Author's Note: Hey guys! Did you think I'd forget? I was just busy from my first year of college that I didn't have time on writng this. I have so many plans for this that I'm sure that it will be a long run. I hope you guys enjoy this one. I'll keep writing it every once in a while I have free time so don't worry. Piece, unless we make war. :)
Rated M for lemons on the way
You: Really?! :0
Me: Sure . . . soon I hope -_-
Anonymous Stalker:
Settling In
#5
Goodbye Shin-Ra
After a year of therapy Cloud can finally walk in to society again.
"Although you still show some signs of insanity, I believe if you tried harder things will work out much better for you."
Cloud didn't focus on the man sitting before him; instead his eyes darted at the linoleum floor. The much older male readjusted his eye glasses to look upon the lad more formally. Slowly the sound in his chest grew more into a laugh.
Cloud fidgeted in his seat. Why should he be sitting in the therapist's office? There's a more clinically insane man before him.
"I must say," He pauses to look into a folder sitting on a coffee table, he continues. "You are quite the spectacle, you cheated death countless of times and yet you sit here with an expressionless face," He slowly adjusts himself on the edge of his seat, "Shouldn't you be more happy?"
It took some time before Cloud could speak, and when he did his voice sounded hoarse and without any tone of emotion.
"I saw people die in front of me. How else do you think I should act?"
The older male with his round spectacles chuckled. "Oh how endearing," He got off from his chair and proceeded to walk towards his desk. He casually picks a few papers from the desk, "Oh I don't know. Maybe you should at least put in a few tears."
The man walked over to Cloud, handing him a file of papers. "Whatever you do, I do not care anymore. Your government fund has reached its limit. You know longer are invited in my sessions."
Cloud takes the thin file in his hand; his extensions trembled as he grasped the folder.
"Now that I think about it. I am the last session you'd take before leaving Junon Academy for a new life in society right?"
". . ."
The older male chuckled; it seemed that that's all he ever does.
"Hmm, I too wonder about the results. Between you and me I should keep a record study on how my patients survive in the real world without long term therapy."
Cloud stands on his own two feet, crossing the room for the exit. Without another word he leaves Dr. Hojo's office for the last time.
The man with an old expression on his face and long black and grey hair pulled back into a pony tail, laughed from mere contentment.
He walked through the long corridor with file in hand.
He walked in a fair pace, eyes darted at the white linoleum floor as each step took him closer to his destination.
It is to his knowledge that he may now leave the premises. After a hard and tedious year of therapy, Cloud could finally move on. To what he doesn't know, currently he has nothing to go back to. He has no resources to gather neither a job nor a proper home to stay in.
I guess I'll have to move back with Ma.
It was settled in many cases when a renowned veteran has nowhere to go or no one to be that it was the best possible answer to move back in with the folks at home.
But to tell her that I'm useless . . . She is not going to like this. . .
Either way he has no plan in life, so what else is he supposed to do?
Before he could prepare for the journey home, Cloud would like to say goodbye to a friend.
The door to his destination was at a close distance now. He grasped the knob from the door and pulled it open to the other room. The room was an infirmary big enough for four patients to stay in. Although, one is currently being taken and it belonged to the Commander that saved the young Lieutenants life and was with him during the nightmare.
As usual he expected to find the Ex-Commander lying on the cot with his comma, but today the brunette was in the arms of a fair young woman with chestnut hair. Cloud stood in the open door way as he surveyed the scene before him. The young woman held the sleeping man with her arms, somewhat pulling his torso off the mattress. She cried immensely, calling his name numerous times in a hush tone. With one hand she began to graze his matted hair, she seemed unaware of the usual visitor, but even Cloud didn't make a move.
He just stared at the woman crying for the medically pronounced dead man. He saw tears fall straight down from her face and onto Zack's forehead, not making the slightest movements.
It was at this time when the young woman felt eyes on her. She swayed her head towards the only opening of the room.
"Oh,"
She replied. Her voice so sweet and light, it was something that Cloud hadn't heard of in a long time.
He took a deep breath before speaking, once again it sounded hoarse.
