Go Get 'Em Tiger

Rocket Town is unusually quiet today I note after I head out of the Inn. There are no noises coming from Cid's shop for some reason, and that perturbs me. Cid is a pretty scheduled guy, and about this time daily he should be out in his shop tinkering with something.

But he isn't...

So what is he doing? I suppose I could be neighborly and stop in and see him. I wonder if this has anything to do with Shera's pregnancy...

Possibly.

I shrug before heading over to Cid and Shera's house. It appears quiet from the outside, but one can never tell anything by appearances when it comes to Cid. That's for sure.

I sigh before hesitating and knocking on the door.

"Comin'!" I hear Cid shout through the door.

Great...he's here.

The door swings open and my brow furrows.

Cid grunts, chewing on a plastic spoon, "Spike...what are you doin all the way out here?"

I stare at him, before gesturing vaguely over my shoulder, "Delivering a package..."

My eyes widen slightly, "What the hell are you wearing?"

Cid glances down, "Oh yeah...forgot about that."

Over his normal attire Cid is wearing an apron...and it's not just any apron, it's a yellow one with ruffles and across his chest is written 'Coffee, tea, or me?'

...yeah...I'm taking that as some sexual connotation right there.

Ugh...mind obliterated.

"It's Shera's...got it for her for her birthday last year."

So why the hell are you wearing it?

"...uh..."

"Just taking a little break...she was feeling a little tired, so I'm making her some tea and biscuits."

Damn this is wrong.

Cid in an apron that offers himself...

Oh crap mental images.

And since when does Cid play the dutiful husband? Making biscuits? Does Cid even know how to spread butter?

Butter...smooth Strife, smooth like butter. Heh, forgot about that one.

"Get in here idiot...I gotta favor to ask ya."

Shit.

I head hesitantly into the house, Cid leading me to the kitchen still in that creepy apron. Cid pauses at the table to take off his apron, er, Shera's apron, and hangs it on a hook. There's a little plate of biscuits and a cup of steaming tea. Cid motions for me to follow him again before he picks up the plate and cup.

"Wait right here," he says out in the hallway, before going through one of the doors.

I nod my head in response, before glancing around the empty hallway. I can hear Cid and Shera's voices muffled through the door, but something is distracting me. I smell something...something rather strong and it isn't tea or biscuits. Hell it isn't even coffee or Cid.

I take a couple sniffs trying to figure out what it is. I lean further down the hall, the scent getting stronger as I sniff.

Wait here he says...

...screw it.

I need to figure out what this smell is.

I move further down the hall and to the last door on the right. My hand hesitates over the door knob, before twisting it and opening the door. The thick, overwhelming scent of wet paint feels my nose, and I gag slightly. The windows are shut, no wonder.

I move across the room and ease the windows open slightly.

The room is painted a soft pink, paler than Aerith's dress. They can't already know it's a girl, can they? I mean, it's too soon. I'm certainly not a pregnancy guru, but I'm pretty sure that thing inside of Shera pretty much resembles a sea monkey right about now.

"You can't freaking wait for anything can you, punk?"

I turn quickly.

Cid raises an eyebrow, "What?"

"Girl?"

"You better fecking believe it."

"How do you–

I don't get the sentence out though. Cid chucks a paintbrush at me.

"Get to work bum."

Well crap.

I'm assuming this is the favor.

How did I get into this situation? How do I get into these situations period

Oh yeah...I forgot.

I'm the world's bitch.

Cid grunts, straightening before slapping the paint brush against the wall...the pink paint splattering slightly.

The bastard has gotten my entire clothes splattered in paint. Pink freaking paint...paint doesn't come out of clothes to easily. I'm almost scared to bring these clothes home to Tifa, if not for her scolding of getting perfectly good clothes covered in pink than for her teasing that it's bloody pink. I'm tempted to burn these...they can join the ashes of the blue boxers.

Bastard.

Bastard.

Bastard.

"You say somethin?" Cid growls, chewing on a toothpick now.

"No," I grumble back.

When I arrived here today in Rocket Town I hadn't expected to be in this situation. Course, usually one never expects to be in the situations I get in.

I was just delivering a package to the inn here, and I decided to be sociable and stop in and see them.

And now I'm painting a room pink.

I still don't know how Cid talked me into this.

Maybe it was Shera...

"What happens if it's a boy?" I ask, bringing the roller up against the wall.

"It won't be..." Cid growls, "Everyone in my family has called what the child is. I call a girl, it'll be a girl. Carla called a boy, and we got Benny."

Demon spawn.

"My parents called a boy, and they got me."

Demon spawn.

Cid glances at me with his gruff eyes, "I say girl...it'll be a fecking girl."

Or a gay son...which ever.

He could be like Cecil, only Cid-ified.

Haha...gay Cid. That would be hilarious.

Why does he want a girl, anyways? I'm trying to imagine Cid as a girl.

Creepy.

"You worried?" Cid asks, painting slowly around a window.

I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, "About what?"

Cid chuckles, "What do ya think?"

