A/N: Thank you soooo much Lumina! I really want Cloud and Lightning's relationship to progress as naturally as possible, so that's a huge compliment. You're always so kind in your reviews! I really appreciate you! I agree with what you said and decided to take the gang camping XD I have never written a camping scene, so it's pretty exciting for me too. Also, ATK1734, I'm honored that you enjoyed the last chapter that much. I can't thank you enough for all your feedback that helps me improve this story with every chapter. Cloud smashing a bottle, dressed up like James Dean... damn is it hot in here? XD Also, thank you for asking about Yazoo's injuries. I'll address it in this update!

Without further ado, here's chapter 36! :)


CHAPTER XXXVI.

Lab Coat


Lightning

A soft knock interrupted my sleep. I checked the clock next to my bed, and it was still only about two in the morning. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, yawning as I dragged myself to the door. Strife stood in front of it, fully dressed.

"Strife… what's wrong?" I whispered so as to not wake Tifa up.

"Yazoo's leaving."

Those two words made me take a step back in surprise. "Now?!"

"Yeah… grab something warm, I'll take you to the airport."

I nodded hurriedly, closing the door and changing into the first pair of clean clothes I could find. Throwing a ripped denim jacket over my shoulders, I made sure to grab my room keys before stepping out. Cloud led the way to the parking lot, and I hopped on Fenrir behind him. The wind was chilly, and my arms wrapped tightly around him for warmth.

It was a long ride to the airport, and I dozed off several times on the way. Fenrir came to a smooth stop in front of international departures. I jumped off and waited for Cloud to finish parking.

All first class passengers, please start boarding now.

Both of us picked up the pace, almost running towards the waiting area. Yazoo was there, dressed in a casual button down shirt with smart black slacks and Oxfords. It was a different look. His shoulder length hair was tied back in a ponytail. The bandages were still there and he rested his hands on a single black carrier. When he noticed us approaching, he glared at the old man next to him.

"Cid…"

I understood immediately that Cid was the one who called the blonde. Yazoo was just planning on disappearing quietly. I felt anger stirring inside me, and I stormed over to him. My eyes were demanding, and emerald orbs met me with their usual detachment.

"Where do you think you're going?!" I snarled.

Yazoo cleared his throat. But it was Cloud who spoke. "Sephiroth will start questioning why his best shooter is not at his side, sooner or later."

"Yes. There's a rehabilitation program abroad." Yazoo added it as an afterthought.

"Well… how long will you be gone?" I tapped my foot impatiently on the floor, glaring at the silver haired male.

"Depends on how long it takes to heal."

"You will get better… right?" I swallowed heavy air, feeling my failure to protect him from that night smack me in the face.

"Lucky for me, you came back. So it seems like I will make a full recovery. But I still need to wait for the bones to heal, and then go into physical therapy until I can move both hands like I used to." Yazoo informed me in a monotone.

"What about… is it going to scar?" I glanced at the bandages, scared to discover what was underneath. Recalling the image of Yazoo's slender, perfect hands made me feel even worse.

"Fortunately, no. It was a shallow cut. The skin will heal."

"Right…" I wanted to say something else, but my body moved before I could form the words. Both my arms slid around his waist, and I hugged him closely. I didn't want to part. It was strange how much he had grown on me. Seeing flashbacks of our crazy adventures made it harder to let go. At least he was going to be okay, but he didn't mention when he'd be back.

This is the final boarding call for first class passengers.

I loosened my grip around him after what felt like ages. When I withdrew my arms, the tall male bent and placed a chaste kiss on my cheek. I blushed and I heard Cloud take a step forward, causing him to take two steps backward. I chuckled as Yazoo averted his eyes from us.

"Don't say goodbye." I insisted as he parted his lips to say something.

"I'll find you." He promised, a hint of red on his cheeks.

The familiar greeting helped me relax. "I'll be waiting."

Cid bowed in our direction, helping push Yazoo's luggage as he began walking into the security screening area. His back grew smaller and smaller as he moved further away from us, until he was completely gone. Cloud's arm came around my shoulders, and I leaned against him sadly. We stayed there for a while. I sighed, turning sideways to face the blonde.

"Thanks for being so… understanding. Should we head back?"

"Sure."

The ride back to campus felt shorter, probably because of the lack of vehicles on the road at this hour. This time, I was wide awake. An immense feeling of grief overwhelmed me… It was a feeling I didn't know from my old life. If Serah didn't move here and I didn't follow her… I'd never meet the wonderful people whose presence had become like air to me. And of all the guys I could've ended up with, I found Cloud. His patience and kindness was at an entirely different level than most people. When we got off Fenrir, I threw my arms around his neck without wasting another second.

His arms brought me closer as they wrapped around my waist. "Farron?"

