Notes: I finally finished something. Go me. Unfortunately it took me five freaking years, but here it is. Finally complete. I learned a lot about tea over the years, not because of this fic, but because it's always been a personal passion of mine. Hell, I actually finished this because my monthly tea sampler arrived and I was like, let's finish this fic while I try out these new flavors.
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Cloud told them to go home. Cid remained on the Highwind because without the rocket that made Rocket Town Rocket Town, the Highwind is his home and he doesn't trust any of his friends idiots to take care of his baby properly. Not to mention that this is where he keeps his stash of cigarettes and tea.
Cid leaned back in his chair, a lit cigarette in his mouth and a cup of good, proper tea in his hand as he thought back on his journey.
Originally it was out of spite. To spit in Shinra's eye and make a nuisance of himself while doing what he thought was a good thing. Now there was a meteor looming above them, a good kid was dead, and some moron was trying to manipulate the planet into making him a god. And Cid, wonder of fucking wonders, was right in the middle of it despite his own protests and common sense telling him not to be.
He didn't have to be. He doesn't have to be. That's what Cloud was trying to tell them. If he wanted, he could walk away right now and return to his normal life.
Only, Cid doesn't have a place to go back to. Not anymore. There's Shera, but Cid would be the first one to admit that he doesn't fucking deserve her. He's never fucking understood why she stayed, not after what she did and not after what he kept doing to her. (And maybe, just maybe, he doesn't want to be that way anymore).
In the end though, what kind of person would Cid be if he knew people needed his help and he turned his back on them. He liked to think he was better than that.
Decision made, Cid snuffed out his cigarette and headed over to the teapot to start brewing a cup of tea for everyone.
His friends were better than that too. (And the skies only knew when these idiots he was begrudgingly traveling with somehow became his friends instead of people he was with because he had nothing better to do.)
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Vincent was the first to arrive.
Or rather, he was in the fucking corner lurking in the shadows like the fucking vampire he was and Cid pretended he didn't notice him because he's not going near that bundle of issues until Vincent finally fucking admits he has a fucking problem and lets them help. Now that he had stepped into the light, Cid was willing to communicate with him. But not one second before that, he was not going to fucking encourage that behavior any longer (and Vincent was perfectly fine with that).
Sometime during the journey, the original cups had been broken or moved or some other bullshit that Cid wasn't paying attention to. Other mugs and cups had been stealthily acquired and replaced, each better suiting the person they belonged to than a plain white cup with their name written on it. Reeve's was the only one that was left unscathed, and that was because he never fucking drank from it.
Vincent hadn't picked his out, but then Vincent hadn't broken his in the first place (Yuffie did it). His was now red with a black bat on it with the words 'let's hang out' written below it. No one was willing to take credit for it, but Cid had laughed for an hour straight once he saw it so it stayed (it wasn't like Vincent was complaining).
Yuffie came in next, looking a little green around the edges. Cid eyed her warily for a couple minutes before he reluctantly allowed her to fill her mug up with tea. Her chosen mug was green with a shuriken on it, proudly proclaiming some dumb phrase about ninjas. Cid had wisely chosen to shut the fuck up and not comment on the choices made by dumb teenagers.
Reeve's dumb fucking robot was third. Like Vincent and Cid, it hadn't even left, but instead had deactivated itself while it conferred with Reeve in another body. It couldn't drink tea, but Cid set a mug in front of it anyway. Not Reeve's, but a novelty one they had picked up somewhere. It was clear, but changed colors into a pretend drink when placed near heat.
Cid's phs chimed with a text notification. Reeve assured him that he was drinking his goddamn tea with the rest of them from where-fucking-ever he had taken refuge.
Barret stomped in while Cid was distracted with his phs and grabbed his mug while the pilot was distracted. His was a chipped and well-worn mug with a floral pattern he had picked up in North Corel after his first mug had accidentally made the acquaintance of the wall (it was no accident, Barret had thrown it on purpose). Cid sensed there was a story behind it, but he wasn't fucking asking.
Red arrived next, tail twitching as he waited for his cup to be set on the ground for him (the largest coffee mug Cid could find, he was not going to be rude and give his friend a fucking bowl to drink out of like the dog Cid thought he was for the first week of their adventure).
