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Best Friends

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"Friendship isn't a big thing- it's a million little things."

~Unknown

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Tifa

"I'm sorry."

Tifa looked up from the glass she was nursing to see Aerith sitting on the stool in front of her, the normally cheerful young woman looking hesitant and sad.

"For what?"

Aerith hesitated a few moments more before sighing and slumping in her seat. "Cloud."

Her stomach swooped uncomfortably as it hit her. "Oh."

"He's mentioned how you're his friend, and still I-...H-He just reminds me so much of-...I find myself drawing his attention even without meaning to...I'm sorry."

Tifa stared at her a bit before sighing and setting the glass down. "To be honest, I wasn't much of a friend to him before."

Aerith looked up, and Tifa felt herself smile with self-reproach. "Cloud and his mother...weren't well-liked in Nibelheim. Old town mindsets, you know? Because of that, he didn't really have any friends. We'd hang out once in a while, and got along well enough, I suppose, but I wasn't the friend I should have been to him."

She thought about the gossip and whispers alienating the Strifes with each passing day, and how she thought it was normal.

She thought about the harsh words and cold looks they'd send his way after a disastrous fall from a bridge, and how she didn't stand up for him.

She thought about the almost desperate look up on the water tower, silently asking for what she thought was approval, but she later realized was asking for acknowledgment. A confirmation that she saw him, and thought of him as fondly as he thought of her.

She wondered...if she had reached out back then...would he look at her the way he looked at Aerith now?

"You don't have anything to be sorry for," she finished quietly, looking out the window at the bright lights of Gold Saucer. "I-...I'm glad he's found someone like you to make him smile."

"..."

"Aerith?"

"A little over five years ago, I fell in love with a SOLDIER," she began, just as quiet as Tifa had been just moments before. "His name was-...His name was Zack, and he was from Gongaga."

Tifa couldn't stop a huff of laughter from escaping her.

"What?"

"Sorry, it just sounds like a backwater name."

"Does it? He used to say that country folk could usually tell by the name, but I thought he was messing with me."

"No, he was telling the truth."

They shared a smile before Aerith let out a breath and continued.

"He wasn't at all like what I'd been told SOLDIERs were like. He was cheerful and kind, and always managed to brighten my day. Before I knew it, I'd fallen for him."

"...What happened?"

"He vanished. For years, I didn't see or hear from him, until one day...I just knew he was-...I could feel the moment he-..."

Aerith trailed off, her lips trembling as she struggled to keep her composure. Tifa found herself quickly standing and pulling her into a hug, holding her close while she released what felt like years of repressed grief and loneliness. After a few minutes, Aerith pulled away.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it. It looks like you needed a good cry."

She let out a watery laugh. "Looks like."

"Did-...Did Cloud know Zack? Is that why...?"

Aerith shook her head. "I don't know...but...even though he acts almost nothing like Zack, I can't help but feel-...There are little mannerisms and movements that are exactly like his, and the sword-"

She cut herself off, but something about those words brought up an almost forgotten memory in her mind. One of a dark-haired SOLDIER coming into Nibelheim with an identical sword on his back.

"Cloud has Zack's sword," she realized.

"...Yes. I would recognize it anywhere."

Tifa sighed. "If Cloud has it, I guess they did meet at some point, but I don't think there's much chance of getting an answer out of him with his mind-"

Now it was her turn to cut herself off, but it was too late.

"With his mind in such a fragile state," Aerith finished sadly.

She swallowed, her tongue feeling thick and heavy in her mouth. "You-...You know about that?"

"Not the details, no. But I can feel that he's suffered a lot and that there's something clinging to him that he can't quite shake off yet. It's affecting Cloud."

There was something in the way she said Cloud's name, but it wouldn't be until she was pulling the shattered pieces of him together that she would realize that she meant who Cloud was as a person. His identity and his personality.

