Title: Attitudes
Author: Gargant Surprise
Rating: Well, currently it's PG. Nothing worse than that… yet.
Date Started: 30th/31st January 2k5
Warnings: Future Lloyd and Zelos love. I can't really figure out who would be the Seme or the Uke though…
Comments: This is my first piece for Tales, I hope I got the characterization all right. Yes, this will be romance ala Zelos and Lloyd, because that's the kind of person I am. If this starts off seeming rather Zelos-bash-esque, then be patient, I love the guy with a passion.
Also, I hardly ever go for Chaptered Fan Fiction, but I suspect that's where this is going. If it seems poorly structured, please say so, it'll help me improve of course.
Basic Synopsis: Lloyd is getting irritated with Zelos' attitude. Then, rather suddenly, Lloyd finds his actions backfiring.
Attitudes
It wasn't abnormal for them to carry on travelling through the evening. It also wasn't abnormal for Zelos to kick up a fuss. That said, he seemed especially insistent tonight, and it was really beginning to try everyone's patience.
They were walking in silence, something that always made Lloyd feel uncomfortable. Both Sheena and Raine were stomping alongside him in annoyance, Genis shuffling along behind rubbing his head furiously. Raine had been unimpressed with the way he had snapped at Zelos, although the half-elf could take comfort in the fact that the redhead was sporting a similar bruise. Regal and Presea walked slightly ahead. Lloyd glanced back to where the two Chosen lagged along behind, frowning. Zelos was probably filling Colette's head with all sorts of stupid excuses for why he, basically, couldn't be bothered. As if on cue Colette started to jog up towards him, Zelos observing with interest.
Lloyd slowed his pace to allow her to catch up, "Are you okay Colette?"
"Me?" She replied, seeming surprised, "I'm fine Lloyd. But, I was hoping that… maybe you might…"
Lloyd was careful to keep his voice calm, it was hardly her fault if Zelos was using her to try and win sympathy, "Colette, that idiot-"
"No Lloyd, please talk to him, I think he's sick!"
"Oh really?" He replied without interest and turned back towards the others, who were starting to get a little ahead of them. He wasn't too surprised when she ploughed on.
"Yeah, he says that he has a fever, and that his back feels like it's going to break! That would be horrible! And he says that he's too fragile."
"Surely the Great Zelos can handle a little more walking? Raine thinks we've been using the Rheairds too much anyway."
Colette walked alongside him slowly, shuffling her feet through the dirt and avoiding eye contact. Lloyd was getting irritated now, it had seemed to him that she was really starting to perk up and now that damned idiot was dragging her right back down again.
"Look, if I go have a word with him will you stop being sad?"
Colette looked across at him, warmth lighting up her blue eyes, "Will you? Please?"
"Fine, fine," he sighed, turning on his heel before stopping in his tracks, "But you stay away okay? I don't need him telling you anything else, right?"
She nodded, smiling broadly, "Okay Lloyd, whatever you want!"
Lloyd flashed her a quick smile before starting the stomp back. He was surprised how far Zelos had let himself fall behind. Although enough of them could us magic to tell the others where they were.
The night was warm and Lloyd was surprised how little they had been bothered by monsters. Sheena seemed to think there were more monsters here than on Tethe'alla, probably a part of the decline. In fact, there had been very few monsters at all on Tethe'alla until very recently, presumably an attempt by Yggdrasill to hinder their quest. Lloyd didn't much care, let him try.
Zelos flashed his customary smirk as Lloyd approached, seeming completely unaware of the scowl on the brunette's face. Lloyd couldn't grasp how the guy could stand there looking so casual, but he wasn't so sure he understood much about Zelos at all.
"Hey Lloyd," he greeted, with a typically lazy half-wave, "How-"
"You have to stop talking to Colette." Lloyd snapped at him quickly, already finding himself frustrated by the slow pace.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't realise I was cutting in on your chick man, I'll be sure-"
"That is not what I meant!" Lloyd cried, taking the bait, as he always did. "I just want you to stop saying stupid things to her-"
Zelos laughed aloud, "Calm down, I'm sorry! I'll keep my other hunnies, okay? Like I said-"
"Like I said, it wasn't like that, idiot!"
