#final fantasy vii remake ficlet

[shioaoi]

So I was taking photos of all the Costa Del Sol outfits for future drawing references and noticed this small charm on the back of Aeriths swimsuit 💕

[wakatoshislovebot]

into the woods

-reno sinclair x gn!reader

-inspired by You S3 Ep5 32:22(it has the same name as this fic) just because I thought it would be fun to write about

“We should ride that together,” Reno says, pointing to the electric scooter resting near a tree.

You knew a reckless idea was going to come from him eventually, he was way too civil during your date.

He had been wanting to go out on an official date with you for some time now and you recently agreed. He took you to this quaint restaurant you had never heard of before. The food there was delicious so you couldn’t complain about his choice. You were kind of hoping the food wouldn’t be good so you had a reason to pester him.

After you both finished eating he decided to take you around the city. It was as alive as ever, even in the more quiet areas you could still hear people talking, cars, and music blaring in the distance. The lights illuminating the city reminded you how much you loved it in the night. City life was most certainly for you and the fact he took you out meant a lot.

Only he would pay attention to details like that for you, if it was anyone else he simply would’ve forgotten that piece of small talk. It seemed like he put a lot of thought into this date which made you feel a little bad for delaying it for so long. You both were busy with work so you were sure he didn’t mind that much.

Reno was a huge talker and usually, you could keep up with everything he was saying but at this moment you were fairly distracted. He looked gorgeous under the moonlight, all of his features were more defined. He stopped mid-sentence and it caught your attention. He had a dangerous grin on his face which made your eyebrows scrunch.

“What is it?” you ask.

“You see that park there?” he asks, his grin growing larger.

You nod as he proceeds, “I’ve been there before with Rude and it has a bunch of electric scooters. I wanna find one, let’s go.”

He starts pulling you towards the park as you roll your eyes. You thought to yourself he is a literal child, he got so excited over the thought of a scooter it was comical. That’s your boyfriend, he can be serious and romantic one moment then the next he can be unbelievably childish.

The park was beautiful, since its fall all the trees were bare and the leaves had fallen to the ground. The leaves weren’t too old yet, so the reds, oranges, and yellows could be seen from any angle. Reno had a mission in his mind so that means he would take no note of his surroundings unless he believed himself to be in danger. Even though he wasn’t appreciating the scenery and hadn’t meant to take you there to do so, you loved this park he showed you.

“A-ha!” he shouts, shaking you from your thoughts. You move your eyes to the direction he’s pointing in, there’s a black electric scooter sitting near a tree. “

We should ride that together.”

“What?” you say giving him a look as if he’s insane(he is).

“Come on, it’ll be fun and I’ll steer. I’ve driven helicopters before, this will be nothing,” he says stepping towards the direction of the scooter.

“You’ve barely driven helicopters before. Rude told me about how you almost crashed in a helicopter multiple times.”

“Shhh, we don’t speak of that. Besides, it only goes like 10 mph max, there’s no way I’ll crash it.”

You can’t say no to him so you sigh and get on the scooter. You place your hands on the handlebars and both feet on the board. He gets behind you, placing his hands on top of yours.

“I’m gonna guide your hands after I push off so loosen them a little so they’ll move.”

You follow his instructions then feel him push off the sidewalk as he turns the handle towards you so the scooter accelerates. It keeps going faster and faster, as if it goes only 10 mph max. You guys were definitely going 20 mph at least.

You let out a scream as you guys went down a hill. Reno was screaming and laughing with you. You never had done reckless things like this before you met him so moments like these meant the world to you. His laughter comforted you like no other and always kept you present. Suddenly the scooter hits something and you both are thrown off balance. You end up falling into a huge pile of leaves which makes you laugh even harder.

“I knew I shouldn’t have trusted you, just wait till I tell Rude you crashed a scooter!” you say in between laughter.

“Oh shut up, that was not my fault! The scooter hit a rock!”

“Fine, I’ll believe you for now.”

The laughter ceases and a comfortable silence settles. Laying down like this gives you a perfect view of the sky and it looks gorgeous. Even though you’re in the city you can still manage to see a few stars. Leaves crunch as the red-haired man leans over you.

“Are you having fun?”

“Is that a serious question? Of course I am, I always do when we’re together.”

“You’re such a sap you know but also you’re not injured or anything from falling right?”

“Shut it and no injuries I can feel”

“Well then let’s get you home, it's getting late and I don’t wanna hear you complain about how I kept you up all night.”

Reno stands and then offers his hand to help you up. You take it and begin walking back towards the way you came. He waits a little bit behind you so you look back curious.

“I love you y/n,” a light blush dusting his cheeks.

“I love you too, now come on I’m freezing.”

The night ended with you two wrapped in each other's limbs after claiming he was ‘too tired' to go back to his apartment.

[randomfandomimagine]

Stars In Your Eyes (Cloud Strife x Reader)

Character: Cloud Strife

Fandom: Final Fantasy VII

Tags: Reader Insert, GenderNeutral!Reader, Fluff, Angst With A Happy Ending

Warnings: None

Summary: Y/N has feelings for Cloud, but is convinced that he can't reciprocate them. One night, thoughtfully looking at the stars, Cloud finds Y/N wanting to talk.

Word Count: 1,5k words

A/N: Since I’m playing Final Fantasy VII Remake and even only being a few hours in, I wanted to write a little Cloud thing because I’m falling in love with him all over again. Enjoy!

You looked up to the sky, admiring the stars as though they had the answers you seeked, as tough they could tell you what could have been, Their beautiful glint reminded you of someone’s eyes, even if they didn’t hold as much complexity in them. Or so it seemed, because you could read his eyes better than any constellation. Everything he hid, everything he held back, you knew.

Heaving a sigh, you forced your glance down. 

It was so complicated... Even if you could tell what he wanted and you knew what you wanted as well... Well, you couldn’t force him to speak up, to admit his feelings to you when he couldn’t even admit them to himself.

“Y/N?” His very voice said amidst the heavy silence, causing you to jolt up.

“Cloud!” Your heart started hammering inside your chest when you turned to confirm it was indeed him. “You... scared me...” 

Hoping he couldn’t notice the blush in your cheeks in the dim moonlight, you averted your gaze. Certainly, his silent footsteps had startled you since he hadn’t anounced his presence. But what made it worse was the fact that you had seem to conjure him with so many thoughts regarding him.

“Sorry...” He muttered, towering over you as you reluctantly moved your head to watch him from your sitting position. “You okay?” 

“Yeah, I just wasn’t expecting you to appear out of nowhere” 

“Not that” His voice was deadpan as usual, but a subtle frown on his brow betrayed his concern. “You look upset about something” 

“Oh...” You fiddled with the fabric of your shirt, avoiding his eyes again. “That...” 

Cloud hesitated, but ultimately went to sit down next to you. His closeness only managed to fluster you, even if he appeared calm and nonchalant. He propped his leg up and rested an elbow on his knee, as if he needed to appear any more attractive or cooler than he usually was.

“Tifa told me you two talked” His grave voice once again broke the heavy silence that settled. “’Bout something that was worrying you” 

“Worrying is not the word I would use...” Relieved that Tifa hadn’t told him what was really the matter, you lingered in that secrecy. 

“Wanna talk?” 

“What?” 

“I mean... I’m here, and I’ll listen if you wanna... I could help” 

Your gazes unexpectedly met and your heart skipped a beat. Even in the darkness of the night, his eyes were absolutely beautiful. Blue mixed with a bit of green, a mako reminder of his past. They held so much contained emotion, so many unspoken feelings that he tried to conceal.

“I... uh...” You shook your head, trying to focus on the moment and not get carried away by your fantastical thoughts, by your romantic self that yearned for something that you may never have. At least not with who you wanted. “That’s very sweet, Cloud...” 

He fidgeted a little, and you observed him in curiosity. Noticing how your comment flustered him, you smiled. A sudden urge overwhelmed you, telling you to hold his hand. But you couldn’t. 

“That’s how I know something’s up” He suddenly said, perhaps to change the subject. “You’re in the clouds” 

You rolled your eyes at his unintended pun. If only he knew what was going through your head...

“Yeah, you have no idea...” You sighed, shrinking over yourself pretending that you were cold because of the cool night breeze. In reality, you felt incredibly small. “But... I’m not sure I can tell you”

“I... Look, I’ll just do my best” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Even if all I can do is just be here”

“That’s not the problem, Cloud” You whispered, feeling yourself shaking slightly. “It’s... about you” 

He quickly peered at you, equally intrigued and surprised. Cloud watched you with that piercing gaze, that which held such a mystery that only you seemed capable of solving.

“What’d I do?” He said in the same hushed tone. 

“Nothing!” You exclaimed, startling him a little at your sudden loudness. “It’s just...” 

You felt tears in your eyes. It hurt so much to love him and not be loved back. It hurt to be constantly charging against his defenses at top speed just to be pushed back time and again. How could you tell him any of this, though? 

Shaking still, you hugged your legs. 

“Y/N” His voice sounded stern, and still you recognized the panic layered under it, the anguish over seeing you in such state. “Tell me” 

You paused under his scrutiny. A sob escaped your throat, and you heard him gasp when you began to cry and crumble before him. Your chest was tight and painful.

“I’m in love with you!” Finally, the words left your mouth before you could control yourself. Those words that had been captive in your heart for so long. When you spoke them, a heavy weight was lifted from your shoulders only to be replaced by one even greater. “And you don’t love me back...” 

“I...” Cloud only said, restlessly turning his body to you. “Y/N, I...” 

“Forget it...” You continued crying, feeling stupid, tired and hopeless. “Now you know, just... forget it” 

Wishing to hide from that pain, you buried your face in your knees. Cloud lingered by your side, even if you had half expected him to walk away. But he was still there. 

For several seconds that felt like an eternity, the quietness reigned. He fidgeted next to you, starting to mumble only to stay quiet again. You considered asking him to leave you alone, but at the same time you didn’t want him to. In a way, at least he was with you, by your side. It was the closest thing to having that which you craved.

“I never said that” Cloud suddenly piped up, much to your astonishment.

Cautiously, you looked up at him. His eyes were fixed on the sky above your heads. 

“What?” 

“I never said... I never said I don’t love you” 

Your mouth fell agape as you watched him intently. He refused to meet your gaze.

“I’m just...” Cloud kept talking, and you allowed him. It wasn’t every day he spoke his mind like this, and especially, his heart. “It’s not easy to.... I’m not used to... well, it’s all new to me...” 

You paused, waiting to see if he said something else. When he turned his head to you, you knew it was your turn to speak.

“Do you want to try?” Your voice came out as a whisper, this time unwillingly. It couldn’t gather the strength to be louder.

Remaining quiet now, Cloud nodded his head. The gesture was small and barely noticeable, but you saw it. That was all you needed. Tentatively, you leaned closer. He did too. Slowly, cautiously, but he did.

Your heart began racing, making you feel light-headed. The closeness was causing you to internally scream, you had never been so close to him. Your lips then connected and you felt yourself floating. His touch was clumsy and light, but soft and tender at the same time. It injected you with pure happiness, with a newfound euphoria you couldn’t believe was at the reach of your fingertips. 

Cloud suddenly broke away, blinking in embarrassment. When he took a deep breath, overwhelmed, you read him once again, realizing why he pulled away.

“Sorry” He muttered, frowning as he absently looked back up at the sky. 

“It’s okay” You dared to finally reach for his hand. “I understand” 

“Thanks” He muttered, not pushing you away.

“We have time. If this is really what you want, we can take it slow” 

You knew how hard it must be for him to open up, and you were willing to be patient. It was good enough that he had been honest and let the light shine through the cracks.

To your surprise, Cloud locked eyes with you. He didn’t look away even as his hand slowly wrapped around yours. It was shaking slightly, reminding you of your own trembling.

Mesmerized by his eyes, you smiled a little. He tilted his head, curious about the gesture.

“What?” Cloud asked, clinging to your hand.

“You... it looks like you have stars in your eyes” You mumbled, still feeling the after effects of the euphoria inducing kiss.

At first, Cloud frowned. After a few seconds, however, he smiled a little as well. You gawked at him, opening your mouth to point it out. However, and before you could, he spoke up.

“You’re shaking” Cloud said, as though that was his excuse to hold your hand so tightly.

“Aren’t you cold?” 

“No, I’m pretty warm”

You chuckled, feeling stupidly happy even through that mild awkwardness. Hoping he didn’t mind, you leaned your head in his shoulder and shuffled closer to him. Indeed, his body radiated warmth, even if he was in his tank top. 

The bare skin of his arms felt warm against yours, slowly ridding you of the shivering that the breeze caused in you. Feeling perfectly calm in that position, you sighed in content.

Cloud didn’t move, but you felt he was relaxed under your touch. It may take some time to get him to open up completely, but you could wait if he was willing to try as well. 

You closed your eyes, trying to memorize that feeling of peace. As you sat there with him, you smiled. What you didn’t know was that, now that you weren’t looking, he allowed himself to smile again.

