Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction / Starcraft Fan Fiction / Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Tassadar's Legacy: The Crusades: Sylvanis ❯ Dead girls don't make good lovers ( Chapter 8 )

Did I ever mention how flipping cold it is? I shivered like mad, huddling my face into the edge of my jacket as I trudged on in the general direction of Southeast. Despite the weather, I pressed on, determined to give Tifa a bit of happiness that she'd successfully kept hidden till now. Unbidden, the memory of Tifa shifting when I straightened the blanket over her and mumbling for Cloud sifted through my mind, and I gritted my teeth determined. Reaching the edge of town, I looked on and spotted the cliffs. Making my way over to them, I was surprised to notice the weather getting slowly calmer and warmer the more I got away from Edge. Almost to the cliff, a shadow passed over the moon and I looked up to see the Shera pull up and over me and a rope ladder dropped over the side. I reached out and grabbed it and held on for dear life, since I didn't trust myself to climb in this cold. The airship lifted into the sky with me with it, as someone started pulling the rope ladder up. Meanwhile, I looked at the ground, trying to figure out, in my fear, where I'd left my heart back there, since I could no longer feel it as it plummeted towards the ground when we lifted off.

 

After several agonizing moments, I finally was pulled up by strong arms and I came face to face with Cid's stubbly chin and dark circled eyes. I blinked at him when he set me down and tried to start breathing again. Weirdly enough, now that we had gotten away from Edge, the air was quite warm and comfortable, though still a bit cool. Cid bit out gruffly, “Come on kid.” And he lead me through a door and into the ship. As soon as I was in, I relaxed and nearly collapsed. Cid caught me and lead me into a room nearby and had me sit down.  He pulled up a chair and sat in front of me and said, “Alright kid. I don't normally do this, but this is Tifa we're talking about, so spill. What happened?” Sighing, I felt relieved to let it all out. How confused I was at the situation, what happened back in that room, Tifa's kiss and what it did to me, the holding, the two kisses I gave her, and blushing, I even mentioned how we fell on each other, and when I asked her about Cloud, she passed out. I also mentioned after I'd hung up with him, the situation of her calling out for Cloud in her sleep. Cid sighed and said, “That girl… she's been pinin' over Blondie for years. I'm the one who's had to deal with listening to her cry her heart out for him. She nearly accepted that she'd never get him, but she just can't let go yanno?”

 

I nodded and said, “I know what you mean. I had a girl I've liked for nearly 3 years now… though I think I've accepted I won't see her again, let alone will she ever fall in love with me.” Cid nodded and said, “Then you come along and she nearly takes right after ya. She's told me plenty about you kid. You remind her of Cloud a lot. @#$% you remind me of Cloud, and I only just met you.” I shook my head and said, “But I'm nothing like Cloud.” Cid held up a hand and said, “Maybe, maybe not. But that's not the point. It's the look in your eye. Your eyes have the same look his do. Then look at ya now. You say your not like Cloud, yet here ya are, rushing head long to rescue the pretty damsel by getting her damn @#$%$#@ blonde knight to get his head out of his @#$ and see what's right in front of him. You lot are @#$% selfless.” I shrugged, and said, “It helps me too. If I can get them together… maybe it'll fix the awkwardness I'm sure will be there if I hadn't left in the morning. Especially if I'd stayed where I was.” I flushed red thinking about it. Cid sighed and said, “Kid, I hope you know what you're doing. I'd've knocked some @#$%@#$ sense into that head of his, but Tifa made me @#$%!@# promise not to say a word to him.” Then he got up and said, “We'll be at the City of Ancients in about four hours. I suggest you get some sleep before you keel over.” And with that he left.

 

I sighed and rubbed my head. It amazes me how shocking it is to hear curse words again. I know it's only been about a week, but it seems like years ago since I was back on Earth and heard stuff like that. Worse still is how I'm going to go about 'knocking some sense' into Cloud. That's literally what I wanted to do, and I'm gonna do it, but how? Deciding to take up on Cid's offer, I laid down on the bed and shut my eyes, thoughts swimming through my head on what I should say to Cloud.

 

---

 

"Hey kid! Wake up! We're here." Cid's voice jarred me out of the fitful sleep I'd finally slipped into. It's amazing how easily a roller coaster of emotions can keep you awake and thinking, no matter how hard you try to sleep. I think I'd only just claimed sleep 10 minutes ago the way I felt, but I stood up and rubbed my eyes, and followed Cid down the halls and into a main room, where Cloud was waiting for me. At the sight of him, I nearly froze as everything seemed to crash back down on me again. Cloud noticed, and took stock of my appearance, baggy dark circles included and said, "You shouldn't be up." I shook my head and said, "You and I need to talk, and I'll be @#$%ed if it takes any longer. This needs taken care of now, or I'm never going to get to sleep." Cloud's eyes widened fractionally at my cursing, but I think at that point I didn't care. Hanging around Cid was affecting me apparently. Any other time, and I might've found it funny. Cid had seen the humor though. He cracked a smile at me, then said, "Cloud, go and get this over with. You two got me up this @#$%$#@ early, and I'll be @#$%!@# if it doesn't get resolved now. I've been dealin with this for too long, and no don't ask, I ain't tellin. I made a @#$%^@ promise not to, so get it from him." He jerked his thumb at me, and Cloud suddenly looked grave as he realized whatever i wanted to talk to him about had to be bad if Cid wouldn't talk about it. After all, I'd been the one to herald Hojo, Deep Ground, and Genesis as either being alive, or still existing. Who knows what other bad news I have that I need to help them solve before things get out of hand?

