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[sefirot]

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during December chirper

[nimbuster]

((continued from here))

Bullshit. Give me a straight answer - what do you want? I'm not about to let you leave it wide open and then decide on a whim I'm not holding up my end.

[sefirot]

Then I want you to spend time at my side.

[nimbuster]

...seriously? That's it?

[sefirot]

If there is more you wish to offer in order to ensure the deal, I will not reject it. But yes.

[nimbuster]

Fine. Then yes, I'll uphold my end. Now tell me why you didn't take advantage of all that debt I owed.

[sefirot]

It does not mean anything if you are forced to come to me.

[nimbuster]

You sure didn't give a shit about that the day you showed up here.

[sefirot]

If I seriously wanted to control you, I would have done so.

[nimbuster]

Even if you're not forcing me, it still doesn't mean anything.

[sefirot]

Of course it does, Cloud.

[nimbuster]

Like what?

[sefirot]

Don't ask foolish questions you already know the answers to.

[nimbuster]

Whatever. Where are you?

[sefirot]

Your chocobo ranch. Why?

[nimbuster]

What? Where??

[sefirot]

Does not knowing bother you?

[nimbuster]

Just tell me, asshole. I can't "spend time at your side" if you're hiding like a coward.

[That said...he gets up from where he's sitting in the living room of the farmhouse, gaze moving to the door without really thinking about it. Now that he's paying attention, he's aware of a familiar sensation: the absolute certainty that Sephiroth is somewhere nearby. He moves cautiously toward the door, opens it, peers around outside, and then steps out of the house and closes the door behind him.

If Sephiroth won't tell Cloud where he is, maybe Cloud can just find him himself.]

[sefirot]

I'm not hiding, Cloud. You simply don't know where to look.

[Sephiroth is in fact chilling with the chocobos. He doesn't mind animals though Cloud will probably mind Sephiroth being near them. But one is actually sleeping near where Sephiroth is sitting.]

-> action

[nimbuster]

[Cloud doesn't bother to reply this time. Instead, he crosses the field slowly, fully alert and sword at his back, having grabbed it on his way out. He doesn't know how or why he feels as if he knows where to go any more than he had back home when the others questioned him on it. It's just...a hunch.

His hunch brings him to the stables, where he reaches back to lightly grip the Buster Sword's hilt in one hand as he carefully steps inside. It's dark, but it's not difficult to spot the mako glow in the pair of snakelike eyes looking back at him. He stops just a couple of steps past the door, tensing.]

The hell are you doing in here?

[sefirot]

[Sephiroth looks up and over the moment Cloud nears the building. He's already looking in his direction when he walks in as though he knew exactly when he'd take a step. Which is probably true.]

I was messaging you, Cloud.

[The answer is half sarcastic, half the truth. That's not what Cloud meant, but it is what Sephiroth was doing.]

[nimbuster]

[Cloud's own glowing eyes narrow.]

Very funny.

[He slowly lets go of his sword and brings his hand back down.]

Why are you in my stables? Touch the birds and I run you through.

[sefirot]

Does it look like I'm doing anything to your birds? No need to be paranoid, Cloud. They are an extension of you, they are included in our deal.

[That and he's not going to kill a bunch of animals unless something attacks him first. But even then it'd be hardly worth it for regular creatures.]

[nimbuster]

Then answer the question.

[His eyes are hard and his jaw is set. This deal was probably a mistake, but it's the one way he knows of to make sure his friends are safe. So he'll abide by it, and hey - Sephiroth never said he couldn't attack him, if need be.]

[sefirot]

I don't wish to be in another place. That is why I'm here. If you're hoping for a sinister reason, I'm afraid I'll have to do disappoint you.

[That is very true. Sephiroth never said Cloud couldn't attack him -- or even kill him really. Cloud has loopholes he can use.]

Though if you give me some time, I'm sure I can come up with something.

[nimbuster]

[Cloud huffs quietly.]

Well, I'm not gonna just sit in the stables in the dark. So if you wanna...hang out, we're doing it somewhere else.

[The idea of 'hanging out' with Sephiroth is bizarre in more ways than one, but Cloud refuses to let himself think about it too hard. He just turns around and heads back outside, then folds his arms and waits for Sephiroth to follow him.]