A/N: Hey everyone! This is the first story I've ever published online. I've been an avid reader on fanfiction for years, and its the wonderful stories on here that have allowed me to stay in all of the different worlds I love when I finish the works they're based on. I know I'm a bit of a rookie, but I hope you enjoy this piece I've written in honor of Jessie being the MVP of Final Fantasy VII Remake! Honestly, I loved how they fleshed out the whole Avalanche Trio. But Jessie in particular won my heart, and I absolutely adored her and Cloud's interactions. This is just my take on how their pizza date may have gone, a little bit of insight into what I think they think of eachother, as well as some exploration of the friendship she has with Biggs. If you've played the Remake, hopefully you get a sense of what I'm alluding to with the phantom as well. Also, I'm hopeful that we see an influx of stories based on Remake, but in the meantime check out Lightofetro over on ArchivesofourOwn. They've put out a fantastic Cloud and Jessie story that served as my inspiration to write this and finally join this site. The story is called Tomorrow at Seven. Anyway, please review and enjoy! :)
-BabyBlues
Disclaimer: Sorry to disappoint both you and myself, but I'm not Square Enix.
No Promises
Jessie closed the door behind her, exhaling as she leaned her back against it. What a night, she thought to herself. Part of her still felt guilty about having dragged the guys with her, knowing that things could have ended badly. But now she had the blasting agent she needed for their next mission, and at least this time she could make sure casualties were kept to a minimum. And she would be lying to herself if she didn't admit how much she enjoyed that motorcycle ride with the baby blue-eyed soldier. I wonder if he'll actually show, she thought.
Knock. Knock.
Eyes widening, she jumped forward from the door a little and spun around. Taking a second to compose herself, she opened the door to see Cloud standing there, looking as awkward as ever.
"Well if it isn't Cloud Strife!" she exclaimed with a sly smile. "I was wondering when you'd show up!"
Cloud looked away from her gaze, looking like he was growing uncomfortable by the second. He's so cute when he gets like this, Jessie thought to herself.
"Without further ado, here you are! Thanks for stepping up 'merc,'" she exclaimed, handing him a healing materia.
She watched as Cloud briefly examined the materia, before pocketing it. He returned his gaze to her and looked as if he was about to say something. Well, now or never I suppose, she thought.
"And now, for the cherry on top," she wryly remarked, wagging her finger at him.
Before she could chicken out or he could run away, she moved forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him while ever so slightly breathing into his neck. Even after all of that how can he still smell so good? I wonder if it's a Soldier thing.
"Okay, okay I get it. Mind letting me breath?" Cloud said, clearly exasperated.
"Depends. Mind coming over tomorrow night? My roomates should all be out for a while," she asked suggestively.
"Are you seriously that desperate? Just let go already," Cloud responded, his hands already moving to remove Jessie's arms from around his neck.
Eyes wincing at the remark, she collected herself as fast as she could before moving her hands to his shoulders so she could look him in the face. In just a brief second, she found what she was looking for: "Only if you promise to come over tonight. Deal?" she finished, ever so breathily.
Cloud's eyes betrayed him, clearly surprised his earlier remark hadn't chased her away immediately. He's used to people backing away when he acts like this, Jessie realized.
"No promises, but I'll think it over," he finally relented.
Jessie's eyes lit up at his response, and she stepped back and pumped both fists up. "Really? You will? I make a mean pizza I'll have you know!"
Her mind already working a mile a minute because of the response she wasn't expecting to get, she started listing off the ingredients she would use. "Marche, luche, black milly, red shelly—I use only the best ingredients! Sound good?" she returned her gaze to him excitedly.
Cloud looked a little lost. "Umm, I've never really heard of any of those things," he muttered sheepishly.
Jessie clasped her hands together, barely able to contain her excitement much longer. "Oh you are SO adorable you know that? You just leave everything to me, it'll be great!"
Afraid to give him too much time to change his mind, she turned back towards her door, failing to stop the giggle from escaping her throat. "Nighty night!" she waved, stepping back inside.
Closing the door, she rested her forehead against it, issuing a sigh of relief. She thought when he made the 'desperate' comment that she'd finally gone too far, but the fact he even said he'd consider it had elicited a very real feeling from inside her chest she had never experienced before. Realizing it still may have been a bit too much, she quickly opened the door to see him still standing there, looking off towards the bar.
"Psych!" she winked at him, before closing the door.
Peering through her window, she watched him look at her house for a minute, a look on his face she couldn't quite decipher. Then he lowered his gaze and began walking towards his apartment. Exhaling, she walked over to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of whiskey. Looking at the bottle, her thoughts drifted towards a certain barmaid, whom had gifted her the whiskey a few weeks back as thanks for picking up some supplies for the bar. I wonder what their history entails. It's pretty clear she has a whole mess of emotions with regards to him.
Jessie thought back to that night Tifa brought Cloud to the bar, when they all met briefly for the first time. Barret's demeanor changed immediately from the jolly one he has around Marlene when he first got a glimpse of Cloud's Mako-colored eyes.
"TIFA! WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? WHY WOULD YOU BRING ONE OF HIS KIND AROUND US?" he'd shouted.
As usual, Tifa wasn't phased by Barret's explosive attitude. She looked like she'd just as soon ignore him entirely, with how fixed her gaze was on the spiky haired man standing next to her.
"He's Ex-Soldier, Barret. He has reason to hate Shinra just as much as any of us. And he's my friend from Nibelheim," Tifa explained quietly.
Upon her mention of Nibelheim, Barret's usually sunglasses-covered eyes flickered, betraying the slightest understanding bit of understanding. Growling under his breath, he merely nodded his head, taking Marlene's hand and leading her up to bed. Beside her Biggs and Wedge had already started speculating on the nature of their guest, but she couldn't tear her gaze away from him. That was the night she realized something was different about him.
