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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]

"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.