Trying this again--apping to Vatheon this round

[worldofhurt]

Mun, are you really going to send it in this time? I mean, last time, you seriously flaked out and went on a full hiatus instead.

At least you've got the app done and we're doing that voice-testing thing again at the musebox. Now just go finish your replay of my game, since that's easier than starting a new one, right? It'd also really help you get a better grasp on things!

But w--... Would you stop just talking about some of those kinds of things?! All I'd do is hit him and be done with it! I don't care what he thinks!

[Yes you do, you're just pulling fourth wall and being upset that he won't ever tell you.]

I AM NOT! You're as bad as he is!

Comments

[best_intel]

You find his idiocy charming and you know it.

[He has had some experience with this.]

[worldofhurt]

Excuse me!? What do you know!?

[Tsuntsuntsun--!!]

He's obnoxious, and--and rude, and self-centred! That's what makes up his brand of idiocy! Why would I find any of that... "charming", if you're so knowing!?

["Methinks the lady doth protest too much" moment?]

[best_intel]

Don't ask me how your masochistic brain-chemistry works, I just know you care about him.

Seriously don't make me pull up every conversation you've ever had about him. I'm sure it would probably get embarrassing very quickly.

[worldofhurt]

Yeah. Right. He's the masochist, for your information.

It so would not end up embarrassing. There's nothing to be embarrassed about! Zelos is an idiot, and that's all there is to anything I could have said about him!

[best_intel]

Sure sure. Except here it take one quick internet search to know you think Zelos is a good person.

[worldofhurt]

A tiny bit. He came through for us, but he's still a huge jerk in the end.

And who are you to even be saying any of this in the first place!?

[best_intel]

He's also loyal to a T and wouldn't fail to stick up for you guys.

As for me, I'm Hnæf, the best intel officer you'll ever meet.

[worldofhurt]

Uh, "loyal"? What part of him betraying us to Cruxis did you miss? Yeah, he came around later, but he still took Colette.

Clearly your intel isn't the best.

[best_intel]

Well sure but that was his original plan, he altered that to protect you all. Also I am talking about long term or are you from before that second adventure?

[zelda_hylia]

Zelos finds it difficult to speak about his feelings.

[Smile~]

Hitting him is a perfectly valid option.

need... better... icon selection... why so 'spensive...

[worldofhurt]

It's been my go-to option for long enough.

[Huffs. But smiles wryly after.]

Lots of people do, but that doesn't mean being an obnoxious jerk is the way to handle them.

[zelda_hylia]

Perhaps not, but at times it can seem preferable to being hurt, don't you think?

[His pain is incredibly obvious to the princess, as is his fear of being hurt. That's exactly why she never pushes him, and when he starts acting up she puffs up like he wants and gives him a good thwap and moves on.]

[worldofhurt]

[...Yeah, she gets that, but he never puts himself out there to get over it, either. He's not the only one! Being abandoned, ostracized because of who you happen to be or what you can do, and then doing something that feels... completely unforgivable and takes away the person you love most... and never being able to really do anything for it... Stupid Chosen.]

Old wounds don't disappear just because you cover them up. Sometimes they have to breathe in order to heal.

[Even if she's the queen of cowardice.]

[zelda_hylia]

There is some truth to that. Forcibly exposing those wounds can cause damage as well, though.

[She knows it's hard, but try to have patience with Zelos. He's really getting much better with his feelings!

Well, as far as "friendship" goes, at least.]

[worldofhurt]

That's why you have to take care of them. Sometimes it stings, but if you don't try to help them along, you'll just be stuck with an ugly scar.

[Sadly, "patience" and "Zelos" very rarely share sentence space together, unless there's a negating prefix involved. And she'd have to see it to believe it.

Not that she thinks of Zelos as much more than an obnoxious braggart and a jerk. But personal reasons.]

[zelda_hylia]

Well, one thing at a time. He's been making friends with other men, lately. It's really quite cute!

[Aww, her baby Zelos is going out on playdates. Such a cute notson!]

[worldofhurt]

That's progress, I guess. Considering he usually gets all

[Scrunching her face up, sticks her tongue out.]

"Ew, guys. I don't like guys."

[Aaaand relax.]

He's like a little kid sometimes.

[skirtcladgunner]

"Him?" You mean Zelos? [Thanks for cluing her in for once, mun.] He didn't seem that bad when mun threw me at him in a meme once. Are you sure he's that insufferable~?

[worldofhurt]

I'm definitely sure. Give it time; the more you get to know him, the more obnoxious he gets.

[Small omission of the fact that he also grows on you like a mold, but shh.]

[skirtcladgunner]

But he seemed so charming. Don't you think you're being a little harsh? [Says a tsundere to another tsundere.]

[worldofhurt]

Oh, sure, he comes off like that; it's why he's got so many girls that blindly follow him around.

[She waves it off, dismissive.]

It's totally fake.

[skirtcladgunner]

Hey, I don't blindly follow him anywhere. He just doesn't seem that bad, you know?

[...]

"Totally fake," huh? You make it sounds like he has skeletons in his closet that he's desperately trying to hide. That, or he really burned you.

[worldofhurt]

You haven't actually met him, then.

No! I just mean the way he treats girls.

[And also skeletons out the wazoo, not that she knows that.]

[skirtcladgunner]

He's a little over-the-top with the flirting and the flattery, but he seems harmless other than that. How does he treat them, aside from what I've mentioned? You're being awfully vague for someone who seems to want to make a point~ [Teasing, teasing.]

[worldofhurt]

[Her expression goes flat, a sort of comical annoyance.]

Well, if you count leading multiple girls on at the same time and just leaving them later as "harmless"...