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[sultanofsquat]

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[sultanofsquat]

Nope. [ A beat. ] If my hunch is right, anyway.

[ As for who it can be? Well, it's best that he fill Ayaka in as well as he knows anyway. He still has yet to meet anyone from Eorzea, but, ]

Well, let's count.

Noctis and Prompto are from another world, but they have chocobos... There's me, Zack, Aerith, Tifa, Sephiroth— [ ... he doesn't laugh. But he does crack a half-smile. Because even if their relationship here is solely one of mutual training, and he has a score to settle with the one back home? Hopefully Ayaka sees the absurdity, ] Definitely not Sephiroth.

[ Man. Imagine Sephiroth hauling a 7 foot tall dick to the estate going, "I've thought of a wonderful present for Cloud." Okay smile gone. ]

Then there's Rufus Shinra. The Turks. Tseng, Rude, and...

[ Unless he's missing anyone else whose arrived without his knowing it? His tone goes flat when he says, ]

Reno.

[mistsplitter]

[ Oh! That Shinra fellow - Cloud's mentioned him before! Ayaka is a stranger to the rest of the ones Cloud has mentioned, though if she were being honest, she'd be very hesitant to try and get to know Sephiroth. Rufus, too.

Now... when he makes a face upon mentioning a name? She can't help but make a face, too. One of confusion. ]

... is something the matter?

[ Obviously, for Cloud to react that way. ]

Do you think this was caused by that Reno fellow?

[sultanofsquat]

Mm. [ He nods as they walk and talk. Even just being in her presence and having a conversation with her outside of the station...even if it's got to do with what happened? It's a welcome change. It's a familiarity that he's fallen into. ] You know how Zack is. He can kid around but he wouldn't pull a stunt like that. Tifa and Aerith are out of the question. Rufus and Tseng are too serious t—

[ He cuts himself off. ]

Look. Who asks for one trillion gil? Iunno what the exchange rate would be, but that's gotta be like asking for one trillion mora.

When Reno's not working, he's... Just. Yeah I'm 90% sure that's him.

[ Poor Cloud's talking himself through it as they go. aklfdjs And determining how he can get back at him. ...in a way that wasn't violent or caused serious rifts. But he ain't letting it slide no matter what. ]

[mistsplitter]

...

[ But... even if they have an idea who did this, it still doesn't answer the other question. Why?

And this is going to bother Ayaka for a good while. ]

What does he look like? Maybe we've crossed paths and I just don't recall.

I must have made him angry in some way...

[sultanofsquat]

Red hair, spiky, usually in a dark suit. He stands out.

[ Compared to the rest of the Turks anyway. ]

You? [ Make Reno angry? This Reno especially? ] No. I don't think so.

And...that's what makes this whole thing stupid, if it's him.

[mistsplitter]

I didn't get to do what I had planned today because of what happened.

[ She sighs heavily. They're nearing the estate at least, and the neighbours don't seem to be giving her any funny looks. Maybe news travelled fast that she's innocent! ]

Also... would it be alright if you kept this between us? I don't want Ayato to know.

[sultanofsquat]

Yeah? What's that?

[ Maybe there'd still be time. It hasn't gotten dark yet. ]

Mm. [ He nods. ] The less he's gotta worry about, the better.

[ That and, well. Sparing Ayaka any further embarrassment. They'll tackle this situation later on, after they've had a chance to calm down. Cloud's already feeling calmer himself despite how thoroughly he dressed down the department. ]

[mistsplitter]

I wanted to buy clothes for the winter.

[ She very well still can! But it's a train ride all the way to Shibuya. That's gonna take a lot of time... ]

[sultanofsquat]

Oh... [ Come to think of it... ] It's getting to be that time, huh.

[ He says this with no morose, but it hits him with a faint smile. ]

Won't be much longer till we're right back with the cherry blossoms.

[ They've been here for quite some time now. Not as long as, say, Aether. But still. ]

[mistsplitter]

The tsubaki will be in season come spring, too!

[ And that is always so very exciting! Sakura are very beautiful, but given that the Kamisato Clan uses camellias for their emblem? That kind of flower has a special place in Ayaka's heart. ]

I wonder what sorts of festivals we will have... [ A wistful sigh. ] Something nice and warm... with prayers and good food, and even fireworks at the end!

[ And nothing going wrong in any of those. Ayaka can't help but rest her head on Cloud's arm as they walk. Just talking about spring has put her in a good mood. ]

[sultanofsquat]

Would be a change of pace from what we've had thrown our way...

[ But not to bring down the mood immediately, Cloud is quick to add on, ]

Maybe we can get our own fireworks. Get a good picture of them as they go off.

[mistsplitter]

I've never done anything like that before. . .

[ Getting her own fireworks and letting it implode go off, she means. . . huh! ]

We'd need to be trained for that sort of thing, won't we?

[sultanofsquat]

Can't say I have either.

[ Another first? Another first! He tugs on her hand when it's time to cross the street. ]

Maybe... S'not exactly safe to handle them directly. [ He hums... ] Well. Can't ask Yoimiya. [ On the account of her not having been pulled to this world. ] We could look into it.

Maybe they got something in the library for that too.

[mistsplitter]

[ The mention of Yoimiya gets her to giggle. He remembers her! Now she wonders how Yoimiya would be like around Cloud... she hopes they would get along. Her best friend in another world, and her best friend from home. . . ]

Let us look for a book on it some time. But... if it's not safe? Then I don't mind if we just watch from afar.

