[OPEN] Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

[asgardmods]

Who: Everyone!
What: Playing in the snow + snowman antics
When: Day 7, all day
Where: Everywhere!
Rating: Worksafe

[Day 7 brings with it crisp, clean air and a large accumulation of snow from Day 6. There are also a few cool new faces in the city for the day

Comments

Hel district for a midpoint. XD

[pyritic]

[ Cloud's been deep in his thoughts--trying to sort out what to do, all this snow makes travel no good anyway...but he has to get back to the others, even if it feels safer to stay away he can't give up...

The sight of skinny bare legs manages to get his attention though and he looks up at Naminé with a hint of bewilderment peeking through his otherwise stony expression. ] What's the matter with you? You should get inside. [ Seriously, kid, what are you looking so indecisive about when you're risking hypothermia? ]

:|b XD

[lethechained]

[She doesn't even realize he's passing by until he addresses her, which makes her flinch and turn, expression already something between surprised and sheepish. Once she sees him, though, she stops mid turn and blinks. If she's not mistaken, he's the Cloud she's seen in Sora's memories, but... he doesn't seem quite right. She finishes her turn, her fingers lacing together uncertainly. She's not so sure shooting her mouth off about her knowing Sora and knowing OF Cloud is the best idea, so she focuses instead on what he said.] I-- I'm sorry. I didn't realize how cold it was going to be. [In her defense, she looks appropriately abashed.] And I don't have any money so I-- isn't it rude to sit in a shop without buying anything? [At least, so she's gathered from secondhand memories which she really wishes she'd paid more attention to the details of. ...Although technically browsing might not count as loitering, but she hasn't exactly thought of that yet.]

[pyritic]

[ He...sees the stop and blink. Doesn't make much of them, though. He's not wearing his sword anymore, but mako eyes are noticeable and it's incredibly easy to assume she's just reacting to that.

At her words, though, he shrugs. ] You're worried about manners here? [ Both at a time like this and in a place where they've been kidnapped. He's not exactly concerned what the shopkeepers think and if anyone bothers them...well. He should be able to handle gray people...even if their vagueness had him subconsciously averting his eyes. ] Come on.

[ He's not exactly a gentleman so, though he pushes the door further open when he walks into the cafe, he doesn't hold it. Doesn't even look back at first to see if she'll follow, though he's listening. ]

[lethechained]

I--.... [He's got a point; their situation is the fault of the gods. Still, she doesn't have any intention of taking any frustration she might have out on either the gods or the strange people here by being rude... at least, if she realizes she might be being rude. She's still not quite clear on it in this case - once again, if only she'd paid more attention to the details of memories, so instead of a vague hunch she'd be more certain about what was and wasn't acceptable - but she looks a bit abashed at his comment and lowers her eyes, shoulders rising a little. The order makes her raise her eyes again, and it's obvious she's surprised. He gets a head start through the door, but she does follow after him - he did tell her too, didn't he? And he's one of Sora's... if not friends, then associates (at least as far as she knows), so she figures she should probably listen to him

[pyritic]

...A café... [ He thumbs the silver rune in his pockets idly, taking stock of the place. Gray as everything else, and he's still not used to it. He's not exactly used to interacting with someone like Namine, either, occasionally looking back at her with a slightly discomforted expression. His teammates are all pretty independent and opinionated, even the ones who aren't loud about it. Hard to fit "shy" to any of them. And though he's concerned about people getting hurt or sick he's also...perfectly aware he isn't the best person for a helpless person to be around. So she can linger behind but not anywhere close, as he'll soon take a step away and turn around, folding his arms. ]

With weather like this you have to wear heavier clothes. A dress and jacket aren't gonna cut it.

What's your house? [ Just keep it businesslike, he figures. Let her warm up here and then get her back; she can figure out the wardrobe malfunction herself. ]

[lethechained]

[It's really, really nice to be out of the cold, even if she does feel rather awkward about it. She spends a moment glancing around the café, avoiding where she's pretty sure the eyes of the people are supposed to be. Gray and colorless or not, it's warm, and that's all she really needs. When he moves, her gaze snaps back to him, and she steps back just a bit as well. Her hands stay together, but rise a little bit as she watches him fold his arms. The... 'reprimand' comes as no surprise, but she still looks embarrassed.] I know that now. I'm sorry. [Her ignorance wasn't entirely her fault, but she still feels as though she should apologize.]

I'm-- in Sigyn's House. [It's funny; she hardly even thinks about it before blurting it out, possibly because of a mixture of his tone and the fact that she (more or less) knows who he is and has no reason to mistrust him.]

[pyritic]

[ He waves the apology off. ] Don't worry about it. You came from someplace warmer, right? [ As much as it seems reprimand, he's not angry at her, just tense. ]

[ Sigyn, huh? He has to think about the city's layout, but then realizes it's just the next district over. It makes things easier. ] Not too far... you should be able to get back once you've warmed up. I'll take you. [ Half offer, half assumption. Usually he'd just ask if she'd be all right on her own but the way they've met he doesn't trust that she wouldn't turn down help out of sheer meekness and get herself in trouble anyway. Though--he should probably introduce himself, shouldn't he? Yeah. That little thing called "manners". ] ...Cloud. Heimdall's house. [ Scoff. ] Like that means anything.

[ The "damage drain" ability has yet to stop seeming absolutely stupid and useless in Cloud's eyes. ]

[lethechained]

[She nods, chancing a smile.] Yes. Warmer than here, anyway. [Both of the places she's lived and the one she knows about living in have all been less... frigid.]

