a bumpy start! {glyphcomm + action}

[seeingyou]

You wake up to the sound of alarms and a distinct sensation of quaking, and you're quite obviously not where you're supposed to be. This room is strangely shaped, nothing you recognize, and you definitely don't remember how you got here. The room is bathed in soft red light, which might look pretty, except it's blinking in a way that you can probably guess signals danger.

There's a symbol on the back of your hand that you don't remember acquiring, either, but that's probably less important at the moment than the sound of the alarms shrieking and the prerecorded voice speaking over the intercom. It's one of those bland, agender voices, entirely too calm in tone for the message it's relaying:

WARNING
WARNING
IMPACT THREAT DETECTED
EVASIVE ACTION REQUIRED

There’s a loud crash and another violent shaking, as that impact threat collides with the ship’s hull. The warning message continues to repeat on a loop amidst the blaring of the alarm. All passengers should be conscious now, with the noise at such a high volume. Opening your cabin door reveals a nondescript hallway, with five cabin doors on each side for a total of ten on each floor; the doors to the empty cabins are unlocked and inside the cabins hold the same plain, basic furnishings as your own. Halfway into the hallway, there is a lift on one side and a set of stairs on the other.

Comments

[1st]

[ zack takes pause, contemplative as his features set into something firmer. this had been worlds apart from the lifestream; the feeling, altogether, was different in its entirety. there was no peace, no freedom here, just a vacancy and a lull. ]

I don’t know, [ zack admits. his brows knit together, jaw clenching a little. ] but we’ll figure it out later. For now—

[ there’s a burst of sound. as they come crashing against the walls violently, zack’s eyes blow out, a mesh of panic and adrenaline wracking his body.

instinctively, he’s already launched forward to grab at cloud’s shoulders and anchor him against himself. his body acts before his mind, as though he couldn’t envision any other possibility or course of action.

it doesn’t matter, really, because they both come down with a thud. pain surges through his body; for a moment, the room goes dark. he can hear cloud’s breathing against him, the steady crawl of his heartbeat. the glow of their eyes cuts through the darkness.

light floods back into the room. zack is quick to straighten his back, now in a defensive stance. ]

Let’s make a break for it. [ he says, eyes determined. ] This is our chance.

[bravers]

[This is a bad idea. This is a really bad idea. If they're in the middle of space then there's nowhere to escape to, even if they found an escape pod, what would happen? A few days of drifting in space before their oxygen ran out, or they ran out of water, and then?

All of these things are rational statements.
All of these things would've been retorted, shittily at that, should anyone have come up with it.
All of these things are things that should go through anyone's head in this sort of situation.

But they don't.
They don't even go through his head. Not with him. Not when he's talking about escape, not when everything inside him knows to go with him, to stay with him.

So as he eyes him in blinking red emergency lighting:]

Right. Yeah. Let's go.

[As Zack releases him, and gets up, he drags himself up after a few seconds- staying close. Whatever emergency measures the ship's under seems to have given them gravity, at least. So. As he reaches for his Hardedge and holds it in one hand, as his other reaches for Zack's own, sliding into it, securely-]

Can't get separated.

[They can't.

He moves forward at a run- their feet clattering on the metal floor. Door after door after door moves past them. Each identical. Each locked, as evidenced by the red glyphs overlaying them. Until one opens.

Inside...
Is a room.
With a series of monitors, equipment. But more curiously, it looks like there's people inside, too. The crew, maybe? But wait- why do they look just as confused as he feels?

His hand tightens on Zack's.]

...You see any other doors?

[1st]

[ there are warning bells in his head — an incessant ringing, one that sends adrendaline and fear rippling through him. shinra is nowhere to be seen or found, but the idea that something is chasing them, out to get them has not left his mind for a second.

he pushes past it though. even if this cloud is different in more ways than one already, he's still his cloud, and still his to protect with his life. so he pursues the thrill of it all in spite of the signs. cloud's grip on him is tight, and his is no different. wordlessly, eyes widening briefly for a moment...he looks to him. and then his lips thin, curling upwards into a smile.

with a nod of the head, he rushes forward. what they see next is unexpected. an array of faces, none of which are familiar — but they showcase varied states of panic and confusion. that's enough to tell him that they're all in the same boat.

when cloud's hand tightens, zack squeezes his in response. ]

4 others, if I remember right. There's at least one more down this hallway, that much I can gurantee. C'mon. After me.

[ he doesn't give him time to dispute that; he's already gone ahead, ensuring that there's a bit of stride between them, if only so any potential threat goes for him first. when they usher back out into the hallway— ]

...Cloud. You're okay, right?

[ because the alarm — it's making his head pound. ]

[bravers]

[Dropping right on by some people looking like they're having the worst time ever, then backing up and getting the hell away without saying a word? Fine with him. It's not like they, their predicament, even the help they possibly would be able to provide means anything next to Zack.

It's startling, how quickly his mind's gone back to only caring about him. In a sense, it feels like they're extensions of each other- that they're the only things of relevance, of importance. That everything else is external.

...Other than a quick look for Barret or Tifa, of course. Seeing neither of the pair within the room, he's quick to turn his back on the people within it and attempt to keep pace with Zack. Even if his headstart means he's ahead.

And as they go-]

Yeah. M'fine.

