Curses!

God, has this been one hell of a day. I mean, honestly, two of my good friends just tried to con me into asking Tifa to marry me.

Not to mention the fact I found a sign on the front door about an hour ago that read 'See the one and only Blue Streak live at eleven o'clock Sunday morning!'. It also included a small, crude picture of what appears to be blue boxers.

Don't worry, I've already burned them. The blue boxers I mean...not Cid and Yuffie.

Anyways, it's been rather awkward, and I'm thankful that night has finally come. Now I can sleep, and all these crazy, no-good people will be out of my hair for a while.

And no they weren't impaled while being in my hair…

Well…I guess they aren't completely no-good…I mean, they did help save the world and all.

At least I've calmed down somewhat…

…somewhat…

Currently, I'm sitting outside. It's where I've spent most of my time…in the shadows…away from people…eyes…women's eyes…there might have been a few men in there as well…

…let's just not go there.

Leaning back, I notice that the window is open, and I tip my head up slightly, peering up at the light that streams from it.

…I hear voices…

…hmmm…

"…don't sass me, Vincent!" Yuffie spits.

I hear a snicker from what seems to be Reeve.

"What? What?" She seems to have turned her attention to Reeve.

"I'm…I'm…" he's full-blown laughing now. "I'm just trying to imagine Vincent…sassing…someone."

There's a deep rumble, a chuckle, from what seems to be Nanaki.

He clears his throat, though, "But he's right, Yuffie. You had no right to do what you did."

"Since when is giving Spike some type of incentive wrong?" She spits.

They're talking about me!

…dammit…apparently she's relayed her's and Cid's escapade from earlier.

Vincent sighs, "Because Yuffie. Love is a delicate matter. You don't go around pushing two people into it. It's something they do in their own time."

"Listen to the man, he's right." Reeve states.

Sounds like he may have found his way into the alcohol already.

"How? Please, inform me how! It was I, yes I, who even brought around the two hooking up! If it hadn't been for me, Cloud probably still be sitting on his lazy ass brooding all day long on whether or not Tifa was in love with the hot carpenter guy from Kalm."

…What?

"A hot carpenter guy from Kalm?" Vincent asked, dubiously.

"Yes. He's been here five times, as far as I know. And! I know for a fact that Cloud is extremely jealous of him…I also have it on good sources that he was well interested in Tifa for quite a while…may still be for all I know."

He's been here five times?!

"…wait…wait a second, hang on." Reeve's struggling, "How do you know all this?"

"I…uh…bu…I erm…"

"Basically that means she's gotten the guy drunk and conned him into telling her." Nanaki states.

"Oh." Reeve replies.

"I did not get him drunk. He was perfectly drunk when I met him, thank you very much. I just used that to my advantage."

Reeve snickers again, Nanaki joins him.

"So what does this have to do with Cloud and Tifa?"

"Why do you think that guy was there the night Cloud had his 'revelation'?"

"What?" Reeve asked.

Yuffie sighs, "When I basically flat out told him that Tifa was interested in him, and he was interested in her."

"Can't you just let things be done in its own time?" Vincent asked, he's peeved slightly.

"NO. The fact of the matter is I'd probably be in my grave before those two got together if we left it up to them."

"She does have a point." Reeve states.

"Still, one push was enough Yuffie." Vincent remarks. "You need to learn how to respect other people's matters."

"And grow up a bit…" Reeve mutters.

"I resent that!" Yuffie yells.

"What do you think of all this, Nanaki?" Reeve asks, ignoring Yuffie.

"I think it's absolutely absurd."

"What, Cloud and Tifa?" Yuffie asked.

"Humans in general."

Significant scoffing and protests inserted here.

"I cannot help it if I do not understand the human psyche. It is as trivial and complex as it is simple and based on basic instincts. It's fickle, and unreliable, and completely and utterly confusing. Few people I have ever met of the human race have actually made sense in most matters. Unfortunately for your species, there is always at least one fault in their psyche."

"I'm one of those, right, Nanaki? With just one fault, right?" Yuffie asks, eager.

There's a moment of brief silence.

"No."

Reeve cracks up again.

"Nanaki! Was that an insult?" She yells.

Vincent sighs, "What he's saying is that he is of superior species than you, Yuffie. It's not necessairily an insult, just the blatant truth."