"W-Who are you?"
The young woman didn't even bother to let go of the brunette while wiping her tears away with one hand.
"I'm . . . Aerith . . . Aerith Gainsborough. Who are you?"
"I'm Lieut-," Not anymore, "I'm Cloud . . . Strife."
He said meekly, his eyes never faltered from looking at the young woman now named Aerith. She was so pretty, an angel from the heavens above.
"Oh, hello Cloud." Her voice sounded shaky. She changed her gaze from the blond lad to the brunette on the cot. Her fingers grasped the lock of black hair that dangled over his handsome face, removing it from view.
"Why did this have to happen?"
"You know him?" Asked Cloud. Now walking towards her side.
"Yes,"
Cloud glances at the man named Zack. His eyes closed shut as if sleeping, he looked perfectly normal, said for the tubes sticking up his nose providing him air.
"How is it that you know him?" The blond man asked again.
Aerith talked without even looking at him, "I'm his girlfriend."
"Oh, I see." Cloud hastily murmured and backed away from her.
She turned, "And you?"
"Me? I was in battle with him." Aerith gasped. "You where there when it happened?"
Cloud nodded. Slowly he walked towards the other side of the cot, his eyes half closed as he watched his sleeping friend.
"Yeah, awhile ago. Now I'm here to say goodbye."
"No!" Her voice high with denial. Cloud averted his gaze towards her; he noticed that she had a lovely pair of hazel eyes. Complimented with thick strands of curled eyelashes and thin eyebrows. She stood firm, her arms holding Zack tighter towards her.
"Don't say goodbye. Not to him . . . Don't" She started to cry, causing Cloud to sigh.
She even cries beautifully.
"You're right. Fine I won't say goodbye. Maybe I will next time,"
Cloud started to leave, heading towards the wide hospital door, "On my own death bed."
Aerith gasped at his final words, "Wait!"
She commanded him, Cloud obliged.
Gently, Aerith laid Zack back down on the cot. With her small and delicate hands she rested his head on the flat pillow while removing a lock of black hair from his face. She tries to change the subject, having a sort of bad feeling towards the blond's final words.
"Where are you going?"
"Huh?" His eyes wide with surprise and questioning.
"I mean. What I meant to say is . . . Do you live here?"
"Uh . . . Yes, actually. I'm moving out now. My therapy cancelled so I have to go back . . ."
Suddenly Aerith seemed so interested about her fallen lover's comrade that she stepped forward a bit. "'Back'? Back where?"
Taken aback from her sudden interest, Cloud just willingly answered her unlimited questions.
"Nibelheim City."
"Oh, you live in the West Continental?"
"Yeah, I have family over there."
"Family. So you have siblings then?"
"No. Lonely Child."
"Mom and dad then?"
Cloud rubbed the back of his head. His hair seemed matted from the lack of hair gel provided in this institution.
"No, just my mother."
"Oh,"
Aerith ruffled the sleeves from her long brown coat. "You're happy then. That you're going back home."
". . . Yeah."
Aerith's eyes fluttered; once again she sensed something . . . off.
"What is it? You're not happy?"
"Uh . . ." Cloud rubbed the back of his head again, looking away from her innocent face.
This girl can read minds!
"Don't get me wrong! After six years in the army without seeing my mom, makes me feel that I do want to see her. But . . . To go back and stay there. I don't know. There's not a whole lot to do back there."
Aerith nods, finally agreeing.
"So I heard."
"Yeah, they just slapped the word 'City' on it without realizing that only 7,000 people live there. Talk about waste land. The only thing you can do there, anyway, is chip off ice."
Aerith watched as the corners of Clouds mouth rose into a smile, the laughter rose from his chest. Making her stand there in awe.
Their laughs seem to get the attention from a visitor appearing at the door.
"My word. It seems that my therapy sessions helped you plenty."
Cloud watched as Dr. Hojo entered the room, the elder man's newly formed smile, caused trench like wrinkles to form over his cheeks. The doctor soon caught the eye of something wanton and petite.
"And who might you be?"
His voice cracked, but it still sounded so demanding.
