Chapter Text
The world was ending again, but this time there would be no prayer to Holy to save everyone in the nick of time. This was nothing that could be settled with a Buster Sword and some mastered Materia, nor was it anything within Aerith’s control from beyond the Lifestream. Certain problems had seemed so invisible before, that when the moment passed when early offenses spurred criticism, those involved were not prepared.
As the sun disappeared from the sky once again, ushering in a new night, Cloud and Tifa were restless, despite every attempt to let sleep overtake their thoughts and offer a brief escape. Cloud rested his weight on one shoulder, the side of his head rested on a pillow while he watched Tifa replicate his same position. They listened to each other’s breathing for a bit, staring into each other’s eyes with the simple, straightforward desire to communicate things they could hardly bring themselves to say aloud.
What happens to us if our lives are ruined tomorrow? Would we lose all hope? Would they tear us apart? Would the kids be safe?
Tifa, like most times, was the first to speak, but not without much self-convincing. “Cloud…we’re both going to feel awful in the morning if we don’t at least get some sleep.”
Cloud looked defeated. He felt defeated, too, and knew that Tifa was just a bit better at hiding that same expression from her own face. She looked sad, of course, but she was trying to be strong for the both of them. That realization punched Cloud in the gut, making him wish he could find the motivation to do the same. “They’re going to take everything from us.” He winced a bit after saying it, knowing how much hurt he’d see in her eyes, but he still looked anyway.
Yep. He knew her well.
She exhaled a long breath she didn’t know she was holding, her hand trailing across cold sheets to grasp Cloud’s own. It was a ghost of a touch, hardly noticeable if he had been wearing gloves, but it was the kind of touch to let him know she was there and would gladly tighten her grip in a second. He had needed that adjustment before, whenever he needed her to pull him back from a dark place.
She hadn’t spoken yet, so Cloud continued, hating the silence that he knew she was hesitant to break. “Just when we thought things were getting better…” Cloud couldn’t help the way his face contorted harshly, making himself appear bitter and angry. He knew it was a look Tifa hated to see on him, but she deserved him as his true self, not hiding how he felt. “…we were finally happy and then fate had to pull some cruel joke.”
Tifa’s lips were wet, probably from how many times she’d sucked in the bottom one and ran her tongue across. Her eyes were shiny, even in the dimly lit room, causing Cloud to assume they were the early signs of threatening tears. “We just have to make the best of it. Be strong for the kids…right?”
Cloud didn’t like that answer. It sounded like a plan moving forward, when all he wanted to was to prevent any change at all. Of course he’d be strong for the kids – what kind of parent would he be, even after the Geostigma? – but that didn’t feel like it was enough. Because it left the painful, hovering question of her, of him, of them, and he hated it.
More than that, he hated that the answer would be made for them sooner or later. When monsters stood in his path, he’d cut them down with a sword. When deliveries had to be made, he’d speed off on Fenrir on the quickest paths he knew, knowing the area by heart. When the close, sickening end to the Planet was near, he’d stood strong with his friends and allies, and they’d won.
It had to have been a cruel, twisted joke that a heartbroken couple from Midgar would be the ones to bring an end to all happiness – and end that Cloud couldn’t prevent.
“Cloud,” Tifa sighed, sounding heavy and tired. “We’re to blame. We weren’t some sort of saints. Neither was Barret or any of the others.”
“They seem to forget that Midgar was your home, too,” Cloud refused to bring himself down to these people’s level. That would mean agreeing with everything they said. That he and Tifa were blood-thirsty killers who recklessly threw away the lives of those in Sector 7 for the fun of it. That they started a new bar and delivery service to blend in and hope that no one remembered their sins. That they took two kids into their home for pity points.
Cloud felt sorry for these people, he really did – wasn’t being reminded of it by himself everyday already enough? – but at this point, that went nowhere outside of taking responsibility. What he could see was a couple acting out of emotion and using the deaths of loved ones as justification for seeing an ex-merc and bartender lose everything. He’d wanted revenge once too – he’d tasted it – but when he was on the receiving end, he could think so much straighter.
“I’m trying not to believe that this is our punishment,” Tifa admitted quietly, her voice slightly hoarse from swelling emotion. “I thought that of the stigma once, you know. But that eventually got better, and I guess I never thought our past would still come back to bite us.”
