Where the guardian with his prince end up having a conversation and not soon after, at last Geno gets to really reunite with the one he wants.

No one's POV:
-

Geno just stared as his guardian was trying to tear to pieces Ramirez. Throwing him to all directions, hitting him aggresively with his hands and feet. But mainly, setting him on fire. Apparently however, the flames seemed to cause the least pain to the doctor, even if he wasn't getting burned, but slightly melting.

Which was a horrifying sight to see for the others. The siren didn't know if he could enjoy what his guardian was doing to Ramirez or if he was once again way too terrified from the actions. But soon he was going to realise that he needed to stop the guardian from keep going.

As the tall skeleton grabbed Ramirez by the neck and clenched, he clearly saw the hand cracking. The guardian was awake and angered and Alter's body had started getting damaged from such rage and sharp movements.

"¥œυ'rə nœτ rəæctıng nœw thæt I'm æbœυτ τœ f*cƙıng ƙıłł γœυ, hυh?" The guardian commented, causing the pirates' eyes widen up once again. What they were seeing all this time was Alter going berserk and what they were hearing was his mouth letting out heavy swear words towards Ramirez.

"What the f*ck is happening to him?!"

"I'm never going to bother him ever again."

They had no idea what was controlling Alter, who was smiling at the moment seeing Ramirez struggling. But soon his smile was going to leave.

"About damn time somebody end my misery painfully and slowly. Do it, coward." The doctor said slowly, giving emphasis on the last word. The hand around his neck tightened its grip and he actually whined from the pain. The crack that was on the hand of the tall skeleton grew bigger.

"§œ. Ɓə. Iτ-" He stopped talking feeling something wrapping around his waist. He almost dropped Ramirez, but didn't turn to look behind him. "¥œυ hævə 5 §Ə€ŒŊЧ τœ łəτ gœ œf mə ɓ ə f œ r ə I səτ γœυ œπ fırə."

"You sure ya wanna do that to your prince?"

His head spun almost 180° around and down. Geno was hugging him. He had limped his way over the tall skeleton.

"... Prιncə." He said slowly.

"Let go of him. You harm my friend's body."

"Thə mυττ hæs τœ đıə. Hə hærməđ γœυ."

"Exactly, he harmed me. But he can't do any more harm for now. At the state he is, won't ya help me ease me off my pain?" Geno asked and whined lightly remembering all Ramirez did. The realisation struck the guardian like a sack of bricks.

"ŒH £*€ƘIŊG Œ€ƏÆŊ§ THÆT'§ RIGHT, ¥ŒU'RƏ IŊJURƏĐ!" The tall skeleton threw away Ramirez like a rug, turned around and kneeled near Geno, all anger and madness gone from his face. Almost. He started palpating him on his cheeks, his shoulders, arms and waist sharply but gently. "ÆŊĐ ¥ŒU'RƏ §TÆŊĐIŊG IŊSTƏÆĐ Œ£ §ITTIŊG ĐŒ₩Ŋ?!" He placed a hand on Geno's forehead, the cracked one on the smol's shoulder. He closed eyesockets and seemed to try focusing on healing Geno. But soon he opened his eyesocket, confusion and terror plastered on his expression. "₩æıτ-... whγ? ₩H¥ €ÆŊ'T THI§ ßŒĐ¥ HƏÆΓ?!" He asked frantically.

"So it became true." Geno had hoped Ramirez' prediction would be wrong about Alter being unable to use healing magic from now on. He felt sad, as the tall skeleton confirmed what he hoped wouldn't be the case. The guardian pressed his hands on the sides of his head and sat down.

"§h*τ, §H*T!" He yelled. "| shœυłđn'τ hævə gœnə cræzγ. I shœυłđn'τ hævə fœrcəđ hım ınτœ mυrđərıng τhəm!"

"Murdering who now?!" The pirates now weren't just surprised, they were horrified as they stared at Alter, as if they hadn't killed before themselves. Hearing that the most kind one of them had committed murders was just setting them off.

