[026.] Just Like Old Times
Title: Just Like Old Times
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Claim: Cloud/Riku
Theme: [026.] Violence
Word Count: 2,431
Rating: PG
Summary: “Just like old times, huh?” said Cloud. Leon smiled.
Musical Inspiration: Utada Hikaru: Sanctuary
Disclaimer: Yeah, right. I wish.
Author’s Note: So this is a double post. I can’t explain to you how I went from the angry, violent townsfolk to this bizarre little segment, but when I thought about the prompt ‘violence,’ this was what came out of me. So, yes. Within this chapter you will find violent townsfolk and a very flighty Cloud. I don’t know how this happened, but I like it.
Regarding the chapter: Everything I know about Final Fantasy I learned from Advent Children, KH fanfic, various Final Fantasy sites, and wikipedia. As Cloud, Leon, etc. are the KH versions of the Final Fantasy characters (and Selphie Tilmitt is a fourteen year old girl living on Destiny Islands), I am unconcerned about this.
Cloud wiped the sweat from his brow and held up a hand to block the bright sunlight from his eyes. With all the new arrivals in Hollow Bastion, the restoration moved along faster, and town started to look more like a town instead of a gravel pit. Cid finished rebuilding the first house yesterday, and though there was a riot over who would occupy it, Leon set the people to rest.
The new rule in Hollow Bastion followed that the first to arrive would be the first housed. As Leon, Yuffie, Cid, Aerith, and Cloud were here first, Leon decided he and Cloud were moving in. Cloud chuckled. He knew Leon’s real goal was to get Cloud out of Maleficent’s castle before he lost his mind, but the outrage the townsfolk expressed amused Cloud to no end. Leon couldn’t get a moment of peace without someone throwing a piece of gravel at him.
More people, though, meant more progress. Three days after settling in the new house, the Moogles had their shop, and two more houses were finished. Aerith, Cid, and Yuffie helped two families move into the homes. Leon stayed inside where it was safe.
Aerith still couldn’t figure out where all the furniture and food came from, and Leon wasn’t telling. Cloud had a suspicion that it was all from different worlds until the rest of theirs was repaired and things such as furniture and food could be manufactured. It would remain a suspicion. Cloud knew better than to annoy Leon about these kinds of things. He figured that maybe Aerith did, too.
“I didn’t expect so many people to show up back here,” said Leon. He eyed the window and drew the curtain. “I thought we’d be farther along when they did.”
“I guess this is what happens when a world becomes as safe as it can be again. People just start popping back up,” said Cloud.
Leon nodded.
“Aerith said it might happen, but . . . did you know so many people even lived in this area of Hollow Bastion?”
“It’s impressive. You know, this would have gone so much easier if our world would have been . . . you know, completely taken by the Heartless instead of . . .”
“What did happen? Letting it stay and become a barren wasteland because Ansem the Wise turned out to be Ansem the Criminally Insane?”
Cloud laughed.
“Yeah. I mean . . . everything would have just popped back up again in that case, right?”
“Sure. That way the people would have no recollection of what happened. It’s just like those people out there. They don’t remember a damn thing about the Heartless or Ansem . . . they just think a huge storm came through here or something.”
“I heard Yuffie telling them all a story about how there was a huge natural disaster and the whole town had to be evacuated. I think she’s trying to fill in the missing nine years. The funny thing is, even though no one can remember this tragedy, they all just accept they’ve been living outside of here until it was safe to come back.”
“Better than knowing what really happened, I guess. I wish I could forget.”
Leon took off his boots and placed them beside the sofa.
“I guess that’s just the way things go when a world is restored, huh?” said Cloud.
Leon shrugged.
“Who knows? Could be. Hungry?”
“You cooking?”
“Of course. We have to eat, and I don’t trust you to do it.”
“I’m an excellent cook.”
“You’re a horrible cook.”
“I’m an okay cook.”
“You give me food poisoning.”
“You have a weak stomach.”
“You gave yourself food poisoning.”
“It was a new recipe.”
“Cloud . . .”
