driftfleet | Yaugur System Mingle

[One of the birds scratches anxiously at the ground before bobbing its head forward, tilting it twitch-quick, nipping lightly at Cloud's outstretched fingers looking for food. Cloud is over the god damned moon.] Yeah, but these guys have been here a while, right? -ah, calm down, geez, hold on I'll get some food. [There's a bale of what looks like greens over there, Cloud'll just sneak past the gates to grab a handful and now all of a sudden he has ten new friends.]

[This is adorable. Has he ever seen Cloud so happy?]

Hey, pass me some, I can feed them too.

[Five and five, right? Unless Cloud's already been absorbed into their herd.]

[Cloud wades through the chocobo crowd (because they're fuckin chocobos) and over to Zack, his own fluffy mop of hair bobbing among unruly tailfeathers before he manages to nudge his way past the shuffling herd that insists on following his fistful of greens, passing them over to Zack-

-who now has ten new friends, hello. Cloud snorts and heads off to retrieve another handful for himself.]

[-Wow, okay, suddenly he's drowning in chocobos. It's not an unpleasant experience, but it's definitely super new, so while Cloud gets the greens he's staring wide-eyed at the birds, just sort of letting them chew the food out of his hands.]

They're so friendly... I'm more used to the wild ones.

[HOW DOES HE CHOCOBO there's too many of them]

The ones that'll scamper soon as you look at 'em, right? [Once Cloud gets his own two fistfuls of greens and makes a couple clicking noises with his tongue and teeth, a few of the chocobos branch away and head back over to him to give Zack some more breathing room.] Tame chocobos are great. Did you ever go to that farm outside Midgar, past the mountains? The one near the marshlands?

I got sent there for a few monster clean-up missions, but SOLDIER mostly used trucks and helicopters to get around, so we didn't have much use for 'em otherwise. And it's kind of out of the way, so it's not like I could just pop in.

[He switches the rest of the greens to one hand so he can reach up and carefully try petting one of them; it shies away at first, but the food coaxes it back until it settles in to stroking fingers.]

There was this one fearless bastard I met in the area, though... he made a real impression.

You made a friend? [Cloud wades his way back over to where Zack is, taking the liberty to rearrange Zack's fingers to ensure he doesn't get too badly pecked as the chocobos search for more food in the crevices of their gloves.]

Kinda! They're finicky, y'know how it is. I didn't even have a lure with me, but he showed up with a bunch of monsters because some wild greens were growing in the area. Didn't know that till after we kicked some monster ass together.

[He moves his hand around to find the right spot to scritch the bird, smiling a bit more confidently as it pipes up with a happy trill.]

I think we connected because like- we both were looking for a fight. He was a feisty fella.

[God that is...so charming. Cloud can't help but grin, a touch exasperated as it is, as he transfers the greens he has left to Zack before heading back for more of his own.] Maybe he imprinted on you. Your hair kinda looks like a black chocobo ruff.

[Zack laughs, leaning back against one of them as it bends over his head to peck at his hands, his eyes mirthful. It tickles! He feels right at home in the middle of them, now; all those SOLDIER instincts of don't-be-surrounded are starting to fade. They're just too precious.]

Believe me, I know! He kept poking at it, I was lucky to get out with my hair intact. Hey, maybe it was one of the top-tier wild ones? On the lookout for a black?

Yeah maybe. [Climbs back over with like, three times the greens as before, a whole armful that attracts some of the more skittish chocobos until he and Zack are completely surrounded.] When we were looking for a bunch of 'em to breed we'd always run across these really rowdy ones, the ones who didn't like listening to you unless you were real good.

[Holds out a fistful for a couple chocobos to peck at, trying to sneak blades of greens from between his fingers.] They're kinda noble like that, y'know? I know lots of people just think they're goofy big birds, but chocobos are a lot smarter'n than most people give 'em credit for.

[Zack shifts to stand shoulder to shoulder with Cloud, so the chocobos can press in close without separating them (or him from the green supply). He glances sidelong, noting the expression he finds there; he really is passionate about this, huh? He'd known Cloud liked chocobos, and there'd been talk of breeding from both him and Aerith, but to see it in person is quite a bit different. It's pretty sweet, actually.]

That so... did you have a favourite?

Oh, yeah. Black chocobo actually, even after we'd bred a gold. [Cloud makes a tsst sound at one of them when it pecks his fingers a little too hard, flicking its beak before opening his fist a little more so it can try again.] Named him- [Pauses before going a little red and shooting Zack a fake warning glare,] don't laugh at me, but ended up naming him Storm. Y'know, so when we raced it was Storm, Cloud. Shut up.

[Sorry not sorry- he's laughing. It's not even that funny, it's just- that's so cute. It's so cute.]

That's- that's the greatest name. I'm proud of you, buddy...!

You- [GRABS U IN A HEADLOCK] You don't sound proud, dickhead, you sound like you're laughin'!

[Okay, now he's laughing (breathlessly) because Cloud's taking it so personally. He taps at Cloud's arm.]

Stop, stop! You're scaring them away-!

[Cloud lets him go easily enough, because a) they are scaring the chocobos, who are now squawking in mild alarm and annoyance as they try to get at the greens they've dropped and b)he's not really mad. Not really.] Look me in the eyes and tell me you wouldn't do the same thing.

[The laughter fades into a softer chuckle as Cloud backs off, and he leans in to close the distance again, looking very seriously into Cloud's eyes as instructed. It's not like it's a tall task. As Aerith said all those years ago-- pretty.]

I wouldn't. I'd name him Weather.

[/POKER FACE]

That's because you're a dumbass. The listing goes 'Bird' then 'Jockey' so you'd be 'Weather Fair.'

[SHIT he thought that was a lot smoother than it was.]

Well--!! It sounds like a forecast, then!

[HONESTLY that put out little sulk is way better than the smooth Zack. Not that Cloud didn't enjoy that too, or...something.

Either way it's funny, so Cloud snickers and leans over to jostle Zack with his shoulder.] I like it. Suits you.

[Zack huffs, but it's quiet and without venom, so he settles back into his place as the chocobos tentatively wander back to close in around them. He lifts his hands to try and coax them closer.]

So why'd you like Storm so much? I thought gold was like the top-tier of chocobos. Wasn't just the name, was it?

[It's not like it really matters, he just wants to hear that passion in Cloud's voice again.]

Yeah. [Feeds a chocobo a few green seeds before hooking a finger in its beak and leading it over to Zack's hands, depositing some food there. A couple more wander back over, curious.] He was a runt. Billy said he wouldn't even make it to first molt, let alone be big enough for racing, but then he just kinda...shot up. Defiantly, almost.

Hah, speaking of stubborn. Sounds just like you.

[His eyes widen again as more birds creep in close, this time with more quiet delight than surprise. He might just be a little bit in love with everything that's happening here.]

I'm glad you didn't give up on him. I always liked rooting for the underdog.

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