FFVII Fanfiction: I know It's Cliche But

[Dashell]

Okay here goes, I'll see if anyone here is interesting. This is going to be a long story if I ever get going on it XD I have many bits and pieces written but I haven't written in awhile so I'm a tad rusty. I keep going back and rewriting but that's a good thing. The reason for the name... well there will eventually be a lot of cliche's in it but I wanna write it anyway so.. I Know it's Cliche But... became the title. Each chapter is written from a different character's PoV. Usually it'll be Cloud, Marlene or Denzel but there might be some others that pop up. SO yeah here goes, lemme know if you're interested.

Author: Quexinos
Summary: Follow the lives of Cloud, Marlene and Denzel after Tifa's demise
Rating: T (might be M later)

First Chapter is Cloud's POV:

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She's Gone Oh I, Oh I'd
better learn how to face it
She's Gone Oh I, Oh I'd
pay the devil to replace her
She's Gone - what went wrong

Daryl Hall and John Oats – She's Gone

Gone! She's gone! I couldn't save her. She just vanished right before my eyes. I can't believe this! How could this happen? I'm useless! Right in front of me. Oh god, why? The woman I loved, the one I cared so deeply about, my very soul mate. She's gone and it's all my fault. Why am I so worthless? Why? Why did this happen? Why can't I protect anyone?

I could do nothing. Nothing but lie there with my head in my hands, clutching my head to the point where it's almost painful. The pain didn't bother me at all. I deserved to feel it. I can't save anyone. I'm nothing but a waste of skin and flesh.

I heard someone speaking next to me. I think it was Denzel, but I couldn't make out what he was saying. I could only hear the sounds of my own uncontrollable wails escaping my mouth and the blood rushing to my head. This couldn't be happening.

“Cloud! Cloud...”

I could hear Denzel calling my name but I ignored him. I couldn't face him now. I just wanted to be left alone, to wallow in my own pathetic sin. After all, I was a failure, I couldn't even protect the one I loved most. At that time, the cries of some child meant nothing to me.

“Cloud, what happened?”

I felt Marlene tug at my arm, yelling something. I didn't respond to her either. I couldn't. My body wouldn't stop shaking. The tears wouldn't stop falling from my cheeks.

I didn't even know how much time has passed when I hear Barret calling me. I didn't care either. I was too busy lying there, sobbing, wishing I was dead. Wishing my useless body would just be washed away in the soft embrace of oblivion. I deserved nothing more than to drown in the pool of tears below my pitiful face.

“Cloud, what happened?”

Barret called to me, but I didn't respond. I didn't want to talk to him or anyone. I just wanted him to take Marlene and Denzel as far away from me as possible. I can't protect anyone, at all, and they would surely die if they stayed with me.

“Yo, you killed that thing, right?”

I could feel something on my shoulder which was probably Barret's hand as if he was trying to comfort me. As if anything could have comforted me at the time.

“You there, spikey?”

I heard some more smaller footsteps running behind him. I couldn't look at him, I just couldn't. I couldn't look at any of them. I am such a useless, sad excuse of a human being.

“Daddy...”

Oh gods, sweet innocent Marlene. She had no idea what I did, did she

“What happened?”

“I... I don't know. There was a monster and.. and...”

I heard her voice begin to tremble. I could hear her choking back her sobs. She was braver than I was. I braced myself, waiting for her to tell Barret what I had done. Waiting for her to say how I couldn't protect the woman I loved.

“Tifa... sh-she just...” Marlene, the poor cherub softly began to cry unable to finish her sentence.

“Shhh...” I heard Barret shift his weight and I knew he was hugging her, holding her as she could no long stifle her cries. It was all my fault.

It was supposed to be such a perfect day.

****


“Oh, Cloud, that's so thoughtful.” Tifa's eyes lit up at my suggestion.

Almost as if it was a reflex, a smile crossed my lips in return. Those dazzling brown eyes of hers were enough to make any man weak in the knees but her smile was simply irresistible. I might as well have just been putty in her hands. I didn't know if it was luck or fate, but I was eternally grateful that such a beautiful angel fell for a fool like me that knows nothing but how to fight.