“Okay, I’m a horrible cook. Feed me.”
Leon rolled his eyes and walked behind the counter that separated the kitchen and the living room. He opened the refrigerator and stared inside.
“What do you want?”
“Something edible.”
“You know, if you were cooking, that wouldn’t be an unfounded request.”
“Okay, Leon, I think we’ve discussed what a crappy cook I am enough now. Let’s talk about something you suck at.”
“Okay. We’ll talk about how I suck at not talking about what a crappy cook you are.”
“You annoy me.”
Leon turned around from the refrigerator to smirk at Cloud.
“Hey, did Aerith tell you she heard from Tifa?”
“Really?”
“Yeah. She’s coming to help out. So is Merlin, at that.”
“Really? Merlin’s coming?”
“Yeah. Aerith asked him to. Said we’d build him a house here and everything. I think that will all the people at each other’s throats, she thinks we might need a little magic to help us out. He was very excited about the Restoration.”
“The more the merrier, right?” said Cloud. He looked toward the window and stared at the curtains.
“Don’t tell the people out there that. I think they’re trying to kill each other for a good place to sleep. Not that I blame them. I’d send them to the castle, but with all the Heartless around it-”
“Yeah. I still haven’t figured out what we’re going to do about that one.”
“I just figured whenever Sora showed up again, we could ask him to help.”
“A Keyblade master’s job is never done.”
Leon looked up from the counter where he was busy chopping vegetables and stared at Cloud.
“Hey. You okay?”
Cloud’s head snapped up.
“Huh? Yeah. Just thinking.”
“Don’t hurt yourself.”
“Very funny.”
“Is it Riku?”
“What? No . . . Tifa, actually. I haven’t seen her in ages.”
Leon nodded.
“You always did have a soft spot for Tifa.”
“I don’t have a soft spot for Tifa.”
“Yes, you do.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do. You go to Aerith when you need to hear the nice version of the truth. You come to me when you just want someone to listen. You go to Tifa when you need a good kick in the ass.”
“Why does that mean I have a soft spot for Tifa?”
“Because you’re so stubborn that a good kick in the ass is what you usually end up needing.”
Cloud frowned.
“I’m not that bad.”
“Don’t make me argue with you again, Strife.”
“Those are fighting words, Squall.”
“No, they weren’t, but yours were.”
“You were going to argue with me.”
“You called me Squall.”
“It’s your name.”
“My name is Leon.”
“Your name is Squall. Don’t make me call you Leon Leonhart.”
“My name isn’t Leon Leonhart.”
“No, it isn’t. It’s Squall Leonhart. That means your name is Squall.”
“I go by Leon.”
Cloud shrugged.
“So when’s Tifa coming?”
“Don’t know.”
“Does Aerith?”
Leon shrugged.
“When are we eating?”
“You’re getting on my nerves.”
Cloud smirked and leaned back in his chair.
“Just like old times, huh? Only now we’re older, wiser, and don’t have to listen to overprotective matrons.”
Leon smiled.
“Yeah, just like old times.”
~*~
Cloud didn’t know what Cid was thinking when he left him to finish up the roof. Sure, Cid was teaching Cloud everything he knew about building because Leon said Cloud couldn’t just stand around handing Cid tools all day. That didn’t mean that Cloud should be building houses on his own. He wasn’t capable of this kind of labor. Well, really, he was, but his hammering was almost as bad as his cooking. He slammed his thumb three times on the last nail; his finger was purple and swollen. Leon was going to pay.
Aerith and Yuffie-who took upon the job of making Hollow Bastion look “pretty”-were also responsible for keeping riots to a minimum. The people here were miserable. There were more bodies than anticipated, so when Leon disappeared to get food, not everyone was accounted for. Aerith and Yuffie tried to divide portions, but the townsfolk were tired from working, hungry from small portions, and aggravated at not having a proper place to sleep. Cloud had sympathy for them, but violence wasn’t the answer.
Then again, Cloud has a nice bed to sleep in that wasn’t in Maleficent’s castle. In retrospect, he should have told Leon that he could withstand passing Riku’s bedroom every day a little longer, but he hadn’t, and he wasn’t that sorry for it.