"Ah whatever. Seriously though, I wasn't messing with her."
Lloyd tried to gauge Zelos' face, but it was impossible, as ever, to figure out what the redhead was thinking. "What, you really are fragile…?"
"Oh yeah, how can you expect someone as utterly gorgeous as me to keep up with this kind of abuse? I'm tired man!"
"Well…" Lloyd struggled to think of some kind of answer that might finally get Zelos to shut up. Simpily saying no didn't seem to have much effect, and he didn't really want him to start bugging Colette again. Still, no one else wanted to stop yet, and it wasn't fair that they should have to schedule themselves around Zelos' lazy attitude.
"Well…?"
"Well, I think you're making it up. Come on, stand up and do some work for once, all you ever do is complain and now you're upsetting everyone else. You didn't give Colette a second thought when you started moaning to her, now she's worried for no good reason!"
For a second, it looked like Zelos was going to snap at him, but in the end the Chosen simpily shrugged half-heartedly. "That's harsh, don't you think?"
"No, not at all! Stop thinking about yourself all the time, we're a team, okay? Now we're lagging behind, if you put as much effort into moving as you did complaining then-"
"Alright, alright, I get the message." Zelos mumbled at him, sounding rather more put out than Lloyd would have expected, "But if I go and collapse or something, it's your fault. You'll have to live with the knowledge that the women of the world have been deprived of their only solace! The Great Zel-"
"I said, stop complaining, you lazy idiot!"
Lloyd trudged off, Zelos following along at his own weary pace.
"What's wrong Colette?"
Colette jumped a little at Sheena's voice, but quickly regained her composure and smiled at her, "Oh nothing. I was just a little worried about Zelos, that's all."
Sheena snorted, waving a hand behind her in disdain, "What, worried about that idiot? Don't waste your time worrying about him Colette, he's not worth it."
"B-but he said-"
"Oh, I can imagine what he said," She sighed.
"Sheena is right," Raine joined in, "Zelos is… difficult. In fact, I think he enjoys being difficult. Suffice to say he was likely lying to you. Don't think anything of it."
"Oh, so you're allowed to badmouth him but-"
Sheena took Colette around the shoulders as Raine slapped Genis for the second time that evening, "Okay Colette?"
Colette looked uncomfortably at Sheena, chewing her lip a little, "You think he lied? You think he'd do that?"
"Hell yes! Didn't I tell you about the time-"
Colette spun around quickly, cutting Sheena's story off prematurely, "Lloyd, you're back!"
Lloyd nodded, overlooking the irritated gaze on Sheena's face and instead noting that at least Colette was smiling again. "Yeah. Don't worry, he's fine."
"Good." She grinned, before once again becoming subdued, "Sheena said he was lying to me… is that true Lloyd? Why would he do that?"
Lloyd shifted uncomfortably, trying to think of a way to explain this to Colette without her becoming even more upset or angry. Not to mention he wasn't too sure himself. Sadly Sheena beat him to it.
"Because he's a moron, okay? I swear something went wrong somewhere, Sylvarant gets a Chosen like Colette and we're left with him? Yggdrasill obviously has a really sick sense of humour, huh?"
"Sheena's right, sort of." Lloyd added.
"Colette," Raine spoke again, "Zelos isn't a bad person, but he's used to people doing what he wants when he wants. I don't think he's been part of group like this before, so he still expects people to behave based off of his wishes. He's not malicious so much as…"
"Lazy?" Genis supplied readily, making sure to stay well out of reach.
"A product of upper-class society." Raine concluded coolly.
"Oh, I see." Colette replied, although she still seemed a little put out.
"When you put it like that, I guess he does make a little more sense." Lloyd said, "Wow, I wish I was rich like him, then people would do what I liked as well!"
