AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey y'all! All I can say is sorry for the massive delay for this chapter, but what can I say? Life got pretty hectic unfortunately. Thanks for all the reviews and hopefully I will get more with this one!

X X X

"I gotta say I'm impressed, " Tifa said lightly, as she sat at the table. "Not a lot of guys your age can cook. Although I have to admit I'm surprised you invited me over. "

Shuyin laughed as he looked over his shoulder at the young woman, before he turned back to the stove. "I figured it was the least I could do."

"I told you, you really don't owe me anything, " Tifa said earnestly.

"I know that," Shuyin replied, this time fully turning. "It's more because I want to, not because I feel I need to. "

Tifa laughed. "Alright alright. I won't look this gift horse in the mouth. "

Shuyin laughed along with her before turning back to watch the food. Tifa just had to admire the look of absolute concentration on his face, and his face as well. "How do you like your steak by the way, I forgot to ask. "

"Medium well please," Tifa asked before glancing around. "So where's your dad and brother? "

Shuyin gave a shrug. "Well Tidus is at school and my dad finally got a new job! "

"That's good news! " Tifa said sincerely.

Shuyin gave a slight chuckle. "Yeah, he's really trying to pull himself together. I guess your little 'chat' actually hit home! "

"So what job did he get? "

"He's working as a college Blitzball coach, " Shuyin said. Tifa's heart warmed to see the young man's face glowing with pride. "Alright your steak's ready! "

"Awesome I'm starving! " Tifa said eyeing the steak hungrily.

" Just a sec, " Shuyin said with a laugh. He carefully removed the steak from the mini grill and carefully placed it on a bed of garnish before setting it down in front of Tifa.

Tifa looked at the steak in front of her, clearly impressed. "Smells delicious, "she said honestly, looking up at the young man.

"Forget the smell! How's it taste? " Shuyin laughed.

Tifa laughed along, before gingerly cutting off a piece and eating it. For a moment she seemed at a loss for words, before she closed her eyes and chewed with a wide smile. "This is great! You've got some serious talent!"

Shuyin blushed and offered her a nervous smile in response. "I don't think following a recipe counts as talent. "

"No way! Even if you are just following a recipe, everyone's hand tastes different," Tifa argued. "Just accept that you're good alright! "

"Okay, okay, I'm good alright? " Shuyin through his hands up in surrender, knowing by now that one simply does not argue with Tifa Lockhart. "So what plans you got for tonight? "

"What's happening tonight?" Tifa asked absently, concentrating on enjoying her meal.

"Well it is the commemoration of the Wutai War, I'm sure you must be celebrating somehow, Shuyin said with a shrug.

"I dunno, getting together with a bunch of people to celebrate thousands of soldiers dying doesn't really appeal to me, " Tifa muttered. "What about you?"

"Not sure yet, " Shuyin replied. "Probably gonna head to the beach, have a couple of drinks with the guys. That sorta thing."

Tifa laughed along with him before narrowing her eyes, "Just don't overdo it, you hear? " she said, doing her best strict mother impression.

Shuyin chuckled and gave her a cheeky grin. "Ya know? " he said, scratching the back of his head, a nervous habit of his. "If you aren't doing anything tonight, maybe we could hang out. "

It took Tifa a full second to realise that the teenager was dead serious. "But I thought you already had plans, " she said trying to sound casual.

"Well yeah, " Shuyin replied, nervously. "I guess I'd just feel guilty, knowing I'm out having a great time and you're stuck at home."

Tifa blinked. "That's really sweet, thank you," she said softly.

"Don't mention it, " Shuyin let out, before gulping and hurriedly looking away.

Tifa had to smile at his awkwardness. "You truly are something else, you know that? "

"I've been told," Shuyin said with a shy smile, he seemed to hesitate for a moment, before he leaned forward.

A million thoughts and possible reactions ran through Tifa's mind at his move. She could easily break his jaw, dodge his pass, run off or panic. Instead she did none of those, she leaned forward as well to meet him.

