Zelos didn’t have to see Malba’s face to imagine the expression that was on it. He was embarrassed, most likely, and probably a bit shocked by what Zelos had said. That accounted for the quiet stutter, the uncertain question, anyway. But there were those too-sweet words and the gratefulness. That he couldn’t account for.
“Heh. Yeah, I found you, all right,” Zelos mumbled in response. Even though there were multiple meanings, he was focused on the literal one. “Was pretty scary, y’know? When we first found you, uh… thought I’d lost you before I’d even met you. Damn lucky that wasn’t the case.”