Cliff Fittir (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
aerialassault) wrote2014-06-02 05:22 pm
aerialassault) wrote2014-06-02 05:22 pm
Entry tags:
006 [Action/Audio]
[Action: Locked to Souji Okita]
[Consciousness crept upon him slowly, like a migraine. It slipped in through the window panels with the sun and stung his eyes, but for once Cliff did not want to awaken. He instead rolled over with a groan, burying his face under his arms and promising himself another ten minutes.
But a nagging sensation in the back of his mind kept sleep at bay. He knew in his gut that it was something important, something that was blue and white...
...Fayt.
His eyes snapped open as he crashed into the memories. The dogs and the cultists were all a blur, but the spear stood out in his mind. It was only when he sat up that he registered the not-entirely familiar surroundings and the warm body lying by his side.]
[Action: Locked to Fayt Leingod]
[He messed up, and there was no way to fix and forget about the mess that he had left for everyone to deal with in the battlefield that was once Zompania. It was afternoon by the time he returned to his apartment in the ground building, wearing a fresh set of denim jeans and a comfortable tee-- both of which fit because of some miracle. The dark shades he wore were new, as was he bag he carried by his side that contained the clothes he borrowed off of Souji and yet another set of loose white pants to add to his small collection.
Entering as quietly as he could manage, Cliff did a once-over of the apartment to make sure that things were still mostly as he left it. The Vac whirred and hummed patiently as it made a pass over the carpet, and Cliff found himself smiling.
At least that was still functioning.
After throwing his belongings into his room, he made for Fayt's. A quiet knock was the only warning he gave before he nudged the door open...]
[Audio: Open to All]
Yo. It's Cliff.
[It was dark by the time he reached for his journal, but he didn't care. There were plenty of other people that he wanted to see, but there was no way he could go visit them all in one day.
This was the next best thing.]
Can I get a headcount of who all's here and a tally on the damage? And, is the bar open?
[He'll be heading there later if he get's confirmation. For once, he plans to drink unil the damage doesn't look so bad.]
[Consciousness crept upon him slowly, like a migraine. It slipped in through the window panels with the sun and stung his eyes, but for once Cliff did not want to awaken. He instead rolled over with a groan, burying his face under his arms and promising himself another ten minutes.
But a nagging sensation in the back of his mind kept sleep at bay. He knew in his gut that it was something important, something that was blue and white...
...Fayt.
His eyes snapped open as he crashed into the memories. The dogs and the cultists were all a blur, but the spear stood out in his mind. It was only when he sat up that he registered the not-entirely familiar surroundings and the warm body lying by his side.]
[Action: Locked to Fayt Leingod]
[He messed up, and there was no way to fix and forget about the mess that he had left for everyone to deal with in the battlefield that was once Zompania. It was afternoon by the time he returned to his apartment in the ground building, wearing a fresh set of denim jeans and a comfortable tee-- both of which fit because of some miracle. The dark shades he wore were new, as was he bag he carried by his side that contained the clothes he borrowed off of Souji and yet another set of loose white pants to add to his small collection.
Entering as quietly as he could manage, Cliff did a once-over of the apartment to make sure that things were still mostly as he left it. The Vac whirred and hummed patiently as it made a pass over the carpet, and Cliff found himself smiling.
At least that was still functioning.
After throwing his belongings into his room, he made for Fayt's. A quiet knock was the only warning he gave before he nudged the door open...]
[Audio: Open to All]
Yo. It's Cliff.
[It was dark by the time he reached for his journal, but he didn't care. There were plenty of other people that he wanted to see, but there was no way he could go visit them all in one day.
This was the next best thing.]
Can I get a headcount of who all's here and a tally on the damage? And, is the bar open?
[He'll be heading there later if he get's confirmation. For once, he plans to drink unil the damage doesn't look so bad.]
action;
Souji only smiled, rather than say what was on his mind, and nodded toward the kitchen island where a two tall stools sat lined up. When the others had left, he'd stopped using tables as much and until recently, he hadn't had people coming over to eat.]
I won't be going anywhere, so eat before you fall over and crush me.
Shall I call Fayt and let him know?
action;
The only thing that would top this would be seeing Fayt.]
Nah, [he said, carefully pulling out one of the stools,] I think I wanna surprise him. It might work better that way, actually.
...He'll have less time to worry over it, not that he isn't already. Man, I hope that guy's taking care of himself.
action;
Instead, Souji had heard the messages Fayt had left him over the network and only penned meaningless responses to assuage Fayt's fear. He'd ignored him when he tried to come over, refusing to even go to the door. It'd just been too difficult to get out of that place in his head where he saw the sword fall, the flash of light, and him too far away to do anything.
Souji's smile wavered slightly and then he nodded, forcing it back to its former brightness.]
He has been. It's been difficult for him, but seeing you will make it better. He's been blaming himself since that day, no matter what we say or do.
action;
[He suspected that there were pieces that were being left unsaid, but that could have been his own unease clouding his judgement. While he knew Souji's habits, he also knew Fayt's. If things had gone the way Cliff thought they did...then, frankly, he was glad that there weren't more casualties that he knew of.
Yet.
Who could say for sure what all had transpired?]
I don't doubt it. That guy...he's got a big heart. A little too big sometimes, but he was raised in a quiet part of the world. Besides, it suits him.
[He took a bite of the eggs and rice, just glad for the nourishment it provided.]
action;
[And it was better to have a big heart and be hurt sometimes, than to be what Souji was. Fayt could fight without losing himself, he was strong.
He smiled, resting his elbows on the countertop, leaning forward as he watched Cliff eat.]
He might have put more spices in there though. I might have some fish I can cook, if the eggs aren't enough.
action;
Cliff offered a tired smile in return. There was no point in hiding from Souji.]
