Happy Birthday, America! I'd like to take a minute to honor the brave men and women who have or those who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for all of us. Thank you so much for the hard work and dedication you give to keep us free!!! On this Fourth of July weekend, you are anything but forgotten!!! Thank you!
I meant to say it last time, but I forgot. From here on out, I'll be updating every weekend instead of Tuesdays! It works better with my schedule, and I apologize for any inconveniences.
I apologize, Valentine'sNinja… I know you abhor the name-mashing thing, but since so many people have told me that they've never seen Genesis and Aeris together, I had to go and come up with a combo for the two. Generis. Their new unofficial name. Or Generith. Whatever trips your trigger.
All of you wonderful (and, quite possibly, bored) people who took the time to review!
The Lone Wanderer: Yeah, I get it. Genny and Rissy have gone on long enough… Bear with me, though. They still have a little while to go. Or maybe not.
Epic Popcorn: Haha! Clingy little prick… That's Genesis for you… Cloud and Tifa are so much fun to write! *Squeals with delight* Glad you're enjoying them!
Valentine'sNinja: Really? I never would've guessed that, the way you seem to like the Zack/Tifa pairing, anyway. No worries! More Zack/Cissnei to come!
kitsune13: Well… *Blows annoying strand of hair out of face* I don't even know where to start. I'm glad Zack is filling our resident Brad Pitt role well. I think Cloud's and Tifa's relationship manages to be both fluffy and hot at the same time. Aeris and Genesis are cute now? Just wait 'til you see this chappie…
DEORUDS The WEAPONS Seven!: Good to see you again, Master JENOVA Slayer! By the time you get here, I hope Cloud's sections aren't boring anymore. His (and Tifa's) are the most fun to write… And the only thing I can say about Zack is that he saw how much Tifa doted on her sister, so he took her somewhere kid-friendly. I guess. I didn't really think of that. Though it would make sense that he would bring her somewhere fancy.
And, lastly, I'd like to give a thank you to The Lone Wanderer for beta-ing. Your ideas helped a LOT! Thanks! Oh, and to everyone else, check out his fic, Twilight! It's a nice mix of high school and supernatural suspense! I, for one, love it!
Chapter VII
Four Weeks Later… May 2nd.
Saturday…
The following takes place between 9:20 a.m. and 12:00 a.m.
(Zack, 9:23 a.m.)
Zack pulled his clothes out of his closet and threw them in his suitcase. He continued packing his stuff until he heard a knock at his door. He turned to see Cissnei standing in the open doorway holding a tray with two breakfasts on it. He smiled and motioned her over as she walked in and sat down on the bed. He joined her, took one of the plates off the tray and held it in one hand, holding a fork in the other. She picked up the other plate as he cut his pancakes with the side of his fork. He stabbed the piece and held the fork towards her. She gave him a genuinely surprised look and opened her mouth so he could feed her. He laughed, "Hey, Cissnei… About today…"
She looked down, "Yes?"
He grinned, "You wanna come with me?"
She looked back up at him, "Zack, I…!"
"What do you say?"
"I can't… I have finals…"
"You could join me when they're done…"
Her lips cracked into a small grin, "Okay. I can do that. It's just another week…"
"Great! Costa del Sol'll be so much better with you there!"
(Cloud, 9:42 a.m.)
Cloud wandered around the apartment over his family's shop, straightening up a little. Lucrecia walked out of her bedroom with a coffee mug in hand and the morning paper in the other. She gave a little smile when she saw Cloud picking up and asked, "I take it the shop is mine today?"
He arranged the pillows on the couch and looked over his shoulder at her, "You mind?"
She shook her head, "I guess not." She pointed a finger at him, "You're lucky it's only open five hours today."
"You'll get over it."
The door to their home opened and Vincent walked in, dropping down on the couch, "Morning, kiddies."
Lucrecia gave him a stern look, "I'm the same age as you, Vincent."
He smirked, "And yet you seem so young."
She blushed and glanced at the clock, "Oh! I'd better go open downstairs!" She turned and scuttled down the stairs.
Cloud watched her go and shot his friend a glare, "Minerva's Sacred Lance, Vincent… You touch my sister and I'll kill you myself."
The raven-haired man countered with a shocked look, "I didn't have any such intentions."
Cloud looked at him derisively, "Yeah. And Weapon's in my backyard."
Vincent snorted, "You don't even have a backyard."
"Never mind…" Cloud slapped a hand to his forehead, "Hey, Vincent…? Speaking of women…"
He looked over the back of the couch, "Huh?"
"Tifa's birthday is tomorrow and I still haven't gotten her anything… Any ideas?"
"Goddess… You must be desperate to get girl gift ideas from me…"
"Like I said, her birthday's tomorrow…" he slumped down at the kitchen table, "and the day after is our one-month anniversary…"
He got off the couch and made his way to the kitchen side of the main room, "One-month anniversary? Aren't you two a little old to be celebrating that?" He opened the fridge and pulled out two beers, offering one to Cloud before dropping into the seat opposite him.
