(no subject)

[legacy_blade]

Who; Zack Fair, Open
What; Cozy Drink Socializing, Dark Secrets
Where; Market Tavern, Streets near the Residences
When; Late December
Warnings; cw: Possible discussion of human experimentation in Prompt II

I. Energetic Puppy | Open; Market Tavern

Back home apple cider would always have a new meaning for Zack. They were something to make him contemplative, whether they were made of Banora Whites or not. They made him think of Angeal, of Genesis, of Sephiroth. Of how everything fell apart and how one company could make monsters and destroy people so completely.

Maybe that's why he hesitates over the mug of it as he works through his dinner. He's thirsty, he knows he should drink it, he had ordered it. But it could be difficult to bring himself to it. Still...

"It's just a drink," he reminds himself. "You can't even really get drunk. It's fine."

So he takes the cup and lifts it.

"To you, Angeal. And Genesis. You deserved better. We all did."

Ten minutes later and two mugs of cider down there's Zack, jumped up on a table as he cheerfully regales people with the story of these silly little robots that once took over a whole floor of the Shinra Tower to harass executives. And he's animatedly trying to fight an imagined one off with a chair. Honestly, it's got people laughing and cheering for him. And Zack, well, he likes it. He's grinning widely. When he catches sight of someone familiar coming in through the door he grins and waves vigorously.

"You're just in time for the best part!"

II. Secrets In The Night | Open; Back Streets near Residences

Okay, maybe there was some amount of alcohol that could still get to him. His head is aching quite a bit as he stumbles, humming happily to himself, through the street back toward his apartment.

He's too tipsy to even notice the first light going out. And too busy giggling to himself to see the second. But at the third he goes still for a moment. There's something going on here. Takes him a moment to figure it out, but when he does he immediately reaches for the sword on his back. Because trained reactions are still reactions.

"What the fuck?" he says.

Monster, a voice whispers in his ear, and Zack flinches away from it.

"Who said that? Who's there?"

He should be able to see them, even though the lights are out. It was an advantage to being a Soldier with all those enhancements. But somehow, he wasn't seeing anything.

"Damn, where are you?."