☈ strike #15 (action / video)

[thestormishere]

[ For Lightning, because of the circumstances at the end of the last time she'd been drafted, this is actually the first time since her arrival she's ever had to go and try to readjust back to 'normal' life so suddenly- to go from experiencing days of battle and worry, thinking critically, ready to kill or order to kill at a moment's notice... to

Comments

let's just call it fashionable

[wingenvy]

[No, not a happy house at all. But he does try to perk up when he sees her, offering a smile despite her expression. He's not sure what's on her mind just yet, but he has a few guesses, and none of them are particularly happy. Still, he's not about to turn tail and run from this.]

Hey, Light. How're you doing?

[wingenvy]

You don't have to thank me for this. [He smiles anyway, though, because he's glad that she accepted the gesture, rather than pushing him away. He wouldn't have blamed her for that, even if it would've made him sad to see it. He doesn't withdraw yet, giving the control of their situation over to her to see what she does. She's the one who gets to decide if they progress from here, or how far, or if it isn't time yet. Considering the circumstance, he's not keen on pushing her emotions in any one direction.]

[thestormishere]

[ Yeah, Lightning's got a fairly good sense of when you need to let people close or. Risk implosion. However, honestly, this is... a lot closer than she's used to for sure. She isn't quuiite comfortable enough to continue the hand-holding thing with this conversation popping up, and so pulls away slowly after a second, straightening a little more. Her eyes stay on him, though. ]

No... not just for this. For... staying around, no matter what.

[ Her expression kind of wavers. Hopefully that makes sense to him, because while she could list all of the things she means, it'd probably... take quite a while. Still being there after all the craziness, doing more than just feeling sorry for her during her battle with turning Cie'th, not getting all weird after that particular experiment in February... all of that, that kind of thing, is incredibly important to someone like her. ]

[wingenvy]

[He tucks his hand back with the other in his lap, smiling softly as he relaxes against the back of the couch.]

Well... the feeling's mutual, you know. You guys are here for me just like I am for you. It's what being a family is all about, right?

[He can't imagine being alone all the time- like the draft, with the three of them all gone, and him stuck here with the dogs. It had been so lonely he'd talked to animals more in those few days than he'd done in his entire life. And the flowers, and the furniture, and anything else that even vaguely resembled a face. (Complimenting the exterior of the house was when he knew he was going a bit nuts.) Having people around was just such a natural desire for him. Being alone... it's too much like the labs. He can't handle it.]

[thestormishere]

Hm. Pretty crazy family.

[ Said with a kind of dry, sad humor, but she does smile just barely at that. She's already considered it a lot- maybe it's a bit more common here in Luceti, where "real" families are constantly torn apart and people have to make do, but most back on Cocoon... they would have found it hard to comprehend the sort of family they're talking about now- the sort that springs up out of hardship and the bonds made there, unrelated to but as strong or stronger than genetic ties...

Which is kind of sad, really. It's nice to know there's people who don't resent having to drag you home and take care of you when you... happen to be something like involuntarily dead-drunk or covered in battle wounds. ]

[wingenvy]

I'll take crazy over boring any day.

[And he got a smile out of her! He'll take even a little one over her quiet brooding. More than that, he's glad that she can appreciate his sincerity, even if it sometimes seems a little silly. Because he does mean it- he considers them to be a family for him, now. And he hasn't had a family for around ten years, so that's kind of saying something.]

[thestormishere]

[ Ah, right... at some point she's really going to have to dig after the whole story on why he ditched what he had to begin with. What she does know is hardly sufficient... ]

Hmph. [ She tilts her head back slightly. ] I don't think any of us are 'normal,' that's for sure.

[ And then there's the pause, that odd awkwardness seemingly at odds with her general demeanor. Her faint smile fades as she looks down, her brows coming together in a bit of bothered thoughtfulness. Baaaack to the original but unspoken topic-- ]

... Pretty sure I've managed to steal a lot more lives than hearts, Zack...

[ Yep. Just. Throwing that out there. A sergeant-turned-l'Cie with a personality like hers? That's hardly your 'usual' girl... although on the other hand, Zack's been living in the same house as her for months now, and had to have known all that even before they moved in, so. She'll get over herself soon, honest. ]

[wingenvy]

I'm not here to be a part of some romantic record of yours.