Cloud and Tifa arrived together. Cloud's mug was from the Golden Saucer, another prize from Chocobo racing and very clearly chocobo themed. Tifa's was styled like a Beer Stein, which Cid thought was fucking hilarious because it didn't suit her at all.
"So," Cid said as everyone took their places, tea in hand and determined looks on their faces. Cid slammed his mug, black with the word F*CK on it (Like Vincent's, no one was taking credit for it), onto the table. "We're fucking doing this."
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For some fucking reason, they end up in Rocket Town anyway. Cid crossed his arms and stood in the center of the plaza, determinedly not going anywhere while he waited for Cloud to finish with whatever fucking insane plan he had now. It's not like they were about to get hit by a fucking meteor or anything like that.
One of the older engineers is kind enough to not only bring him a cup of tea, but a brand spanking new spear for him to threaten to put up Cloud's ass if he doesn't fucking quit it. It's sharp, it's shiny and it might have some weird magical powers. Cid fucking loved it.
(Shera came out too. Neither one of them was willing to be the first to speak, so they stood there, leaning against the fence until Cloud returned.)
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After what feels like years, but was probably just a couple days, they finally end up at the North Crater.
It went without saying that there is not any tea at the North Crater. Nor did Cid really feel like preparing any as they make their final charge.
Cid went left, Cloud went right. Cid viciously mocked Cloud for using terms that were outdated when Vincent was young. Cloud put Vincent on Cid's team.
Nobody won (They all won in the end).
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It was finally over. Cid had bruises on his bruises. Cloud might or might not have had a mental breakdown, but Cid knew it was fucking coming sooner or later.
It was over.
Sephiroth was fucking dead. Meteor had fucking hit. Holy fucking saved everyone.
Aerith saved everyone and Cid couldn't be any fucking prouder of that little girl.
No more adventuring, it was all about rebuilding, being fucking helpful for once instead of being a violent weirdo (Cid strongly doubted that Cloud, fucking weirdo that he was, would be able to adapt to this part of his life).
They gather in Kalm's Inn, all of them. Cid finally met Barret's daughter Marlene, Aerith's mother Elmyra and Tifa's fucking other weirdo stalker friend Johnny. Shera served them tea, Tifa cooked the food and Reeve finally had a cup of tea with the rest of them.
It's not the end. Cid had plenty of plans, and the more he talked with Reeve, the more he thought he'd actually accomplish them. They were going to accomplish great things.
(The robot was still pretty fucking stupid though.)
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Bonus round: the types of tea in order, from first appearance to the last. Iced Orange Pekoe, then the instant stuff which I also assume is based on Orange Pekoe. Wutai was Matcha. Golden Saucer's was actually a kind of green tea, but the kind using heavy artificial fruit flavoring. Aerith's tea is something I made up. Bone Village was Chamomile because I hate it so much. Icicle Inn was Peppermint, obviously. The scene with Rufus was Earl Grey served hot (which, I somehow didn't mention) and we return to Orange Pekoe in the final scene of that chapter.
Chapter 3 actually starts out with English Breakfast Tea, then returns to Cid's favorite Orange Pekoe, but in the off-brand because he took the good tea with him when they kicked him out. Corel's was probably a black tea, probably Assam or Darjeeling. Mideel's was Hibiscus, the kind with actual fruit bits in it.
The chocobo sage served cold-brewed iced tea. Orange pekoe again, then iced green tea. Orange pekoe (all bottled iced tea suuuuccks), then the weird ass flowering tea which tastes sweet even before you add sugar and back to Orange Pekoe again.
The chocobo racing tea was a white tea, which I haven't drank enough of to give you a specific type. Lucretia's was an herbal, caffeine free blend. I thought it would be funny if the source items were tea, which is where the Gelnika scene came from. Cosmo Canyon was Ceylon, specifically Ceylon Supreme, which is what I was drinking when I wrote that chapter. And the rest was Orange Pekoe.
Thank you to everyone who has read and commented on this fic, I appreciate it even if I have forgotten to respond. Seriously, thank you all for giving me the inspiration to finish this. It's because of you that this was written.