revivalproject | Seeking Out A Good Friend(s)

Entry tags:

Seeking Out A Good Friend(s)

WHO: Cloud Strife, Reeve Tuesti (mini-c), Following Cloud is Tony Stark. Eventually Vincent Valentine will make an appearance. -- Everyone's piling in Reeve's room.
WHERE: Reeve's Room
WHAT: Right after this thread
WHEN: See above
WARNINGS: No one is going to die. No one is going to get hurt. Cloud needs to tell the other two (Reeve and Vincent) about this planets familiarness to their own. Oh, Geostigma, is making a slight appearance. Because even a super soldier can only take so much of that ickiness and I was heavy hinting at it in the previous thread. death is mentioned. I'll update as I go, I'm being terrible right in the beginning but it'll go to replicator talk I promise!

Cloud could do nothing about their current situation. Finding an exit had been near impossible, he's thought about that. He still thinks it's some kind of social experiment being done. It could be a mental training exercise. Cloud shuddered in those thoughts if this would be an actual test within SOLDIER. He knew that mako infusion could make anyone go crazy if they didn't have a strong will. It's not an easy thing to think about but also he's been told to not continue worrying otherwise it'll eat at you.

There's plenty of people here to find comforts in. He's more combatant of Cayde and Tony because of Tony wanting to get under his skin. He grits his teeth knowing that he's dealt with plenty of people like that. Cloud's constantly trying to prove himself and it still didn't truthfully matter where it went. Being here had its own struggles. He relived so many memories but he also knew how to handle things as they come at him. He's done too many planning that ended up in failure. People died, people got hurt, he couldn't do anything in those moments. Even when learning of an immediate threat there were times where he wasn't there to help. It was slowly starting to eat away at him. He couldn't really help anyone here at the moment. He could potentially die here tomorrow because of his own illness, he's got a lot of shit on his plate already. Bringing that topic up on a first date is a real mood killer.

As he wandered through the hallway, he would start weaving as if not really following that straight line forward. He recognizes what's happening and he's not going to be all that happy about it. Cloud puts his right hand up against the wall and leans against it with right shoulder. Cloud grabs hold of his left forearm shortly after squeezing harder than he had at the table. Why now? He felt his heart beat pulsing within his ears. Cloud shuts his eyes as he focuses on his breathing to try to calm the fast beating before he continued on.

He's thankful that he doesn't feel any wetness that he normally does. Cloud bandaged it enough in case something happened. But he's going to ran out of supplies eventually. After regaining his strength he stands up straighter and gains his composer to mosey down the hallway. Once he's in front of the name plate he wanted. 'Reeve Tuesti', he gives three sharp knocks with his knuckles of his right hand.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Reeve, busy with a bit of a sketch, looks up at the knock at his door. That wasn't very common. But after a moment he sighs and shakes his head. And to think he'd been doing so good at avoiding people for the moment, trying to figure out how to deal with the frustration of being trapped.

"One moment," he called. And left the sketch pad with Mini on the bed, knowing the little one would guard it as he moved to the door and opened it.

Strife. His eyes widen for a moment, and he stands aside.

"Cloud. Please, come in."

Cloud waited knowing Reeve could be potentially busy. His eyes focus on the door knob as he bites down on his bottom lip. He doesn't really want to bring up this topic but he also wants to make sure he gets to Reeve first.

When Reeve opens the door, he's already making those puppy dog eye look as if he's going to deliver some not so good news. Cloud looks like death warmed over but he's not really paying attention to that.

"Hey, Reeve..."

Cloud gives small polite smile with a nod as he enters the room. "Thank you. I have something I need to talk to you and Vincent about. It's not going to be easy either. And you know Vincent, he's evasive."

He hardly had the greeting out before Tony appeared behind Cloud, leaning over him against the door frame and looking very deliberately casual. Tony hadn't gotten far after extracting himself from what turned out to be a baffling conversation at a card table, lingering where he had brought his glass across the room to return it to the food dispensing area and watching Cloud's progress out of the corner of his eye-- not toward his own room.

Neither of them wanted to be the last one to Reeve, apparently.

Cloud's meandering step was enough to make Tony hesitate, watching carefully with his head cocked like he hadn't noticed Cloud take a pause against the wall at all, but he couldn't just let him get to Reeve's room and start talking about power sources before Tony had his chance.

