THREE

Lena's house wasn't much different from mine. A main room and a small bathroom along with a kitchen alcove in one corner. Homes here in the slums were anything but fancy, but the fact that I'd gone over the years from growing up in a massive palatial estate in the ritziest part of the Sector 5 plate to living in a small one-room shack down here in the slums amidst the dirt and pollution didn't really bother me. My friends and neighbors, the people I helped and who helped me, were what was really important. And I loved my little home.

"Jessie!" Lena smiled.

She was sitting up in bed, still a bit flushed but looking a lot better than the last time I'd seen her. I went over and gave her a gentle hug for a moment, then sat down next to her on the cot Biggs must've brought in to sleep on during his time here. Flowers and cards—no doubt from the kids at the Leaf House, where she'd always cared for them like a big sister—sat on her dresser nearby.

"Hey there!" I grinned, happy to see my friend.

Lena laughed. "Hi! I've missed you!"

I held her hand. "Same here, Lena. How are you feeling?"

"A little better," she said. She coughed for a moment, then went on. "It's just taking time for all the mako that got into my system to get out again. I was stuck in that stuff for hours out on the expressway. It burns a little whenever I breathe too deeply, and I still feel weak at times. So I have to rest a lot. But I'm glad to be home."

I didn't doubt it. "You'll be fine, don't worry."

She nodded. "Yeah. I move around and exercise every day, and the medicine and herbs Elmyra and Dr. Morris gave me have really helped, though they can't do much for my mako sensitivity itself. I don't know if there's anything that can, really."

"The Vice gang giving you any trouble?" I asked.

Biggs shook his head. "Not so far, Jessie. Things've been quiet here. Got a message from Wedge earlier, said you were pretty busy last night. Didn't go into detail since he was on his way to do his patrols, but he'll fill me in later. Anything you wanna tell me?"

I chuckled. "Better you hear it from him, Biggs. I've already gotten one lecture today. I'll save yours for later."

"Fair enough," he grinned.

"Speaking of which, can you give us a moment alone?" I said. "Just have some girl stuff to talk about."

Biggs ran a hand through his short, unruly black hair. "Sure, Jessie. I'll just leave you ladies to it. Holler if ya need anything. I'll just hop in the shower. Could use another one anyway."

Lena giggled. "You sure could!"

"Funny, sis," he smirked. "Very funny…"

Then he slipped into the bathroom with a little wave. Lena actually had a door for it, I was amused to see. Once Biggs had closed it behind him, I turned back to Lena. She knew well enough exactly what was on my mind and what I wanted to talk to her about, and although she was on the mend on the outside, the pain of all she'd gone through was still there. I saw it reflected in her hazel eyes.

In spite of it, Lena gave me a little smile. "Don't worry, Jessie. I'll be alright. It's hard to think about… what happened to me… but Elmyra's been helping me work through it. We talk, I cry, she holds me. It'll take a while, but… I'll be okay. I just need time."

"I know," I said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "And I'm glad to hear it. Been worried about ya. And I heard you've been worst-casing it over me, too. Just like your brother."

She laughed. "Yeah. Guilty as charged. You told me what you were gonna do. And speaking of that, did you…?"

"I did," I nodded. "I got the chip back, Lena. Just last night. I tested it out this morning and it works. And… I also nailed the assholes who raped you. Every last one, including Dorian. Gave them all a good view of my raspberries up close and very personal."

Lena let out a long, relieved sigh and took my hand in both of hers. "Knew you would, Jessie. Thanks. It can't change what's happened, but at least they won't be able to hurt anyone else. And knowing that'll help me find some peace about it and move on."

"Anytime, Lena," I told her. "I was glad to kick their sorry asses for ya. You know what they say about a woman's wrath. And now they do, too. They got the message loud and clear."

"I'll bet they did. But are you okay?" she asked.

I knew what she meant. "I think so. What happened to you… what they did… it wasn't my fault. Taking all those bastards down last night helped a lot. Put a few demons to rest."

"Good," Lena said. "You're too hard on yourself, you know."

"Probably," I admitted.