[He chuckles faintly, leaning back to cross his arms behind his head. So serious, Light. Though that is part of the appeal- since getting her to smile is like an added challenge and reward for each conversation. It made talking to Sephiroth fascinating every single time (well okay except for that last one) and it's the same in this case. Besides the physical attraction, anyway. That's new.]

You know, Aerith was my first girlfriend ever. I'm not exactly full of experience here, either.

[thestormishere]

[ Lightning huffs a quiet scoff, then briefly lifts her shoulders in a shrug- an unusual gesture from her, maybe, but what she generally uses in place of one just isn't as effective while sitting down anyway. It's not just that she has barely a hair over zero experience, it's also that she's... you know, a girl who's generally rejected what tiny bit of girltalk she's been exposed to over the years too. ]

'Experience.'

[ Oh wait, she sounds fairly dismissive about that, though. Mostly because... since when has lack of experience ever stood in the way of her managing to do anything (regardless of tiny little snags like maddeningly impossibility)? She looks up at the ceiling, then at him. ]

... I'm surprised.

[wingenvy]

Maybe what looks like experience is really just confidence? People have said that I'm good with the ladies, but it's probably more like sincerity and dumb luck that gets me anywhere.

[In other words? Inexperience doesn't bother him. It's all about honesty and emotion- just roll with it, whatever happens.]

[thestormishere]

[ She just does another sort-of shrug, very slight, to go with the return of her ghost-smirk. ]

Like falling through a roof. [ The roof of a girl who just happened to be open to the flirtations of the guy who dropped in so uninvited. 'Dumb luck' indeed. ] ...Maybe it depends on who's judging, too.

[wingenvy]

That could be part of it. Anyway, it really is better to judge someone by what you know of them, not their past or what you've heard about 'em. Your experience or inexperience doesn't matter to me. I like you for you. We're friends because we got to know each other, not because anybody told us to.

[thestormishere]

[ For a few seconds, it seems that once again Lightning is taking that very seriously. Judging someone from only what they've shown, liking them because of who they are rather than trusting the word of others... for a woman that's utterly reviled where she comes from...?

Man, she's tried to tell Zack about all her stupid issues! She wouldn't want to present herself as something she's not in this kind of thing, whether it's simple friendship or... just a little more than that. ]

You make it pretty hard not to like you, Zack.

[ ADMITTING IT, SORT OF? As if it wasn't already obvious from before. But. She's a big girl anyway- this definitely isn't the best time for this, but it's not the worst, either. Her seriousness softens with her voice, with a kind of a small, ironic smile. ]

... Dating doesn't mean I'll go easy on you during sparring practice, though. So, you can forget that.

[ Because that's clearly all he's after, right? Her mock-sternness might be more subdued that it could be, although... well, even Lightning is sensitive

[wingenvy]

[Did... she seriously just say that?

...BOTH OF THOSE THINGS THAT SHE JUST SAID, DID SHE REALLY-

Okay, okay. Keep it cool. Though even as he thinks it, a much brighter smile is already crossing his lips, and he's not trying very hard to suppress it. He just got himself a hot date, didn't he? More than that, she's giving him a chance, it seems. And that means a lot to him right now.]

I'd be kind of insulted if you did, anyway. I like the challenge.

[As if his pursuit of her wasn't evidence enough of that. And there's a double-meaning there, as well- bring on the issues, Light. Bring on the problems and the bad moods and the serious nature. He's pretty damn sure he can handle it.]

[thestormishere]

[ AND THEN ZACK WOKE UP.

Nobutyes, those are indeed the words that came out of Lightning's mouth and-- nope, definitely not trying to keep from blushing or anything over here. Nope nope nope.

... Lightning's definitely happier when the people around her are happy, though... as long as they aren't being obnoxious about it. It's hard for her to sound too severe. ]

Tch... well, the same goes for you. Pull your hits and you'll be sorry.

[wingenvy]

[FFFFFUUUUUUU- no okay it's cool.

Since she's not denying it or anything, though, his grin is sticking in place, aww yeah.]

Trust me, the last thing I'm gonna do is hold back against the one person I know can take it.