Cloud wiped his face with the back of his hand. It never got very hot in Hollow Bastion, but it was warm even for here, and with all the roofing Cid had him trying to do, Cloud was sweating. It was nothing like the heat in Olympus Coliseum, though. Cloud was at least thankful for that.
“Is that Cloud Strife I see, or have I gone delusional?”
Cloud missed the nail head and hammered his index finger. He howled in pain.
“Yep. That’s Cloud, all right.”
Cloud dropped the hammer on the room and flexed his fingers. He leaned over the side of the roof. On the ground below, brown eyes sparkled back at him, pink lips turned into a smile. Cloud almost jumped from the roof.
“Tifa!”
“Be careful. You’re going to hurt yourself.”
Cloud scrambled down the ladder and threw himself at her. Tifa smiled and wrapped her arms around him.
“When did you get here?”
“Just now. Squall said I’d find you over here.”
“Don’t let him hear you call him that,” said Cloud, pulling back. He leaned against the building.
“Right. It’s Leon now, I hear. Yuffie keeps reminding me.”
“That’s funny considering she keeps calling him Squall.”
“Yeah, but I bet that’s just to annoy him.”
“So are you here to help with the Hollow Bastion Restoration?”
“For now. I don’t know how long I’ll be staying, but I’ll be in and out of here to help. How are you? You’re not as moody as I remember. Usually when I see you after a while, I try to hug you, but all you want to do is stare at your feet.”
“Blame Leon and his stupid restoration. It’s made me soft.”
“How does Leon make anyone soft?”
“You’d be surprised.”
“Aerith said you two were becoming close again, but I didn’t realize just how close she meant. Squall actually almost smiled when he saw me. It’s almost like before the Heartless. You know, before you were all moody and found your feet more interesting than me.”
“Thanks, Tifa. It’s nice to know you equate the word ‘moody’ with me.”
“Actually, I equate the word ‘whiny’ with you. It could be worse, though. I equate ‘stoic bitch’ with Squall.”
Cloud laughed.
“So how are things on Midgar?”
“Sephiroth showed up a little while back.”
“Been there, done that.”
Tifa’s eyes widened, and then she broke into a smile.
“Really, Cloud? That’s so great. He’s gone?”
Cloud slumped against the wall.
“For now.”
The smile on Tifa’s face fell.
“Oh, Cloud . . .”
“Spare me the lecture. Leon already gave it to me.”
“Leon lectured you about it? Like, Leon meaning Squall? He didn’t just . . .” Tifa shrugged her shoulders, looked around as if she were uninterested, and said, “Whatever . . .”
Cloud burst out laughing.
“Yeah, Leon meaning Squall, and yes, he lectured me.”
“I guess someone has to keep your sorry ass in line.”
“Yeah. That’s what Leon said.”
“Has he had a brain transplant?”
“I don’t think so, but Aerith seems to think this is a good development. So Sephiroth aside, how is Midgar?”
“Great. Marlene wants to know when you’re coming to visit again.”
“Don’t know. Sometime soon. You can tell her and Denzel I say hi, though, since you’ll see them before I do.”
“I have a new boyfriend.”
Cloud arched his eyebrow.
“What happened to Reno?”
“Eh . . .”
Tifa shrugged.
“Do I know him?”
“Vincent . . .”
“Valentine?”
“. . . Yes?”
“Cid’s friend, Hollow Bastion Vincent Valentine?”
“Well, we ran into each other in Midgar and had a few drinks. The next thing I knew . . .”
“Tifa, you whore.”
“Not that. We just spent a lot of time together and now . . .”
“He’s your boyfriend.”
“You got a problem with that?”
“I don’t think it would matter even if I did.”
“Gossiping,” said Leon, rounding the corner. “Just as I suspected.”
“Hey, Squall,” said Tifa.
Leon handed them both brown paper bags.
“Leon. Aerith and Yuffie told me to bring you two lunch.”
“What?” said Tifa.
“It’s Leon,” said Leon and Cloud. Tifa smiled.
