#08.11.17

Denzel must have heard his approach because his head whipped around toward his direction. The sight of him got Denzel’s expression to light up more than it already had and he dashed to him. Denzel went behind him and proceeded to use him as a shield against his mother’s playful ire.

“What did he do?” Cloud tried to sound stern. But he was also fighting the smile that threatened to break out of his expression.

Aerith was fighting a smile of her own as she crossed her arms. “Nothing.”

Huh? Tilting his head down to stare at the boy who hid behind him, Cloud asked, “What had your mother acting crazy again?”

Denzel followed Aerith’s example and imitated her reply. “Nothing.”

That got Cloud narrowing his eyes at them both. “Not buying it.”

Aerith had forgotten that Cloud was on his way back before they began the chase that could potentially get them exposed. Tifa’s call had distracted her so much. Her attention had focused on Denzel and the discovery of his undisclosed part-time job in the bar that Tifa ran.

It had been unexpected coming from Denzel. Aerith knew he had been struggling in the past selling off scrap metal just to survive on the streets on his own before they found him, which was why Cloud and Aerith vowed never to make Denzel go through that again. And as far as she knew, Denzel wasn’t really the type to want for something he didn’t really need.

Denzel knew he had been caught by his mother. He had forgotten to tell his aunt not to reveal the fact that he was trying to earn money. He didn’t know what his mother and aunt had talked about exactly, but from the bits and pieces he was able to overhear, it clearly involved the time he spent working at Zack and Tifa’s bar under the guise of visiting them and Marlene who was currently staying with them while Barret was away for a while. It had been the perfect cover, too bad he got busted.

Thankfully, he already got what he wanted before he got busted. It was currently hidden on the very back of the bottom drawer of his dresser.

Cloud continued to observe Aerith and Denzel, certain they were up to something. Mother and son had too much mischievousness in their blood not to get in trouble.

Aerith could see how Denzel really didn’t want to reveal the reason for his secret activities. She had a hunch as to what was driving their son, which was confirmed by the way he was avoiding the subject in front of Cloud. But since it would be likely similar to her own hidden agenda, she took pity on her boy.

She gave an exaggerated sigh which caught the attention of the two. “Go on, Denzel. You’re all sweaty now from running around. Go wash up.” She indicated their house with a tip of her head.

Denzel’s relief was so visible on his expression that Cloud followed Aerith’s example and let the boy go inside and do as he was bid.

Cloud turned concerned eyes toward her. “Should I be worried?”

“Mm-mm.” She shook her head and told him, “It was just us playing around.” She wasn’t going to let Denzel’s efforts to go to waste, especially if her hunch was correct.

Cloud didn’t look convinced though, but he gave it up. “If you say so.” No use trying to pry anything from the both of them as both were equally stubborn. Denzel clearly got his stubborn streak from Aerith.

“Come on, let’s go inside.” She tugged at his hand as she led them inside their home. Cloud was all too willing to follow her lead.

It was a little before midnight, after the fourth movie their family of three had watched together. Their living room was a mess after a popcorn fight broke out between Aerith and Denzel as they took turns insulting each other’s movie choices. Both had tried roping him into the argument, but he wisely chose to disengage and let them hash things out, their laughter filling their home.

The fight had ended in a tie, with Aerith corralling Denzel upstairs to get themselves cleaned up while he dealt with the aftermath of their antics.

Cloud was just about to finish his delegated task when he heard two soft voices singing in sync from behind him. He turned around in surprise as he heard his wife and son singing ‘Happy Birthday’, and it was directed at him.

Denzel was holding the cake very carefully in both hands as if he was afraid he was gonna drop it, while Aerith was lighting the candles that were set atop it. Once she was done, she rested her hands on Denzel’s shoulders as she took a place beside him. Through it all, they sang to him.

Cloud had once again forgotten his own birthday. Well, he never really celebrated it anyway. He had spent so many years alone, never being accepted by others when he was a kid, then never letting others that close to him once he had grown older. Celebrating the day he was born had been unnecessary since he went on his own. He had closed himself off from the rest of the world. A lone wolf.

That changed when he met a flower girl on the streets. When Aerith came into his life, celebrating their birthdays together became a welcome experience, but never one he expected. It was just one day out of three hundred and sixty-five.

