Fuck the Turks, [Cloud's shaking his head before Zack even finishes, circling around, moving so he's between Zack and the store's front door. He reaches up to rest a hand on Zack's chest; not shoving him back, not even pushing with any weight, just...there.
He hates this. He hates this so god damn much, but-] If Shinra sees you and me here, they'll kill everybody and cover it up.
[That's why they have to go. That's why they have to sneak out, to stay unseen. They could go out there, yes. Kill monsters, carry people to safety- but someone will see them, and someone will call it in. The Turks are too good not to. Shinra in all its cold, merciless efficiency, will know that if a nobody town with a busted reactor sees a SOLDIER and a trooper who should be dead helping the townsfolk, it'll be the end of the company, and they'll send in a cleanup crew to do what they do best. Zack and Cloud- they can't protect Gongaga from all of Shinra, not for long. Not on their own.]
Zack, [Cloud says lowly, leaning in,] I know. I know, believe me. [Cloud wasn't really awake but his brain had stored pieces; his town burning, and then his town fine. Strangers in his house. Shinra bodies trying to drag him back to the labs while Zack fought for their lives in a town that somehow still smelled like a drowned campfire.
Tifa's body in the reactor. Cloud's eyes sting, from the memory or the mako starting to stink up the air, or both. His brain and focus starts to swim.] But we gotta go.
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He hates this. He hates this so god damn much, but-] If Shinra sees you and me here, they'll kill everybody and cover it up.
[That's why they have to go. That's why they have to sneak out, to stay unseen. They could go out there, yes. Kill monsters, carry people to safety- but someone will see them, and someone will call it in. The Turks are too good not to. Shinra in all its cold, merciless efficiency, will know that if a nobody town with a busted reactor sees a SOLDIER and a trooper who should be dead helping the townsfolk, it'll be the end of the company, and they'll send in a cleanup crew to do what they do best. Zack and Cloud- they can't protect Gongaga from all of Shinra, not for long. Not on their own.]
Zack, [Cloud says lowly, leaning in,] I know. I know, believe me. [Cloud wasn't really awake but his brain had stored pieces; his town burning, and then his town fine. Strangers in his house. Shinra bodies trying to drag him back to the labs while Zack fought for their lives in a town that somehow still smelled like a drowned campfire.
Tifa's body in the reactor. Cloud's eyes sting, from the memory or the mako starting to stink up the air, or both. His brain and focus starts to swim.] But we gotta go.