Disclaimer: I do not own these characters; they belong solely to Tetsuya Nomura and Square Enix. Lyrics located at the end of this chapter are property of the recording artist Usher and the song is "U Got It Bad"; I lay no claim to having any ownership of the song; it solely belongs to the performing artist Usher

AN: More edited work to this, and I have to say, I rather like how this one came out. Not as much of a nightmare as the previous one that was edited. To any new readers who are reading this ^^; Don't mind this Author's Note. Simply put, I had this written one way long time ago...and after a couple or so reviews saying I had run ons and other things here and there w/this. I've decided to edit this to Hell to get some inspiration to finish this Fanfic up instead of leaving those who are still reading this not hanging. So yeah. Enjoy. And to any and all reviews I get on these chapters that have been edited. Thanks in advance.

Chapter 3

Every movie has its elements of creating a new classic; and each classic movies contains an array of elements that make it a classic. Each element gives off the wanted effect that viewers look for; the ones that make them love and adore the characters. Root for the under dog, wish for the villain to fail, and for love to always outweigh anything else. Then, there are the characters who people either love and adore, or even loathe and wish would fall off a cliff. Writers are the same way, Cloud had realized that in the writngs of the book he held clasped in his arms. And it was apparent to the distant figure who was listening to the Waitress losing herself all over him. Each of his stories held onto the elements of love, comedy, horror, macabre as well as the well known element, the cliff hanger. Love was the main focus of any and all of his tales, comedy tended to be woven into some parts of his writings, even small little moments in brainstorming were comical. He wouldn't admit it, but, something comical that had happened to Raechel during one of his many Book Tours had been used in the book that followed the tour. Horror played well into the writing process, and was unfolding at the table; Raechel was slowly losing her patience. And Cloud was slowly realizing, he was falling for this man from afar.
Macabre was creeping into Cloud's mind as he realized that he was standing there, probably white as a ghost. Zack was probably wondering if Cloud had had a stroke while standing up. He didn't have to be a writer to write this cliffhanger. Or to have all of the known elements of the book in his hands; he swore off relationships, but why was it that his heart was racing?

"Hey, Earth to Cloud. This is Zackary Fair speaking to Cloud Strife, may I speak to him or has he gone off to loony world?" Zack was beginning to go grow panicked, unaware of Angeal's presence, "Angeal, somethings wrong; he usually decks me by no-"

A quick cuff to the back of Zack's head told him that Cloud had been listening, "...Ow."

"Cloud, is there something wrong?" Angeal inquired as he ruffled Zack's locks, "Cloud, we can't help you if you don't speak to us."

"Who...Who is that?" Cloud managed to get out faintly as he pointed with a shaky finger to the man at the tables across the way.

Angeal looked to the man that Cloud was pointing at, "I don't know, but I guess he must be someone of importance for that Waitress to be spending all that time blushing and gushing over him."

Cloud's book in his hands started to become slack, but Zack caught it as he turned it over, "He looks an awful like the guy on the back of this book...You don't think that its the same g-Damn it! He's taken off again! I swear, I need to put a belled collar around that guy's neck."

"I don't think he'd much appreciate such a thing, besides, I think that's more of our thing..." Angeal chuckled close to Zack's ear as he watched Cloud making his way towards the Cafe without them, "...Besides, I think I'm spotting the signs of a budding crush forming in front of our eyes..."

"But..."

"Shh...its time that he started to realize that relationships don't have to mean restraining orders and bad falling outs..."

Zack sighed as he leaned his head in against Angeal's chest, "I know what you mean, Angeal, its just...I don't want to get that call again. I couldn't bear it to hear his broken voice over the phone..."

"All you can do is be there for him when it all falls apart..."

XXX

A thousand feelings were flooding through the emotional gates in Cloud's brain. No unusual suspects were missing as he slowly began the walk towards the Cafe; each was out in full force. They had lined up at their starting gates, coming to the gates was nervous and anxious. In secret, he had been researching the author; there was no use standing on the sidelines, staring at the him. The starting bell set everything off as his body began to react. His palms became sweaty, his heart started to race, mouth was dry, and like every love struck fool; he was beginning to move towards the man. Cloud was a mere few inches away from the table, clenching and unclenching his book as he waited for the right time to ask or even speak to the man at the table. It didn't seem like it would happen anytime soon since he seemed to be more or less, ignoring, his current table mate.

Gaia, why does he smell so good?

As it is with every daydream; there is a sound that snaps the dreamer out of the dream. The sound of Raechel clearning her throat as her index finger drummed against the table, seemed to be enough. He was left in a daze as his mind was slowly pulled out of the lovely daydream he had been envisioning. All of the feelings of nervousness and jitters had returned as quickly as they had left to hide in his subconscious.

"I'm glad to see that this place has some competent Staff here," Raechel's tone was more then sincere, "Did you get any of that?"

Whenever people get nervous they tend to use the overly used technique of imagining the audience in their underwear, "I did Miss," the waitress remarked.

"Raechel, you don't have to be so cruel to people," Sephiroth muttered; his attention turned toward Cloud, "Can I help you?"

"I LIKE TOAST!"

"I beg your pardon?"

"I...I..."

Angeal and Zack had managed to catch up with Cloud, when they had seen him floundering, "Cloud, we were wondering where you had wondered off to. You kinda left us hanging in the car and you're the only one the car will let lock it up," Zack piped up to break the tension, but he could see that Cloud was going to make a run for it.

"...I gotta go..."

Angeal sighed as he watched Cloud run off and Zack starting to take a run off after him, but he stopped him midway, "Let him go, Pup."

"Yeah but..."

"Leave him be..."

