008
Title: The Phone You're Trying to Connect to...
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Rating: PG
Word count: 172
Pairing: Cloud/Aerith
Theme: #55; Static Electricity
Summary: Aerith and phones just don't mix.
Notes: Tactics-verse AU Cloud and Aerith.
Aerith pulled the strange contraption out of Cloud’s back pocket, and with a determined look hit it against the kitchen table with every intention of breaking it. There was a crack, and a spark flew between the black box and dented work surface before the screen flashed and faded.
Aerith stood back and smiled proudly, only to be puzzled by the horrified look on Cloud’s face.
“Aerith, what are… why… are you mad?” the blonde stuttered, wide-eyed.
“Am I mad?” Aerith exclaimed, throwing the deceased thing down onto the table. “You’re the one who’s always talking into it. Talking to a box Cloud, a box!”
“I…” Cloud began, but quickly stopped himself; he sighed, looked down sadly into his weak tea and gave up.
It was futile. As much as he loved Aerith, she just didn’t understand anything of his world, and couldn’t understand that her insanity was his normality.
“Thank you Aerith,” he said, defeated. “Thank you for saving me from the phone demon.”
Title: Pride
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Rating: PG
Word count: 209
Pairing: Cloud/Aerith
Theme: #83; Anticipation
Summary: Because Cloud Strife can't escape his fate.
Notes: Tactics-verse AU Cloud and Aerith.
“You thought you could do this?” Aerith demanded in a quiet, shaky voice. “You really thought you could lie to me like this and I’d never find out?”
Cloud couldn’t speak, couldn’t even look at her; he lowered his head and closed his eyes, but it still didn’t hide her tears from him. It was the silence that got to him the most, the way her voice wavered ever so slightly as she tried to keep her hurt inside, and the utter disappointment in her tone.
“I-I just didn’t want to hurt you,” he said feebly, pressing his face into hands in anticipation of her reply.
But no reply ever came, and with his eyes still shut he felt Aerith’s fingers trace across his horrible, rotten skin that had been hidden under his clothes for so long. The Star-Scar geostigma was something she’d never heard of, but she knew from the moment she had seen it. She didn’t even have to ask-Aerith knew it was lethal.
And his whole body ached, but Cloud understood all to well that it wasn’t from the disease that wrapped like poison ivy around his body-it was the pain that tore through Cloud as Aerith wept miserably in his arms.
Title: City Streets
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Rating: PG
Word count: 448
Pairing: Cloud/Aerith
Theme: #5; In the beginning.
Summary: Everything has to begin somewhere.
Notes: Tactics-verse AU Cloud and Aerith.
“You’re…” the flower girl began. “You’re… who are you?”
Sitting amongst the rubble of Zarghidas’ outskirt the black mage looked up, his sharp blue eyes catching hers and pausing for the slightest fraction of a second; there was a hint of recognition, and then nothing. He didn’t respond, and simply looked back down at the ground silently.
How should I know?
“Hmp.”
The girl crouched down in front of him and tugged the edge of his battered at hat so they were face to face. He froze, suddenly wanting to speak, but finding he couldn’t.
“So it is you!” she exclaimed happily. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
“Don’t be so stubborn! Look, you’re covered in blood and dirt-”
“I’m fine.”
“…”
“… I’m sorry.”
The green-eyed girl sighed affectionately and climbed to her feet, brushing the dirt off of her dress as she did so. For a moment the mage felt as if she would leave, and began to panic, despite his cold attitude towards her. However, she didn’t turn away from him and just extended a hand and offered a smile.
“Come on. We can’t let you rot here, now can we?”
Hesitantly he reached forward and took her hand in his own, finally caving in and accepting her help.
“Where are we going?” he questioned sheepishly as she linked her arm around his and walked closer towards the busy city.
“I’ll have to get you patched up,” she replied, not really answering his question at all. “Oh! I forgot to say thank you!”
She smiled brightly and looked up at him, and he blinked, waiting for some explanation. There was no great deed he had done that really deserved recognition, nothing out of the line of what ought to be done, anyway.
“Thank you… for what?” He asked, and the flower girl laughed at his bemused look.
“You really are clueless, aren’t you? For helping me with those knaves before.”
