(no subject)
Title: In Loving Memory Of
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Characters: Cloud, mention of Zack, Tifa and Aerith, Jenna the random slum kid
Genre: General
Rating: ff G.
Summary: Cloud is chilling out in the church and some random kid comes by. A short talk ensues.
He'd always liked that sound; heavy boots on a wood floor. It was such a peculiar preference to have, the clomp clomp his footfalls made as he walked into the church but he couldn't help himself. It was...melodic? No. Sure? Steady?
Hell, he didn't know. You can like something just to like it, and he agreed. It had already been several weeks, but the flower petals had yet to rot, and the water in the pool had yet to dirty even though the commotion when the diseased had jumped in should have kicked up enough dirt to turn it into a mud hole. It was still clear, sparkling, pure, the soft white and yellow spots dotting the crystal surface and drifting lazily. Perfect tranquility.
Cloud pulled in a breath before letting it out, and sat at the edge to remove his boots and socks, stuffing the latter into the former and rolling his pant legs up. Gingerly -expecting cold- he slipped his feet into the water and sat at the edge, but just as it had been when he'd first woken up floating in the water, it was perfect. Perfect, perfect, perfect. Leaning back on his hands, Cloud let himself enjoy the silence, kicking his legs briefly and watching as the ensuing ripples disturbed the petals further along. If he was very quiet, he could almost hear a faint voice humming, as if someone was hiding nearby and murmuring a tone beneath her breath. A quick glance revealed -as usual- nothing.
She's here. Cloud smiled softly at that, tipped his head back and closed his eyes. The bunches of tension in his shoulders slowly released and he lay back, feet and legs in the water up to his knees, flat against the wooden planks otherwise and arms spread-eagle. Nothing could go wrong at this moment, and Cloud let himself pretend that Aerith was only a few steps away, tending her flowers. Maybe Zack would be lounging on a pew nearby, smiling like he was, taking it easy after all the hard work he'd had to do. What would it be like if they'd lived?
Would they be here, in this church, just like he pictured it? Would Zack laugh and point out when he was being broody, would Aerith giggle and agree?
Of course we would. "Of course they would," Cloud whispered, not opening his eyes or moving in the slightest. After a moment of deliberation he sat up, removed his shoulder guard, slipped his knitted shirt over his head and edged into the water. The earth beneath his feet was firm, almost as if it were rock even though Cloud knew it wasn't. Absently he wondered why he even bothered taking off his shirt if he was going to get his pants soaking wet, and chalked it up to those silly impulses people would have. The less clothing you have soaked through, the less cold the drive back home would be. As if that really mattered.
Wading more toward the center of the pool, Cloud held his breath and dunked his head beneath the water briefly, scrubbing his fingers through his hair before surfacing again and shaking his head like a dog. Even the water didn't have much affect on the spikes and he tugged at one before his eyes in irritation. Freak hair.
The doors shuddered at the entrance to the church and Cloud turned sharply; not many people came this far from Edge, but Aerith's church had become something of a tourist spot, almost. But it was late, and Cloud hadn't expected anyone to come by.
The face that poked between the doors was unfamiliar; a girl, younger than Cloud, probably in her mid teens. She flushed and stammered out an apology, which Cloud waved away easily. "It's fine. I'm just hanging out." He did wade back to the side of the pool and scoop up his shirt to tug it back on, though. He considered leaving for a moment, but something tugged and a soft feeling, like a soundless whisper, insisted he stay.
The girl lingered by the door for a moment before she slipped inside; there were a bunch of flowers, not as vibrant as Aerith's had been but still pretty, clutched in her hands. Her face red and her eyes fixed on her somewhat ratty sneakers, she quietly padded over to the side of the water -a ways away from Cloud- and slowly unwrapped the bouquet.
Cloud watched this with interest, pushing himself up out of the water and sitting at the edge again, rolling up his pant legs and wringing them out a bit simultaneously. The girl glanced at him before looking away again, picking the flowers apart with too-thin, too-pale fingers. She had probably been a slummer when Midgar was still habitable. Cloud couldn't help but ask: "Are those for Aerith?"
The girl started so badly she dropped one of the blossoms and shook her head at his apology, though she answered in the affirmative. "Y-yes. I...didn't know her very well when I was living here, but she was always nice to the other children of the slums. She'd help us." There was a length of silence and the girl began to lay the flowers out beside the water, having arranged them to her satisfaction. Cloud didn't see much of a difference, but declined to comment and instead finished wringing out his pant legs, reaching for his socks and boots.
