AUTHOR'S NOTE: well what can I say? Thank you so much to everyone that reviewed. I can't believe how many people have reviewed this story now and I just want say every single review means a lot to me and inspires me to keep writing! Anyway I figured we'll give Tifa a break for this chapter so I can focus solely on the relationship between Cloud, Aerith and Zack. I mentioned earlier that I want there to be absolutely no doubt on how close they are, as friends, as companions and as confidants. Also there are two songs in this fic. Not everyone will recognise the first one, but a good few should recognise the second one, its the song that changed music for ever! Anyways once again thank you for the reviews and please drop one for this chapter as well
XXX
You come to me
With a casual flow
And suddenly my defences start to go
When you talk to me
In that sensual tone
It envelopes me
And I lose my self control
And baby I just melt away
Fall like rain
Everytime I see your face
I go oh
I just wanna break it down
Anytime you come around and
Baby I can melt away in your arms
Imagining that you're taking it slow
and so tenderly
Till the feeling overflows
When you look at me
I go soft and keep faith
And I can't conceal that I'm slowly weakening
And baby I just melt away
Fall like rain
Everytime I see your face
I go oh
I just wanna break it down
Anytime you come around and
Baby I can melt away in your arms
You and me
In the cloud of reverie
Swirling around inside my head
Unwinding over and over
Thoughts run wild
As I sit and rhapsodise
Painting pictures of what I'd do
If you were mine
And baby I just melt away
Fall like rain
Everytime I see your face
I go oh
I just wanna break it down
Anytime you come around and
Baby I can melt away in your arms
It was amazing just how the lyrics of the song fitted his feelings everytime he set eyes on Tifa. That closeness you read about in books or saw in romancw movies. It hardly seemed real that he had found a friend in her.
Though he had managed to keep thoughts of Jessie out of his mind during Christmas, her last words to him haunted him every few minutes. Was it really love she felt for him? Or was it just a childish infatuation?
Unfortunately Cloud had a lot of time to dwell on it during his ride home, though he was happy to collapse on his bed as soon as he got home. His cellphone rang just as he was drifting off.
"Oh fuck off Jessie!" He cursed to himself, not getting up. The ringing eventually got to him and he snatched up the phone.
"Look Jessie I don't have time to fucking talk right now okay!" He snarled into the receiver before snapping it closed. To his surprise it was not Jessie's name on the screen. He hurriedly redialled the number.
"Hello Aerith? Sorry about that," he said hurriedly.
To his surprise Aerith merely giggled. "Hey there Cloud! Wow I didn't know you had such a bad temper! And I've known you for quite some time now!"
"I'm not usually like this," he replied somewhat sheepishly.
"Perfectly understandable," Aerith replied. "Maybe next time you'll listen to me for a change!"
"Yeah, you're right Aerith. Asking Jessie out was a mistake!" Cloud said.
"I'm glad you realise that now Cloud!" Aerith said seriously. "But enough about shit like that. Anyway, me and Zack are going out for a night on the town tomorrow night, you wanna come?"
"I don't know Aerith. I really wouldn't wanna be a third wheel if you and Zack are planning a special evening," Cloud answered.
"Bullshit! Cloud you were my very first friend when I was coming to Shinra, a whole new world and I was so frightened and you were there for me! I don't forget!" Aerith waved off his uncertainty.
"You were the one who offered me a seat!" Cloud said with a laugh.
"Yeah, but you took it!" Aerith cut him off. "Both Zack and I have missed you. It'd be nice if the three of us could get together without worrying about a test or assignment or anything like that! And I promise we won't do anything to make you uncomfortable. I'm not taking no for an answer Cloud! Even if I gotta pitch up and your house and drag you kicking and screaming by the balls and force you to have a good time!"
Cloud blanched a little at the dead serious tone of her voice. "Save yourself the trouble Aerith I'm coming!"
"Great! I know we don't have any of the hard core shit to offer you, but maybe having some clean fun for a change."
