The door was open. No one was around so I was just... [ Checking to see if anyone had snuck in and stolen anything. But it dawns on him that he’s the one who “snuck in”. ]
Mm. [ To the point, Cloud. ] I thought I’d catch you after the show.
[ Huntress-in-Training, but!! Cloud doesn't have to know that bit. ]
Long story short, we're kind of trying to save the world?
[ She's not sure either. It's all so confusing, but she'll follow Ruby wherever she goes. Beyond Ruby being her partner, she's a friend and found family. ]
I just like singing. I've been doing it since I was a child.
[ Since Cloud's offering help though, maybe she shouldn't keep him waiting long. She decides to get dressed and get ready to leave, though for that... ]
Oh, same here, [ is Cloud's response to her remark on trying to save the world. ...then again, he's technically already saved the world twice now. ]
Mm?
[ Oh. That gets his cheeks to darken a little. Comfortable as they've become around one another, that didn't mean courtesy had to go flying out the window. ]
Right. I'll be right outside. You uh- [ -need anything, just holler? Nah. It's cool. Be cool, Cloud. He half smiles as he passes her by on the way out. ] Seeya in a sec.
Weiss waits 'til he's outside before she turns to start undressing. She doesn't get very far though, because while she can reach the zipper on her back, it gets stuck midway down and she can't exactly force it open unless she wants to destroy her costume.
Uh-oh.
She's unsure of what to do at first, but a few minutes later, she peeks out of her room. The door opens just a smidge so she can pop her head out. ]
Cloud, my dress is stuck...
[ And no, that's not a line to help her get out of her dress even though that's what she wants, in the practical, non-sexy way alskalfjs ]
[ And in this time frame of a few minutes, Cloud was left leaning against the wall by her doorway. If anyone passes by? He nonchalantly nods. Yup. Just hanging out, waiting for Weiss. Probably thinking about what he wants to get from the green markets after.
Oh that's right, they've got a 25% off sale starting tomorrow on-- ]
? [ --hold that thought. Cloud notices the door squeaking open just a smidgen. At first he cracks one eye open. ...then the second one when he realizes it's Weiss poking her head out. Her dress was stuck. There's a multitude of ways that a dress can get stuck. Unfortunately (fortunately for her??), he knows most of them.
Chancing one glance over his shoulder, seeing that the coast was clear, Cloud sighs, closing what little gap there was between them to slip back into the dressing room. ]
[ Her face is red when she turns to show him her back. Part of it is exposed already, pale and bare, while the bottom half is still covered by the thick layers of her costume. Her hair is tied to the side, so there shouldn't be any in the way if he tries to pull the zipper down.
She's right though, the dress is down because part of the inner lining's gotten stuck in the zipper. Cloud's going to have to delicately untangle the fabric first before pulling down the zipper completely. ]
I'n glad you're here, [ she says it calmly enough to hide the fact that she's nervous as hell now. She doesn't like asking for help much, but beyond that, a guy is helping her get out of her dress!!! That's embarrassing!! ]
[ If it were any other circumstance, he may have teased her for being so flustered. But any notion of that flies out the window when she exposes her back to him. It's a brief flash in his head, remembering all too well how she looked that night. And it's his turn to turn red as he steps in behind her. He makes to reach up for the snag to get a closer look, but pauses when he realizes that he's still wearing his gloves.
Yeah those...would have to go. Especially since he wouldn't be able to really feel the zipper through leather. He quickly peels off his gloves. Though she wouldn't be able to see it yet, a mysterious set of red symbols marked the back of his hand. Something that wasn't there before. But with those out of the way and tucked into his pockets, he can get to work! ]
Wouldn't want you...ripping... [ Don't mind him. He's just now realizing that there's no straps. Or the back of a bra. ...there is no bra. ...he locked the door, right? Oh boy. While this wasn't his first time getting someone himself out of a dress, the fact it's Weiss leads him to getting just as nervous as she was. He swallows, and takes a collective breath, taking the little nub of the zipper in his grip. He gives a little test tug. It doesn't budge. ]
Ah. There.
