Author's Note: I'm so so sorry guys! Computer had broken down almost literally after posting the last chapter, and it took this long to get a new one. Sorry guys... I hope I haven't lost any supporters after this long wait, and appreciate all those who have stuck with me and those who will return for this chapter. Again, I'm so sorry (though its not my fault that damn computer broke down on me... blasted computer! Cloud! Go Omnislash it wherever it is!)
I hope you guys enjoy this chappy; I worked day and night on it. Plz read and... no in fact don't review... I don't deserve it... :'(
Chapter Seven: Cloud's Faux Pas
POV: Tseng Leader of the Turks
Cloud had been quite surprised when he got a sudden phone call from Reeve saying that he'd be showing up soon. The former Director of Urban Development had stated that he needed to do a quick checkup on Rosso about her current condition. The call came the next day after the incident with Reno, Reeve stating that he was already on his way and would be there by midnight the next day. I may not be a doctor but from what I can tell, Rosso has seemed to have been doing fine- health wise… not so much attitude wise… Tseng thought to himself, recalling an earlier run-in with the easily detestable woman…
…
Tseng had been merely passing by on the second floor, on his way to the bathroom when a sudden call stopped him in his tracks.
"Oi! You there! Turk! Go fetch me a glass of water!" the woman demanded of him.
"Excuse me?" Tseng had simply replied.
"You heard me Shinra dog! I require liquid refreshments!" she retorted.
With great reluctance Tseng had went and gotten a glass of water from the tap, taking great care not to spill it on his way back upstairs. He handed it to her with great reverence, not showing at all how annoyed he really was. The woman took a single sip before spitting it out all over her bed and then throwing the glass across the room where it hit the far wall and shattered into pieces, the water spilling across the wall and dripping onto the floor.
"Don't you have anything better than this piss? Something filtered perhaps? Gaia, we barely had running water, and the tap in Deepground tasted better than that dog piss you people call water! Fetch me a glass of something that is actually drinkable! Go! On with you!"
Never thought I'd think this about a woman… Bitch…
…
"He's awake!" a frantic voice called out from the entrance to the basement. At that, the rest of the Turks rose from their seats, Rude taking Rufus and rolling him over to the ramp. Cloud looked he was not about to come with the others, probably not wanting to even look at the red-headed Turk. He, however, eventually rose from his seat and walked behind the rest of them down to the basement, where the red-headed Turk lay in the corner of the room, on top of a cot.
"Ah, there's Spikes." Reno said as Cloud approached to where the others were stationed around the cot. "Did you really have to knock me out cold like that man? I have paper-work that needs to be taken care of… now I'm behind."
"Maybe you should learn to watch your mouth then..." Cloud stated emotionlessly, seemingly unremorseful.
"Sorry man… but you didn't have to react like that yo..."
"If it hadn't been me, somebody was going to do it eventually, with the way you talk."
"Well…" Reno began looking up at the others. "Remind me to never mess with a Mako enhanced person ever again."
"Sorry, but your on your own." Elena quipped.
"One thing Cloud…" Reno returned his attention to the blond. Taking the man's silence as reason to continue he went on. "What does that woman mean to you that you would flip out like that? It's not like you're lovers or anything. You have no excuse like 'I was sticking up for woman's honor' or anything like that. She's nothing to you- at least she should be nothing to you."
"What does it matter why I did what I did?" Cloud growled in anger. "What better reason than to shut your filthy mouth!" Cloud shouted one last response before stalking off back upstairs.
"Cloud wait!" Elena called out before running after him.
"Rude go after them," Rufus commanded the Turk. "We wouldn't want our warrior knocking out another of our colleagues, now do we?"
The silent Turk gave a single nod, before swiftly striding back up to the ground floor. "Well that certainly worked in our favor now didn't it?" Rufus said aloud. "I was wondering how we'd get ourselves alone as soon as possible, and this rather lovely situation presented itself to us. So… Reno I'm sorry to have had put you through that, but what is your deduction based on his reaction to your statements on the Deepground soldier."