The blond accepted before saying, "This is comin' out of your paycheck."
Vincent sighed, "It didn't help that I brought you one?"
"Nope. Anyway, you got any ideas?"
"Well," he sat back in his chair, slowly nursing his drink, "after years of observing women, I'd make a wager that Tifa's in it for the long haul, eh?"
Cloud dropped his forehead to the table with his fingers laced over the back of his head, "I don't know… I guess so…"
"Then give her something that's more for the emotional value, rather than the market value."
He paused, the thought of building a future with Tifa crossing his mind for the first time, "Like what?"
"You have anything that means something to you that'd mean a lot for her to get?"
"I'm not sure…" He jumped up with a smirk, "Actually, I think I know just the thing…"
(Aeris, 10:11 a.m.)
A knock sounded from the other side of the door and Aeris jumped up from her desk, calling out, "Come in! It's open!"
The door opened and Genesis walked in with a smile, "Morning, Rissy. You ready?"
"You bet!" she grabbed her cell phone and wallet and stuffed them in her pocket, "Let's go!" Genesis held the door for her as they moved into the hall of her dormitory and made their way to the elevators. They walked down the steps to the building and towards Genesis's waiting car. As she sat down, Aeris asked, "Hey, Genny, what're you doing tonight?"
He looked over at her, "I was going to spend some time with my other friends… if you don't mind."
"Oh, okay. Of course I don't mind."
He shifted gears and drove away from the campus, "Why do you ask?"
"I don't know. You know… I don't think I've met your friends yet…"
"Aeris…"
"Well, you have met Cissnei and Elena…"
"I guess… Let me give them a call and see if they mind, okay?"
"Okay!"
(Tifa, 10:39 a.m.)
Tifa climbed out of her car and walked up to the glass door with the frosted pattern on the front. She pushed it open and walked into the small store. She smiled and nodded to the brunette behind the counter, "Morning, Luc. Is Cloud here?"
She returned the gestures, "Upstairs. Vincent dropped by earlier… I'm not sure if he left yet or not."
"Thanks!" She made her way to the hallway to the upstairs and went up. She walked in to find Vincent belly-down on the couch, snoring away peacefully. She tickled his shoeless foot as she walked past, receiving no response as she expected. She looked around the three-bedroom apartment, found no trace of Cloud and went back downstairs with a shrug. She started to push the door to the shop open again when she felt two arms sneak around her waist. She gasped in surprise before turning her head to greet spiky hair. She laughed, "And where were you, McSpiky?"
He smiled and loosened his grip on her, "The greenhouse. You ready?"
"For what? We just planned to meet. We didn't bother figuring anything more than that."
"That's why I took the liberty of planning our day for us."
"Now I'm scared."
"Hey! At least I don't drag you around Midgar, trying to find the best pizza place in town…"
"Ugh… Don't even say the 'P' word… I'm still getting nauseous over that…"
He smirked, "And it's all your fault."
(Zack, 10:53 a.m.)
Zack drove up to the train station in Sector One. Cissnei rode with him, reasoning that since she'd have to take the bus home anyway, she could take it just as well from the station. They climbed out of the car without saying a word as Angeal walked over to greet them, "Morning, Zack. Cissnei. The crew is all set to get your Gabbiani on board. They just need the key," he held out his hand expectantly.
Zack hesitantly dropped the keys to his precious Gabbiani in his agent's palm, "Make sure they take care o f it, ya hear?"
"Yeah, yeah…" Angeal climbed in and slowly pulled it around to get it inside the train.
Zack turned to face his girlfriend, scratching the back of his head, "Well, I guess this is good-bye, huh?"
She looked to her feet, "Mm…"
"See you in a week?"
She looked up, a faint smile on her lips, "Okay."
"I'll have someone handle your ticket. I'll call you, okay?"
She nodded once, "Right."
"So, uh, yeah…" he leaned over and kissed her once, twice, eventually turning it into a make-out fest. He broke it off when he heard a throat clearing from behind him. He turned to see Angeal standing there holding Zack's keys in front of him. "Hey!" the actor shouted, snatching his keys back, "Have a little more respect!"
Angeal sighed, "For the car, or Cissnei?"
He caught sight of her watching him and responded, "Cissnei, of course! Though it sure wouldn't kill you to take better care of my Gabbiani, either…"
"Zack, your Gabbiani's a chunk of metal and fiberglass. Cissnei is a real, living, breathing person. You really need to sort out your priorities."
"Hey!" he wrapped an arm around Cissnei's shoulders, "I said Cissnei's more important!"
"You said her first, but that doesn't necessarily mean you think she's more important." He turned to address the redhead, "You could do so much better, you know that, right?"
