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Semi-closed; Apartment megathread.
Who: Nier, Cloud Strife, + guests.
When: All the time, eeeery time.
Where: Haven Apartments - Building 4, Floor 2.
What: A megathread for any and all domestic / roommate type shenanigans (as well as more casual, slice-of-life threads) during Cloud and Nier's time in Aefenglom. Sub-threads will be added on a monthly basis if applicable.
Warnings:None presently, will be updated if anything applies. Subthreads will have warnings added as applicable.
Haven Apartment
Building 4, Floor 2.
When: All the time, eeeery time.
Where: Haven Apartments - Building 4, Floor 2.
What: A megathread for any and all domestic / roommate type shenanigans (as well as more casual, slice-of-life threads) during Cloud and Nier's time in Aefenglom. Sub-threads will be added on a monthly basis if applicable.
Warnings:None presently, will be updated if anything applies. Subthreads will have warnings added as applicable.
Building 4, Floor 2.
A small but comfortable apartment with a living room, balcony garden, a makeshift kitchen, and two bedrooms. Immaculately clean, and decorated throughout with a number of thriving plants and flowers.
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[No use going back as a problem. The town-based jobs are dull. Not that well paid. But Nier's right- there is a risk of infection outside, and he needs to know more first.
...Even if it's tempting to just go, it's probably best to keep his solo stuff local.
And as they walk...]
I'm not good at making stuff. [Destroying stuff? Absolutely.] Let alone curing and tanning a pelt. Wouldn't know where to start- I'd just make a mess.
[No attachment there, then. There's definitely a cultural difference between them. Nier sees the value in things like that- and for Cloud, clothes had always been stuff he just bought, without any thought for who made it, or how. What can be said? Different worlds.
Still though, the stray response about a fishing boat makes a few memories come back. The cargo ship. Red's... disguise. And Barret, in that stupid sailor outfit.
...He misses them.
He lingers on it, just for a moment, before his eyes return to Nier.]
I don't need looking after. So if you're here out of concern, you've wasted your time.
[They're more-or-less in the forest now. And he's aware of something. The last time he was here, as a wolf, he moved silently. Now, it seems he's making a lot of noise as he steps through leaves, over twigs.
Did he always make this much noise? It's microscopic, honestly. As much noise as anyone would make, skulking about. But to him, its almost as if he knows it's no good.
...He moves his arm to his back, taking off his Organics.
Nothing for it. And despite the irony of saying he didn't need help just a few moments before-]
Can you hold this?
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Spending time with you isn't a waste of time.
[ the words are earnest — and said without any hesitance either. it's that brazen honesty of his, the one that allows him to keep walking on briskly, trees erecting all around them as he speaks. the grass crunches beneath their feet, and the moon only barely creeps through the canopies forged from leaves. fortunately, he can hear cloud without any issue. ]
Mm. [ and he does as he's asked, allowing organics to settle into his hands. it was a curious little thing — he'd be lying if he said he didn't want to toy around with it a bit. ]
Is something wrong?
no subject
It's not like the other's said, or done anything to make it awkward. The awkwardness is all him. Thoughts of backpedalling, saying something else, interfere with everything about to come out of his mouth and...
It's not an issue. Nier doesn't even see it as an issue. Instead, he says that, about non-wasted time, and-
...His gaze moves away. It just does.
And.]
I'll watch you make something. Probably safer. I've got a gift for turning things to shit. You've got no idea.
[His eyes move back, unsure. Why does he have the feeling he's just agreed to give over something disgusting? Giving him the next pelt seems less of a gift, and more like handing a bag of toenails out.
...Yeah, that's gross.
He's walking now, away from Nier. And undoing the straps on his uniform.]
I learned how to change after the first transformation. I can change back better, too. If we want something worthwhile, I'll need to track it.