[ Cloud's hands slip into the back of her dress, his body so close to hers as he eyes the fabric that's been entangled on the inside. But that also has those strong hands of his gently running along her back, brushing against her as he carefully works. ]
'Kay, then... The other side...pull the zipper up and...
[ His voice softens, barely above a whisper behind her as the slow, gentle contact starts to make his hands feel warm. It's unintentional, but he's finding himself relaxing more as Chroma flows through him. Whoops. ]
Ah— [ The touch is surprising. The room is cold and Cloud's hand is warm, and she almost jumps when she feels his skin against hers.
She swallows thickly and tells herself not to turn around. He'd be able to see from her reflection just how flushed she looks, and if Cordis' effects took place right now, there would be feathers falling from her hair from sheer nervousness.
Somehow, each second feels like an hour.
When she feels him pull the zipper up once everything's fine, she reaches for his hands from behind. She's not sure if he's fixed the problem, but she's going to try and guide his hands downwards and not upwards because she thinks the zipper's fine already. ]
[ He can feel the fleeting tense from his touch. Her skin was cooler, but not by much. Cloud only chances one look from her back to the mirror, though that only comes when he hears the thicker swallow as she stays put for him. Luckily for both of them, he doesn't let his gaze linger for long, his own cheeks turning flush. Honestly, if this was happening beneath either cycle or when all three moons were in play?
Things would have been much harder to keep as slow and considerate as they were now. ...so he muses to himself, like they hadn't already made out without Cordis or Sanguis. And neither's light were involved now; which means the hands that work deftly without that edge of feral desire was purely Cloud. Was he nervous? Of course he was. But that wasn't going to stop him from fixing something as simple as a snagged zipper on a dress, dammit!
That is, until he feels her hands reach for his, trying to get him to pull down. It surprises him; having her as close as she is, it would take nothing to pull her against him he resists for only a moment. ]
Wait, hang on. I still gotta see if I--
[ --...got it. Cloud wasn't really putting any strength into his pull, which makes it very easy for Weiss to guide his hands down. In one fluid motion, the zipper glides down the rest of the way until it stops at the small of her back. The lace and layers beneath unfold as the back of her dress fans open. There's nothing left to support it around her upper body. ]
Got it.
[ Sorry for stripping you from the top down? At least nothing ripped and he fixed things in time. ... 💦 💦 💦 ]
[ But before she knows it, she's already pulling his hands down and her dress gets looser and looser until the front of her dress becomes way too low and—
God! She's quick to let go of him and fold her arms, tucking them beneath her breasts so the dress doesn't fall off her. It's not like she has curves that the dress would stay on her despite it being unzipped, after all.
She turns to face him immediately and takes a step back. With all her haphazard actions, she barely covers her chest, and much of her pale skin is exposed. This wouldn't be the first time Cloud has seen her skin, but this is still really embarrassing... ]
Thanks.
[ Possibly said a little too cold, but she does mean it. She appreciates that he's helped her out. Again. But at the same time, he's done his job so please leave... ]
[ Cloud also takes this opportunity to step back when she lets go of him. It's clear they've moved past the snag in her outfit, so he's ready to nod and let that be the end of it. But then she turns around to face him, her arms tucked beneath her breasts to hold the dress up as best as she can... ]
...
[ His expression says it all. He doesn't gawk, or start blabbering or shaking his hands vehemently. Cold as her gratitude came off, he sees straight past it. Which might be why he looks a little stunned. Safe to say? This world has made him all too aware of what he likes. Despite this, his gaze doesn't roam, vivid mako-infused blues wide with a sense of wonder.
...?
Oh. Shit. This wasn't the right time or place, huh. The lost expression on his face regains focus as he breaths. And shakes his head. And finally gets embarrassed again as he turns to leave. ]
I'll just be...yeah. No sweat.
[ Cloud half waves over his shoulder to Weiss before leaving her to her privacy so she can change. The only difference from last time?
