Drabble #21: Telephone
Summary: Telephones were made so you could check if your loved ones were okay.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Characters and places belong to SquareEnix
"Okay, we're going to have to split up," Cloud sighed, running a hand through his hair as he turned to the group. Nanaki and Vincent nodded as though they already expected such an action, which wouldn't have surprised anyone really.
"Three groups of three," the leader continued. "Make it fair and have a girl in each okay?"
The group nodded in agreement.
"I don't want that thieving ninja in my group!" Barret shouted glaring at Yuffie, who held a hurt expression on her face, feigning innocence.
"Hmm, me neither," the pilot Cid added, stubbing out the last of his cigar. Aeris rolled her eyes.
"I'll go with Cloud." Tifa said. "If that's okay," she added, chancing a glance at him. Cloud nodded, hiding his disappointment. He had wanted Aeris to join his group.
"Well, I'll go with Barret and Cid." Aeris piped. "Since they won't be mature and go with Yuffie."
"Okay, so who will go with Yuffie?" Cloud asked in exasperation. At first nobody said anything and with a sigh Cloud continued.
"Fine, Yuffie can come with Tifa and me then."
It was little over an hour before they reached the hotel. Cloud had wanted to split up to stop ShinRa from catching all nine of them, or to stop Sephiroth targeting the whole group. He reckoned, if they split up and one group got caught, the other two could join up and rescue the one in peril.
Both his and Vincent's group were waiting in the lounge for Barret, Cid and Aeris. Cloud continued to fidget and checked his phone every two minutes. Needless to say, it was tearing at everyone else's patience.
Finally, he got up and left the room, flipping his phone open. Aeris' name was first on his caller list. Partly because her name was first in the alphabet but also because she had the heart icon beside her to show how high Cloud ranked her. Of course, he would never tell her or anybody else that fact!
He pressed the green button and listened to the dialing tone, panic rising through him when she didn't pick up the first five times. He was about to hang up and command the gathered companions to go out and look for her when he heard her voice answer.
"Hey Cloud."
"Where are you?" he asked, looking up through the glass to see everyone staring at him.
"At a café," she replied casually. Cloud frowned.
"What are you doing there?"
"What do you think?" she laughed. "Drinking coffee…"
"Tea you idiot! You won't catch me drinking fucking coffee!" came Cid's voice in the background.
"Or tea in Cid's case," she added after the interruption.
"How far are you?" Cloud sighed.
"Um…about half an hour," she replied. Cloud was silent for a moment.
"Okay," he muttered eventually.
"We'll be there soon. I just thought Barret was going to faint if he didn't eat something. He said something about eating a kitten!" she cried, making a disgusted noise.
"I was only joking foo'!" Barret yelled.
"Whatever." Cloud muttered. "Just get here soon."
"Will do," she answered brightly.
"And Aeris?" he added before he could stop himself.
"Yes, Cloud?"
"…Be careful, okay?"
She was silent for a moment but he got the impression that she was smiling.
"Okay…bodyguard."