Woo! I haven't written something cute in...far too long, obviously. I know Cloud is SRS BZNESS, but, well, I prefer him when he's riduculous.

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Cloud was brooding his way through Traverse Town. It was certainly an impressive accomplishment, considering most people needed a chair in a shady corner or a back-alley wall in order to have the serious sort of brood that Cloud could accomplish in a brisk walk.

The blond man wasn't entirely sure what he was brooding about, exactly, only that it led him as far away as possible from Leon and his ragtag group. So it was probably Yuffie's fault, Cloud decided. If it wasn't her this time, well, he'd just consider it preemptive brooding, since you could always count on Yuffie to open her mouth at all the wrong times.

So it followed that when Cloud kicked something out of his way for the dozenth time, or so it seemed, he was a little spooked when it whimpered at him. He shook his head, but the whimpering continued and even grew in volume. With a sigh he looked down, and found a pair of wet, black eyes staring right back up at him. Before he could stop it, Cloud felt a smile small break out of his stony veneer. He quickly remedied it with an even stronger scowl than before.

No one had warned him about the puppies.

He nudged the roly-poly ball of fur gingerly with a booted toe, and was a bit disturbed when the dog bit his shoe eagerly. Oh. He was wearing leather boots. Nice leather boots. Nice leather boots that one rambunctious Dalmatian was currently drooling all over. Cloud grimaced and tried to shoo the puppy away, but that only prompted a more energetic round of drool. With a grimace, Cloud lifted the puppy into his arms.

"There. Now at least you won't ruin my— "

But of course. He had forgotten about the leather shoulder straps. The Dalmatian, whom he had privately named Zack (it would have been Yuffie but Cloud was pretty sure it was a boy), was now happily chewing on those. Zack yipped happily at him, and Cloud just shook his head. He certainly was like his namesake, undoubtedly endearing but loud and obnoxious, and with a disturbing penchant for drooling, especially on Cloud. He wondered if Yuffie drooled. Hah. He'd have to ask Leon sometime.

And he kicked something again, but this time the something said, "Hey! Watch where you're going…oh hey Lucky! Is that you?"

"What?' Cloud gave the kid a strange look, but the boy was obviously talking to the puppy in his arms, who was licking the brunet's face enthusiastically.

"Is this dog yours?"

"No. I just found him."

"Oh. Well, he's Lucky and," here the boy, who had a set of spikes on his head that made even Cloud raise his eyebrows, took the puppy from Cloud's arms without his permission, "his parents have been very worried."

"Oh."

"Thanks for picking him up, though. I'm sure Pongo and Perdita will appreciate it."

"No problem," Cloud muttered as the boy ran off again. He continued along his previous path, but something was off. Maybe it was the drool congealing on his shoes and his shoulder, or the new puppy-fur coat that Lucky had shed all over his black clothes. Cloud wasn't exactly sure, but whatever the reason, he couldn't stop smiling.

It was ruining his image.