“It’s no problem.” Ahh, modest as usual.
“We don’t even know each other’s names, do we?”
“I’m Cloud. Cloud Strife, a wandering mercenary.”
“I’m Aerith, the flower girl. Nice to meet you!”
And although he had no thoughts of his own, no real memories inside, the name struck a chord with Cloud. He fell silent, feeling as if he should cry as his stomach turned, and he tried so desperately to think back; there was a fleeting image of pink stained red, yet there was no real meaning to it at all.
Perhaps he had known her before; perhaps he should get to know her again. Things might be better in this world, after all.
Title: Worlds Apart
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Rating: PG
Word count: 277
Pairing: Cloud/Aerith
Theme: #67; Angels and/or Demons
Summary: He has the strangest dreams of another world, where she leans close to another.
Notes: Kingdom Hearts/VII crossover.
At night Cloud sleeps, and when he sleeps he dreams. And when his mind wanders into dreams, he dreams of Aerith and nothing else.
In the darkness he holds her close to him, both wrapped under the soft bed sheets; their lips push gently together as stray hands desperately search for one another. And slowly be begins to realise that they aren’t just dreams; everything is too vivid, too perfect; he feels her every touch and hears her every whisper.
But there’s something he just can’t handle-those three short words he never wants to hear again. It is Aerith he holds in this odd reality, but it isn’t Cloud who Aerith clings to in return. It digs at him, almost to be point of insanity-to the point where he wants to forget her, just to make it all go away.
It’s isn’t him she wants, it isn’t him she has…
And as his dreams flood over him once more he slowly stands up in the unfamiliar body, leaving the bed and moving slowly-ever so slowly, fearfully-and slams his hands down on the bedside cabinet as he stares into the mirror, catching the reflection that isn’t his in the mirror.
He sees it there, the person Aerith holds such affection for; the person who isn’t him, the person who body he borrows. Whose body he steals.
Cloud looks into the mirror at a perfect reflection of a blue-eyed boy with a horrific black wing, a certain emptiness washing over him as he knows for sure.
Don’t say it Aerith, please don’t say it.
“I love you, Cloud.”
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Rating: PG
Word count: 172
Pairing: Cloud/Aerith
Theme: #55; Static Electricity
Summary: Aerith and phones just don't mix.
Notes: Tactics-verse AU Cloud and Aerith.
Aerith pulled the strange contraption out of Cloud’s back pocket, and with a determined look hit it against the kitchen table with every intention of breaking it. There was a crack, and a spark flew between the black box and dented work surface before the screen flashed and faded.
Aerith stood back and smiled proudly, only to be puzzled by the horrified look on Cloud’s face.
“Aerith, what are… why… are you mad?” the blonde stuttered, wide-eyed.
“Am I mad?” Aerith exclaimed, throwing the deceased thing down onto the table. “You’re the one who’s always talking into it. Talking to a box Cloud, a box!”
“I…” Cloud began, but quickly stopped himself; he sighed, looked down sadly into his weak tea and gave up.
It was futile. As much as he loved Aerith, she just didn’t understand anything of his world, and couldn’t understand that her insanity was his normality.
“Thank you Aerith,” he said, defeated. “Thank you for saving me from the phone demon.”
Title: Pride
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Rating: PG
Word count: 209
Pairing: Cloud/Aerith
Theme: #83; Anticipation
Summary: Because Cloud Strife can't escape his fate.
Notes: Tactics-verse AU Cloud and Aerith.
“You thought you could do this?” Aerith demanded in a quiet, shaky voice. “You really thought you could lie to me like this and I’d never find out?”
Cloud couldn’t speak, couldn’t even look at her; he lowered his head and closed his eyes, but it still didn’t hide her tears from him. It was the silence that got to him the most, the way her voice wavered ever so slightly as she tried to keep her hurt inside, and the utter disappointment in her tone.
“I-I just didn’t want to hurt you,” he said feebly, pressing his face into hands in anticipation of her reply.
But no reply ever came, and with his eyes still shut he felt Aerith’s fingers trace across his horrible, rotten skin that had been hidden under his clothes for so long. The Star-Scar geostigma was something she’d never heard of, but she knew from the moment she had seen it. She didn’t even have to ask-Aerith knew it was lethal.
