Life as a SOLDIER
Disclaimer: I guess this means luck's not with us…
A/N: Oh, shut up, it's advent 4th of July weekend, and I want to get as much done as I possibly can. -smiles at readers- Glad you're still here! Let's move on!
Chapter
Twenty-Seven: Thanksgiving Dinner
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"It's
ready!" announced Tifa, pulling the turkey from the oven. "Our
second and final turkey is done!"
"Yay!" cheered Cloud, Zack, Aeris, Cid, and Sephiroth.
"Now all we need to do is set the table, put on some music, and enjoy the dinner!" said Tifa happily.
"And I'll go check the barbeque!" said Cloud, hurrying to th grill excitedly.
Sephiroth watched him run. "Huh," he scoffed. "Why does he like barbeques so much? They're nothing special."
"Maybe not to you, but to Cloud, they are," answered Cid. "Tifa told me about the first barbeque he ever had."
"It's a sad story," said Tifa warningly. "We'll tell it to you some other time! Now let's set the table!"
"Let me help," said Zack and Aeris together. They exchanged glances, chuckled to themselves, and hurried to the kitchen to gather dishes to set the table with.
"What can I do to help?" asked Cid.
"You can go help Cloud with the grill," answered Tifa.
"No, I'll go do it," said Sephiroth, heading for the door. He walked over to the grill and leaned against the bar, watching Cloud for a couple of seconds.
Cloud was cheerfully flipping some burgers on the grill, and looked up at Sephiroth. "Oh, hi Sephy!" he said. "You came to help me?"
"No, I came to watch you," answered Sephiroth. "Why do you like grilling so much?"
"Well, it was the only thing they'd invite me to," said Cloud, taking off the finished burgers and adding some more. "And oddly enough, it wasn't Tifa who first invited me to a barbeque, but those three kids who'd always bully me."
"That must have been a surprise to you," said Sephiroth.
"It was," agreed Cloud. "But they were very nice to me. And when Tifa came by to join the barbeque, she was happy to see me there. I think it was the first time I ever felt happy in my life!"
"I see…" said Sephiroth slowly, looking up at the night sky. "What kind of weather was this barbeque held?"
"Hmm… I think it was a snowy day…" said Cloud slowly. "Yeah, it was."
"Okay," said Sephiroth, waving his hand slightly.
Cloud was turning over some more burgers when a snowflake landed on his nose. "Awa!" he said in surprise, brushing it off. He blinked and looked around. "…!" he gasped, looking around. "It's snowing…! Sephy, look, snow's falling!"
"I see that," answered Sephiroth, crossing his arms.
"But…there aren't any clouds in the sky," said Cloud, looking up. "It's just snow falling…! It's amazing!"
"I guess," said Sephiroth.
"Wow!" Cloud ran from the grill to twirl about in the snow. "It's snowing! It's snowing!"
"Cloud, what are you doing…" Tifa tailed off when she saw the snow. "Oh…! How can it snow without clouds?"
"Who cares, as long as it snows!" said Cloud, twirling in the snow. "Snow, snow, snow! I love snow!"
Zack came to the doorway too. "Hey, look, this is pretty cool! But how can it snow without clouds…?" Zack looked over at Sephiroth, who was watching Cloud dance about in the snow. …? How odd… I've known for a while that Sephiroth can alter the weather… But why would he do that for Cloud? Is he just trying to figure out his enemy, or is it something else I see in his eyes…?
"Okay, Cloud, that's enough," said Tifa, checking the grill. "You should head back inside before you re-catch that flu again. Come on."
"But Tifa, it's beautiful outside!" protested Cloud.
"We can go outside later," promised Tifa. "But for now, let's warm up inside and eat, the tables all set up and everything. Now that all the food's ready, we can start the Thanksgiving dinner."
"But…oh, all right," sighed Cloud sadly, looking up at the snowy sky.
"Come on, silly!" called Zack, holding out a hand.
"I'm coming!" Cloud ran over to Zack and they both went back inside together.
Tifa sighed. "Thanks for the help, boys… Oh, you'll help me out, right Sephiroth?"
"My hands are full," answered Sephiroth, empty-handed.
"Now," said Tifa firmly, snatching Masamune away from Sephiroth.
"Right, right, I'll go get the plates," sighed Sephiroth, snatching Masamune back and grabbing the pile of plates.
"Oh, come on!" said Tifa, putting her arms akimbo. "You were supposed to grab some burgers!"
"Don't worry, let me help!" said Cid, looking at the two plates of barbequed hamburgers.
"Oh, thank you, Cid!" said Tifa, smiling gratefully. Then Cid took the lighter plate; she scowled and took the heavier plate, and brought it inside.
The table was set beautifully: there were six plates set up, with two steaming turkeys on the table, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, stuffing, apple pie, cherry pie, pumpkin pie, ice cream in vanilla and chocolate, a plate full of buttered rolls, some hot cross buns, a pineapple cake, two plates of barbequed hamburgers, cranberry sauce, barbeque chicken, a plate of small fruit-and-veggie appetizers, and all sorts of candy dishes. It was a dream-come-true dinner for anyone!
"Okay, everyone, before we dig in, let us all say one thing we are most thankful for this year, starting with you, Cloud." Tifa smiled at Cloud expectantly.
"I get to go first?" asked Cloud.
"He does?" asked Cid. "Why can't I go first?"
"Because… uh… Because!" said Tifa with a firm nod. "Let Cloud speak!"
"What I'm most thankful for this year…" said Cloud slowly, looking upward thoughtfully. "Let me see…" he thought about everyone in his life who made any kind of difference to him. "Yes, I'm thankful for everyone in this room!"
"You are?" asked Tifa. "Aaw, that's sweet of you!"
