Memories
By Kris
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII.
Note: I reworked this piece so that it fit a little better within the canon story, not to mention fixed grammatical errors. However, I did preserve the original idea of the story out of my curiosity to see how much I've grown as a writer. This was my first story submitted to this site.
Comments and critiques are welcome; favorites are much appreciated.
The wind blew through the desolate land, kicking dust up into the air that created dark clouds which obscured his view of Midgar.
Not that he really cared, no. Midgar was an eyesore and he wouldn't give a damn about it if it were destroyed. Only the people mattered to him - only his friends. He sat with his legs hung over the edge of the cliff, swinging them to and fro, feeling the rusted metal blade of Zack's buster sword against his back. Away from the problems. Away from the memories that hurt him so much. Sadness was the main core of his heart. He couldn't even remember the last time he felt true happiness. . .
Cloud stopped himself. A certain Ex-SOLDIER flashed into his mind, smiling brightly and optimistically.
"Zack," the wind tore the word from his lips. How could he have forgotten him? At one point, Zack had been his life. He cast his gaze up towards the sky.
Could he admit it? From his days in Shin-Ra, he had always admired the SOLDIERs. He had always voiced that he wanted to be like Sephiroth, but perhaps that was just a ploy to hide what he truly felt? He didn't want any of them to know where his true affections lay for fear that the one he felt admiration for would reject him
. . . Was it just admiration?
No. It was infatuation. It was obsession. This love, this extreme want, grew so much that it festered in his heart. He wanted to run his fingers through the man's black-blue hair, get lost in his bright eyes, feel safe in the man's arms. . . He wanted Zack and only him; no one else could shake this intense passion burning in his heart.
How long had it been since his death? More than just a few years. To Cloud, it seemed like only yesterday that Zack was by his side. He cast his eyes down the cliff and over to Midgar. Regret settled over him. Why hadn't he told him earlier? Before all that happened with Shin-R. . . That's right, Zack had Aerith. He envied her.
"She's up there with you, isn't she?" Cloud asked the sword as if it were actually the man on his mind. "You're happier now. . . Aren't you?"
Cloud fell back and peered up at the sky. The wind died down, leaving only a gentle breeze, a whisper of memories. He closed his eyes.
"Love. . . Perhaps that's what I felt?" he sighed and stood up, walking over to his motorcycle. He glanced back at the sword. "I guess I loved you. I miss you."
Cloud mounted his motorcycle and sped to the city he hated so much, back to the life that seemed so meaningless to him.