A/N: Yes, what a turn of events o_o DON'T HATE ME *is pelted with tomatos and other vegetables* But, in all honesty, I actually want this to be just a *little* more then a regular Romance fic. There's dancing...and singing...well, not really, but that would indicate the second half of the summary. +_+ evil FF.net had to die. also, the review system hates me. KILL IT
Disclaimer: ......STUFF!...including the song "no Reply" from "Future Blues" OST.
---
"Where's Spikes?" Cid emerged into the hall, extremely uneasy and rather fidgety. Sweat lined his forehead, and there were dark creases under his eyes from lack of sleep; particularly, less then vulgar, or rude then usual today.
"...On the upper deck." Instead of her usual position, standing and heaving near the bridge, Yuffie, who had, perhaps yesterday, was celebrating her 17th birthday, was sitting down, pale and preoccupied with worry. Now it seemed all the joys of becoming older had been sucked, and if Yuffie hadn't grown attached to the older sister figure that was Tifa, she would've accused the comatose girl of having stolen her thunder.
"..." Cid, however, did not seek out their "leader," who had not said anything, not come down, etc. etc. The Ultima Weapon was roped against the very front of the ship, stained with blood, prompting no wonder as to why it was there. Cloud had put it there. "Goddamnit..." As he crossed the wire bridge, he banged his gun-arm on the wall, creating a slight dent.
"..." Yuffie plopped backwards, lying down on the hard metal of the ship and ignoring the pain that jolted through her head as she landed with a dull thunk.
"What about Shinra?" No swearing, no nothing, an example of just how much stress he restrained due to Tifa's status.
"...Operations room." Yuffie's misty eyes gazed at the ceiling, as if there was Materia plastered to the metal sheets. She couldn't think, she didn't *want* to think. She had become rather robotic over the past couple of days. As did everyone *else*. "...depending on what context."
"Blondie."
"...Operations room." she confirmed, pointing in a direction diagonal to her head. Her arm retreated to her side slowly, heavily. "...with Tifa." There was a bedlike structure carefully constructed on top of the main table in order to house the severely wounded Tifa. Rufus was there, for some reason difficult to comprehend. //Maybe he likes her~// Yuffie would've giggled at that moment, but it was just too much, you know?
"Ah." There wasn't much to speak about right now, so Cid walked in that funny fashion to the room and pulled open the sliding door, just a little, enough so Rufus wouldn't notice. "...holy shit..."
Like the perfect ending
It won't be long
Till everything I've ruined has seen me gone
In time, I pray you'll forgive me
Now you know the man I am
Can you forgive me?
Rufus sat at one of the chairs, clutching Tifa's left hand with his own two and staring at some distant point on the opposite wall. His blonde hair was unkempt, and there were lines and black circles running under and over his empty blue eyes. //That kid...// At that point, Cid felt pity: pity for the man who had broken his dreams once. //Goddamn, just watching that guy resemble something like human gives me the heebie-jeebies.// At that moment, a pang in his chest reminded him of Shera. He thunked himself on the head to snap back to reality.
I fall
Like the sands of time
Like some broken rhyme
At feet no longer there
"Kinda wierd, huh?" Yuffie's voice, weighted with hardship, filled Cid's ears rather quietly as he "spied".
"#^*@ yeah." Cid scratched the back of his head thoughtfully. "The guy's too #@^*ing out of character, man. Giving me the chills..." Cid looked back towards the door. "No one's ever seen him bleed or cry. That was the rumor, ya know?"
"You think he cried?" Yuffie questioned, pulling herself into a sitting position. "Uh, I know I did."
"Hell, I dunno. Haven't seen Spikes or blondie move one freakin' inch." Cid shrugged. "I dunno what the hell was going on, either." He sighed, taking the cigarette out of his mouth and exhaling deeply, a puff of smoke dancing in front of his face. "Only one who probably knows is Vince, though. Won't talk to anyone, though. Damn..."
