Title: Shroud
Fandom: Final Fantasy: Advent Children
Characters: Cloud, Tifa
Prompt: 018 - Black
Word Count: 419
Date finished: 07/22/2006
Rating: G
Summary: Tifa has a question for Cloud.
Author's Notes: Random, really; I mean, he just dropped his sleeve, and what is that stuff at his waist for, anyway? Besides looking cool and showing off the skill of the artist?
Disclaimer: Characters are owned by Square Enix and Sony Pictures as far as I know.

Shroud

The pool of black material on the street leading up to the sector five church caught Tifa's eye, and she picked it up to see it better. It was a tube - no, a sleeve - and she knew exactly where she'd seen it last. It had covered Cloud's left arm, to hide his Geostigma. Up near the ripped-out stitches where he'd sewn it to his shirt, were two parallel slices.

She paused, fingering the edges. Whatever had done this was sharp, but she didn't know more than that - if Cloud had been there when it happened. She folded the sleeve up and tucked it into a pocket. She had questions for Cloud; maybe this would give her an opening to ask them.

The church was empty, of course, and Tifa sat down next to the pool. She loved to visit, give herself some peace and quiet before Seventh Heaven opened for business. She was getting to her feet when she heard the familiar growl of Fenrir's engine. She settled back down to wait.

It wasn't long before she heard Cloud's footstep, and she turned to watch him approach her. She had to smile; he moved so much easier - lighter - than he had before going to the Forgotten City after Marlene and Denzel.

"You're early," she said as he crouched next to her.

"Yeah. Want a ride back?"

"Eventually." She turned back to the pool. He settled down next to her, his arm half around her, and was just quiet.

"Cloud," she said after a while, "I found something of yours." She lay it across their knees. "What is this?" She showed him the two slits.

He looked at it, then at her. "That was where Kadaj stabbed me, when we came off the highway. He had a Souba."

"Oh," she said. "And… what is the material at your waist for?"

He looked at her, startled, and then got to his feet. She took the hand he offered to help her up, but she didn't let go, and neither did he as they walked the length of the church to the doorway and Fenrir. "I was pretty sure I was going to die," he said, his voice low. "It was my shroud, for when it happened."

She stopped walking. "And now?" she asked when he turned to face her.

"Now, it's a reminder not to give up so soon." His lips curved into a smile, then he closed the distance between them and kissed her.

Tifa was quite satisfied with that.

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