An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Instead of waking up in the church after his (near) death at the hands of Sephiroth’s remnants, Cloud wakes up on the wasteland outside of Midgar over two years before. Zack faces down Shinra’s infantry, and Cloud finds he has the strength to change history.
But to do that, Cloud has to face it all again, while warring with his own splintered psyche. Fortunately, he doesn’t have to do it alone, if only he’d remember that.
Zack took a ragged breath in and opened his mouth to speak. To say the words that were already engraved in Cloud’s mind. That he’d known in his core even when he did not remember Zack.
“Shh. Save your strength.” Cloud cut across, softly. “It’s going to be okay. You’re gonna be okay.”
A mirthless laugh. “You don’t have to lie to me.” He said, gently. “And shouldn’t lie to yourself, either.” He managed between gasping breaths.
“You’re gonna live for the both of us.” Zack continued, words broken and halting. “My living legacy. The proof that I-”
“Stop.” Cloud said, hand shaking slightly as it moved to join Zack’s on the hilt of the buster sword. One of the Materia in it was a maxed out Cure materia. And he knew it. Zack didn’t have the strength left to use it.
Cloud knew how to use it, though infantry were not allowed to carry materia. It was a rule.
But he was so tired, and… his own core was so damaged already from the Mako poisoning. He hadn’t had enough time to heal yet. Cloud wasn’t quite himself, with the weight of the Mako poisoning and the exhaustion from fighting Sephiroth, and the infantry still too heavy on him. There was a part of him that was afraid if he pushed, he would lose his clarity again. If he pushed wrong against these already fragile pieces, maybe Cloud would shatter his sense of self even worse.
But… No. He wouldn’t let this chance slip away. It was worth the risk. Zack had Aerith to get back to. And Cloud didn’t want to lose him again. Not if he could stop it.