Tani here.... Final Fantasy VII is 20 years old now.... on January 31
I'M OLDER THAN FF7???? Amazing
in honor of such a special anniversary, here's a short (not really) unedited fic about my dear husband (and Ali's son apparently... does that mean Ali's my stepmom)
who has been so important to me and Ali for the last few years of my life.... Cloud literally changed my life and I love him more than almost any other character (except Leon 💕)
Happy 20th anniversary, Final Fantasy VII
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I love you, Cloud, so dang much it hurts
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Meet me at Aerith's church.
The message was brief, but it sent [Name]'s heart aflutter anyway. She grinned widely at the name at the top of her flip phone, attempting to stave off the heat rising on her cheeks as she sipped her drink at Seventh Heaven.
Cloud.
"Better not keep him waiting, [Name]." From behind the bar counter, Tifa shot her friend a knowing smirk. At her shocked expression, she stopped polishing the glass she was cleaning and leaned forward to rest her chin in her palms. "Look at you, all red, it's obvious that's Cloud on the phone. How cute!"
"Tifa..." She frowned, trying to hide the redness in her face. "I-is it really that obvious......."
"Well~" Tifa reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell to wave it in front of [Name]'s face. "Cloud MAY have told me about you and him going on a little date later tonight... figured he must've FINALLY told you to meet him."
"Tifa."
The brunette friend merely laughed. "Go on, then! And don't worry about paying! This one's on the house! And tell Mr. Strife that I said hello!!"
Aerith's church wasn't far, but the walk on foot gave [Name] plenty of time to reflect on her relationship with the former SOLDIER.
She loved Cloud, and Cloud loved her, that was for sure. He wasn't one to say it out loud, and yeah, he was gone nearly all the time, but he showed it through his actions. Cloud would give her little presents that he picked up on his delivery travels. He leaves quick kisses on her forehead before he left on a job, and he even texted her often to make sure you were alright while he was gone. (And it was good for her, too, cause it helped to know he was alright while he was out.)
But he had went on this job without so much as a goodbye, leaving [Name] in Tifa's care as he sped off on Fenrir. [Name] thought she wasn't worried; Cloud had his secrets and she respected that, but this was a bit uncharacteristic even for him.
I guess that's why Cloud is calling me to the church, she pondered, looking up to see the familiar building in front of her. Maybe he'll explain what's going on.
The doors creaked open slowly, and [Name] shut it slowly behind her. The church, although destroyed, was as beautiful as ever. The wind blew in through the cracks, leaving the room in a pleasant, calm cool as she stepped toward the beautiful garden that coaxed a smile to her lips. The fragrance of the flowers always made her feel safe, like her late friend Aerith was there to tell her everything's okay; you're safe; I'm always with you...
"You're here."
Him. His voice never failed to send chills up her spine.
"...I'm glad you got my message."
She turned to him, his Mako-infused blue eyes sparkling as he gazed at his beloved. The smallest smile was on his lips, the wind blowing through his blond tresses. "Cloud...h-hello," [Name] stammered. God, why was she still so nervous around him sometimes? They had been dating for a while now, over a year, but her heart still fluttered like a schoolgirl whenever she was around him. He stepped forward, pulling her into his arms into a tight hug, surprising her with how forward he was being. "I missed you, [Name]. I'm sorry for not telling you where I've been all this time..."
"I-it's okay, Cloud. I'm glad you're okay, though!" [Name] grinned and pulled back just enough to plant a quick peck onto his slightly chapped lips. "But... where have you been all this time? I've been kinda worried..."
He shook his head and ran a hand through his unruly blond hair. "It's nothing to worry about, [Name]. I... I had some things to think about. I needed time."
Was he thinking about Aerith again? Is that why he wanted me to come to her church?
Cloud took her hands and led her into the flower patch, settling down with her in his arms amongst the blooms. They sat in comfortable quiet, [Name] leaning against Cloud's chest and listening to his heartbeat and the rhythm of his breathing. She felt safe, complete... with the familiar scent of her lover mixed with the faint aroma of flowers in the wind, the warmth of his arms around her, everything was perfect....
"[Name], are you awake?"
Her eyes shot open, unaware that she was even falling asleep. She shifted slightly with a yawn, turning to gaze into his blue hues. "Y-yeah, I'm awake, Cloud.~"
"I wanted to talk to you about something..." His voice shook ever so slightly. "Something that I was really thinking about while I was gone... something important..."
She got up slowly, her eyes widening. D-did Cloud want to break up? "U-um, okay, Cloud. I'm all ears."
Cloud shifted to sit up from where he was leaning on one of the pews on the church, closing his eyes as if he was searching for the words to say. "[Name], there... are so many things I want to say to you. I love you, you know this..."
"Yes... yes I do." So he's not breaking up with me...
"While I was gone, I was thinking about all we had been through. With Sephiroth... with Aerith and Zack and all of our friends... with Shinra company..." He opened his eyes and gazed back into her own. "There are so many things in this world that I cherish. There's nothing in this world that I do not cherish..." And a warm smile formed on his lips.
He stood to his feet, beaming, the paleness of his cheeks glowing with slight crimson. "So, I was gone for so long, so I can come back to you confident in what I'm about to say..."
Rummaging in his pockets, he slowly produced a velvet box, and [Name]'s eyes widened in recognition. Tears threatened to run freely from her (e/c) eyes at the sight of him slowly lowering down onto one knee, staring right into her eyes, the warmth in his cheeks darkening into a harsh red; he opened the small box to reveal the most beautiful ring in the world, sparkling the color of Cloud's eyes.
"[Name], I cherish you most of all... more than anything in the world. So... please... will you marry me...?"
The words had barely left the former SOLDIER's lips before [Name] was atop him, holding him tightly and repeating "YES! YES! OH GOD YES!" in a breathless whisper as she sobbed openly against him. He merely chuckled, pulling back just enough to slip the ring onto her finger, having to fight off tears himself. "I know its not a traditional wedding ring, baby, but..."
"I don't care." She cupped his cheeks and pecked his lips quickly. "I love you so much Cloud."
Cloud grinned, and pulled her back down onto his lips.
