**Chapter 1: The Morning After**
Cloud Strife's eyes blinked open, the soft morning light filtering through the curtains of his small dorm room. His head throbbed with the aftermath of too many drinks, and for a moment, he couldn't remember where he was or how he'd gotten there. But as the haze cleared, the weight of the situation came crashing down on him.
He was naked.
His heart skipped a beat as he slowly turned his head, feeling the warmth of bodies beside him. There, under the tangled sheets, were Tifa Lockhart, Aerith Gainsborough, and Jessie Rasberry—also completely naked, their forms barely concealed by the blankets. His breath hitched, and he forced himself to stay calm. The events of the previous night were a blur, but this was something he hadn't expected.
Carefully, Cloud sat up, the sheets slipping down to his waist. He ran a hand through his spiky blonde hair, trying to shake off the remaining fog in his mind. He glanced over at the three women, each of them still asleep, their faces serene despite the situation they'd found themselves in. For a moment, he debated whether to wake them, but before he could decide, Tifa stirred.
Her eyes fluttered open, and she blinked in confusion. As realization dawned, her cheeks turned a deep shade of red. "Cloud…?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Morning, Tifa," Cloud replied, his voice hoarse. "I… I'm not sure what happened."
Tifa's gaze traveled over the room, taking in the disarray—the empty bottles, the discarded clothes, the evidence of a night that had clearly gotten out of hand. As she scanned the room, her eyes landed on a particular bottle near the edge of the table, its strange label standing out among the others.
Tifa peered over Cloud's shoulder. "Isn't that the weird liquor Zack brought over? Said it was some kind of special brew from Wutai."
Cloud followed her gaze, recognizing the bottle instantly. "Yeah, that's the one," he muttered, piecing together a potential culprit for their current situation. "He kept going on about how strong it was."
Tifa's expression grew thoughtful. "I think we all had some last night, didn't we?"
"Pretty sure we did," Cloud replied. "But after that… it's all a blur."
As they spoke, Cloud couldn't help but feel a creeping sense of dread. His mind raced with the possibilities, each one more alarming than the last. Had they…? He shook his head slightly, trying to push the thought away, but it lingered in the back of his mind, gnawing at him. Did I end up having sex? If I did… was it with one of them? Or… all of them?
The questions swirled in his head, but no matter how hard he tried to remember, the night was a fog of half-formed memories and flashes of laughter. The uncertainty was enough to make his stomach churn. The idea of being intimate with any of them, let alone all three, was overwhelming. But more than that, the thought of it happening without clear memories, without knowing if it was truly consensual for everyone involved—it left him feeling hollow and anxious.
Before they could discuss further, Aerith and Jessie began to wake up as well. Aerith was the first to notice their predicament, her eyes widening in surprise. Jessie, ever the bold one, glanced around before letting out a groggy laugh.
"Well, this is one way to wake up," Jessie said, her voice laced with amusement, though her expression betrayed a hint of awkwardness. "Anyone remember how we ended up like this?"
Cloud shook his head. "Bits and pieces. We remember Zack's liquor… but after that, nothing."
Aerith frowned, trying to piece together her own fragmented memories. "I remember we were drinking a lot, and there was some dancing… but that's about it."
Tifa sighed, rubbing her temples as if it would help jog her memory. "I recall a few laughs and maybe a dare or two, but… nothing that explains this."
Jessie snorted. "Figures. We probably drank ourselves into oblivion. I vaguely remember challenging someone to a drinking contest… maybe that's where it all went wrong."
As they spoke, Cloud carefully studied their expressions, looking for any hint that they might remember more than they were letting on. But all he saw was the same confusion he felt. It was clear none of them had any more answers than he did, and the thought of that was both a relief and a concern.
Silence fell over the room as they each struggled to recall the events that had led them to this point. But no matter how hard they tried, the night remained a patchwork of half-remembered moments, none of which added up to the situation they now faced.
After a few minutes, Aerith broke the silence, her tone light but cautious. "Maybe… maybe it's better if we just chalk this up to a wild night and move on? No need to dwell on something we can't remember."
Jessie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, no point in overthinking it. We were just having fun, right? Let's not make it weird."
