Story Title: After the Rain
Rating: K
Genre: Romance and Drama
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters appearing in this fanfiction.
A/N: Phew! I can't remember the last time I had to write a fanfic as long as this one. It sure is a big step! Anyhow, thanks for the reviews! And Happy New Year! May good fortune be upon you!

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Chapter 13
Since when did I say such excuses?

Cloud turned over in his bed, groaning. The sunlight beamed into his room through the window. He dug under the blankets to shelter himself from the light. Unfortunately, that wasn't going to do anything about the noises he heard. His phone had begun ringing, but he didn't pick up. Then someone left a message, "Cloud! Get your butt up and get to work!" it was Cid. "I didn't hire you for nothing!" There was a loud banging as Cid hung up. Cloud rubbed his face. He had quit his old job to work for Cid. It was much closer and he felt more at home there with people he knew. Cid, however, took advantage of it and worked Cloud to death.

After getting dressed, Cloud walked over to Cid's bar. His place was also simply called, "Cid's". Cloud once asked if there was a particular reason why Cid chose that name, and Cid replied, "Because it's mine!" Cloud never pursued the topic again. It was best not to argue with one like him.

"You're late!" Cid yelled irritably when Cloud stepped foot in the bar.

"Sorry."

"Just get to work."

Cloud escaped to the back and grabbed an apron for himself. For the rest of his work hours, he collected peoples' orders and prepared various drinks. And when he saw his co-workers slacking off, he'd jokingly tell them to get back to work. However, the jokes soon provoked him to lack off too, and eventually an angry Cid would pop out around the corner. However, he needn't say anything since his aura of frustration was so strong that they were all back to work once he showed up.

At 12 o'clock noon, Cloud finally got his break. Pulling out the lunch he made earlier, he sat down in a corner of the bar by himself. Once his boredom got the best of him, he pulled out his cell phone. He searched through his list of contacts, wondering who he should call. Of course the only person racing through his mind was Tifa. He wasn't able to talk to her at all since he left. Well, besides that she often relayed messages to him through Zack and vice versa, but he wanted to hear her voice. He highlighted her name and pressed the correct button to call her. As the phone rang, his heart thumped like a drum. He felt his heart stop when he heard Tifa's sweet voice say, "Hello?"

"Tifa?" Her name slipped out of his mouth so smoothly. It seemed it had been a while since he's spoke to her.

"Cloud!" Came Tifa's surprised voice. "You called so suddenly, I-I don't know what to say…"

Cloud chuckled. "It's okay, I don't expect to have a long conversation. I just… wanted to hear your voice."

"I'll talk all day if you want then." Tifa giggled.

Such a sweet sound. Thought Cloud. "Nah, I don't want you to tire your voice out. You still need to laugh at all the things I have to tell you."

"Oh? Then I'll listen." She said sweetly.

Cloud told her of everything that happened. He even told her about Cid and Shera, and how good they've been to him. When he told her of Cid's arrogant attitude, Tifa laughed and said, "Maybe it's a way for him to hide his real feelings?"

"I think so too." Cloud agreed. "I'll probably have to ask Shera how they got married at all. Cid doesn't seem like the proposing type."

"Maybe she was the one who proposed?"

"Hmm, maybe. But it doesn't seem very likely."

Their conversation continued about Cloud's life out in the big city. Tifa threw in a comment every now and again, but most of the time she listened. Then Cloud remembered he was merely on his lunch break, and that he didn't have time to be talking about himself, so he asked, "What about you? Any plans yet?"

"Oh! That's right! Zack hasn't told you?"

"Told me what?"

"I'm going to be able to run my own bar!" Tifa said, excitedly.

"Really? That's great!" Cloud felt happy for her. In a way, he was also a bit envious that she was so well organized with her goals and dreams. "Did you find a good place for it?"

"Yeah, there's this perfect spot near the shopping district. There are a lot of people there, so business should be good. I managed to pay off half of the area's cost, and now I'm slowly paying off the other half."

"Have you thought of a name yet?"

"No. I have no idea what to name it!"

"Heh, any ideas at all?"

"Yeah, but I'm not really satisfied with them."

Cloud grinned. "How about, Cloud 9?"

"Are you trying to be funny?" Tifa laughed.

"I was just helping…" Cloud feigned a child's whining.

"Haha, I'll be sure to add that to my list."

Cloud wished he was able to talk to her longer, but then Cid appeared around the corner, squinting suspiciously at him. He only gave Cloud a quick glance. That was enough for Cloud to get the message. "Hey, Tifa, is it okay if I call you back?"

"Oh, sure! Call whenever you like."

"All right. I'll call you back when work lets out." After a quick exchange of farewells, Cloud returned to the job. His coworkers kept teasing him all the while though.

"Hey, who were you talking to?"

"You looked pretty happy! And I don't think it was because of the sandwich you were eating."

"How come you never smile like that when you're talking to us?"

Cloud shrugged off all their questions with a laugh. They were all nice and good people, but he wished they wouldn't be so nosy. If that's how they felt though, then it must have meant he was being too closed off and sheltered towards other people when it came to his personal life. They were all actually quite open with themselves. Only he was the one who remained an enigma within the group.

"Hey! Get your asses to work!" Cid yelled, popping his head into the kitchen. "I didn't hire you all to sit around!"