Taking another long drink from the whiskey, Jessie walked over and sat on the vacant couch in the common area. Thankfully her roommates were all already asleep. As excited as she was about the opportunity to spend more time with Cloud, the thought of Tifa and whatever relationship she may or may not have with him weighed on her. She was a flirt and she knew it, but Tifa was her friend. Maybe I'll try and talk to her tomorrow. Oh who am I kidding…Cloud may not even show. He did say he'd think about it.
Leaning her head back, her gaze drifted up towards the ceiling, and noticed how some of the tiles had become more cracked than the last time she looked. She sighed, her thoughts starting to drift away from Cloud and to the bomb she needed to finish up for the mission. The guys had risked their lives so she could do this right this time, and she wasn't about to let them down. Finally mustering up the energy to stand up, Jessie started climbing the stairs to her room, ready for a long night ahead of her.
BZZZ. BZZZ. BZZZ. Jessie groaned as she lifted her head up off of her work desk, bringing her fist down onto her alarm clock. It read 7AM, and she had only fallen asleep around 4. Rubbing her eyes clean of crust, she focused her attention on the now finished bomb they would be using for the Sector 5 reactor. This time, we're just going to destroy the reactor. I don't want that many people to get hurt again.
"Jessie! You up? Biggs is here! Says it's important," one of her roommates called from behind her door.
"Be right down!" she called back. I wonder what he wants this early. I'm surprised he and Wedge aren't out doing Neighborhood Watch stuff. Standing up from her desk, she intertwined her hands together and stretched her arms up above her hand, relishing in the cracks her bones gave. I really should start sleeping in my bed again.
Running down the stairs, she waved goodbye to her roommates in the common room and stepped outside. Biggs was leaning up against the side of the house, his arms crossed and brow furrowed, no doubt deep in thought as always.
"Well good morning sunshine! And what may I say do I owe the pleasure of seeing your face so bright and early this morning?" Jessie directed towards Biggs in her sing-songy voice.
Biggs looked up from his musings towards his ponytailed friend, his trademark half-grin breaking through on his face. "Mornin' Jessie. Wedge ain't feeling so good this morning. Was wondering if you felt like doing Watch rounds with me actually," he asked.
Jessie brought one finger up to her lips, and looked up towards the sky as if she was giving Biggs' request serious thought. "Well, I suppose I could help you out this one time, given what we went through last night," she winked.
"Thanks, Jessie. Since Cloud has been around, a lot of folks have actually been doing really well. We may have a bit of an easy morning. But I want to show even without Soldier blood I can still do my part, you know?" he explained, walking in line with her towards the center of town.
Jessie smiled kindly at her friend, watching as he waved and greeted the few folks already out and about. He makes a good point. Having Cloud around is doing wonders for morale, and even if he makes some people uncomfortable, at least things are getting done. "You do help you know, Biggs. More than you know. I know I give you shit about being such a worrywart, but hey, if you weren't I'm sure Wedge and I would have gotten ourselves killed by now!" she exclaimed, giving him a thumbs up.
Biggs smiled back at her in response, but a loud yelp from a bit up ahead captured their attention. "Help! Somebody help!" a voice in the distance yelled.
"Sounds like trouble," Biggs said, picking up his pace to a brisk jog. "And here I was, thinking that would be impossible with you in my sight," he smirked.
Jessie feigned abashment, her hand covering her mouth as she scoffed. "Who? Me? I don't know what you could possibly be talking about, partner," she snickered as they reached the older man who'd cried out for help.
"Oh, Biggs, Jessie. I'm so glad to see you two. You guys won't believe what's happened," the older gentleman said hurriedly.
"What's going on Mr. Reynolds?" Biggs asked.
"Well, my daughter has started dropping off flowers at my wife's grave once a week. She goes first thing in the mornings so she can enjoy some private time with her. But she's always back by this time to help me with the shop. I know there's a chance I'm overreacting, but this is just so incredibly unlike her. I haven't been able to make it out there in years because of my bum knee, but I need to know she's okay," Mr. Reynolds explained.
"No problem, pops, we got you covered. It's a gorgeous morning out, maybe she just lost track of time. We'll go fetch her for you!" Jessie answered, smiling brightly.
Mr. Reynolds smiled and nodded gratefully, before turning and tending to the customers that had just come up to his shop. Biggs and Jessie walked away, beginning their trek to the cemetery that lay on the outskirts of the Sector 7 Slums Market.
"I hope the girl is alright," Biggs expressed.
Jessie couldn't help but roll her eyes. She was pretty confident that there was a simple reason the girl hadn't returned.
"You're doing it again Biggs! Let's not stress about it until we get there. I'm sure she's just fine," Jessie assured him with a wave of her hand.
Biggs looked nonplussed, so he just steeled his gaze and picked up the pace. Shrugging, Jessie matched her steps with him and they made the rest of their way to the cemetery in silence. Now a few dozen yards outside the main town, Jessie thought she heard whimpering.
"Do you hear that?" she hissed to Biggs.
"Yeah—keep your guard up," he replied quietly.
They rounded a corner into the main entrance of the cemetery and both audibly gasped at what they saw. A large, phantom-like creature was circling a young girl, no doubt Mr. Reynolds' daughter, who was shaking violently.
"Holy shit, is that a ghost?" Biggs wondered, his breath hitching slightly.
The blood from Jessie's face had drained entirely, and her legs, while wobbling uncontrollably, were also rooted to the ground. She couldn't explain it, but there was something about the creature that awoke a very primal fear in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't remember ever being this terrified before, and she'd stared in the face of death what felt like several times over on their missions. Noticing Jessie's silence, Biggs redirected his gaze to her, his own shock and fear giving away immediately to concern.
"Jessie? Are you alright?" he asked.
But she couldn't even formulate a sentence. Her head was starting to hurt, and her chest was beginning to constrict. Then all of a sudden, the phantom turned and faced the two of them. In a flash it had appeared in front of Jessie, its hooded face staring directly at Jessie. She couldn't make out what was beneath the hood, but suddenly she felt like the world had collapsed on to her shoulders. All she felt was fear and pain, and it brought her to her knees, her hands covering her ears.
