Caius blinked a few times and tilted his head slightly as Aera would explain that you wouldn't be engaged to someone that you didn't love, ideally. Wait, so it was the norm to only be engaged to someone that you really, truly loved? He thought back on what the recruit had said, and then what Yuna had said, and what he knew, and... Well, it was a lot. He was aware of arranged marriages, arranged partnerships, typically for benefit. But to do so purely because you loved someone and not for a practical reason? That was bizarre... And yet, it was kind of sweet. Throwing away the potential practical benefits of pledging yourself to someone of status purely to show the person you loved that you cared about them. He could see it, he supposed. In a sense, it cemented the love that you held for that person, and they in turn for you, right?

"I love him dearly. I would search this world until my feet bled if that meant finding him."

Those words seemed to strike a chord with Caius. Yes, he supposed that made sense, didn't it? Yuna said that love for someone could take form in the desire to spend the rest of their life with them, and that recruit had said that the domestic partner who you were meant to be dating around to find the right person for the job, was the person you would be spending the rest of your life with...

He felt foolish. It seemed like such an obvious connection when you think back on it, and yet... He had never connected the dots. And now that he knew, Aera's plight made all the more sense. She then asked him if he had someone he cherished. He knew full well what she was referring to. Love. She was asking if he loved someone, leaving room for the possibility he might now know what it was.

He bit his lip. Yes, yes he did. He pondered if it was worth bringing up, but... Well, she had been more than kind thus far, and had proven herself trustworthy. Her being Ardyn's fiance was... Concerning, but if she somehow found out who it was and randomly decided to hunt down his loved one and set her daemon monster fiance on her, well... He was sure she could handle herself just fine. Would probably give Ardyn a right hiding too. Put a few holes in that stupid hat.

"I do" he admitted softly. He supposed he did understand why she chased Ardyn despite all that. If he had been told that she had become a monster, wouldn't he chase her to the ends of the earth to find out why, and perhaps try to bring her back?

Yes. He supposed he would. Was that love?

He likely wouldn't give a name even if she asked. She was far from his fiance, as close as they were. Her desire to stay away from that sort of thing was enough to ensure that he never dared inconvenience her with his feelings. All he wanted was for her to be happy, and this was a step in doing so. As much as it pained him, it was what he felt needed to be done.

Aera admitted that maybe it did seem a bit strange, being faithful to a monster. But Caius supposed he got it, sort of. He didn't know if he could abandon her just because he had been told she had become a monster, if the circumstances were reversed. But what would he do in this case? He didn't know. He didn't want to think about that possibility. But it was still something he should think about, he knew. It wasn't fair to Aera to not try and step into her shoes before speaking.

"I suppose I'd want the same thing. But I'd never want to live to see myself do what he's done either" he admitted softly. That probably wasn't what she wanted to hear. But it was the truth. If he had somehow gone as far as Ardyn had... He would want to be stopped. No matter what it took. He had been the death of many innocents before. He refused to do so again. Still, he did admire her loyalty. Despite where it was placed, it spoke a lot about her.

"I don't know if there is any quelling his rage, but... If you see him, I hope you do."

It was a sudden admission. He didn't know where it came from. But it had been rolling around in his head for a bit and it just came out. But it wasn't said out of any type of forgiveness for Ardyn. Even if he did repent, he would never forgive him. He could never forgive him. For as long as he lived, Caius would harbor a desire to kill both Ardyn and Somnus with his own hands. He may be able to control it, restrain it... But those thoughts would never go away. But he did wish happiness for Aera. He could put those feelings aside for that.

She asked how he found this world so far, as well as if he had met his special someone here. He took a long swig of his drink. The latter was a topic that was still a little bit sore for him.

"This world's not dead. Suppose that's a positive" he answered truthfully. He moved his mug around on the table a bit, casually busying himself. "I have the Dragonblades. Like a family that I haven't had since before the Darkness came. So I guess things aren't too bad" came next. He wasn't sure if he would go back to Eos even if offered. His duty had been fulfilled and as far as they were concerned, he had died in defense of the King. His duty was fulfilled.

"Suppose that possibly makes two of us who should possibly count our blessings. I have no idea if I'm alive or dead" he admitted quietly. "I got into a tangle with an assassin who was after my King. Next thing I know, I'm here."

He wasn't sure how to answer her other question at first, but after another swig, he tried. "As far as special someones go... The Darkness took away any chance I had at learning about this kind of thing. Much less experiencing it. The Darkness went on for ten years. That's close to half my lifetime. I've spent much of my two years in this world slowly learning about things that are apparently common culture anywhere... Even amongst people from my own world, as you've clearly shown. Things that I missed while just trying to survive for all that time. So I've never taken a romantic partner."

He let out a sigh. "That special someone is here. But she doesn't know how I feel. And never will. It's for the best."

