Reeve's voice blurred with the Turk's and ex-President Rufus's in Cloud's ears as the meeting dragged on. He sullenly glanced at the other faces in the circular conference room, trying to connect the faces to names and failing miserably. He sighed and spun his pen around with his fingers.
He had sensed ever since Reeve offered him a job that Reeve would try to wean him away from deliveries and into a more political position. Overall, the work wasn't too bad. Reeve instinctively knew that he'd never be able to push Cloud into a public position and Cloud was fine with the sort of behind the scenes work Reeve came up with for him.
But the meetings... Cloud silently glowered at the intent conversing people around him. They seemed to stretch on for an eternity. Everyone had their own opinion and they tended to express it in a loud obnoxious way. They'd just finished discussing the recent census that took place in Kalm. Everyone agreed it was a success. The disagreements came when they began discussing plans for the census in Edge- a city much larger than Kalm.
The voices around him rose to a higher caliber and Cloud sighed and stared at the dark wooden table. I have my own problems to worry about... he thought grumpily as the argument continued. His stomach clenched in a familiar way and he welled up with self pity.
I'm being punished... he thought sulkily. It was the only way he could justify it. Why else would Tifa had worn that shirt the other day... the one with the little straps for sleeves that just happened to be too loose and slip off her shoulders from time to time... Cloud felt his eye twitch.
And the skirt the day before yesterday? True, it didn't quite match the standards of her old Avalanche skirt, but there were a good few inches of calf and thigh showing that definitely hadn't been showing last summer. He wasn't even going to get started on the slow lingering goodnight kisses that ended too soon and the coy little smiles.
He scowled. Oh, he could confront her about it. She'd deny it. That much he was sure of. He could sense the laughter behind those doe eyes. She knew exactly what she was doing to him. In fact, he was almost positive she was enjoying it.
Cloud slumped and fingered the small box in his pocket. It had been a week since he bought it but... He hadn't asked yet. What are you waiting for? he asked himself for the millionth time. He could feel himself wilting. I never knew I was such a wimp... he thought grumpily.
It took him a second to register that the voices had stopped. It took him another second to realize that every head in the conference room was staring at him. He immediately straightened up in his seat and tried to get rid of the blank look in his eyes.
Reeve cleared his throat.
"So... are you coming?" Reeve asked, clearly trying to be helpful. "Tifa and the kids are invited too of course."
Cloud tried to sort through the conversation that had taken place during the past hour and half, searching for information that would be helpful in answering the question. He was coming up empty handed.
"Uuuh..." he replied, running a hand through his hair.
Reno rolled his eyes at him.
"Dude, even I was paying attention." he said incredulously. "The party. Are you coming?"
When Cloud continued to look blank, Reno elaborated.
"You know... a party? The kind Rufus throws? Everyone gets dressed up, listens to lame music, and gets drunk off expensive wine?" Reno said as Rufus rolled his eyes at Reno. "Meanwhile all the important people sit in a corner and smoke cigars and talk about important stuff?"
Cloud shook his head.
"I don't think so..." he answered dubiously.
He was answered with badly hidden snickers and a few amused grins.
"That's what you think..." Reno muttered, exchanging smiles with his fellow Turks.
Cloud whipped his head around to Reeve's, eyes narrowed.
"What does he mean?" he asked Reeve, a hint of panic in his voice.
Reeve gave Cloud a sympathetic look.
"Rufus didn't address the invitation to you Cloud..." Reeve began, a grin creeping over his face.
Cloud suddenly felt like a trapped animal.
"I addressed it to Tifa." Rufus said, and the conference room burst into laughter.
Cloud was cringing inside as he maneuvered the streets of Edge on back of Fenrir. He had tried to leave early to beat the mail, but laughing, Reeve had refused. All the men at the conference had laughed freely at the desperate look in Cloud's eyes. Elena, the only woman present, had offered Cloud a pitying smile, to which his response was a dark glowering look that made her laugh.
I don't do parties... Cloud thought grumpily. Sure, Avalanche had thrown a few impromptu parties where they all got rip roaring drunk off of Tifa's never ending supply of Corel alcohol. He endured, and most of the time enjoyed, the small parties they had.
But he had thus far managed to avoid the other kind of parties. The kind of party where he'd have to dress up and make small talk with important people. Where he might have to dance... and eat things he couldn't pronounce. He shuddered on the back of his bike. He wasn't going.
