#basically TLDR of this is ''Zenos has good pacing the whole time y'all just don't have the ASPD to see it like I do'' sdjihui

[anarkhebringer]

Man now I'm thinking about Zenos in general, this fucking guy that talks on and on about the hunt every 5 seconds with the WoL while not even believeing in his own words until much later on, because he doesn't want this to be a waste like he feels everything else in his life was.

For the first time in his life he feels SOMETHING and YOU spark that something, you caught his interest, but he doesn't wanna attach himself YET until you prove yourself to be worthy of the praise he gives you (Shinryu fight and how he suddenly backpedals when you say you accept him during his "we can work together as friends" monologue). You're getting there but you're not there yet, so of course he's not gonna fucking believe you until you prove yourself to him, no matter how much he wants to in the moment.

I dunno if this is because I have ASPD and see through this guy even better because of it that I think all this, but Zenos was interested from the start, even if he didn't seem like it. It was a "well you're new. Okay." sort of passive interest at first, you still caught his attention and he wanted to milk whatever information about what you can do and what you'd do to him he could since you stood out to him.

As you kept proving yourself he starts hoping that you're like what he thinks you are and what you can do with each fight. That being why he so suddenly gets all unhinged grinny and the monologues start, you're proving him right in his mind and making him feel something for the first time and he LOVES it.

BUT it's not cause to fully believe and accept yet, because that's how shit crumbles and you get disappointed and bored again, so that's when the final tests start and you pass. You made him happy for the first time in his life, he felt something with you, that's all he could ask for, and that's why he does what he does at the end of Stormblood.