"Œh nœ, I rəməmɓər! Thəır scrəæms, thəır łımɓs gœıng τœ æłł đırəcτıœns, thə ɓłœœđ ænđ gυτs ænđ-... ÆÆÆÆÆH!" The priest screamed in bloody murder and covered his face.

"ANDRÉS!"

At last. Captain Reaper had arrived, who wasn't happy one bit with what was going on. Ramirez on the floor silently in pain and half-melted, Alter having a mental breakdown and Geno?! Covered in blood!

"Estoy... vivo Señor." Ramirez was heard saying.

"Why is it most of the times I have to be absent things go bad?!" Reaper facepalmed and teleported towards Ramirez 2 steps away.

"Don't bother... for me. Send the fish to heal first or something." The dog said, trying to sit up.

"Stay down Ramirez and don't move! You only hurt yourself further." Reaper stopped him.

"I'm not dead Señor. I can just go about my day-."

"STÆ¥ DŒWN ÆND DŒN'T MŒVƏ ÆNDRÉS THÆT'S ÆN ŒRDƏR IF THÆT'S WHÆT YOU NƏƏD TO LISTEN!" Ramirez looked genuinely surprised hearing Captain talking like that, while his expression was saying concern. But he looked down exhaling quietly from his nose and just became one with the floor. Reaper calmed down. "Aldo, Bai, Yalin!" He called and the beaver, the white bunny and the python monsters approached him. "Yalin you treat Markus, Bai treats Ramirez, Aldo, you treat Geno." He commanded.

The 3 monsters nodded and hurried to fetch first aid. Geno was all this time just standing and watching Reaper. He hadn't done much, yet one thing was interesting. The way he was showing genuine concern for Ramirez.

Even if he yelled at him, it showed that he just cared for the dog's comfort. Where almost everyone was staring at the doctor wanting to just finish him off on a daily basis, Reaper had a completely other mood. Caring as if they were family.

He was generally friendly towards his crew, but towards the doctor he had a different way of talking and treatment. And it was showing on Ramirez too sometimes. Whether unintentionally or not, his ears were more perked up around Captain.

His tail that was motionless as if held down by rocks when interacting with most pirates, was slightly coming alive and every now and then wagging when he talked to the short deadly skeleton, whether that be gentle wagging or a sharp flick.

Geno hadn't bother to think of such until now. Yet he had observed them happening all days back. Also he could swear that the black of Ramirez' eye was taking a lighter tone, again when interacting with Reaper. Even right now, as he stared at Reaper silent.

Geno's thoughts were suddenly interrupted when he felt getting scooped up. The guardian was holding him like a baby now.

"Lət's gœ." The taller said bluntly.

"Where?" Geno asked.

"Mədbæγ."

"But first aid will come here soon-."

"¥œυ dœn't wænt γœυr bœdγ əxpœsəd ın frœnt œf thəm, rıght?" Uncosciously Geno wrapped his arms around himself. Ah yeah. Bai, Aldo and Yalin returned with first aid. The white bunny went straightforward for Ramirez and the python towards Markus. Aldo approached the 2 skeletons.

Honestly the siren didn't want the beaver to touch him at the moment, especially when the pirates could see the mess of a body he had. Only Alter and Ramirez knew and had seen, but kept to themselves the horrors. Did he really want Aldo to see too?

"Ŋœτ. Hərə." The guardian suddenly said coldly as he death-stared at Aldo. The beaver didn't look scared of his appearance, rather confused. He gestured something and the taller groaned. "It's cœmplıcætəd əxplæın ıt tœ thə lıkəs œf γœυ, mœrτæł. Lət's gœ tœ thə mədbæγ." He said sternly and started walking. At the medbay the guardian set the prince down on the one bed. Aldo, who had stayed behind because he had short legs entered too and was ready to approach, only to get surrounded by blue aura. "Ŋœτ. A sτəρ. €łœsər." Aldo grew a little more concerned, looking at Geno as if trying to see if he knew what was up.