Zack became discouraged as he took it off after him, breaking out of his lover's grasp, "Cloud! Wait a minute!"

"I apologize for my friend..." Angeal sighed as he took his leave, unaware of the stray book on the floor that had been left by Cloud in his rush to get away from the author.

"Well, this is for certain," Raechel smirked, buttering a piece of toast, "You do have a way of attracting the weird apples out of their trees and orchards, Sephiroth."

XXX

Zack found that he had lost sight of his friend as he got to the end of the walkway surrounding the Cafe, "...Man, what was all that about?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Pup...but all I can say is, that guy didn't spook Cloud, there was something else there..."

"Huh?"

"Is there something I can help you gentlemen with?" one of the other Waitress had seen what had happened as she approached the men, "Can I get you two a table?"

Zack was more worried about Cloud compared to eating right now, "Yes please...and a couple of glasses of water, and a menu?"

"Right away..."

XXX

Damn it, damn it, damn it! Its Tifa all over again! Its always like her all over again every time! Damn it!

Cloud had never been so embarrassed in his life. He had only ever heard people use the line he used in the movies for comic relief; all he wanted to do now was crawl into the backseat of his own car and cry. Who was he kidding? Who was going to want a pathetic man like him? Tifa had been right about one thing, Cloud was nothing more then a doormat. Someone to walk over and be discarded as nothing. Fists began to blow against the brick wall of the alleyway walls as tears started to run down his face,

"...Damn it...why did I say that?"

XXX

"Here are your waters, sir," the Waitress remarked as she laid them upon the table in front of Angeal and the menus as well, "Just call for me when you're ready to order..."

Angeal nodded to her, "...Heh, today has jsut been one ball of stress."

"You can say that again, Angeal..." Zack sighed as he took a sip of the water; his eyes became transfixed on the off sort couple that had made this mess, "Just who in the Hell is that guy? Especially the Harpy?"

"You haven't heard of Sephiroth Maximus?" the Waitress from Sephiroth's table remarked as she made her way for the inside of the Cafe to retrieve refills, "He's the most well renowed Romance Literary Author and pretty much has won every literary aware possible for his works."

There had been a few times Angeal had heard that name, and then realized he had noticed some of the man's name on a few of Cloud's books during the move. Even got a glimpse now and again of the man's face on the back of the books. His gaze drifted towards the silver haired man that looked bored out of his mind. He was watching the man as he listened to the nearly Peanut's character teacher talk going on; he was doing all he could to nod and agree. Must've learned that move from previous girlfriends. Over and over, Angeal began to sense that something was starting to come together in his mind who the man was, and what had happened.

"Angeal? Yo, Angeal...Earth to my man..."Zack whistled as he snapped his fingers at the man's face, "What has got you so fixated?"

"See the guy over there?"

"Mmhmm..."

"I think that's the guy that I've heard Cloud mumbling about in his sleep now and again...and the guy he might have a minor crush on."

Zack had to save himself from spewing water all over Angeal, "Wha?"

XXX

Cloud had found it pathetic to hide in the alley, hiding in his car was less pathetic then curled up in the alleyway like a bum. Sitting in his car, he found the silence to be hard to endure. But when he turned on the radio, every station had a song that was playing the same theme. Each song that came on seemed to be about love and it was beginning to aggravate his rotten mood. His mind had begun to play over and over the moment that had just occurred. The childish remark played like a skipped record in his head. A flash of heat spread across his face each time it played. There had been only other time he had uttered that remark to anyone. It had been during a time in his life when he had spiked a high fever and had been hallucinating. His hallucinations at one point had reached a fever pitch. His remarks brought on a nasty result. The Cheerleading squad was prepared to pummel him; while the rest of the school, used it as a way to tease him the rest of the school year. One particular track began to play on the radio. Just what his already crushed, and bruised ego didn't need.

"This next song comes from a young lady from a little town known as, what did you say the name of it was?" the DJ paused as he listened; the voice that came over the airwaves made Cloud want to rip the stereo out of the console.

It was a faint, quiet, and soft spoken voice, "It's called Niblehiem."

"Okay, this one is coming from a young woman out in the back country town of Niblehiem, maybe some of you folks out there and fellow listener's know of this little town. It's a well known place where a number of well known Country singers you've heard of have come out. So tell me, Miss, what song do you want to send out?"

"Do you have the song, 'You've Got It Bad' by Usher?"

Cloud couldn't believe it. Using a song that had been his anthem for as long as he could recall when he had been courting after her. It soon had become the song that he had, countless times, now and again. Fallen asleep to after he head broken up with the caller. More or less; it had been a case of, bad chemistry.

Thanks a lot Tifa…like I didn't need have enough daggers in my heart already…

"Okay, I believe we do have that track, anyone special this is going out to?" the DJ asked as he spoke up.

A soft swish of raven hair swished as soft nimble fingers held onto the phone, "He knows who he is…" and with that, the phone clicked off and the song began to fill the airwaves.

The urge to turn off the depressing song was there, but something told him to let the song play through, "…Yeah, he knows who he is…"

Oh, no, no, no, no...

When you feel it in your body

you found somebody who makes you change your ways

like hanging with your crew

said you act like you ready but you don't really know

and everything in your past- you wanna let go

I've been there, done it, humped around

after all that - this is what I found

nobody wants to be alone

if you're touched by the words in this song

Then baby...

U got, u got it bad

when you're on the phone

hang up and you call right back

u got, u got it bad

if you miss a day without your friend

your whole life's off track

you know you got it bad when you're stuck in the house

you don't wanna have fun

It's all you think about

u got it bad when you're out with someone

but you keep on thinking' bout somebody else

U got it bad...