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When Master Lloyd first changed he suspected a couple things. The young master could've been replaced by a scam artist or magical creature. It was also possible that Lloyd Frontera had unsurprisingly succumbed to the effects of mind control. Javier had stayed on his guard around the imposter, as the only reason anyone would willingly take over that hooligan's life would be to try and harm the Baron and Baroness’ estate.
However… he admittedly couldn't seem to catch the imposter in the act. Then, the imposter started doing things. Good things. And for a brief moment, Javier almost considered that his master truly had changed and became a better man. Then the bubble burst when Javier caught Lloyd doing something he knew couldn't possibly be from Lloyd.
It was after the ant incident. Javier had woken and recovered fairly quickly, keen on going to his charge's side. Baron Frontera had informed him that Lloyd had yet to wake. His feelings were turbulent at best. Lloyd had risked his life to save him, instead of leaving him there in that mineshaft to save himself. It was selfless and coming from Lloyd it was new to Javier. He had spent as much of his time as possible watching over the unconscious man, though he ended up not having to wait long.
Lloyd stirred in his bed, white sheets shifting and bunching up. Javier perked up and strode to his bedside. Lloyd groggily sat up and blearily looked at Javier.
“Master Lloyd?” Javier called.
Lloyd yawned, “Jagiya?”
It was utter nonsense. For a moment Javier wondered if Master Lloyd had hurt his head in the explosion. But it was the way he said it… it flew off his lips like he had said it a thousand times. It was clear albeit slightly mumbled from sleep, however not slurred. Clearly Lloyd had said a word. Javier couldn't identify it though, it was a language he'd never heard before. It was also proof that Lloyd Frontera was not who was in front of him.
Javier eyed the imposter as he rubbed his eyes and perked up, “Ah Javier! Just the man I wanted to see.”
Before he could question the fraud the original Lloyd Frontera's parents burst in, desperate to see who they thought was their son. It made Javier's blood boil seeing the Baron fret and the Baroness worry over the fake. So instead of staying and making sure his lord and lady were safe like a good knight, he excused himself, too mad to focus on not threatening the fraudulent person half to death.
It would have to happen at a later time.
The next time Javier heard strange words from Master Lloyd it was when they were visiting a jobsite and Lloyd had found a structural issue. The not-hooligan had been agonizing over how to fix it. He spent the majority of the day at his desk mumbling over papers with a pile of crumbled sheets at his feet and a graphite stick in his mouth.
Unfortunately, he was still Javier's charge. So Javier went and procured a plate of snacks from the kitchen. Master Lloyd needed to eat at some point.
He sat the plate down and Lloyd switched out the writing utensil for a cracker.
Javier stared at the man, “Master Lloyd.”
Lloyd didn't look up from his papers, “Yes jagi?”
There it was again. That strange word. It sounded like a shortened version of the word he had heard first. He still didn't understand what it meant.
“Master Lloyd, come eat.” Javier tried again.
“Huh?” Lloyd looked up confused.
Javier sighed, “Dinner, Master Lloyd, it's time to eat.”
Lloyd had a dumb look on his face, “Oh. Okay.”
While Lloyd left to eat Javier was left to mull over the strange word. What was it? An insult? This Lloyd seemed fond of those. He mused that it could be something like a swear or cuss. Either way it was most likely something in his native tongue. Maybe next time he'd ask Master Lloyd…
The secret both of them secretly carried became an open one between them in Hell.
“Is Kim Suho your real name?” Javier probed.
Lloyd gave him a nervous look, “Well- I- you see… uh…”
Javier gave him a flat look.
“Yes…” Lloyd said nervously.
Nervousness was an odd look on his master. Foreign. Javier didn't care for it. He much preferred the confident one that was almost always on display… even if it was ugly. Lloyd, or maybe Kim Suho, looked anxious. Javier decided to change the topic.
“What does ‘jagiya’ mean? Is it your native tongue?” Javier asked bluntly.
Interestingly enough Lloyd sputtered and grew red in the face.
“Where did you hear that word from?” Lloyd asked once he had recovered from his fit.
Javier tilted his head slightly as he recalled the scenario, “I believe you called me it when you first woke after the ant incident in the mineshaft.”
Lloyd's eyes were wide in what Javier could only discern as surprise. A faint tint to his cheeks made Javier curious as to the word's meaning. Though he supposed the flush on his master's face could be from the heat of Hell. Javier had his doubts. He watched curiously as Lloyd worried his bottom lip between his teeth in contemplation. It was a habit that he'd long since gotten used to when Lloyd started doing it one day out of the blue.
Finally, Lloyd gave him the answer, “It is my native language. Jagiya is… it's like a nickname.”
Javier raised an eyebrow, “Is ‘jagi’ also a nickname?”
Lloyd groaned, “Don't tell me… I said that too?”
