This is a semi-AU, only in that the Nibelheim Incident never happened. Of course, Zack is still here, too…
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy 7 or any of its spin-offs. That said, enjoy!
Midgar Mash
He leapt backwards, dodging the sword crashing towards him. Skidding to a halt, he braced his feet and leapt back, bringing his own blade back towards his foe. The other man ducked to his left, rolled, and pulled himself to his feet in a swift, fluid motion. He shot a smirk in the younger man's direction and raised his sword to a ready stance before charging.
A cell phone started to ring, and the man on the defense raised his hands in a time-out before pulling the phone from his pocket. The other man lowered his sword and shrugged, slipping his own from his pocket and shifting through the menus before finding the desired option. He pressed the 'OK' key and watched as the scenery around them started to collapse in green squares.
His sparring partner flipped his phone open and dropped his shoulders, "Damn, she hung up…"
"What's the matter, Cloud? Was that Teeefaaa?"
"Shut up, Zack." He tucked his phone back into his pocket, "I'll call her back later. When I don't have a bug listening in with genetically enhanced hearing." Despite his words, he still wore a smile on his youthful face.
Zack laughed, "You can run, but you can't hide!"
The blond sheathed his sword on his back, "Thanks again for training me… Since making the cut for SOLDIER, I've needed all the help I could get."
"No prob! I had Angeal to teach me the ropes, so I can just imagine the respect you must have for me!"
"I wouldn't say respect…"
"Hey!"
"You walked into that one."
"Geez, man. Take a chill pill." His unnaturally bright eyes lit up, "Oh, wait… I know… You just want to call your girlfriend back, riiiight?"
A hot blush burned at the blond's face, "That one's not gonna work anymore, Zack."
"What? Why? It always made you snap before…"
"It won't work because she actually is my girlfriend now."
Zack blinked, "Seriously?"
Cloud nodded, "Yeah. I asked her last weekend… She screamed so loud she almost ruptured my eardrum. Didn't help that I was still getting used to the heightened SOLDIER senses of Second Class…"
"Bummer." He walked around to Cloud's side, setting one arm across his armored shoulders and using the other to noogie his best friend, "Could've been worse, though."
"Yeah… I know."
"Imagine if she'd shot you down!"
"Zack… You know what?"
He grinned, "What?"
"You're a terrible friend."
"Hey!"
"Yet you're the best friend I could ask for at the same time."
He scratched the back of his head, "Aw, thanks!"
Cloud took his chance to escape from his best friend-slash-superior officer and bolted for the door, "And we all know how fast I can run!"
"H-hey! Cloud!"
The blond could hear the footsteps of his SOLDIER friend thundering behind him as he gave chase, but Cloud knew he'd never catch up. He could outrun Zack back before he'd gotten the SOLDIER 'upgrades' and wasn't about to lose now. The thuds of boots faded into the distance behind him, and he took a sharp left, racing to the Second Class lounge like his life depended on it.
The nineteen-year-old slowed to a stop as he walked inside, catching the attention of a few other SOLDIER's scattered about. He closed the door and entered the commands to lock it from everyone, even Firsts.
Cloud turned gave an exasperated look to the rest of his peers, "First one of you who says I'm lucky to have a First for a mentor can handle him when he comes looking for me."
All of them turned and went back to whatever they were doing at once. Cloud nodded, "Yeah. Thought so."
He walked over to the window and sat on one of the sofas nearby. Taking out his phone, he checked his messages to listen to his most recent call. Her voice spoke through from the other end, "Hi, Cloud! It's me, Tifa. It's been awhile, and I just wanted to see what was up. I guess you're working now, though. Call me back, okay? I have something I want to ask you! Talk to you soon! Bye!"
He dialed her number and waited for her to pick up with a bright, "Hello!"
He swallowed, "Hey, Tifa. It's me… I got your message."
"Hi, Cloud! What's up?"
"Same old… I was training with Zack when you called, sorry."
"It's okay. I know you have to work."
"Yeah…" He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, "You said you wanted to talk to me about something?"
"Oh, yeah! Everyone in Nibelheim is getting together to plan a Halloween party, and I was wondering if you could come?"
"Halloween? Ah… I think I'm free then…"
"Maybe you could come for a week? I mean, we haven't actually seen each other since we started dating."