“Right.”
Leon leaned against the wall next to Cloud.
“Are you going to tell me the gossip or do I have to wait until tonight when Cloud won’t be able to shut his mouth about it?”
Tifa raised her eyebrow.
“Since when do you need to know the gossip?” said Tifa.
“Since I moved in with him,” said Leon, pointing toward Cloud.
“There’s nothing wrong with me.”
“You’re an atrocious secret-keeper.”
Cloud shrugged and stared at the ground. Tifa looked between them.
“So . . . you two are living together now?”
“It’s not like that, Tifa, so don’t even think about it,” said Leon.
“I don’t know. The way you said that you moved in together sounded kind of . . . like it was a romantic thing or something.”
“Tifa’s dating Vincent Valentine,” said Cloud.
“You see what I mean about atrocious secret-keeper?”
Tifa laughed.
“So there’s nothing going on between the two of you?”
“Not even remotely. Now what’s this about Vincent Valentine?”
“Tifa’s dating him,” said Cloud.
“Cid’s friend? Isn’t he a little old for you?”
“Age is only a number.”
“You would say that.”
“Why would he say that?” said Tifa.
“Because he’s dating a kid.”
“What?”
“Yeah. To make a long story short, Cloud’s dating a fifteen year old kid who got himself all messed up in the darkness, and now the Heartless have him. We don’t know whether he’s alive, or dead, or even able to break the hold the Heartless have over him. Cloud’s all moody about it because he’s in love with the minor, and the kid is far more important to him than Zack ever was. So, you know, now you’re filled in on Cloud’s tragedy if it gets brought up.”
“That . . .” said Tifa. “And you thought things sucked when Zack died.”
“That was a very understanding explanation, Leon,” said Cloud.
Leon shrugged.
“Whatever . . .”
Tifa and Cloud stared at each other for a few seconds before they both burst into laughter.
“I guess there goes the theory on the brain transplant,” said Tifa.
Leon glared at them.
( Prompt Table) for previous installments. 026/100 Complete.
Fandom: Kingdom Hearts
Claim: Cloud/Riku
Theme: [026.] Violence
Word Count: 2,431
Rating: PG
Summary: “Just like old times, huh?” said Cloud. Leon smiled.
Musical Inspiration: Utada Hikaru: Sanctuary
Disclaimer: Yeah, right. I wish.
Author’s Note: So this is a double post. I can’t explain to you how I went from the angry, violent townsfolk to this bizarre little segment, but when I thought about the prompt ‘violence,’ this was what came out of me. So, yes. Within this chapter you will find violent townsfolk and a very flighty Cloud. I don’t know how this happened, but I like it.
Regarding the chapter: Everything I know about Final Fantasy I learned from Advent Children, KH fanfic, various Final Fantasy sites, and wikipedia. As Cloud, Leon, etc. are the KH versions of the Final Fantasy characters (and Selphie Tilmitt is a fourteen year old girl living on Destiny Islands), I am unconcerned about this.
Cloud wiped the sweat from his brow and held up a hand to block the bright sunlight from his eyes. With all the new arrivals in Hollow Bastion, the restoration moved along faster, and town started to look more like a town instead of a gravel pit. Cid finished rebuilding the first house yesterday, and though there was a riot over who would occupy it, Leon set the people to rest.
The new rule in Hollow Bastion followed that the first to arrive would be the first housed. As Leon, Yuffie, Cid, Aerith, and Cloud were here first, Leon decided he and Cloud were moving in. Cloud chuckled. He knew Leon’s real goal was to get Cloud out of Maleficent’s castle before he lost his mind, but the outrage the townsfolk expressed amused Cloud to no end. Leon couldn’t get a moment of peace without someone throwing a piece of gravel at him.
More people, though, meant more progress. Three days after settling in the new house, the Moogles had their shop, and two more houses were finished. Aerith, Cid, and Yuffie helped two families move into the homes. Leon stayed inside where it was safe.