"I'm Aerith Gainsborough, doctor."
The elder man surveyed her image, "Ah . . . Then you are the woman dispatching . . . Him?" He gestured towards the sleeping man.
"Yes."
"Hmm. Very well then. Here,"
Dr. Hojo hands her a thick manila folder. "Sign these papers and he's free to go. Remember that you will leave before he does. Medical staff will make sure that he would be ready for transfer—where exactly?"
"Midgar. My house actually."
"I assume your house is ready for him then?"
"Yes."
"Then everything you need to sign him off with is in there. Now if you'll excuse me. I have to give our patient a goodbye present."
The old doctor walked towards a glass counter filled with bottles of serums. He rummaged inside while he found what he needed. It was a tiny black bottle, and with the needle he filled the syringe with a bright green fluid. Walking towards the comatose patient he picks a thick vein from his arm.
"Wait I thought you were just a psychiatrist." Retorted Cloud.
"Silence. You fool, don't judge anyone you don't know."
"Wait what are you doing to him?" Asked the confused woman. "I thought he was done with injections.
The doctor chuckled then laughed. "I'm doing you a favor. This nice fluid would make his heart go faster."
"Why-?"
"So his body wouldn't rot as fast."
Upon hearing those words, Aerith fell right back into reality.
"You didn't forget did you? You're taking a dead man's body back home. A corps if you will."
Aerith's glazed eyes searched for the monitor above the cot.
His heart beat spiked, agonizingly slow but surely. The event was too traumatic, even for Zack, causing him to have some sort hazard with his brain. Doctors finalized his case as brain dead, offering Zack's family the option to 'pull the plug' and give them permission to donate his organs.
His family agreed, trying to relieve themselves of the burden of paying the bills. But an angel was and is still looking after him. Aerith denied his early death and took it upon herself to take care of him, bills and all. To her, he's still alive, hell he still has a heartbeat.
After the doctor injected the fluid he started to make his leave.
"I didn't know that Midgar's filled with women who liked necrophilia. You're an interesting case; my number is in one of the files. Call me when you've realized that you need help."
Aerith did not look at him, giving him the impression that he did not exist.
Dr. Hojo then stared blank at Cloud, and just when he was about to leave the room, he said one more thing: "Don't commit suicide like my other patients. At least have some dignity to live over 30."
With that he finally left, leaving a scared shitless 21 year old and a crying 22 year old.
"He's wrong. They're wrong. He'll come back. He said he would . . . My Za—"
Aerith felt an arm coil around her shoulders; she looked up to find Cloud's reassuring eyes.
"Don't listen to him, he's a quack. Trust me."
The heavy weight of loneliness was too much to bear. Aerith turned her whole body towards the blond, curling both her arms around his body.
"Thank you."
Cloud was bemused at her abrasive tactic; slowly he returned her gesture, closing his arms behind her.
He closed his blue eyes, to feel the sensation that he was neglected upon for so long. Vision sense removed, everything else heightened. She smelled of flowers and sun shine, her body was so small against his, long curls of her thick brown hair tickled his fore arm. He grinned wanting this moment to last, for eternity.
"C-Cloud? I need help."
She lets go of his embrace, taking a few steps back. Oh how he missed it . . .
"Help with what?"
"I- I can't take care of Zack, by myself. And, um, it looks like you don't have anywhere else to go. Plus you are his friend, aren't you? So . . . How about you come live with me? And in return, you won't have to pay rent as in money, but, help me take care of Zack."
She looked at him with teary eyes. How could he not say no? Especially with an offer like that. He looked at his sickly friend on the cot, his body changed, as if bloated. The monitor beeping overhead showed signs that his heart was accelerating at a rapid pace. Damn that Hojo.
Blue eyes met a hazel pair, "Sure."
Aerith smiled, looking very angelic. "Thank you."
Cloud nodded, feeling better, much better, for some reason.
"Let's fill in that paper work." He took hold of it with a pale hand.
"Yes, lets." Aerith replied smiling.
