Atticus' laughter continued for many moments. The sight of a smoldering Ozeroth, whose face had gone big like a ripe tomato as though it was about to explode, somehow only made him laugh even harder.
At some point, Atticus realized that he wasn't laughing because of Ozeroth anymore.
The battle with Merek had been a lot. The ascension games since their start had been a lot. Atticus realized this was the only time he'd felt genuinely happy. It was like releasing a heavy weight from his chest.
His joy was infectious. Even the little Noctis perched on top of his head had begun jumping up and down, tongue out, tail wagging while letting out sounds that would melt anyone's heart.
Ozeroth landed roughly a few meters away from him, still glaring at him.
"Alright, alright. It's getting old. You should stop now."
Atticus let out a deep breath, shaking his head before finally exhaling.
"Ah, that was good." He glanced at Ozeroth, whose glare would burn a hole through steel.
