curse and finding Lloyd
When: Sept 28th, late morning
Status: Closed

[Closed for a little over a week, Zelos isn't at all surprised to find that the Golden Victory has accumulated a small layer of dust. But what can he do? Half the staff had turned into women last week, and this week...

Well.

He's been doing what he can for Lloyd and it seems to be helping somewhat but it's difficult to keep up that level of energy even for him, especially when he hasn't been getting even the small amount of sleep he requires. Pile onto that his worry about others he's come to consider friends in the bubble being taken by this psycho too and he's not nearly as upbeat as usual beyond a surface level. His heart's not in the act. Even the fact that Estelle is no longer in the bubble and therefore out of harm's way, at least in the murderer sense, does little to ease his tension.

Because on top of all that, he misses her.

But no use dwelling, right? Shaking his head, Zelos grabs a broom and starts tidying up.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[The Chosen leans over the bar to see what made such a noise, hands full of suds.

Uh-oh.

Wiping his hands on a towel, Zelos makes his way around the bar and stoops to pick up the spilled bits of tech along the floorboards. He has a cursory knowledge of crafting things but this is much more complex than he's familiar with. Best to just find as many bits as he can and put them together for Guy to fix when he returns.]

[Which isn't too long afterwards! He's never been one to linger in the shower regardless, so it's been only a few minutes before he's traveling back down the stairs, vest tucked under one arm...

... and whoa, wait, is that his precious fontech in pieces on the counter--]

...

[PRIORITIES SHIFTING let's just throw that vest onto the counter and look at the damage and oh dear Lorelei it broke off--]

--Zelos!

[WHAT DID YOU DO.]

Hey! Woah! It fell out when you tossed your bag! I just picked it all up so stuff didn't get lost, alright?

[He throws his hands up defensively, not really wanting to get into an argument about it. Or anything, really. He's not sure he has the energy.]

What is it, anyway?

Not a toy.

[Guy just rolls his eyes, grumbling a bit under his breath as he pulls a half-completed little gadget out of his bag, opening the lid and adjusting its new angle thanks to that journey to the floor.]

It's a music box.

[He sifts through the pieces on the counter, picking one snapped piece up and not even bothering to hide the sunken look on his face at the sight of it.]

Or, well... I guess it was a music box. Damn. It took me two weeks to find this size rod, too...

[Guy's obviously upset about this and the last thing Zelos wants is a confrontation right now, so he doesn't say that he didn't call it a toy, nor does he say that Guy probably shouldn't have dropped it on a barstool without looking. He just vaguely clams up until he trusts himself to respond, quietly clinking glasses as he removes them from the soapy sink and sets them on the drying rack.]

Maybe you can find something in the nostalgia nook.

[He's quiet for another moment as he begins to drain the sink, watching the water and suds swirl away.]

I didn't know you made stuff like music boxes.

Maybe. [Siiigh.] I'll just have to hope I'm lucky, I guess...

[The blonde pauses, letting his eyes flicker up to watch Zelos fiddle with the last of the glasses. The quiet behavior from the redhead is still peculiar, and it's enough to knock Guy out of his sudden sourness. He was expecting a snide remark or maybe even a chiding poke at his hobby. Not... not this pensive little scene.

What the hell was on Zelos' mind?

...

Oh, right, he asked a question.]

That's cause I usually don't. I've made machines that can read basic fondiscs and play music off of that, but not like this - I didn't really try anything crank-driven until I came here and read about it a little more.

[He plucks up a smaller screw, gently fiddling with what he could manage using only his fingers.] It's not like I regret it or anything. I mean, I can pick out a tune, but music isn't really my specialty, you know? So-- ah come on, you fit before -- uh, so doing things like this takes a lot of time.

...I don't really make them very often because of that.

[There's a tone of something warm and a little distracted in his voice. He also doesn't make them often because he only really makes them for others, after all... and this one was special.

Or he wanted it to be special, at least.]

[The warm tone of Guy's voice catches Zelos' attention and he glances over his shoulder at the blonde. He knows that tone...]

Oh? Then I guess something must have prompted you into this little experiment, right?

[He turns and walks the two steps to the barfront and promptly leans his chin on one hand in a caricature of the stereotypical gossip, burying his earlier pensivity underneath the image.]

Do tell~♥

[The blonde hesitates in the middle of threading in another screw. Wow hi, you sure got over that fast enough.]

Huh? Y-yeah, of course, I'm making it for someone else - it's just a gift.

[Don't look at him like that.]

[Hey, juicy gossip is way better to focus on than his own feelings about missing Estelle and what even he's feeling about Sheena. At least the latter is asleep and safe.]

A gift, huh~? You can't just leave me hanging, bro! For who?

Geez, does it really matter...?

[If you're trying to avoid complicated feelings about women, then this really isn't the right way to go, man.

...]

It's gonna take a while, but... it's for Zelda.

[He's only trying to avoid his own complicated feelings, not Guy's!]

Oh? Y'know you'll start leading her on with all the flowers and music boxes and whatnot.