"Oh, even for me?" asked Cid, pretending to be bashful. "Oh, stop it, you'll make me blush!"
"We're best friends, I'm not surprised," smiled Zack.
"You're thankful for me? That makes me happy, thank you," said Aeris.
Sephiroth didn't answer; instead he crossed his arms and leaned in a little, as though inviting Cloud to say more.
"You all make a bright light in my life everyday," Cloud continued, smiling at everyone in the room. "I know I'll become stronger one day, because of all of you."
Tifa smiled. "So your thankful for all that… Okay. Aeris, what are you thankful for this year?"
"Me?" asked Aeris. "I'm thankful for many, many things. I thank the higher powers for the air I breath, the flowers I plant and grow, the people I love, and all of mother nature's creations, old and new. This planet continues to thrive each day for the love we all share and feel, and for that, I'm very thankful."
"Wow, that's a big list," remarked Cid. "You sure love a lot of things, don't you?"
"Yeah, she's a tree-hugger, all right!" said Zack cheerfully. "She always tells me that nature is the most important thing, and we should thank nature everyday!"
"All of these before us are the gifts of nature," replied Aeris calmly. "Without them, we'd all be cold and hungry. The Lifestream gives this planet a refreshing new breath of life, enabling us all to live."
"You put a lot of thought into this," remarked Sephiroth.
Aeris smiled secretively, and Cid asked, "Is this a Cetra thing?"
"It must be," said Tifa. "I guess your right, Aeris. What about you, Cid? What are you most thankful for?"
"Who, me?" asked Cid. "Let me think…" he muttered, putting hand to his chin. "Hmm… I thank god everyday for whoever invented cigarettes."
Everyone stared at Cid. "…"
"Oh, and I'm thankful for food, drinks, and beer! Definitely beer!" Cid nodded happily. "Things that make me happy, basically, I thankful for."
"…right…" said Tifa.
"I guess that makes sense," said Cloud slowly.
"You should be thankful for things that make you happy," said Aeris looking half-uncertain, half-agreeing.
"You kept yours short and sweet," said Zack.
"I know," said Cid happily.
"Better then a long and boring list," said Sephiroth.
"What about you?" asked Tifa. "You're next. What are you most thankful for, Sephiroth?"
"Me? Thankful for something?" Sephiroth thought about it for a few seconds, then shrugged indifferently. "Hmm, nothing comes to mind."
"Really?" asked Cloud.
"Surely you're thankful for something," said Zack.
"Nope, nothing in my noggin," answered Sephiroth in a slight singsong.
"Now that's not acceptable," said Tifa. "Come on, lie if you have to. No one eats until they say they're thankful for something."
"Fine, if I must," sighed Sephiroth. "I'm thankful for Masamune and Spikey. Better?"
Tifa rolled her eyes. "Fine, better." she turned to Zack. "And you, Zack? What are you thankful for this year?"
"I'm thankful for everything!" said Zack cheerfully. "For Aeris, because she's the love of my life; for Cloud, because he is like a new happiness to me; Tifa, because she's very spirited yet kind; for Sephiroth because he's beginning to have a heart now; and Cid because…" Zack glanced at Cid, who was apparently shaking hands with a turkey leg (he hurriedly dropped it) "…because you're you." he said, making an encouraging fist.
"Thanks, Zack," said Cloud, blushing slightly.
"Oh, I love you too, Zack," said Aeris.
"Because I'm me," said Cid proudly. "Yeah!"
"A heart?" asked Sephiroth. "What do you mean?"
"Oh, just saying a hopeful little remark that you'll take your mind off blood and killing and savor the finer things in life."
"Hmph," scoffed Sephiroth. "As if."
"Come on, now, don't fight," said Tifa. "Right… Well, what I'm most thankful for is… well, everyone! Everything!" Tifa pointed at everyone in the room in turn. "It's people like yo that make life worth living! I kid you not!"
"Tifa, that's so nice," said Cloud.
"Hmm! And all of you are the spices that make the variety of my life, so far! I can't wait to meet other people like you one day, so that they may add to that variety. I love you all!"
"So does this mean we can eat now?" asked Cloud.
"It sure does!" answered Tifa.
Everyone clapped their hands together and announced together, "Itadakimasu!" Everyone filled up their plates to the rim with good food, everyone taking second and third helpings of everything. With great music in the background, and a warm snowy view of Midgar from the window, it was a pleasant thanksgiving dinner. A few hours later, everyone had their bellies full and were ready for a long nap.
"Yum! That was good!" said Cid. "I'm ready for a long nap!"
"Me too!" agreed Tifa.
"Me three," said Aeris.
"I ate so much, I'm so happy now!" said Cloud happily.
Sephiroth wiped his mouth with a napkin. "I'll admit it, I certainly enjoyed tonight's Thanksgiving dinner. I'm gonna take a long nap too."
"I guess we'll go back to Shinra tomorrow," said Zack. "I'm tired too."
So everyone shuffled to their rooms, Tifa, Cid, and Aeris sharing one room, and Cloud, Zack, and Sephiroth in another.
Cloud rolled over in his bed. Man, I really do eat too much sometimes, he thought with a bunny smile. I'm glad I could share today with Zack… one day, I'll get him to like me…and then, I'll be really thankful and happy too…
BZZT BZZT BZZT
The sound of an alarm clock ringing loudly suddenly jolted cloud awake. "Awa!" he cried, flopping around the covers to grab the alarm clock. He sat up and turned it off, looking around sleepily. "…huh?" he asked.
He
wasn't at the 7th Heaven Bar anymore; he was in someone
else's bedroom. And someone was calling his name.
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Ooh!
What'll happen next? I'll let you in on a little secret: next
chapter is NOT going to be an attempt at humor. Trust me, I'm not
good at humor.