Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII; Square Enix does. If I did… well, let's just say I think Cloud's prettier than the FF7 girls…
I just realized that Cloud's boots zip up… Nomura must have had a zipper fetish for a while, huh?
I'm Sixteen in my Head
4. Marks
Me and Vincent walk towards the edge of the Midgar ruins. Neither of us speaks. Why would we? There's nothing to talk about. I can make out Tifa and Barret maybe five meters away. Tifa waves at us. She runs towards us, and I notice that Vincent has stepped to the left. The bastard abandoned me!
"Cloud! Cloud! Everyone's sick! Reeve calls it 'Geostigma'!" For the last time… I am not a DOCTOR. She leans over, panting. "It's really bad… Black ooze seeps from the wounds…"
Black ooze… Like those pools I saw. I open my mouth to speak, but she interrupts me. "Cloud, what happened to your clothes!"
I rub the back of my head… This must be one of Zack's habits. "I kinda fell… on some glass… Hehe…"
She grabs onto my wrist and begins to pull me down the remainder of the plate. I would grunt and whine, but what difference would it make? She'd still pull me down this damn hill.
I can hear Vincent's metallic boots ringing on the steal plate as he follows a few paces behind. If he was anyone except himself, he'd probably laugh at me… Barret sure as hell is.
Tifa was going on and on about something or other… I don't even care anymore.
Tifa pushed a pile of clothes into my hands, and slams the bathroom door. I set the garments onto the toilet and begin the long job of removing this torn SOLDIER uniform.
First, these leather gloves… How long has it been since I've seen my hands?
Next, the shoulder guard… I unscrew the nuts to loosen it. My hands, working of their own accord, find the buckles underneath and release me from the metal burden.
I twist my arms through the suspenders of the SOLDIER emblem, letting the straps fall beside my hips.
My turtleneck comes over my head easily… How long has it been since I've showered? This thing smells like a chocobo's rear-end.
I unzip my boots, kicking them towards the door. My pants billow with the freedom.
My fingers find the clasp on the SOLDIER emblem, dropping it to the floor.
My pants and underwear come off together… I was not wearing chocobo boxers all this time. I refuse to accept that…
I slide the shower door open and step inside. I turn the water on and feel the warm tingling. My eyes close and my hands comb through my blond hair. A stray hand finds its way to my abdomen. I trace the line of a scar.
Marked forever by Sephiroth…
You must have a scar like this, Aerith.
Because I couldn't save you.
… If you'd like, please take the time to tell me what you think of this.
Cactuar plushes to Blue Jae, Jimmy, Seluchen123, Omni-Master, and SilverKitsune013.