#don’t even get me started with cloud or Zack

[yingxtkm]

Hiya! I absolutely adore the way you draw Seph, esp his hair <33 I’ve really been struggling to figure out how to do that, haha, and was wondering if you have any tips? His bangs are a nightmare lmao

AAAAA TYSM ❤️❤️❤️ also oh lordie, you have no idea how much hell his bangs have given me when I first started drawing him not that it’s gotten much better hahaha (flashback to me drawing it incorrectly for a good few months), but uhhh here’s a sketch page and how I sort of?¿ analyzed and broke down the structure of his bangs (who am I kidding I just one winged it until I sort of got comfortable with drawing it)

There’s definitely different ways to draw it depending on what specific style within the compilation you’re looking at ie. The more exaggerated but simplified version from OG, the one layered version from older games like CC or the three layered one from remake.

Zoom in for more detail :)

[ariseur]

ffvii jealousy headcanons 𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪

✧˖*°࿐ includes cloud strife, zack fair, sephiroth, reno, genesis rhapsodos, and angeal hewley

┊ ˚➶ notes ｡˚ 🎼

just a little something to satisfy you guys while i continue working on my requests!! already did a dmc one so might as well do a ffvii one too lol

┊ ˚➶ warnings ｡˚ 🎼

jealousy (obviously), some possessiveness, intended lowercase, like one bullet point about post-nibelheim sephiroth, just a couple of guys who love the reader??, lmk if i missed anything !! 🎀

. ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄ . ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄ . ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄ . ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄

. ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄ 𝓒LOUD — 𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪

❥ cloud is the type of person who will swear up and down that he doesn’t get jealous, but truth be told, he does. however, he doesn’t recognize it as jealousy at first.

❥ although, he definitely tries to shove his feelings down once he realizes that he’s somewhat upset. cloud won’t upright and confess that he’s jealous or go up to you when he sees someone flirting with you.

❥ cloud’s pretty understanding if you needed space or if you were just talking with someone else, he’s not gonna immediately resort to his insecurity.

❥ but once it’s a reoccurring experience, or if they know what they’re doing— or worse, if they’re actively flirting with you or touching you, then he’ll definitely start to get a little jealous.

❥ instead of actively confronting you or getting up in the flirt’s face, he’ll only watch afar at first. he’ll observe the conversation, the light touches, checking to see if you look uncomfortable or not.

❥ when it begins to become too much though, cloud’ll come up to you, saying something along the lines of how he needs you or needs your help and that it’s so urgent that you have to come with him asap.

❥ if you even insinuate that he got jealous though, he’ll deny it to the moon and back and say that it never happened. he may act like he doesn’t care, but don’t let it fool you. cloud cares about you way too much to let you be slobbered over at a bar by a disrespectful dude.

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. ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄ 𝓩ACK — 𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪

❥ i feel like zack’s semi into pda? as long as he’s not around the firsts or anybody important, especially angeal, then he just can’t wait to show you off. he can’t help it, poor boy loves you too much 😭 so because of the somewhat pda, i dont see a lot of people trying to flirt with you— especially knowing that your boyfriends a SOLDIER.

❥ i dont think he’d even notice at first, too busy talking to you to even notice that theres someone who has your attention also. i cant see anybody really trying to flirt with you though, zack’s like that one small dog who keeps yapping at your feet when you get to close to its owner.

❥ zack is very vocal!! if the person interrupts your conversation, he will blatantly call them out on it. he’d narrow his eyes at them and just say, “hello, i was talking to them??” because who interrupts people like that?? plain rude!!

❥ saw this in another post and i totally agree with it, zack’ll joke and joke with underlying messages behind these said ‘jokes’ and definitely has the mindset of, “what can they offer when you have me???” he just doesn’t see how they catch your attention or why they’re talking to you while hes sitting right there??

❥ will bend over backwards just for your attention, he will pout otherwise if he doesn’t get your full undivided attention after his attempts.

❥ will probably annoy the person after you’re gone by either passive-aggressively interrogating them or ranting about how in love he is with you. he’s like the cartoons where they hold their chin in their palm with heart eyes as they look up all dreamy with a giant thought bubble that’s just you. he can’t help it, he just loves you too much (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞!!1!1!

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. ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄ 𝓢EPHIROTH — 𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪

❥ for pre nibelheim (because i miss soft and not crazy sephiroth), i cant see him getting all that much jealous? i guess he’d get more so protective if he sees someone all up on you— but otherwise, he’s pretty laid back about it. he puts a lot of his faith in you entrusting that you won’t break it, so i cant see him going crazy over it.

❥ i think sephiroth’s mature enough to not cause a scene even if he was jealous, though. he wouldn’t be petty or actively try to keep you away from anybody pre nibelheim, although he finds it amusing how they try to flirt with you.

❥ he especially has to have trust in you considering he’s a first class!! unless you are also a SOLDIER or you’re associated with shinra, you guys will spend semi-large gaps of times apart. he doesn’t think you’d betray him like that though, he’s mature enough to have a conversation if he’s really worried.

❥ sephiroth has his moments of insecurity, but usually when he’s off duty— he’ll be with you. i’m just imagining sitting at a bar with sephiroth as he’s literally right beside you while this persons trying to slide up next to you lol. i also don’t think sephiroth gets jealous because he knows his worth and know he can be intimidating when he wants to be!! even just his teasing makes people quiver in their fuckin boots lmao. i doubt anybody would wanna mess with a first class SOLDIER who’s fit and over 5’11” / 180cm.

❥ after they either get intimidated or realize their advances aren’t working and that you’re happily in a relationship with sephiroth and leave, he’ll chuckle to himself as he thinks aloud about how silly it was to even attempt to get with you, knowing who you’re with. on the off chance that he’s feeling a little possessive or something, he’s not one for pda but he might just give you a kiss after they leave and a quick murmur of amusement due to their foolishness.

❥ now!! post-nibelheim!! you’re not even gonna be out of his sight enough to be hit on considering he’s kinda like.. a war criminal in a sense 😭. he’s much more possessive in his little silly criminally existentially crisis insane arc, never letting you leave alone or even go out in public that often. he’s much more obsessed with you after his break, so if he finds someone even making advances on you?? ooh, boy.

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈ ｡ﾟ

. ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄ 𝓡ENO — 𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪

❥ reno is one weird little dude, let me tell you that. every time i think of reno, i think of a cat. with a suit. suit cat.

❥ reno does get jealous a lot of the time, even if he is usually all up on you anyways. he still is a turk and also has to spend some time away from you, leading to overlapping thoughts of you while he’s away, maybe not even just possessive but also about if something happened to you. nothing could cure these thoughts better than a little phone sex, though.

❥ i’d like to think reno’s into pda as long as he’s not at work, poor rude having to witness wet kisses on your cheek with a lazy arm slung across your shoulder ever day. so i can’t really imagine anybody trying a bunch of stuff with you when usually— reno’s not too far behind.

❥ if reno happens to be not right next to you and he’s just doing his own thing and he happens to GLANCE AT YOU? AND HE SEES SOMEONE HITTING ON YOU?? instant slide next to you.

❥ he’s petty enough to start calling you all these pet names while he’s sitting next to you, wrapping his arm around you while he’s sizing the flirt up. he’ll look them up and down with a hard stare and maybe throw some passive aggressive comments every once in a while.

❥ he’ll probably make them uncomfortable (unless they wanna square up, because knowing reno, he might just charge if the person reciprocates his belligerent comments) so by the time they already leave, reno’s already whining against you as he asks what that was all about, acting all clueless afterwards. but you can tell just from the tone that laces his voice that he knows what he’s doing lol.

❥ he’s just a petty guy, maybe not so much possessive because i mean you can go out wherever you want wearing whatever you want (maybe after a small quickie at home if it’s something revealing), he can fend for you. he swears he’s your knight in shining armor no matter how much he teases you lmfao

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈ ｡ﾟ

. ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄ 𝓐NGEAL — 𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪

❥ now here’s the real knight in shining armor™!!!! angeal is your savior if you’re ever in an uncomfortable situation, although he doesn’t really get jealous at all— he’s just very observant of you.

❥ angeal has a whole thing about how in a relationship you must have faith and he’s very comfortable with both you and himself. he’s happy in your relationship and he is secure with himself!! if zack ever sees you two together and he’s like “(」°ロ°) 」??”, bombarding him with questions as usual, then i can just see angeal giving zack a talk on how to treat women and the gentleman way of approach— although zack is very respectful, it’s just in angeals nature to lecture.

❥ he won’t think anything of it when someone you know sits with you, you guys usually know each others relatives and friends well enough to trust them. but he’s a little iffy when a random stranger starts chatting you up.

❥ angeal obviously trusts you!! again, unless you’re a SOLDIER (which he wouldn’t prefer only because he worries about your well being), then you guys will have to spend some time apart. he has a lot of faith in you and will always write you when he’s away, letting you know he’s always thinking of you while you’re apart.

❥ if anything, he’ll save you if he notices you’re uncomfortable or something along those lines. he’ll swiftly say he needs your for something and apologizes to the person out of courtesy that he interrupted your guys’ conversation, but oh it’s so urgent, we must retreat!! and i must hold you hand in hand while we run off and do totally boring SOLDIER duties!!

❥ omfg then he pulls you aside and asks if you’re okay and ugh i just want him so bad. like sephiroth, he’ll also explain how foolish it was to even hit on you when you’re clearly happily in a relationship with him. you two’ll walk along back to hq (?) or whatever while you talk about how odd the encounter was.

❥ so in conclusion !! angeal is a gentleman and doesn’t get jealous / protective unless he thinks you’re in trouble or you’re clearly uncomfortable. angeal hewley to the rescue!!!

｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈ ｡ﾟ

. ˚◞♡ ⃗ *ೃ༄ 𝓖ENESIS — 𓆩ꨄ︎𓆪

❥ this dramatic bitch.

❥ genesis is so petty that he’ll probably consider the possibility that you’re flirting back? and then proceed to ignore you or leaving you off with some esoteric poetry while he tends to his duties. he is first class, after all.

❥ if he’s sitting right next to you though, and he hears that you’re not flirting with them. he’s petty enough like reno where he’ll suddenly be throwing out all these dramatic pet names and throw longing glances towards you, except he won’t even spare a glance towards the other person— simply only paying attention to you.

❥ id consider genesis a jealous person, but i do think that most of it strikes a protective instinct within him. he does understand that he’s also a first class SOLDIER meaning he’ll have to trust you, but he has way too much time on his hands to think. also like angeal where he’ll write you as much as he can— except he’ll send you mindless poems he writes or favored quotes of LOVELESS.

❥ in the case that you leave to go to the bathroom or any sort of occasion, genesis would probably scare the other person or make them feel uncomfortable as well. but when you return and they’re gone, he’ll act so clueless. all, “whatever do you mean, dearest?”

❥ another instance where i don’t think anybody would try anything with you. like angeal and sephiroth, genesis is a first class SOLDIER. everybody knows these dudes are the real shit (well, mainly only sephiroths talked about, but it applies to genesis and angeal too!!) so hes all smug parading you around as he side eyes every person who gawks at you. of course he knows you’re beautiful, but your beauty is too much for these fools to comprehend. so yes, he must glare at every single of them.

❥ and yes, also like his companions, he will jeer and whine about how silly it was to try that with you when you two are alone. i can even see genesis pulling a cloud and just whisking you away claiming you need to do something and then act like nothing happened afterwards. either that, or he’ll overdo it and claim to be your angel— no in between.

[flowerwiththemachinegun]

Very often I think about Sephiroth crawling in my bed and napping. Cause why not? Headcanons for Sephiroth Angeal Cloud Zack +Tseng and Rufus? if they have consistent access to your home. I doubt they’d do anything too invasive…that doesn’t go for Rufus and Tseng

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Zack

haven’t been paying enough attention to him he’s worried about you, you haven’t sent him your routine messages that let him know you made it to work or when you were heading home and that’s just weird. “What could be more important than thinking about me?”

Love him all you want, he’s eating your favorite snacks like a greedy little monster, it doesn’t matter if you buy enough to accommodate both of you. It takes a lot of food to fuel that man’s body, so that just means you started buying more for him to eat in addition to what he already steals right?

Doesn’t really snoop around while you’re gone but if something catches his attention he’s going to investigate. You’ll catch him with something in his hands that you haven’t seen in ages but still claims he doesn’t actually go through your things…sure buddy

Tries to straighten up messes, most of which he makes, but I dunno man. Something about Zack doesn’t scream world’s most tidy man and he doesn’t pay attention to fine detail. It’s the effort that counts right? He’ll at least take your trash out for you and clean up any obvious messes.

