A/N: Two stories in one day; what are the odds. I guess I'm super inspired by these two these days so that's how the cookie crumbles. This is a bunch of WAFF (Warm and Fluffy Feelings) so prepare for cavities.
Slight crossover with FFVII because Tifa's in here, but that's the only reason.
Enjoy and feedback is appreciated~
Vow
He's been at Smash Manor for quite some time now. Cloud's gotten to know the different fighters; the worlds they come from, the people close to them, what makes them tick and who they fight for. Most fight for noble purposes, but others simply for the thrill of it—that's something he'll never understand.
However, none came close to what Cloud feels about a certain tactician. A boy with snow white hair and chocolate eyes, who carries himself with an air of authority and demands respect from those around him. No one ever made Cloud's heart flutter in his chest the way Robin did.
When he first came, the swordsman decided he wasn't here to make friends. He was here to fight strong opponents and further his battling capabilities. None came close to Sephiroth, but there were some who gave him a bit of a challenge, and it was somewhat surprising to Cloud. Most of them were normal individuals, yet some seemed battle worn—something he understood all too well.
Yet, a few days after coming to the Manor, one thought to approach Cloud. This boy would become someone Cloud swore to protect, to fight for and do whatever he could to make sure his childlike demeanor stays intact. At the time, when Robin came near him and said hello, Cloud brushed him off and steadfastly ignored him. He clung to the fact he was here to fight, not make friends. However, Robin continued to pester him, and over time, Cloud learned to live with it.
As days turned to months, Cloud couldn't imagine a time when Robin wasn't by his side, either rambling about his world or talking to make sure there was no silence between them. Robin's voice became ingrained his heart. Whether it was childlike rambles or demanding respect from those fighting with him, Cloud swore he'd do whatever it took to protect that voice. Never would it be snuffed out like Zack or Aerith's.
Master Hand saw how close the swordsmen were becoming, so, without either of their knowledge, he put them in the same room. While Robin stuttered in embarrassment, Cloud was secretly happy for the arrangement. It was getting a bit lonely to be in a large room by himself, and having Robin's company is easily the best he could ask for.
After his seventh month at the Manor, everyone was allowed to bring people from their worlds to visit. Cloud asked Tifa without a second thought and the brunet was more than happy to oblige. He overheard Robin asking someone named Chrom and he remembered the white haired boy saying Chrom was his best friend. Guess that's the one I'll have to impress.
Over the time of knowing Robin, Cloud found himself falling deeper in what he now knows is love. It was a foreign concept to him at first; he never found anyone attractive before, even when people threw themselves at his feet. He was hopeless on how to act or even say to convey his feelings, so he hopes Tifa will be able to at least give him some advice on how to ask someone out.
The smashers guests come two days after. Cloud waits by a portal and when Tifa emerges, she runs towards him and engulfs her childhood friend in a warm hug. "Cloud, it's been so long!" she exclaims, pulling away to scrutinize her friend. "You seem… different. What's up?"
"It's a good thing, I promise." Cloud takes her hand and walks to his room. He knows Robin is not going to be there for a while; he told him he wanted to show Chrom this new world and all it had to offer. When they reach the room, Cloud shuts the door behind him and leans against the wall. "Not that I wanted to bring you here just to ask you something, but-"
"Get to the point, Cloudie." Tifa giggles and wags her finger in his face. "I know you wanted me to see this place too. Tell me what's going on in that big ol' brain of yours."
"Yes, well..." The blond coughs and feels his face heat. "How do you ask someone out?"
"...What?" Tifa blinks. "Did I hear that right? Cloud Strife, the one who swore to never make friends while he's here, wants to ask someone out?" A little squeal floats off her lips. "Who's the lucky woman?"
"...He's a man." Cloud feels himself blush harder as Tifa gives him a wide eyed stare. "I told you I liked men as well as women."
"Yeah, but, uh, I never imagined you falling for a guy. The world works in funny ways." The brunette laughs. "Okay, who's the lucky man then?"
