Three Final Fantasy characters walk into a bar

[silentnarration]

WHO: Squall, Seifer, Cloud, ??
WHAT: Trying out weapons
WHERE: Workshop outside the city
WHEN: Sep 3
WARNINGS: Fight! Potentially blood and injury

Holding a gunblade in his hand again, even if it's just blade without the gun, is exhilarating. Doesn't matter what else Squall doubts about his own future, he won't give this up anytime soon. Plus, it's great stress relief from the hellish invasion of memories just weeks ago.

There's a lot of things making this fun. One, he's never fought alongside Seifer before. Two, Cloud is... remarkably powerful, way beyond what his stature and figure would indicate. Three, the prototype gunblade is a great teaser to what Seifer is going to eventually make.

He falls back to stay out of range of Cloud's buster sword (how is he even wielding that so easily?), eyes flicking over to Seifer to see what he's doing. It's strange having to flip his thoughts from how to counter Seifer's attacks to how to complement it, but all those years of fighting each other is working in their favor now.

He runs in to swipe at an opening from the other side. He's precision and skill even without the trigger component. It's clear he's treating the sparring session like a real battle. Seifer's taught him that much.

Comments

[bravers]

No, it's not that. It looks fine.

[That sword's probably better made than the hardedge he lost when he arrived, even. What he needs to say- It's more what'd happened on the roof of the apartment block. He lays the sword down again, bringing his eyes to Seifer.

Detailing what happened on the roof isn't something that he's not thinking about. And it should be pretty clear to Seifer he's not telling the whole story. And why should he? It's not as if he's protecting Nida by not mentioning him by name. Because fuck that guy, he doesn't owe him anything. It's just pathetic to mention him by name.

Tellingly, his eyes move to the side to not meet his face.]

It's probably best I don't hang around the warehouse any more. But I don't want to take the sword and leave. You should keep it- sell it or something, get something for your time.

[firacrux]

Better be you know what a pain in the ass hammering that out was?

[Hyne he wishes he had a machine to do some of that for him. However, as Cloud's tone took a more serious turn he frowned, staring expectantly.

There's something he's not saying, there's no logical reason that he'd stick around all this time only to give it up once it's over.

He narrows his eyes.]

Like hell, this place wouldn't be here if not for you. Couldn't sell that thing to anyone anyway.

Something happened, spill it.

[bravers]

Not a clue. Never tried that kind of thing.

[He'd be terrible at it for a start. But. The more important thing. He lowers his other hand containing the crust to beneath the bench, feeling the snuffling of Eos' maw against it. And he opens it, allowing the crocdog to take it.

Ugh, though. He didn't want to tell him. If the memshare didn't happen, he'd have been alright with lying to Seifer. Saying something assholish, perhaps even feigning some doubt over the viability of the forge itself- just to force a reaction and just to ensure Seifer'd be pissed off enough to tell him to scram.

But it's not that to him. Not anymore. Lying about the forge, Seifer's effort over so many months, would be cruel, and twisting the memories shared in the same fashion as Nida did to him, to be as hurtful as possible, was also a hard no. Seifer's his friend. He can't.

So with an intake of breath-]

Someone thinks I shouldn't be around you guys, because I'm not from your world. He went on a tangent about 'his people' and that kind of thing- and it's stupid. Really stupid. But, if it's going to cause problems, I don't want to bring that on you, with everything else you've got going on. So it's best I leave.

[firacrux]

[Good, because Seifer hates being lied to. He's been jerked around enough in his life he doesn't need that from friends as well.

It's not like he lets people in close enough to even be friends very often. It'd be a blow for Cloud to turn on him now.

He continues to glare until Cloud finally speaks. Then his expression turns from baffled to annoyed.

Oh, he can guess what happened. Those words don't sound like something Squall or Rinoa would say. And given Nida's recent backslide the pieces fit together perfectly.]

Let me guess, you had the pleasure of catching my little brother drunk off his ass, yeah?

[bravers]

Yeah, something like that.

[It's pretty obvious. He brings his eyes back to him, ignoring crocdog grazing his fin against his leg for more.]

No offence, but your little brother's an asshole. I don't give a damn about what he says. He's full of it. [No love lost there. But.] I'm thinking more of the future. It's obvious how he feels, so me hanging around here'll only be trouble. Like I said, I don't want to put you through it.

[firacrux]

He ain't the one who gets to decide who I'm allowed to hang around. Sure as hell doesn't decide who comes here, this is my place.

[He snaps, clearly irritated with Nida acting like some controlling possessive boyfriend or some shit. He wouldn't tolerate it from a significant other, he sure as hell isn't going to tolerate it from Nida.

He spots that begging. Seifer hisses, which has Eos dropping back to his paws and looking mildly ashamed. He didn't spot the sneaky crust feeding you're lucky Cloud.]

