Ch. 5 Drunken philosophy
"You know this is what it is all about, helping each other…you know this is great…hey Cloud how about you pick up the slack, my foot is dragging on the floor. Any way this is what it is all about, hel…" Cid mumbled on drunkenly.
"We know you said it like five times," Tifa interrupted. "We are almost at the bar, then we will get you a nice glass of non alcoholic water and fix you up."
"The only water I am drinking is Scotch and water and what do you mean fix me up, like are you trying to hit on me Tifa, I thought you had a thing for Cloud?" said Cid completely forgetting about Cloud's presence right next to him.
"What are you talking about Cid," Tifa said timidly as she looked over at Cloud to gauge his reaction. Cloud didn't pay attention to Cid's ranting. She exhaled in relief; why couldn't she just get the courage and fess up to him. She was always shy about loving him, it was just more comfortable to not tell him and possibly get rejected. There would be no way she could handle that blow.
"I'm talking about you having the hots for…owww what the hell you hit me for winch! Why I ought to…OWW! Damn! Sorry, I'll just shut up and throw up, make way!" Cid said as another waterfall of liquid came out of his mouth.
"This is bullshit. I say we just leave him to die," Cloud said
"Cloud, stop it and help me carry him."
He reluctantly slings Cid's arm over his shoulder and begins to drag him again. The rest of the way to the bar is eerily quiet as Cid seemed to pass out. He just stumbled his feet forward and with a dumb, sleepy expression on his face. Cloud just stared. Tifa caught herself looking at his serious face and blushing at how handsome it was. If Cid's drunk ass wasn't between us, this would actually be nice. We are never alone, and there is Aerith too…sometimes I just don't know. Would telling him tonight be a good idea? Maybe I should just get drunk and let it slip; lord knows Cid probably let it slip a hundred times already. I just don't know.
Tifa is lost in thought as they walk up to the entrance of the bar. Vincent is still talking to Reno and Rude. They both look to him like a hero and are hanging on his every word. Tifa laughs as she thinks about the mighty Turks cowed by Vincent of all people. Barret was singing an old miners tone to himself alone at the bar. The bar tender was washing a dirty mug at the opposite end when he spotted them and immediately made a glass of water noticing Cid's state. Tifa lugged Cid to the bar and had to immediately stop Cloud from running over to the table that Reno and Rude were sitting at. She pointed to a stool by the bar and ordered him a drink and told him to calm down. He just looked down and wore this frustrated look on his face.
How cute, she thought warmly. He is trying to look annoyed when he knows I am right. She sat by Barret and forced Cid into the chair next to her. She ordered a beer for herself and a coffee for Cid. Barret ordered a beer with hers and turned towards her.
"So your takin care of this bum, you were always the mums of da group, can't argue with dat. I remember you takin care of me when I was wasted back at Seventh Heaven. Man I miss that place. Damn, nothing like a couple of beers to make ya a little sad huh?" Barret said softly.
"Yeah I know what you mean, here Cid drink this and stop spilling it all over yourself."
"Alright mom…damn, women, always busting my balls. Shera used to give me the same garbage when I was coming down. Just leave me the hell alone and make me a damn sandwich that's how to sober me up."
"Fine," Tifa said as she started to get up.
"Are you making me my sandwich?" Tifa just flicked Cid off with her middle finger.
"That would work to sweetheart," said Cid smiling.
"You probably have whisky dick right about now," Tifa said. She knew how to come back at all sorts of drunks, especially ones like Cid. In fact she kind of enjoyed showing them up and showing how a girl can kick a guy's ass, both verbally and physically.
Cid smiled, he always liked Tifa. Not only was she attractive, she wasn't like one of the girly girls he hated. She was a girl you could have a beer with and could hang out with the guys and go neck to neck with them on anything they tried. Most of time those type of girls would come out on top too. But Cid could never get one of those girls no matter how hard he tried. They all feel in love with moody assholes like that guy Cloud over there.
"First of all it's Vodka dick in this case, and second of all you couldn't handle it babe."