She smirked. "Definitely. Ease up a little, okay?"

"No promises, but I'll try," I said.

Lena chuckled. "Fair enough. So, um… how's Wedge?"

I smiled. "He's good. Miss him, do ya?"

"Well…" she giggled, sliding a hand shyly through her short brown hair. "Yeah, I guess I do. It was so sweet the way he had the kids gather all those flowers for me before you guys left."

"Sure was," I laughed.

Lena blushed. "When you go back to Sector 7, would you tell him I said hi? And thank him for me?"

I grinned. "You bet, Lena. You like him, don'tcha?"

"Um, yeah…" she admitted. "Have for a while now. He's just such a gentle and caring guy, you know?"

"That he is," I agreed. "Just take your time, though."

Lena nodded. "I will, Jessie. I'm not ready just yet, but… maybe in a little while. I need to finish healing, in and out. When I do get to that point, though, I wouldn't mind seeing how things go with Wedge. If he can work up the nerve to ask me out."

I winked. "Don't worry. I'll make sure he does!"

"Thanks!" she beamed.

"You bet," I told her. Then I gently hugged her again. "Well, I guess I oughta be going. Got more jobs to do today. Can't keep my customers waiting, you know. But it was good seeing you."

Lena smiled. "You too, Jessie."

"So, when will you be up and about?" I wondered.

"Good question," she laughed. "I'm getting there, bit by bit, but it's gonna be a little longer before I'm really back on my feet. Maybe I'll be able to come see you guys in a couple weeks."

I grinned. "Can't wait!"

"Me either," Lena agreed. "See ya, Jessie."

"Bye, Lena! Oh, and tell Biggs to keep his eyes open for Vice. More than usual. With what happened last night, they're pretty pissed at me, and they might get it into their heads to take it out on you if they can. I didn't hide that I had a beef with them."

She swallowed. "I'll tell him. Do they know I'm alive?"

"Not sure," I sighed. "But their leader's not dumb. Dorian told him about attacking you, and just a month later another girl takes him out. It's not hard even for a dumb shit like Braddock to add things up. And you know how they snoop all around this area."

"Yeah. It's how they found out I had the chip," Lena said.

I went on. "Right. I didn't tell you this before, but they followed me to Sector 7 last night after I escaped from their hideout and tried to kill me. Caught me and almost did me in."

Her eyes widened. "How'd you get outta there?"

"You won't believe it, but… this guy just leaped in and saved me," I smiled at the memory of Cloud's rescue as my own cheeks turned pink. "He was really something, Lena. Totally wrecked those guys and didn't even come close to breaking a sweat!"

"Wow! That's amazing!" Lena exclaimed.

It sure was. "Yeah. He's an old friend of Tifa's, actually. Just got into town yesterday, lucky for me. And get this! She has him going with me on my trips now to keep me safe. Doesn't want Vice to get another shot at me. Neither do I. So I guess I've got myself a bodyguard now. A real cute one, too. Very easy on the eyes."

She chuckled. "Nice! So where is he now?"

"Outside," I explained. "Didn't think you'd be ready to meet anyone new yet, especially a guy. But I'll introduce you later if you want, when you feel up to it. Cloud's not the most talkative sort, but he's a good guy deep down. Just doesn't like people to know it."

"Yeah, I just… need a little more time," Lena agreed. "But I'm glad he's there looking out for you, Jessie."

I understood. "No worries! I'll try to swing by sometime again and see you if I can. But you know how it is with my work and all, so it may be a while. You know how to reach me, though."

She nodded. "Yep! Take care, okay?"

"Will do," I promised.

Giving her hand another little squeeze, I smiled and left, waving as I went. Cloud was outside waiting for me, right where I'd left him, and I doubted he'd even moved an inch. We got underway and left Sector 5 for my next stop, a small family in Sector 3 who needed their irrigation system fixed. Then I'd be heading to Sector 2 to repair a damaged tank that supplied the town's water. And we'd have even more jobs after that. Like I'd told Cloud, I was a girl who got around.

