Disclaimer: I do NOT own Final Fantasy VII, Cloud, Cid, Vincent, or anyone else that may be mentioned in this chapter that belongs to Square Enix. Understand? Good.
Warning: Shounen-ai, people. If you're still reading it, you obviously don't mind that it's present. Which I'm very glad to hear! 3333
A/N: Okay, so this chapter came a little harder because of my English teacher. She's been an ass the past couple of days. That's all I'm gonna say about it.
Also, this story was fueled even more when I reviewed a poem of the person that made me want to write this story and got a very angry response back. I mentioned how Cloud isn't really an idiot and I probably would've liked the poem better if she hadn't done that... Also that, if anything, he was smarter than Sephiroth for not trying to destroy the world. I showed that I was being sarcastic/joking by putting a 'XD' right after what I said. Chick overreacted and said that it was her opinion. Well, this is my response to that: My opinion is, Cloud rules the world and isn't stupid and Sephiroth sucks. Just because she likes him. XP (He was a great villain until he started running around half-naked, then he just seemed like a whore. XDDD). I mean, c'mon. He was half-naked in that bubble and probably would've been fully naked if he wasn't all tentacle-y. And then there was the last fight you have with him inside Cloud's mind thing. (At least I think it was Cloud's subconscious.) Anyways, sorry if I offended any Sephiroth fans, but... Blame that chick for me not liking him. XD
Chapter 3: Getting Drunk is My Job, Kid
The room was completely silent. Neither Cloud nor Vincent were making a noise and Cid had long since left the room because he couldn't keep his moth shut like they could. It was his fault that the whole silence thing had started. After all, he didn't let Cloud say what he wanted to say, so they made a bet. They had a contest to see who could stay quiet the longest. Cid, of course, was done within five minutes, not being able to keep himself from saying something about how it was too quiet. Vincent and Cloud, however, were practiced at staying silent. Vincent had been asleep for thirty years (didn't leave much room for conversation) and Cloud had been alone and without memories for the past few days, so he hadn't been talking to anyone. (And of course, we all know that he's always too busy angsting to do much else.)
Cid walked through the front door, hands full of bags. Bags that seemed to be full of cigarettes and booze. Cloud raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Vincent stared silently, mentally groaning because he knew what was going to happen next. Or at least, he had a general idea of what was going to happen. Cid put the things down on the counter and stood in between them, wrapped one of his arms around each of their necks and pulled them right up against him.
"Alrighty, children, we're done playin' games. Now it's time ya turned from boys ta men. Get what I'm sayin'?" he said, smiling and making sure they were both extremely uncomfortable. "I mean the contest's over! Booze for both o' ya!"
"Cid, we don't need booze to show that we were able to keep quiet longer than you," Vincent got out of his grasp and saw Cloud struggling to do so. It seemed Cid was trying to purposely make Cloud uneasy. "Now let Cloud go. We have to get going."
"We'll get goin' when I feel like flyin' my ship." Cid just held onto Cloud tighter and even kissed him on the cheek to annoy him.
"If you're going to be gay with someone, be gay with Vincent!" He whimpered and slipped out of his assailant's grasp.
Cid just smirked and pulled his beer and cigarettes out. Walking up to Vincent, he kissed him quickly and slipped something into his clawed hand. Vincent almost dropped it, realizing that Cid had actually thought about him! At first he hadn't been able to identify what the substance was. He couldn't feel it through metal, after all. However, when he moved it to his other hand he was able to feel it exactly. It was much different from Cid's beer. Oh so much different. The slenderness of the bottle gave away what it was in mere instances. All he had to do was see what flavor and, if Cid got it right, he'd be happier than a monkey's uncle. Well, he wasn't exactly sure how happy monkeys' uncles were, but... Everyone talked about them so much, he figured they must be happy. Anyhow, he looked down at the bottle to see that Cid had gotten it right. He smiled the best that he could. After all, it would be gone soon.
Cid wanted something.
However, Vincent wasn't going to ask that right now. Right now he was going to concern himself with opening this bottle and getting a taste of that liquid. Or, at least the little taste that he could get from it. Thirty years of not eating really killed your taste buds. He would know, he could hardly taste the difference in anything anymore. However, that wine taste seemed to stay with him. Whether it was because the red wine was his favorite or it was just because he was weird like that, he didn't know. What he did know was that he loved red wine and that was the thing he could still taste the sharpest out of anything in this God forsaken world.