"...Um...I know you probably get this a lot, but...but..." The girl stammered, fingers running over and back and over again the crinkled tissue paper as she wrapped it around the new arrangement, "thank...thank you. For saving us again."
Cloud pursed his lips, although he felt his own cheeks burn. This never got any easier. "...you don't have to thank me. I..." 'I did it for myself' does sound pretty selfish. "...it's fine." That would have to do.
The girl nodded quickly, still not meeting his eyes, and she laid the bouquet carefully at the waterside. Cloud felt a pang of pity; she wore a skirt that fell about her knees, but even from what he could see of her legs he could tell she was terribly thin. It wasn't too surprising, considering the poverty rate at the outskirts of Edge, but it still made him feel like he wasn't doing enough. He could save the world, sure, kill the madman who wanted to turn it into a galactic cruise ship for himself, but people still starved to death and died of other diseases. It...cheapened things, somehow. He wasn't much of a hero...Aerith had been more that than he had, just by living in the slums and caring for the people in them.
"...what's your name?" Cloud sat comfortably, shifted his weight.
The girl finally looked at him and he saw that her eyes were brown and large. She might be pretty if she could eat as much as she needed to, in that plain sort of way. Cloud felt a little ashamed of that thought but it was too late to take it back, after all. "I...I'm Jenna. Jenna Tabathy."
"Jenna. I'm Cloud." Cloud knew she was already aware of this, but didn't want to assume. That'd look pretty arrogant. That, and it was only polite. He leaned over and offered his hand, and it took her a moment to realize she was supposed to shake it, which she did with a squeak of surprise. Her hand felt brittle in his, and he frowned inwardly. "...are you gonna be here for a while? I was going to get something to eat and bring it back here, but if you plan on staying I can get something for you too."
"N-no, no, you don't have to do something like that-" She waved her hands a bit wildly before her, but Cloud was already standing and dusting himself off as best as possible, searching for where he'd set his wallet down. "Really- Mr. Cloud-"
"Just Cloud," he said, wondering where this remarkable social grace was coming from. Well, okay, so this wasn't the smoothest conversation, but definitely above his standard. Maybe Aerith was helping him.
...maybe Zack. It was more possible than one would think.
"C-Cloud. Please, you don't have to go to that trouble." Jenna clenched her hands in her lap, and suddenly her eyes took on a light that Cloud could recognize as scraps of shattered pride. "I was about to head home...I really don't need anything."
"Do you have a job?"
Jenna blinked, thrown. "I- what?"
"You're what, sixteen? Fifteen?"
"...s...sixteen, M- um, Cloud."
Cloud glanced back over at her. "Most kids your age have jobs by the time they're fourteen, it's just how things are around here. Do you have one?"
Jenna was silent, and her gaze drifted to the side. Her bony fingers wrenched around the material of her skirt, and Cloud gave her a moment before speaking again, tone softer than before. "Do you live in Edge?"
She pinked, but nodded.
"My friend Tifa, she needs help at her bar, the Seventh Heaven. She was going to put a sign in the window tomorrow, but I think she'd like to hear what you have to say about Aerith. She lived in the slums for a while herself, y'know."
Jenna colored further. "I...yes. I...I know. I remember hearing about her."
"...do you want to come with me? Talk to her about the position?" The light sparked again, and Cloud shook his head, collecting his phone, wallet and wayward Restore materia to slip them into his pockets. "It's not charity if she genuinely needs the help." Jenna froze, caught in what little pride she had left and cast her eyes down to her lap. "...it's not charity at all." Cloud watched her until she met his eyes, and to his surprise she held them. "We're all human beings trying to get by. It's not charity." He knew he couldn't explain what he was trying to say, not properly, but Jenna seemed to understand.
"Do you have to stop by home and tell your parents first?"
"I...I said I would be gone for a while." Jenna stood.
"I can give you a ride to the bar, and a ride home." Cloud's lips quirked when she nodded again and he returned it, holding out his hand in a gesture for her to move to the exit first. She straightened her skirt and hesitated, but passed him by and made for the door. Cloud turned to follow but paused, watching the water for just a moment. The petals drifted along the surface in an undefined pattern, and the whisper ghosted along with them.
