[ On Christmas morning, Cloud will find a parcel wrapped in brown paper and tied up with a yellow ribbon. There's a tag stating "From Steve - Merry Christmas" with a brief note on the back saying that it's customary for him to celebrate this holiday by giving gifts.
Inside contains a hand-knit ribbed scarf in a grayish blue that matches Cloud's shirt. ]
[It's Christmas Eve and Cloud has a delivery! Inside: a sword polishing kit and supplies, and a beautifully framed photo of Zack in the corset from the holiday party.]
[ There is a pause and it looks like Matthew is pecking at the ground (get him to show you his keyboard sometime, it's wild) then Cloud gets the link.]
[Cloud absolutely remembers talking to someone who apparently was always a bird and he's relatively sure it's this dude, but he doesn't remember his name so he is more than content to pretend they've never met to avoid the Awkward]
Oh. Thanks, that's just Vincent. I know him. [He's a creepy stalker but not of Cloud; if anything, Cloud creepy-stalked HIM and broke into his house (grave?) and wouldn't leave.]
[Shortly after this occurs, Cloud decides that even if they have all three wandered off to do their own things, discussing this sooner rather than later is going to do wonders for his nerves. So. Group chat, to explain and to hopefully keep things clear and open, and to make sure there aren't any hurt feelings (Cloud's) or people running for the hills (Cloud again) or stewing in their own emotions and terrors and worries until they feel like puking (once again, the cumulus man)]
[ Sharon has no idea how to type out what she wants to say. She starts with I think I need someone to talk to but that sounded so wishy-washy 'weh, I'm so sad' and that's not it. Can we talk? but that doesn't sound great either. Backspace, backspace, fucking backspace.
You know what? Fuck it. We roll. ]
I want to fucking gut Thirteen but if I do it then I ruin everything for everyone here. And it sucks. I hate this, Cloud.
[He drops a pin for a location equidistant from their homes, because he's not sure where she is but they've been there before and even if he talks about how much he wants to gut Thirteen over the network all the time, he doesn't want to get that in depth somewhere she (probably) is monitoring. Just in case she's not actually a god who can hear everything they're saying at all times.
Oh and he's bringing some wine. Vincent gave him a bottle a little while ago, it's from home, Cloud is pretty sure it's considered good shit. Sharon sounds like she needs it. Maybe he's also bringing a flask of scotch.]
[It's been a while, hasn't it? Peaceful, in spite of the presence of Sephiroth somewhere in Folkmore. It's almost like nothing's changed. The season rolls on towards summer, Thirteen's hijinx continue, friends have turned up and never once is there anything to disrupt it.
Maybe the boy had actually listened to Cloud's threat.
...Or maybe he simply hadn't figured out how to yet. Nothing good lasts forever, and it's late when something changes. Maybe late enough where Cloud's asleep when the nagging feeling of not quite right bubbles back up; not sharpening to pain, not yet. But it's there, a faint, insistent tug wired so deep it could be ignored for a while pretty easily the way a distant whistle could be until it's paid attention to.
It doesn't get stronger. But it also never actually stops. How long has it been since Cloud's felt the call of reunion? Not north, this time.
[Cloud likes to think that he'd notice right away if he was ever compelled to do something against his will, but the truth of the matter is that he wouldn't. He doesn't. If the puppeteer is subtle enough, their touch gentle enough, Cloud would walk into an open flame before he realized something was wrong. Unease is a constant enough companion that even that discomforting feeling, burrowing at the back of his brain in the dark of night, alone in his room, is easily dismissed. Cloud may know himself better than ever before, but well? He's still years away from something like that.
And so, he's flying west.
While Cloud doesn't spend a lot of time in his Familiar white crow form, the time he does spend is largely in the air. Flying offers a sort of freedom he's rarely tasted, a different form from manning the Highwind's helm with a nervous engineer or Cid hovering over his shoulder to make sure he didn't run them into any mountains. Watching the tree tops slide beneath him, feeling his body lift with the faintest tilt of his feathers, diving down headfirst only to snap his wings out to catch the wind...it really is freedom, in its purest form.
