Stupid Ass Helmet Hair
"you plan on keeping that on all the time we're here?" Zack asked Cloud looking over to where he stood in front of the inn. The other infantrymen who were with them had took off their helmets a while ago one revealing his choppy brown hair and blue eyes while the other showed his bald head and green eyes. Nobody really cared and Sepiroth wasn't here to tell the off for not wearing full uniform. In fact, he didn't even notice due to his lack of contact with Zack for several days. He was still in Shinra manor, reading.
Both infantrymen were busy, looking for Materia to sell or use on their Weapons. Zack told them any good one go to him which made the men laugh until he added the dreaded 'I mean it' to the conversation.
It was hot in Neibelheim and helmets were never ideal to wear. Although Zack knew he was used to the heat he insisted the hat came off. Cloud persisted though, almost embarrassed in his own town. Even Cloud knew it was unorthodox to wear the helmet. He was feeling the heat through the stuffy helmet but still wouldn't take it off. 'They will have to rip it of my head' he thought growling.
"Yes." Cloud stated simply. 'I can't tell if he's looking at me or past me in that helmet!' Zack thought in frustration turning to see Tifa start to walk over.
Today she was wearing some small black denim shorts and a white cotton cami. She drew Cloud's attention with how she dressed as always making him watch her like a kid at the zoo. After his vague answers in the room Zack had poked and poked for more and in the end all he got was 'Tifa was my friend.' yet Cloud had said he never talked to her.' I don't get that Cloud sometimes He can be so annoying...' Zack thought shaking his head as he looked at the young man beside him.
"Hey Zack!" Tifa said cheerily skipping over. She sent another message about the blonde in SOLDIER today Zack had opened the message only hours ago and it was still fresh in his head. He read it through to himself quickly as he saw Tifa approach:
To: Zack
From: Tifa
Subject: Blonde in SOLDIER.
Message: are you sure he isn't there? It's just this one guy... He made a promise and I worry about him I wanna know if he's okay. You may know him, if you want his name you have to ask me in person but everyone knows around here anyway. All the kids our age think he's dead. They never did like him... Please, see if you know him or if you can find him. He means... A lot to me.
Tifa's email was easy to understand. She was talking about someone from the village so Zack knew she had to have meant Cloud. Zack knew she wanted to know where Cloud was, how Cloud was, but he sure as hell wasn't going to be the one to tell her Cloud was hiding; Mainly from her.
"Um... About that message... I don't want you blabbing to anyone that I asked. If fact, forget I asked." Tifa said sheepishly. 'So I wasn't going to mention the message but she was in front of the guy she was looking to know about?' Zack thought smirking in his head with his hands on his hips. 'The funny part is she doesn't even know...' he added in his head walking close to Tifa an away from Cloud.
"Well, you want to know something, I could help. What's this blonde's name who you're looking for?" Zack asked smirking and putting both his hands behind his head. Cloud was looking at Tifa and didn't notice that Zack was plotting something...
"Why do you want to know?" Tifa asked wearily narrowing her eyes at Zack. He raised an eyebrow at her hostility and caution before looking away and shrugging.
"Gimmie a name and I may know him." Tifa looked at Zack torn between telling him and not. Zack wondered how long until she caved. And sure enough after a very long pause Tifa finally sighed and looked back up to Zack's eyes.
"Cloud Strife." Tifa half sighed half muttered feeling chills go down her spine as she spoke his name. The eyes of an infantryman snapped up to her quickly before Tifa could notice. He was far away from the two but he was eavesdropping just as Zack hoped he would.
Cloud blushed a bit under his helmet. 'Tifa worries about me.' he thought with a smirk. He had read the message at Zack's request and was surprised what she had written. Zack noticed Cloud's face under the helmet and smirked himself. He knew Cloud liked Tifa. The way he spoke of her told him that.