Aerith still couldn’t figure out where all the furniture and food came from, and Leon wasn’t telling. Cloud had a suspicion that it was all from different worlds until the rest of theirs was repaired and things such as furniture and food could be manufactured. It would remain a suspicion. Cloud knew better than to annoy Leon about these kinds of things. He figured that maybe Aerith did, too.
“I didn’t expect so many people to show up back here,” said Leon. He eyed the window and drew the curtain. “I thought we’d be farther along when they did.”
“I guess this is what happens when a world becomes as safe as it can be again. People just start popping back up,” said Cloud.
Leon nodded.
“Aerith said it might happen, but . . . did you know so many people even lived in this area of Hollow Bastion?”
“It’s impressive. You know, this would have gone so much easier if our world would have been . . . you know, completely taken by the Heartless instead of . . .”
“What did happen? Letting it stay and become a barren wasteland because Ansem the Wise turned out to be Ansem the Criminally Insane?”
Cloud laughed.
“Yeah. I mean . . . everything would have just popped back up again in that case, right?”
“Sure. That way the people would have no recollection of what happened. It’s just like those people out there. They don’t remember a damn thing about the Heartless or Ansem . . . they just think a huge storm came through here or something.”
“I heard Yuffie telling them all a story about how there was a huge natural disaster and the whole town had to be evacuated. I think she’s trying to fill in the missing nine years. The funny thing is, even though no one can remember this tragedy, they all just accept they’ve been living outside of here until it was safe to come back.”
“Better than knowing what really happened, I guess. I wish I could forget.”
Leon took off his boots and placed them beside the sofa.
“I guess that’s just the way things go when a world is restored, huh?” said Cloud.
Leon shrugged.
“Who knows? Could be. Hungry?”
“You cooking?”
“Of course. We have to eat, and I don’t trust you to do it.”
“I’m an excellent cook.”
“You’re a horrible cook.”
“I’m an okay cook.”
“You give me food poisoning.”
“You have a weak stomach.”
“You gave yourself food poisoning.”
“It was a new recipe.”
“Cloud . . .”
“Okay, I’m a horrible cook. Feed me.”
Leon rolled his eyes and walked behind the counter that separated the kitchen and the living room. He opened the refrigerator and stared inside.
“What do you want?”
“Something edible.”
“You know, if you were cooking, that wouldn’t be an unfounded request.”
“Okay, Leon, I think we’ve discussed what a crappy cook I am enough now. Let’s talk about something you suck at.”
“Okay. We’ll talk about how I suck at not talking about what a crappy cook you are.”
“You annoy me.”
Leon turned around from the refrigerator to smirk at Cloud.
“Hey, did Aerith tell you she heard from Tifa?”
“Really?”
“Yeah. She’s coming to help out. So is Merlin, at that.”
“Really? Merlin’s coming?”
“Yeah. Aerith asked him to. Said we’d build him a house here and everything. I think that will all the people at each other’s throats, she thinks we might need a little magic to help us out. He was very excited about the Restoration.”
“The more the merrier, right?” said Cloud. He looked toward the window and stared at the curtains.
“Don’t tell the people out there that. I think they’re trying to kill each other for a good place to sleep. Not that I blame them. I’d send them to the castle, but with all the Heartless around it-”
“Yeah. I still haven’t figured out what we’re going to do about that one.”
“I just figured whenever Sora showed up again, we could ask him to help.”
“A Keyblade master’s job is never done.”
Leon looked up from the counter where he was busy chopping vegetables and stared at Cloud.
“Hey. You okay?”
Cloud’s head snapped up.
“Huh? Yeah. Just thinking.”
“Don’t hurt yourself.”
“Very funny.”
“Is it Riku?”
“What? No . . . Tifa, actually. I haven’t seen her in ages.”
Leon nodded.
“You always did have a soft spot for Tifa.”
“I don’t have a soft spot for Tifa.”
“Yes, you do.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Yes, you do. You go to Aerith when you need to hear the nice version of the truth. You come to me when you just want someone to listen. You go to Tifa when you need a good kick in the ass.”
“Why does that mean I have a soft spot for Tifa?”
