( the person he's speaking to, someone also with a submissive mark, immediately flees at the approach of another, and cloud turns like he's about to say something when —
he's hallucinating. right? there's just no logical way to explain what he's seeing, slammed back into that moment he'd felt connected with the lifestream as the geostigma had been washed away. all that guilt and the weight he carried with him constantly, the thought of the memorial he'd put up and visited so often that it was more of a home than anywhere else... cloud couldn't focus. for a moment, he doesn't think he's even breathing, the sharp pounding of his heart too loud to allow him to hear his voice. a voice and face and spirit he carried with him. )
I'm... ( he's distantly aware of the sweat still gathering at the back of his neck but manages to choke out his name. ) Zack?
( how long has it been since he'd said it aloud? cloud tries to blink, taking in the other man's posture—all of it exactly the same as he remembered. if he thinks about it too long, he's going to be sick. )
How is this possible? ( maybe he's dead now too. it's the only explanation. )
omg zack buddy... (he's such a downer i'm so sorry)
he's hallucinating. right? there's just no logical way to explain what he's seeing, slammed back into that moment he'd felt connected with the lifestream as the geostigma had been washed away. all that guilt and the weight he carried with him constantly, the thought of the memorial he'd put up and visited so often that it was more of a home than anywhere else... cloud couldn't focus. for a moment, he doesn't think he's even breathing, the sharp pounding of his heart too loud to allow him to hear his voice. a voice and face and spirit he carried with him. )
I'm... ( he's distantly aware of the sweat still gathering at the back of his neck but manages to choke out his name. ) Zack?
( how long has it been since he'd said it aloud? cloud tries to blink, taking in the other man's posture—all of it exactly the same as he remembered. if he thinks about it too long, he's going to be sick. )
How is this possible? ( maybe he's dead now too. it's the only explanation. )