Glad to be included in the conversation, she gave a little nod, "Mm-hm. But, I… I'm happy where I am now."
He raised an eyebrow, "And you're not using his fame to get some of your own?"
"Of course not!"
(Aeris, 11:03 a.m.)
Aeris sat in the passenger side of Genesis's car, holding her floppy straw hat onto her head. She watched the buildings of Midgar blur past as they headed to the outside of the city. She turned to face the driver and asked, "Genny?"
"Hm?"
"What are your friends like?"
"…Honestly, I don't think you'll get along with them."
"Why not?"
"They're kind of a rough bunch. They don't understand what it means to be in the company of a lady."
"If you're calling me a lady, thanks for the compliment, but I'm really not. I do work in a night club, you know."
"It doesn't make you any less of a lady."
"Aw, thanks, Genny."
He turned to smile at her, "It's the truth."
She laughed a little, embarrassed by his praise, "So, uh, anyway, thanks for offering to help me study for finals…"
"It's no trouble. I remember my finals of hell."
She laughed, "Truer words have never been spoken!" She paused, "You went to college?"
"Sure. I thought I told you? I majored in literature."
"That seems pretty accurate, Mr. Loveless. Wait. That didn't come out right."
He chuckled, "I know what you meant."
(Tifa, 11:21 a.m.)
Tifa sat on Fenrir, Cloud sitting right behind her with his hands around her waist. She leaned back against him, feeling the slight shift as he twisted to take a turn. She smiled as the bike came to a stop. She felt him move and get off behind her and then help her off, and then his hands come up behind her to remove her blindfold. She blinked against the sunlight and looked around, finally stopping on his face, "Where are we?"
He replied with a smile, "Headquarters."
"Headquarters?"
"Yeah. This little dump is my second home. Vincent, me, an' the others all meet up here. Who knows? Yuffie might even be here."
"Huh… Why'd you blindfold me?"
He gave a grin and shrugged, embarrassed, "Not even my sister knows about this place. Sorry, but this is one of my most well-guarded secrets."
"And you're sharing it with me?"
He scratched the back of his head, "Yeah…"
She started laughing, "You are so cute when you're flustered!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He returned it by slipping his tongue between her parted lips. She sucked on it for a second before feeling a hand on her shoulder. She pulled away from Cloud and turned to see a woman with reddish-brown hair and a man with black hair standing there, the former resting a hand on either of Tifa's and Cloud's shoulders.
She spoke, "Well, Cloud, it's about time we get to meet Garnet-Eyes." She turned to Tifa, "No offense."
"None taken. Um, who are you?"
Cloud gestured to each of them as he named them, "This is Jessie, and that's Biggs." He stood behind Tifa and wrapped his arms around her waist possessively, "And this is Tifa."
Biggs shifted uncomfortably, "Cloud…? You sure you should've brought her here?"
Cloud smirked and held up the bandana-turned-blindfold as Tifa said, "A clever excuse to be both romantic and inconspicuous."
The blond nodded into her hair, "True that."
"Anyway," Jessie continued, "Looks like you guys had the same idea we did."
Biggs shrugged, "We could go grab lunch as a group; make it a double."
Cloud looked down at the brunette, "You mind?"
She smiled, "Not at all! The more the merrier!"
Jessie gave a thumbs-up, "Great! Where should we go?"
"I don't even know where we are…" the brunette muttered, shooting her boyfriend a glare over her shoulder.
Biggs shrugged, "What about Cole's?"
Cloud smirked, "There's nothing but pizza there…"
Tifa's eyes widened, "No… Not pizza…"
Jessie raised an eyebrow, "What are you, lactose intolerant?"
"Uh, no. We, Cloud and I, went out all over Midgar last weekend and tried almost every pizza place we could find. Let's just say it's still pretty nauseating."
Cloud pointed at her, "It was her idea."
"Boy," the other woman snorted, "You two need to find another way to pass the time…"
"Screw you," the blond shot back, "What about Figaro's?"
"What do they have?" his girlfriend asked.
"Mideel-style food. Nothing fancy, but the twins who run it are good at keeping it away from fast-food status."
"So it's a sit-and-be-served kind of place?"
"Yeah."
"Alright. Sounds good," she checked her watch, "It's pretty much lunch time now; you guys wanna head out?"
"Hey," Cloud whispered in her ear, "Do you mind if I blindfold you again? I mean… I didn't get Vincent's permission to bring you here… So… I'd probably get in trouble if I let you find out where this place is…"
"I… guess… Whatever."
"Thanks. Trust me. You don't want to see Vincent when he's pissed."
"I think I'll take your word on that."
"Hey!" Jessie shouted from next to Biggs's bike, "You guys about ready!?"