Is that the second he closes that door, he finds himself leaning against it, head tilting back with a soft bump and sigh. Gonna take some time to get that mental image out of his head. If he ever wanted to anyway. H'okay. For real this time. Waiting! ]
[ Weiss feels a lot more relaxed now that she's alone in the room. She slips out of her dress as soon as soon as she locks the door, rushing a little bit because she doesn't want to keep Cloud waiting that long. Besides, she's a little tired and she wants to get some rest, too.
It's about five minutes later that she's put on her own dress so she can go home. Her hair's braided to the side, the same way her hair was styled when she was on stage. She isn't fixing her hair now, else Cloud would wait a whole lot longer. Once she's done, she slowly opens the door and peeks out to see if he's still there. If he is, she opens the door completely and invites him back in. ]
Okay, I'm ready. We can go.
[ She rocks her heels back and forth when she calls him. She's only a little embarrassed that he's waiting on her... ]
[ Of course he is. When the door opens, he's back to where he was before, leaning against the wall patiently. Cloud didn't have anywhere else to be, feeling content to end the day with a show like that. When she sees him again, he's back to his usual self, not a tinge of embarrassment to be seen. ]
Okay.
[ It doesn't take long for him to neatly stack and organize her presents, creating a pile with the flowers resting on top. Splitting it up, Cloud takes his half of the pile and leaves the top for Weiss.
[ Weiss takes what she can carry and walks out the door. Fortunately, there aren't that many left, but it looks like Cloud's a mailman or something and is following the person he works for. No matter, because as they get out of the theatre, the people who end up seeing them together start whispering about "Miss Schnee's 'boytoy'".
It's better than being a mailman...?
(Weiss won't head about this gossip until the following day.) ]
Are you sure you don't have anywhere else to be tonight?
[ Because if he has plans and she's delaying them, then... she's going to push him to leave her. She doesn't want to be an inconvenience. ]
[ Well this is familiar territory for him. Mailman, delivery boy; everything's relevant. Carrying all of this (with ease, mind) reminds him of his old business. Was there even a need for it here? How would he manage Chroma or Demichroma payments? Would having a custom hoverbike help? Questions for later.
The whisperings of being her 'boytoy' slip his ears as well. Fortunately. Sheeh. Can't undo a girl's dress without someone talking, huh? For now, Cloud simply follows behind her as they walk. To her question, he shakes his head (the only thing visible over the stack of chocolates and other gifts.) ]
No. I was just gonna call it a day after seeing your show.
[ So his schedule's all clear. Probably would have sent her a text saying she did a good job and to catch her later. If he did have plans, that is. ]
[ He returns her smile with a little one of his own when she falls back to his side. Consider it a lucky turn of events. It was true Cloud didn't have any plans for the end of the day. Getting to see Weiss and the troupe perform was just a nice way to top it all off. ...even if the chances of him sticking around would have been less if she wasn't there. ]
Sure. [ He nods. ] I'll take whatever you get. [ Though if he had to pick... ] Can never have too many pens anyway.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ He rubs the back of his neck. ]
The door was open. No one was around so I was just... [ Checking to see if anyone had snuck in and stolen anything. But it dawns on him that he’s the one who “snuck in”. ]
Mm. [ To the point, Cloud. ] I thought I’d catch you after the show.
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I'd appreciate the help. Thank you.
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[ He’ll learn to quit overthinking. ...eventually. He’s gotten better!
she knows how to pick ‘em.Cloud should probably let her get changed. But it hasn’t crossed his mind yet as the rack of dresses and other costumes catches his eye. ]
Are you an actress back home, too?
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[ Huntress-in-Training, but!! Cloud doesn't have to know that bit. ]
Long story short, we're kind of trying to save the world?
[ She's not sure either. It's all so confusing, but she'll follow Ruby wherever she goes. Beyond Ruby being her partner, she's a friend and found family. ]
I just like singing. I've been doing it since I was a child.
[ Since Cloud's offering help though, maybe she shouldn't keep him waiting long. She decides to get dressed and get ready to leave, though for that... ]
Can you wait outside? I'll need to get changed.
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Mm?
[ Oh. That gets his cheeks to darken a little. Comfortable as they've become around one another, that didn't mean courtesy had to go flying out the window. ]
Right. I'll be right outside. You uh- [ -need anything, just holler? Nah. It's cool. Be cool, Cloud. He half smiles as he passes her by on the way out. ] Seeya in a sec.
