finalflight | PSL; [FLOWER, STARDUST, STEEL EXPLOSION]

[ and so it was. on a random day -- uneventful and unassuming and really just plain damn boring, to be honest, even with training in full force and an impending war on the horizon -- sephiroth gets a message, or several, out of the clear blue.

caller id would imply the number belongs to some standard shinra grunt. the last text he'd received from it lists off coordinates and some superficial briefing that he needn't even respond to, and so it was left permanently suspended on read.

not to mention, there's probably some kind of unspoken protocol about... not... spamming your coworkers... and it likely counts for double if they're actually soldier, so. the fact that he gets a whole bunch of these out of absolutely nowhere is a little... ]

call sephirath

[ . . . ]

No seph

Sephirth

Seth froth

Stephanie

[ ok, there's just

(. . .)

that he observes for a solid ten minutes if he doesn't respond. and even if he does, he can probably sense all of the grief and frustration when all that really comes from this end is a simple: ]

how

[Messages from this number usually don’t mean anything. In fact, the wayward mission briefing, or the minute changes in regimented scheduling, is all that exchanges the two screens — usually, at least. Sephiroth is not a man who converses with many; that he even has found company in the presence of one or two other SOLDIERs is something of an oddity of its own. And so, when the texts lights up his phone, and a string of... not-his-names filter through, confusion only lasts for a few seconds.

A slow-dawning realization forms in the next, sometime around “Stephanie”.

Yes, he watches that (. . . ) for as long as it blinks, disappears, blinks again. It isn’t until the last question (plea?) that he relents, deigning to reply.

He has an idea who this might be.]

Do you have your hands full?

[Why else does this have the unfortunate hallmarks of voice-to-text?]

[ ( . . . )

just always

( . . . ) ]

Oh it speaks

Helloooo

Kind of

This thing is clunky and so awkward to hold but I dont know how to turn it off and I'm trying to hide

How do you make the typing happen

Why are you hiding?

Touch the icon that looks like a keyboard.

Is this Aerith?

[These three statements are not normally related... but today, they are.]

Oh

Nest

[ neat, actually, but these keys are right next to each other. which is probably why it takes so long for her to get out the following: ]

No this is your conscience speaking!

But what a coincidence, I was just about to remind you that you need to check in with her.

She's about to kick your butt for not saying hiii in so long.

[This is a rather roundabout way to drag him for not staying in touch.]

Has my conscience stolen someone else’s phone for the express purpose of reminding me?

As a man of many talents, are you so surprised that an extension of yourself is capable of doing so?

Given that it’s more likely someone has found themselves in trouble again instead, then yes.

Again, huh

[ which is -- just a little -- offended. but then again, she expected as much!! ]

Well, okay, but I guess I'm not the only one here who's in trouble.

[It’s always hard to judge whether or not he’s hecked up through text; Sephiroth is at an even larger disadvantage than normal where conversation is concerned, devoid of expression and intonation usually rung out of a face-to-face interaction.

...]

Am I? That was a reference to your comment about hiding.

[ the fact that he can't imagine her voice while she's leaning right into his personal space means he's gone way too long without that particular bother in his life. ]

Oh, I know! I haven't been found though, so I'd argue that I'm not in trouble yet.

[ yet ]

Meanwhile, it's been a month, and I haven't seen hide nor hair of you, mister.

[Maybe it’s true. Maybe he’s been too lost in the thrall of training for a looming war that even Aerith’s bright disapproval is dulled at the edges of his memory. Not that he would say so, naturally.]

You haven’t said why you’re hiding.

[They’ll loop back around to the rest. But first, explain!!!]

[ between wutai and aerith, it's still some kind of warfare, after all is said and done. ]

Maybe I don't like the tone of your text.

So my answer really depends.

Are you scolding me or offering to rescue me or both?

[The tone of his texts have been relatively non-committal and non-combative, he thinks; this is either a distinct failure on his part to parse tone at all (possible) or a misinterpretation of his attitude (not impossible, given what little he gives others to work with).

The ‘...’s return, exclusively on his side this time. Typing, typing...]

The first depends on the situation. The second, less so. I’ll rescue you if you ask.

Is that what you want?

Hmm

[ ... honestly, she should give him a bit of a break. especially when the time it took for his last response is pretty jarring.

he's usually so prompt. military manners means his responses are usually boilerplate politeness as it is, tempered in steel and quickened silver. honestly, she should be touched that he's still going through some form of effort, just for her.

but she does have a month's worth of ribbing to catch up on, so. ]

What sort of situation is that?

For the first one.

[F in chat for Sephiroth

At least he has years’ worth of knowing Aerith, being around her (even if their once-similar paths have been split, diverging in far-flung directions) long enough to see this tease for what it is.]

That’s what I’m trying to find out.

Is some poor infantryman missing their phone? Have they gone looking for the thief? That’s worth a mild scolding.

[If she’s not going to say, he’s going to lob scenarios into the wind and see what sticks.]

Mild? Really? Well, that's no fun at all.

Maybe I've been a really bad girl.

You should scold me more.

[ FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF ]

[He... what. Sephiroth's brain needs a moment to process this.

Typing, typing, again...]

So you can dig your feet in and become more defiant simply because you can? I know where this leads.

Aww, it's really sweet that you get me.

But I'm not sure that military training's doing you much good if you're backing down so quickly!

[ fighting words. ]

Is that so?

You’re being very ill-behaved Aerith. I’m disappointed. Explain why you’re hiding, and return that phone.

Is that better?

Your scolding voice just sounds like your normal voice...

[ if only disappointment could translate through text. ]

[How does she drag him into these conversations?]

Would you prefer if I used exclamation points?

1/3

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this is so fucking stupid

STEPHANIE........Stephanie Roth

is apparently an actress who played in deception 2008 starring hugh jackman says google ... 1/2

which has nothing to do with anything except for the fact that i went and googled it

I’m crying thank you for this trivia

welcome, i hope it serves you well

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