#ff vii fanfic

[bardic-tales]

Title: Deals with a Devil

Pairing: Bianca (F!OC) x Sephiroth

Rating: General

Word Count: 2028

Fandom: Final Fantasy 7

Setting: Pre-Games

Warnings: mild mentions of blood and violence (Past events), light references to demonic and angelic themes

Summary: Bianca and Sephiroth share a quiet, intimate moment as Sephiroth braids Bianca’s hair while they discuss a costume party and the playful bargains she traded with Shinra and their friends.

Created for: @prehistoric-creatures

Snippet:

Bianca reached past the diverse bottles of lotions, creams, and perfumes and picked up the boar bristle hairbrush with the ivory backing: her favorite brush. Wordlessly, she handed it to Sephiroth.

Sephiroth stood behind the bench and gently lifted her hair from the back and glided the brush through the massive brown locks. “The party is in two hours. We have plenty of time, but you know how you are. Taking all the time in the world to get ready.”

“Well, if some guy I know didn’t use all the hot water in the shower.” Her shoulders relaxed as he separated her hair into three different chunks before leaning over her and picking up the white, yellow, and green ribbons. “I still cannot believe you use one bottle of shampoo and conditioner per day. A whole bottle of each.”

A low chuckle rumbled from his chest. “My hair is longer and thicker than yours. Besides, you always take over our bathroom. I’m sure you don’t need all of those products.”

Deals with a Devil

As the Shinra Electric Power Company extracted the lifeblood of the Planet and refined it into energy with the reactors that dotted the edges of the circular city, the bright lights of Midgar twinkled below their studio apartment like stars in a darkened sky. To the North, the screeching of the locomotive’s wheels herald the incoming third shift of the weary workers. Sparks showered the track as the night train ushered them to the stop closest to the Shinra Building, the jewel of the sprawling metropolis.

Meoooooooooooowww. The onyx-colored cat, a chunk named Nyx, grumbled as she jump up onto the bed, pressed her paws onto the soft bed linens, leaving miniature indentations behind, as she walked around in a circle with her bushy tail held high in the air. Once the bedding was completely flattened to the feline’s liking, she lowered herself down and curled into a ball, keeping her gaze onto the couple before her.

Bianca Moore stood before the poster boy and General of the Shinra SOLDIER program and smoothed out the black sleeve of his heavy linen himation. Sephiroth was always the picture of handsome: silvery hair which was now pulled up into a ponytail, cool cyan feline-like eyes, and his broad shoulders and chest.

“What time did Genesis say the costume party started?” Reaching up, she placed the floral wreath she made for him on the center of his head. Wisps of silver mingled with the green leaves, crimson roses, and black iris.

After he placed his left hand on her shoulder, his hands slip down over her shoulder, her arms, and to her hands before he lead her before the vanity table straight across from the foot of their bed. Bianca stared at their reflection within the oval-shaped mirror for a bit before she sat down on the cushioned bench. Her head barely reached his chest: a size difference that Sephiroth noticed, encouraging him to give her the nickname ‘little dove’.

Sitting there, Bianca crossed her slim right leg over her left. The light green woolen fabric was pleated and draped over itself, pinned at the shoulders with a shiny broach featuring a single, black wing, and formed elbow-length sleeves. Beneath her perky breasts, a brown belt stretched across her sternum and looped below her wing’s forelimbs flowing out from a large diamond-shaped hole stretching from the top back of the chiton stretching across from one shoulder blade to the other.

Bianca reached past the diverse bottles of lotions, creams, and perfumes and picked up the boar bristle hair brush with the ivory backing: her favorite brush. Wordlessly, she handed it to Sephiroth.

Sephiroth stood behind the bench and gently lifted her hair from the back and glided the brush through the massive brown locks. Working the brush through her hair with surprising ease for how dense and long her hair was, he was careful and gentle, making sure not to tug on the strands. “The party is in two hours. We have plenty of time, but you know how you are. Taking all the time in the world to get ready.”

“Well, if some guy I know didn’t use all the hot water in the shower.” Her shoulders relaxed, as he separated her hair into three different chunks before leaning over her and picking up the two different white, light yellow, and green ribbons and pinned them to each thick strand of hair with bobby pins. She chuckled. “I still cannot believe you use one bottle of shampoo and conditioner per day. A whole bottle of each.”

A low guttural chuckle rumbled from his chest at her words. As he started to braid, he crossed one thin strand and ivory ribbon over the other before tucking it around the right section. “My hair is longer and thicker than yours. Besides, you always take over our bathroom. I’m sure you don’t need all of them.”

Nyx jumped off the bed, walked over to Bianca, and jumped up on the angel’s lap. She stroked the black fur, running her hand down the feline’s back.

Closing her eyes, she enjoyed the gentle brush of his fingers against her neck: a softness which surprised Bianca as his hands had seen so much bloodshed. There was a certain intimacy having a lover touch her hair.

Angels from her dimension typically only styled their hair for one reason: battling against cosmic threats, such as the entity that Shinra named J.E.N.O.V.A. For Bianca, it was no different. When she was younger and hunted by the cult mercilessly by the Cult that devoted itself to her father, Asmodeus, her father’s allies could use her longer hair styles to capture her by just grabbing the thick locks.

As he crossed another strand, a gentle flutter rose in her belly. His touch always did strange things to her. It always reminded her that while she may not be human that should could still feel emotions and Sephiroth brought a whole range of them: affection, confusion, and, most of all, love.

“Hey, I need the correct soap for every season,” Bianca said. “You don’t want to wash with cucumber melon in the winter and pumpkin spice in the spring.

“Besides, it’ll be time for the cinnamon apple body wash in a few months, and I know how much you like that one.” Bianca scratched between Nyx’s ears, as the cat flicked them back and a low purr vibrated her on Bianca’s lap. “I actually had R&D find a way to make it smell like cobbler this time. I guess it’s perks of being the Silver SOLDIER’s girlfriend. I just say, ‘Sephiroth wants to use this scent this season’. Fancy that. They actually make it. Agnes in R&D is waiting for you to wear her patented pumpkin spice and marshmallow creation. Wait until she smells me wearing it Monday.”

“Using my position for such trivial things? It seems you’re abusing your privileges, you know?”

“Well, I am half-devil.” Her gaze met his through the mirror. He gave an airy laugh before returning his attention to the braid. “Exploitation comes naturally to me. In fact, do you remember how Angeal let you out of training last week? You really thought he was going to let you out early? You really think I didn’t have anything to do with that?”

“Bia, you didn’t.”

“What can I say? That man is partial to those double-fudge brownies I bake. Just slip him a tray or two, and my boyfriend is free for the day date I planned.”

“So, it was all you.” Sephiroth laughed now. The corner of his eyes crinkling in his mirth. “Using your baking skills to tempt my friends. Just to have me all to yourself, huh?”

“It was an even trade. Brownies for my Sephiroth. I just didn’t think that we would spend the entire day in the 3rds’ training room with you actually training. Yet, you still don’t know the depths of what I would go through for you to have a day off. I would give a certain poetic soul we know front row seats to LOVELESS. We go next Tuesday with him.”

