Which is why you should stay behind, so you can help patch people up when we get out of there.
[ He's putting his hands on his hips as he turns to face her full on, away from checking his gear - he's not letting you win this one that easily. ]
And if things get worse out here while we're in there, you and Emily and the rest of the medical team are going to be the first line of help for the people who can't fight.
[ He frowns, although it's not hard to tell there's at least a little concern on his face. ]
If you go in there, there's not telling what will happen if you get caught off guard - or if you'll make it out.
[ That's a solid plan. Toraguma could probably take some pointers from Cloud Strife. After a moment of quiet deliberation, she speaks, and a soft smile is working it's way onto her lips. ]
Okay. [ It's like a bunch of air has left her. She deflates, but not in a way that seems stressed. It's relief. ] I'll be here. Pray will be at the ready. Just stay sharp in there.
[ Moving closer to his side, she leans over to get a better look at what he's doing. ] How 'bout I help you suit up, Mr. Hero?
Could I stop you from doing that even if I wanted to? [ He doesn't, and at Aerith's clear relief, he feels a little relieved himself. She even gets a small smile for her trouble. ]
I still don't have my sword back or any materia - but I've got someone who should be helping me out with sword part, at least. But even then, it wouldn't be fitted to hold a materia on short notice.
[ So it's just him, his piecemeal SOLDIER armor, and a sword. Not exactly the best outfitted merc in Hell right now, he admits. ]
Do whatever you think will help. [ Cloud, that is a very open prompt you have just given her. ]
Hmm... nope! [ Bad as his set up is, she thinks he'll be fine. Aerith grins up at him, looking not at all concerned. ]
Anything, huh? You know, I do still owe you a date. Could let you cash it in...
[ But she dips her hand into one of the pockets of her red jacket to pluck a pink ribbon out. It's speckled with blood, and has a tear in it, but that doesn't bother her. It's the same one from the night the rain started: There's been no time or mental capacity for figuring out when to wash it. It'll have to do. She moves closer, attempting to tie it around his bicep. ]
How about this? See, I could end up coming with you, after all.
A date? In this weather? Might need to take a rain check. [ Which... isn't a no. But he is perhaps used enough to Aerith's banter that he can play with it. ]
[ Although he stops as she takes out the ribbon. He's confused for a minute, but then she ties it around his bicep. There's a... sudden mix of weird emotions at play, there. Emotions he's definitely not used to. Subconsciously, he moves a hand over it, a distant - but not cold - look in his eyes as he tries to figure out what to say. ]
Guess I'll... have to make sure to keep you safe while you're out there with me, huh?
[ If he notices her biting her lip and looking away for a moment... well, it can be a secret for them to share. ]
You will. [ She's smiling, even as she pulls her hand away. Their fingers nearly touch as she does; careful consideration crosses her mind to let it happen. ] Bodyguard duties never end.
[ Much more sincerely, she hopes it'll be a bright spot whenever he sees it. It helps to keep the darkness at bay— and that's important. ] There, not just the SOLDIER armor keeping you safe now. Feel better?
[ There's something that pulls on his heart. Some sort of... flicker at the edge of his memory. Is it a memory? He shakes it off - it's only there for a moment. And Aerith's small little smile and bite of her lip forces a smile from him, as he looks away. ]
Loads. [ It's said with his usual disaffected deadpan voice, but Aerith can tell there's not a hint of bite to it - which might speak to how sincere he actually is. ] With this? I don't think they can touch me.
[ He really is easy to read. Cloud's tone might be disaffected, monotone as possible, but she knows fondness where she sees it. ] Is that fondness, Cloud?
[ For her? Scandalous... As much as she teases, she hopes it hides how sincerely she likes to hear that. ] Whenever you feel like they might get too close... that ribbon will be there. Just remember me, and everyone else who's counting on you. We've all got your back.
Nope. [ He said, lying brazenly and ineffectively. ] Must have imagined it. [ This is definitely not a successful lie, and they both know it. ]
[ They - the manifestations... really, there is a part of him scared - there is certainly some parts of him on display here that aren't going to be... easy to handle. But with her ribbon. Well. Maybe he can keep himself tethered to the here and now. And, besides... ]
I don't plan to leave you to deal with a mess like this on your own. So don't worry - I won't forget.
[ There's a moment of awkwardness as he pulls his hand away from the ribbon, it hangs in the air a moment, like he's almost unsure what he should do with it. ]
Great! We're on the same page, then. [ As if she'd ever let you do something crazy like let her live in a nightmare hell world. ]
I'll be here. Just call if anything goes belly up, okay? In the mean time, I'll make a round at the clinic to make sure everyone is doing okay. [ Pausing, however, she lingers a moment longer. ]
If anything goes wrong, you'll be the first to know. [ He of course can't guarantee he'll be able to communicate, once they're inside. But if he can get a hold of Aerith, he will. ]
[ He's lost in his thoughts for a moment, contemplating what's going to happen later this evening when she speaks up, his eyes coming back into focus and looking at her. ]
[ She could bring up a number of things. Any number of them— Zack crosses her mind, but so does Tifa, and her mother, and Sector 7, and... ]
Kick some ass.