"Hold your friggin' chocobos!" Cloud shouted back before leading the now-blinded Tifa over Fenrir and helping her on. She felt him climb on behind her and felt the vibrations as the roar of the engine started. He rested his chin on her head and settled his hands around her waist. He called out to the other couple, "Race ya!" then shot off at unsafe speeds, causing Tifa to grab hold of his arms for safety.
(Cloud, 12:32 p.m.)
Cloud sat in a booth in Figaro's, Tifa beside him and Biggs and Jessie opposite him. He reached out and grabbed a fishstick off of their oversized appetizer sampler and took a bite. Jessie struck up the conversation, "So, Tifa…"
The brunette looked up from her milkshake, "Hm?"
"What're you and Chocobo-Rear over here," she thrust a thumb towards Cloud, "up to?"
Cloud clapped a hand over Tifa's mouth before she could reply and said, "Whoa-oh-oh-oh… Don't even answer that, Teef. You'll get a lecture either way."
She pulled his hand off her face, "I was just going to say- Mmph!" A slightly calloused hand clapped back over her mouth.
Cloud held his palm over her lips until he felt her bite down. Hard. "Ah! What the- Tifa!" he glared at her, rubbing his hand.
She smirked, "Don't try to hold me down."
"Ooh…" Jessie added her piece, "She bites."
Biggs held up a hand in careful contemplation, "If they were doing that, don't you think he'd be a little less surprised by that?"
"Hmm… That is true…"
Cloud glared at them, "Go to hell." Tifa was completely silent while Cloud's friends made their observations, so he wrapped a hand around her shoulders and moved to stand, "C'mon, Tifa, let's get out of here."
"Alright… What about the check?"
"They'll get it. I paid last time anyway."
"Hey!" Jessie called as they walked away, "The Lucky Girl?"
"Maybe," Cloud called back over his shoulder.
Tifa turned to look up at him, baffled by his friend's comment, "What's she mean by 'lucky girl'?"
The blond turned to face her, taken aback by her question. Finally getting how she took it, he replied, "Oh…" he ran his free hand through his hair, "You thought she meant you were my… No wonder you got confused… The Lucky Girl is a bar."
"Oh…" she stuttered a relieved laugh, "That makes a little more sense…"
He pushed the door to the restaurant open and held it for her, "Yeah… It's kind of like our regular place. You go in there any night of the week and you're bound to find at least one of us."
She walked out and headed towards the motorcycle, "Huh… Can I come?"
"Why would you want to?" he asked incredulously as the stopped beside the bike.
"I don't know… I just want to" she blushed and averted her gaze, leaning back against Fenrir, "spend more time with you…"
He smiled and hooked his thumbs through the beltloops on her jeans, tipping his chin dangerously close, "You know… If that's the case, I don't have to go tonight."
She looked back up at him, "Really?"
"Yeah," he climbed onto Fenrir, "Let's go back to my place."
"Is Lucrecia there?"
"Probably. Why?"
"Because I'm pretty sure Reno's out. We'd be alone if we went to my place."
He started the engine, "Beats my idea. Let's go." She climbed on in front of him while he steered out of the parking lot and towards Sector Seven. He leaned his head down to ask in her ear, "Do you wanna stop by my place and get your car?"
"Nah. Goddess knows it wouldn't be the first time it's stayed there."
He smiled next to her ear and turned a corner, "Hey… You wanna try driving?"
"Wha-? I-I don't think so… I've never driven a motorcycle before… Let alone one that doesn't need the handlebars…"
"They're not just there for decoration. You can still steer with them. I'm right here. I'll take over if you have trouble."
"I-if you're sure…"
"I am. You know how to get to your place from here, right?"
"Yeah…" she leaned forward, almost lying down to reach the handles.
"Ready?"
"No!"
(Zack, 12:56 p.m.)
Zack sat in a private train car with Angeal. He watched as his agent got up and left to go find some food, and then pulled out his cell phone. He dialed a number from memory, "Hey, it's me, Zack."
The man on the other end replied, "What can I do for you, Mr. Fair?"
"Have you seen it yet?"
"That I have. I would be very interested in meeting this woman. She may be exactly what we're looking for."
Zack grinned, "See? I knew I'd be able to help. Oh, yeah… Her phone number is…" he checked his contacts list and found her number, then gave it to the man on the other end.
"Thank you. I'll have to contact her."
"Yeah… Oh… and don't tell her you know me, 'kay?"
"Very well. I'm sure you have your reasons."
"Great! Talk to you again sometime. 'Bye!"
"Good-bye, Mr. Fair."
Zack hung up the phone as Angeal walked in holding a tray with his lunch on it, "Who was that?"
"My mom. Why?"
"I'm your agent. It's my job to stick my nose into every little detail of your life. Speaking of which, I really am impressed with how loyal you've been to Cissnei. Especially after the way you were chasing Tifa Lockhart."
"Eh, Tifa made her choice. And Cissnei's been really great."
