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Day 47: Greenhouse [4th Shift]

Feb 04, 2010 18:58

Entering the greenhouse was almost like coming home, and Hanatarou had been looking forward to this shift for that reason. Everywhere else in the building was strange and confusing (and often dangerous) but in here was the familiar scent of soil and sun-warmed plants with the musty sort of enclosed-space smell overlaying it. His expression turned ( Read more... )

kirk, s.t., ronixis, badou, kaito, ritsu, hanatarou, impulse, sora, england, jason, ashton, zex, hayes, shinichi, mello, roxas, tim drake, von karma, grell, hanekoma, guy, tsukasa, peter petrelli, depth charge, kibitoshin, edgar, ratchet, okita, riku, sylar, rolo, scourge, zack, mccoy, l

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zack_fair February 5 2010, 04:39:32 UTC

While the recreational field had definitely been up his alley, Zack wasn't quite as set on the greenhouse. He had a certain appreciation for flowers when it related to Aerith, but it wasn't like he had much of a green thumb himself. Even back in Gongaga, where it was easy to grow things, he had never bothered with that sort of thing ( ... )

notthistrain February 5 2010, 13:23:31 UTC

After spending second shift in the sun room, Cloud's nurse was adamant about him getting involved in the activities for this one. The greenhouse, like any place that involved any sort of flowered plant, reminded him of Aerith. The thought wasn't as painful knowing that she was alive here, and he wondered if she'd had the opportunity to enjoy a shift here herself. The church, even being in the slums, had a nicer feel than this place and he reasoned that had something to do with the nature of the two buildings. Here it just felt uncomfortable, which made him wonder how any bit of foliage could consider it a good place to grow. Guess he'd just have to be reincarnated as a plant one day to find out ( ... )

zack_fair February 6 2010, 01:03:14 UTC

Zack's attention had been caught by a particular strange plant that looked more like it would bite someone's finger off than smell any good. It reminded him of some of the plant-like, too-toothy monsters he'd run into in the past, and he had to wonder if this plant warped into something dangerous at night. Come to think of it, this seemed like the sort of place where a Marlboro might hang out. Just thinking about that almost made him shudder. Those things were gross.

That was when a voice called his name, but it wasn't just any voice. It was more mature, more confident somehow, and yet Zack could never mistake it. Part of him wondered if he was just hearing things, though. He'd been thinking about Cloud a lot since he'd gotten here, after all ( ... )

notthistrain February 6 2010, 03:07:59 UTC

Well, he was here now. Zack was looking at him, looking happy to see him, and any thoughts that Cloud had been hoping to put into words faded into nothing before they even reached his tongue. There was so much he needed to say and express - gratitude, joy, and after these things the desire to beg for forgiveness - but that look shattered what resolve he had.

His hand went to that familiar spot behind his head automatically and he took a sudden interest in his slippers. It had been so long since he'd taken a good look at eyes like his, ones that weren't looking back at him from a mirror. He'd been the mirror once, and this was the original. It was a disarming feeling. The Institute was reaching into his soul, picking out the pieces and giving them a life of their own again. What was he supposed to do?

"Y-yeah..." Cloud finally managed lamely, forcing his eyes back up from the floor. That wasn't anything like what he'd planned. He felt like he was sixteen again, looking at this man. "Thanks to you."

zack_fair February 6 2010, 03:52:31 UTC

That strong front hadn't lasted long, had it? Not that Zack could blame Cloud for losing his composure, seeing how he'd actually been there when he'd died, but it did make him feel guilty to know that he'd just taken the wind out of the younger man's sails like that. His youth seemed to come right back into his mannerisms, which just served to make him feel that much more familiar to Zack.

It was a huge relief on its own to see Cloud up and about and talking again, though there was a good chance his friend had worked his way through the mako illness a while ago. That time question was going to keep plaguing him, wasn't it? Death was way too complicated ( ... )

notthistrain February 6 2010, 05:12:05 UTC

"But I knew you were there, eventually! Even if I couldn't do anything..." Even if he hardly remembered what happened from minute to minute, or whether he'd been awake or dreaming. Zack had been a constant - a familiar presence that was always there protecting him. Cloud had hardly understood a word that entire time, but the man's tone had pushed away at the fog until sometimes he'd thought he could almost see it clearing, if only for a moment. "If you hadn't been there, there's no way I would have survived ( ... )