"Can't…breathe…" she coughed.
"Jessie!" Biggs called out.
Regaining his composure somewhat, he balled his fist and swung at the phantom. It moved out of the way of his assault effortlessly, and when he'd pulled his gun and begun shooting, the bullets passed right through its cloak.
"What the hell is this thing?" he growled to himself.
Eyes flickering to the girl they'd come to save, and then back to Jessie, who was now shaking uncontrollably on the floor, Biggs was at a loss of what to do. Just then, something flew right by him, going for the phantom. The overly large sword was swung once, twice, three times through the phantom's cloak, passing through every time. Undeterred, Cloud channeled the materia he'd placed inside the blade, and summoned a large fireball to send towards it. Now that did the trick, as the phantom's cloak caught fire. Despite not making any noise, it quickly flew off as if in pain, disappearing into the farther reaches of the cemetery.
"Biggs," Cloud said, inquiringly.
"I'm alright Cloud, thanks to you," he nodded, turning his attention to Jessie.
Jessie started gasping for air, clutching her chest as she felt oxygen fill her lungs. It had felt like she was being crushed underneath some extraordinary weight the entire time the phantom was around, and she had no idea why she was in so much pain when it had never even made direct contact with her.
"Jessie, are you alright?" Biggs worriedly asked for the second time.
No, I'm not, but I have no idea why she thought to herself. "Yeah, Biggs, I'm fine. Sorry about that, ghosts just aren't my thing," she responded, laughing half-heartedly.
He didn't look convinced at all judging by the look on his face, his eyes desperately searching hers for an answer. Unable to hold his gaze, she directed her attention to Cloud, who had gone and picked up the girl. She was passed out in his arms, clearly as spent as Jessie felt. Always the hero, she thought, her lips curling into a small smile.
"Well, I'm starting to think you like making this a habit, showing up and saving the girl, huh?" Jessie asked breathily, still recovering. Biggs shook his head as he helped her up.
"We're really lucky he showed up Jessie. It didn't matter what I threw at that thing, I couldn't stop whatever it was doing to you guys," Biggs exclaimed, clearly frustrated with himself.
Cloud locked eyes with Jessie briefly before looking her up and down, almost as if he was checking to make sure she was in one piece. He adjusted the girl in his arms, and started to walk back towards the town.
"Barret sent me to find you guys. Said he needed to talk to you about the mission," he explained. "Was that the first time you guys have seen that monster?"
Jessie shared a look with Biggs, and they both nodded back at him.
"Was that the invisible enemy you had mentioned on the train earlier?" Jessie asked.
Cloud's eyebrows furrowed in such a way that suggested something was really bothering him. He tried to hide it, but Jessie caught the slightest flicker of his gaze on her for a moment. She knew better than to call attention to it now, but it certainly made her heart skip a beat. I wonder…is he…worried about me? she thought.
"I wonder why we were able to see it this time," Biggs asked.
"What did it do to you?" Cloud inquired, still looking ahead.
"M—Me?" Jessie responded, pointing at herself. She was caught off guard that he'd addressed her directly without provocation. Her cheeks flushed slightly in response.
"Oh well, I'm not really sure. I just don't like ghosts you know, probably just got in my head a bit too much!" she half-laughed.
"Jessie, you looked like you were in ag—OW," Biggs started before she quickly slapped him in the back of the head. He opened his mouth to retort angrily, stopping when he saw the pleading look in her eyes.
Not perturbed at all by their exchange, Cloud seemed to except her response, as the girl in his arms started to stir.
"Wha-What's going on? Who are you?" the girl asked bleary eyed.
Looking like a chocobo in the headlights, Jessie had to swallow her laugh before she could jump in to his rescue.
"Why, he's your knight in shining armor! The three of us from the Watch went out looking for you on your dad's behalf, sweetheart," Jessie smiled down at the girl.
"Oh…thank you," the girl blushed furiously, hiding from Cloud's gaze just as much as he seemed to be hiding from hers. Jessie lost herself for a moment staring at him, absolutely fascinated by this man she'd only known for a few weeks. You know, he really is more than just a joy to look at after all.
"Jessie…" Biggs hissed at her.
Eyes widening slightly, Jessie snapped out of her reverie and returned her attention to Biggs. He had a look in his eyes she was not particularly happy to see and that told her he was well aware of what she'd just been thinking about. Before either of them could speak further, they realized they'd made it back to Mr. Reynolds' shop.
"Oh Piper, I'm so relieved to see you safe!" he exclaimed, rushing over to take his daughter from Cloud's arms. The girl continued to blush furiously, no doubt even more embarrassed now.
"I can't thank you enough Biggs, Jessie. And…?" Mr. Reynolds trailed off as he sized up Cloud, who still looked very preoccupied.
"Cloud. He's a friend of ours, new merc' that's helping folks out around town," Biggs offered.
"Ah yes, I do believe I heard Wymer talking about you earlier Mr. Cloud. In any case, thank you so much, I don't know where I would be without her," My. Reynolds smiled warmly.
"Don't mention it," Cloud responded shortly. The two walked away, Mr. Reynolds clearly fussing over his daughter. Cloud turned his attention back to Biggs and Jessie.
"Like I said. Barret's looking for you. He's at Seventh Heaven," he said.
"Right, we'll head over there right away. Thanks Cloud, we really owe you one. Actually, I guess we owe you several now," Biggs chuckled.
"Oh I'm sure we'll find a way to make it up to him somehow," Jessie winked. "Alright Biggs, let's get going."
Cloud walked off towards his apartment, while Biggs and Jessie made their way to Tifa's bar. Jessie had expected Biggs to start talking her ear off right away about her behavior, but he was uncharacteristically silent. Shrugging, she figured she wouldn't push the subject if he wasn't going to bring it up either.