“I appreciate the lengths you go to get me a day off, Bia.” Sephiroth shook his head and leaned forward, placing a kiss on the crown of her own head before he went back to his task of braiding her hair. “But I would have hoped you would have traded Genesis something better than LOVELESS. Now, we’re going to have to sit through that damn play as he recites the entire thing.”

“What would you have rather me trade? He’s been eying Noctemaris and mentioning training with it a few times.”

“Absolutely not. Genesis is not going to train with Noctemaris before me.”

“Hm.” Her fingers scritched beneath Nyx’s chin now. The cat stretched out her neck and allowed Bianca to rub the palm of her hand over her throat. “How about I will let you train with Noctemaris, then? I know you have been eyeing it for awhile now.”

Sephiroth’s fingers stopped their braiding for a fraction of a second at her words, but he quickly resume the process. She knew how much he was fascinated with the demonic tachi, as well as Solstice, the angelic great sword that was once a shining beacon held by her mother.

“Training with Noctemaris,” His voice was low and neutral, but she could feel his excitement through their bond. The string looping around their wrists pulsated a deep pink, as he considered her words.

“That would be an interesting experience, but I’m also assuming there will be a condition or exchange of sorts?”

Got you. As the left corner of her mouth lifted, her white fang peeked out from behind her full, bubble-gum-colored lips.

Once again, their gazes met in the mirror. “I wonder what I can hold over you in exchange?”

“Let me guess, you’ve already thought of something. So what do you want in exchange for my training with that infernal-looking tachi?”

“Well, I do abhor doing the dishes.”

“So that’s your proposal?” Sephiroth flashed her an amused grin before he turned his attention back to the task of finishing the braid. “One evening of dishes in exchange for a day of training with Noctemaris?”

“Did I say one day? After all, Noctemaris used to be a celestial weapon. It’s not every day that you can come across something like it, apart from Masamune. I was thinking more like two months. And you need to wear that frilly apron in your birthday suit.”

I’m getting the short end of the stick. His thoughts filtered through their bond. Even as she tried to suppress the sound, several muted staccato shook her shoulders.

“Two months? Really?” He finished braiding it with the last part of her hair and ribbons. Then, he picked up the white flowers that he was going to place to the sides of her hair. “And I have to wear the damn frilly apron? Naked?”

“And I get to watch with my feet up. Most preferably with a glass of red wine in my hand. I think something should be said here about making deals with devils.”

Bianca imagined him standing at the sink as she lazed on the couch with her feet up and a glass of wine in her hand. He was her own version of Hades, knowing he had never refused her anything.

“You do know that devils are known for twisting their deals in their favor, correct?” He attached the bobby pin to one flower and pinned it in place to secure it on the left side of her hair.

“What would you call oogling my man while he does dishes in nothing but an apron? Twisting the deal in my favor, yes? After all, you and I both know how badly you want to use Noctemaris. It’s my most prized possession, so a little quid pro quo, Seph.”

She had him cornered. As much as he wanted to wield Noctemaris, there was always a price that one had to pay. For Sephiroth, that price was being eye-candy for Bianca for two months. She really didn’t think that was too bad of a price.

“You are relentless, Bia.” He let out a soft laugh and finished putting the last flower in her hair.

“Mm.” She picked up Nyx from her lap and sat the cat down on the floor before she stood up. “You knew that when you started to date me.”

Then, she walked to the dresser and picked up her silver clutch with the black beads adorning the entire bag. She also bent to the mini-fridge and retrieve two small bottles of whiskey, shook them before him, and shoved them into the small purse. “A little courage for you to listen to his ramblings of LOVELESS. Since alcohol doesn't affect me, I'll just tune him out. Shall we, my Hades?”

He gave her a wry smile before he offered her his left arm, assuming the role of Hades, the Greek god of the Underworld. “We shall. Let us go and listen to the drunken ramblings of Genesis about LOVELESS, my Persephone.”

FF 7 FWC Taglist: (+ / -) please let me know if you would like to be added or removed from the list. Or, you can simply go to this tag-list.

@prehistoric-creatures @creativechaosqueen @megandaisy9 @serenofroses @themaradwrites

@sliceoflifeshepard @watermeezer

[monstertreden]

「RUFUS'S EXPENSIVE CAKE ORDER 」

-Reader: Written with a female reader in mind -TW: none -Character: Reno (Final Fantasy 7) -Summary: Rufus decided to purchase a unique tower cake to celebrate his successful new board meeting, leaving Reno with the task of safely retrieving it. -Word count : 774 -A/N: This is my first time writing, thus forgive me for some grammatical errors or if I didn’t exactly nail Reno’s character🧍‍♀️I'm open to any feedback! I need to get back on my FF7 old hypetrain

It’s another lazy afternoon at the Turks’ headquarters in Midgar. Everyone else had been dismissed hours ago and, since then, you’ve been texting Elena about the new shop you recently visited. Just now everything seemed so peaceful— oh so peaceful—until Reno bursts through the door, stumbling over his own feet and nearly crashing into the meeting table. His signature red hair is messier than usual... was that sour cream on his goggles..?

 As soon as he stumbled, he quickly recomposed himself and adjusted the stray strands of hair that had fallen in front of his face, trying to look cool despite his grand entrance. "Alright-, listen- up pretty! We... got abitofasituationonourhands." He catches his breath and sits up beside you on the comfortable leather sofa, his arm draped over the backrest as he crosses his legs.

The gears in your head take a moment to process his words, then it hits you. You glance at him “Reno… shouldn’t you be working, instead of—whatever this is?” You gesture to his dishevelled appearance, plucking a strawberry from his hair. “Did you crash a wedding?”

“Pssh, nahh, plus I’m always workin’, no time for weddings...Heyy, listenn, hear me out, 'cause this is extremely serious” He leans in closer, a very exaggerated, overly dramatic, stare painted on his face, hands inching closer to the sides of your head, before impulsively shaking it.

“It’s the cake!”

“The hell are you talking about-“

"-A cake emergency!” Reno cuts you off “Rufus ordered this, like, super deluxe, tower cake from that fancy bakery in Sector 1, right? It’s that kind of cake that costs more than our week's pay combined! But here’s the thing—Tseng’s definitely gonna kill me if I bring this to him."

"Wait, you’re delivering cakes now? Did Tseng promote you to be Rufus’s personal Uber driver?"

“It’s not ‘delivering,’ alright? It’s more like escorting— see, it’s a top-priority mission.”

He says it with an air of importance, puffing out his chest, but then quickly deflates as he realizes the state of the cake box he put on the table, the bakery label on it is so faded it’s unreadable.

"But I... kinda...smashed it..."

Reno sulks, holding the slightly crumpled cake box like it’s a priceless treasure, while you burst into laughter.

“You’re kidding, right? Ohhh, he’s going to be soooo mad.”

“Look, it’s still edible!” He taps the wrinkled package “It’s just, you know... restructured.”

He opens the box, revealing the once-perfect cake in a state of complete chaos. Macarons and strawberries are scattered everywhere, and the longer you stare at it, the more it resembles an abstract art piece than a cake.

"Yeah, good luck explaining that to Tseng—let alone Rufus.”

