abstractborders | ShinRA Trash Party

Cloud may be attempting to become one with his scarf (and maybe the wall behind him) while clutching his drink. What's even in it? Is he old enough to drink it?

Who knows, because Cloud doesn't.

Why did he let himself be convinced to come here, anyway?

---

[Or maybe he's not attending so much as ~~lurking~~ patrolling outside, whichever you want.]

Everyone needs a chance to lighten up a bit, Cloud. Even someone like you.

Cissnei had never really interacted with the young trooper much but she knew Zack was friends with him and had purposefully kept an eye on him because of it. So the minute she had spotted him in the bar, looking uncomfortable and like he wanted to just disappear...she made her way over.

Because he was just begging for attention.

"I'm impressed you managed to get a drink," she mused in a bit of a teasing tone, absently tapping her own bottle of beer against her thigh. "What are you...fourteen?" She knows he's fifteen but still. Such a baby face.

He knows how to smile, you know.

He managed to - somehow - not spill when she spoke up, wondering if he'd gotten so distracted he hadn't noticed her or if it was acceptable to blame the fact that she was a Turk. Because that was clear enough.

"Fifteen," he muttered, scowling for a moment before he glanced down at the glass in his hand and shrugged, a slight twitch of his shoulders almost hidden by the folds of the scarf.

"I was just handed it."

Which meant he knew better than to taste it until he found out what it was. He wasn't that stupid.

It's definitely acceptable to blame her profession. She's suppose to be good at sneaking up on people, after all. Don't take it personally, Cloud.

"Oh, right, sorry," she said with a slight shrug and perhaps the hint of a teasing look on her face. Still young. Really young.

Her gaze slid to the glass as he stated that it was just handed to him, the Turk frowning a bit now as she stepped over to take it from him. A quick sniff had Cissnei making a face before she offered him her beer instead.

"Take this." Once he had it she'd disappear to snag herself a new drink from the bar, returning a few moments later to take a seat this time.

He probably shouldn't, but he feels like if he was just better (at this, at a lot of other things) it'd help him get where he wanted to be.

He couldn't quite help the little huff that escaped at her not-really apology, but the expression he thought he could see on her face was... vaguely familiar and instinct fought between making him tense up and relax.

In the end, Cloud was left blinking at the bottle he now had in his hand instead - he recognised that at least - and took a hesitant sip. It did not taste like what his mother had let him try a few times.

He managed to keep from making too much of a grimace, though.

"Wouldn't have wanted to try the glass, would I?" Cloud finally ventured, peering at Cissnei. "Um... thanks."

Don't be so hard on yourself, kid. There's always next time.

Cissnei set her new bottle on the table and let out an amused little huff of laughter.

"Probably not," she said in a rather sagely manner, tipping her bottle back and forth. "It might not have ended well for you." Maybe a little bit hilariously for some of the more sadistic members of the Turks but Cissnei wouldn't have let anything happened to him. Zack would have been upset if anyone hurt the little chocobo and a pouty Zack is not something she wants to deal with.

"You're welcome," Cissnei said with a ghost of a smile, lifting her drink to finally take a sip. "I'm surprised you're here alone."

But next time is one time too much!

"Great. I mean, I'd already guessed, but..." Cloud muttered, reflexively sinking a little lower in his seat and unsure how this short exchange had ended with him sitting down. Well, it wasn't really important, he supposed...

"I'm not." Briefly, almost reluctantly, Cloud's gaze darted aside to linger at a group across the room before he turned away, picking absently at the bottle. "Didn't seem like a bad idea before we got here."

Because while one or two of them were okay on their own, a few others reminded him far too much of home, and as a group... well. That free drink had come from a nonchalant hand pushing it at him and a shrug to 'just drink it' when he'd asked.

He'd made himself scarce after that.

"I don't need a babysitter, you know," Cloud said, looking up with a small but there smile, aimed at Cissnei from under his bangs, "you don't have to waste your evening with me."

Welcome to the real world, chocobo.

"It never seems like a bad idea until the bad things actually happen," Cissnei mused, motioning towards the group Cloud had glanced at briefly--not brief enough for her to miss though. "Don't hold it against any of them. Some of their drinks were probably messed with as well." That's just how thinks worked, especially when you worked for ShinRa.

A good call, Cloud. A very good call.

Cissnei bit back a laugh, eyebrow lifting. "I never said I was your babysitter. Just giving some friendly advice is all," she said thoughtfully, noting that smile and finding herself pleased that he wasn't a stick in the mud. "I wouldn't call it a waste. You're better company than some of the Turks."

Edited (oh my god brain wtf) 2016-05-10 20:53 (UTC)

The real world sucks, if Nibelheim was any better he'd go back, but forget that.

"I guess that's how it usually is." Cloud could admit - now, afterwards - that some ideas had seemed good (or at least acceptable) when he decided to act, but afterwards hadn't really been.