Walking through the front door, there were a few regulars at the bar Tifa was currently attending to, while Barret sat at a table in the back. They made their way over, Jessie grabbing the last seat at the table while Biggs opted to lean up against the pinball machine.
"Where you two been?" Barret grumbled.
"Oh you know, saving the world, one unlucky soul at a time," Jessie replied with a smirk.
"We got caught up helping Mr. Reynolds find his daughter. Turns out she actually ran into some trouble at the cemetery. Those invisible enemies Cloud mentioned from the other night? One of them was terrorizing the poor girl. And this time, both Jessie and I could see it. Actually, Jessie—" Biggs was cut off as Jessie abruptly brought both her palms down to the table.
"Wasn't paying close enough attention and got cornered trying to get to the girl. But lucky for us Cloud showed up and saved the day, again," she interjected.
"Hmph. I sent him to go look for you guys. Guess Soldier-boy is more useful than I gave him credit for," Barret responded, a hint of less bitterness in his voice than usual when talking about Cloud.
"Well if that's the case, why aren't we bringing him with us again?" Jessie scoffed.
"Because we don't need him! I did Tifa a favor by letting him help out. And yeah he's got some moves but we been gettin' after this for a long time! How long's it been since the 4 of us broke off from HQ? We work well together. And this next reactor is gonna be harder than the last, there's no tellin what Shinra will get up to now that they know Avalanche means business!" he exclaimed, bringing his fist down onto the table. Tifa looked up from the patron she was currently dealing with at the sound, her eyebrows raising just enough to send Barret the message to keep it down.
"Ahh…err…right, sorry Tifa," Barret grumbled half-heartedly.
"I get what you're saying Boss, but I'm telling you, Cloud really helped out me and Jessie today. I know he can be a bit rough around the edges, but if there are more of those phantoms around like we saw today, we'll need someone like him with us," Biggs cajoled.
The vein in Barret's temple had started to pop again, and Jessie could already tell this was just going to lead to another one of his meltdowns and subsequent monologues. Unwilling to put up with it further, she stood up.
"Alright alright, Barret what was it you needed to tell us that was so important you sent Cloud of all people after us in the first place?" she inquired, her hand going to her hip.
"Hmph. We got some new intel. Shinra is upgrading their ID checks on all the trains. Jessie, think you can manage to fix ours up to make sure we don't get caught?' he asked.
"Ha! I'm insulted you ask. O'course I can handle that, easy-peasy," she waved off.
Barret grinned, clearly satisfied with her answer. He directed his attention to Biggs. "What I want you to do then, is go on ahead of us. You're gonna get off the train at a different spot and secure us a backup route though the service tunnels. Just in case everything goes to hell."
"You got it, boss," Biggs nodded.
Seemingly satisfied, Barret stood up and made to go behind the bar where Tifa was talking with Marlene. With their meeting out of the way, Jessie turned to say goodbye to Biggs, who was already looking at her intently.
"Gosh, Biggs, I know I'm gorgeous but how many times do I have to tell you it's impolite to stare?" she chuckled.
Biggs just sighed in response, bringing his hand up to cover his eyes. He looked like he was trying to collect his thoughts. I'm not getting out of this one that's for sure she thought to herself, unable to stop from rolling her eyes. "Alright come on, spit it out. You obviously have something you've been dying to talk to me about," she said, raising her hands into the air.
He tilted his head towards the door, and she nodded in understanding. The two left the bar in tandem, and Jessie led them towards the closest market in town. She needed a few ingredients for the pizza anyway.
"Please be careful, Jessie."
"Look, I'm fine okay? I don't really know what happened back there, but I feel fine now. Maybe it knew how to use some type of psychokinesis or something. It got in my head temporarily but you really don't need to worry yourself sick this time, okay?" she assured him.
"Well, I'm glad you're okay, but that actually wasn't what I was talking about," he responded. Jessie blinked. Now she was confused as to where this conversation was headed.
"What are you talking about then? Be careful about what?" she asked, the slightest hint of indignation coming through in her tone.
"I'm worried about how far you'll take this thing with Cloud," he shrugged. "I'd like to think I know you better than most. I know you're a flirt. You don't normally take stuff like this seriously at all. But I've also noticed that with Cloud, you don't seem to have an off switch. I like the guy, I think he can be a bit harsh, but he seems like he means well. That being said, he hasn't exactly been the most receptive to your games. And I'm worried you're just pushing the envelope because you want what you can't have."
Jessie's eyes flared, her face betraying the hurt she felt at Biggs' words. "Games? I'm not sure where you think you have the right to tell me what I should or shouldn't do, and honestly you've got some set to say that shit to me. I'm a big girl, I can handle myself. And for your information, he's actually coming over tonight! I'm making him pizza. So how's that for not being receptive to me?" she angrily retorted, before turning on her heel and stalking off.
"Jessie, wait! I really didn't mean—" Biggs started to call out.
"Shut up Biggs! It's clearer than ever what you really think about me," she yelled back, her voice trailing off just before it broke.
Her face flushed and her eyes stinging with tears she was fighting not to shed, she worked her way through the market picking up the ingredients she would be using for the pizza tonight. Who the hell does he think he is, speaking to me that way? Like I'm some kind of harlot. I'm not playing games.
Jessie finished up at the market, keeping her interactions with the seller to an uncharacteristic minimum today because of how upset she was. She half-ran back to her apartment, struggling to keep it together. Closing the door behind her, she dropped the groceries off on the kitchen counter and fell onto the couch, letting the tears finally flow. She hated that she couldn't ignore some of the truth to Biggs' words, and she wanted to hate him for it. But the fact was he'd watched her go through this same song and dance with quite a number of guys. She'd left a trail of broken hearts in her wake and never thought much of it.
But this time feels so much different. She thought through her sobs. That's what really ate at her. Cloud hadn't been quick to fall for her charm and her sly remarks. He remained as passive as always, keeping her at arm's reach. Biggs' last words were what really cut deep; because she knew that from the outside looking in, it was easy to chalk this up as her 'wanting what she couldn't have.'