"Hey, fancy meeting you here," Tony said breathlessly, or breathy, it was a choice and he definitely didn't just bolt after Cloud. "Super quick, while I've got you, little thing, you know that sketchbook you gave me...?" He licked his lips, gaze darting around and snapping to the book on the bed, hoping it wasn't that one.

And now there was Tony too. Reeve looked from Cloud to the other man, trying not to turn all of his attention upon Tony. It's hard. Moths, candles, all of that. But the fact that both of them would be here now is... intriguing.

"It is my room, Tony. Where else would I be?"

With that his attention returns to Cloud, concerned.

"So I wasn't just dreaming things. Vincent is here. Well, I fear I'm better than most at finding him. Perhaps... Mini, can you see if you can locate him? Be mindful of distance."

The doll stood, saluted, and hoped down from the bed, happy to head to and through the door. He stops to wave to Cloud, clearly a friend. And he nods to Tony before scooting off on his mission.

"I am well aware of the sketchbook, Tony. However, Cloud here is a friend from back home, and if he came to seek me out, I owe him a moment of my time. He has saved my life a few times over."

And his concern was that it was a Geostigma flare up. Damn but he should have taken the medical point before coming down here.

If he hadn't been so focused on his Geostigma he would have noticed Tony sneaking behind him. The senses of a SOLDIER are strong but not when he's feeling at his weakest. Cloud bites the inside of his cheek as Tony speaks to Reeve. He looks at Reeve remembering what his friend told him. Cloud glances away to give them privacy as he walks further into the room.

He makes a casual line away from the bed and towards the drawers. Cloud turns around to lean his back against them. If he does get a sudden flare up he's not doing it anywhere near the bed. It's a potential threat waiting to happen.
He keeps his right hand on his left arm while looking at nothing really in particular.

"We both weren't dreaming. Vincent is here." Cloud causally observes Tony wondering if he would make the first move in this game of power source speak. He's trying his best this entire time and knows he's been an idiot in a lot of other conversations.

"I'm going to end up owing you a lot after anything I have to say, Reeve. I found out a bit too much after taking on the Engineering datapoint. I needed to because you know how trouble follows me around."

This Vincent seemed to be hot property for someone Tony had never heard of, making him bid farewell to Mini with an awkwardly confused wave, after watching him a little desperately like the cat could provide any answers for him. Still looking after Mini, Tony started to say, "Yeah, I know, I got caught up--" as Reeve made to explain his relationship with Cloud, really meaning super quick when he had said it, Reeve told him to leave him alone and Tony was doing it, honest, and not needing the rehash until the 'saved my life' detail. That part Tony did not know, and he obediently shut up, folding his arms across his chest and lingering in the doorway, gaze darting between the other two like Reeve had just given him another equation to solve. As long as he was here, he could maybe shore up a fraction of patience; if Cloud seemed like he was going to start asking about batteries, Tony was ready to intervene. "Your boy's been very busy," he provided helpfully.

"It's better for Cloud to be busy than for him not to be," Reeve admits. He knew this whole thing had to be bad for Cloud. Cooped up, underground? Perhaps too much like Nibelheim. In fact, the concern on his face for Cloud was very obvious. "He's a doer."

In fact, Cloud was enough of one that Reeve didn't understand why the man was not being more... straight forth. It wasn't like Cloud to dither when he wanted to say something.

Still, the fact that both of them were here, right now... It's got Reeve bothered. And Cloud talking in front of Tony... Oh!

"I get it. The two of you have come to some conclusion thanks to the data Cloud has acquired and Tony's natural analytical and constructive mind. And you've come together to discuss it. Well then, gentlemen, who wishes to go first?"

Reeve moves to return to his bed, sitting on it and tucking his sketchpad under the pillow. No reason to have it to hand to distract himself before it was needful.

Reeve completely understands how Cloud's mind works. He's been busy non-stop since he got here. He couldn't really sit still, there's people that needed help. But he still couldn't problem solve out of being trapped here in the tunnels. He makes himself busy so he can think about other things.

Cloud opens his mouth while putting up a finger to correct Reeve. However, he raises an eyebrow over at Tony. "I'm flexible at keeping myself busy at all times."

