revivalproject | Seeking Out A Good Friend(s)

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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

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.

In the room Mini had returned to the bed, and while mostly listening in to Cloud and Vincent, now found himself sent to a small task by Reeve. The toy moved to the bed and was now digging under the pillow to grab the sketch book and start dragging it out. He had to get it to Reeve.

"He does still need a power system," Reeve confirmed. And his own eyes went to the floor as well. They're both a bit of a fool, not that they know it. Reeve sighed and looked up at last.

"Tony, I... May I at least know what I did?"

Vincent listened intently to Cloud's concern. He gathered Tony was the stranger out in the hall with Reeve. He wasn't quite sure what Cloud meant about the other man keeping tabs on everyone. The notion made sense from a tactical position, such as if Tony had a background in security, paranoia, research, or something that would support his interest in collecting data from others. Cloud sounded as if he didn't want Tony to discover the geostigma, as he appeared reluctant for Tony finding out rather than being told. Vincent's eyes cast down to the small plush doll waddling toward the bed. The doll seemed to have another mission. "You can stay with me." Vincent offered. Though, he was sure Reeve had offered the same. Vincent then looked to the blond. "I would consider the illness would be different here than it is on Gaia." His eyes focused on Cloud's arm. "Jenova isn't here to claim the afflicted."

If asked Cloud would have said not exactly snooping. But he didn't really trust Tony enough with Geostigma. Would Tony care if he knew someone could potentially die at any second? Cloud didn't really get a reaction from him about the planet protecting itself and going after humanity. Tony had a chance to follow that story path but all he cared about was the replicator as he should to keep giving everyone their much needed supplies. But it reflected a concern that Cloud wasn't sure if Tony truthfully cared about other people. Tony stated he wanted to get everyone off of this rock, that didn't mean protect them while doing so or caring. Cloud watches Mini head to the door with the sketchbook. "I do not mind who I stay with, as long as I stay with someone. I think I have enough problems to deal with."

He gives a small nod at Vincent. "If it stays only to me, then we don't need to worry about anyone else suffering through this. I wouldn't wish it on anyone here." Cloud watches Mini wondering what the doll could be after now, but Vincent or him would make sure Mini will be let out.

The honest answer to Reeve's question was, "Nothing," so Tony offered it with a smile that was brief, but Tony met Reeve's eye before it was gone. "I was..." Without a proper way to explain himself without making Reeve uncomfortable, Tony made a gesture starting with a circle of his hand curled in front of his face to try to demonstrate his tunnel vision, he was compartmentalizing and that was a problem he was working on but it was what kept looping Reeve into these awkward conversations. "I wasn't reading the room," Tony tried instead, and he didn't mean that room exactly but he gestured back toward Reeve's door again and all of the tangled parts of his life that Tony hadn't considered while writing his love letter.

Mini still didn't pay attention to Vincent and Cloud as he got the sketchbook free and once it was free the doll wrapped its arms around the pad as best he could and jumped down from the bed to start toward the door. Of course it looked pointedly up at Cloud and Vincent ad then to the door, as if asking them to open it for him.

Reeve, meanwhile, frowned as he followed Tony's gesture.

"I don't understand. What could Cloud and Vincent have to do with your designs? I trust them with my life. Neither of them are very of the mindset of an engineer. But if your concern is that they might see it, then I have no problem returning the design to you."

What? Is that what it was. Yep, Reeve doesn't get it.

Vincent joined Cloud in observing the doll dancing in front of the door. The replica of Cait Sith mimed before the barrier; however, Vincent didn't move to open the door. He didn't think it was up to him to pierce the boundary between the two secluded areas, regardless of wanting to satisfy the doll's demands. Vincent looked to Cloud, "you're not contagious." He promised. With Cloud's comment about not minding who he stayed with, Vincent felt his previous assumption of Reeve having already offered his room was correct. He was sure nothing but Aerith's magic would help Cloud, but he wasn't sure if there was some reprieve here Cloud could access to aid, in the least.

"How often are your attacks?"

Cloud watches Cait Sith pointedly stare at them to make a move for the door. He would have gone for the door but at Vincent's question he didn't move right away. There's a tiredness on his facial expression. Although they had been forced to sleep, Cloud didn't really seem to be getting sleep at times. That would have caught up with him eventually. He sucks in his bottom lip, rolling it between his teeth before puffing them back out. "I will talk your word for it, Vincent." Reeve and Vincent seemed to be from maybe after his current time point. As weird as that was he's adjusting knowing that they know his future in some way. But here it's a bit different. He still needs to find a cure but for now he's dealing with it head on.