She waited for Cloud in a yellow cab. They planned to fly to her house today, that way she'd be ready for Zack when he arrives. It was twilight at Junon and Cloud finally walked out of the automatic doors holding one duffle bag. He dropped the cargo in the back of the cab while Aerith scooted over to the far side of the seat. As the blond entered and sat on his own side it was time to go.
"Where to?" Said the cab driver.
"Airport." Aerith told him in a shaky voice. Taking notice Cloud patted her hand that was over her lap, reassuring her.
"Don't worry. He'll make it, I promise."
Another day at work didn't seem so troublesome.
Especially from the blissful occurrences of last night. Cloud entered the facility with a business case in hand, he worked all night trying to squeeze in some work, and luckily he filled up at least half.
"Cloud there you are!"
He heard a familiar voice; it was the young photographer from two days ago.
"Yuffie,"
The childish like woman handed him a folder, while at the same time mimicking him, "Mr. Cloud, remember that in the business world we call each other by our working name." Yuffie puffed her cheeks, giving her an inappropriate look than serious.
Cloud stares at her, finally realizing what she meant and took it light hearted. He smiled, "You're right, sorry Ms. Kisaragi."
Ms. Kisaragi's cheeks turned into a red color. She'd never seen Cloud smiled before, or apologize, ever!
"Uh . . . Sure. It's okay. Hey! Are you going to the party?"
"Party?"
"You know, Aerith's shindig on Sunday."
"Oh, right?'
"So are you going?"
"Probably."
"Do you even have a date?"
He thought about that. A date, well there is someone he could ask out.
"Sure, I think so."
"Oh! You have a date!"
"Uh . . ."
Uh oh . . .
Yuffie gasped at her revelation. "Who is it tell me!" She held out her hands wanting to get a grasp of Cloud's shoulders. Immediately he backed away. "Uh, I got to go to my office now. Bye."
He sprinted away, towards the elevator that just opened its doors. As he entered the small annex, he saw Yuffie running towards him and his sanctuary. Now in panic mode he repeatedly bashed the number 7 button to close the doors. Thankfully, the doors were inches away from closing and Cloud waved goodbye to the crazed woman. He sighs as the feel of the elevator pulled him up to his destination. An immense light surrounded the whole room, as the elevator exposed itself from a large glass wall, showcasing the outside world. It often grew dark, occurring from the random asphalt wall. The little room prepared for a stop, but at floor number 4. The twin metal doors opened and Cloud sucked in a deep breath.
She entered slowly with a stack of papers in her arms, pushing the number 9 button as if nothing was going on.
He'd break the silence.
"Good morning, Tifa"
She replied back, with a hushed tone.
"Good morning."
He dropped his suit case onto the wood like floor, pursuing to push Tifa against the wall. She too dropped her belongings, letting them scatter across the ground. As her back pressed on the elevators surface, she tilted her face to meet Cloud. He invited himself for a kiss, diving down taking her red stained lips onto his. Tifa felt the heat of his breath and both grasped the back of his jacket and his kiss. Her body tensed, but she wouldn't dare stop their unplanned limbo.
They molded their lips together, creating the most minor cues of sound as possible. As he realized Tifa's tensed figure developing a bastion from the event that was about to come, he released her lips, staring right into her wine colored eyes just centimeters away.
"I have an idea," he tells her. "Let's do this some other time. Somewhere where we can really fuck."
Tifa nods in agreement, besides there where cameras in the small room, wouldn't want to get into trouble. "Okay . . . You seem happy." She added while her hands touched the fabric of his tie.
Cloud chuckled in his throat, something that Tifa finds peculiar.
"This is the most happiest I've been in a long time."
The metal doors in the small annex opened slowly. Cloud spent some time picking up the stacks of papers that Tifa dropped on the floor, having to feel responsible for it. While leaving the elevator door opened Tifa received the stacks of papers Cloud picked up for her.
It was at this time that they exchanged small talk.
"Where are you going?" he asked her.
"To president Shin-Ra's office. I was asked to speak with him this morning."
"Maybe it's a promotion?"
"Maybe . . ."
Cloud finally steps out of the elevator exchanging a few last words. "Come by my office later?"
