In this chapter I'll focus on Zack and Tifa getting to know each-other, Zack gets a small bro moment with little Denzel and a small fight scene! Cloud will be mentioned multiple times too, slight Cloti as well! And thank you all for the reviews so far!
BTW: Thanks for the review AkaiArashi1, I'll try to write longer chapters. The reason for them being/looking rather short is on Word it looks long so I'm afraid it'll be too long of a chapter to post and write a bit less. I'll heed the advice though, thanks!
Chapter 10: What I Missed
By the time AVALANCHE and Zack and the rest of his group had left 7th Heaven, with the former Turks assuring Tifa they had organized a place to stay, the two adults were left standing alone in the bar.
Silence.
Zack scratched the back of his neck, an action familiar to Tifa.
She shifted somewhat uncomfortably and asked:" Do you want a drink? It's on the house."
Zack looked at her, seemingly ripped from his thoughts, and replied:" Oh, uh, water will be fine. Thank you."
Tifa moved behind the bar and took a clean glass from the glass cabinet, filling it with the clear liquid.
She asked while filling a glass for herself:" You're not really a drinker are you?",
Zack nursed his drink and said:" Never was. Alcohol never attracted me really, I only drank at special occasions, a glass or two."
He glanced at her own water and remarked with a small smile:" You don't seem to be either."
She smiled and responded:" Nope, never was either. I know, it's unusual for a barmaid not to be a drinker, right? Well, I taste the drinks I mix but never more than sip or a gulp. I drink occasionally when the mood gets to me."
Zack leaned forward slightly and asked:" What kind?",
She shrugged, leaning back against the counter as she looked into those intense, blue mako eyes:" What everyone goes through in times of crisis, I guess. It's been getting harder to pay for food and other necessities, since Cloud's been gone for almost a year now. He's not answering his phone and I can't track him down any other way. Barret and the other's tried too but no luck. It's like he disappeared from the face of the earth. With our primary source of income gone, it has been a tight fit for me and the kids. And you've seen the condition Edge is in so customers aren't as frequent as they once been. So, I drink every now and then, usually when the kid's are asleep to temporarily forget my worries. But not so much to completely make them go away, I still have a family to take care of."
The 28-year-old nodded solemnly and asked:" What of the customers?",
Tifa frowned and answered:" Gone or angry about not being serviced. I can't deliver any parcels since I can't leave the kids and the bar alone and I don't have any vehicle to even transport it."
Zack suddenly grinned. Tifa didn't know him well enough to know what exactly it meant, but she assumed that he was up to no good.
He suggested while pointing at himself:" Oi, oi. What about me? I have to get a job somewhere anyway and since I'm temporarily going to live here I can make myself useful and help you out. I can drive anything you give me."
Tifa thought long and hard, his offer wasn't unreasonable but…
She said:" Zack, you just arrived in a city you don't even know. How can you deliver parcels if you don't even know where you're going?"
He said as if it was the easiest and most obvious thing in the world:" I'm gonna study the map. I know my way all around Gongaga, Modeoheim, Nibelheim and Midgar. This is south of where Midgar used to be if I'm not mistaken so it shouldn't really be difficult to remember all the routes."
Zack studied her for a moment before asking:" You're searching for reasons to get rid of me aren't you?"
The woman glanced at him surprised and immediately said:" What? No! Wha-? No! Zack, how can you think that! You're a friend, why would I want to get rid of you?",
He stared at the bottom of his glass and said with a haunted look:" Because I killed your family."
The next thing made him look up at her in surprise.
Tifa slammed her hands down on the counter and said angrily:" You didn't kill my family Zack! It was Sephiroth! It was Sephiroth who went on a rampage and burned down Nibelheim and killed papa, it was Sephiroth that sent Meteor at the earth, it was Sephiroth that brought so much bloodshed. You tried to stop him, you escaped Hojo's lab and saved Cloud's life and it was you that died protecting Cloud from Shinra!"
Zack remained perfectly still during Tifa's outburst, not believing his ears.
Hey, would you say I became a hero?
He was asking himself that question right now.
He shook his head and focused back on Tifa, who was looking at him fiercely.
She said:" Zack, there are people who remember you and your heroic deeds. Cloud has held on for so long because of your words, they kept him going."
Zack protested." It wasn't me that kept him going Tifa. At least not all of it, after all there's only so much the dead can do."
He said while looking at her:" You kept him going, you fixed him up, encouraged him to live… I'm sorry he's repaying you in this way… I thought I taught him better than that…"
Tifa smiled and said:" It's alright Zack. He will come around. Let me show you to your room alright?",
Zack's head shot up and he asked with a surprised:" Wait, what?",
Tifa blinked and said:" Your room upstairs…"
Zack said:" Room? I thought I was going to sleep on the couch or somewhere outside in a tent."
Tifa giggled and shook her head, she warned:" Um, but I'll first have to move Cloud's things so you can sleep there."
Zack stopped.
He asked:" Cloud's things? Don't you have a spare bedroom or something? I wouldn't want to take his room when he will come-"
Tifa cut him off:" He won't."
