#cloud prompt request

This is adorable, soft Cloud is my weakness! Thank you for requesting 😙

Cloud Strife x Gender Neutral Reader

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Sharing a small room wasn’t what I had in mind when I thought about resting after a long and exhausting battle. Especially not if the person I was sharing it with was no other than the ex-Soldier turned merc, Cloud Strife. 

The fact that he refused to meet my eyes was telling enough. Cloud awkwardly stood there, crossing his arms over his chest and waiting for my next move.

Amused by his sudden bashfulness, I decided to tease him a little. 

“There’s only one bed” I smirked, carefully watching his expression.

Cloud gasped and frowned, turning his head even further away from me.

“I’ll take the floor” He assured, already unsheathing his sword to rest it on the wall.

“Come on, Cloud!” I excitedly patted the bed as I plopped down on it. “Sharing is caring!”

He watched me, unfazed by my infectuous good mood. Seeing that it wasn’t quite working, I tried a different tactic. I wanted him to open up even if just a bit.

“Pretty please?” I pouted a little, trying to appear as adorable as I could. “I wouldn’t rest well knowing you’re sleeping on the hard ground”

“Don’t give me the puppy eyes” Cloud averted his gaze once more, but he turned his body in my direction. It felt like he was a little more receptive now.

“There’s room for the both of us!” I lied down on my side, opening my arms and grinning at him. “Get out of my dreams and into my arms”

He groaned in disgust and rolled his eyes. My smile fell and a non-physical pang arrived to my heart. After everything we had shared that day, after the way we had protected each other in battle... He was refusing me this peaceful moment, he was denying me some much needed comfort from him.

“Fine” He suddenly said as his piercing blue eyes landed over me again. “As long as you don’t say that ever again”

I chuckled in surprise, and I could have sworn the gesture brought a tiny smile to his lips. It was gone before I could assure it was ever there.

“Deal” I followed his every move as he slowly, hesitantly and almost timidly went to lie down with me. 

Never meeting my eyes, he settled on his back next to me. I had to supress a laugh when I noticed how much he was leaning towards the edge of the bed not to invade my space. 

“Sweet dreams” I mumbled, relaxing as I felt his warmth spreading over to me. 

Snuggling closer to him, I put my hand on his shoulder. He stuttered as I got comfortable, laying my arm across his chest. I closed my eyes, hoping I wasn’t making him too uncomfortable.

In the end, though, Cloud relaxed under my touch and sighed. 

“Uh...” He muttered in the end. “Goodnight, Y/N”

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‘Butter my potato’ 😂 Don’t worry, this is good! It’s just so much easier for me to write with reader insert. Since Link doesn’t usually speak in the games, it’s really hard for me to picture him with dialogue, so I gave both sentences to reader and the responses to Cloud 😋

Cloud Strife & Link x Gender Neutral Reader

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I had a terrible certainty, one that broke my heart. I had known Link for a long time, too long not to develop certain feelings for him. We had grown up together, faced dangers together, saved each other’s lifes countless times. We had gone through so much and my heart had spoken. Cloud on the other hand, had barged into our lives without meaning, he just appeared one day, quite literally. He was always talking about going back to where he belonged, to his home. And even if I had grown incredibly fond of him, it wasn’t the same. Then... why couldn’t I let him go once he finally could?

“Stay with me, please” I clung on to his arm, successfully making him stop his walking. “Don’t go”

Cloud sighed, looking at me over his shoulder. I still didn’t let go of him, even as I felt Link’s piercing gaze burning in my nape. 

“Who do you love?” Cloud suddenly asked me, seeming quite serious.

“I...” Looking from one to the other, I hesitated to answer. Even if I knew the truth, even if they did too. It was obvious.

“Just say it, Y/N” Cloud muttered, now resigned to the inevitable.

“I love you both...” I averted my gaze, slowly letting go of him. “Just in different ways”

“You’ve made your choice” He replied with a sigh. “This isn’t my place anyway”

“But...” I stupidly mumbled, not really knowing what else to say.

I took a step forward, but Link’s arms tenderly wrapped around me to stop me. Cloud was already at the portal, the one that we had worked so hard to find. The one that would return him to his dimension and bring him home. Away from us. Away from me. Maybe forever.

“It’s okay” He nodded his head, and he didn’t seem angry or hurt. Just accepting even if a little sad. “I get it, you two go way back”

“At least...” I whispered, daring to carefully lock eyes with him. “Be careful out there”

“Always am” Cloud simply replied, then moving his gaze until it fell over Link. “Take care of Y/N”

Link’s hands squeezed me gently, and I knew that was his way of promising it to Cloud. That he could leave knowing we both would be safe, protecting each other like we always had.

Cloud stopped before the portal, throwing us a last glance before walking through it. Immediately, I felt a void in my chest caused by his absence. We had known each other for such little time, but he would always have a place in my heart.

Link hugged me tight, filling that emptiness with the warmth of his embrace.

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