“I thought you'd like the idea. You need some time off,” I responded, walking closer to her, trying my best to show off what little charm I had. If I only I knew how to love as well as I could fight. I tried to act naturally slipping my arms around her waist, still standing a bit back. That didn't last as Tifa soon closed the gap. She took a step toward me, draping her arms around my shoulders, making sure her body was touching mine. My heart skipped a beat feeling her body pressed against mine. I let out a content sigh. This was good. I could feel all the stress I had been feeling over the past couple weeks begin to wash away. I needed this. “We both do.” I added learning in for a quick kiss.

“CLOUD! CLOUD!”

“Not again...” I mumbled as Tifa and I took a step away from each other. This had become a regular routine by now. Anytime Tifa and I would get a moment alone, one of the kids would suddenly appear. It's as if they knew. It's not that I didn't love them, but I just wanted to have some alone time with Tifa. It seemed like it had been forever since we last...

“Cloud, look what I found...” Denzel yelped with excitement, bouncing around the corner, followed by Marlene. I swear those two had enough energy to power Midgar for days.

“It's huge!” Denzel continued.

As much as I really didn't care at the time what he was talking about, I managed to fake enthusiasm, “What did you find?”

“Look, it's the biggest caterpillar I've ever seen.”

He handed me a small Styrofoam cup, smiling proudly as if he had found the rarest materia in the world. I wasn't a big fan of bugs, but I took a look anyway, and sure enough, inside was as a relatively large caterpillar surrounded by some leaves and grass. I raised my eyebrows slightly, surprised that the caterpillars around here could get almost as big as my pinky.

Ignoring the whole bug deal, Tifa clasped her hands together, “Alright kids, get ready. Cloud is going to take us on a picnic.”

“HUH?” Wait! What? US? But I wanted it to be...

“Oh cool, thanks Cloud!” Denzel replied happily before grabbing the cup out of my hand.

Before I could protest or think to say another word, Denzel and Marlene had begun to run up the stairs behind me, no doubt to get ready to leave. I just stared at them dumbfounded, not sure how to respond to the situation. I loved them dearly... I still do... but sometimes a man just needs to be alone with his woman.

Tifa caught my sullen expression as I was about to speak, and put her finger over my lips, “It's okay. I have a plan.” she leaned in closely, speaking in a soft tone. “I'll call Barret, and have him meet us there. He can take the kids for the night and we'll be able to spend tonight by ourselves, okay?”

A feeling washed over me that made me that made my entire body tingle. I found myself laugh shortly without even meaning to. I took Tifa's hand, kissing it quickly, “Thank you.” I whispered. “You're so wonderful.”

I felt surprised at the second thing I had just said. Normally such things wouldn't be said by me without my planning in advance. Tifa just had that effect on me. She could have that effect on anyone.

But now...

****


“This.. this stupid piece of shit. What the hell is it anyway?” Barret bellowed at the top of his lungs. The next thing I heard was the rapid fire of his gun going off, no doubt shooting at the dead monster corpse a few feet in front of me. I was surprised I was able to kill it after it took out Tifa like that.

I was still too ashamed, too pathetic to lift my head up to look at any of them. I had failed them all and once again failed myself. I was nothing. I never will be anything. I just shut my eyes wanting the darkness to consume me. Just wanting to die. The love of my life is gone, and it's all my fault. Someone, something, just kill me. I don't want to live anymore.

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any good? Y/N?

 

[DrakeClawfang]

Skip to the part when they have a threesome, then I'll be interested.

 

[Dashell]

Drake if you want to spam about your sexual fantasies, please don't do so here.

 

[kuro]

Skip to the part when they have a threesome, then I'll be interested.

lol! o no....

 

[Dashell]

And for that matter I said the three main characters are Marlene, Denzel and Cloud and you want them to have a threesome? What?

