Date Night

Author's Note: Like my last fanfiction, this is yet another scene from what would have been that complete re-write of Final Fantasy VII, including my own character. And don't worry, she wouldn't have been an option for the date side-quest. Read on!

With the exception of the fireworks in the distance, it was an overall quiet evening at the Ghost Hotel. Cloud was thankful that the ghosts were only obnoxious in the lobby and in the gift shop. Then again, it wouldn't make much sense if the ghosts bothered the guests in their rooms. Despite the quiet evening, Cloud still found it difficult to get any shut-eye. Perhaps he was anxious for tomorrow to come? It would be the day that they travel to the Temple of the Ancients. He wasn't entirely sure what to expect when they got there, but the thought was certainly exciting.

Knock-knock-knock!

"Huh?"

Now that was strange. Not only had someone knocked on the door, but they didn't even wait for him to answer it. Instead, the door was pushed open and Aeris made her way into the center of the room. Cloud rose his eyebrows and walked towards her. Was something wrong? There was a look of utter amusement on her face, so it couldn't have been too serious.

"Hee, hee!" she giggled, and it looked as though she was using all of her willpower to keep from laughing out loud.

"Um... What's wrong?" Cloud asked.

To that, Aeris stifled her laughter, then leaned forward. "You want to go on a date?"

Whatever look Cloud had made almost started her up all over again.

"What!"

"A DA-TE!" she enunciated. "Or haven't you ever gone on one?"

"Don't take me for a fool! I've been on a date!" Cloud snapped. Aeris snorted and waved her hand at him.

"A little touchy, aren't we? Oh well!" she straightened herself out and before Cloud could stop her, she had managed to slip behind him. He felt her hands on his back and using a surprising amount of strength for a dainty flower girl, begin pushing him towards the door. " Come on, let's go!"

"Hey..." Cloud stammered, but his legs continued to move forward.

In all actuality, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing. If he could, he would have been able to stop her from pushing him out the door. So what kept him from doing so? Was it because he owed her a date? Or maybe spending time at the Gold Saucer instead of traveling, fighting, and tracking down Shinra employees actually sounded fun? Besides, she was pretty cute. If he was going to spend time with anybody at the Gold Saucer, it may as well be with a nice looking girl.

Maybe this won't be too bad...

"Ey Cloud, ye in 'ere?"

...Maybe not.

"Ah can't find me toothbrush an' Ah think Ah mighta left it in 'ere! 'Ey! Ye sleepin'?"

"Wait! Ro-"

Just when he was three feet from the door, it had swung open. If he had been any closer it would have hit him right in the face. It was simply amazing that Rosie found it perfectly acceptable to open a door that way. But that was the least of his worries. As soon as Rosie saw him, she froze in place. If it wasn't because of the deranged look on Cloud's face, it was certainly because, at this angle, it looked as though he was wearing a pink ribbon in his hair. Rosie gave him the strangest of looks before leaning to the side to look around him.

That was when Aeris popped her head out from behind Cloud. The look on her face was quite shocked as well. "Rosie!"

Rosie gaped at Aeris, then looked back at Cloud. Then her expression changed from surprised to positively grumpy.

"...Ye two-timin' bitch."

"Wait, what!" Cloud stammered, only to get cuffed upside the head by Rosie's flask. "Oww! Rosie!"

"Sha'up!" she snapped, then pointed a finger directly in his face. "Yer jus' lucky Ah'm no snitch, but fock, man, if ya ain't into Tifa wha's tha' point of leadin' her or tha jail bait on like that? Ah'm not crazy of tha' lass meself but tha's jus' shitty, mate."

Under any other circumstances, the look of shock and utter confusion on Cloud's face would have been hilarious. It was one of those moments where, had Rosie been in a better mood, she would have prayed that there were security cameras in the hotel rooms so his stupid mug was caught on tape for all eternity.

"Leading... Tifa..." Cloud stammered, "jailbait...? What?"

From behind him, Aeris found that her eyes were shifting from one side of the room to the other. Things were already random. Any input she had on this situation would probably be best kept to herself.

"Yer fockin' dumb." with that, Rosie proceeded into his bathroom. She was there for a moment before she spoke again. "Ah found me toothbrush. 'Ave a nice bloody night."

"Wait, Rosie!" Cloud called out to her. His effort to stop her proved useless, as she slammed the door behind her, leaving a shell-shocked Cloud and Aeris standing and staring at the door.

"Cloud..." Aeris' soft voice broke the silence. He glanced over his shoulder at her and was met with a very confused expression. "What was her toothbrush doing in your room?"

With that, Cloud lowered his face into his hand and sighed.

"...I will never understand that girl."