thestrifeofapuppet-blog

[thestrifeofapuppet-blog]

“Nothing kids do during this day is all that scary.

“Try having all your materia stolen by one of your party members and having to survive Aero 3 without it. Now that’s a real nightmare.”

[thestrifeofapuppet-blog]

With exhaustion tinging just about every part of the blond’s body, he wondered how long it would take for the two of them to catch up with the rest of the party, loud breaths passing through his lips as he tried to suck in oxygen lost from the rush. He implicitly trusted Zack, of course; he expected that the First would be able to bring them both back to the group, though he couldn’t help the impatience within his body. He needed rest, after all.

Before he could question Zack (in a polite, roundabout way, of course) on where they were going, the First himself took a seat on a tree, making Cloud blink tiredly at him. What worsened a feeling of dread within the pit of his stomach was the remark that left the other teen afterward -- which indicated to him that this was no short stop.

“Um,” he piped up quietly, biting his lip. “Are we stopping?” Because it seemed like that was what they were going to do. But wasn’t that a bad idea? The longer they stopped for, the further away the rest of the group got... Right?

Stranded

@thestrifeofapuppet

“Well this is fantastic.”

It had grown dark and Zack and Cloud still had no idea where they were. They had been separated from the group when Zack had decided to go exploring. The blonde had followed the older male, or course, and they had both gotten lost. The raven haired man sighed as he looked at the sky, sitting on a fallen tree. He felt awful.

“Some 1st class I am…”

[thestrifeofapuppet-blog]

a snickers commercial in which sephiroth burns down nibelheim, zack approaches him, and goes “sephiroth! eat a snickers! you’re not you when you’re hungry”. then sephiroth eats it and seems to feel better for a few minutes

and then he stabs zack in the chest

[thestrifeofapuppet-blog]

Gee, thanks.

Like I would know. You just suddenly snapped, burned down my entire village and everyone in it, and then beat Zack up.

So, uh.

I don’t even know why I would want to stab you. You’re…Well. You’re… …You’re kind of a nobody? You were just an infantryman. One of Shinra’s expendable lapdogs. Canon fodder. What’s my motivation? Did you do something to me? Have I missed something?

[thestrifeofapuppet-blog]

“... You don’t look that much unlike the monsters from the reactors.” Cloud’s posture kept stiff, eyes wary, hand ready to reach for the hilt of his sword strapped to his back. “‘New’? Where are you from?”

@thestrifeofapuppet​ || ♥ 

     ❝ ———— actually… I’m new around here. Kind of——                          stopped by without warning. Name’s Ratchet. ❞

[thestrifeofapuppet-blog]

puffywarrior said: “Since always.”

“... You’re not even a human, though. Isn’t your age-range different?”

[thestrifeofapuppet-blog]

@starshipmario @puffywarrior @greendreambro

“... Thirty-three is old? Since when?”

[thestrifeofapuppet-blog]

You sure you aren’t just embarrassed that you didn’t succeed in killing me despite stabbing me twice?

It is not. It’s a copy and I refuse to take responsibility for what a copy does.

[thestrifeofapuppet-blog]

by lanimalu (collaboration blog: Final Crimes)

I disagree with you Aerith, the first one is definitely the best >:3

[thestrifeofapuppet-blog]

... That sword is still your sword.

thestrifeofapuppet replied to your post:You’re all bottoms against the Great Sephiroth.

Is that what you were trying to demonstrate when you skewered me with your sword?

I never skewered you with my sword. JENOVA skewered you with its sword.

[thestrifeofapuppet-blog]

[thestrifeofapuppet-blog]

Terror. It gripped Cloud’s heart like a vice, keeping him captive -- and the ride on the back of that truck did not help him to feel much better. With barely any of his senses working, his surroundings swallowed up with uncertainty, and the blond sitting within his own helplessness, he almost wished Zack would throw him to the wolves, leaving him behind as he was picked apart by the infantry pursuing them. The only company that he gained was through the man’s voice, something to cling onto within his lack of waking, and even that only served as a reminder of how he dragged someone else down, someone else who didn’t deserve it. Didn’t deserve to be saddled with the responsibility of looking after him, a complete and utter deadweight.

Yet, in spite of the fact that Cloud would have believed Zack would benefit from simply leaving him there, from dropping him, from abandoning him, when the man propped him up against the rock and gave him those words, horror trembled through every pore in his body despite his inability to move a muscle. Ice sliding into his stomach, his dimly lit eyes captured the other man lifting and turning, poised and ready to face an army, an army that Cloud knew, Cloud knew, he couldn’t possibly win against.

No. Please. Please... Don’t leave me. 

Every time Zack disappeared momentarily, or Cloud’s consciousness lapsed, the thought shot through his mind. His breath demonstrated minute panic as his savior stepped away from him, light beginning to engulf his body at the edges of Cloud’s sight. Muscles tingled in a sheer need to get him back, get him back, please don’t go no no no, but every time before this one, the effort failed. Why he even persisted, he didn’t know; the only knowing that he contained was that of the fact that he needed Zack, and if Zack didn’t come back...

Sometimes, in some situations, persistence paid off.

“Z... Z-Zack,” he sputtered, voice weak, impossibly frail and raspy from its disuse, but nevertheless, peeling out into the world around him as it became clearer and clearer and his hand stretched forward, reaching, reaching for the man as his back retreated from him. He screamed at his legs inside to move, move, move, because Zack couldn’t do this alone anymore. He couldn’t do this to Zack anymore.