[ They're close to the Kamisato estate now! Just across the street, then they have to climb up the stairs leading to the gate. Ayaka's actually looking forward to eating something since she hasn't had anything all day. ]

[sultanofsquat]

[ Hearing Ayaka giggle even gets him perking up some more. That's the kind of spirits he wants to see from her. If she was feeling this way when they left the station, maybe he could have convinced her to have something to eat on the way back. Luckily for them? He still has that plan sitting in the back of his mind for when they get to the estate. ]

Oh I ain't sticking around when they go off.

[ Assuming they have some really big ones, anyway. ]

[ As they make their way up the stairs leading to the front gate, away from the public eye, he squeezes her hand and stops at the top of the stairs with her. ]

Hey. Go on ahead? I'll be there in a couple minutes. Just gotta make a call.

[mistsplitter]

Alright. [ She nods obediently before letting go of Cloud's hand. ] Then, I'll use the time to prepare the tea.

[ The snacks will take a while longer, but the tea is priority especially since she has a visitor over! ]

Um... you'll find the statue in the garden, if you wanted to see it.

[ Ayaka certainly has no intention of looking at it again. But she will, however, see it from the kitchen. Unfortunate.

Taking a step back, Ayaka bows her head before excusing herself inside. ]

1/2

[sultanofsquat]

Mm.

[ He was tempted to steal away a kiss before she left, but as she excuses herself, he simply watches her leave before pulling out his magi-comm. In most cases, it was used for communicating between refugees. But...this time, as he makes a call out, walking through the gates and out towards the garden so he can see if the police's descriptor was indeed correct. ]

... Yes. You guys have someone who can deliver? We're not far.

[ .... ... ...... ]

Cool. You guys have any........

[ He stops. He sees the statue. "... yes? Hello?" ]

Sigh-

No. Sorry, can I get—

2/2

[sultanofsquat]

[ Right. It should be here in about twenty minutes! Possibly even sooner. Sliding the front door open and removing his boots, he also keeps the Buster Sword at the entrance, leaning up and off to the side before he pads his way down the hall towards the kitchen. He was gone for maybe five minutes before coming inside the estate. ]

Ayaka?

[ He passes the living room, slowing down to offer a little bow to her parents' shrine in the corner before continuing ahead. ]

[mistsplitter]

[ The pot is being left to boil in the kitchen should Cloud pass by to see, the other things needed for tea already prepared. As for Ayaka? She doesn't seem to be around just yet, having gone to her room to get changed into something more comfortable given that she'll just be staying home for the rest of the day.

She comes back out of her room when she hears Cloud, in a hurry because she didn't want to worry him. ]

Ah, I'm sorry! I'm right here.

[ While her hair isn't messy, she's still in the middle of tying the ribbon that usually keeps one side of her hair together. ]

[sultanofsquat]

[ Oh! There she is. He thought she would have been in the kitchen, but he must have been outside longer than he thought. That or Ayaka was just that efficient and quick. What he does next should have gone without saying, the blond sighing as he shakes his head as he approaches her. ]

I saw it, by the way.

[ The authorities will be here to remove later tonight. ...or frankly, so help Cloud? He'll literally use his super strength to yeet the dick over the property's wall and out into the street.

Call it ブロークン ディック ストリート (Broken Dick Street) by the time he's done with it and it's busted all over the pavement.

He leans in to place a small kiss on Ayaka's lips. The first one of the day, before he steps back. If he knew a thing or two about how to tie her hair the intricate way she did, he'd have offered to fix it up for her. ]

[mistsplitter]

[ It may have been a small kiss, but it doesn't take away Ayaka's surprise. It flusters her, and she finds herself at a loss for words. Rather than stammer or stutter, she looks away, covering her mouth with a fist.

Cloud has really done a good job in cheering her up. Even if she ends up being flustered in the process. And it is now that she remembers her manners. She says something that she should have said much earlier on. ]

Thank you for coming for me today, Cloud. [ Her hero. ] You really are so amazing.

[sultanofsquat]

Bet you woulda done the same thing. [ A beat. ] Not that I plan on getting in that kinda trouble anytime soon.

[ But now that they're in the comfort of her home, and her surprise was on its way? ]

Need a hand bringing anything into the living room?

[ To their usual spot where they drink tea and eat? She can fix up her hair if she wants! If it were her ponytail still needing to be done up, he might have been more helpful there. ]

[mistsplitter]

Oh, yes, please. [ 🥺 He's so good to her. ] The water should be ready by now, I believe. I can prepare the tea. I just need a moment for my hair.

[ They can talk more about the statue later on! Ayaka heads back to her room so she can properly groom herself before heading back out. Since it's just one part of her hair now, it doesn't take over a minute. ]

I actually didn't get to have breakfast today because of what happened. I can make sandwiches for us, if you like, though.

[sultanofsquat]

Right.

[ Cloud is quick to retrieve the tray, keeping an eye on the boiling pot as well as he sets everything on said tray and returns down the hallway. Meeting Ayaka with a little nod, there's a set of five cups on it. Four for the two of them and her parents, and one extra one for Ayato in the event he returns home while they're visiting. ]

Actually... [ About...the sandwiches. He looks away for a moment, his gaze shifting to her despite glancing to the side. He can't keep it in. He sighs before offering a light smile. ] I suck at secrets.

[ Is his excuse for wanting to spoil her now but, ]

If you can wait...ten-ish more minutes? I ordered some stuff for us.

[mistsplitter]

You did?

[ Goodness! Cloud didn't have to O_O!! Even though he's told her what he's done, she doesn't want to know any more than that! She shakes her head quickly, in a bid to interrupt him if he wanted to say more than that. ]

N- No, no need to say the rest. I... I would like it to remain a secret. [ If it was a secret, then it was a surprise, right? ] That is what you intended, wasn't it?

I can wait.