[ They'll talk about it another time. When he gets back, or maybe never at all. She grins, looking no worse for wear than usual. It's hard to explain, but he makes her feel like herself— something she finds all the more important after all her encounters with the Specters. ]
[ And Aerith in turn makes him feel a little more grounded, a little less likely to get lost in his own thoughts - muddled as they are. Gives him something to shoot for, other than 'ex-SOLDIER, 1st Class'. ]
Never a doubt I would.
[ He gives a small smile. A confident nod. Anything she wants to say, she can say to him when he gets back. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2022-06-17 10:45 pm (UTC)[ He's putting his hands on his hips as he turns to face her full on, away from checking his gear - he's not letting you win this one that easily. ]
And if things get worse out here while we're in there, you and Emily and the rest of the medical team are going to be the first line of help for the people who can't fight.
[ He frowns, although it's not hard to tell there's at least a little concern on his face. ]
If you go in there, there's not telling what will happen if you get caught off guard - or if you'll make it out.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-17 10:52 pm (UTC)Okay. [ It's like a bunch of air has left her. She deflates, but not in a way that seems stressed. It's relief. ] I'll be here. Pray will be at the ready. Just stay sharp in there.
[ Moving closer to his side, she leans over to get a better look at what he's doing. ] How 'bout I help you suit up, Mr. Hero?
no subject
Date: 2022-06-17 11:37 pm (UTC)I still don't have my sword back or any materia - but I've got someone who should be helping me out with sword part, at least. But even then, it wouldn't be fitted to hold a materia on short notice.
[ So it's just him, his piecemeal SOLDIER armor, and a sword. Not exactly the best outfitted merc in Hell right now, he admits. ]
Do whatever you think will help. [ Cloud, that is a very open prompt you have just given her. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-06-18 01:48 am (UTC)Anything, huh? You know, I do still owe you a date. Could let you cash it in...
[ But she dips her hand into one of the pockets of her red jacket to pluck a pink ribbon out. It's speckled with blood, and has a tear in it, but that doesn't bother her. It's the same one from the night the rain started: There's been no time or mental capacity for figuring out when to wash it. It'll have to do. She moves closer, attempting to tie it around his bicep. ]
How about this? See, I could end up coming with you, after all.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-18 01:54 am (UTC)[ Although he stops as she takes out the ribbon. He's confused for a minute, but then she ties it around his bicep. There's a... sudden mix of weird emotions at play, there. Emotions he's definitely not used to. Subconsciously, he moves a hand over it, a distant - but not cold - look in his eyes as he tries to figure out what to say. ]
Guess I'll... have to make sure to keep you safe while you're out there with me, huh?
[ As far as lines go, it's far from his worst. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-06-18 02:01 am (UTC)You will. [ She's smiling, even as she pulls her hand away. Their fingers nearly touch as she does; careful consideration crosses her mind to let it happen. ] Bodyguard duties never end.
[ Much more sincerely, she hopes it'll be a bright spot whenever he sees it. It helps to keep the darkness at bay— and that's important. ] There, not just the SOLDIER armor keeping you safe now. Feel better?
no subject
Date: 2022-06-18 03:22 am (UTC)Loads. [ It's said with his usual disaffected deadpan voice, but Aerith can tell there's not a hint of bite to it - which might speak to how sincere he actually is. ] With this? I don't think they can touch me.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-18 04:00 am (UTC)[ For her? Scandalous... As much as she teases, she hopes it hides how sincerely she likes to hear that. ] Whenever you feel like they might get too close... that ribbon will be there. Just remember me, and everyone else who's counting on you. We've all got your back.
no subject
Date: 2022-06-18 06:40 am (UTC)[ They - the manifestations... really, there is a part of him scared - there is certainly some parts of him on display here that aren't going to be... easy to handle. But with her ribbon. Well. Maybe he can keep himself tethered to the here and now. And, besides... ]
I don't plan to leave you to deal with a mess like this on your own. So don't worry - I won't forget.
[ There's a moment of awkwardness as he pulls his hand away from the ribbon, it hangs in the air a moment, like he's almost unsure what he should do with it. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-06-18 07:29 pm (UTC)I'll be here. Just call if anything goes belly up, okay? In the mean time, I'll make a round at the clinic to make sure everyone is doing okay. [ Pausing, however, she lingers a moment longer. ]
Cloud?
no subject
Date: 2022-06-18 07:51 pm (UTC)[ He's lost in his thoughts for a moment, contemplating what's going to happen later this evening when she speaks up, his eyes coming back into focus and looking at her. ]
Yeah, Aerith?
no subject
Date: 2022-06-19 02:13 am (UTC)Kick some ass.
[ They'll talk about it another time. When he gets back, or maybe never at all. She grins, looking no worse for wear than usual. It's hard to explain, but he makes her feel like herself— something she finds all the more important after all her encounters with the Specters. ]
no subject
Date: 2022-06-20 12:00 pm (UTC)Never a doubt I would.
[ He gives a small smile. A confident nod. Anything she wants to say, she can say to him when he gets back. ]