"Yeah boss, I'm expecting a raise for telling me to do that… but, anyways- from the way he went nuts like that, I can say with little doubt that our blond friend has fallen in love with our target." Reno stated, in his business tone. "Obviously, from how he reacted towards me, this crush of his is probably hindering his judgment. Well that's my report, guys." He finished.
Rufus swiveled to face the other man still left in the room, standing at the foot of the redhead's bed. "And how about you Tseng? Do you find any reason to support Reno's claim, after talking with Cloud alone? What do you have to report?"
Although, the black-haired Turk did not show it to the people that were before him, Tseng was caught in a raging turmoil that swamped his mind. Only thrice before had he been torn between a decision that required him to choose between his own feelings, and his job as a Turk. That had been when he had to choose whether to execute his own boss, the former leader of the Turks, Veld, and his daughter in order to keep his place as a Turk. Despite being appraised by Veld for his decision to go forward with killing the two of them, Tseng spent many sleepless nights, and many days waking from nightmares about that moment. Of course he would never show his distress outwardly though. The second decision happened to be when had to choose whether or not to take into custody the woman he had formerly been in love with Aerith. He spent years holding it off, but eventually he had to make go with the decision as a Turk and not as a person- having imprisoned the woman at Shinra. The third decision, was when he and that twisted scientist Hojo had arrived at the Nibelheim reactor and stumbled upon a half dead Zack Fair, and Cloud Strife. He knew what would happen to the two of them, the horror that Hojo would submit them to... Zack was perhaps the closest thing to what Tseng would ever call a friend; if he could ever find it within himself to use the word, and yet he had done nothing to stop it... had only stood by as Hojo had them wheeled off to their torture, and off-handedly, Zack's eventual demise, a result of his own inaction. For once he felt he needed to make a decision as a human being and not as the robot that was always expected of him. He could not stand to see another hurt by his own decisions, and lack of action.
So as simple as his next words would seem, they would in all reality be the toughest words to ever be forced from the man's throat. He was for once, going against his own job as leader of the Turks. Tseng looked the man in the eyes, and said what he could barely dare to say, "Nothing… I have nothing to report at all sir. When I tried to speak to him, I could get nothing more than what you and the others could out of him. He was really quite adamant."
"Hmm… I guess we'll just have to wait until another opportunity arises to prove Reno's statement then… pity…"
" 'Pity'? That's all? 'Pity'?" Reno shouted growing in irritation. "I took a SOLDIER class punch to the face for nothing! Fuck!"
"Reno! Watch yourself!" Rufus shut the Turk up. "I'm just as upset as you are, but your sacrifice wasn't for absolutely nothing- we now have some clue as to how Cloud feels about this woman. This isn't good, if his judgment really is clouded by love. It's a shame really… such a powerful warrior… although he never made SOLDIER, he'd certainly make it if he had this kind of strength then. As a man enhanced by Mako, he is practically the last of his kind, a dead breed of man… if only he wasn't so heavily influenced by the hindrance called 'emotion'…"
POV: Cloud Strife
Man… why does it seem like its getting harder to keep my emotions in check… I'm starting to feel like a whiny douche- me yellin' all the time… Cloud had honestly tried to keep his cool, the red-head had practically spent a day in a mini coma, and as much as he hated the guy sometimes, he didn't want to be that cruel. Reno just seemed to infuriate him no matter how hard he tried though; truth is though, Reno had actually ensnared him with that statement on how he 'had no excuse' for his behavior- and since he didn't want anyone besides Tseng knowing his secret, in his outward appearance he truly didn't have one. Not only was the woman a former Deepground soldier, and their enemy, but she had been treating him like shit since the minute she had awoken- what reason did he have for lashing out like he did? Of course he did- his secret infatuation of the Tsviet of course; but Shinra couldn't know that. Why does everything have to be so damn complicated!-Cloud cursed internally at his predicament.
Cloud suddenly became aware of a presence coming up behind him, turning around to meet the blue eyes of the female Turk that followed him up the stairs. "What?" Cloud asked a little more distasteful than he meant.