Tifa's face grew red; he could see it from the distance he was standing. She smiled holding the stacks of papers tighter against her chest, "Yeah."
He waved goodbye and the door's closed. He felt excited like a child waiting to go to Disneyland. He could almost skip to his office and swing his suit case around.
"Good morning, Cissnei." He smiled, the young red head just starred.
He planned to finish his work today. Last night he'd made sure that everything will go smoothly with the amount of time he had. As he sat down on his leather sewed chair he noticed an envelope with a red heart sticker on the seal. He smiled, reading the condiments inside. Slowly he began to accept his admirer. She's too young for him, eight years too young to be exact, but that didn't matter to him anymore. She didn't deny his advancements:
Her face did turn red when I told her to come into my office later.
He smile once more, his excitement grew more and more. Knowing that would be able to get some later, made his thoughts wander into a naughty abyss.
Then, his office phone beeped, removing the thought of having Tifa's voluptuous tits bounce on to his face.
"Mr. Strife, President Shin-Ra wants to see you in his office immediately."
His pace was slow, trying not to cause attention from his strange limping.
Agh Shit! Perfect time to get a boner!
He made it into the lobby where the president's office is just behind a tall door. A secretary lets him in with a stink eye look on her face.
Upon entering the rather large meeting room he saw three people turning to look at him. A short fat man with a bald head known as the President of the Company, starred at Cloud. A taller and younger man with blond hair and a white suit, did the same, but turned and chatted to a young woman who looked oddly familiar to Cloud. The young man pointed toward Cloud in an uncaring manner, while talking to the suited women.
"This is him?"
She nodded.
"Well that's good, at least now we can dump the trash."
Cloud cringed at those words.
What the hell does he mean?
The younger man bent over to the President's level, speaking to him in a whispering manner. "Watch old man. I'll show you that I can handle this job fine."
"After you finish doing my dirty work, I'll see if you could handle it."
The young blond chuckled, "I did this five minutes ago, don't you think you know better already?"
The small chatter ended, and the white suited man told Cloud to a take a seat on the farthest end of the round table. He did as he was told, but he liked to wonder, "Mr. President, what is this?"
The young man replied for the shorter gentleman, "He's just willing to make a few changes." He turned towards the woman who was standing there starring at Cloud.
"Do you feel remorse? Think of it as a way to branch out the company to new and better horizons. Leave; go spread your knowledge to the entire building. Make sure that you'd tell everyone what would happen if they make a mockery out of my father's name!" With that the woman left. For some reason she looked deathly familiar, but for some reason Cloud couldn't put a finger on it.
What? Why?
"Who are you? What is this?" Cloud began to ask some serious questions.
"Working here for, how long?"
". . . Seven years."
"Petty."
Cloud stood up from his assigned chair, enraged from his own confusion. "What the hell is going?"
"Mr. Strife that is no way to raise your voice—"
"Its fine," Said the youthful man to his father. "Mr. Cloud Strife, my name is Rufus Shin-Ra," he spoke while placing a hand over his chest. "I am going to be the man running this facility in eight months."
Cloud held his tongue.
"I would become the President of this company sooner, so long as I take out the trash first."
Cloud didn't say a word; he had a terrible feeling about this. About this man named Rufus, about the woman who just left the room.
"You know Cloud," Rufus said his name with such disgust. "I love women just as much as the other straight man could, but I prefer to do it with a form of formality."
" . . ."
"Heck I even have a set of rules all on my own when it comes to women. No fat chicks, prostitutes, drug addicts, single moms, and of course,"
Clouds hands, which were hanging from his sides, strewed cold and shaky. The boner he had was clearly gone. His eyes just stared blankly at the man giving him torturous hints of what's to come.
". . . and of course, women of a younger age. . . Including women who are my co-workers, that's a definite no, no. You can say that I'm a no fun kind of guy. But hey, I think that there are other gentle men out there who are in the same boat as me. Right?"
" . . ."
"But there's always a black sheep amongst the flock."
The current President cleared his throat.
"Did you think of the consequences?"
". . ."