Reno, completely unfazed, grins at you as if he has a brilliant plan.

“That’s where you come in! You’re good at talking to people, aren't you? My favorite schemer! You just gotta, you know, help me spin this whole thing. Maybe we can blame Rude or something. He won’t mind. We could smash the cake on his bald head..."

He says it with a casual wave of his hand, as if throwing his partner under the bus is no big deal.

“Yeahh, no thanks. This one’s all yours, buddy. Have fun with that. I’m not taking the blame for your mess if we get caught.”

The redhead groans and slumps back on the sofa. "Man, I was hoping you’d go along with me. How can you not agree to this?”

Just then, your phone buzzes. Expecting another text from Elena, you glance down, only to see a message from Rude pop up instead:

Rude: "That idiot dropped the cake, didn’t he? Rufus is getting impatient with each passing minute"

"Rude’s onto you."

"Of course he is..."

With a sigh and a big cat stretch, Reno stands up, grabbing the cake box with a determined look, despite its sorry state.

"Alright, alright, I’ll fix this. Maybe if I just... slap it back together? Yeah, yeah, that’ll do. Thanks for the pep talk. You can keep whatever fell out of my hair! …Maybee give me a call if I don’t make it back in, let’s say... 40 minutes, m’kay?"

And with that, Reno rushes out of Tusk's headquarters, shouting back as the cake box nearly slips from his hands. “But if this works, you owe me a nice, expensive dinner!”.

.

.

.

.

His plan was bound to fail, regardless of what he attempted.

[cloudluvrrr]

Would u guys be interested in my like drabbles/ oneshots for cloud? Not like x reader but like stuff ab his psychology, and his relationships w others. I post ab it on ao3 idk if it’ll be popular here tho ty ^^

Also if u have any ff7/15 requests feel free to share too ^o^

[rune-writes]

Blissful Serenity

Fandom: Final Fantasy VII

Word count: 1189

Rating: G

Pairing: Cloud Strife/Tifa Lockhart

Summary: Cloud returns to Tifa's bar and finds her asleep on the table.

Notes: written for @clotiweek 2024 Day 5: Gentle.

Read on AO3.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Tifa sat, propped on a stool with her head on the bar counter and her arms folded beneath it as cushion, so when Cloud entered the store and the bell jingled, he reached up with his hand to still it. It was only half past ten. While there were still people up and about, the street outside was mostly empty. The lights at the storefront were still on, but the sign had been flipped to ‘CLOSED’. Judging from the kitchen towel loosely held in Tifa’s fingers, she had probably been in the middle of cleaning the counter when she fell asleep. He wished she had locked the store up. He could have used the back door. 

Quietly, Cloud shut the door, gently avoiding the bell so as not to make a sudden noise that would jerk her awake. It still let out a faint tinkle, but nothing more than that. 

Cloud weaved around the cluster of tables and chairs then, once he arrived at the bar counter, placed the grocery bag on the table surface. He looked at her sleeping posture. Tranquil; her shoulders rose and fell in steady rhythms. 

Cloud pulled a chair from under the counter and sat. Then he set his elbow on the table and propped his face on his fist. Then he folded his arm and rested his face side-ways, looking at her. 

The light cast shadows on her face. With each breath she took and every one she exhaled, her long ebony bangs fluttered. He reached up and stroked her hair, attempting to move the stray strands out of the way, but his fingers caught on her forehead, and she stirred. 

Cloud froze as Tifa groaned. She shifted her head in her sleep, her lips smacking quietly in the silence. With bated breath, he watched—waited—until Tifa nestled into the crook of her arms again and her breathing grew steady once more. A half-sigh, half-chuckle escaped Cloud’s mouth. He cocked his head and peered into her face. When he was certain the deep lull of slumber had pulled her under, he carefully slipped his fingers beneath her bangs and moved them out of the way. 

She was beautiful. The thought came unbidden but familiar now. He’d lost count how much it had jumped at him every time he beheld the full view of her profile. It settled in his mind and inside his heart, a puzzle piece finding its snug fit within the chaos of himself. But that night, something felt different. 

Cloud’s eyes traced the lines of her jaw to the smooth contours of her cheek, up the curve of her brows and back to her slightly parted lips. She looked so… serene, so unguarded. On his last visit, Barret had mentioned how Tifa looked different. Cloud hadn’t noticed it but Barret had said how she’d gotten a lot more relaxed.

“Seems the store’s doing you good,” he’d said with a nod. 

She’d smiled, sweet and small, and Cloud hadn’t thought much about it then, but seeing her like this now, he couldn’t help wondering if perhaps Barret was right. If anything, her countenance was devoid of the quiet agitation he would sometimes spot when she thought no one was looking. Her face looked softer now, her posture a tad more peaceful with herself. She had even left the store unlocked while she slept at the bar. Cloud knew she could defend herself should any unsavory people find their way inside, but the thought that she had to defend herself made his blood boil. 

She shouldn’t. She’d gone through so much. From Nibelheim to Midgar and now here, at the edge of what had been the capital of the world’s leading nation, finally finding the place where she could finally be. 

Cloud’s fingers hovered over her face for a split moment before his knuckles touched her pale porcelain skin. Then he paused, waiting for her reaction. She didn’t stir, so, with feather-light strokes, he caressed her cheek. 

She was so soft; so strong; and yet so fragile. 

What had he ever done to deserve her? 

Tifa groaned again, but this time Cloud didn’t still his hand. He watched her eyelids flutter open. Her ruby gaze glazed over before locking sleepily on him. “Cloud?” Her sleep-laden voice murmured. Cloud had to fight off the smile creeping into his face. 

“Good evening, sleepy head. Sorry I’m late.” 

Her own smile bloomed across her features. She closed her eyes again, and he could see that she was savoring the gentle, soothing touch his fingers brought.

“Hey,” he said. “Come on, let’s not sleep out here.”

Tifa responded by reaching up with her hand and slipping her fingers in-between his. She let their intertwined hands drop onto the table counter. “I’m tired,” she mumbled. “Five more minutes.” 

“We still need to clean up and close the shop, put the groceries away.” Her responding moan drew a chuckle out of him. “You’ll catch a cold.”

“No, I won’t.”

He scoffed, light-hearted in manners. Tifa wasn’t sleeping—at least, not yet. Her brows were knitted in a way that told him she was pretending to be asleep. And if not that, then the curve of her lips gave her away. 

Cloud pushed himself off the table then began stroking her head. She seemed to relax even more. 

“Had a long day?” he asked. 

She nodded. “Busy. Customers wouldn’t stop coming.”

“I guess that new pizza recipe really took off.”

Tifa chuckled under her breath. “It was sold out halfway through our rush hour.”

“No wonder you asked me to get more of the stuff. Yuffie made a good marketing manager, huh?” 

At that, Tifa laughed. She finally raised her head and met Cloud’s mirthful gaze across the counter. Sleeping on the side of her face for the past half hour or so had made some strands of her raven hair stick to her cheek and some to her lips. Cloud pried those strands away, then he straightened her bedhead and patted the side of her head for one good measure. As his hand lingered on her face, Tifa leaned into his touch. 