It was just starting to get dark outside when Cloud and I finally got back to my shop several hours later. I'd gotten all my jobs done, and my feet were killing me like they always did at the end of a long workday. I didn't mind, though. It felt good to be able to help so many people. Not to mention how much nicer it was to have Cloud with me now instead of being alone. We had run into a few more groups of eaters while we'd been out and about, and if I'd been by myself, I would've avoided them like I usually did. But I didn't do that this time.

We had fought them together, Cloud continually showing me how good he was with that sword of his while I covered him with my gun. It was actually kinda fun and exciting, and I managed to avoid getting hit again. My arm felt a lot better now, too. I hadn't been too sure of myself at first since I'd had such bad luck against those sahagins in the sewers over a year and a half ago, but having Cloud with me definitely boosted my confidence. All in all, it had been a great day.

"Whew!" I said as I came to a stop and parked my little cart by the right side of my shop. "That was a lot of walking, huh? Can't wait to sit down, kick back, and relax for a while."

"So that's why you put your feet on the table," he nodded.

I giggled. "Oh, you noticed that last night? Yeah, it feels so good to rest them after being out and about all day. You should try it sometime, Cloud. It'll help you unwind. What do ya say?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. Not used to it, though."

"A little self-conscious, are we?" I teased. "It's okay. We can do it at my house sometime if you want. That way nobody'll see you. We gotta protect that tough guy image of yours, after all."

"I guess so. You going over there now?" he wondered.

I nodded. "In a minute, yeah. I just need to put my tools away first and lock up the shop again. It won't take long."

Taking my toolbox out of the crate—it was the same one I'd gotten way back when I'd first moved here to Sector 7—I went inside my shop for a moment and put it back into my bottom desk drawer. After that, I headed back outside, locked up, and bounced eagerly back to Cloud, a wonderful idea suddenly springing to mind.

"All set?" he asked.

"Just about," I giggled. "But first, I wanna show you something. I've been working on it for a while now. It's really cool! And when it's done, we won't have to worry anymore about our feet being tired after a long day of walking. Come on! It's this way!"

Grinning with excitement, I led Cloud around the back of the shop to my little garage, hoping he'd go along with what I had in mind. I was a little surprised at myself for even considering it—I hadn't known him very long, after all—but there was just something about him that made me know I could trust him. He'd saved my life, of course, but there was more than that. I couldn't really put it into words, though. It was more a feeling than anything else. Instinct, I guess.

When I flipped on the light and saw Cloud actually smile a little at what was in front of him, my heart raced. I'd hoped he'd like the Hardy, and it looked like he really did. It wasn't finished yet, but I'd made a lot of progress on it over this past year. I'd found a kickstand a while back, so now it stood nicely on its four tires. The frame and handlebars were done, but I still a lot of work to do on the engine.

The Hardy was still only about half-finished, but I figured if Cloud and I worked together, we'd be able to get it done faster than if I kept it to myself. And it would be so much more fun that way, too. There were a bunch of spare parts on a shelf along one wall, and my little tool chest stood in one corner, so we had a good start. Although Cloud's reaction was better than I'd hoped, I still felt a little nervous as I wondered what he'd say and if he'd agree to help me out.

He gripped one of the handlebars and nodded. "Nice."

I laughed. "Thought you'd like it, Cloud. I scavenge parts from the junk piles on my days off. Sector 4's the best for that sort of thing. I saw a brand new one on display once, a long time ago back when I was still living on the plate. It was love at first sight!"

"Sounds like it," he agreed.

"It's always been a little dream of mine ever since I saw it to have a bike of my own. After I came down here, I knew the only way it would ever come true would be to build a Hardy myself. I like machinery and tech stuff a lot, fun things like that, and so I started looking through all those piles of junk and scrap for parts."

Cloud gazed wonderingly at it. "You did all this yourself?"

I smiled, happy that I'd actually impressed him. "Sure did! I got an old set of blueprints from one of my regular customers who used to be a mechanic on the plate and started putting the bike together a piece at a time. I've always had a knack for that sorta thing."

