[The pause is significant. It's hard to know what to say; he hates that nothing comes to mind when it would be so much easier for others, as though the words have dried up, and all he can think to type is just a military affirmative, and leave it at that.
But he tries, perhaps clumsily, in the way that someone reaching for a sincere attempt might.]
You're not keeping alone, are you?
[Asks Sephiroth, the man who spends the majority of his time detached from social circles.]
[ There is something ironic in the question, isn't it? Zack can still remember the mounting concern that had eaten at him when Sephiroth had locked himself in that basement for days, not even sleeping in his single-minded desire to learn more about his origin. About Jenova.
What if he'd tried harder to snap him out of it? What if he'd been more of a friend? Would it have even made a difference? ]
No. I'm staying with Cloud and Nier.
If you know of some good places around here to go and brood, though, I'm all ears.
[With Cloud and his roommate. There is a small amount of reassurance in knowing that he will be around a familiar face, and one that will surely be as quietly diligent in making certain Zack is handling all these changes, all these revelations, with as much strength as one can expect.
Perhaps that's why he allows the joke to stick; Sephiroth knows one when he sees it.]
Are you saying that I'm "brooding" enough to know of all the best places to ruminate?
[ When it comes to interacting with Sephiroth here, it feels as if teasing has been the easiest thing to fall back on. Zack's still torn between wanting things between them to be like they were before everything went up in (literal) flames and the guilt of having that feeling in the first place.
It's not fair to her, is it? To be close to her murderer. Now that Aerith isn't even here to give her perspective on it, Zack's that much more mixed up about it. ]
Are you going to argue that point with me? Seriously?
[Yes, he will argue that point. Far be it from him to latch a descriptor such as "brooding" to himself, despite how valid it might sometimes be.]
Yes. There is a difference between brooding and simply knowing where all the quiet places in the city are located. Somewhere to think, away from all the noise.
[ Of course he's going to argue. Sephiroth isn't one to take much of anything lying down, though Zack hadn't expected him to die on the hill of whether or not he's broody.
In the interest of not introducing more unnecessary tension into their relationship, Zack lets it go. It isn't worth it. ]
Sure. Let's put a pin in it, but I'll take you up on that at some point.
[ Zack can't face him just yet, not when the wound's still so fresh. But he's making an effort. ]
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But he tries, perhaps clumsily, in the way that someone reaching for a sincere attempt might.]
You're not keeping alone, are you?
[Asks Sephiroth, the man who spends the majority of his time detached from social circles.]
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What if he'd tried harder to snap him out of it? What if he'd been more of a friend? Would it have even made a difference? ]
No. I'm staying with Cloud and Nier.
If you know of some good places around here to go and brood, though, I'm all ears.
[ When all else fails, joke about it. ]
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Perhaps that's why he allows the joke to stick; Sephiroth knows one when he sees it.]
Are you saying that I'm "brooding" enough to know of all the best places to ruminate?
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It's not fair to her, is it? To be close to her murderer. Now that Aerith isn't even here to give her perspective on it, Zack's that much more mixed up about it. ]
Are you going to argue that point with me? Seriously?
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Yes. There is a difference between brooding and simply knowing where all the quiet places in the city are located. Somewhere to think, away from all the noise.
[textbook anti-social.]
I can show you sometime.
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In the interest of not introducing more unnecessary tension into their relationship, Zack lets it go. It isn't worth it. ]
Sure. Let's put a pin in it, but I'll take you up on that at some point.
[ Zack can't face him just yet, not when the wound's still so fresh. But he's making an effort. ]
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Of course.
If you need anything else, I'm only a text away.
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[ At the moment Zack doesn't have much intention of taking Sephiroth up on that offer, but who knows how things might change? ]