Tag list: @call-me-harley-quinn​ / @anxiouslyreckless​ / @xionroxas​ / @dancewaterdance02​ / @little-faerie-artist​ / @x-joie-x​ / @honeybunhanbin​ / @legallyblindgamer727​ / @goodmorningawfulbye​ / @trunks-kiwi​ // If you want to be added or taken off the tag list for these fandoms or characters, let me know!! // Reblogs and comments are appreciated!  

[omegaandchaos]

Rufus has a new hobby

Rufus had been practising pole dancing for a few months before he finally felt confident to perform in front of Tseng. Tseng had no idea this is what Rufus has been up to, he new Rufus likes to dance and often took classes in his youth but coming home after a long, tiring day at the office to find Rufus wearing nothing but a pair of tight sequin briefs and some red stilletos.

“I have a surprise for you” Rufus whispered in his ear excitedly before dragging Tseng off to a darkened room.

The room had a shiny metal pole in the middle with a spot light directed towards it. Tseng was pushed into a chair directly in front of it and was told to sit before Rufus began his performance.

Tseng was lost for words. He knew Rufus was flexible but seeing him slide up and down the pole seductively, eyes trained on him, Tseng was starting to get very hot.

[oopsbirdficced]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Tifa Lockhart Characters: Aerith Gainsborough, Tifa Lockhart Additional Tags: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Post-Sector 7 Plate Drop (Compilation of FFVII), Pre-Relationship, Missing Scene, Drabble, Prompt Fic, Long Live Feedback Comment Project Series: Part 13 of Ficlet February 2021 Summary:

As they wait for Cloud to wake up, in Aerith's childhood prison in ShinRa Tower, Aerith and Tifa speak about the fall of the Plate.

[theowhy]

2020 writer meme

thank you for enabling me @manonisamelon​ and @grenadinepeach​ :^) not the biggest year for writing for me but i was pretty pleased with what i did publish, so!

Writer Interview 

Name(s): cai!

Fandom(s): oh god you can peruse all of my fandoms here if you want but you all know me for teen wolf 🤪

Where you post: ao3 and some ficlets/drabbles on this blog!

Most Popular One Shot (by kudos) this year: charisma check, surprisingly enough 

Most Popular Multi-Chapter (by kudos) this Year: no multi-chaps this year because i almost never write multi-chaps :’)

Favorite story you’ve written so far: for this year, i’m pretty pleased with a path of blue roses, because it was so self-indulgent but also feels like my most polished piece in a long time. favorite overall though—are there any fire emblem fans in this house? i regularly wish i could write something like my owain/inigo (fe:a) fic Adagio again.

Fic you were nervous to post: hahAHHA ALL OF THEM??? ok, i’m the most nervous when it’s for an exchange/gift, because i really hope the recipient likes it. but also, i was so nervous about a path of blue roses because i wasn’t sure how much intersection there was between thiam fans and animal crossing 😂i still feel like it’s probably a flop in terms of numbers but i’m still very pleased with it, and those who did read it said such nice things that i can’t be bothered by numbers

How do you choose your titles? i sit at the ao3 upload screen and have a breakdown I MEAN i’m trying to break away from using lyrics (not that it’s a bad thing at all! i just use it as a crutch too often) but i still do it a lot. hell, my last fic has a lyric title. sometimes it’s a line of poetry, but mostly i try to pick a word or phrase that fits thematically. i try not to let them be too long, like 5 words or less (but i’ve definitely had run on titles before 🤪)

Do you outline? almost always. there’ve been times i tried to pants it and i almost never finish when i do that, i inevitably go back and outline so i can plot out the ending. the only time i don’t outline is when it’s a short drabble like the fics i post on tumblr.

Upcoming work you’re most excited about: AH MAN honestly i haven’t had a lot of time to write and when i do, the ideas just aren’t flowing. but i’ve been chopping away at my thiam ffx AU and have some ideas for a malira post-canon road trip fic, so! maybe 2021 will be the year those see the light of day.

AO3 stats (for 2020)

Amount of works posted: 5

Total word count: 22676

Longest fic: haunted house sound effects (8067)

Shortest fic: today and all the rest (fe:a, 1183)

Fic with the most kudos: charisma check

Fic with the most bookmarks: a path of blue roses

Fic with the most comment threads: also a path of blue roses!

Total amount of kudos: 571

Total amount of bookmarks: 117

Total amount of comment threads: 51

Fandoms written for: fire emblem: awakening, final fantasy vii: remake, teen wolf (when i’m not in tw hell, i’m in video game hell lmao)

Fandom events you’ve written for: this year? just chocolate box, i think!

Pairings written for: owain/inigo, cloud strife/biggs (whyyy is it always the rarepairs with me!!!), and of course thiam

Favorite fic you’ve written this year: the aforementioned a path of blue roses

Goals for next year: write something long—longer than my usual fic length at least, which is around 8k i’d say? i want to bang out like a 20k fic which is UNHEARD OF for me HAHA. would also like to post something non-teen wolf (genshin impact has been eating my free time, so. could be that :p)

too hungry and lazy to tag (i did this as soon as i woke up because lmao) so! if you’re a writer and want to do this, do it

[noizplayssomestuff]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020) Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Zack Fair/Cloud Strife Characters: Avalanche, Cloud Strife, Zack Fair Additional Tags: NSFW, Top Cloud, zakkura, Clack, Light Bondage Summary:

This is a super self indulgent ficlet about the people we know and love from OG as well as Zack, who is now alive (Thank you remake), celebrating their fresh start at the opening of Tifa's new bar. During the celebration, Cloud can barely take his focus off of Zack and when he sees others getting close to him, jealousy arises....

[bouncymouse]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020), Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife Characters: Tifa Lockhart, Cloud Strife Additional Tags: Angst, Break Up, Falling Out of Love, Wordcount: 1.000-5.000, Ficlet Summary:

But now, he doesn’t love her anymore, and he stares at the ceiling and wonders how.

[randomfandomimagine]

Heal My Heart (Cloud Strife x Reader)

Characters: Cloud Strife

Fandom: Final Fantasy VII

Tags: Reader Insert, Gender Neutral Reader, Hurt/Comfort

Warnings: Injury, mentions of blood, sexual/romantic tension

Word Count: 2,2k words

Requested by anon: Hi :) may I request a Cloud Strife ficlet in which Cloud gets hurt in a battle and the reader patches him up and it's all very charged and filled with tension (since Cloud has to be shirtless and all)? Or it can be the other way around and the reader gets hurt and Cloud awkwardly but tenderly tries patching her up and is very conscious of being close/having to touch her body?

A/N: I was really excited about this one, and although I struggled a bit until I fixed some things I wasn’t happy with (big shoutout to the lovely @xionroxas​ for helping me with it!) I now love the result and I hope you do too! 

Your first battle together had been very different from what you imagined. It was a strange point in your relationship with Cloud, past the friendship that used to bind you yet not quite reached the romantic part that you both seemed interested in. Hence, all your encounters were slightly awkward with the romantic tension repressed between you. 

After lots of insisting on your part, Cloud had finally budged and accepted to let you come with him on this encounter. Your arguments, he had to admit, were strong and valid. No matter how capable he was, Cloud wasn’t invincible and as you predicted, he was outnumbered. Luckily, you were there to have his back. Even if he was worried that you would get hurt, which you did.

“Don’t give me the silent treatment now” You scoffed, noticing the tight wrinkle on his brow. “You got hurt too, didn’t you?” 

“I told you it would be dangerous”

“Yeah, and I knew that already”

He still didn’t say a word as you both made your way back. Just the thought of putting up with a silent seething Cloud made you exhausted. Or maybe it was the injury that you were hiding from him even as your ankle and knee throbbed under the fabric of your clothes. 

Comitting to his brooding demeanor, he silently opened the door to his room. You sneaked in before he could close it in your face and leave you to the loneliness of your own room. 

“What are you doing?” He scowled at you as you followed him inside.

“Someone has to patch you up, right?” You tiredly pointed to the tear in his tank top, there where a small amount of blood still seeped through his stomach.

“You’re so stubborn” Cloud only replied, resigning himself. His eyes watched you as you closed the door behind you and went to get the first aid kit.

“Yeah, yeah, like you’re any better” As you faced your back to him, you paused for a moment. A sudden lump formed in your throat and tears stung in your eyes. In all honestly, you hated to feel this harshness between you.

Hanging your head low, you told yourself that he wasn’t the warmest person. Even on your best moments, he had never been openly affectionate... but he could be very sweet and tender when he wanted to. 

When you heard the sound of his sword being leaned against the wall and the springs of the bed complain as he sat on it, you forced yourself back to reality. Clutching the first aid kit in your hands, you turned to him.

It was then when you realized where his wound was. And that you needed better access to it in order to properly treat it. Cloud frowned, staring at you, and you just hoped you weren’t blushing at the words you were about to say.

“Take your shirt off, Soldier” You dryly said, even if your voice shook a bit.

“Ex-Soldier” He corrected as usual, but didn’t move at first. 

Exasperated, you rolled your eyes at him and tilted your head. Cloud sighed and obliged, removing his tank top over his head and carelessly throwing it on top of the bed.

Your breath hitched at the sight of his bare torso and you couldn’t help but to stare. There was a scar on his chest, right above his fresh wound. Despite his pale skin tone, he was slim and his muscles were defined. You gulped, having to remind yourself what you were doing. 

“Any problem?” He asked, noticing your hesitance.

“N-No” You hurried to kneel down in front of him to hide yourself, being careful with your injured leg. “It’s just worse than I thought”

Your hands worked fast as they drenched a piece of gauze in alcohol and quickly applied it to his wound. Cloud groaned in pain at the sudden movement, and his hand flew to yours. He had taken his gloves off at some point, so it made direct contact with your skin. His palm lingered over your hand even as you looked up at him and locked eyes.

“Sorry” You could barely hear your low voice over the drumming of your heart. “I’ll be more careful”

He gravely nodded, slowly letting go of your hand. Immediately you missed his touch, his warmth, the rough texture of his calloused hands. You parted your lips, ready to tell him to do it again, to touch you, to forget the coldness that hung in the air and hold you. Until you remembered that you needed to treat his wound.

Resigned to your metaphorical distance despite your physical closeness, you sighed and carried on with your task. You gingerly pressed the gauze against his stomach. This time he didn’t flinch.

“What is it?” Cloud’s voice broke the heavy silence that had established.

He had noticed your inner turmoil. After all, he knew you as well as you knew him. You took a moment to reply, refusing to voice your genuine thoughts. Instead, you asked something that was starting to weigh down on you.

“Are you still mad at me?” You piped up after several more seconds.

Cloud sighed himself, averting his gaze when you glanced up at him again.

“I was never mad at you” Was his reply, still refusing to look at you.

You knew him far too well to realize what this meant. Angrily picking up a bandage to cover his wound, you shook your head at him.

“Don’t you dare blame yourself for this, it was my decision” Even if your tone held anger, your fingers continued to be gentle. “And I’m fine, just a few scratches here and there”

“Right” As soon as you were done patching him up, Cloud tugged at your arm.

Surprised that he was pulling you up, you gasped. He was strong and determined, and effortlessly pulled you to your feet as he stood himself. Mustering all self-control you could, you repressed the grimace that wanted to occupy your expression as you were forced to stand on your injured ankle. Despite your efforts, however, you stumbled forwards a little with a yelp. 

Cloud was quick to hold you by the hips, keeping you in place. You stared at him, surprised that he seemed so ready to catch you. Almost like he knew you would stumble.

“Head rush” You lied, and Cloud frowned in response. Your gazes locked for several seconds.

Feeling closer to him in every way, you opened your mouth to say something. He broke the instantaneous connection. Not saying a word, he moved you so you swapped places with him and carefully shoved you down onto the bed, taking the spot he was sitting in just a moment ago.

“Cloud?” You asked in confusion, watching as he carefully picked up your foot. His grip around your ankle was loose and yet it brought a pang of pain. “Ow!”

“Hurts?” He solely asked, and heat immediately flushed to your face.

“You’re really strong and...” Watching how he delicately propped your leg up on his knee, you interrupted your poor excuse. “What are you doing?”

“You were limping” Going along with his raspy voice, his eyes were severe as he peered at you. It was now your turn to avoid his eyes.

Cloud didn’t say anything else, shielding in the silence as he gently rolled your pants up to reveal your ankle. When his bare fingers delicately traced up your skin, you couldn’t help but shiver. He carefully put pressure in different spots, and although most of them hurt, you never wanted him to stop. The invisible barrier that was always between you had finally broken and his touch was tender and more wonderful than you could ever imagine.

“It’s nothing” He muttered, forcing you to look into his eyes as he stared into yours. “You’ll be fine if you don’t strain it” 

“Thanks, doctor” You joked, standing to your feet once more.

Again, Cloud reached out and held you by the hips when you inevitably stumbled. Your faces were suddenly extremely close, and you could see a faint blush appearing in his cheeks. The heat on yours betrayed the same flush.

When Cloud rearranged his hold on you, however, you yelped out in pain. He gasped before he could ask anything when your hands met again with his. 

“Oh” You breathed in relief, remembering about the mild wound you had nearly forgotten about. “Just a scratch, a bullet grazed me” 

Cloud’s brow furrowed as he frantically moved, carefully sitting you down again and going to take a look at it. His fingers, however, stopped at the hem of your shirt.

