[ One moment, he's watching the young man before him, gauging him for a reaction. Seeing where his spinning wheels take him. The next, he's jolting as Zell's hand's cupping the back of his neck and he's staggering a bit as he's pulled close. His face ends up buried in the young man's shoulder before he knows it and he just... stays. Stays and listens. They couldn't... They couldn't because they'd died- because they'd protected them. Because they're...
-it makes sense. Of course, they wouldn't want to lose... Of course, they would try to prevent that after what had just happened. And through the ache, he gets it. He knows. Enough so that he doesn't immediately say anything in return. Enough that he's just going to slowly coil one arm around Zell despite the awkward placement he's sure it'll have, that he's turning his other hand just enough for the key to lose balance and slip into his hand instead. He feels that weight- feels it and what happened just sinks in more. It had really happened, Zell and Jim had really lost them both, and he and Kunsel had left them alone. And they could have never come back. And even if they did, their chances of reviving again if something happened were that much more grim than the last time. Kunsel had done the math, himself.
Zack draws out a slow exhale as he closes his eyes. ] You... You're mine, too. And I... There was no guarantee that Kuns would come back, you know? So, if something had gone wrong and you two had... [ He has to let the words trail away at that, swallowing thickly. Those numbers were against them, too. Jim especially. Pulling Zell to him a little tighter, he forces himself onward. ]
DON'T GIVE ME THAT.
-it makes sense. Of course, they wouldn't want to lose... Of course, they would try to prevent that after what had just happened. And through the ache, he gets it. He knows. Enough so that he doesn't immediately say anything in return. Enough that he's just going to slowly coil one arm around Zell despite the awkward placement he's sure it'll have, that he's turning his other hand just enough for the key to lose balance and slip into his hand instead. He feels that weight- feels it and what happened just sinks in more. It had really happened, Zell and Jim had really lost them both, and he and Kunsel had left them alone. And they could have never come back. And even if they did, their chances of reviving again if something happened were that much more grim than the last time. Kunsel had done the math, himself.
Zack draws out a slow exhale as he closes his eyes. ] You... You're mine, too. And I... There was no guarantee that Kuns would come back, you know? So, if something had gone wrong and you two had... [ He has to let the words trail away at that, swallowing thickly. Those numbers were against them, too. Jim especially. Pulling Zell to him a little tighter, he forces himself onward. ]
I just never wanna lose you two either.