Jainre – this incident is all your fault.
Chapter 79: Group Activities
Cloud had apparently already cleaned off his boots before he'd had his bathroom invaded but Tifa's sneakers had gotten soaked in the shower and they would have looked funny with the dress anyway. So she held them in one hand and rolled her clothes up in the towel she'd used to dry off and walked next door to the girls' room barefoot. Cloud walked next to her and they kept catching each other's eyes and trying not to smile like idiots. Shera opened the door when Tifa knocked, looking far too pleased with herself and grinned when she saw Tifa.
"See? It's much faster when we share," she told Tifa and Tifa had to try very hard not to look at Cloud because she knew she'd never be able to keep a straight face if she did.
"Mm," Cloud gave his opinion and Shera moved away from the door so everyone could come in. She was in a red dress that made her eyes sparkle and Aerith was in another pink dress and sitting on the bed brushing her hair. Her friend smiled at her when Tifa came in.
"Do you like the dress?" she asked and was so pleased with herself that Tifa finally gave in and laughed, moving over to throw her arms around her friend.
"You're so evil," she told her and Aerith hugged her back and grinned.
"I know. You adore me."
"Let me take those," Shera scooped the towel and shoes out of Tifa's hands and bustled over to hang them up. "You know, you didn't have to wash them over there. They've got a laundry service, Tifa."
Tifa must have hesitated just long enough because Aerith's eyes got wide and Tifa could all but see her friend's ears perking up. Quick, before the other woman could say anything, Tifa waved her hands.
"No. It's okay. I didn't mind."
"Do you need laundry service?" Aerith asked Cloud, voice slow and mischievous.
"Uh, maybe?" he guessed and that was when Tifa realized –
"You left your clothes in a pile in a corner of the bathroom somewhere, didn't you, Cloud Strife?" she asked, hands on her hips as she turned to face him. His eyes narrowed in a wince and he rubbed at the back of his head.
"Uh, maybe?"
Tifa found herself stifling a laugh and she moved over to throw her arms around his shoulders and grin up at him. The 'little boy expecting a scolding' look didn't entirely vanish but a youthful smile joined it.
"You're terrible," she told him. Turned her head to look at the other two women that were grinning. "You're all terrible. It's wonderful."
"Group hug!" Aerith decided and jumped up to wrap her arms around Tifa and Cloud as well. A bit more hesitantly, Shera joined them and Tifa reached out to pull her close. Cloud looked a little overwhelmed by the influx of women and his cheeks whispered pink but after a moment of them not going away, he settled his arms around whoever was in range and relaxed. Tifa thought she couldn't imagine being happier. And then the door opened. Cloud tried to turn to look but he had women hanging on to him and so Tifa caught the first glance as she looked over his shoulder to see Denzel and Marlene and –
"Yes! Group hug!" Zack pumped his arms and then was suddenly through the door and tackling Cloud from behind and the children and Yuffie ran over laughing to join in the growing mass of people trying to keep their balance in the center of the room. Tifa was laughing, squeezed against everyone and she wasn't the only one. This was the way it was supposed to be, her mind whispered. This was always the way it was always supposed to be.
"Shit. What's this? Some kinda yuppie, tree huggin' hippy-fest?"
Tifa's head came up at the drawling voice and Shera let out a squeak.
"Captain?" Shera tried to untangle herself from the group but it wasn't easy. Somewhere against her side, Tifa was aware that Aerith was radiating just far too much satisfied pleasure.
"Uh..." Shera was trying to brush down her hair with her hands and her face was flushed red. Tifa, peeking over Cloud's shoulder, could easily see Leon and Cid standing in the doorway, Leon looking faintly amused and, perhaps, just a little lonely, and Cid looking faintly amused and, perhaps, as if he though they were all idiots.
"I thought the tram was broken," Shera managed and Leon shrugged.
"We found a way around it."
"We're men! Like we need a fuckin' tram," Cid inserted and then got whacked on the back of the head by Barrett who was just coming in as well.
"Watch yo' language. There's kids here."
Then Barrett got a look at the mass of bodies in the middle of the room and his eyebrows came down.
"You all are a bunch of fuckin' nuts," was his opinion but he looked vaguely amused.
Aerith managed to extract herself with a laugh and she caught at Zack's arm to pull him off of Cloud.
"Come on! We're all dressed up! I want to go out to dinner! I want everyone to come to dinner and I want to sit around a big table and laugh and talk and drink too much!" She gave Zack's arm a tug and he looked down at her with a big smile.
She's comfortable around him, Tifa realized. Now that she knows he's not who she remembers, she's comfortable around him. And on the tail of that was the horrifying realization that the two biggest instigators in her life now seemed to be in league. Zack grinned down at Aerith.
"If the lady wants to get smashed, I say we all go get smashed. Let's do it!"
Marlene looked up from where she was tucked backward under Cloud's arm.
"We're not allowed to get smashed," she informed him pertly. "Tifa says not until we're old enough to clean up our own puke."
Tifa winced a little at this true quote and its indication on her parenting skills but Zack just nodded.
"Well, what about adults? Are they allowed to get smashed?"
"Oh sure," Marlene dismissed it with a roll of her eyes and also dismissed the last semblance of 'good parenting' Tifa thought she might have had clinging to her as her little sister continued. "Adults get smashed all the time. That's when we go through their pockets."
"Hot shit!" Cid started to laugh and Tifa felt her cheeks got bright red.
"It's just to pay the drinking bill and hire someone to walk them home," she explained but didn't think it would save her reputation at all.
"You have got the best family in the world!" Zack told Marlene and she smiled and nodded.
"I know."
"Weren't we going to dinner?" Tifa asked and Zack turned his attention on her and grinned.
"Looking hot tonight, Teef. Want to leave the boring guy you're with? I've got another arm."
She laughed at him and relaxed against Cloud, realizing that, though everyone else had backed out of the hug, he still had his arms around her and the children. And that they were still wrapped around him as well.
"No, thanks, Zack." She gave him a grin. "I like where I am right now."
"I know," he gave her a real smile that wrinkled the skin at the edges of his eyes. "I knew you two would work it out." His chin jerked at Cloud and the mischief returned to his eyes. "Just needed Cumulus here to stop fu- funning around."
"Dinner!" Aerith was getting insistent and Zack let her tug him toward the door. When Aerith suddenly spun around it was so well choreographed that Tifa could see trouble coming a mile away.
"But wait- " Aerith protested as the rest of the group staggered to a stop behind her, trying not to become a pile up. "Shera needs an escort. I mean, I've got one and Tifa's got one. It's not fair that – "
"Oh" Zack gestured widely and dramatically with his hand. "She can come with me. I'm sure Barrett will be happy to escort you instead, Aerith. Shera, my love?" he turned expectantly.
"Like hell you will," Cid interjected, almost spitting out his cigarette before he remembered they were inside. With a sour look at the ex-SOLDIER, he offered his arm to the tiny woman. "Come on, Shera. Don't need some spiky haired, randy, full of shit, smooth talkin' kid botherin' ya. I'll walk ya in."
"Old people get cranky when it's past their bedtime," Zack told Marlene and Denzel in a stage whisper. Then he turned to Aerith and announced:
"I've been rejected. Take me back and comfort my wounded heart?"
Aerith shrugged one shoulder and smiled happily.
"Sure."
And just like that the group was underway again, like theatergoers at an intermission. Cloud looked over at Tifa as Shera shyly took Cid's arm and he gruffly escorted her out.
"Your friend's been busy," he offered insightfully and Tifa laughed and slipped both arms around his.
"Understatement" she agreed.
"But – but – who's going to escort me?" Yuffie wanted to know.
