The Smile When You Tore Me Apart
One-shot inspired by the song "Angels" by Within Temptation.
Note: All characters are from Final Fantasy VII.
Cloud's grip tightened on his sword as he walked closer to Sephiroth. The man he'd once seen as a sort of savior, having given him reason to leave Nibelheim…but no longer.
"How good of you to come."
Cloud stopped. Sephiroth had apparently heard his muted footsteps. "Sephiroth." Cloud spat the name. "You liar."
He whom everyone had seen as a sparkling angel before turned around, a smirk on his face. "I'm glad you think so highly of me, Cloud." The way Sephiroth said his name made Cloud shrink inwardly. "Why don't you join me?" Sephiroth spread his arms in a welcoming manner.
Pushing past the sickening feeling in his gut, Cloud stared Sephiroth defiantly in the eyes. "I couldn't hear all the warnings that were so clear before—you were my idol." He took a breath. "Now I know." Cloud lifted his sword into a ready position. "There's no escape for you now."
Sephiroth's eyes hardened. "Pity. And here I thought we could've set that behind us."
There was no mercy on Cloud's face. Once, there might have been, but now he was determined to end this once and for all. No remorse for what he was planning on doing. "Impossible." His eyes narrowed. "Because I still remember…the smile when you tore me apart!"
They flew at each other then, blades glinting in the light before smashing together with extreme force. They slashed, blocked, parried, and leapt at each other, attempting to outdo the other.
Their swords locked.
"You took over!" Cloud vehemently spat at Sephiroth. "Deceived me right from the start!"
Sephiroth's grin turned feral. "Of course, Cloud. You were just a puppet that needed to be controlled."
Cloud's face darkened, and he threw the Masamune aside with a snarl. They exchanged more blows. "I couldn't see your dark intentions before," he hissed.
Something seemed amused in Sephiroth's expression. "My intentions are dark?" The fallen angel cut a wicked slice that Cloud barely blocked. "Who sought the other out for the sole purpose of killing him?"
Cloud clenched his teeth and returned with a blow of equal force before being forced into blocking another powerful swing. "Tell me why—why do you hate everything so much? What is the reason?"
"Because of Mother, Cloud. I thought you knew that."
"There must be a better reason than that!"
Sephiroth arched a silver eyebrow. "And if there isn't?" He quickly lifted his sword and got below Cloud's defenses. The long blade skewered through Cloud's chest, and he choked as Sephiroth's arm tensed, lifting the smaller blonde off the ground.
Cloud's breathing was hitched and irregular as the pain invaded his senses. Sephiroth watched, a smile playing on his face.
"Is this the pain you felt before?"
The smile when you tore me apart.
"You showed me dreams….I'd wished they'd turn into real."
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow slightly. "Would you still like that?"
"You broke a promise."
Sephiroth looked a bit sardonic. "And you haven't?"
"…Made me realize…." Cloud's hands came up, one gripping something against his leg determinedly and the other stabilizing himself on the Masamune. Sephiroth frowned slightly. "…It was all just a lie!" He flicked his right wrist, and Sephiroth saw a dagger flying towards his face. In a split-second, he had dodged out of the way…
…and felt the handle of his overlong katana get wrenched to the side, him with it. Cloud rolled to the side, having managed to throw himself off the sword. Slightly confused and shocked, Sephiroth didn't have enough time to recover as the enraged blonde grabbed his sword and furiously Omnislashed the former hero.
Sephiroth gasped and sank to the ground. Cloud stood over him, his face a mask of pure indifference.
"You could have been forever—a hero in the eyes of the public like how you once were." Cloud's forearms tensed. "You could have chosen a different path in life." The sword rose. "But now we have reached the end." He slashed down, finishing the limit break.
"Angels" by Within Temptation
Sparkling angel
I believe
You were my savior
In my time of need
Blinded by faith
I couldn't hear
All the whispers
The warnings so clear
I see the angels
I'll lead them to your door
There's no escape now
No mercy no more
No remorse because
I still remember
The smile when you tore me apart
You took my heart
Deceived me right from the start
You showed me dreams
I wished they'd turn into real
You broke a promise
And made me realize
It was all just a lie
Sparkling angel
I couldn't see
Your dark intentions
Your feelings for me
Fallen angel
Tell me why
What is the reason
The thorn in your eye?
I see the angels
I'll lead them to your door
There's no escape now
No mercy no more
No remorse because
I still remember
The smile when you tore me apart
You took my heart
Deceived me right from the start
You showed me dreams
I wished they'd turn into real
You broke a promise
And made me realize
It was all just a lie
Could have been forever
Now we have reached the end
This world may have failed you
It doesn't give you reason why
You could have chosen
A different path in life
The smile when you tore me apart
You took my heart
Deceived me right from the start
You showed me dreams
I wished they'd turn into real
You broke a promise
And made me realize
It was all just a lie
Could have been forever
Now we have reached the end