“It’s not that,” Cloud’s eyes narrowed slightly. He had to check himself quickly, noting Tifa’s look of surprise. He was mad at the situation, not at her. He hadn’t expected his frustration to be directed at her in the midst of his confusion. “These people are insane, Tifa. I’ve read that letter about a dozen times now. They want to take away the bar, shut down my service or at least ruin its reputation so much that I’ll never find work, possibly even throw us in jail and find a new home for Denzel…” Marlene would have to be relocated too, if Barret was given the same treatment.
“I’ve read it, Cloud,” Tifa spoke seriously, looking him in the eye. “But there’s nothing we can do about it right now. They haven’t taken action yet, so there’s no use worrying about it until-“
“Until they do?” Cloud finished for her, finding it hard to believe that any of this was still real life. “How awful would that feel? Just…sitting here waiting for the inevitable to happen.”
“Well, for starters, we’d be sitting here together,” Tifa huffed, trying her best to offer a small smile. “No matter what happens, I’m going to be by your side, and I want you to be by mine.”
“Of course.” Cloud swallowed down a lump in his throat. She was talking like it had already happened. Like the judge had already dropped the gavel and sentenced them to life confinement. “I just…don’t know what to do about this, Tifa. There’s always been something that can be done to change the outcome - sometimes risky, sometimes not. When the time came to make a choice, we were willing to sacrifice something if it meant fixing things.”
Tifa’s face fell, and Cloud realized he’d chosen a poor mix of words. “What would we need to sacrifice?”
“I…I don’t know. Hopefully we won’t have to.” Cloud’s hand held Tifa’s tighter, making sure she’d never let go. “I know that’s wishful thinking, but I don’t know how I’d handle losing what I have now.”
“Honestly, they can have my bar,” Tifa got out sharply, shutting her eyes. “I don’t care if they make it so that I never sell another drink for the rest of my life. What I want now and what I have wanted for the both of us is for us to be happy. Even if that is so, so selfish…”
“Hey…”
“We’re not perfect, Cloud,” Tifa’s voice cracked, and Cloud noticed her eyes slowly brim with tears. “We’ve done things that can never be undone, things that will stay with us forever, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wake up each morning wishing that burden wasn’t still on my shoulders. Same for you. I just…”
“You feel trapped,” Cloud finished knowingly, echoing a promise he’d made and kept long ago.
Tifa smiled, letting a surprised, breathy laugh escape her. She readjusted herself on the bed, nestling into him until their bodies were both pressed together and she could bury her face in his sweater. “I’m glad I can count on you. This time, I won’t even have to wait for my hero to arrive. He’s already here.”
That hasn’t always been the case, ugly thoughts circled around in Cloud’s head. He must have put on a pretty serious grimace, since Tifa looked up and frowned at him.
“What’s on your mind?”
“Nothing.”
“Ngh. Don’t do that.”
“Sorry,” Cloud sighed, trying to distract himself with the soothing feeling of Tifa’s fingernails gently running up and down his torso through his clothes. “I just…I haven’t always been here.”
Tifa, ever the forgiving one, shook her head, causing strands of her hair to tickle his neck. “You’re here now. That’s good enough for me.” There seemed to be another layer to her words, but Cloud didn’t expect her to bring it up. She had welcomed him back after the stigma with open arms, but that didn’t mean she believed in “forgive and forget”. Who could ever forget when the person who claimed to care about them most ran off without a word to die alone? Cloud was beyond relieved and grateful that Tifa was so willing to forgive, but knew that pulling another stunt like that could cost him his relationship with her.
He’d pushed her away once, so would she ever push back?
“I mean it when I say that,” Tifa chided him, almost as if she had read his thoughts. Sometimes, it really felt like she could. “This isn’t about the stigma, or Kadaj, or the church, or any of that. I need you in the here and now, Cloud.”
His eyes scanned the wall for nothing in particular. “Should I even go to work tomorrow?”
Tifa sucked in a breath. “I…I think you should. No use making it look like we’ve already been convicted when nothing’s been done yet.”
“You said you need me in the here and now,” Cloud interjected, shutting his eyes. “Spending the day running packages sounds like a waste of time at this point.”
“But would you feel any more useful if you stayed here?”
Cloud hesitated. “…what?”