Maybe it started that way…but the way he was last night I just can't shake. He saved my life at the reactor, and still agreed to help me after I couldn't get him on the mission.
She thought back to before they'd parachuted off of the plate, when she knew she'd heard him mention her father. No doubt Biggs and Wedge had given him some type of backstory, and she'd meant to ream them out for it later, but there was no doubt in her mind he'd let slip an ounce of genuine kindness.
That's what this is. He locks himself off from the world, from people. But on the inside, he probably cares a whole lot more than anyone would think. Kind of like…me.
Her sobs slowing down now, Jessie sighed as an element of clarity washed over her. No doubt her realization about just what exactly Cloud did to hide his true colors was why Tifa acted the way she did. They grew up together, and had a history. She probably knew that same side of Cloud. Tifa.
She audibly groaned. It's likely Biggs was working up to bringing Tifa into the conversation, but stuck his foot in his mouth before he could. Jessie knew that if Cloud did come over, it would hurt Tifa. And the idea of hurting the first real girl friend she'd had made her sick to her stomach. I really should talk to her. Cloud might not even come over, but if he does…
Washing her face in the sink to try and cover up the fact she'd been crying, she moved to open her door to step outside, when she was greeted by none other than the barmaid herself.
"Oh! Ti—Tifa!" Jessie yelped.
Tifa gave her a small smile, her eyes taking in the red patches and now just barely visible tear marks on Jessie's face.
"Hey Jessie, I was wondering if we could talk?"
Jessie's mouth opened and closed rapidly, her brain working a mile a minute to try and formulate a response.
"Of course, please come in!" she stepped out of the way, motioning Tifa towards the couch.
Oh god, what happened? Did Cloud say something about tonight? Did Biggs spill the beans? Or maybe…maybe it's unrelated. Maybe it's just Avalanche stuff.
Tifa sat down on the couch, her hands clasped together on her lap. She looked around the room briefly, before returning her gaze to her hands. Her hair was falling in front of her face slightly and her shoulders belied the tension she felt. Jessie crinkled her eyes together, immediately recognizing that something was definitely wrong. Tifa very rarely sought anyone out; she was the first person to lend an ear, but the last person to ask for one. She's got the bartending personality down to the wire, Jessie thought sadly.
With Tifa clearly struggling to start talking, Jessie moved from where she'd been rooted by the door and sat down next to her on the couch. She brought her hand up to Tifa's shoulder and rested it there, attempting to convey she'd wait as long as she needed. A small smile made its way over Tifa's face, and she locked eyes with Jessie. Resisting the urge to gasp, Jessie saw immense pain behind those ruby eyes, a door to a soul she knew was far too kind to hold that much sadness.
"Tifa, what's wrong?" she asked concernedly.
"I'm just so worried about what we've been doing. Barret asked me to join on the mission because Wedge is still not feeling well. I know everyone's hearts are in the right place, but I feel trapped. If we don't act, Shinra is going to keep taking things from people. They'll keep hurting the planet. But when I saw the wreckage from the Reactor bombing…I mean, innocent people lost their houses. Some people died. How do we know we aren't causing more harm than good?" she pleaded, her voice betraying the slightest crack at the end.
Jessie sighed; she understood where Tifa was coming from, especially because she was acutely aware it was her own screw up that caused the explosion to be so much worse than they intended. It was a thought she'd been trying, and failing, to keep at bay since they'd made it back. But she had to believe that they were doing the right thing. Shinra's abuse of Mako had caused her personal harm too.
Shaking her head slightly, Jessie leaned back from Tifa, opting instead to stare at her ceiling tiles again.
"I asked the guys to go topside with me last night. Biggs, Wedge, and Cloud," she offered. Still refusing to look Tifa in the eye, she noticed the slight shimmer in her eyes when she mentioned Cloud's name.
"Cloud, too? Why'd you guys go topside?" Tifa asked curiously.
"I asked them to help me break into a Shinra facility and steal a new blasting agent. I think I messed up, Tifa. I think somehow, I used too much or too strong of a blasting agent, and that's why the reactor explosion was so much bigger than we thought. But this time…this time I'm gonna make sure that doesn't happen," Jessie said firmly, this time looking squarely at Tifa.
Tifa's eyes shimmered slightly, and brought her left hand up to cup Jessie's face.
"I don't believe for a second that you messed up Jessie. You're way too good at what you do. But regardless of why the explosion was so much bigger, I'm glad that you're taking the precautions you can to try and make a difference. I think maybe that's all I needed to hear—sometimes I worry Barret becomes blind because of his hatred," she sighed.
Jessie nodded. She knew all too well how bombastic their leader could be, and even though she was clearly more invested in what they were doing than Tifa, she also appreciated her concerns. And more than anything, it was a relief to hear someone say they didn't think it was her fault. Even if I know that it was.
Tifa wiped her face before finally standing up and making her way towards the door. "Well, I have to say I'm surprised you managed to convince Cloud to tag along. He hassle you for much gil?" she asked, not unkindly.
Jessie failed to stop the blush from gracing her cheeks, so she looked away and made a waving notion with her hand. "Oh I just gave him some materia I'd found I thought he could use or sell. Maybe he was just bored!" she laughed, perhaps a bit too intently.
Tifa seemed placated though, as she didn't push the subject further. Giving her a final smile and wave, Tifa pulled open the door to step outside.
"Tifa, wait!" Jessie half-yelled, surprising herself.
Tifa turned back, her eyebrows raised slightly, offering a quizzical look. Well shit, guess you're gonna have to come clean now Jessie. Idiot.
"There was actually something I wanted to talk to you about, too," Jessie started.
"Oh, okay. What's going on?" Tifa asked.
"Well…I was wondering, just what is going on with you and Cloud?" she muttered, suddenly becoming very interested in her nails.
