Cloud paced the hall, glancing furtively at his watch, then up and down both sides of the hall anxious. This went on for a few minutes, every now and then Cloud humming to himself or drumming on his leg. He hated waiting, and even more so when it dealt with one person in particular.
On one side he could see the Midgar metropolitan area spread out, every main street lead away from the Shinra Company building. Behind him the canopy of a massive oak tree. Tapping his foot again he stole one last look, ready to leave. Down the hall, a door clicked open and the Turks, Rufus Shinra's closest confidants, friends but most of all his bodyguards filed out, the young man and his father, their father, Cloud regrettably reminded himself walked out behind the four. Behind them came the eldest brother; Lazard. Lazard was the first to notice Cloud, quickly rounding the group, the father and middle son to busy to notice Lazard's rush.
"I suggest you hide, I've been grilled about grandchildren today," Lazard whispered, finishing just in time for old man Shinra to notice his two wayward sons.
The man smiled, moving away from Rufus, "Cloud, what a surprise!" Rufus smiled, one that siblings reserved for each other, one that said 'you're trapped, have a nice life.' Glancing at Lazard, Cloud noticed the pity he offered. What in Gaia's green earth was going on? "Where is that serendipitous Cetra?"
There it was, Cloud sighed, praying to Gaia he did not have to answer those questions. The hush sounds of the hall irked him, Rufus waved the Turks to go, Lazard seemed to have disappeared into thin air only to appear at the other end of the hall in front of the elevators, Reno by his side. Cloud turned to his father as the elevator dinged, "She is busy." Cloud could only hope the old man wouldn't inquire more.
"Well, that's too bad. "The President patted his shoulder, leading him down the hall to a special elevator that leads only to his office. "Rufus will be leaving, why couldn't he find a nice girl, from Midgar to settle with. No, he wants to marry that Kisaragi girl. Princess or heiress, she's trouble."
"You didn't call me to complain." He stopped, just outside the elevator, "You want me to look for something."
The President sighed, "You would have made a fantastic executive manager. Army, you did well reaching Lieutenant in three years from a grunt." The man marched to his desk, pulling the chair out. "Anyway, an old family heirloom has gone missing. Specifically the vase your grandfather gifted your mother on our wedding day."
Cloud frowned, recalling the ornate vase that had sat in storage for the last twenty-three years. He had seen it only a hand full of times, it was dirty, caked with layers of mud and dust. "It is priceless. Just some old junk. Possible it had gotten sold at mom's memorial auction last year." Cloud shrugged. "It's not like we used it."
The President chortle, "my dear boy." Cloud could feel it coming, the emotional backstory. "It was all I have left of your mother. You look like her you know, but you refuse to follow the family business." Cloud mocked every word mentally.
He had practiced his part well, "I want to do it alone for a while. You know, what I can and can't do, dad." He smiled at the last word, the only way to get the old man to drop anything was to stroke his ego. A small amount would do.
It worked, the President left his desk and stood in front of his youngest son, "I know. Headstrong like your mother."
"Yeah. Hey, you know maybe we can get lunch sometime. I got to mosey, Aerith is expecting me and I got deliveries." Cloud hustled to the door, speed walking, "or dinner. Whenever you're free." Cloud thanked the stars as the door slid open on the fifth jam of the button. "Oh yeah, I'll see you around." Cloud waved wide smiles that dropped as the door slid closed. He had given the vase to Yuffie last year, and who knows what that girl had done with it. Smacking the wall with a closed fist, he would have to wait till the girl returned from her trip to inquire it's where about.
As he stepped off, Lazard and Rufus materialized before him, "he made it out!" Lazard smiled at the fuming man. "Old Man say something about kids huh?"
"No, but I'm sure it would have come up at some point." Cloud stormed past pulling his phone from his pocket, "I got to run guys, meeting Aerith."
Aerith smiled at the waitress, aka Tifa, as she sat a steaming mug of cappuccino and a slice of a giant cinnamon roll in front of her. Steam wafted up, curling around Aerith's nose, caressing it and left with a sweet sugary cinnamon kiss.