"Well…it's a very rude truth, if you ask me." Yuffie replies.

"It's just with my species, you love someone or you don't. You do not play games with feelings, or ahem… 'beat around the bush' as some of you would put it. There is mere fact. A simple statement, that's all. No mixing of feelings. You either do or don't in all aspect."

"Oh please. You're just trying to act all high and might for us… 'lesser creatures'." Yuffie states.

"I'll have you know- Nanaki begins.

I've had enough of this.

The door bangs loudly against the wall when I open it.

"C-Cloud!" Yuffie yells, startled.

Sure enough, there's a bottle of wine sitting before Reeve, he has been drinking.

"What?" I ask coldly.

"Heh, nothing!" She says, before grabbing Reeve's wine.

A short battle ensues, but I don't stick around long enough to figure out who will win.

I head up the steps, Yuffie and Reeve's struggles fading out. I hear voices again. Well, isn't this just a wonderful night for information?

"Cid! I can't believe you did that!"

"What's the problem, Shera? I mean, honestly…the kid's way to insecure to do anything for himself!"

Ouch. That was cold.

"Cid!"

"What! I was just trying to help, dammit!"

"God, Cid, you just don't get it, do you?"

"No…I don't! I don't see the big deal! The guy's getting a free dress!"

"In exchange for a marriage proposal! This isn't something you just throw about." She hisses.

"What do ya mean?"

"Marriage is a life contract between two people, Cidney Highwind…and I will not have you mess this up for Tifa and Cloud by rushing them into it."

Cidney?

"Shera…what are you planning to do?" He asks dangerously.

"What am I planning to do? This is what I'm planning to do, Cid. I'm going to march out there right this instant and tell Cloud that it doesn't matter what he does, you're still paying for Tifa's dress!"

"What?! Are you crazy woman!"

"And! If you disagree with me, man…oh I promise your life will be hell…starting with picking out the most expensive dresses possible for every single person in the wedding party…and guess whose paying for them all?"

"You wouldn't dare…"

"Try me."

Damn…who would've thought Shera actually did tame Cid?

"Listen, here woman."

"Oh ho ho…going for the woman talk, eh?"

"I'll tell Tifa."

What? What does that have to do with anything?

Smack!

"Ah! Gawd! Dammit! 'Effin sons of a bitch! That is a freaking hard-copy of a book, Shera…and that was my head it just contacted with."

Must…contain…laughter.

"Yes it was!"

"I'll do it woman!"

"Cid! If you tell her, she'll always be in doubt for the reason Cloud proposed to her! IF ever! You'd ruin it before it even began! I will kill you!"

"She wouldn't doubt it after our wedding."

"Cid!" Shera's voice is raising in octaves.

"Now…just calm down Shera…please."

Whack!

"Gah!"

Ha! You deserve it!

But what if Tifa ever did find out about that little…proposal? Even if I didn't agree to it, how would she react?

…Best to just leave that unanswered.

I continue down the hall, a solid whack every now and then. I reach the children's bedroom door, it's cracked open ever so slightly. It's dark inside and I can hear voices yet again!

I think Tifa's putting Denzel and Marlene to bed.

"Do you actually think Yuffie would ever marry Mr. Valentine?" Marlene giggled.

"Ewww…no way! I think he'd kill her before he'd propose to her!" Denzel responded.

I hear Tifa's laughter, and she shushes them.

"Now, we don't want to think Vincent would ever harm Yuffie, no matter how close to the truth it may seem."

"But…opposites attract!" Marlene protested.

"Now where did you hear that?"

"A movie!"

"A movie?"

"Oh, was it one of those sappy ones?" Denzel whines.

"It wasn't sappy…it was very romantic, thank you very much." Marlene states haughtily.

I swallow…I feel another Yuffie forming.

"That isn't always how it happens in real life, sweetie." Tifa states.

"So! What about Daddy and Elmyra?"

I hear Tifa gasp, and stifle laughter, "Oh honey…don't mention that to your father. He's liable to have a conniption."

"What's that?"

"Just don't worry, honey. Now you two need to go to sleep."

"Just one more question, Tifa!" Denzel states.

"Okay, one more…but this is the last one, right?"

"Right!" Marlene shouts.

"What about you and Cloud?" Denzel asks plainly.