Aerith had reasoned that their birthday celebrations were a way to be thankful for the other being born. It gave them the chance to meet one another, enabling them to spend their lives together, staying by each other’s side through the good and the bad.

Truth was Cloud saw no point in celebrating that fact once a year. He was grateful for having been lucky enough to have Aerith, and now Denzel, every day of his life – and he did his best to make damn sure they knew it.

Aerith had to bite back a laugh from the look of absolute astonished disbelief on Cloud’s face as she and their son wished him a happy birthday. No matter how many times she celebrated the occasion with him, he always seemed to forget it. It only applied to his own though. Cloud never forgot hers.

She knew Cloud didn’t really agree with her reasoning for celebrating his birthday. For Aerith, it was important to thank Fate for bringing Cloud into this world on the exact, special day, even as they did the same every day of their lives. Cloud might not be receptive of the concept yet, but she knew he was beginning get with the program. She just needed to get Cloud used to it, give him a little incentive to make the day all the more memorable for him.

Good thing her present was ready. Well, Cloud played a part in it too, and will still play a large part in the coming days. Still, hers was the main role of the whole thing.

After the song finished, Aerith leaned in to whisper in Denzel’s ear. “Go on.” She gave Denzel a slight push towards Cloud.

Denzel wasn’t going to mess up a perfectly good chocolate cake. So he made sure he had a firm grip on the cake. He had seen his mom preparing it in secret, making sure it was perfect. She did it after his dad had to leave the house for a while to help his uncle Zack on an errand for his aunt Tifa. Denzel figured it was just a ruse his mother had planned with the couple.

“Momma said to make sure you make a wish before you blew on the candles,” Denzel told Cloud solemnly.

Cloud glanced at Aerith with a raised brow. It seemed his boy had been given a mission by his wife. He crouched down in front of Denzel, gripping his head in the back with a gentle hand. He made sure Denzel could see the truth in his eyes when he said, “I can’t really make a wish since I have everything I need right here.” His lips tilted up at the sides in a small smile full of contentment.

Cloud’s voice was laced with such tenderness that it brought happy tears to Aerith’s eyes. “That’s quite the dilemma,” she murmured fondly. She went to her boys and took the same position as Cloud. “How about we have Denzel help you out, Cloud?”

“What do you think, bud? What should I wish for?”

Denzel appeared to think about it, before he gave a hopeful yet sly smile. Aerith knew that look, knew what was going to come out of his mouth. She was anticipating it, actually.

“Then, you can wish for a baby brother for me.” With that, Denzel gave Cloud an expectant stare as he held the cake and the candles out to his father.

Cloud choked on a laugh, caught off-guard by the wish. He should have known that was coming. Denzel had been hinting at it more and more recently. “All right, let’s just go with that then,” he agreed. He blew on the candles afterward, and then gave Aerith a mischievous grin. “Guess we have a wish to fulfill.”

Aerith just laughed in reply. Clapping her hands as she stood, she announced their next activity. “Presents!” She took the cake in her hand and waved for Denzel to go first. Cloud straightened as well.

Denzel ran toward the small rectangular box wrapped in blue that he had placed on top of the table a while ago and took it to Cloud. “I had Uncle Zack help me get this,” he shared as he handed it over to Cloud.

Cloud took it in his hand and carefully divested it of its cover. Lifting the lid, he was taken aback by the gift enclosed in the box – black leather gloves similar to the ones he had.

“I saw how damaged your current pair is,” Denzel explained.

He ran his fingers through the pair reverently, feeling the soft texture. Then he saw the design embossed on them: a howling wolf. This must have cost a lot.

Aerith could see the question in Cloud’s face. “Denzel took a part-time job running errands for Zack and Tifa in their bar.”

That was when Cloud put the pieces together. The scene of Aerith running after Denzel earlier that day when he got home now made sense. Aerith had mentioned a call from Tifa, he recalled. “I’m guessing you just found out today, too?”

“Yep.” She popped the ‘p’ for emphasis. “The little rascal started running the minute I got off the phone and saw me. I chased after him by reflex which, in hindsight, was ridiculous I admit since he wasn’t in any trouble.”

He agreed, careful not to say anything more that would get him an evil eye from his wife. “Thank you for this, Denzel.” He hugged the boy to him, tousling his hair in an affectionate gesture. The fact that Denzel worked hard for it made the gift all the more precious to Cloud.