"I see… Still, it does amaze me that you can be satisfied by one woman for so long."
"Hey!"
He chuckled, "You are so much fun to pick on…"
He rolled his eyes, "Great…" His expression brightened, "So! What's for lunch!?"
"I'm having a turkey sandwich with a side of coleslaw. I don't know what you're having."
"Aww… Angeal! I'm hungry, too…"
He rolled his eyes, "I'm kidding, Zack." He took one of the covered dishes off his tray and handed it to him.
Zack's eyes lit up, "Thanks, Angeal! You're the best!"
"I know."
(Tifa, 1:41 p.m.)
Tifa pushed the door to her home open, "Reno! Reno!" She turned to face the blond behind her and grinned, "Looks like he's out. The house is all ours."
Cloud smiled back, wrapping his hands around her waist and leaning down to whisper in her ear, "What do you want to do?"
She laughed at the tickle his breath left in her ear, "What do you want to do?"
"Well… We could throw on a movie…" he kissed her just below her ear, "or play some Brawl…" he moved to her neck, "or…" he slid his lips along her collarbone to her bare right shoulder.
"Screw this…" Tifa threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips. His hands moved from their place on her back to her hips and down to the backs of her thighs. He lifted her off the floor and she went with it, wrapping her long legs around his waist. He moved his hands up to her back again to help support her weight as she leaned into him. He slid one hand under the hem of her t-shirt and pressed his palm against her back, right between her shoulder blades. He found his way to the couch by memory, never opening his eyes, and dropped down onto it.
(Aeris, 2:09 p.m.)
Aeris lay back on the blanket, staring up at the clouds. Genesis sat nearby, holding a textbook on his lap, "Okay. If Mako is concentrated Lifestream, then what is Materia?"
"Um… Oh! I know this! It's crystallized Mako!"
"Correct. How does Mako become crystallized?"
"Oh… It can happen naturally, but it's very rare and takes a freakishly long time to occur; or, it can be done artificially." She tapped her forehead, trying to remember what else her text had said, "When created that way, it takes much less time, making it possible for it to be available to the general public through mass production."
"Correct. Now then, what is the difference between natural and artificial Materia?"
"I know this one!" she rolled onto her stomach, "There isn't one! Or, well, if there is, it's too small to bother with."
He smiled at her over the top of the book, "Right again. You've answered almost every question correctly. I don't think you have much to worry about."
"Thanks… My History and Uses of Mako test is on Monday… Philosophy's not 'til Wednesday… I think I'm gonna be screwed when it comes to Monster Breeds that afternoon…"
He chuckled, "You'll be fine."
"How can you be so sure?" she moaned as she flopped back onto her back.
"I'm your boyfriend. I have to be supportive."
"Oh… So, it's an obligation?"
He set down the text and moved to sit beside her, "Aeris, you know I'm just kidding, right? I know you'll be fine with your exams this week. But if I am wrong, and if you should fail miserably, I'll still love you. Nothing will ever change that fact."
She bumped her head against his shoulder, "Thanks, Genny. I love you, too." He smiled, rolling up next to her and giving her a soft kiss.
(Cloud, 2:27 p.m.)
Cloud sat on the couch, feet supported by the opposite armrest, staring into ruby colored eyes. Their breathing was heavy as they struggled to catch their breaths. Finally, he spoke, "Tifa… I…" He pulled her closer, burying his face in her jasmine-scented hair.
Her voice carried her worry, "Cloud? What's wrong?"
"Nothing… It's just… Never mind, it's nothing." He moved away from her neck and kissed her on the forehead before pulling back and giving her a small smile.
She sighed, running a hand along the edge of his face, "It's not 'nothing,' Cloud. Tell me. What's on your mind?"
"I…" he took a deep breath, "Tifa… Do you… want to get dinner tonight?"
"That's not what you were really gonna say, was it?"
"No…"
"Well, whatever it was, it's gotta be something important, or you wouldn't be struggling like this. Just promise me you'll tell me when you're ready?"
"I promise."
"Sure."
His brow furrowed out of confusion, "Huh?"
She smiled, "Sure, I'll join you for dinner tonight."
He chuckled, "Glad to hear it." He brought his head a little closer and kissed her gently. He pulled back and she moved closer, resting her head on his chest. He felt her shift as she stretched her legs out beside his; her body flat against his. He closed his eyes and pressed his palms to her back, holding her close. "Tifa…" he whispered in her ear.
"What is it, Cloud…?"
"Tifa…" he smiled, "When I'm with you, I feel… I'm not sure, but I know I've never felt this way before…"
"Is it… a good feeling?"
"Definitely."
(Zack, 3:46 p.m.)