"Aerith please don't let's get into that now!" Cloud said hurriedly, feeling ashamed.
"Of course not Cloud! We'll get to that later! Anyway I'll see you tomorrow. Zack and I will pick you up! Bye!"
"Bye bye Aerith," Cloud replied, smiling despite himself as he hung up.
He really was looking forward to going out with them. Maybe Aerith was right, perhaps he needed some clean fun for a change.
XXX
He puffed at his last cigarette for the night while he read his novel. He was already dressed; wearing a black long-sleeved t-shirt under a denim vest and matching jeans.
His phone buzzed, it was Aerith. She said that she and Zack were waiting outside. He got up to leave. For this first time he didn't feel any guilt when he kissed his mom goodbye. It was a good feeling, knowing he wouldn't be getting up to any shit. He felt surprisingly light-headed.
"Hey Spikes, what's up?" Zack asked from the driver's seat.
"Hey Zack! You know, I don't see how you can call me Spike, when your hair isn't any better!" Cloud said as he got into the back seat.
"It just suits you Cloud," Aerith said from the front. "Don't ask me why, but it just does."
"Well gee Aerith, thanks for siding with your man," Cloud grumped, but he still had a smile on his face. Zack drove an old Citi Golf, it was a completely different ride from Tifa's Porsche, but Cloud found he prefered this car more. Knowing he was going to a place where there wouldn't be any drama really lifted his spirits.
"So how was your Christmas, Cloud?" Aerith asked as they got onto the road.
"It was good and yours. Oh and thanks for the gift Aerith, how'd you know I was a Final Fantasy fan?" Cloud asked.
"I heard you mention it once in passing, and I saw it in a shop while I was doing my Christmas shopping and decided I'd get it for you! Oh and the perfume was awesome! Wild Orchids are my favourite!" Aerith gushed.
"I know, you mentioned it once before," Cloud beamed. Aerith had remembered a tiny detail like that. That was the mark of a true friend.
"So where are we going?" Cloud asked.
Zack and Aerith smiled. "Well, we wanted to surprise you, but I can't help it Zack!"
"If you don't tell him, I'm gonna do it!" Zack said with a laugh.
Now brimming with curiosity, Cloud narrowed his eyes.
"Were going to the Gold Saucer!" Aerith practically shrieked in delight. "Zack pulled some strings with Dio and got us free tickets!"
Cloud couldn't calm the excitement. He had always wanted to visit the Golden Saucer. Before long the three of them were whooping at the top of their voices.
"Whooooooooooooo!" Cloud yelled, opening his window and putting his head outide.
Zack and Aerith glanced at each other with identical smiles on their faces, before they mimicked his actions, pushing their heads out of the window and screaming loudly.
After his senses had returned to him Cloud frowned slightly. "Wait but isn't the Gold Saucer on the other side of the world? How're we supposed to get there and back before tomorrow?"
Zack smirked. "Don't worry about that Cloud, we called your mom and arranged things, Dio also got us free plane rides! Were coming home tomorrow night!"
"Say what? Zack what the fuck did you do to Dio to get this?" Cloud asked
"It wasn't easy lemme tell you!"
"Tell me you didnt-"
"Of course I didn't, what do you take me for?" Zack demanded. "I just helped him ask Elena out so he figured he owed me, see his dad owns the Gold Saucer, I wasn't saying no to that!"
"Wow. I never knew Dio's dad owned the Gold Saucer," Cloud said in awe.
"Few people do," Aerith replied. "He doesn't like people always trying to swindle favours like this outta him. But seeing as Zack helped him bag Elena, who he's been gaga over for months, he decided he'd do us a favour!"
Cloud was still in awe.
"Hey guys. I got a perfect song for the road! Seeing as we're going to a theme park it fit!" Zack said after a while, as he hit the radio.
"Zack, what the fuck?" Aerith asked as soon as she recognised the tune. "Are you sure you're not a girl?"