"It's not my place to tell him, so I won't. But please...promise me you'll look after him. He-...He's become a dear friend to me...and he's all I have left of Zack."

"You're talking as if you won't be there to help me keep his ass in line," Tifa smiled through a strange sense of foreboding. "C'mon, Aerith, chin up. Between the two of us, we can make sure nothing happens to him."

Aerith laughed- stronger than before -and nodded. "You're right. Thanks, Tifa."

"Anytime."

And after that conversation, she wasn't as surprised to note she meant it.

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"And just where have you two been?" Cloud asked in a sigh, a part of him looking like he really didn't want to know.

Tifa looked at Yuffie the same moment she turned to look at her, and the two quickly broke down into laughter.

"Materia hunting!" Yuffie chirped once they'd calmed down.

"Materia hunting," he repeated before looking at her with a raised brow. "Didn't think you'd be up for that, Tifa."

"Felt like stretching my legs," she shrugged.

"Into a...swamp?" he asked dryly, pointedly looking at the mud-caked onto their clothes.

"We thought we'd combine it with a mud bath."

"We fought a Zolem," Yuffie added in a whisper, a wide grin on her face.

Cloud stared at them a moment before he let out a breath of laughter and shook his head. "I'll stick around long enough for you to clean up, then you can have the bar back."

"You're the best, Cloud!" Tifa cheered as she dragged Yuffie up the stairs.

"I didn't think he'd actually watch this place while we were gone!" Yuffie confessed once they were out of earshot. "Much less that he'd stick around."

"Cloud's always been very serious about keeping his word, even when we were kids," Tifa smiled. "If you can get him to agree to something, then you can be sure it's going to be done."

"I like that the keyword there is if."

"Well, yeah. I think that's the hardest part, honestly. Good thing he likes us, right?"

"Right! Anyway...dibs on the first shower!"

"Wha-?! Yuffie!"

Yuffie had already run into the bathroom and closed the door with a cackle. Tifa huffed, then smirked as she realized the younger girl hadn't taken any clothes with her in her rush.

Or a towel.

"Yuffie, Yuffie, Yuffie," she shook her head. "You still have so much to learn."

She gathered everything that could be used as a makeshift towel and carried it back downstairs with a smile, reminding herself to wash her bedsheets later when she noticed she'd gotten them dirty.

Cloud watched her do it from his place at the counter, the corner of his lip twitching upward. "Yuffie ran into the bathroom first?"

"Yup! Can you keep these back there?"

Cloud accepted all of the sheets, curtains, and other miscellaneous fabrics without protest, and even folded them before tucking them into some cabinets underneath. "Make sure my door's locked."

"Will do!"

"Want me to pour you something?"

"Please. I'll be right back."

Tifa was just getting into recounting the fight with the Zolem when they heard the shower stop.

"Little shit used all the hot water too," she grumbled, any regret or remorse she may have felt for doing this having long since left her.

"I don't miss those days," Cloud chuckled under his breath. "I think it took Cid threatening to sell her materia to get her to stop while we were traveling, right?"

"Yeah, but it was only when he got Vincent to agree to help him do it that she took the threat seriously."

They paused at the cry of disbelief that echoed down, and Cloud twitched when there was a thump, but relaxed when there was no further noise.

"Didn't think that lock and the reinforced door would work," he muttered. "Good to know it was worth the investment."

The sound of footsteps became more and more frantic as Yuffie no doubt scoured the rest of the rooms for anything she could use to cover herself. Finally, they stopped.

And a scream of frustration rang out instead.

"TIFA!"

"Ah, music to my ears," she smiled, raising the glass to her lips and taking a drink.

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"Wow, Tifa. You're getting really good at this, aren't you?"

"I've been practicing!"

"I can tell!" Cassie laughed before shaking her hand out a bit. "I really felt that one!"

Tifa felt herself puff up a bit at the praise for a moment before she managed to bring it under control. "I've still got a long way to go, though! I still haven't beat you, after all!"

