Cloud

[residentflorist]

code

Lilium
Derived from Latin lilia, which may have come from a corrupted
pronunciation of a word from an extinct Eastern Mediterranean language
Humility, devotion, restored innocence after death

"Lovers used to give these when they were reunited."

Comments

[residentmerc]

If that's what you want to call it. But I think we both know the truth.

[ the evil, evil truth. that she is evil. ]

[residentflorist]

The truth that you like me soooo much you'd be here anyway?

[yeah, the evil, evil truth that she is evil, especially given how she's grinning up at him.]

[residentmerc]

[ there's a pause like cloud is debating his answer ]

Yeah, probably.

[ GASPS ]

[residentflorist]

[oh. okay well.

first it's .

then it's .



and then !!!]

Just probably, huh? [she makes like she's going to sit up and pull away from him entirely.] Guess the way to a man's heart isn't through his stomach after all.

[residentmerc]

[

his arm tightens around her so she cannot escape ]

That only works if you're the one doing the cooking. [ call out!! call out!! ]

[residentflorist]

You're the one who won't even try it even if my cooking's perfectly fine! [big meanie...she is pouting. she is also not doing much to escape his hold.]

[residentmerc]

I had your fruit salad.

[ that counts for SOMETHING, wow. drags her... closer... so she's like. halfway to his lap. ]

[residentflorist]

That was literally cutting fruit. [she is somehow no longer even working in favor of her point but who cares. she might be play-arguing for the sake of it, but she does immediately lose track of the sandwich she was thinking about eating because she's more invested in cloud.

it is not alpha week, but she is moving so she's basically in his lap entirely. none of this halfway shit. hewwo.]

But we have some options. I'll make you something later, maybe, if I can find good ingredients.

[residentmerc]

[ ////

lap'd... ]

I still ate it, didn't I? [ counterpoint while he is ///, but: ] You know I'm not that picky.

[ that is still teasing her ]

[residentflorist]

[get lap'd idiod. somehow it's easier to do this in a dress with a giant slit up the side, but she's not trying to climb him like a tree this time. rather, she's just here because she wants to be close and she wants to prove a point. a point that is making her pout up at him and stare at his sunglasses.]

I know you're not, but I still wanna make something you'll like. [the principle!! it's the principle of the matter and the experience of cooking for your boyfriend (?) and being extremely pleased when he likes it.]

[residentmerc]

[ ok well now he has an arm around her waist to hold her up on his lap, he guesses. the pout is funny, but her wanting to make something he likes is... cute. it's cute. there's little flowers above his head in turn now. the sunglasses are obscuring his bitch stoic face expression even more than usual ]

Okay. And I'm saying it's not that hard. [ so sure. she can try. ]

[residentflorist]

I'll figure out something good later then. [and it'll be GREAT and he CAN'T COMPLAIN. (cloud probably would not complain anyway.) again it is really just the principle of the matter and when he says that she seems to settle in and smile again, comfortably leaning into him.]

Until then, pre-made sandwiches and hot soup it is! Oh, but there's some good iced tea. Also from the vending machine.

[residentmerc]

You really went all out... at the vending machine. [ she's settled and leaning and he tightens his hold on her a little. ] I could've helped.

[ with picking up stuff. he can't cook. he hasn't had a minigame for that yet. ]

[residentflorist]

Could've, but that would've ruined the surprise. [there was no surprise, he already knew she was planning this picnic. there are happy little music notes over her head though when he tightens the hold.] You can help next time. It's not like this is gonna be the only date we have anyway, right?

[residentmerc]

[ shakes his head ]

You still owe me three at my count. At least. [ even if he hasn't done the things that mean she has to pay him or whatever, this is just banter. he grabs a sandwich i guess i'll let cloud eat for once in his life ] But this is...

[ he trails off, but. hey, thought week. nice is the finished thought. that's all, it's nice. they've never really gotten to have a kind of quieter date just the two of them. not beyond that skywheel ride. ]

[residentflorist]

What, this one doesn't count? [it is in fact just banter, and she's staying in his lap and leaning back against his chest with her drink. food can come later, but cloud should eat a fucking sandwich, yeah.] ...I said it before that maybe it's not really the right time for it, but if not now when is, you know? I want us to get back, but I want to keep spending more time with you. [she isn't sure she has to clarify, but she does.] Alone.