"What's with you? He just woke up after you knock him out, and you yell at him like that and storm off like a baby!" Elena yelled at him. "I mean, I know he can be a jerk at times, but he's a colleague of mine, you don't what we've been through… us Turks we're like family… Why'd you have to go and do that you spiky-headed jerk?"
The two of them were receiving curious glances form the repairmen in the kitchen, so Cloud directed her over to the living space and over to the side deck of the lodge. As soon as they were outside and the sliding door was carefully closed Cloud turned to her just slightly remorseful. "Look I'm sorry… I didn't mean to, but he…" Cloud didn't know how to finish that sentence. Luckily Elena took up the silence.
"What's going on Cloud? We don't know each other well- I know that… but one- it's my job to 'know' people and two- the Cloud I remember wouldn't let his emotions get the better of him." Elena began with a harsh gaze, with a dash of genuine concern in her eyes. Her features softened as her eyes took on more concern. "Look- I know we haven't always seen eye to eye, that's for sure… I used to hate your guts…" she added. "But- I know what a good guy you are, and how hard you've fought for the planet… how hard that burden must be… and now you have to live with us, your least favorite people and that this must all be so stressful for you and the rest of them might not get that… so if you ever need someone to talk to, just know that I'm here, okay Cloud?"
She had just finished her sentence when she encountered the completely unexpected. Cloud had done the unthinkable, hell he literally didn't put any thought into it anyways- it just sort of happened… somehow Cloud's lips had found themselves firmly planted onto those of the blonde Turks'. She tensed up for a good minute, clearly shocked and unprepared but soon seemed to relax into Cloud's arms. She brought her arms up and around the man's neck forcing herself deeper into the man's lush lips. For some reason all that went through his head at the moment was pure lust, like a tidal wave crashing against his mind. Everything else had scattered, all rational thought had been torn away, and in its place was a carnal hunger, insatiable and mind-numbing. The kiss seemed to last forever, deepening with every passing second, their tongues exploring each others mouths with heightened fervor. He could swear he felt some saliva trickle down his chin, but decided against breaking the moment to wipe it, and the other being in his arms did not seem to care either. The blood rushed and swelled within his body, his heartbeat as well as hers pounding in his eardrums, the hunger growing, his mind growing even more numb, the heat in member swelling, and then… nothing. It was over as fast as it came. Their lips parted as if both owners had suddenly come to realize where they were and who they'd been kissing. As his brain function finally returned Cloud finally noticed the young Turk's condition. Her suit top and dress shirt had been torn open, some of the buttons missing entirely, her bra being the only thing shielding her breasts, and her tie was undone, now hanging lazily around her neck. Finally becoming aware of a breeze where there shouldn't be, he glanced down at his undone trousers, and the throbbing fully erect member hanging out of his boxers catching the wind. He looked back up into her teary eyes as it at last clicked in his head what he had been on the verge of doing. "I'm so sorry…" he choked out.
She muttered a simple 'I should leave' before brushing past him and rushing back indoors. Cloud let out a heavy sigh before tucking his member back into its place and re-buttoning and buckling his pants. As he zipped up his pants one thought crossed his mind as he let out another drawn out sigh- I'm a fucking dickhead… Aware of eyes digging into his skull, he turned around with dread… sunglasses were what he saw staring back at him from the other side of the glass. Yup Cloud- Rude saw the whole thing… and I'm sure I know what's going through your head right now: Fuck…
When Cloud had finally gathered enough balls to reenter the lodge his face was met with Rude's gloved fist. "Yeah I think I deserved that…" Cloud responded.
"Never touch Elena that way again." Rude gruffly stated.
"I won't, I promise… I just... lost myself…" Cloud clumsily stated.
"That better be all it was..." Rude gruffly warned.
It appeared that Rude didn't entirely trust Cloud's statement but decided not to press it, instead he turned around and walked back toward the basement. Cloud gave another sigh and walked upstairs up to the landing of the second floor. Gaia… I can't believe what I was about to do to her… what happened? It was like I just lost all control. Goodness… what if I had…? She's probably still a virgin, and I'm not even sure if she's of legal age yet…! I'm a pedophile… Cloud gathered what was left of his courage and walked over to Elena's door giving it a firm rap. It took a minute until the door was opened ever so slightly, a single teary blue eye peaking out, before the door was shut once more.
