{the kiss is somehow more of a surprise than anything else that's happened to her so far and her eyes go wide and blink in response. She understands it's not just a kiss he wants her to pass on, feeling it all the way down to her toes even more than the jar of steady ground under her soles and her face goes up to look at him - not sure she can convey everything that single touch holds. Her brows come down though after that second, determined and stubborn and she nods, just once, firmly. She'll find a way to pass it on to Cloud and he'll understand if she has to pass it on a thousand times before she gets it right enough.
There's still a moment of panic though, sharp and hard down through her, when Zack's hands finally let go, the inward terror that the green will take her without ghostly protection. It's only there for a second though and it doesn't wipe out the stubbornness on her face or the hard darkening of her eyes as she mentally prepares for whatever's ahead she needs to do. It's not all battle warrior though and she hesitates before she turns, using up possibly precious seconds to focus on the SOLDIER shadow in front of her. Remembering him as clearly as she possibly can after smoke and flame, nightmares and hollow aches and five years of remaking herself from the sweeter, more open cowgirl that hadn't survived any more than her town had. Once he's as sharp in her mind's eye as she can see him, she firmly says:}
It wasn't your fault. Nibelheim. Any of it. Not for even a second. Not once.
{she's not free with them but, in that moment, as if it will seal the truth of her words for eternity, she leans up, quick, and presses a kiss to his insubstantial cheek, a brush of velvet and smoke. Her eyes mean it when she pulls back just as quick, red meeting what's left of blue and mako. Another quick nod and she's spinning around to head through the gates at a trot. Whatever's on the other side of them, wherever Cloud is, she'll find him and, together, they'll finally fix things. She's not alone - and neither is he. Not anymore.}
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There's still a moment of panic though, sharp and hard down through her, when Zack's hands finally let go, the inward terror that the green will take her without ghostly protection. It's only there for a second though and it doesn't wipe out the stubbornness on her face or the hard darkening of her eyes as she mentally prepares for whatever's ahead she needs to do. It's not all battle warrior though and she hesitates before she turns, using up possibly precious seconds to focus on the SOLDIER shadow in front of her. Remembering him as clearly as she possibly can after smoke and flame, nightmares and hollow aches and five years of remaking herself from the sweeter, more open cowgirl that hadn't survived any more than her town had. Once he's as sharp in her mind's eye as she can see him, she firmly says:}
It wasn't your fault. Nibelheim. Any of it. Not for even a second. Not once.
{she's not free with them but, in that moment, as if it will seal the truth of her words for eternity, she leans up, quick, and presses a kiss to his insubstantial cheek, a brush of velvet and smoke. Her eyes mean it when she pulls back just as quick, red meeting what's left of blue and mako. Another quick nod and she's spinning around to head through the gates at a trot. Whatever's on the other side of them, wherever Cloud is, she'll find him and, together, they'll finally fix things. She's not alone - and neither is he. Not anymore.}