That's final... he decided with a smug grin as he parked his bike in front of Seventh Heaven. Tifa could shout, scream, beg, plead, or flutter her long lashes at him. He wouldn't budge. A party? he'd say, raising an outraged eyebrow. Never. I won't go. And neither will you. He nodded, satisfied at his planned response.
With long manly strides he approached the door and swung it open forcefully, ready to tell Tifa that there was no way he was going.
The second he opened the door, a little girl flung herself at his legs, babbling incoherently. He stumbled back, the determined look on his face wavering. He sighed and pried Marlene off of him.
"Slow down, Marlene." he told her wearily. "I can't understand you."
She smiled at him toothily.
"Me and Tifa are going shopping!" she pronounced enthusiastically. "For dresses!"
Marlene spun around like a princess and knocked into a lamp. Cloud caught it with the reflexes of a man who had saved the same lamp from a sudden demise many times before. Marlene jumped up and down, unable to contain her excitement.
"We're all going to a party!" she sang.
Cloud opened her mouth to tell her that they most certainly were not going, but she jumped on him, efficiently knocking all breath out of him.
"Where's Tifa?" he managed to choke out.
Marlene smiled and grabbed his hand, pulling him into the bar area. Tifa was behind the bar, mixing a few drinks for her last customers of the day. He noticed that she was wearing one of those shirts again... the kind that just happened to lift up and reveal a few inches of midriff when she happened to reach up and push her hair back.
He felt his eye convulsively twitch again.
He sat down sulkily at the bar and crossed his arms. He didn't care that he looked like a pouting five year old. Tifa took one look at him and began fixing him a drink, discreetly hiding her smile. He glared at her as she pushed the drink towards him and took a seat behind the bar, resting her chin in her hands and observing him.
He defiantly downed the drink. The alcohol took the edge of his nerves. He pushed the empty cup towards Tifa, eyes pleading with her to fill it again, but she shook her head and dumped the cup in the sink, eyes amused. He sighed and slouched his shoulders.
"Oh Cloud..." Tifa sighed, reaching out to lightly touch his arm. "It won't be all that bad."
He silently glowered and looked away, avoiding her gaze. His eyes followed Marlene as she ushered Tifa's last customers to the door and locked it behind them before prancing away.
"Barret's coming..." Tifa said, leaning across the bar, trying to catch his eye. "So are Cid and Shera... and Yuffie and her father..."
Cloud didn't budge.
"I bet Vincent isn't going..." he mumbled.
Tifa laughed, exasperated.
"Of course Vincent isn't coming." she said, amused. "Neither is Red."
Cloud continued to sulk, arms crossed eyes lowered. He heard Tifa sigh and almost felt triumphant. But then he heard the footsteps walking around the bar and the thin arms slip around him from behind and the chin resting on his shoulder.
"Please Cloud?"
A soft whisper that tickled his ear.
This is it... he told himself. This is when you say: Absolutely not Tifa! We're not going and that's final!
Instead, he found his shoulders relaxing under Tifa's gentle embrace. His cheek brushed against the side of her head and the enticing scent of her hair wafted through his senses. What's so bad about parties again? he thought fuzzily as he turned his head to gently meet her lips.
He turned around in his barstool so he and Tifa were facing. Her arms were still loosely draped over his shoulders and her lips were still parted slightly. He sighed defeatedly at the inquiring look in her eyes. Who am I kidding? he asked himself hopelessly.
"But..." he said, wincing at the whine in his voice. "I don't have anything to wear!"
Tifa's laugh was sweet and intoxicating. He found himself smiling uncertainly. She grabbed his hand and yanked him off the barstool.
"I'll take care of it." she promised.
He grudgingly followed her into the living room. Denzel was on the floor, grumpily knocking around some of his toys and Marlene was perched on the piano bench, mangling some song. Tifa's hands slipped out his and she walked over to Marlene, gently fixing the position of her fingers on the piano keys.
Cloud sat down on the floor next to Denzel, who glanced up mournfully at him.
"I have to wear a suit Cloud." he said simply, his eyes wide and horrified.
Cloud sighed and leaned back against the sofa. Denzel joined him, crossing his arms across his little chest. They frowned at Tifa and Marlene's cheery backs. I tried Denzel... Cloud thought, patting the little boy on the shoulder. At least we're not alone...
