Stained Souls
Chapter 20: The Electrician
Cloud continued walking away from the scene where he left the conversation between him and Vincent. The Ex-Turk must have taken a different route of exit because only the blonde was seen leaving the alleyway from green eyes.
By the judging of the sun's light Cloud knew he stayed away for too long and thought it'd be best to head back home. Home. A word he hasn't used in three years and saying it again did seem alien to him at first but somewhat comforting. Knowing that sheltered Cloud's mind which seemed homeless for the longest time.
However the talk with Vincent did pluck a string of his curiosity about matters of Tifa and the orphans. It had been three months since he last saw them safe and secure in their own lives without the bother of his. He liked them that way and kept it by not coming back to them and starting anew with Reno. Yet now out of now where did he remember them and wanted to see them, but secretly of course, just as he did before.
"Miss. Tifa?" Tifa leaned back to look through the diner's kitchen and out to the front.
"Oh!" She quickly swiped the hanging rag. "Louis! I didn't expect to see you so soon!" The young lady welcomed cheerfully.
Louis was their electrician and good friend to the family. Whenever you saw him he wore a warm tanned face that still shown through his coming wrinkles. He was a big man, maybe one third away from Barret which was pretty large for a man in his thirties.
"Where are the kids?" He asked. This visit he was to watch the children while Tifa was to go to the store for something she forgot. After doing it so many times he didn't mind. However, no one noticed his occasional twitch in his left eye.
"They are in the back." She threw the rag on the table once her hands were clean. "Here let me take you to them." He nodded and followed. She led him to the top floor and found them sprawled across the polished wooden floor with their toys. Louis slowly took out something from his pocket without claiming anyone's attention.
Marlene looked up at Tifa as her guardian bowed to talk to her.
"Hey I'm just going to go to the store for a while," Marlene's eyes widened as she saw Louis' hand ascend over Tifa's head before plunging down to pound her asleep. Denzel looked up finally and yelled Tifa's name just when her eyes closed. Marlene screamed in terror and rushed over to Denzel and hid behind him. Louis grabbed hold of his wrench tighter and began to advance on the huddled children.
Not a foot away did he raise his threatening hand when Cloud crashed through the roof's windows and smacked the man down to the floor. Denzel gasped at how far the ex-Soldier dropped from but kept back as he watched Cloud pick up the heavy man with such ease and fling him across the room.
Louis looked up and found his wrench not far from him, but Cloud tossed it aside. The electrician looked up and was only rewarded with such a hard hit that the force pushed him down the stairs and into unconsciousness. Cloud made sure that the body stayed still and lifeless downstairs before going to Tifa.
He picked her up gently and listened for a pulse.
"Cloud?" Marlene sounded scared. Cloud's hard blue eyes softened.
"Its okay darling." He brushed Tifa's bangs from her face. "She's only asleep." With grace he propped her up to carry Tifa to her room and gently lay the lady on the bed. The children stayed especially close when they neared the stilled body down the stairs.
Once Cloud had Tifa situated he went over to Louis. Not a pulse sounded. Fuck. He thought. Now I won't know who the hell sent him. But he didn't have to question who, the answer already was known in his head since he caught sight of Louis knocking Tifa out.
"Kadja!" Cloud got up and immediately made his way out the door but he stopped when he heard the voice of Denzel.
The soldier fell on his knees to better hear the boy. Once Cloud was at his level Denzel hesitated but eventually flung his arms around Cloud. For a second Cloud didn't know how to respond from a hug until memory caught up with him to do the same for the young boy.
"It's okay Denzel." Cloud whispered as the boy slightly began to whimper in his shoulder. "I'll protect you."
Awwwwwwwwww! I gotta admit that was sweet but I'm worried that it's a little sappy. What do you think? REVIEW!