"Guardian." The siren said gently.

"... ¥əs prıncə."

"No more harm." The smol looked at Aldo. "I think that it would be much more preferable if you walked out and let... Alter aid me." What? Could he say that the priest was possessed by a magical siren force at the moment? "Let him get out of the medbay by himself..." He said calmly referring to the taller.

"Æh, wəłρ." The guardian vanished the blue aura from Aldo's body and pointed at the door. "Œυτ." After looking one more time at Geno concerned of the situation, the cook let down the medical supplies, turned around and exited the medbay.

The tall skeleton didn't waste time to take the first aid and approach Geno. On his way towards the smol however he twisted his arm. A click was heard from the door and the siren flinched. He looked up to the taller concerned, who didn't seem to sense that.

"Uuuh... is the door necessary to be locked?"

"Wə wœυldn't wænt ænγœnə bυstıng ın wıthœυt ª wærnıng. Rəmœvə γœυr jæckət ænd shırt. Thəγ ærə cœmþłəτəłγ υsəlləs τhıs sœækəd τhəγ ærə ın blœœd, nœ mæττər hœw mænγ τıməs τhəγ wıll bə wæshəd." Slowly and hesitantly Geno did that and the other kneeled near him. He unwrapped the already ripped bandages from the smol's body, then started searching him for injuries. But then he raised brow. "Whæt ınjυrıəs dıd thə mυtt cæυsə? Jυst təll mə." The guardian asked the smaller then. Geno looked up, recalling all injuries he went through.

"Let's see. Uuuh, I got stabbed by a cutlass on my shoulder, bumped my forehead hard on one mast to the point it cracked, the dogface clawed my back aaand... ah yeah, I had a knife stabbing my ankle." Geno finished. The other was looking fast at Geno's torso, his good eyesocket perked up. He even stood up and leaned to look at Geno's back. When he faced again the smaller, after looking at him with a wide eyesocket for a few seconds, he stood up, walked back to the first aid and put back the supplies in the bag. Geno's eyesocket widened up. "What are you doing?! Aren't you gonna-..." He paused. Slowly the taller turned to look at him.

"Thərə's nœ nəəd... æppærəntlγ." Seeing Geno just raising brow, the guardian kept talking. "Thərə's nœthıng tœ həæl. Nœ wœυnd ættənt tœ."

"What?!" Geno yelped and stood up fast. He walked towards the tall mirror in the room. "Didn't you hear me? I was-!"

"Stæbbəd bγ ª cυtlæss œn γœυr shœυldər, bυmpəd γœυr fœrəhəæd hærd œn œnə œf thə mæsts tœ thə pœınt ıt cræckəd, thə mυtt clæwəd γœυr bæck ænd γœυ hæd ª knıfə stæbbıng γœυr ænklə. I səə nœnə œf thəsə." The guardian said calmly. Geno stared at his reflection and started looking at all parts of his body he knew he could remember the most pain.

"Impossible..." He could see all of his old scars, cracks and burns, all of his reminders of the painful past. But there was no new one. No stab wounds, no new cracks and-. Of course, all this time he was walking fine, what happened to his ankle?! "What-..." Geno stood motionless like a statue, looking at his reflection shocked. Even when the reflection of the taller skeleton was seen standing behind him and to the left. Eventually a big palm was placed on his shoulder.

"Cœmə. If thərə ıs nœthıng tœ trəæt, I wıll jυst bændægə γœυ. Thæt ıs stıll nəədəd. Frœm thə lœœks œf γœυr œld bændægəs, I cæn təll ıt tœœk wæγ tœœ lœng frœm thə læst tıme." Silently Geno obeyed. He jumped on the bed and sat down, allowing the taller to just wrap his torso, arms and legs in bandages. When he was done he send the first aid away with blue magic on the table of the medbay. Then he sat next to Geno. They both stayed silent.

"... What are you really?" Geno asked out of the blue.