“Uh...” He gulped, shyly taking ahold of it. “Can I...?” 

Wrapping your fingers around his hand, you pulled at it and lifted your shirt just enough to reveal your wound. Cloud focused his gaze on it, relaxing his shoulders at the realization that it was nothing grave even if his eyebrows lingered on their frown.

His touch was still gentle as he prepared the gauze and pressed it, drenched in alcohol, against your wound. It smarted, but you refused to complain. Instead, as Cloud treated the superficial injury, you observed him. It was hard to miss how he was careful not to let his fingers touch your skin if he could help it. Nonetheless, his cares were tender as he covered the wound for you. 

You smiled to yourself at his face of concentration, and especially at the reddish tone his face had acquired. It made you remember all the reasons why you had feelings for him, even if you had unknowingly pushed them away after your argument.

“Did I miss something?” Cloud asked, putting everything back on the first aid kit.

“Yes, heal my heart” You replied without thinking, your gaze following him as he stood to his feet. You did the same, holding on to his shoulders to support yourself.

“Y/N...” When you regained that closeness, Cloud moved his head to the side.

“Just play along...” You begged, hoping that he would for once. It was exhausting that every time you tried to make a step forward, he took two steps backwards.

The brief silence that followed made the tension in the air all the more evident. It was not an angry one like before, yet one filled with unspoken words, sweet nothings that were never pronounced. 

“How?” He said after heaving a resigned sigh.

“Give me hope” You wrinkled your forehead, feeling frustrated tears arriving to your eyes. “Say something, anything...”

He didn’t. Cloud stayed quiet as usual. Tense and uncomfortable.

Letting go of him, you dropped your head in defeat. You gave up. Tears started rolling down your eyes. You had been convinced that you were in the same page, that you had feelings for each other despite the walls you both built around them. Maybe you were wrong, maybe you say something where there was nothing. You thought Cloud cared about you, but maybe he was just resigned to your attempts. It was so tiring, and so painful...

“It’s useless...” You whispered to yourself, feeling your shoulders convulsing with sobs. Trying not to let him know, you tried to repress any sounds, although some small strangled noises left your throat as more tears blurred your vision.

Ttwo arms suddenly envelopped you, urgently shoving you against his bare chest so tightly that it made sense that you couldn’t breathe. Utterly shocked, you just stood there, arms by your side, without even realizing you could return the hug. The tears froze in your eyes and the tightness that had arrived to your chest lessened.

“When you screamed and I saw you fall, I was terrified” Cloud whispered, nuzzling your neck. “That what you wanna hear?” 

A nervous yet genuine bout of laughter escaped you. Just then, your arms finally moved and wrapped around him in return. His skin was soft and warm.

“I’ll take it” You replied, relieved that he tore down his walls. At least, some of them.

Cloud chuckled against your ear, and you heart skipped a beat at the wonderful but unexpected sound. Pulling away, you looked up at him.

“Is that a laugh I hear?” 

“No”

His arms left you, but you weren’t going to let him win this time. You smiled, and to your surprise you saw a glimpse of his smile before you put your arms around his waist and hugged him again. 

“We should rest” All the accumulated tension left you as you pressed yourself against his chest. “I think the worry got to your head”

He scoffed, even if his arms returned around your frame.

“The pain got to your head” Was his response, which made you smile. That was the Cloud you knew and loved.

Despite your words, however, none of you moved to get some rest. Instead you stayed there, holding on to each other. You stood there, with your hands leaning over his bare built chest, with his hands resting over your hips in the small bit of skin exposed under the rolled up shirt. You both stood there, claiming something you craved and that you hadn’t allowed yourselves to have. Until now.

-

Tag list: @call-me-harley-quinn​ / @anxiouslyreckless​ / @xionroxas​ / @dancewaterdance02​ / @little-faerie-artist​ / @x-joie-x​ / @honeybunhanbin​ / @legallyblindgamer727​ / @goodmorningawfulbye​ / @trunks-kiwi​ / @ron-sparky-speirs​  // If you want to be added or taken off the tag list for these fandoms or characters, let me know!! // Reblogs and comments are appreciated!

[randomfandomimagine]

Bruised Soul (Reno x Reader)

Character: Reno Sinclair

Fandom: Final Fantasy VII

Tags: Angst, hurt/comfort

Warnings: Mentions of blood and injuries

Word Count: 1k words

Requested by anon: could you please write a ficlet about helping patch Reno up after he gets really beaten up? ** i hope i requested right :’) ** i love your blog so so much♡

Reno Sinclair x Gender Neutral Reader

_

It wasn’t like him to be this late. Or at the very least, not without a warning. If Reno was getting caught up in work, he always sent you a message so you didn’t worry. This time, however, you feared the worst. And just when your thoughts were threatening to drive you mad with concern, there was a knock on the door.

You jumped to your feet, rushing to the door and swinging it open to reveal a beat up Reno being held up by Rude. You looked up at the latter, seeking an explanation. He only sighed and ushered his injured friend until Reno dragged himself closer to you. Immediately, you wrapped an arm around him to support him just like Rude had.

“We had some complications at work” Was his mere explanation.

“I’m fine!” Reno exclaimed somewhat rudely.

“Look after him” His workmate told you, leaving you two alone.

“Reno…” You uttered, taking him inside with you and closing the door behind you with your foot. “Are you okay?”

“What did I just say? I’m-” He suddenly pushed you off him to stand on his own, but it was a mistake. Immediately, he wobbled without your support.

“Reno!” You tightly held him by the arm, successfully avoiding his fall.

“I’m okay…” He groaned, even if he was clutching his side and limping.

You sneaked under his arm and let him drop his weight over you. He sighed in relief as you helped him reach the couch, where he plopped down like a dead weight. For a moment you feared he had fallen unconscious, but his incessant moans of pain told you he hadn’t.

For several seconds you could only stand there, watching him in shock as you noticed more and more wounds by the second. His white shirt was darkened with crimson in many spots and his face was a bit swollen and full of small cuts and bruises, panting his skin red and purple.

You paced up and down, trying to think clearly. You needed to relax. You needed to help him, but didn’t know how. Should you call a doctor? It felt like the wrong decision, as Rude would have taken him there himself… right? Should you try to patch him up yourself then? You didn’t really have any experience in the subject, but maybe…

“Y/N” He tiredly called out, holding your hand to keep you in place. His grip was urgent and desperate, like he was clinging to you. “Stop”

No quips, no jokes, no flirting. Something told you that his body hadn’t been the only thing hurt. It seemed like, whatever had happened, had been enough to hurt him to the core. You wondered what it could have been to leave him with a bruised soul.

“I’ll get the first aid kit” You mumbled, taking a cautious step closer to see if he let go of you. When he reluctantly did, you hurried to the bathroom.

Thoughts buzzed in your mind as you gathered everything you would need.

Reno didn’t often talk about work, and you weren’t exactly sure what he worked as to be honest. You just knew it was dangerous, but it had never affected him like that. He only came back with lots of energy, wanting to unwind and flirt and spend some time with you. But now…

Clutching the supplies in your hands, you returned to the living room with him. He hadn’t moved an inch, and neither did he look at you. Even as you sat down at the edge of the couch, his eyes were still fixed somewhere up ahead.

“Do you want to talk about it?” You whispered, afraid to speak too loud.

“Ugh…” Reno groaned, shaking his head. He seemed exhausted. “No”

Your hands were shaking, but you made an effort to focus. Gingerly, you opened his shirt to reveal his bruised chest. Taking deep breaths, you managed to keep your fingers from shaking too badly. Otherwise it would make the task impossible.

“I’ll heal” He told you, finally turning his head to watch you. “It’s no big deal”

“I’m not worried about your injuries… not that alone…” You carefully cleaned off the dry blood, relieved to see the wound was almost closed. “I’m worried about what you did too”

“It’s best to forget it” His voice was devoid of any and all emotions. “Really, Y/N”

That was another way you knew it had impacted him. He was calling you Y/N, only by your name. No ‘babe’, or ‘gorgeous’ or ‘sweetheart’. No nicknames, no fond and cheeky terms of endearments. No nothing. Just emptiness. He was tired and grumpy and fed up.

None of you talked for a while. The heavy silence in the house seemed to contrast with the usual loudness of your voices mingling together, your harmonizing laughter, even the sound of the TV blasting. Now the silence was deafening.

As you finished patching him up, you put extra care on the bandages. You softly passed your fingers over them to ensure they would stick. You bathed him in small kisses all over his face that he seemed to appreciate as they almost brought a smile to his lips. Almost. It almost returned that gleam to his eyes and brought him back to life. Almost.

Reno closed his eyes, taking deep breaths. Once he was healed and resting, he seemed to regain some sort of solace and peace. It wasn’t enough to restore his usual energetic and snappy demeanor, but it was progress.

“What do you need?” You kindly asked him, putting the hair away from his eyes.

“Nothing, just for you to be here with me” He urgently took your hand in both of his, squeezing it tight as though you were the only thing capable of anchoring him to that peace.

And as you carefully lie down with him in the couch, he finally took a deep breath. He could finally breathe. Your closeness was making his wounds sore, and his posture was uncomfortable in such a small space. Still, he finally felt okay once he was with you again.

Tag list: @call-me-harley-quinn​ / @anxiouslyreckless​ / @xionroxas​ / @dancewaterdance02​ / @little-faerie-artist​ / @x-joie-x​ / @honeybunhanbin​ / @legallyblindgamer727​ / @lotsoffandomstoimagine​ / @imaginealllthefandoms​ / @fandomatakeover18​ / @emmajunior90​ / @trunks-kiwi​ / @andsoweshalldepart​ // If you want to be added or taken off the tag list for these fandoms or characters, send me an ask!! // Reblogs and comments are appreciated!

[randomfandomimagine]

Reunion (Cloud Strife x Reader)

Characters: Cloud Strife, Zack Fair, Tifa Lockhart (feat. Jessie, Biggs, Wedge and others)

Fandom: Final Fantasy VII

Tags: Reunions, crossdressing, angst with a happy ending

Warnings: Mentions of death, spoilers for Crisis Core

Word Count: 4k words

Requested by anon: could you do a ficlet with a fem! reader for a Platonic!Cloud? my idea is where the reader was in SOLDIER (disguised as a guy) and when Hojo found out they kicked you out (quite violently). You were really close with Cloud and Zack, but once you were gone they thought they killed you. In other words I just want an angsty sweet reunion when he finds you working for avalanche back at the Seventh Heaven. (Points if you’re close with Tifa too). Thank you! I love your work so much! Ur a blessing ♡ 

A/N: I have never beat the original FFVII and I’m not sure what happens in canon with Cloud’s memories, so I took some artistic liberties to write this. Hope you enjoy!! Please please please give this some love, I worked so hard on it!!

Cloud Strife x Female Reader

_

[ B/N: Boy Name ]

.

Many terrors haunted Cloud. There were too many things he had lost, too many people he missed and too many burdens he carried. However, no matter how much he tried to forget them all or how tangled his mind was, one seemed to stand out: you. He had befriended you during his SOLDIER days, an unlikely friend in a strange place.

He vividly remembered you: the way your eyes twinkled when you spotted him, your shy smile and your gentle expression, the playfulness in your voice when you teased him. He thought of you fondly, one of the few things in his past that weren’t tainted by evil. Even then, you had still turned into a bad memory. Your mere existence made him sad because of your early demise. You had only ever been kind and still your fate was cruel and undeserved. Your only crime had been lying, and even that he wouldn’t blame you for. Others, however, found that sin to be unforgivable and punished you for it. With a sentence of death.

“Cloud?” Tifa called his name, bringing him back to reality. “Still with me?”

“Uh… yeah” He straightened up, surprised upon realizing how crestfallen he had made himself with his own thoughts. “Lead the way”

“I’m excited” His friend smiled, leading him to the Seventh Heaven. “We finally get to meet our new member. Everyone has been so secretive about them”

“Why?” Cloud focused on trying to follow the conversation, even if his thoughts pulled him back to the past.

“They’re Avalanche’s secret weapon”

“Hm…”

Tifa, not really catching his disinterest, continued talking.

“Apparently they have some serious military training”

“Uh-huh…”

Her voice became a dull background noise as his thoughts drifted without remedy. Even if she kept speaking, he had stopped listening.

He had dreamt about you again last night, and his mind betrayed him by dwelling on your memory. Inevitably, he drifted off to past thoughts, to his SOLDIER days when everything seemed exciting. He felt insecure and unworthy, but he was willing to improve. He was prepared to work hard and make his way to 1st Class. Zack was constantly by his side, taking Cloud under his wing. You completed the trio, and he couldn’t help but to think back to when he met you.

A tall boy with dark hair and sky blue eyes stood in the training room, crossing his arms and watching how the new recruits finished their exercise. He noticed how one of them struggled more than the rest and was more than happy to give him a little hand.

“Hey, newbie” He walked over to a specific soldier who just then finished with the squats. “Need some help there?”

You shook your head, completely breathless after the exercise, and leaned back on your butt until you were sitting down. Joining SOLDIER had been your dream for a long time, wanting to become strong enough to be able to help people. You knew it wouldn’t be easy, just didn’t imagine it would be this hard and exhausting.