He could see her making finger quotations around the word 'dating' but decided not to mention it. Instead, he replied with, "I'd like that. I'll check my calendar and see if I can get that much time off."
"Great! I can't wait to see you, Cloud!"
"Same here. I mean, I can't wait to see you."
She giggled softly, "I know what you meant."
Pounding sounded from the door to the lounge, followed by Zack's distinct voice, "I know you're in there, Spike! Open up!"
He sighed into the phone, "I gotta go. The puppy needs to be let in."
She laughed openly, knowing Zack's former mentor's name for him, "Don't want him to feel neglected."
"You sure?"
"Just imagine how needy he'll get if you do neglect him that much."
"I suppose… Well, I better go. Talk to you soon. Bye, Tifa."
"Yeah. Bye, Cloud."
"Bye…" He snapped his phone shut and slid it in his pocket before standing. Making his way over to the door, he entered the code to open it and stepped to the side as the panel slid open and watched as Zack fell to the floor.
The dark-haired man straightened himself out, "Hey! Some warning would be nice!"
Cloud raised an eyebrow, "Yeah? Some privacy would be nice, too."
"Then get your own apartment and stop mooching off of me!"
"You'll be free of me for Halloween, if nothing else."
Zack paused, "Huh? Why?"
"Because I'm going to visit my girlfriend for the-" he checked his calendar in his phone, "whole week of Halloween."
"Can I come?"
"Why?"
"Because! I want to see the kids in action!"
"Then no."
"I'm kidding! I want to see how the town's doing since we fixed up the reactor!"
"Of course. I believe your first answer more."
"You're gonna need help with a costume…"
"I can stop in any shop and buy something."
"I can help! I gotta get something, anyway."
"Why? Where are you going for Halloween?"
"I dunno. But you gotta dress up, right?"
Cloud slapped a hand to his forehead, "I swear, you're just an insatiable child inside a twenty-one-year-old body…"
***
Tifa sat inside her bedroom, sewing needle clamped between her teeth, lining up the two pieces of white fabric before her. A raven-haired head poked in the doorway behind her, "Hey, Tifa. Are you still working on that?"
She looked over her shoulder at the eighteen-year-old girl, "Oh, hey, Meiday…" She looked down at her project, "Yeah… I want everything to be perfect."
Meiday shrugged, "Whatever. Sure, you haven't seen him since last year, but still…"
Tifa smiled shyly, "But, Meiday… Cloud and I are officially dating now…"
"I know. You told me when it happened, remember?"
"Yeah, but still…"
She gave a smirk, "I know… First boyfriend and all."
"Yeah…"
"Wel and Dan are gonna be ticked when you tell them. Or show them. Whatever comes first."
She blushed, "Mei!"
"You know what I'm talking about. Won't change their thoughts, though."
She shrugged, "I can't help who I'm attracted to…"
"I know. You've been in for Cloud since the day he left."
"Mei! Stop that!"
"What? It's true."
"I know… But still!"
Her childhood friend laughed, "Well, I'll let you get to work. Don't want the princess to be without a costume, now do we?"
"For the last time, Mei, I'm not going as a princess!"
***
Zack flipped his phone out of his pocket and dialed the familiar number. The girl on the other end answered brightly, "Hello, Zack!"
"Hey, Aerith! How're you doing?"
"I'm okay… A little busy, but I'll manage."
"Oh, yeah… You're doing that Halloween thingy, aren't you?"
"Zack… It's not a 'thingy'… I'm helping people who can't afford costumes get one."
"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry!"
She giggled, "It's okay."
"Great! So! What're you doing Halloween night?"
"My mom and I are having a little Halloween party for the kids since candy for trick-or-treating is so hard to come by down here."
"Ah… Such an admirable goal. Can I help?"
"I don't think so, mister! The last time I let you near the kitchen…"
"Aw, come on! I could decorate…"
"That's already done. All that's left is the baking and the sewing of costumes."
"Aw, man…"
"Why? We can see each other easily enough…"
"Well, it's just that Cloud's running off to Nibelheim for Halloween and now you're busy… I'm lonely."
"Zack… Find something to entertain yourself. You always have in the past."
"Hm… Okay."He nodded with a grin, mischievous thoughts crossing into his mind instantly.
***
Cloud ran into the Shinra building and skid to a stop at the sight of Zack leaning casually against the information desk. He jogged over to his friend, "Zack, I need a lift! The helicopter taking me to Nibelheim is leaving in three hours and I don't have a costume yet… Tifa'll kill me if I show up without something!"
