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thestormishere) wrote2011-12-28 05:45 pm
thestormishere) wrote2011-12-28 05:45 pm
☈ strike #19 (action)
[ It's absolutely freezing and the village is covered in snow, but although Lightning would usually be all for avoiding that kind of weather like the beach-town native from Cocoon she is, today she's out anyway... and accompanying Baldr, who has definitely been inside way too much lately.
Hard to believe that a year ago saw her struggling with what to do with the little puppy she suddenly found herself saddled with, but now? That little black fluffball is a full-grown dog: long-haired, well-muscled... and currently bounding about, snuffling through the white covering, and chatting back to his pink-haired human about his various findings. Still a puppy at heart sometimes, that's for sure.
And while he doesn't run up to just anyone and bowl them over or anything - look at who his trainer is, come on - he does pay special attention to anyone else who happens to be out as well, ears perked forward, snow in his ruff, and a hearty Hello! to most who cross their path.
As for Lightning herself, she's... a noticeable contrast, solemn and distracted as she keeps an eye on the dog, making her way slowly into the middle of town. A visit to the flowershop later, and she's carrying something pretty unusual: a small bunch of pale pink crysanthemums. Where she's heading after that, however, remains to be seen. ]
Hard to believe that a year ago saw her struggling with what to do with the little puppy she suddenly found herself saddled with, but now? That little black fluffball is a full-grown dog: long-haired, well-muscled... and currently bounding about, snuffling through the white covering, and chatting back to his pink-haired human about his various findings. Still a puppy at heart sometimes, that's for sure.
And while he doesn't run up to just anyone and bowl them over or anything - look at who his trainer is, come on - he does pay special attention to anyone else who happens to be out as well, ears perked forward, snow in his ruff, and a hearty Hello! to most who cross their path.
As for Lightning herself, she's... a noticeable contrast, solemn and distracted as she keeps an eye on the dog, making her way slowly into the middle of town. A visit to the flowershop later, and she's carrying something pretty unusual: a small bunch of pale pink crysanthemums. Where she's heading after that, however, remains to be seen. ]
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
To boot, the underlying topic is one she's very reluctant to share. Even with him. ]
They're uh... [ Frowning and pausing, she looks at them again, and then away. ] Mourning flowers.
[ ... So, yeah. ]
FINE WHO NEEDS IT ANYWAY
Would... you rather be left alone, then?
[He doesn't want to bother her if she's doing something serious, but after hearing that he doesn't really want to leave her on her own, either.]
NOBODY HEEEERE
... I don't know.
[ Had this been something like a year ago, she would have said yes without a moment's hesitation. However... since then, she's learned a lot about having people around; she's not as set on tackling her emotions by herself as much as she used to be.
That said, again, this is all kinds of extremely personal, and she waffles immensely on giving Zack the go-ahead to stick around.
And meanwhile, Baldr takes one look at her as he finally finishes his lap of victory-- and drops the ball like a hot potato to go over to her. Animals and their intuition, man. ]
.... ;A;
How about I just walk your way for a few minutes? I don't mind being late for work.
[In other words, she's absolutely free to tell him to go away whenever she likes or just let him stick around. No sense in pushing the decision-making on her right away.]
>B[
[ Fair enough - no pun intended. It's better than standing around stewing in awkwardness, at least. She steps forward just enough to stoop and swipe up Baldr's latest ball, then turns back in the direction she was originally heading, looking over her shoulder and reaching her hand out to hand it back to Zack once he's drawn even again. ]
the crankiest girlfriend ever
Baldr's pretty big now, huh?
at least she legitimately likes him tho ... most of the time
She's already watching Baldr, but Zack's comment makes her study the romping dog closer, trying to focus through her distraction. ]
... Yeah. I don't think he's grown any more in a while, though. Just... gotten fluffier.
well alright, he'll give her that
[Not that Daisy isn't good for cuddles and companionship, but sometimes dogs just need a good romp once in a while. Especially puppies, and Baldr still sort of counts.]
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Daisy must like Baldr a little bit too, though. Not just because he tolerates the younger canine in general, but because he's the one who brought him back after the moon incident concluded. Lightning's pretty grateful for that... ]
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Zack's quiet again for a little while, lifting his hands to clasp together behind his head. He's trying very hard not to ask, but it's growing difficult the more time that passes.
Should he have stayed at the bar after all? Or is she content to walk in silence? Or maybe he should try something else... hrngh... this is harder than he thought it would be.]
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She should admit something before they get as far as the transporter, huh? Or turn him away.
