Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Bishies & Buster Swords ❯ Compensation ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: Definitely not mine; always returned to Square Enix only slightly traumatized.

 

A/N: Written for LJ's SpringKink community's July 2010 round of prompts. Based on the following: Final Fantasy VII, Cloud: Transgender - AU where Aerith goes overboard and turns Cloud into a girl…and then he can't turn back. This take on the prompt was inspired by Ranma ½, a tale of another guy unexpectedly stuck inside a female body. Unlike Ranma, who frequently uses his feminine curves to bamboozle opponents, Cloud isn't quite so ready to consider his situation any kind of opportunity.

 

Warnings: Coarse language. Cloud is not happy with the state of affairs.

 

With many thanks to my betas, Empath-eia, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose.

 

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Compensation

 

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Let me be perfectly clear about something.

 

Being a guy trapped inside a girl's body sucks big, scaly dragon balls.

 

If you think it'd be cute to call me `Cloudette' or `Spikina', don't bother, unless you want either my sword up your ass or Tifa in your face. Got that? Good. Even Barret figured it out, and he's not exactly the brightest materia in the box.

 

Other guys seem to think that if you're blonde, short - excuse me, petite - and have a rack that it's open season, never mind the big-ass sword I'm packing. I swear I will never, ever be a jerk to any woman if I manage to become a guy again... and if I see that sleazy red-headed Turk any time after that, I'm gonna kick his skinny ass into the middle of next year, and not just for dropping the Plate.

 

That fight was so bloody frustrating; I'd only had this body for a few hours and didn't realize how all the physical changes screwed with my attack zone. Main problem? I lost four inches of height but my sword stayed the same length. The damn thing was dragging on the ground with every step, and when I changed the mounting point to the second hole on the blade, my release time was buggered because I had to reach higher with my shorter arms to get enough leverage on the hilt. Couldn't stop the charges from blowing, couldn't save anyone... damn. I've never felt so helpless and couldn't even rant about it because my voice had gone up at least an octave. Kinda blows the badass manly image when I'm all shrill and squeaky.

 

And don't get me started on having to drop trou every time I need to take a leak.

 

My centre of gravity shifted, too, because of my bigger chest; took me a while to adapt my swing because of that, but by the time we'd fought our way into and out of the Shin-Ra Tower to rescue Aerith, I was back in business... but not according to some people. I hate how being female automatically means that I'm taken less seriously by our opponents as well as at least one of my teammates. Now that I'm back in full control of my weapon, I should be out in front, but Barret usually sends me to the rear with Aerith and Red while he and Tifa get all the fun. Okay, Aerith can't fight her way out of a wet paper bag and needs extra protection, but I'm still the strongest fighter in the group, dammit!

 

On that subject, thank the Planet for Tifa. Out of all of `em, she's the only one who really gets it... that even though I have boobs instead of balls, I'm still a guy. She doesn't treat me any differently for the most part except for a couple of quirks, one of which includes the tendency to punch out any idiot that hits on me. I'll bet that drunk from last night still hasn't regained consciousness; he shouldn't have grabbed my ass in front of Tifa. The girl is damn fierce.

 

Knowing her, she feels responsible for what happened, since she's the one who started the ball rolling by getting herself kidnapped by Corneo. Aerith was only trying to help, so I don't blame her for getting a little carried away. Well, not much. Tifa quietly solves any problems that come up, usually before I've even realized I'm gonna have a problem. She borrowed gloves from Aerith and gave me a pair of her boots because she figured out that my hands and feet shrank before I even noticed; she also makes sure that my cowl mostly disguises my chest. When my damn hair kept growing back no matter how many times a day I chopped it off, she made it her job to keep it braided out of my way.

 

No, I'm not wearing two braids. One's bad enough.

 

It isn't all crappy, I guess. Now that I'm `one of the girls', I get to bunk in with Tifa and Aerith instead of Barret and Red. Two beautiful women running around in various states of undress? Score. Not being able to do anything about it? Damn. Take last night for example. Cots were in short supply here in Junon and I ended up bedding down with Tifa. Do girls normally sleep piled up on each other like chocobo chicks, or is it just her quirk? I have no idea. She always left a little space between us when we shared a mattress in Midgar, but last night she snuggled up close. Real close. Like head-on-my-shoulder, leg-tucked-between-mine close. What's a guy to do?

 

Stare at the ceiling and count flyspecks instead of copping a feel, that's what.