My eyes went to the half-assembled bike. I couldn't wait to show it off to all my friends once I'd finished it and take it out for a spin. It had been a long time since I'd ridden on a motorcycle, and I missed it a lot. The thought of sharing a ride with Cloud made the butterflies circling in my stomach swirl even harder, and knowing he liked what he'd seen of my work so far made it even better. I just hoped that we could finish the rest of it together. I really wanted that.

"It's almost like an instinct, I suppose," I told him. "Knowing where things go and how they work. Sometimes I can almost feel it. Probably seems a bit silly to you, though, doesn't it?"

He shook his head. "No, Jessie. I get it. It's sorta like being in battle. After a while, you know what to do before you're even aware of it. Like you said, instinct. Makes sense to me."

"Thanks, Cloud," I said. "It makes me really happy to hear you say that. You know… I've never shown this to anyone, not even my friends. They do know about it, of course, but… I wanted to wait until it was all finished first before letting them see it."

"So why'd you show me?" Cloud wondered.

I giggled a little and smiled, putting my elbows on the bike's leather seat as I rested my chin on my hands. "Because I like you, Cloud. And I figured you'd be into this kinda thing."

He nodded. "I am. Thanks."

"You're welcome," I grinned. "Would you… would you like to help me finish it? It'll be so much fun!"

"I don't know how…" Cloud scratched his head.

I laughed. "That's okay. Just leave it to me! I'll show you what to do. And who knows, Cloud? Maybe you'll even like it so much you'll build your own someday. Anything's possible, right?"

"I suppose so," he shrugged.

Straightening up, I gazed lovingly and long at the bike. "This baby has it all, Cloud, or at least it will—a four-cylinder engine, twin storage compartments, chrome exhaust pipes, and more. Everything a delivery and tech service girl needs."

He looked at me. "So what's our next step?"

"Really!?" I gasped in delight, my heart skipping a beat. "You mean that? You'll finish it with me?"

"Yeah, Jessie," Cloud said. "Count me in."

Racing around the Hardy, I practically threw myself into his arms. This was like a dream come true! I hugged him tight and laid my head on his shoulder, deliriously happy at what he'd just said. At first, he just stood there with his arms out, no doubt surprised at what I'd done. But after a moment, I felt him awkwardly return my embrace, and I let out a little sigh of contentment as he held me.

"Um, Jessie…?" Cloud asked.

I looked up and gave him a little smirk. "What's the matter? Never had a cute girl in your arms before?"

"I… uh, not really…" he stammered.

"That's okay," I winked. "You can hold me anytime."

I felt another flutter in my stomach at the offhand compliment he'd just given me. He'd basically—if indirectly—admitted that he thought I was cute, and I felt like if he let me go, I'd float up off the floor. I wasn't sure if my feet were even still touching the ground, to be honest. And I loved hearing the sound of his heart beating.

"Well… thanks, I guess," he said, fixing his beautiful baby blues on me. "So, Jessie, what about the bike? What's next?"

I smiled, let go of him, and did a little bow. "Always at your service! Anyway, I've got some more trips to make tomorrow, but the day after that, I'm gonna go and do some scavenging for parts in Sector 4. You're welcome to come with me if you want."

"Know what we're looking for?" Cloud asked.

"You bet! It'll be like a treasure hunt! It'll probably take a bunch of trips to find everything we need, but we can keep on building the bike in the meantime. I think we can have it finished in a few more weeks if we're lucky. Maybe a month, two at the most."

He folded his arms in front of him and nodded. "Alright, then. Tifa did ask me to keep you safe, Jessie. And traveling through the slums is dangerous. So I'd better go with you. Just in case."

"Just in case," I teased. "If you say so."

Of course, I saw the excuse for exactly what it was, and it delighted me to know that, even though he hadn't actually said it, Cloud wanted to spend more time with me. And I really wanted to be with him, too. I found I couldn't get enough of him. He was like the air to me, although I couldn't have explained it. I was feeling things I hadn't felt in so long, and it really excited me and made me happy. I wouldn't have said I was in love—not yet—but I really liked him.

"So…" Cloud went on. "Was this the special project you mentioned yesterday? The one you stole from Vice for?"

