Crazier than Crazy

Aeris raised her eyebrows at Cloud, smirking.
"Like a bitch that saved your ass earlier." She dug in. "He's the typical mercenary type, ninety percent asshole and ten percent nice guy." She laughed. "He's easy on the eyes, that's for sure. But he won't let me move in with him, so I guess that is kind of bitchy." She admitted.

Cloud smirked and he shook his head.
"He's a helpful bitch. Like a puppy." he laughed, shaking his head.

Julia kicked Cloud and she turned back towards Aeris.
"He won't? He probably is all about his freedom." she said rolling his eyes. "Eh, if it's meant to be guess it'll happen, right?"

Aeris stuck her tongue out at Cloud. Like he was any better. They had been screwing like rabbits for three years, but he had never moved her in or even asked her to date him in that time. Then again, Aeris was a horrible commitment phobe, she probably would have gotten extremely gun-shy if Cloud had tiptoed in that area.
"Yeah, he already has a room-mate, so I kind of get it." She shrugged. She had been dating Jamie for a year, but it was...complicated. They were sort of open, sort of not. She never openly agreed to date him, but he had asked her not to see other people and said he wouldn't either. Which was basically dating, but if she thought of it like that she'd lose her mind. "What about you and blondie over here?" Aeris asked, smirking. "You tame him yet?"

Cloud had moved away from the girls then, wanting to avoid their topic so he started talking to some of the other patrons. Julia glanced over to him as Aeris spoke and she smirked.
"Nothing tames that man." she chuckled. "Besides, can you picture him settling down?"

Aeris looked over her shoulder at Cloud, before smirking. It had taken them a year and a half to even spend the night with each other. Usually she had night terrors horribly, sometimes she ended up on the floor instead of in her bed, but they had never happened when she slept with Cloud. For some reason the thought of it bothered her, so she pushed it back.
"Hell no." She told Julia, laughing. "But he spoke very kindly of you." She admitted, wiggling her eyebrows. Might as well wing-man for the old man before he died.

Julia laughed and then she raised an eyebrow.
"What? Really?" Her face turned a light shade of pink. "That's actually surprising, he doesn't seem the type that would."

Aeris smiled when Julia blushed. Maybe it would be different. Aeris was too cold, too fucked up to really be with someone. Even if she wanted to be with Cloud, it would never work. Jamie left her alone with it for the most part. Hell, he didn't even complain that she didn't want to fuck him after a year. But Cloud was getting up there, and Julia was nice. They could fall in love, well loosely, maybe have a few kids. Cute.
"You're cute. I think you're good for him." She smiled. "He's just an asshole, but you deal with that just fine." She laughed, taking a shot.

Julia shook her head at her. While she did like Cloud she always pictured herself settling down with someone closer to her age, still, she had fun with him.
"Hah, yeah right he is." She said before looking up. "Valenti! Stop harassing my customers!"

Cloud was in the middle of a heated "debate" with a biker about motorcycles. He was still behind the bar, helping himself of course.

"Should I shoot him now, or let the bikers shank him."

Aeris looked up when she heard Cloud's voice raising, rolling her eyes.
"Why not both?" She asked Julia, paying for both of their drinks. She had been a patron at Charlie's frequently before she left the states, and she felt bad not paying. "Come on old man. I think you're wearing out your welcome." She told Cloud, pulling the bottle away from him.

Julia laughed and she shook her head as Aeris grabbed Cloud.

"Hey, wait, I wasn't done!" Cloud slurred. "Bubba and I were just going on about exhausts, and...all that shit."

"Yeah, all that important shit." Aeris agreed, shaking her head at him. "Why don't we take the bottle to your house and we can talk about that important shit while you're someplace that no one will stab you for it, okay?"

Cloud groaned, and he moved out of the bar, taking the bottle.
"You never let me have any fun, you know that?"

Aeris laughed, putting her arm around him to steady him.
"That's bullshit and you know it." She told him. "I'll make sure he gets home okay. It was nice seeing you Jules, let's hang out sometime!" She told the woman.

She had only had two shots, so she loaded Cloud into her car and drove to his apartment.
"You're such a sloppy drunk." She told him, helping him into the elevator.

Cloud waved goodbye to Julia and he turned to Aeris, shaking his head. When they were in the elevator he nudged her.
"Not so much sloppy as I am something else." he smirked, winking at her.

Aeris had always found drunk Cloud extremely adorable, and this was no exception. She smiled, shaking her head as she helped him to his door. She fished in his pocket for his keys and opened it, getting him inside.
"I'm sure Julia appreciates that, Romeo." She laughed. "Let's trade this bottle for some water maybe..."

Cloud laughed, and he shook his head at her.
"She probably would...but you're here, but you got what's his face...so I guess that's off the table?" he whispered, leaning in.

Aeris took her hand off of his waist, stepping back. She was still attracted to Cloud, she would be lying if she said she didn't. She made cracks about his age, but she had never given a fuck about the gap. Cloud could be sixty, as long as his personality was the same, and she'd probably still consider it as long as he got it up just fine.
"Behave." She told him, putting the bottle on the table. She moved into the kitchen and ruffled through the cupboards to find a drinking glass, filling it with water.

Cloud smirked and he moved to sit down on the sofa, grabbing the remote and flipping through the channel.
"What if I don't wanna behave?!" he said, looking over to see her in the kitchen.

Aeris sat down next to him, grabbing his hand and putting the glass in it.
"Drink this." She told him, shaking her head at him. "I was gone for three years, don't you have a ton of women under your bed by now you can call?" She laughed.

Cloud took a sip of his water and he shook his head, blue eyes twinkling.
"I mean, I do, but it's just nice seeing you again." he whispered. "I did miss you if I'm being honest."

It took Aeris a moment, entranced by his eyes. Jesus, how was he so charming? She had convinced herself it was no big deal, her mind drummed him down when she left so that it didn't hurt as much. The truth was she had missed him too. A lot.
"I mean, who wouldn't?" She whispered, smiling. "I'm glad to see you too old man."

Cloud smirked, and his hand snaked to cup her face. He was drunk, but it didn't change how he felt towards her. Maybe he'd always feel this way, who knew.
"Good, you better be glad."

Aeris froze when he touched her, but a moment later she relaxed and smiled. Had he been attached to her too? It was a possiblity, but she had never held out much hope for that. She knew they were friends, best friends really, but she hadn't thought of more in the emotional department.
"Big bad gangster missed his bang buddy." She teased him, tickling his side.

Cloud raised an eyebrow, and then he squirmed away from her.
"Oh fuck off." he laughed, shoving her hands away. "I take it back, I didn't miss you."

Aeris laughed, easing up on him when he shoved her away.
"Yeah you did, asshole." She smiled. "So when am I moving in? This place is kind of a drag, but I could work with it..."