“Come on” He held his hand out for you to take. “We all need help sometimes”

With a sigh, you took his hand in yours and let him pull you up. Once you were standing on your feet, you leaned your hands on your knees. It was hard to catch your breath. Despite how athletic you were, this was on a whole new level.

When you dared to look up at the boy, you found him showing you a wide friendly grin. Beside him now was a blond guy, with kind blue eyes that went along with his meek expression.

“It’s okay” The blond muttered. “It takes a bit to get used to”

You nodded your head, managing a tired smile in appreciation. The other one observed you in a mixture between amusement and sympathy and patted your back.

“You did well for the first day” He told you. “What’s your name?”

“Uh…. B/N” You carefully watched his reaction, and your heart began racing in anticipation.

“B/N? Nice to meet you” Unaware of your nervousness upon introducing yourself, he offered you his hand. “I’m Zack, this is Cloud”

You shook his hand, and waved with the other one at his blond friend. He timidly reciprocated with a small wave.

“Tell you what, kid” Zack put his arm over your shoulders, and you tensed up. “I’ll keep an eye on you and help you out”

An irrational fear took over you, as it was the first time someone got so close to you. Even if you had managed to push your way into SOLDIER without arising any suspicions over yourself, you were afraid they would know. Your secret was far too important to air it out, and it could get you in trouble. Big trouble.

While you appreciated Zack’s offer, you feared his friendship too much. What if he found out who you really were? How would he react? Would he still be friendly if he knew? Would he give you in to the authorities to have you punished for daring to deceive everyone?

“Don’t overwhelm him….” Cloud bashfully defended you, definitely noticing your awkwardness.

“No worries, Cloudy” Zack brushed it off. “B/N here just needs to get out of his shell”

“We…” The other one added. “We can help you train if you want”

“That would be nice” You replied, purposefully making your voice deeper.

“That’s the spirit!” The dark-haired boy chuckled. “And relax, man, you’re so tense!”

You lowered your shoulders, which were almost up to your ears. Still, even if you were trying to act natural you couldn’t relax, you couldn’t stop being tense. Because what would happen if anyone at SOLDIER realized you were a girl?

-

You nervously tapped your foot against the ground. Although you had joined Avalanche a bit ago and were starting to get used to it, you still got jittery. Even after the mission was over, the nerves still conquered your stomach.

“I swear, Y/N!” Jessie tugged at your hand, making you look at her instead of that far off point that you were staring at without seeing it. “You’re gonna love him!”

“Am I?” You smiled at her, pretending not to be restless still.

That recent mission reminded you too much of SOLDIER. It was ironic that Shinra, the very thing you once were a part of and now were trying to escape, had become what you were fighting against, confronting it head-on. It seemed to haunt you even as you adamantly tried to bring it down. 

To make matters worse, Barret had announced to the group that they were calling their mercenary contact for the next mission. You hadn’t been with them long enough to have met him, because in those couple of days you had barely even grown accustomed to their company. 

Barret didn’t talk to you more than necessary, even if you could tell he was a big softie, especially when you saw him with his daughter Marlene. Biggs and Wedge had been kind and welcoming while still trying to give you some space. Jessie was the most outspoken, and clearly the one more determined to make you feel at home. It painfully reminded you of someone else whose personality was bubbly and extroverted that you had met in the past.

“For sure!” Her very voice snapped you out of your nervous thoughts again. “Cloud is the best, even if he likes to pretend like he’s a tough guy”

You tried not to wince at the mention of his name. How cruel was it that you ran into someone else called Cloud? A part of you had hoped it was the same Cloud you befriended in SOLDIER, but it just wasn’t possible. He must have become a SOLDIER, 1st Class like he wanted to. Who knew? You might even have fought him with Avalanche without realizing, unaware that his spiky blond hair and kind blue eyes were hidden under one of those helmets.

You shook your head. No. It just so happened that there was another Cloud in Midgard. It was too painful to get your hopes up for a sweet reunion… even if you had daydreamed about it countless times. Cloud and Zack had been so important to you… Fondly looking back at them, you hoped they were doing okay.

Zack’s laughter was contagious, and you couldn’t suppress a smile as you triumphantly stood up and towered over Cloud. Pouting a bit, he averted his gaze and didn’t move from the spot, sitting on the ground and leaning an elbow on his propped up knee.

“And the winner is… B/N!” Zack took your arm and lifted it up. “I knew you had it in you, kid”

Cloud still didn’t speak. His cheeks were a deep shade of pink, and you couldn’t tell if it was because of the squats you had beat him at or because of the embarrassment. Maybe both.

“Okay, Zack” You playfully pushed him off you, moving towards Cloud. “Stop torturing him”

“I’m not torturing anyone, he did great” Zack leaned down to pat his friend’s shoulder. “You just did better”

Even if you wouldn’t admit it out loud, a sense of pride bubbled in your chest. Boys were generally stronger than girls, but you had bested one of them after training hard for weeks on end. Still, you felt bad for Cloud and offered him a hand.

“No hard feelings?”

“Sure”

He smiled at you as you pulled him up, wobbling because of all his weight. Zack chuckled as he put his hands on your back to stabilize you.

“Who would have known a skinny guy like you would become such a good SOLDIER?”

The comment might have offended you when you first met him, but you knew Zack meant it as a compliment. After all, you would never forget the day you first met. You had felt helpless and not capable of making it in SOLDIER. You were shorter and smaller, but you didn’t let that stop you. Now you were stronger and resilient, even more so than some of the boys there.

The three of you gasped, startled, when the door to the training room suddenly swung open. In came Sephiroth, Hojo and Lazard, seemingly very angry and determined.

“No…” You uttered, with a nasty feeling in the pit of your stomach. What if…?

No, you had been very careful. It was impossible. You had disguised yourself to the point that not even Cloud and Zack discovered you despite being so close, despite spending so much time together. You had even found a way to avoid Hojo’s tests, knowing he would discover your identity if you got too close. They had no way of finding out… right?

“That’s her” Sephiroth pointed a finger at you, bearing no expression.

“Her?” Zack repeated, taking a step forward. “What’s going on?”

“B/N is an imposter!” Hojo accused, scowling at you. “She is a woman”

“What?” Your friend shook his head at them. “There must be a misunderstanding”

Terrified of what they might do, you took a few steps back. Cloud stood behind you, and you stepped right into him. His hands protectively fell on the small of your back, and when you looked up you found with his gentle blue eyes. They were so expressive. There was confusion in them, but also alarm and concern and fear all at once.

“Get her” Lazard said, and just then two soldiers appeared from behind him.

“No!” You screamed as they approached you. “Please!”

In your panic, you retreated more into Cloud and pressed yourself against his chest. You felt his fingers hold on to the fabric of your shirt.

“No, don’t touch him!” Zack insisted, helplessly watching as the soldiers reached you. “You’re making a mistake!”

You exclaimed as the soldiers reached you and took ahold of you. Cloud didn’t hesitate to hold on to you, tightly grabbing you by the arms.  The four of you struggled, but the soldiers were stronger.

“Stop that!” Zack begged them still, wincing at the sight of you.

Tears streamed down your face, knowing what awaited you if they took you. Now screaming, you were calling anyone for help. Cloud was your last hope as you tightly clung on to him, but they separated you from him.

“No!” He joined Zack in his attempts. “Stop it!”

“Lazard, please! I’m sure B/N isn’t-“ The brunette’s words were suddenly interrupted.

“Then what’s this?” Hojo showed them a picture, and everyone grew silent.

It was you in the photo, without a doubt. Before you cut your hair, before you hid your breasts and took all necessary precautions to pass as a boy. 

The chaos that had erupted in the room suddenly came to a halt, replaced by a heavy awed atmosphere to replace the previously frantic one.

“What…?” Cloud uttered, watching you in astonishment.

“You’re a girl…” Zack said as well, even though is voice was a mixture of sadness and understanding. 

“Don’t just stand there!” Hojo urged the soldiers, who came back to their senses.

“Take her” Lazard insisted when his subordinates turned to him for confirmation.

Shaking from head to toe, you let yourself be grabbed by them. Your mind was racing, frozen with the reminder of your friends faces. They weren’t angry, they didn’t feel betrayed. They were only surprised. You had been too scared to tell them, but now you realized you could have. How could you have doubted them?

“Wait…” Cloud stuttered as tears reached his eyes. “Wait, don’t… don’t hurt her!”

“Sephiroth…” Zack desperately called. “Sephiroth, do something! Don’t let them take her!”

The 1st Class Soldier didn’t say anything. He only turned around as you were dragged away from your friends. Sephiroth glanced down and faced his back to them.

You tensed up when you heard a cry full of rage, followed by Zack throwing himself to them. Cloud made to move, wanting to support his friend, but he was still too taken aback by the situation to act.

Obeying a gesture from Lazard, two more soldiers entered the room and intercepted Zack. He struggled against them, fighting to return by your side and save you.

“Don’t!” You pleaded, letting yourself use your natural voice for the first time in months. “Don’t do this, Zack”

“I don’t care if you’re a boy or a girl, I won’t let them-”

“Let me go” You shook your head, trying to put an end to his endeavor. “Don’t get hurt because of me”

You quickly glanced at Cloud behind him, noticing how his eyes were drowned in tears. He was still frozen in place, prey of an overwhelming shock and uncertainty. The sight made your own tears overflow, staining the track that the old ones left again.

“Take care…” You whispered to him, trying to memorize his face. A last comfort before you met your end.

Cloud parted his lips, but they only shook as no words left them. A tear rolled down his cheek, and it was too painful to keep looking at him. Glancing at Zack, you realized he was now just as heartbroken. He had given up, understood that it was impossible to fight for you.

Accepting your fate, you began moving. You exited the room and heard the door loudly closing behind you. A ruckus broke out inside it as Zack still fought against them. A second person had joined him in his outrage, and you sobbed knowing it was Cloud.

You walked directly behind Sephiroth, who walked beside Hojo and Lazard. As you were taken with them, Sephiroth’s long silver hair and his broad back was etched in your memory. It would be one of the last things you’d see. Just like the voices of your dear friends would be one of the last things you’d hear as they called out for you, by the fake name they knew you by but still begging for your life.

Even if you trusted them, you had been too afraid to completely expose yourself to them. What would have happened if you did? What would have happened if you told them you were a girl? A part of you had always known the answer: they would have protected you. Zack and Cloud cared about you, not because you were a boy or a girl or anything else… they cared about you because they were your friends... because you were their friend.

You hadn’t trusted them with your secret. You had been too afraid to tell them. And know they would have to live with your death.

-

Everything seemed oddly silent, as if the usual sounds had dimmed slightly. There was the murmur of voices inside the bar, but no loudness. Cloud’s boots seemed to echo as his feet moved over the wooden steps that led to the entrance. Even Tifa, who seemed so talkative, had grown quiet. Cloud brushed that feeling off, assuming it had more to do with his thoughtful mood. Everything was normal.

When he came in, there was nothing out of the ordinary. Barret played with Marlene, Biggs and Wedge talked and laughed, and Jessie was high-fiving someone she was talking to.

“Hello!” Tifa cheerfully greeted everyone, gathering their attention.

You looked up to find out who that mysterious merc was. The sun behind him shadowed his slim figure as well as the curvier one that accompanied him. Mildly curious, you kept your gaze glued to them as they walked in. Once the door closed behind them, your eyes grew used to the light and you could see them properly.

The woman was slightly familiar, but you didn’t pay mind to her as she walked behind the bar. It was the man who you were more interested in. When you took a good look at him, your heart skipped a beat.

That merc, that man allegedly called Cloud, walked in without noticing you. His eyes had fallen on you, but there was no recognition in them. Barret was telling the newcomer something, but you didn’t hear.

Surely, your mind was playing tricks on you, and that man looked more like Cloud to you than he actually did. Of course, it wasn’t him. It was an amazing coincidence that on top of the name he also had spiky blond hair, but that was the only similitude with your memory of Cloud. This man before you was cold and rough, nothing like the sweet, meek and shy boy you knew. His eyes were also greener than you remembered. Still, the more you stared at him, the more you realized… it was Cloud. Despite the change in his demeanor, in his eyes, in the way he carried himself, in his entire persona... it was Cloud, the one you knew years ago. The one whose face you had tried to memorize as you resigned yourself to your death.

Destiny was capricious. You had survived and you had escaped. He had too. And now you were together again. You both had followed similar paths.

“Y/N?” Biggs called you, gently shaking your shoulder. “You okay?”

“Yeah, you just got very pale” Wedge’s words seemed to alarm the rest as well.

Everyone turned to you, but you only had eyes for one of them. Your feet moved on their own as you approached Cloud with determination.

“What the hell?” He whispered, frowning as you directly went over to him.

“Cloud” You threw your arms around his neck, feeling too happy and relieved to see him to realize his reaction. “It’s so good to see you!”

“What’s going on?” He spoke up, his voice sounded annoyed as his arms lifted a little trying to avoid touching you. “Do I know you?”

“You…” Slowly pulling away, you stared into his eyes. “You don’t recognize me?”