And Zack couldn’t leave him. Not again.

Please, let me get to him. Please...

@thestrifeofapuppet | start;

【✦】‖ Carrying the unconscious friend through this battlefield was a burden- but it was more towards these people following them with guns being the burden. Never did he ever think that his friend being this way was troublesome, and he would never think it either. Since him and Aerith were the only two people he could trust, he would do anything in his power to protect them. Aerith would have to wait at this point though, he needed to get through this with Cloud first.

Placing him against a large sand rock, Zack stood up and readied himself to charge into the battle in front of him. many men surrounded then as if they were wanted criminals but in reality, they were the escaped experiments that carried things that they didn’t want others to know about. How corrupt this company is.

❝Don’t worry Cloud, you just stay here and leave this to me, alright?❞

He said to the unconscious man as he now walked off, knowing that he could hear him. He believed that this blonde would pull through. He was strong! But now, Zack had to pull through this and meet up with him, but little faith was in that, to be honest.

[thestrifeofapuppet-blog]

Granted, he definitely smiled more with her. With everything else serving to confuse and rattle him, Aerith served as a respite from all that. Every playful comment rang a chord within him, and he didn’t know why -- but it was something that kept Cloud drawn to her.

“Well, I’m not the biggest fan of fireworks.” He shrugged. “But...I wouldn’t be against it.” Some part of Cloud believed he wouldn’t be against anything if Aerith was involved somehow.

        She believed she’d hardened. So much loss in her life, living in a deprived area, but yet every time Cloud smiled she was sure that her heart just melted. How did he do it? Perhaps every smile was a sign that she was getting closer to that man she knew was locked away inside of him.

        Oh, she hoped she was.

        “I hope so, you’re the one taking me after all.” She leaned in, hands behind her back, smiling up at his own smile that she adored so much. “We can keep each other safe. Maybe we could even fly over the Goldsaucer at night, see all the fireworks. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

[thestrifeofapuppet-blog]

At this point, it doesn’t even surprise Cloud that the remnant’s made a return -- nothing else makes sense about the world anymore. The lifestream constantly changes its rules, and with him having been at the cusp of losing his life before, it’s more that his jaw is tight when the remnant approaches him. What does life, or death, matter anymore if both are being tossed around like this? “What do you want?” he rasps. He’s very tired.

@thestrifeofapuppet has appeared

The remnant says nothing, only stares in Clouds direction. The last scene before his death is still fresh in his mind, and with his rather abrupt and unexpected (even to him) return from the lifestream, he’s at a lack of words to explain his reappearance. So for how, he waits for the other to speak.

[thestrifeofapuppet-blog]

pulseoflife replied to your post:"Sooo... You're going to take me on an Airship one...

“I can handle it! I’m not afraid!” Her expressions lit up, eyes practically twinkling with excitement. “I mean, my bodyguard will be there so… What do I have to be scared of?”

“Guess I will be, won’t I?” Cloud was practically grinning. Just the effect Aerith had on him. “I’ll make sure to keep you safe in case it gets rough.”

[thestrifeofapuppet-blog]

"Sooo... You're going to take me on an Airship one day, right?"

“You sure you could handle it? It could be... Dangerous, being that high up.”

[thestrifeofapuppet-blog]

He’d hoped that would make him budge, if only a little. Maybe make him say a word or two -- but Vincent remained close-lipped, even though Cloud knew for certain that someone who was ‘fine’ did not look like that. But then again, maybe that was Vincent’s version of fine? It bothered the blond that he wasn’t able to tell the difference.

“If you’re sure,” Cloud said uncertainly, slowly. He paused thoughtfully, before an idea came to him. “Y’know, maybe the two of us should go out somewhere. I...don’t really know if there’s anything in particular you like to do.” Embarrassing to admit, when Vincent was supposed to be his friend. But maybe this was a good enough time as any to try to bridge that gap between the two of the. “But I haven’t spent a whole lot of time with you. Usually I’m with Barret or Tifa...”

In all technicality, he basically stayed with Barret and Tifa. He wasn’t sure if he could function without someone around. It didn’t help with Tifa constantly trying to pry at him; if he could appreciate Vincent for anything, it was the fact that the man stayed relatively quiet and didn’t attempt to weave answers out of him, answers that Cloud was in no state to provide. “What do you think?” Perhaps spending time with him would be good for him, too.

「 ♰ 」┊┊ The other had done many things with this black-haired male, and he was even lucky enough to accompany him to Lucrecia’s Cave. There was still much that the blond had to learn about him, but that in itself was enough to show that he at least trusted the other, even if it was only a little, it was enough.

In many ways, these two seemed to be similar with their actions and thoughts, and it fuelled them both with their actions- different reasons, but similar pains and burdens.

The silence was welcomed between the two, as it left room for thoughts and feelings to calm themselves, or at least remain calm in his case. He had long forgotten that dream until slumber called him once more, but it seems that the blond was still concerned. He wasn’t complaining about that, but he was still lacking the understanding as to why. He was okay now, but it was still nice to see friends looking out for each other.

❝I am aware… Just as I am here for you.❞ He replied to the other as he spoke again. ❝I am fine, Cloud. Again, I apologise for concerning you.❞

He wasn’t going to leak much onto the blonde, he had already decided that. Perhaps if he kept pushing and applying pressure the way he was applying it, then maybe he would spill, but he wasn’t going to do that anytime soon. He knew the mental state of the other, and the way he had changed since he lost the two important people in his life. He wasn’t about to tell him about his own sinful life and add to that. No way.