"Heh I know that guy!" Zack exclaimed acting as if Cloud wasn't behind him eavesdropping. "So you're the Tifa he talks about!" Zack added even though the only time they talked about Tifa was last night. 'Shut up Zack!' cloud snarled in his head. He did want Tifa thinking he was weird.
"He... Talks about me?" Tifa whispered a blush on her cheeks 'she likes him!' Zack thought beaming at the girl happily. Cloud lost himself in thoughts about the blush colouring her cheeks. He loved the colour of rose on her cheeks it always made her look radiant he thought.
"Mostly childhood." Zack said quietly before he somehow noticed Cloud become alert after his moments daydream to get Zack away from the girl he was crushing on. Zack looked over just as Cloud started to walk over to them. "Won't shut up about it." Zack added his master plan working in his head. He had to get the two together.
"About what?" Cloud asked in a deep voice. He was trying to hide who he was from Tifa. Tifa looked at him stunned before she started stuttering at him saying it was none of his business and he shouldn't be so nosy.
While she was lecturing Cloud unknowingly, Zack slipped over to talk to the other infantrymen just in the outskirts. He slipped them each 10 Gil.
"Call Cloud for me when I signal you." Zack murmured plan forming in his head. The infantrymen nodded knowing Zack's signal would be an over the shoulder smile like he always used.
Tifa and Cloud were talking quietly while Zack was forming his plan and putting it into motion.
"So... Err..." Cloud started nervously.
"We were talking about a good friend of mine." Tifa said blushing and looking down. She like the attention he was getting from the man in front of her.
"Huh?" was the genius reply from Cloud.
"Me and Zack. We were talking about a friend of mine." Tifa repeated patiently for the boy. He didn't look much older than Tifa and he certainly wasn't much taller. He reminded her of some of the people around her town and he definitely reminded her of Cloud. Little did she know she was comparing him to himself.
"Boyfriend?" Cloud asked arching an eyebrow under his stuffy helmet. He was hoping she wouldn't brush him off like she did a second ago.
"Why don't you ever take that helmet off?" Tifa asked quickly changing the subject. Cloud smirked, she was blushing.
"Because." Cloud said wanting to take off the helmet. He knew it was game over when he did. Cloud didn't notice that he had forgotten to use his deep voice throughout their conversation. Tifa noticed but she didn't say a thing. She liked his actual voice more than his deep voice.
"What's his name?" Cloud asked looking towards Tifa. He already knew from earlier that it was him she was talking about. Just at that point Zack came back.
"Cloud." he said behind them. Cloud turned to look at him.
"Huh?" he asked almost as if trying to cover up for moving as Zack called his name out.
"The guy she likes." Zack said in a 'seriously, you don't know?' raising an eyebrow and motioning to Tifa.
"Huh." Cloud repeated eye wide under the helmet. This time it was more of a recognition than a question. Cloud was on fire in his helmet. He was blushing too much.
"Am I that obvious?" Tifa mumbled blushing and looking down. Cloud blushed more. Then felt his face go it natural colour.
"Heh good thing you like him, he's crazy about you. He blushes when we talk about you." Zack said looking over his shoulder and smirking at the infantryman nearest to the opening to the outskirts. Tifa turned to Cloud with an eyebrow raised at his silence. He was looking down at the floor thinking and trying to keep the light blush off his face.
"What did you say your name was again?" Tifa asked putting her hands on her hips as she looked at Cloud. She scowled at him as if telling him not to tell her a wrong name.
"I'm... Um..." Cloud stuttered before being interrupted by the brown haired infantryman running up towards him from the outskirts of Neibelheim.
"Hey Cloud!" a call came as a figure ran towards the 3 people standing outside the inn. Cloud didn't answer, he feared Tifa finding out.
"Short Spikey ass with the stupid ass helmet on! Cloud! Hellloooo?" a voice called.
"Shit!" Cloud said quickly shooting a glare that was lost in his helmet. This time Cloud turned and acknowledged the man who was running towards him before muttering long string of curse words under his breath.