"Aerith, that would make you a lesbian, so drop it. It's not like its a bad song!" Zack protested.
"So are we singing along or what?" Cloud cut in. He was already beginning to scat along. "Shubeedoodoodoodoodoo Shubeedoodoodoodoodoo!"
"I'm surrounded by women in men's clothing!" Aerith said, rolling her eyes, but she was beginning to jive as well.
"Oh come on Aerith, like you said we don't have any tests to worry about, let's just have some fun!" Cloud shouted as Zack turned up the volume.
Aerith shrugged, then smiled and joined in.
"Oh when you walk by everynight
Talking sweet and looking fine
I get kinda hectic inside
Oh baby I'm so into you
Darling if you only knew all the things that float through my mind
But its just a
Sweet sweet fantasy baby
When I close my eyes
You come and you take me
Its so deep in my daydream
But its just a sweet sweet fantasy baby"
As they continued to sing and scat along to the song, Cloud stopped for a moment and just looked at Aerith and Zack jiving in front and once again felt the warmth rush up in him and thanked God, if he was listening, that he had two friends like them.
XXX
"You know that feeling when you're so stoked about something and when you finally see it and its not all it was cracked up to be?" Cloud murmered. "Well that feeling seems to have disappeared," he said gazing at the Gold Saucer in awe.
"Yup, sure is something. Huh Spikey?" Zack replied.
"Definitely!" Cloud answered, still gawking at the huge golden buildings before them.
"Excuse me or you two just gonna stand and stare all day?" Aerith demanded. "Let's go in!"
"Oh...uhm...right!"
It felt like they were reliving their childhood. There was everything in this place! Roller-coasters, cotton candy and even a few water-themed rides.
"Damn, this has gotta be the coolest place ever!" Zack said. "Where do we even go first?"
"How 'bout Mog's house?" Aerith asked.
The boys looked uneasily at each other, neither really wanted to go play with stuffed moogles.
"You go ahead, Aerith, me and Zack will be here by this boxing thing," Cloud said quickly, while Zack nodded like an idiot.
"Okay then!" Aerith said, possibly thankful that she didn't have to put up with their whining while she played with Mog.
Cloud and Zack turned towards the machine they had spotted earlier.
"Eh, how do you think this thing works?" Zack asked, looking at the controls.
"It looks sorta like rock-paper-scissors," Cloud replied, reading the controls. "High punch beats middle punch, middle punch beats low punch and low beats high."
"Makes sense," Zack said. "Hey lookit! I'm a sumo!" He exclaimed as he saw the character popping up on the screen.
"And I'm some 80's disco, meets hippy afroman dude," Cloud said with a little less enthusiasm.
"Dude! I'm gonna whoop your ass!" Zack cackled in delight.
Cloud smirked. "Says you!"
It turned out, that afro-guy managed to cream the sumo. And Zack was left sputtering in fury!
"Oh come on, that thing was so rigged! There's no way I could've lost that bad!" He protested.
"Just admit it Zack, you were crushed underneath my victory!" Cloud answered with a smirk.
Cloud was saved from Zack's pleas for a rematch by Aerith's arrival.
"You guys finished with that?" She asked.
"Yup!" Cloud said happily. "What you wanna do now?"
"I was thinking we catch a roller coaster and go for some shakes afterward," Aerith replied.
"Sounds good to me!" Zack replied as the three of them turned to the nearest ride.
"The Tower of Terror," Aerith read. "Sounds...terrifying!"
"Sounds great!" Cloud shouted.
"Hell to the yeah!" Zack answered, giving him a high five.
Aerith looked on with a bemused smile on her face. "Okay then. Let's hop on!"
The clerk gave them a smile as they got onto the ride.
"So, err what does this thing actually do?" Zack asked. They sat in a car with only two rows, but had about ten seats in each row. The car began to move slowly, but didn't seem to pick up speed.
