An:/ Holy Chocobos, I genuinely didn't think anyone would like this story *blush* o/o. Regardless, I spotted so many errors in the previous chapter that I felt the need to update. I'm sorry for the horrible grammar, punctuation (And even wrong subject! I swear I was saying Tifa when I meant Cloud). This was published at the start of my fanfiction career hence the shitty grammar (that should probably go die in a hole *smiles sweetly*). I decide to update the first chapter along with this new chapter (dedicated to all you reviewers, favorite-ers, and followers.) I'll admit, I might have forgotten the plot I was going to use for this story, so here are the two options:
Drabble-ish one shots (with some relevance to each other and in chronological order) on the relationship between Cloud and Tifa...full of Fluffiness and Heartwarming chapters (with some comedy)
OR
A full blown out plot (This might take me longer to develop...) that will probably go on for a long time...Full of betrayal, love, some break up scenes, heartbreaks, feelings, bucket full of tears for you to drown in, happiness, and some fluff and comedy...Might I also add that it might include some military stuff (ya know, Cloud being a 'First Class SOLDIER' and all...well at least he'll be one in this fanfic...)
All of this, of course, is alternate universe...set in a more modern era.
well, enough author's note...let's get on with a little chapter to get the juices flowing...
for now, this chapter is just going to be a little...hmmm...extra as an intermission:
Today, was a crappy day in general.
The one where you wake up on the wrong side of the bed and your hair is sporting a bad case of bedhead. Then, you realize you're out of toothpaste and you almost drop your toothbrush in the toilet, only to drop your hairbrush instead. After that, your coffee spills all over your clothes and you have to go change again before you leave. Then, you lose your keys somewhere between the kitchen and the door. Then traffic is heavy and it's filled with assholes who don't know how to drive. After that, going through security check was a hassle because you lost your ID and the security guards are jerks (I mean come on, I come by here everyday! You don't need to check who I am!) Now you're just slouched against the lockers because you can't open up your locker and you're waiting for building services to come over and help but they're on lunch break. Yeah. It was that kind of day.
Cloud sucked in air and exhaled really loudly as he shoved his hands into his pockets. It was a rough morning for him. When he finally got his locker open (no thanks to the assholes in maintenance), he was able to change into his uniform and make it to his shift before the big guy came by. Yup, just sitting around the lounge was his job. He looked around to his fellow, what's the word, coworkers. The door finally bursted open and the big guy, himself, entered. Cloud and the rest stood up and saluted.
"At ease." The man said. His blond hair was slicked back and his boots clanked against the metal floor. Several people in black tuxedos entered with him. Cloud almost grimaced when the stupid redhead spotted him and waved like a seal.
"Yo! Strife-y boy!"
Yeah, Cloud cringed and grimaced. The blond man looked in his direction and Cloud straightened up and wiped the grimace off as the man approached. He stopped in front of Cloud and barked.
"Hello, Strife. How's your new promotion going?"
Cloud stiffened at the tone. It was almost rhetorical and Cloud couldn't help but feel nervous.
"Good, sir."
"That's good. There are only a few of your rank. You should be proud."
"Yes, sir."
"You have a new assignment as of today. Go report to Fair."
"Right away, sir"
The man turned heels and walked away, hands gathered behind his back as he walked back out and the little entourage of his tagged along, not before Reno could wave again.
"Later, Strife!"
Cloud openly facepalmed and the man next to him laughed as he slapped Cloud's back.
"He really put you on the spot. He never did that to us when we got first."
Cloud glared as the man chuckled with mirth.
"I gotta go see Zack. See ya."
"Later, Strife. And don't let the big bad Rufus get to ya! He's a real cuddly fluff bunny if ya get to know him!"
"Yeah, yeah. Sure."
Cloud left the lounge and made his way over to Zack. When he spotted the spiky black hair, he jogged over before Zack could leave...again.
"Zack! Don't you dare run. This is the third freaking time!"
"Oh, hey, Cloud!" Zack plastered a smile on his face and waved as he turned to face Cloud.
"Congrats on your new rank, Cloud. You finally made it to first class!"
Cloud mock glared before he chuckled and brushed his uniform down.
"I have to say, the uniforms are sick."
"Tell me about it! These things don't even catch on fire!"
"I don't want to know where you got that information. Anyways, Shinra said you got something for me."
"Oh right! Well, it's your first assignment. It's not much so you'll be able to make it back to the apartment later today..."
"Well, what is it?"
"The one thing every newbie first class has to do...train the new recruits." Zack finished with a haunted voice. Cloud unconsciously swallowed as he shrunk back.
"C-come on, Zack. Can't be that bad, right?"
"You have no idea." Zack shook his head. "Well, you know where the training grounds are. Snap to it, it starts at 9, you got 5 minutes to get there."
"What! That's, like, all the way across the base!"
"Like I said, snap to it!"
Cloud groaned and sprinted off. Zach looked at the assignment sheet and grimaced.
"Whoops, I meant 10. Whatever, he needs exercise anyways."
"I'm going to kill him." Cloud panted as he rested his hands on his knees. He was thirty minutes early! Nobody was there and the training grounds head said the training didn't start for another thirty minutes.
"When I see that hedgehog, I'm going to hang him by his feet over the swimming pool."
"He'll run away before you catch him."
Cloud swerved around to see the new voice.
