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Who: Zelos Wilder (good end)
Broadcast: Video
Action: Marsiva. From the hospitality deck, but he'll be moving around after!
When: 10/7 Morning!

[Again. Again. Zelos takes a good few minutes looking around before he decides that he's definitely been left behind in some way. Another handful of minutes pass, and he's tapping at the device meant to broadcast. If he's nearly alone up here, then he's just got to find out if there's anyone else out and about somewhere else, right?

Despite the stress he's feeling right now, the image that appears on screen to everyone is pretty upbeat. And pretty cocky, too.]

Yo! Looks like I missed out on the party. There's gotta be someone out there, right?

[He leans in a little closer for effect before sighing and pulling back, both arms raising in a shrug.] This is just my luck. Come on, give me a sign or something!

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Not really.

[He waves the gloves, giving a small but impish smile.] I got the prize.

[At that, he laughs, breaking his position as they walk once more with a shove.]

Oh, shut up.

[Teasing.] So where were you, anyway? The middle of the snow? Sounds like my crappy luck doesn't end with just my timeline.

[The shove makes his stumble and the stumble makes him laugh, light and brief, before trailing back to Zelos' side. The gloves get tucked back into his pocket.]

It was a planet called Ajna. Completely covered in snow. Days were three days long. It was a pain.

The whole planet was snowy?!

[It sounds like hell. He doesn't know how much Baroona knows about his past, yet again, but he's comfortable. It's hard to separate this one from the last. Much different than himself and the other Zelos here...]

We were in a city called Zelien, for the most part. Uh, population: ghost people. For some reason. On top of that, time and space kept screwing around, and we'd get pulled to other places left and right.

That sounds confusing. Did the ghosts ever do anything?

[Usually he'd dismiss the idea as stupid. But... he was surrounded by actual aliens. He talked to a fucking dragon. All stupid things can exist now.]

Haha... Not really. It felt super weird when they'd walk through you as if you weren't there, though. There were a bunch of cultists scattered throughout them that were completely solid, too.

Now they did plenty. [Thinking back on it just makes him frown, and he sighs, waving the details off.]

We were dealing with a company made solely for the purpose of studying fear. Of course, they weren't admitting it at that point anymore, but it's pretty obvious when you look at what happened.

[He waits for Zelos to expand but when he gets nothing...]

So what happened?

[He pauses, frowning.] If you tell me it's too horrible, I'll punch you.

[He hesitates a long time at that, staring seriously at the ceiling before he decides on telling him something without him (Baroona) involved. He sighs loudly, slumping a bit more again before sorting through his own personal stories. Why was he being this open?

Well, because in that other place, they knew a lot about each other, didn't they? Did it matter that this Baroona wasn't the 'same one'?]

Sometimes things would be quiet and you'd think you could get away with talking to your friends or just hanging out. Going over the last miserable thing that happened, you know? Or they'd dangle useful stuff in front of us and make us work for it.

A lot of us tried for that last part despite the risks. One time it was a pretty bad trap. My roommate and some strangers were locked in the same room with me. Half of them were restrained in deadly traps and we were given a time limit to save them. But the way it was set up, you'd have to torture yourself for the contraption to free the one who was trapped.

[He's looking at the ground now, while explaining this, face openly sad and hands curled into fists at his side, even as he rests on them.] On top of that, there were three of us who were trapped, and two who had to save them. With all of them hooked up on the same timer, I couldn't get to my roommate fast enough after helping the first girl.

[He was certain he had died, even if his back was steaming and he came back like that. It was a bad situation all around, though, that's for certain.]

I don't really remember what happened after that. I passed out.

Damn, Zelos. [Is there anything else to say? It sounds awful-maybe worse than the coliseum. A blatant game that's even more senseless than entertainment. Something so senseless Baroona can barely see the reason for it. He doubts Zelos can either, even after all this time.

A thousand questions mix with millions of sympathies but none of them make it out in time. Instead, Baroona settles with wetting his lips and looking away, laughing softly and without amusement.] Looks like you get into awful situations no matter what.