“If you – Cloud Strife – stayed here – at the bar – what would you do?” Tifa emphasized the more important words, her breath ghosting over his skin. “I want you to really think about it, because the last thing I want is for you to sit here and sulk.”
Cloud blushed. “I…wouldn’t…”
“Mhm?” Tifa hummed sarcastically, knowing him all too well. She pulled back just enough to lift her chin and look him in the eye again, while her arms embraced him tighter. “I’ve always found some of your rougher edges to be strangely lovable, but the sulking thing?” She raised a brow. “Cute for about half a second, and then you might as well give it up right after that.” She was teasing him, of course, but the glint in her eyes encouraged a grunt out of him.
“Guess you’re right,” he mumbled in defeat, but he found himself smiling at her. “Alright, if you think it’s what’s best for me, then I’ll go to work tomorrow. Should have plenty of deliveries on the list.”
“I imagine so,” Tifa smiled back, but there was a heavy revelation behind the upcoming day that made her heart heavy. One day soon, Cloud might not have long lists anymore. The couple had almost promised in the letter to ruin the business in the quickest way possible, and that meant swiftly picking off potential clients by plastering Cloud and Tifa’s kill counts around for all to see.
“You good?” Cloud asked, his voice low and tender above her head. She brought a smile back to her lips, nodding her forehead against the fabric of his sweater.
“Yeah…we should get some sleep.”
Cloud adjusted his goggles on his face after several minutes of the object threatening to slip off of his nose. Today, unlike any other day, he wasn’t in the mood to tighten the strap and quickly remedy the problem for the near future. With his mind racing and packages strapped down behind him, Cloud had one goal in mind: keep driving.
His next destination would be further than the rest, requiring Cloud to go out of his way a bit more than normal. Despite having closer deliveries still to get around to, he opted for the furthest one rather quickly after the first few just outside Edge made him long to see some different scenery. It wasn’t that he wished to escape what was still inside the city – not when Tifa and the kids were there waiting for him – but the ugly grey of it all did little to raise his spirits or take his mind off of the present crisis. Edge had never been the brightest or most appealing of towns, and probably never would be.
So now Cloud was treated to the open desert, composed of straight lines of orange sand and dirt that stretched on for miles. The heat bore down on him from above, actually serving as a soothing feeling that Cloud wasn’t usually accustomed to with Edge’s naturally colder temperatures. If this had been any other day without burdens on his chest and guilt tugging at his heart, Cloud would be having a really great start to his day.
It was a shame that the chocobo wagon had to ruin it.
Cloud wasn’t entirely sure how he hadn’t seen it coming from further away, but before he knew it, the wagon was veering into his path from the left, with a driver apparently just as oblivious as he was. With only half a second to react, Cloud pulled the breaks and jolted back on the handlebars. His bike skidded to a stop, coming forward at an angle with the tail end slamming against the side of the wagon.
Cloud went tumbling then, rolling around about a dozen times before his body was splayed out on the ground. He could faintly hear the engine of his bike cut out in the distance, and the high-pitched gawking of chocobos as they found themselves tangled up in harness wire.
Cloud spat out a bit of orange sand that he’d accidentally taken into his mouth, hating the dry, salty taste. There was a lot more on his clothes that he’d need to get rid of, but he only took enough time to brush off the front of his sweater and pants before slowly standing to his feet. Glancing at one shoulder, he noticed blood trickling down, and a view of the other confirmed a few bruises and cuts.
Tifa would have a hundred questions for him later.
“Watch where you’re going, you speed demon!” the driver called out, his voice not sounding very strained at all. In fact, the wagon had somehow stayed upright, with only the chocobos showing any injury. The man was on the heavier side, with a gut hanging out from beneath a grey coat. His flattened black hair seemed to almost stick to his face, and the messy stubble along his chin had a few yellow chocobo feathers sticking to it.
“You alright, sir?” Cloud asked, hoping that he’d say yes and he could just leave. The man didn’t seem hurt at all.
“No thanks to you,” he responded gruffly, dusting off his right shoulder. He was walking over to Cloud now, shooting a disapproving glare at the big black motorcycle toppled over in the mess of things. “Just what do you think you’re doing driving around here like no one else exists, huh? These are the finest chocobos I’ve raised all year, and I’m willing to bet they’re bruised and bloody now.”
