Lloyd goes into his little story, and while entertaining, it only serves to quiet Zelos for a while as he speaks. Because Lloyd... never mentioned a cat. In all of his letters and what little chats they could have when he came back from the Academy, the subject of a cat named Oliver never came up. And just like that it occurs to Zelos that despite the familiarity and comfort of their current banter, despite their shared history and past openness, nowadays they hold many secrets neither dares to share.

It leaves a sour taste in his mouth. He swallows it down when Lloyd starts joking again though, trying to hide it, and forces a chuckle and some levity into his own tone before he responds. "Yeah, I don't think it could've resisted for too long," he says, opting for the easiest way out. "All cats can be bribed with food. You did it yourself, anyway! You should know!"

Restless energy settles in his chest, and the inability to fidget with anything lest he ruin his own haircut starts to grate against his nerves. This sucks. Zelos really wants Lloyd to finish up soon.