Will find him sprawled out on your couch waiting for you to get home, snoring and drooling all over the arm of your sofa…god he’s so fucking adorable and he’s just waiting for you to get home and cuddle him. After all you gave him a key for anything important.

Cloud

Yall know I’m making the “you like krabby patties don’t you squidward” face mhm..anyways are those most definitely your underwear in his hands that he’s so poorly trying to hide behind his back. Not to mention the underwear hanging out of his pocket. “You know Cloud,I heard you were a perv but fuck.”

After that day he didn’t use his key for a while. No, that’s not what he was there for originally. He was waiting for you to get to your home after an argument the two of you had on the phone to speak to you in person. Who knew that in his boredom his feet would led him to your drawers? There wasn’t too much to argue about anymore, not after asking if he wanted the ones on your ass too. He did and he got them off of you personally.

Will also straighten up things he sees in disarray, especially if he knows you like things a particular way. Will also feed and take care of any other needs your pet has if you have one. He gives your pet way more attention in private than he does around you.

The “Oh I fixed it” guy. If he isn’t there by the time you get back there might be a list of miscellaneous items he fixed. Eventually he stops making the lists considering you didn’t even realize what needed fixing and when, knowing that his actions are always appreciated.

Genesis

Because what more of an excuse does he need to freely enter your home than being Genesis? He’s coming to get your attention and recite Loveless to you while creating parallels between you and the words of his beloved epic.

Mad at him? Ignoring him? That’s not going to work, you better take that key back if you really don’t want him in your face. He’s not going to knock, sweet boy is coming straight in to fix whatever turmoil has risen between the two. Sometimes bearing gifts in these moments but he delivers you gifts when you’re not mad at him as well.

Noticed one thing isn’t very tidy, taken in account that perhaps you’ve been too tired or not in the best of moods lately. He’s going to end up cleaning your home just as he would keep his own. It’s the least he can do to help his darling.

Somehow makes your entire home smell like him, it’s like he has a Febreze can of himself that he sprays around the place. It’s just him spraying his cologne everywhere to mark his territory like a cat.

Sets up cute dates for when you arrive. This is especially convenient considering the two of you have such busy/conflicting schedules. Making sure to take care of anything around your home so you can solely focus on unwinding from the events of the day and on him.

Sometimes you’ll come home to fresh flowers sitting on your living room table. Along with a sickly sweet note, a quote from Loveless thrown in, and addressed to “his goddess”.

Angeal (ily break into my home pls I just wanna talk)

The master at taking care of his “beautiful liege”. Originally got a key to your home to pick up some things you needed for work but seeing the disarray of your apartment causes him to pause. It doesn’t bother him but if you needed help being taken care of you should have asked. Poor baby feels bad for not noticing that he needs to take care of you far more than he already does.

Yeah, you actually never got the things you needed for work that day. Only receiving a short text from Angeal claiming he would “be there soon”. Stepping into your home you can’t help but notice that it smells amazing. Beginning your trek to the couch toss your things down you go to step over some books that you swear were going to get picked up two weeks ago. Looking around you can’t help but notice the whole apartment is spotless. No longer able to hold the irritation you held with Angeal for bailing on you earlier, as you realize why he never showed up.

He refuses to give you back “his” your key after this. He won’t enter without your permission of course, even if you’re home, the man’s polite after all. Certainly wont go through your things unlike Cloud and Zack but can often be found curled up in your bed if it takes a while for you to get home.

You already know this man is cooking for you, normally timing when he’ll finish a meal with the time you get home so it’s fresh cause he “needs the best for his baby”. He’ll also do things like having a bath running for you, will join if you want him to, he’ll wash you up himself since you “shouldn’t have to lift another finger today”. Once again due to such a busy and conflicting schedule this is the easiest routine for you two.

Sometimes it seems like he lives there, seemingly spending more time at your place than at his own. Which is just fine with him, home is where his heart belongs, and his heart belongs with you.

Sephiroth (the cutest one idk i usually write my favorite one last but between Angeal, Seph and Rufus+Tseng idk) {After Genesis goes missing to highlight his emotional state}

To say the look on that man’s face was stressed was an understatement. As you walked into his office, immediately asking our dear Sephi what was wrong. Not one to go into too much detail Sephiroth explains he’d just like to be alone. That right now everything is a bit much for him to deal with and he doesn’t want to be found “unless it’s by you”. Prompting you to offer up your apartment, knowing nobody would look for him there.

Hesitant to accept your offer because he doesn’t want to intrude or make himself an inconvenience to you. A statement that makes you roll your eyes because Sephiroth could never be a bother. It doesn’t take much convincing for him take your keys and disappear from the Shinra building.

When you get home Sephiroth you can tell he’s made himself at home. His shirtless form opens the door for you, giving you a quick kiss and asking how your day has been. Noting that he looks a bit more well rested than he did earlier. As you walk around you can kind of tell what he’s been up to, a few of your books are sitting on the couch along with his laptop. Nothing out of the ordinary really, asking what he’s been up to and if he’s feeling better.

Scooping you up in his arms he carries you to the bedroom, stating that he’s just been “waiting for you”. Giggling at the sight of your bed you gawk at him asking “did you make a pillow fort?!” He actually looks a little prideful when he tells you he did and that “the structural integrity is absolutely astounding.” He’ll only let you leave the fort for good reasons, either food or the bathroom seems to be the only things he lets you get up for so far.

In the morning you give him a spare key, telling him to feel free to use it whenever. And that he does, the next day finding him cocooned in your blankets on the couch. The only thing you can see is his beautiful green eyes peeking at you from his nest of blankets. Hiding in your home definitely becomes a routine for him, only going to his own for clothes and whatever other items he may need. Spending a few nights at his own place every so often to give you space (that you never needed he just worries). Just a few nights every so often though cause why does he need to be there “when everything I want is here”

Rufus+Tseng (they’re definitely a package deal, can’t tell me otherwise) ffff-hi Reno you weren’t supposed to be here but my mind has now put you here

You certainly didn’t give these guys access to your home. Walking through your apartment after a long day, to what you thought was going to be a relaxing evening. Instead being greeted by a massive guard hound, well that wasn’t on your schedule but it seemed to get penciled in “what the fuck is that?” You can’t help but spit out, reaching for your pistol only to be interrupted by a foreign voice

“Now don’t be rude Y/N. The things you just got done doing are far more terrifying than my DarkStar.” Your eyes immediately darting around to find the owner of that voice- Who is this pretty blonde fuck sitting on your couch? Legs crossed, arm propped against the arm rest with his head held up by his hand. It’s almost like he’s trying to look as disinterested as possible in…whatever it was they were here for.

Not to mention the guy standing beside him, long black hair pulled back neatly…yeah, that’s just screaming to be pulled. Drawing his weapon the minute you reached for your own, telling you to drop it and to step towards them slowly. As you start taking steps towards the duo your arm is grabbed and being twisted behind your back. Their chest rumbling against your back as they chuckle.

“Oh, this one is so cute. How do we feel about ‘em bossman?” craning your neck to get a look at your assailant, being greeted by a red head with a goofy grin on his face. My god he was easy on the eyes as well. Sporting a suit similar to the raven haired man, his shirt unbuttoned, leaving his chest deliciously exposed. If it weren’t obvious you were in danger you might’ve thought you were in for a treat. Jumping a bit as his other hand starts roaming your body. Letting out a chuckle as Reno speaks stating that he’s “just checking for weapons, ya know how it goes. Unless..” his tone turning flirtatious to be cut off swiftly by Tseng, requesting you take a seat.

Reno, as the gentleman he is, assists you in your seat. All but shoving you down as he leaves his hands resting on your shoulders. You make it clear not to him “mishandle the merchandise” only for him to tell you he “can do better later.” Quickly shutting down the interaction between Reno and yourself finally asking who they were and why they were here. Rufus does a majority of the talking he is the center of attention of course, going into detail about how the Turks have been tracking you for the past year. Going through the list of atrocities you’ve committed along with some pretty damning evidence.

“Wow, you kill a few people and now the government is breaking into your home? I don’t know if this is really warranted.” At that comment you receive a rather pointed glance from Tseng and a raised eyebrow from Rufus. Finally getting to the point after Tseng lectures you on how this is a serious matter and there’s no time to play. They offer you a job with them, “redemption” as Rufus called it. While sure you’re a criminal, you indirectly solved a lot of their problems and you’re the final loose end they needed secured. “Or, you can go back to prison, but this time for the rest of your life.”

Though Tseng made it clear, if you can’t pass their training and be a successful member of the Turks you’ll be going prison anyway. Your smarts and ability to have snuck through the system this long is what got their attention drawn to you, well Rufus’ attention. Tseng thinks picking up “low-life criminals” to join their forces is far below them. Besides, they don’t really need you anyways, they just want you.

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Crying cause I hate I can tell when I first started writing this and when I finally found it and finished. Saving things to drafts seems like a dangerous game I won’t be playing again. I couldn’t think of anything to add to characters I already wrote for. Definitely making the last hc something bigger and is now main priority.

[silvergreenseraphim]

Angeal and Sephiroth (And Genesis?)—Dissidia Opera Omnia—Part Three

I AM ALIVE!!

Of course, a bunch of crazy real life things had to happen right as I was trying to translate this chapter, but I am back now and it’s time to get to work! So sorry for the wait, but I thank you all for your patience!

Also, Dissidia being literally cancelled while I was away was a very odd and unfortunately timed occurrence. I was upset to see the news, but I suppose that was a strong impetus to keep translating since we may never get official English translations now. Whew!

Well, let’s dive in!

—

So, after the last encounter with Sephiroth where Angeal had to accept that Sephiroth’s will was also influencing his choice to destroy the world, part of our team is gathered around Zack, resting and talking.

They express concern for Angeal, wondering if he is okay or if he is in shock after meeting his best friend who has changed so much. Tifa is prompted to then ask Zack what kind of person Sephiroth had been before the insanity.

Zack says,

“I didn’t really know him from the start. Only since I began working with Angeal, but I heard that they (Sephiroth and Angeal) were really close, as well as with their other best friend (Genesis). That one (Genesis) would play around with him (Sephiroth), and when things crossed a line, Angeal scolded them both. Sephiroth explained to me that Angeal gave him endless lectures about discipline, dreams, honor/hope, etc….”

A reference to this scene in Crisis Core:

This is so cute, but of course everyone else is bewildered! One of them says something like, “Wait, we are still talking about Sephiroth, right??” and Zack just laughs saying, “I don’t blame you for thinking that/wondering that.”

But Zack reassures them about how Seph used to be, saying,

“He was strong, he took good care of/helped people, and he cared about his juniors/younger colleagues. That was the Sephiroth I knew once.”

Cloud seems in awe over this. Zack goes onto explain,

“Then something went wrong with Genesis and Angeal’s bodies (reference to degradation), and they didn’t tell Sephiroth. That’s why everything got so tense. They probably didn’t want to involve him in all that, but I think Sephiroth felt alone/was lonely. I was also left behind by Angeal, so I shared the feeling.”

Cloud teases Zack, saying basically “Oh, so that’s why you acted like that when you met Angeal again,” and Zack laughs in embarrassment. Krile comments that Zack’s best quality is being always honest to himself, and Zack is grateful for the kindness. Then he goes back to talking about Sephiroth, saying,

“So back to Sephiroth. Later when Angeal and the other friend (Genesis) were gone, something went wrong with Sephiroth this time. It seemed like he uncovered the secrets about his birth/creation, but he didn’t tell me much about that. But what occurred made it clear to me….that wasn’t Sephiroth, I am certain. It’s why I want to help Angeal. I want to bring Sephiroth back to who he was.”

There is a sad moment here where the others understand Zack’s wishes, but Tifa and Cloud admit that they aren’t sure if they could ever forgive Sephiroth for destroying their village and killing their relatives even if he were to return to sanity. Cloud in particular admits that he feels anger and then sorrow, a pain in his chest, when he thinks of Sephiroth. Cloud is kind to Zack, saying that he owes him so much, but on this subject their wishes diverge. He says he is sorry for that, but Zack understands saying,

“No, it’s okay. I am sorry too, Cloud.”

They all accept the fact and agree that everyone has a different position, moving on. However, Cloud does briefly stop to wonder if it is indeed possible to bring Sephiroth back to his old self.

We cut away from this scene and go to Angeal, who is talking with some of the elder Final Fantasy characters. They ask him if he is calm now, wondering,

“So, he (the current Sephiroth) is indeed not your good friend?”