"I'm sure it won't be much longer until you do," she smiled. "Not with the amount of work you put into training. Master Zangan's style is great and all, but I don't think it's quite for me."

"Hm? Then what kind of fighting style do you think you'd be good at?"

"Honestly? I'd rather not fight at all if I could avoid it," she admitted.

"What?!" she gasped. "But it's so fun! All those kicks and flips- they're so cool!"

"They are," she agreed. "But...I just don't like fighting, I guess. Well, not unless it's a boy picking on Cloud," she finished with a grin.

Tifa laughed.

"I suppose if I had to choose a fighting style...I'd like something long-range like magic or some other sort of projectile weapon. I feel like I wouldn't be able to think if I was up close all the time."

"But thinking too much gets in the way in a fight, doesn't it? Master says we have to train our bodies so that we don't need to think too much about what we need them to do, doesn't he?"

"And that is exactly the problem," Castalia said while sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck. "I'm not much of an instinctive fighter. Well, I'm not much of a fighter at all, honestly, but thinking on the fly is actually an issue I can't seem to overcome. That's why I'm sure you and Cloud are going to be much better than me once we're all a bit older."

Tifa couldn't imagine it. Castalia had never lost a sparring match against her or Cloud, and she had even landed a few hits on Master Zangan! Beating her seemed like some sort of impossible dream.

Castalia seemed to guess what she was thinking since she laughed again. "Just trust me on this, okay? Anyway, you ready to go again?"

"Yeah!"

"Then give me all you've got!"

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"Friends are connected heart to heart. Time and distance can't tear them apart."

~Unknown

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Cloud

"So...what's Nibelheim like?"

Cloud blinked and looked at the SOLDIER he'd met- Zack, he reminded himself -in confusion. "What?"

"Nibelheim!" Zack repeated, a wide grin on his face. "What's it like?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, whatever you can think of! Gongaga is hot and muggy, and there are some swampy areas around it, but the townsfolk are really friendly! Not much to do there unless you want to be a farmer or a rancher, though."

"Oh..."

"So?"

Cloud thought about cold mountains and even colder people, and shifted uncomfortably. "Not much to say about it..."

"Oh, come on, Spikey-!"

"Spikey?"

"-There has to be something! What about your family? Got any brothers or sisters? Friends? A girlfriend?"

Cloud couldn't quite hold back a frown as he looked away. "...Just my mom."

He kept walking forward and did his best to ignore Zack as he stopped. However, the next moment, he was rammed into from behind and fell face-first into the freezing snow.

"W-What the hell?!" he spluttered before throwing his elbow back in an effort to dislodge the SOLDIER from on top of him.

Zack only trapped his arms at his side in some mockery of a hug and lifted both of them up. "Don't worry, Cloud! I'll be your buddy!"

"Let go, Zack!"

"Best friends for life! You'll see! Oh! You probably don't even know the kinds of things best friends do, do you?"

"Pretty sure it doesn't involve assault and kidnapping."

Zack just laughed like he'd heard the funniest thing in his life and let him go only to wrap an arm around his shoulders.

(He still couldn't pull free. Damn SOLDIER strength.)

"Telling jokes already! See, you'll get the hang of it in no time! Man, this is going to be awesome!"

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"...Zack?"

Cloud approached slowly, hesitant in what he should do in this situation. Zack didn't move from his hunched-over position, but the man next to him did. He had brown hair, teal blue eyes, and a somewhat angular face, but he didn't seem hostile like some of the other soldiers did, especially when he patted Zack's shoulders a few times before standing.

"You must be Cloud," he said, extending a hand out in greeting. "The name's Kunsel. Can you stay with him for a bit? I need to look into a few things, but he shouldn't be left alone."

"I'll-"

"If you say you'll be fine one more time I swear I'm going to kick your ass," Kunsel said mildly while giving Zack a look.

He felt a flare of concern when Zack didn't respond and only seemed to droop even more.

