ⅹⅵ┆with his tail between his legs

[shrugs_a_lot]

[ stables filter ]

[Why were girls so complicated...?

Why couldn't they do things without some ulterior motive?

And why did they always make him feel like he was the bad guy?!

. . .

He felt like the bad guy after the smallest quarrel with Sheena about the most stupid thing (one thing she surely didn't think as stupid), bad enough to even decide to come back to the castle from his little... vacations. He wasn't sure how he was going to fix whatever had broken between them, but he'd figure out. Somehow...

For now, he'd probably just head to his room and take a warm shower, it was starting to get cold with the snow.

He dismounts the chocobo as he gets into the castle stables, guiding it to its usual resting place with the idea of feeding it before heading to his room.

He didn't think he'd find someone in there so late though...]

Comments

[shrugs_a_lot]

[He had been watching the sky the entire time he had been heading back to the castle, but he understands it can be, well, mesmerizing. Instead of looking at the sky, he looks at Zack looking at the sky. There isn't much in his mind as he does, except for the same old thing he rather not think about.]

[bustered]

[Normally, having someone stare at him would give Zack that feeling of being watched, that singular, peculiar sensation of having attention focused solely on you. With Cloud though it's different, probably because of how comfortable he feels around the blond. Even so, it is cold and they shouldn't linger too long -- and Cloud wants a shower, he knows -- so after a few minutes Zack shakes his head, dismissing wandering thoughts and returning his awareness to the present.]

Heh. Sorry about that.

[shrugs_a_lot]

[Hey, Cloud, Cloud! Stop looking at your friend... He will think you're weird or something (like everybody else does, yeah?). Thing is he doesn't want to stop looking, why? It's one of those unrecognized feelings Zack gives him, but it's not unpleasant, he just likes being around him, looking at him while he can. What a strange thought.

Hey--oh! Now he's the one looking at him.]

Lost you for a moment there.

[bustered]

[The sky is really pretty okay?]

Found me again though.

[It's said with a smile and another few steps toward the Castle. It's not nice to hold Cloud up too much when Zack knows he wants to get inside and clean up. And isn't there something else he should be telling Cloud? Zack can't quite remember what though -- it can't have been important, right?]

So, where'd you go?

[shrugs_a_lot]

[Gives a little smirk at that answer, maybe not even realizing it at all.]

The town in the Dead Zone.

[bustered]

[He'll get a slight jostle from a shoulder as they walk. What's that smirk about, huh?]

Oh? How was it?

[shrugs_a_lot]

[Returns that bump, with a little more strength.]

It was alright. No castle shenanigans whatsoever. [No one that knows you either.]

[bustered]

[Re-bump! Because they are so mature.]

Sounds like a nice vacation.

[shrugs_a_lot]

[His bump is more like Cloud shoving him now!]

It was...

[bustered]

[Hey, Zack still has the height advantage!]

Good to be back?

[shrugs_a_lot]

[He wouldn't dare to shove a midget!]

You know... I think it is. [And gives Zack a bit of a smile.]

[bustered]

[He might tickle one, if he's so inclined...]

It's good to have you back, you know.

[shrugs_a_lot]

[If Zack likes getting beaten, he just has to ask!]

I know. [snrk.

Oh, at last, they are getting close!]

[bustered]

[Spike, you still owe him from the punch in the jaw. Don't think he's forgotten!]

Yeah. I know you do.

[Are they? Oh hey look, they are! And really, for a possibly-evil, possibly-soul-eating Castle, it does know how to make itself look pretty, especially all decorated.]

[shrugs_a_lot]

[This time it's Cloud who stops for a moment to look at it. It wasn't much, it was sometimes a pain in the ass, but even then they kept returning to it. Maybe it was the castle influence but in the end, it wasn't such a bad place.]

[bustered]

[The thing is, whether or not they both remember it, they've had worse. Sure, the Castle is a crazy place, but if you can accept crazy, it's not too bad.]

I feel like I should warn you, it's a little cold inside too.

[shrugs_a_lot]

[And before walking away:]

It's not cold. Are you cold?

[bustered]

I've been cold for a while, yeah.

[It's just a reaction to having been so long on ice, and the Castle icing up itself, but Zack is really missing Costa del Sol right now.]

[shrugs_a_lot]

[Cloud too... Cloud too.]

You can always make some squats for body heat, you know?

[bustered]

Have been. I think it's half up here. [He taps his temple for emphasis; some of the chill must be his mind playing tricks on him, because with SOLDIER metabolism what it is, he shouldn't be feeling this much of an effect, not with so relatively little exposure.]