"Thank you, Strife. For doing that. I know you didn't have to. But it meant a lot to me."

"I know." His fingers combed through my hair. I moved away from him slightly, only to press my lips against his. Slowly. When I pulled away from the short, sweet kiss, Cloud almost looked disappointed, and my cheeks flushed in response.

Was he expecting more? What now? Should I kiss him again? Should I wait until he kisses me? The blonde ended my dilemma by smiling a little and taking one of my hands in his. He walked me back to my room without a word, and I wished the walk had been longer than it was.

"Get some rest. See you in a bit." He said softly, stroking my cheek with his thumb. Why was it so difficult to open the damn door and walk inside?

"Right…." I answered without really moving. We were both blushing, and Cloud's thumb ceased its gentle movements. He leaned closer and I closed my eyes in anticipation. Our lips came together again and I gripped his jacket, pulling him closer. It was obvious what I wanted, and he gripped my hair with his free hand, nibbling on my lower lip. I gasped, parting my lips willingly. The blonde groaned in pleasure as he pinned me against the door, deepening the kiss.

Why couldn't I stop? I wanted more of him. As soon as he broke the hot kiss, I resumed it with another breathy gasp. A sharp inhale and another groan. "Farron… mm… it's getting late.. Nn."

"Y-yeah…" I tore myself away from him reluctantly, noticing how bright the corridor had become. It was beginning to lighten up outside. My hands continued to grip his shirt tightly, and he smiled through a blush.

"Or we can sleep together."

My fingers released the fabric instantly, my own blush darkening. "Fat chance. Tifa's in there."

"Then… just a few hours." God, he must think I'm really clingy. I cleared my throat, nodding. There was no way to reply to that without humiliating myself further. Cloud read the silent shift in my mood, and continued in a soft whisper against my ear. "I mean… I only have to wait a few hours to see you again."

Jesus Spiky! Don't do that to me. I nodded again, and felt that the warmth in my cheeks was getting unbearable. "See ya."

"See ya," he replied as he walked to the elevator. I waited until he got in, and we both waved at each other one more time as the elevator doors closed with a loud ding. I stepped inside the room, slapping both my cheeks lightly. Display some self control, woman! I scolded myself, throwing my jacket on the floor near my bed and quickly climbing under the soft covers.

I slept past my alarm, and Tifa woke me up with a gentle tap on my shoulder.

"What time is it?" I yawned. Tifa was still in pajamas, so it couldn't have been too late.

"It's only eight. Where were you last night?" A mischievous grin was dancing across the brunette's face.

"I was in bed," I lied quickly.

"Really? Cause I saw you go to bed in pajamas and wake up in different clothes." Tifa giggled girlishly.

Damn it. "I uh… went for a walk with Strife."

"Ah~ Midnight stroll. So romantic~" Now I knew she was enjoying teasing me. I cleared my throat, grabbing some clothes from our wardrobe.

"I'm gonna shower so…" My voice trailed off. Yes, a cold shower to blast off all this embarrassment. I don't need any more of it. Nope.

"Take your time, we can walk to class together!" Tifa offered and I accepted silently.

Clear, blue skies. Clouds floating in the air with a total lack of purpose. Just drifting, free spiritedly. Green had returned to the trees, and in spite of the chilly winds the afternoons were somewhat warm. March had officially begun. Zack found me as always in the cafe, smiling as he passed me my morning coffee.

"Please stop doing that," I chuckled, taking it gratefully, nonetheless.

"I miss you. We haven't hung out in a while." The blue haired male was telling the truth. I couldn't recall spending time with him since before the wedding.

"Well, you're a married man now."

"What? No way. Come over sometime. We still need to beat that game," he beamed at me.

"Right, let's do it this weekend-" I was interrupted by Vanille's tackle. Thankfully I didn't spill hot coffee all over us both. Before I could tell her off, she had already started chatting away.

"Good morning, Light! No gaming allowed this weekend, because we're going CAMPING!"

"Dude, no. Light's hasn't recovered yet." Zack's voice was serious.

"Zack, that's not the problem here. Midterms are right at the end of this month." I said coolly.

"Who cares?" Vanille was adamant. "You guys are smart anyway, not like you need to study." I was appalled at her accusation. I worked hard! The redhead shrugged like it was nothing. "Plus, it's only one weekend. Please please please~ Serah and I already got our camping outfits!"

"I… ugh." I growled in defeat and Vanille threw her hands up in celebration.

"Hurray!"

Hope growled in a manner identical to me, paying for his coffee as he joined us. "Can you shut up? It's too early in the morning for your… excitement."

"You shut up! We don't need your negativity here, Hope Estheim. This is a positive vibes only circle." She contested.

Hope raised an eyebrow at me. "Are you part of this circle, Light?"