Zack smiled, "Relax, buddy! I got you a costume yesterday. I knew you were busy with that mission in Sector Three, so I thought I'd help you out!"
"I never thought I'd say this, but thank the Goddess you're here. What is it?"
The dark-haired SOLDIER held a shopping bag towards his friend, "Here you go, Spike!"
Cloud glanced in the bag and held up the deceptively heavy piece of headgear, "You're kidding me, right?"
"Of course not! See what I got?" He reached inside another bag and held up a black coat adorned with gold trimming.
"Zack, I don't even want to know what that gaudy thing is for." He turned to leave, "Anyway, I gotta go pack… I guess I don't have a choice but to wear this… costume."
He extended a hand to halt the blond's escape, "Ah-ah-ah… Every favor comes with a price."
"Fine." He pulled out his wallet, "How much did it cost you?"
"Naw, I don't want your money."
"Oh, boy. Then what?"
"Well…" He walked a full circle around Cloud with his fingers linked behind his head, "I'm going to be incredibly bored here in Midgar… Aerith is busy and doesn't want my help, you're leaving, Kunsel's visiting his family in Junon… I'm gonna be all alone here…"
Cloud dropped his head to his palm, "Goddess, no…"
Zack grinned, "You know it. I'll give you that costume -free of charge- if you let me go with you."
"Damn it… I hate you, Zack."
"So do we have a deal?"
***
Tifa smoothed the wrinkles out of her completed costume and set the hangar in her closet. From the open window came the distinctive sound of rotor blades in the distance. She smiled against the cool October breeze and ran down the stairs of her home, grabbing a jacket on the way. Racing through town, she found her way to the front gate and held a hand over her brow to shield her eyes from the afternoon sun. The helicopter hovered four feet above the ground, forcing Tifa to plant her feet firmly to stay put.
The door on the side slid open and two duffel bags hit the ground before a figure leapt out after. Another, albeit taller, one followed quickly as the helicopter started to fly away. Cloud lifted one of the bags over his shoulder and started towards the town, glancing up as a pair of boots came into his line of vision.
Tifa waited for him to look up at her and grinned. She threw her arms around his neck and squeezed tightly, "Cloud! It's been so long!"
The blond, not fully prepared for her forward greeting, awkwardly set his hands on her back to return the hug, "Um, hi, Tifa… I'm sorry… I had to bring Zack with me…"
She looked over her boyfriend's shoulder at the grinning dark-haired man behind him, "Uh, why?"
"He made me."
"He made you?"
"He threatened my costume."
"Really?"
"Yeah… His girlfriend was busy for the holiday and he was bored. He thought it would be entertaining to bargain my costume for permission to come and, I quote, 'watch the kids in action.'"
Tifa blushed and faced the other man still standing in the back, "Zack, do you want to die?"
He grinned wider, "Nope! So, Tifa, it's been awhile, huh?"
"Three years, yeah. But, really, Zack?"
"What?"
"You couldn't go home for the weekend?"
"Nah, my parents are fine on their own. I just visited last month."
She groaned and dropped her forehead to Cloud's shoulder, mumbling under her breath, "I hate you, Zack."
Cloud heard what she said and added, "I think we all do."
She laughed and just seemed to realize the position they were in. Blushing, she leaned back and managed a shy smile, "So… How have you been? You told me you made Second?"
"Yeah. I got the notice and called you right away."
"That was sweet."
They stayed that way for a little while, sitting in awkward silence. Zack picked up his duffel, "I'm gonna go get a hotel room."
Completely ignoring Zack, Tifa bit her lip and asked, "So, do you want to go see your mom? She's missed you."
Cloud's chin dipped into a nod, "Yeah." Keeping his duffel over one shoulder, he hesitantly reached out and took her hand in his.
She looked up at him with a smile and squeezed his hand to show her approval, "This feels nice."
His lips turned slightly upwards, "I thought so too." He looked around the small town and inhaled deeply, "I missed the country. Sure, Midgar's huge, and if you want something there's always a store that has it, but there's nothing like fresh air."
"Is the pollution that bad?"
He shook his head with a sigh, "You wouldn't believe."
"I probably wouldn't… Not until I see it for myself."
