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[Because Zack loves her, and because Cloud would do anything not to hurt Zack, and because...
...because he doesn't know how to just pick up where they left off as if nothing's changed. He doesn't know how to adjust to her suddenly back in his life. So much of his guilt, his despair, all this time has been bound up in her death. If she's no longer gone, if she's right here, then...what does he do with any of it?
He drops his gaze to the floor and doesn't look up when she passes him by on her way to the door. He's never quite been able to say no to her, so when she tells him 'don't,' he doesn't. Doesn't say another word, doesn't make a move to try to stop her.
Doesn't react at all.]
...because he doesn't know how to just pick up where they left off as if nothing's changed. He doesn't know how to adjust to her suddenly back in his life. So much of his guilt, his despair, all this time has been bound up in her death. If she's no longer gone, if she's right here, then...what does he do with any of it?
He drops his gaze to the floor and doesn't look up when she passes him by on her way to the door. He's never quite been able to say no to her, so when she tells him 'don't,' he doesn't. Doesn't say another word, doesn't make a move to try to stop her.
Doesn't react at all.]
Edited 2024-07-31 06:53 (UTC)
I don't know.
I know there are circumstances where it would be better if I was locked up - if it was some place secure. But that's only partly because of me. [He considers it entirely his fault, for the failure of self-control, but he wouldn't blame someone else in his situation the same way.]
I know there are circumstances where it would be better if I was locked up - if it was some place secure. But that's only partly because of me. [He considers it entirely his fault, for the failure of self-control, but he wouldn't blame someone else in his situation the same way.]
[Why does Sephiroth have to word things like that? Even if, considering the symbolism and importance he attributed to the materia, it might be sort of accurate...but still. He hopes the slight warmth in his cheeks isn't visible.]
I don't need a gift.
I don't need a gift.
[She doesn't give warning, doesn't ask him over the communicator. She knows he may not be here, but Aerith goes to stand by Cloud's door, a plate with a cake in her hands.
Someone is free to tell Cloud that he has a visitor. It's okay.
If she has to, Aerith will wait all day for him to arrive for this simple gift.]
Someone is free to tell Cloud that he has a visitor. It's okay.
If she has to, Aerith will wait all day for him to arrive for this simple gift.]
[Cloud is here, and hasn't left in a day or two. He's feeling...marginally better after Sephiroth's visit, but also has new and exciting things to worry about because of it.
After maybe ten or fifteen minutes, the cat(?) emerges from Sephiroth's cabin across the hall through the cat flap built into the door. It circles warily around Aerith, watching her, and then darts into Cloud's cabin through the matching cat flap in his door.
Then she can hear some sounds that are...not quite meowing?...and Cloud grumbling quietly back at the animal for a few minutes. And then, finally, footsteps as he approaches the door with none too quick a stride, though not a hesitant one.
And then he opens the door, and blinks in surprise.]
Aerith? Uh, I mean...hi.
After maybe ten or fifteen minutes, the cat(?) emerges from Sephiroth's cabin across the hall through the cat flap built into the door. It circles warily around Aerith, watching her, and then darts into Cloud's cabin through the matching cat flap in his door.
Then she can hear some sounds that are...not quite meowing?...and Cloud grumbling quietly back at the animal for a few minutes. And then, finally, footsteps as he approaches the door with none too quick a stride, though not a hesitant one.
And then he opens the door, and blinks in surprise.]
Aerith? Uh, I mean...hi.
[Was that....a cat? It looked like a weird cat. And was that...yup. That was Sephiroth's cabin.
Just like her and Vincent are neighbors, Cloud has a neighbor from their world too. Still, she smiles at the weird cat thing, but doesn't move from where she's stationed.]
Hi Cloud.
[She holds out the plate, with the cake on it.]
Happy birthday.
[It's very to the point, but...there's no point of hiding why she was here, was there?]
Just like her and Vincent are neighbors, Cloud has a neighbor from their world too. Still, she smiles at the weird cat thing, but doesn't move from where she's stationed.]
Hi Cloud.
[She holds out the plate, with the cake on it.]
Happy birthday.
[It's very to the point, but...there's no point of hiding why she was here, was there?]
[Oh, right. Not that Cloud forgot about his birthday or anything, it just hasn't exactly been at the top of his priority list.
He's glad for the excuse to drop his eyes to the cake rather than look her in the eye. There's something familiar about it, though he can't quite put his finger on what.]
Oh. Thanks. You...didn't have to do this.
He's glad for the excuse to drop his eyes to the cake rather than look her in the eye. There's something familiar about it, though he can't quite put his finger on what.]
Oh. Thanks. You...didn't have to do this.
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