Cloud stared at them and was, for some reason, reminded of Zack. He couldn't exactly remember why, only thinking of Zack as someone who fooled around and had some weird, twisted, pedophilic attraction to him. Not that he minded, it was better than being ignored. That was the worst feeling you could feel. The only thing he wasn't liking Zack for was not being able to see Sephiroth. He really wanted to be able to see Sephiroth! What was Sephiroth doing today? He couldn't exactly remember reading about him in the news papers, and the doctors just went pale when he asked and changed the subject. They never wanted to help him get his memories back... They were the weirdest doctors he'd ever had contact with. He didn't have much more time to think, however, before a beer bottle was shoved into his mouth against his will. He heard Vincent gasp from the kitchen and rush over, pulling on Cid's shoulders to get him away from Cloud.
"What? It ain't gonna kill 'im. He's twenty-somethin' now. Needs to be a man. Drink some liquor." Normally, Cloud would've passed it down. Alcohol didn't appeal to him. However, after being locked in here the past few days, anything was better than the water and sour milk they provided him with.
"That's not the point, Cid. You should at least ask if he wants it first." Vincent had his arms crossed, feeling very much out of character for scolding Cid like this. Normally he would just leave it be, but Cloud was so fragile at the moment.
Cloud pulled the bottle out of his mouth after taking a sip. That one sip reminded him of why he didn't drink... The burning sensation it sent down his throat and the disgusting taste just wasn't his thing. You had to have a taste for these sorts of things and he just didn't. However, the stress of this whole situation caused him to sip at it again, this time tolerating it a little more than the last. He kept doing that until the bottle was half-way gone, then he decided to put it down. Vincent was giving him funny looks.
"It's fine, Vincent. I... sorta needed it." He leaned against the wall and just stared at the bottle in his hand.
Vincent and Cid were both drinking their liquor, being so used to them that they didn't have to sip like Cloud did. Of course, Vincent was in a more "I can't really taste it" sort of category, but Cloud wasn't aware of that. Neither was Cid. He never discussed these sorts of things with other people. They didn't want to hear about his problems. No one wanted to... Okay, so Cid did. He was constantly bugging Vincent to tell him stuff about Lucrecia and his past, saying how it would help if it wasn't bottled up. However, Vincent found it easier to deal with if he forgot Lucrecia in one of his moments with Cid. He never truly forgot her, no, but she was more of a lingering presence when he was kissing Cid, or even just snuggling with him, rather than being an ever constant annoyance. Wow, snuggling didn't seem like a word that he should be applying to himself. However, that was the only word that could really describe the action. Besides... He was gay. Supposedly gay men were more feminine or something. Yeah right. Cid was the least feminine thing he'd ever seen. Maybe that's... why he was on top most nights. He had dominancy issues.
Cid stared at Vincent, Vincent stared at Cloud, and Cloud stared at Cid. It was this circle of staring they had going. Cid was staring at Vincent for obvious reasons. Vincent was his unofficial boyfriend. He was great to look at. The things he always stared at the most were Vincent's hair, eyes, and, yes, his metal arm. He always wondered how that thing didn't kill them when they were really getting into the moment... However, Vincent always used it carefully, never once harming either one of them. Vincent was staring at Cloud just for something to stare at. Plus, it had been Cloud that had sort of started his thought process. So obviously he was going to look at what he was thinking about. Unless it was Lucrecia, then he couldn't do it. It just... Wasn't allowed. Cloud was staring at Cid for less obvious reasons, but still justified. He wondered how Cid could drink so much so fast. He was having trouble consuming his half a bottle, never mind two (yes, Cid was working on his third now). He wasn't going to question the master of beer drinking, he just wanted to know exactly how he did it so fast. They drank in silence for a few more minutes before Cid had to speak up.
"Jesus, if we're all gonna go gaga-eyed over each other, why don't we have a make-out session?" That earned him a good smack across the head from Vincent and a glare from Cloud. Though they all knew that in some twisted way or another... It made sense. Total and perfect sense.
