Thank you, everyone, for the no-flames. Bully for me I have nobody who hates them. This'll be an angsty romance fluff chappy.

(m-.-)m Ghostie...

-Chapter Two-

Zozy stared ahead pensively, deep in thought about something. Her eyes held a shimmer that was not of happiness. She radiated an aura of woe, but it invited no pity. She was forbiddingly spaced-out, seeking no comfort.

Kratos was a bit worried about her. She seemed unduly stressed lately, often pulling on a stray lock of hair or chewing on her hand, seeming like she looked for something that wasn't sadness or mindless, fleeting joy.

In all truth, she felt disappointed, let-down and passed over. Her only true love had lost himself to another, and had left her completely, lost and sorrowful. She had sadly returned to the group, looking decidedly worse for wear. Zelos had tried to cheer her up
(come on have a little fun with your zelly)
but had only been greeted with a blank, woeful stare. He'd left her alone, slightly startled by the amount of sorrow that had come pouring into his mind from just looking into her eyes.

She'd steered her Rheiard aimlessly towards Flanoir. Soon they had touched down in the snowy blanket that covered the continent. Had she been normal, she would have took a flying leap off her Rheiard and made a snow-devil but she just stepped off, and fell down, staring up into the endless gray skies. Kratos' face appeared in her field of view, and she got up. Kratos had looked quite concerned, so she decided not to worry him any worse.

They were there for the Ice Festival, which was to give thanks to the Ice Spirits
(celsius my cool beauty)
for not taking many lives during the cold, harsh winter. They had only 2 seasons, Spring and Icy Doom. People carved ice sculptures to show reverence for the Ice Spirits' awesome power to chip ice away with the pure force of their will. Zozy had a sort of stony determination to win the Goddess Festival year after year.

As always she dominated the competition. Her dance was to the tune of Hopeless
(instrumental beautiful flowing let me go spin spin almost fall swoop)
and was a graceful performance. She seemed to float over the snow, spinning, feigning this way, jump and spin! Land, shift, step.

It was enchanting; yet it was just like her in battle. The only difference was that she had no zanbatou (like a halberd, only with a lighter blade) to weight her down.

Later at the inn, she and Kratos shared a room. They were short on rooms, and they had to pair up, two to a room. By some cruel twist of fate, Lloyd and Zelos got stuck in the same room. She had spied Genis praying silently for Presea to be stuck with him, and his prayers were answered. Zozy had chosen the teams, of course, and she made sure that she had not been put with Zelos or Regal; Regal scared her and Zelos would have come up with some way to snuggle up with her.

Zozy spent a while, staring at the ceiling aimlessly, her mind wandering
(is this life or death and how could i really be sure it is too cold to be dead or alive so maybe i am both)
tossing and turning
(this is stupid)
but after a while she got up and went outside. She stood in her bedclothes (a loose shirt, loose pajama pants of silken quality) in the snow, staring out over the town.

"Aren't you cold?" she heard a quiet, calm voice ask. She spun around, and was staring at Kratos, who was wearing a black shirt, black pants and the ever-present weird cape-mantle thingy.

"N-no! I... I'm fine. Let me be," she said, shivering, turning her back on him
(oh my so cold he knows i am lying why does he care it is too cold for me have to stay or he will think i am weak)
and staring back over the town. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on now, I know you're cold. Come back inside," Kratos said, soothingly.

"I'm fine. Go away."

"Zozy..." he said, exasperated yet patient.

"Go away. I'm fine."

"Zozy."

"Go!"

"Zozy!" Kratos snapped. "Come back inside. It's too cold!"

"What if I don't care if I freeze or not!? Would you care if you had nobody to love you at all?! I sure as hell don't, so I don't give a damn!!" she screamed at him, her words echoing through the muffled silence of the winter town.

"You...you think nobody loves you?" Kratos asked, shakily.

"No, I know nobody loves me. Why would they? I am a horrible person," Zozy said, her voice miserable.

"Zozy, you are not a horrible person," Kratos said softly.

"I'm a foul, miserable creature and a fool!"

"No you aren't."

"Why do you say I am not?" Zozy asked, venomously.

"Because I was told to never kiss a fool."

And with that, he kissed her. She stiffened, her eyes wide, but then dissolved into his warm embrace. Suddenly the world did not seem so cold and calloused, for how could it be when her secret love so openly expressed his feelings for her? Kratos broke away, although Zozy had leaned her head forwards to keep their lips together.

"Come back inside," Kratos told her. He lead her back inside to their room, and inside there was no light to show their act. They finished, and curled up with each other, huddling close for warmth.

Wasn't that nice and fluffy? Mmhmm. YOU LOVE IT!