Cloud was about to ask why he wouldn’t just check for himself, but didn’t bother making the issue worse. “Sorry, I didn’t see you coming.” It was an easy answer. “Very, very Cloud” as Tifa and the others would have put it.
“Like hell you didn’t,” the man scowled, now stopping once he was only a few feet away. “No one has any right to be crossing this desert at that speed. I doubt that shiny bike of yours is even street legal.”
“This is not a street,” Cloud answered bluntly, realizing how it sounded. “And I’ve driven across here hundreds of times. Outside of a few settlements, there’s nothing for miles. Most people would take the highway since it’s faster.” This was true, although Cloud had a feeling it wouldn’t change this man’s attitude.
“Doesn’t mean you own the stretch,” the driver scoffed.
“Never said anything about-“
“Just save it,” he threw his hands up in exasperation, turning back to his wagon. “Now I’ve gotta untangle these chocobos and hope they don’t look too bad to sell for a halfway decent price somewhere.”
Cloud bit the inside of his cheek, stepping forward reluctantly. “Let me help.” When the man cast him a disinterested glance, Cloud added, “I’ve had plenty of experience with them before. Handling two on your own is a disaster waiting to happen.”
“Hah!” the driver laughed mockingly, shaking his head. “You think I don’t know what I’m doing? I’ve been raising and selling these things for half my life.” Still, he didn’t refuse the offer and eventually waved for Cloud to come along when he reached the front of the wagon. “I guess a second pair of hands would be helpful, though. Just don’t try anything funny with me.”
“Wouldn’t think of it,” Cloud assured him.
“Alright, I’m gonna reach over this one here and throw the harness over to you on the other side,” the driver explained, waiting for Cloud to get into position. “Got it?”
“Yeah.”
“Alright, here goes.” The driver grunted before extending his arm as high as it would go, hurling the end of the harness back over. After ensuring that Cloud had a hold of it, he gave the other half a soft tug and nodded in approval. “Alright, just a few more times and we’ll have this mess sorted out. Gonna have to sneak this next harness underneath their legs, alright?”
The chocobos squawked in defiance, but the driver simply slapped them from behind, urging them to stand straighter. Cloud raised an eyebrow at his unconventional methods, but continued working. As the harness was passed underneath, Cloud grabbed it and untangled it from the rest. After a few more attempts, the mess was fixed and the driver cleaned his hands off with the front of his pants.
“Finally. Could’ve been a lot messier if I didn’t get so lucky this time.” He turned his head to Cloud with a frown still present. “You gonna get your bike off the ground fine on your own?”
Cloud resisted the urge to snort. “Yeah…yeah, I can pick it up myself.”
“Well, normally I’d have a mind to report this incident or contact insurance, but seeing as nothing is damaged and my chocobos are surprisingly untouched except for some sand I’ll have to wash out of their feathers later…” he shrugged. “Guess I’ll just pretend this never happened.”
“Fine by me,” Cloud muttered back, and he wasn’t really sure if the man heard him. Within a few moments, the wagon was already leaving, and Cloud was alone.
The bike most likely had some scratches and white marks he’d have to have buffed out, but that was nothing new. The amount of times Cloud had messed up the finish by strafing through narrow chasms or tumbling across the sand like he had done just then was a bit embarrassing. Fortunately, Fenrir was a bike that was almost perfectly crafted for Cloud’s bizarre lifestyle, with a mix of delivering packages and sometimes engaging in on-road combat.
He carefully tipped Fenrir back into a balanced position, kicking down the kickstand so it could rest up on its own. Cloud did a once-over, noting a few scratches that he’d tend to later, and left it at that. The packages strewn across the sand in random locations was what made his heart sink for a moment, and he quickly gathered them up. Some were in decent condition, while others had been busted open or crushed by Fenrir’s weight.
Cloud was going to have some unhappy clients by the end of the day.
A vibration in his left pocket caught his attention for a moment, and Cloud dug his hand inside to withdraw his phone. Fortunately, it hadn’t been damaged in the tumble. After unlocking it, a text from Tifa was displayed.
-= Sorry I missed you this morning, I had meant to wake up in time to make you breakfast. I hope you can find something to eat on the road? -=
Cloud hesitated before texting back.
-= Yeah, I’ll grab something in between jobs.-=
After sending it, he decided to send another.