"Dammit, Lieutenant General Valentine. When were you there?!"
The man shrugged. Cloud rubbed his shoulders and made his way to the warehouse. Vincent followed. They got thirty minutes of wait, might as well shoot some rounds at the range.
Saying training the recruits was a nightmare was an understatement. It was like watching a bunch of kindergarteners run around and play soldier while you watched and made sure none of them pointed a gun at their face to "check why the bullet didn't come out." Thank god Cloud knocked the gun out of the man's face before thirty seconds were up otherwise he'd be cleaning brain matter instead of ceiling debris. Cloud sighed again. He didn't have lunch and it was getting late. For some odd reason, he wanted to go back to the apartment so bad.
"Yo, Cloud!"
Cloud turned around to see Reno and Zack approaching. Cloud whipped the mop out like a sword and pointed it at Zack.
"You! You gave the wrong time, you prick!"
Zack laughed and Cloud scowled. This was ridiculous. He went back to cleaning the floor furiously (stupid maintenance again wouldn't clean the mess because they "weren't in charge". It's your damn job!).
"Why in the rush, Strife?"
Cloud looked over his shoulder.
"Places to be."
"Where do you have to go? Back to the apartment? Perhaps, a roommate?" Cloud glared at Reno. Reno continued.
"I didn't think there were students around here until I remember there's that university around here. What is she anyways? Medical student? Law student?"
"I don't know."
"You don't even know your own roommate? You're like living with a stranger!"
"Kind of."
"Cloud." Zack interfered, "Maybe you should get to know her."
Cloud frowned as he put the mop away.
"Any ideas on how to do that?"
"Take her out to lunch, Strife."
"No, Reno."
Cloud walked towards the locker rooms as Zack and Reno spewed ideas on how to get Tifa to talk to him. None of them, of course, were actually good ideas. Cloud just grabbed his keys and left while the two were blissfully unaware with their own conversation.
And they say blondes are the stupid ones.
"I'm back!" Cloud yelled as he entered the apartment. It was actually force of habit considering normally Tifa would be in her afternoon class. So, he was shocked when he got a response.
"Hey! Welcome back~!" A voice rang from the kitchen.
"Tifa?" Cloud walked over to the bar when Tifa popped up from under the counter.
"What were you doing under there?"
"Searchin'..." she hummed as she brought out a large pan.
"I wasn't aware I owned one of those..."
"I wasn't either, but apparently you do."
"I wasn't expecting you to be home either. What happened to afternoon class?"
"Teacher aid got hurt with a scalpel. Practically bled his hand out for "demonstration". Class ended early when he fainted."
"Scalpel? Why would you-"
"I'm in medical school, silly!"
"Oh." Cloud ended lamely. "Anyways, what are you cooking?"
"Early dinner?"
"It's like 5:00!"
"Yeah, well it takes an hour to make!"
"Can't we just get pizza like usual?"
"I've been here for a month and we've eaten pizza practically every other day. It's not healthy. Now that I'm actually here early, I can make us something healthy."
Cloud scrunched his nose incredulously. Healthy.
"Can you even cook?"
Tifa whacked him with a towel and glared.
"Okay! Okay! I geddit, Tifa. I'll just stick myself in the living room and not bother you."
The glare melted and she turned back to her cooking. He sat on the couch and clicked the television on. He called back to her.
"Just so you know, last time Zack's girlfriend tried 'healthy', we all ended up puking and shitting out whatever the hell she made. Hell, we didn't even know whether it was food or not-ow"
Cloud suddenly got whacked with a roll of paper and he turned to see Tifa standing over him.
"Strife. I work in a bar every weekend. I. Know. How. To. Cook." She ended with a sickly sweet voice.
"And whatever the hell I make, whether it's burgers, salad, or lasagna, it's going to be healthier than cheese, tomato sauce, and whatever else gets shoved on a bread plate called a pizza. I'll even compromise and let you drink beer this time. I don't even know how you don't have a beer belly yet! It's bad to drink too much!"
"Yes, mom." He droned...before he was whacked again.
Cloud looked at the plate suspiciously. Not that it was like Aerith's cooking. Oh no. It was definitely recognizable as a nice hot plate of pasta with some creamy sauce. But it was because it looked so good and smelled so good that it couldn't possibly be healthy.
"What did you do?" Cloud eyed the plate warily.
Tifa gave him a strange look.
"Cooked some pasta. Something wrong?"
"Hmm? No, nothing." He shook his head and let a shiver go down his spine. Here goes nothing.
He took a bite and his eyes widened. It was so good!
"I told you." Tifa looked smug.
"Yeah, whatever...thanks..." Cloud got up and left after he put his plates in the sink and ran water over them. Tifa smiled and cleaned up the plates and whatnot before heading off herself.
Cloud figured. He probably learned a bit about Tifa today. She apparently cooks and she works at a bar on the weekends. And did he mention her pasta is the best? Yep. To hell with taking her out or following any of Reno's or Zack's suggestions. This seems easier. Plus a little pasta heaven on the side ain't that bad either.
Today, was a pretty good day.
an:/ Uh, review? I'll try to update fast, but I'm working on three stories at a time and things get kinda hectic, if ya know what I mean. So. Dealio: I'll update probably at least once a month, maybe faster if I'm feeling the writing juices flow. So until then, see ya!