This statement sounds like a casual, “So, you aren’t friends anymore” type of observation, but it is actually in reference to the Jenova-Sephiroth dilemma. They are basically asking Angeal if the real Sephiroth is truly gone. Angeal confirms in a sense, saying that,

“That’s why I was so disturbed. It wasn’t just strictly a matter of “he has changed.”

The others remind Angeal that if Sephiroth is no longer human, then he doesn’t have to feel so weighed down by the whole thing, but Angeal says,

“No, even if that is true, even if he is physically Jenova, I can sense his will still inside.

The character Aaron says, “Then there is a strong chance Sephiroth wills himself into this state (being one with Jenova).”

Angeals says he knows and that Sephiroth does indeed not seem to be human anymore. He then confirms,

“This is why I should be the one to finish this…for the sake of my other friend that I failed to save (Genesis).”

Aw 🥲

There is a sequence here that follows where the elders talk to Angeal about his serious and responsible reputation, and how he trains his juniors like Zack. They offer Angeal some pleasant advice, saying not to worry so much about Zack anymore because the latter has truly grown. Angeal agrees, noting how much Zack matured and how he passed down his own little legacy to Cloud, who carries the buster sword. The elders encourage Angeal to realize that his strong and powerful words likely helped influence this and enliven others. They note Angeal’s persistent personality as well, but Angeal sadly says,

“Tifa told me that as well, but it wasn’t enough to get through to my friends (Gen and Seph). I was just too confident that we all understood each other. I should have been there for them more…”

Basch, one of the elders, encourages Angeal further, saying in regards to the situation with Sephiroth,

“Even though you are friends, don’t let this be such a burden to you. There were changes in his heart that you simply could not foresee, despite your regret.”

Furthermore he says, “Just because you two were close did not make it your duty (to fix everything). After all, a friend’s presence alone can be strengthening for another even when far away. But if you don’t want to regret, why don’t you try to come across him again now that you are both reunited here.”

Angeal, throughout this little pep talk, still feels badly and hangs his head, but he is surprised to hear the bit about a friend’s presence offering strength, and perks up when the others suggest he try to at least be there for Sephiroth this time around. He agrees, saying,

“You’re right. I will do what I could not do back then…but…”

Angeal pauses to speak one lament amidst his decision.

“…in this world…my other friend (Genesis) isn’t here….and I know he would have wanted to start over/have a second chance with Sephiroth as well…”

—

Small note section before we move to the final battle:

There is so much to unpack in these two scenes because of all the dialogue and all the things finally said about the issues we have been wondering about as fans.

For one, now we know how it would be if the idea of Sephiroth’s redemption were to be discussed among the Crisis Core characters like Zack and Angeal, and the OG characters like Cloud and Tifa.

Zack and Angeal fully want to bring Sephiroth back because he was their friend that they loved, but the perspective of Cloud and Tifa is completely different and understandably so. They never knew Sephiroth as a friend, but instead the great SOLDIER that simply snapped and ruined their lives.

However, they are kind and understanding towards Zack, empathizing with his wishes, as well as with Angeal. It was Tifa who encouraged Angeal earlier, saying that his heroic speeches about dreams and honor had helped her, and that maybe he could reach Sephiroth’s noble, good side with such appeals.

But at the same time, Tifa and Cloud do admit that Sephiroth has wounded them too deeply, and even if he were to come back to his old self, they are not sure if they would ever be able to forgive him for what he did.

Zack is very peaceful about this disagreement, knowing that Cloud in particular means to deal with Sephiroth and not let him go freely. He knows why and accepts it. It’s ultimately very tragic and heart-rending, but we understand why their viewpoints are so different.

As for the scene with Angeal and the elders, it was very endearing to see Angeal being the one getting a pep talk this time. He also speaks very politely and respectfully in Japanese, in contrast to his usual stern tone with Zack. We are reminded that Angeal himself is still just a young man, even though he comes off like a serious, older mentor. He is just as lost and confused as his friends and Zack.

He is very much still beating himself up over not having been there for Sephiroth and not having been able to save Genesis. What was said to him about “It was not your duty” initially caused him to protest and feel some kind of shock. He may have heard that the way anyone else struggling with regret would have. He may have thought, “No, it was my duty.”

In truth, what happened to his friends was not Angeal’s fault. He also quite literally died and couldn’t be there for everything, Yes, perhaps he is right in saying that assuming they all understood each other perfectly was a mistake, but the elders are also right—there were issues that he never could have foreseen. Angeal didn’t know how far Genesis would fall or how broken Sephiroth’s already-damaged psyche was without his friends.

Yet the one thing Angeal surely believes he could have done more was simply be by his friends’ sides when they were going down, which is fair and honorable. I think this is a reasonable conclusion, and so we now see Angeal’s resolve come into full view.

Even if Sephiroth cannot be brought back, Angeal intends to be there for him, to make up for his past mistakes, to make up for Genesis, and to find peace. He also knows and admits that Genesis would have wanted to do the same with Sephiroth if he were present.

The plot of this chapter became clear to me here.

This DOO story is about Angeal’s personal redemption within himself, and perhaps a bit of Genesis’ own as well. It is about closure with the Firsts’ trio, even if it doesn’t lead to Sephiroth’s own redemption. It is still about them 🥲

—

The final battle begins.

There are a few interludes with the Tsviets, Vincent, and Weiss that establish their inclusion in the final battle, and the plan to restore everyone’s memories within the world. The other FF characters also discuss a few things about Seymour’s loyalty, and the team comes up with a final plan to take down Sephiroth for good.

This leads to Sephiroth himself, who is once again worried about the memories Angeal has brought back and how that might interfere with Sephiroth’s anchor to Cloud. He needs Angeal gone in order to not be shaken and take over the world.

Right then, the others run up. Cloud calls Sephiroth’s name and Angeal says,

“I’ve come to stop you!”

Sephiroth announces that they are too late, and that he is ready to take control. The others claim they are stronger, but Sephiroth has the upper hand, of course. He uses a fake Tifa to trick Barret into giving up the power crystals that Sephiroth needs. When this succeeds, Sephiroth summons the great materia called Crystal that apparently holds the world together. He attempts to shatter it and the world starts to crumble. Aerith rushes in front of Crystal to defend it.

Barret and Cloud are struck with horrible memories and premonitions, seemingly about Aerith’s death when this happens. They call for her to get away, but are unable to stand with the weight of memory crashing down on them.

There is a moment of panic as Sephiroth gets ready to charge Aerith, but then Angeal and Weiss actually sweep in to block his path in the nick of time.

And so, the Crisis Core tribute battle formulates, a memorial to the spar that once occurred between three friends. It even plays the music from the CC scene.

Vincent and the Tsviets are shocked to see Weiss, who did not seem to be interested in the final battle before, but something seems to have possessed Weiss. He begins quoting Loveless once again. He says,

“Hm. “My friend, the fates are cruel. There are no dreams, no honor remains. The arrow has left the bow of the goddess.” So, is that how you became a monster, Sephiroth, the “hero”?”

This is a strange moment of questioning from Weiss because it seems confusing with the English translation of Loveless, but he is essentially asking if Sephiroth lost his pride and honor due to a cruel cause or turn of fate. Angeal walks up and fondly reminisces, saying,

“Ah, Loveless…how nostalgic. Genesis quoted that tale until it wore me down.”

Sephiroth is oddly quiet.

Then, funnily enough, Weiss’s intentions are revealed to be about taking Sephiroth’s place. Weiss doesn’t care about what happens in the world, but believes he should be the one to reign over it instead of Sephiroth, making an amusing callback to Genesis wanting Sephiroth’s role as the hero. Angeal laughs and responds to this with,

“Oh pfftt, you two (Weiss and Genesis) are exactly alike in your competitive nature then. Do as you will.”

Essentially, Angeal accepts Weiss to fill the empty space left by Genesis in this particular world, calling back to Angeal’s earlier lament.

Weiss and Angeal prepare for the fight, but Cloud and Zack protest, telling Angeal that he doesn’t need to do this, and that they can help now that they are back to normal. But Angeal only says,

“I know you guys are reliable/strong, but I need to do this.”

Cloud understands and says,

“I see….you want to talk to him (Sephiroth) like a person…to the real Sephiroth buried behind Jenova.”

This seems to be a callback to Cloud and Angeal’s earlier discussion where Angeal told Cloud about how he treated Sephiroth like a human. Even now, Angeal wants to speak to his friend as though he were person, not a monster blended with Jenova. Angeal also jokingly adds,

“At the very least, let me show off a little bit as your senior soldier!”

The fight begins with Angeal saying to Sephiroth that he will speak to him in this way even if the latter tries to stop him. Sephiroth only dismisses this with his same, “There is nothing to talk about in this world. It will soon become an empty vessel” statement. Angeal teases a bit with,

“Come on, don’t hold back! Test your skill with us like you did that day…”

Sephiroth only says he doesn’t remember.

Their fight is familiar and striking, full of quick and clever movement. The others are thrilled watching, with Zack even recognizing some of the moves Sephiroth taught him back in the day.

The nostalgia hits Angeal in the midst of the spar and he calls out,

“Ah, I’ve missed you, Sephiroth!”

They continue, with Sephiroth still aiming for Aerith, but being pushed back by Weiss and Angeal. Angeal further recalls the memory, saying,

“Remember, we used to do this in the old training room at headquarters, playing around in there when the 2nds weren’t looking!”

Sephiroth can still only say he doesn’t remember. Angeal persists with,

“Alright then what about dumbapples? And your friend that was so eager to share one with you that he never gave up his research on them?”

Sephiroth becomes agitated at this and says,

“I told you, I don’t know/remember!”

Weiss laughs and says, “Well, you’re a sorry excuse for a Sephiroth!”

But Sephiroth only says he doesn’t need these memories, and that he erased them. Weiss says,

“Then let me remind you what our brother (Genesis) wanted. My friend, your desire is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess!”

At this, Sephiroth finally snaps in anger and says,

“Shut up…! All I need is my pure will!”

With this, Sephiroth exerts an extreme amount of power and proceeds to attack the crystal with his raw strength and will, causing everything to tremble. The others begin to panic. Sephiroth viciously says,

“There is my response! My gift to you!”

So yeah, the spar was fun until Weiss and Angeal brought back that memory of Genesis. Unfortunately, it seemingly angered Sephiroth a little too much, and from this point on, things seem hopeless. Sephiroth’s will is too strong, and in the midst of the chaos, Seymour arrives at last, taking Sephiroth’s side and betraying the others.

They begin to destroy Crystal together, and this is when a certain scene occurs that I have translated here:

A very important moment with Vincent, who tries to intervene by telling Sephiroth that Jenova is not his mother, and that his real mother cried for him. Sephiroth, sadly, does not believe Vincent.

Sephiroth grows in his power, drunken on the feeling, and Cloud, Zack, and Angeal stand at the front, ready to take him on, Yes, even Angeal has found his resolve and admits that while things look hopeless, they have to face it. Cloud summons everyone, rallying them all to fight together.

That’s when Sephiroth ascends and takes on his Safer form. Upon seeing this, Zack grows angry and says,

“If this really is Jenova, don’t hold back. How dare she mask as Sephiroth!”

But Safer Sephiroth tells them that he has gathered all the energy of the world to himself, and that they have lost because they did not have the power and strength that comes with pure hatred of the world. Angeal says,

“So, that’s your will. To destroy the world with Jenova’s power. I suppose that’s why I still can’t turn away from you or my past mistakes…because I’m your best friend.”

Angeal is at full acceptance here, understanding that he can’t let Sephiroth do this because it’s his responsibility as Sephiroth’s best friend. It’s a very loving way to say,

“I have to put you down because it’s what’s best for you in this situation.”

So, the battle ends with Seymour and Safer Sephiroth defeated. There is a moment of uncertainty as the world hangs on the edge of collapse, but the team, mainly Angeal, are able to bring Seymour back to his senses in the aftermath. Seymour falls to the earth in regret, much to Sephiroth’s disgust, who would never have let go of his hatred so easily.

Sephiroth then vanishes, summoning Cloud to the final confrontation. Cloud rushes through a portal, into the void where Sephiroth is waiting. The fight is a direct callback to the OG scene.

Cloud beats Sephiroth at once like he did in the original game, everything ending with Sephiroth’s voice echoing through the void, promising that he will return one day with his mother as long as Cloud remembers him. Cloud reassures Sephiroth that he will fight him again and again if it means protecting the world.

When Cloud returns, Zack is overjoyed and Angeal solemnly thanks him for putting Sephiroth to rest. There is a brief intermission where the other FF characters work to bring the shattered world back into balance, but overall, the fight is over and everything is fine again.