He turned to look at her, seeing the small smile on her face, "Tifa? What're you talking about?"
"I'm going back with you, Cloud. I've been saving up all my money for the last few years and, after some research, I know I have enough to pay for an apartment in Midgar for a few months."
"Tifa, that's…"
"What? That's what, Cloud?"
He smiled more fully, "That's great news, Teef."
"You know… I'm not just going for you… Though," her smile became a little brighter while her blush deepened, "that is the reason for my choice of city."
He turned to her more fully, "What do you mean?"
"I considered Junon… or maybe Mideel… or Kalm… But I decided on Midgar because you were there."
"Teef?"
"Yeah?"
"You said I was only a deciding factor in where you go… But why are you leaving in the first place?"
She grinned openly, "I want to open my own restaurant. And while the folks in Nibelheim are great and they've all complemented my cooking before, I can't bring myself to ask them to pay for it. Besides, a bigger city means more prospective customers."
"A restaurant, huh? What kind?"
"A bar and grill sort of place. I want to call it 'Seventh Heaven.'"
"How come?"
"I don't know. It's just a name that came to me. Do you like it?"
"Yeah. It sounds great. What kind of food will you serve? Please tell me you'll have your mom's beef stroganoff…"
She laughed, "Sure! And I'll give you discounts on it, too!"
"What? Your boyfriend has to pay?"
"Well, of course! How else am I going to make a profit?"
"By having your boyfriend spread the word to all his rich SOLDIER friends?"
"Hm, that could help."
Cloud stopped in his tracks when they came to the center square, glancing around left and right. Tifa couldn't suppress her giggle no matter how hard she tried. The entire section of the town had been completely redone for the upcoming party. Fake cobwebs, garland with fake spiders inside, tombstones, jack-o-lanterns, wooden carts for food, Christmas lights twisted around every house and along the well to serve as lighting after dark, everything. Tifa let go of his hand moved to stand in the middle, "What do you think?"
He walked slowly through the area, observing the detail put into the decorations, "It looks… incredible. I almost didn't recognize my own house."
"Yeah. And the creepy Shinra mansion in the hills adds to the haunted effect, doesn't it?"
"Yeah… That might not be a good thing… Zack has more than a few ghost stories to tell about that place."
"All the better. Come on. Let's go see your mom!" She took his hand and pulled him over to his house, stopping at the doorway, and nudged him forward.
He looked back at her briefly and raised his fist to knock, not feeling entirely comfortable just walking in. The door opened and his mother's blonde head poked out, "Hello? Who is-?" Her eyes fell on her son and her face broke into a smile as she pulled him into an embrace, "Cloud! I didn't know you were coming home!"
He struggled a little under her tight squeeze, "I thought Tifa told you…"
"No," the older woman just seemed to notice the eighteen-year-old waiting in the back, "She didn't say anything."
"Sorry," Tifa smiled shyly, "I… kind of forgot to tell you. I was so excited he was coming back. Besides, I thought he would call you and tell you himself."
"It's alright. You're here now. Come in, come in! You must be freezing out there! No sleeves in this weather! Goodness, Cloud! Have I taught you nothing?"
He scratched the back of his head, a habit he noticed he picked up from Zack, "Mom, I'm fine. My body produces more heat than the average person…"
"No nonsense! Get in here! I'll turn the kettle on so we can have some tea."
"Mom…"
Tifa giggled, "C'mon, Spike, better move."
He glared over his shoulder at her use of Zack's nickname for him before following his mother into his home. Dropping his bag on an armchair, he made his way into the kitchen and sat at the table. Tifa took the seat next to him and his mother slid in across from him, hand tea mugs out to everyone. Cloud raised his to his lips and smiled. If there was one thing he missed, it was his mother's infamous herbal tea. He nodded, "Thanks, Mom."
She smiled smugly, "See? I knew you were cold."
"I'm not cold, Mom, I just really like your tea."
"Mm-hm…"
"I'm serious, Mom. My body is much more adept to the changes in weather. I hardly feel the cold at all."
She sighed, "What did Shinra do to you?"
"That doesn't really matter, Mom. I feel fine and I haven't been sick in years."
"If you say so."
"I do, Mom."
The front door flew open and a familiar voice shouted, "Heeeyyy!!! Cloud! Where are you!?"
Cloud dropped his head to the table, "In here, Zack."