I shook my head. "No, Cloud. That one's different."

He blinked. "How so?"

"I… I can't talk about it," I said, turning off the light and closing up the garage as we headed outside. "Sorry. Maybe later."

"Must be important," Cloud frowned.

I sighed and looked away. "It is. Very important. I wish I could tell you, I really do. But it's not up to me."

Tifa had asked me not to tell him, and while I didn't like having to keep him in the dark like this, I understood why it had to be done. Still felt bad about it, though, especially after he'd done so much for me. He wanted answers that I just couldn't give.

"Then who?" he asked.

"Cloud, please," I shook my head again. "Don't press me about this. I made a promise. I'm not gonna break it."

He nodded. "Alright. Guess I can't expect you to do that."

I laid a hand on his arm. He'd taken off the bandage that I'd put on last night, and the cut was gone now and healed, his skin good as new. That potion really had done the trick, just like with me today after that eater had slashed me. It gave me a little glow inside to think about how Cloud had awkwardly held my hand after that.

"Thanks for understanding," I said. "I'm sure you'll find out sooner or later. It's just… what we're doing, it could really come back to haunt us if we're not careful. So we've really gotta watch what we say and who we say it to. There's too much at stake."

"We?" he wondered.

I let go of him. "I've probably said too much already."

Then I walked away, hurrying around the corner to the front of my shop before I could give away anything else. I didn't like how'd slipped up back there. But it was hard for me to keep the truth about the bomb and Avalanche from him, too. As stood near the road, gazing out onto the street with my hands clasped behind me, I thought of a way I could make it up to him and give him a nice treat at the same time. I was sure he'd like it, and he was probably hungry.

It wasn't long before I heard Cloud, his boots thudding in the dirt. I turned around and smiled a little, telling him I was sorry without any words. He came up and stood next to me, his blue eyes strangely bright in the gloom around us. It almost reminded me of… no, it couldn't be. He wasn't one of them, was he? Maybe I was just seeing things. Had to be. It had been a pretty long day, after all.

"Heading home?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. But how 'bout I make you dinner tonight? I kinda feel bad about not being able to tell you what you wanna know, and I'd really like to make it up to you."

He shrugged. "Sure."

"Awesome!" I laughed, thrusting my fist into the air. "I'll make you my famous Midgar Special. You'll love it!"

"What's that?" Cloud said.

I giggled. "Pizza! My own special recipe. Come on!"

Beckoning to him with a sweep of my arm, I led him quickly down the road toward my house. It wasn't very far from the shop, and we got there just a couple minutes later. I could barely believe I'd gotten lucky enough to have Cloud over twice in as many nights, and this time for a quiet dinner together. But even though I was so excited I was bouncing with nearly every step I took, I didn't really count it as a date since that wasn't what I'd pitched it to him as. At least, that's what I kept on telling myself. My heart, though, was all for it.

Once we got inside, I went over to the little table, turned one of the chairs toward the bed, then sat down and pulled off my boots and soft black socks while Cloud closed the door and watched curiously. I had a little routine that I went through most days after work, but this was the first time I'd ever been able to share it with anyone. Even if Cloud only kept watching, I was glad he was with me.

"Pull up a chair, Cloud," I smiled, gazing happily up at him. "Come on over here and take a load off."

He did, moving the other chair next to mine and sitting down, and I giggled as I carefully put my socks into my boots and put them aside. Then I leaned back in my chair, folded my hands behind my head, and put my feet up on the bed with a long, contented sigh. They ached a lot from all the walking we'd done today, just like they always did after my trips, and it felt so good to finally rest them.

"Feel better?" Cloud asked.

I closed my eyes for a moment. "Oh, yeah…"

"I guess you do this a lot," he said.

"All the time, Cloud," I agreed, opening my eyes with a grin. "How many miles do you think we walked today?"

He thought for a moment. "A dozen at least."

I laughed. "Told ya I get around. Wasn't lyin', was I?"

"Now I see why you want the bike," Cloud nodded, knowing what I was getting at. "It doesn't seem like we went far, but all that going back and forth between sectors adds up."

