Fall On Me
By: GeneSeph
Summary: Facing his enemies with confidence was never something Cloud was good at, but when a mysterious man seemingly saves him, he's able to face his own demons.
Genre: Tragedy/Romance/Angst
Pairing: SephirothxCloud
Setting: AU
Rating: T for language
Status: Finished
Type: Oneshot
Disclaimer: All related Final Fantasy names and characters are copyrighted © by the almighty Square Enix. This story is all me, however. Enjoy. Oh, and copyright for the song goes to Rob Thomas, "Ever the Same."
His warm arms enveloped me within the darkness. The wind ripped through my hair and I closed my eyes against the cold, hugging my arms to my chest. The tears on my cheeks crystallized slowly, crusting to my pale, blood-stained face. I had tried so hard to be brave, tried to fight them off... I knew I was broken, now. The glass that had been my world had shattered. I didn't know the man who was holding me, and I couldn't find the words to thank him. Maybe I didn't want to thank him. Either way, I was grateful and royally pissed at the same time. Nothing would be the same now.
"Cloud," he murmured as he looked at me. I don't know how he knew my name, but he did. I didn't know his name, though. "You're safe, now." I felt his silver tendrils of hair against my face, sticking in my tears. His lips descended upon my cheek, and I felt a warmth start to spread across my body.
I opened my mouth to respond, but nothing came out. I choked a little on my first word, which was, "I-I..." That was as far as I got. I couldn't say anything else. My eyes closed, and I let them stay that way.
bWe were drawn from the weeds
We were brave like soldiers
Fallin' down under the pale moonlight
You were holdin' me
Like someone broken
And I couldn't tell you
But I'm telling you now/b
When I next opened my eyes, it was strange. Dark, with a little sunlight peeking over the horizon. Grass rustled violently in my ear--the wind was still a furious, relentless, and steady rage in its war against the sky and everything that inhabited the Earth. I experience the nauseating feeling of vertigo as I sat up. Everything in my vision was tilted quickly at a 90 degree, clockwise angle, and all of the blood in my head rushed to the rest of my body. I felt my stomach do a flip as I made the stupid mistake of trying to stand.
I promptly fell on my ass, one hand placed on my temple and the other in the grass behind me. A sharp sting raced through the nerves at my wrist when I made impact with the ground, but I ignored it. I let my eyes fall shut once more as my vision spun.
Inhaling deeply, I let the fresh air drown me. It smelled of rain. iJust stop thinking, Cloud,/i I told myself. iDon't think and this dizziness will go away. Don't think and you won't remember what happened. Don't think and you won't break./i But it was already too late. Not that I could stop thinking if I tried. Even if I could, however, I knew it was too late. I fought fiercely against my vocal chords. I didn't let the cry escape, but they remained tense and I cried silently, keeping my mouth shut.
There was a hand on my shoulder. I lurched forward, away from it. My mouth opened and the sob escaped, but that wasn't my current concern. Maybe it was them again, maybe they hadn't been taken care of, maybe they were here to finish me off. I rolled onto my back and prepared to kick my attacker square in the chest.
I stopped before I could. The glowing eyes and silver hair brought back my feelings of security and anger, and I knew this was the man who had saved me last night.
I sat up cautiously, droplets now leaking from my own eyes. I sucked in a breath, and I was crying once more.
"I'm here," he told me, his deep voice soothing. He held open his arms and I crawled into them without thinking. My arms slid beneath his and I linked my hands around his waist, pressing my face into his chest and weeping.
"Save me from my demons... Be my angel," I whispered to him. That's what he seemed like. Eyes from the heavens, metallic hair of silk...
I think I heard him cry, too.
bJust let me hold you while you're falling apart.
Just let me hold you and we'll both fall down.
Fall on me
Tell me everything you want me to be
Forever with you
Forever in me
Ever the same/b
We stood, watching the last hints of sunrise race through the atmosphere. I leaned heavily against him, the weight of his arm around my shoulders. Where his coat met my shirt, my skin buzzed, not unpleasantly.
"I know you're scared."
I melted like a chocolate fondue at the sound of his voice. Then I was the bread being dipped into it, basking in the warmth the sound folded me in.
"I'll always be here, in your head."
The sentence was awkward in my mind. In my head? I don't know what world he was in, but this was real. The most real my life had ever been.
iSave me from my demons... Be my angel./i Those were still the only words I had ever spoken to him. I was afraid to say anything else. Like he'd blow away like smoke if I did.
Smoke. I threaded my hands absentmindedly through his wispy hair. It was like smoke. So soft I could barely feel it.
The wind brewed up once more, so instantaneously I almost would have thought it a sign from a higher being. His hair was whipped out of my hand, and both of our locks and clothing were flung back recklessly. I felt free.
As suddenly as the wind has been stirred, the clouds decided it was time to downpour. Clouds. Cloud. Me? I shook my head. iDon't think like that. No existential thoughts, please. Not today./i I don't know why I was suddenly so frustrated, but I was. As the thunder began to rumble softly in the belly of the dragon, I fell to my knees. I was crying again.
He knelt beside me. I could hear his uneven breath. Or was it mine? No, it echoed mine in almost complete symmetry.
"I'm sorry," he muttered. "When clouds rain, I cry."
For some reason, I heard, iWhen Cloud rains, I die./i
bWe would stand in the wind
We were free like water
Flowin' down under the warmth of the sun
Now it's cold and we're scared
And we've both been shaken
Yeah, look at us man
This doesn't need to be the end/b
Over the course of the next few hours, I learned all I could of him.
All I learned was his name, which I couldn't recall, and that while he had saved me from my physical burden, he had emotional hardships he couldn't carry on his own. I didn't know what those were, but I knew I wanted to help him, to repay him.
I was too exhausted even before the darkness came. It began to rain again. Sleep was upon me once more.
bYou may need me there
To carry all your weight
You're no burden, I assure
You're tidin' me over
With a warmth I'll not forget
But I can only give you love/b
"Hey." I ignored it. "Hey, kid." I felt a shove against my arm, and I opened my eyes sleepily. "Hm?"
It was bright daylight. I could hear the noises of a rushing street, could smell the intoxicating hint of carbon-monoxide and other greenhouse gases filling the air. There was a honk in the distance.
"Wait. What?" I lifted my head. My back was stiff from leaning against the entryway.
"Yer in the way. My chefs come in through this entrance. Get outta here."
Startled, I stood. "No way." The wetness in my eyes came naturally now. "Where's..." iSephiroth./i I remembered now. "Where's Sephiroth?"
"I dunno who the hell yer talkin' about, but ya better leave now before I call the cops on ya fer loitering."
My feet began to patter against the sidewalk without me telling them to. I quickly turned back to the restaurant manager, who was about to head back inside. "Wait! How long have I been sleeping there?!"
"Two days. Musta had some real bad dream, you was cryin' a bunch."
iA dream... Just a dream./i
"Mos'ly at the end, though. Right 'fore I woke ya up. Yer eyes was like heavy clouds that just couldn' stop rainin'." With that, he turned and went inside.
iWhen clouds rain, I cry. When Cloud rains, I die./i
I knew what Sephiroth wanted me to do, now. While he was just a dream, I was positive that he had given me the strength I needed to overcome my upcoming battle... The one he had saved me from in the... i...dream./i I hated that thought.
"Hey, shitface!"
I whipped around to see them quickly advancing towards me. But I was ready.
Still facing them, I let a grin spread across my face as I slowly walked backwards into the busy street...