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[sefirot]

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[sefirot]

Cloud barely knows himself, or what he wants. His opinion is rarely what he openly states so no, it does not matter.

[wildguardian]

Okay, I'm going to stop you right now.

You don't get to say "only my opinion matters because he doesn't know what he wants" about other people -- don't care who, don't care how true it is that they don't know.

[sefirot]

If it's true, why not speak that truth?

[wildguardian]

It might be true that he doesn't know what he wants. That doesn't mean you get to make decisions for him. He gets to have the space to figure it out on his own.

[sefirot]

I guide him when it's needed. He's free to fall into despair at any other time.

[wildguardian]

Here's the thing, though.

One, you don't know where he'd go without your guidance if you do that. Falling into despair's dramatic as shit, sure, but it's not a foregone conclusion. Two, again, you can't take over for someone without their permission. You're not the boss of his life.

[sefirot]

You act as though I control every aspect of his life when I simply give him reasons to keep fighting.

[wildguardian]

I'm saying, he gets to pick his own reasons. You need to give him some space.

[sefirot]

You don't understand.

[wildguardian]

Fancy supernatural or fated connections still don't mean he doesn't have the right to make his own decisions.

[sefirot]

As I said I don't choose for him. I just give him reasons.

[wildguardian]

Okay.

Give him space instead. For a while, anyway. Let him get his head back on straight.

[sefirot]

His mind will remain the same with or without my interference.

[wildguardian]

So what do you lose by giving him that space, exactly?

You're both on the same very small boat.

[sefirot]

He doesn't need it.

[wildguardian]

Right now, I think he does.

[sefirot]

I know exactly how to break him if I really wanted to, and I would have done so already as I have in the past if that was my intention.

You might have to break him to fix his mind anyway, but I have done nothing but establish his point in time.

Take your fears elsewhere, but do not stand in my way.

[wildguardian]

[Dryly] I wouldn't say I'm afraid here, Sephiroth. Just that it's literally my job right now to be that obnoxious asshole getting in your way if I think you're making a mistake.

And I think not giving Cloud some space would be a mistake! I'm not saying you can't talk to him. I'm just saying... don't push him.

[sefirot]

I already told you, if I had wanted to break him I would have already done so. He's very easy to manipulate in his current state.

[wildguardian]

[Dryly]

Just... checking, here.

You do realize that there are categories of controlling behavior in between never talking to someone and 'breaking' them, right?

[The sarcastic air-quotes around 'breaking' are very audible.]

[sefirot]

Cloud is controlled by his own self doubt and insecurity over fear of failing those he cares about.

If you're so worried about him being controlled you should look at his own behavior.

[wildguardian]

Sephiroth. Come on. My point is that he's the one who gets to choose what he does, not that he needs to be protected from bad choices.

Not by me and not by you.

[sefirot]

My point is to take your concern over what I will or will not do elsewhere. What happens between Cloud and I is between us not with anyone else.

[wildguardian]

[Yunlan, with a vast sigh, raises one hand and wiggles his fingertips.]

Hi! We've met. I'm your temp warden this month?

You making bad decisions is my business.

[sefirot]

It's only a bad decision in your personal opinion.