Delightful // Cloud x Reader

CHAPTER TWO: Cake

"PLEASE TELL ME THIS IS YOUR HOUSE!" Y/N GROANED. IT TOOK FOREVER to get there due to Aerith being so good natured and talking to everyone on their way. Even making a pit stop or two. Pretty sure she was going to run more errand afterwards, too.

Aerith giggled and opened up the door for Cloud and Y/n. "Come on."

Cloud walked in first, then Y/n, then Aerith. "Mom, I'm home!" she called out.

Y/n's stomach churned in anxiousness. Meeting someone's parent? Being in a house that wasn't hers? Yikes. Anxiety alert. But, the smell of whatever Aerith's mom was cooking calmed her enough to stop clenching her palms.

While Cloud noticed Y/n flex her hands, he couldn't help but stare at the tiny cut he gave her. Sure, it stopped bleeding a long time ago, but it looked deep and already began scarring. He only hoped she wouldn't hold him against it.

'No,' he thought, averting his gaze to Aerith's mom who introduces herself to them. 'We'll be parting ways soon enough, doesn't matter.'

"So," Aerith smiled. "This is my mom Elmira. Mom, these are my bodyguards, Cloud and Y/n."

"Uh... Hi." Cloud slightly dipped his head while Y/n smiled and waved slightly.

"You two take care of her?" Elmira asked.

"That's my job. Or, was my job," Cloud answered. Y/n just let him answer and didn't say anything. She was still too nervous to speak.

"Yep. Thanks," Aerith smiled. "So, Cloud, you gonna head back to sector 7? I could show you the way."

Cloud raised a brow. "Then why'd you have me bring you here? What if the Turks show up again?"

Aerith smiled. "Y/n can protect me."

Elmira looked at Y/n curiously. "Oh, is she staying with us?"

"If that's okay," Aerith turned back to her mom. "Truthfully, she has nowhere to go and I offered a place for her here."

Elmira hummed. "I'll think about it."

"No need to if you don't want to, ma'am," Y/n spoke up. "I'll go with Cloud. I'm sure he won't care."

Cloud furrowed his brows. "But-"

"Hey, mom," Aerith interrupted Cloud. "Imma go take Cloud to Sector 7, kay?"

Elmira sighed. "Well, okay. But why not wait till tomorrow? It'll be dark by the time you come back." Elmira put her hands on Aerith's arms, being all motherly and shit. "Why Not Rest up here and set out bright an early tomorrow morning. When you'll have daylight to spare."

So, it was settled. The three would set out tomorrow. Till then, Aerith decided to run some errands for the towns people and to also get Cloud noticed for being a merc. Their first job would be to get flowers for the Leaf House. As Aerith ran up to her room, Cloud and Y/n were left waiting downstairs with Elmira.

"So, Y/n," Elmira turned to the h/c haired girl. "Where are you from?"

Cloud watched Y/n tense up, obviously not wanting to tell Aerith's mom she's from another dimension and make herself seem crazy.

"Oh, you know, around. Never really had a place to call home." Although it  was said to not mention the whole dimension thing, it was pretty truthful. Y/n never really had a home where she was from.

Aerith's mom just hummed. Her face was unreadable. It didn't matter, though, because after another second or two Aerith came running down with three baskets. Cloud basically took some convincing to take one, but Y/n was pretty chill with a little flower picking.