There will be more mature themes and ideas as this progresses, but in this first part, there shouldn't be anything too offensive. Keep in mind, that it is rated "T" for a reason as of right now, so... you have been warned.

I do not own Final Fantasy VII. Final Fantasy VII is property of SquareEnix.

They say that some people are just destined to be drawn together, If that's true then I don't know who I'm drawn to, but I do know what does draw me in:

Music.

I can't start my day without it. And I don't mean I need a heavy metal guitar to wake me up or some peppy pop to get me going, I mean I need music to start my body or else my day will wither and die like a flower in the slums. Sound dramatic? Good, because it is and I don't care so much. So this morning, seemingly like any other, I feel my eyes bolt open, right at eight o'clock. That's two weird things about me: I don't slowly wake up, it's just suddenly I'm awake, suddenly I'm asleep, suddenly I'm awake again. If there's dreaming involved during that sleep; great, and if not, oh well. Doesn't matter to me. That and I've never needed an alarm to wake me, my body just kinda… wakes itself up.

I used to think I was some kind of Super SOLDIER as a kid.

So here it is, eight in the morning and I immediately rifle my hand around in the sheets, searching for my lost music player. Sure enough, it's located awkwardly below my thigh and has left a circular indent there from being slept on all night.

Way to go, Cloud. Your first college experience of finding strange things in your bed and it isn't even a woman.

A deep and heavy sigh escapes my lips, a sigh about as heavy as the drums now roaring through my large navy blue headphones. Oh yeah, it was one of those days. The kind of day where you just wake up and can tell… This day is gonna suck, isn't it?

I swing my legs over the side of the bed and reach for a pair of gray sweatpants that are considerably too long in the legs and pool about my feet at the floor. Just the way I like 'em. These pants are followed shortly by a tight orange shirt, still rumpled on the floor from the night before where I left it. Then suddenly my brain ignites and I remember one very important thing: You haven't showered yet, dumbass.

I sit a moment, contemplating if I even really want to shower, and scratching my golden hair as I do.

Ten warm-water minuets later and I find myself exiting my dorm with the fresh scent of "Bahamut SIN" soap ("the most sinful soap a man can buy") following me, headphones still clutching my head and soft Jazz now gracing my ears. As I trudge down the red carpet halls towards the elevator, my half open eyes swear they see a girl peek out of a room, then quickly go back in as I hear her hiss to a lower, and what I must assume to be male, voice. As I walk past I only catch a glimpse of conversation from the cracked open door, "What? It's just Cloud, he won't care. What the hell's he gonna say to anyone?"

Yeah, that's me. Just Cloud. Just Cloud Strife from Neibelheim. And truth be told, he's right. I don't care about who Wedge has slept with this time. But apparently it's a big deal, even in college. High school just never ends, huh?

Waiting in the elevator to reach the second floor where the dining area is, I contemplate what to eat. Pancakes today? Cereal even? Nope. Just waffles. That's all I ever eat for breakfast, I'm kind of a creature of habit. All I want are my waffles. And sure enough, when the elevator stops, there I am, facing the large glass doors to the eatery. I quicken my pace from the elevator, reach for the handle, give the door a good hard tug and---

THWACK!

My head raps sharply against the glass pane and I let out a loud curse that fills the large empty lobby. The door is locked and doesn't budge. But I don't move either, I just stand there with my head pressed firmly against the glass, trying to peer into the kitchen and trying even harder to figure out why the HELL I can't have my damn waffles! A scowl even crosses my face, and I press my hands up on the glass too, as if that will somehow make the waffles come to me. "I just want a damn waffle…" I repeat to the empty room, not even caring or considering what this would look like if someone came in right now.

As if trying to calm me, the track on my player switches to some smoother jazz. And what's even more irritating about all this is---

"Um, what are you doing?" a voice from behind me asks. It sounds soft but full of resolve. Questioning, and rife with that tone that says, "You look really stupid right now."

I crane my neck so I can see whoever it is upside down from the space in my underarm, and when I do I find myself staring into the chest occupying the low-cut shirt of a girl with long auburn hair. It takes me a full five seconds to comprehend that I'm still staring and haven't answered yet. Spinning on my heel so fast that my spiked hair pushes into my face, I turn to face the girl behind me, rapping the back of my head on the glass again as I do. Another curse escapes my lips and I can feel her still staring as I massage my scalp. But now the staring doesn't feel curious, just amused in that insulting sort of way. "The Gold Chocobo's closed this morning and I uh…wanted…a waffle."

As I finish this awkwardly I realize how stupid all that nonsense I just spewed on the floor sounded, and finally having a good look at the girl makes me feel even dumber. She's...erm… well pretty is the word I'm going to use without being derogatory. Even the cross expression she has seems sultry in a weird, not-on-purpose way. Tall, long legs, flowing hair, and deep brown eyes to boot. Man, how long has she been living here and I've not noticed? I gotta get out more. It also doesn't help that she's wearing a fitted tank top and black sweat pants that really show off her…womanly charms.

Suddenly though, I realize she's not making that face at me, but the Golden Chocobo instead. "Well damn… I need to eat something before my first class. Why are they closed?" she asked, walking up to shake the handle slightly. Again, the door does not budge but as she passes I catch a whiff of some perfume that smells lightly of fruit.

All I can do is shrug and babble a poor response as she turns to face me. "What's your name? I don't think I've seen your around before. You live here in these dorms, right?"

"My name's Cloud," I begin, finally regaining some composure, "yeah, I live here. I don't think I've seen you either, though."

She flashes a winning smile that I have no doubt has broken many-a heart before and says, "Tifa. I'm on the fourth floor. You? Oh, and what's with the headphones?"

"They're for music. I ah… like music. And I'm on the Seventh."

"Oh, a lucky guy huh? You supersitious?" She asks with a laugh like rain, bending slightly at the waist and looking me hard in the eye.

"Not really," I say as coolly as I can with a shrug, "It's just a number, right?"

Her smile fades a little, but still lingers, "I guess so. You sure you'll be okay without that waffle?"

Oh, now she's teasing me.

"Yeah, whatever (no, not whatever). I got food back in my dorm (that's a lie), so I should be fine (also a lie). I don't need one that bad (yes, I do)."

She cocked an eyebrow that still said to me, "you're one weird m-effer" and spoke, "Well okay. Take care, Cloud. See you around."

"Y-yeah. See ya," I responded with a wave.

Awesome. Not only do I not get my waffles, but to make things worse the first attractive girl I meet here thinks I'm awkward. My name's Cloud Strife, 1st Class Dumbass.

Life's great here at Midgar University, huh?