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[imjustaman]

Hello, this is Sephiroth. I am sorry I missed you. Please leave a message and I will get back to you promptly.

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[heroicdream]

"Yeah, guess that makes sense. You're so big and strong and flexible," Zack teases gently. He's missed this...but y'know what? There's a glint of mischief in his eye as he snaps his fingers.

"Hey! Have you seen the hatchlings yet? They're really cute!"

[imjustaman]

"Hm? Yes, I have seen some of them," he says with a blink. "I had to be careful of them while moving things. They are cute, yes."

He likes animals, perhaps surprisingly, but usually keeps his distance from them ... although he likes feeding stray cats.

[heroicdream]

"...how about we go see them?" Zack asks, folding his hands in front of himself and leaning forward.

"I bet it'd do you some good. Taking care of little guys can make anybody feel great."

[imjustaman]

Sephiroth is further surprised at that, and put on the spot. He's not sure what to think.

"Ah ... I doubt they would want me in there," he says awkwardly. "The animals would probably be afraid of me."

Animals like him, curiously enough.

"And there was no shortage of helpers for the babies. I'd likely be in the way."

[heroicdream]

"Aww...Seph, don't be so hard on yourself!" Zack tried again, looking up at him hopefully. "Everybody has a nurturing side. And did you see just how many babies there are? It's springtime, they multiply all over the place."

And then he grins and points at himself. "'Sides, nothing bad can happen if I'm with you. Right?"

[imjustaman]

Sephiroth finally relents, shaking his head with a chuckle. "Alright. We'll go look at them for a few minutes."

He knows it would be faster to agree than to keep balking.

Anyway ... he likes animals and kind of does want to see them.

[heroicdream]

"Awesome! You won't regret this," Zack promises, hustling over to turn in his gardening tools for now. With the beginnings of a plan in mind, he leads Sephiroth down the hall toward the penguin chicks.

"I figured we can handle the cold-weather critters, since we're both pretty tough," Zack commentates, grabbing a bucket of their feed and handing it to Sephiroth. He carefully settles into a crouch-walk as they approach, slowing to a stop and sitting on the cold rock a safe distance away. The fluffy little birds are huddled in one giant mass, though a few lift their heads and look curiously at the large men.

"C'mon, sit with me! I'll let you feed 'em since they bond faster with people who give 'em food."

[imjustaman]

Sephiroth smirks a bit at that. He doesn't mind the cold, that's for sure, since he still brazenly walks around with his coat open and no shirt. Even when he wears a shirt, it's always a button shirt that's left open.

He settles down by Zack, awkwardly holding the food and scooping up a handful. "... Do I do it like this?" He hesitantly holds his hand out to the birds, planning to drop the food when they get closer.

[heroicdream]

"Little lower. Let the little chicks sniff you."

Zack grabs a little handful to demonstrate, offering them an open palm close to the ground with his fingers pressed together. A fluffy little chick drags itself across the rock to snuffle at him, and he beams.

"Hey little fella...." Believe it or not, Zack has an inside voice. It's making a rare appearance now.

[imjustaman]

Sephiroth copies Zack, watching as the curious little birds start coming over. He smiles, touched by Zack’s gentleness.

“You’re good at this,” he says. “Have you had a lot of experience?”

And he watches the chicks, both fascinated and concerned. “They’re so curious.” He’s vaguely heard penguins are very friendly since they have no natural land predators, but it’s his first time seeing it.

[heroicdream]

"Farming's just a fact of life back in Gongaga. Everyone has to help clean stables and herd chocobo."

Zack waits patiently as the little chicks start to eat, his eyes glowing with mirth. But as much as he wants to watch them...he's even more excited to watch the little ones approaching Sephiroth.

"See? You're doing fine," he whispers. "Chocobos will hang with anyone who feeds them too."

[imjustaman]

“Of course,” Sephiroth muses. “That makes sense.

“Really,” he says. “They often seem so skittish, even when there’s greens. They tend to flee as soon as the food runs out.”

[heroicdream]

"...Yeah, you've just gotta be gentle. And give them more food."

One of the fluffy ones headbutts Zack's hand, and it's so adorable that he has to bite his lip to keep from making a noise that would scare them off. He leans on his friend's arm, all smiles.

"Aren't they the cutest?"

[imjustaman]

“Did you have pets back home?” he suddenly wonders. Not just farm animals to care for, but ones thought of as pets.

He smiles too. “They are very cute,” he agrees, holding out more food.

[heroicdream]

"Not a personal pet...I knew I was going into the military pretty early, didn't want to leave one behind. And I knew I'd never sneak a puppy in the dorms past you. But I bonded with our farm crew. Like our town's delivery chocobo, Boko? He was the best. Kept getting lost, though...I'd have to find him in the woods."

One of the penguins flops across Zack's hand. It's...it's so cute. He's sitting still as a statue, eyes shining.

[imjustaman]

Sephiroth looks amused at that. No, Zack couldn’t have sneaked one past him, but would he have turned a blind eye to it?

… For Zack, he might have.

“How dangerous,” he remarks at the story. “You always got home safe with him?” He knows the area outside of Gongaga is rife with monsters.

He looks awed at the cuteness. When one nudges his hand, he’s not sure how to handle it. But he smiles and gives more food, then gently strokes it.