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Weiss waits 'til he's outside before she turns to start undressing. She doesn't get very far though, because while she can reach the zipper on her back, it gets stuck midway down and she can't exactly force it open unless she wants to destroy her costume.
Uh-oh.
She's unsure of what to do at first, but a few minutes later, she peeks out of her room. The door opens just a smidge so she can pop her head out. ]
Cloud, my dress is stuck...
[ And no, that's not a line to help her get out of her dress even though that's what she wants, in the practical, non-sexy way alskalfjs ]
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Oh that's right, they've got a 25% off sale starting tomorrow on-- ]
? [ --hold that thought. Cloud notices the door squeaking open just a smidgen. At first he cracks one eye open. ...then the second one when he realizes it's Weiss poking her head out. Her dress was stuck. There's a multitude of ways that a dress can get stuck. Unfortunately (fortunately for her??), he knows most of them.
Chancing one glance over his shoulder, seeing that the coast was clear, Cloud sighs, closing what little gap there was between them to slip back into the dressing room. ]
Here. Lemme see.
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She's right though, the dress is down because part of the inner lining's gotten stuck in the zipper. Cloud's going to have to delicately untangle the fabric first before pulling down the zipper completely. ]
I'n glad you're here, [ she says it calmly enough to hide the fact that she's nervous as hell now. She doesn't like asking for help much, but beyond that, a guy is helping her get out of her dress!!! That's embarrassing!! ]
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Yeah those...would have to go. Especially since he wouldn't be able to really feel the zipper through leather. He quickly peels off his gloves. Though she wouldn't be able to see it yet, a mysterious set of red symbols marked the back of his hand. Something that wasn't there before. But with those out of the way and tucked into his pockets, he can get to work! ]
Wouldn't want you...ripping... [ Don't mind him. He's just now realizing that there's no straps. Or the back of a bra. ...there is no bra. ...he locked the door, right? Oh boy. While this wasn't his first time getting someone
himselfout of a dress, the fact it's Weiss leads him to getting just as nervous as she was. He swallows, and takes a collective breath, taking the little nub of the zipper in his grip. He gives a little test tug. It doesn't budge. ]Ah. There.
[ Cloud's hands slip into the back of her dress, his body so close to hers as he eyes the fabric that's been entangled on the inside. But that also has those strong hands of his gently running along her back, brushing against her as he carefully works. ]
'Kay, then... The other side...pull the zipper up and...
[ His voice softens, barely above a whisper behind her as the slow, gentle contact starts to make his hands feel warm. It's unintentional, but he's finding himself relaxing more as Chroma flows through him. Whoops. ]
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She swallows thickly and tells herself not to turn around. He'd be able to see from her reflection just how flushed she looks, and if Cordis' effects took place right now, there would be feathers falling from her hair from sheer nervousness.
Somehow, each second feels like an hour.
When she feels him pull the zipper up once everything's fine, she reaches for his hands from behind. She's not sure if he's fixed the problem, but she's going to try and guide his hands downwards and not upwards because she thinks the zipper's fine already. ]
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Things would have been much harder to keep as slow and considerate as they were now. ...so he muses to himself, like they hadn't already made out without Cordis or Sanguis. And neither's light were involved now; which means the hands that work deftly without that edge of feral desire was purely Cloud. Was he nervous? Of course he was. But that wasn't going to stop him from fixing something as simple as a snagged zipper on a dress, dammit!
That is, until he feels her hands reach for his, trying to get him to pull down. It surprises him; having her as close as she is,
it would take nothing to pull her against himhe resists for only a moment. ]Wait, hang on. I still gotta see if I--
[ --...got it. Cloud wasn't really putting any strength into his pull, which makes it very easy for Weiss to guide his hands down. In one fluid motion, the zipper glides down the rest of the way until it stops at the small of her back. The lace and layers beneath unfold as the back of her dress fans open. There's nothing left to support it around her upper body. ]
Got it.