"did you just say you were going to rip his spleen out shove it up his ass so far he will need someone else to pull it out then you would watch him scream in pain, chop his balls with a rusty blunt knife, pull out his organs for Chocobos to eat and then use his balls in a game of tennis?" Zack breathed leaving out the many choice curse words. Cloud growled in response.
"Maybe..." Cloud mumbled back.
"You have issues." Zack said walking towards a now wide eyed Tifa.
"Cloud! Cloud! Come and help me and Kahn with the Materia search! Zack said that-" the infantryman stopped in front of the first class SOLDIER.
"Hi Zack!" he added looking over to him and saluting standing up straight.
"Hey Dylan!" Zack greeted back carefully slipping 50 more Gil into his hand for good acting and getting the job done in the right timing.
"Cloud?" Tifa whispered. She wasn't standing close enough for anyone to hear. Besides that Cloud was too angry to have heard. He tried to ignore the man but couldn't.
Soon noticing what Cloud was wearing Dylan asked the million dollar question "Are you going to take your helmet off, Cloud?" he asked ruffling his own hair. Dylan got no response from the stone man. He shrugged defiantly before his happy mood returned.
"Hey! Dylan, you're meant to be helping me!" another Infantryman said from behind Dylan. Kahn had made an appearance.
"I was enlisting Short and Spikey to do a little work instead of flirting with his childhood crush!" Dylan said mostly joking but he succeeded in making both Tifa and Cloud blush.
"Oh! By the way, your mom came past me Cloud; I knew it was your mom 'cause she was like, the only one looking at me like I knew something she didn't. She invited to tea tonight along with us and Zack!" Kahn turned to go back to the outskirts he turned and snickered as noticed Cloud's choice in head gear.
"Lose the helmet Cloud. I'm pretty sure your hair will be flat." he added with a smirk "and we wouldn't want those pretty little blue eyes and that pretty little face covered up now do we?" Kahn could be almost evil at times. He once again smirked before walking off back towards the outskirts exit where he came from. Dylan followed after him giving Cloud a thumbs up as if to tell him 'good luck with that new problem that emerged!'
"Cloud...?" Tifa repeated looking g wide eyed at the only infantryman in a helmet. She came closer to him almost putting her body flush against his. He couldn't see the cheeky ambition behind her shocked eyes as she came closer. All he could thing was 'crap...' all Tifa could think was how much she hoped it was him even if he was hiding, she wanted to know he was safe.
"Tifa?" he asked as she came even closer until it was physically impossible to be any closer. Suddenly the girl's hands flicked up and the weight of the helmet was lifted off Cloud's head. His hair wasn't even flattened a tiny bit; it sprang straight back to its original position from that morning causing Cloud to rub the back of his head.
Tifa looked angrily at the boy in front of her she scowled and punched his arm first, causing him to rub his well covered arm flinching away from her as she looked at him angrily.
"So it IS you!" she shouted frowning at him. Her eyebrows knitted together and a frown pulled on all her facial features. Then she scowled at him, he wasn't getting away from this easily. Next Tifa reached over and slapped Cloud. Everyone in the area turned to them, Cloud was sure even the infantrymen in the outskirts heard the sound of the slap.
"Shit Tifa what was that for!" Cloud exclaimed rubbing his cheek. She had a good arm. He wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of a punch from her.
Zack watched everything. He just stood there smirking 'serves you right for trying to hide from her.' he thought leaning back on a post outside the inn. He was enjoying this thoroughly watching without anyone else having knowledge to the matter. He thought he was the only one who saw the twinkle in Tifa's eyes which ignited quickly after realising Cloud was there.
All of a sudden Tifa's scowl at Cloud diminished and she pulled him close to herself in an embrace. Tifa skilfully wound her arms around Cloud's neck holding her hands behind his head and pulling his face down to hers.
