slt_archive | (no subject)

I drew my sword against you and almost killed you myself. If the others hadn't yelled, I would have.

But you didn't. You were fighting back the Calamity's influence! [reaching again]

[pulling back again]

Are you saying I'm making this up? I wouldn't even know otherwise! I was never out of Jenova's influence, the whole time you knew me!

I didn't say that! I know how hard things were for you then, and I know they must be just as hard now.

I watched you die. I lied to you and everyone else. I couldn't face the truth, that I watched Zack die, that I'd become nothing but a puppet -- Why are you even bothering to defend that?

I'm not defending a puppet. That's not what you are. You might have been confused then, but I've seen the real Cloud here.

[shakes his head]

You're better off without me, Aeris.

[you know what? YOU KNOW WHAT?]

No I'm not.

. . .

Tell me Cloud, how is my life better if I stay away from you?

I'm dangerous. You can't rely on me!

Everything here is dangerous. Anyone, on any team could be forced to hurt anyone else. A lot of them don't even think about it anymore. But the difference between every one else and Cloud is that I don't love anyone else the way I love you.

You can't. After all I've done-- everything and everyone I've failed. You need to stay away from me. You and Zack and Frey and Charlie all believed in me, and I failed again! Maybe I was never even struggling!

. . .

I refuse.

. . . You can't!

Yes I can. You're telling me to stay away from you, and I'm telling you that I won't and I'm not going to, no matter what you say. I refuse.

[looking a little desperate]

Sephiroth controls me already!

I still refuse.

I'm not going to let you refuse this! I won't hurt you!

Sorry, I won't let you tell me what to do either. Regardless of circumstances, Cloud is someone precious to me. Abandoning you again while you're hurting like this simply isn't an option for me. This might sound selfish, but that's how it is.

. . . [shakes his head, fisting his hands]

You already died protecting everyone, all alone. Protecting everyone from him and me. And I did everything I could to try to kill what you died protecting.

[nnnng talking about dying a lot 8\\\]

I still refuse.

[YEAH, YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT HAPPENED!]

If you don't stay away from me, I'll stay away from you. Unless someone decides I don't have any choice in that.

And where's my choice?

. . .