Thank you.
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Characters: Cloud, mention of Zack, Tifa and Aerith, Jenna the random slum kid
Genre: General
Rating: ff G.
Summary: Cloud is chilling out in the church and some random kid comes by. A short talk ensues.
He'd always liked that sound; heavy boots on a wood floor. It was such a peculiar preference to have, the clomp clomp his footfalls made as he walked into the church but he couldn't help himself. It was...melodic? No. Sure? Steady?
Hell, he didn't know. You can like something just to like it, and he agreed. It had already been several weeks, but the flower petals had yet to rot, and the water in the pool had yet to dirty even though the commotion when the diseased had jumped in should have kicked up enough dirt to turn it into a mud hole. It was still clear, sparkling, pure, the soft white and yellow spots dotting the crystal surface and drifting lazily. Perfect tranquility.
Cloud pulled in a breath before letting it out, and sat at the edge to remove his boots and socks, stuffing the latter into the former and rolling his pant legs up. Gingerly -expecting cold- he slipped his feet into the water and sat at the edge, but just as it had been when he'd first woken up floating in the water, it was perfect. Perfect, perfect, perfect. Leaning back on his hands, Cloud let himself enjoy the silence, kicking his legs briefly and watching as the ensuing ripples disturbed the petals further along. If he was very quiet, he could almost hear a faint voice humming, as if someone was hiding nearby and murmuring a tone beneath her breath. A quick glance revealed -as usual- nothing.
She's here. Cloud smiled softly at that, tipped his head back and closed his eyes. The bunches of tension in his shoulders slowly released and he lay back, feet and legs in the water up to his knees, flat against the wooden planks otherwise and arms spread-eagle. Nothing could go wrong at this moment, and Cloud let himself pretend that Aerith was only a few steps away, tending her flowers. Maybe Zack would be lounging on a pew nearby, smiling like he was, taking it easy after all the hard work he'd had to do. What would it be like if they'd lived?
Would they be here, in this church, just like he pictured it? Would Zack laugh and point out when he was being broody, would Aerith giggle and agree?
Of course we would. "Of course they would," Cloud whispered, not opening his eyes or moving in the slightest. After a moment of deliberation he sat up, removed his shoulder guard, slipped his knitted shirt over his head and edged into the water. The earth beneath his feet was firm, almost as if it were rock even though Cloud knew it wasn't. Absently he wondered why he even bothered taking off his shirt if he was going to get his pants soaking wet, and chalked it up to those silly impulses people would have. The less clothing you have soaked through, the less cold the drive back home would be. As if that really mattered.
Wading more toward the center of the pool, Cloud held his breath and dunked his head beneath the water briefly, scrubbing his fingers through his hair before surfacing again and shaking his head like a dog. Even the water didn't have much affect on the spikes and he tugged at one before his eyes in irritation. Freak hair.
The doors shuddered at the entrance to the church and Cloud turned sharply; not many people came this far from Edge, but Aerith's church had become something of a tourist spot, almost. But it was late, and Cloud hadn't expected anyone to come by.
The face that poked between the doors was unfamiliar; a girl, younger than Cloud, probably in her mid teens. She flushed and stammered out an apology, which Cloud waved away easily. "It's fine. I'm just hanging out." He did wade back to the side of the pool and scoop up his shirt to tug it back on, though. He considered leaving for a moment, but something tugged and a soft feeling, like a soundless whisper, insisted he stay.
The girl lingered by the door for a moment before she slipped inside; there were a bunch of flowers, not as vibrant as Aerith's had been but still pretty, clutched in her hands. Her face red and her eyes fixed on her somewhat ratty sneakers, she quietly padded over to the side of the water -a ways away from Cloud- and slowly unwrapped the bouquet.
Cloud watched this with interest, pushing himself up out of the water and sitting at the edge again, rolling up his pant legs and wringing them out a bit simultaneously. The girl glanced at him before looking away again, picking the flowers apart with too-thin, too-pale fingers. She had probably been a slummer when Midgar was still habitable. Cloud couldn't help but ask: "Are those for Aerith?"
The girl started so badly she dropped one of the blossoms and shook her head at his apology, though she answered in the affirmative. "Y-yes. I...didn't know her very well when I was living here, but she was always nice to the other children of the slums. She'd help us." There was a length of silence and the girl began to lay the flowers out beside the water, having arranged them to her satisfaction. Cloud didn't see much of a difference, but declined to comment and instead finished wringing out his pant legs, reaching for his socks and boots.