"Wanna ask?" Yuffie suddenly suggested, something a little bold.
"Ask that guy? Hell, he creeps me out too. Always looks like he's glarin' at me." The pilot shuddered involuntarily.
"C'mon, don't be such a wuss." Yuffie slowly stood up, legs trembling perhaps from not standing in a 24-hour period, and marched to the front deck. "Well? You comin'?" the tomboy asked, cracking her knuckles and grinning emptily. Cid rolled his eyes, smacking his forehead with his palm.
"Do I have much of a choice?" He followed Yuffie onto the front of the airship, scratching his head as he did so. Yuffie pranced over to Vincent Valentine with as much cheer and exuberance as possible. Cid walked to one side and pretended he didn't exist, concentrating on the conversation they were about to hold.
"Heeey Vinnie!" Yuffie came to a screeching halt in front of the reserved man, toeing the ground like a shy child. "Uhm...So, what's up? Uh, I was meaning to ask...you were with them, weren't you?" Her tone became a little less childish and more serious and interrogative. Vincent's icy, flaming red gaze turned to bore into Yuffie's misty grayish-violet. She barely flinched. She just wasn't the kind to be forced down by a glare. Realizing this, he gave a curt nod to respond to her question. Assuming a reporter-ish pose, placing one hand under her chin resembling a microphone. "Can you tell us about mister Shinra and miss Lockheart?"
If only I could call the rain to melt and wash away the pain you feel
I would
You gave yourself to me and showed me what the truth could be
For that, I say thank you
This was my life
It never made much sense to me
"...I can..."
"Oh, very well then. WILL you?"
"........only what I know...."
"Hoorah!" Yuffie danced around, doing a short disco before returning to her station. "Now...what's wrong with the spikey-headed one? Is he ill? Hypertension? Athersclorosis? Or...HEARTACHE?!" It was atonishing to see her crack jokes at a time like this. But that's the way she was. Focusing on the task at hand.
"Stationary on the upper deck...lying down..."
"What did you note about mister Shinra and miss Lockheart?"
"..." Vincent raised an eyebrow at Yuffie, who grinned in response--a cheerful gesture, though not reaching her eyes. "I do not...allow myself to delve in the relationships of others, physical or emotional."
With every lie that I lived
Part of me would fade
Into this empty shadow I've become
And now I feel so numb
I no longer know myself
But I still know you
"Lovely."
"I'm sure."
Yuffie rolled her eyes and tousled Vincent's hair, having to leap up to do so due to her...lack of height in comparison. Vincent grabbed the retreating arm with his claw, and threw a rather condescending/all-out *nasty* look towards her. Yuffie's wrist went limp, and her gaze moved to the ground embarrassedly. Vincent sighed inwardly and dropped her arm, giving her a quick-as-possible, one-armed hug. Yuffie grinned, and Cid rolled his eyes, throwing the cigarette overboard and lighting a new one. I don't think he cared if he set something on fire, either.
---
Rufus sat, empty, thoughtless, gripping Tifa's hand desperately. He was still. Not even shaking. He hardly blinked. He felt a lack of oxygen from breathing through his nose, but it didn't matter. He didn't really feel like moving. Tifa had bandages wrapped around her stomach, like wraps on a cast, only it was cloth. It was unfair.
I call
And there is no reply
Like some phantom cry
On ears too far away
-Unfair? Trying to suck out life energy from the Planet is also unfair.-
//Go away...//
What the hell was this voice?
-...Tifa's dreaming, you know.-
//.....don't...care.//
-You just keep thinking that. Unfortunately, I know more about you then you think.-
//And you aren't a creepy little voice in my head; a result of my slow departure to the rainbow-and-sunshine world of insanity?//
-Touche. I also know that you're some kind of wiseass. I suppose that's just a result.-
//..//
-She's still dreaming.-
//I don't care.//
-If you didn't care, you wouldn't be here.-
//Low blow.//
-So, don't you wanna take a look?-
//...you're going to show me? Isn't that "invasion of privacy"?//
-I can see almost every single one of you. Except for that dog, the ninja, and a few others. But they don't matter much to me, either.-
//How so?//
-That doesn't matter. Anyway, she's still dreaming.-
//You apparently think this holds some relevance to me, don't you.//
In the first motion he had made, besides blinking...occasionally...he ran a hand through his tousled hair, attempting to return it to its neat and proper status. It didn't work.
-So go take a shower or something.-
//Why?//
-Why not?-
//...//
---
And Cloud, sitting there so silently, stared at the Planet underneath the ship, lips pressed into a thin line and head hanging over the edge. Okay, so the blood was going to his head. He didn't really care. His neck was beginning to hurt. But he didn't care. Shouldn't he be in the Operations Room, at Tifa's side? Waiting for her to recover? Actually giving a damn? No. He gave a damn. He wouldn't be contemplating the meaning of life if he didn't. But nonetheless, why wasn't *he* down there? Tifa...She was there. When he was lost.
I close my eyes and watch as my life passes by
The only thing I see is you
For all the times you walked the line for me and standing by my side
I say thank you
Here lies my life
It never felt real to me
She was there for so damn long a time. For him. Did he take her for granted? His thoughts shifted to when she actually moved in front of Rufus, in order to protect him. Why protect him? He banged his fist on the railing, even though he probably stretched some muscle abnormally in that motion.
You'll always mean so much to me
And there's no reply
And there's no reply
You'll never know how much you meant to me
What if she *liked* Rufus? Cloud couldn't handle that. He just couldn't.
-Why not?-
Because they had been through so much together. Her and Cloud, anyway. Saving each other...the promise...what the hell was it all for when he might've killed her? He let his arms hang off the side of the ship, staring at the whizzing world beneath him.
If only I could call the rain to melt and wash away the pain you feel
I would
You gave yourself to me and showed me what the truth could be
For that, I say thank you
This was my life
It never made much sense to me
"Hello." Red XIII made his way to the upper deck, a seemingly difficult task due to his lack of coordination on steep staircases. His tail raised into the air, being careful not to set anything aflame, and he trotted to Cloud and sat down next to his somber, grave figure. The wolf-doggish fighter gave the "leader" of AVALANCHE a crooked look. "How are you?"
".......swell...." came the response. Red XIII took note that half his body was off the front, being supported by his strength, though. Any further, and he was going to fall.
"...Mind scooting back so you don't fall to a horrible death?" Red XIII inquired half-jokingly, because, well, he was worried. If he was contemplative of suicide, then...well, it would be pretty horrible, then. However, Cloud obliged by pushing back, head still hanging over and staring at the grass and things below. Red XIII just sat there, next to the spikey-headed one, allowing his mane to be pushed back by the wind. The fire on his tail had wavered slightly with Tifa's dormant status, a little small, a little broken. But Red XIII himself was alright. Maybe. "Cloud, are you alright?" he inquired with a wise, all-knowing tone as he gave Cloud a piercing stare. Cloud's head slowly turned, and it was kind of creepy, as the rest of his body remained still. The mercenary eyed the wolfish figure, any glare, any glimmer in his eyes vanishing leaving a dull sort of look.
".....how's Tifa?....."
I close my eyes and watch as my life passes by
The only thing I see is you
For all the times you walked the line for me and standing by my side
I say thank you
Here lies my life
It never felt real to me
"...She's lost quite a bit of blood. I don't believe any major organs were damaged, however, and she is currently...comatose." There was a small pause, and a little choke upon the last two words, exemplifying Red XIII's concern for his comrade. "........I have also noted that Rufus has hardly left her--"
Glare. Vicious. Glimmering with hate.
"...Never mind."
It began to rain.
