Even in battle, Alvis had a hard time keeping his eyes off Egil. The Machina hadn't looked at him without looking away in disgust for at least a week and it was starting to bother Alvis. Shouldn't things be getting better now?

But nothing was changing, things felt stagnant. All he could think about was that, as he stared at Egil's back. Ignoring the very angry Orluga trying to pound him into dirt at the moment.

Well, until it slammed him into a tree, the vessel he had made himself letting out a groan of pain as he slid down it. He hadn't been paying attention, and this was what he got for it. Well, he supposed he may need to come up with a backup plan if the body known as Alvis was killed.

"Alvis!" Egil's voice came out more a scream and Alvis turned his head to see the Machina running towards him. Strange, after everything…?

Egil reached him, wrapped his arms around him, and took an Orluga fist to the back, blocking Alvis from more damage. For a moment, words didn't come to Alvis, as Egil used himself as a shield against their enemy.

But then, words did pour out. "Why are you protecting me…? Aren't you upset…?"

"You're a fool, Alvis." He grunted, holding Alvis close. "You're… still an ally and a friend…"

"Egil…" He shook under his grasp as the fist bashed into Egil's back over and over. "Egil, stop, you could die."

"I'll be fine, my body is sturdier than your soft, little body." He looked Alvis in the eyes, a grimace of pain on his face. "You wouldn't be able to take half of what I can."

"Stop…" Alvis gripped his sides, trying to pull Egil away from the Orluga. "You can't take much more of this!"

"It'll be fine… Alvis…" He passed out on Alvis and, for the second time in Alvis's being, he felt horror.


"You idiots!" Alvis was still reeling, clinging to Egil, when Tyrea yelled. "You nearly died!"

The Orluga lay dead now, the rest of the group able to defeat it as Alvis lay under an unconscious Egil. Egil was finally awake, shaky and still using Alvis as support. They both made it out of this without dying…

But Egil was pulling away now, standing on shaking legs and looking towards the rest of the group. "I apologize, I wasn't thinking."

"Clearly not!" Tyrea shook her head. "You're both utter fools! You!" She pointed to Alvis. "Pay more attention to the battle and not Egil's back next time! And Egil!" She turned back to the Machina. "Throwing yourself on top of him isn't how you help him out!"

"Tyrea… that's enough." Linada placed a hand on her shoulder, pulling her back. "I know you're upset, but they nearly died. Try to be a bit softer."

"Softer?!" The word came out a hiss. "Linada, your ether can only do so much!"

"She knows that!" Egil snapped then, and Alvis found himself getting to his feet. "She's already seen me on the brink of death, unsalvageable by normal means! She… She knows."

His voice puttered off pathetically and he turned from the group, walking into the foliage. Vanea stared after him, worried, only staying put as Kallian placed a hand on her arm. Alvis stared after as well, feeling he had no right to follow after.

And that was when Oka approached.

"Alvis should go after Egil, Oka think." Her voice was soft as she spoke, looking up at Alvis. "Alvis not fix things with friend when they go bad, and now both Alvis and Egil hurt."

"You mean… our fight last week?" Alvis's throat constricted a bit as he watched Egil vanishing. "He's still… upset with me?"

"Mmhmm." Oka nodded. "Egil type to need sorry when things go bad. Some people need that, and that okay. But Alvis need to know when friend needs that."

"So it won't just blow over on its own…" He stared and let out a sigh. "I'm still so unsure, Oka…"

"Okay to be unsure, as long as Alvis try."

Alvis was the universe itself, had been watching the beings of the worlds standing in the endless sea as long as he could remember. Studying them, learning the usual trends in every race. The way things often brushed over on their own, how relationships started, how friendships broke… He had thought he understood, watching from afar.

But he hadn't, not really. He had known the skin-deep to it all, but he had never really understood. Never allowed himself to really get to know how different and varied every being could be. By watching from afar, being a neutral third party, he had hindered his ability to truly learn.

To truly be anything like the mortals he spent his days watching.

"I… I'll go after him." He finally spoke, looking down at the Nopon. "Thank you, Oka."

"Oka just glad Alvis understand! Alvis can be little dense about relationships, so Oka was worried." She laughed happily. "Alvis should hurry. Not let Egil get too far away!"

"You're right. About all of it." It seemed he had a lot to learn from a little ball of fluff… How funny.

And with that, he took off, into the foliage after Egil. He ran, ignoring the calls for him to slow down and come back. Demands to not let stupidity get he and Egil hurt again falling on deaf ears.

He ran, chasing Egil down to the lake he seemed to have found, standing and staring out across it. Without a thought, he made it to him, leaped and wrapped his arms around him like he would never let go again.

"Egil." He clung to him, legs wrapping around him and clinging for dear life. "I caught up to you."

"Alvis…" Egil's voice was tight as he put his hands on his sides, trying to pull him off. "What are you doing…?"

"I think we need to talk, Egil."