It took another two hours for Cloud and Cid to get rid of the beer and for Vincent to finish his red wine. Cid was perfectly fine, having drank a lot in his life. So was Vincent, having not really tasted it and stuff like that didn't really have an affect on him. Cloud was starting to sway a little bit on his feet, and Vincent looked a lot prettier than he had before. His black hair spiked out instead of staying straight. That was when Cloud was aware that his vision... Wasn't the same as it had been moments ago. Cid was replaced by a bookshelf (how his mind got a bookshelf out of Cid he would later wonder himself) and Vincent was now Zack. He was actually living a scene from his past. Well, sort of. He was aware that he himself was actually on the ground, but everything was playing out before him even though he was still awake. He knew he was awake. His eyes were still open and he was watching the whole scene take place.
A few moments later, however, Vincent was shaking him by the shoulders and trying to move him to a better location to sleep. Preferably one near to a trash can for when he woke up. He heard Cid mumble something about "drank too much" and Vincent say "your fault." However, it wasn't really Cid's fault... Was it? No. It was his own for not stopping. So... No, wasn't Cid's fault.
However, Cloud wasn't willing to stay down for long. He couldn't sleep now. Now that he'd moved and his brain's gears were grinding together to make up something called a thought process, he was awake. Fully aware, or not, that Cid was there. The or not because he wasn't really aware of who he was. He just seemed to be there. Randomly. No one of consequence. Vincent, on the other hand, stood out perfectly. Cloud knew exactly who he was. And he, for some reason, couldn't tear his eyes away from the black haired, red eyed beauty. Well, he saw him as a beauty. It would've been rather insulting to Vincent's manly pride if Cloud said that out loud. Cloud also had this problem with letting Vincent go when he tried to leave the room. He felt him tugging and tugging, but he just wouldn't let go.
"Cloud, you should get some sleep. Cid and I will be in the other room if you need any help, okay?" Vincent tried once more to free himself from Cloud's grasp, but he wouldn't let go.
"You... You're so different from him. I... I don't remember him much, but you're just so different. Yet, the same. Your hair... How nice you are... I don't get it. How can you be the same, but different?" Cloud wasn't making sense to himself, so he wasn't sure that his point was getting across to Vincent, or if he even had a point in the first place. Vincent gave him a strange look and then smiled, seemingly understanding exactly what he meant.
"We're not the same, Cloud. I don't mean half as much to you as he did. I doubt I ever will. Keep that in mind. That's the fundamental difference between Zack and me. Do you understand?"
Cloud shook his head. He didn't want to understand what Vincent was saying. He wanted to be happy in thinking that Zack was here with him, in some way or form. In the drunken stupor that he was in - or near drunken stupor - he didn't understand that Zack was always with him. He wasn't trying to be sentimental and mushy. He was just trying to understand that, yes, there was someone remotely like the person he knew could help him around. And Cloud wasn't going to let him walk out of the room, out of his sight. The last time he couldn't see Zack he was shot to death. Shot to death by the very people he had worked for. However, those people had wanted them both dead. Until they realized that Cloud was practically a useless dummy. Then they left him.
Vincent was here though, and Cloud wasn't going to let him go. He wanted to know if he felt like Zack. Despite the fact that he didn't have too much of a memory of him, he was still remembering the feel of him. Even things that a man shouldn't know the feel of on another man's body. Cid hadn't done anything. Cloud was registering that he should be though. However, it seemed that he was enjoying the whole scene. Finding it very entertaining, he was. Cloud just stared at him a couple of moments before looking back to Vincent and tugging him down so they could look each other in the eye. It was more awkward for Vincent than anyone else. Cloud didn't care, he was drunk, and Cid just thought it was absolutely hilarious. That is, he thought it was hilarious until Cloud's lips met Vincent's.
Cloud sat there, with his lips pressed against Vincent's, wondering exactly how he was supposed to be doing this. He knew that he wanted to know if they were at all like Zack's, but how was he supposed to determine that? He wasn't sure if he could feel it from the kiss. However, when Vincent kissed back for his sake, he was able to tell that they weren't the same. They were far from the same. Vincent's lips didn't demand so much from one person. He only expected occasional acknowledgment, and hardly any feeling of affection aimed at him. So therefore, he didn't demand so much. Zack, on the other hand, was an attention whore. He lived and breathed for attention. So while he only asked for a kiss verbally, a kiss had always asked for much more than that.
