~Multifandom Imagines~

Cloud Strife x Reader

pairing: cloud strife x (fem) reader

summary: you have trouble sleeping so you go to cloud for comfort.

warnings: none. just cloud having a soft spot for you :)

Your knuckles gently tapped against the metal of his door. It was a soft hit but the noise rang through nonetheless. For a second, standing in the quiet hum of the slums, you thought he would not answer. It was late, you knew that, however you hadn't been paying much attention to the time. The only way you could get any clue of the hour was by the surrounding darkness being illuminated by the lights that only shone at night. After a moment of silent pleading that the door might swing open, a pitiful sigh left your lungs and you turned to shuffle back to your own apartment.

But the crude cry of rusty hinges being moved stopped your feet.

"y/n?" Cloud's voice was hoarse with sleep, not that he ever had much expression in his voice anyways. You turned your body to see the blond headed man leaning out of his door, clothed in a white t-shirt and black sweatpants. Even though you had seen it more than enough times, you never quite got used to the sight of Cloud in casual clothing. A shy smile appeared on his face as your eyes scanned over his body. When you didn't move, he took a small step out of the doorway towards you.

"I'm sorry. I know it's late." His eyes were emotionless but he shook his head, pieces of messy hair falling into his face. Cloud's tired body language, shoulders slouched and eyes straining, made you feel awful for waking him up. You couldn't even begin to imagine how tired his body must be after exterminating monsters all day long.

"It's fine, I just got in. Come inside?" He moved, back flush against the door, with his arm motioning into the dark of his apartment. You knew that wasn't true, you had been listening for signs of a similar sleeplessness for hours, but you didn't say anything. Just walked through the door, his hand brushing across your back as he followed behind you. He shut the door and the slums were fortunately silenced. His apartment was so plain, it was always surprising how uninteresting his room was. But he didn't have much free time to decorate.

A painful squeak left the springs of his bed as you set your body on it, Cloud's eyes never leaving you. "What did you need?" His voice was clearer now, more awake, and if you weren't used to Cloud's generally monotone voice you would've thought he was being rude. He wasn't, of course, but a part of you was unsure despite knowing this tone well.

"I," you paused, unsure of how to tell him that you woke him up for your own selfish want of company, "I couldn't sleep. I remembered that you told me the next time I needed company I could come to you." Your voice wavered at the end, tone posing it as a sort of question, searching in his eyes for any sign that he remembered his past suggestion.

Cloud's face scrunched in a yawn and his fingers ran through his hair, scratching the back of his head. He turned and locked the door, before returning back to face you. You assumed you wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. He slowly moved towards the bed and sat beside you. His silence suddenly had you regretting knocking on his door at all. The darkness wasn't really helping. The only light was the yellow glow of the lights outside peeking its way through the gaps in the curtains and the glow of the moon against his face. The window by his bed illuminated the both of you, allowing you to see his eyes peering straight at you. His attention never left you. It was simultaneously your favourite and least favourite thing about Cloud.

"I remember." A breath you didn't know you were holding suddenly left your lips and his smile returned to his face, his palm finding its resting spot on your knee. It was a simple action but it stirred your nerves.

"Why can't you sleep?" You shuffled into the corner of his bed, back leaning up against the headboard and he found his place beside you. He pulled you into his body, head resting on his shoulder and his arm wrapped around you to keep you close. Cloud smelt of mint toothpaste, the vanilla shampoo he begrudgingly accepted from Tifa, and his natural musk. He was freshly showered but his scent always lingered on his skin.

"I don't know. There's never a real reason. I just, I don't know, I guess my brain just can't settle enough." You quietly explained, his fingertips twirling the ends of your hair while you held his free hand within your own. Cloud hummed in response, no words were needed for you to know he was listening.

There was always a certain softness that he reserved for moments like these, when you two were alone. You would've liked to see him act like this more but another part of you found it endearing. He saved this part of himself for you alone. You guessed it was probably tiring having to hold up that tough exterior all the time, flattered that he felt comfortable enough to let it go in your presence.

"Talk. Talk until your brain settles. I'll listen until you decide that you're done. Even if it takes all night." His voice was soft again, drowsy, and you thought he might drift to sleep as soon as he closed his eyes. He moved his hand from his fingers while playing with your hair down to your sides, rubbing soft circles along your hips, making your heart pump rapidly. It was strange to you how the two of you had managed to become so comfortable with each other and yet something as simple as his fingers rubbing against you left your heart thumping.

When you managed to regain your train of thought, you began talking.

"I guess my thoughts always start at the bar, and how I somehow remember always being there. I don't remember how I got here though. Y'know, I can't even remember how I met you all. Don't know if I wanna. And yet I don't know where I'd be without Tifa. She saved me but I can't remember how. " Cloud hummed when he needed to, just so you knew he was listening. You could tell he was tired and you were grateful that he continued to listen despite his obvious exhaustion. He most likely wasn't absorbing anything you said, but at least he was listening.

"It drives me crazy that I don't remember anything from before Avalanche. I don't remember but somehow I manage to be hyper aware of the fact that without Tifa I would be nowhere. I would be on the streets. I wouldn't have a home. I wouldn't have a job. I wouldn't have my family. Jessie or Biggs, Wedge, Barrett. Or..you."

Your fingers unknowingly played with his, an anxious habit you had picked up since these randomly occurring moments between the two of you first started, rubbing the pads of your thumbs across his scabbed knuckles gently. You could feel his breath fanning across the top of your ear as he moved himself impossibly closer to you, scattering a layer of bumps across your arms, sending a shiver running through you.

Silence encapsulated you both but soon Cloud broke it. "I can't bring back your memories," Cloud's voice was muffled due to his face being hidden in the crook of your neck, "But we will all be here to give you new ones." His speech was slow and slurred, tired. If he wasn't as close to your ear as he was, you wouldn't have heard him at all.

"Cloud." He moved his face towards your neck, a sleepy 'hm' vibrating against your skin.

"Thank you.." Your voice was soft and you felt Clouds arms tighten around you. His cheeks moved against you and you could tell he was smiling, causing you to smile as well.

Cloud knew you well. Talking had made your brain settle immensely. Your eyelids were growing heavy with sleep, and you felt your body curl into Clouds. His arms were still wrapped around, holding you flush against him. You couldn't leave his arms if you wanted to, not that you would. Soft snores left his mouth, warm breath blowing softly against your cheek. It was soothing in a way.

You knew if you were this close with anyone else, you would be uncomfortable. And yet somehow, Cloud managed to make you feel more comfortable with his touch then anything else could.

Hours earlier you had been laying in bed, alone, trying to remember your lost memories. And now you lay in Cloud's arms unsure of why you needed those memories at all if he provided you with enough new ones in a single moment to fill your mind forever. Your brain had grown tired and eventually you were lulled to sleep by the closeness of his breath and the soft hum of over-tired snores.