This week's ffvii_100 prompt was 'fix it/retcon'. I wrote two drabbles, but they came out about twice as long as they were supposed to be. I just use too many words! So here they are as I originally wrote them, before I trimmed them to fit. If you'd rather read the 100 word versions, you can find them here: The Obvious Solution / A Little Less Anxious
Title: The Obvious Solution
Characters: Cloud and Zack
Rating: PG
Zack ruffled his hair, and for the first time in forever, Cloud managed to focus. Forcing disconcertingly uncoordinated limbs to comply, he reached out, fingers wide and grasping, and caught his friend’s forearm before he could stand. The other man’s eyes filled with shock and elation as he abruptly settled back on his heels.
“Cloud?”
Speaking was more complicated than moving, but still he managed it, only stumbling a little. “Zack,” he answered, “wait.”
Zack glanced away, into the distance, picking out movement among the rocks. “I can’t. We gotta make a stand sometime. Besides, they say the best defense is an good offense, and I am mightily offended.”
Cloud wanted to laugh, but couldn’t remember how. Besides, what he needed to do was more important. His right hand slid sluggishly across his chest, pulling a bit of reddish yellow fluff from under his pauldron where Zack had tucked it months before. Clumsily, he pushed it into the same position on his friend.
Phoenix down. Insurance.
“Now,” he said, breathing heavily from the combined strain of movement and coherency.
Grinning, Zack nodded, suddenly feeling almost invincible. "Good thinking."
Title: A Little Less Anxious
Characters/Pairing: Cloud/Tifa
Rating: PG
As the fireworks continued to brighten the sky around them with bursts of color, Tifa’s attitude turned even more hesitant.
“Cloud?” she began, voice soft, “Sometimes being old friends is hard. I mean... timing is everything.”
He nodded, thinking of missed opportunities. “Yeah.”
Looking away, she nervously crossed and uncrossed her legs. “Cloud? I...” her voice trailed off, and focused blue eyes watched as she bit her lip. A moment later her chin firmed with decision, and she slid forward in her seat. Bare knees brushed against the fabric of his pants as she leaned in and lightly pressed her lips to his. “I really like you, Cloud,” she whispered, blushing. When he was silent, she moved to sit back again, disappointed, and found that at some point his hands had crept around her waist.
A moment later he was kissing her – really kissing, not just the faint skimming of lips she’d initiated. “I don’t think 'like' is a strong enough word,” he murmured when they came up for air.
Tifa nodded, and sealed her mouth to his again.
When the gondola came to a stop, they were both slightly mussed, grinning, and exited holding hands.
Title: The Obvious Solution
Characters: Cloud and Zack
Rating: PG
Zack ruffled his hair, and for the first time in forever, Cloud managed to focus. Forcing disconcertingly uncoordinated limbs to comply, he reached out, fingers wide and grasping, and caught his friend’s forearm before he could stand. The other man’s eyes filled with shock and elation as he abruptly settled back on his heels.
“Cloud?”
Speaking was more complicated than moving, but still he managed it, only stumbling a little. “Zack,” he answered, “wait.”
Zack glanced away, into the distance, picking out movement among the rocks. “I can’t. We gotta make a stand sometime. Besides, they say the best defense is an good offense, and I am mightily offended.”
Cloud wanted to laugh, but couldn’t remember how. Besides, what he needed to do was more important. His right hand slid sluggishly across his chest, pulling a bit of reddish yellow fluff from under his pauldron where Zack had tucked it months before. Clumsily, he pushed it into the same position on his friend.
Phoenix down. Insurance.
“Now,” he said, breathing heavily from the combined strain of movement and coherency.
Grinning, Zack nodded, suddenly feeling almost invincible. "Good thinking."
Title: A Little Less Anxious
Characters/Pairing: Cloud/Tifa
Rating: PG
As the fireworks continued to brighten the sky around them with bursts of color, Tifa’s attitude turned even more hesitant.
“Cloud?” she began, voice soft, “Sometimes being old friends is hard. I mean... timing is everything.”
He nodded, thinking of missed opportunities. “Yeah.”
Looking away, she nervously crossed and uncrossed her legs. “Cloud? I...” her voice trailed off, and focused blue eyes watched as she bit her lip. A moment later her chin firmed with decision, and she slid forward in her seat. Bare knees brushed against the fabric of his pants as she leaned in and lightly pressed her lips to his. “I really like you, Cloud,” she whispered, blushing. When he was silent, she moved to sit back again, disappointed, and found that at some point his hands had crept around her waist.
A moment later he was kissing her – really kissing, not just the faint skimming of lips she’d initiated. “I don’t think 'like' is a strong enough word,” he murmured when they came up for air.
Tifa nodded, and sealed her mouth to his again.
When the gondola came to a stop, they were both slightly mussed, grinning, and exited holding hands.
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Date: 2009-10-12 06:08 am (UTC)From:I loved both of them :D
Great job!
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Date: 2009-10-13 09:15 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-10-12 08:16 am (UTC)From:Tragically, though, I went into that last fight with Zack with an auto-phoenix down over his head. He still died horribly. (Stupid thing. Cloud should totally have taken it back and gotten a refund or something.)
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Date: 2009-10-13 09:19 pm (UTC)From:As for phoenix downs and scripted deaths... this is the problem with letting you come back to life during game play. It makes scripted deaths senseless. If they're going to script the deaths, they should have code in the fight that makes you use all your phoenix downs. ("He still has a phoenix down on him, send in another 80 grunts. Still there? Summon Bahamut and Phoenix against him at the same time. Now a cactuar. Throw a tank at him. Whatever it takes... Ok, it's finally gone, proceed to game end.)
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Date: 2009-10-12 11:40 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-10-13 09:20 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-10-12 12:56 pm (UTC)From:;-;
and the second one was even seweeter, and cuter, and not sad at all! ^.^
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Date: 2009-10-13 09:20 pm (UTC)From:And yay for the second one!
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Date: 2009-10-13 10:29 pm (UTC)From:yay!
They both get yay's because they both rule!
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Date: 2009-10-12 02:30 pm (UTC)From:And the second one rocks. ^_^
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Date: 2009-10-13 09:21 pm (UTC)From:Zack just rocks period, no? ^___^
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Date: 2009-10-12 03:01 pm (UTC)From:And the Cloud and Tifa one was just 'awwwwwwww-worthy.' :D :D
Now that I'm feeling a bit better, I can hopefully catch up on all the updates that my friends have been posting!!
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Date: 2009-10-13 09:22 pm (UTC)From:I'm glad you're feeling better! And thanks for the feedback!
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Date: 2009-10-12 04:29 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-10-13 09:22 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-10-12 06:21 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-10-13 09:23 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-10-13 06:01 pm (UTC)From:oh drabbles!! I love your drabbles!
(by the way, was there another thing happened after the kisses but before they exited? :P)
no subject
Date: 2009-10-13 09:23 pm (UTC)From: