Intrinsic Quality
By Timberwolf220

Morning

Cloud pulled his blankets back quietly and slipped into a pair of slippers that were left next to his bed. He dug his heels into the ground and stretched briefly. Gently, he pulled open the curtains and blinked away the morning glare from his eyes. He picked up his shirt which he left upon the chair and slid his arms through the black sleeves. He tugged the shirt gently and watched the folds crease at his touch. He quietly picked up his sword and walked out of his room.

His room was on the ground floor. He preferred it that way. He disliked living at a height. It disorientated him. He climbed up the steps and checked the rooms. It had been a hard night yesterday with work. He silently made sure everyone was in bed. Leon's bed was empty. Cloud went down the stairs again.

A few metres away, Cloud placed his blade onto the ground. He saw Leon in the distance, his blade a whirl of light in his hands. Cloud never looked for very long. The sun was pressing itself against the sky and Cloud had things to do.

Breakfast

He could smell the pancakes and waffles that Aerith was preparing. He sidled up next to her and licked his lips in anticipation. She swung her hand at him and admonished him gently. Rebuked, he sat down and watched her. She wasn't the same and she was. He remembered her in dreams and passing nightmares, but the feelings were as dry as the land around them. She knew, he knew. They expected nothing.

Yuffie was sleepily making her way to the table. Leon too was walking towards the table like a man with a job on his mind. They sat down quietly; Yuffie still rubbing the sleep from her eyes and Leon with the glare of the sun in his grey. Cloud watched at Aerith placed a large bunch of pancakes on the table. Leon and Yuffie tensed at each other with warning looks and immediately started grabbing everything they could.

Aerith sighed. Cloud chuckled.

Late Morning

Tifa had dragged them all to fix the pipelines they had accidentally broken last night. Cloud blamed it on Leon's ineffective gunblade. Leon blamed it on Cloud's Buster sword. They generated into a petty argument about "whose sword was better" for five minutes until Tifa got sick of their bickering and punched them both.

After that, they started working under Tifa's iron-tight supervision with only occasional taunts and insults.

Afternoon

Cloud and Leon flopped onto the ground in exhaustion. Cloud spread out his arms and legs, feeling the ground bite gently into his back and hidden wing. He frowned and turned to Leon. The other man had his eyes blissfully closed and there was a crease between his eyebrows. Cloud turned away for the second time and stared at the sky.

Cloud hadn't realized how blue the sky could be.

Late Afternoon

"They saw him there again."

"Is that right…"

"He's waiting."

"…"

"How long are you going to avoid him?"

"For as long as I can."

Evening

They had finally finished patching up the broken pipeline. They put away their equipment and sat down in a circle as Aerith passed around the water. Cloud took a long swig from the bottle itself, ignoring Leon and Tifa's protests. He returned the bottle to Aerith and leaned against the wall.

Leon grumbled that Cloud always got what he wanted from Aerith. Tifa winked and said that Cloud was a womanizer. Cloud protested vehemently. Aerith simply smiled. Tifa continued, on a roll, saying that Cloud was a master of courtship and that he could have anybody he wanted. Leon stated that Cloud had to be the worst womanizer in the world since he never talks. Tifa said 'a man doesn't need words to know a woman's heart'.

Leon said that was 'bullshit'.

Tifa hit him. Cloud laughed.

It had been a long time since he had done that.

Twilight

Most of them were taking baths. Cloud could hear the tell-tale sounds of a running shower and went outside. The purple shade of the sky made him uneasy. The dark brought many things. Heartless wasn't the only thing. He fingered his sword, tapping against the length. He sat there, against the door and stared at the sky. The blue was fading as if being slowly erased by an artist.

Leon stood there next to him, his gunblade slung easily on his shoulders. Cloud ignored him. Leon ignored him. They stayed like that until the blue was fully purged and the softer noises began to drift past them. Behind them, Tifa was calling them to dinner. Leon said they would be right there. His eyes were sharp, too sharp. Cloud wondered if Leon ever slept peacefully. Leon shook him and told him dinner was ready.

With a long sigh, Cloud got onto his feet and followed Leon into the house.

Night

Cloud stood on the rooftop, his arms wide open. Slowly, he let his wing stretch. It flapped at bit before going still. Cloud touched it gently and felt it tremble. As always, it was cold to his touch. Cloud pulled his hand away and stared at the large castle that loomed over their lives.

There. He is waiting there.

Cloud realized that he wasn't really avoiding the conflict that was to come. He simply enjoyed his time here. Or maybe he was seeing a little bit of light? Somewhere, there was a presence easing him out of nightmares. He thought of Aerith and he knew she couldn't shoulder him. He knew. She knew.

He pressed the wing onto his back as the wind grew stronger. He needed to go there. He wanted to go there. Maybe he was running away. Maybe he was scared. So then what? Since when had such meaningless things stopped him?

When had he stopped feeling scared?

"Are you going?" Leon asked him.

"Not yet," Cloud said.

"That's good."

Cloud thought about that statement and replied with a refreshing smile, "I suppose it is."