thestormishere | ☈ strike #15 (action / video)

[ For Lightning, because of the circumstances at the end of the last time she'd been drafted, this is actually the first time since her arrival she's ever had to go and try to readjust back to 'normal' life so suddenly- to go from experiencing days of battle and worry, thinking critically, ready to kill or order to kill at a moment's notice... to sleeping in a bed she's used to, eating breakfast in the morning, running for exercise, trying to figure out what else to do for the day...

The village might just be getting started on a whole new New Feather cycle, but Lightning doesn't really find it easy to care that much. She pays attention but mostly ignores what doesn't concern her-- aside from even more random strangers wandering through her yard, that is. Apparently that's just the price of living at house #41, so close to the plaza.

... Of course, something is still pretty off, too. Regardless of somehow managing to do a passable job before, she'd really rather not be having to go out and water the flowers around the house again-- Aerith's flowers. Especially since, like it or not, the guilt over not keeping an eye on the other woman that last day of the draft continues to plague her. She still doesn't know what happened to her, aside from the fact that she suddenly disappeared and just never came back... and yet she does know that others will probably be wondering where she is anyway. In a weird way, the l'Cie kind of considers handling it her duty... even if she'll still be eyeing anyone who gets near with obvious suspicion.

Unless your name happens to be Hope or Zack, of course, the former which has an upcoming birthday laying on her mind, and the other which... she needs to... kind of figure things out with. After that conversation right before everyone was sent off. Ohhhh boy.

If she's not caught in her yard, eventually she does leave her own territory, though, restless and looking for something to do. And after some time, she turns to the journals with a dry, vaguely annoyed-sounding inquiry: ]

Just... out of curiosity, who all is even looking after these fruit trees north of the village? [ A short pause, and she's clearly looking off, studying something a little bit overhead. Unsurprisingly, she's standing right alongside an apple tree, bearing a prodigious load of readying round fruit. ] Look about ready to harvest, out here...

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[ For a few seconds, it seems that once again Lightning is taking that very seriously. Judging someone from only what they've shown, liking them because of who they are rather than trusting the word of others... for a woman that's utterly reviled where she comes from...?

Man, she's tried to tell Zack about all her stupid issues! She wouldn't want to present herself as something she's not in this kind of thing, whether it's simple friendship or... just a little more than that. ]

You make it pretty hard not to like you, Zack.

[ ADMITTING IT, SORT OF? As if it wasn't already obvious from before. But. She's a big girl anyway- this definitely isn't the best time for this, but it's not the worst, either. Her seriousness softens with her voice, with a kind of a small, ironic smile. ]

... Dating doesn't mean I'll go easy on you during sparring practice, though. So, you can forget that.

[ Because that's clearly all he's after, right? Her mock-sternness might be more subdued that it could be, although... well, even Lightning is sensitive to critically heavy situations needing some relief, especially in such an overall somber time such as now. ]

[Did... she seriously just say that?

...BOTH OF THOSE THINGS THAT SHE JUST SAID, DID SHE REALLY-

Okay, okay. Keep it cool. Though even as he thinks it, a much brighter smile is already crossing his lips, and he's not trying very hard to suppress it. He just got himself a hot date, didn't he? More than that, she's giving him a chance, it seems. And that means a lot to him right now.]

I'd be kind of insulted if you did, anyway. I like the challenge.

[As if his pursuit of her wasn't evidence enough of that. And there's a double-meaning there, as well- bring on the issues, Light. Bring on the problems and the bad moods and the serious nature. He's pretty damn sure he can handle it.]

[ AND THEN ZACK WOKE UP.

Nobutyes, those are indeed the words that came out of Lightning's mouth and-- nope, definitely not trying to keep from blushing or anything over here. Nope nope nope.

... Lightning's definitely happier when the people around her are happy, though... as long as they aren't being obnoxious about it. It's hard for her to sound too severe. ]

Tch... well, the same goes for you. Pull your hits and you'll be sorry.

[FFFFFUUUUUUU- no okay it's cool.

Since she's not denying it or anything, though, his grin is sticking in place, aww yeah.]