Cloud hesitated, and so did you. His voice was so… deep, so irritated and so harsh. He really felt nothing like the boy you had known. What had happened? He changed so much…

Your vulnerable expression seemed to snap something in him, because his eyes suddenly grew wide. His mouth fell agape, staring at you as though you were a ghost.

“B/N?” He uttered, recognizing your features despite never having seen you as a girl. Except that one time in that picture, when he thought it would be the last. “You’re alive?”

“B/N, is that really you?” The woman who had walked in with him uttered from behind the bar. It finally clicked why she was so familiar. If that was indeed Cloud, that had to be…

“Tifa!” You ran to each other, colliding in a warm hug accompanied by breathless tearful chuckles.

Despite not being close, you had known Tifa through Cloud and Zack. She had always been kind and friendly and you were so glad to see her, comforted by her familiar face and warm demeanor.

“You look good as a girl” She joked, breaking away to take a good look at you.

“Thanks, I-“ You began to say, but were interrupted by a deep voice.

“B/N” Cloud said, staring at you as though you were the only person in the room. Despite the emotion in his eyes, his expression remained neutral. “That’s not your real name, is it?”

“No…” You whispered, suddenly feeling a lump in your throat. “It’s Y/N”

“Y/N…” He repeated, nodding his head in deep thought.

The temperature of the room seemed to fall drastically. Something in his tone was ice cold. The silence was absolute, only interrupted by the noise coming from the windows, a reminder that life went on outside of the bar.

“Um… you’ll explain everything later” Biggs muttered, standing next to the pinball machine. “Seems like you need a moment alone”

“Yup, leave you guys to it!” Jessie awkwardly said, sinking into the secret room. One by one, all of her friends followed until you were alone with Tifa and Cloud.

“We have a lot of catching up to do” Tifa sweetly smiled, returning behind the bar. “I’ll prepare some drinks”

You and Cloud stood before one another. His eyes never once left you, looking you up and down as though trying to make sure that you were actually there, that you were real and not one of his many dreams.

“Well…” You awkwardly said, needing to break that suffocating silence. “Where’s Zack?”

Cloud suddenly grimaced, groaning and clutching his head. Concerned, you were about to lean in and put a hand on his arm, but ultimately decided not to do it. You still weren’t sure he wasn’t mad at you. After all, you kept an important secret from him. You lied to him and pretended to be someone you were not. All of this was something you didn’t know he could forgive and you were too scared that he would push you away.

“B/N… I mean, Y/N?” Tifa called, and so you glanced at her. She only shook her head.

The air suddenly left your lungs as you understood what that somber gesture meant. A sob got caught in your throat at the realization. You had been lucky enough to reunite with Cloud, but you would never be able to see Zack again.

Turning back to the blond, you wondered the impact this had on him. After all, he and Zack had been very close and when you left, believing you were dead…

“Oh!” You gasped when a force suddenly made you stumble.

Confused, you paused to notice Cloud’s arms wrapped around you. They urgently pressed you against his chest. An invisible weight seemed to be lifted off your chest as you accepted and treasured his embrace with a sigh of relief.

“I’m glad you’re okay…” He whispered, and in his voice you recognized that softer tone you had been used to. The old Cloud seemed to be shining through the cracks as the new fake Cloud fell apart.

He was breathing heavily, squeezing you against him so tightly that he was hurting you. In spite of it all, you didn’t have the heart to complain. You almost couldn’t breathe, but it could have been because you were starting to sob.

“You too” You cried against his shoulder, now bawling your eyes out as you clung on to his shirt and he held you still.

Tag list: @call-me-harley-quinn​ / @wonderlandfandomkingdom​ / @anxiouslyreckless​ / @xionroxas​ / @dancewaterdance02​ / @little-faerie-artist​ / @x-joie-x​ / @honeybunhanbin​ / @legallyblindgamer727​ / @lotsoffandomstoimagine​ / @imaginealllthefandoms​ / @fandomatakeover18​ / @goodmorningawfulbye​ / @trunks-kiwi​ / @lostiintheocean​ // If you want to be added or taken off the tag list for these fandoms or characters, send me an ask!! // Reblogs and comments are appreciated!

[randomfandomimagine]

Fast Learner (Cloud Strife x Reader)

Character: Cloud Strife

Fandom: Final Fantasy VII

Tags: Fluff, flirting, training, mutual pining 

Warnings: None

Word Count: 1,8k words

Requested by anon: Could you do a Cloud Strife x reader (.....i think maybe headcannon? Idk whichever you wanna do) where reader has been begging for Cloud to train her and the day he does, he gets knocked flat on his back? Its cool if you don't wanna, stay safe and healthy 

A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CLOUD!!! 😍💖

Cloud Strife x Gender Neutral Reader

_

Cloud could not focus. He hadn’t expected this to happen, and although his SOLDIER experience reminded him to be alert in the middle of the battle, he could only worry about you and your wellbeing, your safety.

You had been taking a walk together, moving in silence even if you seemed coordinated, like two bodies that shared a single soul. The day was sunny and warm, and you were enjoying each other’s company. That was, until the enemies suddenly surrounded you and resulted in that sticky situation.

“Cloud?” You gasped, looking around you to observe the beasts that threatened you.

“It’s okay” He only said, using one arm to unsheathe his sword while he pushed you behind him with the other one. Despite his racing heart, he appeared calm. “Stay there”

You held on to him, simultaneously wanting him to feel you close and keep track of your position while at the same time seeking his comfort to calm your nerves. You weren’t used to battle, but Cloud didn’t bat an eye. He expertly swung his sword to one side and the other, leaning his weight in the direction needed without ever moving his feet. He stayed in that spot for your sake, still managing to quickly and effectively ending his opponents while also shielding you.

A bit shaken up by the encounter, you peeked over his shoulder when it was all over, still tightly holding on to him. Noticing your accelerated breathing, Cloud turned his head to you. When his hair brushed against your knuckles over his shoulders, you grew aware of how tightly you were clutching to him.

“Sorry…” You nervously chuckled, taking a step back to give him some space. “I just got a bit nervous”

“You okay?” He turned around to face you again, absently sheathing his sword.

“Yeah, I’m not hurt…”

“Then what’s wrong?”

You stared at him, surprised that he had read through you. Cloud wasn’t usually extremely perceptive, or at least he kept his thoughts to himself. At that moment, though, it seemed like he couldn’t help but to ask.

“I just… I think I really should learn how to fight”

“Not that crap again…” Rolling his eyes, Cloud resumed walking. When you noticed he was heading back for Seventh Heaven, you rushed to catch up to him.

“Listen, Cloud!” You tightly held on to his arm, shaking him a little to ensure he paid attention to you. Much to your surprise, he stopped walking and locked eyes with you. “I’m tired of not being able to defend myself!”

“I can protect you” He quickly replied, although his own answer flustered him and he corrected himself. “Don’t you think I’m capable of that?”

“Of course I do!” Showing him an angelical smile, you cutely tilted your head. “But I want to show you and everyone that I can kick ass on my own”

Cloud opened his mouth to reply, but ultimately closed it and heaved a sigh. He averted his gaze and frowned. There was a pause. The muscles of his arm moved under your fingers when he clenched his hands into fists. You watched him intently, wondering what was going through his head. Just when you thought you were starting to figure him out, he hid himself behind that mysterious façade again.

“Fine” Cloud suddenly piped up. “Meet me here in an hour”

You gasped in awe, startling him a little. He opened his eyes wide, staring at you and trying to understand what had shocked you like that.

“Really?!” You exclaimed, shaking him in excitement and bouncing up and down. “Cloud!!”

“What?” He clicked his tongue in annoyance, trying to get away from you as you continued to shake him around. “Y/N, quit it”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” You threw your arms around his neck and hugged him tight. “You’re the best, thank you so much!”

“Stop” Even if he firmly pushed you away from him, his hands on your waist felt gentle as they lingered for a bit longer than they needed to.

“Sorry” You chuckled, unable to contain your enthusiasm.

“Go get ready…” He averted his gaze, even if you caught a hint of a blush in his cheeks. “Before I change my mind”

You knew you were tempting fate, but you still showed him your gratitude with another little gesture. Before running away to avoid the consequences of it, you quickly kissed him in the cheek. You didn’t see the effect it had on him, other than hearing him stuttering and trying to recover.

_

You had been trying to get close to Cloud, but it seemed like an impossible task. The ex-SOLDIER was completely hermetic. When you tried to chatter, he only responded with hums or monosyllabics. When you hinted that you liked him, he was too oblivious to notice. When you touched him, he didn’t reciprocate.

Despite it all, you still had hope. Maybe Cloud wasn’t the best at expressing himself, or dealing with his emotions, but he didn’t reject yours. He might roll his eyes at your senseless chatter, but he never once was rude to you or left you midsentence. Although he didn’t understand the true meaning behind your kind words, he always made an effort to at least give you a small smile or a head nod. Whenever you touched him, he let you do it without pushing you away. It was little things like those that gave you hope.

“Great” His voice brought you out of your thoughts. “Show me again”

Nodding your head, you prepared your position. Your hands went up, hovering before your face. Your fingers were closed forming a fist, with the thumb out just like he had taught you. You punched forward, twisting your hips as you did to infuse your hits with as much power as possible. You slightly bended your knees as he had reminded you before, prepared to back away or dodge any attacks.

“Kay” His hands suddenly fell over yours, squeezing them a little to make sure your fists were firm and stable. “Uh… M-Make sure you don’t cover your eyes”

“Sure” You tried to pretend like his touch didn’t fluster you, instead concentrating on listening to his advice and lowering your fists a little.

“Now” Cloud cleared his throat, taking a step back to put some distance between you. “Wanna learn how to bring someone down?”

“Yeah!” You threw your fists in the air, being excited still and satisfied with your progress. “Show me, teach”

“You can, uh…” Upon seeing your big genuine smile, Cloud averted his eyes in order to concentrate. “One way to do it is sweep the leg”

“Uh-huh” You encouraged him, energetically nodding your head.

“Throw your body forward and use momentum against them” He continued instructing. “Then also sweep their legs forward with your foot to throw them off balance”

“Got it!” You exclaimed, nearly vibrating in the spot. “Can I try?”

He nodded his head, squaring his feet up and preparing for your attempt. You didn’t fail to notice he seemed quite skeptical, almost like he was just humoring you and didn’t expect you to succeed.

“Move forward” He reminded you, gesticulating from you to him. “And sweep the feet”

You nodded your head, throwing your weight as you held on to his shoulders.

“Like this?” As you pushed him backwards, you yanked his legs forward.

“Ah!” Cloud uttered in surprise, finding himself tumbling down with you on top of him. Even as his back thudded against the ground, he kept his eyes glued to you. “Y-Yeah”

You beamed, peering down at him with a big satisfied smirk. He only gawked at you, equally surprised and impressed.

“Did I hurt you?”

“Course not”

“How’d I do?”

“Good…” He managed to say, even though a tight frown of confusion occupied his features. “Good job”

“Thanks” You smiled, out of breath from the exertion of the whole training.

It was then when you realized how close you were. Apart from the fact that you were sitting on top of him, your noses almost touched and you firmly pushed down on him to keep him locked in place. Your hand was pressing down on his chest, which heaved up and down just like yours. His hands were on your hips as he tried to brace himself for the impact. Even as he had recovered from it, they lingered in that spot just like your hand did on his torso.

Following the example you always set, Cloud wrapped his hand around your wrist to communicate. You still didn’t want to leave off, enjoying that closeness far too much. Nonetheless, you lifted your hand and scurried off him.

“I’m impressed” He admitted, standing up and calmly dusting his pants.

“I’m a fast learner” You muttered in response to his astonishment, shrugging a little.

“Sure… Me too” Cloud said in deep thought, facing his back to you.

You frowned, confused about what he meant. There was something off about him all of a sudden. However, he turned held his hand out for you to take. Once you were pulled to your feet, you stared at him.

“Cloud?” Puzzled, you intently watched him. If you didn’t know any better, you would say he was up to something, and it was unlike him. “Everything okay?”

“You… you did it wrong” He said suddenly, moving too quickly for you to react.

“What did I…” You yelped in startle when he threw himself at you, demonstrating how to ‘properly’ tackle someone as he carefully threw you to the ground. “Cloud!!”

As you both returned to the same position as before, albeit reversed, you stared at each other. There was a new gleam in his mako eyes that made you understand. For the first time, you truly realized what was on his mind.

You had quickly learned how to fight, so much so that you had impressed the cool and stoic Cloud Strife. On the other hand, he was a fast learner too. Mimicking your attempts to bond with him, he had established physical contact in a way very much like him. You didn’t expect him to hug you out of nowhere, or hold your hand without a reason. But tackling you to the ground with the excuse of training you was the closest it would get, and you accepted it.

Taken aback by the moment, you erupted into laughter. Playfully hitting him the chest, you guffawed and kicked your legs as he kept you pinned down under him.

“Like that” His falsely stern tone seemed to intend to remind you of what you were doing. But he didn’t fool you any longer.

“Thanks, Cloud” You said when you recovered a little from your laughter.

He nodded and backed away from you. As he did, you caught a glimpse of a smile adorning his lips, a sight that you treasured in your memory forever.