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[ he was an apt fighter. and while fighting was a practice far, far away from domesticity and craft, there'd be an intersection between them all: precision. something cloud posessed. he would know, from the way his eyes narrow in combat, the way he meticulously picks apart weaknesses and weaponizes the brunt of his energy and skillset to charge at them full force.
this all goes unsaid. cloud was easily overwhelmed — but he would keep the train of thought in his back pocket, for another time. ]
Alright. [ nier agrees, turning around to grant him some privacy. not that he would mind looking, but you know. decency and whatnot. as nier begins to idly...squat, arms moving behind the back of his head, he continues. ]
If you track something, I can tail it with you. Smelling and hearing aren't a problem for me, so let me cover any of your blind spots.
no subject
Your funeral.
[The statement's small. More an indication of him agreeing based on just giving up on arguing than having any actual interest in learning. Anyone else, and he'd likely just say no. But even if it went bad, it's an excuse to spend time with him.
...And that's a good thing.
Even if he doesn't want to dwell on why it is.
He takes a few more steps even after Nier's turned, seeking the cover of a few trees. Mostly because... well, privacy, but also to assist in finding the spot where his clothes would be later. And as he undresses, in said cover...]
I don't have blind spots. Not when I'm changed. [But.] If you can keep up with me, then I'll need your help bringing something down. It's still tough to catch something alone.
[He quiets then, gathering his thoughts together and... well, trying to bring it out. It's difficult to even know how to do it. He couldn't explain it even if he wanted to. It's just something in the back of his head- some form of feeling, rather than knowledge- and really? It's not pleasant. It doesn't sound it either.
As he doubles- abruptly- he can feel, hear his bones breaking, refusing, fingers scrabbling into mud and dirt underneath him as his muzzle bursts out of his face. His cry can't be heard- instead, it's silent. His vocal chords are changed, already. His vision blurs, goes dark- and...
...Finally, the sound of snapping and twisting stops. And its replaced, almost instantly, with the sound of something being eaten. Quickly.
A light-coloured wolf with oddly bright blue eyes trots out from behind the tree after a few minutes. It's mouth and muzzle is coloured with blood- offering some kind of indication for where Cloud's skin had gone.
Eaten. Lovely.
As soon as it sees Nier, its head rises. It's muzzle contorts with lines as if scrunched up, the slightest flash of white, sharp teeth.
It snarls. It pushes its posture forward, the fur on its back prickling, as if standing on end. And for all intent and all purpose, it seems as if it's going to attack- but then it stops.
It sniffs the air.
Or rather, Nier, as carried by the air.
Ears pivot to the side as lips re-cover its teeth, and it moves forward, nose twitching.
Should Nier himself not move, he should find the wolf half a step from him before it rears suddenly, placing both gigantic paws on either shoulder. And it sniffs his face, before...
Sup, friend.
...Please don't tell him this happened when he's back to normal.]
no subject
fortunately for him, nier has already turned around, arms folded as his ears perk up at the sound of fabric rustling. an instinct kicking in and nothing more — amongst the leaves, however, there is something more gutural, a series of crunches and snaps grating against the branches. he can make out a few noises: an agressive gnash of teeth, chewing and swallowing, and by this point nier has moved to slowly face the woodsland.
and there is a wolf, gleaming the same pale gold cloud's hair had.
not hard to connect the dots — for one of them, that is.
because suddenly, the wolf bares its teeth, hair sticking up with a trill that lowers into a growl...nier raises his hands dismissvely, as if to indicate that he's far from a threat. ]
Easy boy. It's me, Nier.
[ and just as his fingers wind around the hilt of his sword, the wolf tackles him, knocking him down onto his back. nier looks positively dumbfounded as this happens, letting out a yelp as something wet drags across his face. his fingers thread through the wolf's fur, patting its head before giving him a good ruffle. ]
...It's nice to see you too, Cloud. [ a hand gestures upwards. ] C'mon boy. Let's move.
note to self: get wolf icons
But the extent of his changes were certainly not just physical. One defining characteristic of humans was, after all, their ability to repress urges- something which obviously, was not shared by any form of animal. Least of all a wild thing such as this. And while the human side of him might have shied away from expressing (no small amount of) affection Nier might have earned thusfar- averted his gaze when he felt himself tempted to keep it on him, not lingered on sentiment, put his efforts into doing things Nier might have found helpful rather than showing affection, it...
...well.