"Wow, this smells amazing!" Aerith picked up the fork from the table cutting into the slice. Tifa offered a small reserved smiled and turned. As she made to step away Aerith grabbed her wrist, "The fair is in town, Friday, and I know you and Yuffie love going out with her gone and all. Maybe we could double date." Aerith's own smile, a ray of sunshine, never reached her eyes. Instead, she looked down at Tifa. "You know if you can find a guy on such short notice."
Tifa nodded, "Oh yeah, I would love to! What time?" Her smile grew, there was Todd or Johnny she could take both having a crush on her,
Aerith smile faltered, but she recovered quickly. "Four, we can get dinner afterward." Tifa nodded this time stepping away. Aerith watched her leave, before turning to her cinnamon role slice with just one thought on her mind: what had she gotten herself into.
Tifa cornered Johnny, her friend, and coworker after Aerith left. Stumbling around the request, Johnny ran into the bathroom red-faced, hand clutching his stomach. The few remaining customers stared in horror as the young mans groaning and heaving was heard through the thick oak door. Deciding it was due to the food they quickly left, leaving Tifa alone with the morbid sounds.
Todd, one of the guys from her floor, was much more receptive, he didn't run to the bathroom due to anxiety. With a smile, he accepted, and let her know he would pick her up at two Friday afternoon.
It was now Friday morning and Tifa still hadn't found something to wear. Turning in a circle, Tifa looked over the piles of clothing that littered her floor. From summer florals to bright sweaters, jeans, leggings, shirts, sandals and heels, boots and sneakers the entire contents of her closet currently resided on her floor, some piled most tossed haphazardly around her room. Huffing in defeat, she backed up to her nightstand leaning against it. The vase behind her rattled as her hand brushed it, she didn't notice entranced by the clothing on her floor.
"How are you to hide from your enemies in such a mask as this?" Tifa jumped startled at the deep voice. Turning to her bed she found Sephiroth, free from his prison sat on her bed, a pair of lace and pearl panties on his head, working out the uses the matching bra. It soon joined the panties, his bangs tucked into the cup holes. "Ahead dressing then."
Tifa glared, cheeks red as she clutched her robe at the neck. "Get out." Sephiroth looked up, socks on his hand, working the other one on.
A brow raised, the djinn stood to look down at his master. Tifa peered up at him, feeling that he enjoyed this stance far too much. "You summoned me, Tifa." If he was attempting to intimidate, which he most likely was Tifa deduced from the way he held himself, her pearl pa ties and bra set and socks on him greatly reduced the effect.
Rolling her eyes she pointed towards the door, "Go wait in the living room."
Stepping down, he glanced at her, "I hope you have your second wish." He then looked around her room, "maybe a self-cleaning home."
The door caught the boot she tossed at his head. Groaning she returned to her clothing, what was she going to wear. From her peripheral she caught sight of the clock, it was one forty-five.
Sephiroth found the living room, but the intriguing smell from the kitchen led the way. Sitting on the counter sat a plate, half a sandwich rested under a napkin. The sandwich disappeared, as did a gallon of milk and three boxes of cereal.
Settling down on the couch, Sephiroth looked down at the small spread of cereal, a large tray of meat, bread, mayonnaise, eggs still in their carton and Tifa's wine. A feast fit for a king, he smiled picking up the mixing bowl filled with flakes and circles of color and tiny brown and tan spheres all nesting in a dark brown liquid. Spoon in hand, he sat back. His first attempt in the kitchen ended with the contents of the tiny bowl on the floor, milk wetting the ornate silk of his vest. Even with magic, it would be a hassle to clean. Head tucked down, bowl resting under his chin, he shoveled the food into his mouth.
Sugar rushed through him, the odd combination of chocolate and peanut butter offset the strange sugar flakes and circles, with a slight hint of chocolate from the cow was enjoyable. Chewing slowly, Sephiroth wondered how humans had managed to get chocolate from a cow, he had only seen white milk. Magic, he shrugged, shoving another spoonful into his mouth.