So, to go west? On seemingly a whim? Why not? There's no reason to suspect. In fact, the longer he flies, the closer he gets to that unknown waypoint, the more right it feels to head this way. Maybe it's animal instincts or something. Do crows migrate? Would he migrate, considering he's actually human?
The musings accompany him as he continues along his path, until he reaches a spot that feels correct, feels close enough, and begins to circle lazily overhead. There doesn't seem to be anything special here, but perhaps he just needs a closer look.]
It's the thought that woke him up this morning, too early even for him, and he'd stared at the ceiling for a while before sliding out of bed and stumbling his way into the yard, not even dressed properly. He's out there for what feels like hours, his relic propped up on the chopping block with photos of the garden Aerith had sent to him before, and he's using it to try and remember what the weeds are, what to pull and what to spare. It feels like the flowers are already wilting. Is it because they need water, better soil? Is it because they miss her, too?
He feels lost. He hates this. But he needs to do something.]
[A few moments later, Cloud comes around the corner into the garden and stops short when he spots Zack. A watering can hangs listlessly in his grip.
Zack looks...terrible. Probably a lot like himself, Cloud imagines. They haven't done much eating, or much talking for that matter. The past few days have been gray and blurry, like trying to see through a dirty windowpane in a downpour, but waking up this morning Cloud just...couldn't pass one more day doing nothing. Nothing other than killing monsters with frankly concerning ferocity out in Cruel Summer, anyway.
Plants need water and it's been dry. He thinks. He can do that, for when-]
...hey, [Cloud mutters, voice raspy from disuse, coming closer and setting the watering can down in front of a patch of wilting...herbs, he thinks.]
[Know who has never, ever messaged Cloud and really never intended to? This guy. The only immediate identifier is the same username he used on the broader network.
He's usually a bit more careful with spelling and punctuation but when you're in a rush things slip.]
Zack came back wwrong. I don't know who else to get help from since Vincent's gone I can take him to Baba Yaga but she might call it "potential building" I can keep him from hurting anyone for now
[Hey guess who's home after disappearing for a handful of hours while Cloud was busy! It wasn't like, an alarming vanishing act, but things have been weird lately, particularly since the ribbon incident, so when he arrives he's at least preemptively apologetic.]
[And it's probably obvious by the speed with which Cloud comes around the corner, eyes wide and worried, that he's been extremely concerned and trying to be so brave about it.] Zack. There you are. [Oh okay, he's even doing the Gentle Voice still, and- yep, he's reaching for Zack's hand, wrist, just holding on and looking him over. We're still not past what happened in Exile then.] You alright?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
text
Are you busy?
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Need me?
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I'm just downtown I can be home in two minutes
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package delivery, dec 25
Inside contains a hand-knit ribbed scarf in a grayish blue that matches Cloud's shirt. ]
[text]
Hey thank you for the scarf
Sorry I didn't get you anything, we don't really have
This
Back on my Planet
I can get you something now if you don't mind it late
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Christmas Eve delivery
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Goes back and gets it out of the trash]
early jan - doing this before i forget again
also something else happened, we should talk (it's not bad)
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For both
Where are u
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>action
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text; like now-ish
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[No "not bad news" addendum this time...so is it bad or did Zack just think it didn't warrant a warning?
Cloud leaves Monarch at the door and wanders inside. Maybe he'll check out what's being smoked while he waits for Zack]
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video, UN: birdistheword
[ There is a pause and it looks like Matthew is pecking at the ground (get him to show you his keyboard sometime, it's wild) then Cloud gets the link.]
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Oh. Thanks, that's just Vincent. I know him. [He's a creepy stalker but not of Cloud; if anything, Cloud creepy-stalked HIM and broke into his house (grave?) and wouldn't leave.]
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...
group chat - closing the circle
Aerith can I date your boyfriend
[perfect]
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[ Hah hah, a funny joke. The reality is that her heart is rushing, because…
They’re happy. She knew, already, just a little, but now… She feels giddy with it. ]
Teasing. You can date him too!
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text | un: incendiary
You know what? Fuck it. We roll. ]
I want to fucking gut Thirteen but if I do it then I ruin everything for everyone here. And it sucks. I hate this, Cloud.
i am here after 10000 years
[He drops a pin for a location equidistant from their homes, because he's not sure where she is but they've been there before and even if he talks about how much he wants to gut Thirteen over the network all the time, he doesn't want to get that in depth somewhere she (probably) is monitoring. Just in case she's not actually a god who can hear everything they're saying at all times.
