Crazier than Crazy

Shaun wasn't sure if he was imagining things or not, but the way her expression seemed to change was his answer. She might have thought more of him, but he wasn't entirely sure. He did think about what could have been occasionally. Things like, if they were both given normal lives, had normal parents. He was brought back to reality when she shoved him and he laughed.
"I'll never ask again, ma'am." He whispered, leaning in to kiss her.

Rosetta smirked, putting her arm around him. She was timid about it, but she ended up much closer to him than she had ever been, other than during sex. She kissed him gently as her fingers ran up and down his spine. Maybe she couldn't tell him vocally. Maybe she would never be able to. But she could tell him in other ways, if he really wanted to know.
"Good." She whispered against his lips, looking into his eyes.
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Jamie was sitting in a booth with Cloud and four other Arcadia guys at Charlie's, knocking drinks back. He wasn't blitzed but he was buzzed, over turning his shot glasses when he finished.
"Did you see that girl by the billiards?" Jacob asked Jamie, and Jamie nodded.
"Hard not to notice." Jamie commented, looking over at the brunette. Aeris was at the bar talking to Julia, but Jamie hadn't looked at her all night.
"You should just dump her man." Mark said, shaking his head as he took a shot. "I never see you guys together anyway."
Jacob nodded in agreement. "Yeah, then you could be free to sow your oats." He snorted, Mark laughing with him. Jamie laughed as well, shaking his head.
"I do that just fine, even with the ball and chain." Jamie commented.

No one at the table knew how close Cloud and Aeris were. Most of them were newer to the group, and while they worked for Cloud, he hadn't earned respect in their eyes.

"So how's it going with the old man?" Aeris asked Julia, smiling. She had thought it would be weird living with Cloud, but it was actually really comfortable. He knew all of her habits and mannerisms, and really they weren't that different. Got home, had something to eat, had some beer, and watched T.V. until bed. A few times she had walked around naked when she thought he wasn't home but he was, but whatever. Cloud liked Julia, so it was okay. She wasn't doing anything sneaky with him.

Shaun watched her move closer to him, but he didn't hate it. He closed his eyes as her fingers moved over his spine, and he lightly caressed her arm. He had never felt so comfortable with someone before, that it felt okay to be himself. Even if that self was a serial killer. He moved forward, but instead of kissing her lips, he kissed her forehead, which was much more intimate in his eyes...
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Cloud sipped at his beer, he wasn't being rowdy, or his usual self. Not with Jamie around. Sure, he and Aeris were dating, but Cloud didn't trust the guy, and as the conversation moved on, he disliked him more and more. Aeris deserved better than that, not some punk who would screw around on her for whatever reason.
"Yeah, I'm sure just fine, pretty boy." Cloud mumbled under his breath.

Julia moved back to Aeris when she was done taking care of some other customers, resting her elbows on the bar.
"Things...well..I haven't seen him in a while." she lowered her voice, grey eyes looking over to Cloud. "Keep a secret?"

Jamie left the table to talk to the brunette. He kept his body language neutral to not alert Aeris, but she wasn't paying attention anyway.
"I still think he should dump her." Jacob said.
"Dude, he's just with her cause she saved his ass in that bombing in Moscow. He set the device, then the retard got lost getting out." He laughed, shaking his head. "She fished him out. He told me she doesn't even let him in her pants, so it has to be the life saving thing."

Aeris was surprised. She always gave Cloud his privacy, but was her presence hindering him from having Julia over?
"Yeah, of course. What's up?"

Cloud raised an eyebrow at that, and he leaned forward. He doubted Aeris was the kind of girl just to date someone for dating sake, and he wasn't sure why she would just stick around with the tool bag. Maybe a part of him wanted her to come back to him, but he was alright where he was at...even though he hardly saw Julia...

"I'm pregnant." Julia whispered. "I'm at the fifteen week mark, and I haven't been able to tell Cloud. I don't even know if he wants kids, or if he'd even want me to have her, or..."

"Yeah, I heard about that. Weird, right?" Mark asked, shaking his head.
Jacob nodded in agreement, when he saw the brunette leave. Jamie waited a few minutes, racking up the balls, before heading outside.
"Thatta boy." Jacob laughed.