A loud banging drew him from his thoughts. Todd smiled, back turned to the door a large bouquet of flowers in hand. Todd was handsome, light brown eyes with a tight hairstyle reminiscent of marines. With his fited jeans, tan boots, and t-shirt, he was casual, an attempt to not ruin his chances with Tifa Lockhart.
"You got this, its just sweet Tifa." Todd looked up, smiling widely as the door opened behind him. Turning Todd came face to face with a metal mixing bowl, and taut muscles. Knowing Tifa had a roommate, a female roommate, Todd frowned looking up. From the chiseled abs, upwards to the well-muscled chest, large hands clutching the bowl protectively, and continued stopping at the mans face, his cyan eyes hiding behind thick lashes that peered down a far to perfect nose. Looking over the man before him, Todd clenched the bouquet tighter, eyes coming to rest on the man's hair, was that lingerie atop the man's head?
"Can I help you?" Todd looked down, the man was tall, a good five inches than himself with a voice that belonged more in the bedroom than it should.
Nodding, Todd summoned all his courage, "Is Tifa here?"
The man's gaze became steely, dark almost as if a cloud hovered above then, "what do you want with my mistress?"
Todd's eyes bugged, Tifa…sweet, kind Tifa Lockhart was that type of woman? Well, that would explain the lingerie, and the odd pants and shoes the man wore. Tifa and Yuffie were well known in the building for costume parties. "W-we have a date." The man said nothing, only watching him, "you know, dinner, movie. Sometimes you get lucky." The man 's eyes widened as Todd winked suggestively.
Todd watched as the man's lips twisted into a frown, breaking as his lifted a spoon full of cereal and chocolate milk. Chewing, he shook his head, "You're a pig," said the man with women's lingerie proud displayed on the top of his head. "Begone, or face my wrath." The hairs on Todd's neck stood on end, the air becoming charged. Another spoonful of cereal disappeared, Todd backing away.
Glancing at the bouquet Todd shoved it at the man then began backing away, "I-I-I got got these for Tif. You can give them to her." Back peddling Todd stared at the man, hall lights dimming. The static charge grew, a small shock reaching out from the wall to shock the retreating suitor. Satisfied, Sephiroth closed the door setting the bouquet on the messy kitchen counter. Tifa rounded the corner, hair pinned in rollers, to the kitchen and stopped in her tracks, mouth agape. Milk spilled on the counters, down the front of the cabinets to pool on the floor. Cereal littered the counter and floor, cabinets wide open boxes rummaged through. It looked like a group of raccoons had snuck in, not the djinn leaning casually with his mixing bowl of cereal. Resembling a fish, Tifa's gaze swept from the counter and floor to the djinn.
"What the fuck happened?"
Sephiroth shrugged, "I was hungry." Tifa reached into the cabinets, every box and container was empty. Opening the fridge she was met with empty containers, beer bottles lay on their side empty, cheese wrappers littered her dairy drawer, one that still had the cheese sported a bite mark in the corner. Checking the freezer, Tifa was relieved to see a frozen chicken survived his onslaught.
"Did you leave anything?" Tifa slammed the refrigerator doors, disbelief etched on her face. How could one man, magical or not clean her out of a month worth of food, in fifteen minutes? Turning to him, she found herself looking like a fish again. Head hidden by the bowl, he guzzled the milk. Mentally berating herself, Tifa looked away. Where the hell was that vest.
"I left you your frozen bird." Tifa nodded. "Some man came for a 'date', he left these." The bouquet appeared in front of her, his arm held around her. Smiling she took the bouquet.
"Wait he left?"
"Yes, he suggested sexual relations. He was weak and your children would be weak also."