"You don't have to say anything," Kunsel told him quietly. "Just sit with him and keep him company. He doesn't like being alone even on a normal day, so it's probably the last thing we want to do right now."

"Is he-...? What-...?"

"Commander Hewley is gone, and it hit him pretty hard. So it's up to his best friends to keep him grounded, wouldn't you say?"

"You can have more than one best friend?"

Kunsel gave a slight start, and Cloud felt his face burn once he realized he'd surprised the other man with his question. But before he could try to brush it away, a soft snort caught their attention.

Zack's small smile was weak as he looked up at them, eyes red as if he wanted to cry but couldn't. "Looks like I still have a lot to teach you about best friends, huh. Of course you can have more than one."

"Normally I'd be worried about this idiot teaching anything," Kunsel cut in, voice tinged with fond amusement. "But in this, I'll admit that you couldn't have anyone better, Cloud."

"Uh-...I-..."

Now Kunsel snorted and gave his shoulder a few pats as well. "Don't worry, I'll keep him from getting to be too much now that I know about this."

This conversation felt weirdly familiar.

"Hey, no stealing my buddy, Kunsel."

"You just told him he could have more than one best friend. Don't confuse him."

Ah, that was it. It seemed he had no say in becoming best friends with Kunsel either.

He watched as the two of them bickered- Zack slowly brightening with each moment -and smiled.

He didn't really mind when he thought about it.

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"Sorry, Cloud. I'm part of the Chocobo Protection Squad."

"The Choco-...what?"

"The Chocobo Protection Squad," she repeated.

He would think she was joking if not for the utterly solemn expression on her face.

"And...what is the...Chocobo Protection Squad, exactly?"

"Just what it sounds like. A group dedicated to protecting Chocobo. Rusty, as...unlikely as it seems, is still a Chocobo."

"Cassie...he eats meat."

She looked over at Rusty, who was gleefully tearing his meal into pieces and grimaced. "He's...special."

"He's beyond ancient and clearly insane. He gave me a concussion."

She hesitated, looking torn for the first time since the conversation started.

"I'm not gonna kill him," he continued, pressing the advantage. "We both know how much Grandpa Cliff loves the old bird. But if I'm going to be anywhere near him, I want something to keep him from trying to knock me through the barn again."

"Well..."

"Kwark."

They both turned and saw Rusty staring at them intently, beak and claws stained red, and shuddered.

"Okay."

"I want the Fire materia."

"Not a chance."

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"My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me."

~Henry Ford

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Vincent

"Wait, you've seriously never been in a relationship?"

Vincent held back a sigh. Barely.

"I hardly see how this conversation is relevant to the mission, Veld."

"It's just surprising. I would have figured you'd at least have a sweetheart of some sort, what with your looks and all."

"Do you have someone?" he asked, hoping that he could get his partner to back off by reversing the question.

He was mistaken.

"Sure do! Planning to propose next month, actually! I got so lucky with her, you know. Not many women want to stick around a Turk after some of our rougher days. One time she-..."

It was honestly a wonder their cover wasn't blown during Veld's ramble. Then again, he supposed it was actually a pretty good way to not draw the wrong kind of attention.

Not many would suspect the man waxing poetry about his girlfriend for all to hear to be a dangerous assassin.

Still...despite his best efforts to ignore the tangent, he couldn't help but feel...

He didn't know how he felt.

Was it really so strange that he'd never been in a relationship? Ever since he was a child, all he'd wanted was to be a Turk like his father. Well, almost like his father. Grimoire had since left the Turks to become a scientist, but he'd been an elite member before his "retirement."

The point was that romance had never been a priority for him.

Even now, the thought of going out and actively looking for a significant other just seemed...strange to him. He felt like there were better ways he could be spending his time, especially since he wasn't even sure what he would want in a romantic partner. Who knew how long it would take, and he wasn't willing to figure that out at the moment.

