A/N: I apologize for such a late update! :/ And I will try to make more Zerith and Yuffintine one-shots but I need ideas! D:

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy and all its characters belong to Square Enix

Zack The Babysitter

Rated: T (Just to be safe)

Characters: Zack&Marlene&Denzel

Setting: Dosn't have one...sorry! XD

It wasn't often when Cloud and Tifa got a night off for themselves, and when they did they were always home with the kids. They loved Marlene and Denzel very much but they were too young to be left alone and it wasn't easy finding a babysitter in Midgar, especially one that passed Cloud's approval.

"Cloud, this is ridiculous! You and Tifa work so hard and never get anytime for yourselves!" Marlene cried out, stomping down the stairs in her Rapunzel pj's and cradling her favorite teddy bear in her little arms as if it were her baby.

Cloud grunted and hit his head back against the end of the couch. "Tell me about it." He crossed his arms behind his head and closed his mako infested eyes, trying to get somewhat of a relaxation after a long and stressful day.

Marlene climbed up on the couch and made herself comfortable in Cloud's lap.

"Hey, Cloud?"

"Hmm?"

"What about Zack?"

"What about him?" His eyes were still closed.

"He could be our babysitter for the night, can't he?"

Cloud's eyes snapped wide open. He never thought about Zack, his best friend.

"Marlene, you are a genius." Cloud praised as he dug out his cell phone from his pant pocket.

Marlene grinned as she watched Cloud dial Zack's number.

The kids loved Zack, they were always so fascinated with his height and loved when he picked them up and wrestled with them. Zack was gentle, and always let them win, he was an easygoing guy and perfect for Marlene and Denzel, they were comfortable around him and Cloud and Tifa trusted him with their lives! Cloud wanted to smack himself in the head for not thinking of this sooner.

"Yo Cloud, how's it going my little buddy!?" Zack's peppy voice boomed into the speakers of Cloud's phone from the other line. Marlene giggled when Cloud held his cell phone slightly away from his ear, that was now throbbing.

"I'm not that little." Cloud growled in defeat. He was never on the tall side.

Zack laughed on the other line. "Yeah, and Chocobo's fly!"

"Alright, enough teasing me about my height. I have a favor to ask of you."

"I'm all ears, man!"

"Tifa and I both have the night off for tonight...and if you don't have anything going on, I was wondering if you could take care of the kids for an hour or two..." Cloud paused and looked up at the staircase that Tifa was descending then. She could not look more beautiful in her biker jeans, leather jacket and white tank-top that hugged her curves.

"Or three..." Cloud added averting his eyes from Tifa, hoping that he wasn't drooling.

There was another laugh from the other line.

"Are you kidding me man!? I'll be right over!"

"Aeris is welcome too," Cloud added, his eyes were on Tifa like magnets.

"She's working late tonight, a couple who lives next door to us are getting married and of course my Angel volunteered to do their flower arrangements for them in a heartbeat!"

Cloud chuckled softly at that, typical Aeris always helping others.

Marlene shook Cloud's arm impatiently and mouthed 'Well?'

Cloud gave her a nod before glancing back up at the stairs once more to find Denzel this time, his arms supported an enormous box of legos and they rattled and shook loudly in his arms as he ran down the stairs.

"Thank's Zack, see you in ten?"

"Pfft! See you in five! I'm no Grandpa!"

"Zack...if you're charged with another speeding ticket, you better find someone else to pay for it!"

Cloud felt his lips twirk into a smile when he heard Tifa giggling from the other room.

"Nah! Nah! I'm finneee! See ya soon, shorty!"

Cloud shook his head as he snapped his phone shut and slipped it back into his pocket before looking up at Marlene who was grinning immensely at him, and next to her was Denzel with the same expression on his face.

"I'm not short...to you guys...am I?"

Denzel giggled. "Height doesn't matter, Cloud! You're still a hero!"

Cloud shrugged. He didn't know about that.

"Who was that on the phone?" Tifa asked coming into the room, looking stunning as ever.

"Zack, he's watching Marlene and Denzel tonight."

Tifa's eyes lit up. "Oh perfect! Now I won't have to worry about canceling those reservations!"

Cloud chuckled and gently set Marlene down on her feet as he got up to his own. He walked over to Tifa and took a lock of her long dark hair, he pinched the strands between his fingers gently.

"You look beautiful by the way."

Tifa smiled up at her lover as she caressed his cheek. "Thank you, you don't look to bad yourself."

Cloud forced his eyes away from Tifa's angelic figure to glance down at his clothing, his sleeveless blue sweater, dark slacks, and his shoulder armor. If anything, he looked casual.

He arched a brow.

"Really?"

Tifa laughed. "As always."

Out of all of Gaia, she was one of the few people who could make him smile.

"Hey, Marlene! Uncle Zack is here!" Denzel cried out, entering the room with a grinning Zack Fair behind him.

Marlene looked up from he coloring book and squealed. "Uncle Zack!" She cried out in delight, running over to him and clinging onto his leg tightly as if she hasn't seen him in years.

"Hey, hey! How's everything going in the Strife household?" Zack asked with a short laugh since the two children before him have now concord both of his legs. Tifa walked into the room, laughing as Zack wolf whistled. "Mmhmm...Tifa Lockhart, you are one fine looking women! Don't get me wong, Aeris is the most beautiful girl and always will be to me, but...it's safe for me to say that you're second in line!"

"Oh you!" Tifa slapped his arm with a laugh. "I have a night schedule and everything you need to know about the kids for the night! Cloud and I will have our phones with us if you have any questions."

Zack waved a hand at her. "Please, this is children we're handling not monsters!" he snatched the list from Tifa's hand and tossed it in the barrel.

Tifa blinked a few times but shook it off. Zack was a close friend, and if Cloud trusted him then so did she.

"Ready to go, Teef?" Cloud asked entering the room wearing his bike goggles. The sight always had Tifa's heart melt to butter.

She nodded and hugged the children. "Be good for Uncle Zack, alright? And you can call us a-"

"They'll be fine! We're all fine here! Go out and get drunk! Go party! Live a little!" Zack shoved them out the door with the children giggling behind him.

"Hey, Uncle Zack?" Marlene asked tugging on his pant leg.

"Yes, Miss Marlene?" Zack asked bending down to be eye level with the girl.

"What does 'Drunk' mean?"

Zack's eyes widened. "Uhhhhhhhh...who wants to play a game?"

"First tell us what getting drunk means!" Marlene insisted.

"Yes!" Denzel joined in. Zack sighed.

Cloud and Tifa were going to kill him once they got to hear all about what it takes to get drunk from their children.