on incoming castmates and reserves at entranceway

[colorofthesky]

...I'm not really sure what you want me to say, mun.

I mean...yeah. They're coming, and I know they are. I'm happy that they are.

[ About Genesis too, amazingly. ]

It's just...a lot all at once.

[ He sighs. ]

...I'm going to have a lot of explaining to do, aren't I?

Comments

[animusangelus]

Isn't it always?

[He exhales and rubs his forehead.]

That doesn't mean I want to speak to him. [Some memories like some scars are too deep - and too ingrained - to forget or disappear over time.]

I'll be on my best behavior.

[colorofthesky]

For us? Pretty much.

[ And he expected that from you, Cloud. He can't really blame you for it, either. ]

I wouldn't expect you to.

[ Your buddy just has a big heart, Cloud. Sephiroth was a good man before Nibelheim, and he can't just walk away knowing that he's still sane.

He smiles a little and ruffles the other's hair. ]

Aren't you always?

[animusangelus]

Too late to back out now.

[Cloud has a big heart too, but - He doesn't know if he has it in him to forget. Sadly, he didn't have the companionship with Sephiroth that Zack did beforehand, so he has very little to work with.]

...thanks. [He bats Zack's hand away, but the motion is half-hearted at best.] Am I becoming predictable?

[colorofthesky]

[ Well, it's harder to forgive and forget when you've been the target of such virulent nastiness. Zack just...has a different frame of reference. ]

Maybe a little. [ Your bro has you pretty well figured out by now, Cloud. Another smile and he let's his hand drop. ] It's not so bad here.

[ In Wonderland, that is. ]

[animusangelus]

I should work on that. [He doesn't mind Zack knowing him so well. It's...comforting.] What's it like? My Mun won't tell me anything.

[colorofthesky]

[ Good luck with that, Cloud. Zack is a good person to know and be known by, though. Or at least, he tries to be. ]

It's nice? Really pretty and peaceful most of the time.

I mean, there's events that change what we think and do or...I dunno, weird stuff like doubles who talk back at you.

It's neat, though. The closets give you stuff if you wish for it, and the dining room makes food appear out of nowhere.

[ He had a ridiculous amount of fun with that, too -- trying to figure how strange and exotic the food could get. ]

I like it.

[animusangelus]

[He's not worried about it. He does owe Zack his life.]

Mm sounds like just the place to recuperate.

[His eyebrows raise and he looks stumped. How does one answer that? Doubles who talk back? He's fairly sure he would get into a fight with his double.]

Is Aerith there with you? [There's a softness to his voice now.] I feel like we're having a reunion.

[And not the type of reunion he has been dreading.]

[colorofthesky]

[ No worries, bro; it was a worthy cause.

And yes, the doubles were very annoying. He had to lock his in a closet...or try, anyway. ]

She is, yeah. [ Which is a big plus for him, tbh. ] She's a little behind the times, though.

[ The kind of 'behind the times' that makes things a bit awkward. ]

I met your friend Vincent here a little while ago.

[animusangelus]

[You know how Cloud can be. He'll carry the burden of Zack's death for the rest of his life.

And that is a funny image. Poor Zack.]

How much does she know? [He doesn't want to accidentally let something slip. Like her death or...something else equally horrible.]

He has helped me a lot.

[colorofthesky]

[ Clooooud, that is really unnecessary. Don't make him keep pestering you from the Lifestream!! ...unless, you know. You really want him too...

It was a party in his room, let me tell you. ]

...Some. She was on her way to the city of the Ancients. [ Which...yeah. ] She hadn't...gotten there, yet.

[ A beat. ]

I haven't really...wanted to tell her.

[ He already had to confirm his own death; talking about hers seemed a little bit much. ]

He's a good guy. A little grim, but oksy.

[animusangelus]

[Buuuut... Don't go away forever. ;-; Brooo...

A one too many Zacks party.]

... [Realization dawns in his eyes and he presses his lips together tightly.] I won't say anything.

[He shakes his head.] There's no reason to.

[A faint smile crosses his lips.]

There's a reason he's grim. But...I trust him.

[colorofthesky]

[ Shush. He could never leave you forever. /ruffles hair

Two Zacks isn't so bad. It's just bad when one of them is mean! ]

Thanks, man.

[ He means it. Really. ]

He told me a little about it. [ Hard to believe so much craziness was happening even before the problems with Genesis and Angeal. ] ...I trust him, too.