"Œrıgınælly, I æm ª fœrcə crəætəd bγ ª Rœγæl Sırən, ın thæt cæsə γœυr mœthər, dəstınəd tœ prœtəct ænγœnə whœ ıs rəlætəd tœ hər, lıkə yœυ, whənəvər yœυ'rə thrəætənəd. I æm ª fœrcə thæt ıs məænt tœ bə græntəd υpœn hυmæns, œr mœnstərs, sœmətıməs əvən υpœn ænımæls, wıth gənυinə pυrıty ın thəır həærts ænd/œr sœυls, bυt ıs æffəctəd thə mœst bγ œnə œf thə 6 nəgætıvə əmœtıœns sırəns fınd thə mœst dængərœυs. Whılə I grænt pœwərs tœ thə hœsts, æt thə sæmə tımə I fəəd œn thəır wœrst œf thə 6 nəgætıvə əmœtıœns, thrəætənıng tœ thrœw thəm æt ænγ səcœnd œff bælæncə ıf thəγ dœn't græsp cœntrœl." As if he had rehearsed that answer, the guardian said all that nonstopping while facing forward, firmly but emotionlessly. He stayed silent after that, just for a few seconds however. He slowly turned head to face Geno. "Bυt ın γœυr frıənd's cæsə, I fœrməd ıntœ ª whœlə dıffərənt pərsœnælıtγ. I wæs nəvər məænt tœ bə sœməthıng wıth lœgıc œr vœıcə. Thıs hœst hœwəvər dıd thə grænd mıstækə œf kəəpıng mə lœckəd fœr wæγ tœœ lœng. Hə hændləd wəll hıs ængər nœt tœ cœmə œυt, bυt hə wæs kəəpıng ıt ınsıdə hım dəəplγ, tœgəthər wıth tərrıble gυılt fœr thə pæst. I fəd œff ıt wıthœυt ænγ chæncə əvər tœ bə 'əxprəssəd', sıncə hə ælmœst nəvər υsəd thə flæməs. I əvəntυællγ tœœk shæpə ænd fœrm, bəcœmıng ª pært œf hım, ª rəmındər œf sœmə œf hıs wœrst fæılυrəs, υsıng thəm ægæınst hım sœmətıməs. I æm ræthər ª mœrə dræstıc ænd bœld sıdə œf hıs."

"..." Geno listened surprised to all that, not knowing what to say. Eventually the guardian sighed.

"If γœυ əxcυsə mə prıncə, I æm gœıng tœ fæll ıntœ slυmbər ægæın. Mγ jœb ıs dœnə. Gət œff thə bəd ænd ləmmə læγ dœwn." He looked at the cracks in his arms, from choking Ramirez and using way too much magic at once. "Thıs hœst ıs stıll frægılə. If γæ dıdn't stœp mə, I wœυld fυrthər dəstrœγ hım."

"Wait a minute!" Geno stopped the taller. The skeletons looked at each other. "Please, tell me, what is happening with Alter? The dogface said his body is stable enough, but he just chooses to stay asleep. What's wrong?" The smol asked. The other exhaled from his nose quietly and looked down.

"Hə drœwns hımsəlf ın gυılt. Hə cæn't gət œvər thə mυrdərs hə dıd ænd hə's æshæməd tœ fæcə thə wœrld. Mœrə œvər, æshæməd tœ fæcə γœυ." The guardian said as he stared firmly at Geno, who's eyesocket widened up.

"Me? Why?"

"Dıdn't γœυ wærm υp tœ hım frœm γœυr fırst dæγ ın hərə fœr bəıng thə œnlγ pıræte whœ hæsn't cœmmıttəd mυrdərs? Hım bəıng kınd ənœυgh tœ sυppœrt ænd dəfənd γœυ əvən ægæınst mœnstərs hə knœws wæγ lœngər thæn γœυ? Gənərælly bəıng tœwærds γœυ lıkə thə pærənt fıgurə γœυ hævən't əxpərıəncəd ın γəærs? Wəll, 2 wəəks ægœ, hə fəəls hə hæs cœmplətəlγ rυınəd thæt whœlə ıcœn tœ γæ. Æs ª dıffərənt pært œf hım, I υrgəd hım, fœrcəd hım tœ gət bæck υp ænd kıll thœsə sœldıərs. I kınd œf mænıpυlætəd hım ınto ıt."