I giggled, glad he understood. "Sure does. So it's really nice to kick back like this and give my feet a rest. Go on and try it, Cloud. Don't be shy. Nobody'll see you but me. And I won't tell."

"Not a word," he said, dead serious.

And then, much to my delight, Cloud leaned back in his chair and started to lift his feet up. He still had his boots on, though, and that just wouldn't do. Not in my clean house. So I quickly sat up before he could set them down and tapped his arm.

"Ah, ah!" I reminded him. "Boots off, Cloud. Don't you be putting those dirty things up on my sheets now."

He blinked. "Oh, right. Forgot about that."

Putting his feet down on the floor again, Cloud took off his boots, then his socks, which were black like mine. It was cute how shy he was about showing me his bare feet—he could barely keep eye contact with me at first. After I winked and gave him an encouraging nod, he slowly lifted his feet again and rested them on the bed next to mine. It was so good to see him relax a little for once.

"Mmm, nice," I teased, gazing at his feet. "How's it feel?"

"Pretty good," Cloud admitted.

I laughed as I leaned back in my chair again, my hands behind my head. "What'd I tell ya, Cloud? Now, can you do this?"

Flashing him a little smirk, I wiggled my toes, stretching them as I did. Cloud saw what I was doing as he sat there with his arms folded in front him, and I looked expectantly at him, hoping that he'd rise to the occasion and accept my little challenge. And he didn't disappoint me. I watched as he moved his own toes a bit. Not as much as me, but it was a start, at least, and it made me happy.

"How's that, Jessie?" he asked. "Looks like you win, though. Guess I'm not as flexible as you are."

"We can work on it if you want," I grinned.

He shrugged. "We'll see. It's not my usual kind of training."

"Fair enough," I agreed. Then, as I looked at him, I went ahead and asked him what I'd been wondering about for a while now. "By the way, have I been seeing things or are your eyes glowing?"

"They are," Cloud answered.

I'd thought as much, but hadn't been totally sure until now. So, his eyes… they were just like Kunsel's. No wonder they'd drawn me in like they had. I'd loved his, too. But Cloud wasn't a SOLDIER… was he? As far as I knew, they didn't come down here to the slums unless it was for a mission. Maybe he'd had some accidental mako exposure that had let his eyes glow the same way theirs did.

I was curious to know more about it, but I also didn't wanna share too much about myself yet. And if I let on that I had some idea of what made Cloud's eyes do what they did, it might lead him to ask questions about myself that I wasn't ready to answer yet. Stuff about my past, that sorta thing. So I decided I'd just play dumb for now and see if he might tell me a bit about his pretty eyes himself.

"Thought so," I said. "Why do they do that? It's pretty cool."

Cloud sighed, sat up in his chair, and put his feet back down on the floor again. "Can't tell you, Jessie. Sorry."

I joined him, not the least bit surprised. "It's alright, Cloud. I guess everyone's got their little secrets, don't they? I understand, believe me. I really do. Anyway, why don't you just relax while I go and get the food ready? Won't take long, I promise. I might not be as good at cooking as Tifa, but I do make a pretty mean pizza! You've never lived until you've tried it! So just sit back and prepare to be dazzled!"

Smiling, I stood up and headed into my kitchen, humming quietly to myself as I got out the pan and ingredients. I always had a few crusts ready to go since Biggs and Wedge were huge fans and always loved to have a pie or two with me once or twice a week. Sometimes I'd take the stuff over to the bar and cook for Barret, Tifa, and Marlene, too. It had been a while since we'd had one of our Avalanche pizza parties, though. I decided I'd have to change that pretty soon, and hopefully with Cloud joining in on the fun this time, too.

Once I'd put the crust on the pan, spread the sauce, and topped it, I slid it into the oven. Then I set the table while it cooked, and I couldn't help noticing the way Cloud watched me do it all. It made me feel good to be the object of his undivided attention. He'd even helped out a little, putting the chairs back in their original places for me so we could eat. I decided not to tease him about it, though. This time. Figured he could use a break for a bit. And I was hungry, too.