Zack stopped, he said quietly:" What's left if not hope?",
Tifa answered after a minute:" My family to take care of.",
Zack understood, he really did. But he found it difficult just giving up on his best friend, no matter how many years have passed.
Zack said with a hand on Tifa's shoulder:" How about this, I sleep on the couch for the upcoming three weeks. I'll construct a room for myself upstairs.",
She looked at him and asked surprised:" You can do construction work?",
Just what did they do in SOLDIER?
Zack grinned and said:" Well, yeah. I built my own little cottage with Angeal and my own tree house when I was 7. And I did the random job or two with constructing and building."
Tifa nodded and placed her hands on her hips, she smiled and said:" Well, alright. Do you want a tour? You will live here for a while after all.",
Zack smiled and nodded.
He followed Tifa upstairs, she showed him Denzel and Marlene's room. They were playing together on the floor, when the door opened they looked up.
Zack greeted cheerfully:" Hi there!",
Marlene smiled, Denzel though was suspicious. He just nodded.
Marlene asked with questioning brown eyes:" Zack, are you a part of AVALANCHE now?",
Zack looked at Tifa and said:" Yeah, guess I am.",
Marlene nodded and replied:" I'm glad. After Cloud left Tifa will smile more.",
She said the same thing she whispered in his ear when he first laid eyes on her.
Denzel turned his head to the side, ignoring Marlene's comment.
Tifa blushed and sent Marlene a warning look, which made the girl giggle.
Zack frowned when he noticed Denzel's cold behavior, he kneeled down and asked:" Hey little man, is there something wrong?",
Denzel didn't answer at first, when he lifted his head he practically snarled at Zack:" Do you plan to live here? Where will you even sleep?",
Zack was slightly taken aback by his hostility before replying:" Uh, well for a time anyway. I'll sleep on the couch downstairs and we'll see from there.",
Denzel grit his teeth, Zack asked worriedly:" Hey, Denzel, what's wrong?",
Denzel harshly brushed Zack's hand away, Tifa said:" Denzel!",
The little boy glared at Zack and Tifa and shouted:" Why is he here?! I don't want him here! He's supposed to be dead! I want Cloud to come back! Cloud should be here not him!"
Denzel ran out of the room and downstairs, rushing outside where the rest of the kids were walking aimlessly through the streets.
Tifa knew it was no use running after him, he would only hide and be too stubborn to answer her calls.
Zack was stunned.
Marlene looked sad as she said:" Please don't take it personally Zack. Denzel just misses Cloud a lot. Ever since Cloud left us he's been grumpy and cold.",
Zack nodded and patted Marlene's head gently, he asked:" Cloud is like a father to him isn't he?",
Marlene bit her lip and nodded.
Zack slowly stood up, he said:" I'll go look for him. I'll be right back.",
Tifa wanted to protest, to say Denzel will come back like he always did, but Zack was already out the door before she could utter a single word.
The former 1st Class SOLDIER searched and searched until he found the boy huddled behind a large trash container.
Zack slowly approached him and sat on the ground next to him.
Denzel moved farther away in response.
Zack didn't say anything for a while. He waited.
Denzel spoke up after the silence became too much for him to bear:" Why did you follow me?"
Zack answered:" Because, I can't let a kid walk around such a big city alone. Who knows what kinds of people roam the streets.",
Denzel said:" I know this city better than you. I can defend myself just fine.",
Zack sighed and said:" You miss him huh?",
Denzel didn't respond.
Zack said softly:" I don't know why you hate me so much Denzel, especially since we don't even know each-other, but Cloud will come back. Of course he will, he just needs some time to gather his thoughts.",
Denzel said:" Cloud found me in Sector 5….in the slums. I was really hungry, had been for days, I found his bike and his phone. I called Tifa because that was on his recent call list, I was confused and didn't know what to say when Tifa picked up and asked me who I was. I didn't even know then anymore who I really was. When I collapsed because of my Geostigma, Cloud found me lying on the ground. He brought me to 7th Heaven and he and Tifa took care of me and Marlene together. We were like a real family…",
"Until he left…", Denzel small fists clenched.
Zack remained silent, letting the boy speak his mind.
Denzel looked at him briefly before saying:" One day Tifa and Barret had to go to some village to pick up a few supplies. They visited your…grave. Well, I was never there but Tifa said Cloud stuck your sword in the ground on the spot where you died, overlooking Midgar.
She said it was the spot where Cloud made a important promise. She started talking about you and I got angry. I thought she liked Cloud not you!",
Zack shook his head and explained calmly:" I think you misunderstood Denzel. Tifa was just talking about the old times. I'm guessing Cloud told her a few things about me and she just retold them. She still likes Cloud, don't worry.", he chuckled.
Denzel smiled briefly.
Zack said:" So…friends?",
The little boy looked fully up at Zack, he thought for a moment before smiling brightly and hugging him.
Zack was surprised. He hadn't expected for Denzel to hug him.