He looks to Reeve and then simply states. "This planet is very much like our own. You can use all of the planets resources to make things. Such as the crystal rods. I hope you know what those are. No one wants to fill me in completely if they already exist here or not." He's tired, he's not really going to go into much more detail.

"The planet could be an entire Lifestream of its own." That's all he's got going for now. Cloud looks at Reeve in a somewhat defeat matter. Reeve would actually understand all of that too. So he shouldn't have to explain much. "I broke the replicator on top of this. It looks to be a power surged but I need to get with Cal more on it since he put it together. It's the whole reason why I went for the datapoint. We ended up in here and... there's another thing too." He's just going to drift his eyeballs down towards his left arm to hint. It's a very slight hint.

Tony caught the look from Cloud and tried to offer it back, not sure they had managed to match wavelengths enough but hoping if he pursed his lips and opened his eyes wide enough that Cloud could catch that Tony wasn't about to disavow Reeve of the notion they had totally planned to come here together. No reason to also put Reeve on edge. And no reason for Reeve to tuck the sketchbook further away, if that was the one Tony was looking for, making one of Tony's hands escape his tight hold around his chest only to press a knuckle firmly against his lips, watching Cloud very attentively.

"Hux had some of the rods at the power plant, they're powering the whole place. He said he had been doing some research, and he gave me a couple, but neither of us have really figured out what they are. I thought it might have been a mineral with its own kinetic frequency-- like vibranium, do you have that? But-- I don't have the data point," Tony provided when Cloud seemed to get distracted by his own arm, making him frown. The stumbling walk and the onset of the entire pallid situation was looking like blood loss, but he had made a similar move the first time Tony had seen him, too.

Oh god. Reeve goes pale, mainly from the news about the rods. This whole situation was cursed, wasn't it?

"I have not handled the rods often myself, so I cannot speak to whether the energy feels the same. I fear now I'll have no choice but to take the Engineering datapoint, even though I promised Vincent I would take the medical for..."

Right, Tony was here. Fuck.

"Reasons."

His own eyes fell on Cloud's arm and he was up on his feet. Dammit, a true issue with his opinions on how to deal with this world, an interesting conversation he wants to have with Tony, AND a Stigma flare-up. What was he supposed to do?

Medical took priority.

"Cloud, please, sit," he insists to his friend before looking to Tony. "Minerals with their own kinetic frequency. No, there is nothing like that back home. Well... that's not exactly true. While Cloud doesn't realize it, has no reason to know, Mythril has something akin to the idea of kinetic frequency. However it's more of a magical resonance. All gear meant to channel magical energies into and and through materia have a very minute lining of mythril, because of how it resonates with with Lifestream and Mako energy. I don't know much of it myself, but it's why Shinra placed such high value on mythril mines in Kalm and the mountains between Midgar and Junon. Of course the stuff is horrid to work with, tinged with mako as it is. So it's possible the energy crystals are like mythril but in more crystalline form as opposed to metal. Either way..."

Oh yes, his brain is running a mile a minute. Wait. Back up. Reeve stops his pacing to look at Cloud, and there is definite disapproval on his face.

"You broke what!?"

Perhaps no one has yelled at Cloud about that yet. Reeve definitely is.

"I swear, Strife, you cannot go five minutes without problems. What am I ever to do with you?"

He needs a calm voice of reason here. So he looks to Tony. The man has struck him as reasonable.

"Can you do me a favor? Is there any chance Jon brought medical supplies with him?" Lie, quick, he needs a lie. "Cloud's little foible has reminded me of a use I had for the replication system. In my haste to get down to shelter here when the warning came, I fell and cut my arm open. I managed to bind it at the time with some supplies I keep for emergencies, I'm used to minor wounds, but I'm running a bit low and need to change the bandages. If Jon perhaps has a bit with him that he can spare, especially now that you seem of good health, perhaps you might be willing to fetch some."

Clearly Cloud is going to need a change if he was being this... implicative of his condition right now, and he didn't know if Cloud had any in his room if he had come to Reeve.

