"He does care...that's why he's like this. If he didn't care, he'd be acting childish like last time." Itzel replied softly as he turned Naoki to look at Simon once more. "He needs you right now..."

Naoki gulped and got closer to the mage. And then a bit more. Still.. he didn't know what to say to make it all good.
"Simon..", he whispered, not really knowing what to say more right there and then.

Simon turned his head towards where he heard the neko's voice and his eyes lost a little of their dullness seeing that Naoki was looking at him in concern instead of disgust. "Naoki..." he said softly back.

"I.... I wanted to take you with us...", he muttered. "I don't want to make you sad.."

Simon was a little taken aback hearing that, after what he did, Naoki still wanted to be around him...after he had slapped him and shown a lot of disgust for the mage. He looked away from Naoki, a little unsure. This was the first time he'd ever felt...not worthy to be around someone...it was a confusing and conflicting feeling, something the mage wasn't used to. He felt like he didn't deserve to have Naoki around him after what he did and heard from the neko after his cheeks were slapped. This time, instead of bouncing back like he usually did after upsetting Naoki, he was in a pit of emotions.

"Simon...I know you're not used to these feelings, but Naoki's willing to take you with us and forgive you...you just have to behave." Itzel said softly after all Naoki received was a pause.

"Behave...it seems I can't even do that around Naoki..." Simon muttered.

Itzel frowned hearing what came out of the mage and he turned his head briefly to look at the many wanted posters on the wall that Simon had glorified as his "trophies" over the centuries that he's been alive. "Simon...this isn't like you at all..."

Simon said nothing as he brought a hand to one of his own cheeks that was still burning from the slap he had received even if the mark had healed itself.

"Simon, please...I know you and I butt heads....and I know you and I disagree about some of your actions, but now you're scaring me. If this is some sort of joke of yours, stop it!" Itzel said seriously with a deeper frown.

"I-I'm sorry... I didn't want to hurt you", said Naoki barely audible after silence was lingering between two males.

Simon turned his head to look at the neko, his eye color lightening a bit more. "Why are you sorry? I'm the one that should be apologizing after what I did..."

Simon blinked at the answer he received, then paused for a moment and soon was chuckling into his hand with his eyes closed. When he was done, he looked at Naoki with his eyes their original color and his regular smile on his face. "Well...now you know how I feel when I make you cry." he said softly.

"Huh?", he asked, not really understanding what the other male was talking about.