26: Great Idea

"Hey Cloud, what are you getting Tifa for her birthday?" Zack asked during breakfast. They were having bacon and eggs, paired with black coffee. The blonde froze chewing. "Mmphf?" he said then swallowed. "Birthday?"

"Duh Cloud. Her birthday's the day before the fashion week." his friend said. Zack roared with laughter. "What kind of boyfriend are you… not knowing your girlfriend's birthday! She'd break up with you if I hadn't asked you. Ha!"

The blonde hunched his shoulder and thought… what could I possibly give somebody who already has almost everything? "Zack…"

"What?"

"Help me."

"I knew you would say that bro. Don't worry, Zack's got you covered!"

"Somehow… I feel nervous with what you just said." Cloud mumbled as he thought of the disastrous gifts he had been given before. Zack stood up and put his plate on the sink. "Well we have tons of time before we head to HL. Why don't we go to the mall?"

"I don't think that she'll appreciate having something that a hundred other girls have too." Cloud told his friend.

"That's true… so… where do we go if you don't want to get her something from the mall?"

Cloud stared down at the floor, with arms crossed. His lips were set into a thin, straight line. "Maybe we can go to those specialty shops at Sector 7."

"Good call, lover boy. Let's go!"

They were too early. Almost every shop in Sector 7's shopping district was still closed. Most would be opening at ten, which was two hours away. The friends leaned on their motorbikes and crossed their arms.

"I've never been here before," Cloud said to himself as he looked around. Everywhere he looked, his eyes relished on gallant sights and displays. "I wonder how many times she's been here." He straightened up and walked towards the nearby shop. There were baubles and trench coats on display. Tifa would surely look wonderful in every one of those coats.

"Whatever you do, my man, don't get her a bracelet. Her ex already did that." Zack cautioned as Cloud studied the white bracelet. The bracelet had a dangling heart surrounded by arrows. Just like her brand's concept… somehow.

"Oh yeah…" Cloud muttered.

Giving her a bracelet could stir up some memories, and he didn't want her to get upset on her birthday. Cloud moved on to the neighboring store—it was shoe store. She loved shoes… the shoes on display were very pretty. But what was the size of her feet again? With a sigh, he walked on, forgetting Zack, who was busy doing some window shopping of his own.

It was already eleven o'clock, and they still haven't found anything for Tifa. Cloud was starting to lose hope in finding anything at all. Zack's phone started to ring.

"Hi baby~ good morning to you too!" the raven cooed.

Yep, that was definitely Aerith calling.

"Huh? Like, right now? I'm in Sector 7 baby, with Cloud. He's looking for a gift. I'll try to get there as soon as possible…. I love you too, bye bye."

Cloud didn't look up when his friend said that he had to leave. "Sure, it's alright. Your baby might cry if I keep you here any longer."

"I'll see you later at HL dude! Gotta go."

Well… Zack was useless—he hadn't even helped Cloud look for anything. Zack had gone off to look for a gift for his Aerith instead… Cloud walked out of Louis Vuitton empty handed. Those damn bags were too expensive… and yet Tifa had a dozen of them sitting in her closet!

"Ugh I might as well just forget about it." Cloud groaned as he looked up at the sky. The sun blazed and blinded him. He turned his face away from the sun and his eyes landed on a pair of earrings.

Cloud walked closer to examine the dainty little things that caught his eyes. "Oh these are awesome." These are perfect.

"Welcome to Van Cleef and Arpels jewels sir. May I help you?" the clerk said as he walked in.

"Yeah… um, I would like to see those earrings on display. The ones with the wing shape." He said nervously. This was the first time that he had set foot in a jewelry shop before. Brilliant precious stones embedded on either silver or gold dazzled before him.

"Here you are sir." The clerk said. He was an elderly man with neatly kept hair and a meticulously pressed suit. It was obvious that the clerk thought of Cloud as a rebel—in his jeans, leather jacket and shirt. His jeans were even ripped. How embarrassing. "This is the only pair we have in the store. There is nothing quite like it anywhere."

Cloud studied the shimmer of every stone. "How much is it?"