Cloud finally pulled back, and Vincent sat there, stunned with himself. How could he let Cloud do something like that? And with Cid standing right there! However, Cloud was now laying on his side, drifting to sleep. He wouldn't have to worry about getting kissed again. Cid was frowning, but he had an idea as to why Cloud did it, so he wasn't exactly mad. Vincent immediately got up and walked over to him, going to calm him down. All the while Cloud was mumbling something about someone being gone. Both of them knew who he was talking about.
If Cloud hadn't been drunk, they would've kept him awake to keep him from dreaming any more. This Cloud wasn't broken like their Cloud was. Sure, he was confused as hell, but he enjoyed a good time with them. Cid didn't want to see Cloud hurt like he always was. However, the more he dreamt about what had happened in the past, the more he'd realize just how much his life wasn't so great. They had both been surprised that he hadn't asked when Zack was going to come and get him as well. It was a good thing, though. There would be too many questions to answer about how he died. The way he was going, he'd be able to figure it out himself.
"Vinnie, calm down. He's, uh... gonna be alright." Cid wasn't really sure of what he was saying. Sure, he wanted Cloud to be okay, but that didn't mean that he was really going to be. Everything he'd been through... Cid had always been surprised that Cloud didn't look like Vincent. Then again, Vincent went through some sick experimentation stuff. They had different, yet similar, situations.
"I'm calm. Let's go into the living room," Vincent said as he pulled Cid out of the room. Cloud's dreams weren't going to be pleasant today. They may even be out of the order that he had them normally. He didn't want it to be a depressing one, but in the state that he went to sleep... Who knew what was going to happen?
They reached the living room and once again pulled out the bed there. Tonight, however, neither one of them was going to be half as discreet as the night before. Cid, because now Cloud knew and what else could possibly happen? And Vincent because he just didn't care at the moment. He needed to make sure that Cid was actually there. He had to make sure that Cid wasn't going to leave like Lucrecia left him, or how the most important people in Cloud's life left.
They started by just kissing each other, but once Vincent started shaking due to worry (and possibly a little bit because of the alcohol he had consumed), Cid started rubbing his back and kissing all over his face. Vincent's good hand was roaming, trying to see where everything on Cid was without actually being able to see him. Though the lights were still on, his eyes were still closed and he didn't want to open them. He didn't want to open in fear of not being able to see Cid any more. Feeling that he was there was better than anything else. So he continued to run his hands along Cid's body as Cid himself trailed kisses up and down his neck.
In some way or another, they were hoping that Cloud would wake up. Both of them had a really bad feeling about letting him sleep.
2
Cloud didn't even know that he was dreaming until he noticed that trees were whipping by. Even then he couldn't really register that he was dreaming. It had happened before. So he just thought it was happening again. Zack was next to him, talking about what they'd do when they got to Midgar. Cloud, for some reason, couldn't respond. He didn't know how they'd gotten there or what had happened. He seemed to be around twenty or twenty-one. His mind just couldn't register any rational thought at the moment. Zack was still talking to him, despite the fact that he wasn't talking back. Cloud couldn't remember what had happened between the time gap, unlike the time when he went from being six to ten. It was making him uneasy.
The truck they were in stopped and Zack helped him out, making sure not to drop him on the way down. Held him up around the waist and made Cloud put an arm around his shoulder. Cloud didn't get why he couldn't do anything. He felt like a potato. Or maybe just a bean bag. Either way, Zack was heading towards a cliff that overlooked something. He knew what it was, though. Even though he hadn't been there since before... Since before whatever happened to make him lose his memory. He didn't want to go to the cliff though. He tried to pull back, but only succeeded in shifting a little. That earned a hopeful glance from Zack. He seemed tired, though only his eyes showed it. Otherwise he was as happy and fit as ever.
"There it is Cloud." He leaned his head against Cloud's, hoping that the others wouldn't just roll over. It didn't. "Midgar, man. The place we've been trying to get to. We got away from them. Got away from Se— and Ho–. Got away from 'em all."