No word could ever properly explain the swelling in Cloud’s heart every time he witnessed her peaceful expression—as though it seemed to say that all was right again in the world. They still had ups and downs and some days could’ve been better, but those mundane trivialities seemed trifling at the face of all they had had endured. God knew how much she had done for him and sacrificed for him and part of him wondered how he could ever pay her back. Perhaps, one day, he could learn how to console her the way she had always consoled him. But until such time came, he would do what he could to make sure her smile never lost its luster. 

He brought her hand to his lips and planted a soft kiss on the back of her hand. A touch of pink colored Tifa’s cheeks, but her eyes crinkled in delight. 

“Come on,” Cloud said. “Let’s close up for the night so we can rest.”

Tifa nodded. “Sure.” 

~ END ~

[tifa-simp]

The day the English localization team can translate FF7 with some respect for the source material is the day I know peace. JP dub and Eng dub Rebirth are 2 different game fr. How can we still have mistranslation this bad in the hellish year of 2024????

[tonberry-yoda]

Hi , tonnberry may i ' ve request for final fantasy 😄 for Claude and Noctis with they married female s/o until they had children. I wonder how the two of them became a father to their children like what kind of activities?whether they can spare their time?, and how will they cope when their teenage son acts like a Brat ?

That's all from me , anyway i'm really like your blog don't forget to tag me in your update please!!!🥹🌹😩

Thank you so much for this , love your dear 😘

Cloud and Noctis as Fathers (f!reader)

notes - AHHH HI! Sorry this took so long, I've just been swamped with a ton of stuff, but I cleared out a bunch of requests and am more than happy to do this one for you! It's funny that I don't get a lot of requests even though my name is literally Tonberry lolol. Thanks for much for the request my dear! I hope you enjoy and have an amazing day <3 tag list - @cerezzzita (I remember you being interested in this one love <3), @kawaistrawberry21

CLOUD

he wasn't expecting to be a father when he was young

like being a father was the last thing on his mind

but after everything chaotic in his life, he finally decided to settle down and found the perfect partner, you!

only then was he fully prepared to become a father

you talked about it a lot and told Cloud that he would be a wonderful father

he thought you would be a wonderful mother, so after a while, you found that you were going to have a child! (or if you prefer to adopt, that would be super cute for the two of you)

at first, raising a child was very difficult

it didn't matter that Cloud had nearly fought god in his lifetime, raising a child had to be one of the most challenging things he ever faced

this also made him a little self concious

he was helping, but saw you doing a lot of the work

^ he would always step in though to help, no hesitation

his favorite thing was teaching his child how to grow into a lovely human

lots of playing and just being a kid, which neither you nor Cloud really had, so it meant a lot to be having that with a child of your own

lots of family adventures and traveling

for the first time in a long time, a smile hasn't left Cloud's face <3

NOCTIS

he would be TERRIFIED

he would be prepped, but terrified

you two talked about having a child, but even after talks, it was still scary

and you were a more natural mother, ready to help the child at any cost and already knew what to do

he just felt like some idiot in the back watching you

lets just say he spoiled you a little more than the baby because he felt bad for everything you had to do

he would still be a fun dad though

and the baby would have all their uncle chocobros to hang around

ignis teaches Noctis how to make food for the baby and through trial and error, he actually makes some pretty damn good food for the lil thing!

but having friends around makes raising the baby more fun, especially because you can trust them when you're too tired some days

Noctis though would love napping with the baby

^ you would walk into the kitchen to tell him that dinner's ready and find him napping with the baby on his chest and you definitely tear up and take TONS of pictures

he would be ecstatic, but he was more of a scared dad at first lol

he knew a baby would come eventually with him being king and all later, but he didn't know it would be such a hard thing

he's just thankful to you and his friends for being patient and helping out <3

~~~~~

final fantasy masterlist | pinned post | ko-fi

2023 @tonberry-yoda – do not repost or claim ANY of my work as your own! likes, reblogs, and comments are not only welcome, but appreciated

~~~~~

[larkawolfgirl]

Distant Scent of Flowers (Clerifa)

Rating: General Audiences Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: F/F, F/M, Multi Fandoms: Compilation of Final Fantasy VIIFinal Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997) Relationships: Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife, Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife Characters: Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart Additional Tags: Grief/Mourning, Developing Relationship, Feelings Realization, Canonical Character Death

Summary: Cloud and Tifa bond through grief, confessions, and a promise.

Read on ao3

The river continued playing its happy murmuring song despite the sorrow flowing from its banks. A silent Cloud and Tifa sat on the bank with their shoulders almost touching gazing out at the wildflowers dancing in the breeze across the water. The blossoms, vibrant against the green landscape, seemed a world away—just as Aerith was.

Cloud watched Tifa’s fingers trace a pattern in the dirt. Without a word, he reached out, covering her hand with his own, attempting to offer her any semblance of comfort he could. Their fingers laced together, a silent pact of support through their shared grief.

As the light began to fade, turning the open sky purple, the pair remained still, anchored in place by the weight of their loss. Cloud could feel the tension in Tifa’s grip, her strength mingling with his own, and in that touch, an unspoken understanding passed between them. They were fighters, but in this quiet moment, they allowed themselves to be vulnerable.

His eyes met Tifa’s, seeing his torment reflected.

Cloud wouldn’t have dared allow himself to falter if it was anyone else—save Aerith herself—but this was Tifa. Cloud rarely felt secure enough to let down his hardened persona, but ever since their reunion, Tifa had assured him in not so many words that she was a safe space. Besides, she had already seen him cry—they all had—his feelings having ripped him open from the inside out.

But Tifa also cried. As did the others, but that wasn’t important.

The cool breeze carried the scent of flowers and it recalled an image of Aerith tending to her flower garden back in Midgar. She had been so happy, so carefree, so beautiful. He could clearly see her smile which would never again light up the dark places in his heart. His heart ached knowing that one day he might forget how she looked, let alone how she smiled.

“Remember how she would always talk to flowers as if they might talk back?” he asked, hoping Tifa’s voice would soothe the tightness in his chest.

The fighter nodded, her lips curving in response as the memory surfaced. “I asked her once and she said they were alive, so they deserved the same common courtesy as anyone else.” Tifa let out the ghost of a laugh. “Not sure if courtesy and asking how their day’s been are the same thing, though.”

Cloud’s gaze returned to the flowers dancing in the breeze. The way they moved; it almost did look like they had sentience. “Maybe she had a point. She would know better than any of us.”

Tifa hummed, and when Cloud looked at her again, her expression had softened. “Yes, she was... extraordinary. Sure, she was an Ancient, but she was special just because of who she was.”

“Yeah. She never cared what anyone else thought.” A far cry from himself. She had shown him what freedom looked like.

“She was brave.”

Cloud squeezed her hand. “So are you.”

Tifa shook her head. “I’m strong, but she was never afraid to do what needed to be done. Not when she infiltrated the Don’s mansion or sacrificed herself for Marlene or even now.” She paused, swallowing a fresh wave of grief. “Remember the first time it rained after we left Midgar?”

