Cloud comes into the room quietly, sitting on the edge of the bed, not quite touching Zack. He contemplates for a moment. Zack's breaths are ragged in the quiet air of the room. Cloud's still compelled to tell the truth so he knows Zack is probably still compelled to tell the truth, but he's not sure what to say or ask here. Something happened and Zack is upset, more upset than Cloud's seen him since Otherworld.
Cloud lifts a hand. Stops, hovering there, worrying at his bottom lip with his teeth before he continues. He doesn't need to ask. He doesn't need to know, doesn't need to accidentally force Zack to tell him something he doesn't want to. Zack's always hated words when an action will do, anyway. He's a tactile person, and right now, he feels too isolated and alone at the head of that bed. Something pulls at Cloud's soul, something that tells him to go steady Zack, already. Fix this.
Without any more deliberation, Cloud crawls up along the mattress until he reaches Zack. He telegraphs with a hand on Zack's shoulder first; if that's fine, if he can manage it, he coaxes Zack to pull his arms away from over his head and put them around Cloud instead. He stays up on his knees, cradles Zack's head in his own arms, and holds it against his chest, dropping his chin atop Zack's hair.
no subject
Cloud comes into the room quietly, sitting on the edge of the bed, not quite touching Zack. He contemplates for a moment. Zack's breaths are ragged in the quiet air of the room. Cloud's still compelled to tell the truth so he knows Zack is probably still compelled to tell the truth, but he's not sure what to say or ask here. Something happened and Zack is upset, more upset than Cloud's seen him since Otherworld.
Cloud lifts a hand. Stops, hovering there, worrying at his bottom lip with his teeth before he continues. He doesn't need to ask. He doesn't need to know, doesn't need to accidentally force Zack to tell him something he doesn't want to. Zack's always hated words when an action will do, anyway. He's a tactile person, and right now, he feels too isolated and alone at the head of that bed. Something pulls at Cloud's soul, something that tells him to go steady Zack, already. Fix this.
Without any more deliberation, Cloud crawls up along the mattress until he reaches Zack. He telegraphs with a hand on Zack's shoulder first; if that's fine, if he can manage it, he coaxes Zack to pull his arms away from over his head and put them around Cloud instead. He stays up on his knees, cradles Zack's head in his own arms, and holds it against his chest, dropping his chin atop Zack's hair.
They don't need to talk about it.]