Welcome to Gaia! ::

It had taken longer to find them than she wanted but all in all, it had been a quick process of elimination coupled with vague witnesses. Still, the annoyance etched into her face was blatant - mostly because it would have been a lot faster if one of them bothered to answer her messages.

As she made her way through the famine oasis and finally came upon the pair, she wasn't surprised at all to see them wrapped up in one another. With Zyk's head resting on Ever’s lap, it was no wonder that he wasn't returning her messages. She was going to be lucky if he noticed her existence at all.

Her slippered feet made little sound on the rolling sand beneath her soles but her stance was loud enough to draw attention - both feet planted and her hands came to her hips, firmly propped on the swell of pale skin exposed by the slits of her long skirt.

“Could you two possibly be any more oblivious?"

Ever's hair was wet and loose, soaking slowly into the collar of his shirt. He'd gone for a dunk again, apparently, and had only just conceded to putting back on layers of shirts, his pants tossed carelessly to one side. They were long enough to cover him up, but left pale legs (stretched out under Zeke] completely bare.

He tipped his own head, expression hidden behind a pair of mirrored sunglasses, in Scarlett's direction. And his answer, in contrast to Zyk's, didn't exactly inspire confidence.

"Oblivious about what?"

"Hmm?" A brow arched, and he'd reach into his pocket for his phone, checking the messages that he hadn't bothered with until just that moment. "So that was what all that noise was about." As if he didn't know full well the sound of his own phone, or what the varying chimes meant.

But Scarlett had taken a seat, which only resulted in Zyk's smile growing. She couldn't have been that annoyed with him if she were willing to share his company.

"We are aware of the matter with the crystal, and have been taking measures. currently, we are taking a small break." He waved a hand idly to indicate the pool, the oasis, all of it.

Scarlett rolled jade green eyes at Zyk's lackluster comment over all that noise, then let them trail off to stare at the oasis instead of at him and any more of his attempts to dissuade her worry with his impossibly relaxed nature. She was a creature of anxiety and obsession - great for perfection in the arts but sadly, not so much with day to day crises.

"Nothing worthwhile," she heard herself say, "which is frustrating. I've been looking for you two to get your opinion on what ever it is."

At some point over the years she had become a solitary creature, too focused on her work, and now it was difficult to maintain that level of solitude when she knew she needed to be a part of something bigger and more helpful. Zyk was the closest thing she had to a friend or confidant, a thought that made her turn her eyes back on him begrudgingly.

She did her best to release her irritation on a sigh.

"What work did you two do?"

Ever's hand opened thoughtlessly under Zyk's touch, fingers spread in a kind of offering. Their tips twitched, just a tiny bit, at the nail down his palm -- and it all distracted him from whatever Scarlett was saying. Instead he hummed, something distracted and agreeing and thoughtless, in response to whatever she's said. Then, finally, he lifted his head and looked confused. He'd lost the thread of conversation entirely.

"It's pretty boring here, with the power out. Everyone's so quiet and serious." And Ever pulled a little face in Scarlett's direction. "It's kind of terrible."