"Yes, sir…" they all mumbled, returning to their workstations. Cloud was a bit relieved that Cid had yelled for everyone to get back to place. It saved him the trouble of having to answer his co-worker's questions. He wasn't exactly comfortable with opening up to people he merely worked with. The only people he could really talk to were Shera and Cid, and he knew they wouldn't betray him by blabbing out his personal life to others. His co-workers… he wasn't too sure if he could trust them.

When the bar closed, Cloud stayed behind to talk to Cid and Shera. However, Shera had already gone home so Cid was left to close up (he made Cloud do it though). Cloud fixed himself some hot chocolate, a drink to warm the soul. Cid was wiping the glass cups on the cupboards, not uttering a word. After a minute or two, Cloud asked, "Hey, Cid. How did you and Shera get married?"

Cid looked like he was about to drop the cup he was wiping. "What the heck? Where did that come from?"

"I was just wondering." Cloud said. "I had planned on asking Shera, but she's not here, so…"

"So you ask the old man, eh?"

"Yeah. Plus, I think your side of the story would be interesting to hear."

"Humph." Cid placed the glass cup safely back on the cupboard and threw the cloth he was using onto the counter. He looked Cloud straight in the eyes and asked, "Why?"

"Just curious."

"Right." Cid pulled up a chair and sat down in the corner behind the counter. He stared off into space for a moment and began, "I met her once, back in the day when I had my dream set on mechanics. Shera was my assistant."

"Oh?" Cloud didn't mean for Cid to tell him the whole story of when they met, but that sure was a start. He also didn't think Cid would be so easy as to willingly share such a story about his past life to him. Cid continued, "Back in the day, I was so focused on my job that Shera wasn't nothing to me but an assistant. I didn't even see her as a real woman. And you know what? I was never quite nice to her, nor anybody else. Guess I was a real grump."

A grump, huh? Cloud wasn't surprised. But he wondered what it was that Shera saw in Cid.

"Shera never hated me though. She was always smiling." Though Cid's face was hidden behind the shadows, Cloud could sense certain sadness. "One day before I took off in my plane, said that there was a leak or something of the like. Because of that, I wasn't able to fly to the skies. After that, just looking at her made me sick. I was always irritated and angry. Shera though, she was always by my side. And I was just too blind to see it."

"Why the sudden change?"

"…A couple of months later, I went to check on my plane. And you know what? Turns out that she was right." Cid let out a depressed sigh. "She saved my life. And all that time, I was treating her like crap. She never blamed me for anything."

Cloud quietly sipped his hot chocolate, letting Cid's words process into his mind. Shera had saved his life, and though Cid might have hated her for it, she never left his side. She was always with him. Cloud praised the woman for her strength and patience.

"It took some time, but I managed to apologize to her. She just smiled and told me that everything was all right… even when it didn't feel like it. She always knew what to say. As I had said a couple of days back, I was damn lucky. If my blind eyes hadn't opened when they did, she would've been long gone."

"And then you got married?"

"Whoa, now! Much more time passed even before I considered marrying her! It wasn't an easy task."

"…Was it worth it?"

Cid grinned for the first time. "Every second."

Cloud nodded and pondered his thoughts. He stared into his now empty cup. Only small traces of liquid were present. He stood and left for the kitchen to wash up the cup before returning to his apartment. Cid remained seated behind the counter. Once Cloud finished and was drying his hands, Cid entered the kitchen, still looking solemn after telling his story. He asked Cloud, "Have you been talking to your sweet heart?"

"I got to talk to her during break today."

"Oh, so that's who you were talking to." Cid laughed. It was strange to see him in such a cheery mood, but it wasn't bad. It was a rather nice change. He was probably like this with his wife more often than anyone else. "Everyone kept saying you looked kind of scary, sitting in the corner smiling."

"Er, did they?" Cloud smiled uncomfortably.

"Yup. And let me tell you," Cid looked at Cloud straight in the eyes, and said, "Open your friggin' eyes!"

"W-what?" said Cloud, taken aback.

"Anyhow, can you close up shop?" Cid said suddenly, changing the topic. "I gotta head on home."

"W-wait? What? Cid!" Cloud kept saying, but Cid ignored his calls and walked on out the bar. Alone in the silent bar, Cloud quickly shut off the lights before closing up the entire bar. He was still a bit perplexed by Cid telling him to open his eyes, but he had a vague idea of what he meant. Pulling out his cell phone, he dialed Tifa's number and waited for her to answer. It was a bit late, and he hoped she was still awake.

After a few agonizing seconds, Tifa answered, "Hello?"

Cloud smiled. "Cloud 9 here, how are you tonight?"

"I'm sorry, is this a telemarketer?" Tifa laughed. "You called back, I'm glad. Though it's a bit later than expected."

"Sorry, things got a bit off track after work."

"I don't mind."

What to talk about? Thought Cloud. There were a lot of things racing in his mind at the moment that he wasn't so sure what to talk about first. However, he didn't even need to say anything, as it was Tifa's turn to do the talking. She told him about all the things that happened after Cloud left. What places changed, which of their classmates moved, who married whom. Various things. It had only been about a month, but it seemed Cloud was missing out on so many things.

If it was just a nostalgic phase, he hoped it would soon pass.