01. [Video.]
[For a moment, the screen is filled with a perplexing, looming view of solid black. There's the typical crackling and pops of the microphone picking up subtle background noises and posture shifts, but it's still several seconds of virtually nothing on the screen at all. Then, there's a blur of black dangling down that looks suspiciously like...hair ( Read more... )
So he's not entirely thinking when he blinks at his communicator and manages to sit up in bed without touching anything with his hands. He leans over it, voice groggy.]
... Zack?
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[Okay, now he's getting just a little weirded out. This is the second unfamiliar voice of the day. That in itself wouldn't be sound bad, but the ease in which they're calling his name is so...familiar. Do these people...know him somehow? Naaah.]
...Huh?
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You're... Angeal's ki--student, right?
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Kid? N-no, I'm his...yeah. [He nods a short affirmative.] Student. Or I was. That was a long time ago.
Listen, I don't wanna be rude but...who're you, again?
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But Minato can't help returning that grin.]
I'm Minato Namikaze--and no, I'm not from Wutai. We have the same teacher, in a way. Angeal has been teaching me how to cook.
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Well, even if you were, I don't think you'd be volunteering it. [He chuckles at that, but there's still a slightly serious undertone in that statement. Tread carefully, he's excitable when it comes to SOLDIER.]
...Oh.
[The look of surprise is back, but there's also a slightly pained strain to it. Not because he has taken a dislike to him, far from it. It's just the thought of Angeal with another pupil is like a knife in the heart.]
Nice to meet you!
...Cook?
[And now he bursts out laughing. Now there's a mental image.]
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[And Minato catches that strained look. Zack isn't the jealous sort, if Zack truly shares some personality with him. But it'd be like hearing Naruto call someone else "Dad". So he's thinking about some way to differentiate them--to say that Zack's still very important to Angeal--when the man bursts out laughing at him.
Minato rolls his eyes good-naturedly.]
Yeah, yeah, I'm pretty horrible at it. Been improving though!
[Minato pauses for a moment and then smiles warmly at Zack.]
Angeal's going to be happy to see you again, Zack. Even if he won't say it, he's missed you.
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H-hey, no one's called anyone stupid. [He holds up his hands defensively.] I'm sure you aren't.
[Zack is definitely not jealous. And that's exactly what it boils down to. Angeal is his family--the only real sense he had once he took off from home. But he lets it go, and that easy smile is back on his face. No one likes a frowning Puppy, after all.]
I'm sorry, it's just...Angeal? Cooking. And you...y-- [He's laughing again, but he gets it under control much faster this time.]
[He hesitates. He's not too sure about that one, because...well. He's still young and easily made nervous.]
Yeah? You really think so? [He returns it with a rather broad grin.] Ohh, man. I've missed him, too.
[It's an understatement. But the thought has him excited, that's for sure.]
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[Minato raises an eyebrow while grinning.] It's pretty funny, yeah. But he's a surprisingly good cook. ... He's gotten it so I don't blow things up anymore. Most of the time, anyways. Which is a good thing, because if I messed up Sephiroth's kitchen one more time.... [And the ninja lets that ominously trial off.]
[He nods to that question, still smiling. He can see Zack's excitement.] He'll probably insist that you move in with him.
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[That's right, Minato. The Wutai are not a SOLDIER's best friend. Though he has to admit, he's a little impressed that you know anything about them.]
I guess I just never saw that side of him. [It's a polite way of saying he always assumed he'd be a terrible cook, if he even knew how to cook at all.]
[It's his turn to raise an eyebrow now.] Sir'd skewer you.
[It's matter of fact really, but he grins lazily.]
O-oh, uh. Maybe.
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Ha! Yeah, he doesn't seem the.. type. [Minato knows what Zack is implying, and implies it himself for fun.]
... Surprisingly, he didn't. Guess he must just like my sparkling personality or something! [Minato is grinning.]
We'll see.
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[He'll pick up on Zack's slight guilt in return. Minato's astute--a war. A war that both he and Angeal fought alongside each other in, more or less systematically wiping out entire clans. A very long, very ugly war. ]
You're right. He doesn't. [He shrugs slightly, as if to say 'no big deal.'] But I'm glad...you know.
[That he wasn't alone. That he's found some sort of comfort. All of that's implied, but he won't say it.]
I'm not sure Sephiroth really likes anyone. Tolerates, maybe. [He chuckles.] But consider yourself lucky. That's a bullet dodged, for sure.
He doesn't have to.
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Yeah, me too. [Minato's not exactly sure what Zack's implying, but he's got a decent idea.]
Oh, no. He definitely likes people. It's just... his own version of "like". His emotions are pretty subtle.
... Just because he doesn't have to doesn't mean it'll stop him. When we were rooming together, he made food for the both of us all the time. ... Although, considering the alternative of me trying to cook, that could've just been self-defense.
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[Then they're sure to come to an understanding at some point, if it ever comes up. He followed orders and did what he was told to. It doesn't necessarily mean he's proud of it.]
Mm.
Well, maybe it's cause we're coming from different places on that one. He's still my superior, yanno.
[His eyes roll slightly, and he gives his head a shake. Same old Angeal, alright.]
Doesn't sound like much has changed. [For Angeal, anyway.]
Don't feel bad. There's plenty of stuff he won't let me do, either.
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.... Oh, good point. I think he has an idea of my rank, though, even if I've never told him or Angeal specifically.
[Minato laughed.] After he told me to just get back to the apartment after I managed to kill a huge monster attacking me, I asked him if he was my mom or my wife. He just repeated for me to come home... and still made me that sandwich I promised.
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[He knows the feeling all too well himself. ]
[He tilts his head and eyes him, considering. Half-wondering if he's going to be dropping 'sir's' indefinitely during his stay here.]
They do have a respect for rank.
[Zack's eyes widen a bit at this and he can't help but shake his head , a little half-smile on his lips.] I'm sure that went over great. [He laughs then.] Sounds like you're pretty close then, huh?
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