driftfleet | Yadrolla System Mingle

I don't have any. And you just got that, uh, [what's it? Cloud makes a twirling motion with this finger. The weird Command one.]

Assault Twister? Yeah.

[He gives the Buster's hilt a thoughtful tap.]

You wanna give it a try?

No offense Fair, but I think I'm gonna be a little OP just with this. [Jostles Ultima with his shoulder, grin absolutely self-satisfied. Hey, he put a lot of work into getting this fuckin thing]

Yeah, sure, brag about it. Anyway I didn't mean for keeps.

[He loves you but you can't have his materia, dude.]

[okay maybe they should cool it, it's not a free-for-all] I'd rather you have it right now anyway. You're more familiar with it and who knows, we might actually run up against some decent competition.

Oh man, it's been so long since I had a decent fight that wasn't against you, too... I'm giddy just thinkin' about it! C'mon, let's go, let's go!

[HE'S PUSHING YOU ALONG, MOVE FASTER SPIKE, THE PUPPY NEEDS CHEWTOYS]

[lmao YOU KNOW HE'S THE ONE WHO ASKED, RIGHT? But Cloud bounds right after him, just as eager.

-

It goes a lot like Cloud expected it to go; if he and Zack were just average, unaltered humans, they'd have had a much harder time. If they weren't both battle-worn by life and death, maybe they would've gotten beaten. As it is they each enjoy their fair share of bruises and scrapes, but when their prize is handed to them all it takes is a shared glance before they're already handing it off to the runners-up.

Someone faints. Cloud's pretty sure that someone else even pukes.

Now with the itch of sweat and blood and battle on his skin but out of his bones, Cloud rubs the back of his neck and elbows Zack in the side.] What you did with that twist, the- [he gestures] -when you disarmed that guy in round three? That was awesome. It was so fast I barely even saw it.

[Zack is wild-eyed and energized after the fight, rolling his shoulders and working off that tingling thrill he always gets after a good tussle. Aerith wasn't wrong about SOLDIERs, certainly not him- he loves to fight. He could probably go for another half-dozen rounds if the competition hadn't ended, and the adrenaline hasn't quite run out yet.]

It feels as good as it looks. I'll teach you that one next time we train, how about that?

Here, hold your arm out- [Cloud wants to see if he's got the grip order right, one wrist over Zack's, the other under, twists- nope, that's not it, and they're bound to walk into someone if he keeps horsing around like this so he lets Zack go.] Yeah, show me how. That'd be so much better than smackin' the guy around hoping he just drops whatever he's got.

You got it!

[Zack laughs at the attempt - it's far too involved a move to attempt it in the middle of the street - then grimaces as he looks down.]

Ahh geez, man, we're both soaked.

[Too much running and rolling around, heavy lifting, general shenanigans. He tries to smear his arm against Cloud's shirt where Cloud had held it. Have your sweat back, he has enough of his own!]

Stop, ugh. [shoves] You smell like a locker room. [Speak for yourself, short stack]

And you smell worse.

[That gross manly musk of Too Much Fun, he knows it well.]

C'mon, let's go to the beach and cool off. I'm in the mood for a swim.

I miss my villa, [Cloud bemoans as they make their way to the boardwalk, searching for the stairs down into the sand.] It had windows on both sides to catch the cross breeze off the ocean...elevated off the main street...

...Look at Mr. Rich Guy over here. Are you serious? You had a villa?

Wait, are you serious? I didn't tell you that? [Zack's yelled at him for so many 'cool things' he's done that Cloud was sure he'd mentioned it...then again, maybe that's why he hadn't.] Yeah, Shinra was liquidating all its assets so we got it for cheap. Comparatively cheap, I mean. Sucker still cost enough that we had to sell off some of our mastered materia.

[what

WHAT]

You're kidding. You gotta be kidding! You own the Shinra villa!? That place is huge! And epic! It's got a private beach and everything!

Me, Barret, Cid and Tifa all got wasted and threw Yuffie's Wutai throwing stars at the propaganda posters that were all over the wall. [Legit though, going into that tiny but opulent bathroom and taking a piss was such a wonderful 'fuck you' to the old President.]

Edited 2018-05-15 05:31 (UTC)

Oh man... that sounds amazing. The last time I was there I had to fight off a hoard of monster clones in scuba gear. So not fun.

[Dammit he wants to throw ninja stars at the president's face, too...]

Clones in scuba gear. Zack, what did ShinRa even make you do half the time? [Dumb. Oh there's the stairs to the sand, fuck off shirt. WE'RE MEN AND WE DON'T USE SUNSCREEN ~~so some of us are walking away with a horrific sunburn~~]

Weird shit like always! You know how it goes.

[Or maybe he doesn't? He's not sure if Cloud remembers any of the weird stuff that happened during his time amongst the regular troops, but plenty of it went down in Junon and Modeo.

Anyway, that's not what's important right now, and he's in too good of a mood to try and dive down memory lane. He twists the Buster around and slams it into the sand - no concerns about anyone stealing it because hah, who the hell else can lift it - and shrugs off his own shirt, kicking aside his boots and pants and running full sprint towards the water in nothing but his boxers.]

Let's go, slowpoke...!!

[omg Zack pls

Cloud is never letting Ultima out of his sight, though he can't feasibly take it into the water with him. ...well okay physically he could, but like...aright fine, he'll bury it in the sand too, but at least he gathers their clothes and shoes together and tries to kind of tie it all together with the harnesses and belts to their swords so hopefully if someone tries to steal anything they'll have to work at it. There's probably lockers around here somewhere Zack, you didn't have to just strip down like a nudist.

Cloud goes jogging after Zack, who is of course already half-drowned in the surf, hissing at the cold of the water as he wades over to Zack and-

Stops short.] Zack- holy shit.

[Zack's up to his elbows and about ready to dive into the surf, but Cloud's exclamation makes him pause, glancing back.]

Huh? [And then it clicks.] Oh, right! You haven't seen 'em yet. Awesome, yeah?

[He turns so Cloud can get the full view- back and front. They're still fresh but well healed over by now, the colours bright and bold under the sunlight.]

[Wades closer so he can get a closer look, because...that is...so much color and detail that wasn't there a couple months ago.

And then he notices the placements and the awe on his face fades into something a little more somber.] ...You covered it all up.

[Zack doesn't miss the shift in expression, but he holds fast to his smile, even if it wavers a little. Less excitement, more... contentment? Well, something like it, anyway.]

Yeah, I did. They're kinda ugly, not the cool looking scars like this- [He points to his face] -and I was tired of looking at them. I think this is way better!

[Maybe it says something that Cloud can tell what that pause, that second of hesitation, means. Maybe they really are getting to know each other better; or at least, maybe Cloud is finally starting to figure out (remember?) Zack.

He reaches over to thump Zack on the chest firmly, open-handed.] It looks really good. Counters that wild-man hair.

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