i can't help but wonder if it was before or after fighting rek that epax decided he wants to ally with tricky trio. i mean his experience with rek certainly would've solidified just how chaos-inclined tricky trio are, and it would've showed him just how well they can work together. he and rek were totally in sync, on completely the same page, moving in absolute Tandem together during that fight, like it makes Sense after that epax would really want to ally w them.
i also like that, when epax tentatively suggested it, it didn't seem like leek was surprised at all. he was there for the fight with rek and knew how well they worked together, and he knows epax well so it seems like it didn't come as a shock to him in the slightest
still, it's killing me that epax had the audacity to say that to leek and loppezz, Notorious Sufferers of Tricky Trio. 2/3 of leek's deaths this season have been to tt. loppezz has died to tt 5 times (with one being luigi killing her and immediately giving the heart back), has been threatened by them, and is actively KOS for them.
and epax definitely does Care about how they'd feel about it! he clearly had to work up the courage to even suggest it, seeing as how he just Said it out of nowhere, and he sounded So hesitant when saying it too.
and yet he didn't care enough to consider other allies, to consider not suggesting it, because well. he Wants them. he Wants to team with them more than he cares about how it affects his teammates. he wants to team with them bad enough that he's willingly to give them back the mace the coerce them to ally with him, and has "last resort" plans to convince them. Like?? epaxial what is Wrong with you i can't do this
