Midgar High School

One Hippie Party

Aeris ducked her head under someone's flailing arm and laughed poking them in the side. She didn't ever know everyone that attended her parties, but it was all in good fun and they all paid the cover charge, so her parents were happy.

In fact, her dad was currently playing his guitar with three or four other of the hippie kids, the smell of the Junon Red was thick in the air. Nanaki sat next to him, watching as her father's fingers strummed expertly on the instrument. Her mom waved from the stairway, pulling the door and locking it.

"Mom, Nan and Teef may stay the night tonight."

Ifalna smiled, tucking long hair behind her ear. "You know that's fine honey." She held up a baggie then. "Don't forget not to bring up the Midgar stock yet, it's not dry." With a peck on the forehead, Ifalna swept from the doorway to the living room, draping her arms over her husband's shoulders with a bright smile.

Aeris double-checked the door for her mom. They'd had the house built very specifically, the main part of the house- kitchen, living-room, guest-rooms- were offset from the basement and the upstairs bedrooms by a locked hallway. They may have been fun loving hippies, but they weren't stupid.

She made it a point to say high to everyone, drag people from being alone over to groups and to hug the people that she knew. She spied Zack's hair over the crowd and ran over to say "hi", wrapping her arms around his neck in a big hug. She then hugged Elena and Shera in a similar manner, proclaiming how happy she was that they were there.

Shera blushed a bit, smiling and ducking her head. In response Elena wrapped an arm over her shoulder and pointed to where Gast was playing. "See I told you it wasn't one of those sorts of parties, Aeris' parents are right there."

After they made their way to the center, Aeris noticed Reno and Tseng giving each other looks. Her first instinct was to step in and see what was the matter with them, but then again… it was Reno and Tseng.

Instead she turned to the door, and watched Sephiroth as he looked out to his house. The wind picked up that long hair of his and cast it out behind him. Aeris picked up her camera then, and wandered outside.

Sephiroth and she had never talked much. Jenova set something off in Aeris, made her feel like the walls were closing in. Sephiroth made her nervous likewise, though… lately there was something else. Funny, she wasn't afraid of Galian, and yet Sephiroth, her neighbor made her feel as though she should run.

"Hey… didn't expect you." She started after clicking his photograph.

He looked tired. "Re-" he sighed. "I didn't either."

Aeris edged forward then. "Sephiroth? You haven't been home."

"I got kicked out." He responded flatly.

"Oh…" Aeris swallowed then and looked back over the house. "I'm sorry, if you-"

"Aeris, I don't want anyone's charity."

Her mouth down-turned at that. Aeris very rarely frowned. "Being nice to someone isn't charity, Sephiroth. You ever stop to think that?"

He blinked at her, but Aeris had already resumed her smile.

"If you get sick of staring out into nothing, come on in, alright? My dad would want to talk to you." Before he could respond she turned to go back inside.

(cendri)

Elena looked around, noticing that there were plenty of people she didn't know at this party. Not that she ever attending parties anyway; Aeris always invited, but she never really went to them. Usually magic was better.

But to see Zack actually wearing something other than jeans and a T-shirt? And Shera in a non-frumpy dress? Hell, she'd go to plenty of parties to see THAT again.

"You know, people are gonna try and steal you two from me looking like that," she said out loud, throwing her arms around their shoulders and grinning. Shera still looked a little nervous and Zack didn't quite seem to know what to do with himself.

Elena was amused.

"You need to loosen up. You both are totally hot and standing around like dorks. Geez." Zack gave her a strange look, and Shera giggled nervously. Elena smirked. She always seemed to get the better of those two.

"You know, Elena, I should get you into a skirt more often," Shera replied, grinning like there was some secret, "You have nice legs." Elena's smirk was gone from her face, mouth set in a straight line.