"...Um...I know you probably get this a lot, but...but..." The girl stammered, fingers running over and back and over again the crinkled tissue paper as she wrapped it around the new arrangement, "thank...thank you. For saving us again."
Cloud pursed his lips, although he felt his own cheeks burn. This never got any easier. "...you don't have to thank me. I..." 'I did it for myself' does sound pretty selfish. "...it's fine." That would have to do.
The girl nodded quickly, still not meeting his eyes, and she laid the bouquet carefully at the waterside. Cloud felt a pang of pity; she wore a skirt that fell about her knees, but even from what he could see of her legs he could tell she was terribly thin. It wasn't too surprising, considering the poverty rate at the outskirts of Edge, but it still made him feel like he wasn't doing enough. He could save the world, sure, kill the madman who wanted to turn it into a galactic cruise ship for himself, but people still starved to death and died of other diseases. It...cheapened things, somehow. He wasn't much of a hero...Aerith had been more that than he had, just by living in the slums and caring for the people in them.
"...what's your name?" Cloud sat comfortably, shifted his weight.
The girl finally looked at him and he saw that her eyes were brown and large. She might be pretty if she could eat as much as she needed to, in that plain sort of way. Cloud felt a little ashamed of that thought but it was too late to take it back, after all. "I...I'm Jenna. Jenna Tabathy."
"Jenna. I'm Cloud." Cloud knew she was already aware of this, but didn't want to assume. That'd look pretty arrogant. That, and it was only polite. He leaned over and offered his hand, and it took her a moment to realize she was supposed to shake it, which she did with a squeak of surprise. Her hand felt brittle in his, and he frowned inwardly. "...are you gonna be here for a while? I was going to get something to eat and bring it back here, but if you plan on staying I can get something for you too."
"N-no, no, you don't have to do something like that-" She waved her hands a bit wildly before her, but Cloud was already standing and dusting himself off as best as possible, searching for where he'd set his wallet down. "Really- Mr. Cloud-"
"Just Cloud," he said, wondering where this remarkable social grace was coming from. Well, okay, so this wasn't the smoothest conversation, but definitely above his standard. Maybe Aerith was helping him.
...maybe Zack. It was more possible than one would think.
"C-Cloud. Please, you don't have to go to that trouble." Jenna clenched her hands in her lap, and suddenly her eyes took on a light that Cloud could recognize as scraps of shattered pride. "I was about to head home...I really don't need anything."
"Do you have a job?"
Jenna blinked, thrown. "I- what?"
"You're what, sixteen? Fifteen?"
"...s...sixteen, M- um, Cloud."
Cloud glanced back over at her. "Most kids your age have jobs by the time they're fourteen, it's just how things are around here. Do you have one?"
Jenna was silent, and her gaze drifted to the side. Her bony fingers wrenched around the material of her skirt, and Cloud gave her a moment before speaking again, tone softer than before. "Do you live in Edge?"
She pinked, but nodded.
"My friend Tifa, she needs help at her bar, the Seventh Heaven. She was going to put a sign in the window tomorrow, but I think she'd like to hear what you have to say about Aerith. She lived in the slums for a while herself, y'know."
Jenna colored further. "I...yes. I...I know. I remember hearing about her."
"...do you want to come with me? Talk to her about the position?" The light sparked again, and Cloud shook his head, collecting his phone, wallet and wayward Restore materia to slip them into his pockets. "It's not charity if she genuinely needs the help." Jenna froze, caught in what little pride she had left and cast her eyes down to her lap. "...it's not charity at all." Cloud watched her until she met his eyes, and to his surprise she held them. "We're all human beings trying to get by. It's not charity." He knew he couldn't explain what he was trying to say, not properly, but Jenna seemed to understand.
"Do you have to stop by home and tell your parents first?"
"I...I said I would be gone for a while." Jenna stood.
"I can give you a ride to the bar, and a ride home." Cloud's lips quirked when she nodded again and he returned it, holding out his hand in a gesture for her to move to the exit first. She straightened her skirt and hesitated, but passed him by and made for the door. Cloud turned to follow but paused, watching the water for just a moment. The petals drifted along the surface in an undefined pattern, and the whisper ghosted along with them.
Thank you.