[Looks like he's missed the fact that they're dating. He may usually be on top of that kind of thing, but to be fair he's been plenty distracted.]

[EYEROLL. It's not like he's raining treasures down on the woman or anything! He's not really into empty flattery like that anyways, and he can feel his expression sour a little at the implication.]

You say that like she can't figure things like that out for herself.

[No need to mention that he doesn't have any need to lead her on anyways. Zelos will have to figure it out sooner or later.]

[Doth his ears deceive him or is that the lack of a denial of Guy's affections for the woman? Progress!]

Oh she'll figure it out~ The question is what'll you do when she does, hmm?

[He gives an easy shrug, picking up another screw.]

Who knows! Hopefully not run and hide, I guess. Hah, I'd hope I have enough dignity to face up to whatever she decides to see.

[It's said simply, a contrast to how upset he was the last time the two had spoken about this. No issues here! Totally!]

[Again, not the answer he was expecting. Something fishy's going on here...]

...There's something you're not tellin' me.

[Nothing like the direct approach!]

Maybe.

[And he is going to continue not to tell him because this is actually kind of fun in a twisted sort of way.]

But I'm serious, it's just a gift! Don't go overthinking it too much, cause I'm sure not about to. Besides, it's-- [He casts his eyes back over the pieces that remain on the table, muttering something under his breath and quickly crouching down to the floor.] --it's not like I'm, uh... expecting a specific reaction, or... dammit... Zelos, are you sure you picked all of these up?

Everything I saw! Maybe it's in the bottom of your bag.

[Wait, no flailing, making her complicated gifts...

Zelos sputters and leans all the way over the bar excitedly, hair dangling down and possibly getting in Guy's way.]

You asked her out, didn't you!?

[Well, that was fast. Guy swats a bit at the red locks suddenly dangling in his face, trying and failing to to shoot a look at Zelos from his current position on the floor. Okay, okay, backing up a little so he's not talking at the floor--]

Huh? Why d--

[And that's as far as he gets before his head collides with the bottom of one of the bar stools with a loud THUNK. He curses loudly, sitting back on his haunches with his hand against his head.]

--ghhhk... ahhh, why would you go and assume something like that so fast?

[Not saying it isn't true, but still.]

Yikes, you okay bud?

[Guy's injury prompts Zelos to snag a cloth full of ice and bring it around to offer his friend.]

You're not arguing or flailing anywhere, that's why.

[Instead of the terrible teasing that would occur normally, Zelos simply gives Guy a smile. Good for you, bro.]

[He gives a nod and a sigh, taking the ice with a quiet "thanks" before pressing it against the bump on his head. The lack of a bite to Zelos' response is, again, highly confusing. Again with that passive behavior, Zelos?

Hnn.]

Since when do I flail about things...?

Women?

[All the time?]

Well, the last time we talked about her you were pretty evasive, but this time not so much. I took a guess.

[He deposits himself in a barstool and regards his friend quietly. There's a characteristic grin on his face, but it's still somehow less than usual even if it does reach his eyes.]

It's good. Maybe you can finally get her to slow down for once.

[skjdhfsd HE MEANT BESIDES THE OBVIOUS

...but wow, he sure walked right into that. Urgh.]

...I'd like to think that flirting with someone without directly meaning to a couple days before would have some sort of weight there... [He grimaces as he rises to his feet, sliding onto the adjacent stool with a huff.] I mean, if I brought up Estellise or poked you for being thrown into a dance with her, I'm sure you wouldn't be very ecstatic to start talking about it, either.

[It's said lightly. He'd seen Zelos' change of mannerism around the girl during the masquerade, so it's the only close comparison he can think of.]

[He almost laughs. Almost. Then Guy brings up Estelle and there's a brief flicker of hurt, so brief it's easy to miss if you don't happen to be looking at him right for that second when it flashes over his face. It's replaced by that same easy grin that doesn't seem quite so easy today soon after as Zelos leans onto the bartop, both elbows folded.]

Well I'd give you a long lecture on how ballroom dancing is an easy way to a woman's heart and you should start working on that fear of yours 'else she might be disappointed, but there doesn't seem to be a point in boasting about it when Estelle's gone.

[Had there seriously been a difference? It feels different, her not being here, which is new in and of itself. Not to say he doesn't notice when any of his hunnies leave - far from it - just... Estelle was special and it's simply.. different.]

Besides, that flirting thing was only with people you like anyway. I did enough observing to figure that out.

[Too bad he wasn't looking, although his attention is definitely caught when Estelle is dryly tacked onto the end of Zelos' comment. The wisecrack Guy had sitting on his lips is gone in an instant.

...

He stays quiet, letting the teasing and comments about himself slide without a reaction other than a neutral softening of his expression. "Same song, second verse" anyways, so he's not about to go down that road again. Not yet, at least.

So was this why--]

...She's gone? You mean she's not in the city?

[Obvious fact is obvious, but he's watching Zelos' reaction carefully.]

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/SUDDENLY ALIVE (1/2)

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going straight for the nerves here I am so sorry

Wow, you weren't kidding.

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