XXX

"Zack, I know I've asked you a million times before, " Cloud fought to keep his voice calm as he pinched the bridge of his nose to keep his nerves under control. "But are you fucking insane?"

"Cloud," Zack spoke with the air of a parent patiently explaining to a child that one plus one equals two. "Look its only a couple of friends, that you know as well. And we're just having a couple of drinks, no drugs, loud music, strippers, nada! So I don't see any problems! "

Cloud inhaled deeply. "You're missing the point Zachary! My wife is visiting her parents with the kids, and you just had to throw a party? "

"I thought it'd be fun! " Zack said hopefully.

"We'll see how much fun it is when Aerith finds out, " Cloud scoffed.

Zack recoiled as if hit by a physical blow. "You wouldn't! "

"Care to test that theory, " Cloud asked calmly striding into the kitchen and cracking open a can of beer.

"Now that is a new low for you! " Zack' s wounded puppy face may work on most people, but his younger brother was the exception.

Cloud managed to hold a straight face for a full minute, before he threw his head back and laughed. "Relax! You think I would tell Aerith even if I wanted to? She'd probably kill me first!"

Zack looked almost ready to faint, before he deflated with relief. "I'm gonna get you back for this, Bro, " he promised with all sincerity.

Cloud sniggered again. "Save it for someone who cares. I think we do need a night to chill. So who'd you invite? "

Zack's right eye twitched, before he decided not to question his usually uptight brother's change in character. "Mostly guys you know; Reno, Rude, Kunsel and Luxiere. I think Reno's bringing along his girlfriend Elena too."

"Won't she feel a little awkward?" Cloud raised an eyebrow. "Y'know, being the only girl and what not? "

"Yeah, " Zack gave a small grimace. "Well I kinda invited that girl you're partnered with. Tifa?"

Cloud inhaled half the beer. "You d-did what?!" He coughed.

"Well Reno wouldn't have come if Elena wasn't invited, " Zack attempted to justify his reasons with an apologetic shrug. "So I figured why not? She's the only girl I know in this town, besides this crazy chick Yuffie, so I didn't really have much of a choice."

Cloud was still thumping his fist against his chest in attempt to stifle his coughing. "Okay, lets pretend I'm actually okay with this, Zack how did you even get her number? "

Zack gave a nervous grimace, he had been hoping Cloud wouldn't ask that question. "I found it-on your phone. "

Cloud's face went a bright shade of puce. "You did what? " he tried as hard as he could to keep his tone even, but Zack was simply infuriating. Before he had a chance to even tell Zack off, the door bell rang.

"I'll go and get that then, " Zack said with the air of a child being told Christmas was coming tomorrow. He dashed off, leaving Cloud to fume silently in the kitchen.

A moment later he returned with Tifa in tow. She offered Cloud a bemused smile, evidently having realised Zack had taken many liberties that night.

Cloud almost choked on his tongue; she had chosen to wear a sleek black number that fell halfway down her thighs with a neat neckline, showing just the right amount of cleavage. Her hair tumbled down her back loosely, and shiny white earrings hung on either side of her face.

Cloud hurriedly cleared his throat. "Glad to see you could make it. "

Tifa raised her eye brow with a sweetly confused expression. "Here I thought you were against this party."

"I-I am - was, " Cloud stammered out.

Tifa gave a soft laugh in response. "I think I prefer the usual sniping, bitchy Cloud. At least then I actually have fun talking to you! "

"You enjoy my bitchy talk? "

"Well yeah, " Tifa said as if it were the most obvious thing on earth. "Good mental exercise, trying to one up you."

Cloud chuckled, while Zack looked from one to the other. "You two are making me feel unwanted."

"Finally! " Cloud said without an ounce of sarcasm. "I've been trying to get that across since I was born! "

Zack grimaced. "You wound me! Whoa! Better go see who's here! " he said before dashing off to answer the door.