Tifa slammed the bouquet down on her trashed counter, fuming at the djinn, "you ran him off? Wait, you answered my door!" Sephiroth flopped onto the couch, picking up his meat tray and the carton of raw eggs. Tifa stomped over, jerking what food she had left from him, "He was my date you pompous …argh! You ate my food, trashed my house ran my date off and now you…you think you're going to lay on my couch like King Tut?" Jerking the pillow out from under his head, she smacked him with it. "Get up, Sephiroth, your cleaning this mess up." Storming away, she stopped in the hall roughly pulling some of the rollers free, "no magic." Sephiroth lowered his hand, huffing he rolled off the couch surveying the disaster he had made.
"Is this a wish?" The pillow hit aside his head - on target, then flopped pathetically to the cushion beside him. "No, it is not." Standing he got to work.
Tifa, fuming, pulled her hair from the rollers muttering to herself. Johnny was out of the question and thanks to the djinns 'chivalry', she scoffed; she was dateless and out of food. "Jerk." She roughly brushed her hair, taking her anger out on it. So badly did she want to yell at the magical being; for being what he was, he was rather archaic. Taking a deep breath and counting, Tifa pulled a teal cardigan on over her white tank and black leggings. Releasing the breath she threw open the bathroom door. Being cooped up in some bottle surely didn't help, however long that was for Tifa sighed. Hesitating near the kitchen door, she smiled thinking of any time a guy had been driven off for a simple suggestion but could not recall any.
Tifa closed her eyes inhailing deep, they needed to talk. "We need to talk." Tifa stopped at the end of the hall, it opened into the living room with the kitchen to the right. Djinn or not, Sephiroth slowed his ministrations of the counter, those four words transcended all barriers. Tifa cast a warm smike at him. As a man, even a magical one, a smiling woman was a force to recon with Sephiroth knew this. Like a deer infront of a car, Sephiroth slowed to a stop.
"You have thought of your second wish?" Rolling her eyes, Tifa shook her head, the soft waves bouncing around her.
"How long have you been in that bottle?" Sephiroth frowned, wiping the counter off. That was unimportant, he wiped the same spot a few times, it was clean but he did not want to look at her. Tifa crossed her arms watching him. Stepping forward, she opened her mouth, stopping as he looked up.
"I have had thousands of masters. Your life is just a blink of an eye for me, time is inconsequential." Tifa rubbed the cuff of her cardigan between her fingers. It was not the answer she wanted, but thousands of people, decades to centuries. She guess centuries by his manner of dress. "That does not mean I am immortal. I to have a fate that I cannot change."
Silence fell between them, Tifa watching intently as he cleaned up the mess he made. "So …you obviously like to eat." She swallowed hard, eyes darting to his exposed torso, "do you have other clothes?" Looking away she suddenly found the cement countertops interesting. "and can I have those back?" She tapped her hair motioning to his head dress, red-faced.
"Most ineffectual, these hide nothing." Tifa quickly grabbed them, balling the lace and pearl set up. That's the point, she bit her lip. "If you do not have a wish, I shall return to my bottle."
Tifa held her hand up, halting his hasty retreat. "I don't have a wish." Sephiroth nodded, disappearing into the signature black smoke. "wait, why don't…you owe me, come with me."
He solidified, his lower half a black and grey cloud, "I owe you?" he tilted his head, arms crossing, "how so?"
"You ran my date off, I cant show up for a double date without a date. So you owe me, you're my date."
Sephiroth looked her over quizzically, from the firm line of her lip to her finger directed at him. "If I say no…"
Tifa glared, poking his bare chest, "you won't end up with a second wish and until the day I die be my genie, and I will make sure no one finds your bottle and you will die in there." Eyebrows rose, that sounded appealing. Having already resigned to that fate, Sephiroth wasn't sure how long his slow death would take, and while he enjoyed the solitude of his bottle, he also liked seeing sunlight, and fresh air.
Narrowing his own eyes, Sephiroth nodded, "fine." Tifa smiled, how bad could it be.
This chapter was so long, my head cannon has always been cloud is some how related to Shinra...which is not entirely impossible, how many kids does President Shinra have?
If I just found a genie, i would wish the remake would hurry up.