"Nope, I'm actually gonna head to class." I didn't want to get roped into any other activities this month.

"I'll walk you!" The three of them said in unison and I shook my head. I had to put my foot down.

"I'll walk with Tifa today. She's waiting outside." The trio looked deflated, and Zack patted my shoulder, eyes brimming with determination.

"My turn tomorrow."

"Fine…" I promised, with Vanille and Hope randomly shouting days of the week at me. "I'm not taking reservations!" I scowled, observing their fallen expressions. "Actually, you know what? Let's make a schedule. And then no more of this daily nonsense."

"Yay! I'll send it in the group chat!" Vanille smiled again and I did a final wave. Tifa was chatting with Reno and Rude, and it was nice to see her smiling so fully.

"Here comes the Spartan, yo." Reno was trying to be playful, but my growl made him rethink his comment. "Oookay, that's my cue. See you, beautiful." He tilted Tifa's chin up and pecked her lips boldly.

"Yeah… see you, Reno." I could tell she was trying hard not to blush.

"Things are going well, huh?" I asked rhetorically as Tifa rubbed her hands together to warm them up.

"Yep! Better than ever. We haven't seen each other much lately, but maybe I can squeeze in a date this weekend." She was humming lightly as we walked towards the school of architecture.

"Yeah… about this weekend…" I hated being the bearer of bad news but she needed to know. "Vanille's dragging us all to camping."

"That's exciting! Have you ever been camping?" She asked with a tilt of her head.

"Yep. But only with the military. Never with friends, really."

"That's something to look forward to, then! Let's go shopp-"

"Please… don't even suggest it. Besides, I'll max out my hours at the security office this week to get a free weekend."

"Hmm…" Tifa pouted, but at least she let it go. "Let's have a sleepover at Aerith's before camping. We need some serious planning, you know, for the important stuff that can happen on a camping trip."

Wow… Tifa suggesting contingency plans? I thought she was as spontaneous as Yazoo.

"Uh, sure. Why not." Maybe I could help Zack clear some levels if we finished early.

I had two classes with Caius this semester and the mere thought of them was enough to strike dread in every corner of my heart. I sighed, delaying outside the lecture hall. "I hate him…." I said out loud, watching the room fill up.

"How flattering." My head snapped up at the purple haired professor, who was standing next to me. "I believe it is a sentiment a lot of your peers share, Miss Farron. Shall we?"

He gestured towards the class and Tifa mumbled yikes under her breath, mouthing 'I'll text you'. I nodded quickly and entered the hall, taking my usual seat in the back furthest away from him. Back to back four hours with Caius Ballad. What had I done to deserve this?

When I was done with classes for the day, I checked my phone. Twenty missed calls from Tifa?! I dialed back at once.

"This better be an emergency…" I said sternly, but Tifa was giggling.

"Light… it's a chance of a lifetime. Like, it's… I can't even-"

"You sound like Serah. What happened?" I waved at a few familiar faces as I passed them by.

"Cloud's in a lab coat! With GLASSES." I stopped in my tracks out of pure curiosity.

"Really?"

"YES! Get your butt over to med school!"

"What am I? A fangirl?!"

"Come on Light, please! You'll thank me later!" I growled, taking hurried steps towards the school of medicine.

"I swear to god… Fine, I'll be there in five minutes. One look and we're out, alright?"

"Yes yes, HURRY!"

I pocketed my phone, pulling my hood over my head. This was so embarrassing. What would the blonde think of me if he saw me stalking him? I had never once gone to the school of medicine, not even to walk him to class! There was a small crowd of girls gathered in the corridor and I squirmed through them over to the brunette. I heard Vanille squeal loudly next to us and I shook my head disapprovingly.

"Don't worry Light, I'm here for someone else!" That wasn't the point but… she seemed really happy. And I knew exactly who she was here for, even if she didn't admit it. I really wished her and Hope would just get together already. "Oh my god, there they come!" Vanille clapped her hands excitedly.

I followed the direction she was looking in as Hope strolled out of class, surrounded by some other male students. He waved as he spotted me. I was surprised he recognized me with the hood, but I reluctantly waved back, pushing the hood lower with more urgency.

Must… remain… unseen.

"You know what? It's fine. I'm just gonna go." I tried to turn around but Tifa gripped my elbow, and her fingers were made of steel! Damn it this woman could really hold someone down!

"Look, he's just coming out from over there."

"Don't point!" I hissed, curiously peeking anyway.

"Praise the Lord…" I heard a girl next to me say, and I actually silently agreed with her. Cloud looked tired, but the slim, square, silver frame around his eyes brought out the blue in them even more. He was wearing a long, neat, white coat, a decent pile of books tucked under one of his arms. Tifa wasn't kidding. I had to thank her for this glorious sight.