And his whole body ached, but Cloud understood all to well that it wasn’t from the disease that wrapped like poison ivy around his body-it was the pain that tore through Cloud as Aerith wept miserably in his arms.
Title: City Streets
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Rating: PG
Word count: 448
Pairing: Cloud/Aerith
Theme: #5; In the beginning.
Summary: Everything has to begin somewhere.
Notes: Tactics-verse AU Cloud and Aerith.
“You’re…” the flower girl began. “You’re… who are you?”
Sitting amongst the rubble of Zarghidas’ outskirt the black mage looked up, his sharp blue eyes catching hers and pausing for the slightest fraction of a second; there was a hint of recognition, and then nothing. He didn’t respond, and simply looked back down at the ground silently.
How should I know?
“Hmp.”
The girl crouched down in front of him and tugged the edge of his battered at hat so they were face to face. He froze, suddenly wanting to speak, but finding he couldn’t.
“So it is you!” she exclaimed happily. “Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
“Don’t be so stubborn! Look, you’re covered in blood and dirt-”
“I’m fine.”
“…”
“… I’m sorry.”
The green-eyed girl sighed affectionately and climbed to her feet, brushing the dirt off of her dress as she did so. For a moment the mage felt as if she would leave, and began to panic, despite his cold attitude towards her. However, she didn’t turn away from him and just extended a hand and offered a smile.
“Come on. We can’t let you rot here, now can we?”
Hesitantly he reached forward and took her hand in his own, finally caving in and accepting her help.
“Where are we going?” he questioned sheepishly as she linked her arm around his and walked closer towards the busy city.
“I’ll have to get you patched up,” she replied, not really answering his question at all. “Oh! I forgot to say thank you!”
She smiled brightly and looked up at him, and he blinked, waiting for some explanation. There was no great deed he had done that really deserved recognition, nothing out of the line of what ought to be done, anyway.
“Thank you… for what?” He asked, and the flower girl laughed at his bemused look.
“You really are clueless, aren’t you? For helping me with those knaves before.”
“It’s no problem.” Ahh, modest as usual.
“We don’t even know each other’s names, do we?”
“I’m Cloud. Cloud Strife, a wandering mercenary.”
“I’m Aerith, the flower girl. Nice to meet you!”
And although he had no thoughts of his own, no real memories inside, the name struck a chord with Cloud. He fell silent, feeling as if he should cry as his stomach turned, and he tried so desperately to think back; there was a fleeting image of pink stained red, yet there was no real meaning to it at all.
Perhaps he had known her before; perhaps he should get to know her again. Things might be better in this world, after all.
Title: Worlds Apart
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Rating: PG
Word count: 277
Pairing: Cloud/Aerith
Theme: #67; Angels and/or Demons
Summary: He has the strangest dreams of another world, where she leans close to another.
Notes: Kingdom Hearts/VII crossover.
At night Cloud sleeps, and when he sleeps he dreams. And when his mind wanders into dreams, he dreams of Aerith and nothing else.
In the darkness he holds her close to him, both wrapped under the soft bed sheets; their lips push gently together as stray hands desperately search for one another. And slowly be begins to realise that they aren’t just dreams; everything is too vivid, too perfect; he feels her every touch and hears her every whisper.
But there’s something he just can’t handle-those three short words he never wants to hear again. It is Aerith he holds in this odd reality, but it isn’t Cloud who Aerith clings to in return. It digs at him, almost to be point of insanity-to the point where he wants to forget her, just to make it all go away.
It’s isn’t him she wants, it isn’t him she has…
And as his dreams flood over him once more he slowly stands up in the unfamiliar body, leaving the bed and moving slowly-ever so slowly, fearfully-and slams his hands down on the bedside cabinet as he stares into the mirror, catching the reflection that isn’t his in the mirror.
He sees it there, the person Aerith holds such affection for; the person who isn’t him, the person who body he borrows. Whose body he steals.
Cloud looks into the mirror at a perfect reflection of a blue-eyed boy with a horrific black wing, a certain emptiness washing over him as he knows for sure.
Don’t say it Aerith, please don’t say it.
“I love you, Cloud.”