"How exactly did you manipulate him into killing?" The guardian exhaled. He started narrating in detail the inner dialogue he had with Alter. Geno listened with wide open eyesocket.

"Æt thə ənd, I dıdn't nəəd tœ cœmplətəlγ fœrcə hım. Hə fəlt... frυstrætıœn. Hə gævə υp hœldıng bæck, cœmplətəlγ. Plυs hə kəpt mə bœttləd υp fœr sœ lœng, mγ υrgə tœ kıll sœməthıng or sœməbœdγ sυrfæcəd tənfœld. Əvəntυællγ ıt cæn't bə həlpəd."

"Nø. I wæs stıll mysəlf. I just cøuldn't høld bæck ænymøre." Geno recalled Alter saying.

"Hə gævə υp hıs frəə wıll ænd ællœwəd mə, thæt fœrcəd-tœ-stæy-hıddən pært, tœ tækə æctıœn hə wœυldn't drəæm œf tækıng tœ ænγœnə, əxcəpt Ræγmœŋð."

"Raymond?!" Geno's eyesocket widened up again.

"Hə wæs plænnıng tœ lət mə œυt ænd υnləæsh thə rægə tœwærds Ræγmœŋð. Hə 'nυrtυrəd' mə jυst fœr thæt mœmənt. ¥œυ hævə nœ ıdəa hœw mænγ things thæt pıg hæs tækən frœm γœυr frıənd. ₩æγ mœrə thæn whæt hə tœld γa ænd wıll əvər cœnfəss. Hə γəlləd æt γæ, gυıdəd bγ mə, tœ rυn fœr thə pœrt sœ hə cœυld hævə ª chæncə gət ærrəstəd bγ thə mœnstər gυærds, whœ wœυld həlp ləæd hım clœsər tœ Ræγmœŋð. Ænd whən hə wœυld səə hım, hə wœυłđ ɓυrŋ hım. Thə œŋə ænd œŋłγ mυrdər hə wœυld nœt rəgrət œŋə ɓıτ. Æll thæt, whılə æt thə sæmə tımə ællœwıng γa tœ kəəp mœvıng. Bυt hə dıdn't prədıct €æłısıæ æppəærıng."

"Could there be any difference if I had told Alter that Calisia threatened me? Could he have thought of anything different?" Geno thought and clenched his fists resting on his thighs.

"Whılə Æltər cœυldn't phγsıcælly səə thæt γœυ wərə gəttıng tœrtυrəd, I cœυld fəəl ıt. I fəəl whæt thə œnə I mυst prœtəct fəəls. I υrgəd Æltər tœ tækə æctıœn bəcæυsə γœυ wərə slœwlγ dγıng. I æm fœrcəd ŋœτ tœ fæıl ın mγ gυærdıæn rœlə. Əvən ıf I æm jυst æn œrıgınællγ shæpələss fœrcə, I jυst cæŋ'τ fæıl. Æ whılə bæck whən thə mυtt wæs thrəætənıng tœ kıll γœυ, I tœœk ægæın æctıœn ægæınst thə hœst's wıll."

"... Is he really that guilty and ashamed as ya say? So I guess he really couldn't listen these 2 weeks when I would talk to him." Geno thought disappointed and looked down.