Of course, he remembered. How could he forget? The way Aerith had shrieked in surprise at the first raindrop. Even though she claimed to hate the sky, she grinned when she saw it covered in misty clouds. Rain had soaked through her dress, leaving her cold and drenched, even so, she grinned and spread her arms wide to catch as many droplets as she could. She had twirled around, creating her own version of a rain dance, laughter spilling from her throat.

“I’ve never seen her look so alive.”

“Me neither.,” Tifa said. “I wish I could be like her. She lived life to the fullest, always knowing that it might be her last day of freedom, and she was willing to give it up for the sake of others, even people she never met.” The martial artist paused, rubbing her fingers over a strand of grass. “She was…a hero.”

There was a moment of silence as if the air itself held its breath for her next words. “She was more than that for me, though.”

Cloud studied her, sensing a shift in her tone.

Her hands fell into her lap, and she drew a deep breath, steadying herself. Her voice could barely be heard over the murmur of the river. “I didn’t just admire her,” she confessed. “She was more than a friend. I didn’t understand, but now...”

Cloud’s body froze, unsure how to respond. His brow furrowed as a battlefield of emotions played out—empathy, remorse, loyalty, loss, affection—all clamoring for recognition. He had always been the sword, the protector. That role was straightforward. Figuring out what role to play now was obscure.

The stillness of the riverbank seemed to absorb her words, leaving a silence so profound that even the rustling wildflowers hushed their whispers. The unfinished revelation hung between them, a delicate truth that needed to be handled with care.

“Cloud?” The sound of Tifa’s fragile voice sliced through his introspection.

Slowly, he took her hand again, this time with a soft, loose grip. “I understand,” he said. “I think, maybe, she was the same for me.”

Tifa leaned closer and tilted her head. “Maybe?”

Cloud turned back to the wildflowers, suddenly feeling too shy to see her immediate reaction. “I wasn’t sure either. Because…of you.”

Then she was there in front of him. She was close, so close he could feel the warmth of her breath. “And now? Have you figured out your feelings?” Her hand trembled slightly within his grasp, but she did not pull away. The question hung in the air, as delicate as flower petals.

Cloud felt the weight of her gaze, heavy with hope and fear. He could see the subtle tremble of her lips, the vulnerability she rarely showed. It was more than a question; it was a plea for understanding, for solidarity.

He knew what he felt for Tifa was real, just as real as the pain and affection they both harbored for Aerith. But putting that mixture of sentiment into words was the greatest foe he had faced. Time seemed to slow as Cloud’s pause stretched into eternity. His eyes, clouded by the emotions warring in his chest, searched Tifa’s face for guidance. His chest twisted tighter with each passing second, and in the silence that followed her question, his gaze lingered on the soft worry lines that framed her eyes—eyes that had seen too much pain yet still held a glimmer of hope.

“Before,” Cloud started, his voice barely audible, “everything was... unclear.” He shook his head as though to clear away the fog of uncertainties hanging over him. His eyes anchored themselves to Tifa’s, finding a steadfast trust in their depths. Almost involuntarily, he lifted their entwined hands, almost touching her cheek before catching himself.  “I still don’t have everything figured out, but I know what I feel for you, Tifa. Losing Aerith... it’s sharpened everything, made me see what’s been in front of me all along.” Although soft, Cloud’s voice carried the weight of newfound clarity.

Tifa’s breath caught, her eyes, wide and shimmering with a hopeful sheen, never left his face, seeking out the words yet unspoken.

Turning toward her fully, Cloud allowed a rare, gentle smile. It softened the hard lines battle had etched into his youthful face. “Losing Aerith without ever fully expressing my feelings... it tore something inside of me.” His blue eyes darkened with regret. “Losing her made me realize life is too short to question yourself. I don’t want to lose you the way I did her, especially without having told you the truth.”

A slow exhale escaped her lips. “Which is?”

He chose his words carefully. “That you mean more to me than a friend.”

She returned his gentle smile. “So do you. You both did.”

His voice lowered again, this time with sincerity rather than doubt. “Having feelings for Aerith doesn’t change the feelings we have for each other. I understand that now.”

“I always knew how I felt about you,” she began hesitantly. “But with Aerith... it was different. I only realized what she meant to me now that she’s gone.” Her voice trailed off. “But you seemed to understand you had feelings for both of us for some time now.”

Cloud’s free hand clenched at his side. “I suppose I did. But no matter how much I tried to I couldn’t choose between you two.”

Tifa’s brow furrowed with the unspoken truth that he couldn’t choose now. Her voice was comforting when she replied, “What matters is that we’ve shared something special with Aerith and we still have each other. We don’t have to measure our feelings. Aerith brought out the best in us. We’ll carry her with us, together.”

Cloud felt his barriers melt beneath her profound words.

Tifa moved closer, resting her head against his shoulder. The weight of her grounded him in the present moment. It hurt, but their love would move them forward.

A breeze swept through with the scent of Aerith’s favorite flowers—ones absent from the riverbank. It was as if the lifestream, or Aerith herself, was assuring them of her eternal presence. She would never truly be gone. She would live on within the lifestream, within the beauty of the world she had loved, and within the hearts of those who cherished her memory.

Cloud’s arms wrapped around Tifa, drawing her into an embrace. She held him back with a firm grasp. The warmth of their bodies served as a reminder of the life they still held.

“Let’s promise,” Tifa’s voice was a whisper, yet it carried conviction, “to honor her memory in everything we do. To strive to live our lives with the same courage she did.”

Cloud felt the vibration of her words through his chest, sparking a flame within the void left by grief. “And we’ll protect each other with all of our strength,” he agreed.

As their promise was made, the river flowed ceaselessly beside them, a symbol of time’s relentless march. Yet as Cloud and Tifa sat there, locked in their embrace, they found a sense of permanence. As long as they had each other, they would love, they would endure, and they would remember.

[quartzalynlove]

Orbit

Pairing: Cloud Strife x Black! Fem! Y/N

Summary: you've returned from a solo mission in Wall Market, but Cloud seems to be acting different

Warnings: none

You were back from your job on Wall Market, and as you ran jovially towards Seventh Heaven, the Mako affected eyes tracking you seemed...different.

Late into the night, almost early morning, the only ones in the bar were you, Tifa, and Cloud. Tifa was cleaning up, erasing each memory of the night's turnout from the wood tables. Drinking by himself, Cloud sat alone at the bar until you decided to keep him company.

"Good to have you back." He said, turning his head to you for only a moment before returning to his empty downward gaze at the bar.

You finally saw it. Cloud's eyes were softer, more relaxed. He had calmed down a bit since joining Avalanche, finally losing some of the rough exterior formed by the war, but it was still rare to see him with that much of his guard lowered. Although, it was pretty adorable.

"Good to be back," you smiled. "Everything been alright around here?"

Cloud shrugged. "About the same. What about you? You didn't run into any trouble, right?"

You found yourself almost laughing at Cloud's concern. He knew more than anyone that you were capable of taking care of yourself; even so, that kind of worry was uncharacteristic for him.

"And if I did? I'm a big girl, Cloud." You let out a light chuckle.

Cloud turned away again and his gaze returned to its usual hardened state.