A small creature came tinkering down the hall. A charming child's toy, a familiar construct, Vincent was not surprised to see the replica of Cait Sith moving with a life of his own. He did not anticipate anything more than the creature to pass him. However, it stopped before him and silently gesticulated at him. For a moment, Vincent watched the doll move fluidly, as if something more than plush and thread made the body. He crouched down to reach for the doll, only for the creature to swat at his gloved hand. Vincent pulled back his hand and stood once again. A few more moments idled while he watched with curiosity as the doll wiggled, pointed, and mimed something he could not quite understand. It was only until the creature reached for his cloak, pinched it between two fingerless arms, and pulled at the crimson fabric, did Vincent gather the toy was summoning him.

He can't recall ever being summoned quite like this, and for some reason, his chest warmed with the attention from the animated-object. Without further hesitation, Vincent stepped in line, after the short-legged doll. Vincent's gait was slow, and his steps small, despite the creature rushing ahead as fast as the little legs could move, Vincent tailed the thing at a minimum leisured-walk.

The small, mute, Cait Sith replica led Vincent down the halls, around corners, and toward an open door with voices spilling past the frame. His eyes narrowed while he tried to focus on whose voices he heard. He suspected the doll was leading him to Reeve, but it sounded as if there was a conversation happening in the room.

Vincent stops short of the threshold. He looked at each person in the room, two of three he recognized. He remained silent and still in the center of the door frame.

Cloud looks at Tony and then to Reeve. "The Engineering datapoint might be a better fit for you Reeve. But I need to tell you that you'll know how to fuse the planet's life source into the rods to charge them. Are you willing to have that information in your head? I can't rightfully explain everything as you can. It was a nice suggestion to modify my bike in the future." He looks at Reeve while pressing his lips together. If Tony had been following this entire time, he would have seen him in the hallway.

He turns his attention on Tony wondering if he saw the whole thing. Cloud winces as Reeve starts yelling at him. But he has every right to be since everything's he's saying is true. Sometimes his shit luck lasts longer than five minutes. Cloud's attention goes to Reeve as he makes up a lie. He quietly shifts his attention to Tony but then realizes another within the door frame.

"Vincent."

The typical greeting he would offer as if it's any old day of the week. It's become a light party.

"Medical...?" Tony had parroted at Reeve when he was deliberating his datapoints, completely baffled that it had even been in his list of options, never mind near the top. He had clearly missed a lot about Reeve somehow, and he moved further into the room, anxiously swaying toward the pillow where Reeve had tucked away the sketchbook and not prepared at all for it to get even weirder.

Tony didn't know if it was Cloud or the replicator, but found himself suddenly much closer to figuring out what it was that could set Reeve off, making him wince almost as much as Cloud did for being on the receiving end of it. He barely heard what Reeve was asking of him after that, expression schooled to look very interested but it was a very long favour that he was outlining and Tony was really just waiting for him to stop talking so he could say, "Yeah, am I the only one turned on right now? Is that weird? It's weir-- Shit! Christ. Okay." The ghost that Cloud casually addressed to make Tony glance back over at the door did make him jump, sidling further away from the figure with both hands over his heart and head down until he could pace out that adrenaline in a tight circle and come to face him. "Yeah, I'll get...him..." Tony finally processed, sort of, knowing he was looking for Jon for some reason and glad for an excuse to not be trapped in this room. Only-- dammit.

Since Mini was back, Tony looked imploringly to him again as he panicked, then offered, "He was trying to make a baseball bat, said he needed to defend himself because of one of you, sounded nasty," vaguely to the room for them to discuss while he wasn't watching before moving to slide his way past the ghost. "Vincent," he acknowledged cordially.

Turned on? Reeve goes a bit red in the cheeks, and around the ears, and down his neck, at Tony's words. And all of him tenses up too, except... Except Cloud says Vincent's name and Reeve turns toward the door and his whole posture changes a little. Instead of tense and concerned, his whole body tight with energy, he just relaxes. The tension melts away a little. Here was someone whose presence, while confusing in it's own way, was nothing more than comforting to Reeve.

Vincent was a man he understood, more or less. One he took comfort from the presence of.

Mini put his paws on what passed as his hips, a victory pose. After that he toddled back toward the bed, stopping to waves at Tony. And Reeve, learning just what Cloud had done, turned his attention from Vincent, let it flicker over Tony briefly, before turning back on Cloud as the anger bubbled back up.