 

[Kobato]

I like it Que ! Though I have a small issue with it. Cloud sounds really, really, really emo. And I like happy Cloud.

 

[Joker]

Cloud *is* really emo, tho. =/

 

[Kobato]

Cloud *is* really emo, tho. =/

Not in the original game, he wasn't. The Cloud that did gym squats and said " Lets Mosey ".

 

[Octo]

I miss that Cloud......

 

[Celes Chere]

Shouldn't Cloud be acting "emo" when in this story, Aerith, Zack, and Tifa are all dead? ;P I don't think he'd be very happy, anyway.

 

[Dashell]

I like it Que ! Though I have a small issue with it. Cloud sounds really, really, really emo. And I like happy Cloud.

You're going to want to stop reading right now then. I do nothing but pick on Cloud in this fic and torment him to no end. XD

 

[Dashell]

Whoa totally forgot I posted this here. Chapter 2 from Denzel's POV:

He would just lie there. Lie there in his bed all day and all night. Sometimes I'd see him get up to go to the bathroom, but he'd always end up right back in his bedroom. He wouldn't get up for anything. Not to eat, or to talk or even look at me. I tried so many times to talk to him, or to give him something to eat, but no matter what I did, the most I'd ever hear was a very mumbled, “Just go away.”

I didn't know if I should have been more worried about him, or more worried about what would happen to me and Marlene if he would never get up. I had lived in the slums by myself before, doing odd jobs with some friends, but I didn't know if Marlene would be okay with that. I also didn't want to have to think about it. I had finally found a real family, a real home, and I didn't want to have to leave that all behind.

Yeah... a real family. It's easy to say that, but Tifa... Tifa was gone now. It hurt. It hurt so bad. I couldn't even believe it was going on at the time. The next best thing to my mother, the woman who took care of me endlessly when I was sick. The one who toiled day and night to make sure I was comfortable, made sure I had everything I needed when I could do nothing but lie in bed and pain. She wouldn't hesitate, and never even thought twice about it, even when others who knew nothing about Geostigma wouldn't come to the bar afraid they might come down with it. And now... now I'd never see her or hear from her again. How could this even happen?

I had lost many loved ones in my life, but it's not a feeling someone can get used to. It's painful every time and it feels different every time. I hated this pain. This horrible, sickening feeling like someone had torn a whole in my chest. My eyes burned from all the rubbing but I felt as if I couldn't cry anymore. It's not that I was over Tifa's death, but the worry I felt toward Cloud and the confusion about how I should feel was overwhelming. Cloud hadn't eaten or spoken to me or anything in days. I didn't know what to do and I wasn't sure I could handle the situation for much longer.

“Daddy!”

Marlene's yelling distracted me from my thoughts. I left my room and walked downstairs toward the main bar area. I saw Barret hugging a very excited Marlene.

I didn't know much about Barret except that he was raising Marlene before Cloud and Tifa began raising us. He would often be traveling around, but would stop by whenever he could to see Marlene. He had been around a lot more recently, and I was grateful. I didn't want to think about what would happen to me and Marlene if we had to move out on our own.

“How's Spikey doin?” Barret asked Marlene.

“Still in bed.”

“What? Still?”

“Can you help him?”

“I'll do what I can.” Barret replied as he began to walk toward the stairs. Then he shook his head and I heard him mumble, “He's really gotta get his shit together.”

Marlene smiled at me as if she was hopeful. At the time I felt hopeful as well. I really wanted Cloud to go back to the way he was before Tifa died. Life was so much easier back then. If Barret could just talk to Cloud and convince him it wasn't his fault, maybe we could get back to being a family. A thought that made me feel warm inside and comforted me.

My comfort was short lived, however as I overheard the conversation Barret had with Cloud. I couldn't make everything out but Barret started out calm, then ended up getting louder and louder as he and Cloud conversed. Eventually he was yelling at Cloud to get his ass out of bed and that he has two kids to take care of. I couldn't hear Cloud's response but it sounded pretty sullen and wasn't making Barret too happy.

