A/N:
I tried to convince myself that I was posting early because tomorrow is Mother's Day, but it's probably just because I have no willpower XD. So, surprise!
Oh and for those who haven't seen yet, there are a couple extras:
1) I have a new fic out, called Five Hearts To Make Him Whole. (Adult) Cloud gets thrown into an alternate dimension where that dimension's Cloud is the 1sts's soulmate... and also dead. If OTP5, soulmates, and dimension traveling is your thing, please check it out!
2) There is now an alternate take on Cloud's time in the Sector 7 slums from chapter 7 where he runs into a Johnny who remembers rather than Biggs, Jessie, and Wedge. Normal Johnny shenanigans ensue - Oh (no), Johnny Boy.
"Are you scolding me, boy?"
"Yes, sir."
"And you think you know anything about raising a child?"
Cloud scoffs. "More than you, apparently."
"Excuse me?"
"I know that when you can't get positive attention, you convince yourself that negative attention is the next best thing. Cause then at least people acknowledge you exist."
Godo's mouth curls into a sneer. "Oh, and you think that's what's happening here?"
Cloud knows he should probably measure his next words carefully, especially since he's already shit-talking the Emperor of Wutai to his face, in front of his highest-ranking warriors no less. But he wouldn't be himself if he did. Heck, Aerith had already told him 'talking' wasn't one of his talents. Might as well roll with it. "It seems pretty obvious that you've been neglecting her."
"Why you little…!" An impressive scowl twists itself onto Godo's face, the man taking a heavy step forward as if he fully intends on showing Cloud his place. And, well, Cloud should probably be more concerned – never prod a sleeping dragon, his mom would tell him – but he's dealt with far worse before and still come out pretty ok. He'll be fine. Besides, he's still pissed. He loves Yuffie just the way she is, but he's convinced some of her more reckless quirks are a direct result of Godo's neglect.
And yet, even as pissed as he is, he's still in control of enough faculties to bite back the urge to respond "Bring it" – he realizes that that's the child in him talking – and gently pry Yuffie's fingers off his pant leg. Pushing her behind him ("C-Cloud? What are you doing?"), he turns to face Godo once more. The splotches of red growing on the man's face and the menacing way in which the Saints glare at him (if they are glaring from behind those masks of theirs) don't bode well for him. But he'd survived Sephiroth and Hojo. He can handle this.
But apparently, he doesn't have to handle this, not alone at least. For the moment Godo takes another slow, menacing step forward is the exact moment somebody else in the room slides up behind Cloud and lays a hand (protectively?) on his shoulder. Cloud wants to look to see who it is, he almost does to, but he knows well enough to never let his guard down around his enemy. Besides, it's not like he really needs to look anyway. He can still see Vincent and Reeve out of the corner of his eye, so it has to be Rhapsodos behind him.
And, well, with the way Godo stops dead in his tracks, the man sending a thoroughly concerned (and slightly fearful?) look over his shoulder, there really is no one else it could be but Rhapsodos. Not with his penchant for drama and violence.
And Cloud finds himself left to wait as the seconds tick by, Godo studying Rhapsodos behind him, eyes narrowed, as if he was mulling over his options. Cloud hates it. He's tempted to ask if Godo's just a big scaredy-cat, but Rhapsodos's hold on him is warning enough to play nice, the man's hand already hot on his shoulder. Besides, Cloud's adult enough to remember that his big mouth is what got him into all those fights back in Nibelheim in the first place. His mom probably wouldn't be too pleased if she found out he had picked one with an emperor this time.
Godo started it, though…
As for Godo, his eyes sweep first to Rufus, who regards Godo with a stoney-faced look of his own, the man seemingly disinclined to speak for him, and then to Cloud once more. Realizing that he won't be receiving any support, Godo heaves a great sigh. "I suppose I shouldn't be picking fights with little children." Cloud feels his hackles start to raise at being called both little and a child simultaneously. But before he has a chance to correct Godo that's he's actually a perfectly average-sized grown man, thank you, he's thrown completely off-balance by the curious frown sent his way. "But I will say, you certainly have the Shinra spine."
"I… beg your pardon?"
"Though, I do have to ask," Godo continues, no explanation spared for his odd comment, as if he didn't hear Cloud… or just didn't care. "Where did you learn to speak Wutaian so fluently?"
And that, that definitely catches Cloud's attention – he hadn't realized he was speaking Wutaian. Or that Godo had switched back to the common tongue. "Uhh… I-I…" But he finds himself tongue-tied and woefully unprepared. How could he explain that Yuffie, who he was only supposed to have known for a few days tops, had taught him everything he knew?
"I've been teaching him."
But while Cloud's glad the person behind him saved him from floundering for an answer, it doesn't stop the shiver from wracking his body.
That wasn't Rhapsodos's voice.
Turning as quickly as the dread will allow him – which, honestly, is rather snail-paced – he can't help his gulp or the way his eyes widen perhaps almost comically at the (terrible?) proof of who was actually standing behind him. "S-S-Sephiroth…"
Sephiroth was the one who was touching him. Holding him back. Protecting him. Lying for him.
…Why?
Luckily, fortunately, his awkwardness goes unnoticed – by Godo and his men at least – Rufus stepping forward to address the emperor once more. "I thought it would be good for our two countries if more people in Midgar knew Wutaian."
But Cloud misses the rest of the banal diplomacies, his attention still captured by Sephiroth next to him. Sephiroth, who glances down at him and says, "Hello, Cloud," his expressionless face belying the warmth in his voice.
