[log] social skills 101 [closed]

[powersouls]

Characters: Zach, Tifa, Royce, Cloud, Sora
Location Building 100
Date: 116, after lockdown
Summary: A bunch of nerds get locked in a house together.
Warnings: None!

YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO

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[powersouls]

[Tifa can deal with brooding. Nothing phases her after spending so long with Vincent. But, to be fair, this brand of brooding is a very... suspicious kind of brooding. And she's fine with him sitting in a corner by himself if he wants to be left alone, but that fact that he's glaring at everyone makes him hard to ignore. So, after about an hour or so of this, Tifa sighs to herself, stands up, and goes to join him. She doesn't sit beside him or even approach very closely, though—she keeps about five feet between them.]

Is everything okay?

[bywolves]

[ He's a pretty suspicious guy. But he does quietly appreciate Tifa's apparent understanding of Royce's need for space, and so it makes him less snappy when she approaches. Royce doesn't feel safe around a lot of people, and he wouldn't say he does around Tifa, especially since he doesn't know her well at all, but his guard does ease up without his permission when she comes forward. It's the hair, he thinks, annoyed. ]

It's fine. What do you want? [ He means for it to come out 95% more sharp than it does. Instead, he mostly sounds tired. ]

[powersouls]

[She frowns a little, tucking her hair behind her ear.]

Nothing. You just seem...

[How does she put this gently?]

Irritated.

[bywolves]

Tired. [ Royce corrects, letting his head drop a little. His head is bowed, but his eyes are on her feet, watching for movement. ] I don't ever travel in this much snow. I hate it.

[ He shivers, pulling his limbs in closer to him. ] Cold.

[powersouls]

Oh.

[She hums thoughtfully, glancing over her shoulder at her blankets, piled in a corner of the room. Somehow, she has a feeling he's going to find some sort of nefarious motive if she even offers to let him borrow one, so...]

What if you... Um, tell me your favorite color and I'll let you use one of our blankets tonight?

[bywolves]

[ Royce looks up again, with his eyebrows raised in an unimpressed manner. ]

I don't have one. [ He says dryly. ] You're not even trying this time.

[powersouls]

[Who doesn't have a favorite color, Royce? And she's trying to skirt the line between "harmless enough that he'll answer" and "worth trading for". It's difficult.]

Well, I don't really want anything. You can just take it. I grew up in the mountains, so I'm used to the cold.

[bywolves]

[ Royce doesn't! Or he probably does and it's black, like the color of his soul. ]

I don't want or need your charity. [ Sigh. ]

[powersouls]

[Tifa crosses her arms, head tilting.]

You said you were cold, didn't you? I have an extra blanket. It isn't a big deal.

[bywolves]

[ But then he owes her, and he just...

Royce is almost too tired to argue. ] It is. [ Almost. ] My favorite color is black. [ And he owes her a favor, quietly, because he's cold and he can't afford to be that way. ]

[powersouls]

[She... kind of gets it. Or at least, she gets that it bothers him, so she doesn't say anything as she turns and crosses the room to grab a blanket. When she returns, she simply holds it out to him, biting her lip as she considers.]

You can trade something else for it, if you want.

[bywolves]

[ He's reaching for it when she speaks up, and he stops dead, staring at her for a second before pulling his arm back. ]

What do you want? [ He's taking this as confirmation of his suspicion that everybody always wants more, of course, despite that probably not being Tifa's intention at all. ]

[powersouls]

[She hesitates, arm still outstretched. She said something wrong there, but she's not quite sure what.]

Um... I don't know.

[She's mostly set on supplies, and it isn't like she needs food, so...]

Maybe you could... tell me something about your world?

[Lame, Tifa.]

[bywolves]

[ ... He was expecting something else, clearly, because his expression shifts a little, confused for about two seconds before he bows his head again. ]

I have half a bottle of aspirin to offer in exchange for keeping the blanket. [ Because that's more fair, and he can give it up for a blanket. ]

[powersouls]

I can't give it up for good. I'm sorry.

[Although now it's in the back of her mind to keep an eye out for an extra blanket.]

You can still use it for tonight if you want.

[bywolves]

[ Royce makes a frustrated sound, which he immediately regrets. He needs sleep, he's getting too off his game. ]

No. Keep it. [ Royce pulls his cloak around himself like a blanket and curls into the corner he's fixed himself in. ] Leave me alone, I need sleep.

[powersouls]

[Oookay, now Tifa's getting a little frustrated, especially with that sudden dismissal after she was trying to help him. She lets out her own irritated sound, and unceremoniously dumps the blanket on his head.]

[bywolves]

[ Oop. Hello, blanket. Royce jolts slightly, and shoves it off his head, staring up at her. He sounds indignant: ] Are you actually angry that I don't want anything from you?

[powersouls]

[She lets out a huff, crossing her arms over her chest.]

I'm angry that you're being rude about it. [Well, okay, not totally true.] And that you're refusing it for no reason.

[bywolves]

I don't need strings. [ He snaps out, shoving the blanket further. ] I can find my own Mar forsaken blanket if it means I don't need to owe you.

[powersouls]

What? [She sounds completely bewildered now.] What would you owe me?

[bywolves]

A favor. [ He's insistent. ]

[powersouls]

[She's rolling her eyes.]

I don't give people things to beg for something later. I can take care of myself. I'm just trying to help you.

[bywolves]

And I don't need your help. [ Royce says flatly. ] I don't know how many times I have to say it. Is it in the thousands, do you think? It's getting old.

[powersouls]

Fine.

[And with that, she spins on her heels and stomps off. But totally leaves the blanket.]