With You
A/N: I don't own Final Fantasy, no matter how much I wish I did. Square Enix does. I own nothing except the plot. This is set sometime after Advent Children; not sure if it interfers with DoC, didn't play that one yet. And that's all I'll let you know of so no spoilers. Your thoughts are appreciated, your flames are not. Enjoy!
Rating: T
Warning: Mentions of death and pain... I think that's it... And a line that suggests gay men...
Pairing: Cloud/Aerith and Cloud and someone unexpected if you squint...
Summary: A poem from Cloud to the person he least expects to need.
"It's true
The way I feel
What's promised
By your face
The sound
Of your voice
Painted on my memories
Even if you're not with me
I'm with you"
I hate this
I should hate you
I should want you dead
After all you've done
After all you've put me through
Maybe I should backtrack
Maybe that would clarify this
Because I didn't always hate you
You were my hero
You were a perfect SOLDIER
I respected
Admired and envied
I wanted to be
Just like you
Men and women alike
Threw themselves at you
(Almost literally)
Just to get a taste
Of a little attention from you
Just a rare smile
Just an autograph
Just a gentle brush-by
Or a tender touch
Because you were you
You completed every task
With inhuman grace
With unmatched precision
With unparralled perfection
By anyone, ever so it seemed
You're a SOLDIER, first class
Striking fear
Into enemies and comrades alike
With a chilly glance
Or cold word or two
Your eyes
Were so frightening
Even to me
Cat-like, cold
Reflecting nothing
No emotions
No affection
No feelings of any sort
Nothing at all
And yet
You were beautiful
Sleek, muscular body
Long, moonlight-colored hair
Mako green eyes
Anglular pale face
Straight, narrow nose
Thin attractive lips
Tall and strong,
Envied and loved,
You could have asked for anything
And you could easily have it
On a silver platter
So why did you ask,
For pain?
For destruction?
For death?
For darkness?
You murdered
All of Nibelheim, all of my home
I know
You went insane
That you had no control
That it was the weight of everything on you
That doesn't excuse
Killing all of those who were innocent
What did they do to you?
Nothing
Not a thing
You nearly killed
Me and Zack Fair
In Nibelheim as well
Spearing me on your trusty Masumune
I just happened to be stronger that I thought I was
What did Aerith do
To make you want to end her life too?
What made you such a coward
As to sneak up
And attack her from behind
And stab her?
My hometown was enough to satisfy you
Was it?
You had to kill my lover too, huh?
Is that enough?
Is it?
I trusted you
I really did
Then you just turned on me
I've lost a lot
Because of you
I have more than enough reasons
To hate you
To want you dead
But... I don't
I don't feel the way I should
It's so sick
It's so twisted
But to be honest,
I need you.
That's right.
I need you
You're still a rolemodel
Except,
Instead of following in your footsteps
Innocent and eager
Hero-worshipping...
I run away in the opposite direction
I stand and I fight you off
Knowing
And broken because of it
Wishing I could hate you
Heroes need villains
Light needs dark
Happiness needs depression
And by that assumption
I need you
You give me purpose
Something to fight for
- That which I cherish -
Something to fight against
- Pain, depression, evil -
I can't hate what I need,
Can I?
And I,
Though it hurts to admit it,
I truly need you,
Sephiroth