[--Well. Worth a shot. Jack couldn't say that'd been the reaction he'd been hoping for, but then again, the levels of sincerity that Zelos has been showing for the bulk of this conversation are already well beyond normal. Asking for much more than that, already...would probably just be selfish. One thing at a time, here.]
[So for the meantime Jack shifts along with the latter's apparent desire to nudge the subject away, and responds to the physical nudge at his shoulder with an absently exaggerated rock sideways in the opposite direction, before he settles in place again, still leaning in return, flicking over a glance with wryly arched eyebrows accompanying.]
Oh, I couldn't say...maybe it was just a hunch.
[And maybe there's a hint of something almost a bit sad (or even sympathetic), in the tone there.]
[But he already told himself he wasn't going to pursue that subject any further.]
[Which leads right over into that other vein, which is a handful of issues in and of itself, really...and at that ready answer, the shift in Jack's mood is almost palpable; abruptly, he draws a bit more upright, head turning to look directly at Zelos again, all trace of amusement and everything else evaporating in favor of a frown.]
[An almost reprimanding frown...]
Then that's the sticking point. [In a voice that's a lot stronger now, both slightly in volume and noticeably in conviction, certainty--no doubt here, not the same way there'd been doubt for a good portion of this conversation up until now. Because this, at least, is a topic that Jack knows well, and maybe it's the Guardian part of him finally seeing fit to set in now, in the face of an issue that strikes him as pretty clear-cut as far as answers go.] That's--you know what that means. You're older, you're--you're her older brother.
[Staff shifts up and away from his lap, the butt of it slipping down to the floor so it can be stood upright, and Jack leans forward onto it a bit, frown still never wavering, eyes still pinning the latter down with the closest (and first) equivalent to almost-anger that's showed up ever since Jack walked into the room.]
It doesn't matter--so maybe she does hate you, just because you're around, for some reason--maybe she does. But what does that matter? It doesn't matter at all. You're her older brother, and older brothers--look out for their little sisters.
[And, with a sharp breath, Jack turns away, the one hand still on his staff hiking up a bit higher--because he has no idea what the expression on his face might look like, but maybe it's probably better that it isn't seen...]
How do you expect to take care of her if you're not around?
no subject
[So for the meantime Jack shifts along with the latter's apparent desire to nudge the subject away, and responds to the physical nudge at his shoulder with an absently exaggerated rock sideways in the opposite direction, before he settles in place again, still leaning in return, flicking over a glance with wryly arched eyebrows accompanying.]
Oh, I couldn't say...maybe it was just a hunch.
[And maybe there's a hint of something almost a bit sad (or even sympathetic), in the tone there.]
[But he already told himself he wasn't going to pursue that subject any further.]
[Which leads right over into that other vein, which is a handful of issues in and of itself, really...and at that ready answer, the shift in Jack's mood is almost palpable; abruptly, he draws a bit more upright, head turning to look directly at Zelos again, all trace of amusement and everything else evaporating in favor of a frown.]
[An almost reprimanding frown...]
Then that's the sticking point. [In a voice that's a lot stronger now, both slightly in volume and noticeably in conviction, certainty--no doubt here, not the same way there'd been doubt for a good portion of this conversation up until now. Because this, at least, is a topic that Jack knows well, and maybe it's the Guardian part of him finally seeing fit to set in now, in the face of an issue that strikes him as pretty clear-cut as far as answers go.] That's--you know what that means. You're older, you're--you're her older brother.
[Staff shifts up and away from his lap, the butt of it slipping down to the floor so it can be stood upright, and Jack leans forward onto it a bit, frown still never wavering, eyes still pinning the latter down with the closest (and first) equivalent to almost-anger that's showed up ever since Jack walked into the room.]
It doesn't matter--so maybe she does hate you, just because you're around, for some reason--maybe she does. But what does that matter? It doesn't matter at all. You're her older brother, and older brothers--look out for their little sisters.
[And, with a sharp breath, Jack turns away, the one hand still on his staff hiking up a bit higher--because he has no idea what the expression on his face might look like, but maybe it's probably better that it isn't seen...]
How do you expect to take care of her if you're not around?