Who we are
"I will mourn him." "As his friend?" "As his owner. He was a charming pet."
At the time, the offhanded comment hadn't even registered in their minds. All too preoccupied with the distressing ongoing events and all too used to Jade being his constantly smiling, regularly teasing, eternally not-understandable self.
The Colonel's unchanging attitude even at the face of Dist's – Saphir's – death and looming prospect of Luke's self sacrifice only served to make the swirling thoughts in Guy's head take a predictable course to the unsolvable phenomenon that is Jade Curtiss.
In the wake of Luke and the world's – at the very least temporary – salvation, Guy was sorting through the messy events that had transpired in the last hours, trying to understand what had happened rather than simply remembering, because at the time the only coherent thought that had been running through his head was 'Luke don't do it. Luke dont doit! Lukedontdoi-' needless to say he had been beside himself with worry.
Thus the necessity to go through his memories and thus he has come full circle and returned to the cause of his pause of riffling through events of a few hours ago.
Jade's remark after Dist's death – melodramatic end as it was. Which ultimately lead to the semi-constant questioning of their dear Colonel's humanity.
The much desired answer to a question residing in the back of every party member's mind, though none of them dared bring it up, for Jade, while not always having been a shining example of one, was still their friend and that was it. Jade was Jade. But the mind wandered and wondered and so the question remained.
Because after everything is said and accounted for, all actions and reactions, all guiltiness and regrets spoken for, it still remained.
"Jade, are you human?"
"-y! Hey Guy!"
Luke was shouting at him. Why was Luke shouting at him? He looked up from his ponderings to see everyone staring at him intently. And for a frantic moment he believed that all this time he had been talking aloud rather than inside his head.
A moment later he realized that everyone was quite a ways ahead of him and the worry passed.
"Hurry up! You're gonna get left behind!"
On their way to Belkend on the Albiore, Noelle had informed them of the aircraft's need for some minor repairs – a maintenance check really – and they had set off from the port to Belkend itself, and left Noelle to the check-up, the machine town less than a two hour journey on foot.
And considering everything, they could afford for themselves a moment to breathe, even in the form of some traveling from port to town, which was relatively reminiscent of the earlier stages of their journey together a few months ago.
Picking up the pace, Guy made his way over to the others who had all but reached Belkend without him in the numbers.
Slowly making their way through town to the Lab at the outskirts of town, Guy knew he wouldn't get any peace for a while. After all-
"Not feeling so energetic, are we Guy?"
-the man knew everything. The ever present smile irksomely never faltering. And Guy wondered just what it was that run through Jade's head.
"We can't all be as excitable as you Jade."
Forever pondering over something. Always knowing a small – at least – part of the bigger picture.
"My, such a nice compliment. In my old age all the joints hurt, it is so difficult to be as enthusiastic as the rest of you. Ahh, the bounty of youth."
Crimson eyes looked at him from the corners, not creased despite the smile stretched on his face.
He couldn't fool the man even if he wanted to try - not that he even considered bothering anymore.
The Colonel was well aware of the fact that Guy was pondering over something or other, as they were all after all. Be it one of the serious matters they had come to face or some triviality discussed over dinner.
However Guy's little mental trip was a slightly more serious matter. He himself realized that, had they been attacked by bandits or some monster or other, he would have been more of a liability and a burden than the help he usually was.
So Jade would have his way with Guy, they both knew that. The scientist's little obstacle lied with the others. Whether they asked Guy questions in front of the entire party that wouldn't help them anyway or they didn't leave Guy alone long enough for Jade to pry away all of his thoughts and dissect them.
And as they made their way back to the inn to allow Luke and the doctor enough privacy to carry out the examination, Guy almost wished he had some magic trick that would make the night pass by and morning to come around, with all the worries and problems they would undoubtedly have to face on their own.
Such idle wishing is how he passed the rest of the evening. Even as Luke returned from the Lab, even as inquires were made as to the boy's health – for as far as Guy was concerned, Luke was a still a boy, even as they had dinner and as the others one by one went off to bed.
And here he was, quietly watching the moon slowly rise over the horizon outside the window when Jade took the seat opposite himself at the table in the empty lobby of the hotel.
For a while neither of them uttered a word. The silence reigned in the room until Guy turned to look at the Necromancer, who looked for all to be lost in thought, his eyes not seeing the table in front of his tilted head.
"…Can I ask you a personal question?"
The ensuing chuckle was not exactly something he had been expecting.
"Why, Guy, I didn't think you would be considering taking our relationship to the next level."
The red dusting on Guy's cheeks was, thankfully covered by the darkness of the hour, but other than this he did not react.
At the lack of response to his teasing Jade heaved a long sigh. Apparently he wasn't exactly in the mood to be dealing with inquires as to himself. Regardless, he wasn't about to put all of their hard work up to this point in jeopardy because he disliked questions.
Guy was all too distracted to be of actual help for as long as he was occupied with his thoughts. He would have to remedy that.
"…You can."
"…Why is it that…you seem to care to what happens to this group?"
Frankly the question was, while not the most probable to have been asked of him, was still expected. And to be truthful to himself, he knew the answer.
"…Because, even with all my faults and weaknesses, all my shortcomings and problems, I still would like to consider myself human. With human likes and dislikes…"
Answering to Guy truthfully, while completely out of the options he had given himself, was still considered.
Despite the past events that seem to be following the Necromancer around, even after such a long time, it didn't seem to deter him in any way, it didn't even mean they would even have to care about them.
And as the Colonel silently left the table, Guy wasn't as surprised as would have thought.
Slowly he turned to look at the moon climbing up in the sky.
After all, no matter how much one tried to hide or disregard it, they would always be human.