FFVII: Belief

[bard_linn]

Title: Belief
Summary: I never believed in love.
Pairing: CloudxAeris [Yes, it's het. Stop looking at me like that.]
Dedicated to devils_devotion amd scarlette_eyes, cause I love them both!

Kinda sappy, ask me if I care. :PPPPPP


Belief

When I was growing up, I always scoffed at the tales of love that so many girls in Nibelheim had espoused. I don’t remember if my father loved me; he died long before I could even form a memory for him. My love towards him is only that of duty. Any feelings I have are merely because he is my father, and society says I should honor and care for him.

My mother loved me distantly, as one might love a treasured possession. I don’t know why, but she never held me close. Some might have said Father’s death scarred her. Others might have said she had been too young to have children. All I knew was when other children ran to their mothers when they were hurt, I struggled along on my own. I did care for her before she died at Sephiroth’s hands and still honor her memory, but I will never love her to the extent people seem to expect of a son.

Tifa loves me with the love of a dreamer. The others think I don’t see it, but I do. I saw the signs often enough in SOLDIER. But what everyone doesn’t seem to understand is that she loves an image of me that she created. I do not lover her, no more than I love the town that shunned me for years. I did once, but that was long ago when she represented the only chance of recognition I had. She is a piece of my past and I will defend her though I doubt I could ever love someone who stood by while others humiliated me at every turn.

If I had never met her, I might have though I still loved Tifa.

But she-

She is kindness incarnate; her smile is a healing balm. Her hands hold my heart but I have no fear of betrayal. She guards my feelings even as I guard her side, and she is adapt in her art as I am with my blade. She is gentle, loving and forgiving. Far, far more than I ever have any right to wish for, with the amount of blood I have on my hands.

As I kiss the woman I would gladly take as my life mate for the first time, I find myself believing in all of those love stories. Surely, with Aeris at my side, I could accomplish anything. Even destroying Sephiroth.

“Cloud? Are you alright?” Her eyes are green and full of life while looking at me with worry, noting the depth of my thoughts.

I smile slightly and squeeze her hand. “I’m fine. Let’s go; the others will be waiting. It’s time to get this show on the road.”

Note: Set in game, before Cloud figures out he wasn’t in SOLDIER, hence some of the comments.

Comments

[mimi-sardinia.livejournal.com]

I like it, the whole thing about Tifa is exactly what I picked up from the start of my time in-fandom.

[bard-linn.livejournal.com]

I despised game Tifa. I really, really did. Movie Tifa makes me like her a lot better, but I can't see Cloud not having SOME resentment at points.

I'm glad you enjoyed! Thanks for commenting. :)

[mimi-sardinia.livejournal.com]

game Tifa comes across as rather chicken-shit. I mean she spent all that time not saying a word against the fiction Cloud had constructed until she was basically forced to do so (in the Lifestream). Plus add onto that her history in Nibelheim she doesn't come over as the brave spirit she's made out to be, no matter how good a fighter she is.

[bard-linn.livejournal.com]

*cough* PLOT HOLE *cough*

[devils-devotion.livejournal.com]

See, this is the big reason why Amanda and I could never get into Tifa's character. She lied, and wasn't there for Cloud when he needed her the most. Oh, she changes, and gets better by the end of the game/AC, but I don't care for the pairing that much as a result of that.

The fact that you captured those points in words makes this fic LOVE. ^____^ Thanks tons, Linn! *goes to rec on LJ*

[bard-linn.livejournal.com]

We've been trying to figure out what the heck was going on with her for a while. I mean, she should think Cloud is DEAD. kiraya and I have more or less decided on brain damage combined with self delusion.

Yay! *loved* And thank you!

[devils-devotion.livejournal.com]

Eh, I don't HATE Tifa as much as angels_resolve seems to, but I do have a bunch of idiosyncratic issues with her character. Things that personally annoy me, like her lying in order to "protect" Cloud, and her obvious jealousy and such. But I don't hate her. She had a lot of potential for growth, which is something they DID explore within Advent Children. Which I...still need to see. XD;;

[bard-linn.livejournal.com]

Me thinks its partially one of those hugse PLOT HOLES common in FFVII. She has started evolving and some people can do a good job with it. *sigh*

YES YOU NEED TO SEE THAT. OMG *LOOOOOOOOOVES*

[tir-synni.livejournal.com]

*sighs* Cloud/Aeris is one of the few het pairings I will ever like, and this fic is an excellent showing as to why. It's also an excellent showing as to why I despise Tifa. ^.^

[bard-linn.livejournal.com]

Thank you! That's very high praise. Game Tifa got on my nerves. So. MUCH.

[scarlette-eyes.livejournal.com]

*swoons* I love you. *pounce* *love* The Tifa part was EXCELLENT and this fic is so well written. You totally rock for wrting this for me and your friends. *gives you some MAJOR lovins* ARIGATO!!!!!!

[bard-linn.livejournal.com]

Yay! *is loved* Thank you! I was hoping the Tifa part would come off well. I TOLD you I'd write something that would attract your attention, did I? ;)

[scarlette-eyes.livejournal.com]

omg you did. BROWNIE POINTS FOR YOU!!!! :P *loves you more b/c YOU ARE LOVED!!*

[bard-linn.livejournal.com]

Yay! ^_^