Chapter 2: Friends O' Mine

It turned out that the "safe house" was dug into the side of a hill way out in the wastes around Midgar. When Cloud had first let him outside, the day after they had confessed their love for each other, Kadaj had been overjoyed. However, there wasn't much to do out in the waste but count pebbles and run around aimlessly and the novelty wore off soon.

And then of course there came the day not long after when the phone rang, yet again when they were in the middle of something. A few minutes later, Cloud had decided to call back, for he was getting tired of his silver-haired lover whining at him about how rude it was to never reply to his many messages.

Today they were leaving for Edge. Kadaj was extremely anxious, leaping up wild-eyed at the slightest noise. After about half an hour of this jumpy nonsense, Cloud decided that he had had enough. He waited for the right moment to come and pounced, throwing his arms tightly around the younger man's waist. Kadaj screamed shrilly and tried to jerk away, only to find himself firmly restrained in the circle of Cloud's arms. The blonde's laughter surrounded him.

"Cloud, you're horrible!" he wailed, twisting around and returning the embrace.

"Nervous?" the blonde laughed again and rubbed his nose against Kadaj's.

"Oh, just a little." Kadaj grinned. "I was being sarcastic, by the way."

"After spending two weeks with you, I think I understand sarcasm thoroughly, you silly little bitch." Cloud poked the younger man in the ribs, making him squeak and flinch away.

"I am insulted." The silver-haired young man turned his back to Cloud and crossed his arms. He glanced over his shoulder and found the older man's eyes glued to his hips. He shifted his weight to his other foot experimentally and snorted when the ex-Soldier's eyes widened.

"I can't help it." Cloud whined. "They're just so girly. And by the way..." He snickered. "Watcha gonna do with all that ass, all that ass inside them jeans?"

"I'm'a make, make, make, make you scream, make you scream, make you scream!" Kadaj crowed back, laughing. It was a running game between the two of them. One would sing a part of one song and the other would have to complete it of forfeit the secret of a mattress trick or submit to the whims of the other for the night.

Kadaj smirked and sang again in a high, perky voice, punctuating his words with random little dance moves. "I'm sexy, I'm cute, I'm popular to boot! I'm bitchin', great hair, the boys all love to stare! I'm wanted, I'm hot, I'm everything you're not! I'm pretty, I'm cool, I dominate this school! Who am I? Just guess! Guys wanna touch my chest! I'm rockin', I smile, and many think I'm vile! I'm flyin', I jump, you can look but don't you hump! I'm major, I roar, I swear I'm not a whore! We cheer and we lead! We act like we're on speed!" He paused, breathless and waited for Cloud's answer.

"Hate us 'cause we're beautiful, well we don't like you either! We're cheerleaders! We are cheerleaders!" The blonde replied swiftly, smirking.

"Oh my god, you've actually seen that movie!?" Kadaj laughed. "The great Cloud Strife, a Bring It On fan? I never would have guessed!"

Cloud stuck his tongue out in an uncharacteristic gesture of annoyance. "Let's go."

- - - - -

It was true that Tifa was not taking the news of Cloud's new lover well. It was also true that she had not moved from the sofa in the front room since Yuffie had tried calling the ex-Soldier the last time and had no idea that he was coming home. So there she sat the next morning, unmoving.

Marlene came up at one point with a doll in her arms and sat next to Tifa for a while. Neither said anything for the longest time, and when the girl finally deigned to speak it was in a very quiet voice, and the only word Tifa caught was 'Cloud.'

"What was that sweetie?" she asked, forcing herself to sound calm and happy.

"Cloud is coming home today," Marlene said slowly, pretending to concentrate on her doll. "And he's bringing someone special with him."

The dark-haired martial artist was silent for a long time. "Who told you that Marlene?"

"Vincent."

Tifa fell silent again, pondering. What did it mean? Were Vincent and the others actually going to support Cloud's little shenanigans with that silver-haired bitch?

Just then there was a loud knock at the door. There was a shriek from somewhere upstairs, that was probably Yuffie. More shouts followed, and there was the sound of pounding feet on the stairs.

Tifa got up numbly and went to answer the door. Marlene followed, silently. The martial artist opened the door a fraction, and then a bit wider when she recognized the spiky blonde hair of her childhood friend.

Cloud stepped inside with a nervous smile, feeling Tifa's wine-colored eyes sweep over him and Kadaj sullenly. "Hi Tif—"

Just then Yuffie hurtled down the hallway and threw her arms around Cloud's neck, the force of her hug driving him back a step. He burst out laughing and swung the young Wutain around in a circle, overjoyed that someone, at least, was happy to see him. Cid, Red, and Denzel followed at a more stately pace, Vincent trailing along behind. They traded greetings politely, Cloud's smile so big it almost popped off his face.

Then Cid leaned over to the side a little and squinted at Kadaj, who had been hiding behind his lover almost the entire time. "That him? Come here, you."

Kadaj, who had no choice but to obey, inched out from behind Cloud and stood as tall as he could, nervous under the Avalanche member's inspection.

"You eighteen, boy?" Cid asked.

"Yes." Sir. Kadaj added metally, afraid to voice his usual cynicism around the pilot.

Cid glared at him for a moment longer and then clapped him roughly on the shoulder, causing the teenager to stagger sideways. "Glad to have you aboard, pretty boy."

Yuffie, of course, immediately jumped on him with a tight hug. "I just love you already!"

Red stared at him curiously and offered his greetings. Vincent said nothing, but his mouth quirked up at the corner, and Kadaj instantly decided that he liked the quiet man. He met Denzel and Marlene, and was introduced to Tifa, though the only greeting she had to offer was a cold glare and a stiff handshake.

Everyone dissapated back into the house within a few moments after that. Cloud turned to Kadaj, still smiling. "Well? What do you think?"

Kadaj felt a grin appear on his face. "I think I'm going to like it here."

- - - - -

Notes:

Thank you too:

Barney the Dinosaur, for loving me.

My muses, Flagg and Genji, for deciding to come out from under the bed.

Gaara and Rock Lee, for being awesome.

Britney Spears, for singing Oops! I Did It Again. (I love that song, even if Britney isn't that... great of a person.)

Bowling for Soup, who wrote the song Friends O' Mine.

Wolfsong and Klakie and Parker, for being my friendies!

All my loverly readers, for, you know, reading my stuff.

Ciao for now!

-Dove