Chapter 2! (sorry it's kinda short)
Gotta say, I'm much happier with this story than the first. The characters are coming out much better in this style of writing.
Here we have some playful banter between the three country-folk. Should be a hoot and a half.
Enjoy.
Cloud, Felicity and I continue through the snow, making light small talk as we head for the Mako Excavation Facility while Tseng and the other infantryman proceed to Modeoheim.
Needless to say Felicity's gender takes Cloud and I for a loop. We can only half concentrate on the conversation, our brains temporarily frozen as they tried to work out what happened.
She calls us out on it. "Is me being a girl such a hard thing to believe?" she asks suddenly.
Cloud and I jolt out of our musings. Sheepishly we poorly deny her. "O-of course not!" I stammer, slightly flummoxed. I wasn't used to awkward situations like these. "Had it, uh, not been for the uniform, I totally would have thought you were a girl."
"Absolutely." Cloud agrees. "All the bulk of the armor gives you a masculine build." She quirks an eyebrow at him. He realizes his mistake. "Not that you really do have a masculine build. It's just the uniform makes it look that way." He catches himself again. "Not that you look large or anything! I'm sure you have a slim figure- but that's not to say you haven't got any curves either! I'm sure you have a lovely figureā¦I- oh never mind." He slumps a little and gives up.
Felicity erupts into a fit of tinkling laughter and giggles. She clutches her sides as she squirms, unable to remain still as she snorts. "You guys are hilarious!" she says, wiping a tear from her eye as she winds herself down. "You seriously need to relax! I'm not going to bite your heads off."
Cloud's face is crimson with embarrassment so I decide to tackle the rebuttal. I run a hand through my hair. "We just didn't want to offend. With most girls you have to tread lightly and watch what you say."
"Oh, I know what you mean!" Felicity says, swallowing the last of her giggles. "It's like walking on eggs shells. Don't even worry about it." She winks. "I can take a joke. And I'm certainly not 'most girls'."
I start to feel myself ease and the nervous tension I felt before drifted away. "You can say that again. I don't know too many females in the Shinra infantry. And none who chose to wear the male uniform."
She shrugs. "I like the mobility. You can hardly move in those dumb skirts they give the girl recruits. And kicks are almost impossible. It's not my first choice of uniform, but it's better than nothing. At least I can fight in it."
Cloud jumps into the conversation, seemingly over his previous embarrassment. "You should complain to Lazard."
She shrugs again. "It's not that big a deal. So long as I can move comfortably, it's fine. Besides, I won't be an infantryman for long. I'll be a 1st in no time!"
I laugh. "Hey now, I'm not even a 1st yet. Wait your turn!"
"From what I hear your turn has taken long enough." She smirks playfully. "I think it's fair game now."
"Then may the best SOLDIER win." I smile, offering a hand.
She takes it, locking gazes with me, her smirk still in place. "Oh, I will."
I retract my hand to run it through my hair again, a grin spreading across my face. "Boy, you sure are cocky."
"Nah. Just confident."
"While confidence is encouraged in SOLDIER, bear in mind that it will be me who makes 1st first."
"Yeah, yeah. Keep dreaming Fair."
Big smiles light up our faces as we send teasing glares at each other. I could tell we were going to get along.
Cloud chuckles at our banter. "Keep the peace, guys. We've still got to get to the Facility."
"What are you talking about, Cloud? We've done nothing but be nice to each other." Felicity wraps an arm around my neck and astonishingly gives me a noogie. "Haven't we, buddy?"
I laugh and attempt to throw her off. "Yeah, nothing but polite, gentle treatment!"
Cloud snickers. "Come on you two. Let's go."
Felicity disentangles her limbs from mine. She smirks at me. "I thought you were supposed to be in charge."
I laugh again. It feels good after the recent hardships. "So did I."
"Maybe Cloud'll beat us both to 1st."
"Not a chance! He's way too clumsy."
Cloud calls over his shoulder, "I can hear you, you know!"
Felicity and I burst into laughter and run after him.
What'd ya think? Good? Bad?
Suggestions perhaps?
Any kind of feedback is helpful.
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