Zechs wasn’t certain if that clarification actually helped. He was always on the fence, whether he should take complete ownership for all of his failures and his one decent decision during the battle that day - or if he should blame Treize for any of it. It felt cowardly to seek any way out. Yet, all the same …

He closed his eyes. He couldn’t dwell on - Zechs was determined not to sink into bitterness. Did not wish to become distracted and paralyzed by guilt. Better to disregard all of this, just - focus on the moment, stuff down those inconvenient feelings.

“… Giving you any and all intelligence on the dangers and opportunities here,” Zechs told him evenly. “Assisting you while you find your feet. Housing and food is trivial to come by, but the risks this place may pose can take anyone off-guard.”