I think this is starting to wind down. How has everyone enjoyed the ride? There are a few more excitements yet before this lets out, so keep with me! :D

Cooling Down

Cloud and Tifa were walking to Reeve's place. Shelke had already gotten the kids, but the pair wanted to stop by and talk with the man behind the Cait Sith dolls. They were friends, after all, and they hadn't talked together for no reason since…

Anyways, it'd been a long time.

Cloud shot a sidelong glance at Tifa, "Do you feel the need to save every poor, unfortunate soul who crosses your path?"

Tifa shrugged, "Only those who I feel can really change."

Cloud shrugged, "Alright."

Tifa walked up the steps to Reeve's building and walked in, then entered the elevator and swiped her card key once Cloud got in.

The blond scoffed, "You need a card key? Wait, why do you already have one?"

Tifa rolled her eyes, "Oh don't start acting this way. Reeve gave it to me when I dropped off Marlene and Denzel. Don't you have one?"

Cloud shook his head.

Tifa shrugged, "Reeve must have figured we'd be together."

"Or hoped otherwise."

"Cloud."

Another shrug.

They stepped out of the elevator into Reeve's entrance room. It was very fitting for someone in Reeve's position. The walls were plastered in tasteful cream-colored wallpaper. Potted plants (living ones at that) stood on either side of the elevator doors, and in the corners of the room stood small potted plants on pedestals. Cloud didn't like it. It was too…he wasn't sure what. But it was too much, whatever it was. Reeve emerged from an adjacent room, arms held wide and face happy. "Hey, there Cloud. Tifa."

"How were Marlene and Denzel?" Tifa asked.

"I think you'll have to let them play here more from now on. They found my stash of Cait robots."

"I thought they were dolls?" she prodded with a laugh.

Reeve laughed and folded his arms, "Well, Denzel wouldn't have played with them if I called them 'dolls,' now would he?"

"Probably not," Cloud huffed with a humored shake of the head. "So, how has everything been going lately?"

"With what? If you're talking about the gangs, then we've got them almost entirely wiped out, and the information we gained from taking Corneo's gang down will help us be prepared for what the rest of them have in store. If you're talking about my personal life, it's been pretty well, too. But why don't we continue this in the living room?"

Tifa nodded, "Sounds fine to me." She followed Reeve into the living room. Cloud followed a bit more slowly. He had never seen Reeve's house, and he was curious about one of his more mysterious companions. Cloud scoffed. Reeve himself was hardly mysterious, but Cloud knew surprisingly little about his friend's home life. He walked into the living room and blinked at the sudden change in decoration. Gone was the paneled wallpaper and plants. They had been replaced by an extremely eclectic mix of spare mechanical parts, Cait Sith robots, various fabrics in a multitude of colors and textures, and half-finished sewing projects. Cloud huffed. Apparently Reeve made his own costumes for some reason. Reeve was sitting in a large armchair in the carpeted room, and Tifa was sitting across from him on the sofa. Both had their phones set on the table between them with their speakers turned on. Shera laughed from Tifa's phone.

"I'll let Cid know as soon as he gets out of the garage. You know how he gets. Oh, and would you mind at all if I watched you cook and maybe helped a little? I've gotten a lot better and I want to show you."

Tifa and Reeve laughed as Cloud went over and sat next to Tifa. She gave Cloud a smile before answering Shera. "Of course I don't mind. When would be a good time for you to drop by?"

"I'm not really sure. Cid and I have been pretty busy lately- Uh, when would be a good time for you?"

Everyone raised eyebrows. "Busy with what?" Reeve asked.

Cloud glanced at Reeve's phone. Vincent was probably on the other line. Cloud couldn't think of any other of their friends who would stay silent for so long while on the phone.

"Um, you know…Cid's always got some project or another that he needs to finish, and I have to be around to make sure it won't kill him or anyone else…"

"But can't Cid's projects wait a bit?" Cloud asked, poking a hole in Shera's excuse.

"Cloud's there, too?" Shera stuttered. For some reason this unnerved her?

"What's going on, Shera?" Tifa asked.

"Well, uh, you see…" Shera mumbled something into the phone.

Reeve's phone drew attention as Vincent's voice came out of it. He huffed bemusedly, "...And you weren't going to let anyone know? That's awfully sneaky of you and Cid."