Cloud wanted to stare and asked why he hadn't finished the two names above. In the state that he was in, he couldn't even begin to think about and consider what they were. Plus, the second one seemed absolutely foreign to him anyway. Zack set him down on the ground and walked closer to the edge. Twigs snapped from behind him and Zack automatically pulled out his buster sword and spun around. He wasn't quick enough, however. A bullet had already caught him in the shoulder, causing him to drop the weapon before he even got a chance to use it. Cloud wanted to get up and help, but he couldn't. He couldn't move. Zack picked up the sword again and managed to attack the soldiers, or at least that's what they seemed to be from this angle. He got too close though. Close enough for one of the men to go around his sword and shoot him in the chest before getting cut down himself.
Zack was now bleeding in two places, soon to be more. The soldiers never stopped firing, never gave him another chance to fight back. They were so close to their goal. He didn't want to stop it now. He couldn't. However, the goal landed him a trip to the ground and about twenty to thirty more bullets in his chest, causing him to die just after the firing stopped. Cloud couldn't tell if he was really dead, or if he was just faking the guards, but how could you survive something like that? How could you possibly hope to survive getting shot in the chest so many times? Of course, if Zack was dead he probably wasn't hoping anymore. The only one that was, was Cloud.
The guards walked over to him and kicked him a couple of times. That's when Cloud realized that his pain sensors were still working, but his ability to react to them wasn't. When they discovered they weren't going to get anything from him, they decided that it'd be pointless to kill him. He wasn't going to do anything anyways, so the left. Leaving him alone with Zack's body. It was when he remembered that Zack's body was there that his fingers started to move. That's where it started. Little by little, everything else started to work, as if he was cautious about moving to go see how bad he looked. The last thing to cooperate and move were his feet and toes.
Standing up wasn't an option, he just kept falling back down. He'd have to learn to walk all over again in order to get anywhere. He crawled over to Zack's limp body and looked at the bloody mess. If they'd kept shooting there would've been a hole in his chest the size of a softball. There was still one there from the repeated shooting to the same spot, but it wasn't half as large as it could've been. Cloud ran his fingers over each and every wound that he could see. He didn't think there was a place that didn't have one until he looked at Zack's face. There was blood splattered on it, but there wasn't a wound anywhere near it. On his head, neck or anything. The closest wound was Zack's shoulder. Cloud felt his eyes burn and tears fall down his cheeks. He wasn't even able to talk to Zack before he died. He wasn't able to do anything. And even if he had been alive after the soldiers left, he was certainly dead now. Too much blood loss. Cloud hit his knees with his fist, angry that he'd taken so long to move again. Sure, if he hadn't been frozen to the spot he would've died to, but... Wasn't that better than feeling that aching feeling in his chest? That feeling like he was being ripped apart from the inside out.
"I'll live out both our lives. I promise. I'll be you and you'll be me. We'll be the same person all of the time. Then you won't leave. Ever. Right?" Cloud leaned down and kissed Zack for the last time. Somehow he understood that it wasn't the first.
After digging for hours and burying Zack's body on the cliff, he left, hoping to never have to stand on it again.
3
Cloud bolted up out of his bed. He could smell food and he wanted it. However, his head ached too much to actually get up and get it. He wasn't going to get sick, he knew that. He could tell he'd already gotten sick as much as he needed to throughout the night, still managed to get it in the garbage can even though he couldn't remember waking up once. All he needed was a little food, little aspirin, he'd be fine. Just dandy. Okay, so that was a complete lie. He just watched someone he knew was dear to him get shot to death. The thing that killed him the most was that the devastation about the whole event would be drawn out seeing as he didn't remember everything about his relationship with Zack. It was going to take a little while for him to be able to realize exactly how depressing all of this was.
He sat up in bed and yawned. He could hear Vincent and Cid in the kitchen, so he decided to investigate. When he got there, he was surprised to see that everything that was his in the apartment was packed. They'd either brought their own suitcases or had bought them while he was asleep. They were busy cooking breakfast, testing each thing in each other's mouth. Which was depressing to walk up on if the last thing you really saw in your dream was you kissing someone and then burying them. However, the moment they noticed him in the room, they stopped. And watching them just stand there staring reminded him that... He couldn't remember anything he did other than have a staring contest with the two. Man, there were reasons for him not drinking.