Right, time to slip away-

"Farron!'

Damn it! I paused as all eyes fell on me. Maybe I looked extra shady with the hood, but I didn't dare take it off right now. Hundred points for that extra creep factor.

"Strife…" I greeted him awkwardly, slipping my hands deep into the hoodie's pockets. Think of an excuse. Something, anything! Come on brain, cooperate! "Are you done for the day?" I finally managed to ask.

"Yeah," he nodded, surprised to see the others there too. The girls waved at him.

"I just dropped by to um, ask you that. And I already asked you that, so… bye." I was going to make a run for it but he caught my wrist mid-turn. I was earning a lot of jealous stares, but I tried to ignore them.

"If you're free, want to grab a bite?" He asked and I was about to open my mouth when Vanille literally shrieked, grabbing my arm.

"Yep! She's totally free!"

I glared at Vanille, but it seemed to amuse the blonde for some reason.

"Great. I just need to stop by my room real quick. Do you want to come?"

Vanille was completely obvious as she held a thumbs up right in front of him! I cleared my throat, nodding in embarrassment. More like, utter humiliation. Thankfully Cloud also fell silent and the others waved us off too enthusiastically. I realized I was mumbling angrily, but Cloud was actually grinning.

"What?" I asked him nervously.

"Nothing. It's just rare of you to drop by."

Please don't rub it in my face…

"I'm glad you did." He added softly. Our hands brushed against each other as we walked, but I kept the temptation to hold his hand in check.

"How was class?" I asked, just to kill time during our stroll.

"Fun. Yours?"

"The same. Minus four hours of complete misery."

Cloud held back a laugh. "Uh… Caius again today?"

"Yep," I grunted. Remembering Vanille's weekend plans, I decided to fill him in too. "By the way, we're apparently going camping this weekend."

"Camping?"

"Considering that Serah hates bugs… I don't know what possessed her to want to go."

Cloud looked at me thoughtfully. "I'll go if you're going."

Deep breaths, Lightning. Deep breaths. "Thanks. I'll look for things to do. Haven't really done this before."

"Camping?" He repeated.

"Camping with friends," I clarified. And camping with a boyfriend, though I didn't feel the need to throw that in.

"We can read. And I can bring my guitar."

I almost paused, my feet slowing down in time with my mind. It took a minute to match Cloud's pace again. "You play guitar?"

"Yeah. Mostly for myself. You seem to have a lot on your mind today." Cloud glanced worriedly my way as we stopped outside his door. He was searching for his keys absentmindedly.

Well, excuse me for being distracted while you look like an intellectual hot mess. "Yeah, just worried about midterms."

"They're a month away," he reminded me gently.

"Right... " I mumbled as he pushed the keys in. The door flung open, and he looked expectantly at me. "May I?" I asked, just to be sure.

"Yeah, I'll be quick." He promised. After removing my boots, I entered his room, watching the empty half where Zack used to be.

"Feels weird without Zack." I said in a small voice. Cloud opened his wardrobe and I looked at all the extra space. Our eyes met and Cloud spoke before I could look away from him.

"You can stay over sometimes. If you want."

Wow. Can you also wear your lab coat- for the love of-! "Oh… yeah, sure. I'll bring some spare clothes over."

Both of us looked away awkwardly and thankfully Cloud proceeded to move over to the desk, setting his books there. He was doing something and I took this chance to check the messages on my phone. When I looked up, he was suddenly in front of me. His arms went around me like it was the most natural thing, and I tried to hug him back, but I wasn't sure if I should hug him over or under the pristine looking lab coat. So my arms were just suspended in the air around him, like I was miming or doing some sort of stupid break dance.

"Sorry, it's in the way, huh?"

"Don't take it off." Did I say that out loud?! Alright, that's the end of my relationship right there…

Cloud blushed, faking a cough as he gripped both my floating hands, moving them around him over the coat. "Wow Farron, that's… I didn't know you had a preference."

Thanks for not calling it a kink… Wait! THIS IS ALL TIFA'S FAULT!

"I don't!" I said - almost shouted it. Lowering my volume, I added. "It just looks good on you. The glasses too."

Cloud's face was burning up, and soon I realized that my own was the same. He cupped my cheek, staring at me with those soulful blue eyes. With. The. Glasses. His eyes were burning into mine, before they slowly fell on my lips. And back up again. I shamelessly leaned closer, hoping to make this tension dissolve. Cloud's breath was on my lips, but just then - my stomach growled too loudly to ignore.

"Sorry, let's get something to eat." Cloud's apologetic tone just multiplied my embarrassment tenfold.

"Sorry… I have been running only on coffee." I tried to justify it to regain some part of my dignity.

"Me too. Cheese fries?"