-= Don’t worry about it, it’s fine. You needed more sleep.-=
-= If you say so. See you tonight. -=
He shoved the phone back into his pocket after a final “see you”, tipping his head up to the sky so he could let out a bit of air through his nose. If crashing into the chocobo wagon hadn’t been enough, Tifa’s thoughtful texting only brought Cloud’s current issue back to mind. He hated thinking like this, knowing how hard he’d worked alongside Tifa and his friends to have a more positive outlook, but how could he find anything optimistic about his reputation and future being held in the hands of someone who clearly hated him for what he’d done? They would take action against the bar and the delivery service; it was just a question of when.
Cloud wondered if any of the others were as conflicted as he was. Begrudgingly, Cloud strapped the dented packages back onto his bike and hopped on, speeding off in the direction of his next delivery.
Cloud wasn’t surprised at all when Barret came to greet him at the entrance of North Corel. The address was familiar enough, and it wasn’t very often that Cloud was ever asked to come out so far. There were closer mail services around who could be called instead of him, so it was always suspicious when they’d add themselves to his list. The man was practically pulling Cloud into a big hug before he’d gotten off of Fenrir, and after he was let go, Barret’s large arm wrestled him playfully from the side.
“If it isn’t the delivery boy himself. Runnin’ a bit late, aren’t cha?”
Cloud made a small sound of vacillation, his eyes turning to the sand as Barret led him into the town. “There was a mishap on the way here. Your package might not be in one piece, just letting you know.”
“Well, now that you mention it, your little boy arms are covered in some cuts and bruises,” Barret granted, looking him over. “But don’t tell me those damn hounds gave you trouble, huh? Travelers comin’ through keep talkin’ bout em.”
“Hounds? Hmm, no,” Cloud shook his head. “There was a wagon, and…well, it doesn’t really matter.”
“I’d reckon it does.”
“Nope,” Cloud stated firmly, leaving it at that. “Gotta say, Barret, I didn’t expect you to be the kind of guy to order a delivery just to get me out here. Couldn’t have just made a phone call?”
“Nuh-uh,” Barret refused, and as they neared a certain small hut, he walked Cloud inside. “Sit down, Spiky, and I’ll get you some coffee. You do drink that stuff, right?”
Cloud nodded his thanks before resting his sword against the wall and taking a seat on a rather weathered couch. His eyes glanced around at a bed that was probably just barely long enough to keep Barret’s feet from hanging off and an old television set up in front of it. “Eh, I drink it sometimes I guess. We don’t usually have it.”
“Oh? Tifa used to have a pot set out every mornin’ back in the slums,” Barret spoke nostalgically, smiling to himself. “Guess she musta got bored of it or somethin’.” As he brought Cloud a mug, his eyes shone a bit with more returning memories. “You remember Biggs, right? The damn kid snorted the stuff out his nose once. Made an awful, sticky mess for Teef to clean up on the table. I get a feelin’ it was Jessie who caused it though, what with the way she teased everyone.” He motioned for Cloud to drink up after handing him the coffee, and grinned as the ex-merc did so. “So it tastes digestible, then?”
Cloud’s eyebrows rose up and down as he took another sip. As he brought the mug away from his lips, he relished in the warm feeling the liquid gave him. “Eh, it tastes better than your last concoction. What was it – some kind of white, yellow…glob, right?”
“Yer cold, man,” Barret shook his head. “And it was a cup of eggnog.”
“Mm,” Cloud nodded after taking another sip. “Yeah, that’s what that was.” He sat in silence for a while, looking around the room while Barret watched him amusedly.
“So, you got my package or what?”
“Oh. That,” Cloud sighed, standing to his feet. “You’re not gonna like it, but the box gotta pretty beat up in the-“
“Oh, no, no,” Barret reached out to grab Cloud’s shoulder. In one strong movement, he shoved him back forcefully towards the chair. “Sit yerself back down, Spiky. And I was messin’ with ya, anyhow. You know what’s in that box?” He waved a hand towards the outside, waiting for Cloud’s best guess.
“…a can of nuts?”
“Heh,” Barret chuckled, seating himself not far from Cloud. “Close enough. I honestly don’t remember what it was that I ordered, just that I needed some excuse to get ya out here.” His smile slowly faded as his face took on a more solemn expression. With contrite eyes, he looked Cloud over. “The blood and bruises weren’t the first things I noticed ‘bout ya, y’know. Your whole face spells, ‘I got no damn sleep last night.’”