Tifa stared at Reeve's phone, "You heard what she said, Vincent?"

Vincent huffed, "Yeah. We are currently on the phone with Mrs. Highwind."

Tifa and Cloud glanced at one another. What a funny coincidence.

Reeve laughed before grabbing his shirt over his heart, "Ouch! And no one invited us?"

"Well, I suggested it to Cid, but he said if we told you, then there was no way Yuffie wouldn't find out, and that she would destroy or steal anything not nailed down. And then there was Cid's whole worry that Cloud and Ti-" Shera cut herself off abruptly.

There was silence. That Cloud and Tifa what?

Tifa shifted, "Shera? What was Cid thinking would happen?"

The phone was abruptly fumbled, as if it was changing hands, "I'm sorry…" Shera mumbled.

She was answered with a, "Shera, you nitwit!" Cid Highwind held the phone to his ear and said loudly, "I didn't want you lovebirds at my damn wedding 'cuz I knew that that was when you would announce yours! Happy?"

Reeve and Tifa burst into laughter, "Oh my god, Cid!" Tifa cried.

Cloud shook his head and chuckled, arms folded.

There was a pause from Cid's end, "…Y'see? I knew it! You bastards woulda stolen my and Shera's day!"

Vincent chuckled, "Congratulations."

Tifa sighed and laughed once more before addressing the pair of phones, "Thank you, Vincent. And Cloud and I wouldn't have taken your and Shera's day, Cid. But now that all of the Cait's are out of the bag-"

Cloud cringed, "Aw…Tifa, that was bad…"

Tifa grinned, "It was punny."

Reeve chuckled.

Tifa looked back at the phones, "Well, now that there aren't any more secrets, will everyone be able to come by? We need to work out a time that works for everyone."

"How 'bout sometime early in May?" Cid suggested.

"That won't work," Cloud informed. Tifa suppressed a smile.

Cid "hmph"ed, "Alright, it just can't be after the 15th or for the couple o' weeks after that."

"Anytime works for me," Vincent added, "Just let me know a while in advance."

Tifa looked at Reeve. "You got anything between…let's say the 5th and 15th of May?"

Cid scoffed, "The 5th is pretty early in May."

"It's fine," Tifa assured.

Reeve checked his schedule, "Nothing major. I shouldn't have a problem unless you plan dinner for the 11th or 12th."

Tifa smiled, "Great! I don't think Yuffie, Barret, or Nanaki have very crammed schedules, so we should be good! I'll let you know when I get ahold of them, guys."

Reeve nodded, "Thanks, Tifa."

"Hey, that makes me wonder," Cid started with a laugh, "How'd the big lug take it when you told him you were gettin' hitched?"

"Who? Barret?" Tifa laughed.

Reeve scoffed.

Cloud finished nonchalantly, "Haven't told him, yet. It might be fun to make him guess."

Cid burst into laughter, "He's gonna KILL you, Spike!"

Cloud shrugged and stood, "Maybe. Probably not."

Tifa opened the front door to the Seventh Heaven. "Marlene! Denzel! We're home!"

"Alright!" they called down the stairs. Tifa glanced at Cloud. Cloud shrugged.

Tifa grinned, "I guess we get first dibs on ice cream."

"Their loss."

Cloud and Tifa went back into the kitchen and made a big bowl of the cold dessert. Tifa put a bunch of the chocolate sauce that froze onto the ice cream on her side while Cloud tossed a handful of cherries into the bowl. They sat down with their spoons after putting the rest of the ice cream away and began eating.

Tifa smiled happily after taking a bite. She crunched the chocolate in her teeth before looking at Cloud, "So, what was so important about the beginning of May?"

Cloud swallowed, "Someone I know has a birthday somewhere around there."

"Do they now?"

"I'm pretty sure. They're getting pretty old, though."

"Ah!" Tifa smacked Cloud in the arm, "Mean!"

Cloud leaned his head to the side innocently and smiled, "I never said it was you."

Tifa flicked melted ice cream off her spoon at Cloud. He tossed a cherry in his mouth and wiped the ice cream from his eye.

This last scene was inspired when I ate a bowl full of maraschino cherries without anything else. We're out of ice cream, but that doesn't mean Cloud and Tifa have to be! I want ice cream, though :(