"Sorry," Vincent said, bowing his head and getting back to finishing up the meal.
"How're ya feelin'?" Cid walked over and wrapped an arm around his shoulder before bringing him into the kitchen. "You were kinda depressed when you went ta bed and we were worried that somethin' bad might 'appen in yer sleep."
"I... dreamt about Zack again. Except... This time he died." Cloud rubbed his head. It hurt so much to think about anything right now. He really needed food so he could take some aspirin.
"That's what we were afraid you were going to dream about." Vincent looked over from his cooking to stare at him with a sad look in his eyes. "You were going on about him before you fell asleep. Though, you said you don't remember much about him."
"I don't... Except for when we met and when he died. That's all I can remember about him right now. I guess... I guess that means I can't drink alcohol any time close to when I'm sleeping. Next time... Keep me awake." Cloud walked into the living room and heard Cid mumble, "We woulda 'cept... You were smoochin' Vinnie."
His head peered around the door frame. The door seemed pointless... There was a bar type thing that you could see into the living room through anyways. "I did what?"
"Uh... Yeah, Vin, what'd 'e do again?" Cid laughed nervously and Vincent gave him a sour look.
"Well, Cid, seeing as you're the one that mentioned it, I think you could explain."
"Right. Gotcha, hun. Well, Blondie, ya kissed my Vinnie-dear. Said you wanted to know whether or not his lips were like Zack's. When you found out they weren't, ya got all depressed." Cid scratched the back of his head, then changed the subject when he noticed that Vincent was distributing food to plates. "Food! I betcha yer hungry, Blondie."
"Not just that... I've got a massive headache." He rubbed his eyes and then walked into the living room, planning to eat in there.
"Sorry, Cloud. We aren't sitting and eating this meal. We're taking the plates and heading for the ship. It seems that Mideel's unstable and the Lifestream may erupt at any moment." Vincent brought the plates out covered in plastic wrap and the rest that he hadn't distributed was being held by Cid in containers.
"But how are we going to get all my stuff-" Just then, the door opened and multiple people with the same uniform came in and began to pick up his stuff. Before he could say anything, Vincent was pushing him out the door and Cid was walking beside him.
4
He hadn't expected to see the airship hovering above the ground when he walked outside. However, that's exactly what he saw and it almost made him run back in for shelter. How he hadn't heard it was a miracle to him. It was bigger than the hospital they'd had him in, which was extremely sad. He was told to grab onto the ladder and wait to be pulled up. He saw that his luggage was being lifted in a net and would be alright. Not that he had a lot, just two or three bags. He didn't have much with him other than clothes. Once on the airship, he had to cover his mouth. He knew that Zack had given him tips for getting over the motion sickness, but he couldn't remember them! If he tried to think about something else on the airship it just reminded him that he was in the air. And that he would be moving. Not a happy thought.
"We already got Fenrir aboard yesterday before we came to your apartment," Vincent led Cloud in the direction of the cabin, so he wouldn't have to stare at them moving.
"Who?" Cloud was confused as to who Vincent was talking about.
"Not 'who', 'what'. Dummy." Cid led them down a flight of stairs and into the hull of the ship where all of the cargo was being stored. "There she is. Fenrir. Beauty she is. Don't know how ya got 'er."
Cloud stared at the motorcycle before him and wondered why he would name a vehicle. Was he bored? Did he not really have any other friends and Cid and Vincent were taking advantage of the fact that he couldn't remember anything to get closer? He was confused. However, he couldn't help but walk over and run his hands along the sleek material. It scared the shit out of him when the sides spread out and there were about a bajillion different swords staring at him. Okay, so they weren't staring, but it was still scary as hell to have to look at something like that. And there weren't a bajillion of them. He liked exaggerating. So Fenrir was his? So were all these swords? They were huge. Just like... Just like Zack's Buster Sword. So had he begun to live out Zack's life? By first taking his sword? Did he accomplish what he set out to accomplish? He supposed he wouldn't really know. Not yet anyways.
