[Cloud starts to smile as Zack brings the Buster swinging down but the damn tarp won't stay up on the branches like he wants it t-
Cloud stops. Looks around. Zack is sitting on a recently felled tree in the drizzling rain, unmoving. ...where Cloud left him a few minutes ago? Did he? The folded tarp he's been trying to attach to some branches to protect them from the oncoming storm slips further before fluttering to the ground, back into the mud. Cloud lets it, standing there, rainwater dripping from his bangs as he stares down at his hands. Where are
the bodies should go into the woods so Cloud drags the pieces into the thicket next to the path. The scavenging monsters will take care of them, gnaw them down until the cause of death is unrecognizable. When he steps back onto the path, he can't even see the blood anymore, having kicked soil and dirt and leaves over it. Nobody will know unless they look and Shinra will be too busy dealing with the reactor fallout to
-Cloud shakes his head before abandoning the tarp and heading over to Zack's side, sitting down on the tree and resting his elbows on his knees. He leans forward to look into Zack's face. Zack doesn't try to hide from him; doesn't react much to him being there save for a quick glances before he stares back down at his boots.]
Hey, [Cloud says softly, feeling strangely both out of place and at home as he reaches over to chuff the underside of Zack's chin with a knuckle, very gently, barely a touch.] I'm here.
[He doesn't touch Zack again, unsure of how far he should go
but Zack doesn't stay more than a few meters ahead as they jog away from the jungle, to the bike, sidecar long lost to misuse and this time Zack swings up behind Cloud as Cloud assumes the driving position, kicks the rattling thing to life, roars for the lesser known back paths
but wanting to stay there for him. Zack is tactile but Zack is hurting like he's never hurt before- or maybe like he's hurt for the past five years. Zack's hurt-
And he's still Zack.
So Cloud swallows down his discomfort and sits up straighter so he can reach an arm around and cup the back of Zack's neck, pull him down, pull Zack's head against his shoulder and rest his chin on his flagging spikes as the rain really begins to dump onto them.] Don't let them try to prove something that's not true, [Cloud mutters, half angry and half bitter and all sad, all bruised, wringing adoration.] You're a good man. You're still a good man.
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momijizukamori
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Date: 2020-06-10 10:54 pm (UTC)Cloud stops. Looks around. Zack is sitting on a recently felled tree in the drizzling rain, unmoving. ...where Cloud left him a few minutes ago? Did he? The folded tarp he's been trying to attach to some branches to protect them from the oncoming storm slips further before fluttering to the ground, back into the mud. Cloud lets it, standing there, rainwater dripping from his bangs as he stares down at his hands. Where are
the bodies should go into the woods so Cloud drags the pieces into the thicket next to the path. The scavenging monsters will take care of them, gnaw them down until the cause of death is unrecognizable. When he steps back onto the path, he can't even see the blood anymore, having kicked soil and dirt and leaves over it. Nobody will know unless they look and Shinra will be too busy dealing with the reactor fallout to
-Cloud shakes his head before abandoning the tarp and heading over to Zack's side, sitting down on the tree and resting his elbows on his knees. He leans forward to look into Zack's face. Zack doesn't try to hide from him; doesn't react much to him being there save for a quick glances before he stares back down at his boots.]
Hey, [Cloud says softly, feeling strangely both out of place and at home as he reaches over to chuff the underside of Zack's chin with a knuckle, very gently, barely a touch.] I'm here.
[He doesn't touch Zack again, unsure of how far he should go
but Zack doesn't stay more than a few meters ahead as they jog away from the jungle, to the bike, sidecar long lost to misuse and this time Zack swings up behind Cloud as Cloud assumes the driving position, kicks the rattling thing to life, roars for the lesser known back paths
but wanting to stay there for him. Zack is tactile but Zack is hurting like he's never hurt before- or maybe like he's hurt for the past five years. Zack's hurt-
And he's still Zack.
So Cloud swallows down his discomfort and sits up straighter so he can reach an arm around and cup the back of Zack's neck, pull him down, pull Zack's head against his shoulder and rest his chin on his flagging spikes as the rain really begins to dump onto them.] Don't let them try to prove something that's not true, [Cloud mutters, half angry and half bitter and all sad, all bruised, wringing adoration.] You're a good man. You're still a good man.