"A weapon? You asked these people in charge of us, who seem to disdain potential sources of violence, and didn't think it would be a problem?"

Frustrated he turns on Vincent, pointing back toward Cloud.

"You talk to him. You two seem to understand each other better. You're alike in many ways. Tell him why asking such a thing is unreasonable here. Really twist his arm about it," Reeve suggests, pointing toward the arm with the Geostigma sores. Hopefully Vincent would understand the implication as far as it could be in mixed company.

As for Tony...

"Would you step out into the hall with me a moment?"

Then Vincent could help Cloud and Cloud could explain, and Reeve could plead with Tony to not make comments like that in front of Reeve's friends.

Vincent eyed Cloud at the greeting he had received once the man noted his arrival. He then looked to the unfamiliar man as they began to inquire about being turned on before their distinct startled state overtook them. Vincent was unmoved. After composure reclaimed the stranger, he announced his next action, and Vincent waited patiently. The comment about the bat did not move Vincent any more than the man's approach to the door frame. His crimson eyes held fast to the stranger's face. Vincent moved, likely too little too late, to permit the man's departure from the room.

Vincent remained off to the side of the door frame, as he concluded the stranger would return with someone else. Reeve clued Vincent in on the meaning of the mentioned bat. His crimson eyes moved to Cloud, first the young man's face, then a glance to his arm. Reeve's request prompted Vincent to relocate into the room, finally. However, as he passed Reeve, he flashed Cerberus to the man - indicating he had his weapon here.

Vincent stood against the wall, near the door, and folded his arms. His eyes returned to Cloud.

"Reeve! How else am I supposed to protect any of you from an actual threat without one? I tried explaining to Tony and Cayde what my reason is. I won't think of a work around next time. A baseball bat can be used for a sports game. Next time I'm going to ask for a guard baton." Cloud gives a shrug since he's tired of explaining himself. It's as simple as that. He looks at Tony while tilting his head a little and shaking his head.

Maybe Reeve will be quick enough to get Tony out into the hallway. Cloud knew what Reeve wanted him to do with Vincent. For now, he remains quiet until both Reeve and Tony were out into the hallway. Cloud stays against the drawers while turning his attention on Vincent. His eyes locking with Vincent's crimson ones.

That whole baseball bat thing seemed to resolve way too fast, that wasn't nearly the grenade Tony thought he had tossed over his shoulder, and Vincent was really committed to the spooky bit. Tony had time to clear his throat awkwardly before the guy was stepping back for him, and by then Reeve was hounding him again, making Tony complain, "I'm going," as he tried to make his escape, both hands gesturing intently in the direction of wherever Jon was like Reeve had already told him to. Wait, Reeve was coming, too, that was a good thing, those other two seemed to respect him enough not to go looking through his underwear drawer while he wasn't there.

Maybe just on the wrong side of curt, wound tight enough now that he could hear the high frequency feedback in his skull, Tony turned on his heel to snap, "What?" in a low voice like it had been Reeve he had been sharing some secret with in the first place. He hadn't even been sharing one with Cloud, that was a brief truce. It was all of the rest of them in that room that had a web of secrets that Tony felt strangled enough in to start whispering. Realizing belatedly how unnecessary that tension was, Tony waved an apology for the snapping and sighed as he scrubbed at his brow with his knuckle and tried to explain again, "I just-- I came to get the sketchbook, old man."

The sight of Cerberus made Reeve go pale, just for a moment. That was a more terrifying sight than anything else he had seen since coming here. Someone, at last, had gotten through armed. But Reeve wasn't going to mention it. Hopefully Vincent would mention it to Cloud, so the man would know they weren't in danger.

Without another word to Cloud or Vincent he slipped out after Tony, closing the door after him. If he had any clue what was going on in Tony's head, he would have assured the man that Vincent was far more than merely spooky. However, that wasn't a conversation to be had here.

"First, if you're going to apply the term 'old man' to anyone, please reserve it for Vincent. He's older than I am by a good deal. Second, if you needed paper, all you needed to do was ask, Tony. I would not hesitate to provide."