"-could set you up with the receptionist. I'm pretty sure she's into you."

"No, thanks," he shook his head.

One thing he was sure about was that if it was going to happen, then it would happen. No need to try and force it.

Veld didn't respond, but a glance out of the corner of his eye revealed the almost pout he had on his face.

Vincent let out a breath. "I'm not saying no to relationships, Veld. Just not now and definitely no arrangements. I'd rather focus on my job."

"Spoilsport."

"Busybody."

"Target just left the office."

"Yeah, I see him. Come on."

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"How about this one?"

Vincent looked at the sleek device in Reeve's hand. "That one...doesn't look like the others."

"It's completely new- the latest model!" Reeve grinned excitedly. "You can navigate all the phone's functions from the screen itself with just a touch! No need for buttons!"

He did his best to hide any discomfort at the expectant look, but Reeve proved as perceptive as always. He quickly put the phone back and had them both out of the store in what felt like minutes with a much simpler flip phone in hand.

"My apologies, Vincent. I tend to get a bit carried away sometimes. You seem so unflappable that I tend to forget just how long you were secluded from the rest of the world. Getting used to how much technology has changed can't be an easy adjustment."

"Don't worry about it."

"You know I will, my friend."

"I'm not completely inept with technology, Reeve," he said. "I'd never have been in the Turks otherwise. I can figure it out."

"I hope you'll at least humor me a little," he replied with a helpless shrug and smile.

Vincent huffed but said nothing to refuse the unspoken offer. They both knew Reeve would fuss over him until he felt confident in Vincent's technological know-how. Instead, the two of them continued walking down the streets of Edge, an almost peaceful air settling between them as they walked down the street.

"Cloud seems to have found a hobby in making deliveries," Reeve chuckled a few minutes later. "I suppose I can see why as it lets him travel all over, but I do wish he'd stop and rest for a bit. He hasn't stopped moving since I met him."

"...Idle minds are the worst for people like us," he admitted quietly.

He felt Reeve's gaze on him but said nothing more.

He appreciated the man's sense of tact when he didn't push the subject.

They passed a half-constructed/half-collapsed building. Some sort of large building that had been started before Meteor and abandoned shortly after. The only clue of whatever had been planned being a worn-out sign that read "CASS-" before it broke off.

"Did you know? I was actually in charge of a lot of the construction going on in Midgar...before everything, I mean."

Vincent looked over to see Reeve staring at the building as well, a regretful expression on his face.

"I honestly thought I was doing a good thing- that my work was and would help all the people living in the city...What a fool I was."

"...I suppose that makes two of us."

Reeve chuckled self-depreciatingly.

"And now?" he sighed. "Now I'm being asked to head a new organization in the wake of ShinRa's fall, as if I hadn't been one of the very people at the top they're blaming."

"Maybe because they don't blame you?"

The new voice startled them- both being caught up in the conversation and their own thoughts -and had them whirling around, ready to fight. Any other person would have taken at least a step back at Vincent's gun if nothing else, but the man in front of them didn't even twitch.

Although the clouded, sightless eyes surrounded by heavily scarred skin might have had something to do with it.

"Pardon me, but...who...?"

"Oh. Sorry about that!" The man tucked his walking cane under his arm and stuck his hand out with a tired smile (his other hand was gone- just a nub ending at the wrist). "The name's Matthew. Matthew Allen. It's nice to finally meet you, Mr. Tuesti. I was one of the engineers in your old department."

The man's greeting only seemed to worsen whatever guilt Reeve was feeling, and he hesitated long enough for the man- Matthew -to lower his hand with a sigh.

"I know that silence. Look, if this is about my face and hand, that's not on you. The ShinRa building was collapsing and I stayed behind trying to get people out. A steam pipe burst and, well, I took the hit for someone else. Adjusting was tough, sure, but I don't regret what I did."

"I feel I must apologize nonetheless, Mr. Allen," Reeve finally replied. "I know at this point it may not mean anything, but if there's something I can do for you and any family you have..."