"Næh. Ænγthıng bυt thæt prıncə." The guardian said. Geno looked up to him with perked up eyesocket. "Hıs əssəncə ıs æwækə ın thə mœnstər æftərlıfə bυt phγsicællγ hə cœυld lıstən tœ əvərγthıng æll thœsə dæγs bæck. Hə knœws œf æll γœυ wərə gœıng thrœυgh wıth γœυr træınıng, hœw sœmə œf thə pırætes wərə tœwærds γœυ, γœυr thœυghts, fəəlıngs ænd ınsəcυrıtıəs. Hœw γœυ jυst wænt hım bæck. Əvən nœw hə həærs υs. Plυs, fəəlıng γœυr prəsəncə nəær hım whən læγıng nəxt tœ hım. Œbvıoυslγ γœυ've œbsərvəd hœw hə cυddləs γœυ bæck ın thə mœrnıngs."

"Eheh. Y-Yeah." Geno said rubbing the back of his skull slightly blushing.

"Æs mυch æs hə dœəsn't fəəl rəædγ tœ fæcə thə wœrld cærrγıng thə sın œf mυrdər œn hıs bæck, æt thə sæmə tımə hə fəəls bæd fœr nœt bəıng hərə fœr γæ. Bυt hə hœlds thə səcœnd mœst hœrrıfıc œf thə 6 pœwərs ænd mœst dængərœυs ələmənt fœr thə sırəns ænd mərmæıds. Hə fəəls thæt hə's dængər clœsə tœ γæ, wwγ wœrsə thæn ænγ əlsə. Ænd hə dœəsn't knœw ıf hə cæn cœmə bæck, ıf γœυ wıll tœlərætə hım fœr thə dængər hə cæn bə ıf hə lœœsəs ıt ægæın..."

Pause. Again the 2 faced forward not exchanging one word for minutes that felt like ages. Geno thought of all he was told. Eventually he scooted closer to the taller, who looked at him raising brow.

"If Alter hears everything all this time, even what I'm saying right now, I wanna say something important to him." The smol took a quiet deep breath before looking straight in the eyesockets the taller. "Even if you feel like what you did is unforgiving... even if you feel like you failed me and that it's best I stay away from you or somethin'... I still want you back Alter. I don't ignore the murders because they were to save me, later because you just couldn't hold back anymore. You are mortal and you have your limits too. I don't let the murders shape utterly my opinion on you..." Geno approached his left hand and touched the taller's chest. A very weak and slow soulbeat was coming out of here. "... because you regret 'em. That shows me you're still... well, you. Ya didn't fail me. And I know ya haven't failed your parents either... I fell in the monster afterlife. I found 'em and I've seen it, they still love you, murderer or not. I'm willing to risk whatever uncontrollable threat you think you possess, because you're not just that, we both know it. I don't wanna face forward the dangers without you, next to me. I don't know if I can. What I'm tryin' to say I guess is... I want back the Alter I got to meet from the first day until evem today. I want by me the kind, funny, tricky, charismatic skeleton who has shown to me for the biggest part nothing but patience and understanding, sometimes strictness, but care just like how my parents used to show, even if we were never born in the same family. And while we can never replace for anything our families for all they've offered in the time they were here for us, I want you to know that just like how you've helped me and supported me all this time on my lowest and most difficult times, I wanna do the same for ya." Geno let his hand fall and looked down. "I want you by me, even if ya were to commit a thousand more murders, no matter how mad or angry ya go. Ya never gave up on me and I won't do either..." Geno paused, inhaling and exhaling quietly and deeply from talking, slightly flustered he was being this honest for what he thought of someone. He waited for a reaction, listen to a word from the taller. Anything to indicate he had processed the words.

*Sniff*

His head turned sharply to look at his guardian. Tears were now running nonstopping from his eyesockets, even the damaged one as he looked down and his bottom jaw was shaking. Geno watched him silently crying.

"... ¥υp. Thæt rəæchəd dəəp." He chuckled and wiped the tears with his palm. He looked at the smol grinning lightly. "¥əs, I æm cœnvıncəd γæ təll thə trυth. Æftər æll, γæ scrəæməd hıs næmə. Nœt thə gυærdıæn, bυt γœυr frıənd. ¥æ dœn't wænt jυst mə, γæ wænt hım whœlə, prəsənt nəær γœυ."