"Their starting to show up more recently. At the beginning of being here it wasn't too bad but being in the tunnels... well..." He looks at Vincent. "My nightmare is always lingering. But you know this. I haven't hallucinated yet. But I feel a bigger flare up might happen."

He's going to admit to that. "Usually during those is when all the other symptoms happen plus the oozing." Cloud then goes toward the door giving Mini an apologetic smile as he opens the door enough for the doll to go out. Mini needed to complete his mission.

If that was an explanation Reeve was going to accept, Tony wasn't going to argue him out of it, pressing his lips together and opening his empty hands in an empty apology before flattening them protectively back over his heart. Completely disobediently, Tony's mouth opened to ask, "If I had just said that, would we have avoided this...?" and he flicked one finger to encompass the tension between them that Tony had no idea how to diffuse now. "Listen, if someone had rocked up to me and said, I think your friends are freaks, we've got an issue, I'm pretty sure I would have been pissed." That wasn't a bad excuse, though. It wasn't a great time for the door to crack open, making Tony slide another inch warily away from it, but it wasn't entirely incorrect that Cloud had been the one to make Tony reevaluate who's hands his designs should be in.

I think your friends are freaks, we've got an issue.

Strange how the statement actually only earned a chuckle from Reeve. It's not an inaccurate statement.

"They can be unnerving. I've seen Cloud take down massive dragons larger than buildings with little assistance. And Vincent's abilities are impressive. I just wish I understood."

Because clearly he still didn't. But with the door open and then closing behind Mini, he crouches down to take the sketch pad. Without thinking much about it, he hands the whole thing over to Tony. If the man was that against Reeve having his designs, it's better that the other man take them out, so he could flip through to convince himself that Reeve hadn't copied them.

If there were perhaps a few less... professional drawings that may or may not involve Tony in them in some way, well, he isn't going to apologize.

"I'll figure something out for Mini. The crystal rods are out, if they really are potentially draining this world. And with Cloud having broken the replicator, I suppose replicating solar-cells would be out of the question. So I'll..."

He doesn't even know. He wilts a little.

"I'll figure something out. So take the designs, feel free to make sure I haven't copied them. If you've lost faith in me by the company I keep, then I cannot change that. My loyalty to them matters. They... did a lot to fix the mistakes of my life, stopping the company I worked for. While I don't always agree with Avalanche's methods, they at least opened my eyes to the damage I was doing, and caused me to make the right choices. If that doesn't earn loyalty, I don't know what should."

Hallucinations were not foreign to Vincent, nor were the nightmares tailing Cloud. Cloud was right, and Vincent did know what the young man meant. He took in a breath, held it in his chest, then exhaled before he leaned back against the wall. His arms remained crossed over his chest. His eyes moved down to eye Cloud's feet. "There might be something here that can help." His eyes lift back to the blond's face. "Give it time."

Vincent didn't intend to listen in on what was being said in the hallway, but he heard the word pissed after some inconclusive words prior to that clear one.

The blond takes in a breath as he grips the door knob but quickly lets go of it so he doesn't accidentally break it off. Cloud slowly leans forward to press his forehead against the cool surface of the door. He shuts his eyes while he waits for Mini to leave the room. Gloved hands move to press on the door and he shuts it shortly after the doll leaves.

Cloud then turns around to face Vincent with a frown. He really didn't want to be the one to become between Tony and Reeve's trust. But it's also their own personal business that he didn't catch while being at the table with Cayde and Tony. Cloud walks back over towards his silent friend not really wanting to be near the door later.

"We will have to search for a cure." He sighs softly. "Jon told me while being in his mind room to search for Billy or Altair. He kept bringing up how it seems to be magic based after I briefly told him about the Lifestream. If Reeve... truthfully needs the Engineering datapoint, I can pick up a different one...."

Cloud trials his sentence before softly saying right after. "Or keep it to assist him and then switch later."

The laugh was unexpected enough that Tony tensed again, watching Reeve carefully before he could return a belated, hopeful smile, not sure if that meant they were diffusing or getting worse. At least Cloud's dragon story had a witness, Tony had no reason to doubt that one now. Hungrily, Tony took the book, hugging it to his chest and melting with relief, eyes closed briefly to remind himself not to trust like that again because his heart couldn't take it. He had cut a warpath through his own friends to keep this same design out of anyone else's hands, he knew better, they slept together once, he was an idiot. What else was new?

