A/N: Finally got this one-shot done! Hope you like!
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII or any of the characters. The OC doesn't belong to me either.
You couldn't believe it.
It just isn't possible.
Cloud is infected with geostigma.
He stands here now in front of you with a expressionless look plastered on his face.
You hate it.
You hate that he could be so calm about the situation.
How he can just stand there and pretend to be healthy when he's not?
He doesn't care if he dies?
Of Course not, he'd be with HER then.
That's right, Aeris Gainsborough; a flower girl of the Midgar slums. She was loved by everyone; especially by Cloud. Sephiroth, an ex-SOLDIER of Shinra killed her when she was praying.
Cloud couldn't save her so he's been beating himself up about it ever since. Even though he killed Sephiroth, he still couldn't get over it. He started the Strife delivery service soon after the planet was saved. But now he's hardly home cause of it. His deliveries take longer and he started coming home later and later into the night. Soon, he didn't come home at all. You soon found out that he is living at the church where Aeris used to tend her flowers.
He cares more about the dead then he does for the living.
That's why your angry, cause he lives at the church and not here at the 7th Heaven.
"Ashley..." You were pulled out of your thoughts hearing your name.
"Cloud, just go." You said with a hint of venom in your voice.
Everyone always keep secrets from you. No one tells you anything. It's like you're not allowed to know anything. Now, you find out that Cloud has geostigma. Not only that, but Marlene and Denzel were taken by Kadaj and his gang along with many of the geostigma infected kids.
"Ashley..."
"Just go!" You cried as tears threaten to fall down your face.
You hate the fact that you love the man in front of you so much. You hate him, yet love him at the same time.
"I'm sorry Ashley, there's no cure." You heard him speak softly.
"Does that give you the right to keep secrets from me? Why does everyone do that?" You sat on the bed and pouted. Cloud sat on the bed across from you.
"You're the first to know." Cloud confessed.
"I don't care, you still didn't tell me. I had to find out on my own." You said.
"I have my reasons." He said and that just got you even more mad.
"Yeah, i'm sure you did. I don't really care anymore. Just go and die somewhere." You were tired and annoyed with him. He just wants to be with Aeris, that's his reason. You knew he won't admit it.
"Ashley, I can't help my family, or my friends. I can't help anyone." He stared down at the floor.
"You're right, you only want to help yourself." You spat.
"Ashley..."
"No! Just be the selfish bastard you are and get out!" You yelled.
"Ashley, why are you being like this?" Cloud asked.
"You just want to be with Aeris!" You blurted out.
Silence came between you two after that is spoken. You didn't mean to say it, but your temper got the better of you.
"I'm sorry." Great, now you're the one saying sorry.
Cloud had said nothing. You guessed that he is pissed at you in his weird silent way. You just stared down at the wooden floor pissed off at yourself for not keeping your mouth shut.
"Is that what's bothering you?" He asked in a monotone voice.
You didn't answer, afraid that you would push him away further then you already have.
"Ashley, answer me." He ordered.
"It's just, it's just that you spend all your time at that church. Either that or you're delivering packages. I can't help but feel that you care for the dead far more then the living. Now, you're dying and I feel that you've given up on life so you can be with her." Your voice is shaky.
"That's not t-"
"If I died, would you do the same thing for me as you're doing for her?" You asked as tears silently rolled down your cheeks.
Cloud looked at you then; his face unreadable. You couldn't tell what he is thinking.
"You know what? I'm just gonna go. When Tifa wakes up you better tell her about your geostigma and go find those missing kids. I'm outta here." You stood up from the bed and headed for the door.
"Ashley, wait." You heard Cloud say.
"What?" You didn't even turn to face him. You hand gripped the doorknob; waiting to be turned.
"You have the stigma too don't you?" And your heart stopped beating at these words.
He is right on the money. You too have the stigma on your lower back.
"So what if I do? Not like you care." You spat; your grip on the doorknob tightening.
"So i'm not the only one keeping secrets." He said.
"At least I try to live and move on with my life." You countered.
"That's what I like about you Ashley, you're the only one that likes to speak their mind." You heard Cloud chuckle.
Wait.
Did Cloud just chuckle?
No way.
"And for your information, I do care about you. That's why I left, so I can't hurt you anymore with my problems." Cloud said.
Your anger simmered down and cooled down.
"Tifa said that we're a family. My older sister used to tell me that families stick together through thick and thin. Why can't you do that? Why can't you understand that?" You asked.
"Because it's like my mother once said to me; love makes us do stupid things." Cloud countered and you gasped at his words.
"Love? Love for this family?" You questioned.
"Love for you." He answered and a single tear rolled down the side of your face.
You heard him get off the bed and the sound of his boots got closer to you.
"I love Tifa for always being there for me, I love Marlene and Denzel like they were my own children, and I love you for being everything I could want in a woman."
You wanted to hear those words for so long. Now that you've heard them, they left you in a state of shock. Your legs lost all strength and you would of collapsed on the floor if Cloud hadn't caught you. He held you in his arms from behind; him sitting on the floor.
"I didn't want to drag this family down with me. I wanted to face my problems alone. Now I realize that I can't do that anymore." You felt the tip of his nose brush against your bare shoulder.
"Cloud..."
"Please, let's face these problems together." He sounded like he is begging.
"Okay." You whispered quietly. You couldn't ignore his pleas.
"Now, tell me that you love me back." His lips brushed against your shoulder and moved to your neck; kissing your skin gently.
"Cloud..."
"Please..." He whispers in your ear.
"I love you." You whisper back.
Cloud then turned your head so that you were looking right into his eyes. He leaned in till his nose touched yours.
"And I love you." And he leaned in the rest of the way; kissing your soft lips.