"Right, just—"

Leaning towards him, you searched for Cloud's face. "Hm?"

"Forget it."

As if I light bulb turned on in your head, one of your eyebrows cocked curiously as you continued to find Cloud's face.

"Cloud," you paused. "Were you worried about me?"

Cloud glanced over to find your lips in a small smirk, and it racked his brain as if his head was slammed into a wall. Although it went mostly unspoken, Cloud valued his friends and family that became Avalanche. However, you always felt different. He found a light in your presence, as warm as it was bright, that seemed absent from the others. That absence didn't make him like the team any less, but they never quite made Cloud feel the way you did.

He was oblivious at first, or at least convinced himself he was. It wasn't your dimples, tiny craters in the soft skin of your warm, sunset face, that made him realize. It wasn't your moonstone eyes that glowed with joy and ambition or even your laugh that felt like a swarm of butterflies dancing in strawberry soda inside of his stomach.

It took that split second from a week ago when Aerith, Tifa, and Jessie presented your disguise to the team for Cloud to realize that there was nothing rational about how you made him feel. He nearly fainted when he saw you, the young rich heiress from the topside looking to moonlight in the debaucherous capital of the slums. Goddess braids flowed down the emerald satin that clung to each starlit curve for dear life. All complete with glossed crimson lips and doe eyed lashes.

Pure electricity struck Cloud in that moment, silencing his heart for a single beat so each of his senses were focused on only you. Since the day you left, he couldn't will that moment to stop replaying in his head. Truthfully, he didn't want it to.

Now that you were back, Cloud wasn't sure how to go one. Every nerve seemed to be flowing with electricity when you were around. The soft warm feeling he used to feel around you now tore him apart at the seams.

But these thoughts and feelings remained in his heart, as suffocating and neglectful of a home that it was. Cloud knew that if he allowed them to run lose, that if he no long held the reins but was forced to chase after his heart, every support beam and foundation of that house would crumble instantly. He'd be left without a dwelling place to hide

Cloud looked at you. The curled ends of your braids sweeping gently over your shoulder, your soft lips he often swore were made of honey, and your dark eyes that held a world of their own. A world he viewed from orbit, but so desperately wished to crash down on.

"And if I was?" His voice was quieter as he slightly mocked you.

"You're adorable." You smiled softly before body was taken over by an exhausted yawn.

"Guess I should turn in."

You got up from your seat at the bar but stopped before leaving the building. Cloud was watching and saw as you turned around with an innocent smile and your hands folded in front of you.

"It's still pretty dark out, and the undercity's a dangerous place for a girl like me. I might need a big, strong merc to protect me."

It was vile how your light, angelic smile could switch into something more sinister—no...knowing— in an instant. Cloud wondered. Was it possible?

He folded is arms and darted his eyes from you. "You want an apology?"

"I'm joking, Cloud," You cooed with a bubbly laughter as you started back towards him.

You took his hand, grabbing his attention once again.

"But, seriously, walk with me. I've been all by myself for a week."

Cloud sighed before rising from his seat.

"Fine."

He walked ahead of you, but you quickly caught up, beaming a giddy smile.

You missed the still nights of the Sector 7 slums. Although you had fun engaging in the eccentricities of Wall Market, Sector 7 was calm. It was hopeful. You could feel people sleeping with a sad joy that would linger into the morning hours. And no matter the threats Shinra would throw at the slums, Sector 7 was the community that wouldn't remain wavered for long.

The simulated heavens from underneath the topside had directed each incandescent light to shine perfectly on the features of your face. Your warm tones paired with the cool of the night turned your skin into bronze. As your hair bounced softly at your back with each step, Cloud began to wonder if there was more than only one living Ancient on the planet. You were only a soft flame, a pale yellow slight blaze. But, unfortunately, you decided to burn gently beside the weak and soft wax, burrowing through it with your light flicker.

Cloud was quiet, which wasn't uncommon, but it was more quiet than usual. You could feel heavy rumination at your side, and it felt silent, unspoken yet profound.

You had always noticed the way Cloud acted around you, even when he himself didn't. Lingering, awestruck gazes into your eyes, hesitant hands drawing back after an impulsive reach in times of comfort, glances and each of your little quirks, frightened he'd miss a moment from the beautiful cinema that you. He was more worried about you too, and you knew by now that worry was Cloud's main form of caring.

The walk was nearly over, but before you walked up to your front door, you turned to Cloud, who hadn't spoken a word since leaving the bar.

"You alright? You're real quiet today."

Cloud paused for a moment before answering rather coldly. "I'm fine."

Your face hardened, you knew Cloud was lying to you. Now in front of your door, you turned around to face Cloud who instantly turned his head away, staring off to his left with an intense gaze.

"Cloud?" You waited for a response, receiving none.

With a slightly sad smile, you took Cloud's hand. He finally looked back at you, his gaze softened.

"Thanks for walking with me."

All words seemed to perish in Cloud's throat as you stood there smiling sincerely at him. He could only manage few softened words in your presence.

"Of...of course."

He watched as you seemed to hesitate, gently playing with his hand in yours while your eyes took an interest in the ground.

"You know that restaurant I like on the topside," you slowly focused back up to him. "We should go sometime. Just you and me."

Cloud could feel it, the world within you drawing him in with its ethereal sunset rays. But he also felt vines anointed with fresh dew infiltrate the house he had locked his heart inside, threatening to crumble each wall with a swift motion. He wasn't oblivious to what you were suggesting, but his answer came from a place of fear.

"I don't follow."

Immediately, your planet withdrew, and Cloud was once again only a meteor in orbit. Although it felt safe, he never realized how cold and somber it was alone in the cosmos.

Your fingers tensed over his palm, feeling like you had just made a fool of yourself.

"Cloud, I'm asking if you'll go out with me."

His heart thumped against all four corners of its prison as the nature from your world began to reclaim it. There was hardly a fight. He didn't want to fight it, and he couldn't if he tried. Cloud went into free fall, no longer content with admiring you when you were only a distance away. There was a sparkle in his eye as he answered you again.

"Yes."

Your smile, now a mile wide, was like the sun; you jumped to the balls of your feet with a light giggle that sent butterflies kissing each inch of Cloud's face.

"Then it's a date."

You turned to unlock your door and wondered if the new blaze in your cheeks would ever calm. Before you put in the key, however, you whipped back around to Cloud once more.

He was turned to the side, likely about to walk off. While he was still you moved closer and planted a soft, sweet kiss on his cheek. The shade of your lip gloss practically blended with the color his face became; his eyes widened like a vast crystal ocean beyond soft pink sands.

"Goodnight, Cloud." You parted with him.

There was silence for a moment. You didn't see, since you had turned again, but Cloud inspected the coat of gloss you left on his face. As it glistened on his fingertips, he felt his face grow even hotter

"Goodnight, Y/N."

You found Cloud walking off with a hand over his face and your smile lingered as you shut the door to your home.

[pilichainartandmemes]

FFVII fic - What Howls Inside Your Head

The way out of that basement of horrors is just a stupid poorly light corridor. It’s easy: Zack only has to prove he still trusts Sephiroth and not turn back. A Doubt Comes In, Hadestown songfic.