zack_fair February 6 2010, 06:08:34 UTC

It wasn't like Zack could have just left Cloud in that basement to rot, though. That was how he thought of it, anyway. He'd been in much better shape after their breakout; not perfect, but well enough to drag around his friend until they'd finally reached Midgar. He was glad to know that Cloud had at least been aware of him, though. He wouldn't have wanted the younger man to have felt lost and frightened during that time ( ... )

notthistrain February 6 2010, 09:38:19 UTC

How long had it been? That was a question he could answer, he supposed. Or at least he could answer it in the relative sense. He was fairly sure he knew the date he'd been taken from, but things were so fuzzy after he left Zack's body on the cliff that he wasn't sure he recalled when exactly it had taken place. It was hard to say how much time had passed between then and when he spoke with Tifa. Even then, things had a tendency to blur in and out of his memory leading up to that first attack on the mako reactor ( ... )

zack_fair February 6 2010, 10:11:50 UTC

Seeing how Cloud's answer could have been much, much worse (at least four years hadn't passed all over again), Zack actually let out a sigh of relief. So he didn't have too much to catch up on... if he should even catch up at all. Still, now that he was here, he couldn't imagine not finding out about all the things that had taken place since his death. It might somehow disturb the cosmic order and maybe there would be problems when he returned to the Lifestream (had he even made it there in the first place?), but he couldn't stay clueless ( ... )

notthistrain February 6 2010, 10:33:49 UTC

"It was... kind of an accidental meeting, really." That particular memory brought a smile to Cloud's face. He didn't know if he'd ever be able to explain it in detail. Fighting a ShinRa robot and surviving an exploding reactor only to fall through the roof of the church below and be saved by Aerith's flowers... It sounded so silly in retrospect. Zack might not even believe him.

"I first ran into her when she was out selling flowers." Again, not a lie. That had technically been their first meeting. "I just happened to see her again later when she needed a hand with something and we got talking." Of course, stretching the truth beyond this would become troublesome when it came time to spill everything. He wasn't going to make himself a liar, not to Zack, but simple was best for now. Later, when Zack had a better idea of what was going on and didn't look so lost, he'd go into more detail. He did owe him better ( ... )

zack_fair February 7 2010, 03:34:33 UTC

Funny, seeing how Zack's meeting with Aerith had been more or less the same. Accidental, that was. Maybe she just had a knack for that sort of thing. Or she was subtly maneuvering them into stumbling into her life without them even realizing it! Probably not, though.

Hearing that she'd really been out there and selling flowers from someone else (not that he hadn't believed Aerith earlier, but it was still nice to hear it twice) just put a bigger smile on Zack's face. "She is really easy to talk to, isn't she?" That was one of the things that had struck him the most when he'd met her. The fact that they were both so open and friendly was probably why they'd hit it off so well.

But the eyes... That made sense. Zack had never gotten the best glimpse of Cloud's, seeing how they'd been closed for a good deal of their time on the run (and he'd been distracted by keeping them alive); that glow was unmistakable, though. He nodded. "I... guess she did. I'm glad you were there to keep her company," he said sincerely.

notthistrain February 8 2010, 02:08:18 UTC

While they'd gotten on the subject of Aerith, he still hoped to avoid spilling what had eventually become of her. Any topic seemed easier to discuss than himself, however, and the flower girl tended to bring smiles to faces even in conversation. Zack's last comment then made him wince inwardly. Sure, he'd been with her, in whatever state of being you could call that, up until ( ... )

zack_fair February 8 2010, 05:40:57 UTC

Pretty amazing. That was a good way to describe her, and Zack was glad that someone else had been able to recognize that in Aerith. Then again, she was far more special than she had ever wanted to seem, wasn't she? The Turks had been watching her like hawks even when she'd been younger, so Zack couldn't imagine what had happened since then. Aerith had mentioned going on a long adventure, but he hadn't gotten any more details than that. He'd kept planning to talk to her about the Ancient thing, even before Nibelheim, but... there was just no easy way to bring something like that up, was there?

What Zack hadn't expected was the sudden compliment from Cloud. He laughed and shook his head. What was that all about? He could understand why the younger man might be grateful, and he certainly didn't mind the attention, but... "What, sucking up to me now? Don't bother." He waved the blond off. They were too close for that ( ... )

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