"I'm dieti- Actually, you know what? Yes. Cheese fries." Cloud smiled and I smiled back, but our moment was short lasting. His phone rang and he answered it quickly, one arm still around my waist.

"Yeah? No, not tonight. I'm taking Farron out." He smiled as he pocketed his phone. "It was Zack."

I felt bad that Cloud was blowing off his best friend because of me. "Oh. We could've met up with him. I mean it's not a big deal-"

"It is. We should go out sometimes, just the two of us."

"Yeah…" I could only nod. With everything going on, we hadn't spent much alone time since the wedding. The accident happened, and then Yazoo got injured. Come to think of it, we hadn't even been on a proper date in a long while. Cloud slipped out of his coat, setting his glasses on his desk. He grabbed a jacket from the wardrobe and threw it on in a hurry.

The walk through the west gate was pleasant. The sky was slowly turning a darker shade of blue, and the campus was buzzing with people. I waved at Rude who was on patrol, passing by a few other groups of people I knew from class.

"You're really settled in." Cloud observed.

"Yeah. I kinda am." I said with a smile. University life was a lot more fun than I could have ever imagined.

We settled in one of the smaller booths at Cocoon, and ordered a few things off the top of our heads. Our food arrived pretty quickly, and I tried not to stuff my face but… oh god. Cheese fries. The best. Heavenly. Cloud ate at the same speed, and we finished our plates in a matter of minutes.

"That was good." He sighed happily, leaning back against the cushioned booth.

"Cheesy perfection." I joined him, also closing my eyes. When I opened them, I noticed his head was tilting sideways to face me. I spoke again this time. "Want something to drink?"

"Hot chocolate?" He suggested.

It was too late to drink coffee anyway. I nodded and we both got up to pay for our food. Cloud insisted on treating me, so I offered to get the hot chocolate. When we arrived at the stand, the queue was unexpectedly longer than usual for weekdays.

"Wow, lots of people." I remarked, scanning the long line. More like… lots of couples. We quietly moved to the front and I bought two large cups when it was our turn. After receiving them, Cloud asked if I wanted to go sit down somewhere, but I actually preferred walking with him.

And so we walked. Night had come, but the street lights were shining festively like a carnival. That's what it was like, living on a campus town. Music rang through the air and I sipped on the hot chocolate, feeling relaxed after what felt like a long time.

"Is it safe for us… to go camping?" Even though it was so beautiful out here tonight, my mind was drifting back to the series of bad events that had transpired, one after the other.

"Well, it hasn't been safe for us anywhere, lately…" Cloud's expression turned somber, and I hated that I brought this up.

"Sorry for mentioning it."

"No, not at all." He took a long sip of his drink, watching the passersby. "I think we should have some sort of… plan."

I had to repay Tifa for today's… whatever that was. "How about the Turks? We can invite them. And I know they're capable."

"The Turks?" Cloud looked skeptical, and I had a feeling he didn't get along with them.

"Yeah…" I wondered if he was going to shoot my idea down, but he just nodded. "Better than nothing, I guess."

"I'll ask Reno, then." We started walking back after finishing the hot chocolate. To hell with it. I grabbed onto the blonde's hand, and his fingers slipped in between mine on cue. "Well, this was nice." I meant it. Cloud and I repeated this morning's routine, both of us unwilling to separate.

"It was. Hey, Farron… I have quizzes this week so I might not be able to see you before the weekend."

"Wow. You have to study?" Now I sounded as ridiculous as Vanille, but it was just surprising. I mean, the blonde was literally a genius.

"A lot," he smirked as if he had read my mind. "It's the first time in my life I feel challenged. But I'll text."

I felt a little sad, but I knocked that feeling out of my head. "Take your time. I'll be working night shifts, anyway. And there's camping to look forward to." There were a lot of students going in and out of the girls' dorms, so I let go of Cloud's hand. "Well, see ya."

As soon as the words left my mouth, Cloud's hands moved forward to hold both of mine. "Wait. There's just one thing I need to do."

I blinked as Cloud leaned closer, placing kiss after kiss on my… cheek?

"Done. Overwritten. I'm not as understanding as you think." Cloud exhaled slowly.

I couldn't help but smile. "Right… I'll keep that in mind for next time."

When I got back, Tifa was completely absorbed in something. We greeted each other, and I went straight for a shower. When I came out, she was sitting on her bed cross legged, watching a movie on her laptop. There was a half empty box of tissues next to her, and she was currently sobbing into an already soaked piece.

"Uh… what are you watching?"

"Come here!" She demanded, passing me one of her earphones. I took it, plopping down next to her and stretching my legs.

"What a dumbass. If he loves her so much, why doesn't he say it?" Tifa's angry crimson orbs snapped over to me as soon as I had finished asking that.