“Because you’re so stubborn that a good kick in the ass is what you usually end up needing.”
Cloud frowned.
“I’m not that bad.”
“Don’t make me argue with you again, Strife.”
“Those are fighting words, Squall.”
“No, they weren’t, but yours were.”
“You were going to argue with me.”
“You called me Squall.”
“It’s your name.”
“My name is Leon.”
“Your name is Squall. Don’t make me call you Leon Leonhart.”
“My name isn’t Leon Leonhart.”
“No, it isn’t. It’s Squall Leonhart. That means your name is Squall.”
“I go by Leon.”
Cloud shrugged.
“So when’s Tifa coming?”
“Don’t know.”
“Does Aerith?”
Leon shrugged.
“When are we eating?”
“You’re getting on my nerves.”
Cloud smirked and leaned back in his chair.
“Just like old times, huh? Only now we’re older, wiser, and don’t have to listen to overprotective matrons.”
Leon smiled.
“Yeah, just like old times.”
~*~
Cloud didn’t know what Cid was thinking when he left him to finish up the roof. Sure, Cid was teaching Cloud everything he knew about building because Leon said Cloud couldn’t just stand around handing Cid tools all day. That didn’t mean that Cloud should be building houses on his own. He wasn’t capable of this kind of labor. Well, really, he was, but his hammering was almost as bad as his cooking. He slammed his thumb three times on the last nail; his finger was purple and swollen. Leon was going to pay.
Aerith and Yuffie-who took upon the job of making Hollow Bastion look “pretty”-were also responsible for keeping riots to a minimum. The people here were miserable. There were more bodies than anticipated, so when Leon disappeared to get food, not everyone was accounted for. Aerith and Yuffie tried to divide portions, but the townsfolk were tired from working, hungry from small portions, and aggravated at not having a proper place to sleep. Cloud had sympathy for them, but violence wasn’t the answer.
Then again, Cloud has a nice bed to sleep in that wasn’t in Maleficent’s castle. In retrospect, he should have told Leon that he could withstand passing Riku’s bedroom every day a little longer, but he hadn’t, and he wasn’t that sorry for it.
Cloud wiped his face with the back of his hand. It never got very hot in Hollow Bastion, but it was warm even for here, and with all the roofing Cid had him trying to do, Cloud was sweating. It was nothing like the heat in Olympus Coliseum, though. Cloud was at least thankful for that.
“Is that Cloud Strife I see, or have I gone delusional?”
Cloud missed the nail head and hammered his index finger. He howled in pain.
“Yep. That’s Cloud, all right.”
Cloud dropped the hammer on the room and flexed his fingers. He leaned over the side of the roof. On the ground below, brown eyes sparkled back at him, pink lips turned into a smile. Cloud almost jumped from the roof.
“Tifa!”
“Be careful. You’re going to hurt yourself.”
Cloud scrambled down the ladder and threw himself at her. Tifa smiled and wrapped her arms around him.
“When did you get here?”
“Just now. Squall said I’d find you over here.”
“Don’t let him hear you call him that,” said Cloud, pulling back. He leaned against the building.
“Right. It’s Leon now, I hear. Yuffie keeps reminding me.”
“That’s funny considering she keeps calling him Squall.”
“Yeah, but I bet that’s just to annoy him.”
“So are you here to help with the Hollow Bastion Restoration?”
“For now. I don’t know how long I’ll be staying, but I’ll be in and out of here to help. How are you? You’re not as moody as I remember. Usually when I see you after a while, I try to hug you, but all you want to do is stare at your feet.”
“Blame Leon and his stupid restoration. It’s made me soft.”
“How does Leon make anyone soft?”
“You’d be surprised.”
“Aerith said you two were becoming close again, but I didn’t realize just how close she meant. Squall actually almost smiled when he saw me. It’s almost like before the Heartless. You know, before you were all moody and found your feet more interesting than me.”
“Thanks, Tifa. It’s nice to know you equate the word ‘moody’ with me.”
“Actually, I equate the word ‘whiny’ with you. It could be worse, though. I equate ‘stoic bitch’ with Squall.”