Reeve's loyalty to his friends wasn't really in contention, he had no reason to justify it to Tony, so Tony said, "No," one hand up but not quite leaving the book with a shake of his head. Then, "No," again, because the repulsor tech wasn't the only solution, it just was the only one Tony had to protect and he wasn't doing it because he didn't want to help, "the hydro battery, you use it on the replicator." Finally, he tipped the book away from his body enough to flip through it, trying to prove to Reeve that he wasn't just abandoning him and hurriedly searching for the schematics for Mini's structural development that he had proposed to point out that there wasn't much adaptation to do for a solar cell, "The storage is the issue with solar," the RT hadn't even really been for him, only to find Reeve's personal drawings that made his fingers stutter and twitch. Dropping his hand to the page, the other clutching the book tightly, Tony hissed with a pained whine, "What are you doing?"

"I don't know what you want me to answer that with," Reeve admits with a shrug as he stooped to take Mini into his arms. A defensive posture, absolutely. He even looks vaguely ashamed. "Can you really say that there have been times that you've thought about something you can't have and got distracted? I draw to get distractions out of my head and onto paper."

And Tony's a rather sizable distraction.

"Please, can we just... pretend you didn't see whatever you saw, have you take the designs, and then pretend I never... that we've never been anything but friends discussing how to deal with this planet?"

"This machine you broke.. is it capable of creating materia?" If so, it could create something familiar from their home; furthermore, "Even the Great Gospel manual would be helpful in at least answering what we need to learn it." If there was a manual for this spell, there was enough reason to believe someone else other than Aerith was capable of learning it. Vincent had enough faith they would figure it out, between the three of them.

"We can ask Reeve if he has tried asking the replicator for Materia. But it can be used as a weapon, their whole point of the argument of me breaking it in the first place is that I requested weapons. After gaining the Engineering datapoint I found out it had a power surge of some kind. Messing with the wiring or using the rods are the only options that I can think of." Cloud shrugs while looking at Vincent.

"We can't really focus on the replicator since it's not in the tunnels. I'll need to get with Cal on it since he put it together. Maybe he might have a better idea on what to do with it." He has a somewhat plan on talking to more people but he's not in the best condition to do so and he's not about to ask his friends to help him out. Cloud though will take their offers on it they so chose to want to do it.

He rolls up his left sleeve, the bandage on his arm is probably a few days old and should be changed. Cloud had been trying to use the bandages when things were starting to get bad. The blond starts to unwrap it so that Vincent can look it over if needed. It's what Reeve had asked, wasn't it? Once unwrapped he stays still while focusing his eyes on Vincent's. "Go ahead."

That was what the compartmentalization was for; if Tony let himself get distracted by all of the things he wanted and couldn't have, he would have been in a body bag a decade ago and neither of them would have this problem now. To be told so plainly that he was the distraction felt like Reeve had jerked his heart out of its socket, opening an aching void in his chest that was staggeringly familiar enough that Tony could stare blankly down at the page under his hand, unseeing, and give a slow nod before offering Reeve a cool, lopsided smile. "Never happened," he agreed. He had to focus long enough to find his pages, making him bite his lip and furrow his brow in a way that he hoped looked like deep concentration before he tore the RT schematics from the book in a fistful then shoved it toward Reeve. "They're waiting for you," he prompted to get Reeve to walk away first, doing his best to look easy against the wall and shoving his free hand into his pocket where he could curl it into a tight fist, tapping the paper expectantly against his chin.

"Thank you," Reeve says, taking the sketchpad and holding it close along with Mini. Who was whacking Reeve's arm like he didn't approve of something. Which was clearly the case and Reeve doesn't care.

"Until the next time," Reeve says, heading to the door and opening it, slipping through.

For a moment he just stood there, against the door, trying to deal with all of this. And then he steeled himself, the 'executive in charge' expression back in place as he looks to Vincent and Cloud. Right. They're still here.

"How is his arm?" Reeve asks as he lowers Mini to the floor. The doll takes the sketch pad and drags it toward the bed.

Vincent watched Cloud intently as the blond unveiled his wound. His nostrils flared with an inhale. Vincent pushed off the wall and stepped over to Cloud to take the blond's arm in his leather-gloved hand. The gold-gauntlet armed hand remained at his side. He examined the flesh quietly before he offered, "Anywhere else?" Cloud needs to replace the bandage, and Vincent doesn't have any supplies on him that would help, however. He scanned the room, then focused back on the bruised flesh. "The disease was too new .. to have been tested with anything outside the ultimate cure, the Great Gospel." He lowered his hand from Cloud's arm. "We do know you're at risk for overdoing it." His body is working hard to fight the infection.

The door then opened, and Reeve's inquiry came in between Vincent's question, and Cloud's answer (if he had one) and Vincent nodded toward Reeve. It was enough to acknowledge that Cloud had evidence of distress on the arm and that Reeve was right to worry about their young friend. However, if Reeve expected any more than the nod, he would have it from Cloud.

