edgeoflife | Hot Damn

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Hot Damn

The WRO is well aware that people are not happy with the current state of things, but unfortunately it's going to take them longer to get the power lines back up than they expected.

One of the members comes up with a WRO-funded vacation to Costa del Sol. Not only do they still have power, but they have a beach. Everybody loves the beach, and the ones who don't sure love AC. It'll be a gesture of goodwill and an apology for taking so long to make city life bearable again.

So everyone, hop on the free Air Taxi and come to Costa del Sol! Hotel rooms are free for periods of three days at a time, swimsuits are on sale, and they have AC. Really, do you need any other reason?

[[This is a catch-all for anyone who wants to hit up Costa del Sol! You're not obligated to take the WRO's trip, of course, and if you want to make your own log in del Sol you're more than welcome to do so.]

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There's only two---

[Yuffie.

Yuffie no.

Cloud will be eternally relieved he just freezes at that. Let's just say he has been doing his exceedingly very best to pretend any crushes don't exist. He does not need this.

So, you know what? Have a dirty, probably kind of pouty glare before Cloud just turns away and stares at the horizon instead, working hard on suppressing any little blush that might have escaped.]

[Yuffie watches him with a smile.]

I was kidding, didn't know you swung that way.

[She gives him a wink.]

That's just the way of it isn't it? All the cute boys are taken or interested in each other. [She sighs.] It isn't fair.

[Throwing her a quick glance, Cloud rolls his eyes, still feeling a bit embarrassed.]

... doesn't really matter anyway.

[If he wasn't Cloud, he might have said something about how did she know he wasn't interested in other people? But as it was, Cloud just shrugs and digs his toes into the wet sand.]

Pretty sure I heard guys in the barracks say the same thing about the girls of Midgar.

What? Well, I'm not from Midgar so that might be true.

[Yuffie laughs and then leans back in the sand. Her palms sink a little as the water rolls up the coast. It's nice and despite the fact that all she's doing is teasing him, she's having fun. She can at least be herself without him getting pissed, silent and then brooding.

That's new for her.]

[There's a small smile on Cloud's face as he snorts softly.]

It's probably the same everywhere...

[Well, he assumes anyway; he doesn't really know, having only his experience with the barracks of ShinRa's army to compare with, considering his only other experience was the handful of children he grew up with... around, more like, in Nibelheim.]

That’s so boring. If everything is the same everywhere then why do we go anywhere?

[Yuffie grins at Cloud.]

I think we should find out. You’re staying in Edge right? [She feels like everyone is staying there.]

We’ll start there and move out.

[He nods, then blinks, turning his head to stare, utterly confused, at Yuffie.]

... ask everybody if they feel like people they're interested in are either taken or interested in their own sex?

[Yuffie, he is not doing that.]

NO!

[She can't help but smile at him.]

I meant just people watching. Do you really think anyone would answer a question like that?

[Ducking his head, feeling embarrassed, Cloud shakes his head, hair dry enough now the spikes move easily with the movement.]

... no. [No, he didn't think so. He knew he certainly wouldn't, but quite a lot of people weren't him. He could see Zack answering that question easily, but Zack was... Zack.]

It'd be weird.

Yeah.

[Not that Yuffie isn't all for awkward situations.]

You get flustered so easily!

[She wraps her around his shoulders and gives him a hug.]

It's so cute!

Ah--!

[Being pulled sideways by an arm around his shoulders isn't new. Getting hugs isn't new either, but not even Zack had assaulted him with hugs this quickly. But maybe it's partly because Yuffie knows the Cloud here, already - but Tifa had been more careful...

Cloud freezes for a moment, staying still, then squirms away.]

... no, it's not.

[It's an admittedly pouty defense under the glare, but he's heard that one before and it's as reflexive to defend himself as not cute as it's to hear that he is.]

[Yuffie has less of a filter with Cloud and unlike Tifa her heart and memories aren’t wrapped up with the pointy haired boy. Cloud is Yuffie’s first real friend and be it another alteration or a younger version she continues to see them as close friends. This Cloud will just have to deal with that fact.]

Fine.

[She retracts her arms and gives him a look of someone who’s purposely being defiant. She can’t help but get a little bit moody when he squirms away. It’s what she expected but it still bugs her.]

What compliment can I give you?

You... [Staring quietly, Cloud ducks his head, his cheek faintly pink and annoyance gone.] ... don't need to compliment me at all.

[Why would she want to, anyway? The next wave splashing up over his legs makes Cloud shiver and pulls him away from the sideways little stare he'd been aiming at Yuffie, frowning faintly.

It's still hot and the sun is still beating down, but sitting in the surf is becoming kind of uncomfortable, so he stands up. He doesn't want to think about where he's gotten sand, now... Gaze dropping down to Yuffie, he shifts on his feet. He has no idea what to do with this...]