"I don't remember asking your opinion!"

"Geez, fine." I rolled my eyes and she returned to this ridiculous movie, completely touched by everything unfolding on the screen.

I was spacing out before I knew it, and then I remembered I actually hadn't said the three words yet. Here I was judging these characters, when in reality I was the biggest chicken of them all. Cloud had been straightforward, honest and open. And I was… well, panicking currently, but mostly trying to keep my distance. It's not like I didn't want to be closer to him… but I was scared. I was scared to admit that I loved him, out loud.

Even to myself.

When the movie was over, Tifa touched my shoulder lightly. "Light… Are you okay? You seem kinda out of it."

"Sorry. Listen, I talked to Strife about security for the camping trip. I kind of feel anxious with everything that's been going on so… I'm gonna ask the Turks to come with us."

Tifa's eyes lit up. "Seriously? And Cloud agreed?!"

I hesitated. "Well, he didn't seem psyched for it but… he did agree." I was tempted to ask her if he had a history with the Turks, but I thought I should hear it from the man himself.

"You're a great friend!

"Well, so are you. I guess I do have to thank you for the lab coat."

Tifa laughed, shutting her laptop as she began clearing her bed. "I told you it was worth it. Do you have a lot of night shifts this week?"

"Yep."

"Well, get lots of rest tonight, at least." She fluffed up her pillow and we turned in for the night.

Before I knew it, it was Friday. Vanille had actually followed up on her promise and sent a schedule in the group chat. Cloud was bummed not to be on it, but it was kinda fun seeing him get worked up over it. By the time I finished classes, all the girls were already at Zack and Aerith's. I went back to my room first and packed all the essentials for the trip. Double checking my to-do list, I made sure to clean up and put all my stuff away. I even tidied up Tifa's side and was relieved to find her bag packed and ready.

When I got there, I could hear everyone all the way to the ground floor. Ringing the doorbell, I waited outside. Loud music was blasting, and I could barely hear Zack greet me as the door flung open.

"Turn the damn music down, you stupid orange!" I heard Hope scream.

"I'm trying to drown out your stupid voice!" Vanille shouted back from another room.

"What the hell…" I looked up at Zack, who just shrugged his shoulders.

"It's fine. Kids are having fun." He sounded like a carefree dad. I smiled at the thought of him becoming a parent someday. He'll never know how to say no.

"Right, well, sorry for the intrusion. There was something about a sleepover." I told him, but it seemed that he already knew.

"Yeah, Aerith is kicking us out for the evening, so I'm taking all the boys out. A new bar just opened up and they have a pool table. Want to come with?"

"Excuse me, she's a girl!" Aerith 'popped out' from behind the tall male, dragging me inside. "You!" She pointed her finger accusingly at me. "You were just trying to escape, weren't you?!"

Guilty as charged. I had to admit, I kind of was hoping to leave undetected. But I shuddered under Aerith's narrowed eyes. She was cute, but scary as hell when she wanted to be. "Nope. Good old sleepover for me tonight."

Zack chuckled at the lack of enthusiasm in my voice, but said nothing. I checked the living room, but there was no sign of the blonde.

"God, you guys are totally in love." Aerith was smirking, and I crossed my arms across my chest with a loud 'humph'.

"I was not-"

"Save it~ Anyway blondie is checking the reservations and stuff for tomorrow." Aerith beckoned with her hand, and I followed her to the bedroom.

"Wasn't Vanille supposed to do that?" I raised an eyebrow at the pretty brunette.

"She's decorating the tents. Boys will handle the rest~" Aerith wasn't kidding. It seemed like a lot of work, and I felt bad about not being able to help. "Oh come on, just sit down, will you?!"

I crossed my legs as I took a seat on the floor, joining the circle of girls lounging around on cushions. Tifa was saying something, but it looked like I was watching a movie without the audio. Or subtitles.

"Vanille, turn down the damn music!" I barked.

Vanille released a soft eep, quickly lowering the volume. We heard the front door open, and Zack shouted from the entrance. "See you in a few hours! Have fun!" The door closed behind the boys, and Aerith passed me a chilled bottle of beer.

"Alright, so let's talk about everything that can happen when you're on a camping trip. Light, let's start with you!" Tifa smiled supportively at me.

This was awkward. I cleared my throat before speaking. "Uh… well. We obviously need to check the routes before leaving. Fuel. Weather. Access-"

Aerith interrupted me, holding her palm right in front of my face. "Hold it right there, young lady!"

"What?" I tried, but she cut me off again.

"It's your first camping trip with Cloud."

"Thanks, captain obvious." I frowned, watching Serah enjoy my annoyed expression from the sides.

"Two cold bodies on a moonlit night… seeking each other's warmth~" Aerith cooed, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

What kind of scenario was this?!