"I think you've missed the point…" Raine sighed, Sheena shaking her head.
"I thought you said he was on his way?" Genis piped up, sounding slightly confused.
"Yeah, although he refused to hurry up. He's back there somewhere."
"I don't see him." Colette noted, sounding rather more worried than seemed quite natural. Lloyd turned with everyone else, his eyes sweeping the plains they'd been crossing, a frown playing across his features. They were right, he couldn't see Zelos anywhere.
"Where's he gone…?" He questioned, more to himself than anyone else.
"Damn idiot, he's probably trying to mount some kind of one man strike or something. We don't have time for this!" Sheena kicked at the grass, fists clenched, "He is really getting on my nerves."
Lloyd sighed, still looking for a sign of movement.
"What's going on?" Came Regal's voice, he and Presea finally noticing the lack of movement from their companions.
"Zelos is gone…?" Presea observed quietly, seemingly impassive to the information.
"Yeah, he's been lagging behind trying to get attention, and now he's pulled a disappearing act," Sheena responded, "Stupid idiot Chosen…"
"It is getting dark." Presea continued, "We should not split up now."
"She's right," Raine said, "Although I doubt he's very far. Lloyd, if you and Sheena go and find him now, we'll make preparations to camp here tonight, okay?"
"Wait, wait!" Sheena cried heatedly, "I thought you just agreed we shouldn't split up! And why should I have to go and look for him, huh?"
"It is not dark just yet, and you two are probably the fastest among us. I was simpily trying to save some time. Like I said, I doubt he is very far at all, it shouldn't take you very long."
"But!"
"Come on Sheena, let's get this over with." Lloyd groaned as everyone else began to settle their things. Sheena groaned equally as loud as she trudged along behind him, quickly getting level. They walked silently for a while, each with their own thoughts. Neither of them said anything as the sounds of camp drifted further behind them, but they shared the same strange suspicion that he really shouldn't be this far behind.
"Hey," Sheena started, finding silence just as oppressive as Lloyd, "what was it like being brought up by a Dwarf?"
Lloyd glanced over in surprise, "Where did that come from?"
Sheena grinned, "Well, Colette mentioned it, and I've been curious. I'd never met a Dwarf before Altessa. Is he much like your father?"
"Nah, Dad's way better than that guy. He taught me everything I know!" He missed Sheena's worried look at that comment, "Although you better not tell Raine, she'll probably hit me or something."
"No kidding."
Lloyd sniggered before continuing, walking at a rather leisurely pace now, "Yeah, Dad's great alright. He's always nice to everyone, and he looks after Noishe and all even though most people think he's pretty scary. Noishe that is, not Dad. Maybe we'll be able to visit him soon or something."
"Yeah, maybe. It's been a while, huh?"
Lloyd nodded, becoming more subdued again. Sheena cursed her lack of tact, drawn between starting a different conversation to try and cheer the brunette up or intensifying their search. It so happened that she never had to make a decision.
"Wait…" Lloyd stopped, Sheena quickly tensing beside him before she spotted what Lloyd had seen and relaxed again. "Is that him there? Is he…sleeping?"
Sheena reached Zelos first, frowning, whilst Lloyd ranted behind her.
"…Lloyd," She muttered, then louder as he spoke over her, "Lloyd! I think he's a little more than 'asleep.'"
Lloyd knelt down next to her, looking on in confusion. "What? What do you mean? He's hurt?"
Sheena lifted the redhead slightly, taken by surprise at his total lack of response. He wasn't acting, that was for sure. His face seemed flushed, although there was no obvious wound to be seen. Lloyd seemed to be panicking next to her.
