Open!

[i_love_squats]

Who: Zack Fair i_love_squats, OPEN
When: Today or tomorrow.
Where: Zack and Angeal’s home.
Format: Paragraph or action, whichever you want. Feel free to hop in an already established thread or start a new one for new guests who want to arrive at a different time. Either or. :D
What: For anyone who wants to come and visit Zack and make sure he doesn’t escape

Comments

[valdecet]

[ The plates made little noise in the silence of the kitchen as he set them down in the wooden tray on the counter, clinking softly as the steaming mug of tea joined them. Angeal hadn't wanted to leave Zack's side, for more reasons than simply wanting to prevent his student from making off while injured. Physical wounds would heal over time, but it was Zack's state of mind that he was concerned about. Angeal knew, with the unerring instinct of a mentor, that his student was more than consumed with guilt. Zack, with his desire to be a hero, his confidence that things would turn out the right way in the end

[i_love_squats]

[Shiva, too slow. He was half way to swinging his feet out of bed when he heard the door open, and like a puppy caught in the cookie jar, he froze and looked back at the door. Oops? Forgive him, for he knows not what he does.]

Stretching is all. Getting awful cramps sitting in this bed.

[Which wasn't exactly untrue. His back was killing him from more than his injuries, and his neck cracked something awful when he turned it in certain angles. To illustrate his point, Zack raised his arms over his head, wincing as the gunfire pops sounded while his vertebrae slid back into their proper alignment. A tired smile crossed his lips, his eyes flickering from the tea to Angeal and lingering there. He didn't deserve this good treatment, just as he didn't deserve Angeal's worry.]

How's the outside world? Am I missing anything?

[Which was SOLDIER for "Is that asshole still out there? Has he done anything else?"]

[valdecet]

Stretching, huh.

[ Angeal knew Zack well, but this little excuse didn't require any great feats of insight to spot. He shook his head and entered, making his way to the bed and setting the tray down onto the bedspread carefully. Then again (and judging by the sound of those cracks in Zack's spine) it did make sense for the kid to be having cramps from staying so long in bed-- especially someone as normally restless as Zack.

Understanding what his student was asking him, noticing the tired smile with a twitch of his brows, Angeal sat down next to him with a small sigh. ]

The outside world is pretty much the same, and no, you're not missing anything. [ Which was Angealish for "You're going to stay right where you are, mister, until I give the go-ahead." ] Want me to do something for those cramps?

[i_love_squats]

[Zack wasn't surprised that Angeal could see right through him; it was sort of a mentor's duty, wasn't it? And frankly, the only person who knew him as well as Angeal did was Cloud, and he shared that same uncanny gift. Maybe Zack was becoming too predictable? Maybe he was transparent? Maybe he needed to change things up a bit, keep them on their toes?

[Maybe tomorrow, though. Today just wasn't the day for it.

[There was a minor sulk at the Angeal-ese, complete with a nod and sway of his hair. The same. And he was grounded. His eyes flickered to the sword in the corner before he blinked and looked up at Angeal.]

Probably won't let me get up and do exercises, huh? [He smiled, before his shoulders rolled in a shrug, which created a new symphony of cracks.] Do you have a hot pack?

[valdecet]

[ The sulk got a sideways glance (of sympathy) from Angeal, but he knew that Zack knew that his mentor wouldn't let him free that easily. ]

Maybe after you've had something to eat first. [ He nudged the tray forward. Elena had managed to slip away some time during the night, and though Angeal had been somewhat dismayed, he'd reasoned with himself that if Elena was well enough to pull an escape, she'd be all right. (This didn't mean he wouldn't check up on her, however. Possibly with a mini-lecture.) Now technically, the same might go for Zack as well, but until Angeal had satisfied himself that his student wouldn't be going off to do something reckless again, in Angeal's sight he would stay.

The cracks had him grimacing; perhaps a few exercises would be in order. ] No, but I can go make one if you want.

[i_love_squats]

[You know something's wrong when Zack doesn't want to eat. He stared at the tray despondently, sighed, but complied; if it would let him out of bed and to the exercises, he'd do whatever it took. His stomach protested, albeit weakly.]

Nah, nah, don't get up. After I eat, maybe you'll let me go get one myself? [It was a hopeful question, complete with his puppy dog eyes. It was the first time he used them since this went down, but he was desperate to get out of the room, out to a window, somewhere he could breathe the fresh air. Angeal had to understand, right? And besides, he was bargaining here: food completely eaten for a small walk. That was completely reasonable.]

When do you think I'll be able to go back to work? [And whether work meant the Odd Jobs, the Patrol, Shinra, or hunting down Yazoo, it was Angeal's best guess. Really, as far as Zack was concerned, he was referring to all of them. The streets weren't safe with a murderer like Yazoo out there, and he'd be damned if another child fell because he was too busy hiding in

[valdecet]

[ ...not the puppy dog eyes. Angeal braced himself (rather unsuccessfully) and attempted to give his student what he thought was a hard, intent look, but probably came off as entirely too anxious and closer to a pout than Angeal would have ever liked to see on his own face. He hadn't seen them in a while, now. Not since-- ]

I'll make it, Zack. [ Softly but firmly. A pause, and then-- ] You can come with me to look for the materials, though. I was thinking of getting a brick or two to heat up and wrap in some cloth. [ He trailed off, thinking on the next question. Work. Normally, he'd think it as the Odd Jobs or the Patrol, or more recently, the resuscitation of Shinra. But he knew better, right now, and unless Zack outright said that he wanted to be alone, well.

Angeal wasn't letting him run off that quick. ] Soon. After you're well enough. [ A thoughtful pause as he looked down at the tray, the food he'd so carefully prepared. ] You don't have to eat all of it if you can't, you know. I won't make you do pushups. [ The hint of a

[i_love_squats]

[The puppy eyes always worked, at least with Angeal. Years hadn’t given him enough of an immunity, and another undeterminable set of years probably wouldn’t still. It was the single advantage he had, and he’d be damned if he let it get rusty. And at the sight of the almost-pout, Zack knew this battle had been won. Not the war, oh no, but at least one little victory, and he would take what he could get right about now.]

All right. Should probably make the cloth damp; wet heat works good on muscles. [Little tricks of the trade he had learned over time, the pieces of time that passed giving him nuggets of knowledge. He half-smiled, hopeful, until he heard the next answer. Should he be surprised? Should he really?]

He’s not going to stop, you know. And everything that happens between then and now, it’s all my fault. I should’ve-- [-stopped him, he wanted to say, felt it poised there, but he couldn’t. Didn’t want to. He knew where the guilt lied. He knew it was his fault. Angeal didn’t need to be burdened with his pain and self-