A warmth that seeps into Cloud's (numb?) soul and drives away any reminder of who he's standing next to or why he shouldn't be so comfortable, so unaverse with it. No, instead he's left a pathetic, stunned mess, incapable of doing anything but respond weakly, "H-Hi," his eyes still wide, expression still entirely vulnerable.
There's the slightest quirk to Sephiroth's lips – that Cloud definitely does not memorize – some of the warmth from his voice bleeding into his eyes. "I see you're causing trouble again."
"He started it!" he rage-whispers.
"Of course, Cloud," Sephiroth offers, far more indulgently than Cloud appreciates. But then the man chuckles softly and lets his hand (finally?) drop back to his side.
Oh, and why did he have to keep making things difficult for Cloud?
"I see the two of you are just as inseparable as I've heard."
But the moment, whatever the hell it was, is lost, Sephiroth's eyes flicking back to Godo, Cloud convinced that he should be thoroughly disgusted with their odd interaction… But at a complete loss as to why he's not. Not even a little bit. He's far too stunned (and a little warm and fuzzy?) for that.
"Though, you might want to be careful, General," Godo continues solemnly, his words meant for Sephiroth, though his eyes remain trained on Cloud. "That is quite the weakness you've got there. And you're advertising it to the world."
Sephiroth's eyes flash darkly, his voice low and dangerous as he replies, "That sounds like a threat, Lord Godo."
Now, Cloud's been afraid of Sephiroth before, still is if he's being honest, but the spike of fear that races through him in response to the man's anger is something he'll never get used to. Something that chills him to the core, even as the world burns around him. An iciness that extends to all corners of his body, even as the raging inferno buckles the roof, shatters the windows of his childhood home.
A scream. His mother begging Sephiroth – Shinra's poster boy, Cloud's hero – to spare him. To take her instead. Cloud wants to stop her, wants to save her – she had protected him all his life, why couldn't he do anything right? But he's too late, too slow… too weak. For even as he drags his frozen body along the ground, fighting against the pain from Sephiroth's earlier attack, the attack that had sent him flying out of his house and crashing to the ground below, he hears the nauseating shing of metal. Sees a shadowy body collapse to the wooden floor of the still smoldering house.
Watches, horrified, as Sephiroth struts out of the house – his house – Masamune dyed crimson.
"It's merely a word of advice."
Cloud shudders, Godo's voice dragging him back to the present, Sephiroth's smirk as he surveyed the destruction he wrought fading from view. But his cryptic message – "Mother. I'm coming." – remains, bouncing back and forth, unbidden, through Cloud's head.
The only consolation he has as he tries to control his breathing and contain the sobs at the reminder of his mother's death is that he's not the only one shaken by Sephiroth's temper. No, the slightest of winces is still on Godo's face, the Saints appearing as unsettled as they can through those masks of theirs. Though, with the blatant reminder of exactly why Sephiroth was known as the Demon of Wutai, no wonder.
And Sephiroth. Well, he tilts his head, staring down his nose at Godo, and says coolly, "If anybody tries to harm Cloud, I will kill them personally."
Cloud can hear a groan behind him that sounds suspiciously like Rhapsodos and a muffled snort that is most definitely Reno, but he finds himself stunned speechless. What else was he supposed to do, though, after that confession, but gape dumbly up at the man next to him? Sephiroth really cares about him that much? Wants to keep him safe that much?
"Please, don't kill him! I beg of you!"
But the memory of his mother's final moments, her last words, is enough to remind him of who he's really dealing with. Of the messed-up situation he's found himself unceremoniously dropped into. Sephiroth probably just doesn't want to figure out another solution to his Jenova problem. Not after investing so much time into training Cloud.
Scowling (and certainly not pouting), Cloud takes a step forward and out of Sephiroth's shadow, arms crossed defiantly (childishly?) in front of him. "I appreciate your concern, General. Godo-dono." So what if he's taking a page out of Tseng's book? "But I'm perfectly capable of handling myself."
He's not expecting the shock on Godo's face, the Emperor giving him a thoughtful once over like he was actually seeing him for the first time. But, even more than that, he never would have predicted the way Godo throws his head back and laughs, deep and booming. "I see you have the Shinra charm, too, young one!"
"I… What?"
Why did it seem like Godo was speaking in tongues even though each word individually made sense?
Godo shakes his head, though for what, Cloud's not entirely sure. "Very well." Godo dips his head in a move that reminds Cloud of Tseng. "I apologize for causing a commotion. I will think over your words. But ultimately, Yuffie is my daughter and I decide how to raise her."
It's not the response he wanted, but he supposes it's better than nothing. That still doesn't stop the begrudging way in which he offers, "…I suppose that's fair enough." Though, he's not sure whether his concession is because he actually thinks it's fair or because Sephiroth is still standing next to him and he really doesn't want a repeat of everything that had happened up til then.
"Good." Godo nods, then turns back to Yuffie. "Alright Yuffie, dear, it's time to go home."
But Yuffie, who had been surprisingly quiet until then, aside from the slight sniffle here and there, shakes her head and refuses to budge. "I d-don't wanna go…"
Godo sighs, which Cloud supposes is a nice improvement over his earlier berating. "Yuffie, we have to go. We've taken advantage of the President's hospitality for far too long already."
"N-No! I wanna stay here in Midgar with Cloud and Aerith! Rufus won't even know I'm here!"
