I feel like many fan interpretations of pre-Nibelheim Cloud Strife as being shy and easily flustered do him a disservice.
This kid was put on what was probably a Top Secret mission to Modeoheim under Tseng and a First Class SOLDIER, which sure, might have just been a convenient plot device but could also be interpreted to mean he was a skilled and trusted soldier even early on, which takes some level of competence and confidence.
He walked away from a helicopter crash then laughed in that First Class's face when he said he grew up in "Gongaga." When they meet again in Junon a few months later, Cloud is not embarrassed about puking his guts out with an audience and is just like "Heh, Debilitating motion sickness! What are ya gonna do? =)"
Cloud was known for picking fights with everyone back in his hometown. Even knowing what was going on, he ran into what was basically a base full of First Class SOLDIER defectors (Genesis clones) to help Zack out. He packed his little rucksack and joined the military at 14. He was strong enough to handle the Buster Sword in Nibelheim for far longer than "rage and adrenaline" can really excuse.
I feel like Cloud Strife is cheerfully feral. He says "fuck" and he says "let's mosey," and there's an above zero chance he has said "let's fuckin' mosey." He has a police record longer than Sephiroth is tall with a mug shot that looks like a wholesome, smiling young model from a Sears catalog. He says "yes ma'am" and "no sir" and feeds stray animals. He has six drug lords and two hit men in his contacts, because he happened to do favors for them once and they were nice about it. He starts a delivery service toting parcels across a monster-infested wasteland without a care in the world because he likes riding his bike.
That man is not stuttering and acting scared, he is sitting in the police station right next to Zack and Genesis as their Third Musketeer.
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