Fic: For The Best (Dissidia)

[synchroshatter]

Written for the ffchaoticcosmos Relationships challenge. I bet you can't tell I've been playing FFIV recently.

Title: For The Best
Rating: PG-ish (contains character death and mentions of blood, but nothing graphic).
Summary: Kain's mission is simple, except for one single problem.

Comments

[seren_bach]

I love what they did with Kain in Dissidia and I really liked how you focused all his guilt on Cecil: there's blood where his smile should be is a really powerful line. Great job!

(edited for html fail sorry)

[synchroshatter]

Thanks! As much as I feel bad for Kain eternally getting the worst hand from Fate, I really enjoyed how they set it out in Duodecim too. And Cecil not remembering anything past the fact they were friends in Baron's military...ouch. I figured that's got to be a massive source of guilt/angst for Kain, especially given that Cecil's always so optimistic about him and Kain knows what he's done in IV. I also don't think we ever see Cecil die in the 12th cycle, which I guess makes sense, given that it's got to be the most painful assassination for Kain.

(And then, totally not feeling too bad about it, I kind of ran with it and this fic happened. Sorry, Kain! I'm glad you liked it though!)

[synchroshatter]

(That’s alright! I’m currently fighting my arch-nemesis The Essay, so I definitely know the feeling!)

Aww, thanks. If it helps, my brain was all “NOOOOO!!!” about both of them too (which, y’know, never the best reaction when you’re writing at work). I’m never sure who I feel worse for- Kain, because he can’t stand to be forgiven, or Cecil, because Kain won’t let him forgive. And I was kind of worried it turned out too much like Firion’s death scene in 012, but I’m glad it came across alright!

And I’m sorry I kind of limboed in under the extended deadline- I had so many ideas for the challenge, but real life kind of swallowed me up and I didn’t get a chance. D:

[minntaka]

djsdfkljsd KAIN. AND CECIL.

This was an amazing read. Honestly, I can't form good enough words at the minute as I'm reeling at this. That and your above comment, because I don't remember Cecil dying in the 12th cycle either. So that fact, along with this drabble, and suddenly, the headcanon that follows is just heartbreaking. Poor, poor Kain. I just love how you've conveyed Kain's self-hatred and how he can somehow warp all of his good deeds into something he's ashamed of.

[If he was braver, maybe he’d have killed him first, spared him the constant worry when a comrade was late returning and the grief when they never did.]

[Cecil would be the one to follow him into every battle, to stand without question by his side. After all, he’s done it before, time and again.] - I loved these parts! And the mentioned line with blood where Cecil's smile should have been. That was deliciously creepy and saddening.

Great stuff! I'm really glad to be seeing FFIV stuff :D

[synchroshatter]

I feel kind of awful for them, because literally all of my Dissidia headcanon for them is entirely made up of pain and angst...although to be fair, that's basically just canon anyway, even if it doesn't stop me feeling guilty. And Kain is actually pretty stoic for someone who has a legitimately angsty backstory, which is always interesting to try to get into, especially when he's up against Cecil wanting to believe the best in everyone.

The first line you quoted was pretty much the idea that sparked all of this off- I figured if Kain was going to be selfish about one thing, it'd probably be Cecil, just in case there was another way to save him. After all, he's only human, no matter what he tells himself.

I don't have much FFIV stuff at the moment, but I might get round to writing more sometime. I'm really glad you like this though! Thanks for reading.