"Not gonna happen, even for you." Elena glanced around and checked up on her other friends... who were glaring at each other. She almost had the excuse to go break up whatever male "I hate you or want to hurt you" contest that was going on, but she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Um... El? Remember the whole dancing... thing?" It was Zack and she couldn't help but smiling terribly. He asked her first! And Shera didn't seem to mind at all either... maybe she was just "safer" or something.

Oh, it was all just confusing.

Meanwhile, Tseng had taken notice of Elena and Zack's stumbling attempts at dancing. And Elena was... smiling. He couldn't help that twinge of jealousy he felt any time that someone displayed their happiness in public... his affair was secretive, so it wasn't as if he could just take Rufus to a dance.

And why was he beginning to resent that so much?

"Is that a... GUY dancing with El?" Reno asked, breaking the strained silence that they were both operating under. Tseng nodded, but didn't say anything.

What he really wanted to say wouldn't come out. He was... rather regretful tonight. Even though he'd just clubbed his high school demon on the chin, even though something he used to fear... he didn't.

Maybe Rufus was a poor choice, after all.

"Tseng? Would you stop being so damn... I dunno Tseng-ish?" Reno again, that kid just didn't know when to shut up.

"You like him, don't you?" Tseng said quietly. Oh, how he used to have such a big crush on Reno. He knew him too well now... but sometimes he wondered what would have happened if he hadn't met Rufus, hadn't... been so stupid.

Gods... maybe Elena had been right all along.

"Who? If you're talking about that asshole Sephiroth, then you are completely mistaken. He's a charity case." Tseng grinned. So that is what it was all about.

"I don't hate him anymore... I don't think." Reno's eyes shot wide open on that one. Tseng always liked it when he could surprise him... Reno didn't leave much for being caught off guard.

"Well that is an interesting development. What, you got a crush on him now?" Reno taunting in his most annoying voice. Tseng didn't respond to that... he only teased like that when someone was close to hitting a nerve.

But gods... why was this person the focal point of everything? Maybe Tseng would ask him some day. A day after he finally asked Rufus... asked Rufus what he meant to him. He didn't care how weak it was.

He was braver. Or something.

"Re, did anyone tell you that you're an idiot?" Tseng responded finally, and Reno grinned wide and almost scary.

"You know, I figured you would take it like this. NOT that ANYTHING is going on, per se..." Reno usually covered his tracks in every conversation, he was a leader, "But you really want to know who worries me? El. She's dancing around with some BOY and I know she isn't going to take it as--"

"Re, shut up," Tseng interrupted, and glared, "I haven't seen her smile like that in a long time, and you're worried that she's gonna yell at you? I hope she does. I really hope she does."

The silence had returned, but only half the tension. Maybe things were as good as they were going to get.

Tseng hoped not.

(/cendri)
(sev: Zack first)

Zack was certainly aware of the eyes.

He never should have listened. Shera had insisted that the party was fancy-dress. Elena had backed her up. And when they both had shown up at the cafe in those dresses, well ...he'd had no choice.

But he felt the eyes. He and Elena were managing not to make complete fools of themselves, but still: Reno's eyes were fixed on him, not exactly angry but not exactly nice, watching his every move as if he, Zack, were some kind of viper about to pounce on El. Reno's eyes were hard.

And Elena's eyes. And Shera's eyes. Both of them. Soft. Gentle and understanding and kindly and oh gods. What was going on?

This was why he never left the cafe. People scared him. They were OK when he was serving burgers, pouring coffee -- but this was a girl.

He looked down and she was grinning up at him. "You're a good dancer, Zack."

He shrugged. "Told you, I've had plenty of practice." At dancing. Not at the rest of this.

Elena gave him that smirk. "I figured you'd be nervous."

Zack smiled shyly. "Who said I wasn't?" He glanced over at Shera. She was watching the two of them happily, a little smile on her face. "Maybe we should go sit with Shera," he offered.

Elena shook her head, still grinning. "Nice try," she said. "But I'm gonna enjoy this. You can dance with Shera next, okay?"

"Well, of course," Zack said hastily.

(/sev, cause i have to work be back later kthxbye)