You in my life
It all meant so much more to be
---
Durr. seems everyone's hearing a voice. ARE THEY GOING BONKERS?! O_O Or...there's...something *else*! Dun dun duuun.
Disclaimer: ......STUFF!...including the song "no Reply" from "Future Blues" OST.
---
"Where's Spikes?" Cid emerged into the hall, extremely uneasy and rather fidgety. Sweat lined his forehead, and there were dark creases under his eyes from lack of sleep; particularly, less then vulgar, or rude then usual today.
"...On the upper deck." Instead of her usual position, standing and heaving near the bridge, Yuffie, who had, perhaps yesterday, was celebrating her 17th birthday, was sitting down, pale and preoccupied with worry. Now it seemed all the joys of becoming older had been sucked, and if Yuffie hadn't grown attached to the older sister figure that was Tifa, she would've accused the comatose girl of having stolen her thunder.
"..." Cid, however, did not seek out their "leader," who had not said anything, not come down, etc. etc. The Ultima Weapon was roped against the very front of the ship, stained with blood, prompting no wonder as to why it was there. Cloud had put it there. "Goddamnit..." As he crossed the wire bridge, he banged his gun-arm on the wall, creating a slight dent.
"..." Yuffie plopped backwards, lying down on the hard metal of the ship and ignoring the pain that jolted through her head as she landed with a dull thunk.
"What about Shinra?" No swearing, no nothing, an example of just how much stress he restrained due to Tifa's status.
"...Operations room." Yuffie's misty eyes gazed at the ceiling, as if there was Materia plastered to the metal sheets. She couldn't think, she didn't *want* to think. She had become rather robotic over the past couple of days. As did everyone *else*. "...depending on what context."
"Blondie."
"...Operations room." she confirmed, pointing in a direction diagonal to her head. Her arm retreated to her side slowly, heavily. "...with Tifa." There was a bedlike structure carefully constructed on top of the main table in order to house the severely wounded Tifa. Rufus was there, for some reason difficult to comprehend. //Maybe he likes her~// Yuffie would've giggled at that moment, but it was just too much, you know?
"Ah." There wasn't much to speak about right now, so Cid walked in that funny fashion to the room and pulled open the sliding door, just a little, enough so Rufus wouldn't notice. "...holy shit..."
Like the perfect ending
It won't be long
Till everything I've ruined has seen me gone
In time, I pray you'll forgive me
Now you know the man I am
Can you forgive me?
Rufus sat at one of the chairs, clutching Tifa's left hand with his own two and staring at some distant point on the opposite wall. His blonde hair was unkempt, and there were lines and black circles running under and over his empty blue eyes. //That kid...// At that point, Cid felt pity: pity for the man who had broken his dreams once. //Goddamn, just watching that guy resemble something like human gives me the heebie-jeebies.// At that moment, a pang in his chest reminded him of Shera. He thunked himself on the head to snap back to reality.
I fall
Like the sands of time
Like some broken rhyme
At feet no longer there
"Kinda wierd, huh?" Yuffie's voice, weighted with hardship, filled Cid's ears rather quietly as he "spied".
"#^*@ yeah." Cid scratched the back of his head thoughtfully. "The guy's too #@^*ing out of character, man. Giving me the chills..." Cid looked back towards the door. "No one's ever seen him bleed or cry. That was the rumor, ya know?"
"You think he cried?" Yuffie questioned, pulling herself into a sitting position. "Uh, I know I did."
"Hell, I dunno. Haven't seen Spikes or blondie move one freakin' inch." Cid shrugged. "I dunno what the hell was going on, either." He sighed, taking the cigarette out of his mouth and exhaling deeply, a puff of smoke dancing in front of his face. "Only one who probably knows is Vince, though. Won't talk to anyone, though. Damn..."
"Wanna ask?" Yuffie suddenly suggested, something a little bold.