“My turn!”

The excited declaration had both males’ heads swivel in Aerith’s direction, who was now standing a little ways away from them with her hands behind her back. She skipped, actually skipped her way toward Cloud and Denzel.

In each hand she had a long rectangular white box wrapped only in a pink ribbon. One she gave to Cloud, the other to Denzel.

“I get one, too?” The boy’s brows were drawn, his confusion palpable.

Aerith didn’t say anything else besides, “Open them.”

Cloud and Denzel simultaneously pulled the ribbon free then lifted the cover off the box. What Cloud found stole away his breath. Surrounded by crepe paper was a white stick, a positive sign on the screen near one end. Denzel had started whooping the minute he saw what was inside the box. He obviously knew what they were for.

Absolutely floored, Cloud cast wide mako-blue eyes toward the green-eyed girl who had always given him everything he needed and more.

“Is this... Are you... Really?” he breathed. Cloud couldn’t seem to get his brain to work enough to formulate coherent sentences, couldn’t get enough air to circulate.

Aerith was now laughing with Denzel who was cooing at Aerith’s abdomen. She gazed at Cloud before she said, “I took two tests. Also had an appointment with the doctor yesterday.” She gave him a blissful smile. “Eleven weeks, Strife. We’ll be meeting the new addition to the Strife Family in March.” She radiated with so much joy as her gaze clung to his. “Looks like your soldiers did their job during the honeymoon.” She added playfully in a conspiratorial tone.

Cloud went weak at the knees as emotions threatened to overwhelm him. He realized he was actually shaking. He kept a hand on a chair to keep himself from toppling over, his gaze going to the floor.

“Denzel, I think your dad’s in trouble.”

“Nah, Momma. He’s tough.”

“You sure?”

“You can check on him if you want.”

The sound of Aerith’s delicate footsteps moved toward him after that whispered suggestion.

Then he felt her in front of him. Her hand ran soft caresses from his hand, up his arm, ending with a palm on his cheek. His gaze was tilted upward and Aerith’s face came into view.

“Hey.” A tender hello.

“Hey,” he returned, his voice hoarse with suppressed emotions.

“So...” A giggle from her smiling lips. “I’m pregnant, Cloud.” Her thumb traced the shape of his lower lip. “Your wish is about to come true. Fancy that. Fate must love you.” The last was a whispered caress. She touched her forehead to his, the gesture one they often used for affection.

Cloud couldn’t help but laugh at that. Fate had kicked him down a number of times in his life before, had even tried to take away the woman he loved. It was about damn time Fate gave him a break.

He caught the the first break when he met Aerith, then his friends. Then Denzel came into their lives, and now a new life he had created with the love of his life. So much had been given to him. It had him full to the brim with a sense of joyful euphoria. He almost thought he was dreaming. But it was real. He figured Fate owed him this happiness from all the agony he had endured in his lifetime.

Aerith took Cloud’s hand in hers and laid it against her abdomen. “We made it, Cloud.”

His knees buckled with the force of his emotions. He would have fallen had his wife not been there to catch him. It put him at eye level to her abdomen, right were their child was safely nested inside. Scared and shaking, Cloud laid a gentle hand over the area, his touch feather-light. He didn’t want to do anything that would harm his unborn child.

I’ll protect you and your mother, kid. I vow it. I’ll protect our family.

Cloud could feel himself tearing up. He pressed a soft kiss against her stomach, and then tilted his head up toward the woman who was his very heart, the woman who held the other half of his soul. Wet blue eyes met equally wet green ones. A smile filled with rapture followed. And then they were laughing in each other’s embrace.

A chaste kiss against salt-laced lips. “Thank you for being born, Cloud.”

Cloud pulled Aerith down with him and clutched her close to his body. He was too overcome with emotion he could do nothing but nod, keeping his face nestled in the area between her neck and shoulder.

Arms suddenly enveloped them both, and as one they turned toward the boy who they saw as their own. Cloud and Aerith each reached out a hand toward Denzel. Teary-eyed as well, he took their outstretched hands.

Cloud just continued to hold his family in his arms. Their faces wet, they basked in the moment of celebration. For the life that had already been given, for the new life that had come to be and would soon come to join them.

Happy Birthday, Cloud Strife! [08.11.17]