After all, the blond was the one who would have to answer for the symptoms, whereas Vincent and Reeve could assess the arm by sight.

Cloud didn't take a step back or flinch away from Vincent. The other had gripped it before in the forest with the sleeve down. This time it's exposed so he could at least take a closer look at the diseased arm. "No where else, only on the arm." He'll look for new clothing options when they get a chance. Maybe he'll make a new list of supplies to ask the replicator and leave out fuel and baseball bats.

"You know I can't--" He cuts himself off to look over at the door opening. It's only Reeve and he rolls his lips together. "I can't sit still."

Cloud turns his head back towards Vincent as he keeps his head down. His eyes are focused on the floor as he waits for Reeve to ask questions.

"I see," Reeve notes, pushing his pain and frustration down and then striding toward the pair. He frowns as he studies Cloud's injuries and sighs. "Not the worst case I have seen. Rufus's case is quite a bit more advanced than this. And I will assure you, that the method of attempting to be positive and productive and setting goals does help some."

The mental fight against the disease was very, very important. Reeve had been having his own scientists study it heavily. "I can go to Jon for more bandages."

He does give Cloud a hard look, though. "What did you say to Stark? Because our working relationship seems to have been altered since his speaking to you, and as it was clearly not Vincent that caused a change in status, I must wonder what it is you are saying about me to cause such reactions in people we must work with."

Annoyance. Reeve doesn't show it often with allies, but it's still a thing for him at times. And Tony was... Reeve knew he wasn't smart enough to solve this. Tony Stark, though, might be.

Vincent would be equally unmoved if he were the reason for whatever rift erupted between Reeve and Tony. However, Cloud, yet again, seems to fulfill the content of today's gathering. The replication machine (Vincent had not seen it himself, or knew much outside this conversation about it), the geostigma, and now the change between Reeve and Tony. However, Vincent felt some inclination to come to Cloud's defense. Silently, however, as his silent gaze held the blond's face.

Vincent reflects on Reeve's comment about goal setting, and he would agree in limiting the help, perhaps to find out more information. Exerting himself could potentially exasperate more fits for Cloud, and none of them wanted that. Nor did Cloud want either of them to hold his hand. He could do a lot without it having to come to that, as proven time and time again.

Cloud waits quietly letting Reeve vent is needed to get his frustration out. The blond could tell that he was clearly upset over the exchange. That alone frustrated him to no end. After being asked what he could have possibly said about Reeve, he frowns. “He has no reason to not trust you. I tried explaining the whole life force thing and why I would dislike it. I asked him what he knew of our world and he told me enough.” A vague reply that he should have left the table.

“Before he started going on about some solar-cells and making a battery pack and asking if I talked to you today. I told him a group went against the corporate company to blow up their Mako Reactors to basically save the planet and dropped that it was Shinra.” It was basically a summary before Tony stopped making any kind of sense to him. Cayde had been the only other to really get what Tony was talking about. Cloud slowly turns his attention towards Reeve. “Did you not tell him that you worked for Shinra? What did you not tell him? I haven't been on the right side of anything when encountering Tony. He doesn't trust me and that’s who his focus should be on.”

He looks from Reeve back to Vincent shaking his head. “This is the second time he’s seen me be sneaky about my arm too but I don't exactly trust him when he doesn't seem at all concerned about people's public safety. Did you know that he has a surveillance system? Doesn't use it for snooping but data gathering. But when pressed on using it for protection or safety, he doesn't care.”

Because Cloud hasn't been told everything either by anyone here. He’s making his own judgements based on his own interactions with everyone. Most have been good while others not so much. For now, he focus on the topic of Tony before piling on what he found out on the Calibration rooms. Because he has information on that too. He's been... busy. "I have a few left. I won't have enough of a bigger flare up happens."

He fishes out the last bundled roll from his pocket. "This is it."

Edited (I forgot about Jon whoops) 2020-06-29 11:39 (UTC)

Well, there it is.

"Cloud, how well do you think people react to the idea of terrorist attacks on infrastructure?"

No wonder Tony didn't want him having the design. Not that there was anything Reeve could do to tell the man that he wasn't involved. With an exasperated sigh he looks at Vincent, hoping the man might have a way to tell Cloud the simple truth and have it stick. Talking about being a mercenary that sold their skills to terrorists is a horrid way to explain what you did.

It made your friends seem crazy too. Even the friend whose work it was you destroyed.

"I'll have to speak to Jon to see if there is any chance we have access to another roll. But Cloud..."

He doesn't know if keeping this a secret from one of their doctors is very wise.

"This is something you should let more people than just myself and Vincent help you with."

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ugh, how can he deny his new son (cait sith)

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