"Ask that guy? Hell, he creeps me out too. Always looks like he's glarin' at me." The pilot shuddered involuntarily.
"C'mon, don't be such a wuss." Yuffie slowly stood up, legs trembling perhaps from not standing in a 24-hour period, and marched to the front deck. "Well? You comin'?" the tomboy asked, cracking her knuckles and grinning emptily. Cid rolled his eyes, smacking his forehead with his palm.
"Do I have much of a choice?" He followed Yuffie onto the front of the airship, scratching his head as he did so. Yuffie pranced over to Vincent Valentine with as much cheer and exuberance as possible. Cid walked to one side and pretended he didn't exist, concentrating on the conversation they were about to hold.
"Heeey Vinnie!" Yuffie came to a screeching halt in front of the reserved man, toeing the ground like a shy child. "Uhm...So, what's up? Uh, I was meaning to ask...you were with them, weren't you?" Her tone became a little less childish and more serious and interrogative. Vincent's icy, flaming red gaze turned to bore into Yuffie's misty grayish-violet. She barely flinched. She just wasn't the kind to be forced down by a glare. Realizing this, he gave a curt nod to respond to her question. Assuming a reporter-ish pose, placing one hand under her chin resembling a microphone. "Can you tell us about mister Shinra and miss Lockheart?"
If only I could call the rain to melt and wash away the pain you feel
I would
You gave yourself to me and showed me what the truth could be
For that, I say thank you
This was my life
It never made much sense to me
"...I can..."
"Oh, very well then. WILL you?"
"........only what I know...."
"Hoorah!" Yuffie danced around, doing a short disco before returning to her station. "Now...what's wrong with the spikey-headed one? Is he ill? Hypertension? Athersclorosis? Or...HEARTACHE?!" It was atonishing to see her crack jokes at a time like this. But that's the way she was. Focusing on the task at hand.
"Stationary on the upper deck...lying down..."
"What did you note about mister Shinra and miss Lockheart?"
"..." Vincent raised an eyebrow at Yuffie, who grinned in response--a cheerful gesture, though not reaching her eyes. "I do not...allow myself to delve in the relationships of others, physical or emotional."
With every lie that I lived
Part of me would fade
Into this empty shadow I've become
And now I feel so numb
I no longer know myself
But I still know you
"Lovely."
"I'm sure."
Yuffie rolled her eyes and tousled Vincent's hair, having to leap up to do so due to her...lack of height in comparison. Vincent grabbed the retreating arm with his claw, and threw a rather condescending/all-out *nasty* look towards her. Yuffie's wrist went limp, and her gaze moved to the ground embarrassedly. Vincent sighed inwardly and dropped her arm, giving her a quick-as-possible, one-armed hug. Yuffie grinned, and Cid rolled his eyes, throwing the cigarette overboard and lighting a new one. I don't think he cared if he set something on fire, either.
---
Rufus sat, empty, thoughtless, gripping Tifa's hand desperately. He was still. Not even shaking. He hardly blinked. He felt a lack of oxygen from breathing through his nose, but it didn't matter. He didn't really feel like moving. Tifa had bandages wrapped around her stomach, like wraps on a cast, only it was cloth. It was unfair.
I call
And there is no reply
Like some phantom cry
On ears too far away
-Unfair? Trying to suck out life energy from the Planet is also unfair.-
//Go away...//
What the hell was this voice?
-...Tifa's dreaming, you know.-
//.....don't...care.//
-You just keep thinking that. Unfortunately, I know more about you then you think.-
//And you aren't a creepy little voice in my head; a result of my slow departure to the rainbow-and-sunshine world of insanity?//
-Touche. I also know that you're some kind of wiseass. I suppose that's just a result.-
//..//
-She's still dreaming.-
//I don't care.//
-If you didn't care, you wouldn't be here.-
//Low blow.//
-So, don't you wanna take a look?-
//...you're going to show me? Isn't that "invasion of privacy"?//
-I can see almost every single one of you. Except for that dog, the ninja, and a few others. But they don't matter much to me, either.-
//How so?//
-That doesn't matter. Anyway, she's still dreaming.-
//You apparently think this holds some relevance to me, don't you.//
In the first motion he had made, besides blinking...occasionally...he ran a hand through his tousled hair, attempting to return it to its neat and proper status. It didn't work.