Vincent crumbled up the invitation in his claw, shaking his head with slight amusement. The invitation had only been sent to be polite. Everyone knew he wouldn't be going. Vincent could bear providing information to Reeve when he needed it, sometimes he could even put up with Yuffie's constant phone calls. The discovery of the 'ignore' button on his cell phone helped.
But a party? The sort of social events he used to go to in stiff suits and watch Lucrecia stand by Hojo while he discussed all sorts of sick plans with other scientists... Vincent shook his head. That sort of thing was in his past. Now they were dealing with the after effects of Hojo's experiments.
He, Vincent, knew more than anyone what they might be dealing with. He knew what Hojo was capable of. What he didn't know, was how long they had. He stretched his long legs out in front of him and frowned.
Clearly the Deep Ground Soldiers weren't idiots. Striking out now, with Reeve and the others on high alert would be asking for defeat. Their best chance would be one hard swift strike. Vincent tilted his head.
The party? He shook his head. Reeve wasn't an idiot either. He knew that bringing the world's most influential people together in one party would be begging the Deep Ground Soliders for an attack.
Bait then? Vincent pondered. A slight smile shadowed his face and he smoothed out the crumpled invitation. Perhaps I will be making an appearance then...
Reeve picked the phone up and set it down again. He'd be honest with Cloud so far. But would he come if he knew? The danger would be practically non-existent. Reeve would have almost all his troops stationed around the building, the ballroom, on the roof... It was a simple trap. Lure the bastards out of their hiding hole and blast the hell out of them.
He rested his forehead on his desk. The guilt still swirled in his stomach. He was deliberately putting Cloud and his family in danger. No danger... he reminded himself forcefully. They'll be safe inside while the fighting goes on outside. They'll be safer at the party than at home.
Reeve hated it. He hated luring the enemy to the middle of a metropolis... He knew that some innocent bystanders would die. But that was the price. What were his other options? Sit and wait for them to make the first move?
He shook his head. That was unacceptable. He knew he had to act before them. He had come to accept that. It was the best tactic he had. It was his only choice.
It still hurt.
"I want a scary story..." Denzel mumbled sleepily, tugging at his pajamas.
He buried his face back into Tifa's shoulder. Marlene, on her other side pushed one leg out from under the covers and shifted closer.
"I don't..." she protested in an equally sleepy voice.
Denzel yawned, too sleepy to come up with a rebuttal. Tifa smiled and smoothed his hair back.
"I think you two are too sleepy for any kind of story..." she said softly, pulling the covers over their shoulders.
"Nuh-uh..." Marlene murmured.
Tifa slipped her arms around Marlene's middle and stood up. Marlene sleepily slipped her arms around Tifa's neck and allowed herself to be placed in her own bed. Tifa kissed her forehead.
"Goodnight Marlene..." she said softly.
"Night Tifa..." Marlene mumbled.
Tifa smiled as the little girl rolled over in bed, already beginning to rumpled her blankets. Tifa moved over to Denzel bed and gently smoothed out the indentations in the bed that she and Marlene had made. Denzel looked up blearily.
"I'm not going shopping tomorrow..." he murmured softly.
Tifa smiled and kissed him goodnight.
"We'll see." she replied.
She smiled as he wrinkled his nose and closed his eyes. Her footsteps were soft as she left the room, leaving the door open a crack. She turned the hall light off and walked down the stairs into the living room. Tifa smiled as she saw Cloud on the sofa, head bent over a small stack of papers on the coffee table.
"A little behind on your work?" Tifa asked, sitting down on the sofa next to him.
Cloud nodded and stacked the papers up, setting them aside. Tifa leaned into the sofa, propping her feet up on the table. Cloud mimicked her.
"So we're really going?" he sighed finally.
Tifa smiled, head tilting to rest on his shoulder.
"It won't be all that bad." she told him. "Marlene can't wait."
"Denzel's not all that thrilled." he contradicted.
Tifa sat up and jabbed an accusing finger into Cloud's chest.
"He'd be excited if you weren't so glum about it!" she scolded.
Cloud opened his mouth defensively.
"I don't like parties!" he said.
Tifa rolled her eyes and slouched back into the sofa.
"We've never been to this kind of party." she said softly. "Maybe you'll like it."
Cloud shook his head stubbornly.
"Well then," Tifa sighed, shifting so she could peer up at him. "I owe you one."
Cloud smiled at this.
"You owe me one." he affirmed.