"No, of course not. You thought you could keep this a secret. Thanks to that lovely woman you just saw, she gave me a hint of you treason. Turns out that there was something more about you that our employer didn't catch."
Cloud felt chills run up his spine, what the hell did he just do?
"First of all, sex in a high end company's office is not a manner of professionalism; second, you think we are going to keep paying an alcoholic to do our editing? It will be a matter of time before you start spreading secrets about our work to other companies. But you already screwed that over didn't you? Cloud Strife, you are here by removed from company property, leave the premises at once! There is no way we could continue with your perverse actions, leave immediately!"
He practically had to drag himself from the meeting room and to the lobby. He closed the tall door slowly as if one slight mishap can trigger another bad response. The secretary typing away didn't once stop her work; she only starred at the back of a blonde man taking his leave, whose working days here are over.
While taking the elevator down to his floor, he couldn't quite comprehend onto what just happened. As the doors opened he started to walk to his, the company's, office, yet he heard whispers as he did so. When his hand toughed the handle of the class door, he starred at the black writing spelling his name on it. He sighs, noticing that the whispers intensified, averting his attention towards the gossipers there murmurs hushed down a bit.
Alas he remembered something that future President had said:
"I did this five minutes ago."
Making his heart cringe in fear, more so than for himself.
Tifa.
He practically ran towards Aerith's office, searching for the maiden who perhaps suffered the same ordeal as he.
Eyes filled with disgust and mouth's vomiting criticism surrounded his being as he made it to his destination. He entered the annexed room without knocking, expecting a young brunette probably packing her things while crying. Alas she was not there.
"Cloud?"
It was Aerith she came through the door that showed the way into her office.
"Cloud, what did you?—"
"Have you seen Tifa?"
"She was fired."
Cloud sighed, feeling resentful.
"Why did you do it Cloud? Are those rumors even true?"
Cloud didn't say a word. Aerith placed a hand over her forehead in grief, "I told her. I told her that she shouldn't do those things that she did."
"It doesn't matter anymore," Cloud told her. "I'm going to find her, and set things right."
"No Cloud she's too young!"
"Why should you care? You're already married Aerith!" He was about to open the door to make his leave until it swung open on its own. Behind the door walked in a taller gentle man clad in a dark blue suit.
Shit!
"Damn it Cloud! Those rumors aren't funny. What happened? Why-?"
"Leave me the hell alone Zack. I have shit to work with."
He passes by the brunette man, his expression now filled with anger.
"Cloud! Wait—"
Zack was stopped by the lightest touch of Aerith's hand. He looked at her with a questioning gaze. There she massaged his arm, reassuring him.
"What is it Aerith?"
"I know that it's in your nature to protect him. But, right now I don't think Cloud needs you to be on his back 24/7. I'm pretty sure he can handle this."
"Come on Aerith you know how Cloud is." He tries to make his leave, but Aerith takes hold of his arm with both hands. "At least give him a moment, until then, maybe you can help however you see fit!"
"It's not like you to care less of someone, especially Cloud."
Aerith sighs, deeply concerned to what could happen, Zack could see it. He then takes her in his arms, the suit creating a type of incubator for her, she smiled when he began to stroke her lose wavy hair.
"There, there," he assured her, "Don't think about this too much. I'll fix it later." He kisses her on her forehead. She then replied by kissing him on his lips. When it became too heated they let go of each other in embarrassment. Zack rubbed the back of his head, making his leave. "Oh look at the time, gotta run."
Aerith smiled, waving goodbye to her husband, "I'll see you at dinner."
He left the building without taking his belongings with him.
Right now is not the time. Tifa was surely fired; he had the feeling that he was supposed to be the one to comfort her. He got into his black civic and drove off to her apartment; it was way too early for this kind of shit.
Author's Note: It seems that Cloud's situation gets worse and worse. Will he ever catch a break and get laid already?
Why are you looking at me? (-_-b
P.S. I hope no one got offended on this one. And if I don't make these characters sound canon enough I'm sorry. I hope my audience numbers keep growing, don't forget to REVIEW PLEASE!
