All In My Mind [Cloud/Tifa]

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Radiant Garden reminded him of the world he was planning on visiting: Gaia.  It seemed to him like it was a sneak preview of what the planet could have looked like if things had continued in that same dangerous vein. Midgar had been on the cutting edge of technology and a maelstrom of politics. If anything was happening, it'd have started in Midgar, the hub of all activity: ShinRa had made sure of that. Radiant Garden had that same kind of feel. It was broken now, by the darkness that was attempting to invade the universe - the same darkness researched at Hollow Bastion, the castle in the middle of nowhere. Vincent was willing to bet it was once the focal point of this world: the centre of all things.

Vincent was waiting, just like he had on Midgar. Unlike his home planet, Vincent was not locked away inside a wooden coffin sleeping away eternity because he was unable to face himself. He told others it was because it was his repentance, his punishment for that which he could not change. It was a lie. It was a lie he had effectively told himself. He knew now that he had been running from himself more than he had been running from the world. Lucrecia, from beyond the grave, had taught him how to face himself. And he had to face himself.

He was on the roof of one of the small little buildings in his customary style: right leg up, right arm slung over his knee lazily, tilted back with his left hand behind him for balance. He was high up with a good view.  There was a person he wanted to see: a couple of the people he had met indicated he was here sometimes. Cloud was someone difficult to pin down - he knew that from experience - but it was nearly always worth the wait.

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There were not many opportunities to relax in these new worlds thanks to the threat that both the Heartless and the Darkness brought, especially for those who took up arms against the threats in order to bring about peace and comfort for those less fortunate to defend themselves. It was an endless struggle. An exhausting, infinite struggle. Sora was needed to truly clean up the mess but who knew where he had got to these days. No, while it wasn't enough to do what Sora could do, Cloud Strife was doing his absolute best to protect the worlds he visited while working for the Radiant Garden Restoration Committee. True, the main focus of such an organization was to rebuild the world formerly known as Hollow Bastion, Cloud's 'home away from home'. Progress was going well to be honest. The buildings were being rebuilt, the populace was increasing and slowly but surely, the attacks from Heartless were decreasing in number besides the deceasing number of victims of said Heartless. It felt good to be able to do something like this. Back on Gaia, Cloud felt powerless against the new forces that had been showing up, as well as against the reoccurring ones.

Today though was a day where Cloud didn't have to worry about whether he was strong enough to continue doing what he was. No, today was a day where the young man could return home and check up on his friends and family. Today was the day he longed sought for the minute he left this world to help others. Today, he'd get to see Tifa and his other friends. Just that very thought brought a small smile to the lips of the Delivery Boy, it brought a subtle skip to his walk to sped him up just a fraction. He missed the bar owner an awful lot. She kept waiting for him to come home but Strife had to question how long she was going to keep waiting for. This new thought wiped the small smile from his face and he frowned at the thought of coming home and not seeing his childhood friend from Nibleheim... Not seeing the kids any more.
You've got to tell her how you feel Cloud... You can't stall it forever...
He thought to himself as he shook his head to clear his mind of worry and replaced it with determination and confidence, which quickly vanished as he felt himself blush ever so slightly.

The Delivery Boy halted his movements and looked down at his feet, his hands raising up from his sides and covering his face for a moment. His breaths were heard escaping through the gaps between his gloved fingers as he exhaled deeply and slowly. Could he do it? Spreading both his index fingers slightly, the SOLDIER's glowing turquoise eyes shone out through the gaps he created and he took a second deep breath, his hands pulling away from his face and clenching into fists as he nodded his head.
I can do this! I can tell her...
Moving forwards once more, the fake-SOLDIER continued down the path he walked before eventually turning a corner. Merlin's house wasn't too far now and this was usually where everyone hung out when they needed to relax and have some time off work. Leon, Yuffie, Cid.. They were all here usually. Though when he reached the home of Merlin and the Delivery Boy opened the door, he poked his head in and blinked at the lack of bodies present. The computer was switched on and some of Merlin's candles were lit, but neither the Pilot nor the Wizard were to be seen.

Still standing half in-half out of Merlin's home, Cloud blinked as he felt something awfully familiar coming from outside, but after glancing back out the front door and not seeing anything, he frowned to himself. Unknowingly, that which he felt was up on the rooftops and he clumsily didn't check up there. It had been several long days since the young man last had a chance to sit down and relax. You'd have to forgive him for not being more thorough. Cloud then disappeared inside Merlin's home, the large wooden door closing behind him.
”Merlin? Cid? Anyone home...?”
Stepping around the large circular table in the middle of the room, Cloud headed for the back room were the kitchen and bedrooms were and poked his head around the corner, his turquoise eyes blinking a couple of times.
”Tifa?”
Had Strife picked the worse possible day to come home; when everyone else were out protecting the worlds?

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Vincent wasn’t one for relaxing. He’s always on the alert for trouble. It was his training as a Turk which made him prepared. If he was being honest with himself he wasn’t the greatest of Turks since his moral compass had been too strong to be truly effective. Verdot had been a man of honour though and had never given him an assignment he’d refuse. It meant Vincent was never ever compromised and could do his job efficiently and effectively. And Vincent was always working.

He didn’t so much have a job these days, as he had more of a vocation. He wouldn’t go so far as to say it was a calling. Vincent did what he did somewhat reluctantly though was trying to learn to enjoy it. Somehow he had become a reluctant hero, diving into trouble where trouble happened to be and it was all Cloud STrife’s fault. AVALANCHE had changed his life and he was no longer resenting them for ruining his self crafted purgatory. Without them he would never have encountered deepground (they mayhap would have found him and simply ripped him to pieces searching for an materia he didn’t know he had) and discovered Lucrecia’s hand in his survival. Yes. Vincent was no longer calling himself an existence, but somehow alive and somehow with Chaos once more.

Maybe they both needed each other.

He felt a kind of kinship with Cloud, being a trouble magnet, serious and brooding. The man was too young though to be giving up so soon. he was glad Tifa was in his life to give him a good shake whenever he was on a downward spiral. Vincent didn’t have anyone, save maybe Yuffie, whose desire to be hyper active at all times kept everyone one their toes.

He was pulled from his wonderings by his target approaching the building. He had expected the blond to look up, aware as he was that danger often came from above. Vincent always checked the higher ranges for glinting objects, hailstones of bullets and spy cameras. He was therefore surprised when Cloud did not even glance in his direction. He had been staring at him after all. Perhaps then, there was someone on the man’s mind.

AFter Cloud vanished into the house Vincent jumped from his place on the roof to the ground and pushed on the door. ”Good to see you again, Cloud,”