Rufus raises an eyebrow, either at her use of his name in front of her father or to say that, yes, he definitely would notice her, but otherwise remains motionless, soundless. And Cloud guesses he shouldn't be so surprised that the man is being so tactful – he was good at putting on appearances. But he still doesn't know how to feel about it. At the reminder that they were all supposed to be allies now.
But he has more important things to worry about.
Kneeling down in front of Yuffie, he pushes back the heartache at seeing her so miserable, and tries to calm her himself. "Yuffie, it's time for you to go home now."
His words are not the right ones for the situation, though, Yuffie shooting forward to clutch rather desperately at his uniform top, sobs wracking her little body. "Please don't send me away! Don't make me go back! Nobody likes me in Wutai anyway! Nobody will even notice that I'm gone!"
"Yuffie…"
"Please! Please don't get rid of me!" Fat tears roll down her cheeks, watery eyes searching his own grief-stricken ones rather frantically. "Please! You can be my daddy and Aerith my mommy! And… And, pretty boy can be my big brother – " Yuffie sniffs loudly – "and we'd all be one big happy family!"
Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Cloud wraps his arms around Yuffie's frame, drawing her trembling body to him. "Yuf, I…" He wants to say yes, he really does, but the logistics are against them. Big time.
"I promise I'll behave! I really will! No more stealing materia, I swear!" Yuffie bawls into his chest, the girl too heartbroken to realize exactly what she was promising.
And Cloud… well, he can't stand to see her like this. Can't stand to see her weeping into his chest rather than cackling in his face. To hear her promising to behave, to be good, rather than yelling at him for being a 'spikey-headed jerk'.
So, he sings. Sings the same Wutaian lullaby he used to convince her he actually did remember. Rubs her back and cradles her close even as the minutes pass and his voice grows hoarse, the words – his words – ever so slowly calming her. Soothing her until the sobs that wrack her body die down and she's left just a slightly sniveling mess.
"Feeling better now?" Cloud asks once her shaking has subsided.
"…Yeah," Yuffie says, her voice soft, weak, though she nods rather decisively against his uniform top. But that doesn't mean she lets him go. If anything, she clings a little tighter, sighing away her frustrations. And, honestly, that's perfectly fine with Cloud. That's what he's here for.
"Cadet Strife here has grown very fond of your daughter, Lord Godo."
Rufus's voice is enough to remind him that he and Yuffie aren't exactly alone. And he looks up to find Godo staring at him, entirely stunned, the Saints watching him with a different, curious intensity.
Well, crap. He had done it again, hadn't he? Him and his big mouth and forgetting that he technically shouldn't know that song.
But Godo just offers a dazed, "I can see that," and steps over slowly, seemingly not noticing the way Sephiroth stands taller as he approaches. "Yuffie, darling…" the man starts, hesitantly, crouching down next to Cloud. "Please, sweetheart, I'm not mad at you."
Yuffie must realize how much of a non-apology it is. For she shakes her head and balls her fists further into Cloud's clothing, refusing to so much as glance at her father. "Don't lie! You called me a miserable girl!"
Godo sighs heavily, his eyes full of regret. "I know, dear. I shouldn't have said what I did. I was angry before, but not anymore. Your friend put me in my place."
"Good!"
Godo's lips quirk into a small smile. "I'm sorry for yelling and acting like I did. You think you can forgive an old geezer like me?"
Yuffie chortles against Cloud, the girl throwing an exasperated look over her shoulder at her father, though her eyes shine with mirth. "You're not an old geezer!"
"Huh." Godo rocks back on his heels, the man feigning surprise. "Well, the gray in my hair would suggest otherwise."
"You're just a – " Yuffie sniffs and rubs the tears from her eyes – "just a middle-aged geezer!" She laughs again, pulling back from Cloud to stick her tongue out at her father.
"Oh, wow. So much sass for such a small girl." Yuffie titters, amused, at her father's teasing, but still refuses to get closer to him, the girl more than an arm's reach away, eyes wary. Godo doesn't miss it. "Please say you can forgive me, little one. I don't know what I would do without my sweet little girl." Yuffie sways uncertainly at his words, but still remains rooted in place. "I've been so busy acting like an emperor, I've forgotten I need to act like a father too. And that's unfair to you. I'll try to be better – No, I will be better."
Yuffie sniffles again, her eyes searching her father's. "…Promise?"
"Promise." Godo swears, the man holding out his pinky in emphasis. Yuffie, for her part, considers him and his outstretched finger for a moment, before carefully padding over and latching their pinkies together. "Pinky swear made," Godo sings – and, huh, at least Cloud isn't the only one terrible at singing. "If I lie, I will drink 1000 needles, and cut my pinky."
Rather morbid song, if you ask Cloud, but it seems to do the trick. Lip quivering anew, Yuffie throws herself into her father's arms with a little cry of, "Daddy!", the girl holding on tight.
"I'm so sorry, Yuffie. I didn't mean to hurt you. Please forgive me."
Godo seems to have spoken true when he said he wanted to be better. For even as Yuffie berates him for being a meanie and making her cry, he just holds her close, one hand running soothingly through her hair as he offers the occasional "I know, dear." and the much more frequent "I'm so sorry." And when he works up the resolve to ask her about her… rather interesting choice in outfit – honestly, Cloud's not even sure how she managed to recreate that outfit for her 9-year-old self – he accepts her matter-of-fact, "It's my Sephiroth-fighting outfit!" with little more than a weary, "I see…"
And after what feels like an eternity – though, that might have more to do with Cloud hating to see Yuffie so upset – Yuffie finally agrees to go back home with her father.