Cloud finally exhaled, relieved that the tension was starting to dissipate. "We should probably get dressed… and clean this place up."
Tifa glanced at him, her expression softening. "You're right. Let's just… forget this happened. We'll be fine."
The four of them exchanged tentative smiles, a silent agreement passing between them. Though the morning had started with a shock, they were determined not to let it ruin their friendship. With that decision made, they slowly got out of bed, each of them gathering their scattered clothes and getting dressed in the quiet aftermath of their wild night.
As they began tidying up the room, the awkwardness was thick, hanging over them like a fog. Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, and Jessie moved slowly, each of them lost in their thoughts, trying to piece together the fragmented memories of the night before. They avoided looking directly at each other, too embarrassed and confused to acknowledge the situation they had woken up to.
But as they picked up the scattered remnants of their wild night—the empty bottles, the overturned cushions, the clothing tossed haphazardly around the room—something began to shift. The silence was broken first by Jessie, who, despite everything, managed to crack a joke. "I think we might've set a new record for how much of a mess four people can make in one night."
Tifa, who had been absently folding a blanket, glanced up at Jessie's comment and couldn't help but let out a small, nervous laugh. "I don't even remember half of what we did..."
Aerith, always quick to pick up on the mood, smiled faintly as she placed a bottle on the table. "Same here. Everything's just... a blur."
"Yeah," Cloud chimed in, trying to recall the sequence of events. "I remember us starting at the bar, but after that... it's all bits and pieces. I woke up, and then... well, you know."
They all shared a look—one that was equal parts embarrassment and bewilderment. None of them could fully remember how they ended up in such a state, and the gaps in their memories were both unsettling and oddly reassuring.
"Well, at least we're all in one piece," Jessie said, trying to lighten the mood. "No permanent damage, right?"
"Physically, maybe," Cloud muttered, though there was a hint of humor in his voice. He was doing his best to stay calm, but the uncertainty was gnawing at him.
As they continued to clean, the tension started to ease just a little. The simple act of tidying up gave them something to focus on, and the mundane task provided a much-needed distraction from the more troubling questions lingering in their minds.
"I guess it's better that we don't remember everything," Aerith suggested, her tone more thoughtful now. "Some things are probably better left forgotten."
"Yeah, like who thought it was a good idea to wear the lampshade as a hat," Tifa added, managing a small smile as she picked up the now-battered lampshade and placed it back where it belonged.
Jessie grinned, though her eyes still held a trace of unease. "I'd like to believe it was a collective effort."
Cloud shook his head, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Whatever happened, we clearly had fun... even if we can't remember exactly how."
The room, once chaotic and littered with the evidence of their night, slowly began to return to its usual state. Cushions were fluffed, blankets were folded, and the scattered bottles were gathered and placed on the counter. Yet, despite the room's outward normalcy, the four of them knew that things weren't quite the same. The fog of forgotten memories hung over them, a reminder of the night they couldn't fully recall.
As they stood there, surveying the now-tidy room, Jessie broke the silence with a sigh. "Well, whatever happened, it was definitely one for the books... even if we can't remember the details."
The others nodded in agreement, their expressions a mix of relief and lingering uncertainty. The night might have been a blur, but the bond between them felt different—stronger, perhaps, but also tinged with something new and unfamiliar. They knew that while the room might look normal again, there were questions left unanswered, and memories they might never recover.
But as they continued, Cloud couldn't quite shake the unease in the pit of his stomach. He hoped—more than anything—that whatever had happened that night hadn't crossed any lines. The trust between them was too important to risk. And for now, he had to trust that if anything had happened, they would all figure it out together.
When everything was finally cleaned up, Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, and Jessie stood by the door, their earlier tension now a distant memory.
"Let's not make a habit of this," Cloud said, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"Agreed," Tifa replied, her own smile matching his.
"Next time, let's stick to one drink," Aerith suggested with a playful wink.
Jessie grinned, nudging Cloud's shoulder. "Or maybe just no dares. But hey, it was fun… I think."
With one last shared glance, they left the room, stepping out into the bright morning light. What they didn't know that night would change their lives forever.