[because yeah. they haven't gotten to have a quieter date just the two of them besides the skywheel, and even that had its own circumstances around it. there was that time at the clock tower, but even that wasn't really a date despite what aerith said. they'd had to run right after that anyway. so here, having time to not be rushed and really focus on each other...it makes her happy.]

Anyway you still haven't actually done the jobs. Don't you think you should before I pay up?

[residentmerc]

That's why this one doesn't count. It's not payment if I haven't done the job.

[ that part is easier to answer because it's just banter. the rest is harder, because he never does know what to do with the sentiment that she wants to spend time with him alone. he gets it more now, but it still feels like something big and fragile, somehow. that's why it takes him a while before he says: ]

I want to spend time with you too.

[residentflorist]

[well the nice thing is he's not taking a bite of his sandwich yet, which makes it a little easier for her to tilt her head up and kiss him briefly.]

I'd say we can do whatever you want whenever you want, but...maybe that sort of thing doesn't matter to you. Planning stuff out, I mean. [she's well aware that the entirety of their relationship has been aerith wanting something and dragging cloud along. that's literally what this picnic is.]

[residentmerc]

[ oh. kisses. it's a good thing he's still wearing sunglasses so she can't see what his eyes are doing! a mystery ]

I haven't really thought about that stuff. [ he sort of used to, as a kid, about tifa, but it was in the vague nebulous... be a hero. kiss the girl. kind of way? never anything as distinct as planning out dates. and even now when he thinks about this there's not... anything he can think of he'd want. ] I guess I don't care about the details.

[ going along with it works for him, though he is thinking maybe that's not very ... romantic? hmm. ]

[residentflorist]

[cursed by her own stupidity. it's fine, she will simply have to kiss him again later. this answer does not surprise her in the slightest, but she does peck his lips again as a reward for verbalizing what she already knew.]

I don't mind planning details. Just...[there's a moment's pause, and it's probably clear she's trying to think of what to say that's better than what she's thinking. but it is thoughtshare week. i don't want you going along with something you don't like just because i want to.] There's always stuff we can do. May as well try a little of everything.

[residentmerc]

[ it is thoughtshare week, so he's ignoring what she's saying to concentrate on what she is thinking: ]

I don't have an issue telling you when I don't like something. [ he'll point it out. he was kind of a pain in their fake date in costa del sol because of it, he recognizes, but he also... doesn't feel too guilty about it because it was a job. ] You really worried about that?

[ why? was the implication, but it's at the forefront of his mind, too, so that's the thought she can hear. ]

[residentflorist]

[she shrugs a little, and he probably feels it against his chest given how she's sitting.]

Not really worried. More like...making sure? [she hears the thought, and she leans against him a little more because she is aware she has to try a little better at verbalizing her thoughts she never tells him. that's why it takes a few moments before she continues. ] I want to make you happy the same way you've done for me.

[residentmerc]

[ this is getting to be very funny thoughts because cloud holds her a little tighter at that, looking down as he thinks I make her...happy?

YEA DOOFUS WHY ELSE WOULD SHE DATE YOU ]

... You don't have to go out of your way for that. [ he doesnt mean it in the dont try so hard for me self-effacing thing, just in the. she does make him happy already. ]

[residentflorist]

[cloud for the love of god. it's fine. she is simply not acknowledging this because he's holding her tight and that's what matters here. she is aware she's kind of in love with an idiot.]

I know I don't. [and she does, sort of, but it's a little more complicated than that judging by the faint . . . above her head.] I want to continue then. Finding new ways to do it, too. [it's about knowing cloud is simple and just happy to have her here, but aerith wanting to give back to him every way she can and not settle just because he's happy right now. it's a continuous thing.]

[residentmerc]

[ he is looking at the dots. not that aerith can see that because she's got her back to him AND he's got sunglasses on, but it's what's happening. ]

... Okay. [ what else can he say to that? of course he wants that too. but... well. maybe he should be trying harder? ] ... We're going to get that theme park next week, right? We should go together.