Disclaimer: I own not the characters but only the story in which they appear in here. The idea is mine but everything else belongs to their respective owners. (Although I wish otherwise.)


Chapter five

The air was crisp and the sun was shining brightly in the sky. All in all, it was a wonderful day although the nervous tension in the nearby bar indicated otherwise.

All the old friends had already awoken for the exception of Cloud and Sephiroth whom nobody wanted to disturb.

Tifa had just finished frying the eggs for breakfast when an outraged howl which was unmistakably Cloud, rang through the air. They heard a door slamming open upstairs and two pairs of feet running.

"Get back here you!"

Sephiroth landed at the foot of the stairs breathless with laughter clad in nothing more than a pair of pants and took off running outside. Cloud followed a moment later, the Ultima Weapon in his hands, dressed the same way except he had an extra article of clothing in the form of a tank top.

Silence reigned before Cid tentatively broke it.

"Uh...Did Cloud just pass by with his hair in miniature plaits or am I really losing my mind?"

Vincent was next. "....where did he find pink ribbons....?"

^^^^^

They were preparing to leave for the station when the two SOLDIERS burst through the door again. Clouds hair was still in its multiple plaits and still tied with tiny pink ribbons but apparently Sephiroth had managed to soothe his temper. After all, you don't play tonsil hockey with someone you're angry with.

"Hey! Watch where you point that *&%$%& thing!"

They stopped and blinked hazily at the pilot to find that he was sitting on his butt with the Ultima Weapon between his splayed legs inches from a /very/ precious area.

"Oops..."

Tifa couldn't help it. She burst out laughing and so did everyone else. Cid turned red and growled under his breath as the tense atmosphere lightened at his expense.

"I apologize for Cloud. You know how clumsy he can be." Sephiroth had stood up and was offering Cid a hand. The other man took it and stood up only to jerk back with an oath as Cloud barrelled into Sephiroth causing both to tumble to the floor and somehow ended up sitting /on/ a wheezing Sephiroth.

"Oh," smirked Cloud, "clumsy me."

"....*wheeze*..."

"Hey, were you guys going somewhere?" Cloud blinked as he realized everyone except Shera, Jessi and Vincent had their coats on.

"Oh yeah! We're gonna go meet and Barret and ...um...."

"Tifa are you okay? Red's not really your colour..."

"I'mfinewe'regoingtomeetBarretandpickupmynewboyfriendRenotheonefromtheTurkshe'scomingalongwithReeveandI'msorryIdidn'ttellyouearlierbutIreallyreallyforgotbye!"

Cloud blinked in confusion and turned to Yuffie.

"Reno from the Turks?"

"Yeah...Hey you're notmadright? Please say you're not mad pleasepleaseplease."

Cloud laughed, an open happy sound but scratchy as if it hadn't been used often or for a long time. He pulled Sephiroth to his feet and cuddled closer to the older man giving Yuffie a look which said clearly, 'Look who I'm with. Do you think /I/ would be mad?'

Cid snorted. All this high drama was getting on his nerves.

/And its gonna get worse once Barret arrives.../ he thought to himself sourly.

"Listen, this is all %*^ touching and ^*&^% but we gotta &*% leave or we'll miss the (^@$% train!"

"Eee, you're right! See you guys in a while! Better put on some clothes you two! Wouldn't want the neighbours to report you for public indecency!"

The memory of that morning's escapade rose in their minds.

"Huh on second thoughts, just put on some clothes. The neighbours are probably cleaning the blood off their floors."

"YUFFIE!!"

^^^^^

Shera was cooing and playing with Jessi while Vincent sat by his spot at the window quietly when they both came down again fully dressed.

Except that Cloud's spikes looked slightly drunk as the waves from Sephiroth's prank would not straighten out even with water.

"Shera... are you sure you're okay with this? Me and Seph..."

Shera never stopped her movements as she answered in a calm, reasonable tone. "I'm sure. Besides, what's done is done and the Planet would never have resurrected Sephiroth if JENOVA were still a threat."

Cloud gave an audible sigh of relief, seeming to melt into his lover's side. "That's great."

/But let's hope once we tell you our story, you'll feel the same way.../

Cloud? It cannot be helped. We chose our paths a long time ago

I know Seph. But still...

The guilt remains

Yes. You carry it too. I hear your dreams

And I yours. Sometimes, I wonder how nobody can see the blood on our hands

Not yet. Not yet...

They ate quietly as they had this conversation, moving on to quiet assurances and tingling mental touches of warmth and love. No one knew they had been telepathically linked. The first death of Sephiroth under the hands of JENOVA had nearly driven Cloud insane in agony but they had persevered and Sephiroth clung to his identity through the image Cloud had of his lover in his mind.

It was quiet without the others. Cloud had always been quiet as had Sephiroth and Vincent. Shera only spoke when she had something to say and wasn't one for idle talk so they sat there, in the common room in comfortable silence as the day went by slowly and the sun rose high into the sky.

^^^^^

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

"WHERE IS THAT *^$$&$#&*(%$!!!!! I'M GONNA SHOOT HIM FULL OF HOLES AND THEN MAKES SURE THE LONG HAIRED FREAK /STAY/ DEAD THIS TIME!!!!"

Barret had arrived and heard the news.

He was obviously upset and the drawling, insulting voice drifting over the din wasn't helping.

"You know Mr.Let's-blow-up-everything-I-can't-accept, it took your current murder target to kill that freak as you put it. How did you come to the conclusion that you could do it on your own?"

"Shut up you murderer!!! I still remember what you did to Sector 5!!! If you weren't Tifa's boyfriend you'd have more holes than the moon!!!"

The loud banging of the door heralded the arrival of Reeve, Nanaki, Reno and Barret. All eyes were immediately drawn to the quiet couple near the wall slightly aside from the door who was staring at them in silence with their bright Mako eyes.

Vincent watched, out of sight by the window, in silence although Death Penalty was ready to be fired at a moments notice. Shera did nothing except stand up and walked out silently with her daughter. She turned to Cid and spoke to him seriously, "This is between all of you. Your demons. Jessi and I will be gone for most of the day..." Here she hesitated, casting a nervous glance at the crowd before lowering her voice and whispering sadly.

"I hope you're here when I get back..."