"His name is Robin. He's… I don't want to lose him. I love him. I couldn't bare if he met the same fate as Zack or Aerith." Cloud sits on the bed and scrubs a hand over his face. "Emotions are complicated."
"I know hun, I know." Tifa sits next to her childhood companion and throws an arm over his shoulders. "You're also afraid of losing him if he doesn't feel the same, aren't you?"
"...Yes."
A little sigh escapes her throat. "If he hurts you I'll kick his ass. You deserve someone who makes you happy, Cloud. I hope this Robin character can do that for you."
"I hope so too." Cloud rests his head against Tifa's shoulder. "So tell me all you know about asking someone out and not making a complete fool of yourself."
"Haha, of course. Well, you start with this..."
=w=
Tifa stayed for three days, and during that time, she met Robin. Cloud was nervous when Robin walked in their room one afternoon and Tifa was there, but the meeting couldn't have gone better. She smiled, gave him a hug, and said she was happy to meet the one who broke through her friend's shell. Robin blushed and said it was nothing, yet Cloud could see the happiness on his face whenever the brunette pulled away.
The duo were sitting in their room, looking at the falling ice outside. This was the first snowfall of the season and the first one Cloud saw. It was breathtakingly beautiful; the scenery made it so. Midgar was so barren, even after Sephiroth's defeat, so to see liveliness is something Cloud's still not used to fully.
"Cloud?" Robin's voice breaks the blond's train of thought. Turning his head, bright blue stare into dark brown, and a light blush paints Robin's cheeks. "There's something, um, something I wanted to ask you..."
Wait a minute. Could this be…? No. No getting your hopes up, Cloud reprimands himself. Instead, he gives a small encouraging smile and waits for the other to finish his sentence.
"Chrom helped a lot when he was here… with something I was struggling with." Robin fiddles with his fingers; something Cloud notices the magic swordsman does whenever he's nervous. "I've… never felt this way about anything before, so I'm sorry if I sound-"
"Are you trying to ask me out?" Robin's head snaps up. His face goes beet red as he stumbles over his words, but Cloud leans forward, pressing a finger against his lips. "I'm supposed to be the one doing the asking, not you."
"Mm?" Robin blinks a few times, confusion written in his eyes.
"I got Tifa to give me a whole course on how to ask a person out," Cloud clarifies, chuckling quietly when the smaller man's eyes go wide. "I'm guessing Chrom gave you the same spiel?"
"Mhm…" When Cloud moves his finger, Robin launches himself at the blond and nuzzles his face against his chest. "Can we skip it? I know we shouldn't, especially after all they told us, but I think we're past the preamble."
"And here I thought you'd want to do everything," Cloud teases, placing a hand on Robin's head and tousling white tresses. "We can skip it, but I suggest we do something else instead."
"Which is…?" Robin looks up and tips his head.
"This."
The swordsman leans down and grips the tactician's chin, running his thumb against smooth skin before closing the distance between them. It's as perfect as Cloud could have imagined; Robin grips his arms as their lips move together, and he's even brave enough to lick at his bottom lip briefly. Taking the cue, Cloud wraps an arm around Robin's middle and opens his mouth, letting the other explore before he does the same.
Pulling away after a minute, Cloud smiles at the flushed look on Robin's face. "Was that better than dancing over the line?"
"Much better." Robin's frame shakes with laughter as he resumes his position of burying his body against Cloud's own. "Relationships take effort and I'm going to put in every ounce I have to make you happy."
"I promise the same to you, Robin. I'll protect you until the day I can't anymore."
That night, Robin curls against Cloud's chest and snuggles against him, pressing a kiss against his bare shoulder before drifting off. Cloud runs a hand through his precious one's hair and wraps strong arms around Robin's lithe frame before sleeping himself.
Their vows to each other, to make one another happy and to protect them always, are ones they never break.
Fin.