 

It's been the same all week. She's always touching me, as if she needs reassurance that I'm still here. It's nothing big; our hands might brush, or she taps my arm to get my attention. When she brushes my hair before braiding it she always gives me a little scalp massage, and two days ago, when I was just about ready to rip Barret a new one out of sheer frustration with his attitude, she gave me a hug. That didn't exactly calm me down, because I had to look up at her when she let me go, but it distracted me long enough that Barret escaped. All this touchy-feely stuff is great, but I can't help but wonder why? Maybe I'm not as intimidating, since I look like her kid sister? Not that I'm complaining, or anything… it just makes it awkward to know where the boundaries are now, when before it was at least an arm's length.

 

The hazards of closer quarters include group bathing.

 

When we hit the inn in Kalm on the first night out of Midgar, the girls insisted that I join them in the bath; I guess we were pretty stinky from our fight through the sewers and the night spent in Shin-Ra's holding cells. I was gonna wait, but Tifa was determined… and let's face it, would any sane man turn down the chance to see those two naked and slick?

 

I now have enough mental images to last me a lifetime of wet dreams, but it's damn frustrating when you can only look. Tifa knew I was trying not to gawk and she didn't flaunt herself, but dammit, Aerith! She was giggly and completely clueless, showing off every glistening inch of her curvy little figure when she stood up in the tub to reach for a towel.

 

On second thought, maybe not that clueless.

 

There was a nosebleed in the works when Aerith gave me a downright saucy wink. Even if there was something behind the flirting, there's no point in jumping anyone the way I am right now. Yes, I'm aware that girl-on-girl action is supposed to be awesome, but I'm not a girl, dammit. I'm partial to being the rider, if you know what I'm sayin'. Anyways, I'd also prefer to be shot down as a guy if I ever asked.

 

Right now, I'm leaning against the window frame of our hotel room, looking out over Junon Harbour and admiring the way the morning light makes Tifa's skin look as velvety as it feels. Not that I, uh, know that from first-hand experience or anything. She's sitting on the bed across from me, her hands clasped in her lap, her thumbs rubbing together like they do when she's thinking about something.

 

Ever since Aerith went haring off after breakfast with Red hot on her heels, saying she'd heard that there was a materia available that might undo the spell, Tifa's been quiet. The only thing she's said in the hour since is a reminder for me to take off the borrowed gloves and boots, and loosen off my belts and shoulder straps in case the materia does work and I regain my usual stature in a hurry. Other than that, she's simply here, keeping me company in that unobtrusive way of hers, but I think I know what's really going on. Two girls can sit close together, hug each other, even share a bed without most people making lewd assumptions. A girl and a guy, not so much.

 

I already know I'm not gonna like the `arm's length' rule going back into effect.

 

I want to tumble her onto the sheets and show her just how much I like it when she touches me, but not with this body. Instead I think about the other stuff I should do, like check on that Priscilla kid that I saved yesterday. Rufus Shinra is announcing his ascension to the presidency here in Junon, and Shin-Ra has infested the place. I'm considering sneaking into the Welcoming March to collect information, but it'd be easier if I was male in body as well as intent. I remember how all-concealing those helmets are, but in order to steal a uniform as well as a place in the parade, I'd have to get changed with the rest of the grunts in the locker room. A bustline would be a definite disadvantage in that situation.

 

Here comes Aerith, chattering away to Red. Looks like her mission was successful, judging by her bright smile and the shopping bag over her arm. Apparently this materia has a spell that cures unusual statuses; if that doesn't describe my situation, I don't know what does. I offer Tifa my hand; she accepts without question, sliding her fingers over my palm, and that simple display of intimacy and trust weakens my knees more than any amount of naked skin. I pull her upright and into an impulsive embrace; Tifa returns it with almost desperate strength... like she's saying goodbye or something, and my stomach does a funny twist.

 

I can't believe I'm saying this, but being a guy again is gonna suck.

 

I can hear Aerith's light step on the stairs, almost drowned out by Barret's heavy tread and Red's purposeful prowl. Tifa reluctantly loosens her grip; her eyelashes are wet but she smiles bravely. I want to keep her close and to hell with what other people might think, but the door to the room bangs open and our teammates noisily pour in. Tifa steps away, restoring the distance between us, and I force myself to focus on what comes next.

 

Dammit, I hope this works.

 

What I'll get back outweighs what I'll lose… right?

 

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