Tag list: @call-me-harley-quinn​ / @anxiouslyreckless​ / @xionroxas​ / @dancewaterdance02​ / @little-faerie-artist​ / @x-joie-x​ / @honeybunhanbin​ / @legallyblindgamer727​ / @lotsoffandomstoimagine​ / @imaginealllthefandoms​ / @fandomatakeover18​ / @goodmorningawfulbye​ / @trunks-kiwi​ / @lostiintheocean​ // If you want to be added or taken off the tag list for these fandoms or characters, send me an ask!! // Reblogs and comments are appreciated!

[randomfandomimagine]

Sworn Enemies (Reno Sinclair x Reader)

Characters: Reno Sinclair

Fandom: Final Fantasy VII

Tags: Reader Insert, Gender Neutral Reader

Warnings: A bit of violence, mild swearing

Word Count: 986 words

Requested by anon: I love your writing!! Can I request for a ficlet of Reno Sinclair meeting the reader for the first time in a fight where they're in opposite sides but he gets very impressed with her fighting skills and gets distracted by her looks so he just starts shamelessly flirting with her? And the reader is sassy and badass so she flirts back while kicking his ass?

A/N: This might have turned out a bit cliché, but it’s fun! Tense and flirty and cool, I think so I hope you all enjoy it :D

Shinra again. Those damn Turks wouldn’t stop bothering you and getting in your way. As he stopped before you, you took a good look at him. This time it wasn’t the bald guy with the glasses, it was someone else. A man with bright red hair and a smirk. You hated to think about it, but he was kind of attractive.

“Never give up, do you?” You rolled your eyes at him, daring to approach him. “Tell that asshole boss of yours to leave us alone”

“Fiesty, huh? Yeah, Rude told me I would run into trouble” He replied, never dropping his smirk. “Finally, a challenge”

“Go away” You unsheathed your sword, even if you didn’t usually need it. “While you still can”

Instead of being intimidated by your aggresive tone, he chuckled in amusement. His blue eyes followed your every moment, although barely noticing your weapon.

“I like you” The Turk tapped his rod against his shoulder. “Wouldn’t want to ruin that pretty face”

Accepting his challenge, you made a flourish with your sword. He cocked an eyebrow, mildly impressed by the demostration. 

“Just try” Acquiring a readied stance, you awaited his attack. It soon came.

Without giving you further warning except for the unnoticeable way in which his smirk grew, he threw himself forward. Before you knew it, he was behind you.

“Surprise!” He exclaimed in a cocky tone, but you only scoffed.

While he was too busy gloating, you swept one feet against his ankles, taking him by surprise and causing him to tumble to the ground. The Turk then growled in annoyance, thrusting his rod against you. Once again, you reacted quickly. Your sword hand flew upwards and the metal blade stopped his weapon before it could touch you. Putting up resistance against the soft force he was making to break your block, you paused and observed him.

“Nice moves, sweetheart” The man said, calmly standing up and dusting off his suit.

“Don’t call me that” You pushed your sword against his rod, making him lose balance even if only for a brief moment. His stance soon steadied.

“Or what?” The Turk now made a flourish himself, dedicating you a flirtatious grin.

You smirked, and he cocked an eyebrow in response. He must have misunderstood your reaction. You weren’t flirting back, you were preparing to retaliate.

“I’ll do something like this” You expertly kicked up, moving your foot until it made contact with his nose. He wasn’t fast enough to stop it.

“Ah, shit!” Much to your surprise, this only seemed to impress him more despite the thin trickle of blood pouring down his nose. “You know how to make an impression on someone, huh?”

“It’s part of my charm” You mockingly wrinkled your nose at him, ready to attack once more.

He was ready this time, and although you were nearly equally matched, he seemed to have a slight advantage. The two of you moved frantically, dancing as you followed the other’s movements. Your trained legs moved nimbly, the sound of feet stomping filling the building.

Just when you thought you had him, he threw you off your rhythm. As you made an effort to recover, he immobilized you. The Turk wrapped his arms around you, pressing his rod against the small of your back to lock you in place against him.

The both of you stood there, breathing heavily from the exertion of the battle. You were so close to him, pressed against his chest, that you could clearly see the blue of his eyes. Hating to think that they were pretty, you fought to break free.

“Truce?” He asked, keeping up his cocky demeanor.

“No, you jerk!” You were struggling, as he had also pinned your arms beside your torso. “Let me go!”

“Ah, ah” The Turk grinned, shaking his head at you. “Say the magic words, gorgeous”

Refusing to give him the satisfaction, you swore under your breath and muttered a few insults instead. He laughed at your boldness but ultimately let you go.

“Fine, we’ll leave” The guy told you, resting his rod against his shoulder once more. “For now”

“Good” You angrily fixed your hair and clothes. “Don’t come back”

He smirked, realizing that you had ignored the second part of his sentence. Instead of being annoyed by your stubbornness, he seemed to enjoy it. 

“Can I ask for your name, worthy opponent?”

“Y/N” 

“I’m Reno”

“Didn’t ask”

Reno paused, looking you up and down. You glared at him, but that didn’t seem to bother him either. Slowly, almost defiantly, he took a few steps back.

“Will I see you again?” The Turk asked before he could leave the scene

“No, we’re sworn enemies!” You ignored the reacing of your heart, atributing it to the fight. “Scum...”

“If that’s what you want to call it” Imitating you, he completely ignored some of your words. “Until we meet again, Y/N”

“Can’t wait” You rolled your eyes at him, and Reno chuckled at your sassiness. 

As he walked away, however, you found yourself truly wanting to see him again some time. Maybe not too soon, or maybe not too often. But you really couldn’t wait to experience such a rush again. It wasn’t every day you came across someone so interesting. Even if that someone was your enemy.

Tag list: @call-me-harley-quinn​ / @anxiouslyreckless​ / @xionroxas​ / @dancewaterdance02​ / @little-faerie-artist​ / @x-joie-x​ / @honeybunhanbin​ / @legallyblindgamer727​ / @emmajunior90​ / @trunks-kiwi​  // If you want to be added or taken off the tag list for these fandoms or characters, let me know!! // Reblogs and comments are appreciated!

[randomfandomimagine]

Too Scared (Cloud Strife x Reader)

Character: Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart, Barret Wallace

Fandom: Final Fantasy VII

Tags: Reader Insert, GenderNeutral!Reader, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort

Warnings: Brief descriptions of injury, insomnia and nightmares

Summary: When something goes wrong during a mission and Y/N gets hurt, Cloud gets slightly protective. Even with Barret and Tifa’s concern, Y/N doesn’t quite feel safe until a certain someone steps in.

Word Count: 2k words

A/N: Can you tell I’m loving FFVII Remake? Deep down Cloud’s soft and we all know it, so have some cute protective Cloud! Enjoy! :D

When you agreed to join them on their mission for the first time, you were expecting something else. Adventure, action, excitement. Instead, you were received with nervous butterflies in your stomach, the feeling of dread, the threat of imminent death and the concern for your friends. Even if you hadn’t known Cloud, Tifa and Barret for that long. Especially not the ex-Soldier, since he made it so hard.

“Y/N!” Barret called you, so suddenly bringing you out of your thoughts that you jumped a little. “Get your ass over here!” 

“Sorry...” You held your head down, internally lecturing yourself, and approached them. All eyes were on you as you stopped before the trio.

“Don’t worry” Tifa kindly smiled. “I get nervous too” 

“Can we focus?” Cloud interrupted, immediately tearing his gaze from you.

You frowned, but nodded. After all his dry comments and elusive behavior, you were starting to think he didn’t like you very much.

“What’re we doing then, Soldier boy?” Barret asked him.

“They seem to be busted or something” Cloud lazily pointed to the big robotic Shinra weapons that towered over you. “A good thing too, if they weren’t-”

“Watch out!” Tifa exclaimed, acquiring a ready stance.

His words had seemed to jinx the group, because just then the biggest one came to life and pointed its shooters at you three. You were the closest, and despite her warning, wasn’t fast enough to move. All three of them had jumped back, but you were frozen in place. Paralyzed, you could only stare at the moving machine like a deer in headlights. Your hands didn’t even reach out to pick up your weapon.

“Y/N!” Someone called, you couldn’t tell who. In any case, the explosion muffled their worried cries. 

As the robot aimed at you, the fiery projectile threw you flying backwards. You landed with a harsh thud that made your bones hurt. A ringing deafened you as it was the only thing filling your ears. You grimaced as you tried to get your bearings back and ignore the intense pain that spread through you. It took your breath away. 

You hadn’t realized someone was shaking your shoulder until your eyes found focus. They landed over a beautiful blue inundated in green. In your daze, it took you a bit to understand it was Cloud staring straight at you.

“Y/N!” He tried again, squeezing your arm. “You okay?!”

Blinking repeatedly, you weakly nodded your head. Though you opened your mouth, no words left it save for a strangled whimper. 

“Stay behind me” He was becoming blurry as he slowly faced his back to you again. 

Frowning as you tried to make sense of what you were witnessing, a confusing mess of bodies moving in a strange angle and loud noises, you saw Cloud wielding his big sword. He stood before you, throwing quick glances over his shoulder to check on you as he protected you with his body. His mouth was moving as he spoke to you, but you couldn’t hear him when the whistling in your ears began again. 

You reached out to him, hoping he didn’t get hurt protecting you. He seemed perfectly skilled, yet even as he cleverly used his sword as a shield, you felt uneasy. Cloud was far too distracted by your wellbeing to focus on the battle.

You were feeling yourself slipping out of consciousness. A loud groan of pain came from before you, making you gasp in concern.

“C-Cloud...” You uttered, far too weakly for him to hear.

The last thing you saw were his boots in your field of vision as you hand went limp against the ground. Even as you succumbed to the darkness, you tried to reach out to him one last time.

-

Tifa and Barret had been incredibly kind and thoughtful. For the remainer of the day, they had looked after you. Luckily, you weren’t badly hurt and your injuries had more to do with the shock of the impact than anything else.

When it came to night, Tifa told you to stay in a small apartment complex near by. Coincidentially, Cloud was staying there too. You hadn’t seen him ever since the accident, but you wanted to make sure he was alright. Sure, they had insisted that he was and that no one else came to harm, but... you needed to see with your own two eyes. 

Despite your fatigue, you spent hours tossing and turning on the bed. It was comfortable, but your thoughts were far too busy to find rest. In a way, you were also listening in case Cloud appeared, restless until you saw him again.

Giving up on trying to sleep, you slowly walked out of the room. The fresh air felt nice and cleared your head a little. You paced up and down once in an attempt to rid your tense muscles of their numbness. Then you sighed in exhaustion and sat down, hanging your legs off the edge of the balcony. 

A door suddenly creaked open, causing you to jolt up in surprise. Although your heart had begun racing, it calmed at the sight you were received with when you turned.

“It’s just you, Cloud...” You sighed in relief, yet it was also partly relief to see him. Whole, in one piece, deadpan and serious as always.

“Hey” Was all he said, though he observed you intently. 

You looked him up and down, remembering hearing him groan in pain. After searching for any signs of injury, you found them. His dark tank top was a bit thorn along the stomach, there where dry blood stained the fabric and the bit of skin exposed under it. 

“You’re hurt!” You made to get up, but he held a hand up to stop you. Nonetheless, you continued ranting in concern. “It’s my fault, I’m so sorry...”

“It’s nothing” He assured to interrupt your panic. “Just a scratch”

“You... you got that protecting me” 

“It happens... I’m fine”

Your eyes followed him as he plopped down next to you. His gaze was glued ahead, even as he opened his mouth to speak again.

“Can’t sleep?” 

“No...” 

“What’s wrong?”

You hesitated. Cloud was tough and you didn’t want to appear weak in front of him, you just wanted him to like you. Instead of admitting your anguish and the fresh memories of what happened that day, you shook your head.

“Nothing...” You hoped he couldn’t see through your lie.

“Just spit it out” He tiredly said, leaning his head in your direction.

“Uh...” You sighed and cleared your throat, feeling your voice shaky. “I’m... too scared” 

He didn’t scoff like you expected him to. Maybe he wasn’t as cold and heartless as he pretended to be. Carefully watching him with the corner of your eye, you noticed he was staring at you. His face contorted in concern, and he frowned in something that resembled empathy.

Although it took him a bit as his mouth fell agape, he piped up.

“You got hurt, it can be frightening” Cloud said, averting his gaze. “Don’t beat yourself up for being scared”

Taken aback by his response, you couldn’t reply immediately. In fact, you had to make an effort not to smile. It warmed your heart that he tried to comfort you

“Thank you, and thanks for protecting me back there”

“That’s what you brought me along for” Cloud shrugged, returning to his usual coold-headedness. It made the sweet tender moment you shared all the more special as well as rare.

A sudden gale swept over you two, making you shiver. You heard him utter a sound as he turned to look at you.

“You should go back inside” He frowned, still facing you as his eyes glanced away once more. “Not that I care, but you could catch a cold out here”

Despite his words, you had to smile to yourself. Slowly, you were starting to see through his facade. He did care, he just didn’t want anyone to know.