Cloud and Tifa shared a laugh. "Can I get you a beer? " he asked. "Sorry about that, we've tried for years, but every doctor insists there's nothing wrong with him! "

Tifa shook her head as she accepted the beer. "Family is family, dude. You really can't pick and choose."

"Amen, " Cloud said, tipping his beer against hers. "You look good by the way. "

Now it was Tifa's turn to choke on her beer. "Did you just give me a compliment? " she sputtered. "Are you feeling alright? "

"What?!" Cloud exclaimed. "You make me sound like some asshole with a stick in his ass! "

"You technically make yourself sound that way dude, " Tifa said with a shrug.

"Hey you two! " Zack's voice called from the living room. "Everybody's here already, so why don't you come join us? "

"Looks like we're being summoned, " Tifa said with a laugh.

"No one summons me without the right Materia!" Cloud said in a phony macho voice.

"You actually believe in that stuff? " Tifa asked after she had finished giggling.

"Well yeah, don't you? " Cloud asked as they walked to join the rest of the party.

Tifa gave a shrug. "Not really, but they should make interesting bed time stories when I finally have kids."

"You want kids? Wow, guess you learn something new every day! " Cloud said, quizzled.

"What's that supposed to mean? "

"Well, I always took you for the type that didn't like kids," Cloud answered with a shrug.

"Well then you'd be shocked to hear, that I actually want a full Blitzball team! All I need is some poor guy crazy enough to want the same! "

"That... is a surprise, " Cloud said, as the two of them entered the living room.

"Finally! I thought you two would never make it outta the kitchen, yo!" Reno, obviously.

"Wow, Zack! " Kunsel, a slightly built man wearing a helmet exclaimed. "She is hot! "

Cloud half expected Tifa to pounce on the man and beat him within an inch of his miserable existence, instead she offered a smile and a wave.

"Good to see I live up to expectations, " she said with good cheer, sliding gracefully into a seat.

Zack entered the living room, along with a tall, well built man with a red bandanna, a young woman with short brown hair and a portly young man with a jovial expression. "I think that's everyone," he said doing a mental headcount. "Alright you all know my brother, Cloud and his crime fighting partner, Tifa. Cloud, Tifa, you guys should know Reno and Rude from work, " he said looking at the mischievous Reno and his silent, dark-skinned partner. "This is Elena," he said, gesturing to the young woman with short blonde hair. "Reno's girlfriend."

Elena snorted at the comment. "The hell? Why do I always get introduced as Reno's girlfriend?! I'm a lot more than just that!"

Reno simply placed his palm on her mouth, cutting her off before she could finish. "Elena, you talk too much, " he said with an affectionate purr.

All those in the vicinity gagged. "Well- uh- moving along. Kunsel and Luxiere are friends of mine from my days in the military!" He said pointing them out. "Biggs, Wedge and Jessie are friends of Cloud's from high school! "

"If you could call us that! " Biggs said with a laugh. "Spiky over there used to just blow us off whenever we tried to talk to him! "

"Nice to see you too, Biggs! " Cloud said with an affectionate smile, deciding he may not have to kill Zack after all. "Besides, I still stuck with you three didn't I?"

"True, " Jessie said, as the three sat down. "Whenever we would get picked on, Cloud was always there for us! "

"You two still going strong, I see! " Cloud said happily. "Biggs and Jessie have been going out since high school, " he added quietly to Tifa.

"See, Cloud! " Zack beamed. "It's not so bad after all huh?"

Cloud grinned sheepishly, as all present laughed. "Don't rub it in , alright!"

"It's so awesome that everyone's back together again after all this time," Wedge added.

"Fuck the rest of that shit, yo!" Reno shouted, tired of all the banter. "Bring out the goddamn beer! "

"Reno," Rude warned.

"Alright, alright, I'll behave," Reno snapped, folding his arms and slouching into his seat.

The sight of Reno pouting like a little girl was too much for anyone present. The room filled with sounds of laughter and soon even the butt of the joke had to join in.

Cloud was in the middle of wiping tears of mirth from his eyes, when he heard the doorbell ring. "I thought you said everyone was already here, " he asked Zack curiously.

