Leaning on You(FF7)

10

"Let's not do that, okay?"

"Why not? Uncle Barret did it."

"Uncle Barret is bad sometimes."

"So can I give him a spanking?"

"No," I shake my head and stand. "No you cannot. You are never giving a guy a spanking while I'm alive."

"Aw, protective daddy moment," Cid chuckles, his mood light again. I glare at him and contemplate copying my daughter.

"Don't do it, Cloud," Yuffie rolls her eyes and walks around me to go toward Red. And Vince, I need to use your phone to call Rufus."

"Why mine?" he whines but hands it over anyway.

"Because you have his number in your recent calls and I don't."

"Wow, she's so technical," he shake his head at me. "What the heck did she just say?"

"One of the most basic things she can," I laugh at his obliviousness.

I don't know how on earth we're going to keep the kids safe and go after Sephiroth, much less kill him. Last time didn't exactly turn out too well. Vincent has a cast on his foot for goodness sakes. Sure, with some materia he'll be all better in no time, but that just shows how unprepared we are. He's one of our best fighters and he was taken down so easily. He also acted like he was high for an hour straight until Yuffie woke him up from his little trance, but that means nothing. It was that stupid pill she gave him. We need to get back in the groove of things.

"Cid, do you mind if the twins stay with Shera until this is all sorted out?"

"As long as I'm not there," he shrugs. "To Rocket Town then?"

"To Rocket Town," I nod, glancing down at Mikey. His face is a little green, though not as green as Kara's. Ew...

"Oh great, these two got the legendary Kisaragi sickness," Red groans.

"You think you could help?" I ask hopefully.

"If she pukes on me..." he mutters as I set Kara on his orange back.

"She won't. If she does I spray you down with a hose."

"That would be so much better than one of those awful baths Tifa makes me take," he sighs, following me to the front window. Kara happily pulls on Red's mane, making his one eye wince, but he remains silent.

"I can't believe it's only four in the morning. Feels like it's been longer than that," Cait joins my side, his gloved paws pressed up against the glass.

"I know," I shake my head. "I wonder where Marlene is."

"Probably at home sleeping. That or up waiting for Barret," Red sighs, growling softly when my daughter's finger jabs his one golden eye.

"Kara, be nice to Red."

"He's Na'aki!" She pouts.

"Fine, whatever. Don't hurt Na'aki."

"Good doggy!" she giggles, squeezing her arms around his neck. The poor guy coughs a couple times under her tight grip and then shakes his head so that her hands fall back.

"You owe me big time," he mutters toward me.

"A couple steaks from Kalm clear that up?"

"Heck yeah," he grins up at me. "Rare though, you know I can't stand the cooked stuff."

"This isn't the first time I've had to buy you meat, you know," I remind him.

"Like that time I made you strangle a wild chocobo for me?" he chuckles.