"It looks like we going up a hill," Aerith answered from her seat between the two boys, as the track took an upwards curve, still moving agonisingly slow.
"Holy shit!" Zack yelped as the rides purpose became clear. They had reached the summit of the tracks hill, and the car was teethering over the edge, they were going for a straight drop down.
Cloud gulped, and saw Zack grab Aerith's hand desperately. To his surprise, Aerith's other hand closed around his own, and he met her emerald gaze with a shy smile of his own.
Without warning the car began to plummet, Cloud felt a yell escape his throat, even though he had silently vowed not to scream.
The ride ended soon after the fall, and Cloud felt his heart still racing from the adrenaline in his system. Even after they had stopped, him, Aerith and Zack still sat, all three breathing heavily.
"That was..." Cloud said through gasps.
"Amazing!" Aerith let out. "Let's do that again!" She whooped, surprising both boys.
Cloud's hand still ached from how tight she had grabbed it.
"Let's do another ride instead huh?" He suggested.
"Okay! Anything!" Aerith shouted, energetically jumping out of the car.
Adrenaline was dangerous, Cloud thought to himself watching Aerith scamper to the nearest ride.
They went on the 'Anacondaur' next, which was a pretty basic roller coaster, except that instead of riding in a car, people hung from the ride which whistled along a long twisting track.
"Well, how bout those milkshakes then?" Cloud said as they staggered away from the Anacondaur, still dizzy.
Aerith nodded exuberantly, while Zack merely looked like he was on the verge of throwing up.
They managed to make their way to nearby ice cream parlour and sat down for milkshakes, Cloud taking a lime, Aerith a strawberry and Zack with a vanilla.
"So what'd you guys get up to for Christmas?" Cloud asked as they sipped away.
"Just a quiet time with my mum," Aerith answered.
"I was at the Hellhole aka Gongaga," Zack replied.
"I'm sure it must have been good to be with your parents though," Cloud said.
"Well yeah, I mean, I love Angeal, but nothing beats my mom's cooking!" Zack answered. "And Aerith, those dumplings you sent were atrocious!"
Aerith looked scandalised. "You said you liked my dumplings!"
"Well you were staring me down when I tried them the last time like you were gonna castrate me and feed me the chopped goods if I said I didn't like them!"
Cloud had to admit, the look Aerith was giving Zack right now gave him the impression that nothing would give her better pleasure.
"So Aerith, is there anything else you can cook?" Cloud asked, deciding to ignore the look of wild terror on Zack's face.
"Of course there is!" Aerith said, not even gracing Zack with a glare.
"Yeah, like what?"
"Charcoal!" Zack answered for her, expertly dodging her swipe at him.
Cloud felt himself laughing and soon even Aerith joined in.
"Okay, fine!" She got out in between giggles. "I can't cook to save my life!"
"It takes a big man to admit that Aerith," Cloud said, as Zack nearly fell off his chair.
Aerith simply flicked her hair. "Yup, and admitting I'm more man then either of you is good as well!"
"Sorry comeback Aerith," Zack said patting her shoulder.
"See if you get to cuddle next time it gets cold," Aerith spat. "Now if you'll excuse me I need to go use the restroom!"
"Make sure you don't walk into the ladies by accident!" Cloud called after her. Aerith flashed him the bird as she walked towards the rest room.
"Dude! You got her so bad!" Zack said, still shaking with laughter.
"What can I say, I have a gift!" Cloud said puffing his chest.
"For bringing out the worst in people!"
They sniggered again and turned back to their drinks.
"So have you and Tifa gotten it on yet?" Zack asked.
Cloud looked up in shock. "Zack, I have a girlfriend! I wouldn't do that!"
Zack smirked. "Yeah, but we all know that your relationship only works because she's so into you that it balances out the total lack of interest you have in her!"
Cloud shifted uncomfortably.