Denzel said sadly:" I-I'm sorry Zack…I…I guess I was scared that our family would be torn apart…like my own was…",
Zack frowned, he wrapped his strong arms around the small boy and hugged him tightly.
He whispered:" Don't worry. Cloud will come back but in the meantime I will make sure nothing bad happens to Tifa, Marlene or you got it?",
Denzel nodded, gripping Zack tighter.
In a way, Denzel reminded Zack of himself.
His parents were happily married and his mother was a beauty, whenever some men tried to unsuccessfully flirt with her and she would flatly reject them, Zack always got angry and barked at them for flirting with married women.
But his dad always took care of that afterwards.
Zack chuckled softly and patted the boy's head. He asked softly:" Was that why you didn't like me? Because you thought I would steal Tifa away from Cloud?",
Denzel, suddenly extremely embarrassed, buried his face in the former SOLDIER's strong chest, mumbling in agreement.
Zack chuckled again and said:" Don't worry little man. I'm not the type to steal someone else's girl. Especially not my best friend's. Besides, Tifa and I are just friends."
The boy nodded, not really understanding the mechanics of such relationships yet but understanding that Zack wasn't a replacement for Cloud.
As the two walked back towards 7th Heaven, five men approached them. They looked drunk, two were holding broken beer bottles in their hands, one was holding what looked like a shard of glass and the other two were holding steel pipes. Zack moved in front of Denzel protectively.
He didn't draw his sword, he didn't need it to finish them off should it come to a confrontation.
One of them said:" Oi…..g-give us some money, punk.",
The one with the glass shard laughed drunkenly and shouted:" Yeah! Give us so money! Ehh?",
He looked at the little boy behind Zack's legs, he grinned and said:" O-or give us tis boy there.",
Zack's muscles tensed, he said lowly:" Sorry, I don't have money and the boy isn't an option.",
One of the men holding the steel pipe, the leader it seemed, stepped up and said with a crooked grin:" Really now? Guess we will have to make this one suffer boys.",
The group laughed, advancing on them. Zack's eyes narrowed angrily when he felt the grip on his pants leg tighten.
When all of them were about to jump on Zack at once, Denzel shouted in panic:" Cloud!",
A shadowy figure moved at top speed, kicking away the two with the pipes while Zack slammed his fist against the other ones and punched the one with the shard away.
He looked at the figure who kicked the other assailants.
It was Tifa.
She tightened her black gloves and moved next to Zack, in front of Denzel.
She said while keeping her eyes on the drunks:" I heard you had some trouble.",
Zack smirked and said:" I don't need help but feel free to knock yourself out, ladies first."
Tifa smiled and started delivering a flurry of kicks and punches to the two with the broken bottles.
The leader moved behind her to hit her with the pipe, Zack's fist came flying into his face, most definitely dislocating his jaw.
Zack and Tifa expertly moved around and with each-other, easily falling into sync.
The drunks scattered before anymore bones in their bodies broke.
Zack dusted his hands off and Tifa placed her hands on her hips. They looked at each-other and high fived playfully.
Tifa leaned down and asked softly:" Are you alright, Denzel?",
Denzel smiled and nodded, hugging her around her neck.
Tifa smiled and hugged the boy back briefly. She straightened against and looked up at Zack.
She offered him a warm smile and said:" Thank you a lot Zack.",
He shook his head and replied:" It was nothing."
He remembered something and said smugly:" Well, I didn't know you knew how to kick ass so well. Better than 2nd Class SOLDIERs that's for sure.",
Tifa smirked and said:" Well, Zangan taught me martial arts for years. He would be disappointed if I couldn't dispatch a few 2nd Class SOLDIERs.",
Zack crossed his arms and joked:" Oh? Could you dispatch a former 1st Class?",
Tifa's answer was a well-placed kick to the side of Zack's head, his arm coming up to guard his face a second before the it made contact.
With her foot still in the air, Tifa smiled and said:" We could spar if you want to find out."
A growl.
Zack, still blocking Tifa's foot, said embarrassed:" How about tomorrow? Guess my stomach has other ideas.",
Tifa laughed and lowered her foot back to the ground, ushering the awe struck Denzel inside to call Marlene for supper.
She said:" I hope you like pancakes and waffles.",
Zack said excitedly:" Oh! I didn't have that in years!",
Tifa laughed because it was true. Zack started jogging like an excited child.
She mused:" You're like a restless puppy.",
Zack grinned widely and said:" Heh, yeah I guess. The nickname stuck for all these years.",
The woman smiled and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly before starting to prepare everything for supper.
Zack smiled at her back, feeling lighter.
Maybe he hadn't eaten well in quite some time.
From all that dilly dally.
You probably noticed, I used the phrase Tifa used for Cloud ("dilly dally shilly shally") when he was focusing on unimportant things and dragging his past behind. She wanted him to move on and focus on what was important. Well, Zack knows it too. :P Here Zack was reffering to his long comatose state and from how long he needed to recover whereas he could have done something else (like finding Cloud and going back to Aerith ;) ). Hope the chapter was good! (waves)