[ Sorry for stripping you from the top down? At least nothing ripped and he fixed things in time. ... 💦 💦 💦 ]
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[ But before she knows it, she's already pulling his hands down and her dress gets looser and looser until the front of her dress becomes way too low and—
God! She's quick to let go of him and fold her arms, tucking them beneath her breasts so the dress doesn't fall off her. It's not like she has curves that the dress would stay on her despite it being unzipped, after all.
She turns to face him immediately and takes a step back. With all her haphazard actions, she barely covers her chest, and much of her pale skin is exposed. This wouldn't be the first time Cloud has seen her skin, but this is still really embarrassing... ]
Thanks.
[ Possibly said a little too cold, but she does mean it. She appreciates that he's helped her out. Again. But at the same time, he's done his job so please leave... ]
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...
[ His expression says it all. He doesn't gawk, or start blabbering or shaking his hands vehemently. Cold as her gratitude came off, he sees straight past it. Which might be why he looks a little stunned. Safe to say? This world has made him all too aware of what he likes. Despite this, his gaze doesn't roam, vivid mako-infused blues wide with a sense of wonder.
...?
Oh. Shit. This wasn't the right time or place, huh. The lost expression on his face regains focus as he breaths. And shakes his head. And finally gets embarrassed again as he turns to leave. ]
I'll just be...yeah. No sweat.
[ Cloud half waves over his shoulder to Weiss before leaving her to her privacy so she can change. The only difference from last time?
Is that the second he closes that door, he finds himself leaning against it, head tilting back with a soft bump and sigh. Gonna take some time to get that mental image out of his head.
If he ever wanted to anyway.H'okay. For real this time. Waiting! ]no subject
It's about five minutes later that she's put on her own dress so she can go home. Her hair's braided to the side, the same way her hair was styled when she was on stage. She isn't fixing her hair now, else Cloud would wait a whole lot longer. Once she's done, she slowly opens the door and peeks out to see if he's still there. If he is, she opens the door completely and invites him back in. ]
Okay, I'm ready. We can go.
[ She rocks her heels back and forth when she calls him. She's only a little embarrassed that he's waiting on her... ]
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Okay.
[ It doesn't take long for him to neatly stack and organize her presents, creating a pile with the flowers resting on top. Splitting it up, Cloud takes his half of the pile and leaves the top for Weiss.
His was bigger. ]
Let's mosey.
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It's better than being a mailman...?
(Weiss won't head about this gossip until the following day.) ]
Are you sure you don't have anywhere else to be tonight?
[ Because if he has plans and she's delaying them, then... she's going to push him to leave her. She doesn't want to be an inconvenience. ]
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The whisperings of being her 'boytoy' slip his ears as well. Fortunately.
Sheeh. Can't undo a girl's dress without someone talking, huh?For now, Cloud simply follows behind her as they walk. To her question, he shakes his head (the only thing visible over the stack of chocolates and other gifts.) ]No. I was just gonna call it a day after seeing your show.
[ So his schedule's all clear. Probably would have sent her a text saying she did a good job and to catch her later. If he did have plans, that is. ]
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Thanks for coming.
[ He's not even with anybody! So he really just watched for her? She doesn't want to assume, but it does mean a lot to her. ]
I'll get you a souvenir sometime. Like a pen or a fan or something.
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[ He returns her smile with a little one of his own when she falls back to his side. Consider it a lucky turn of events. It was true Cloud didn't have any plans for the end of the day. Getting to see Weiss and the troupe perform was just a nice way to top it all off. ...even if the chances of him sticking around would have been less if she wasn't there. ]
Sure. [ He nods. ] I'll take whatever you get. [ Though if he had to pick... ] Can never have too many pens anyway.
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[ Are you a collector, Cloud?? Is Weiss going to have to give you a pen with your name on it on Christmas?
She's certainly amused, at least. ]
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[ He "blames" Denzel and Marlene (maybe Tifa?) for that. ]
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[ She's determined to keep this joke running... ]
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Cloud laughs. It's short lived, but it's still a laugh. ]
So I'll still have some when I lose some?
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[ This totally makes sense to her. ]
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[ They'd both be too important to let get yoinked. ]
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