[The girl begins to open her mouth to agree that it isn't too far and that she'll be fine, and then that offer makes her stop, mouth instead forming a surprised 'o'. It's true, she probably would have turned him down. The less trouble she is for everyone else, the better, as far as she's concerned. She almost protests, but the attempt dies on her lips, and instead,] ...Okay. If you say so. [She recognizes, perhaps a little more quickly than some otherwise might, that he's introducing himself when he suddenly says 'Cloud'. (It helped to have already known his name.) Even after the scoff, she smiles a patient little smile and introduces herself in return, one hand flattening against her chest as she does.] My name is Naminé. It's nice to meet you, Cloud. [After that, though, she tilts her head just a bit, her fingers lacing back together.] ...Do you say that

[pyritic]

[ Oh, Naminé. His face softens a bit at the smile, returning the ghost of it if for a short time. ]

It doesn't say anything about me. [ He's yet to identify the House traits for himself, and he's bothered that no one would know what SOLDIER is or AVALANCHE. He'd already been shaken in his identity before arriving here. Easy to tell himself to hold onto his pride, but dammit, he wants something to put that pride in.

He shakes his head, trying to put the thought aside. ] Little to like about this place. I was in the middle of something back home...and I'm not one for being jerked around. [ Well, okay, he is. He's just not one for liking it. ] Soon as I find a way, I'm bustin' out of here. What about you?

[lethechained]

[Ghost or not, it's enough for her, and her own smile widens.]

[She regards him quietly as he speaks. It's very strange to suddenly see someone in person that she'd first seen in memories, but her expression does not betray her; it only shows her curiosity and a bit of sympathy, not anything particularly out of the ordinary.] I can see why you'd be upset. It seems like a lot of people were taken at bad times. --Well, there really is no good time, but you understand what I mean, don't you?

...I... think it would be nice to get a chance to go home. But I don't think I'd go unless everyone else could, too, if they wanted to. I-- [She hesitates, the smile she'd been working on losing a little bit of strength.] ... I wouldn't have much to go back to, if I had to go alone. [Most of the important people in her life are here, after all, and if she goes back to her world alone, without Kairi, she'll never be able to be whole, either.]

[pyritic]

Yeah. [ He hasn't really been paying attention to others, caught up trying to find anyone else from AVALANCHE, but he's seen the upset well enough in-house that he gets it.

She has a home...but not much to go back if she's alone? ] Your family's here? You don't seem happy about that.

[ Cloud you have this totally backwards. ]

BLUH my html ;;

[lethechained]

['Family'. She isn't inclined to think of them that way, although technically it's true; they're the closest people she has to relatives.] ...Not exactly.

[He can definitely be forgiven for his misinterpretation. The girl hesitates, unsure how to phrase it and not sure she should even try, but he asked, and she isn't going to fail to answer.] I don't have a family. But... the people who are most important to me are here. [Assuming she's heard about Sora by now. One of her hands unconsciously comes up to rest, curled, against her chest.] And I'm so, so glad that I get to be with them. [Finally.] But-- the truth is, they deserve to be safe at home, not trapped in the city like this.

...I'm not sure I even noticed before XD

[pyritic]

Not many do deserve this. [ But she's sweet for actually thinking that way. He knows he wants to be with the others. Even if...maybe he shouldn't be. Around anyone.

The thought makes him restless again and he sighs, shifting on his feet. He's fine now, he's fine. Sephiroth isn't here, nothing to worry about. ] How're you feeling now? Still cold?

XD; Then WHAT HTML FAIL you saw nothing >>

[lethechained]

[The frown that settled on her lips when she got to thinking about everyone being trapped stays put as she watches him shift, but she manages to replace it with a smile when he speaks again.] A little bit. I'll be fine, soon.

[But it's obvious she's watching him a little more closely than necessary after that sigh, and after a moment she says,] Is there something on your mind?

we--we were talking about something? :o

[pyritic]

[ Tempting to say something. But he never seriously considers it. She's not just a stranger, she's--what--fourteen? Fifteen? Even younger than Yuffie. He doesn't even know how to describe what's wrong with him. Putting it at her feet would be ridiculous. He's the grownup.

Even if he really doesn't feel like it sometimes. ]

Plenty. [ He cracks a smirk, leaning a bit as he puts one hand on his hip. That casual stance probably isn't in any of Sora's memories. ] But nothing for you to worry about. I can handle myself.

...Have to wonder how the gods chose us, though.

Nope. :O It was all just a fabrication of your miiiiiiiiiind

[lethechained]

[That stance isn't, and it makes her tilt her head, but her expression remains curious rather than suspicious. It's funny-- he is like what she expected, and at the same time he isn't. She's not sure whether to chalk it up to the situation being different or to the possibility that he's different in the way that the other people from home have been.] ...If you're sure. [She doesn't pry or insist; she knows what it's like to have things one doesn't really want to discuss, and honestly, his answer isn't surprising.]

I've been wondering that, myself. [Her brow threatens to knit, then makes good on that threat.] At first it sounded like they'd chosen us for specific reasons, but... I can't help thinking that if they really knew us, they wouldn't have chosen us. ...At least, they wouldn't have chosen me. [With no heart, how is she supposed to supply genuine laughter and tears as they've asked? Something else occurs to her after a moment.] So many people seem to want to go home. But I guess... maybe, if what they said about