"First of all, I'm sure as hell that Strife is smart enough to get everyone warm bedding. Hate to interrupt your fantasies, but that situation is unlikely." I corrected Aerith, feeling my cheeks turn red. They had forced a very specific image in my head. And it was hard to get rid of it.

"Only one girl who can soothe the lone wolf~" Vanille sighed dramatically, and Serah picked up from where she left off.

"Ah yes~ Deep in the wilderness of the mountains… only she can reach deep into his heart… and his pants…"

"Serah!" I shouted, as laughter erupted in the room. I was actually glad the boys were not home right now.

"Judging by your reaction, I'm guessing you guys haven't done-" Serah was speaking to me when Aerith shouted over my sister.

"Tell us how far you've gone with him!"

I scratched the back of my neck nervously, thinking about her question for some time in silence. "We've gone as far as Coral Island, I guess."

"Not literally… like, sexually!" Tifa really spelt it out for me, and it took me a moment (or two) to understand the very… explicit nature of this conversation.

"Tha-that's!" I couldn't say it. No way.

"I'll start!" Aerith offered and Serah rolled her eyes.

"Please, you're married. I bet you've done everything."

Aerith smiled, staring at Serah playfully with a tilt of her head. "How about you~?"

I glared at Serah and she gulped loudly, shaking her head. "I'd rather not say."

"Okay, I'll give you a more likely scenario." Vanille crossed her legs and leaned forward. "It's late at night. You're with Cloud, brooding or… whatever you guys do together. But just then, you start hearing all these sounds of nature around you… you know, birds mating and shit-"

"Most birds are diurnal-"

"Shut up, Light! Listen. And then you both realize you're all alone, no one's watching. No one's gonna disturb you. Or get in the way. And you have each other all to yourselves. So what do you do?"

"I respect the fact that he might be tired and just wants to sleep." I said ironically.

"OR, he wants to get more tired. With you." Serah pointed out, and my cheeks were burning redder with each little passing comment.

The only way to satisfy them was to give them what they want. "Fine, alright. So what if that happens?" I hoped that this would be the end of it, but I had unconsciously kickstarted some very active imaginations.

"I say you just get him drunk-" Tifa started, and she actually got a laugh out of me.

"We've talked about this." I interrupted her.

She was laughing too. "Yes… we have."

"What do you do with Zack? I mean, when you want to?" Serah asked Aerith, blinking curiously.

"Oh…" She pouted her lips some more, tilting her head both ways. Then she giggled. "I just say… 'Take me, Zack~!'"

"Gross…" I mumbled, trying my best to un-hear that. Where did the delete button in my mind go… "Okay, look. I know you guys are getting a kick out of this, but I really, really don't think anything's gonna happen."

"Do you not want to? With Cloud, I mean?" Serah was egging me on and I didn't even realize it.

"Of course I do!" I blurted it out, falling right into her trap. Ah, this little monster...

"Then put some effort into it~ He's slowwwww." Aerith whined as she took a sip of her beer.

"He's great," I defended. The blush must be ridiculous right now. "It's fine. He will, we will. When it's time, I will..."

Another round of giggles. There was no win for me tonight.

"Well, I'm planning to make memories with Zack in every corner of the campsite-" Aerith was teasing us all.

"How nice…" Tifa said dreamily.

"What? Reno will be there." I was glad the conversation had steered away from my se-... life.

"We're just 'friends with benefits'. I mean… walking in the woods, sitting by the bonfire… there are a lot of things I want to do with him. But they're all romantic. And I'm sure we'll hook up and... Well. You know. But I don't want to cross the line and ask him for anything beyond that."

"He's lucky to breathe the same air as you." I said angrily. "His luck maxed out for his entire lifetime when he met you, so you need to be clearer with him. Seriously. He better be ready to meet your needs or I'll-"

"You'd be such a good boyfriend." Vanille faked a sob, and Tifa laughed lightly.

"Yes, I think so too." She smiled at Vanille before looking at me. "Thanks for the pep talk, Light. For someone who's always insisting she's a guy, you sure know how to support a girlfriend."

"Hell yes she does! She's put up with me for years, you guys!" Serah joked.

"Speaking of putting up with…" Tifa leaned back on her palms, cocking her head at Vanille. "What's up with you and Hope? You guys are like a married couple."

It was Vanille's turn to be embarrassed, and I was more than happy to pass the blushing baton to her.

"Oh… He's stupid… good for nothing…" She started in a low, unsure voice.

"And handsome." Serah threw in.

"Conveniently rich." Aerith raised her index finger smartly, like it was the number one factor constituting to Hope's attractiveness.

"Smart!" Tifa chimed in.