Zack sat on the train, his MP3 player blaring heavy metal while playing a game on his cell phone. He was glad the filming for 'Shattered' was all done and glad to be going back to his resort in Costa del Sol. He could only think of three downsides to his current position: he had to be away from Cissnei, the trip back to Costa del Sol took almost all day, and the fact that he'd have to make the trip all over again when the movie was done just to attend the premiere. 'Oh, well… It'll just be a day or two…' he thought just before the intercom sounded through the train.
"May I have your attention, please. We are approaching the Junon Station and will arrive within the next half hour. Please make sure you have all your belongings before departing. Thank you."
"Great!" Zack jumped out of his seat, "We're almost there! I can't stand sitting still!"
Angeal looked up at him over the top of his laptop, "I know. But keep in mind… You still have to sit the whole ride to Costa del Sol."
"Aww… Angeal…! Can't I wander around…!? I promise I'll stay incognito…"
"No."
"Please? Pleeeease…?"
"No."
"Angeal!" he crossed his arms like an angry child, "I take back my comment about you being the best."
"Well, then, on our next trip, I'll let you handle all the tickets and the luggage check-in."
"Whaaat!? Angeal! Why in the world would you let me to do that?"
"Well, since I'm not the best, I certainly can't handle everything…"
"Angeal!"
(Cloud, 5:12 p.m.)
Tifa held onto Cloud's arms as he steered Fenrir up to Branford's, the restaurant where they'd had their first date. She spoke from under his chin, "You know, I'm getting really sick of being blindfolded…"
He chuckled and removed her blindfold, her eyes widened a little when she saw where they were. "Cloud…! This is…!" she turned on the bike to face him.
He grinned and squeezed her waist a little, "Happy early birthday and one-month anniversary."
"Cloud… You didn't have to…" she twisted to press a light kiss to his lips before realizing, "It's only been a month? It seems like so much longer…"
"Yeah… Best month of my life. So far, anyway," he breathed, dusting his lips over hers tenderly.
"What do you mean by 'so far'?"
He chuckled, "Just that I'm hoping we'll have better times together."
She rested her index finger on his lips, "Don't hope. Know."
"Alright. Because I know we'll have better times together."
It was her turn to laugh, "Let's go eat."
(Tifa, 6:23 p.m.)
Tifa smiled at the waiter, "A slice of your Chocolate Decadence with two forks, please." She handed him the dessert menu before he walked away. She turned back to Cloud, "So… Now what?"
"Actually, I have something I want to give you."
"Oh?" she brought her hand up to rest her chin on her palm, elbow propped up on the table.
"Yeah," he reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a small, dark green, velvet box. He set it on the table and slid it closer to her, "Happy birthday."
She stared at it in shock, 'Holy… He said he liked me… But this…? We haven't even said 'I love you' yet… Wait. Did I just say I love him…? I… guess I did… Ah!' she mentally slapped herself, 'Focus, Tifa!'
"Tifa? Are you just gonna sit there and stare at it, or are you gonna open it?"
"Huh?" she tore her gaze away from the box and looked up at him, "Cloud, I…"
He wore a soft smile as he said, "C'mon, Tifa. Open it."
Her heart was hammering in her chest as she nervously picked up the box. She took a deep breath and cracked it open. She felt her heart drop and swell at the same time when faced with a pair of pearl, teardrop-shaped earrings. She let her smile of relief spread wide as she gently pulled one out to examine it. "Cloud… You didn't have to spend this much on me…" she said, her brain still not functioning at full capacity.
He grinned, "Don't worry. They didn't cost me a gil."
Her heart slowed back to a normal rate, "Why would you admit that? With a smile, no less."
"Because," he gave a short chuckle, "You should know that they belonged to my mother. They really are priceless in my eyes. Just like you."
"Cloud…" she said his name with a whiney note, embarrassed, "I can't accept this… They're too precious…"
"You can and you will. I want you to have them and my mother would want you to, too. So, c'mon, Teef, please?"
"Well… when you put it that way…" her voice sounded a little hesitant as her mind screamed, 'I love you! I love you! I love you!' She reached up and took out the silver hoop earrings she had on and slid the teardrops into the piercings in her earlobes. She smiled and tucked her hair back behind her ears so he could see, "How do they look?"
He reached across the table to stroke her chin, "Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful."
She blushed, something she noticed she didn't do often in Cloud's company, and replied, "I'll have to meet your mom sometime so I can thank her."
"Yeah… I'll introduce you someday."
(Aeris, 6:52 p.m.)
Aeris finished packing the empty dishes from their dinner inside the cooler and closed it. She turned around and sat down next to Genesis, who had just come back after putting her bag back in the car. She tucked her knees in by her chest and scooted closer to him, pressing her hip against his while watching the sun set in a blaze of pastel colors. His hand found her shoulder and hesitated. He pulled her closer, then let go, pulled her closer again and repeated this for a while. She turned to look at him, confusion swirling in her green gaze, "Genny? Are you alright?"
"Aeris, I… There's something I want to ask you."
Her brows knit together, "Huh? What is it, Genny?"