Restraint is a human concept, and it's not something that occurs to this creature. Nier, to it, is about the same thing he wasm of course, but a little more as well. He smells of home. Of varying flowers and of sleep and of security, of family even- as smells, to a wolf, are easily what humans would consider emotion. So Cloud's elation, like this, only grows when he feels Nier crumple at his rush.
His facial expression isn't noticed, let alone acknowledged. And the feel of his fingers sinking into his thick, coarse fur causes his tail to wag furiously- muzzle pressing past the long dead, long cured fur of the man's jerkin to press, and lick at his neck. When he's ruffled, he jumps back- not out of surprise- but treating it as a game. His upper half lowers toward the ground, tail still wagging from a few paces away- raising his head abruptly soon after.
...The words don't mean anything.
And it's a good thing- being called 'boy', even if couldn't remember the transformation afterwards, would be mortifying.
And sorry, Nier. Just as you're picking yourself up, you should have the wolf charging you again as part of the 'game'.]
no subject
that is...until he's sent barreling towards him, snoutfirst, yet again.
nier makes some attempt to pry the wolf off — briskly, of course, so the motion comes across off as more of a nudge. his fingers comb through his fur, palm flattening against his head to give him a good rub. suddenly, he points on over yonder towards some of the shrubbery. ]
Let's go. Come on.
[ annnd here is trial trial #3 of trying to stand up. if he has to carry this wolf with him, so be it. ]
Over—...over there...!
[ he is gesturing, boy. ]
no subject
One of his ears points upward, and the other rotates slightly to make out human language, what now seems a garbled noise- before he offers his own vocalisation. It's a half growl, half whine- and it's accompanied by a lowering of his snout to the ground after he's taken a few indignant steps backward.
Then a sneeze.
Hey, the whole sniffing the ground thing was still kind of new.
Then another sniff.
Prey.
Oh- he gets it now.
He trots up to Nier again, this time (mercifully) staying on the ground but tilting his head up to jaw at some of the chains on his boots.
Then he turns around, leaping, and sprinting exactly where 'over there' might be.]
no subject
nier raises a brow as if to say "what is it?" when the wolf's snout brushes against the chains of his boots; there's the faint clink of metal, and then before he can even count, the guy's dashing straight into a dense thicket.
nier trails behind at a similarly impressive pace, his fingers now tightly curled around the hilt of his blade. with a sniff, the scent of dirtied fur registers immediately. ]
Something's close.
[ ...right. dogs couldn't talk. nier waves a hand, gesturing it to their surroundings. he then points towards his nose, sniffing obnoxiously enough that his nostrils flare.
his finger is directed at cloud again, and his head cants with curiousity. ]
Food.
no subject
He's loud, for one. While for a human he's not half as loud as most, he simply doesn't have the advantages a wolf has. His feet are large, the boots on them cumbersome, slapping along the dirt roots and moss that forms the woodland's undergrowth as he runs. He's tall and awkwardly propped up in bipedal fashion- catching every twig and every branch in his way either on his padded torso, face or arms as he sprints.
That and he's heavy. Very heavy. Of course he makes noise. It's to be expected.
The 'something' is indeed close- but it hears him. Of course it hears him, and as the pair of them burst through another thicket into a clearing, they should just about be able to make out the hindquarters of something large- a deer? as it flees through another one, a good twenty yards away.
The deer itself is too large anyway. Far too large. Wolves weren't exactly known for being able to bring things larger than themselves down. The act was precarious even in large numbers, and damn near impossible solo. If anything, his luck with the boar previously had only been because of the Full Moon- and even then- a risk. A large one that could've been lethal to him, rather than the pig.
But maybe... If anything, Nier's sword(s), his height and his weight would help with the deer. Otherwise, the deer isn't alone. A smaller one- a fawn- is just a hair behind it.
When Nier speaks, he stops, lifting his head to observe the fawn and doe as they escape, tongue lolling out seemingly absently. Yet it's anything but absent. He lowers his snout again, getting more of the scent. Then he moves in a straight three-o-clock, head still lowered- in a walk.
He reaches the edge of another thicket before he raises his head, turning to look at Nier- as if to follow.]