"Young man," Godo says somberly, addressing him for the first time since consoling Yuffie. "Where did you learn that song?"
Ah. Yuffie had said the song was the only thing she had left of her mother. Makes sense that Godo would be affected by it, too. "Yuffie taught me," is his answer, which Cloud figures will be easier for Godo to accept than saying he had learned Wutaian from her as well.
"Isn't he so good?"
Cloud doesn't even stop the way his face scrunches up at Yuffie's enthusiasm. "Good? Yuffie, I thought I brayed like a donkey – hee-haw, hee-haw."
Yuffie rolls her eyes, one side of her head still buried against her dad's chest. "You don't have to take things so seriously!"
.
.
.
"Mr. President, General Sephiroth, you have my sincerest apologies."
Yuffie scoffs at her dad's formality. At least until Godo grabs the back of her head and forces her to kowtow with him – "Wahh!" – the Saints following suit behind. And, well, Cloud should probably focus on the way the Emperor of Wutai is currently pressing his forehead into the black marble floor in front of Rufus, but he's far too impressed with the grace in which the Saints had kowtowed with those gun-lances of theirs. He wonders if they had to practice like a million times to not look awkward in the slightest while lying their weapons on the floor at the same time.
But Rufus doesn't seem to share the same fascination, the man sighing, exasperated. "That really is unnecessary. Cadet Strife here did most of the legwork."
And that, that just throws Cloud for quite the loop. He didn't know that Rufus even knew the word modesty, much less that he didn't like to watch people grovel anymore.
Huh. Weird.
So lost in his thoughts that he is, it takes him far too long to realize that everybody's attention was now on him. More specifically, that Godo, who had lifted his head from the marble floor, was now looking at him with that same curiosity from earlier. "I'm really not that important!" Cloud blurts out, his face starting to feel flushed. He really doesn't need anybody bowing in front of him.
"Hmm. Modest too." Godo rises gracefully from the floor, Yuffie left to scrabble to her feet herself, the girl grumbling, "…not fair that I hafta bow ta that meanie anyway…" Not that Godo seems to hear her. And Cloud, well, he doesn't have time to focus on her irritation or on whether the Saints glide up the same way they had down. Not when Godo's eyes are still on him. "No wonder you have not only my daughter wrapped around your finger, but the great General Sephiroth, too."
Cloud's eyes bug out, he knows they do, an altogether shaky feeling washing over him. Perhaps the floor had opened up and was about to swallow him whole.
He could always wish.
"I-I'm s-sorry?" Why do people keep saying shit like this? Why do they think he has Sephiroth wrapped around anything of his?
He shudders at the unintended implication of that last thought.
"Well, if you will not accept my apologies," Godo says, the man inclining his head once more and apparently not noticing Cloud's internal struggles. "Then you must accept my heartfelt thanks."
"I… uhh… s-sure?" Cloud very specifically does not look at Sephiroth, even though the man still stands by his side.
Yuffie, however, doesn't seem to have that same problem. Looking suspiciously between Sephiroth and Cloud – who is definitely not more flushed than he was a moment ago, of course – she tugs on the sleeve of her dad's kimono and asks, "Daddy, can't we take the Chocobo with us? Please?"
"…Chocobo?"
Cloud groans and runs a hand down his face. He would love to go just one day without being compared to a Chocobo. Was that so much to ask? "I think she's talking about me…"
"Puh-leaaasssseeeeeee, Daddy?" Yuffie begs, the girl now hanging off her father's sleeve with both hands. "I promise I'll take better care of him than Sephiroth!"
Sephiroth makes a sound somewhere between a cough and a choke, but Cloud still refuses to look at him. Given his earlier (shoddy) performance, Cloud's convinced he wouldn't be able to handle whatever expression is on the man's face right now.
"With how he can handle the Princess," one of the Saints disregards his (no doubt rigorous) training to 'murmur'. Though, given the fact that Cloud can hear him, the warrior probably doesn't realize how loud he's actually talking. "Maybe we really should take him with us."
But as suddenly as the Saint broke his silence, he lets out a frightened (and rather unwarrior-esque) "Eep!", his mouth closing behind his mask with an audible click.
Well, that was odd.
Following the curiously unnerved Saint's line of sight, Cloud's just in time to see Rhapsodos, who is closer than Cloud realized, whack Sephiroth with the back of his hand. "Stop it. Nobody's taking our little bird away."
…Sephiroth had been glaring at the warrior.
Why?
"Ahem." Godo clears his throat, the Emperor raising his voice so the room can hear him. "We will not be stealing General Sephiroth's student away from him. Not while he's in the same room, and certainly not while he's still watching. Is that understood?"
"I could, though!" Yuffie whines.
Godo looks like he's on the verge of another temper tantrum himself, but, true to his earlier word, he doesn't allow himself to fall down that destructive path again. Instead, he takes a hefty breath and releases it slowly, heavily. "Yuffie, darling. We've already caused enough trouble for everybody as is."
"But…!"
"Yuffie," Cloud butts in before Godo can lose himself to his anger… and before Yuffie can embarrass either of them anymore. "I have to stay here, kiddo. But you're welcome to call me whenever you want."
"But I don't have your number!"
"Oh? So you stole my PHS the other day just for funsies?"
"Gak! You knew?"