"Besides, I've seen the way you look at Tifa, Spikey. Its obvious you like her way more. And let's face it Cloud, she's a gorgeous girl," Zack continued.
"Why the sudden change of heart? Last I checked you wanted me to have nothing to do with her," Cloud replied.
"Well I guess I just assumed you were in it for the pussy. But now, I think there's more to it," Zack replied, raising his eyebrow. "And also, since the two of you met, she seems to have calmed down as well."
That was news to him. "Seriously?" He asked, hating the curiosity and hopefullness in his voice.
"Yep," Zack nodded. "I guess people can change huh?"
"Yeah, I guess they can," Cloud answered, taking another sip. "What's taking Aerith so long?"
"Beats me," Zack said with a shrug. "I don't know what girls do in the loo."
"Probably checking her make-up and what not," Cloud said.
"Cloud, the day us men figure out the inner workings of the female mind will be the day some lunatic goes mad and summons a gigantic meteor to destroy the Planet and absorb all life!" Zack replied.
Cloud looked shocked. "What'd you just say? Its weird but that sounds so familiar."
Zack looked quite surprised at his own words. "Wonder where I got that one," he said, trying to grin off the uneasiness he was feeling.
Cloud shrugged. "Probably a video game or something."
"Yeah probably," Zack answered as Aerith rejoined the table.
"Well then, what's next on the agenda?" She asked.
"Hmmm, maybe we should go for the gondola ride," Cloud suggested. "They start a firework show at 10pm and its 9:45 right now. Maybe we should catch it!"
"Yeah! That sounds like a great idea!" Aerith said enthusiatically as they got up to leave.
There was unfortunately a clown stationed at the entrance to the gondola.
"Will it be three?" He asked jovially as Zack's face drained of colour.
"Ah- you two go on ahead, I'll be waiting right here!" He said backing away.
Cloud peered at his curiously. "What's his deal?"
Aerith spared Zack a look of disgust. "Make it two please," she said to the clown, who happily ushered them onto the ride. "He's got a phobia of clowns," she explained to Cloud.
"What? Since when?"
Aerith shrugged. "Who knows?"
She was cut off as the gondola creaked and began moving. As they took to the sky, Aerith leaned out of the window and saw the fireworks begin. "Wow, how nice. Oh! Look, Cloud. It's so pretty!" She gushed.
Cloud joined her in staring out the window. He had to admit, the sight was lovely. Red, green, blue and yellow sparks all lit up the night sky, while the Gold Saucer itself served as the perfect back drop.
"Its beautiful, isn't it?" Aerith asked, still in awe.
"Yeah, sure is," Cloud answered.
"Cloud," Aerith began. "I'm searching for you."
"What?" Cloud asked in shock.
"I want to find you," she continued, looking down.
"But I'm right here!" Cloud replied.
"I know, I know. What I mean is...the real you. The guy I met when on that first day at Shinra. The guy who wasn't embarassed when I called him a momma's boy. I want to find that Cloud again!" Aerith said.
"I'm still the same person Aerith," Cloud said gently.
Aerith shook her head sadly. "Cloud, you're doing things that I don't approve of. Normally I wouldn't care about the stuff you get up to, as long as you did it with just a little integrity. But you're not doing all this for you. This stuff, the drugs, the partying, the casual sex (yeah I know about that too), its not you."
Cloud could only gape at her sadly. "Aerith, there are some things about me that you don't know."
"Cloud if you're having problems at home or anything. All of this isn't the right way to deal with it!" She implored.
"Its not that Aerith!" Cloud said, turning away.
"Then what is it?" She pressed.
"You wouldn't understand," he dismissed.
"Maybe not. But then explain it to me," she replied. "Make me understand!"
Cloud sighed, he felt his shoulders begin to shake. "Its not easy for me to say Aerith."
"I don't expect it to be," she answered softly. "But...sometimes you need to say things out loud to get it out of your system, maybe you've been keeping things bottled up inside for too long."