The smile faltered, looking terribly brittle and regretful for a second before he tried to laugh it off.

"Ahaha, no. No family," he told them. "I never married, and I became estranged with my sister years before I ever arrived in Midgar. I doubt she would appreciate having anything to do with me at this point."

"Oh..."

"Ah, but we're getting off track," he continued, changing the subject. "Mr. Tuesti, a lot of the people who worked under you did join the World Regenesis Organization, you know. We all remember how hard you worked and how much you wanted to help the people. I would be shocked if there was anyone there who doesn't know at least one good thing you did."

"I-I...what? But-"

"Your friend's here with you, yeah? Hey, tell him he's being stupid and that he should just accept already."

Vincent snorted softly, ignoring the look he was given.

"That's as good as an agreement, I'd say," he nodded before grabbing his cane and starting to make his way past them. "I'm expecting great things from you and the WRO now that you don't have to worry about the other execs."

"You say that like you won't be there."

"Not much use there for someone like me," he pointed out.

"If you were in my department, then you were more than your hands and eyes. I'm positive you could still help in some manner."

"Nice of you to say, but I'll have to decline," he shook his head. "I spent so much time chasing the clouds that I lost sight of a lot of things. Can't go back, but I can make sure I keep my feet on the ground for whatever time I've got left."

"I understand...but the offer will always be there, should you change your mind."

"...You're a good man, Tuesti," Matt smiled slightly. "I'll keep it in mind. Good luck."

"Likewise."

Another brief silence fell over them once he was gone.

"He wasn't wrong, Reeve," Vincent finally spoke up. "You're being too hard on yourself."

"I don't want to hear that out of you," Reeve shot back with a bark of laughter. "You've practically perfected self-criticism to an art form."

Vincent glared and Reeve grinned unrepentantly.

"Now, come on. I guess I have an organization to take charge of. I can add a few upgrades to your phone while I'm at it."

"Leave it alone, Reeve."

"Don't be that way. They're completely harmless."

"No."

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"...Do you miss the life you had?"

He wasn't quite sure why he asked, knowing it would break the peaceful atmosphere that had settled between them as they rested after training, but he couldn't deny it had been something he'd wondered about. Sure enough, Castalia looked up from the book she'd settled down with a slight frown.

"You don't have to answer."

"It's fine," she assured him. "I've tried not to think about it after waking up here, but...I guess it's not the life itself I miss so much as the ones I left behind. Honestly, if they'd all come with me then I probably wouldn't give it a second thought."

"None at all?"

"Well, no, that's not entirely true. I would have really liked to travel around to different countries- seeing all the different ecosystems, cultures, and the like, but that's not something a lot of people could do on a whim or for a living. For most, it's just a constant grind. Working or studying but always striving to reach some unspoken plateau that means they can finally relax and do what they want to do...Hardly an exciting or enjoyable life."

"...Sounds like Midgar."

This startled a snort out of her and he felt the tension leave his shoulders, glad the question hadn't hurt her.

"So Earth is just a giant Midgar? Now that's a lovely image, though I can't say it's entirely inaccurate," she said with a shake of her head before she brightened. "Oh! I guess there is one thing I do miss more than others, now that I think about it. I used to watch a lot of animated shows and movies back in my old life, and when I realized I wouldn't get to see how some of them ended, that did kind of get to me- especially since Gaia seems to have a notable lack of them."

Animated-...really? That was one of the things she missed about her old life?

As if guessing his train of thought, she shrugged sheepishly. "Like I said, most people on Earth live pretty mundane lives. Fictional media was super popular precisely because of that. A lot of it was great, too! I kind of wish I could show you because it does seem to be something Earth did better. Most of what I've seen here isn't all that good..."

"I can't say I'd know enough to make a comparison."

"Yeah, I kind of figured," she laughed good-naturedly. "Oh, man. If you could have seen some of them. One of my favorites was one called Fullmetal Alchemist-"

"How fitting."