They were right outside the door, and Vincent was far more interested in why Reeve purposely split the group. Old.. reserve it for Vincent.. Vincent huffed and about the time Reeve mentioned sharing paper between the two of them he figured there wasn't much more that would keep his interest. However, he kept his ear out to hear what he might pick up. Vincent remained near the door, and his focus returned to Cloud. "Why am I here?"

Cloud waits for the door to shut fully before he finally pulls himself away from the drawers. He slowly steps towards Vincent while watching his movements. Not sure if he'll follow through with Reeve's order of twisting his arm. Vincent really didn't need to. "The entire planet is basically a life source. The power plant here is apparently ran on crystal rods in which you charge them with the planet life force. I don't think I really need to explain anything further. I broke the one thing granting everyone supplies."

There comes a shrug while he glances away. "You know same shit, different day in the life of Cloud Strife. I had a mild attack out in the hallway. I--" He bites his bottom lip while looking at Vincent.

"You know I don't want either of you to see me this way, right?"

To Reeve's first statement, Tony lifted the hand away from his brow, frozen in the air and unsure where to go from there because it hadn't quite been a volley he could catch, and went, "Okay?" as Reeve continued. Not that he was under any delusion that Reeve was fond of the nickname, but he didn't have to kick Tony down as well as out. He got it, stop coming around and saying things to him, fine, and Tony slouched back to lean against the wall, letting his hand drop to curl in the front of his shirt. He didn't really need the extra information to find Vincent completely inscrutable, he already knew that was a puzzle that was going to take him a while. "Like, Cayde old...?" he muttered, not really expecting an answer at all, talking to himself more than Reeve like he needed something to occupy him while Reeve got through his second point.

"No--Listen, that would be great, thanks a million, but the book you gave me, the one I did the work for Mini in. We were talking about the power thing, and I remembered that battery pack I drew up for you, and, you know me, total airhead, got distracted while doing it, it's stupid, I've got some notes, I think I did the whole thing backwards, you know?" That was at least one too many words, Tony could tell, and he tried to make up for it by continuing, "I've already got one set up by the replicator anyway, hydro powered, not that stupid idea at all, so I should give you that one so you know how to use it..." He took a breath an abruptly finished, "Do you yell at him like that a lot?"

"I'm not certain exactly how old Cayde is, but I would assume younger than that. Still, if you really do enjoy calling me old man, I'm going to have to see proof that you're more than a decade my junior, and not just trying to insist upon your own youth."

There is nothing wrong about being in your thirties, after all.

For a long moment Reeve is silent, carefully considering Tony. Total airhead. No. No, that didn't describe Tony at all. Even when he'd been hurt he'd been... lucid. Very much so. He didn't even point out how silly it was to use a water-powered battery in Mini, all the problems it would cause frequently opening and closing him. So he considers for a long time, looking at it from all the angles he was used to as an executive, as a man who had to play on the levels of having rivals cut you off at the knees every day. And...

He thinks he gets it.

"'Don't share it around,'" he quotes what Tony said when he'd been shown that design to Reeve. "That's what this is about, isn't it? Something has occurred to make you fear you placed your trust in me in error."

Reeve was proud of himself, at how he managed to keep his voice level, his face blank, managed to keep the feeling of betrayal at bay. It didn't matter. The technology was Tony's, he had no right to complain about it.

"I will of course tear the pages out and return them to you. Not that it matters much, if Cloud damaged the replicator. Without it, I shall not be able to acquire the parts necessary for the work. I thank you for your interest in the project."

Cloud is... an easier topic. One that hurts less. One that he can stay composed for far more easily.

"Yell at Cloud? Hardly. Use a tone to suggest I'm disappointed but that I shall not press him? Yes. Cid and Barret are the ones who yell. But given how great our need for the replicator is, I could not help myself. Especially when I do not believe he should be armed at this juncture. No, it would be futile to yell at him. In the end, he does what he wants."

Vincent cocked his head, and his eyes moved to Cloud's arm. He recalled Cloud's words in his dream world, the geostigma. After waking from Cloud's dream, he had spent time reflecting on their history. Cloud's cure waited for him on Gaia, although, if Aerith came, perhaps the power of her healing spells could cure him. Vincent had also spent some time reflecting on Jenova and her poison. Vincent considered, for the first time regarding Jenova's curse, was the impact the afflicted felt being off Gaia: was it worse, less, or the same? Cloud was the only person here with the disease. Vincent sympathized with Cloud's position, his mild-attack, while at the same time being curious to it from an utterly emotionless perspective, an objective perspective. However, Cloud was more than a person of interest; they were friends. Though it might behoove them to know more of the symptoms in this world, it was up to Cloud to allow his friends in on his status.