Tifa seemed taken aback by the question, and Jessie thought she noticed a slight blush creep up on her cheeks before she turned away. "We're friends," she replied shortly.
Unconvinced, Jessie knew she'd need to push a little further if she was going to clear her conscience further. "Okay, well I wanted to check because I invited him over for pizza tonight. He said he wasn't sure but he'd think about it. But if there was something going on—" she started, before Tifa cut her off.
"Oh, no no no. There's nothing else going on between us. I think that's really sweet Jessie. He could use someone to talk to," she hurriedly said.
Somehow, Tifa's affirmation only served to make her feel worse. She took a moment to really take in Tifa's stance. She was holding her shoulder, and not looking Jessie in the eyes, no doubt demonstrating the walls she was putting up around her heart. Before Jessie could say anything else, Tifa finally looked up at her again, this time feigning much more confidence in her eyes.
"I'll see if I can't convince him to clean himself up some, huh?" she winked.
Jessie blushed furiously, still unconvinced Tifa was really okay with it, but her heart also skipping a beat at the thought of her date. Moving quickly, she threw her arms around Tifa, giving her a tight hug. Attempting to convey as many of her thoughts as possible, she mumbled into Tifa's shoulder, "Thanks, Tifa."
Tifa chuckled, gently detaching herself from Jessie, and turned on her heel and made her way back towards the bar. Jessie hugged herself for a moment, allowing herself the chance to look around outside. The folks of the Sector 7 Slums were a hardy group. None of them had much, but they always made it a point for what they did have. Kids running around and playing were parented by all of the adults of the slums—especially since a lot of them had lost their biological parents to all manner of tragedies.
Jessie watched as one group of kids played soccer in the street right outsider her house. It was a group of five boys and one girl, though the girl looked like she had the most talent. She weaved in between the others as if she'd been doing it her whole life, but even more endearing was the fact they all genuinely seemed to be having fun. The boys didn't care she was a girl, or that she was clearly better than them. They were friends and they were just happy to spend time together; a lone tear fell down Jessie's cheek as she watched them.
Biggs and Wedge are the best friends I could ask for; I wasn't as lucky as this girl early in life, but I know how lucky I am now.
Wiping her face and resolving to put an end to how emotional she'd been the last few hours, she trucked back into her house and started setting up the ingredients on the counter.
"There, all done!" Jessie exclaimed, clapping her hands together as she smiled at the two pizzas she'd spent the last few hours making. She turned and looked at the clock above her sink. 7:46 PM. Jessie's smile faltered a little as doubt entered her mind. I wonder if he'll actually show.
Knock. Knock. A huge smile lighting up her face, Jessie practically skipped towards the door. Putting her hand on the door knob, she then noticed her reflection in the mirror, and gasped audibly. She was absolutely covered in flour, there was pizza sauce above her right eye and splattered across her chest, and she saw what was unmistakably a bit of cheese in her hair. Ohmygodnonononono.
Turning on her heel and sprinting towards the bathroom, she undid her apron and turned the water on, washing her hands and face desperately.
"Be right there!" she called out.
"Jessie it's me, I wanted to apologize. Please answer the door," Biggs' voice carried through the door.
Looking up in the mirror and breathing a massive sigh of relief, Jessie dried her hands and face and sauntered over to the door, opening it to see Biggs with a look that would make Stamp proud.
"Jessie!" he exclaimed, his surprise she actually still answered apparent on his face.
Jessie crossed her arms, raising one eyebrow as she took in his sorry appearance. Unwilling to give an inch even though she'd forgiven him hours prior, she waited.
Biggs brought his palms together as he looked straight into Jessie's face. "Jessie, I'm so sorry about what I said earlier. I was way out of line. You are a grown woman, an amazing and smart woman, and an even more amazing friend. I had no right to question your motives or your actions or anything like that. I just…I…" he was cut off as Jessie threw her arms around him in a bear hug, nearly knocking him flat as he was so caught off guard.
"I love you, you asshole you know that?" she mumbled.
"Uhh…love you too, Jessie," Biggs responded, the tone of confusion in his voice very apparent.
Jessie stepped back, giving Biggs a stern look while her hands were on his shoulders. "Sometimes, I think you take your role as my brother a bit too seriously though!" she said pointedly.
Biggs smirked, scratching the back of his head.
"I know what you were trying to say. And I'm not so shallow to not recognize how I've been in the past. But I promise you when I tell you, this time is different. I know I might just seem like my normal flirty self around him. But…Biggs, I really like him," she accentuated.
Biggs sized her up, listening to every word. "I know you do. I'm sorry Jessie, really I am. I was just worried because from the outside looking in, I wasn't sure it was going to lead anywhere. Anyone can tell having him around means a lot to Tifa. I was worried that if the guy wasn't interested in you, you'd end up hurt. Then he'd take off, and Tifa would be upset. And then Barret would lose his mind and go on about he would hunt him down. I just got into my head about the whole thing. But I know you can handle yourself," he smiled, letting out a small sigh of acceptance.
Jessie smiled, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand as she exhaled some of the stress she'd been carrying with her all day. When she noticed a bit of flour stuck to the back of her hand, her eyes grew wide and she ran back inside, leaving Biggs in the doorway.
"Ah! I've gotta get ready! He could be here any minute and I look like I just wrangled chocobos," she whined.
Biggs laughed, taking it upon himself to tidy up the downstairs kitchen and set the little table Jessie and her roommates had in their dining area. A short time later, Jessie returned downstairs, her hair neatly tied back in its high ponytail and her bandana freshly washed and securely in place around her forehead. She'd opted for a navy turtleneck sweater that was just a bit long in the arms, reaching to the center of her palm. She was in a clean pair of her dark green cargo capris, and wore a pair of navy colored socks with chocobos on them.
"Huh, you know, you clean up pretty good outside your armor Jessie," Biggs offered, a hint of surprise in his voice.