Trust me, the last thing I'm gonna do is hold back against the one person I know can take it.

[ ... Only these two would agree that trying to beat the crap out of each other without holding back is a positive thing.

But yeah, there's a definite curve to the corners of her lips at that... and for once she's not mentally pulling in the fact that the reason she can "take it" is also the source of a problem so very, very complicated.

-- HAHA DID SHE JUST SNARE A BOYFRIEND OR SOMETHING? SHE IS 21 AND WHAT IS THIS? She lets out a breath, lifting a hand to rub at her brow. ]

[AWWWWWYEAH GIRLFRIEND: GET. This is a good feeling, yes. What comes after her little smile makes her look like she just signed up for some horrible danger, though, so he gives her shoulder a light, hopefully-reassuring shake.]

Hey, relax. I promise I'm not gonna make you write a quiz about it later or something. Just let whatever happens be natural.

[ Relax? Relax?? HOW IS SHE SUPPOS-- no, actually, she's cool too. This isn't a spontaneous decision or anything, after all- she's had time to think about it, both before and after the draft and Aerith's disappearance...

Although... Final Fantasy characters and their usual kind of luck dating other Final Fantasy characters... uh, dude, that is risky! REGARDLESS. She twists away from his hand, but does smile again a smidge. ]

And I'm not going to go and try turning myself into a princess or anything either, Zack. I don't think you have to worry about that.

[Okay that makes Zack laugh. He leans back once more, resting his arms on the back of the couch. Whether or not she's relaxed (though she looks it, well enough), he certainly is. Just a couple more days and practically everything will be perfect, really.]

I've never dated a princess before! Actually, I don't even think we have any on my world. Real princesses, anyway. I wouldn't know what to do with one. I'm too broke to spoil a high-society lady.

We're all broke now, anyway... it's not like there's any gil here.

[ She knows what he means though, despite her tone. Regardless, who also knows where her mind happens to be wandering off to now, as she runs her fingers through her hair and then shifts to lean against the arm rest again, putting chin in hand. She continues to regard him.

... Poor guy has his work cut out for him, if he intends to train this lady to relax for more than a few minutes at a time, yep. ]

Does that mean I'm gonna be a cheap date? Or just that I have to be more creative than usual?

[Not that Aerith was ever a particularly expensive date; a girl from the slums didn't need a lot of expensive stuff (even on the rare occasions that he could afford it), and she was frugal if nothing else. Going by his experience, the best thing for a girlfriend is to just spend time with her. And without his job constantly calling him away, time is something he has in droves.

So... sort of like the twenty-three little luxuries, right?]

I don't...

[ ... Well, on second thought, maybe she should keep quiet on just how easy she can be to please, even if it's likely been obvious for some time anyway. The extent of her self-indulgence here has been eating things that taste good occasionally and hanging out on the beach. So... yeah.

In other words, she doesn't entirely realize just how high-maintenance she has the potential to be, even if you disregard how adamant she is about her ~issues~ over being a l'Cie and all.

She kind of rolls her eyes slightly. Case in point- ]

I'm pretty sure 'cheap' means more than just money, so... [ A bit of a smirk, one shoulder raising a bit higher than the other. ] Isn't putting in effort really the only currency we have here, anyway?

Can't argue about that one. I guess finding you a hair ribbon wouldn't do me much good...

[It's said teasingly, but truth be told, he will have to give it a little more thought. Aerith is a vastly different girl than Lightning, so her interest in the girly things that impressed one (like the ribbon, and perfume, and flower carts) are unlikely to get him very far with the other. Though every girl likes flowers, right? Right? Maybe he should look into that.]

Just go easy on me, okay? I'm still learning all about you, so I'll probably get plenty wrong at first.

[ Hair ribb-- oh, right. Yeah, Lightning's not really one to put a bow in her hair, gift or no. It's... uh... girly enough already.

Flowers, though... :|a ]

Hm... I thought we'd already agreed not to go easy on each other.

[ Her gaze is sharp as the corners of her lips turn up even more. She's totally teasing back now, GREAT. You are in so much trouble, Zack Fair. ]

☈ strike #15 (action / video)

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