Angeal looks to the sky, and is unable to keep from lamenting Sephiroth’s loss, saying that,

“I lost my best friend twice now…I must admit I am filled with regret, pathetic as that may seem…”

But Zack encourages Angeal, reminding him that he was there for Sephiroth this time, and Sephiroth even responded in small ways. Zack also is grateful that Angeal was by his side in battle, saying that he wouldn’t have been able to face everything alone. Angeal warmly says that Zack could have easily stood strong with the way he held onto his pride and honor. There is kind reconciliation here, and with the other characters as well. Small scenes of forgiveness and new promises made.

It was sad, and everybody was hoping that Seph could be brought back, but in the end it was more about Angeal finding peace with the loss of his friend and giving himself a second chance to be there with him until the bitter end. He full-filled this wish, whether Sephiroth knew it or not. For that, I am grateful to Dissidia. They gave Angeal the closure he longed for and that he never would have been able to gain in any other game because of his death. Now I can only hope similar opportunities are granted to the others.

Final Notes:

Thank you so much again for everyone’s patience with this! I can’t believe DOO actually ended as I was in the middle of translating, and all for the sake of Rebirth too! But it had a good run and this bit of closure we got with the CC and OG characters was a pretty decent way to end it. I would have loved to see Genesis involved, but I suspect they knew DOO was ending too soon and so they found a way to at least include his precense before actually adding him to the game.

I also have to wonder if this version of the OG’s story was so Angeal-focused because the Remake will include Genesis and how he will deal with the final battle against Sephiroth. Who can say?

Either way, it was sad and beautiful and it gave us Crisis Core fans a lot of satisfaction and understanding for these characters we loved but felt were a bit deprived by Crisis Core’s writing. It was lovely to have Angeal and Zack reaffirm over and over that the Firsts’ trio were such close friends that were ultimately torn apart by tragedy. They all loved each other dearly, and Sephiroth’s loss to darkness was a massive heartbreak for them. For Zack as well.

I found so many scenes interesting, but the spar tribute was my favorite. Originally, I thought it was Angeal’s attempt to bring Sephiroth back to himself, but I then realized it was Angeal having some fun with his old friend before the real battle began and it was time to end everything. It was like Angeal’s goodbye to Sephiroth ;-;

There are some scenes I may have to edit or retranslate again if anyone finds any mistakes, but hopefully most of it came out okay, and a big thanks to @ansfair on Twitter (please check out their translation as well!) for the extra help with certain scenes, as well as my Japanese-speaking friend! I want to eventually translate a bit more from Dissidia and the earlier scenes from when Angeal first showed up, but for now, I hope this is fun for you all to read!

Much love everyone! ❤️

[rottenpumpkin13]

Pumpkin!!

You're a genius!

Since it's basically my homework, would you care to tell us how the first therapy session went for AGCZ too?

Kisses ♥️

• Angeal is a little tricky to get to therapy because while he's all for his friends seeking therapy, he thinks it's a waste of money and resources on himself, because "he doesn't need it." He is then promptly proven wrong.

Angeal: I really shouldn't be here, you know. I'm completely fine.

Therapist: Do you think that growing up with a dominant best friend, being friends with Sephiroth, and experiencing poverty with a minimalist lifestyle has led you to minimize your own struggles and become excessively helpful to others to avoid being a burden?

*Angeal starts sobbing*

• Same with Genesis. He believes he doesn't need it and worries about being vulnerable around another person, especially a stranger who "doesn't care and just wants money." It's tricky because, while he's closed off and reserved, he'll open up quickly when he has a lot to vent about.

Genesis: I want you to understand that I'm aware of your habit of offering false comfort to those who show weakness. I won't be one of them. My lips are sealed.

Therapist, offering him a lollipop: I'm proud of you for setting boundaries.

Genesis, tearing up: I feel guilty for resenting my parents for their absence during my childhood, even though they provided moments of support and comfort. I feel guilty for envying Sephiroth's fame, despite admiring him all my life and considering him my best friend. And I feel guilty because people see me as arrogant when in reality I'm shy and struggle to talk to those I don't feel comfortable around.

• Zack, bless his heart, is excited to go and show his friends that therapy is great. Unfortunately he's very nervous.

Zack: What do I talk about?

Therapist: Anything that comes to mind. Feel free to—

Zack: I accidentally stole a can of Banora White juice at the self checkout the other day.

Therapist:

Zack: I didn't notice that my card declined and walked right out with the drink.

Therapist:

Zack: And then I felt awful, so I snagged a can from Genesis and went back to the store to replace it.

Therapist:

Zack: But then Genesis complained that someone stole one of his juice cans.

Therapist:

Zack: So I panicked and stole Sephiroth's sword.

*Zack pulls out the sword*

Zack: I don't know how to function as a human being.

• Cloud thinks therapy is a luxury since it wasn’t really a thing back in Nibelheim. The idea of telling someone all your problems and them having an easy fix seems too good to be true, so he’s absolutely going to take the opportunity.

Therapist: Welcome to—

Cloud: I lie awake at night wondering if Sephiroth might be part cat. I kept losing sleep over it, so I decided to set out a can of tuna and a fuzzy cat toy in his office to see how he'd react. When he ate the tuna and played with the toy, I started doing it regularly. Now I don’t know if he’s actually part cat or if I’ve trained him to act like one, and I'm too scared to tell him that I'm the one leaving the tuna and toys. What should I do?

Therapist: What the fuck

• Not only does Sephiroth feel uncomfortable discussing his childhood and emotions he doesn't fully understand, but he also distrusts the therapist entirely. Are they with Shinra? Are they in cahoots with Hojo? Are there listening devices in the office? It takes a lot to assure him he's in a safe environment, but once he feels secure, he slowly begins to open up.

Sephiroth: Are you sure you're not with Shinra or Hojo?

Therapist: No, and don't feel pressured to tell me anything you're not comfortable with. Take your time. How was your day?

Sephiroth: My mother died when I was young, but only discovered that years later, so I spent my formative years searching for her in false hope and even lost the only photograph I had of her at one point because Glenn—he was murdered and I have nightmares about him—kicked it into the mako.

Therapist: I asked you how your day was.

Sephiroth: My days have been miserable ever since the age of three, when I was given a axe to play with and told to fend off a pack of hungry wolves and (continues to trauma dump for another 2 hours)

[prismaticpichu]

Your recent ask made me think of something that Seph needed a reading buddy/buddies with him in the library lol XD

Someone could point out that the info may be out of date and the power of peer to peer review saves Nibelheim and the world.

HE SO NEEDED A STUDY BUDDY LMAO!!! 😂❤️

~

Sephiroth: “The specimen, found in strata dating back two thousand years, smiled with what could only be described as... 'ethereal gr—‘“

Cloud: Wait, hold up…

Cloud: This record is REALLY old.

Sephiroth: How… how did you even get—

Zack: Damn! You’re right, Spike. Pretty sure they were still riding in Chocobo carriages back then. You have any idea how much could have changed since these were written?

Cloud: Like… lots.

Zack: That’s what I’m saying!

Sephiroth: Would you two shut u—

Zack: I think we should try to find a more recent record.

Cloud: Agreed:

*he proceeds to pluck the book out of Sephiroth’s hands*

Cloud: Here, Zack! Go long!

*Zack rushes across the library as his friend chucks the book, catching it in one swift motion and reshelving it*

Zack: Alright! Let’s put this dinosaur back and see what was written in this decade

Sephiroth: …Can I kill them now, Mother?

*Zack scans the books*

Zack: Hmm…. Hmmm…. All these books are pretty old. Come help a guy out, Spike.

Cloud: Sure thing.

*the two continue scanning the books, thumbing through spines and covers*

Cloud: Isn’t there ANYTHING that’s more updated?

Zack: Right??? We’ll prolly find the Bible in here at this rate

Sephiroth: Yes, Mother. I shall kill them now.

*the man stands up, almost robotically, the metallic echo of steel ringing through the air as he summons Masamune and begins approaching the duo*

Zack: Gahhh! There’s SO many books here. Gotta start making room.

*Sephiroth raises Masamune to their necks*

Cloud: Agreed.

Zack: Aight! Start chucking them!

Sephiroth: Goodbye, useless whel—

*and a book hits him square in the head, sending the warrior stumbling backwards as he drops his sword amid the confusion*

Zack: See anything???

Cloud: Not yet!

*Sephiroth, dizzy on the floor, peels his face off the carpet as his lips pull back into a snarl*

Sephiroth: How DARE you—

*another books knocks him out cold*

Cloud: Alright, Zack, I don’t think we’re finding anything in recent times here.

Zack: Yeah, you’re prolly right. Let’s try another shelf.

*and the duo turn around, spotting the unconscious Sephiroth lying crumpled on the floor*

Cloud: …

Zack: …

Zack *looks at Cloud*

Cloud: *looks at Zack*

Zack: Aight. I’ll get the legs.

Cloud: I’ll get the arms

*and they drag him back to the Nibelheim inn, safe and sound from the unmitigated cruelty of outdated knowledge*

[dutchdread]

Hey Dutch what is your opinion on crises core reunion ? I had few ca tell me it didn’t do anything for zack and aerith relationship it just made things worse ? I don’t know we’re they get that belief from but it’s there opinion. Did you think the story was ok and gave good context on what they mean to each other?

People give too much flack to Crisis Core. I only played the original CC back on the PSP so I can't say anything about whether or not Reunion made it better or worse, but I enjoyed the original. But part of that is because I simply had lower expectations for portable games than I do for AAA pc or console titles. I won't deny that the game has a bunch of stuff that could have been done better (Cough, genesis, cough), but it had its strong points as well. I think some of the basic concepts of Crisis Core are good in principle, like theme of hopes and dreams, and watching how Zack through adversity unwillingly becomes the hero that he always wanted to be. But the execution was often lacking. I love the idea of watching a several friends slowly break, and I think there is potential in tying that story into them being "monsters" and exploring what it really means to be a monster vs being a hero. But again. The way it was handled made it rather ridiculous and overly obtuse. The constant quoting of Loveless, ESPECIALLY without it ever getting a clear meaning that allows the player to connect with it, Angeals random dramatic self-pity, and a bunch of other stuff just made it so that storywise a lot of the bad overshadowed the good. But I played CC for Zack and Aerith, and they were perfect in my opinion.I loved seeing Aerith like an actual 16 year old girl and how her time with Zack rubbed off on her and caused her to start living every day to the fullest. I still think that the scene with Aerith hugging Zack from behind is one of the most romantic scenes in FF, simply because of how viscerally real it is. Her trying to make small talk, him just being there, choosing to mourn in the presence of the woman he loves, not needing to be consoled, but just needing her presence. And then that hug "sometimes you don't need words to tell a person how you're feeling" indeed. This is also a part of the reason I am convinced Aerith was still projecting Zack onto Cloud at the end of Rebirth "our place", "the church", Yeah right. For Cloud and Aerith the church is just a place they happened to spend about 5 minutes at one point, not even the place they met. Meanwhile Zack went there to see her for I think about one and a half years. He goes there instantly in intergrade, he goes there in Rebirth, we see him waiting there for Aerith at the end of rebirth, the core visual for Crisis core was changed to TAKE PLACE IN THE CHURCH. But the Church is Cloud and Aeriths place.....yeah right. Either that is an intentional hint that Aerith is still projecting, or the writing has fallen off a cliff. Then we have the other character moments, Cloud and Tifa pining for each other, the parallels between Cloti and Zerith. Zack promising Aerith he'll come for her underneath the water tower. And my favorite Aeriths "23 tiny little wishes", all encompassed in the one with to "spend more time with Zack". Which is then ultimately fulfilled via Cloud in the OG/rebirth. And then of course there is the ending, my favorite ending of any game ever aside from Nier:Automata. Man I bawled my eyes out. So yeah, I like Crisis Core, it's messy, but it's messy with a lot of gold in it, and for a portable title I think that's not half bad.

[altocat]

Ok, part two of Angeal and Sephiroth Dissidia Angst Chapter, haha.

After Angeal begs Sephiroth to talk to him and explain…Sephiroth remarks that he threw all his unnecessary memories into the Lifestream, and that Angeal is just “noise” to him. He has no memory of what Angeal is referring to—their friendship and all.

Angeal is too wounded to fight anymore, so Sephiroth battles the other characters for a moment and gets his power crystal. He is still upset though, even if he doesn’t realize why and just nopes out of there with his muhaha evil power.

There is a cute Zack and Angeal reunion right after, where Zack notes that Angeal is injured because he protected everyone like usual. Angeal warmly reaffirms Zack, but at once he goes straight back to talking about Sephiroth. He says he needs to follow him because he has so many questions to ask.