"Ya ain't useless at all. But I just wanna have the Alter I'm more familiar with... By the way, do I just call you guardian? Is there... any name by any chance ya go by?" The smol asked. The taller laughed quietly.

"Sırən bləssıngs υsυællγ dœn't gœ bγ ª spəcıfıc næmə. Thəγ'rə ræthər ıdəntıfυıng bγ œnə œf thə 6 nəgætıvə əmœtıœns-sıns of the sirens: Despair-Apelpisía, Fear-Phobos, Arrogance-Alazonía, Jealousy-Zìlia, Anger-Thimós, Hate-Mísos. Thərə ıs nœ sυch nəəd fœr ª prœpər næmə. Bυt sıncə γæ æskəd, æll thə γəærs I wæs lœckəd æwæy wıthœυt tækıng ænγ æctıœn, æsıdə cæυsıng gυılt tœ thə hœst, I jœkınglγ gævə mγsəlf ª næmə, sıncə I wæs nœt jυst ª fœrcə ænγmœrə, bυt hæd gæınəd cœnscıœυsnəss. ¥œυ mæγ cæll mə Trélα, prıncə. It məæns 'cræzə' ænd ıt's ª pərfəct ænægræm fœr γœυr frıənd's næmə."

"Tréla..." Geno tested the name in his magic tongue and processed it. Then he looked again at the taller. "Ok. Nice to properly understand you, Tréla." The taller chuckled.

"Sæmə. Bυt nœw..." The guardian gœt serious. "... I mυst dræw bæck. ¥œυr frıənd mυst prœpərly rəst. Bəıng æwækə tırəs hım fæst." Geno hopped off the bed and allowed the taller lay down, intertwining the fingers of his hands on top of his chest.

"Will Alter come back now?" The smaller skeleton asked. The guardian closed his eyesockets.

"Dəpənds ıf hə lœvəs ænd cærəs æbœυt γœυ thıs mυch tœ υndərstænd thæt thə rıght thıng tœ dœ ıs bəıng æwækə ænd clœsə tœ γæ mœrə œftən, nœt œnlγ whən γœυ'rə æbœυt tœ dıə." Geno felt awkward and flustered hearing the word love being put in this sentence and the guardian seemed to understand that. "Is thərə sœməthıng wrœng, prıncəγ?" He asked and slight sarcasm could be heard in his voice.

"Ain't the word love a lil' bit too..." Geno couldn't find the word. It wasn't the word "much" at the moment though.

"Æbsυrd? Innæprœprıætə whən ıt's dırəctəd tœwærds ª frıənd? Œr γœυ thınk thə wœrd lœvə ıs œnlγ æprœprıætə whən lœvərs sæγ ıt tœ əæch œthər?" By the second, the guardian's voice was becoming more quiet and drowsy. "I æm nœt ın rəælıtγ æn ælıvə bəıng, bυt I knœw fœr ª fæct thıs wœrd ıs mısυndərstœœd. ¥œυ mækə ıt sœυnd æs ıf γœυr mœthər sœυndəd ınnæprœprıætə whən shə wœυld sæγ shə lœvəs γæ."

"Nooo!" Geno yelped and turned around.

"Œr mæγbə ıt's rəællγ jυst mə əxprəssıng γœυr frıənds dəəpəst thœυghts œυt lœυd whıch hə wıll əvər hærdlγ əxprəss whən bəıng... wəll, hımsəlf, œthər thæn wıth æctıœns."

Geno blinked surprised and turned to look at the other skeleton ready to say something. But he stopped. The guardian had completely fallen asleep and wasn't showing signs of awakening. The smol approached the bed, carefully climbed on it and stared at Alter's sleeping face. His look moved from there to his chest and placed his hand on top of it. Slow soothing soulbeats could be felt.

Geno smiled.

alright, lemme see how many raised hands i'll see if they want alter awake at last.

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