"What about me and Cloud?" Her voice is soft, nervous almost.

Oh…oh God…I should walk away. It isn't right for me to listen.

But that isn't going to stop me.

"Well…aren't you going to get married?" Marlene asks.

"Hey, that's two questions!" Nervous laughter.

"Just answer it, Tifa!" Denzel whines.

"It's not just up to me, ya know." Her voice seems calmer.

"So what if Cloud said yes?" Marlene asks.

"So what if he did?" Tifa counters.

I swallow, slowly leaning towards the door.

"Tifa!" Marlene whines again.

She sighs, "Just go to sleep."

"But you never answered!" She protests.

"How bout this one instead?" Denzel asks.

"Okay, what?"

"Do you love Cloud?"

…Silence…

I just realized I'm holding my breath…

Does she love me? And if so, will she really confess to a couple of kids?

I can't take the pressure!

"Of course I do. We all do."

"You know what we mean! Like…true, heart-stopping, one in a million, soul mate love?" Marlene asks dramatically.

"You have got to lay off on the movies." Denzel interjects.

"Hush! Answer Tifaaaaaaa…"

"Well…I…mean…I guess…it's just…well…"

Yes? Yes?

"Uh…huh?"

"Erm…alright…I'll tell you…but it's a secret, right?"

"Right!"

"I-

"Hey! Man! Whatcha doin?"

And any answer I could've heard was completely drowned out.

I will slaughter Barret with my hair.

Yep, that's right, I'm taking Cid's advice. My spikes will impale.

I feel my teeth grind together, and I let out a hiss of air, Barret still standing behind me. I turn around quickly, and glare at him.

"Whoa man. What cho' problem?"

"Good night you two." Tifa's coming out of the bedroom.

"Oh, hey Tifa!" Barret states as she exits.

"Hey…what are you two doing out here?"

"Oh I just-

"Nothing." I state walking away.

"Cloud?" She asks softly. "You okay?"

"Yeah…I'm fine."

Curses!

CURSE IT TO HELL.

A/N: Bwhahaha! I leave you in suspense! Feel the evil waves! FEEL THEM! I'm in a relatively good mood, HAPPY NEW YEARS! Although I had to work...curses! Okay, lots to write...SO listen up! You guys, are just amazing...like seriously. Seph! You want to cut me in half with a chainsaw...I just can't wait to try it out on live, now...hah...I actually bought it as a christmas present to my best bud...and he completely boshed it by saying he'd bought it two minutes after I walked out of the store...and I promptly pulled it out of my bag...and then he had the nerve to tell me he was just kidding...Sooo...obviously I ran away from him in the mall, but twas all in good fun! And you shame me in Halo...I'm only like...a 19 or something. I made it to 24 once, though. MakoRain: Good God! That was quite the reviews! Hell, I'm impressed you stayed up allnight to read it, and quite flattered...You definately deserve some type of props...enjoy them...mad props...from the one and only Cloud-o. Fan of your stories too, hope you keep up the good work. Tincent: I feel your pain...I work at teh mall, and I was ready to go on a mass slaughter. People are complete idiots...especially when it rains...the get even more stupid than normal. Just Mystical: Hello! I am a big fan of yours, and was glad to see you update It started with a kiss...tis a cute story. So I'm quite flattered your enjoying my story, and the fact I was called cheerful just gave you browine points! Enjoy them! Calistar Heir Hello to you and your friend Haruki...everyone needs a sarcastic annoying person it make their day, hope you enjoy this chappie! Sparx: Draw draw! I must insist. I just got some prismacolors for christmas...drool...they ROCK. Laura: been there...it's not so much anything is bad, I just hate it when people read over my shoulder...feel your pain! s2cloti hello! Romance and humor belong togheter...hand in hand.

Thanks to everyone who thought of me grandpa...he's doing pretty good, all things considored...twas a wonderful Christmas, and I hope you all enjoyed your holidays as much as I did.

You guys want a gift? ...Okay, for all the great reviews...and since I'm lazy...every review next chapter gets a response! I would love to respond to all of you, since you're so kind and great, every chapter...and I would now, cept it's currently 3:15 AM...and I get to go shopping tomorrow FINALLY...so, I'm off to lala land!

g'night!

Love you ALL! EACH AND EVERYONE!