Aeris's jaw almost fell to the floor. Holy shit, Cloud's idea of a huge commitment was letting her sleep in his bed, what was he going to think of a baby?
"Oh...congratulations!" She told Julia in an excited whisper. "Oh my god, it's a girl? Cloud with a little girl..." She mused, trying to picture it. Julia did have a point though. Aeris didn't even know Cloud well enough to know if he wanted children or not. "You should tell him. If he wants to be a part of her life, then you could start now. And if he doesn't then fuck him." She smiled. "You'd make a kickass mom all by yourself too."

Cloud raised an eyebrow as Jamie followed the brunette out. He finished his beer then and waited a moment before getting up and taking his cigarettes out of his pocket. He headed outside before lighting up, moving around to find Jamie.

Julia gave Aeris a small smile.
"Thanks." she chuckled. "My dad's excited about it. Even trying to help me come up with all these different names, but, I already decided on one. Emma."

Jamie was in the doorway with the girl, his body pressed up against hers. He had grabbed a handful of her hair, one of her legs wrapped around his waist. His eyes were closed, so he didn't see Cloud.

Aeris smiled.
"That's a pretty name." She told Julia, meaning it. "Of course Charlie would be excited, it's a grandbaby!" She laughed. "Does Cloud know something is up, or have you just been avoiding him all together?"

Cloud raised an eyebrow as he watched the both of them, and after a moment he just lost it. He grabbed Jamie by the scruff of his neck and pulled him off the girl to slam him into the wall.
"What the fuck, are you fucking serious right now?" He shouted.

Julia smiled, but then she shook her head.
"Avoiding all together..." she mumbled. "I know I can't hide it forever, but...I'm just so nervous."

Jamie's eyes widened as he was grabbed, stumbling forward as Cloud slammed him up against the wall.
"Fuck off, mind your own business!" He spat at Cloud.

The girl was so startled that she screamed.

Aeris found Julia's hand and squeezed it.
"I raised a baby a few years ago. My little sister." She smiled. The gang didn't know about her, but Julia wouldn't tell anyone. "So I can help out if you need-did you hear that?" She asked, hearing the scream.

Cloud slammed his fist at Jamie's face, very tempted to beat the living shit out of him.
"It is my fucking business you punk ass bitch." he growled.

Julia didn't know Aeris had a sister, but she wouldn't tell anyone. She was about to speak when she heard the scream and she looked to Bubba, who nodded and made his way towards the door.

"Fuck off!" Jamie roared, hearing his jaw pop when Cloud punched him. He threw his own punch, aiming for Cloud's throat. "You think you have some sort of claim to her cause she messed with you once? You think she wants some old sack of shit like you?"

Aeris followed Bubba after a moment, too curious to hang back. She saw Cloud and Jamie fighting, eyes wide.
"What the fuck you guys!"

Cloud narrowly missed the punch and he moved to choke Jamie when he felt himself being grabbed from behind.
"I don't care! She deserves more than a piece of shit like you." he shouted, and then he heard Aeris. He stopped struggling and he turned to Jamie. "Fucking tell her you cocksucker."

"Cloud!" Aeris said, putting her hand on his arm. "What is wrong with you?!" She asked him. She hadn't expected Cloud and Jamie to be best friends, but she hadn't really expected to see Cloud whooping Jamie's ass either.

The brunette had moved behind Bubba, and for a moment Aeris was confused. What was she doing out here? Is that who had screamed? But why? And...oh. It took a minute but Aeris wasn't stupid. She fit the pieces together easily enough. Sure, okay, so she hadn't been fucking Jamie. But she treated him with respect, sometimes she even did her best to be affectionate. She was working on it. It was just that every time he touched her, it felt wrong. It didn't feel like when Cloud touched her. She internally groaned. Jamie's mother was housing Yuffie, and Jamie was paying to put her through private school. She had a big house, a big yard, a pool, nice friends. Everything Aeris had never had. If she cussed Jamie out now she risked losing that, but if she didn't then...Jesus, at least she had always been faithful.