"Hey! This was way before I was anything close to an alchemist!" she defended. "This was just a weird coincidence! Anyway, I think you would have liked that one."

"What was it about?"

"Oh man, where do I even begin? Okay, I'm probably going to miss a few things because it's been a while and I've probably forgotten some details, but I'll do my best. It's about these two brothers named Edward and Alphonse who-..."

Vincent finally placed his own book to the side and listened as Castalia recounted the story, admittedly intrigued at the narrative before long. She had to backtrack a couple of times when she remembered a detail she'd forgotten that added more context, and she didn't finish before she had to leave, but he was impressed at how engaging it had become.

He hadn't read much fiction, true, but even he could say that the few tales he'd read hadn't been as interesting as this one.

For the first time, Vincent wondered what kind of place Earth was to have this story only be one of countless hundreds- if not thousands. Was a world where people could allow their imagination and creativity such free reign truly be like a larger Midgar?

He doubted he would ever know, but it had been...nice to experience a small part of it.

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"There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship."

~Thomas Aquinas

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?̴̢̹̣̫͈̰̥͎͚͕̋̃̈́̋̑̆͘?̶̼̗̜͎̹̱̲̳͔͆͋̈́̍͒͌̔͐͘͜͜͝͠ͅ?̸̱͇̲̰̂̿͗̔̍̐̀̾̕ͅ?̴̧̢̱̻̺̣̯̬̂ͅ?̴̡̩̙͎͔̤̦̫̝̿̀̀̊̑͋̀̀̾͛͗̚͘

"What Hogwarts subjects would you choose as your extras in third year?"

"Uh...Huh. Good question. I don't really know, Sister. They all seem pretty cool, honestly."

"Right?! It's so hard to choose! But if I had to, I think it would be Ancient Runes and Arithmancy."

"Too much math for me," I laughed. "I think I'd do better in more hands-on subjects like Care of Magical creatures-"

"Which is the one I'd probably do terribly at."

"Oh, but Ancient Runes is the one where you can make your own spells, right?"

"Not exactly, but pretty close? At least according to the fandom."

"Ah, the fandom- blurring the lines between canon and non-canon until we don't know which is which."

We both shared a laugh.

"So...Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes, I guess," I said once we settled down. "No way am I doing Arithmancy and Divination is stupid."

"Agreed."

"Isn't there the option for alchemy for some of the upper years though? Like sixth and seventh?"

"Is there? Or is that another fanon thing?"

"...I honestly have no idea. It would be pretty cool though."

"Aren't you the one who's read all the extra lore stuff?"

"Only the ones that caught my interest! I honestly spent more time remaking my Pottermore account so that I could redo the sorting and wand quizzes! And don't even get me started on the Patronus one."

"There's a Patronus one now?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. It's been up for a while now. Hey! You should make an account. I wanna see what you get."

"Yeah, okay."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Castalia

"Li-Li! Li-Li, wait!"

I paused at the voice, bracing myself and grunting a bit as I caught Helena and kept her from running into the fence.

"You really need to learn how to come to a stop, Helena," I chided gently.

She just laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of her head, the admittedly cute sight making it hard to maintain my stern expression.

"Anyway, what did you need?"

"I wanted to know if you wanted to come over to my house! My little sisters are staying at their friends' houses today so, uh, I-I thought..."

"Oh. I, uh..."

How should I respond to this? Even in my old life, I'd been invited to a friend's house only a handful of times. It had made me awkward and uncomfortable when it happened as an adult, and that hadn't really faded in this life.

"I-It's fine if you can't!" she continued, waving her hands back and forth with a laugh. "I know you're busy and all, but I thought I'd ask!"

But still...I remembered that longing. To have just one friend you never doubted. One that wouldn't grow more and more distant as the years went by and you went your separate ways, only reaching out when you did so first. One that didn't make you wonder if you were the problem, because you just couldn't seem to keep anyone close.

