[He probably looks suspicious. No, definitely looks suspicious. Hood up, face covered, thick jacket, loose pants-- and a pair of sunglasses to boot. None of these cover the glowing marks on his body. One his right knuckles, both his thighs, a patch on his left knee and one on his right calf.
Still, he has to go out sometime, and he isn't the type who tries to hide forever. Just, you know, not right now.
His eyes are already used to the neon, so having the sunglasses actually makes it harder to see. It's for that reason that he ends up running into someone belatedly, especially since that guy wears dark clothes too.]
Cloud himself had opted to go out late at night, mostly because the neon lighting of the city after the sun went down was... well, better than nothing when it came to blending in. Or, at least, not sticking out so much.
It's not like he's got people he doesn't want to run into like this. That's not his concern. It's more the fact that he can't stand the staring. Most people, regardless of what they're ...radiating themselves, can't help but stare. Some gasp. Some point at one in particular, a blinding white mark at the very centre of his chest- matched with another of the exact same size and width on his back, directly atop his spine.
...It's annoying. Troubling, too. For reasons he sure as hell doesn't want to go into.
Regardless. He's on his way back from a trip for groceries when... some guy he couldn't possibly identify as Teshima with his face covered (and more importantly, the hair's covered. Identification is impossible.) walks into him. ...And... bounces off of him. Mainly because. Superstrength, and all.]
Watch it!
[The hell's up with this place? ... Wait. That voice.]
[Bouncing is the unfortunate outcome, and he lands on his ass on the ground, the hood falling off and revealing that wavy perm of his. It's gotten a bit unruly, especially with being covered, and he looks up at him with sunglasses askew, blinking.
Oh. That's sure is a glow right there.]
Hey, Strife-san.
[Well, at least he's not some weirdo on the streets. He pushes himself back up, dusting off his pants as he offers a lopsided smile.]
Didn't expect to see you out at this time. [Though given Cloud's general demeanor-- maybe it's understandable.]
[Honestly, he's still not used to the surname thing. But he does at least help him up- or makes the effort at least, it's more Teshima pushing himself up than anything else. Regardless, he makes some distance once he's upright again.]
Didn't want anyone staring. Since we're glowing, and all.
[A self-conscious cross of his arms over his torso. A sweep of his eyes away. Yet. Teshima's glowing too. Weird. ...He didn't take him for the type to actually have scars.]
...Same for you? [Except slightly different. His disguise, and all.]
His gaze, though it draws away quickly enough, has his arms tightening around himself again, shifting on his feet slightly.]
...Talking about it? [That's something he hadn't heard. But even then, something that he just. can't. It's personal. And it's painful. And that's not even the one on his chest and back. Even the dimmer ones, a pale pink on his knees, are...
...too much. Way too much to go into.]
Screw that. It's no-one's business.
[An exhale accompanies that statement, and he breathes out into the air. But...]
Didn't take you for the type, though. [For scars, anyway.] Thought your world was pretty safe?
[He confirms, a somewhat wry smile making its way on his lips as Cloud points them out. It's not surprising, that the injuries confuse people here. As far as he can tell, he's the one with the most mundane lifestyle in this place. His injuries weren't a product of survival but simple choice of actions.]
It's pretty common, especially if you do sports competitively. No matter how careful you are, you can't predict that some things happen.
Yeah? Didn't know that kind of thing could be dangerous.
[Says the man that absolutely, certainly, and definitely in his future will collide with a few unfortunate snowmen on his way snowboarding down a mountain. And will become a jockey at one point. ...And will also dolphinflip between live power cables. On the back of an actual dolphin.
...But that's unsaid. All of that is unsaid. Because it's the future. But even if it wasn't, even if he could... he wouldn't. Why? He's... actually curious about Teshima's injuries.]
What was the worst? I guess... you didn't get all of 'em at once. Right?
[He says with some wryness, some humor, even as he tries not to shy away from the staring himself. It makes him self-conscious, and while Teshima isn't exactly the epitome of confidence, he's pretty decent at faking it.
Like he is now.]
It would depend on your definition of worse, but a story will cost you.
[He has to be honest, he is. Even if yes, he's aware that not wanting to talk about his own scars while prying at Teshima's makes him a) full of it, and b) probably not that good of a friend, there's curiosity. A lot of it.
He can't help but make a small hum when Teshima mentions a cost. ...Weird. Not too long ago, their stances would be reversed.]
...I don't know. [Faint pause. A tap of his boot on the asphalt. Yes, he's playing along. And gasp- Teshima! ...He's actually! trying! to make a joke!!]
...I might go into it expecting something worthwhile for the fee. Like another hour-long story about cycling, full of words I don't understand. You might turn around and say something like you got it fighting.
[...He tried to joke, anyway. It's not his forte, pls no judge.]
[It plays through his mind to say something to the contrary, that you can't exactly judge how tough someone is by how they look, but.. well, Teshima starts talking about stories. He lowers his gaze, and shifts vaguely, from foot to foot, bringing his arms around himself even tighter.]
I don't know how I got the one through my chest. ... I... challenged someone before I got it, sure. But I don't remember it happening. And I don't know how I lived through it, either. So I can't tell you anything about it.
[An exhale. And as his eyes move away...]
The ones on my knees... I'm ashamed of 'em. You'd be ashamed of yourself if you did what I did to get them, too.
[His gaze doesn't move back. Perhaps a story of your own might make him come out with it, Teshima?]
[He's not surprised at the hesitation, given the kind of character Cloud is from his observations. He wonders if he should coax a story out of him, especially since he seems to be reluctant to share.
He decides not to push it, not for now. He might feel more comfortable later, and if Teshima shares something, maybe it'll help.
So instead, he goes ahead and taps at the glowing on his knuckle, offering a wry smile.]
Wanna hear the story behind this one? It's my most recent one, and the scars are still there.
[Which is true. The scabs may be gone, but the marks are still there underneath the glow, not very visible at the moment]
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(db) backdated to early February
Still, he has to go out sometime, and he isn't the type who tries to hide forever. Just, you know, not right now.
His eyes are already used to the neon, so having the sunglasses actually makes it harder to see. It's for that reason that he ends up running into someone belatedly, especially since that guy wears dark clothes too.]
Oof--! Sorry, sorry.
no subject
Cloud himself had opted to go out late at night, mostly because the neon lighting of the city after the sun went down was... well, better than nothing when it came to blending in. Or, at least, not sticking out so much.
It's not like he's got people he doesn't want to run into like this. That's not his concern. It's more the fact that he can't stand the staring. Most people, regardless of what they're ...radiating themselves, can't help but stare. Some gasp. Some point at one in particular, a blinding white mark at the very centre of his chest- matched with another of the exact same size and width on his back, directly atop his spine.
...It's annoying.
Troubling, too. For reasons he sure as hell doesn't want to go into.
Regardless. He's on his way back from a trip for groceries when... some guy he couldn't possibly identify as Teshima with his face covered (and more importantly, the hair's covered. Identification is impossible.) walks into him. ...And... bounces off of him. Mainly because. Superstrength, and all.]
Watch it!
[The hell's up with this place?
... Wait. That voice.]
...Hey. I know you, right? You okay?
no subject
Oh. That's sure is a glow right there.]
Hey, Strife-san.
[Well, at least he's not some weirdo on the streets. He pushes himself back up, dusting off his pants as he offers a lopsided smile.]
Didn't expect to see you out at this time. [Though given Cloud's general demeanor-- maybe it's understandable.]
no subject
[Honestly, he's still not used to the surname thing. But he does at least help him up- or makes the effort at least, it's more Teshima pushing himself up than anything else. Regardless, he makes some distance once he's upright again.]
Didn't want anyone staring. Since we're glowing, and all.
[A self-conscious cross of his arms over his torso. A sweep of his eyes away. Yet. Teshima's glowing too. Weird. ...He didn't take him for the type to actually have scars.]
...Same for you? [Except slightly different. His disguise, and all.]
no subject
[He confirms, and he can't help but notice the glowing because well... that's an interesting place for it to be on.
He does his best not to stare though.]
... I hear talking about it helps, but there's... a lot. As you can see. I don't think it works telling just one person everything.
no subject
His gaze, though it draws away quickly enough, has his arms tightening around himself again, shifting on his feet slightly.]
...Talking about it? [That's something he hadn't heard. But even then, something that he just. can't. It's personal. And it's painful. And that's not even the one on his chest and back. Even the dimmer ones, a pale pink on his knees, are...
...too much. Way too much to go into.]
Screw that. It's no-one's business.
[An exhale accompanies that statement, and he breathes out into the air. But...]
Didn't take you for the type, though. [For scars, anyway.] Thought your world was pretty safe?
no subject
[He confirms, a somewhat wry smile making its way on his lips as Cloud points them out. It's not surprising, that the injuries confuse people here. As far as he can tell, he's the one with the most mundane lifestyle in this place. His injuries weren't a product of survival but simple choice of actions.]
It's pretty common, especially if you do sports competitively. No matter how careful you are, you can't predict that some things happen.
no subject
[Says the man that absolutely, certainly, and definitely in his future will collide with a few unfortunate snowmen on his way snowboarding down a mountain. And will become a jockey at one point. ...And will also dolphinflip between live power cables. On the back of an actual dolphin.
...But that's unsaid.
All of that is unsaid. Because it's the future. But even if it wasn't, even if he could... he wouldn't. Why? He's... actually curious about Teshima's injuries.]
What was the worst? I guess... you didn't get all of 'em at once. Right?
no subject
[He says with some wryness, some humor, even as he tries not to shy away from the staring himself. It makes him self-conscious, and while Teshima isn't exactly the epitome of confidence, he's pretty decent at faking it.
Like he is now.]
It would depend on your definition of worse, but a story will cost you.
no subject
[He has to be honest, he is. Even if yes, he's aware that not wanting to talk about his own scars while prying at Teshima's makes him a) full of it, and b) probably not that good of a friend, there's curiosity. A lot of it.
He can't help but make a small hum when Teshima mentions a cost. ...Weird. Not too long ago, their stances would be reversed.]
...I don't know. [Faint pause. A tap of his boot on the asphalt. Yes, he's playing along. And gasp- Teshima! ...He's actually! trying! to make a joke!!]
...I might go into it expecting something worthwhile for the fee. Like another hour-long story about cycling, full of words I don't understand. You might turn around and say something like you got it fighting.
[...He tried to joke, anyway. It's not his forte, pls no judge.]
no subject
[He laughs, and he sounds genuinely pleased at the fact that Cloud attempts a joke, before he shakes his head.]
Why don't I tell you one, then you can tell me a story that's worth the same. I bet some of those scrapes aren't as serious, right?
[And Teshima was nothing if patient, when it comes to people opening up to him.]
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I don't know how I got the one through my chest. ... I... challenged someone before I got it, sure. But I don't remember it happening. And I don't know how I lived through it, either. So I can't tell you anything about it.
[An exhale. And as his eyes move away...]
The ones on my knees... I'm ashamed of 'em. You'd be ashamed of yourself if you did what I did to get them, too.
[His gaze doesn't move back. Perhaps a story of your own might make him come out with it, Teshima?]
no subject
He decides not to push it, not for now. He might feel more comfortable later, and if Teshima shares something, maybe it'll help.
So instead, he goes ahead and taps at the glowing on his knuckle, offering a wry smile.]
Wanna hear the story behind this one? It's my most recent one, and the scars are still there.
[Which is true. The scabs may be gone, but the marks are still there underneath the glow, not very visible at the moment]
no subject
... You collided with something. Right? Another racer, or a lamppost, or a mailbox.
[It's the most reasonable explanation! His tone is vaguely dry, but... he's interested. It's viewable in his eyes.]
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[Despite what he says, he just seems amused, even as he shakes his head at that.]
Guard rail, actually, in the middle of a race. I got played.
[He thinks about it, before he shrugs.]
Want to find somewhere to sit? I might as well relax if I'm gonna tell this one.