Title: Running Interference
Words: 817
Summary: Tifa and Cloud fulfill an unexpected favour.
A/N: Because I feel an innate sense of responsibility for Tseng and Elena. In other words, I inexplicably feel that I owe it to those two to get them together if only in the world of fanfiction. It's either that or I'm rather irked by the lack of TsengElena-ness.

…I really pity Reno though.

A/NII: If you've been getting a flurry of alert messages, it's because I've been sorting out the chapters within the story. Somehow or other, "No Ill Wind" became the first chapter without my consent. Either my account's been hacked into or there's a bug in the system that loves messing with people's stories. Either way, I felt uncomfortable leaving it as it was and stupidly did the manual "delete-and-replace" before realizing you can just move the chapters about. (sweats heavily) I apologize for all the inconvenience caused and wish you a grand New Year 2006!

"Why are we doing this again?"

"Because Elena asked very nicely and actually paid us for our help. And I happen to like her."

"She's a Turk."

"She's a friend."

"…friend?"

"Cloud, I thought we settled this already."

"Friend."

"Cloud…"

"Alright, alright… but next time…"

"Next time, I'll get someone else to help me, you'll object and in the end, you'll come along anyway because admit it: you just want to get back at him."

"…get back at who for what?"

"Don't play innocent with me, Cloud."

"…I really don't understand you sometimes, Tifa."

Sigh. "Never mi- ah! Here they come…! Get ready."

Cloud released a long breath as he watched Tseng and Elena walk past him, on their way to the sequel of their dinner date some weeks ago.

As expected by the leader of the Turks, Elena, Tifa, Cloud and everyone who knew Reno, the redhead had inevitably shown up with his best pal. He had indeed made a big show of spotting them, and he had undoubtedly proceeded to make suggestive, innuendo-not-so-subtly-riddled remarks in a loud tone of voice. (Rude by then, had resorted to his usual method of staying a few feet away from his best friend and pretending not to know him).

Tifa had then booted him out of her pub with the reason that Marlene and Denzel were around and she wouldn't have Reno corrupting their young minds before they even reached puberty.

When Tseng had come up with the idea that perhaps, another dinner would be nice, Elena had turned to Tifa for help. The bar manager had readily agreed and roped Cloud in by some manner he himself couldn't recall.

All he knew now was that he was expected to help. So help he would.

He spotted Tifa's signal across the street and nodded. Getting to his feet, he nonchalantly placed his sword in full view and before one could even blink, grabbed a certain person by the back of his collar before he could follow the duo, already some way away.

"Gak-! Leggo, you blonde peroxide freak!"

Cloud's eyebrow twitched slightly as the redheaded Turk unsuccessfully flailed and scrabbled for his release. He decided not to comment on the insult. This was Reno 'Flapping Lips' after all. "Reno, quit stalking them."

"It's not stalking yo! It's RESEARCH!"

"…on what?"

"On whether Tseng really DOES have a romantic bone in his body! So LET GO OF ME ALREADY YO!"

While Reno struggled futilely, Tifa emerged from her position behind them and stood in front of Rude before the man could do anything to help his buddy.

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you going along with his excuse of research? Because I assume you're the one with more common sense."

Rude turned sheepish. "Guilty as charged."

"Good man."

"Rude you traitor! And what's all this to you two anyway yo!" demanded Reno as he continued to thrash about like a fish that'd just been caught.

"Elena and Tseng asked us to run interference." She lifted two fingers. "You have two options: one, we pummel you until you can't feel your toes and drag you back to Seventh Heaven to keep an eye on you. Two, you come along to the bar quietly, have drinks and some food until we say you can go. Plus a ten percent discount for what you consume (since Elena already paid for you earlier)."

Rude and Reno exchanged glances. "Just what makes you think that when we take choice one, you're going to beat us?"

"Because Tseng said your nightstick has been confiscated for a week and Rude's wrist is somewhat tender from a prior accident," answered Cloud with the tone of one who knows he's won in advance and is quietly trying not to be so smug about it.

Rude sighed. Reno gritted his teeth. "I can still beat you without the nightstick and with both my hands tied behind my back yo!"

Cloud hefted his sword meaningfully with the other hand, bringing it into full view. The full sharp-metal-blade-glinting-menacingly-in-the-sunlight view. "I don't recall you doing that back at Healin."

"Grrr… alright, alright yo! You win! We'll go! Just get your dirty hands offa my suit yo! I just blackmailed Elena into cleaning it for me! And I ain't wasting more material for another dry cleaning!"

Tifa held up a hand to stop Cloud. "Promise not to run the minute he does?"

Reno sniffed indignantly. "What do you think I am yo? I'm a man of my word."

Still she looked at Rude who nodded slowly before nodding herself and Reno was duly released amidst much grumbling, muttering and dirty looks.

As the four of them trooped back to Seventh Heaven, Cloud just shook his head. A few hours with Reno in the bar and plying him with alcohol? On purpose?

He had a feeling this would just give him more reason to dislike them.

.

End.