Nah, this is perfect. I've a hunch that a few others are gonna try to feed me too, if they've figured things out already. Sheesh...I wonder how many people know.
action;
[Enough people knew. People who didn't had guessed, and those who needed to know had been told or had found out some way or another. Souji watched the plate more than Cliff's face, trying to keep his own expression steady. He didn't know how many knew, not exactly. Souji had spent too much of the last week closed away in this too quiet house to truly know the numbers.]
I wasn't sure who you would want to tell, so I haven't said anything. But those who know you, they...noticed. I'm sure of it.
[He raised his eyes, pressing his smile a little stronger, a little brighter because it needed to be.]
Which is why you should eat up and make sure to show them a good face now that you're back.
action;
[He was too preoccupied with his own thoughts to notice the angle of Souji's gaze, although it was clear that the other man was having his own troubles with the whole affair. Cliff could think of several people whom he needed to check in with immediately, besides Fayt. Rei, Vegeta, and Ion topped the list after him, and he was certain that there were others that he was forgetting about...
Glancing up to finally meet Souji's gaze, he nodded in understanding.]
I'll let them know before the day's out. Fayt comes next, and then....
I dunno. We'll need to see.
action;
[His smile softened slightly at the edges as his eyes searched Cliff's face.]
I told him the same thing, but you're both doing it anyway. There isn't anyone to blame, so stop trying to take it upon yourself.
action;
I know. Believe me, I know. That doesn't make it any easier.
action;
[He reached forward and nudged the plate a little.]
Just try to feel it, rather than know it, hm? We can't change what happened in the past, but we can try to guide what will come to be in the future.
action;
Yeah, we can. We definitely can-- and, this?
...It ain't gonna happen again.
action;
He'd had enough of people promising things only to disappear.]
Don't.
[He had to restrain himself from adding an almost desperate "Please" after that. He may have had his fears, but he didn't need anyone else to know them. Souji softened his expression, trying to make his words seem less out of insecurity and more for reassurance.]
You don't need to push yourself so hard. It wasn't anything you could prevent.
action;
The man was too good at compartmentalizing.
Sighing, Cliff set his utensils down and wrapped his fingers around Souji's. While he wanted to verbally push back, insist that there was ways that they could have prevented this, he knew that it would only do them both more harm than good.
Instead, he leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Souji's.]
Who says this is something any of us are doing alone?
action;
[He lowered his eyes now that Cliff was closer to him, his gaze falling on the fingers around his own. Affection was still foreign to him and every moment he felt like it could go away again. He knew he shouldn't get used to this. It rebelled against his own culture and upbringing to be so open, but at the same time, Souji had been here too long surrounded by "foreigners" and he knew he'd have to keep adapting or be shackled by the chains of the past.
He closed his eyes and smiled faintly. His words sounded hypocritical to him, but he was used to that by now.]
It's in the way you look at things. You still want to say that you could have stopped this from happening, taking the burden onto your own shoulders when it doesn't belong anywhere.
action;
Souji, I...[Cliff lifted his gaze to meet Souji's, as if he were trying to search for the right words in the other man's eyes.] Listen. That sorta thing...it's really hard for me. I'm not the kinda guy who can just let something like that sit. If there's something we can do prevent this in the future, then I wanna try.
...We get second chances here. There's plenty of people I know at home who'd jump at something like this.
action;
He nodded as Cliff spoke and then pulled his hands back to rest them folded on the counter top. He knew all about the second chances. He was on his second chance himself. More of a third one, really.]
I know. [He smiled a little wider, trying to be cheerful because he didn't know what else to do.] I'm not asking you to let it sit. Just to be careful in your pursuit of your goal.
action;
He knew them this time. Death was hard for everyone.]
...I'll be careful, [Cliff promised, returning to finish his meal. He knew all about being careful-- this, technically, was also his third chance.] And I know that the rest of you guys are all here too, so ya don't need to say it.
Just...you be careful too, alright?
action;
He didn't want to promise to be careful here. He had no idea what this place held in store and after being here so long, he didn't want to be the one to say he'd never leave - only to disappear the next morning. Instead, he slipped away from the counter and returned a moment later with a cup of coffee for Cliff and a cup of tea for himself. He held the coffee out to Cliff.]
I'm afraid I'm still not very good at making this, but I hope it's passable at the very least.
action;
He also didn't expect Souji to return the promise in kind. There were too many layers of wariness and trust issues to ask for that much....the acknowledgement of his request was more than enough.
Cliff gratefully took the cup of coffee and sipped from it. It was stronger than he would have preferred, but he drank it down anyway. The jolt of caffeine was more important than the finer things, like taste.]
It's good enough to me, [Cliff said, with a small smile. The fact that Souji went out of his way to make something that was unfamiliar to him meant a whole lot more.]
action;
He settled across from Cliff and sipped his tea, watching the man's reactions.]
You'll have to tell me what to do better next time. But after everything else is finished.
action;
You'd be better off asking Fayt, [he admitted, unashamed.] Coffee's about the only think I can make, and I'm still not that good at it.
...but, I can show ya how I make it sometime. Thanks for wanting to do that.
action;
But you know how to make it to what you like, so that will be more than enough to teach me.
[His smile widened a little, trying to keep bright.]
And of course. After all, someday I might need to make it for you again - under better circumstances.
action;
[Cliff nodded, as if that solidified the deal. Even if it was something small and silly, he felt like he would want something nice to look forward to in the near future.
There was a lot for him to sort through...]
action;
[He made himself sound more confident than he was. The situation here was so uncertain, so unstable that Souji could never be too careful. He'd learned that the hard way.
He laughed a little and motioned to the cup.]
But for now you'll have to put up with my terrible coffee.
action;
action;