Cloud felt the yearning to talk to her, to tell her everything, things he could not admit even to himself. He took a deep breath in and let it out slowly before he heard his own voice. "My whole life I've been alone. I never needed anyone and I thought that made me special. While everyone else needed others and always wanted friends, I looked out for myself. It was tough, having to grow up by myself, but I told myself it didn't matter, that I would be a much stronger person for it."
Aerith looked at him sadly.
"But then, as time went on. I saw everyone else was always so happy. In high school, people were always meeting up and going places and me? I was just the quiet guy that everyone overlooked. They'd just be like 'oh its that Strife guy' and turn around and walk away. I guess a part of me wanted to join them, to be a part of the crowd for a change, but I'd always say they were just a bunch of dumb kids, what would I want with them, but deep down, I guess I was yearning for companionship. Being bullied is one thing, but being constantly overlooked and just passed over was worse. I'd get angry, start fights with people for no reason, just because I could and maybe that sort of interaction somehow filled the emptiness inside."
He paused, unable to look Aerith in the face. What must she think of him now? She probably thought he was weak, childish.
"That's so sad," he heard her say. He looked up to see her staring out of the window, her eyes shining. "I had no idea."
"I'm sure you must think I'm such a weirdo," he said.
She shook her head. "Anything but Cloud. I had no idea you were hurting so much on the inside. Being alone your whole life can't be easy. In fact I admire you. You always held your head high no matter what, and I was so busy with all my own drama, it never occured to me that you had issues, you always seemed so happy and unaffected by everything else happening around you."
"Yeah and you know," Cloud said, figuring he may as well off load everything to her now. "No matter how much people say they don't care about what others think or say about them, the truth is we DO care, that's why we always say 'fuck all of them haters' because we care. I care too much about what other people think of me. When I first came to Shinra, everyone thought I was a nerd, and I guess all I wanted to do is prove them wrong and maybe even to prove some things to myself," he said looking down at his hands. "Aerith I know this is difficult, maybe even impossible for you to understand, but I need some time. I don't know who I am, what I stand for and what my purpose in life is," he sat back against the seat and closed his eyes. "As cliche as it sounds I need to discover myself and maybe this is the way I need to do it."
Aerith said nothing, just looked at him in sympathy, grateful that Cloud had his eyes closed, so that he could not see the tears running down her face, as the fireworks boomed around the gondola.
XXX
They returned to the ground to find Zack still on edge, staring uneasily at the clown.
"What took you guys so long?" He demanded.
"Relax, or I'll call that clown over here," Aerith threatened. "You can't exactly hit the gas on a gondola Zack! Anyway, thanks guys I had fun tonight, we should go together again!"
"Definitely!" Cloud replied with a smile.
"Oh look at the time, we'd better get going!" Aerith said brightly.
"Where'd you park the car we rented again, Zack?" Cloud asked.
"Uhm I think its this way," Zack said, turning and walking.
Aerith made to follow him, but Cloud called her name. She stopped and looked at him with concern etched into her features.
"Thank you...for listening to me," he said awkwardly. "I'm sorry for just off loading onto you."
Aerith smiled. "Its only a pleasure Cloud. Do it everyday if you want. I'm just glad I could help you and I feel as if I understand you a little more now."
"Are you two coming or what?" Zack shouted.
Aerith gave Cloud another understanding smile and patted his arm, before walking after her boyfriend, Cloud right behind her.
XXX
AUTHOR'S NOTE: a little bit of silliness mixed in with more DMCs (deep meaningful conversations lol). I realised midway through this chapter that even though Cloud is the main character and this fic is in his POV, there was very little insight into his character and personality. So I figured maybe this little bit at the end can fix that and hopefully readers will now be able to connect with and understand him and his actions a little more, also it makes a nice change to have him confiding in someone else as opposed to LISTENING to other peoples baggage for once. Anyway I hope everyone enjoyed it and please drop a review. PS (I just threw in that game reference for fun)