Then, once the timer went off a little while later, I got the pizza out of the oven. Smelled great, the savory aromas rising off it filling the air and making my mouth water. I think Cloud's eyes got a little bigger too when he saw it. I make my pizzas big and thick, with lots of cheese and toppings and a nice coating of garlic butter and seasoning on the crust. After bringing the pie over to the table, I set it down and cut it up, nice and clean with a few quick, practiced strokes.

With a little grin, I gave us each a few slices, and then we dug in. It was awesome, the flavors popping in my mouth, especially with all the seasonings I liked to use—the red milly and black shelly herbs gave it a nice little extra punch you don't find in most pies. And the marche and luche cheeses were the best. I watched Cloud in breathless anticipation as he picked up a slice and slowly took a bite.

"So, you like it?" I asked, already well into mine.

He nodded. "Yeah, Jessie. It's great."

"What'd I tell ya, Cloud?" I beamed with a wink. "You can have my Midgar Special anytime you want. Just say the word!"

"Will do," he promised, sipping his drink.

I chuckled. "Not a bad way to end the day, is it?"

Cloud kept eating. "No, not really."

"That's right!" I giggled. "So, anyway, I hear you've got some other work you're doing, too. Tifa told me."

"Patrols with… Wedge, I think it was," he answered.

I took another bite. "Yep! Good thing, too. We need you out there. There've been more monster and bandit attacks lately. Having seen the way you fight, I bet you really impressed Wedge."

Cloud sighed. "He was a bit… eager."

"I'll bet," I laughed. "He just wants to be friends, though."

"So I noticed," he said.

We talked for a while longer as we ate. Well, it was mostly me, with Cloud tossing in a few words here and there, but I didn't mind one bit. I was just happy to be with him. When we were finished, I took care of the dishes while Cloud started putting his boots and socks back on. He was still at it when I came back a couple minutes later and sat near him on the bed to watch. His hands weren't actually much bigger than mine were, I noticed, and his fingers were slender, not big and bulky like the ones a lot of other guys had. I loved them.

When Cloud was done, he stood up and started gathering his stuff. He'd leaned his sword against the wall near the door, and he'd taken his gloves off to eat same as me, so after putting them back on, he reached over, took his sword, and hung it on his back. I still didn't know why it looked so familiar, but the feeling was so strong I couldn't dismiss it. I'd never seen it or Cloud until last night, though.

"How do you get that to stay on there?" I wondered.

"There's a magnet sewn on the back of my shirt," Cloud answered. "It's where the harness straps meet."

I leaned forward a little. "I can't see it."

"It's that metal disc there in the middle. I don't even feel it, actually. But it keeps Buster in place well enough."

"Buster!?" I laughed.

He shrugged. "It's just a name. I guess you like it, though."

Oh, I did, alright. I smiled at him, gently patted his arm, and stood up as well. "It's more than appropriate, Cloud. And I really do like it. It suits you. How'd you come up with it?"

"I don't remember…" he murmured, frowning.

"Well, I'm sure it'll come to you sooner or later," I assured him. "So don't worry about it. I forget things all the time."

Cloud nodded. "Yeah. Guess I should be going."

"Awww, so soon?" I teased.

"I just…" he blinked.

I giggled. "Just relax, Cloud. I'm only messing with ya. Not that I'd mind if you stayed for a bit longer. But I'm sure you've got other things to do, and I don't wanna keep you."

Cloud gave me a faint smile. "Thanks. See you tomorrow."

"You too," I said, happily returning the favor.

I walked Cloud over to the door, and he went outside. But he didn't leave just yet. Instead, he turned around to look at me again, those soft baby blues making my heart melt and my stomach flutter helplessly as if it were a kite in a breeze. His gaze went to my bare feet, and I looked at them, too. They were quite a bit smaller than his, especially now that I wasn't wearing my boots. It took a moment for Cloud to look back up as I stood there with him in the doorway.

When he did, I was waiting for him. "Thanks for kicking back with me tonight, Cloud. It was a lot of fun."

"No problem," he said. "Goodnight, Jessie."

"Goodnight, hero," I smiled.