(Cloud Strife x Reader x Rufus Shinra) A Bolt from the Blue

Chapter 23 - The Annual Shinra Ball

The lead up to the annual Shinra ball is busy and full of preparation. As the Vice President, Rufus is occupied with the actual organisation of the event. With the invisible pressure from his father President Shinra, you find yourself often giving Rufus the emotional support he needs behind closed doors. You can only assure him that you are there for him, giving him encouraging words and a reassuring hug in private when he is overwhelmed with a mountain of paperwork and urgent emails to respond to in addition to his day job. It does not seem like much but that is all you could help him with.

You on the other hand, busied yourself with helping your new friends get ready for the impending celebrations. Barret is finally persuaded to agree for the group to attend as part of some unknown chance to gather intel from inside Shinra. You cannot bring yourself to care. You are just happy to be able to spend time with your friends.

A few weeks before the ball, you organise for your friends to visit a formal attire rental store with a private dresser Midgar's privileged often uses. You leave Barret, Biggs, Wedge and Cloud with the tailor to get measured and try on tuxedos. The girls - Tifa, Aerith and Jessie stay with you as they look in awe at the choice of formal outfits available.

"Go crazy! Any dress you want. Sorry it's only for rent but it's all on me." You give them a sincere smile at their enthusiastic expressions.

You all have a lot of fun trying on different outfits, laughing and chatting. It has been a while since you have felt so untroubled.

At the end of your shopping trip, Aerith chooses an asymmetrical salmon pink glittery gown which matches her personality and the halter neck top shows off her slender shoulders. Jessie chooses a navy long sleeve V-neck dress which brings out her competition. Tifa decides on a floor length off the shoulder purple dress with a high slit up the side. The dress hugs her perfect figure like a glove, accentuating it in all the right places.

"How about your dress?" The girls ask you.

"Oh, Rufus has organised for one to be made so even I haven't seen the final dress yet." You say, a little embarrassed.

"I know you'll look beautiful." Tifa says cheerfully and the girls nod eagerly in agreement.

"Let's catch up with the boys." You say brightly.

You take the group to a popular Midgar food court so that everyone can get what they want to eat. It is another fun night out with your friends, full of jokes and laughter.

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The day of the ball arrives. Rufus is his calm and collected self. Radiating his authoritative aura so that everyone around him carries out their jobs preparing for the event as efficiently as they can.

You decide to stay at the Shinra mansion the night before to see if you can help at all but as it all comes together; you head back to your guest bedroom to get ready.

You look at your dress and silently hope that it will look just as beautiful on you as it does on the hanger. You sit at the dresser in your new matching structured underwear as you do your makeup and curl your hair which you decide to pin into a textured messy updo in contrast to your formal dress. You let tendrils fall freely from the updo to frame your face and finish off by fastening a subtle glittery rhinestone headpiece, adjusting it so that it peeks through your hair.

You stand in front of the vintage full length mirror when you finish dressing. It is so different to your usual attire that it takes you a little while to get used to how you look. You smooth the deep ruby coloured floor length A-line dress with your matching coloured silk gloved hands. The gloves reach just above your elbow which complements the strapless sweetheart neckline of your dress. You gently trace a finger over the intricate embroidery detail on the material.