Zack wandered into the kitchen, following the sound of Cloud's voice and the smell of dinner in the oven. He grinned, "So! This is Spike's home, huh?"
Cloud looked up and, at his mother's questioning stare, waved back and forth between the two people, "Zack, this is my mom… Mom, this is Zack the Puppy; something of a friend and my superior officer."
He scowled at the nickname, "Nice to meetcha, Mrs. Strife."
She smiled and nodded, standing to take his outstretched hand, "Pleasure to meet you, Zack."
He shrugged a little, "Well, because of the big party, the hotel is chock-full of guests, so I'm gonna have to crash here, Spike. That alright with you, Mrs. S?"
"Of course. It'll be nice to have one of Cloud's friends over."
Cloud sighed and muttered under his breath, "Not this one…"
His comment elicited a giggle from Tifa, the only one to hear him, as she leaned against his shoulder with a sigh.
***
The following day, Cloud sighed as he pulled the accessories of his costume out of his duffel. Setting the various pieces on his mattress, he surveyed it for the hundredth time this weekend. He shook his head and thought, 'Zack… I will kill you. I've got to come up with an acceptable form of payback…' He picked up one of the gloves, 'He couldn't even get the cheap and easy plastic crap… I guess that probably would've been worse, but still…'
A knock sounded on the doorframe behind him and he looked up to find his mother dressed in a blue cloak with a yellowish colored pointy hat set neatly on her hair. She smiled, "Zack and I are all ready, so we'll see you outside, okay?"
He tossed one of the metal sleeves up and down for a minute, "Yeah."
His mother watched for a minute, "Need help with that?"
He held the sleeve out, "You mind?"
She took it and walked over, "Not at all."
His eyes followed her movements as she fastened the clasp over his long-sleeve t-shirt, "Thanks, Mom."
She finished her task, "There!" She looked up, "Is there one for the other arm, too?"
He nodded and picked it off the bed, "Yeah. Thanks."
She got to work, "Of course, Cloud." Leaning back, she inspected her work, "You're all set! My, aren't you just a dashing young man!"
He blushed a little, "Mom…"
"I'm kidding. Kind of. Now, go get Tifa and knock her socks off."
"Uh, yeah…" He picked up his SOLDIER-issue sword to complete his costume and slid it into the hip sheath Zack had somehow gotten a hold of. Following his mother down the hall, he stopped in his tracks and groaned at the sight of Zack sprawled out in an armchair with his coat on, now accompanied by a filthy white shirt that looked as if he'd torn it himself and black slacks.
He picked a tricorne hat off the table and settled it on his head, flattening his trademark bang down to his face. His shaggy hair fell down his neck in a messy mane, adding a rugged feel to his costume. He grinned up at Cloud, "Nice duds, my friend. Whoever picked it out is pure genius…"
Remembering his mother was standing right there; the blond resisted flipping his friend off and instead walked out the door towards Tifa's house, costume clanking noisily the whole way. He reached up, bringing his faceplate down to shield his girlfriend's eyes from the burning blush he knew would be on his face. Sighing, he knocked on the door to his neighbor-turned-girlfriend's house.
The door cracked open and the brunette inside cocked her head to the side, "Cloud? Is that you?"
He pushed the visor up, "How'd you know?"
She laughed, "The height and the Shinra sword were my first clues…"
"Geez, I know I'm short already… You have to rub it in?"
"You haven't told me what you thought of my costume yet, though."
He blinked, just taking the sight of her in a long white gown decorated with feathers and beads. Her bodice clung to her curves dangerously, accentuating every inch of her slender body. Cloud forced his eyes back to her face, "Wow… You… You look amazing."
She smiled and spun in a circle for him, whacking him with her feathered ornaments in the process, "You think? Oh! I'm sorry! I'm not used to those being there… Are you alright?"
He nodded, "Don't worry. My incredibly heavy costume saved me from the wrath of yours."
She laughed and extended an arm for him to take, "Shall we, then?"
He took it, "Uh, yeah, sure. Let's go, I guess."
This is only part one. Part two will be up whenever I finish it, hopefully by or on Halloween. My goal of splitting it apart is that you'll take the chance to review and guess their costumes. Any ideas, folks?
Oh, and while Meiday is supposed to be a dude, I wanted Tifa to have a female friend, so he/she got a gender change. Just thought I'd let you know.
'Til later this week (hopefully),
-Valk