Delightful // Cloud x Reader

CHAPTER 21: Kitty-dog

On their way over to the next set of doors, they didn't get too far when they ran into two SOLDIERS. One of them tried rushing forward, but the one in front of him blocked him. Even under his mask, you could tell this guy was surprised.

"Cloud? You're Cloud, right? Holy shit!" The three just looked at Cloud, waiting for his response. The SOLDIER turned to the guy behind him. "It's cool, bro. We went through training together. Damn, so you're still alive a kicking, huh?"

The guy kept going on and on, but Y/n noticed that Cloud seemed... Distressed. She was looking all over the room and shaking his head slightly. He grabbed at his head like he was having a headache as the guy said he was gonna go get Kunsel. She was kinda excited to hear about Kunsel since she was a big fan of Crisis Core, but Cloud was having issues at the moment.

Barret asked if that was an old buddy of his, while Tifa and Y/n worried over him. "Are you okay?" Tifa asked, trying to get a look at him. Y/n wanted to grab his hand, but they weren't like that, even if he asked her to dinner. And she was right, he immediately shook off their concerns and told them to keep moving.

--

They got through some sliding doors and immediately stopped dead in their tracks. Across the room, about to go through another door, was Heidegger and President Shinra speaking about Avalance and the Wutai.

"Damnit!" Barret cursed, crossing his arms.

"Barret," Tifa chided softly.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. We came here to save Aerith. That's our first priority."

"That's right," Cloud says as they all make their way up a set of stairs. "We only get one chance. Hojo should be in that board meeting, so that'll buy up some time. We need to plan this just right."

Once they made their way through some more stairs and rooms, they grouped up to discuss the plan. "A little bit of recon. Need to find a way to infiltrate that meeting room."

"You hear the words coming out of your mouth? We just need to find a bathroom so we can get into the air duct," said Barret.

Y/n nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, he's right. Or we could totally dress up as an important person and just sit in on the meeting."

They all just gave her a "what the fuck" look. She just laughed awkwardly. "I was joking. Ok, bathroom, go!"

So they found one.

Tifa said she'd wait outside, Y/n assumed it was probably because it was the men's room, but Barret told her she couldn't. Cloud agreed.

Once they found the duct, Cloud took off the grate that was covering it. Y/n was totally enjoying the back muscles flexing, but once he put down the grate, he jumped down from the toilet he was standing on and regrouped.

Barrett seemed nervous. "Look, I'm..."

"On guard duty."

"Right."

"So," Tifa said, "can I go with you? I don't want to be here any longer than I have to."

"Yeah, sure," he said, telling her to follow behind him. He glanced over at Y/n, who was staring at the duct, her nose scrunched in disgust. "What about you?"

Y/n snapped out of her daze and met his eyes. "Ah, nah, I'm good. Not really one to crawl through ducts. You guys have fun, though. Barrett and I will play 'I Spy' or something."

Cloud just shrugged and went to the duct, jumping up into it. Tifa followed suit.

After it was just the two of them, Barrett got Y/n's attention.