Echo's Away (Cloud Strife)

Chapter Five

Echo's Pov
"Echo get up now, I'm not letting you stay over just to sleep."

"Cloud shhh you brought me over here now just let me rest." I released a half sleepy giggle my head resting deeply on the pillows.

I heard the blonde released a heavy sigh before I felt his bed shift with the weight before he was laying behind me wrapping his arms around me hugging me gently.

"You are utterly hopeless you know that right? You wanted cuddles didn't you." I popped open my eyes to stare at his wall, feeling the faint thump of his heartbeat his breathing relaxed.

"I would never take you for the cuddling type Cloud. " I whispered hearing him humming quietly. "I'm not, but you've been at my house for a few days, it's nice not waking up alone." I smiled slightly taking a breath in staring at Zack who had a smug look staring at me his hands on his hips.

"You know I'm not the kind to say I told you so, but I told you so Echo." He shot me a wink laughing casually.

I squirmed a little in Cloud's hold but I shot Zack a look that cuddling was just a normal thing, but it was then Cloud's breathing was steady and I realized he was sleeping soundly and I know sleep didn't come easy to him.

So I leaned back allowing him to sleep I wrapped my arms around his board muscular exposed arms and whispered to him quietly.

"Sleep tight Cloud you earned the need to rest," I muttered quietly with a smile shutting my own eyes deeply.

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"Tifa I don't see why you can't serve me a drink," I whined pressing my hand into the side of my face groaning watching her carrying a tray with some drinks over to a group of men.

"Because I swore to Cloud I wouldn't let you drink anymore Echo, no means no," I grumbled hearing her footsteps fade away from me, this was cruelty on my behalf. Barrett walked passed me ruffling up my hair laughing loudly.

"You two have gotten close haven't you?" He questioned sitting down next to me. " We are friends. " I stammered out chuckling "But I take it being friends with Cloud Strife takes a lot of work actually." I rubbed my cold fingers across my brown cheeks listening to the loud sounds of people here having fun and whatnot. After a long hard day.

"You have no idea, Echo took me basically three whole years he isn't exactly the booth kinda type, plus he's an asshole." I laughed quietly at Barrett taking it in.

"Cloud just... He understands me in a way I wish others could you know? We don't hang out often, lately, we've spent more time together but he is one mysterious box." I answered nodding my head a few times. I chatted casually with Barrett catching up on things.

He would tell me a few things about how Marlene was in school now so was Denzel who was being raised by Tifa and Cloud actually but he stayed mainly with Tifa.  But that would explain why sometimes he was at Cloud's house a few times.

Vincent had shown up halfway through the night ordering a drink and joined in with a talk with me. "Echo I've noticed something about you that others don't really notice you have a side with the supernatural don't you?" I stared at Vincent his red eyes staring at me fully.

"You are correct. " I chuckled looking down to brush my hair away. "I can see and speak to ghost I've been able to do it since I was young," I explained to him watching him then hum.

"Its a very impressive and energy-draining gift to have, only a few people have it, if you learn not to be afraid of it, you can understand it better, the spirits you see aren't bad ones, they just need help passing over or they want something." I stared at Vincent feeling him also ruffle my hair up leaving me in almost an awe state.

That honestly was the best explanation anyone had ever given me about the gift. Maybe I was afraid of it for no reason. I stood up from my seat and quickly I hid through the crowd of people when I saw Cloud enter Seventh Heaven.

He just makes me nervous, when he walked up to the bar I then made haste to slip out of the bar to catch my breath-holding my chest, I went down the steps before I spoke out noticing Aerith's spirit followed me out.

"Hey, Aerith," I spoke to her gently watching her look at me softly. "Yeah Echo? "  I fluttered my eyes "Do you think you have a place that I could go to just go be by myself?" I asked her hopefully.

A smile went over her face before she was giggling. "I do have a place, sometimes Cloud, Tifa, and Marlene go there but they haven't in a while, follow me I'll show you my church."  I blinked but I then smiled following after her listening to her speak to me.

"It may be to soon to tell, but I think Cloud likes you."

"No, he doesn't!"