At first Cloud didn't know what to do, Tifa was kissing him. His childhood best friend was kissing him. At first he was unresponsive but eventually as Tifa's hands travelled to his blonde hair and wove into some of the spikes there Cloud sprung back to life kissing her back passionately and moving his hands to the small of her back pulling her closer to him. Cloud felt her smile on his lips.
Cloud's enthusiastic response made Tifa pull away smiling. She rested her forehead to his.
"What was that for?" Cloud breathed as he smiled. Tifa smiled slightly too before pulling away to look at his now reddening cheek. She brushed it lightly while at the same time rubbing the arm she punched lightly trying not to hurt him again.
"The punch was for lying." she said lightly drawing a circle where she hit. "The slap was for hiding from me." she added caressing his cheek lovingly placing a kiss on his reddening skin.
"And the kiss?" Cloud asked looking to her lips longingly wanting another kiss already.
"It was because I missed you but you came back." Tifa whispered against Clouds lips before she kissed him softly again. Not a long kiss, just a peck but it made Cloud's eyes shoot up gleaming and happy that he had finally been able to get out of the hat and also that Tifa had kissed him. He beamed extra wide at the thought, and Cloud never smiled!
Zack was still watching the private moment when Kahn and Dylan came back with a small bag of Materia. Zack acknowledged the two by raising a palm off his folded arms in an almost wave gesture eves never leaving Tifa and Cloud.
"Pleasure doing business guys." Zack said catching the bag as it was thrown at him. It was caught effortlessly by the SOLDIER who didn't even seem to move that much as he caught the bag. The two men looked at each other stunned at his accuracy in the catch before they joined him where he stood standing straight up behind him.
"What you watching?" Kahn asked looking towards what he was watching anyway.
"Porn." Zack said sarcastically rolling his eyes at the couple before him. "Them." he added in a frustrated tone nodding towards Cloud ad Tifa while folding his arms with the Materia bag still in his fist.
"Finally." the infantrymen both said at the same time before looking at each other in shock at their in sync answering. They both shrugged it off as Cloud taking his sweet time to take his god dammed helmet off.
"Heh maybe he'll shut up about her for once." Kahn said smirking in his own way and putting his hands on his hips and watching the two too.
"Dude, now you got to worry about him telling you how it is to kiss her like a girl out of a movie would!" Zack teased. He smiled as he saw Cloud whisper something to Tifa but frowned when he saw the angry man behind them. Zack raised an eyebrow but decided that Chocobo's-ass was on his own.
The man stood and watched fuming as Cloudplayed with his daughters hair standing there for all to see as she hugged then kissed him many times. The man didn't call him Cloud, he opted for boy or kid or Strife or just plain old HIM. The HIM was always capital and italicised when it came to Cloud in his mind.
He was almost tempted to step forward angrily and give the boy a piece of his mind but all the others in the village had turned away, none paying attention to the now happy couple. He would just cause a row between him and Tifa again. 'It wasn't worth it,' Mr. Lockhart thought grumbling to himself as he turned and walked back to his house.
Neither Cloud nor Tifa even noticed that the older man was there. They were too caught up looking at each other.
"Hey Spikey! We need to go do some missions! Shinra orders!" Zack called looking from Cloud to the two infantrymen slumping by his side. That was the sign that meant 'we have stupid missions.'
"I'll see you soon." Tifa whispered once again kissing Cloud. This time the kiss was full and open mouthed with tongues. Cloud couldn't even breathe when he broke apart.
"What was that for?" he repeated his earlier words in almost a pant.
"so you don't forget me." Tifa said smiling ad touching the tip of her nose.
"I never could." Cloud told her kissing her himself. Tifa was surprised by his forwardness.
"so... meet you tomorrow? By the water tower?" Tifa asked hopefully looking at her fingers as she spoke.
"yes." Cloud answered earning another kiss as they parted ways.
They didn't know that tomorrow would change their loves forever, they didn't know that the after tonight there wouldn't be a water tower.
They didn't know what was in store for them now.