Oh and he's bringing some wine. Vincent gave him a bottle a little while ago, it's from home, Cloud is pretty sure it's considered good shit. Sharon sounds like she needs it.
Maybe he's also bringing a flask of scotch.]i'd wait 4ever 4 u bb
:3c
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in which cloud's day is thoroughly ruined.
Maybe the boy had actually listened to Cloud's threat.
...Or maybe he simply hadn't figured out how to yet. Nothing good lasts forever, and it's late when something changes. Maybe late enough where Cloud's asleep when the nagging feeling of not quite right bubbles back up; not sharpening to pain, not yet. But it's there, a faint, insistent tug wired so deep it could be ignored for a while pretty easily the way a distant whistle could be until it's paid attention to.
It doesn't get stronger. But it also never actually stops. How long has it been since Cloud's felt the call of reunion? Not north, this time.
West.]
and mine is made better
And so, he's flying west.
While Cloud doesn't spend a lot of time in his Familiar white crow form, the time he does spend is largely in the air. Flying offers a sort of freedom he's rarely tasted, a different form from manning the Highwind's helm with a nervous engineer or Cid hovering over his shoulder to make sure he didn't run them into any mountains. Watching the tree tops slide beneath him, feeling his body lift with the faintest tilt of his feathers, diving down headfirst only to snap his wings out to catch the wind...it really is freedom, in its purest form.
So, to go west? On seemingly a whim? Why not? There's no reason to suspect. In fact, the longer he flies, the closer he gets to that unknown waypoint, the more right it feels to head this way. Maybe it's animal instincts or something. Do crows migrate? Would he migrate, considering he's actually human?
The musings accompany him as he continues along his path, until he reaches a spot that feels correct, feels close enough, and begins to circle lazily overhead. There doesn't seem to be anything special here, but perhaps he just needs a closer look.]
oh this got long again.
LMAO im shocked and surprised. who could have imagined this would happen
It is a mystery! Nobody could guess!
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another wall of text.
eats it like pacman
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Found out today you've got a fan.
text
[He has a very good idea of whom Vincent is referencing and he's not about it]
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[cw: suicide mention]
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Rip that shit up
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>voice
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text | un: incendiary | backdated about two weeks
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text
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Hiya
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text; pre-november trial; @caduceus
That person you spoke of in this world who can influence you. Is it a young man by the name of Sephiroth?
text;
He was older when he did it back home
But yeah
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~
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text; @firstclass
how would u feel about a dog
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Show me the dog
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a lil while after
It's the thought that woke him up this morning, too early even for him, and he'd stared at the ceiling for a while before sliding out of bed and stumbling his way into the yard, not even dressed properly. He's out there for what feels like hours, his relic propped up on the chopping block with photos of the garden Aerith had sent to him before, and he's using it to try and remember what the weeds are, what to pull and what to spare. It feels like the flowers are already wilting. Is it because they need water, better soil? Is it because they miss her, too?
He feels lost. He hates this. But he needs to do something.]
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Zack looks...terrible. Probably a lot like himself, Cloud imagines. They haven't done much eating, or much talking for that matter. The past few days have been gray and blurry, like trying to see through a dirty windowpane in a downpour, but waking up this morning Cloud just...couldn't pass one more day doing nothing. Nothing other than killing monsters with frankly concerning ferocity out in Cruel Summer, anyway.
Plants need water and it's been dry. He thinks. He can do that, for when-]
...hey, [Cloud mutters, voice raspy from disuse, coming closer and setting the watering can down in front of a patch of wilting...herbs, he thinks.]
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cw: vague suicidal ideation
Re: cw: vague suicidal ideation
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un: username0175; txt
He's usually a bit more careful with spelling and punctuation but when you're in a rush things slip.]
Zack came back wwrong. I don't know who else to get help from since Vincent's gone
I can take him to Baba Yaga but she might call it "potential building"
I can keep him from hurting anyone for now
ring ring
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after the visit with sephiroth
Hey, Cloud? You home, can we talk?
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