"Didn't think about that..." casting a brief frown over to the group again, Cloud hoped they'd either be fine or that Cissnei was wrong - he might not be close to any of them, but that didn't mean he'd want them to get in trouble.

Turning back to Cissnei, the little smile from earlier widened even as Cloud sort of sunk down a little again, not quite hiding in the scarf.

"Sure you just didn't like this beer and needed an excuse to get a new one?" Cloud offered up, tapping the bottle against the table and somewhere between hesitant for having said anything at all, and very dry. For a fifteen year old, that was.

Fair enough.

"Usually, yes. Every now and then you get thrown for a loop but those times don't generally sneak up on you." Usually they smacked you right in the face. She watched him cast that frown over towards the group he had come with, eyes narrowing just slightly as the corner of her lips turned up in a slight smile. "They'll be fine, don't worry. I'm not the only Turk here you know."

She had honestly just been curious to see how he'd react. Such an interesting character this one was.

And so shy. Or maybe he was just bashful. Whatever it was, Cissnei found herself muffling a laugh against the lip of her beer bottle.

"You caught me," she said rather dramatically, motioning to her own bottle. "I was too embarrassed to get myself a second. You were a convenient excuse."

Briefly, Cloud's smile turned into an actual grin, everything so far making Cloud relatively certain he wasn't being made fun of and Cissnei was just honestly responding.

"I guess that worked out for me," he said and then finally took another sip, finding it went down easier the second time. "And you know... usually it's not very reassuring to hear there's more than one Turk around."

Cissnei seemed okay, though, and Cloud knew there were at least one other Turk around that wouldn't just do their job and bounce immediately afterwards. Not that anyone in here seemed to be in a state to care much about the potential number of Turks around from what he could see.

[ let's face it. the entire reason that such an itty bitty thing is here is all because of this guy right here. the guy that is currently strolling up and slapping an arm around this little dude so he won't be so lonely.

or awkward. probably awkward. okay yeah to Zack it's more like Cloud probably doesn't know what to say or who to say anything to. ]

No matter how hard you try, you can't really hide in that thing, buddy. Your hair kind of sticks out everywhere and then you stick out.

[ as if he is one to talk, right? ]

[The word 'shy' isn't even in your vocabulary, is it, Zack?

But it's absolutely Zack's fault he's here, though Cloud's still trying to figure out how it happened when that arm lands around his shoulders.]

Pot, kettle, Zack.

[Cloud huffs and ducks his head, but still has to bite his lip to control the tiny smile that wants to escape. As if Zack Fair has ever felt the need to hide a day in his life.]

And they'd probably notice you long before they see me, despite that.

[A pause as Cloud glances from the glass in his hands up at Zack.]

... hair everywhere or not.

[ no, not really. this is the guy that pretty much is capable of asking a girl out on a date the moment he meets her. extrovert doesn't even begin to describe.

but hey... what does he see there? a little smile? that's enough for him. ]

Naw, naw. Look at those boyish cheeks. [ there he goes, pinching one. ] Everyone knows that blondes are the most fun.

Zaaack!

[It's a good thing he remembered to let go of the glass with the hand he's trying to fend Zack off with, otherwise there'd have been liquid all over both of them.]

Stop that. [huff.] And I'm pretty sure it's 'have more fun', not 'are the most fun'.

[Cloud rolls his eyes, but that tiny smile from earlier is bigger now.]

[ see? it's all working out for the best here. bigger smiles all around. that's what we're aiming for here. ]

Same thing, isn't it?

[Squinting up at Zack, Cloud doesn't look particularly convinced of that argument.]

Pretty sure it's not. [But, never mind that; considering he almost spilled the drink all over both of them just now, Cloud's reminded of it, and holds it up.]

How hard will I fall over if I try this?

[Would Zack take care of him if he does? Undoubtedly. Would Zack give him something he wouldn't be able to handle..? Possibly.]

Dunno! [ he genuinely DOES NOT KNOW. like Zack pays THAT much attention? ] But don't worry about it. Just try it and see for yourself.

[ and that should be a clue to Cloud. but then again, is it REALLY living if you're not out to seek new experiences - good and bad? ]

I'll make sure you won't fall.

[ he's got ya, bro. ]

You don't know? [Please enjoy Cloud's exasperated-incredulous stare, Zack.]

... don't worry about it, he says... [Eyeing the glass in his hand, Cloud grimaces. He's still curious and well. Zack is right there. He's going to regret this, he's sure, but...

The sip he takes is careful, and he's probably braced far more than necessary for it, face screwed up in preparation, but while there's a slight shiver, Cloud just ends up blinking.]

... that wasn't so bad.

ShinRA Trash Party

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i do what i want and you can't stop me

it's a good thing i welcome all you want to do, then

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