"We're over." She told Jamie, who reached for her but she slapped his hands away. "Don't touch me."
"What are you gonna do, huh?" Jamie asked, his cheek bloody. "Go fuck your roommate?" He scoffed, looking at Cloud with loathing. "She should be just the same down there as you remember her bud, since she never let me screw her."
Aeris threw the punch so fast, that the brunette screamed again as Aeris hit Jamie right in the eye socket. He groaned, putting his hand up to his face as he slid down against the wall.

Aeris couldn't even look at Cloud. Okay, so she hadn't gotten it on with anyone, what was the big damned deal? It wasn't like Cloud was her only sexual partner. There was Shaun...but Cloud had been there for that. Still, she felt embarrassment flood her.
"Go talk to Julia." She whispered to Cloud, before walking away from the building.

Cloud wanted to jump Jamie again, but then he saw Aeris throw a punch at him. He watched her in shock for a moment, before he frowned, wondering why she would tell him to talk to Julia. He shrugged Bubba off of him.
"Fucking meathead..." he mumbled at the man who just smirked. He headed back inside and sat down at the bar.

Julia got him a shot of whiskey, moving over to rest in front of him.
"The fuck you do now, Valenti?" she mumbled.

"The usual..." he mumbled. "Aeris said to talk to you."

Julia frowned, but then she nodded. Telling him what she had told Aeris.

Aeris went back to the apartment, slipping her shoes off. She immediately called Jamie's mother and explained what happened, and to her surprise, April said that it was okay. That her son was a scumbag and that Yuffie would always be welcome. After that, she changed into her pajamas and stole one of Cloud's tshirts, taking it to bed with her.

Cloud didn't come back until an hour later, locking up behind him. He stumbled into the living room and flopped down on the sofa. He couldn't become a dad, his lifestyle wasn't fit for a kid. He groaned into the pillow.

Aeris heard Cloud come in, and she hid his shirt under her pillow. She frowned, knowing Julia probably told him about the baby. She wanted to support Julia, but Cloud was also her best friend. She moved into the living room, crashing next to him by his feet.
"Are you alright?" She asked.

Cloud didn't bother to move, he just simply spoke into the pillow.
"Juls is pregnant." he said. "The fuck am I going to do with a baby? I can hardly wipe my own ass, how am I going to wipe a babies ass."

"That's not even true. You wipe your own ass just fine, and you know it." Aeris sighed, rubbing his shoulder. "She told me at the bar. Said she wants to name her Emma." She smiled slightly. "She's going to be cooking for a while Cloud, why don't you just try to get used to the idea and see if you want to be in her life or not."

Cloud raised an eyebrow and he looked up then.
"I don't know how to be a good father." he whispered. "I have nothing to go by. Should I just do the opposite of everything my dad di?"

Aeris ran her fingers along his jaw for a minute, nodding.
"That's what I did with Yuffie. I thought of my mother, holding my hand to the stove or trying to sell me for meth, and I figured I couldn't possibly do any worse." She smirked. "You'll figure it out as you go. She'll probably be adorable, you and Julia are both hotties." She offered. "Someday you can beat her scumbag cheating boyfriend in front of a security guard, it'll be great."

Cloud laughed and he nodded, at least he had that much down. He frowned then, moving to sit up and smoothing back her hair.
"What about you? How are you feeling?"

Aeris let him touch her. He was just about the only person she let do that, especially from the shoulders up.
"I knew. A long time ago, Cloud." She sighed, smiling softly. Still, her eyes were sad. "He was nice, and when we first started going out I had rescued him from a dumbass mistake, so it was like hero syndrome, you know? His family is rich, the good married kind with a pool and private education, and his mother loved Yuffie. She offered me a chance to get Yuffie things I could never offer her, that I couldn't even offer myself. So I just stayed with him. I didn't want to jeopardize that. Stupid." She shook her head, trying not to let her eyes water. She was so not crying in front of Cloud.

Cloud raised an eyebrow as Aeris continued to speak. He knew her well enough that she was trying not to cry and he just pulled her to him as she finished.
"You're not stupid." he whispered. "You're smart and wonderful, and all that other shit. If shit hits the fan with Yuffie you know I'm always willing to lend you the money or whatever."