I had brainworms listening to Hadestown and somehow only waited a year to write it. Enjoy!

Crossposted on ao3

No warnings except it's Hurt no Comfort.

“So what’s the first thing you’re gonna do when we’re back in Midgar? Me? I’m thinking takeout! Cissnei handed me recs as a thank you for being ‘a delight to shadow’. Probably not a good thing but hey I’ll take the nice food. Oh by the way! There’s this kid in infantry, he hasn’t had great luck with the SOLDIER exam and I was wondering… well if you could give me a tip or two?”

Only the walls and echoes of footsteps answer Zack. That’s completely fine! What kind of friend would he be if he couldn’t handle Seph being out of sight? It’s that stupid basement, that stupid library and that stupid lab rattling his nerves. Once they’re outside, he’ll be able to focus. Then the only thing they’ll have to worry about will be-

SOLDIER is like a den of monsters. Don't go inside.

Shinra. It was bad when they left but now… with what they learnt… Still he couldn’t just leave Kunzel or Aerith like that. Could he convince Sephiroth to stay? …Yeah, right. Zack’s attempts with Genesis and Angeal had worked so well after all. No. Seph wouldn’t stay only for one guy. Not for Zack.

Would he just leave alone then? Sure, he mentioned it on the way to Nibelheim… then what? Maybe the demon of Wutai would be fine living on the run but for how long? He used to see Shinra’s Firsts as pinnacles of strength, all of them. One impaled himself on Zack’s sword, another is dying and set on taking as many as he can with him, the last is this close to flying the coop.

Deep breaths. Deep breaths… The buster sword is a familiar burden on his back. There may be no meaning in fighting for Shinra. Still Zack can fight for his friends, including those he can yet save. He can do this. He has to. No one else has got as close of a shot.

“All that ancient stuff flew over my head, you know? But Guess what! I know a girl down in the slums who is ALSO a Cetra. Maybe you two could bond over the planet and talk about your moms.”

In retrospect spilling that secret of hers wasn’t the smartest thing. Tseng and Aerith will rightfully scold him if, no when they go back, but it’s FINE! Sephiroth wouldn’t do anything harsh, would he?

What about Jenova? Didn’t Hojo say she was not an ancient but a calamity from the sky? After being trapped by Shinra for so long, would that monster give up so readily on Sephiroth? No and neither would Zack put in the same spot.

… He is out of ideas. Still there has to be something, anything! Maybe the hippies at Cosmo Canyon could help out. He’ll take the guy snoring in the coffin at this point. Well he would if he wasn’t afraid of more skeletons from Shinra’s closet falling onto the two of them. And in the middle of that storm a thought stops Zack dead in his tracks: he can’t hear any footsteps.

No, no, no. Sephiroth can’t have just left without him noticing! All of these enhancements, all that training, all that fighting and he can’t even keep an ear out for a friend. Where is the silver lining that kept him going despite Shinra’s bullshit? Where is Sephiroth?

He can’t breathe. He can’t see the end of this tunnel. He can’t hear anything but his own stupid thoughts and his heart hammering in his chest. Fuck it. He has to make sure his friend is here. He has to-

 “No matter what you cannot let your companions see your doubts.” A memory of a lesson with Sephiroth rises above his dread, a glimpse of a far off star in cloudy skies. “They are counting on you to keep calm even as death takes their friends. As long as their leader stands, the formation will hold. You stick the course and do not look-“

Zack turns around.

“Seph, I-“ But he doesn’t get to finish as Sephiroth’s icy glare shoots down any further excuses. Without another word the general heads back towards the library. The last thing Zack hears is that damned door slamming shut once and for all.

[sapphic-sasquatch]

Final Fantasy 7 masterlist

Nothing yet!

[bardic-tales]

Title: Let Me In

Pairing: Bianca (f!oc) / Sephiroth

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 340

Fandom: Final Fantasy 7

Warnings: Trauma, death of a parent, betrayal, cult, abusive family, manipulation, violence, mention of death, emotional distress, abandonment, language

Summary: Bianca opens up to Sephiroth about her painful past, revealing the betrayal that shattered her trust and innocence, as Sephiroth reassures her that she no longer has to carry the weight alone.

Created for: @prehistoric-creatures

"You're supposed to be my partner, Bia. You're supposed to rely on me. You're supposed to let me take care of you. But you always insist on doing everything yourself."

"I don't know how, Sephiroth. For my entire life as a child, I have lived in fear for the day I return to my father. From 10 to 18, I was on the run from the cult that was devoted to Asmodeus. They killed my surrogate mother, Sarah. My stepfather, David, moved us around every six months and that is where I met her: Krista. In Anchorage, Alaska. When I was 16. Not like you know the place I’m speaking of, but Krista was my first crush.

“Krista was cool, funny, and pretty.” She slide her left hand over her right, as she held her breath in. “She was my first crush. And in the end, she tried to hand me over to the woman who lead the cult, Asmodeus' lover, so that bitch who killed Sarah could kill me too and send my soul to the Abyssal Plane and to my biological father. To be a pawn in his machinations. It was either my life or Krista's. I choose to live.

"And that is when I learned that the only one I can depend on is myself.” The leather of her gloves squeaked as she tightened her left hand over her right hand's fingers. “That was the day my innocence truly died. It has nothing to do with you, but everything to do with me."

Listening quietly, Sephiroth reached over and took her hand into his. He gently eased her fingers apart and intertwined them with his own: something he always did to ground her to that world and to him. Then, he spoke with his soft, baritone voice he often used when trying to soothe her own demons.

“My little dove, that’s not true anymore.” Sephiroth squeezed her hand. “You have me now. You don’t have to rely only on yourself, anymore. You’re not alone. You have me.”

[sephinova]

Rating: Mature

Archive Warning: Major Character Death

Fandoms: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)

Words: 458

Characters: Sephiroth

Additional Tags: Sephiroth Clones (Compilation of FFVII), Horror, Body Horror, Transformation, Blood and Gore, Vomiting, Sephiroth (Compilation of FFVII) Being An Asshole, Sephiroth Appreciation Week 2023, Not Beta Read

Language: English

Summary: My entry for Sephiroth Week 2023. Day 4: Free Day.

Mother's powers are a marvel to behold.

[cloudluvrrr]

Faint memories.

He often thought about the Cetra, if she was happy in the livestream. Reunited with Zack once in for all .

He never knew how he felt about aerith, her final words to him at the church didn’t help either.

She always spoke about him, how his eyes, his position in solider, everything pointed at something he couldn’t remember. How him and Zack were friends and he took what little Zack had left.

His love and memories of Aerith.

—

He continues to stare aimlessly around the church, his eyes following the details, as his thoughts continue to consume his reality.

“And I’m trying so hard to find you”

Her soft voice rung in his head as he often replayed those words.

He remembered those words, at that point he didn’t even know who she was trying to find in him. Whatever crumbs were left of Zack? Or cloud, the former infantry man who was never who he said he was?

“Damn it” he uttered staring at the ceiling, looking up at the wooden beams him and aerith once walked through. His insecurities and doubts were showing again.