[Rubbing at the back of his neck, he looks off the the side, thinking of his own story to tell.] I didn't go through anything as bad as that. You-[His mouth thins into a small grimace, distaste boiling in his stomach.]-It felt like you were always there to protect me from it. I told you about it earlier. For some reason, I guess they wanted my blood. For files or something. You were supposed to get it but-[He shakes his head.]-You were an idiot. Like always. [A pointed glance sideways at that.] I don't know how, but you cheated. Maybe you lied. Either way they found out and punished you. We had these cuffs on our wrists. Life support, I guess. They turned yours off as punishment. It was only thirty seconds but...

[His throat goes tight at the memory. Of holding him and feeling him so close to the point of fading and finds it too easy to take the memory one step farther. To see his face paled and empty, lying stonily next to Robin's corpse.] Anyway... we had a bit of a misunderstanding after. [He laughs at that, and this time it's different. Almost... sheepish. Carefully, he avoids Zelos' gaze as he continues.] We were a lot more flirty there. None of it meant anything but... [He shrugs.] With how far you kept going for me, it was hard to tell.

[There's such a large range of emotion from the start to the finish of what Baroona is saying. In a way, he's proud of this other version of himself working against fear and cowardice to protect a friend. On the other, he's terrified. Bad things happen like that everywhere, it does seem true. Did he have to worry here, too? Is his purpose in all of these places to protect Baroona from all of that? It seems to be a recurring theme, at least.

Aside from those feelings, though, something else starts to seep in as Baroona's worry starts showing. It's subtle at first, but the glance sideways and the way his voice seems more strained with those last words. The change in his heartbeat, and then that laugh.

Before he registers what's being said, his own chest tightens a bit nervously. It hits him delayed. Flirty? And then he's wondering why that's such a big deal. He's always messed with his friends like that.

But he remembers Zelien, too. Carrying him up the stairs just to mess with him, staying by his bedside at what could have been his last moments, being asked to hold his hand.

Relationships normally don't make Zelos feel flustered. But this one was too personal. It was a close friendship, one he wanted to continue no matter the risks. Before he realizes it, his cheeks show the slightest bit of flush, and that surprised expression he'd been wearing on his face this whole time flickers to something more exposed before he purses his lips and looks away. A hand instinctively raises to rub at the back of his head.]

Wow, that's-- [Can he even comment on the incident itself after all of that?] Haha, I mean... ["I'm not like that for everyone."] I don't--...

[Is he seriously out of words, right now?! He's mentally strangling himself at this point, looking more and more troubled by his own reaction. What happened to his composure!]

How weird... haha...

[Baroona fixes him with a confused but slightly amused look.] What?

[Zelos is flustered, that's evident as day, but even having been at his side for a month isn't enough to tell him why. All he has is assumptions-startled reactions and sheepish behavior-that all point to one thing.] It didn't mean anything. You don't have to worry.

[He shrugs nonchalant, looking away.] You turned me down pretty quickly when the misunderstanding happened.

Turned you down, huh...

[The words fall out automatically, thoughtful and doubting in tone. "Turning him down" was probably more like reacting like this, huh? He does want to run away and not think about this any more, but. He'd been thinking of it back in Zelien, too.

The pang he gets from it all makes him daring without thinking, and he tries to act like it's nothing all while hiding meaning beneath his words with a laugh.]

Who said it didn't mean anything? ♥ Did I sound that convincing, hmm?

[But the words slip out and he's even more nervous, laughing to cover it and forcing himself to grin teasingly at Baroona.

Shit. He doesn't need this. Not again, not someone else. This sort of thing isn't supposed to happen! He's just a shallow guy! He just wants to have fun!]

[Now that makes him pause. It's different from all he other teasing comments, sincerity lurking just below. He can see it clearly, just not what it means. His steps falter and he gives Zelos a befuddled look.]

You did then, I'm not sure about now.
[Reaching out, he takes hold of Zelos' arm, forcing him to stop and turn around.] Zelos, are you... serious?

[It feels like a stupid question. Too presumptuous. His uncertainty eases his hold.]