Cloud pinches the bridge of his nose – she really wasn't as sneaky as she thought she was. At least not when Cloud knew what to look for. Not that he was about to tell her any of that. "Sorry, Yuf. I really do have to stay here."
"Fine…" she sighs, disappointed. "But you know I can't look after you anymore, right? I'm going back to Wutai. I don't want Daddy to be all lonely without me."
"I'm happy for you," Cloud admits, his eyes warm. "I really am." He'll miss her, naturally, but it was better for everybody if they didn't have a 9-year-old master assassin wandering around Midgar. Especially not with Corneo's thugs still after her.
But Yuffie doesn't look happy. Not entirely at least. Not with her bottom lip pushed out in a pout. And certainly not as she throws herself into his arms again, the crinkling of her nose all the warning he gets before she's upon him. "I still love you, though!"
"…I love you too, kiddo."
"Oh, that's so beautiful!"
The gruff voice and loud honking sound break through the calm in the room, and Cloud is not the only one who jerks violently in surprise. Rufus twitches at the intrusion, just as Cloud turns completely to their newcomer, one of his arms still wrapped protectively around Yuffie.
But Cloud's protection is not needed. Not when the intruder is no more than Cid back from the cafeteria. Cid, who had somehow managed to sneak back into the room with nobody noticing, a plaid handkerchief now pressed to his face. "I do so love happy endings!"
Cloud hears more than sees Rufus's aggravated groan. "Cid, what are you doing?"
"Ah, well. I was gonna be good and wait 'til somebody called me… Buuuutttt, then I remembered I left Blondie and Rapunzel alone in the same room together. Wasn't about to miss that!" It's Cloud's turn to groan, frustrated, this time. But it doesn't seem like anybody's paying him any heed. Not with the way Cid brandishes the bags in his hands in front of him like they were some sort of priceless treasure. "And, look! I brought snacks for the kids! You should be thankin' me, honestly."
"Snacks… for the kids?"
"That's what I said!" Cid beams happily. "Oh! Before I forget, you owe me…" he pulls a receipt from one of his bags. "3562 gil."
"Three… thousand? Cid, just what the hell did you buy?"
"I was hungry!"
Cloud almost feels bad for Rufus, what with the way a muscle in his jaw works itself in his attempt to keep his composure. Almost. But this was probably just Cid's way of paying him back for everything with the Tiny Bronco, the Highwind, and probably Shinra No. 26, too. And, hey, Rufus had definitely made all of their lives hell before. Cloud certainly wasn't above getting a little extra amusement at the President's expense (figuratively and literally).
"Oh! And I needed a new bracer, too! This nasty piece-of-sh—" Cid trails off, his words reduced to a low hiss, when he notices Yuffie watching with rapt interest – "I mean, this nasty piece-of-work Behemoth ripped mine into absolute tatters 'fore Barret could put a bullet through its brain. Made poor ol' Shera cry her eyes out when she found out." Cid winks at Rufus. "Don't worry. I made it up to her that night."
"…We'll talk about this later, Cid."
"Righty-O!" Cid seems to take that as permission to start passing out his 'snacks', the man pausing in front of Reno first. Cloud really does try to hide his grin, but this ought to be good. "Got some cookies for you, Red!"
Reno squawks. "You callin' me a child, Peach Fuzz?"
Oh, this will definitely be good.
Rude must think so too, since he hides his smile behind an expertly-placed cough. Tseng, on the other hand, looks just about as worn out as Rufus. But it was Rufus's fault for having Cid pick up Godo in the first place. He already knew what Cid's personality was like.
"You don't want 'em, then?" Cid blinks, feigning surprise and dangling the packet of cookies in front of Reno.
Reno grumbles for all of a second, then pulls a face and snatches the cookies out of Cid's hand. "Give 'em to me."
"That's what I thought!" Cid cackles, a grin stretching across his face as he strolls over to Cloud and Yuffie, positioning himself so that neither Godo nor the rest of his delegation could see anything but Cid's back. "Hmm. I bet you like 'em bitter." Cid winks down at Cloud and pulls a large bar of dark chocolate out of one of his bags. "Moogiva. This stuff is legit. Best darn chocolate you'll ever taste." Cid holds the bar out to him. "Whaddya say?"
Cloud's smile is completely genuine as he accepts the bar of chocolate – he had only told the man once before that he was too poor growing up to try any fancy chocolate. Apparently, Cid remembered. And, apparently, he was using Rufus's bank account to rectify that problem. "Thank you, sir." Cloud certainly doesn't have a problem with that.
"My pleasure, young man!" Cid announces to the room, his now-free hand coming up to ruffle Cloud's hair. "Good ta see ya, kiddo," he whispers.
"Right back at ya."
"And Yuffie, dear," Cid waggles his eyebrows at the girl, his voice quieter than ever, "always a delight to see ya." Yuffie beams up at him, Cid taking that as his cue to kneel down in front of her. Probably so Godo could see that he wasn't doing anything untoward to his daughter. "Now then, little miss. What 'bout you?" Cid continues, louder, for the rest of the room to hear. "Hmm. Ya know, I have a really good friend from Wutai – " if anything, Yuffie's smile just grows bigger – they were normally at each other's throats, but there was no denying how much they cared about each another – "who's absolutely head-over-heels for sour candy. Bet you're the same way."
Yuffie sucks in a harsh breath, her eyes wide, at the sight of the bag of materia-shaped gummies in Cid's hand. He knew her so well. "GIMME!"
"Yuffie." Godo's (tired?) voice rings through the office once more.