What? He's too cryptic...

It's Cid...that's weird.

I glance at him, and he meets my eye and laughs again. And it's not so much that he's laughing that bothers me...I just know he's laughing at me.

Bastard.

"About marriage idiot," he says, twisting the toothpick in his mouth.

I swallow...well, I hadn't really thought about that lately...been a little busy with the whole Reno and Yuffie weird thing.

Crap...now I am worried.

I mean, marriage usually comes with the association of children, and while we have Denzel and Marlene we haven't had...well, babies

...weird.

Babies...

WEIRD.

"Yo Spike, you listenin' idiot?"

I snap back into reality. I hadn't even been painting I was so lost in my mind.

I glance at him, and he chuckles again.

Bastard.

"Don't be worried," he focuses on the wall before him, "I figured I'd have already scared ya shitless at the bar the other day."

Well, he was kind of morbid on the topic of marriage.

"I was just drunk and in need of a good smoke. Smoking...damn these fecking toothpicks."

Focus Cid.

I swallow, moving to paint again, "What about...marriage?"

He shrugs, sniffing, "S'not so bad...not as bad as I thought it'd be."

I swallow, here's a question though.

"How's it different...than before?"

"Whatcha mean?"

"You and Shera have been living together for years..."

Cid chuckles, "Yeah. I guess that's got your feathers ruffled, eh chocobo?"

Unnecessary hit there buddy.

"It's different. I mean, yeah, I guess it was the same with me and Shera as it is with you and Tifa...so, it's the same, but there's a definite change."

Marriage... Tifa and I already live together...we've started sharing a room together. We have to children in our care. We do everything together...pay bills, shop, eat, sleep, talk...some other...stuff too.

So how is it different? I mean, she'll still be Tifa...

Course...

"There is nothing like having a woman respect you enough, and love you enough to put up with your shit and take your last name. There isn't a feeling quite like it, kid."

Don't call me kid.

But I guess he's right... I guess I'll have to wait and see.

I don't want to wait though.

I'm nervous...always scared I might not be the best thing for Tifa. That I might not be a good husband or father to our kids, to Denzel and Marlene. I'm usually one for second guessing myself, but I think this would be bigger than anything I've ever done before.

And maybe that's why Cid is actually talking to me about this in a sort of semi serious way.

I mean, it is Cid. He isn't exactly a psychiatrist or anything even close to that. I appreciate the effort there.

"Hey bitch listen to me."

Thwack!

I sigh, my grip loosening on the paint roller.

The world hates me...or at least, Cid does.

He just smacked the back of my head with a paintbrush...with pink paint on it.

Great...so this is what Benny sort of felt like.

I hate you Cid.

Maybe this is some sort of retribution for Benny...

Thwack!

"I said listen to me dammit."

I glance at him, and he gives a crooked grin.

"You'll be alright...you love her, she loves you...it won't be easy with you two idiots...but, it'll be alright."

I blink, staring at him, "Will it be worth it?"

"Definitely."

I glance out the window; it's getting dark.

"I need to go, then. Sorry," I gesture to the half finished room.

"Meh," he shrugs, before throwing his paint brush at me.

It smacks me on the chest and sticks there for a moment before falling on the ground. I glare at him.

He grins triumphantly, "Go ahead and paint me pink...I'm in my own house, buddy. You on the other hand have got to drive how many miles looking like you just got upchucked from Marlene's closet?"

He folds his arms, chuckling.

I hate losing, and even if he is right I'm still going to chuck that paint bucket at his head.

Whatever, "Thanks..." I guess.

"Sure thing. Marriage is worth it...heck, I've got a daughter on the way. Also the perks are great too. Any time, any day... If I'm in the mood, she's much more...well, willing."

Wait...what did you just say?

"I bet you and Tifa don't even have that freedom. I mean, with the kids and all. Hell, you'll never get your peace like me and Shera."

Stop! For the sake of my mental stability please STOP.

"Or are you two just going at it all the time regardless?"

I HATE HIM.

Though his words have gotten a rather recent memory to come up...carrying Tifa up the steps-

I feel the blood rush to my face and I focus way too much on the paint brush before me.

"Oh! I see, you're like rabbits, aren't you? Young and vigorous. Heh, I remember those days...good days."

What is wrong with him?

"I mean, you and Tifa are like that, correct?"

Too personal. Must avert eyes. Must leave...leave, door...go for door, now. Just don't...look...back.

Shit.

He chuckles, "That's what I thought. Go get 'em tiger!"

A/N: OMG IM SORREH. So LONG! I know! My updating as all but died this past month. Bows in forgiveness. I've just been so freaking busy. Classes, work, other crap that I have to deal with. UGH! I'm so tired! But, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. VinVal You were right, Cid came off as very negative towards marriage. I came to this correction. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and Benny's revenge...sort of. Kudos to those who see ALL the past references.

Thanks for the reviews soooooo much! I love reading them all. They're awesome. I'm glad everyone loved Cloud's lustiness. LUST RAWR GO GET EM TIGER