But...
Well, at long last she finally gives in, taking in a long, deep breath through her mouth, then letting it out through her nose. She looks toward him again, though not at him, gaze aimed towards his feet and eyes half-open at best. ]
They're for my parents.
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For... an anniversary?
[So very awkward...]
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[ Lightning frowns, her mouth set in a wry line. Yeah, she's already seen and heard it all- the shock, the awkward apologies, the pity-- which is the last thing she wants. The worst are the people who think they can get away with something like, "that's a hard thing to go through," as if she somehow doesn't already know. She hates feeling like all her hard work to survive and drag both herself and Serah through growing up by themselves - for five years, perhaps even longer if you considered their mother's frequent illness, lack of their father since Claire was eight - can be tossed aside so easily.
As unfortunate as it is that she lost both her parents at such a young age, she made it through- an entirely different person than she would have been otherwise, but that's... how it is. ]
Near as I can tell, anyway...
[ With the stupid, unpredictable, 12-based calendar here. She keeps her eyes down, only briefly glancing up as far at Zack's face. Is he still up for hanging around after that? ]
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I haven't seen my parents for about ten years now. It can be pretty rough sometimes.
[And lonely. Even if it was his choice to run away like that.]
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On the other hand, Lightning gets his reasoning a whole lot more than she used to, even if it still seems pretty outrageous--
Cuz you know, they're both totally normal in every other way, right?
-- But, well. She does wonder now, if Zack would even get the chance to see his parents again, even if he got sent home and wanted to. Given what they'd finally forced Aerith to reveal some time back...?
What a terrible thought, though. She forces herself to refocus. Mostly. Her voice is quiet when she responds. ]
... You think they'd be mad? After so many years?
[ Or even care? Man, she doesn't even know. His relationship with said parents is still just a huge question mark to her right now. ]
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[Zack glances upwards, watching the clouds roll by with an idle expression on his face. He doesn't think about his parents often, and he certainly hadn't thought much of them while he was in SOLDIER, either. He'd been too preoccupied with everything else that had been going on in his life.
Nibelheim, though... he'd thought about them a lot. And Aerith, and Sephiroth, and Angeal- everyone he'd missed, over the years. He didn't really have much else to do when Hojo was otherwise occupied. He'd been on his way to see them back home, though- he remembers that much. A stupid move, perhaps, but...]
I wrote them a letter a long time ago- back when I finally became a SOLDIER. [And got a girlfriend.] That was it, though. I didn't leave an address or anything... we didn't exactly part on the best terms.
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[ Lightning follows his gaze, tosses the ball for Baldr one last time before they finally draw up to the barracks. That sort of life, that sort of relationship is pretty foreign to her... but the idea of parting on less than the best of terms is also far too familiar. Her situation's different - and she could never imagine not trying to fix it in hers - but... still. ]
... Sorry.
[ Explaining that kind of thing today probably wasn't in his plans, but she can't help but be awfully curious all the same. She blinks over at him slowly. ]
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I guess I just-- wonder.
[ Ugh. Her voice is heavy with frustration, at once bursting with pent up energy and reluctance. ]
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...Wonder what?
[Man, sometimes he really can't tell what's on her mind at all.]
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... What... they'd think. [ Abruptly any resemblance to a hard tone melts at the admission, expression twisting as she stares downward. ] My parents.
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I think they should be proud of the amazingly strong person you grew up to be.
[He can't speak for them, obviously, but what parent wouldn't be proud of someone so independent and powerful? Not just physically, but in the ways that matter. Maybe she's not the most girly or emotionally open person ever, but there's nothing wrong with that. He certainly can't complain.]
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I'm not the person they knew at all. That Claire Farron...
[ What teenager hasn't changed drastically when they're an adult a few years later? But, Lightning really does sound like she's talking about someone else besides herself there, even though that's still technically her name and everything. ]
After Serah and I were made l'Cie - [ Another tight-lipped pause, but then a little louder: ] Guess I'll never know, though.
[ Maybe it's better that way? ]
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[He's had so many questions he'd wanted to ask over the years, especially back in Nibelheim, or even Modeoheim; if he'd done something, said something different, if he'd stayed with them, maybe they'd-
...But there's no point in asking, because unless Sephiroth or Angeal showed up in this place, not a single person could give him the real answers he'd be seeking.
Light's no different.]
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Too many questions, not enough answers, huh?
[ Like... the difference in how many hotdogs there are in a package versus how many you get in a package of buns, ugh. >:T ]
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