Cloud laughed.
“So how are things on Midgar?”
“Sephiroth showed up a little while back.”
“Been there, done that.”
Tifa’s eyes widened, and then she broke into a smile.
“Really, Cloud? That’s so great. He’s gone?”
Cloud slumped against the wall.
“For now.”
The smile on Tifa’s face fell.
“Oh, Cloud . . .”
“Spare me the lecture. Leon already gave it to me.”
“Leon lectured you about it? Like, Leon meaning Squall? He didn’t just . . .” Tifa shrugged her shoulders, looked around as if she were uninterested, and said, “Whatever . . .”
Cloud burst out laughing.
“Yeah, Leon meaning Squall, and yes, he lectured me.”
“I guess someone has to keep your sorry ass in line.”
“Yeah. That’s what Leon said.”
“Has he had a brain transplant?”
“I don’t think so, but Aerith seems to think this is a good development. So Sephiroth aside, how is Midgar?”
“Great. Marlene wants to know when you’re coming to visit again.”
“Don’t know. Sometime soon. You can tell her and Denzel I say hi, though, since you’ll see them before I do.”
“I have a new boyfriend.”
Cloud arched his eyebrow.
“What happened to Reno?”
“Eh . . .”
Tifa shrugged.
“Do I know him?”
“Vincent . . .”
“Valentine?”
“. . . Yes?”
“Cid’s friend, Hollow Bastion Vincent Valentine?”
“Well, we ran into each other in Midgar and had a few drinks. The next thing I knew . . .”
“Tifa, you whore.”
“Not that. We just spent a lot of time together and now . . .”
“He’s your boyfriend.”
“You got a problem with that?”
“I don’t think it would matter even if I did.”
“Gossiping,” said Leon, rounding the corner. “Just as I suspected.”
“Hey, Squall,” said Tifa.
Leon handed them both brown paper bags.
“Leon. Aerith and Yuffie told me to bring you two lunch.”
“What?” said Tifa.
“It’s Leon,” said Leon and Cloud. Tifa smiled.
“Right.”
Leon leaned against the wall next to Cloud.
“Are you going to tell me the gossip or do I have to wait until tonight when Cloud won’t be able to shut his mouth about it?”
Tifa raised her eyebrow.
“Since when do you need to know the gossip?” said Tifa.
“Since I moved in with him,” said Leon, pointing toward Cloud.
“There’s nothing wrong with me.”
“You’re an atrocious secret-keeper.”
Cloud shrugged and stared at the ground. Tifa looked between them.
“So . . . you two are living together now?”
“It’s not like that, Tifa, so don’t even think about it,” said Leon.
“I don’t know. The way you said that you moved in together sounded kind of . . . like it was a romantic thing or something.”
“Tifa’s dating Vincent Valentine,” said Cloud.
“You see what I mean about atrocious secret-keeper?”
Tifa laughed.
“So there’s nothing going on between the two of you?”
“Not even remotely. Now what’s this about Vincent Valentine?”
“Tifa’s dating him,” said Cloud.
“Cid’s friend? Isn’t he a little old for you?”
“Age is only a number.”
“You would say that.”
“Why would he say that?” said Tifa.
“Because he’s dating a kid.”
“What?”
“Yeah. To make a long story short, Cloud’s dating a fifteen year old kid who got himself all messed up in the darkness, and now the Heartless have him. We don’t know whether he’s alive, or dead, or even able to break the hold the Heartless have over him. Cloud’s all moody about it because he’s in love with the minor, and the kid is far more important to him than Zack ever was. So, you know, now you’re filled in on Cloud’s tragedy if it gets brought up.”
“That . . .” said Tifa. “And you thought things sucked when Zack died.”
“That was a very understanding explanation, Leon,” said Cloud.
Leon shrugged.
“Whatever . . .”
Tifa and Cloud stared at each other for a few seconds before they both burst into laughter.
“I guess there goes the theory on the brain transplant,” said Tifa.
Leon glared at them.
( Prompt Table) for previous installments. 026/100 Complete.