"Eek!" Yuffie turns round, puppy-dog eyes to her father. "Please, Daddy, can I have the candy?"
"…Only if you ask nicely."
"Oh right!" Yuffie spins back to Cid, her hands clasped together as if in prayer. "Can I please have the gummy materia… uh, Mr. Peach Fuzz?"
Cid throws his head back to guffaw even as Godo sighs, exhausted, at his daughter's use of Reno's nickname. "Name's Cid, little one!" But he hands the candy over either way.
"YES!" Yuffie catches herself mid-celebration, coughing into her fist and continuing mock-demurely. "I mean – " she inclines her head like Godo and Tseng before her – "Thank you, Mr. Cid."
.
.
.
"Alright, Yuffie. It's time to go home."
"Oh wait! I still need to apologize to Sephiroth for attacking him!"
"Yuffie, we already – "
"I'll only be a minute, promise!" Yuffie turns to Sephiroth (who still hasn't moved from Cloud's side, mind you), and rubs an arm a little awkwardly. "Sorry, Mr. Sephiroth, for first attacking you with my shuriken and then punching you in the face."
"You punched him…!?"
"We were just playing, Daddy! Don't need to get so upset about it…" Yuffie shakes her head, as if her dad was the one out of line, and returns her attention to Sephiroth. "Whaddya say to a truce?"
Sephiroth looks at her outstretched hand, confused and just a little suspicious. "Is this how a traditional Wutaian apology goes?"
Yuffie rolls her eyes, launching forward to grab Sephiroth's hand, giving it a jaunty shake. "There! Now, may the best person win!"
"Win…? Win what?"
Yuffie smirks, and Cloud can't shake the image of when she had first reeled back to punch him. "Why, Cloud's heart, of course!"
Cloud's the one to choke on his breath this time. Ok, that was so much worse than her punching Sephiroth.
"Uh… ok?"
"Great!" Yuffie claps her hands together. "Now that that's taken care of, just got one more apology, Daddy!" And with that said, Yuffie spins on her heel and runs over to Rhapsodos, her hands held behind her.
Rhapsodos tenses as she approaches, and Cloud gets the distinct feeling there's some interesting history there he's unaware of. "Before you start," Rhapsodos says, the man crossing his arms over his chest, "just know I'm not about to call a truce over Cloud's heart."
"No, that's not it." Yuffie clasps her hands behind her and twists her body side-to-side, all of a sudden shy. "I'm sorry for callin' you ugly."
"Leviathan's bones, Yuffie."
"He was protectin' Sephiroth, Daddy! He was the enemy!" Yuffie coughs into her fist again, startling out of her indignation and turning back to Rhapsodos. "Ahem. I don't actually think you're ugly, pretty boy. I was just angry…" Clasping her hands in front of her now, she pouts up at Rhapsodos. "Can you forgive me, pleaseeeee?"
Rhapsodos raises an eyebrow and looks like he wants to tell her 'no'. But he must realize that he's still technically dealing with a child, because he sighs heavily, his arms dropping back to his sides. "…Very well. Apology accepted."
"Yay! Thanks!" She jumps forward to give him a quick and, from the look on his face, rather unwelcome hug. "See ya later, pretty boy!"
But before she can race back to her father, Cloud interrupts her. "Aren't you going to say bye to me, Yuffie?"
Yuffie gasps, changes course, and then vaults into Cloud's arms again. "Bye, Cloud! I'll miss you so much!"
"I'll miss you too, kiddo."
Finally.
For Leviathan's sake. She thought Rufus would never stop apologizing to her dad – well, that could have gone better… But even grosser (and entirely too drawn-out), her dad had to go and practically grovel in return. Something about how it was only 'fair' that the meeting had gone so 'poorly' because of all the 'trouble' she had 'caused'.
Pfft. She's the Single White Rose of Wutai and the Great Ninja Yuffie (!). She'll do what she wants!
But whatever.
She's finally alone.
Sure, after having to tolerate all of that crapola, she then had to deal with everybody watching her like a Zuu. At least until Cid's airship had taken flight. Then she had (finally) managed to sneak away and crawl into an empty nook above the Chocobo stables.
True, Vincent might have returned her shuriken to Daddy (the meanie), but that doesn't matter right now. Not when she has something even better.
And she had to be super sneaky to get it this time, too. Honestly, she totally thought she had given herself away by being nice to Sephiroth – ewww – and that ugly SOLDIER dude – blech. But it doesn't matter. Cloud hadn't caught her. And she finally had what she wanted.
She finally had Bahamut and that nasty Sephiroth's materia.
Reaching into her pocket to admire her prize, her heart stops when she's met with thin air. "Eh…? Where is it?"
.
.
.
"NOOOOOOOO!"
Kupo! Kupo!
Cloud smirks as he fishes his PHS out of his pocket – he was wondering how long it would take her to notice. Opening the text messaging app, he can't help his snort at Yuffie's (aggravated) message and the contact name she had created for herself. Figures she would still be calling herself that.
The Great Ninja Yuffie: Ya jerk! :(((
Cloud: Check your bag
The Great Ninja Yuffie: !
The Great Ninja Yuffie: I LOVE YOU! ❤️❤️❤️
The Great Ninja Yuffie: Where'd you get these!?
Where had he gotten them? Why, from materia storage, of course. Yes, he had told Rufus he would make sure Yuffie returned everything she stole. But he never said anything about what he was going to steal. Besides, Rufus still owed him. For everything. He could spare more than a few measly orbs of materia.
