Wayward Dreamer

Everywhere around him, there was a blinding white light. His mind's eye seemed to be working sharply like a camera, changing angles here and there to navigate. In one perspective, someone was barely caught passing by this "camera" angle. Flowing silver hair was caught in a graceful arc behind the leather clad form. The dreamer made a slight noise, but his breath caught in his throat from shock.

The angle changed, and this familiar mystery person was caught with only the left side of his body exposed. Sadly, the "camera" only caught from his nose to his hips.

"It wasn't…" The dreamer debated as his vision started to become engulfed in white.

"…was it?"

Cloud woke up with his covers pushed down to his waist. His right hand was placed on his stomach. His left arm was stretched out by his side. His eyes were barely opened, but through his lashes, he could see the ceiling clearly. From the lighting of his room, he could see that it was just before dawn. The sun was emerging; his blackened room was being wiped to a brighter shade by hands of light. He stared aimlessly at the ceiling for a long time. By the time he actually sat up, it was dawn. He couldn't say what time he fell asleep, but he knew that he didn't get anywhere near the full four hours of sleep that he was used to getting recently. However, he felt just as rested as though he had indeed had reached his usual level of sleep deprivation.

He shuffled out of his room and went downstairs to the tavern, which was quiet and still in the way too early morning. Tifa would be down soon, he knew, but he just wanted to steal some time to himself if possible. Absently, he walked over to one of the booths and sat down. His left hand loosely embraced his right half fist. His blue eyes regarded the surrounding stillness with admiration. In his mind, he couldn't bring forth no thoughts about the stillness.

Just as it was, he was just there.

After looking around, he tapped his foot once and looked to his left toward the staircase he had earlier descended before looking over to his far right where the windows were. Without really knowing why or even noticing, the left corner of his mouth twitched up with the want of a smile but went no further. He stared out at the streets of Edge, hands still clasped together, and soon, he found that thought was making its way to the front of his mind.

That was definitely him, but what could he possibly want with me? I really hope that he's not coming back for another round… At this point, his right hand moved of its own accord up to his chest just above where his heart was. Cloud continued to stare absently out the window. I don't think that I can take much more of that right now, especially after helping Vincent take down Deepground… This time another smile-want tugged at the left corner of his lips, and it was of a bitterness that he again may not have noticed. …I don't think I have much energy for anything.

There was the sound of shuffling, and Cloud blinked as though he was coming out of a trance. His right hand moved to the table in front of him curled back into a half fist, but it rested even with his left arm's wrist instead of nestled safely inside of the nook of the left hand. Moving his eyes to his left first, Cloud turned his head back towards the stairs. He blinked again; this time, his mouth parted just slightly.

"Denzel? What are you doing up so late, I mean early? Shouldn't you be asleep?"

Denzel shook his head, a smile set on his face. "No. I have things to do way out in Kalm."

Cloud thought about what the boy just said and wondered if the young one heard it himself.

"In…Kalm?" Cloud repeated when he realized that the other was not going to correct himself.

"Mhm. Mr. Valentine, er, Vincent said I could come over. I don't know how I got so lucky." Denzel jumped down from his position on the third step and landed on the ground with a slight groan.

He paused and remembered that the girls of the house could very well still be sleeping. He looked over his shoulder towards the top of the stairs and waited for a few seconds. When he turned nothing, he looked at Cloud and gave a cheesy yet sheepish smile, realizing that he shouldn't have done that to start off with. It was at that moment that Cloud realized Denzel had a duffle bag slung over his shoulder.

"Hey. What's in that—" Cloud stood up slightly, looking curiously at Denzel.

"Okay, later, Cloud!" Denzel said emphatically, cutting him off as he ran happily towards the door.

Cloud stood up a bit straighter and watched Denzel open and close the door. Blue eyes watched Denzel walk a bit to the right of the door, stand in front of the window and look around a bit before running in the opposite direction towards the entrance of town.

He pondered sitting down as half-standing the way he was was already starting to become uncomfortable, but he scooted sideways out of the booth and crossed the room to the bar. He leaned over and looked at the wall in front of him.

Tifa has her own nice little set up here. Can't be focused on your own thoughts if you're serving up beers and listening to someone else tell theirs. For some reason, that amused him a bit. The idea of Tifa listening to some out-of-work mako manufacturer whine about his time working under ShinRa while she tuned him out with some internal musical... It made him want to laugh. He didn't outright laugh, but he chuckled nonetheless. He wandered around the bar slowly and aimlessly in his white tank top and dark grey sleeping pants. His bare feet padded along the floor as he thought his random thoughts about bits and pieces of the Tavern. Eventually, he walked upstairs, idly scratching his lower back.

He made it into his room just in time to hear his phone vibrate. He stopped in front of his dresser and did a three-quarter turn in the direction of the noise. At first, he wasn't sure what it was he heard, but as the second and third vibration sounded, he became more assured that it was his phone going off. He walked toward his bed before glancing over his shoulder to the analog clock. It was 7:45 in the morning. He had wasted close to two hours downstairs. He noted this to himself only as he made his way toward his bed. He bent down closer so he could hear just where the phone would be. After fishing in his bunched up sheets for a little, the blond pulled his phone out and flipped it open. He stared at the screen to make sure that there was in fact a call.

