[ his ears perk up at "i'm impressed" -- and then his eyes dart away, and he's shrinking into himself, coy as a hand moves to rub at the back of his head. he'd haphazardly dressed himself in the only way he knew how; surely, she couldn't have meant it.

but he would be lying if he said it didn't inspire a spark of excitement. something in him stirs.

cloud listens as she speaks. he's never been good at talking-- but listening is another matter entirely. he drinks in every word, ruminating on it. good. she's doing well. ]

Yeah. A step up from Stargazer Heights. [ he speaks light heartedly, although his cadence is still strangely stiff, as characteristic of him as ever. maybe it was wrong-- to let memories of their old lives resurface. he regrets it too late.

and then she says that-- says she didn't have friends. tifa, alone and afraid and vulnerable, in the middle of the centerpiece of the world. his heart aches. and then it burns. ]

...I didn't know.

[ he wishes he did. he wishes he was there. he's holding the menu now, and his fingers tighten against its cover, curling with the embers of protective rage. ]

That isn't going to happen again. [ his voice is hard -- unshakably hard. ] Not as long as I'm here.

[ and then, as if sensing the tension, the waitress materializes out of thin air. with an easy smile, she sidles up into their conversation.

"what would you like to order?"

cloud bristles awkwardly. ]

Um. [ he doesn't have enough experience to gauge what an appropriate answer would be. food was sustenance and nothing more within the realm of his mind. everything was pallid, flavorless, there to fill his stomach at best. rigidly, as his eyes rove over to tifa, he makes some attempt to be a normal human being...

he can't let her know that he's not even capable of this much. she'd deem him a freak -- like the rest of nibelheim did. ]

Whatever's good... never eaten here, so...