"Whatever you say asshole. Now drink your coffee before I make you wear it," Tifa said as she pretended to be pissed off. Cid looked down at his coffee quietly and took a sip of it. He sat there quietly humming an old pilot's tune as he tried to get rid of his headache. The best thing to do when they are drinking their coffee is to leave them alone, otherwise they will think you are hitting on them and try to start drinking again. Tifa always wanted them to think they pissed her off and get embarrassed. This would want them to get sober in an effort to make amends. It was working like a charm on Cid, just like it did for hundreds of other customers.
She strolled over and sat between Barret and Cloud, pretending not to be so in love with Cloud. She turned to Barret and smiled remembering those days at Seventh Heaven. Man did I love that place. It was always cheerful, no matter how bad things got…now its gone. Nothing like a couple of beers to make you said.
"What's wrong sweetheart?"
"I don't know…just missing the good old times, I just wish they could go back to the way they were, everything is so sad and serious most of the time, you know what I mean?"
"Yeh, sort of, I remember back in dem mines, couldn't get through da day without cracking a joke or two, hell dat was kept me goin, now a days, its just go here, fight dem, and go there. Sometimes I wonder if we going da right way half da time. But we never slow down to realize it."
"Do you still know why you are doing this?"
"Yeah, I guess. Mostly so Marlene has a place to grow up. Besides dat, I don't know, we just chase dat asshole all day. It seem like we just do what Cloud say most da time, don't even question it. Except for times like dis. I try not to think about it though; I just hope things work out in the end."
Barret summed up Tifa's anxieties almost perfectly. She really didn't agree with the group's direction, all they did was go on this obsessive wild goose chase that Cloud forces on the group. We have lost so much already, there is still a lot to lose. Tifa didn't know if she could leave the group, but she felt she was sacrificing a lot to the group for a course she didn't really believe in. She heard other members grumble about this at well when they were resting. But Cloud always shot suggestions down. She was surprised that he let everyone stay here without much of a fight. She didn't know f she stuck with it because she was afraid of losing cloud, or if she was like Barret and hoped it would be okay in the end. Tifa hadn't been this lost since the time she found Cloud laying at the train steps over a year ago.
"But I don't like to spoil rest times like dis wid thoughts like dat."
"Yeah, I know what you mean; a break like this is nice every once in awhile. It lets you think. I just wish he would realize that."
"Who dat spiky ass punk…hah, all business wid dat guy most da time, I don't see what you see in em."
"What do you mean…I don't know what you're talking about."
"Sure…anyway I miss the good old days too, here's to Seventh Heaven!"
"Here's to Seventh Heaven!"
"And here's to givin the captain some lovin…"
"Man sit yo drunk old ass back in the stool before it's up yo ass!"
"Screw you Barret! I'm the boss of fucking me, not you…"
"Cid sit down before I leave you here!" screamed Tifa
"Yes Maam," mumbled Cid as he returned to his coffee.
A bunch of up tight bitches if you ask me, which no one does. If they did they get all the fucking answers in the universe! Hell, I'm the eldest here, so by default I am the wisest. Whatever, I just better drink this coffee and not piss of Tifa and I might get lucky tonight. Hah! Yeah right, she is so in love with Mr. I'm so moody because I have a mysterious past and some weird fetish about chasing tall men in dark capes named Sephiroth across the world. Not only that, he drags my ass with him.
Cid knew he volunteered to join the group, no matter how much he griped he still enjoyed the adventure. Anything was better then sitting in that dead town rotting away. Cid looked down grumpily at his coffee, this coffee sucks, it would be better with some whiskey.
"He bar keep, some whiskey for" and suddenly Tifa sits next to him," not me, but some other chap because I am learning the errors of my ways."
"Cid…can I ask you a question, why did you decide to join us?"
Cid wasn't nearly as drunk as he was in the earlier part of the night. He had thought about this question long and hard when he first made his spontaneous decision when his baby the Tiny Bronco was degraded to a boat. My baby, turned into a fucking boat, a fucking floater! He would sit at hotels and drag a cigarette for a long while why he joined.
"I joined because…."
Next Chapter: Why Cid joined!