"Cloud," he answered lazily.

A chuckle greeted him from the other side. "I thought you would never pick up."

Cloud's eyes widened a little bit, and he wasn't sure what he was hearing. The voice sounded more familiar than most. He shook his head a little bit, not understanding or really…

…not wanting to believe…

"Who is—"

"Just who do you think it is? Cloud?" The husky and confident voice confirmed more of his fears. However, just as quickly as the disbelief and fear had come, anger and confusion set in just as quickly. "Just what do you want, Rufus?"

"Oh, I was just in the neighborhood…"

"You're never 'just' anywhere, Rufus. Tell me what you want."

"Tsk, tsk. Cloud, so callous."

"Isn't it a bit impersonal of you to call, especially so early in the morning?" Cloud began his idle walk around his room.

"I just wanted to see how you were," Rufus' voice replied calmly.

At that moment, Tifa had made her way down the hall. She had heard Cloud's voice and wanted to make sure he was okay. In the event he saw her, she would just pretend she were going downstairs to the bar.

"I'm hanging up," Cloud said petulantly.

Rufus chuckled. "I'm sorry. How rude of me. Let me get to the point."

Cloud stopped walking and was now standing at the foot of his bed right in front of the dresser. His head was tipped upward and slightly backwards. He looked thoughtfully towards the corner of the ceiling. Tifa watched as quietly as she could wondering who he was talking to and what he could possibly be talking about.

"Cloud, I realize that I've done a great injustice to you and your friends, moreso than probably anybody has done to just a single person. I've decided that I want…to make amends."

"Make amends how and it isn't just me that you've done 'a great injustice' to, Rufus. It was us and the World. Everyone in Gaia either fears or hates your name. What could you possibly do now?"

Rufus' response didn't come quickly, but it came hard: "I want to make him go away."

Cloud's breath caught in his throat, and he actually bunched up his eyebrows. There was a strain that was being put on his mind. He understood just who it was Rufus meant, but he didn't understand exactly what he meant. Was that even possible?

Make 'him' go away. You couldn't possibly do that, Shinra. I know you couldn't, he thought to himself. Aloud, he settled with: "You're kidding."

"No, no. Trust me. I'm not kidding you."

"Trusting you isn't exactly an easy thing, Shinra," Cloud said lowly, turning his back on his door and walking forward slowly towards his window. "Just what kind of joke is this?"

"No joke. No games. In fact, I want you to come to the Healin Lodge just to show you my good will. Say around ten o'clock."

Cloud stopped walking and looked over his shoulder towards his clock again. Tifa, thinking he had suspected something, shrank back and hid out of his sight. The blond saw the time was five past eight. He looked away and faced forward again. He remained silent for a few seconds longer.

"Make it eleven, and I'll be there," he said finally, his tone heavy with obligation.

"Done. I'll be seeing you."

Cloud pulled away the phone and ended the conversation. He turned towards his right as he tossed the mobile onto his bed. As he thought about what he did, he walked over towards his window and leaned against the left side, staring down at the streets. It was still so quiet out there. What were people dreaming right now? He could only hope peaceful thoughts.

"Cloud..?" came a soft voice.

He turned around and looked at the brunette standing in his doorway. "Tifa."

"I heard," she paused, "part of your conversation. Where are you going?"

"Nowhere just yet," he responded, avoiding the topic.

He turned away from her, going back to view out the window.

"Then where at eleven?" Tifa asked more sternly, noting his vague answer.

Cloud was quiet for a long time.

"Cl—"

"I'm going to see Rufus."

"Why?"

"I don't know." His head only moved, and he peered at her from over his right shoulder.

Tifa stared at him, a worried expression overtaking her features. Cloud turned to face her one more. He walked over towards her.

"Tifa, I—"

"Just don't get hurt." She looked away from him as though he had said something hurtful.

The blond looked down at her and then nodded, shifting backwards a little. "OK. I'll be careful."

"I'm serious this time." Tifa turned her worried look back on him. "If I have to come out there and save your ass, then it's only because you don't know how to listen. That's your problem, Cloud. You don't listen."

"Tifa. I heard you." The weariness of his early day was showing in his voice.

"No. I mean you don't listen. It's more than just words, Cloud. What lies underneath those words?" She placed her left fist over her bosom and took one step forward. "What does that person really mean?" She moved her head to emphasis her words, taking more and more steps towards Cloud.

The blond didn't move. Tifa sighed and dropped her fist. She raised her right hand instead.

"Use this a bit more," she said jabbing Cloud in the temple with each word, "and stop listening to your own thoughts."

She turned around and walked out of the door. Cloud watched her leave, his head tipped a bit towards the right. His expression was empty, but he reviewed over what she just said.

Stop using…my own thoughts… Hn.

He closed his eyes and walked towards his door, placing a hand on the surface.

I'm only afraid of the thoughts I will hear if they're not my own.

With that, he closed the door quietly, so he could get some sleep.

The time was eight thirty.