The others are worried about Angeal’s wound, but Zack only asks that if he does chase Sephiroth down, Angeal has to bring him along because he doesn’t want to be left behind. Aw.

Cloud interjects though and asks if he can talk to Angeal about the “present Sephiroth.”

We flash forward to a group meeting, and Angeal is STILL saying he needs to find Sephiroth. The others demand he take a moment to rest and heal, and that he shouldn’t take such a huge responsibility on his own shoulders, but Angeal is not having it.

Suddenly, Rufus of all people comments that he thinks he knows what Angeal is thinking about—that he wants to see if “The present Sephiroth is the real Sephiroth and not Jenova.”

Rufus brings up the Reuinion theory and all that, but Angeal actually says that,

“No, that’s Sephiroth…I know it. Someone with a will as strong as his couldn’t fully lose himself, even if he has changed. All his cruelty…it was his will…”

Angeal says this with a very downcast and heartbroken demeanor, like it seriously hurts for him to say that. Somebody asks, “Wait, you know Sephiroth?” and he says,

“He is my best friend. Always has been.”

OUCH.

Vincent actually asks,

“If he had someone like you…why did he end up the way he did?”

Angeal doesn’t reply and I can’t imagine he was feeling anything but guilt in that moment for obvious reasons. Then Cloud remarks,

“Well, Sephiroth did seem upset by Angeal’s question/questions. It’s worth a shot to find him”

So, they all agree to go hunt our silver boi down.

Finally, to close off the angst fest—we have a small scene where Sephiroth is alone with his crystal and is seemingly okay until bam, he gets a wave of memory come over him that causes him to stumble for a minute. He freaks out and that’s where the “Angeal? Genesis??” scene happens. He can’t believe it and starts trying to suppress everything, talking to himself through out.

He says,

“No…what is this memory?? Angeal? Genesis?? Did Angeal bring these back? I thought I threw them into the Lifestream. No, I need to get rid of them. They get in the way of “me.”

“….that’s right…get rid of what you don’t need. We can cut out this one too….that man’s entire existence…yes…”

It really sounds like he does have a fractured consciousness and is talking to different parts of himself/maybe Jenova, but damn…he also is fully being affronted now with his past and it’s obviously messing him up. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Thank you for this, Translation-Anon. Thank you so, so much.

I'm in actual agony right now.

[ff7-has-taken-me-over]

“Cloud are you alright?”

The blond squeezed his eyes shut, biting back the whine building in his throat before grunting quietly. It took another second but the static faded, allowing him to see the faces of Tifa and Zack, both of them looking worried as they stared him down.

“‘M fine. Don’t worry about it.”

Tifa hesitated for a moment before shrugging, nodding once before turning on her heel to keep going. Zack, unfortunately, did not do the same. Looking at Tifa in disbelief before turning to Cloud, a hint of anger in his features as he spoke.

“What the fuck? You are obviously not ‘fine’ Cloud. What the hell was that about?”

Tifa spun on her heel, looking wide eyed at the black haired merc as he continued to stare down their blond friend. She went to intervene, tell him to leave Cloud alone but the blond pulled her up short. He looked to the side, borderline pout in his features as he crossed his arms.

“It’s nothing. Just a… thing, that happens sometimes. It’s fine Zack.”

Zack softened significantly at the sight of Cloud while Tifa was stuck standing awe struck. He’d never acted like this before. Always so ready to brush everyone off and push people out. It was why he didn’t have friends in Nibelheim, always pushing the other kids away and doing his own thing.

“Hey, it’s ok if you’re not fine. You don’t have to do this alone now. I’m here for you.”

Cloud leant into the hands that came up to cup his face, sighing softly as his eyes fluttered closed and Zack rested their foreheads together.

“I’m sorry… I don’t know what it is. Just happens sometimes when memories start coming back. Hurts like a bitch.”

The taller man chuckled softly, leaning away to kiss Cloud’s forehead softly. Tifa had to avert her eyes at the action, feeling like an intruder at the sight of this new side of Cloud.

“Don’t worry about it. Just let me know if you need a break or something yeah? I’ve got your back.”

Cloud gave him a small smile, light pink tinging his cheeks as he nodded. They pulled away from one another after a moment, the blond quickly adopting his stoic look before making his way past a still stunned Tifa. He only offered her a brief nod, either too embarrassed to look at her long or not really wanting to. It didn’t matter though cause she wanted to talk to Zack anyway.

The older man was staring after their blond though, affection and exasperation shining bright in his eyes as he smiled, “Where did he get that attitude from. I swear…”

Tifa frowned at that, raising a brow as she spoke, “Clouds always been like that.”

It was Zack’s turn to frown this time, looking at her in confusion as he shook his head, “No he hasn’t. Cloud was always happy back at Shinra. Yeah his social skills were abysmal and he flustered as easily as he does now. But he wasn’t that… aloof and cold before. Especially not around us.”

Tifa didn’t know who us was referring to but she couldn’t help but feel more confused. Cloud never smiled in Nibelheim. Not unless he was with his mum and even then, he’d usually steer them both clear of Tifa and the other kids.

“Tifa… Maybe you should talk to Cloud about this. I’m not sure he’d be alright with me being the one to talk to you.”

Said woman frowned all the more with those words, wondering what they meant. What did Zack know that would apparently be bad for him to share? Yeah Cloud had secrets but they were mostly about his days at Shinra. Nothing from their childhood…

[saanphoenix]

You know what? I’m not done. I’m not done.

The following is not an apologist post, before that little thought pops up, it is, instead, meant to give some perspectives. You can agree, you can not agree, I care not.

“Sephiroth is a war criminal because he killed people in a war.” No. No, that’s not how that works. People are killed in war. That’s how that works. “Yeah, but like.. He did it really goodly and killed lots--” Doesn’t matter. “But the people he was killing were just trying to defend--” Yeah, that happens a lot in war. Now, if he, say, gathered a group of civilian Wutaians into a trench and ordered his men to shoot every single one of them while they screamed and tried to claw their way out of said trench, NOW we’re dealing with some war crimes. But we have no evidence he did that. And, yes, I am referencing an actual thing military has done in real life.

Now, I don’t like war. I’d like to think most people don’t like war. I especially don’t like wars fought over dumb ass shit like, “We want to use the land you’re on for resources and you won’t let us, soooo... :)” But, hey, that’s history for you. Whether it was thousands of years ago or right the fuck now. But you can’t just go throwing the term ‘war criminal’ around when it’s not fucking applicable. You can comprehend the horrors of war and acknowledge the situation is fucked up without using the phrase ‘war criminal.’ To me, going, “Zack was a war criminal because he followed orders and took out enemy combatants in an enemy Fort, which is an accepted target for war,” is honestly dulling the accepted amount of violence for regular ass war. That shit is allowed. That isn’t a crime.

“Sephiroth torched Cloud’s hometown. That is unforgivable.” Yeah. Yeah, that was a crime. It wasn’t a war crime because he didn’t do it for war reasons, he just did a regular ass crime. And there’s no excusing it. Even if you wanted to go the ~crime of passion~ route, like... Mmm, no. Anyway, I bring this part up because... Most people see this act of violence for what it is and appropriately respond with horror, disgust, rage at the injustice of it. “WHY would you do that?!” Even when you can see the why of it, you’re still--generally--like, “Bruh. Too far.”

What people don’t often do is look at the shit Avalanche pulls and react in kind.

“Yeah, but they’re the good guys.” I do not care. They are terrorists. And I don’t care that Remake tried to shift blame for the reactor explosions from Avalanche proper onto Shinra by going, “Well, technically, Shinra pushed the final button, so--” ORIGINALLY, Avalanche blew the fuck up two whole reactors, which damaged a substantial chunk of the city around each reactor, and killed people. People in the nearby sectors, asleep in their beds or walking along the streets, fucking died. And Avalanche was okay with that. They were so okay with that they were going to do it all the other times needed to stop Midgar for good. “Yeah, but the Planet--” DON’T CARE.

Your heroes, same as the villain, are a-okay with taking some lives to get what they want. To me, there is no moral high ground here. Now, as the game goes on, methods change and character growth happens and some guilt starts to set in a little bit, but... Don’t say Sephiroth is evil because he killed innocent people, and that’s it, and then just let Avalanche’s sins float under the radar because, “Well, they’re the good guys, so.”

If I do not require fans of the heroes to preface any show of love they have for them with, “I know they killed people, but--” Then I should also not be required to say, “I know Sephiroth/the Remnants/the Turks killed people, but--”

Love the characters you love. Hate the characters you hate. Do not assume someone’s morality or worth based on which character they like or don’t like. And, for the love of god, stop throwing around phrases like ‘war criminal’ and worse to justify to somebody else why you don’t like a character. You can just not like the damn character without diluting the meaning of words!

End rant.

[strayheartless]

What happens if Zack, Squall, and Cloud go to the grocery store to get breakfast supplies?

Ha! Squall would have such a headache.

Okay so it would start with Squall deciding “okay I need to get some things in for breakfast tomorrow. Zack’s back from traveling, Clouds decided he lives here now. I need food.”

So he makes a list, hops into the car and is about five minutes down the road when his phone rings and a little sweatshirt covered racoon hand (Cloud) reaches from the back and answers it for him. The car swerved and Squall Jumps out of his skin but Cloud just says “turn back, Zack wants to come too.” From his position strewn out on the back seat.

So after turning around, getting Zack, and then being subjected to drum and bass music all the way to the store, Squall already needs to down industrial strength painkillers before they’ve even gotten to the hard bit. The hard bit of course being keeping track of Zack who immediately shoots off to the drinks aisle for a 12 pack of red bull.

Dealing with Cloud is easier than Zack. Cloud invariably just likes to grab things they don’t need and put them in the cart… the racoon comparison is more accurate then you know. But he’s quiet and he stays plastered to Squalls side with his hood up because “bright lights”.

Zack meanwhile is bouncing around making enough noise to carry across 4 aisles.

“HEY SQUALL THEY HAVE RADIANT DAY THEMED POPTARTS! EW! WHO WANTS LAVENDER FLAVOURED POPTARTS?! WE’RE TRYING THEM IT WILL BE FUNNY!”

Cloud is loading another three packs of hundred acre wood smoked cheese into the cart. Squall takes them back out and gets punched in the arm as they go back in.

“HEY CLOUDY THEY HAVE THOSE CHEESY PIZZA BITE YOU LIKE. DO YOU WANT THEM!?”

Cloud walks to the end of the aisle, spots Zack and nods “five boxes”

“One box” squall says

“Five”

“Two”

Cloud rolls his eyes. “Fine, two.”

This was supposed to be a breakfast shop not a weekly shop….

“HEY SQUALL CAN WE GET-“

“STOP YELLING FAIR.”

“Ooo mister grumpy pants. Okay, can we get hash browns and make those breakfast sandwiches?”

Squall sighs and snatched the hash browns from Zack and throws them in the cart…. Then takes the five extra cartons of milk, three packs of cheese triangles, six jars of pickles and the two large cans of condensed milk (cloud eats it with a spoon) out of the cart and makes cloud put them back.

By the time he’s at the check out Zack has knocked over two displays and smashed a bottle of wine. The shopping is over 6000 munny because Cloud put the condensed milk and two of the six packs of pickles back in the cart.

Did he get breakfast food? Bu the skin of his teeth yes. He also ends up getting them both car snacks and telling them both to shut up on the way home.

Cloud takes the bags with only his stuff in it and leaves Squall and Zack with the rest. Zack bounces around in the parking lot and nearly gets run over twice.

When they finally get home and get everything away, Cloud leans on Squalls arm and says “we need to get you some ear plugs. You looked like you were going to kill Zack.”

Squall grits his teeth a little.

“You are both a pain in the ass in stores. You owe me 3000 munny by the way.” Cloud digs into his pocket and hands over the cash.

“He’s only here for a week, be nice. You miss him when he’s not here.”

Squall huffs and kisses clouds head.

“I do. I just don’t miss taking him to the store.” They both watch Zack through the kitchen window as he hits Zell and With a struggle bat only to get blind sided by Tifa’s sneak attack.

[leapypeanut]

What do you feel like the Remake does BETTER/WORSE compared to the OG ff7?

I like how they expanded a lot of the characters. I feel like they came more to life in the remake games (probably because of the graphics so they’re more expressive than those polygons, also the voice acting and way more dialogue) also I’m a very big Clerith lover (as you know) and the remake series is very Cloud and Aerith heavy which is nice because before the remake trilogy all the extra ff7 content we got was AC (after Aerith died) and CC (before they met) so to get so much more screen time of them interacting and really showing their chemistry in such a beautiful way makes me really happy!