“I’m good here, it’s dark and lonely in there” 

Cloud sighed, yet despite his clear exasperation, one of his arms fell over your shoulders. You could only assume he did it to keep you warm, as his body radiated warmth.

“C-Cloud!” You exclaimed in astonishment, surprised that he was so adamant on looking after you.

“Shut up” Was all he said, even as his arm pulled you closer against his torso.

“Not that you care” You told him, teasing him slightly. “But thank you” 

“Hm” He told you as all response, allowing you to snuggle closer to him.

You heaved a sigh of relief as you relaxed under his protective closeness. All day you had been tired, scared and jumpy, but sitting there with Cloud you felt calm. For the first time in hours, you weren’t afraid anymore.

Leaning your head on his shoulder, you closed your eyes. Your entire body felt heavy with exhaustion. As you further relaxed, your breathing slowed and you felt yourself falling asleep.

“Y/N?” He called, though you were too sleepy to reply back.

In a way more tender than you thought him capable of, Cloud carefully scooped you into his arms. As he carried you, you felt safe from any and all threats. Still you tried to say something, but even opening your mouth felt tiring. 

When you heard the sound of a door opening and him dipping you slightly, you groaned in complaint and held on to his tank top. He stuttered at the gesture.

“Stay with me” You asked him, needing his comforting presence.

“B-But...” He mumbled, still hovering with you in his arms.

“Please, Cloud” Your eyelids were too heavy to open, and your hand wasn’t even strong enough to cling on to him anymore.

“Fine” He sighed, gingerly placing you on the bed and settling in the floor close to you. “Just for a bit”

You smiled, and you intended to thank him, but you were already fast asleep.

-

You stirred until you startled yourself awake. Quickly sitting up on the bed, you tried to shake away the remnants of your nightmare. It was worse when you remembered it was based on a real occurrence.

Slightly dazed, you glanced around to find yourself back in your room. The faint light from dawn filtrated through the window, signaling the arrival of a new day.

“Cloud?” You lowly called, expecting him to be long gone.

“I’m here” His voice unexpectedly said from below.

You hadn’t noticed him, but he was lying down on the ground. He turned around to be facing you and watched you intently. You could almost read his thoughts, that so urgently told him to ask how you were doing. He didn’t.

“What are you doing on the floor?” You said instead, frowning at the sight.

“Wasn’t gonna let you sleep on the floor” He casually said, sitting up himself.

You smiled, endeared by the thoughtful gesture. He grunted in annoyance and fidgeted until his back leaned against the wall.

“Feeling better?” He finally asked you, although he might have been trying to change the subject.

“Yeah, I am”

“Good”

“Thanks to you, for looking after me” 

“Whatever...” He stood up and languidly rested his weight on his right leg. “Can I go now?”

“Right after I pay you back” Almost cunningly, you smirked as you leaned closer to him.

He gasped when your lips met with his cheek for just a second. Flustered, he stood there stuttering for a bit until he finally rolled his eyes and sighed.

“Go get some rest” You told him, taking notice of the dark circles under his eyes. “It looks like you didn’t sleep all night” 

“I did” He lied, averting his gaze as he seemed to often do. “You just couldn’t tell”

“Sure” You replied as he began to walk away, following his every move.

Cloud stopped before the door, looking over his shoulder to you. Then he walked out without a word, closing the door behind him. You sighed, feeling much calmer and peaceful than last night. As you lied back down, you smiled to yourself.

Cloud pretended not to, but he did care. You hadn’t known each other for that long, yet he was willing to watch over you all night. He had watched over you all night, protecting you when you were too scared to fall asleep. He cared.

Tag list: @anxiouslyreckless​ / @xionroxas​ / @dancewaterdance02​ / @little-faerie-artist​ / @x-joie-x​ / @honeybunhanbin​ / @legallyblindgamer727​ / @goodmorningawfulbye​ / @trunks-kiwi​ // If you want to be added or taken off the tag list for these fandoms or characters, let me know!! // Reblogs and comments are appreciated!  

[randomfandomimagine]

Holiday (Cloud Strife x Reader)

Characters: Cloud Strife

Fandom: Final Fantasy VII

Tags: Reader Insert, Gender Neutral Reader, Flirting, Playfulness

Warnings: Hardcore fluff

Word Count: 2,9k words

Requested by anon: Hi!! I'd like to request a ficlet of Cloud and female reader spending a day at the beach in Costa del Sol, I'd love to see Cloud's reaction to seeing her in a bikini and maybe trying to cover her up or protect her from other guys' stares! They could even go swimming or play games together! And then maybe they could go to the Gold Saucer and try the gondola ride or other attractions? I can see Cloud trying to win her a teddy bear but refusing to admit he did it for her haha ;) // Ooh I have another idea, what about Cloud and reader doing a run in the Chocobos? Like maybe Cloud could teach her how to ride a Chocobo, or they could ride one together and maybe fall to the ground together hehe ;) thank you for considering my requests, hopefully any of them will inspire you and I hope you feel better soon 

A/N: I struggled a bit with this one for some reason, it’s a bit messy and quick paced, but I think it turned out pretty cute and fluffy! Enjoy :D

You knocked on the bathroom door, where Cloud was getting changed. After getting no response, you knocked again, growing impatient. How long did it take to put on some swim trunks? You couldn’t wait to go to the beach!

“Cloud!” You whined, also excited to see your boyfriend in a swimsuit. “Are you done?”

The door suddenly opened, and he stood there looking at you. His hands fell on his hips and he nodded his head in your direction.

“Ready” You had to chuckle at his words, because he still wore his tank top and carried his sword. The only change in his attire was the swimming shorts, he even wore his boots.

“You’re unbelievable” You walked behind him. “Taking a sword to the beach?”

“Just in case-” When he noticed you were trying to pick it up, he jolted up. “Careful!”

You yelped when you felt overwhelmed by the weight. Luckily, Cloud moved fast enough to support you before you could fall over. He put the weapon away, eaving it against the wall, and turned back to you again.

His eyes fell over your body, to the curves hinted under your sarong, but just for a moment as he blushed and quickly looked up into your eyes again. Sometimes he was adorable. Now that you were dating, you didn’t expect him to be as shy as usual, but he hadn’t changed.

Trying to save him the embarrassment, you picked up the bag where you kept everything you could need -towels, sunscreen, cool beverages... -and threw it over your shoulder. Before you could take even one step carrying it, however, Cloud took it from you to save you the effort. He didn’t say a word, but the gesture endeared you even more to him.

“Come on!” You held his hand, dragging him out of the room with you. “The beach is waiting for us!”

You started running, excited to finally reach it. Surprisingly, Cloud played into your game and began jogging by your side, not letting go of your hand either. Soon the salty scent of the sea reached you, and you smiled to yourself. Luckily, the beach wasn’t too far, because you were already panting from the dash.

Once you reached the sand, you didn’t lose one second. While Cloud took his shirt off and lay the towels down, you got rid of your sarong and flip flops and watched the soothing sight of the waves calmly crashing on the shore.

“Cloud” You turned to him, slightly bashful as you tried not to stare at his bare chest. “Wanna go for a swim?”

“Maybe later” His eyes didn’t meet you, too busy focused on the people around you.

Following his gaze, you realized what had him so upset. Certain people had no problem in taking a good look at you in your swimsuit. It made you self-conscious but you didn’t really mind. You weren’t the only one they were looking at anyway. Turning back to your boyfriend to allow yourself to really take in his slim but strong physique, you understood why.

Suddenly, he pulled you flat against him. Bracing yourself, your hands instinctively flew to his stomach. You could feel his defined abs against your palm, causing you to blush. But he didn’t notice, tightly wrapping his arms around you to hide your exposed skin.

“Cloud?” You peered up at him, finally locking eyes.

“They’re staring” He replied, frowning as his blue eyes fell over you. “Should’ve brought my sword”

“You don’t think people stare at you too, handsome?” You giggled, amused by his pout. “Let them look, you’re the only one who can get close”

He paused for a moment, but then sighed and loosened his grip on you.

“You’re right, sorry... I just got-”

“Jealous?” 

“You’re making this real hard on me, Y/N...”

You laughed a little, and repressed the urge to pinch his cheek. You had been teasing him enough already and you didn’t want to make him uncomfortable. Instead, you pointed a thumb over your shoulder. 

“I’ll just go to the water for a bit” As you took a few steps back, Cloud nodded his head and sat down on the towel. “You’re welcome to join me whenever you want”

“Got it” Was his dry response, despite the fact that his eyes never left you.

You walked slowly, feeling the drastic shift between the hot sun kissed sand and the fresh ocean water under your toes. You feet settled on the solid wet sand under them as the water softly went up and down with the tide, circling your ankles and then retreating once more. 

Walking further once you were a bit accustomed to the lower temperature, the water now reached up to your knees. A wave returned to the shore, making you stumble with its force. Turning to Cloud and smiling to yourself in pure enjoyment of the moment, you saw he was still looking at you.

You energetically waved at him. Seemingly annoyed at your playfulness, he only stared. You stuck your tongue out at him and waved again. Resigned, he waved back at you. He was always trying so hard to play it cool... Well, you were determined to enjoy every second of your holiday. 

Before you could turn around to face the horizon, however, a bigger wave came behind you, roughly crashing into you and throwing you to the ground. When you glanced at him, Cloud’s expression had changed from annoyed to worried as he ran to you. You held your head low, too amused by his exaggerated response.

“You okay?!” He urgently pulled you to your feet, his hands gentle around you, and you still struggled not to laugh. “Y/N...”

Taking your behavior the wrong way, he scooped you into his arms, concerned. Still trying to suffocate your laughter, you hid your face on his neck.

“Talk to me, are you hurt?” His words broke you completely, because how could you be actually hurt from that? It was really sweet, but also hilarious to you. He was always so dramatic.

“I’m not hurt, I’m...” 

“Are you... laughing?” Cloud let out a shaky breath, piercing eyes focused on you.

“Sorry... I’m sorry” You heard him loudly sigh as he gently carried you still.

“Don’t do that” He complained, and you could almost hear his heart still racing.

“Why, were you worried?” You looked right into his eyes and cutely tilted your head at him. “Huh, boyfriend?”

“Y/N...” His voice held a tone of vexation as he gently lowered you into the ground.

As soon as your bare feet touched the wet sand once more, you began running around him.

“Are you mad at me?”

“A little”

“Really? Watcha gonna do?”

“You’ll see”  

“You’ll have to catch me first, big boy!”

You splashed water at him, trying to finally get him to open up a bit. Knowing Cloud, he was holding himself back. You could see it in his eyes, that he wanted to have fun with you. Because he was stoic, strong, serious and hermetic. But he was also kind, sensitive, thoughtful and shy. 

“Stop it” Giving in, Cloud chased after you. Utterly astonished by this, you screamed as you ran away from him. The water around your ankles slowed you down.

When he caught up to you, Cloud took you by the hips and easily lifted you off your feet. He carried you back to the dry hot sand while you yelped and laughed at the top of your lungs. You even heard him chuckle in response to your noises.

“That’ll teach you” He said in your ear, and suddenly his voice was playful.

You laughed when he lightly squeezed your sides, effectively tickling you. You turned around to be face to face with him and pouted your bottom lip. As you expected, he yielded at the sight of your adorable expression.

“War’s over” You joked, brushing your lips against him. He immediately relaxed under your touch, giving into the brief kiss. “I win”

“You’re killing me here” Mildly embarrassed by your interactions, it was him who pouted at you know. “Why did I agree to this?”

“It was your idea!” 

“Yeah, ‘cause I know how much you wanted to go on a holiday together”

Cloud swore under hsi breat at the look of utter adoration you gave him in response to those words. He knew you well enough to realize it would only earn him more teasing. 

“You did it for me? Aw, Cloud” You put your arms around his neck and hugged him. “Don’t pout! Enjoy yourself, silly”

“Stop it with the nickames” He frowned, actually sounding upset.

For once you started to believe he was legitimaly having a bad time. Your face fell at the thought that he was mindlessly letting you drag him along but was loathing every second of it.

“Y-You don’t like them?” 

“I didn’t say...”

For a moment, you locked eyes. It was the first time since you arrived, even after your long journey, that you really connected with each other’s emotions. Cloud suddenly understood why you were so excited and eager. It wasn’t because of the holidays, or the beach, or all the new things. It was because you were sharing them with him. And you saw that he wasn’t being broody just because, he was trying to act cool as usual, but that he was truly flustered and slightly overwhelmed by everything.

“If you don’t like the beach we can go back to the hotel and-”

“It’s not that” His hand lovingly cupped your cheek. “Maybe dial it down a bit?”

You paused, taken aback by the sweetness in his voice and the amorous look in his beautiful eyes. Then you smiled and nodded your head.

“Sure” You chuckled, pressing a hand against his and reveling on his warm touch. “And you could let yourself go a bit more”

“Not happening” Cloud turned his face away, but you could see a flirtatious grin playing at the corner of his lips. He was trying, going along with your demeanor.

A sudden wave of fondness for him hit you. He could be so sweet... You could tell how much he cared, how much he loved you. And it made your heart sing.