[He freezes up. Stopping right in place, his body turns with the grab, but his gaze leads elsewhere, stubbornly refusing to look at Baroona since that question. This is what he wanted, wasn't it? He had left it to fate, in a way, to see if he could see past it, and it looked like no matter what version, Baroona was as observant as ever.

The problem was, he had no idea what to do now. He wasn't brave enough to admit his confusion right now, and even if he was, he felt like he didn't deserve to be. He laughs, forced like the last one, and turns to try and fake his way through this as well.]

We've been talking for a while, huh? I'm getting kind of tired! Maybe I should go find a place to sleep...

[He's so bad at this.]

[Baroona scoffs.] You're such a bad liar.

[That stayed the same across all universes. Still, his grip does ease up, as if he's finally giving up the fight.] We've barely gone over what's happened. You're acting strange. If I make you that uncomfortable I can leave.

[Those words are what shocks him into reality. What's he doing? Trying to run away again? With a disappointed frown, he lets out a soft laugh again, but this time it's different. If a laugh could be self-deprecating, this was it.]

...It's not that you make me uncomfortable. [He can't believe he's freezing up over admitting something like this. Who cares? If Baroona doesn't treasure him the same way, he doesn't have to. That's fine.

He doesn't want to leave. He wants to be here. To protect him, too.]

I don't share this stuff with just anyone, you know. I'm comfortable around you.

[He lets that set in for a few moments before nodding with his head for them to keep walking.] Come on.

[It sets in but Baroona's uncertain how to treat it. The statement felt obvious, like something he already knew being reiterated. Was he supposed to be impressed?]

I'm comfortable around you too... [Said quizzically, still wary on if he's saying the right thing.] I figured you knew that already, though.

[A beat.] Is something else going on?

[You're going to have to spell it out to him, Zelos.]

[Oh. At that, he laughs a bit, sounding relieved as he smiles. Reaching over, he takes one of Baroona's hands and speeds up their walk a bit, tugging him along.]

Oh, no. I'm not spelling it out for you. Besides, you're being too slow. We've got a whole ship to check out! Come on, come on!

["Spelling it out"? Spelling what out? What was going on?

Baroona nearly stumbles as he's pulled and thankfully, that's enough to preoccupy him.]

What? Hey! You still have finished telling me about the me you knew! [Not that he's moving to stop him, jogging to catch up with Zelos and not even thinking to pull away from that hand.]

We can keep going with that, so don't worry!

[Tugging him along even still, he finds a nice pace that's a little fast but nothing too crazy.]

Let's see, which part should I tell you next...

[He shoves him, playfully.]

Stop stalling and give it up already, asshole.

[He laughs again even as he stumbles from the shove, but Baroona will just be tugged along with him.]

Okay, but first, let's do it like this. One more story each, and then we can save the rest. Share one each every day until we run out. [He looks back to him as they walk, still smiling.]

That way it's more natural! Not like some huge dump of information... I don't know about you, but it'd be a little hard to deal with all that at once.

[They're just trading stumbles at this point. Baroona would be annoyed if the proposed plan hadn't made so much sense. He smiles at the thought, the image of them telling stories to each other each day.]

You're right. It's a good idea. [He looks down at his feel to hide his smile.] It sounds nice.

[Still looking away, he pushes at Zelos with their joined hands.] Go on. Start your last story.

If we didn't hang out at night, we'd usually send each other messages. Your spelling was horrible, but your typing was even worse.

[He laughs, but it's fond, and he gives a reassuring look back as they walk.] Don't worry! It was kinda cute. Anyway, you'd somehow end up repeating the messages on playback multiple times, so I ended up having to explain how the thing worked all over again.

You didn't want to listen at first, you stubborn ass. But once I pointed out how useful it was, you lent an ear a bit more easily. Still not sure that you got the hang of how to use it, but you were definitely getting better. So we'd text to practice sometimes.

[Having all of that called cute just makes him more embarrassed. Hunching his shoulders, he glances away with a scowl.]

Where I was, you tricked me into thinking emoticons would steal my soul. I ended up asking the whole network about it. Everyone thought I was an idiot.

[He's still sore about it, honestly. After a moment's hesitation, he offers:] ... I think I'm better at texting. The glass had this thing that corrected what I wrote. It helped.

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