Cloud laughed bitterly. “That’s because I didn’t.”
“Lemme guess,” he paused thoughtfully, scratching his chin. “Spent the night worryin’ yourself about that letter?”
“Well…”
“It kept me up, too,” he spoke quietly. “All I’ve done these past three years is fight to make up for all the wrongs I’ve done.” Throwing his arms up, Barret gestured around him. “Just wanted to prove to the world and to myself that…that I’m deserving of somethin’, right? That’s why I gave my sweet Marlene to you and Tifa. I gotta feel like I deserve her, ya know?”
Cloud unfortunately knew where Barret was coming from all too well. “I do.”
“And so I did,” Barret cleared his throat, clearly choking back a sob. It was a reaction Cloud rarely saw from the big, tough AVALANCHE leader, but it still happened. “I gave up gettin’ to be her father for these past three years cuz I wanted to earn her back. But…but none ‘a that could ever make up for what I’ve done. What you’ve done. What’s Tifa’s done.” Angrily, the man held his hands above his head, almost clawing at his scalp. “Three years, I’ve spent beatin’ my own ass about all that. Three years, I’ve been coming to terms with the fact that the guilt and shame don’t ever leave ya after it’s said and done.”
Cloud knew he needed to take control of the situation, noting the pained look in Barret’s eyes and the way his knees were locking up the way they did before he punched something. “Barret, you…you don’t have to tell me. I know.”
Barret huffed. “You always been that way, haven’t cha? Never really talkin’ much, but almost always seein’ things in people that others don’t. Well…maybe that’s a stretch. You can be pretty oblivious at times.” His tone was fortunately a bit lighter now, and he looked like he might start smiling again.
“Might be Tifa rubbing off on me,” Cloud admitted, shrugging his shoulders. “She’s the one who seems to see everything going on, and I’m left standing there with a hundred questions and no answers.”
Barret actually laughed. It was short and a bit dry, but it was a laugh nonetheless. “I figure that’s why she’s so good for you, man. You’re the man of a million questions – in more ways than one – and she’s the only person on this whole planet who understands what goes on in that head of yours. You suddenly start acting like a wild chocobo some mornin’, and she’ll somehow be able to figure you out.”
Cloud raised a brow. “Strange example.”
“What I’m gettin’ at is that she gets you,” Barret emphasized. “I’m assumin’ you’ve talked to her? About the letter?”
“Not as much as I probably should have,” Cloud admitted shyly, glancing downward. “But as much as she wanted to, I guess. I offered to stay home, but she sent me out anyway – said I shouldn’t start acting like something has already happened.”
“Or she just thinks you’re a pain in the ass when you’re all grouchy and stuff, so she kicked ya out,” Barret teased, throwing his head back in another laugh. “Get used to it, Spiky. You could find a woman who somehow loves all of your qualities, good or bad, and she’ll still wanna find reasons to get you out of the house sometimes.”
“Tifa’s not like other women,” Cloud protested, rubbing the back of his neck. “She’s making sure that I don’t react to all this in a way I’ll regret later.”
“Hmm. Be thankful for that. Wait, you sayin’ you’d punch a wall or somethin’?”
After some consideration, Cloud gave a small smirk. “…or something.”
“Damn fool,” Barret grumbled. “I’d hate to see where you’d be nowadays without Teef and the kids.” He broke into another laugh. “Wait, no, I can see it now. You’re in a boring, small apartment with a bed and a bathroom. That’s it – just that, cuz I know you can’t decorate for the life of ya.”
“Hilarious…”
“And there’s seven holes in one wall that get a bit deeper every day. One hole for each day of the week.”
“We talking about me or you now?”
“No, it’s still you,” Barret mused. “You’d probably still be doing merc jobs, too. Runnin’ around chasing after stray dogs cuz you mistook them for an actual threat.”
“Maybe I should just leave…”
“No, no, stay seated,” Barret rolled his eyes. “I’m messing with you. You know I only get under your skin cuz it keeps you sharp, right?”
“Or because you find it amusing?”
“That too,” Barret hummed to himself. “Anyway, I don’t want to keep you here too long if you’ve got more busted up packages to deliver to some happy people, but I wanted to let you know about somethin’.”
“What’s that?”
“I wanna come to the bar tomorrow, bright and early. You know…to see Marlene?”