“C’mon, grumpy! You’re allowed to have fun!” You took his hand and pulled at it. “It’s only you and me now, relax”

“Fine” He gave in, beginning to walk alongside the shore. “Only for you”

-

Cloud clicked his tongue, turning to you in defeat. You watched him in curiosity, surprised that he seemed to enjoy those little games so much. When you suggested to go to Gold Saucer, you didn’t expect it to actually become part of the plan, and you certainly didn’t expect Cloud to get so into it.

“I’ll try again” Was all he said, buying another ticket.

“Since when are you so proud, Cloud?” You teased him, nudging him a little.

He didn’t respond, focusing on his aim. However, before he threw the ball at the bottles, you noticed how his eyes kept drifting to the big teddy bear at the top of the display. 

You smiled, reading his mind and the reason behind his stubbornness. Endeared by this, you leaned closer to kiss him in the cheek. He frowned and looked at you, but you only giggled and shrugged.

“For good luck” You said as an excuse, knowing he wouldn’t admit his reasons so you wouldn’t admit yours. 

The start of a smile grew on his lips, but it never settled there as the concetration took over his features. You watched in expectation, following his every move as he prepared to throw the ball. When he did, you happilly cheered after it collided with the bottles and knocked them all down.

“Congratulations” The stand keeper reluctantly said, clearly annoyed that Cloud won. “Choose your prize”

Your boyfriend didn’t hesitate, silently pointing a finger to the teddy bear. As soon as the man gave it to him, Cloud humbly handed it to you. 

“Was that why you were so determined?” You asked, hugging the plushie, even if you knew the answer already. “So you could win me something?”

“No...” He simply replied, averting his gaze. “I knew I almost had it”

“Thanks anyway” You winked at him, which was enough to fluster him.

“Welcome” He muttered, although his voice sounded slightly deeper than usual.

“Let’s go on a ride!” You took him by the arm, clutching the teddy bear in your free one. 

You ran at top speed with him closely trailing behind you, dragged along. When you reached the entrance of the roller coaster, you were almost vibrating in excitement. The ride stopped before you on the rails, and you turned to Cloud.

“Hey...” You saw how he eyed it warily, and how his muscles tensed under your grip. “Something wrong?”

“Um...” He blinked repeatedly, then turning to glance at you. “No”

To further demonstrate, Cloud climbed in before you. Hesitating yourself, you watched him for a moment. He tightly held on to the security bar while he waited for you to get in. Knowing him as you did, it felt like he was dreading the moment the ride started.

“Everything okay, Cloud?” You slowly sat by him, placing the plushie between you two. “You look a little-”

“I’m fine” He rushed to say, even if he didn’t look at you.

You opened your mouth to reply, but never got to say anything. Just then the attraction started. Cloud gasped in anticipation, but you yelped in excitement. Still, you couldn’t hep but to glance at him with the corner of your eye. You knew better than to think he was scared of rollercoasters, it seemed unlike him. Then what was the problem?

The issue momentarily left your mind as its speed claimed your attention, making you scream at the top of your lungs and throw your arms into the air. To add on to the many and incredibly emotions of the day, the adrenaline began racing through your veins. The ride climb upwards, only to throw you down again even faster. It made your heart race in a way only Cloud had before. You were thrown upside down with the last loop as the path went flat again and the rocky ride came to a halt.

Still coming off that high, you stumbled out of the ride. When you turned around to share your excitement, you looked over at Cloud. You saw the state he was in and realized it was worse than you thought.

“Ugh...” He struggled to stand, and he was extremely pale.

“Are you okay, Cloud?” Worried, you rushed to hold him up. He appreciated your support, resting his arm over your shoulders and resting part of his weight on you.

“Dizzy...” He held a hand to his forehead, shutting his eyes tight.

“Let’s sit down for a moment” You wrapped your arm around his waist, walking with him towards a close by bench. He took it slow but you were patient.

As soon as you neared the bench, he plopped down on it and groaned.

“Has this happened before?” You asked him, kindly stroking his arm.

Keeping his eyes closed, Cloud weakly nodded his head. You grit your teeth, equal times endeared that he kept it silent for your sake and annoyed that he put himself through that knowing the result.

“Why didn’t you tell me something?” You gently took at his arm, easying him down until his head rested over your lap. “Lay down, Cloud, as long as you need to”

Worried and empathetic to his unwell, you softly caressed his hair. Cloud tightened an arm around his stomach, letting the other one fall limply off the side of the bench.

“No...” He uttered, making an effort. “Don’t wanna ruin your day”

“It’s not ruined as long as I’m with you” You comforted him. “Besides, it’s not fun unless you’re having fun too”

He groaned again, and you hated to see him like that. Cloud parted his lips, but he must have been feeling so sick that he didn’t manage to say anything. You took mental note of his motion sickness to avoid it in the future.

“Can you do something to make it better?”

“No... Just wait until it passes”

“Okay, just breathe and try to relax” Hoping it worked, you put your teddy bear on his chest. “Mini Cloud here will look after you too”

“Mini... Cloud?” He repeated in confusion, opening one eye.

“Yeah, because he’s soft just like you, softie” You joked, and were pleasantly surprised to see him smiling in response.

Another wave of dizziness hit him, and he groaned yet again as he closed his eyes tight. One of his arms did wrap around the plushie, though.

“There’s no rush, Cloud” As a comforting gesture, you rested your hand over his chest. “We’ll wait until you feel okay” 

Continuing to sink your fingers into his soft hair, you didn’t stop stroking it. He didn’t complain, and in fact his tense expression relaxed slightly. After a few more seconds of silence in which his spinning world settled, his free hand fell over yours.

“Thank you, Y/N” The way he said it, you knew there was something more behind his words. Something that he was saying for the first time to you, and that caused your heart to skip a beat. Three words that, although different from the traditional ones, meant the same thing.

“You too, Cloud”

-

Tag list: @call-me-harley-quinn​ / @anxiouslyreckless​ / @xionroxas​ / @dancewaterdance02​ / @little-faerie-artist​ / @x-joie-x​ / @honeybunhanbin​ / @legallyblindgamer727​ / @goodmorningawfulbye​ / @trunks-kiwi​ / @ron-sparky-speirs​ / @imaginealllthefandoms​​ / @lotsoffandomstoimagine​ // If you want to be added or taken off the tag list for these fandoms or characters, let me know!! // Reblogs and comments are appreciated!

[randomfandomimagine]

Distraction (Cloud Strife x Reader)

Characters: Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart

Fandom: Final Fantasy VII

Tags: Reader insert, gender neutral reader, angst with a happy ending, angst and fluff

Warnings: Blood and injury, a bit angsty and tense

Word Count: 1,2k words

Requested by anon: Hi! I was wondering if you could write some hcs for cloud where the reader ends up getting pretty beat up, but there not dating yet and cloud accidentally ends up confessing to her? Also I love your work so much, I’ve read all your cloud stuff!! 

When you opened the door to the Seventh Heaven, you expected to find everyone there: Barret, Tifa, Marlene, Biggs, Wedge, Jessie... The echo of your heart beating resonating in your ears made you miss the fact that it was completely silent inside, unlike the usual ruckus. In fact, when you came in you saw the only person you weren’t expecting to find there.

“Cloud” You weakly smiled at him. “I’m back”

For a moment, he watched you with the confusion written in his features. It quickly vanished when you struggled to stand, stumbling as you tried to make your way to him.

“Y-You’re bleeding...” He pushed himself off the wall he was leaning against and ran to your aid. “What happened?”

“Got in a fight, it was stupid of me” You admitted, holding on to his shoulder as soon as he was in reach. “Overestimated my abilities and got my ass kicked”

An intense pain, more than before, throbbed in your side. You pressed a hand against the wound, feeling blood pouring out profusely, and the room started spinning around you.

“Hey!” Cloud exclaimed in surprise, catching you when you faltered and before you could collapse on the ground. “Take it easy, sit down”

Wrapping his arms around you to hold you up, he nearly carried you to the closest chair. There you plopped down, barely aware of what was happening. You felt hands gently pushing yours away, and absently heard Cloud breathing heavily next to you.

“Shit” He muttered as he was done examining your wound, still struggling to breathe from sheer concern. “Hold on, Tifa will be back soon. She knows where the first aid kit is”

You feebly nodded your head, closing your eyes to rest them just for a moment. You were so exhausted... All you wanted was to sleep...

“Stay awake” Cloud shook your shoulder, making you open your eyes wide and cry out when he put pressure on your wound with his free hand. “Talk to me”

You could only shake your head, signaling that you were too weak to speak. Making a great effort, you poked him in the chest with your finger, hoping he understood what you meant.

“You... want me to talk to you?”

“Need a... distraction”

“I... don’t know what to talk about”

“Anything, just...”

“Okay, uh... You... weren’t stupid, you were brave”

Despite it all, his words pulled a smile out of you. It might have been because you were delirious, but you started laughing a little. 

“Was this all it took for you to be nice?” You teased him, tiredly resting your head on his shoulder. “Being on my deathbed?”

“You’re not gonna die” His voice sounded firm and admitted no argument. 

“Just in case, keep it up” You looked up at him, meeting with his worried blue eyes fixed on you. “More compliments”

“You... Well, you’re... strong and you’re gonna make it”

“What else? You’ll have to do better if you want to distract me” 

Cloud took a deep breath, rummaging his head for words important enough to distract you. At the same time, he mentally prayed for Tifa to arrive already.

“You’re cool, even if... I haven’t always been nice to you” He was struggling to keep calm before, but now his voice held absolute panic.

“Cloud...” You noticed his pained tone and began to feel emotional.

“And you’ve always had my back, and Tifa’s and everyone’s” He continued, seemingly unable to stop himself now that he had started. “I never would have thought, but I enjoy your company and I think you’re one of the best people I’ve known. You’re sweet and selfless and I like you, I think I have feelings for you”

He gasped when he realized what he had just said. It seemed like he had been too distracted trying to distract you to contain himself, to keep his emotions at bay like he usually did. You were now too far gone to say any of this, though. 

Your hand weakly fell over his, the one that was trying to stop the bleeding. You tried to keep it there, but you were losing the little strength you had left. 

“Y/N?!” He called you, but you were starting to lose consciousness. 

The last thing you recalled before you passed out was the sound of the door opening, followed by footsteps.

-

Your side was burning. Was it the sun, warming it up? Was it your fire magic, had you lost control over it and burned yourself? Where did that pain come from?

And suddenly it hit you, the memories of what truly happened. The battle, your defeat, the long walk back, making it to Seventh Heaven, Cloud’s assistance...

Cloud.

Slowly, you opened your eyes. Every fiber of your being ached, and you didn’t dare to move a muscle. You found yourself in an unknown bedroom. Warm sun beams filtered through the window, bathing your surroundings in light. 

“Y/N” A familiar voice whispered, and you made a great effort to turn your head.

A familiar figure stood close to the bed, watching over you. The sight made you smile a little, even if it was a weak and tiring gesture.

“You’re still here” He was about to walk closer to you, but your words made him hesitate. “Heh, think I forgot what you told me? Those would have been some beautiful last words to hear”

“You’re delirious, you have a fever” Cloud watched you strangely before looking away.

“Don’t try to pretend like-” You angrily began, but he interrupted you.

“I never said it didn’t happen” He rushed to say, returning your gaze.

“Are you worried about me then?” You grinned in relief. “Because you like me?”

Cloud opened and closed his mouth in embarrassment. You laughed a little, but your side started hurting again with the movement. You groaned and gently pressed your hand over the sore spot. It was then when you realized that it had been bandaged, and it felt a lot better than before. 

“Don’t move around too much” He recovered, going to stand by your bed. “You should try to get some sleep”

“Fine, but only if you lie down with me” You carefully opened your arms, afraid to resent your wound. Cloud considered it, so you insisted. “Please, it would make me feel better”

Without a word, albeit with a resigned pout, he sat down at the edge of the bed. Refusing to meet your eyes, he propped his legs up and rested his back against the headboard.

“Thank you” You whispered, resting over his chest. Immediately, his closeness improved all the unwell you were feeling.

“Don’t mention it” He simply said, just sitting there. “How you feeling?”

“Like I almost died”

“I told you you weren’t gonna die”

“You did, and you saved me... My hero”

“Actually, it was Tifa who-”

“Sh, don’t play humble now” You smiled and snuggled closer to him. “You’re gonna make me fall for you even more”

Cloud jolted up at your sudden confession, tensing his muscles. Ultimately, though, he sighed and relaxed. After several seconds of doubt, his arms also finally wrapped around you. His embrace felt safe and comforting.

“I’m glad you’re okay” He gingerly squeezed your frame.

“I’m glad I know how you feel now” You replied in return, comfortably falling asleep in the comfort of his arms.

-

Tag list: @call-me-harley-quinn​ / @anxiouslyreckless​ / @xionroxas​ / @dancewaterdance02​ / @little-faerie-artist​ / @x-joie-x​ / @honeybunhanbin​ / @legallyblindgamer727​ / @goodmorningawfulbye​ / @trunks-kiwi​ / @ron-sparky-speirs​  // If you want to be added or taken off the tag list for these fandoms or characters, let me know!! // Reblogs and comments are appreciated!