Jessie rolled her eyes at the half-compliment, turning her attention to the clock, which now read 8:13PM. Sadness set in the pit of her stomach as she walked over to the table Biggs had set for two. She sat down, sighing as she clasped her hands together.
"Thanks for helping me clean up Biggs. I'm guessing he's probably not gonna show up after all though. Maybe I was a bit too forward," she said sadly.
"I don't think you have anything to worry about," he responded, a mischievous glint in his eye. With that, he turned and let himself out, waving goodbye as he closed the door.
Hmm. Wonder what that was all about.
Not two minutes later, another knock came to her door, and the pit in her stomach disappeared while her heart shot up into her throat. "Coming!" she quickly responded, hoping she didn't sound as nervous as she felt.
Jessie opened the door to see Cloud standing there, holding a bottle of wine in his right hand quite awkwardly, while the other hand was firmly planted on the back of his neck. "Cloud Strife! I didn't take you the type to bring something your first time over a girl's place. I guess I must be pretty special, huh?" she winked. Damn it Jessie…tone it down. You already got him here.
Cloud stuck his arm out, handing the bottle of wine over to Jessie, his whole body rigid and conveying his overall discomfort.
"Oh don't be so tense! Really Cloud, I'm not gonna turn into a cactuar," she scoffed, moving to hook her arm with his and leading him inside.
Cloud set his sword down against the wall by the door, and then took a seat at the table. He looked around the inside of the apartment, taking it in. Biggs had done a phenomenal job cleaning up the entirety of the downstairs. The table was set with a clean black tablecloth—the only one Jessie could find, since normally she didn't bother with this stuff. The dishes had been washed and stowed away in the cabinets, and the couch in the living room was set with a white throw blanket folded over the back. A candle was lit on the coffee table in the living room, it's "Cosmo Canyon" scent wafting through the air. Jessie's house had hardwood floors, but somehow in the short time he had Biggs had mentioned to sweep as well. On the walls were mostly pictures of Jessie's roommates and their familiars, but Jessie watched as Cloud's eyes settled on the lone two pictures she had downstairs: one of her, Biggs, and Wedge, and one of her and her parents.
"Are you close with your parents?" Cloud prompted.
Caught off guard, Jessie recovered quickly, smiling as she looked at the picture. "I am. They're my biggest fans you know, wouldn't be who I am without them," she said gratefully.
Seemingly placated with her answer, he returned his attention to the wine he'd brought, which was sitting on the table. "Tifa said this one was your favorite," he stated.
So she did wind up talking to him about coming here. I guess she really is okay with it! Jessie could barely contain the huge smile on her face.
"That it is! This is so sweet Cloud, thank you," she thanked him giddily.
Jessie's heart skipped a beat as she noticed the slightest, tiniest uptick of the corner of Cloud's mouth. He CAN smile, I knew it! Clapping her hands together, she grabbed both of their plates and set two slices on them, one from each pie. She'd made one with all the same ingredients she'd told him about, and then a pretty standard pepperoni pie, just in case he had a more blasé palette. Jessie set Cloud's plate down in front of him and hers where she would be sitting, then went and grabbed a wine opener and two wine glasses. She sat down, popped the cork and poured hers and Cloud's glasses before lifting hers up as a toast.
"To us!" she declared simply.
Cloud raised his glass as well, locking eyes with Jessie for the first time that night, and she was once again taken by just how blue they were. She'd heard Soldier's eyes were normally green—Mako colored—but the only time Cloud's ever glowed that color were when he was fighting. She suspected it was latent, and only surfaced when he was under pressure. She blushed under his gaze, inwardly cursing herself for letting him have such a powerful effect on her.
"Well, go on dig in! I'm eager to hear what you think," she encouraged.
Cloud nodded, lifting up the slice of her special pie and taking a decent size bite. Jessie couldn't help but watch him nervously, and again she inwardly cursed herself for putting so much stock in what he thought. He chewed and swallowed carefully and thoughtfully, like he did with pretty much everything. Then, she saw it again for the second time that night—the slightest uptick of the corners of his mouth.
"This is…really good," he said, looking directly at her again.
Jessie could have absolutely melted then and there, with his gaze turned on her and conveying more than she'd ever heard him speak. Not only was he impressed, but he was grateful. "Thanks Jessie, for doing this. I'm…I'm sorry I was so rude," he offered, hanging his head slightly.
Jessie's eyes grew wide, and before she could even process what she was doing she reached across the table and grabbed his hand. "Don't apologize! I know I can be a bit much sometimes. But really, thank you so much for coming, and thank you, I'm really glad that you like it," she finished shyly.
This time, his lips gave way to a full smile—well, about as full as she could ever imagine seeing him do. Blushing even more furiously, she became acutely aware she was still holding on to his hand, and she pulled back immediately. Taking the time to dig in to her own slices, the two sat in comfortable silence for a while while they ate. Eager to keep up the good atmosphere, Jessie opted to try and talk about something she figured he'd be comfortable about.
"So, where did you get your sword? I can honestly say I've never seen anything like it before," she queried.
Flinching, Cloud quickly grabbed his head, closing his eyes as if he were in pain. Unsure what was going on, Jessie jumped out of her chair to get right next to him. Hesitating for the slightest second, she placed her hand on his back. "Cloud! Are you alright?" she asked worriedly.
At the sound of her voice, Cloud opened his eyes again, bringing his hands back down to the table. He took a few deep breaths before looking up at Jessie, who was now well aware she was only inches from his face. Startled, she took a step back, but still kept her hand on his back, waiting to hear some type of affirmation from him.
"Sorry, I'm fine. I just…well, I can't remember where I got it actually," he sighed, clearly bothered.
Jessie's brows furrowed, not entirely sure how he could forget something like that. Worried further questioning would sour the mood, she instead gave his shoulder a light squeeze and took her seat again.
"It's okay! I forget things all the time too, I'm sure it'll come back to you," she assured.
Cloud nodded gratefully, but then got this look across his face that he did remember something.