Also in the OG Tifa was a very minor character that’s whole character revolved around Cloud. which i really dislike for obvious reasons. Tifa was actually originally outsourced from another studio and they only added her last minute after they decided to kill off Aerith. They didn’t really expect the fandom to get so attached to Tifa. But because of the love for Tifa from the fandom they gave her a lot more screen time in the remake trilogy. Which imo is kinda a double edged sword. Cause on one hand it sometimes feels like they’re trying to shove her in the narrative where it’s not necessary so she has the same amount of screen time as Aerith. Which is odd because Tifa is a side character and Aerith is a main character. And since they’re both technically the “heroins” of the game I feel like the developers kinda felt pressured to give Tifa more screen time to appease her fanbase. But on the other hand, while Tifa does still have a lot of the problems she has in the OG and is still very codependent (duh, she’s still the same character) but I feel like they’re gonna give Tifa more of a character arc in part 3. Where she realizes she doesn’t need Cloud and she doesn’t need her self worth tied to him. They kinda started going in this direction in the OG with Barret telling Tifa “"we did just fine before without him (Cloud), what happened to the strong girl l used to know?” But we never really got closer for that so I have a feeling they’re gonna go in that direction and if they do I’ll like Tifa a whole lot more. I also think Tifa going to the life stream by herself in Rebirth instead of with Cloud like the OG helped a bit in this. Because although what she saw in the life stream was still Cloud, and she still said “Don’t take him away, I need him” abt Cloud to Sephy in the life stream (showing she’s just as codependent as ever) further in the game (cosmo canyon) she talks abt how she feels closer to the planet and more motivated to save it since she fell into the life stream. Which I like because it gives her her own motivation because of her own experiences outside of Cloud yk?

I do think Cloud just randomly remembering Zack outta no where in Rebirth is kinda a cheap way to do it but I can kinda excuse it a bit because it does help with the plot further in Rebirth so it’s just a bit of a nitpick.

Something that did bother me was after cloud literally tried to KILL Tifa and push her into the life stream Cloud just walks into her room casually and Tifa’s not even remotely wary of Cloud at all, even tho he literally just attempted to murder her just a few hours ago. Also right after Cloud opens up to Tifa (the only time he’s ever really willingly remotely opened up to Tifa within the whole FF7 compilation) and tells her about why he almost killed her and how he’s having an identity crisis, this is a very vulnerable moment for Cloud. And Tifa thinks this is a good time to try and KISS HIM?! And Cloud looks completely confused. I don’t wanna accuse Tifa of trying to take advantage of Cloud in a vulnerable moment, I don’t wanna think Tifas that typa person, but that’s kinda how it comes across. the whole scene is very awkward and out of place. I’m very glad Yuffie, Nanaki, and Aerith walked in tbh.

Also I know this is kinda an unpopular opinion within the overall fandom but I like the multiverse stuff. I’m glad it’s not a 1 on 1 remake. Because the “remake trilogy” although it’s called “remake” it’s more of a sequel to the OG. So if you don’t like the remake trilogy it won’t affect the OG. The remake isn’t trying to replace the OG but just add onto the narrative. And honestly the multiverse stuff is a great way to market the game tbh. Because the Remake trilogy is gonna take at least 8 years to completely finish it. And nobody’s gonna be excited for 8 years if it’s exactly like the OG. That doesn’t make ppl excited, because they already know what’s gonna happen. But because of the multiverse stuff we have no clue what’s gonna happen in part 3. And that’s what makes you anticipate it, it’s the fun part. It’s fun to look forward to how they’re gonna take the narrative and making theories.

One last thing that kinda disappointed me was Cloud going insane. It was quite underwhelming compared to the OG tbh. Like I was expecting him to go completely crazy and the entire party to ostracize him and is completely scared of him under Sephiroths control. But that didn’t happen in Rebirth like in the OG unfortunately. But I do think they’re gonna include this within part 3! What i think they’re gonna do for part 3 is that they are not only scared of Cloud being controlled by Sephiroth but also creeped out because Cloud still thinks Aerith is alive. which she is alive in another time like that Cloud created right before she died in the main timeline but the party members don’t know that and just think Clouds going completely crazy because of grief and is just acting schizophrenic and hallucinating Aerith because he misses her so much.

[aranarumei]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I'll take any info on the sasamiya ones but I must admit that since I'm subscribed to your profile getting notifications about final fantasy fics was a fun experience.

ask me to give “director’s commentary” on some part of a fic! or send a ⭐️ for me to talk about a bit of my choice?

ohhh…! that’s so many stars. and you’re subscribed to my ao3 profile….! how lovely! anon you’re wonderful. always nice to know I have a—if I dare be so bold—fan. now as that’s quite a lot of stars, so I… went overboard. consider it an expression of my affection for you, anon. going to put the rest of it under the cut:

about ff7: I’ve been playing ff7 veryyyy slowly for the past six months or so! it’s been exciting—I’ve managed to avoid a LOT of spoilers, and am still doing so, because I haven’t finished the game lol! but I had a reallly strong fic idea, centered around cloud & tifa, so I couldn’t resist. the dynamic between those two is so fascinating to me, because with the deaths of zack and aerith, I think they, as the ones “left behind,” have a really good opportunity to like… share in grief, and such. I wanted to write that fic in a way where any romance is kind of ambiguous, and secondary to the pure feeling of like, grief and love and living intertwined.

anyways. since you asked about sasamiya, I’m going to talk about various scattered sasamiya fics! I’ll gloss over the anomalous agate, because though I could talk about it for ages, I also wrote up a general commentary post. I’ll also skip over something there, since I just answered something in relation to that already. I’m really quite surprised (and flattered!) you said any of them, anon… there’s quite a few oddities in there.

I suppose I’ll start with a delinquent and a stargazer. that was a title I only ever came up with once porting a bunch of fics over ao3… and I was so embarrassed to find that backdated fics apparently show up as email notifications for subscribers. I’m sorry.

titling was so hard, but I’m pretty proud of this one, as in the fic it’s questionable who, between sasaki and hirano, the “delinquent” and the “stargazer” are. the section I wanted to talk about, though, is this:

Hirano keeps laughing for a while longer, eyes scrunched in small joy, and then he flops down, flat on his back. His knuckle grazes against Sasaki’s arm before he pulls it back. “I think that’s the first time I’ve seen you smile.” “What?” “Just—” Hirano falls quiet. “I don’t know.”

so, when I was talking about something there, I briefly touched on the idea of sasaki being attentive when it comes to hirano, and that sense of Attention and Observation is something that’s really important to me in the sasahira dynamic. even when they’re not quite friends (first year), they’re deliberately conscious of each other in a way they’re not going to vocalize. so that’s what’s going on here, dialogue-wise—hirano makes a comment that’s indicative of him paying special attention towards sasaki, and specifically what makes him smile. in the description, sasaki’s remarkably attentive towards how hirano laughs, so he’s also cataloguing expressions of joy. they’re doing the same thing! also, sasaki focuses in on that graze of touch because it’s a very slight… crossing of boundary, here. like, you don’t usually casually touch people you’re not friends with. at the very least, sasaki is not going to do that (see: his issues with controlling his strength and stuff—I bet that spills over into being a bit over-conscious of touch)

next, let’s address this bit from help! my classmate’s asking for relationship advice, but I’m aromantic!?:

“Those are common descriptions, sure.” Hirano levels him with a flat look. “You sure lose all your worldly upperclassman charm when Miyano’s not around, huh?” Miyano was different. Miyano was the type of person to have stars in his eyes. Hirano was… also the type of person to have stars in his eyes, even if he went about it differently. It was, strangely enough, Hanzawa’s favorite thing about both of them. “It’s my secret,” Hanzawa says. Thankfully, Miyano hasn’t really asked him for advice of this kind yet.

my secret is that hanzawa’s “it’s my secret” is quoting. something that got stuck in my head. it's not famous or anything so I doubt anyone will recognize it. but it made me laugh, so I kept it in for the same reason I decided to use my wip title as the actual title… because it’s funny! also it killed the stress of having to title the thing.

I tend to headcanon hirano as some form of ace—it’s clear he responds to touch in a different way than kagiura, so it’s an angle i think is fun to explore—so having him connect with an aromantic hanzawa headcanon was neat, here. this bit shows hanzawa’s underlying pessimism regarding love & romance, as contrasted with hirano’s optimism, as he's looking to meet kagiura where he is. both asexuality & aromanticism, to me, have things to say about “unconventional love,” and this was an opportunity to explore that, in a way that tries to fit with canon. right now, hanzawa is feeling uncomfortable about the idea of dating, and romance—these feelings are going to have him blow up at his brother a little later. this conversation is also going to make him reformat his approach for miyano, later. on hirano’s end, he’s clearly trying to puzzle out his feelings, but both he & hanzawa are limited by conventional descriptors of what “love” has to look like. i think hanzawa envies hirano for his feelings, as much as he kind of disdains them—they’re not things that could every apply to him, after all. so that’s what motivates the fic, for me.

I know I write a lot of hanzashiro fic, so it might have been a surprise to see me write hanzawa as aromantic, but it’s like… man, no matter how I think of hanzashiro, it’s always in a way where hanzawa’s got some hang ups about the idea of romance in general. there’s a reason I’ve never written them actually dating—if that happens, it’s not going to be conventional, and I’m far more interested in exploring the tension of things being ambiguously romantic between the two. this is fun because i characterize hanzawa as romance avoidant as well as generally avoidant (see him self-describing himself as picking the path of inaction in this fic) and that interacts well with tashiro, who seems like a regular guy, but has never had a girlfriend, doesn’t seem to care about having one, and is sometimes curious about romance in a way that’s suggests he doesn’t quite “get” it. tashiro’s also got a surprisingly sharp intuition, while hanzawa is perceptive and knowing… hanzashiro, then, to me, is about the tension of seeing, of understanding.

speaking of hanzashiro. I’ve written quite a few fics centered around it, but I’ll settle with talking about the first thing I wrote, two-tone. how about… this long concluding passage:

“Some attention’s fine,” Hanzawa said carefully. “Fame is different. It’s like… being inspected, over and over. Like an object.”  The silence between them stretched a little too long. Hanzawa cleared his throat, planning to leave, but the sound that emerged from his throat wasn’t gentle but rough, long, and dry.  “Hey,” Tashiro said, before Hanzawa had the presence of mind to be embarrassed. “You look parched.” He held out his water bottle, fingers curled around the neck. It swung between them.   Hanzawa stared back at him. He’d been doing it a lot, nowadays, but right now he felt overwhelmed by it, just looking at everything and the hint of a smile on Tashiro’s face, the way the awkward, close feeling in his throat was loosening already, feeling like he was on the edge of many realizations that were all secretly the same one. There was a metaphor here, somewhere, to be pulled from the shape of Tashiro’s knuckles brushing up against his hand—something about hunger. A starving man who’s been drinking an ocean given his first sip of spring water. For now, Hanzawa was content to let that stray thought swirl along with the rest. Maybe years later he’d think about how to write it down. Tashiro grinned as Hanzawa accepted the bottle, took a long, slow gulp. “Feeling better?” he asked. Hanzawa stared up at his half-bleached hair and sunny smile. “Yeah,” he said, voice smooth. “Something like that.”

two-tone is a fairly obvious title—tashiro’s got two-tone hair, and hanzawa’s two-toned in that he’s multifaceted. originally this was meant to be a 2-chapter fic, w/ a tashiro pov sequel, and this… kinda but not fully exists in two-faced.

but—okay. let’s break down this scene. hanzawa is someone who’s really aware of what is “normal” and doesn’t really want to be “abnormal.” this is why he doesn’t want to be famous—he’s already wearing some kind of mask, and that level of constant inspection is going to turn him into someone who’s like… fully dissociated from himself. he’s going to think of himself like an object or a puppet to maneuver, rather than a person. so being inspected scares him, because he’s not good with honesty, and feels like what’s underneath isn’t like… evil, or bad, it’s embarrassing. hanzawa reveals some of his discomfort with this, and immediately wants to escape. but his throat is dry, so any smooth escape is broken up by this harsh, ugly sound—like the ugliness of himself is being shown, here.

next, tashiro offers water. there’s a couple reasons for this. the primary and obvious one is because hanzawa is parched. the second reason is that I was heavily inspired by what I’ll call @dirtbra1n’s river series, which uses the river as a really fascinating metaphor for a lot of hanzawa’s character. I think you can do a lot with the shifting nature of water—how it adapts to take the shape of its container, for example, and I wanted to pay some kind of homage to that, so that’s why we’re using water bottles. I then proceeded to lose my mind when i read that anthology bit where tashiro slides a drink over to hanzawa when he’s accepting the possibility of being captain.