"Vince! Cid! Hey! Welcome back aboard!" Cloud turned to see... a girl. That was wrong. Girls weren't allowed in the lives of gay men. Okay, so he was still unsure about his sexuality, but Cid and Vincent were gay. "Hey, Cloud! How're you feeling? You look... pale."
"Yuffie, back off. Cloud has a headache." Vincent held the girl back when she went to walk up to him.
"Z'oh my God! Did he become a drunk when we left him? Or did I do it? I'm sorry if I did it, but if you–" Cid clamped his hand over Yuffie's mouth before she could say anything more.
"He ain't a drunk. Just had a few too many last night. An' that was my fault." Cid let go of her mouth and Vincent dropped his arm. Yuffie took this opportunity to run and hug Cloud.
"They said there was something wrong with your head! I mean, that was just horrible what happened. Whatever happened, that is. None of us really know. Do you know?" She stared at him for a while, waiting for him to answer and never letting go of his waist.
"I don't remember you, do you really think I'd remember what happened to make me forget?" Cloud didn't mean to be rude, but she was too close for someone he didn't know or remember. He'd had the same problem with Cid. However, all his worries about that were long gone.
Yuffie let go of him. "Right, sorry. Cid mentioned that I just sort of... forgot. I'm just... glad you're not hurt."
"...Memory loss doesn't count?" Cloud stared at her a little confused.
"Not really. I mean, it's not a terminal illness, right? And you're recovering, aren't you?" She gave him a "you know I'm right" look before turning back to Vincent. "You guys didn't scare him with you're 'I'm so queer'-ness, did you?"
"Actually, Yuffie, he joined in." Vincent was in a teasing mood at the moment, but he couldn't tease Cid because they weren't alone. So instead, he teased Yuffie, trying to get her mad.
"He what?!" Yuffie looked from Cloud, to Cid, to Vincent, then back to Cloud again. She couldn't really see those three as a, well, threesome.
Cloud was blushing. He was, of course, against what Vincent just said. He knew that Cid had hit on him, which would make him apart of their group for a moment. And he'd kissed Vincent while he was drunk, another thing to add him to the group. However, neither he nor Cid had acknowledged it as an actual threesome. Vincent was the only one doing so. And he was probably doing it to annoy Yuffie.
"Yeah, joined us last night, it was great," Cid said grinning. Scratch him not acknowledging it.
Once again Yuffie looked to him and he knew it was his turn. He was either going to have to deny their claims or go with it. He couldn't tell if it was a hopeful gleam in her eyes or a terrified one. Either way, he had a feeling that he couldn't disagree with Vincent and Cid at this point in time. So therefore, he decided to go with it by... Gasp! Kissing Cid! Cid, of course, returned it, knowing exactly what he was doing. Vincent smiled. However, when Cid started to grope him in places he didn't need to be groped in front of people, he pushed him back and blushed.
"Stop it. That's for private times." Cloud wanted to say, "You're embarrassing me! Knock it off," but he didn't. He held back. Instead he decided to say, "I guess... We're together?"
Yuffie then squealed and he wished he hadn't said anything. He knew she was the gay-fan type. The type that squealed in your ear and wanted you to die from a ruptured ear drum. That would've happened too, if Vincent hadn't clamped a hand over her mouth. He then led her away and left Cloud and Cid alone in the cargo hold. They both just stood there for a moment before Cid grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the stairs. Cloud couldn't see why he'd want to hold hands. He, himself, could walk perfectly fine on his own.
"Uh, Cid, she's gone now..." Cloud wasn't sure what Cid was going to say back, and he was a little worried.
"And? Yer part o' the couple now." He grinned and pulled a stunned Cloud up the stairs.
These were going to be a long few days of remembering.
/Chapter 3
A/N
Well, there ya go! This chapter was longer than any chapter I've done in a while. . Lots o' words too. I think I did a pretty good job with the narration and everything. However, don't let me think that if it's not true! Review and let me know! Or don't... I'm writing this story for my pleasure this time around. Which is something I haven't done in a long time. Therefore, you can do what you want. I realize I'm not the best FFVII writer out there. XD You can tell me that too.
Thanks to my two reviewers! That doesn't seem like a lot for two (going on three) chapters, but it's enough for me. 333 At least it's something, right? Something's always better than nothing.