I really didn't know how Hope fared on the hotness meter, considering that I had never seen him that way. So I said the only thing that came to mind. "Wears a lab coat."

"Oh my god, you dirty girl~" Aerith teased me as Tifa literally slapped both hands over her mouth. "We are sooo coming back to that. But first, Vanille, talk to us girlie." She steered the conversation back from the minor digression.

"I don't know… He spends a lot of time with Alyssa… I'm not smart, and I'm not in the student council. And he's super mean to me." Vanille complained.

"But you still like him?" Tifa asked gently, like an older sister I would've liked to have.

"Yeah…" Vanille admitted in a low voice, cupping her red cheeks. "A lot. I'm crazy about him. But I bet he'll make fun of me if I tell him. And then he'll rub it in my face for the rest of my life."

"I know Hope, and I know he's not that big of an ass." Serah patted Vanille's back comfortingly.

"We should plan an intervention!" Aerith suggested. I shook my head.

"No, I think this is something between these guys."

"You won't know if you won't try, right?" Serah smiled brightly at her red haired best friend. "We're all cheering for you."

"Let's promise we'll all do our best on this trip." Tifa shoved her hand in the middle of the circle. "I'll be more honest with Reno about what I want!"

Serah stacked her hand on top of Tifa's. "And I'll do my best to help Vanille confess her feelings!"

I reluctantly joined in. "I'll…" I couldn't think of anything to say.

"GET LAID!" Aerith shouted next to me, and I rolled my eyes.

"I'll… take the next step with Strife." By telling him I love him.

"Alright!" Aerith flashed me a thumbs up, before resting her hand on top of mine. "And I'll have Zack make love to me under the open skies~"

We all withdrew our hands. Serah and Vanille burst into a fit of giggles, but that last image was completely… unnecessary. I cleared my throat loudly. "Please coordinate that shit. I don't want to walk in on that. Ever."

"Yeah yeah, I'll choose my timing well~" Aerith's happy go lucky nature was seriously addictive.

"By the way… Where are Fang and Yeul?" I realized we were missing them both.

"Caius isn't letting Yeul stay out overnight. And Fang's partying in Coral Island this weekend." Tifa filled me in.

"Should we eat something and call it a night? We're leaving pretty early tomorrow." Serah yawned, and I also felt the tiredness catching up with me.

"Good idea~ We can order in." Aerith dialed a number on her phone, ordering for us.

The food disappeared as quickly as it had arrived, and we all changed into our pajamas. The boys returned from their evening too, surprised to see us already sprawled sleepily on the floor. I waved at Cloud and he dropped next to me, stretching his legs.

"Good talk?" He asked innocently.

Yeah, you have no idea what we talked about. I nodded sheepishly. "It was… interesting."

"Interesting?" He repeated, curiously gazing into my eyes.

"Yep… How was your night?" I asked to divert his attention to something else.

"Interesting," he replied with a smirk.

"Did you talk about the girls?" I knew it violated whatever code they had going on, but I was asking more for Vanille's sake than for myself.

"Yeah. I talked about you, too." His eyes were soft.

"Like how much of a pain in the ass I am?" I teased, resting my head on the cushion beneath my chin. Both of us lay on our stomachs, side by side.

"Only sometimes."

"Oi." I glared, but Cloud just smiled. "I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

"Me too." I replied. I could feel my body feel heavy from the day's exhaustion, but it felt like a waste to fall asleep. We stayed awake long after the lights went off, not really talking. We were sharing Cloud's earphones, listening to music. And even though we were so close to each other, there was a comfortable silence between us, one that I didn't share with anyone else, ever.

At some point, the blonde dozed off, and my hand moved to brush some of his bangs away from his face. His hair was incredibly soft, albeit unruly like mine. It was amusing. I knew that whatever predictions the girls had for us would probably not come to pass, but I planned on telling him how I felt properly - once and for all.

And I wasn't going to chicken out this time.


A/N: Okay, so a lot happened this time. First of all - as much as it kills me to send my favorite Pokemon away - Yazoo's going to be gone for a while! I feel like he needs time to recuperate mentally and physically after everything that happened to him. T^T Don't worry, I'm planning an EPIC come back for him in the future!

Second, oh Lord. I really wanted to capture that feeling when you first discover you find something particularly attractive. Ah, the good old innocent days. XD So I had a lot of fun writing Lightning's POV for this chapter!

Last, the next update will be camping, but I am wondering if I should divide it into four detailed, separate chapters for each pairing (Zack x Aerith, Cloud x Lightning, Reno x Tifa, Hope x Vanille). Or I can write shorter POVs and put them all in one really long chapter. What would you guys prefer? Please let me know! :)

Anyway, I hope today's lighthearted update could make you smile, even a little. Happy weekend everyone! Until the next update! ^^