Zack, however looked every inch as bewildered as his younger brother. "I thought so too. ". Still wearing an extremely confused expression, Zack stood up and went to go check the door.

"Well, it's about time!" An impatient voice trilled. The rest of the guests exchanged surprised looks, that voice was not only loud, but exceedingly high pitched, causing both Biggs and Tifa to cover their ears in pain. In bounded a young woman that appeared to possess the energy of a nuclear bomb!

"Think you could throw a bash with out inviting me?" She gave the room at large a challenging stare. "The Great Ninja Yuffie, The Single White Rose of Wutai? What manner of barbarians are you? "

"Talk about barbarians, " Tifa mumbled, not the least impressed with the girl's boasting.

"I heard that, Boobs! " The girl rounded on Tifa. "Well, looks like you're selling tonight! Trust Zack to hire a floozy!"

Cloud, knowing Tifa's violent temper, made sure to grab her by the arm. "Just let it go!"

"You spike-headed jerk! " The girl snapped in outrage. "Is that anyway to treat your guest of honour?"

"Possibly, if I had any idea who my "guest of honour" was, " Cloud narrowed his eyes.

"Yeah! " Zack said as jovially as he could manage, while clapping his hand over the girl's mouth. "About that Yuffie and I are acquaintances from Wutai."

"I prefer to think of us as pen-pals, " Yuffie quipped. Without a glance at the group, she pranced into the kitchen and began helping herself to Zack's stash.

"What she means is that she's been emailing me for years, and I never really had the heart to blow her off, " Zack confided to Cloud with a whisper.

X X X

Yuffie soon made herself at home, taking the time to brand each member of the party with a personal insult; Tifa was "Boobs", while Cloud got told he was a "Spike-headed Jerk" to name a few.

Not in the least sympathetic, all those in attendance left Zack to handle her, and proceeded to swap stories and drinks.

"Wait so you were married? " Elena clapped her hands to her mouth in shock. "No way! "

Tifa, whose face had flushed slightly from a mixture of beer and flattery at every male attendants' attention, gave a small chuckle. "I bull shit you not!"

"So why'd you get divorced?" Luxiere, Zack's quiet, blonde friend, asked.

"Things weren't working out, I guess. For one thing, we were both too young to settle down anyway!" Tifa took another sip of beer before continuing. "I mean hell! Both of us just graduated from high school, he got drafted by the military for two years, what girl can wait around that long? "

"Lots of girls do that, " Cloud added, walking in with another round of drinks.

"Jeez, Cloud! Way to make a girl feel better, " Jessie snapped irritably.

"Nah, it's alright Jess, " Tifa said, accepting the beer Cloud handed her. "When it comes to Cloud, I guess you kinda learn to expect it. "

"Truer words have never been spoken, " Zack said loudly, holding up his fourth glass.

Cloud laughed along with the rest of his company, as he sat down. "Alright, alright I admit it: I can be a jerk at times."

"You mean all the time, don't ya? " Yuffie added pleasantly from the couch she had perched her legs on.

Cloud managed to give her a minor frown, before deciding to dodge the comment. "Well if everyone's done with bagging on my obvious character flaws. "

"Don't be so fucking sensitive, yo!" Reno added, tossing his arm around the blonde inspector's shoulder, his face nearly as vividly red as his hair.

Cloud was saved the trouble of deciding whether to bite back at Reno's comment, or cuff him over the head, by his ringing phone.

"Strife, " he answered curtly, not at all pleased at being interrupted. "Yeah that's right, " he said, trying not to be distracted by the curious stares of his friends. "Yes my partner is with me. I'll get right on it!"

He snapped his phone shut with a groan.

"What's goin' on? " Reno quizzed.

"Work, " Cloud said shortly, before getting to his feet. "We have a new lead to follow, you ready? " he asked Tifa.

"I guess, " the disappointment was evident in the brunette's reply, all the same, she rose instantly. "Where're we going? "

Cloud gave a sniff of derision. "Underground."