... if I had more gil with me, I... might have bought you something, if you wanted. [he finally offers up quietly, then promptly looks away.]

I didn't say I need to.

[She mumbles the retort beneath her breath before looking up at Cloud. She blinks a few times and by the end of his sentence her lips are spread in a wide smile.]

Past tense doesn't sound very fun.

[Yuffie gracefully jumps to her feet, not really bothered by the cold water or the heat. She's the sort of person who pushes herself until she collapses and doesn't let things bug her until she's at her limit. Though she will still usually complain about it.]

I bet if I flirt with the bartender I can get us a discount.

[Past tense is safe, even if he did mean what he'd said. He hadn't necessarily meant that sort of drinks, however, and Cloud just stares and shakes his head slowly.]

Even if you say it's for you, I doubt any bartender would let you buy anything alcoholic with me there.

[There'd been places in Midgar, of course, but Cloud hadn't bothered much - here, though? He's pretty sure they're going to be a bit more disagreeable about it.]

Why's that? You can be my cute young assistant. Besides, walking confidently does wonders. If you scold enough they might think you're the other Cloud too.

[She giggles at the mental image.]

It won't hurt to try! Let's go!

[Yuffie grabs his hand and begins pulling him inland.]

Wha--- [Frowning at the thought of 1. impersonating his older self and 2. being anyone's cute young assistant, Cloud staggered after Yuffie, surprise and uncertainty making him pliant. At first, at least.]

Really don't think this is a good idea.

[But if nothing else he could just give her some gil and refuse to follow her into whatever bar she chose to attempt to hit, and she could maybe get her drink or whatever.]

[This can’t possibly go wrong.]

What? All my ideas are good ideas. [Which is completely not true.]

Trust me. [You shouldn’t trust her Cloud.]

[Yuffie continues to pull him towards the closest bar, his reluctance doing nothing to slow her down.]

[She probably completely misses the flat stare Cloud aims at the back of Yuffie's head while he's dragged forward. Yeah, he doesn't think either of those two statements are right.

Zack says the same, and while he does trust Zack, it's usually not when he's saying things like that.]

For some reason I don't believe you.

[Oh so dry.]

[Yuffie looks back at him, large dark almond eyes inspecting Cloud with a curious and yet serious stare. They’re so much a like it’s spooky but then Yuffie doesn’t know where their pasts might differ, besides age, it feels like there might be something more.

She clicks her tongue impatiently, dropping Cloud’s hand and turning to face him. Her palms rest on her hips while an expression of annoyance crosses her features.]

Oh? Why is that?

[Yuffie stares at him and she has no plans of relenting. He’s going to have fun if it’s the last thing she does.]

There is no harm in asking and you can at least come with. I thought we were friends.

[Since Yuffie meets friends through theft it only seems logical.]

Um... [Uncertain what to say now, since he'd expected her to simply ignore that comment and continue to drag him after her, Cloud shrugs, dropping his eyes away from her stare.

Were they friends? Sure, it'd been that easy with Zack, but... that was Zack and while he doesn't actually know, he's pretty sure it's not that actually that easy. And to be correct she would be friends with his older self.]

... didn't say I wouldn't come with. [He frowns a little when he finally speaks.] But I still don't think it'll work.

It doesn't have to work for us to have fun.

[She reaches for his hands and begins to drag him once again. The force is a little less this time and as they neared the bar she is walking more normally at his side. There is a confident smirk on her lips as she takes a seat at the bar and then gestures for Cloud.]

Two please!

[Yuffie specifies something with rum in it and waits to see what the bartender does. He looks between the pair of them and then stares at Cloud. He's searching for something and Yuffie hopes that Cloud remains moody and not overly obvious.]

[Rum? She couldn't have gone for... what, he's not sure. It's not as if he's had much to drink, so far, really.

Unfortunately, when Yuffie said that, Cloud glances incredulously to her, and then, feeling the stare on him, can't help but look up at the man.

A few moments he can stand there and maybe not look too awkward, but the staring and knowing that he doesn't have enough gil and uncertain whether Yuffie will succeed in this slowly starts to make him flustered, a faint blush creeping up on his cheeks as he ducks his head.]

Nice try. Run along youngin'

[The bartender gave Yuffie a pointed look as if to tell her that she isn't going to pull such things over him. She rolls her eyes and turns back towards Cloud.]

Sort of lost your cool there.

[It's just as well, Yuffie would have had to pickpocket to get the money to pay anyway.]

... sorry.

[He peers up at her sideways, out of the corner of his eye, and feels both bad about it and pretty relieved that was all that happened. Could've been worse, he supposes.]

Not... the sort of pressure I do well with. [He adds, awkwardly, shrugging a little. Sorry, Yuffie. He can keep his head in battle, but this is... nope.]

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