Reluctant Hero (Final Fantasy VII, Vincent/Cloud, G)
Title: Reluctant Hero
Author/Artist: queenoftheskies
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Word count: 521
Prompt: - Final Fantasy VII, Vincent/Cloud: Late night meeting - Some days, you just don't want to be a hero
A/N: None
The narrow back alleys of Midgar were quiet and devoid of traffic as Cloud made his way to the appointed meeting place. They could have met at the bar. Tifa had long since closed up and gone to bed. She'd been tired, so he'd volunteered to clean up the vomit and spilled liquor, more to make sure he could escape without question than anything else.
Silence had blanketed the building as he'd slipped into a cloak to hide his blond hair and his face, as he'd made his way from the bar and locked the door behind him.
It wasn't like he was going to be gone forever. He'd be back in a day or two. But, he didn't want her to know, didn't want to face explanations and see the disappointment and doubt in her eyes like he'd seen the day he had promised her he was back for good. He'd made those promises before and she'd known it was only a matter of time until something else dragged him away.
He didn't miss the rustling, the almost sound of wings. Only, it wasn't wings. He knew that sound, knew the cause behind it. And, he wasn't surprised when Vincent stepped out of the darkness between two buildings ahead and waited for him like a statue, a figure frozen in time and place.
"I knew you'd come."
Vincent's low voice stirred something deep inside him. "I told you I didn't want to meet like this again."
"Could you forget me so easily, Cloud?" A sad smile crept onto his full lips.
"I've given myself to Tifa now. It's her I love; it was all along."
"I knew that, then," Vincent said, "even as I know that now." He strode forward when Cloud refused to advance, slid one arm through the almost SOLDIER's arm, and drew him forward. "And, still I love you, though your feelings for me have never mirrored mine."
"Vincent..."
"That's not why I've called you from Tifa's bed." They vanished into the narrow side-street through which Vincent had appeared. "There's evil afoot on the streets of Midgar."
"What kind of evil?"
Vincent's head moved side to side. "I don't know exactly, but it reeks of Hojo and of Jenova and Sephiroth, and I fear we're not through with that dark business yet."
"That's why I had to leave her the note?" The sadness in Cloud's heart filled his voice. "Why I had to tell her I was gone again?"
"Someone has to do the dirty work. Someone has to make sure the city--the planet--remains safe for humans to live."
"Will it ever end? Will we ever be able to enjoy normal lives?"
His profile sad, Vincent whispered, "Normal is relative. For some of us, normal doesn't exist."
"Vincent, I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize to me." He stopped suddenly. "If you're not coming..." He glanced back over his shoulder, toward the sleeping city. "Apologize to them."
"I didn't say I'm not coming." Cloud pulled free of Vincent's grasp. "I just meant...don't you ever have those days...some days, you just don't want to be a hero?"
Author/Artist: queenoftheskies
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Word count: 521
Prompt: - Final Fantasy VII, Vincent/Cloud: Late night meeting - Some days, you just don't want to be a hero
A/N: None
The narrow back alleys of Midgar were quiet and devoid of traffic as Cloud made his way to the appointed meeting place. They could have met at the bar. Tifa had long since closed up and gone to bed. She'd been tired, so he'd volunteered to clean up the vomit and spilled liquor, more to make sure he could escape without question than anything else.
Silence had blanketed the building as he'd slipped into a cloak to hide his blond hair and his face, as he'd made his way from the bar and locked the door behind him.
It wasn't like he was going to be gone forever. He'd be back in a day or two. But, he didn't want her to know, didn't want to face explanations and see the disappointment and doubt in her eyes like he'd seen the day he had promised her he was back for good. He'd made those promises before and she'd known it was only a matter of time until something else dragged him away.
He didn't miss the rustling, the almost sound of wings. Only, it wasn't wings. He knew that sound, knew the cause behind it. And, he wasn't surprised when Vincent stepped out of the darkness between two buildings ahead and waited for him like a statue, a figure frozen in time and place.
"I knew you'd come."
Vincent's low voice stirred something deep inside him. "I told you I didn't want to meet like this again."
"Could you forget me so easily, Cloud?" A sad smile crept onto his full lips.
"I've given myself to Tifa now. It's her I love; it was all along."
"I knew that, then," Vincent said, "even as I know that now." He strode forward when Cloud refused to advance, slid one arm through the almost SOLDIER's arm, and drew him forward. "And, still I love you, though your feelings for me have never mirrored mine."
"Vincent..."
"That's not why I've called you from Tifa's bed." They vanished into the narrow side-street through which Vincent had appeared. "There's evil afoot on the streets of Midgar."
"What kind of evil?"
Vincent's head moved side to side. "I don't know exactly, but it reeks of Hojo and of Jenova and Sephiroth, and I fear we're not through with that dark business yet."
"That's why I had to leave her the note?" The sadness in Cloud's heart filled his voice. "Why I had to tell her I was gone again?"
"Someone has to do the dirty work. Someone has to make sure the city--the planet--remains safe for humans to live."
"Will it ever end? Will we ever be able to enjoy normal lives?"
His profile sad, Vincent whispered, "Normal is relative. For some of us, normal doesn't exist."
"Vincent, I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize to me." He stopped suddenly. "If you're not coming..." He glanced back over his shoulder, toward the sleeping city. "Apologize to them."
"I didn't say I'm not coming." Cloud pulled free of Vincent's grasp. "I just meant...don't you ever have those days...some days, you just don't want to be a hero?"