“Of course,” Cloud nodded. “I’m sure she’d love to see you.”
“It’s just that with everything going on…and this crazy couple making threats and saying they’ll sue for that stupidly large amount ‘a money….” Barret paused before continuing. “I need to see her again, man. I might not get another chance.”
“Don’t say that.”
“You know damn well that the possibility is realer than anythin’ else on the table,” Barret pointed a finger at Cloud, but it was clear his anger was directed elsewhere. “Don’t lie to Tifa, or to me, and definitely not to Marlene.” Covering up threatening tears, Barret sighed. “We both got a responsibility to tell the truth to ‘em, no matter how much it hurts.”
Cloud frowned. “I never meant it like that.”
“I know you didn’t. You’re a good kid, Cloud, but you don’t always handle these things the right way.” Brutally honest until the end. “Your family needs you more than ever. They need your words of encouragement, your honesty, your care…” Crossing the room until he was just a foot away, Barret shoved his finger into Cloud’s chest pointedly. “…and most importantly, what’s in here. There’s a beautiful bartender who looks to you as the leader of the home. You love that girl, don’t ya?”
Cloud stumbled over his words a bit. “I…”
“Don’t ya?” Barret repeated, louder this time.
“Yes,” Cloud stated firmly, smiling a bit as he felt no embarrassment in doing so. It was the truth.
“Then, no matter what hellfire comes down sooner or later, make sure that that’s what she can hold to most,” Barret nodded, folding his arms contentedly. “Make sure she knows, before a time comes when you can’t tell her.”
Cloud swallowed hard. “You’re right.”
“Then, I’ll see you in the mornin’, Spiky,” Barret clapped Cloud on the back, leading him out of the hut. “Make sure to tell Marlene that I’m comin’, alright? I usually like to keep it a surprise, but not this time.”
“Sure thing.” Cloud waved goodbye over his shoulder, taking a deep breath of the outside air. “You still want your busted package?”
“Ya kiddin’? Yes.” Barret chuckled, holding up a hand before Cloud tossed it over to him. His eyes danced over the front, full of disbelief and further amusement. “And just how did this happen again? You were at the chocobo races or somethin’, eh?” His laughter slowly trailed away as Cloud continued to leave.
“Goodbye, Barret,” Cloud called back, ignoring the question. After he could hear footsteps retreating in the opposite direction, Cloud’s shoulders slumped and he faced his bike. Fenrir sat in the open sun, with light reflecting off of the black plating. Riding away looked even more appealing than it had that morning, yet the weight of what Barret had said held Cloud’s feet firmly to the ground. He had spent so much time wondering about what he and Tifa deserved, but was that what was really at stake?
No. No. It shouldn’t matter what she deserved, should it? Cloud gripped Fenrir’s handlebars tightly, almost as tight as he would hold his sword. If Barret was right, and he needed to make sure Tifa was fully confident in how he felt, then he needed to make another trip.
After a few moments of dialing a number Cloud purposely never saved into his phone’s contacts, he brought the device to his ear and listened to the dial tone repeat itself over and over.
Finally, a voice responded. “This is Reeve.”
“Reeve, this is Cloud. I need you to find me an address.”
There was a thoughtful pause before Reeve spoke again. “I’m hoping this doesn’t have to do with that couple who’s suing the bar…?”
“It does,” Cloud responded simply, putting all other hopes to rest. “I need their address.”
“Cloud…they’ll use it as further evidence against you.”
“Against me, maybe,” Cloud shrugged. His focus was on Tifa, Barret, and the kids. Why would he let this stop him now? “I need to pay them a visit. Talk things out face to face.”
“And you think they’d change their minds?”
“In the very least, I should be able to get them to listen.”
“I can do some digging, I guess, but it will take time,” Reeve sighed. Cloud could hear the faint sound of papers ruffling around in the background. “I’ve backed you up in the past, but if your plan blows up in your face, I won’t be able to help you.”
“I understand.”
“Then I’ll call you back soon. Try to stay out of trouble while I work.”
“You know me,” Cloud laughed, his voice dry. “I don’t usually get a say in the matter.”
“This time, for your sake and Tifa’s, let’s hope tonight can be an exception.”
Cloud peered up at the sky, noticing the sun lowering behind the distant hills. “Yeah. We’ll see.”