"No way," he reached out, touching Zelos' face then snatching his hand back, "He does have a fever! He was serious! I can't believe it, I thought for sure he was-"
"Lloyd, calm down, that doesn't matter now. He's probably just caught a bit of a virus somewhere along the line, we'll just take him back to camp and he'll be fine in the morning, right?" Sheena did a good job of keeping cool, thinking of Raine as she spoke, but inside she was in turmoil. Lloyd wasn't the only one guilty of dismissing him, and she suddenly felt almost overwhelmed with guilt. But that wasn't going to help anyone.
"But-"
"Come on Lloyd, snap out of it. Can you carry him?"
Lloyd nodded shakily, turning around and hoisting Zelos onto his back. He was surprised at how light the Chosen was, but he was more surprised at how much this was affecting him. The night had seemed warm earlier, yet suddenly he seemed to be shivering. He grimaced, annoyed at how stupid he'd been and how stupid he was still being.
Sheena waited until Lloyd was stable before starting back, trying not to go too fast so Lloyd could keep up. Lloyd hurried after her, easily keeping pace, his thoughts elsewhere. How come he didn't notice something was up…? Zelos has seemed his usual self, he hadn't been coughing or anything similar. Raine's explanation had seemed accurate, only Colette had paid any attention and then he'd ignored her too.
Sheena was right though, it couldn't be anything serious. It was only to be expected that they'd get a little sick sometimes, that one of them would pick up some bug or another somewhere along the line. It was nothing. Of course it wasn't worth worrying about.
But not worrying was what had cause this in the first place.
"This is… beyond embarrassing…" Lloyd practically felt the words against his ear, Zelos was that close.
"Zelos!" He was startled at how quiet the other man was, compared to his usual loudmouth manner. He didn't get a response, and he could feel the redhead slump down against his shoulder again.
Why did Zelos still sound amused…?
"Raine!" Sheena called as soon as they were close enough to the camp. It was Regal who reached them first, quickly supporting Lloyd as best he could with his hands cuffed. Raine quickly cleared a space and they lifted Zelos down. Lloyd stayed where he was, looking over Zelos' face again and again, waiting for any sign of consciousness. Sheena explained how they found him hurriedly to the rest of the group.
"Oh no…" Colette knelt down next to him, her hands over her mouth, "Lloyd, I'm so sorry, maybe if I'd said something sooner-"
"What do you?"
"Because of me, Zelos is sick-"
"What are you talking about!" Lloyd snapped angrily, silencing Colette and everyone else suddenly, "How could this be your fault! I'm the one who dismissed what you said! I told him he was being an idiot! That he was-"
"Lloyd, this isn't helping anyone!" Raine intervened, crouching next to him and placing a hand on his shoulder.
"I told him he was a lazy idiot…" Lloyd almost whimpered, his voice cracking. Raine chose to overlook the way Lloyd had taken Zelos' hand in his own, instead turning back to the others.
"We shouldn't stay here tonight."
Presea nodded, her sombre attitude seeming relevant for once, "Yes. There should be somewhere nearby where we can stay, correct?"
"Way ahead of you," Genis replied, holding out the map of Sylvarant, "There's a House of Salvation not all that far ahead. I'd say that's our best bet."
Regal looked down over the half-elves shoulder and nodded, "Yes, that does seem the best option. We'll have to carry him a little further however, he is too large to share a Rheaird wih any of us without high risk."
Lloyd nodded briskly, "Right, I can-"
"No Lloyd," Raine interrupted quickly, "Colette is our best option. That is fine with you, Colette?"
The blonde looked up from between her tears, nodding, "Yes Professor."
"But this is my fault, I should have to-"
"Lloyd, we'll make much faster time if Colette carries him. She still has her angel strength, remember? If you want to set things right, then haste is needed."
He hesitated a moment longer, before getting to his feet and quickly setting about taking down camp, careful to avoid eye contact with Colette. He suddenly found himself ashamed of the way he'd spoken to her, even if it was all true. It wasn't right that she should blame herself, not when it wasn't her fault… but now she'd only want to apologize for making him shout. He glanced swiftly over, seeing how much easier she lifted Zelos and feeling even more ashamed. He couldn't even do that for him…