"Actually, Jessie, I wanted to ask you something. When we saved that girl earlier today, Biggs had mentioned you were having a rough time of it when that phantom showed up," he started.
Her cheeks growing red again, she inwardly cursed Biggs to Ifrit's house and back before answering. "Oh that, yeah I'm not really sure what came over me, I just don't like ghosts I guess," she responded, hiding her discomfort behind a chuckle. She could tell Cloud wasn't placated though.
"It made you feel something didn't it?" he questioned further.
Jessie met Cloud's searching gaze this time, and felt herself thinking back to the incident with the phantom. She'd been trying to brush it off, but Cloud could clearly tell that something weird had happened, and she supposed there was no reason to hide it from him. When she'd seen the phantom, she became overwhelmed with this feeling as if she was being crushed—buried even. Her lungs felt like they were going to burst, and her whole body ached as if the very planet had been dropped on her. Aside from the pain, she felt crippling fear—not of the phantom, but of the future.
"I…well…there was a moment," she started, noticing just how intensely Cloud was watching her. Her cheeks flushed again, but this time she held his gaze.
"I was scared. I felt like something had been dropped on top of me, and that I was going to…well, going to die. Not necessarily right there, I don't know that that's what that thing was going to do. But it's hard to explain…it almost felt like it was showing me something that was going to happen to me, you know?" she finished, her eyes searching his for answers.
Cloud looked away for a moment, as if he was contemplating something deeply. Jessie felt like the silence was dragging on endlessly, even though only seconds had passed. Then, she jumped, as he reached over to grab her hand this time.
"It's gonna be okay," he said firmly.
Jessie felt tears sting the corners of her eyes, threatening to spill over. She'd never had someone look at her the way Cloud was in that moment: as if the whole world could come for her, and he wouldn't back down at the sight of it, protecting her from every which way. Her heart skipped several beats and she felt almost light headed. Attempting to recover, she gave a weak nod, and moved to take both their plates, by this point completely cleared.
"Did you want another slice?" she asked.
Cloud shook his head. "No, I'm full thank you. It really was incredible though," he complimented again.
Jessie closed her eyes as she smiled, both out of happiness and a desperate last attempt to stem the tears from escaping. God why am I so emotional all of a sudden?
She pulled out a box from her cabinet and put a few slices in it, before closing it up. "For later, in case you get hungry," she explained. Then there it was again, another smile. How many was that now? 3? 4?
Cloud nodded in appreciation, his gaze drifting back around the apartment again. Hoping she wasn't being too forward, but also unwilling to let the night end with dinner, Jessie started walking towards the couch, bottle of wine and their glasses in hand. Cloud picked up on her offer, and he followed her over, taking a seat next to her. Jessie brought her knees up to her chest, watching him intently now. Cloud shifted slightly so he was facing her, reaching out for the bottle on the coffee table to refill their glasses.
"This is…really nice," he said, handing Jessie her glass.
"Yeah, I'm really glad you came over Cloud," Jessie responded quietly, at this point a smile permanently on her face.
Cloud sighed slightly, bringing his hand up to his face. Jessie leaned forward slightly, cocking her head to try and get a look through his splayed fingers. Just as she was about to ask what was wrong, he focused his gaze on her again, and she felt herself melt under their intensity.
"I'm…not good at this kind of stuff," he admitted.
Jessie's eyes widened slightly, and she had to catch herself from giggling at his nervousness. It blew her mind to think that out of all the things to ruffle Cloud's feathers, it was being on a date. Deciding it was okay to poke a little, Jessie gave him a smirk.
"What kind of stuff are you talking about?" she asked as innocently as possible.
Then that's when it happened, and Jessie nearly fell off the couch in surprise. Cloud blushed. Refusing to look anywhere but her now, Cloud sighed again, this one much more exasperated than the last. Jessie was about to put him out of his misery with a casual wave of her hand, when he steeled his gaze and turned back to her.
"Opening up to someone. Being…being with someone," he stated. His eyes searched hers desperately, as if he they were trying to convey the words he just couldn't seem to say. By this point, Jessie's heart was beating a mile a minute. Looking deep within herself for her resolve, she crisscrossed her legs and leaned forward closer to Cloud so that her face was only inches from him again. She met his gaze and did her best to convey the same feelings—if words made him uncomfortable, then she'd have to try and avoid using them.
Seconds felt like eternity as the two grew closer and closer together, both moving at the same slow, but careful pace, both giving the other every opportunity to move away. Just when she didn't think she could wait any longer, it was Cloud who finally closed the distance. He brought his lips to hers, kissing her softly.
Jessie felt like she was going to burst from happiness. Every cliché she'd ever read about and mocked was happening inside her head, her chest, her whole body in that moment. It was the first time she'd ever felt that kind unbridled passion and contentment, and this man was giving it to her with the gentlest of kisses.
Cloud brought his hand up to caress her cheek, slowly pulling away, his eyes searching hers for what she gathered was assurance that what he'd done was okay. She smiled in response, and was met with what she could only describe as the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. This last smile he'd given her finally reached his eyes, and the baby blues she'd fallen for on that first mission when they were as cold as the ocean now sparkled like the sky.
"Jessie…I…" he started, stopping when she brought her finger up to his lips.
"It's okay Cloud. It's taken me a while, but I think I finally understand. You don't need to be smooth with your words when you're with me," she assured him.
The smile still on his face, Cloud kept his gaze on her, almost as if he was searching for something. When he found it, he opened his mouth to speak again.
"I'm gonna do what I can to help you all in this fight. And not for money anymore. I…I want to make you happy," he said breathily.
Jessie's stomach somersaulted, and she realized that this is what it felt like to fully connect with someone. She didn't want to jinx it, but she'd wondered if she'd finally discovered that love stuff her mom used to tell her about.
"No promises though, right?" she asked slyly.
"I promise," Cloud said, bringing his lips to hers once again.
'