[Cloud can't help wondering what exactly those terms were - did Angeal get the 'I want us to be together for eternity' speech? - but he's not going to ask.
His tone is wry when he responds:]
Think I have plenty of his attention already.
[A pause, as he comes to terms with the fact that he sort of implied leaning in the first direction. Well...he doesn't want Angeal to think Sephiroth is trying to force anything. He's very specifically not doing that, which Cloud really appreciates; in fact, he keep trying to chase Cloud off. It's Cloud who keeps insisting otherwise. So...he's gotta say something to Angeal along those lines.
But he's not ready to examine his feelings on Sephiroth right this minute. Because if he does, and he realizes those feelings are closer to what Sephiroth's expressed to him than not, he'll have to figure out how to justify that when Sephiroth has ruined and taken so many lives. How could he live with himself if he felt something like that for the guy who murdered Aerith? Second chances are one thing, but wouldn't his friends be horrified if it was more than that? How would he explain it to Aerith? To Vincent? To Zack, who was there when Sephiroth murdered everyone in Nibelheim?
...on the other hand, Angeal is none of those people. If Cloud's going to give an answer to anyone, pretty much the only safe options are Yunlan and Angeal.]
You're not a stranger. You're my mentor's mentor, remember?
[And the guy who first wielded the Buster Sword. The guy Zack spoke so highly of all the time.]
I...hm. Dunno exactly how I feel about it. But...not saying 'no.' Not like he's been pushy or anything, anyway. That's what I mean by, don't worry about it. Trust me, I know what it's like when Sephiroth's really intent on getting his way. This ain't it.
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His tone is wry when he responds:]
Think I have plenty of his attention already.
[A pause, as he comes to terms with the fact that he sort of implied leaning in the first direction. Well...he doesn't want Angeal to think Sephiroth is trying to force anything. He's very specifically not doing that, which Cloud really appreciates; in fact, he keep trying to chase Cloud off. It's Cloud who keeps insisting otherwise. So...he's gotta say something to Angeal along those lines.
But he's not ready to examine his feelings on Sephiroth right this minute. Because if he does, and he realizes those feelings are closer to what Sephiroth's expressed to him than not, he'll have to figure out how to justify that when Sephiroth has ruined and taken so many lives. How could he live with himself if he felt something like that for the guy who murdered Aerith? Second chances are one thing, but wouldn't his friends be horrified if it was more than that? How would he explain it to Aerith? To Vincent? To Zack, who was there when Sephiroth murdered everyone in Nibelheim?
...on the other hand, Angeal is none of those people. If Cloud's going to give an answer to anyone, pretty much the only safe options are Yunlan and Angeal.]
You're not a stranger. You're my mentor's mentor, remember?
[And the guy who first wielded the Buster Sword. The guy Zack spoke so highly of all the time.]
I...hm. Dunno exactly how I feel about it. But...not saying 'no.' Not like he's been pushy or anything, anyway. That's what I mean by, don't worry about it. Trust me, I know what it's like when Sephiroth's really intent on getting his way. This ain't it.