A little Cid/Shera goodness.
Disclaimer: Same as always.
Cid had a lot of scars, Shera noticed one night.
It was late, but she was having a hard time falling asleep. She was curled next to Cid, and usually the quiet noises in the night and his breathing would lull her to sleep. That night, however, her mind wouldn't rest. Not wanting to wake him, she tried to occupy her busy mind by taking a look at his scars.
She'd always known they were there, but she never really got a good look at them. Not close enough to count them, or wonder exactly who or what put them on there.
As she gently pushed away the sheet covering Cid's bare chest and waist, she noticed that the origins of some scars were obvious. The small, circular ones were from gunshots, while the long, thin ones were from swords or other sharp weapons. Others were more jagged, and had similar ones running right next to them. Claw marks, no doubt.
One scar in particular was funny. It was a healed slash that ran across his butt. Every time Shera looked at it, she had to suppress her laughter as she recalled the time when one of the machines in Cid's garage had gone haywire. Parts began popping out, and at one point, a small conveyer belt that ran through the machine snapped loose, and like a snake out of hell, lashed out and consequently whipped Cid's rear. Patching up that wound had been interesting.
She was sure Cid wouldn't be able to recall how he received every single scar, but there was one that always bothered her, that she was sure he would know how it got there. It was a long, wicked looking scar. She traced the scar with her finger, starting from his left shoulder, and began running down his arm. She figured his arm must have been pressed against his side when he sustained the injury, because the scar left his arm and continued down his side until it reached his waist. Seeing it always made her stomach curl.
Suddenly, Cid stirred, and opened an eye. "Shera? The hell you still awake for?" he murmured. He sounded annoyed, but Shera knew he was more curious and concerned than annoyed.
She shook her head. "Can't sleep. Sorry if I woke you."
He shifted on the bed, rolling from his stomach onto his side, and tucked Shera beneath his chin as his arm drew her close. "What were ya looking at?"
Shera hesitated, wondering if she should ask. They had never brought up the subject of his scars. It could be a touchy subject for him, and it was a scary one for Shera. She got no pleasure in hearing about her husband's past injuries and battles. Cid would know if she was trying to avoid something, though, so she relented. "I was just looking at this scar you have here." She traced it again, letting him know which one she was referring to. "You've got a lot of scars, although I've never really looked at them, but this one has to be the biggest you have."
He sighed, and glanced down at it, frowning heavily. "Sephiroth."
She winced. No wonder I always get such a bad vibe from this scar. "No wonder it's so big. Now that I think about it, after you came back, you were favoring your other arm over this one for awhile. I hadn't realized you had been injured so badly."
She was sure the subject would end there, but Cid suddenly looked thoughtful. Green eyes met hers, and he pushed a stray hair of hers away from her face. "Know what I never noticed?"
Her curiosity piqued, Shera tilted her head. "What?"
"You never really asked about 'em. Hell, I've gotten a shitload over the years, but you never bugged me about 'em." In a rare open moment of affection, Cid leaned his forehead against hers. "Never bitched about 'em or about having to patch 'em up either. Just another thing about you I've taken for granted."
Shera smiled. "Of course not. When I married you, I knew that there would be days when you might come home beat up or torn up a little. You're a fighter, and that's something I had to accept. There are plenty of things about me you've had and will continue to put up with, too."
She rubbed her thumb over a part of the scar on his shoulder. "And I realize that it doesn't matter if you come home scarred and bloody, because what matters is that you come home, period." She looked up at him, and grinned. "I'll fix up any wound you get as long as you come home alive. I never minded doing it, and I never will."
Cid smiled, and his mouth kept contorting into different lines. She knew he was trying not to laugh, but his eyes said it all. "Seriously, and people wonder why I married you."
Shera laughed, muffling it against his chest. As she leaned her head back, she unexpectedly noticed a much smaller scar that ran over his collarbone.
He wasn't always the most perceptive of men, but her husband had his moments. "Want me to tell you about some of 'em?"
She hesitated again, but spoke with much less reluctance than before. "A couple of them have me curious. If I hadn't been there, I would ask about the one on your ass." She snorted as she saw the deadpan look on his face. "Especially the one that's down near your-"
Cid's eyes widened. "That one?" He nodded down at it.
Shera nodded. "Yeah."
He muttered something incoherent, and she was more than surprised, and pleased, at how flustered Cid was. Unable to refrain, she innocently suggested, "A little overzealous night at the inn with a-"
He let out something akin to a growl, and Shera giggled into his chest. "If you don't want to, I was just-"
Cid shook his head. "Nah. The real story's more entertaining. I'll tell ya tomorrow, if you want."
Shera looked into his gaze, tickled pink that he was willing to share that with her. This was uncharted territory in their marriage, and she was both nervous and excited about it. "Definitely." Maybe it shouldn't be a big deal but, this is something Cid and I never really talked about. This is good, and, no matter what, nothing's going to change. It'll be hard to hear what he's gone through, but maybe I can appreciate more what he's done by hearing about it. She tapped a finger against his nose. "You sure you don't mind?"
Cid blinked in mild confusion before shaking his head. "Why the hell should I? Never held anything against someone for being goddamn curious. It's private shit, but yer my wife. You have a right to know, and hell, some of 'em are funny as shit to talk about."
Shera smiled, and said, "And people wonder why I married you."
A/N: This popped into my head earlier and I had to write it down. A nice break from the usual stuff I've been doing. Cid's a bigger softie, I think, than people think, and the one person to see it would be Shera. Hope you enjoy, and reviews are love!