And, hey, Cloud had only taken Lightning, Fire, and Ice – it's not like anybody would even notice they were gone. Not that he was about to tell Yuffie any of that, of course. He was still trying to dissuade her rather nasty penchant for stealing everybody else's materia.
Apparently, that extended to Sephiroth's and Rhapsodos's materia, too.
Cloud: I have a paying job. I can afford a few orbs of materia
The Great Ninja Yuffie: Oh right!
The Great Ninja Yuffie: But wait…
The Great Ninja Yuffie: ...you're still a jerk for stealin back Bahamut…
Cloud: We've been over this before…
The Great Ninja Yuffie: I know, I know! No stealin other peeps materia…
The Great Ninja Yuffie: …you coulda just let me keep Seph's…
Cloud: Seph?
The Great Ninja Yuffie: His name's too dang long! ?
Cloud sighs. He hadn't meant to steal back Sephiroth's materia. It just sort of happened…
Cloud: Sorry, Yuf. My hand moved on its own…
The Great Ninja Yuffie: ok… I have no idea what ta make of that…
The Great Ninja Yuffie: still…! you made me suffer through your googly-eyeing of Seph!
Cloud chokes on his breath again, his face reddening more and more as he reads her message once, twice, then three times over to make sure he was actually reading it right. Him? Eyeing Sephiroth? Oh Gaia… He really hopes Sephiroth can't see the screen of his PHS… and he shifts himself away (subtly) just in case he can.
The Great Ninja Yuffie: least you coulda done was let me keep his materia!
The Great Ninja Yuffie: it'd only be fair!
Cloud: Yuffie… I wasn't doing anything with Sephiroth…
The Great Ninja Yuffie: Oh really? ?
Cloud can practically hear the sass in that text, and he braces himself for whatever's about to come next.
He's unsuccessful.
The Great Ninja Yuffie: "S-S-Sephiroth… H-Hi…"
The Great Ninja Yuffie: "Oh he's standing so close!"
The Great Ninja Yuffie: "Sephiroth would really kill people for me? Oh my! *swoon*"
Cloud knows his face is getting redder with each message. He can't help it. So, he settles for curling in on himself and praying that nobody – Sephiroth, Reno, Rufus – will try to figure out what's gotten him so flustered.
The Great Ninja Yuffie: not if I kill 'em first, buster! ?
The Great Ninja Yuffie: The Great Ninja Yuffie saves the day again! ?
Cloud: Yuffie… there's nothing going on between me and Sephiroth…
The Great Ninja Yuffie: …riiiiggghhhhhtttttt ?
Cloud: Sephiroth is just my mentor… unfortunately
Cloud: Besides I didn't want to embarrass Rufus in front of your father
The Great Ninja Yuffie: suuuurrrrrreeee…
The Great Ninja Yuffie: oh! gotta go!
The Great Ninja Yuffie: I've been quiet too long. can't let daddy think somethings wrong!
The Great Ninja Yuffie: love ya! bye! 3
Cloud sighs. Somehow that conversation was simultaneously more enjoyable and much more nerve-wracking than the meeting with Godo. He's not sure what he did to make Yuffie think there was anything going on between him and Sephiroth. But whatever it was, he'll have to figure it out so he can nip it in the bud.
Running a hand through his unruly hair, he pockets his PHS and looks up. To find everybody staring at him.
Shit.
"That was just Yuffie!" he finds himself blurting out, involuntary, hoping that his face isn't as red as it feels.
"Oh?" The twinkle in Rufus's eyes is very much amused. Dammit. "Anything we should be worried about?"
"N-Nope! Nothing!"
Ugh. Cloud can't stand nor help the way his voice quivers. And he absolutely hates the way both Rufus and Reno look at him like he's prey caught in a trap. Their trap. He'll definitely need to stay away from those two for the time being.
Or maybe he should just delete all of the offending text messages.
In the meantime, though, he settles for playing it cool as he heads straight to Rhapsodos and plucks the red summon materia from his pocket. "The next time you lose this, I'm keeping it."
Rhapsodos accepts the Bahamut materia back, the man entirely stunned. "What? When…?"
Cloud can't help his huff nor his little eye roll. "Come on, Rhapsodos. You're smarter than this. When do you think?"
"Wait, she…!"
"She played you like an actor from Loveless."
Not giving Rhapsodos the time to decide whether he was more upset at Yuffie for tricking him or more impressed with Cloud for making a Loveless reference, Cloud turns and stalks back to Sephiroth. "Here." His voice is flat as he holds the green orb of materia out, lacking the same light-hearted levity he shared with Rhapsodos. But he's rather upset with himself for stealing the materia back in the first place… He just couldn't help himself.
And he has no desire to delve into that.
"Thank you, Cloud." Sephiroth takes the materia from his hand, the pads of his fingertips grazing Cloud's palm.
Fighting back the reflexive shiver, Cloud jerks away as if burned. "Water? Not Fire this time?" He's 100% sure Fire's what the man had in Nibelheim. And he certainly has the nightmares to prove it.
Sephiroth grimaces. "I… don't want to burn anything to the ground again."
"So you'll just drown everybody instead?" Yes, Cloud's being passive aggressive. He knows. But after everything he's been through in his life, after all the shit, he feels like he's at least a little justified. And yet, he still can't stand the way Sephiroth flinches at his words or the way his own heart clenches in response. "…Sorry. I didn't…" he offers, averting his eyes to the black marble floor instead.