Despite the other elements of Cloud's statements, the core of the conversation was the young man's geostigma. Not a supply machine, not the world's state of affairs. While those topics are separately important, the more immediate concern was for Cloud.

Cloud packed around a lot of guilt, and Vincent could empathize with him on that front. It didn't make sense for Cloud to hide this, with all their adventures, all the things they've seen out of one another. Or maybe his intention wasn't to protect, only to share that he didn't want to be seen this way. Whatever way that was. His crimson eyes fell from Cloud, and for a moment, he was silent. He could hear voices outside in the hall but could not discern the words, nor did he care to, Cloud had his undivided attention. I don't want either of you to see me this way..

Vincent takes a deep breath in through flared nostrils. His lungs fill, and his chest rises. "See you." He contemplates. When his demons surface, does Cloud see Vincent in each of them? His eyes settle on Cloud's arm. "That isn't you." It was a part of Gaia's monster, surfacing from within Cloud.

The silence of the room reminded Cloud of the time Vincent was in his mind room. It didn't matter where they ended up Cloud would always welcome the quiet nature of his friend. At times that would help settled mindlessly wandering thoughts. He had brought up a lot of guilt himself while being here. He doesn't need to continue to pile it on. Cloud wasn't purposefully hiding his symptoms. They hadn't really shown up until recently, that could be do to all of the stress finally getting to him. He needed to tell someone about the replicator, he needed to tell his friends about the planet information he found out. The immediate fear had been his own death happening before he could tell anyone. That guilt lingered on the back of his mind and pushed him, but he wanted to remain strong in the eyes of those that didn't know.

Cloud's eyes drift down ward as his lips pull into a frown. He knows that Vincent's demons can be scary. He would have been able to help his friend from doing something he may regret. Cloud could very well still do it he's weaker and unsure if he can. "It may not be any different from our world. It's been acting up more recently."

Vincent didn't have to really say anything to get Cloud to reply to what he needed to tell him. "The symptoms are not good. Seizures, hallucinations, the black oozing, you already know that it ends in death." He shakes his head while looking back at Vincent.

"If Tony truly is keeping tabs on everyone, he's going to find out at some point. I could easily pass out at any given moment and he could or anyone could walk in on that. You've seen it happen in the forest." Cloud then goes silent for a few passing moments before quietly adding. "I think I need to be around company the rest of the time I'm down here." Babysit him Vincent or hand him off to Reeve if the other man even wants to do so after this situation.

Meanwhile, every time Tony was around Reeve down here it seemed to only be damaging. While Reeve managed to carefully keep his cool, Tony grimaced, none of his distractions working the way they were supposed to in this situation and leaving him feeling exposed and defensive. Even Reeve knowing that felt like a liability, like all Tony had done was roll over and showed Reeve his weak point in his blustering and now he knew Tony didn't want anyone else to get their hands on the designs. And he felt like an asshole for it.

Trying to justify the fracture in trust, Tony gestured vaguely back at the closed door and whatever the fuck was going on in Reeve's room-- something certainly had occurred, and Tony still didn't know what it was, but it didn't seem like Reeve was trusting Tony with any of that information, either. 'Thank you for your interest in the project' was ice cold enough for Tony to abandon the gesture, both hands over his heart and focus on the floor between them. Tony didn't know Reeve. Hell, Reeve didn't know who Tony was, he had no reason to be sharing what went on behind his closed doors; Tony was the one that had blurred those boundaries, and he knew exactly why. "He still needs a power system," he muttered, mostly to himself again, not about to push Reeve to let him help with the 'project' after that and shaking his head apologetically for even saying it, sorry, that was still pushing. "Do you still need Jon...?" he asked so Reeve didn't have to answer about the power system, thumb pointed to offer to go and only realizing then that that hadn't really been the truth, either, but Tony was still going to do it for him.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject