#congrats hope. you get the first reply i've ever written for cloud; here *or* discord

[heartbinders]

@hauntedreality || Cont.

He knew he had to keep up — he couldn't be dead weight, especially not on Zack. But he lied to himself for as long as he could until his body simply wouldn't allow him to anymore: those last few monsters that had lashed out at them did a number on him.

Cloud pulled his helmet off as Zack jogged back to where he had fallen behind, averting his gaze, kind though Zack's eyes were. He couldn't stand to look him in the face. He was slowing them down. They would have to stop because of him.

Or Zack would carry him. That caused Cloud's gaze to snap right back up to meet Zack's — because honestly, he couldn't decide which fate was more embarrassing.

His mouth hung slightly open, waiting for words to come out. He sort of wished he had just sucked it up and not complained, because a break would slow them down even more, but being carried would make him a literal dead weight on top of a figurative one. And he couldn't exactly say "nah, never mind" now. Not while Zack looked at him like that.

❝ You don't — need to carry me. ❞ The part of Cloud's mind that formed speech gradually sputtered back to life. ❝ I'll be fine if I can just, uh...lean on you for a little. ❞