“I won't tell you then.” Javier said with a hint of amusement in his voice.
Clearly this was embarrassing for Master Lloyd and he'd be damned, or was it blessed since they were in Hell, if he didn't milk it for all it was worth. Lloyd still had pink cheeks and the pout he had reminded him of Master Ppodong.
“Are nicknames like that common where you're from?” Javier wondered aloud.
Lloyd nodded, “Y-yeah, pretty common.”
Javier hummed and let the topic fade. After all, they had work to do.
Now that Javier knew what the word was the next time that Master Lloyd used it came as less of a surprise. They had been working tirelessly on another one of Master Lloyd's projects that Javier had long since stopped questioning. They were both dirty and down to just their shoes and pants, shirts long since discarded. Lloyd was working on something while Javier was supposed to be digging. However he was feeling particularly ornery.
“Jagiya, could you toss the shovel this way?” He said to Lloyd purely on impulse.
Lloyd froze, face beet red and jerked to look at Javier, “What did you say?”
Javier shrugged, “Lloyd could you pass me the shove. That was all.”
Lloyd tossed the tool over to Javier and he watched as Master Lloyd got up and mumbled about hearing things and heatstroke. Supposedly it was a nickname, but it didn't explain why Master Lloyd reacted so strongly. Javier would need to test it some more…
Honestly Javier should've known that Master Lloyd's exploits would lead them through a portal into a different dimension. It was naive of him to assume that it couldn't get any more insane. Still, this world was different from his by a long shot. The sky was a little dreary instead of clear. There was noise everywhere and it was so loud bordering on unbearable to his heightened senses. The smell was atrocious too. So many scents pooling and creating a difficult air to breathe. Long story short: Javier didn't like this dimension they'd found themselves in. He looked to his master and found Lloyd curiously subdued. He seemed completely unbothered. At home in a terrible place.
Oh. This must be Kim Suho's home.
With the revelation in mind Javier looked around again, trying to imprint it all to memory. Even if he detested it, it was still his… it was Lloyd's home at one point.
They were supposed to be looking for the Kiaora. They had changed to blend in with the locals and the guide that they had directed them to some sort of structure.
“What are those things?” He asked, as the Kiaora was covered in pieces of metal.
Lloyd rolled his eyes, “Love locks. Couples put them on and lock them then throw away the key. It's supposed to symbolize their ‘everlasting love’ or something.”
Javier nodded despite not really getting anything from the explanation other than it was a courting custom. He curiously looked at some of the people with them. Pairs of people were everywhere, fond looks held in their eyes. Hands were interlocked and cheeks rosy. Javier never really understood the whole love thing if he was being honest. Sure he got love letters but he never reciprocated them. What did loving gazes matter if he didn't feel it too?
Still, boredom had him watching the crowds. A younger couple raced forward, giggling between themselves. The girl leaned forward and the boy met her, gently pressing their foreheads together. They laughed a little, close and in love.
“Jagiya.” The girl said to the boy.
The boy echoed it, “Jagi.”
It was reminiscent of whenever Javier watched the Baron and Baroness in the garden. The pair would laugh, holding hands as they walked. Arcos would softly call his wife ‘my love’ and she'd smile just like the young girl in front of him currently. The young couple giggled as they repeated the same silly word. Completely in their own little world. Completely unaware that another world had just shattered and been rebuilt in a matter of seconds.
Javier turned to Lloyd, “Jagiya isn't a nickname.”
Lloyd whipped around to face him, surprised and hesitant.
After a beat, “Not exactly… it's a term of endearment.” Lloyd admitted reluctantly.
“You called me jagiya.” Javier accused.
The blush on Lloyd's face got deeper, “Yes…”
“Why?” He asked simply.
Lloyd looked at him with surprise, clearly taken aback at the question. He likely had expected some other response. Lloyd pondered on it before trying to answer.
“You're… I- it just slipped out.” Lloyd settled on.
Javier raised an eyebrow, “Did it?”
Lloyd huffed, “So nosey all the time! What am I paying you for?”
He hummed, “Jagiya.”
Lloyd looked to him almost on instinct but then caught himself. He sputtered and blushed profusely even as Javier smirked. Teasing Master Lloyd was fun. He liked it. He also liked the flustered look on his master's face. Javier didn't mind calling Master Lloyd by endearments either. He found he quite liked it which was a new revelation he'd need to explore once he was back home with Lloyd.
By the time Lloyd calmed down Javier was still smirking.
Lloyd shot him a grumpy look, “Saranghae. There, I win.”
Javier's brow furrowed, he didn't know that one.
“What does that one mean?” He inquired.
Lloyd huffed, “Ask me when we're done and the barony is safe.”
Javier hummed. He supposed that was fair. They'd have all the time in the world to learn endearments then.