"Listen, Elena! I'm sorry…" Cloud shouted through the door, not entirely sure that she could hear him anyway. "I don't know what happened, I just lost myself… I-I'm so so sorry… I didn't mean to hurt you…" Cloud was almost entirely sure that either Elena couldn't hear him or was ignoring him.
"…Go away…" a soft command came from the other side. "I never want to see you again…"
"I'm sorry Elena…" Cloud protested. "I… can you at least answer me this? You are at the age of consent aren't you…?"
"…I'm twenty-three!" the yell came through the door.
At least Cloud had the comfort of knowing that at least he wasn't a pedophile. "Please forgive me…" Cloud weakly asked before he walked away and toward his room, or rather, Rosso's room. What the hell is wrong with me…! Fuck! Cloud opened the door to the room and dropped down upon his sheets at the foot of the bed, burying his face into them.
"What happened?" Cloud heard the woman lying upon the bed ask.
"Nothing…" came his muffled answer.
"Looks like it might start pouring with how depressed Cloud is today." The woman quipped.
It actually took a while him to get that one and would've laughed if hadn't been feeling so shitty at the moment. "Please Rosso… I just want to be left alone- okay?"
"Whatever…" Rosso sighed.
Cloud lied there for a good while, thinking over on what a dick he was. I can't sugar-coat it… I practically raped her! What the hell happened to me…? I couldn't control myself. Maybe Reeve's right and I really am just a selfish bastard… Which reminds me… "By the way- Rosso…"
"What is it?"
"My friend Reeve is coming tomorrow night to check up on your health."
"…I don't see why… I'm perfectly fine."
"Oh yeah? Then let me see you stand up!" Cloud lashed out.
"…Whatever." Rosso said with a deep scowl.
"Sorry… I didn't mean…" Cloud tried to apologize.
"Just go to bed… and stop with the apologies." Rosso stated as she snuggled deeper into her covers and out of Cloud's view.
The following morning Cloud decided that he didn't feel like being cooped up in the lodge any longer, especially after what happened only last night. So he decided on taking a stroll into the woods to collect his thoughts and get some fresh air. After a quick breakfast, and giving Rosso her morning mako dose he made for the stairs, quickly snatching up his coat and scarf from the rack on his way over to the sliding door that the incident took place on. Leisurely strolling down the steps of the deck and into the blanket of white, Cloud walked into the field behind the house in the direction of the woods. Hand in pockets, and head down in shame, Cloud continued walking well until he met the first snow covered conifers of the woods. He took in slow deliberate breaths of the frigid air, seeing his breath slowly rise into the air with each exhale. Still he trudged through the snow, going deeper yet. After awhile of walking he took a moment to look behind, the lodge gone from his sight. His eyes back to the path in front of him he strode on, not even knowing where he was going or even if he was going to stop.
A sudden thought crossed his mind: I should have at least brought Ascalon or Sidewinder with me… Man, I must really be out of it if I'm not thinking clearly when it comes to battle. Dispelling the thoughts with a shake of his head, Cloud continued on through the snowy forest eventually coming upon a frozen lake. Not wanting to take the long way around it, the blond warrior decided to instead walk straight on through. Grabbing a relatively large rock from nearby he tossed onto the icy lake. Cautiously taking steps onto the ice, he finally decided that frozen water would be able to hold his weight, though the last thing he wanted was to go tumbling into freezing waters, and then have to explain why he was drenched in water to the damnable Shinra. He reached the other side without incident and ventured further onward. I don't even know what the hell I'm doing… whatever… I guess it is good to get out though. I've been stuck in that place for so long, I need this refreshment. Maybe being around the Shinra has driven me insane; and for some reason that actually doesn't sound so farfetched- Cloud chuckled lightly to himself.
Now that I'm out here and away from the others, I need to figure out a way to keep that promise that I had made to Tseng… The more that Cloud pondered on it, the more he came to detest the idea. How in the world would I be able to tell that woman such a thing without her going completely ballistic on me? Honestly I can't think of one… and I really am no good with words… Cloud chuckled once more when he thought about a comment Cid had made once- that Cloud preferred to let his blade do the talking, and his Materia the negotiating.
Returning his thoughts back to how he was going to go about accomplishing the task set before, he leaned his back against a nearby tree in concentration. However, the more that he thought about, the more frustrated he became. It seemed no matter what scenario he conjured up in his mind, they all ended the same way: with his balls skewered and his head hanging from a pike… His brow furrowed in aggravation and dissatisfaction. No matter what honey-dipped words he fed the claret headed woman his mind still drew up the same conclusion. Maybe I'm being overly critical of myself and of her as well… Perhaps I should give her more credit than I'm allowing her… Maybe she'd take it better than I'm imagining she will… Cloud gave a vocal harrumph for that ridiculous mindset. Yeah right Cloud… And Sephiroth isn't a psychopathic mama's boy bent on achieving Godlines and ruling the galaxy by playing Grand Theft Planet with the universe… When Dual Horns fly! I can only see this ending badly for me when I decide to come out with this. I'll just have to wait until the right time I guess… Whenever that will be… I'm just making more excuses aren't I…? And then there's that incident with Elena… She probably thinks that I'm a freak now. Oh Gaia, I hope this doesn't come to bite me in the ass like a Nibel Wolf…
Cloud had stayed wrapped in the solitude of the forest, absorbed within his thoughts until the sun began to slowly ebb in the distance. That still didn't catch his attention of the waning afternoon and approaching evening. It wasn't until he heard the telltale whirs of propellers and the whine of thrusters warning of the approaching Shera that he finally took notice of how late it was. He's here a little earlier than imagined… Cloud swiftly rose from his place seated against a tree and ran back in the direction the lodge, not wanting any of the Shinra employees to answer the door. He saw the Shera land in a snowy field not too far from the lodge, and stepped up his speed. It wasn't for awhile until he finally saw the house in the distance, having not realized exactly how far he had ventured into the woods that morning.
He ran up the back deck like lightning, his mind barely computing the now markless glass door that he ripped open and closed. He tore across the house, also barely hearing the "Hey Cloud where ya been? What the hell…?" as he made it to the front door just as the doorbell went off. Coming to abrupt stop he stripped himself of the coat and scarf, putting them on the rack, and patting his hair for good measure. Why did I just do that? If my hair looks wild, it just means I look normal… Taking one more millisecond to compose himself, Cloud opened the front door to meet Reeve's face.
"Hello Reeve." Cloud greeted. "How was the trip?"
"It was fine…" the raven-head responded. "Slightly ahead of schedule as you can see."
"Where's Cid?" Cloud asked not seeing anyone behind him... nor the disaster approaching…
"He elected to stay behind on the ship for now, he'll stop by later... Said it was in his best interest to steer clear of the… 'impending danger'…" Reeve said to the still oblivious blond.
Impending danger…? What? "Umm, well- come in Reeve, and we'll get right down to examining Rosso."
Reeve's eyes nearly shot out of their sockets in horror, and he blanched in startlement, to the blond warrior's puzzlement. The man seemed to be giving him some kind of warning look as if to say "Get out now! A hurricane is passing right through this area!"
It wasn't until Reeve stepped inside, and Cloud went pale that it all made sense- Cid not coming inside… Reeve's strange behavior… There really was a hurricane coming… a category five hurricane that you didn't want to fuck with… and it was fittingly named Hurricane Tifa… and it was about to tear down all of Gaia in its rage.
FUCK! I SHOULD HAVE PAID MORE ATTENTION TO THE FORECAST! CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF A FINAL HEAVEN TO THE FACE!
"…Tifa!" Cloud could only manage to say past the lump in his throat.
The woman stepped into the lodge, slamming the door shut behind her, the stomping of her boots like a death bell to Cloud's ears…
"So… surprised to see me?" Tifa asked to the bewildered Cloud.