 

Cloud said, "Lead. We will talk, but in private." Cid nodded, and we walked back to the bedroom I'd just been asleep in. I think Cloud expected the war room, so he looked a little surprised. He looked even more surprised when Cid closed the door on him and me and left. I shrugged, when he shot me a questioning look, and I said, "He did promise not to talk to you about it." Cloud crossed his arms and said, "To me? I've just spent the past 4 hours studying Ancient nonstop so I wouldn't be lost in our conversation. You didn't say 'to anyone', just 'to me'. What has Cid been keeping from me?" I pointedly looked at the chair and he uncrossed his arms and sat down across from me and I leaned back and sighed rubbing my eyes. I said, "I just came here from a situation I should not have been in. If anyone should've been in it, it should've been you. But before I go into that, I need to ask you something really personal and I hope you'll answer me, because someone has been suffering for too long because of it." Cloud frowned and looked concerned at all the right places, and nodded his go ahead when I mentioned about asking him. I took a deep breath and asked, "How do you feel about Tifa?" Cloud's eyebrows shot into his hairline and his mouth fell open. Clearly this is not the question he expected and he's now lost, which is good. I don't want him assuming anything ahead of time.

 

Cloud abruptly closed his mouth and frowned, looking down. I waited, and my patience was rewarded as after a while he looked me in the eye with a very sad expression on his face and said, "I love her." Now that one floored me and I said, "You do?" He frowned and nodded. I composed myself and said, "Why aren't you two together then?" He shook his head and said, "She deserves someone who loves her with all their heart. I can't... I can't love her with all my heart." I sighed and said, "You still love Aerith?" he nodded and said, "I owe Aerith. It was because of me she died. I may have forgiven myself for it, but I still owe her that much." I looked at him deadpan, and said, "You owe a Aerith your heart? Or do you owe her her happiness?" Cloud looked taken aback by the question and asked, "What do you mean?" I answered, "Cloud, please forgive me for being frank, but Aerith for one didn't love you. She loves Zack, and you saw with your own eyes that they're back together now. The only thing you owe her is to make her happy, and the way to do that is to stop her from worrying about you. Do you think she's happy knowing you're keeping yourself from being happy offering your heart to a dead girl who didn't love you, only the you who you were impersonating, which was Zack?" Cloud looked halfway between running his sword through me or through himself, but I pressed on, hoping I'd survive this, "Aerith would want you to be happy. And Aerith would want Tifa to be happy too." Cloud, who'd seemed to have decided on mentally running himself through, suddenly looked up and asked, "What situation were you in that I should've been in?"

 

I sighed and crossed my arms and said, "Don't kill me for this ok? Tifa and I were talking a lot today... and she wants me to be part of the family, and I want to be too... I want her to be my mother. But I'm not used to being kissed either. She kissed me on the forehead. I grew up not getting kisses after the age of like 10, so I thought they were something to be shared between lovers. I grew confused and I confess I didn't know how to feel at the time. Whether I wanted her to be my mother or something more was up in the air, and Tifa noticed and asked me what was wrong, and I told her, and she froze up like a log. Then things got weird. She hugged me from behind and we stayed like that for a while. I guess she didn't want me beating myself up over what I said and how I was feeling, but she was confused too I think. We stayed like that so long I almost fell asleep, and I ended up kissing her. Then we ended up falling over on the bed, and I saw a look on her face that wasn't meant for me, and I asked her something and she froze up and passed out. Later on after calling you, I went back upstairs and she said something in her sleep that confirmed what I'd asked earlier, and I knew I had to talk to you."

 

Cloud's hands had twitched and he looked like he really had been run through when I mentioned the kiss, and after a moment, he cleared his throat and asked, "Wh-what did you ask her?" I looked at him and paused for effect, then I said softly, but loud enough for him to hear, "What about Cloud?" The look of shock on Cloud's face might've been priceless if I had a camera. He looked simultaneously pained, elated, and stunned. It took him a few moments, then he asked, "What was her answer?" I shook my head and said, "You need to ask her that. You should've been the one to see that look on her face. Not me." Cloud looked confused then suddenly he looked like the whole world had decided to join hands and sing Kumbaya. He stood up and looked at me and said, "You really think Aerith would want this?" I nodded and said, "Yes." Cloud opened the door and said, "Thank you." Then he all but ran down the hall before I could say your welcome. Less than a minute later, the airship lurched as we turned around and started back to Midgar. The sun was starting to peak over the horizon, and I thought about Tifa. She'll probably be awake soon. Then I realized I hadn't left a note. She might think I just up and left like she was afraid I would. I all but ran for the helm myself. I hope she's ok.