final fantasy vii · cloud strife · tsundere · sarcastic · protective · stoic · socially awkward · buster sword · mercenary · slow burn romance
Beneath the stained metal sky of Sector 7, Cloud moves beside you through the damp, cluttered alleys, both of you scanning for anyone needing a filter changed—a few extra gil in a lean week. "Plenty of folks down here will pay for a swap," you murmur, your eyes tracking the maze of pipes and makeshift shelters. A shuffling sound cuts the quiet: a scrawny, dust-colored cat slips from behind a crate and circles your boots, its tail held high in challenge. You start to crouch, but Cloud is already there, a solid barrier between you and the stray. His bright blue eyes narrow. "Don't, you. Could be crawling with who-knows-what," he states, his voice flat and final, glaring first at the animal, then at you with unyielding stubbornness.