Cloud found himself nodding. "Uh- yeah! Um Tifa… uh- wha- uh- what are you- uh doing here…?" From the corner of his eye he saw Tuesti giving him a sympathetic glare before he walked over to the kitchen, rightfully not wanting to get involved… Tifa's limits do pick random targets after all… So Reeve took his chance to hold the L1 and R1 buttons and get the hell out of there!
"What do you mean what am I doing here?" she bellowed. "I'm chasing after a fucking liar that's why I'm here!"
Cloud vocally gasped in shock. "Tifa doesn't curse!" Cloud actually found himself saying, the words tumbling out of his mouth, before he could stop them.
"Shut the fuck up!" Tifa commanded. Unconsciously Cloud closed his gaping mouth that he didn't even realize was open in the first place. "You lied to me you conniving bastard!"
Cloud wasn't used to this verbal abuse- at least not from Tifa. "I-" Cloud tried to start.
"Shut it! Don't try and sweet talk me or feed more of your deception… it ain't gonna get you out of this one, I promise you that… So…" she continued as Reeve and the Turks watched from the safety of the kitchen. "You mind telling me what you're doing out here?"
"I-" Cloud began, but got another 'Shut it!' W-wha- you just asked me a question!
Tifa started again gradually growing in intensity. "You're out here… in a frozen wasteland… miles from home… miles from Rocket Town, where you said you'd be… on the other side of the planet… you've got Marlene worrying sick… Denzel thinks you're dead… you lie to your best friend… you practically spat in the face of all your friends… and all of this- FOR SOME GODFORSAKEN PSYCHOTIC BITCH! TELL ME HOW THIS MAKES ANY SENSE!" Tifa screamed at the top of her lungs.
"SHE IS NOT A PSYCHOTIC BITCH TIFA!" Cloud rose to meet her level, not being able to take it anymore. "She deserves my help just like anyone else would!"
"But she's not 'anyone else' Cloud! She's a Deepground soldier, our enemy; remember?"
"Correction! Former Deepground soldier! Deepground no longer exists. Just like I can't call myself SOLDIER anymore even if I had made it in, she can no longer call herself a Tsviet… she is no longer our enemy." Cloud attested on Rosso's behalf.
"You're just concocting excuses to make why you're doing this sensible, when it has no logic behind it at all!"
"No logic…? No logic? I see perfect logic! I'm just taking care of her!"
"Then leave it to doctors, and professionals! This is not your responsibility! So stop making it!"
"Exactly! It isn't my responsibility! That is why they call stuff like this an act of selfless humanity! I'm only looking out for the well-being of a fellow human being!"
"But she's not a human being!" Tifa spat.
"So what are saying, huh? That I'm not human either?" Cloud inquired, trying to turn the tables on her.
"Don't put words in my mouth. You may have similar stuff running though both of your veins. But she is a monster unlike you."
"But what if she's not anymore Tifa? What if she can change? What if I can change her Tifa?" Cloud inquired.
"She can't be changed!" Tifa countered
"How do you know? Huh? How do you know? Rufus was a monster! I hate to admit it, but look how much he's changed! The battle is over… she has no reason left to fight… no one left to give her orders… and now she has so much left to live for…" Cloud stated in a more subdued tone.
"You just don't get it do you Cloud? You're so intelligent, yet so dumb and blind…" Tifa also toned down, speaking softly. "People like her… They don't need orders… they don't need battles… they just want to watch the world burn… I just don't understand why you can't see it- when you've met someone like this before... Or have you forgotten already Cloud? Aren't nightmares supposed to be more memorable than dreams Cloud?"
No I haven't forgotten Tifa…
The silver 'nightmare' we all brought down together…
But you're wrong…
And I'll prove to you why…
I'll prove she can change…
I can save her…
I'm the only one that can…
And I will...
Because as much as nightmares may hold a mark on memory…
A strong enough dream will never truly be forgotten…
Zack taught me that…
I love her…
More than you know…
Going against her would be going against my honor
She's my new dream…
And I now know what I really want…
Zack… I want to be a hero too…
I want to be…
Her hero…