Note from the Author: This takes place before Regal joins the party, because I don't like Regal and didn't feel like writing him into this. .

None of them were clueless. They all saw it. They all realized what was going on between them. They all noticed the nuances that changed their relationship.

Colette saw it in the apologetic smile Lloyd sometimes cast in her direction, regret for everything they took too long to make happen. His embarrassed way of showing affection had faded into nothing, and the way he spoke to her was as to a friend he held dear. He still protected her with the same determination and worry he always had, but she knew he didn't feel what he used to for her.

Genis, as Lloyd's best friend, was the target for the constant excited jabbering that came with falling in love. He knew that Lloyd's feelings were sincere, and he was elated for him, happy that he had found someone to give his heart to, even if it wasn't the person they had always expected it would be. What confused him, though, was that he was sworn to secrecy, like what was happening was wrong, and Genis didn't think about it that way. But, he figured that everyone knew anyway.

Raine knew in the blush that Lloyd developed sometimes. It used to be reserved just for Colette, but she wasn't the one whose presence triggered it now. She knew in the soft way that Zelos looked at him, the lack of teasing in his voice when he spoke to him. She knew this wasn't one of Zelos' flings, could see it in the gentility with which he handled Lloyd.

Sheena recognized it in Zelos' sudden lack of interest in her. She watched it in the way his hip bumped against Lloyd's a green eye winking. She knew his flirting was normal. What wasn't was his exclusive attention for Lloyd and the nervous flattered smile from Lloyd that was turned adoringly toward Zelos. She found it strange that the Chosen wasn't more open about it, didn't proclaim that they were together. The respect he showed for Lloyd's privacy baffled her, and only strengthened her belief that he really did care for him, and only hoped he wouldn't grow tired of him as he did with all his playthings.

Presea didn't understand it. Zelos constantly put himself in danger to defend Lloyd during battle. Zelos' intelligence level, despite his tendency toward ignorant comments, was high, and the obvious action would be to take care of himself, and leave Lloyd to fend for his own life. But, even so, he constantly looked out for the boy, taking wounds that should have been dealt to Lloyd himself. She didn't understand what he was thinking.

No, none of them were clueless. They could all see it; they all knew that Zelos and Lloyd had transcended that line between friends and lovers. What they didn't know what why they bothered to keep quiet about the obvious, to not announce what they all knew was there. But, they waited. They allowed them all the time they needed to come to terms with their relationship.

Then, on the day when they sat down to breakfast around a campfire and Zelos pulled Lloyd into his lap, burying his face against his neck, and Lloyd laughed, blushing, they all just looked around at each other and smiled.