"Sixty-three thousand gil."

"Excuse me?" Cloud said, dumbfounded. "Can you repeat that? I didn't quite catch it."

"These beauties are worth sixty-three thousand gil, sir."

"Oh… uh…" How much do I have on me? "Let's see…" Cloud pulled out his wallet and counted the fat wad of bills in it. "Oh man… I only have ten thousand. Shit."

"You can have it reserved, if you really want it. But I suggest that you add at least twenty thousand more."

"Can't you give me a discount, mister? It's for my girlfriend's birthday…"

"No can do sir. Van Cleef's pieces are all authentic, that's why it is expensive. However, if you really want to buy her something like this, I suggest that you look at our other pieces."

"No… I'm getting this one." Cloud said. "I'll be back with the rest. Uh, where's the nearest ATM here?"

His heart was pounding so hard that he could hear it as he walked to the ATM. He was shelling out sixty-three thousand, for pete's sake! But… she would love them, and she would look really hot with them on.

Riiing!

'Good morning Cloud! Are you awake already? If so, don't forget to eat breakfast, okay? Love you! '

He smiled as he read her text.

'Good morning too, Teef! I already ate, don't skip yours. I'll see you later. I love you too! '

"Okay here's the rest, mister." Cloud said as he placed the thick wad of bills on top of the counter. The clerk raised an eyebrow and nodded. He was probably thinking that Cloud was a rich boy in disguise or a Mafioso.

"Alright. Would you like the box to be personalized, sir? We can emboss her name on the lid with silver."

"Is that free?"

"Of course. It's our specialty. Kindly spell out her name here then, sir."

"Oh no need. I think you've heard of her."

"Really?"

"Just put T-I-F-A there."

"Tifa…" the clerk muttered. "Ah yes… I remember her. Mr. Rhapsodos had a bracelet commissioned for her here before."

Cloud gritted his teeth. "On second thought I won't have her name embossed."

"Okay. Then… here you are sir."

"Thanks."

Cloud took the box and walked out of the shop, feeling lighter. Happy. Fulfilled. Was finding something nice for the someone you love really this good? Whatever… he just felt great.

Vroom, vroom. It was time to head over to Heart Locker's rehearsals.

Or maybe he'll just grab a some food on the way. He is pretty hungry already.

Zack didn't let him finish his food earlier, after all.

Maybe he'll call Tifa to join him for lunch at the Kraft Kiosk later.

That seems like a better idea.

It definitely is.

"Hi Cloud," Tifa said as she took her seat in front of him. She was wearing a blue tank top paired with acid washed jeans and flat leather boots.

How did I ever get so lucky? he asked himself mentally as he smiled at his girlfriend.

"Hey." Cloud replied. "So... uh, what would you like for lunch? It's on me."

"Um..." Tifa muttered. There kiosk didn't really give them both a lot of choices. There were only paos, burgers, finger food and shakes available. Suddenly eating in the kiosk didn't sound so great to Cloud. He was being a lame boyfriend. A very lame boyfriend.

"I'll have a double cheese burger with watermelon shake, Cloud." she replied after a few more moments. Tifa smiled him her mesmerizing smile before he nodded.

"I'll have the same things then." he said.

Later, when their burgers had been prepared, the couple ate with gusto. "You know... for a very sexy woman, you sure have an appetite." he told her.

Tifa blushed.

He hoped that she had not felt offended.

She laughed. "And you've got ketchup on the side of your mouth!"

"Huh! Where?" he asked frantically.

"Here..." Tifa whispered as she wiped it off his face with a tissue.

"Er.. thanks."

Tifa laughed again.

Having lunch at the kiosk was suddenly a great idea.

Author's note:

I've only got six days more before I kiss my high school days goodbye. I think I'm ready and I think I'm not. I'm stuck in a very… complicated mindset here.

Anyway~ I hope you enjoyed this chapter about Cloud, haha! Don't forget to review!

-I was planning on ending this fic on my graduation, but I think I won't. Don't worry. There's more chapters to wait for! Thank you for your unending support and patience, guys!

Victoria Chrystallis