okay, but back to the offering—tashiro’s fingers are curled around the neck. this evokes a sense of—albeit gentle—strangulation. so that pairs well with what hanzawa’s fearing at this moment—honesty, awkwardness, etc. he doesn’t want to be caught. but the bottle’s also swinging… a motion that puts it in limbo, and I imagine it’s got a sort of, hypnotic pendulum vibe. it’s alluring. hanzawa accepts.

accepting doesn’t bring any kind of awful thing. instead tashiro’s nice, easy, in the way that honesty is when you feel safe. hanzawa’s throat loosens even before he drinks any water, because tashiro’s presence is one that makes talking comfortable. hanzawa’s staring at him, and tashiro’s looking back—some attention’s fine. he’s on the edge of many realizations, things about how he’s allowing himself to be vulnerable and the like, but the reason for all that stems from a simple I like him.

then we get to talk about hunger. of course it comes when tashiro’s touching him, just barely. like sasaki and hirano, it’s a mild crossing of boundaries. a starving man drinking an ocean is not just having problems, he’s having “solutions” that are ill-fitted and actively damaging. starving tends to mean you need food, not water… and ocean water tends to make you dehydrated on account of the salt. then, a sip of spring water is a path towards a solution for thirst, but it’s not solving the starvation problem, yet. that’s why this is the barest of touches. it’s like spring—like the green tashiro wears, which, by the way, I said his favorite color was spring green before I knew he wore it a bunch—it’s like hope.

finally, tashiro asks hanzawa if he’s feeling better, and hanzawa responds truthfully. his voice is smooth—because of the water, and because tashiro makes it easier to be honest.

well, that was a lot! the last thing I thought I’d talk about is a dating sim au fic, because… it’s a pretty crazy concept and thus I thought I’d touch on it last. to give a quick summary, @dirtbra1n conceptualized an au where just shirahama & miyano exist in modern day japan, and then get isekai’d into the sasaki to miyano universe (only now it's a dating sim!), where miyano is the player character, and shirahama is Just Some Guy. a lot of the major sasaki to miyano characters have become romance routes, and that's going to bring around a lot of shenanigans where miyano runs from love and then runs towards it, and shirahama is losing his mind for a lot of reasons. the biggest of them being that shirahama’s got an unrequited crush on miyano, a thing that is semi-confirmed by volume 10 but was pretty left field at the time of this concept’s inception. what can i say. @dirtbra1n is some kinda genius. now, they have... a lot of very cool ideas that I'm not quite sure I can explain or conceptualize, but what’s interesting to me is the setup of shirahama as an npc in someone else's game.

I think this pairs interestingly with how unrequited love can kind of… make a person a side character. it’s usually there to introduce love rivals, to fuel plot, or to reach a requital. but I think there’s meaning and value in unrequited love that’s never reciprocated, too…? so there’s this bit in the stranger in the hall:

Ichinose turns his gaze to the floor. “Well,” he says, “since I’m graduating this year and I really doubt we’ll run into each other after that… like recognizes like, or whatever.” Nice, Shirahama thinks, the game never had any love interests that are third years when you’re a first year. Then he feels mortified. “And it’s a…” he trails off. “Um. Yeah,” Ichinose says, picking the dirt out of his fingernails. “It’s not really a—even if he wasn’t… it’s kind of a hopeless effort, you know? But I still…” A tightness abruptly seizes Shirahama’s throat. “Yeah,” he manages to get out. “I know.”

first off: meet ichinose ao. he’s a side character in hirano to kagiura that I’m obsessed with. if only I had the energy to post extensively about why I am. but we know he gets easily anxious to the point of stomach cramps, he’s a high-achieving student, and he’s got what looks to be a pretty hopeless crush on the dorm manager. I think this is fun—it’s pretty futile as far as mutual romance goes, but there’s valuable exploration in pining, in crushes, in learning the ways in which you love. he pairs pretty perfectly with shirahama.

I use the phrase like recognizes like because it’s a common one to signal two people’s similarities, but also because it’s literally liking—their unrequited crushes—that makes them similar. you see them mirror each other with how they talk about ichinose as a third year—he’s like, well I’m outta here so I can be a bit honest, and shirahama also relaxes because he’s going to be out of here and is therefore irrelevant to the miyano romance routes. and in this case, ichinose’s irrelevance means that he’s someone shirahama can talk to without fear.

and through their vague dialogue, this moment of connection allows shirahama, for the first time, to really vocalize the enormity of his secret love. and it allows me to try to express how even love, unrequited, has its own special place. that as it remains hopeless it remains valuable.

…and if you, reader, got through all of this, you have my kudos!

[flowerwiththemachinegun]

I love to love all over these guys and I can’t get it out my head. they deserve to be babied and coddled. S/o sitting on their laps headcanons for AGSZC. Yes, I’m sneaking Hojo in here again.

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Cloud

That man was shaking like a chihuahua the first time you plopped on his lap, anxiety went straight through the roof. Questions what you’re doing on him while turning a deep scarlet. He’s a sweating, stuttering mess, immediately overwhelmed

Gonna have to show him where to put his hands (physically) the first 20 times before he instinctively wraps his arms around you whenever you claim him as your seat. Over time he’ll start grabbing you by the waist, gently tugging you down to sit on his lap. Never quite vocalizing what he wants but by now there’s an unspoken language

Loves when you sit across his lap, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. Cloud’s eyes fluttering shut as he buries his face into your neck, taking a deep breath, relaxing against you. He’ll hold you there for an indefinite amount of time, not quite ready for your warmth to leave him.

Will definitely fall asleep holding you, acts like he didn’t and childishly denies falling asleep once you notice. “Cloud, you were snoring.” Yea okay that doesn’t mean call the man out on it, he’s embarrassed about everything alright. Don’t tease him too much, he may go into hiding.

His favorite thing, which once again he’s not admitting to, is when you sit on his lap and pepper his face in kisses. Pretends to fight it, giving a displeased groan and half assed attempts to pull his face away from you. Secretly tries to get your lips to connect by coincidently turning his head the same time your lips should’ve met his cheek.

Zack

Prepared to be tickled and squeezed to death. Immediately reacts with glee and pulls you impossibly closer, “Well hello there babe~” you’re the one flustered and you came over here to tease him, why does he always pull the old uno reverse.

If he has to get up to do something he’s carrying you with him, placing you right back in his lap and continuing his assault of cuddles. He’s even attempted carrying you to the bathroom with him since he’s been “Holding it for so long cause he doesn’t wanna let you go”

Will scoop you up and put you in his lap at any given moment but loves it more when you seek out his attention. It just makes him feel so special when you come home from a long day and the first thing you do is drop yourself in his lap. Starts covering you in smooches proceeding to ask how your day has been.

Prefers when you straddle his lap more so he can bury his face directly in your chest, melts into the kisses you lay on the top of his head. Turns into an actual puddle when you tangle your hands in his hair, massaging and occasionally scratching his scalp. (He’s a puppy he loves his scratches)

Will fall asleep like this, definitely will be drooling on you. He’s lucky he’s Zack and everything he does is cute. If you fall asleep in his lap he’ll carry you to bed, tucking you in and crawling beside you, pulling you into more cuddles.

Clingiest one out of the bunch, will get pouty if you deny rights to the throne his lap. You can’t leave him without affection for too long he might stop breathing. Thinks something is wrong when you come home and you don’t plop into his lap as a greeting. If there’s nothing going on with you he puts on his best puppy face “is there something wrong with me then?” Give him what he wants, he doesn’t want much.

Hojo

I know, I know. Why would anyone, right? Stockholm syndrome of course, he’s all you really know and the only person that interacts with you. So when you climbed in his lap for the first time for comfort it felt so right, until he moved from under you less than a minute later.

“I don’t have any use for whatever affections you’re trying to offer me.” Mean old man, playing hard to get and that’s fine. “I only let you out to get a bit of freedom, it would be wrong to leave you in there all of the time.” Finally, a crack in his facade. In turn you respond with a question “Why is it wrong to leave me in my pod all of the time? I don’t ever see you let the others out.” Ignores you for weeks following such a call out but can’t help letting you out eventually.

At some point you notice your attempts to sit in his lap are no longer met with an immediate reaction. He always acknowledges you, at least sparing a glance towards you. It takes baby steps but at least you can sit in his lap for up to 30 minutes now.

Never going to be outwardly affectionate but eventually he stops moving you while you sit on his lap and delves into whatever research you have no interest in no understanding of. “As long as I’m stationary I suppose you could stay for a bit.” Puts his hand on the small of your back if he feels like your balance is off.

Oh he’s wrapping his arms around you now? Not really, at least that’s what Hojo claims. He’s just trying to get a more comfortable position while he’s fiddling with his computer. Apparently it’s also easier to write if he puts one of his arms around your waist. Victory achieved, he lets you use him as a seat.

Angeal (best boy for real)

This suave guy here, definitely pulled you into his lap first during a movie night you two were having. “I just thought you were too far away.” He says, as though the two of you weren’t sitting directly next to each other. muscles arms wrapping around you snuggly.

Angeal’s respectfully touchy, hands roaming over your thighs, rubbing circles soothingly on your back, fingers trailing along your arm. Hands still only touching modest areas of your body. “Look at me.” Likes to make eye contact before kissing you, giving you a warm smile when the two of you part

Sometimes can’t help himself, whispering loving words into your ear as he holds you, opening up emotionally and telling you how much he loves and appreciates you. Other times he just talks to you about any and everything as he holds you.

His favorite form of comfort when he’s feeling troubled. Will just sit quietly with you in his arms even after venting to you about what’s on his mind. Doesn’t always talk about what’s bothering him, opting to stay silent and bury his face into your neck instead.

Lets out a sigh of relief upon making physical contact with you, also melts like butter when you play with his hair. Leaning into your touch when you massage his scalp, he’s practically purring. Especially loves it when you lightly rake your nails across his facial hair occasionally giving his chin little scratches. Makes him smile and he doesn’t even realize it til you point it out.

Sephiroth

This is the one that gets all of the babying. Wasn’t sure what to say nor do the first time you sat in his lap but after a little direction he quickly got comfortable. Very nonverbal about wanting to be coddled but he stares at you until you understand what he wants.

You kind of got him addicted to the amount of affection you show him, climbing on his lap, making him lock eyes with you and telling him just how special you think he is. All of which causes him to blush deeply, it doesn’t matter how many times you do this, he’s a tomato by the time you're done talking to him.

Of course he loves you playing in his hair while you sit on his lap, fingers running through silky strands, hand resting on the back of his neck once you’re done but still unwilling to move. Likes burying his face in your hair, enjoying your scent and holding you tightly.

Holds you against him like you might slip through his hands some days, especially after Genesis goes missing. He constantly seeks out your touch, this is when he starts pulling you into his lap himself, burying his face into your neck. Once Sephiroth called it “his favorite hiding place” he may not let you go for hours.

Is also going to tote you around your home because he isn’t ready to let you go, will read with you in his lap or take care of any work (that he’s allowed to) with you there, his hand rubbing your thigh for extra comfort. Loves when you rub his ear as he reads, found it to be a bit odd at first but you say his ears are cute so he’s inclined to let you do as you please.

When things go south with Angeal there isn’t a moment he isn’t underneath you. Sephiroth’s lap is about the only place he’ll let you sit in private, only parting with you to use the bathroom, shower or of course go to work. Definitely starts falling asleep with you on his lap. If he’s going to sleep so are you though, carrying you to bed and snuggling up to you

Genesis (yes yes, The Rizzler pt 2)

Pulled you into his lap first while teasing you, didn’t let you go for a while because “I wasn’t expecting such a simple act to feel so perfect.” Tells you how beautiful you are as he wraps his arms around you. His words can be too much sometimes, all you can do is tuck yourself into his neck and smile. Which is fine with him, he’s going to keep talking because he knows you love it.

Dunno about yall, but I think this man can sing. One hand firmly set on your thigh, making sure he holds you in place, his other hand on your chin to make sure that you’re looking at him. Sings you love songs and makes sure to make eye contact with you on the lyrics he feels you two connect to the most. It’s contagious and you can’t help but sing along with him at times.

Of course he reads Loveless to you while you sit in his lap. It makes him smile when he realizes you actually pay attention every time he reads it instead of drowning him out like others tend to. Sometimes uses it as an excuse to hold you in place a bit longer. “Let me finish the next act and I’ll let you up.” Genesis ends up reading Loveless in its entirety; it doesn't fail.