"Aeris…" he shifted his position so his whole body was facing her. He kept one hand down beside his leg, hiding it from her view. "Aeris… I know we've only been together for just about a month now, but in that short time I realized: I love you and I couldn't imagine seeing you in the arms of another man. So… What I'm trying to say is…" he lifted his hidden hand to reveal a small box with a diamond ring inside, "Aeris Faremis, will you marry me?"
She stared at him blankly, her gaze shifting to the ring and back up to his face. Her lips parted slightly, trying and failing to find words. She finally managed, "Genny, I… I…"
"Aeris?"
Her mouth cracked into a grin, "Yes! Yes, yes, yes!" She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into a tight hug. He held her close, ecstatic that she'd agreed so quickly. He pushed her back gently and pulled the ring out of the box before sliding it onto her left ring finger. She examined it for a moment, a grin larger than the Northern Crater adorning her face. She looked back up at him, tears of joy welling in her eyes, "I-I'm so happy! I never thought… Ohh… Genny!" she wrapped her arms around his neck once more, this time adding a kiss to his lips.
When she finally released his mouth, he whispered against hers, "Aeris… I love you…"
(Tifa, 7:32 p.m.)
Cloud and Tifa lay on the couch of her home, making the most of the night. They stopped to take a breath when a knock sounded at the door. Tifa looked up at him from her pinned down position, "Um… I should see who that is…"
He grinned at her, "What's stopping you?"
She laughed, "You are, Chocobo-Rear." He gave a chuckle and braced a hand on either side of her and balanced on his toes. He stretched upwards as if doing a push-up, giving her room to slip out from underneath him. She climbed out and fixed her messy hair in the mirror quickly before moving to open the door. She grinned when she saw Marlene standing in front of Barret on the porch. She nodded her head towards the inside, "C'mon in, guys."
Marlene ran inside, saw Cloud sitting on the couch and ran over to him, "Cloud! Cloud's here!" She ran over and threw her arms around the man's neck. And, like the big kid he was, he angled his body so when she hit into him, they both fell over in a mess of laughter.
Tifa looked at Barret, "Sometimes I wonder which of us sisters he's really seducing."
He laughed, "You an' Marlene are like glue. Seduce one an' ya seduce tha otha."
She snorted a chuckle, "I guess. I'm just glad Marlene approves of Cloud."
"…You like 'im dat much, eh?"
"I do. He might just be 'the one'…" she mused before flashing a grin in the direction of her sister and boyfriend and calling out, "Pile up!" and jumping on top of them.
Barret only laughed, "Actually, Tifa, I came by ta say dat I got third shift again an' Marlene's gonna hafta spen' da night here."
She turned to face him from her position near the back of the couch, "Okay!" She caught Cloud's eye and shrugged apologetically. He raised an eyebrow, questioning why she felt the need for apologies. She gave him a combination look mixing her shy approval and obvious intentions.
A light shone in his eyes and he mouthed, 'You sure?'
She shrugged, nodded towards Marlene and mouthed back, 'Not anymore.'
He chuckled and sat up, keeping one girl under each arm, as he said, "So, what do my two favorite girls and drummer want to do?"
Marlene laughed, "I wanna hear Tifa sing!"
Her sister looked at her, suddenly very tired, "You know it doesn't sound very good when there's no music. And Reno and Yuffie aren't here, Barret's heading out, and we clarified early on that Cloud's musical aptitude stinks."
Barret waved and made his escape while he called, "See ya t'morra, Marlene."
She stuck out her lip and put a whiney element in her voice, "Don't you have it on the computer?"
"Marlene… I don't really feel like singing tonight… Why don't we play Brawl?" she curled into Cloud's side and let out a yawn.
"Hey, you okay?" Cloud wrapped his hand over her shoulders and brought it around to touch her forehead, "No fever."
"I'm fine, Cloud… Just tired."
"Then why don't you go to bed and give Marlene and me some bonding time?" He raised his eyebrows at the girl, who burst out into a giggle-fit.
Tifa shook her head, "I'll be fine."
"You heard it, Marlene. She said she'll be fine. Which means it's time for bed for the older of my girls." He stood up and picked Tifa up into his arms and carried her out to the garage, where he motioned for Marlene to pull down the covers.
She did as was asked of her and Tifa felt herself make contact with the sheets, mumbling, "I'm not sick…"
Cloud smirked and kissed her forehead, "I never said you were." She felt him caress cheek before pausing to touch her earrings and leaving.
(Zack, 8:17 p.m.)