His rage. That had been their guess as to what had caused all this destruction. It made sense, after all. Overtaken by the gift he had used too much to cure so many, and consumed by the rage from the betrayal and loss he had felt... Caius didn't know if there would be an end to it, if his destruction had continued even when he had left Eos. But he did hope that Aera could put an end to it. While Caius held every desire to kill Ardyn and end it himself... He could live with not doing so if Aera got that happy ending she deserved. Even if he knew it was a long shot.

Not all family are blood, she said, and he nodded his head. "Couldn't agree more. The Dragonblades treat each other like family, blood or not. They're honorable mercenaries, keeping the people here safe through the kind of work they do, and giving one another a place to belong. I don't remember much about having a family, but... I'd like to think this is pretty close."

A hush followed after his talk of his love life, or lack thereof. Then she spoke up, wishing him well. "A friend of mine told me that if you love someone... You would do anything to make them happy. And that's what I'm doing" he answered quietly. "But, thank you, all the same. I genuinely hope that you will find that happiness one day too" he brought up, managing a small smile. She deserved it. Someone that loyal, someone that willing to go to any lengths, even now... She had every right to be happy, and more. As for him... He wanted that happiness to be with Celes. Now more than ever, the more he had found out about the topic, the more he discovered about it and it brought his feelings to the surface.. The more he wanted to be honest with her about his feelings, as he always had before. And ever since that talk with Yuna, some small, hidden part of him, deep down in the depths he would dare not speak a word of to a soul... Had begun to even harbor a wish that it would be requited. To feel wanted, to feel like to someone, especially that specific someone, that he was irreplaceable, and most importantly... That he belonged.

But he also understood that these feelings were for someone that most likely would never feel the same way. And on top of that, only seemingly felt deeply inconvenienced by the whole affair. One day, perhaps he would feel inclined to move forward. He didn't quite know how he would go about doing that, but... These feelings had just materialized on their own, hadn't they? Perhaps things would change over time. He didn't know for sure.

Either way, did it matter if she felt the same? As much as it would make him happy - something he would never tell a soul - his concern was her happiness. She didn't need to feel that way about him for his mission to be accomplished. If she was happy... That was all he cared about.

He could tell by the look in her eyes that the drink was beginning to get to her. A lightweight, he should have known given her profession. "I don't either. Just... When it feels right" Caius admitted quietly. He had been drinking a lot more lately, with all that was going on... But he wouldn't tell her that. She suggested that maybe food would be good, and he nodded his head. "We can certainly order if you want. Menu is still to your right."

Caius was a man that enjoyed two things most of all when it came to food. Cup noodles, and meat products. Aera would order chicken, and that sounded appetizing enough, so he ordered the same, with a small side of ramen to top it off. Some water as well, the alcohol had parched his throat, believe it or not. But it had done its job. He didn't feel as turdish as he had before. Well, he did and didn't. He still felt bad, but it had numbed down. That was what the alcohol did, right?

With their orders taken care of, Aera brought up that she hadn't made time for drinking, or parties, while growing up. Caius simply shrugged. He didn't have time to grow up, period. He didn't know what it was like to have all the time in world to make. All he had ever known since he was a kid, was surviving. All these things he had missed growing up, he was now having to pick up on the fly just to not be completely lost in this world. And even if he did have more time now to do things... He wouldn't know where to start. How could he?

She asked him what he had done before taking mercenary work. "I was a hunter, faked my age when I was around 13 for a hunting license. Took some convincing, but I paid off a forger with daemon parts to forge me some identification, then I spun some bollocks about being born a dwarf" Caius admitted with a small laugh. "My actual growth spurt started kicking in soon after that, and they found me out pretty quickly. But I did good work, so they never said anything. I had lost my family shortly before that, and had been killing daemons by the skin of my teeth, dragging myself half dead with whatever parts of them I could cut off before they disappeared, to whoever was willing to buy. Taking hunting work meant I could get more for nearly dying everytime I went out, plus they offered a roof over my head so long as it wasn't already overtaken by daemons. We had to move outposts more than a few times. Either because the lights died and the daemons overran them, or the daemons just came and overran them anyway, lights and all. The endless night made them too strong for us to handle in large numbers."

He took a short swig of what was left of his drink. "When we lost our last outpost, we had nowhere else to go except Lestallum, or to the capital, Insomnia. Where the Kingsglaive were held up trying to hold the daemons off until Noctis returned. I chose to go to Insomnia, knowing that at the least there, even if it was more dangerous, I'd have a place to sleep. The Lestallum was safer, but... Too crowded. There was barely a place to sleep. And hardly any work left to take. So I went to Insomnia, and one thing led to another, the King returned, and I became a Kingsglaive for the King of Lucis. Served for two years, was sent here after foiling an assassination attempt on the King, and I've been a mercenary since. Fighting's really all I know, so..." he trailed off with a small shrug. "This is the way I best help people. So it's what I continue to do. The money's just so I can eat and keep doing it. A lot of the Dragonblades feel the same way. Many of them just want to help out the way they know how. And typically waive a fee in some emergency circumstances."

How many times had he done things pro bono by now? Sheesh, he had lost count at this point.