residentflorist

Mmhm. Lucas said Mathis is his student. [we are still going to avoid the words. instead, we are going to sit side by side as she looks off into the distance at the pyre.]

...it's a little cruel, isn't it? Bringing so many people from the same place and being told they might lose them.

... Maybe the cruelty's the point. [ maybe dying alone is worse, though? he doesn't want to ask that out loud. ] Seems like the kind of thing this "ritual" would like.

[she doesn't say anything immediately.]

...I don't think I like that very much. [which is such a simple thing to say, but it kind of says everything at the same time. maybe cloud will understand or maybe he won't. there's the additional layer for her, knowing she was brought here after being pulled away from her friends the first time. being pulled away a second time does, actually, scare her. but the best she can do is everything to keep all three of them safe and get back to where they belong.

the idea that it could be used against them...is awful. but even without cloud knowing the full extent, maybe he'll understand the dislike translates into her worries that they aren't exempt either.]

[ to cloud he hasn't lost her, but he came too close for comfort, and he's still scared of it. still scared that this time he won't make it.

(he didn't make it either last time.) ]

... Yeah. Me neither. [ he hesitates and, after a long pause, gently places his hand over hers ]

[he should hesitate less.

but he wouldn't be cloud then, and even if she teases him about still having a lot to learn and flirts with him with reckless abandon (and even though she'd told him he can't fall in love with her, and even though she's very aware of how she feels about him), she thinks this is exactly what she wants from him. it's his own decision, and that's enough. she doesn't pull away or even really move her hand outside of letting her fingers curl against him.

this does nothing to solve the problem they may very well be doomed down the line. but they're together for now. she'll make the most of the second chance given while she can.]

...we won't let it then. [very easy to say "fuck the ritual", but.]

[ she's very aware of how she feels, but cloud still isn't sure how he does entirely, about... well, anything. or how she does, either. but it's aerith, and she's here, and he doesn't want to lose her, and all those things have always been true.

(right?) ]

Yeah. We won't. [ he sounds pretty certain, or at least determined. it's easy to say it, sure. he wants to believe it too, though. ] We're facing even worst things back home. Can't let a little cult thing stop us now.

[she's comfortably leaning against him, a hum of agreement when he says that. whether cloud knows what he wants or not, at least aerith seems to be willing to wait for as long as she can.]

When you think about it? It's not really all that different. [like besides the monster part (mostly.) she's talking about being hunted down and/or maybe dying for someone else's goals.] Just gotta keep going and get through this.

... Yeah. Nothing we can't handle.

[ together is the gay implication ]

[it is a gay implication, but she is comforted by it anyway. it's why she remains huddled up against him, hand in his and nodding quietly. together is the operative word here, after all.

...and speaking of together...]

Yuffie's not handling this well. [which was obvious.] We should give her some space to talk to Boothill, but after that. ["we need to be there for her" is the implication.]

[ he looks down at his lap with a frown at that reminder, leaning on her just a tad ]

... Alright. [ he is not the person to talk to about these things, he thinks, but he can be... in the same room ... as feelings... and not ruin things... maybe. but, also: ] I don't know how much of Boothill there is to talk to.

[ and if it is a good idea to try it, he means ]

[she believes in you cloud. but also yeah. there's...that. she's kind of thinking the same, there's not much of the man that's himself right now if the trial was any indication, but she also can understand wanting to try. if he's contained, and she's safe, maybe it's better to let her.

it's better than losing people without getting to say your last words, she thinks.]

Probably not much, but...somewhere, deep down, he has to still be there. Even if she can't reach him right away, maybe something will make it through.

[ if he is in there, is it better or worse if he can be reached? if it's possible he'll die unable to be himself again, knowing he's trapped like that? these are maybe things he's considered for himself too, but that's neither here nor there. ]

Yeah. Could be. Even if he can't reply... probably he can hear it.

[ is that better? if he knows what he's done. ]

[this is a very touchy situation and she's aware of that. she doesn't want to talk too much about it, but...well. it's definitely on both of their minds for similar reasons.]

...it's her choice what she wants to do. The most we can do after is listen to her when she needs us.

... Yeah. [ though he nudges her, ever so lightly ] Think we both know that's more your thing.

[there's a little smile.]

You're not doing so bad right now, you know. [which is to say that in his own way, cloud's been listening to her and helping her kind of sort her thoughts and feelings.]

Well, I'm... trying.

[ to be better at that kind of thing, he doesn't say, but it is kind of obvious. well, he's trying with a lot of things. ]

[give her a moment to shift to lean her head against his shoulder.]

I know. [he doesn't have to elaborate, exactly, for her to understand what he means by that. it's only been a short time since they've met in the grand scheme of things, but she can still see the difference in how he is now from when they first ran into each other on the street.] I'm grateful for that.

[ i have so many handholding icons for us. i keep finding new ones.

he doesn't know what to do with gratefulness. it feels like he's doing the bare minimum sometimes, even though it's like pulling teeth with himself. it's why it takes him a while to form the words despite the fact it's light-hearted: ]

It's 'cause you guys won't give me any leeway on that stuff.

[ a roundabout way of saying it's because of you ]

[i'm fascinated because from that angle it looks like she's just holding one of his fingers because his hand's massive. but anyway...she doesn't rush him. she tries not to when they have more serious conversations, even when she herself sometimes rushes things because she doesn't want to linger on her own insecurities. so he says that, and roundabout though it may be, it's enough.]

Nope. So looks like you're going to have to keep trying. [equally lighthearted, but a way of saying they aren't going anywhere. she's not going anywhere.]

[ his hand is NORMAL don't be WEIRD

huffs, like it's a joke ]

Lucky me. [ it's said like it's sardonic, but there's a hint of relief in there at the hidden reassurance ]

[i didn't call it a yaoi hand at least.

anyway...she quiets down again, continuing to stay close and keep hold of his hand.]

You'll be fine. [just in general. no matter what, joking or having to deal with something scary like this, cloud will be fine.]

[ will he be fine. will he. ]

... You, too.

[one of them has brain problems and one of them is dead so truly, are either of them.

things to not consider.]

...we can go inside whenever you want. I just wanted to be alone for a little while, I think. [being with cloud counts as being alone in this case though.]

[ oh. he doesn't know how he feels about counting as her needing to be alone, because he remembers at least one occasion where she didn't want his presence when she wanted to be alone. and he is kind of glad this isn't like that. ]

... I've got nowhere else I need to be. [ which is to say, however long she needs, he can stay. ]

[the things she's currently feeling aren't things she thinks she might snap at him for. instead, it's wanting to hold onto him (both of them) as tightly as possible while they're here. sending him away right now would be counterproductive, and when she thinks about it, she knows that she'd prefer he stay this time.]

If you're sure. [at least it won't be too long, but it's long enough.]

Cloud

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject