"Brother, I was simply talking with Captain Ezra, and apologizing for getting him suspended," Kaelis said, his tone unusually even. "And we were hungry, since he hadn't eaten anything, so we were just waiting for… well, him."
He pointed at Fizzy.
That was odd.
Ezra had seen Kaelis and Helios interact many times, but this felt different.
It had been different since earlier, but this was the first time Ezra had seen Kaelis seem… smaller.
Not his usual loud, irritating self.
Something in him had quieted.
Because, yet again, Ezra started to actually feel bad for him.
"You can eat on your own. You shouldn't keep bothering Ezra," Helios said with a sigh. "He's already in trouble because of you."
Kaelis stared at him.
Ezra expected a retort. A joke. Something.
But nothing came.
Instead, Kaelis turned to Lior. "Let's eat next time, kid," he said lightly, then looked at Ezra. "I'll talk to you later."
No fight. No argument.
He just… accepted it.