Loves you straddling his lap, hands immediately finding purchase on your waist. “Give me a kiss sweetheart.” You were the one supposed to be making him melt. true owner of the uno reverse card. Sitting on his lap like this may result in you ending up in your back.

Loves words of praise, tell him exactly how you feel as he holds you. His arms wrapping around you tighter with each word that reaches his heart. Sometimes the two of you are so love sick and just get wrapped up saying the sweetest things to each other.

“Mmm my Genny-poo~” you coo at him from time to time. One of the only ways to make him blush, maybe it’s how sickeningly sweet it is that causes a light tint to spread across his cheeks. Called him that in front of Angeal and Sephiroth once, Sephiroth now frequently calls him Genny-poo to torment him.

————————————————————————-

Genesis especially has been rotting my brain lately, which I have no complaints about. This man is getting a whole fic from me.

[holly-fixation]

Damaged Doll: Ch12

Summary: Angeal and Zack discover a man in all black trapped under boulders in the mountains near Icicle Village: Cloud, a doll created by Jenova for reasons currently unknown.

Cloud's mystery is beginning to shatter.

Inspired by the prompt by @im-totally-not-an-alien

Please Enjoy!

Chapter 13: A Change of Scenery

Genesis listened with a nearly satisfied expression. Finally, Sephiroth regained his legendary control. Finally, his friend started to see how right he was. 

“Look at me,” Sephiroth's stern voice was music to his ears. 

“SOLDIER First Class: Genesis Rhapsodos.” That voice was not.

“What do you want, Turk? Despite my looks, I am quite busy.” 

“Sephiroth can handle the interrogation.” 

Mako eyes met brown ones sharply.

“We've been summoned to secure payload transport. Hollander’s orders. It's landing soon. No time for negotiation.” 

“Why do they want a First?”

“The payload is highly classified.”

Genesis nearly groaned. “Which means highly valuable. Are you sure you can't get Angeal to do this?”

“He's on a mission with Zack. We can talk on the way.” She nudged her head toward the hallway. Genesis reluctantly followed. With Hollander’s new found role, there was no telling what kind of punishments could result from direct disobedience.

“Why couldn't Sephiroth do this again?” He asked for the first time, very much reminded of Hojo from his own train of thought. 

“Hollander specifically requested Sephiroth not be involved. And the more answers he gets out of Cloud, the better.”

Genesis silenced as he tried to understand the reasoning behind that. 

At the peak of Shinra HQ, the helicopter had already landed, security clearing the way for the mighty vessel. Scientists waited at the ready, Doctor Hollander bearing a grin similar to that of Hojo before it even hit the ground. 

Genesis couldn’t help his expression of disgust, although he certainly did not try to hide it.

“I have a question for you.”

“I'm not exactly here for small talk, Turk.”

“Neither am I. What do you know about Cloud?”

Mako blues turned to ice. “Why.”

“Hojo initially assigned me to teach him about the modern world. But I think he's hiding things from me.”

Genesis scoffed in agreement. “Of course he is. What do you want to know?” 

“What is he writing in that book?”

“Supposedly, his origins.”

As the payload moved into the building, cylindrical case completely sealed as security followed, the SOLDIER and Turk far behind to observe any unwatched corners and entry ways. 

She hummed, crossing her arms. 

Genesis attempted to read her expression. “...That's not what he told you, was it?”

“It's none of your concern.”

“It is exactly my concern and do not pretend to hide information now. I want to know everything, and I’ll tell you anything you want to know. My friend, the fates are cruel.” 

* * * 

Cloud was warm. Comfortable. Safe. He wanted to stay perfectly still. He nearly purred under the sheet, adjusting within. The cold of the further section confused him. He slowly opened his eyes. Before him laid the empty medical room. He looked around, but no one remained. 

His prince was gone.

Cloud looked down, slowly, sadly. Why didn’t his prince wake him? Was he still not trusted? Actually, that was logical. His prince questioned him and suddenly fell dormant. He didn’t have an explanation, but his prince was intelligent. Even while succumbing to the fogginess, his prince questioned him, accused him. Cloud exhaled. What would he do if-

A nurse knocked at his door while opening it quickly. “Oh, you’re awake. Good. You’ve been dispatched. Change, grab your stuff, and leave the gown behind. You’re free.”

His head tilted, not making a move. “Where am I going?”

“Your guardian is in the waiting room. They’ll take care of you. I believe you know the way.”

Cloud nodded. “I do. Thank you.”

“I’ll leave you to it. Don’t forget anything.” As swiftly as the nurse came, she vanished.

Cloud pushed himself off the bed and looked through the plastic bag filled with black leathers. His clothes. He was warned not to wear the pants until his leg healed and opted to only wear the coat, closing the zipper and latching the crossed straps in protection, it was finally time to return. He sighed again at the memory, glancing down at his permanently damaged leg. 

Though he never learned how to repair the holes, his clothes felt perfect. He almost felt whole again. He grabbed the book and slipped it into the laptop bag the Turk gave him. He balanced the strap on the opposite shoulder of his injury before taking his cane and leaving the room for good. 

Once reaching the waiting room, his heart soared once more. “My Prince.”

“Come with me,” Sephiroth’s words were still cold, but Cloud was too relieved to see him again so soon.

“Lead the way.” His gaze was shining and awed as he followed. He said no word unless spoken too. He simply enjoyed the content silence, the memory of an hour before, as they stood in the elevator. His prince did not approach him, never even looking in his direction. That was okay. Something told him it would be okay. 

The doors dinged and they stepped into yet another reception area, though this one lacked the seating and decor. Sephiroth simply walked past the woman at the desk. Cloud followed, gaining a glance from the receptionist but nothing more. The Silver Soldier scanned his ID card and opened the door to another hallway, holding it for the blond before continuing to walk. 

His prince did not slow down for him, and despite his best efforts, Cloud fell far behind. He tried to hide his breath as he struggled to follow. Thankfully, the hallway never bent. He never lost sight of the soldier. Sephiroth stopped at the final door on the left. 

Holding a plastic piece to the lock, a beep and a click sounded before Sephiroth walked into the numbered door and waited. 

A small part of Cloud expected a prison, an empty chamber to keep him in until all his prince's questions were answered. But upon entering, he was confused. There was a couch, a cushioned chair, a coffee table, bookshelves, a television, a display stand for a massive weapon, and a kitchen on the opposite side. Instead of darkness stood floor to ceiling windows allowing the mako glow of many reactors to fill the large area. 

“Forgive my intrusion, but where are we, Sephiroth?” 

He closed and locked the entrance. “Sit down.” 

Cloud moved without thinking, placing his bag on the floor near his feet but keeping a loose grip on his cane. 

Sephiroth sighed before explaining, not daring to look at the man on his couch, “This is my apartment. I want to keep an eye on you and I'm tired of scheduling around the whims of medical and the labs.”

Cat-like eyes widened. “Sephiroth, I couldn't possibly-”

“You will stay here until I say otherwise. I'll have a copy of my fob tomorrow. You will come and go as you please.” 

“I… I don't understand… I told you I killed Hojo but you aren't turning me in…?” Cloud regretted the question as soon as it left his mouth, but he needed to know. After all the pain it caused despite his best intentions, he couldn't hide the thought. 

“...Forget about Hojo.” His words were icy and dark, directed at someone else. 

The blond nodded, ending the subject. He knew he shouldn't be questioning his prince, but he was completely befuddled. “Why your apartment? I can adapt to any lodging. I don't want to intrude.”

Sephiroth sat in the chair with a deep sigh, eyes lowered and away. “There is an… ulterior motive.”

Cloud's head tilted at the innocent his prince spoke with. 

“It's…” He adjusted, gripping his sleeve. 

A pause passed. “...If you don't want me to know, I understand-”

“Can I ask something of you?”

The injured blond snapped to attention. “What do you need?”

“At ease. You're allowed to deny me if you do not wish to obey.”

Even the very idea Sephiroth suggested was unthinkable to Cloud, but Cloud did not mention it. “What is your request?”

Another awkward pause. Brushing a hand through silver hair. “I want to test something. And I need you to do it.”

To be useful to his prince? How could he ever say no? But why was his prince so hesitant? “I will do all I can.”

“You will answer honestly.” Sephiroth's sharp eyes met his twinkling ones. “I will not make you if you don't want to.”

“I understand. Please, what task do you have for me?”

Disappointment filled his gaze before his eyes closed and his head fell. 

Cloud turned away, timid and hesitant, his hand tightening against the cold wood of his cane. “What else have I done wrong…?”

“...I need to test if…” Sephiroth inhaled sharply, dispelling his hesitation long enough to reveal his truth, “I need to see if your proximity has the same effect tonight.”

It took a moment before Cloud understood, not a single hint of judgment on his face. “I am at your service. Always.”

“I won't ask this again. Only tonight.”

Cloud nodded, though he did not believe the words to be true. 

“Until then, I need to return to the SOLDIER floor. That book will be finished when I return. No lies. No half truths.”

Cloud winced but nodded again. “Understood.” 

“Good.” He stood, and Cloud followed hesitantly. “Let me show you around.”

The man followed to the kitchen.  

“The top two cabinets on the left have food. The fridge has cold water. Obviously you may use the bathroom on the right. Down that hallway is my room. You will not enter.” 

It was spacious but so bare. Three chairs at a blank kitchen table. No trinkets. No spoils of victory. No memories. No… personality, as if this place was simply an extension of the lab. His prince deserved a palace but lived in emptiness. 

Hojo deserved to die. 

“You are free to make yourself comfortable while you write.”

“I cannot thank you enough, Sephiroth.” Cloud bowed, one arm across his chest and the other supporting his body with the cane. But his prince turned away. “Shall I contact you once it's ready?”

“No. I will return later. Then it's time. I want to know everything. Even that which you hid for my protection.”

Now it was Cloud's turn to look away. “...You have my word. I will not let you down.” 

.

.

.

.

To be continued…

Chapter list

Thanks for reading!

[rottenpumpkin13]

I wanna hop on this LOVE TRAIN WOOOOOO!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ 🚂 🚂

I wish I could give you the world’s biggest hug rn <333 (okay, okay, imagine that CC scene, right, with Zack hugging Angeal? That’s me to you!). I don’t think I’ve really ever gotten the chance to express how much I love your blog, your writing, your art (beautiful 😭) and your general personality <333 You have a absolute gift for humor, and legit I’ve never once passed a post of yours without breaking into a big, sloppy smile <333 You’ve helped get me through hard days- for real. Even if it’s just the Bois being total and utter morons, binging your headcanons and vlogs and everything in between has made me laugh on days when I couldn’t. There’s just something so infectiously joyous and loving and genuine about all your posts- and I admire it with all my heart <333 You being all the characters to life in such a wonderful, wonderful way- I know it sounds cliche as heck but i don’t know how else to articulate it :,3 They all feel like a family- their bonds feel so real: Seph is so sympathetic, funny, and lovable; you give Gen and Angeal more personality than they ever had in the games- just the most likable bros ever xD <3 Angeal is so dorky and real and Genesis both retains his sharp personality, but also has a kindness and empathy that little to no one truly ever portrays just right. It’s brilliant and perfect <3 Zack is both precious but not an idiot- still strong and independent. And Cloud is just a champ! I just… love it so much, Pumpkin <333 I think your universe is lowkey my favorite interpretation of the Firsts’ dynamic. You have a way of masterfully wielding the most snort-inducing humor, the warmest and coziest fluff, and the most gut-wrenching angst all at once (I mean Caroling at the Gallows….? 😭😭❤️). It’s an unbelievably hard thing to be able to be so well-rounded with genres but you do it effortlessly. It’s amazing. It’s incredible. And so are you <333 For real, so you’re so kind and supportive and appreciative of everyone around you. I’m so, so sorry that life isn’t returning that kindness to you :((( I know it will soon tho ❤️ And we’ll continue to have your back until it does!

You’re an absolute gift to this fandom and this site. Ty for being you, Pumpkin <333 I know I’m not the only one whose life you make actively better around here!

I think I read this message a total of six times before it actually sunk in, because LOOK WHO'S TALKING. IF IT ISN'T THE VERY SEPH+ZACK WRITER WHO INSPIRED ME TO START POSTING IN THE FIRST PLACE 😤💗💖

I don't even know where to begin with this. Everything you said made my jaw drop and my heart feel warmer than the flames of Nibelheim fanning Cloud's skin as he lay there watching Sephiroth in the distance cookies when you take them out of the oven 🥹🔥

Coming from you this means so so much, and I'm currently smiling so hard my cheeks hurt 😶❤️

You're so incredibly supportive and kind to those around you and I'm so lucky that we ended up in the same fandom 💖🥹