Maybe you're alone… maybe you're not. It's hard to tell when you're empty inside. It's hard to know when you can't feel a thing.
"Genis! You said you wouldn't make it so spicy this time!"
"It's not spicy, Lloyd. That's pineapple. You're a wimp!"
Zelos watched as Colette giggled at the two bickering friends; friends she had grown up with since childhood. He couldn't help being a bit sour at the notion of something like childhood friends. After all, that was something he never had. Sheena was probably the closest he would get, besides Sebastian. Even then, it was a bit of a stretch to say that.
He loudly excused himself with a cheerful bathroom excuse, practically skipping into the forest. He heard Sheena mutter something after him. Remembering that she had meant him not to hear it, he ignored it and cursed his angel senses for a few seconds before deciding it was insane how he could just ignore the small things that hit him where it hurts. He was eventually far enough into the forest to break into a run. He was late enough as it is, and Kratty McImpatient-pants didn't seem to enjoy waiting for him.
"Chosen." Zelos heard from a clearing to the left. Adjusting his course was tricky with the crazy foliage that grew around these parts. He managed anyway. Gaorrachia Forest was a bitch and a half to take a late night jog in. Cruxis was so nice to him.
Kratos didn't look all that displeased at being made to wait, but Zelos could tell that he was anyways… or, at least, he thought so. He wasn't sure Kratos even had an emotion box. "Lord Yggdrasill would like me to convey that Martel's vessel must be brought back as soon as possible. He's getting… impatient." He spit the last word, as if it would do damage to him and turned to leave. Maybe impatient was a trademark to the four heroes.
Zelos was quiet for a moment before opening his mouth with – what he decided after – was a stupid question. "How soon is soon?" He hoped the Seraphim would take it as 'How soon until I can be free of this burden called Chosen?'. Though, he meant something completely different. All the Chosen got in return was a dirty look before Kratos disappeared into the darkness of the trees. Silence settled into the small clearing before Zelos fell to the ground and buried his head in his knees in defeat.
The fact that he had only just realized his whole life was a lie through and through had come as somewhat of a shock to him. Mostly that he only recognized it recently. If the lies ended, he could have a chance to be happier, but there was a problem with that whole logic in the fact that he would have no idea what to do living a normal life. Without a happy, untrue ending to everything that he could make with a little fudge to the truth, what would he accidentally give away? Although, maybe he could make peace with Sheena. Maybe.
His angel senses picked up the nearing footsteps too late to make a quick enough reaction; by then, all he could do was lift up his head. However, he un-tensed quite a bit when he heard a familiar voice break through the darkness.
"Zelos?" Colette crashed through the bushes to join him in the moonlit clearing. She smiled like only an innocent girl could, settling herself next to him. "You look down. And it's been ten minutes since you left so I thought I should find you… what's wrong?" She chirped, looking up into his face, which had been twisted into a lie of a smile.
"Nothing, my sweet little angel!" He made a move to stand up. Colette caught his shoulder, giving him that pleading look of hers. Zelos was caught in an awkward squatting position for an extremely uncomfortable minute before dropping back down to the ground beside her. "You can read people, can't you, Colette? Why don't you tell me?" He practically whispered the last part, still casting the poor girl his fake ass smile.
She countered it with a smile of her own, staring at him. "I think you're depressed." It looked like she was holding back some choice information, but he let it pass. The less he knew about what others knew was good for him. "Is it Sheena?" She asked, and for a moment, he wished it was.
"How are you so observant?" He frowned sadly, hoping it seemed real enough and, at the same time… she would read right through it.
Colette frowned. "So it's not, then?" Alright, maybe he hoped too hard on that one, but it wasn't his fault. When Colette was around, it was hard to keep what you really wanted to say inside when her eyes probed your soul and your heart and everything else in between. He wished a bit that he could have her all to himself and maybe Lloyd could take Sheena. But, back into his old habit of thinking, maybe he wanted them both to himself.
Truly, Colette was the one he wanted to want.
"Oh, sorry… I think I know! It's being the Chosen, right? Cruxis and everything?" She prodded.
He sucked in a silent breath. She knew. It was over. If she said anything, he was dead. Literally, what with Sheena out prowling around. But, like the sly spirit he was, Zelos decided that playing it cool was the only way to go. If he couldn't get up the nerve to call her question, he'd have to change the subject. "Dance with me." He hopped to his feet.
"…What?"
"Colette, hunny, dance with me! Have you seen the stars tonight, angel? It's the perfect dancing setting, wouldn't you agree?" He gestured towards the sky nonchalantly. "Just this once? I won't tell Lloyd. Promise." He winked. It worked, and she blushed, stepping up shyly to meet his confident figure. He took her hand and placed his palm on her back, swaying to the music of the forest. She was surprisingly graceful when it came to this sort of thing.
"Zelos, I trust you." She muttered. He wished that she didn't have to waste it like this.