"It's ok…"
"…I didn't mean…"
"It's alright, Cloud. You have every right…"
He knows the floor isn't that interesting, but he can't find the resolve to lift his eyes back up. Not when he's afraid to see how everybody else has reacted to his lackluster interaction with Sephiroth. Not when Sephiroth himself sounds so hollow.
Oh, why does Cloud feel so terrible? Why can't he hate Sephiroth in peace? It just wasn't fair.
"I-I… T-Thanks… for your help with Godo."
And why does he have the overwhelming urge to make up with him? To offer an olive branch to the man who had destroyed his everything?
"…Of course."
"If anybody tries to harm Cloud, I will kill them personally."
Cloud sucks in a ragged breath. "Would you… Would you really…" But he makes the mistake of looking up and seeing the unusually vulnerable expression on Sephiroth's face, the man hyperfocused on him. And Cloud feels his words die on his lips, his breath knocked straight from his lungs. "I… N-Nevermind."
He can't do this anymore.
"Rhapsodos," he calls, his eyes dropping back to the floor to count the lines in the marble at his feet. "You mind if we skip training today? I wanna see Zack off."
He has to get out of there.
"You won't beat me this time, Spike!"
Zack sounds entirely confident in his claim, but Cloud's not concerned. Not in the slightest. Not when the teen had said the exact same thing these past 10 matches. Heck, he was almost tempted to go easy on him this round, but Zack had already warned him not to.
Besides, Zack had thrown his Tonberry's lantern at Cloud's kart last round in a desperate attempt to win, and Cloud hadn't gotten the revenge he had promised yet. He had still won, of course, but he couldn't let Zack get too complacent, now could he? It was like they always said – revenge is a dish best served cold.
So, he waits. Waits for Zack to drop his guard, the teen overly confident as he passes Cloud in the game. "See! What'd I tell you, bud?"
And then Cloud strikes. Bringing his kart in close, he slashes out the tires of Zack's own, Zack left to gape, speechless, as his kart veers wildly off-course, spinning uncontrollably until it crashes, smoking, in a ditch. Just as Cloud passes the finish line for the 11th time.
"I win." Cloud informs his friend, unable to keep the impish grin off his face.
"I… what… how?" Zack blinks dumbly as the results of their match process. Cloud's slightly afraid that his face will be stuck that way, but then the teen's eyes narrow playfully, and Cloud knows he's in for it. "How dare you!" Zack roars theatrically, grabbing Cloud by the upper arms – "Zack? What are you doing?" – and wrestling him to the floor of his apartment.
They land in a tangle of limbs, Zack using his disorientation to grab his wrists and pin them above his head. "Looks like I win this time!" the teen declares, the smile on his face so wide that Cloud's sure if he actually had a tail, it would be wagging.
"Zack!" Cloud tries to buck his friend off, he really does, but Zack is pure muscle and entirely enhanced. Meaning Cloud is left to squirm rather pathetically instead. "Get off!"
"No can do, buddy!" Zack's eyes twinkle dangerously, and Cloud can tell he's not out of hot water just yet.
But that realization isn't enough to prepare him for the reality of Zack releasing his wrists only to start tickling him, the teen's fingers running up and down his ribs rapidly. "Gah! Z-Zack, stop!" He manages in between his laughter, tears in his eyes as he writhes against the floor, Zack unrelenting above him. "P-Please s-stop! I-I c-can't!" Time passes agonizingly slow as Zack continues his assault until finally, with some impressive lucidity while being tickled into submission (if he does say so himself), Cloud manages to land a well-aimed kick to Zack's shin – "Oof!" – and sends the teen rolling off of him.
"Geez, Spike, that hurt…"
"Y-You…" Cloud gasps for air now that his lungs are no longer on fire. "You're a j-jerk."
"Sorry, Cloudy," Zack apologizes, his laughter belying his sincerity, the teen reaching over to play with his hair.
But Cloud bats his hand away, only slightly peeved. "You won't be able to do that once I'm enhanced again."
"Can't wait."
Zack's words and the smile on his face, as he lounges on his side, one hand pillowing his head, are both overwhelmingly genuine. And what was that Cloud had said about not being able to stay mad at him for long? Sitting up, Cloud pulls his knees to his chest and mumbles, "You… You'll be careful in Banora, right?"
The smile on Zack's face grows more tender if at all possible. "Anything for you."
"…Cool."
Cloud knows it's probably silly to worry about Zack's safety, what with him being a 1st and all. But they all had painful proof of exactly what they were up against. He doesn't want to lose his friend again.
"Hey, bud…" Cloud looks up to see that the smile on Zack's face has morphed into a thoughtful frown. "I know you don't want to hear this – " Zack sighs – "but just promise me if you get into trouble, you'll let Sephiroth know."
"Zack…"
"Hey, it doesn't even have to be Sephiroth! You can call Genesis if you want! Just… please, Spike."
Cloud pulls a face and grumbles, "I don't always get into trouble…"
True, it's a non-answer, but Zack doesn't call him out on it. Instead, the teen raises an eyebrow and deadpans, "Sure, bud."
A/N:
- Moogiva = Moogle + Godiva (I thought I was pretty clever)
- I've been playing Elder Scrolls Online a lot, so 'Leviathan's bones' is my play on 'Shor's bones'
- It'll take a few chapters, but I swear Cloud will start feeling more comfortable around Sephiroth. It's just a lot of trauma to work through :(