Whatever, ignore him. He's a mean fuckin' drunk and he likes to go for the low shots when he's bein' a self-destructive asshole. It's why he ain't supposed to be drinkin', idiot. Throw everything away 'cause he's havin' a bad time.

[He understands the bad time. He doesn't understand taking it out on everyone he still has around him.]

[bravers]

Yeah. It's not his choice. It's mine. I'd rather go it alone than be around someone as bitter as that. Besides- it's better for everyone that I'm not around. People drunk off their ass tend to at least be honest about how they're feeling.

[A small pause.]

...Like I said, I don't want him making your life rough with carrying this around when he's sober, too. I don't give a damn how he feels. I don't care about him, either. But, I care about talking to me turning into a headache for you.

[Except then the hiss happens. And Eos obeys- trotting off to a corner, lying down, and giving Seifer eyes as mournful as mournful can be. He considers what's said, and his eyes go darker at the next statements. Especially those about low shots.

...But it's not the time to consider the other part of what Nida said. He doesn't know any man with black hair. Even if it feels familiar, he never had...

He returns his focus to what Seifer says. And, it makes a lot of sense. So a long period of silence later, and...]

...Alright. But I get to bail for a while when he's being an ass. Okay?

[firacrux]

People drunk off their ass also say stupid shit to start fights.

[He gestures dismissively.] He won't. Like I'd put up with that. If he's got a problem with you he can keep it to his damn self.

[As though Seifer would allow himself to be pushed around that easily. Nida can deal with his own problems with Cloud. Doesn't need Seifer to help him along with that. Besides, this was Nida being an idiot, Seifer's not against letting him know as much either.

Seifer sighs at the dog's antics. He knows he's not supposed to beg, and yet for some reason he's picked up the worst habits of late. No idea what's going on there.

Choosing for the moment to ignore those literal puppy dog eyes he turns back to Cloud, offering a gruff nod.]

'Course, wouldn't expect you to stick around while he's bein' a dick. I have a feeling he'll mind his own damn business.

[bravers]

[He's unsure. The memory thing? Yeah. That's probably it. But the rest, as well as his strange behaviour when they'd first found the warehouse... he doubts it. It seemed more a legitimate bias rather than anything he'd pulled out of his ass to be hurtful. But. He doesn't mention anything; instead rolling his shoulders in a shrug.]

Right.

[Blissfully unaware of Seifer's inner Concern about Eos' behaviour, he lifts the sword again. And he turns his gaze to it, giving it a spin in the air to test the balance. Swish, swoosh.]

You tested this thing yet?

[Yes, that's an invitation.]

[firacrux]

[That was just Nida being Nida... and bored. As well as also kind of a jerk. Seifer's been less inclined to invite him along on adventures after his making it distinctly clear he wasn't interested and wanted little to no part in any of this. Might have been nice had he just been up front about it.

Seifer's still convinced it's just Nida lashing out. He might be wrong, but he's also not there to argue the point. They can keep their distance from each other, it's better that way.]

[His eyes move back to Cloud swinging that heavy hunk of metal like it's light as a feather. At the question he grins wolfishly. Oh, he knows where this is going.]

Sure haven't. [Setting aside his tools he moves to pull off his goggles and pick up the half-finished prototype blade that will one day be his own.]

We gonna give it a whirl?

[He lifts his high to point it Cloud's way in... yes perhaps one of the strangest fighting poses one might hold with a sword. And yet he seems balanced and confident enough with it, not like someone who has no idea what he's doing at all.]

[bravers]

Yeah.

[Seifer's sudden grin's certainly got his attention. And it's a much better thing to focus on. All of this second-guessing over motive, meaning, isn't anything he's interested in. Other than telling Seifer where he stood regarding it, hearing out Seifer's solution, and accepting that solution- Nida himself isn't anything he's interested in, either. He's already switched it off.

Seifer's form is strange, sure. But this- letting loose and just fighting- it's preferable. There's no questions about the session- no second-guessing, no assumptions, no excuses. No headaches either. Fuck talking about feelings. This is better. It's open, and it's honest.

He tests the weight of the thing. This one- this Atlas- is weighted heavily at the top, as opposed to anything he's used before, but he levels it at Seifer- holding it diagonally between himself and the other man.]

do we want to fade the combat here since we have another?

[firacrux]

[Fighting is far better than debating over a situation out of either of their hands. Nida's problems are his to face when they're self made like this. His insecurities aren't something Cloud nor Seifer have control over. If he wants to get drunk and start fights, he's going to have to deal with the consequences.

For now, at least, Seifer's glad he didn't have to lose a friend over Nida making an ass out of himself.

Cloud didn't exactly give him much in the way of specifications to work with, so Seifer built it how he could imagine it. Further adjustments could be made in the future if necessary. He considered for a moment lunging in now... then reconsidered.]

Training area.

[If they're going to do this he's not risking his forge getting damaged.]