Or maybe I was just projecting onto her, I told myself, pushing that old ache away (it wasn't like that anymore). I'd seen Helena with her friends before, and they all looked happy. I doubted something like that would happen to her in a small town like this.

But...I couldn't ignore the hopeful look I'd seen in her eyes before she'd tried casually brushing the offer aside.

I sighed.

"It's a bit short notice, but...I can hang out for a while, I think."

I'm sure Vincent would understand if I was a bit late.

"Really?! I didn't think you- er, I mean, this is going to be so much fun! Ignore that first part!...Please?"

I couldn't help but laugh a bit at the response. I know I'd had the thought before, but we probably really would have been kindred spirits had we actually grown up together. Awkward messes, the both of us.

"Sure. Now, what did you have in mind?"

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Ca-̶͇̠̝͇̦͇̦̙̗̭̣̫͈̋͒͐͂̋̔̋͘a̷̡̝̮̫̺̯̖̲̙͎̘͎̩̱̭͒̉̓̈̓-̴̨̧̺̲̠̃̉̅̆š̶̢̞̱̫̱̬̳̬͕͖͇̱̰̍̒͐̐̑͒̆͗̚̚ͅt̶̨̝̳̥̺͆̉̐̚ţ̷͓̱̪͍͔͔͉̝͠ȁ̸͙̬͍̦̲̤͉̅̉̉̕͜͜͠ļ̷̟̲̼͎͙̠̪͍͍̺̌̉̌̆̿́̿͜-̴̢̱̩̪͉̼̹͙̙̝͊̈́͜͝ͅͅy̸̠͍̲͔̲̮͚̬̟̲̟̠͚͂͌̃̉-ia

I remember how the strong, summer heat felt on my skin as I carried you home for the first time- when you were still small enough to fit into one arm.

"We're going to be best friends," I murmured quietly, grinning as you wriggled around. "I promise I'm going to take good care of you."

. . . . . .

"Cloud, be careful with her, okay? She's still little, so you can't play with her like you play with me."

"Okay!"

. . . . . .

You were the first. Maybe not the first to have in our home, but the first I could well and truly say was mine. My responsibility...and my companion.

"How do you-? You can't keep escaping. I know it's scary without your brothers and sisters, but you got to sleep here. This is your bed, okay?"

"..."

"...Okay. But don't get used to it."

. . . . . .

"...Yeah, I'm not even going to bother this time. Come on, Lilo. Up you get. Remind me to get you some doggy stairs later too, okay? I'm sure something like that has to exist here."

. . . . . . .

You were with me during some of the best and worst times of my life, never failing to make my day brighter no matter which one it was.

"Who's a good girl? Who's my number one dog? You're my number one dog! Yes, you are! Such a good girl, Lilo! Ahaha, stop, stop! Your breath stinks! What did Mom give you?!"

. . . . . . .

"I'm okay, Lillers. Just...feeling kind of homesick today. Hey...do you remember them too?"

"..."

"Yeah, I'm sure they're doing alright. Thanks, Lilo."

. . . . . . .

I made mistakes, and stumbled, but you didn't care. You loved me until the very end.

"T-Thank you, Lilo...Thank you. Thank you...for everything. I-I'll miss you. I'm going to miss you so, so much...but I'm glad too. You-...You won't have to suffer anymore."

. . . . . . .

"You be a good girl, okay? Listen to Ma and Da, and keep Cloud company. Watch over Cirrus and Rinan and keep the village boys away from Tifa- I know Cloud's been teaching you things. I-...I'm going to miss you, my little pupperrito."

"Pupperrito?"

"It's an inside joke."

. . . . . . .

Thank you...for being my best friend. I will never forget you.

~ Chapter End ~ OoOoOoOoOoOoOo ~Chapter End ~

In Loving Memory

~Lilo~

4/22/2010 - 12/29/2021