[Well. For hurtling down a zipwire from a falling plate, and crashlanding in a playpark turned spaceship. He's fine. But as they stop at the door Zack specified- again, red- and as the ship shudders again, presumably from another volley of fire-]

Are you? You look kind of-

[He can talk. Said zipwire escapades mean his face is practically black with soot, his boots are probably singed, and his knees and gloves're definitely dirty. But...]

Pale. And your clothes-

[Are those holes in his jumper? His features taughten with concern. A faint twinge- at his temples- plays- but it's distant.]

...You need to rest?

[1st]

[ zack's teeth gnash and grind like it'll ground him back into reality. it does in some way, but he's squinting regardless, vision phasing in out of its bleariness at the sirens. the sound slices through his head — leaves him with a borderline searing pain that he pushes past with cloud in tow.

he...can't let him see him like this. can't let him know. so his features steel, setting into an expression hardened with determination. ]

Me? Rest? No way. [ he shakes his head in feigned disbelief. ] We're just getting started. And besides, wherever you go, I follow. Come on. Let's do this!

[ the holes — he hadn't even noticed. the smell of gunpowder lingers on him. he thought the lifestream would have washed it away. he enters the next cabin before cloud gets the chance and slams the doors wide open with the force of his palms.

...nothing more than an empty room with a few beds to offer. other people's belongings strewn all over the place too, from bags to blankets to pillows. looks like everyone left in a hurry. ]

No dice, huh?

[bravers]

Right.

[Anyone else, and he'd question it. But when he says it, the words click into place, like it's something as plain as anything else. The sky is blue. Water is wet. Midgar's a stinking shithole, and Zack's fine. Of course he's fine.

They'll get out of here, together, and they'll both be fine-

Except the doors open to reveal not an escape pod, but what looks like someone's half-through attempt at unpacking.]

...Shit outta luck, it looks like.

[Damn. He half-wheels around again, his hand, instinctively, reaching for the other man's.]

Could always go back to that console room. Looked like they had a bunch of equipment there. Might be a floorplan, or a control panel.

[Not the most inspired idea. Especially if the people within it were armed. But-]

Not like we can do anything else.

[1st]

[ relief washes over him at cloud’s doe eyed acceptance. right. he was fine, after all. zack’s fingers wins around cloud’s palm tightly, like a lifeline. his concentration is funneled into that: feeling and latching onto the warmth of cloud’s hand.

with a huff— ]

...Let’s stay here for a sec. We’ll be out of here soon, I promise, but—

[ vulnerability laces his expression. a little like a kicked puppy in this moment. ]

We– haven’t gotten the chance to figure anything out. Might as well make use of whatever privacy we’ve got, right...?

[ he offers him a lopsided, weary smile. ]

So...hey.

[bravers]

Hey.

[Alarms blaring, their vision engulfed in aggressive red flashes, and every few seconds, that agender voice repeats its message. To top it off, the ship itself shudders, lurches every so often. Either as it evades fire, or returns it.

It's not the time, nor the place. It's really not. But the idea of saying no doesn't enter his head. Not when Zack's looking at him like that- the puppy expression, incidentally, making a lot flood back.

...Affection?
Yeah, of course. Just... How much of it surprises him. He finds himself stepping forward toward him, but he keeps his eyes away.]

...It's really good to see you again. ...You got no idea.

[1st]

[ this is his cloud — his best friend. the gentleness in his eyes doesn’t betray him. but his features are worn and weathered with something he can’t see; how long has it been, he wonders. does he even know?

without a word, zack hovers closer to him. his handles settle onto his shoulders — he peers into the mako greens of his eyes, searching for a remnant of the past. ]

You made it. [ he says with a breath. ]

I knew you would.

[ his eyes flutter shut. zack smiles. ]

I’m proud of you.

[bravers]

...?

[His look is nothing short of quizzical. Not at the sudden closeness, (He'd instigated that of course) nor at the gloved hands on his shoulders. It's... difficult to put words to, but something in him feels like this is natural. Most people, even friends? Putting their hands on him would mean him separating himself from them. In the very best of cases, being hesitant. In all cases, not liking it.

...Aside from this case. He wants to shift closer still, to put his face against him, to get as close as he can...

But that's weird, isn't it?
He doesn't.

Instead, he turns his attention to the wording.]

You mean we made it. Right? We're both here. ...In space. With alarms and we're probably gonna get blown up, but we're together again.

[Morbid.
But honestly? If that was to happen?
Aerith is a regret. But this...

....Wait. Zack said he was proud.
Shame overcomes him. And here, with him, it's biting.]

I've done things. Might not be so proud if you knew 'em.

[1st]

...Huh—No, I...

[ a lone “what,” flies through his head. no, he was sure that he’d died — he’d seen the lifestream with his own two eyes, watched cloud from the great beyond, reunited with aerith...

his eyebrows draw back. zack tilts his head, confused, staring as the alarms continue to sound in the background and flashes of red contour the soft, delicate curves of cloud’s face. a painful reminder of who he was talking to, and how young he still was.

does he not know?

does he not realize?

if he doesn’t, should he be telling him this now? zack’s mouth opens. closes again. he scratches at the back of his head. damn, he wishes aerith were here to tell him what to do. ]

Listen. We aren’t gonna blow up. Trust me on this. [ fingers smooth into the fabric of cloud’s uniform, right around his neckline. ] I...You and me, we have...a lot to talk about! Later. That’s enough of a reason for me to want us out of here. But trust me — I know.

You...are one wild guy, Cloud. Whew.

[ infiltrating shinra hq? really? ]

We’re gonna need to channel some of that energy of yours again.