Zack sat in his private, first class cabin on the passenger yacht that ran between Junon and Costa del Sol. He stood up and looked around; found his sunglasses and a ponytail. He slid the shades on and pulled his hair back with the elastic band. He grabbed the keycard to his room and stuffed it in his pocket, slipping out of his room. He looked at the bright blue sky outside the window and stared at it for a minute, thinking, 'Wait a minute… Wasn't it sunset in Junon? What time is it?' He pulled out his cell phone and checked the clock, 'It's after eight… What the…? Ohh… Right. The time change. It's probably more like six-something here.' He shrugged and crept past Angeal's door on his way to the deck, stopping beside the railing to look out at the ocean. He breathed in the fresh sea scent and exhaled, relishing the feeling of freedom.
A feminine voice spoke from behind him, "Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to be… Zackary Fair, would you?"
He turned to see a woman dressed in a maroon bikini with a matching shawl wrapped around her waist standing there. Her hair was a reddish-brown color and he caught himself before flirting when he realized something: this woman's left arm was mechanical. He mentally slapped himself for losing his cool in front of a beautiful, not to mention shapely, woman before replying, "And who might you be? If you're calling me 'Zackary,' you must be here for business."
She took off her glasses and started cleaning them on her shawl with only her right hand, the mechanical one remaining still, "My apologies, Mr. Fair. I am Shalua Rui of Urban Originals Ltd. My employer wanted me to come and speak with you a little; you know, get some information on the woman in the video."
He shook his head, "Sorry, Ms. Rui. I'm not sayin' a word. You want to know about her, ask her."
"I see. That's too bad. Oh, well. Nice meeting you, Mr. Fair." She turned and waved over her shoulder as she walked away.
Zack watched her leave before turning back to the ocean, 'That was cryptic.'
(Aeris, 10:03 p.m.)
Aeris reluctantly climbed out of the car, "Goodnight, Genny… I love you…"
"Goodnight, Rissy. See you tomorrow."
"Genny?"
"Hm?"
"Do you mind if I tell people?"
"Of course not."
"Thanks. Genny?" she examined the almost perfectly-fitting ring on her finger for the thousandth time.
"Yes?"
"Did you… did you ask my parents?"
He chuckled, "Actually, yes. I did."
"Really? When'd you do that?"
"When I snitched your cell phone and stole their number from it while you weren't looking."
"Genny!"
"What?"
She giggled, "Thanks. It… means a lot that you'd ask my parents."
"Of course," he paused, a new thought occurring to him, "Say, Rissy, you have to move out of the dorms by Friday, right?"
"Yeah, so?"
"Do you want to move in with me?"
Her eyes widened for a second at his blunt question, and then a grin conquered her face, "You don't mind?"
"Well, I assume it'll happen eventually, anyway."
She chuckled, "You don't want to salvage the last remnants of bachelorhood?"
"No… I think I'll manage. Besides, I still have a couple days this week."
"Genny?"
"Mm?"
"I can't wait."
He smiled, "You know… You'll meet my friends eventually. Your finals are more important, after all. Besides, you have met Angeal."
"Yeah, I know. It doesn't change the fact that I wish my finals didn't exist."
He chuckled, "Goodnight."
"Yeah, g'night…" she turned and forced herself up the stairs and into the building.
(Cloud, 11:43 p.m.)
Cloud trudged up the stairs to his apartment, sore from chasing the seven-year-old around Tifa's house all night. By the time he'd gotten her to sleep, resorting to methods he'd never repeat to anyone, it was already almost eleven. He walked through the kitchen and asked the air, "Luc?" He waited for a reply, but received none, 'Guess she's already asleep…' He walked into his room and sat on the bed, pulling his shirt off over his head. He rubbed his Fenrir tattoo, thinking, 'Tifa… It's only been a month… Are you sure you're ready…?' He looked up when he heard a thump from Lucrecia's room. He smiled to himself, 'Guess she fell out of bed again.' He groaned and dropped backwards, flipping up onto his back to take his pants off and pull the covers over his body, wondering, 'Since when could a kid wear me out…?'
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Before anyone says anything, yes, Zack and Aeris WILL (eventually) have a moment. Please be patient! Genesis has to finish up with her first. Any thoughts on how that might happen?
I'm not quite sure I believe it, but no one has made a guess as to who Tifa's ex, Yuffie's mystery man, or Cloud's and friend's him are. Nor has anyone sent me a DoC profiles list! …So I made up my own personalities based on the little info I have.
Either no one noticed, or it's just that no one commented, but I think it's high time I give some credit. The name of Zack's car, Gabbiani, the name of the restaurant Cloud and Tifa went to, Branford's, and the names of the two restaurants mentioned in this chapter, Cole's and Figaro's, are all last names of characters of FF6. Setzer Gabbiani, Terra Branford, Locke Cole and Edgar/Sabin Figaro. I don't own Final Fantasy 6 in any way… I just wanted to see if anyone would notice. I may have other cameos, if you will, show up. My brother said I should have a cereal called 'Branford Flakes' show up, but I'd already used Terra's name when he proposed the idea.
As always, please review! I'd love to hear what you think is gonna happen! -OCV