How long was this going to go on? It's not that I didn't feel bad for Cloud, but why couldn't he pull out of this? I noticed Marlene sitting on the steps with her head on her knees. It was then I realized something. This wasn't fair. Marlene didn't deserve this and neither did I.

Cloud wasn't being fair to either of us, or any of his friends. He wouldn't let any of us help and wouldn't help any of us. His state was only making things worse. It may have just been the result of all the trauma and emotions I had been feeling the past few days, but I actually was starting to feel bitter toward Cloud. I had lost so much in my life: my parents, Ruby, my friends, my home. And I always managed to better myself. I was just a child. Why couldn't Cloud, someone who had to take care of his family, do the same? What gave him the right to just ignore us when we needed him the most? We helped him when he was mourning Aerith's death, but he wouldn't even come near us now. He wouldn't even let us help. Why was he shunning us?

My thoughts were soon stopped as I heard Marlene begin to cry softly. Seeing her like that made something tug at my heart and throat and I almost wanted to cry along with her. I had to make a decision right then and there. I could either drown myself in my sorrows like Cloud, or I could be the strong one and the one Marlene needed.

“It's okay,” I said putting my hand on her shoulder, “We'll be alright.” I held back my tears as best as I could, but tried as I might, I couldn't quite force a smile onto my face.

She didn't say anything in return. I couldn't really blame her. I probably wasn't saying the right things anyway.

That night, as I tucked Marlene into her bed, she finally responded to what I said earlier, “Do you really think we'll be okay.” her voice sounded so weak. I felt an icky feeling in my stomach when I looked up to meet her teary eyes.

I had to think for a minute. Swallowing the lump in my throat I answered, “I think we'll be okay.”

She looked thoughtful for a moment, then finally laid down, “Thanks.”

A smile crossed my lips as I felt a little bit of relief. I was glad I was able to at least take the edge off for a moment.

I turned off the light in our room and began to walk down the hallway. I wasn't ready for bed yet. Too much had been going on and I was sure I wouldn't be able to sleep anyway. It was then I heard the conversation Cloud had with Barret that would change my life forever.

“Look, I don't want them here. Just take them with you!”

“What the hell is wrong with you, you prick? They're your kids. They need you!”

“I can't protect them. I don't want them here.”

“Man you gotta get over this. You need to get off of your ass and take care of ...”

“SHUT UP!”

There was a short amount of silence for a moment. Then Cloud said something I never quite forgave him for.

“First of all, Marlene is yours, not mine. Second of all, I don't care if you say they are my responsibility. I don't want them. If it wasn't for them I would have had more time to spend with Tifa. Now she's dead and who knows which one of them will be next? Just TAKE them. I don't want them!”

He... he didn't... want me? I didn't know how to react. My body began to shake on its own as if I was cold or scared. I wasn't either. I wrapped my arms around myself, unable to hide my tears now. How could he say that? My knees grew weak, almost enough to make me fall over, but instead I gathered my strength to make my way into my bedroom. I didn't want Marlene to hear me cry, so I tried to stay quiet. Climbing onto my bed I buried my head into my pillow and just laid there. Cloud didn't want me. The man I had looked up to for a good portion of my life didn't want me near him. He hated me.

Later that night, Barret came into the bedroom and told me and Marlene that we needed to pack some of our stuff first thing in the morning. He didn't really say why or even where we were going. He just said that Cloud needed some alone time, but I knew exactly why. It was because he didn't want us. He didn't want his family.

I laid in bed staring upward at the ceiling taking in everything Cloud had said and done. The more I thought about it, the more my grief at his comment slowly turned into anger. How could he even say such a thing to anyone after everything we had done for him? My arms and legs started to grow tense. It almost felt as if my blood was boiling. I soon figured out that this wasn't normal anger. It was resentment. Resentment toward the man who didn't want me in his life.

Well fine. If that's how he was going to be, I didn't want him either. Screw Cloud, I was going to live my life without him and stay as far away from him as possible.