Silver Lining
That was a stupid mistake not unlike those made in my teenage years…stabbing Sephiroth in Nibelheim being among those stupid mistakes.
Cloud was by no means regretting having fought Rosso, only berating himself for not noticing the massive guy next to her take swing at his head with a watermelon-sized fist.
Cloud heard the helicopter receding and chanced a glance from his hiding spot, pathetic as he may seem.
I've saved the world two f*****g times already. Can't I get a break? How about one long enough for me to get married or something? Or at least get her to be my girlfriend…
Once he was sure that the coast was clear, Cloud emerged from his spot and flopped down in the dusty, dead street. He pulled out his cellphone and called Tifa.
"Cloud?" she asked immediately upon answering.
"Hi."
Tifa sighed, "Thank god."
"What's wrong?"
"I had a bad feeling. Are you okay?"
Cloud decided not to explain that he nearly had his skull smashed to pieces, "I'm alive."
"Oh, God. Where are you? I'm coming to get you. Did you find Zelda? Are you hurt badly? Do you have a restore materia?"
"No, sort of, and yes. I'm in the center of town. Where Yazoo and Loz summoned Bahamut Sin."
"On my way," Tifa answered. Cloud heard his bike runble to life. He listened to Tifa's voice. Panicked or not, he had always like Tifa's voice, "I don't have the kids with me. Barret has them. We ran into each other on my way out," she said as Cloud listened to his bike kick off. He didn't bother hanging up. It was a comfort to him to have proof that an ally was on their way to get him. While he listened to the bike's engine roar into the phone, Cloud healed himself as best he could so that he looked as if he had only caught a brief glimpse of death. There was little he could do for his head wound, however, and he had lost a lot of blood. He yawned as his adrenaline level dropped.
When Tifa pulled into the town center, she saw Cloud sitting against a building, his blond hair dyed a deep shade of red.
"Cloud!" Tifa cried as she rushed over to the nearly unconscious man. He looked blearily up at her.
"Hi, Tifa," he said meekly.
"Oh…your hair."
Cloud huffed, "Is that all you have to say?"
"Oh, I've got plenty to say, but you need rest right now. Your lecture'll be tomorrow, don't worry. Come on," Tifa extended her hand and helped Cloud to his feet, then caught him as he reeled from what blood he had rushing from his head.
"Sorry…" he mumbled.
"Quiet. On the bike, come on, Cloud, stay awake until we get to Barret," Tifa said as she helped him onto the bike and sat in front of him, "Hold on tight."
Cloud huffed a laugh and wrapped his arms tightly around Tifa, "I don't think I mind this all too much," he said.
Tifa blushed, "You're delirious…"
She started back towards Barret and the children.