The light faded on the horizon and Zelgadiss held his cloak tight against the encroaching chill of night. He was alone, exhausted, and disillusioned. Of course, he'd been all those things for a very long time now. Tonight it simply seemed enhanced. There was a party in Saillune; it would have started an hour ago. He'd received the invitation over a month ago, and he had thrown it in a river. This was Amelia's final attempt to bring him permanently into her life, and it was his final refusal.
That didn't mean he had to like it.
It wasn't that he wanted to be with Amelia the way she hoped he would be, but he wished he didn't have to cut her off so cruelly for his feelings to be understood. He shouldn't have to be the bad guy, but so frequently it was the only way he could get his point across.
So he was brooding.
And he was lonely.
And he was hurting.
And, to top it all off, he was cold.
"You look terrible." A voice cheerfully told him, and he looked up to find Xellos sitting on a rock a few feet away. The mazoku didn't seem bothered by the cold at all, and for some reason that made Zelgadiss incredibly annoyed.
"Go away." He snarled, but Xellos just smiled at him.
"Are you sure? I could leave you here all by your pathetic lonesome to wallow in self-pity, or I could stay and you can pretend that I'm your friend."
"What's the point in pretending?"
"Then don't pretend. Let me be your friend."
"You?" Zelgadiss scoffed. "I'd rather be friends with Zanafar."
Xellos pouted. "You're mean. Really Zelgadiss-san, you're all alone and you push away anyone who tries to change that."
"I do not." Zelgadiss snapped, and Xellos motioned around the empty area.
"Of course not, that's why there's so many people here with you."
"Shut up." Zelgadiss muttered, and huddled deeper within his cloak.
"Amelia-san was disappointed that you weren't at her party." Xellos mentioned lightly. "Why didn't you go?"
"None of your business."
"Sometimes it helps to talk."
Zelgadiss snorted. "This from the man who answers 'sore wa himitsu desu' to everything."
"So call me a hypocrite." The mazoku responded with a shrug. "Why didn't you go?"
He sighed, "Maybe she'll understand now."
"You don't love her."
"Not that way." He agreed, shivering again. His cloak just didn't seem thick enough right now.
"Do you love anyone that way?"
"I'm not even close to being desperate enough to answer that."
Xellos laughed. "Perhaps. Are you cold?"
Given that the answer was obvious, Zelgadiss didn't respond.
"Why don't you start a fire?"
"I don't want to be found. There's too many people in this area."
"Now that is definitely taking anti-social to a new extreme."
"Oh go away." Zelgadiss muttered yet again, pulling futilely on his cloak.
Xellos smiled and stood, but instead of walking away, he walked towards the miserable chimera. "You're hopeless." He said cheerfully, then swirled his cloak as he sat down right next to Zelgadiss. The thick fabric settled down around the chimera's shoulders in a warm, comforting wave.
"W -- what are you doing?" Zelgadiss stammered, trying not to enjoy the heat Xellos' nearness provided.
"It's to cold for you to huddle here under that rag." Xellos' voice was soft as he answered. "Sometimes it really doesn't pay to be alone."
Zelgadiss really wanted to disagree with that, but he was a lot warmer with Xellos beside him. For some reason, he wasn't lonely anymore either. "Whatever." He muttered ungraciously, but he leaned slightly closer to the mazoku's body. Xellos laughed again, and then slipped his arms around the chimera's still-shivering shoulders.
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather just light a fire Zelgadiss-san?" He asked in a softly teasing tone.
"No." Zelgadiss replied, and decided that he really didn't need to explain his choice. Fortunately, Xellos decided not to pry.
"All right then." That said, they sat together, sharing their warmth as the shadows of night covered their forms in darkness.