The photograph disappears into a pocket as soon as he takes it back; he's only got one hand free most of the time -- the gauntlet restricts motion on his left hand somewhat, although he's gotten more used to the mechanics of having to wear it over the years -- and one never knows when he'll actually need unencumbered hands.
For an unexpected hug, maybe. He can still almost feel it, and that's possibly the most unnerving thing anyone has ever done to him since...
...since he started looking like some creature out of a nightmare. Tifa, while not eternally understanding, is a very kind and giving person and to say their gently-emerging friendship has caught him off-guard is an understatement. It's something he barely knows how to work. Unlike most children he didn't grow up surrounded by family and friends; he had a long period of isolation followed by an unceremonious send-off to a school far away once he was ten and then... once that was done he began working for Shin-Ra because his whole family worked for Shin-Ra. Establishing social ties, he knows, is nothing that's ever come readily for him.
It was with Shin-Ra, however, that he felt his most... normal: out of school, living on his own, garnering a taste of what most people were like. He's never been as big a drinker as Reno or as much of a company man as Tseng, but a group of his fellow Turks... hung out, spent time together. He's only seen one of them since, though, and it was a number of years ago for a few minutes and it's something he barely remembers.
It was bright when that coffin lid was opened, and he gave the requested information freely before being left to his solitude.
He wasn't ready yet. Not ready to leave, not ready to live.
He still dreams of Lucrecia every night: penance is an ongoing thing. It will probably stretch out for the remainder of his life which should be very long indeed, if one goes by the fact he hasn't aged in thirty years. Ultimately, he assumes, a battle will demolish him.
That's why fighting monsters is fun. It brings hope.
Shaking his head, he blinks the thoughts away. "I... got lost in thought there for a minute." But he won't apologize because she's told him he doesn't have to and he learns easily enough. "For my sake, I'm very glad to see you. For yours... I would like it if you weren't bound to this place." Reaching forward, he rests his hand on Tifa's arm briefly. "I'm very glad to see you."
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For an unexpected hug, maybe. He can still almost feel it, and that's possibly the most unnerving thing anyone has ever done to him since...
...since he started looking like some creature out of a nightmare. Tifa, while not eternally understanding, is a very kind and giving person and to say their gently-emerging friendship has caught him off-guard is an understatement. It's something he barely knows how to work. Unlike most children he didn't grow up surrounded by family and friends; he had a long period of isolation followed by an unceremonious send-off to a school far away once he was ten and then... once that was done he began working for Shin-Ra because his whole family worked for Shin-Ra. Establishing social ties, he knows, is nothing that's ever come readily for him.
It was with Shin-Ra, however, that he felt his most... normal: out of school, living on his own, garnering a taste of what most people were like. He's never been as big a drinker as Reno or as much of a company man as Tseng, but a group of his fellow Turks... hung out, spent time together. He's only seen one of them since, though, and it was a number of years ago for a few minutes and it's something he barely remembers.
It was bright when that coffin lid was opened, and he gave the requested information freely before being left to his solitude.
He wasn't ready yet. Not ready to leave, not ready to live.
He still dreams of Lucrecia every night: penance is an ongoing thing. It will probably stretch out for the remainder of his life which should be very long indeed, if one goes by the fact he hasn't aged in thirty years. Ultimately, he assumes, a battle will demolish him.
That's why fighting monsters is fun. It brings hope.
Shaking his head, he blinks the thoughts away. "I... got lost in thought there for a minute." But he won't apologize because she's told him he doesn't have to and he learns easily enough. "For my sake, I'm very glad to see you. For yours... I would like it if you weren't bound to this place." Reaching forward, he rests his hand on Tifa's arm briefly. "I'm very glad to see you."