-So go take a shower or something.-
//Why?//
-Why not?-
//...//
---
And Cloud, sitting there so silently, stared at the Planet underneath the ship, lips pressed into a thin line and head hanging over the edge. Okay, so the blood was going to his head. He didn't really care. His neck was beginning to hurt. But he didn't care. Shouldn't he be in the Operations Room, at Tifa's side? Waiting for her to recover? Actually giving a damn? No. He gave a damn. He wouldn't be contemplating the meaning of life if he didn't. But nonetheless, why wasn't *he* down there? Tifa...She was there. When he was lost.
I close my eyes and watch as my life passes by
The only thing I see is you
For all the times you walked the line for me and standing by my side
I say thank you
Here lies my life
It never felt real to me
She was there for so damn long a time. For him. Did he take her for granted? His thoughts shifted to when she actually moved in front of Rufus, in order to protect him. Why protect him? He banged his fist on the railing, even though he probably stretched some muscle abnormally in that motion.
You'll always mean so much to me
And there's no reply
And there's no reply
You'll never know how much you meant to me
What if she *liked* Rufus? Cloud couldn't handle that. He just couldn't.
-Why not?-
Because they had been through so much together. Her and Cloud, anyway. Saving each other...the promise...what the hell was it all for when he might've killed her? He let his arms hang off the side of the ship, staring at the whizzing world beneath him.
If only I could call the rain to melt and wash away the pain you feel
I would
You gave yourself to me and showed me what the truth could be
For that, I say thank you
This was my life
It never made much sense to me
"Hello." Red XIII made his way to the upper deck, a seemingly difficult task due to his lack of coordination on steep staircases. His tail raised into the air, being careful not to set anything aflame, and he trotted to Cloud and sat down next to his somber, grave figure. The wolf-doggish fighter gave the "leader" of AVALANCHE a crooked look. "How are you?"
".......swell...." came the response. Red XIII took note that half his body was off the front, being supported by his strength, though. Any further, and he was going to fall.
"...Mind scooting back so you don't fall to a horrible death?" Red XIII inquired half-jokingly, because, well, he was worried. If he was contemplative of suicide, then...well, it would be pretty horrible, then. However, Cloud obliged by pushing back, head still hanging over and staring at the grass and things below. Red XIII just sat there, next to the spikey-headed one, allowing his mane to be pushed back by the wind. The fire on his tail had wavered slightly with Tifa's dormant status, a little small, a little broken. But Red XIII himself was alright. Maybe. "Cloud, are you alright?" he inquired with a wise, all-knowing tone as he gave Cloud a piercing stare. Cloud's head slowly turned, and it was kind of creepy, as the rest of his body remained still. The mercenary eyed the wolfish figure, any glare, any glimmer in his eyes vanishing leaving a dull sort of look.
".....how's Tifa?....."
I close my eyes and watch as my life passes by
The only thing I see is you
For all the times you walked the line for me and standing by my side
I say thank you
Here lies my life
It never felt real to me
"...She's lost quite a bit of blood. I don't believe any major organs were damaged, however, and she is currently...comatose." There was a small pause, and a little choke upon the last two words, exemplifying Red XIII's concern for his comrade. "........I have also noted that Rufus has hardly left her--"
Glare. Vicious. Glimmering with hate.
"...Never mind."
It began to rain.
You in my life
It all meant so much more to be
---
Durr. seems everyone's hearing a voice. ARE THEY GOING BONKERS?! O_O Or...there's...something *else*! Dun dun duuun.