008 || tea for two?

[lottato_prima]

Zack's strength of mind hasn't been at its peak lately, which may explain his absence from the consciousness of others.

As it was, the former SOLDIER was secluded in a web of emerald wisps and crystals, cocooned in the center by an even thicker web and two white wings surrounding his form. His eyes were closed, head bowed, the rest of his body also concealed by the maze of webs. So he... hasn't been able to meld himself entirely cohesive yet, but he's getting there. There's no telling what the rest of his body looks like, trapped in that mess.

If you dare to approach, he'll glance up briefly, quietly. He's studying you, wanting to know the reasons why you would come deep into the Lifestream like this, to talk to a forgotten, deceased SOLDIER.

And he'll welcome the company.

Comments

[findmyownreason]

"No, you're not." If Cloud is anything, it's stubborn. He was stubborn about dying himself not that long ago, almost to the point of losing everything. Now he's stubborn about this. It's Zack. The world still needs Zack and not in the form of random floating bits of energy. Maybe it's selfish but damn it - isn't he allowed by this point to be selfish?

"You're still here. You can still fight. We can still fight this. I can have a future and still have you too. It's not an either-or this time."

[lottato_prima]

"Cloud. Please."

It's a firmness he remembers, when he was truly adamant about something. A tone he hadn't used since his days leading SOLDIER those years ago, and now that tone was being diverted to his friend. His friend that needed to be able to let go and move on, and not sit around worrying about someone who was already lost. If he did come back, if he was insane, if Cloud had to kill him all over again...

It was moot.

"You want to have a future? Let me sleep." And then the other hand comes around, to pull the other close. His chin rests on his friend's shoulder, the commanding tone melding into something more sorrowful. "I'm okay. I really am. But you won't be if I try to come back and something goes wrong. Okay?"

The hand moves up, to rest in the other man's head.

"Cloud, please, just let the past go."

[findmyownreason]

He's determined to fight. Of course he is. Whatever Zack says, it's not right that his friend has to disappear. Zack did so much, gave so much. Deserved so much. And being recycled into energy for a tree wasn't what he deserved. He can't resist the tug of his friend's arms though and something inside him collapses just a little when Zack pulls him close.

He's not supposed to need this kind of thing anymore. But he does.

God, he does.

"Zack - "

It's not fair. It's not. He's already lost Zack once and he's only just gotten him back in dreams and now he has to lose him again for good?

His hands don't come up but he sags forward into the other man, stealing time this way in a timeless place. Zack's body, ruined or not, is still Zack and Cloud knows, deep in his soul, that he's safe when Zack holds him. Everything in the world is going to be okay. He's safe...

It steals the fight out of him. He feels like he's sixteen again and Zack can fix the entire world. His voice comes out young when he protests.

"You don't have to come back. Just... don't go away - "

[lottato_prima]

Very few people could crack into the real Cloud like this.

And even in his time at ShinRa, Zack knew he was one of the few his friend could really talk to. So that's why he doesn't pull away, or tell the other man to leave. Instead, he closes his eyes, burying his forehead into Cloud's shoulder, then wrapping both wings around the other's form.

"I don't have to." He says quietly, a sense of normalcy beginning to return to an otherwise distorted and broken voice.

He sounds more like he did, like he used to, when he still had physical vocal cords to exercise. "The Planet thrives off the memories, the feelings of those it creates. As long as you think about me every now and then, as long as I'm not gone, then... you'll never be rid of me."

Pulling away slightly, his hands move to hold the other man by his shoulders, looking directly into his eyes.

"Can you do that for me, Cloud?"

bwaaaaah, Zack! I'm getting all sniffly

[findmyownreason]

He feels Zack lower his head and he leans, his own head coming to rest against the side of his friends, blond and black spikes mingling. All he wants to do is just stay that way. Because the second he moves, the second he lets the moment break, he'll have to go and he'll lose his friend for good and he doesn't want that. doesn't doesn't doesn't He doesn't have to be strong or brave or lead when he's with Zack and as much as he wants needs to do all those things - sometimes he just wants to let someone else be stronger and braver. He doesn't even flinch when Zack's wings close around him because it's Zack. And everything's okay when it's Zack.

He doesn't fight it but there's extra weight that Zack has to push against when he pulls away a little. Cloud's good at being a rock when he wants to be, his last rebellion against whatever Zack's going to tell him about saying goodbye and moving on. His eyes are very blue and maybe just a bit damp where they peer up under his bangs but they peer up all the same because Zack sounds more like Zack. The question though has those blue eyes going stricken.

"Zack - "

It's a fair question. Cloud's forgotten his friend once before and he still hasn't forgiven himself for that.

"I won't forget. Not again. There's no way I can't remember you now. But - it's not the same as having you in my dreams."

it's always a brosef moment with these two. ;n;

[lottato_prima]

The smile goes just a little softer, and a hand goes a little higher to brush the other man's hair from his eyes, to get a better look at his face.

Cloud had done a lot of growing up in the last few years - in his time, at least. it had been shorter for Zack, as far as he knows - and... well, he's not the kid he quite was when they'd first met. When everything began and they were both young and naive. Cloud had faced constant tragedy, and was getting past it... much like himself, when he was still alive.

He's proud of him. He really is.

"I just told you. I won't be gone, not even from here. As long as we stay bonded, nothing can happen to me." A shadow crosses his eyes then, trailing down to the wings wrapped around them, which also lowered. "But as for right now... Cloud. I need to go back to sleep. It's taking a lot of my willpower to stay as solid as I am."

He glances back up.

"I want you to know something. That I'm very proud of you for getting this far. That you're taking care of so many people and doing all this good. It's exactly what I wanted, and all I could ask for from you. Just... keep that up, okay?"

One last embrace.

"And just call me if you need to talk. If you're feeling sad, or you just don't know what to do. I'll always be here for you, kid."

always!

[findmyownreason]

He knows it's goodbye. He hears what Zack says but he doesn't have that kind of faith. It's not a lack of faith in Zack, it's a lack of faith in the way life goes and the Planet handles things in particular. He knows Zack says it's not the end for them but - it still feels like it. Like he's losing him all over again.

He'll do better at it this time though. He won't break and he won't hide. And - he won't be selfish and try to make Zack stay when his friend is obviously ready to go.

this time... he's ready to go this time. It's - different this time

It doesn't mean he doesn't have to fight the desire to grab on the Zack and cling like a little kid though. Instead, he inhales. Exhales. Nods, just once. It's what Zack wants.

He doesn't miss the words though and he's finally at a place in his life where he can actually hear them. The blue eyes go stricken again but this time it's because - it's all he's wanted. Just - just to make Zack proud of him. Just to know - that he hasn't been a failure that way. That - at least this once - maybe, just maybe, he managed to do something right.

It's going to take some time for it to sink in, for him to really believe it, but it's a start and he can manage the single step back after that last embrace that he actually returned for the first time, hands forming fists in the black mane for a second before letting go.

"I know." Zack will always be there for him. Even when he's not really. "I - " but words fail him still and all he can manage is a choked: "Thanks, Zack. For - everything."