He always thought about aerith, thinking of any and every possibility of what he could’ve done to save her from the hands of fate.

Yet all came to the same conclusion,

Masamune through her heart. Piercing it as if his own. When he realized the reality of what happened.

Aerith is always meant to be with Zack and die at the hands of Sephiroth, only living in clouds faint memories, and the flowers she’d left.

No matter the reality or universe she will always die.

It shattered him, but she was happy with Zack in the lifestream.

They could finally be together, and here he was suffering as he stared at the Lillie’s in her church.

Waiting silently, for his end.

So he can see her one last time

—

:P repost from ao3

[rune-writes]

Irreplaceable Memories

Fandom: Final Fantasy VII

Word Count: 1012

Rating: Gen

Pairing: Zack Fair/Aerith Gainsborough, Aerith Gainsborough & Tifa Lockhart

Summary: Having left Kalm, the party set up camp in the fields where, upon Tifa's prompting, Aerith reminisces about the person who gave her the pink ribbon.

Notes: written for @zerith-week 2024 Day 2: Irreplaceable Memories

Read on AO3.

~*~*~*~*~

“Who was he?” Tifa asked as she settled down next to Aerith. “The man who gave you your ribbon.” 

Aerith stared, dumbfounded. 

“Ah, sorry, I overheard your conversation with that stall owner in Kalm,” Tifa hastily added. She bobbed her head in contrite as Aerith recalled the woman—middle-aged and wearing a plain brown smock—who had called her over to her stall to peruse her wares. It had been an innocent remark, Aerith had to admit. Something about how pretty her hair was and that a new ribbon was just what it needed. The woman hadn’t quite spoken it, but Aerith had taken it to mean that her current ribbon was worn and old. She might have been a bit curt with her response, now that she thought about it. 

Aerith tugged at her ribbon and it quickly came loose. 

“Does it look worn?” she asked instead.

Tifa cocked her head to the side then shifted her gaze to the fabric on Aerith’s hand. “Did she say that?” 

Aerith shook her head. “Not really, but she said I needed a new ribbon, so I kind of wonder…” 

She kept it clean, of course—washed it every other day—but now that she held it out toward the fire light, she couldn’t help but think that the pink had indeed lost its luster, and how the fabric felt thin and brittle in her fingers. Six years, was it, since the day Zack bought the ribbon for her? Not a day went by when Aerith didn’t don it on her hair. 

“I got it from someone,” she said at last, then added, “A special someone.” 

“Your boyfriend?” 

Aerith smiled wryly at the word. “Kind of. He… left five years ago.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry.” 

“We didn’t break up or anything like that, just—” Her eyes flitted upward, scanning their surroundings. The only other presence in their small camp was Red XIII, who was dozing quietly on the other side of the fire. Once she was sure Cloud and Barret weren’t returning any time soon, she dropped her voice once more and said, “He left on a mission and never returned.” 

Tifa’s eyes grew wide as the implication dawned on her.

Aerith spread the ribbon between her hands, pulling it rather taut as she attempted to see the campfire through it. It really had gotten thin. All those washes she’d done, the sunlight it soaked. Elmyra had tried talking her into getting another ribbon—had even bought her one for her birthday—but Aerith had only let it air in the open, or use it to decorate her flower basket. 

They’d never talked about Zack in the years he had been missing. Or perhaps, Aerith had never let her. Countless times she’d seen concern lining her foster mother’s aging face, and countless times Aerith had chosen not to see. Because if she saw—if she acknowledged the gaping maw in her heart—the tides of pain and grief that would crash over her would be unbearable. She’d felt it when her mother passed; she didn’t want to feel it again. 

“It would be a stretch to say that I saved him, but that was what he claimed,” Aerith said with an attempt at being lighthearted, but the thought of saying goodbye to this ribbon—to this first gift she had received from someone she would call her first friend—was like a lead in her mind that she couldn’t keep the sorrow from her voice. She cleared her throat, and tried once more. “He offered me one date, but I told him that was silly.” She giggled, managed it, and smiled. “So when I led him to where he could reach the upper plate, we came across a stall with all the pretty accessories you could find in the slums. They had a collection of ribbons there, and he bought me the pink one.” 

Aerith had thought she had tucked all these memories away in a safe corner where nothing, not even her, could disturb them. But once the words rolled off her tongue, the doors to her mind burst wide open, and all she had hidden rose in perfect clarity.

The grit rolled beneath her soles as heat reflected off steel plates and even more steel constructions. They’d run around the marketplace trying to catch the boy who had stolen Zack’s wallet. He’d needed medicine for a sister, and Zack had dealt with it with a style that Aerith had initially found cute and later learned that that was simply how he was. She hadn’t thought he would let the kid use his money, that’s for sure—whether or not he had the money to begin with. The thought made her chuckle. Tifa looked at her inquiringly. 

“I’m sorry, it’s just…” 

‘To pay you back for the “hell-llooo”... I’ll buy you something. A memento, for today.’

A familiar feeling tugged at her heart, threatening to unravel her. Aerith’s breath shuddered and her grip on her ribbon loosened. 

Seeing her apparent disquiet, Tifa reached over and held her hand. She smiled when Aerith looked at her. “So what if it’s worn and old?” she said. “It’s important to you and you don’t want to let it go. Isn’t that right?” Tifa quietly took the ribbon and moved behind Aerith, whose hair had come undone and was spilling down her back in soft tawny waves. Her fingers were soft yet firm as she combed through Aerith’s strands, expertly braiding her hair back as though she’d done it a million times before. Tifa tied the ribbon back into its place, giving it a firm tug then a pat once she did so, then grinned at Aerith. “How’s that?” 

Aerith blinked, and in her mind’s eye, she saw Zack looking rather unsure after probably his first time tying a ribbon to a sixteen-year-old girl’s hair. 

‘Does it look right?’ she’d asked.

‘Uh, I think so… Yeah, it looks great!’ 

But it wasn’t Zack’s resplendent smile beaming at her. 

The corners of Tifa’s eyes softened. “We all have things we don’t want to let go. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

~ END ~

[catboyriku]

I'm at that point where reading and writing nsfw fics doesn't satisfy me anymore, it doesn't give me the thrill it used to. After all, I've been doing it for a long time. Can anyone recommend me some good fics, not necessarily nsfw, that can help me get through this moment? Of any fandom, but perhaps in particular final fantasy. Thanks

[bardic-tales]

From Chapter 1 of Blood and Stardust. I'm trying a different way of starting a book by just jumping right into action.

“Keep moving,” Bianca hissed through clenched teeth, though her voice cracked under the weight of her grief. Her determination burned with the remnants of her fading strength. She wouldn’t die here: not where her father’s shadow and the final battle still lingered, not where she would be just another corpse among the ruins. The first portal shimmered into view as she reached the summit of the steps, an iridescent oval of light pulsating with chaotic energy. Its surface rippled like liquid mercury, as fragments of an unknown dystopian world with significant environmental degradation reflected on the rift’s surface before vanishing into nothingness.

Xena’s Share Day

this one’s for me :) do me a favor, open up your document, search for the word “teeth” and post whatever you find here !! anything to do with teeth. indulge a bitey creature like me :)