Chapter Text
Cloud tries not to be bitter. Really, he does. Tifa says it isn’t a good look on him, but it just comes so easily. Maybe that’s why he’s in this mess, stuck with the last campus job he wanted. It was an absolute last resort for Cloud, but it was the first job Tifa suggested when he mentioned he was looking. When he didn’t hear back from the other campus positions he interviewed for, he caved and called the number Tifa jotted down for him weeks before.
Now Cloud sits at a cramped desk across from the zamboni driver for the Midgar University arena.
“I’ll just have you sign this, and I’ll send the mandatory safety training videos to your student email this afternoon. Just make sure you watch them before practices start and get in touch if you have any questions.” the old man says, sliding a paper and pen in front of Cloud. Cloud nods absently, skimming the paperwork before scratching his signature on the line and passing it back to him. “I’ve gotta say, I was surprised to see a freshman take interest in this job, with experience no less.”
“When does the practice schedule come out?” Cloud asks, ignoring the comment.
“Should be real soon, I’ll make sure Coach Hewley gets it to you.” He says, not pushing the subject. “I’ll take you to the zam room, have you take a look around, answer any questions before I’m officially out of here.”
Cloud trails behind him and takes in his surroundings as they walk. The Midgar University arena is much nicer than the rink he grew up with, but the layout is similar. Familiar.
“Here we are.” The driver says pushing open the side door to the zamboni room.
The room is cluttered in places, but Cloud can deal with that. There's a desk, a large tank of murky water for the zamboni to empty into, a couple TVs mounted to the wall, a rack of shovels and mops leaning against the corner. Jackets sporting the Midgar University hockey team logo are strewn about. Cloud deflates at the sight of the zamboni. It looks even older than its driver, and much worse for wear.
“It looks like shit.” Cloud says before he can think better of it. Surprisingly, the driver just barks out a laugh.
“And she’s all yours now, kiddo.” He says, dropping a ring of keys into Cloud’s hand and clapping his shoulder.
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Cloud’s childhood best friend, Tifa, has been talking animatedly about her new classes for the last thirty minutes, and Cloud has picked up about half of it. He nods along as he fiddles with a leafy plant far too big for a dorm room, belonging to Tifa’s roommate.
“I can already tell that my Business 101 professor is going to be a hardass— you better not break that, Aerith will kill you.” Tifa says, finally putting her feet on the ground to stop her from spinning in her desk chair.
“No, she’ll kill you.” Cloud says, letting go of the leaf. “She has no idea who I am.”
“That’s because you conveniently have somewhere else to be anytime she’s on her way back.” Tifa says.
“I’m a busy guy.” Cloud lies. Tifa fixes him with an unimpressed expression. Cloud relents, rolling his eyes. “Look, not everyone makes friends as easily as you.”
“Just give her a chance, I promise she’ll do all the heavy-friendship-lifting at the beginning.”
Cloud hums in acknowledgement but doesn’t meet her gaze.
Tifa tries again. “Make one friend this semester and I’ll get off your ass about it.”
Cloud finally looks at her. Her expression is serious, sitting up fully in her seat. Shes mothered him since they were little, it’s just part of her personality. Over the recent years Cloud’s convinced her to let up a little. So now and then when she’s worried enough to slip back into the habit, Cloud is inclined to listen.
He knew this was coming since they both got their MU acceptance letters. They’d go from their tiny hometown of Nebelheim where it’s just the two of them against the world, to a much grander Midgar– and Tifa would blossom there. She would go off to make new friends in her own major, on the Midgar hockey team, around the city. All the while Cloud planned to stay holed up in his single dorm, earn his degree, and leave. He didn’t mind relying on her as his sole socialization, but Tifa would mind. She’d dote and worry about him, keeping her from doing any of that. He can’t bring himself to hold her back.
“Okay.” Cloud hears himself saying.
Tifa’s face shifts to disbelief. “Really?”
“Really.” Cloud says.
“Promise?” Tifa says, raising an expectant eyebrow. She holds out her hand with her pinky finger extended towards him. Cloud huffs a laugh at the gesture and wraps his own pinky around hers.
“Promise.”
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Making good on his promise, Cloud finally accepted Tifa’s invitation to join her and her roommate for lunch in the dining hall. His best bet for making a friend would be through Tifa. As she so eloquently pointed out, he lacked the skills to do it “organically”. Besides, Aerith sounded nice enough.
He quickly finds that it’s impossible not to like Aerith.
Tifa had waxed poetic about how perfect her randomly assigned roommate is since the day she moved in. Apparently, she wasn’t exaggerating. Aerith swept Cloud into easy conversation throughout the duration of their lunch, never asking anything too personal, and not pushing Cloud to talk more than he wanted to. Somehow he didn’t feel like a third wheel. She shared that she’s a social work major in her second year, and Tifa brought up all of the campus groups she's a part of and the volunteer work she does– It’s no wonder she’s hardly ever in her dorm– and Aerith is almost painfully humble about it all.
“There's another social work major on the team, actually! He’s the assistant captain.” Aerith says.
“Wait,” Cloud interrupts before he can process whatever else she said, “you’re on the hockey team too?”
“Yeah! I don’t really look it, huh? I’m a goalie.” Aerith says. If she’s offended, she doesn’t show it, and easily circles back to the captain. “I think you’d like him too! And he’d certainly like you.” She says with a knowing grin (that Cloud chooses to ignore, and is very confused by).
“Speaking of,” Tifa begins, “Aerith says that there’s a team party coming up.”
“Indeed!” Aerith confirms. “The captains always throw a big party to kick off the season. It’s a great opportunity for the new members of the team to get to know everyone. We’d be happy to have you, Cloud!”
“I don’t know about that.” Cloud says slowly.
Tifa whispers something to Aerith that earns her a bubbly chuckle before Aerith starts to gather her things.
“It was lovely meeting you, Cloud. Please join us for lunch more often,” Aerith says, “and I hope you’ll consider the invite to the party.”
“Thanks, you too.” Cloud says. “I’ll think about it.”
Tifa stands to hug Aerith goodbye before sending her off. Once it’s just her and Cloud, Tifa pounces.
“You have to come to this party.” She says.
“What happened to getting off my ass after I made a friend?” Cloud huffs.
“I said I’d get off your ass about making friends, everything else is still fair game.” Tifa says, waving her hand dismissively. “It’ll be good for you! We just need to get you back out there.”
Cloud gathers his own dishes and shakes his head. “One demand at a time, Tif.”
“That isn’t a no.” Tifa points out, with a glint of hope in her eyes.
“We’ll see.” Cloud says, biting back a little smile.
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Cloud sees the current zamboni driver a few more times, despite him now being officially retired. He has cleared his personal belongings out of the zam room and encourages Cloud to make himself at home. He gave him a proper tour of the arena, and had Cloud do a test drive under his supervision. The driver sings his praise as soon as he parks the machine back in the zamboni room and climbs off, and rambles on about some other minor tasks he’s responsible for around the arena. Cloud listens intently, before another man steps into view in the doorway.
“You’re stalling, Lewis.” The man says with a chuckle. “Retire already.”
“Coach Hewley!” the driver says, waving him over. “Just in time to meet your new zamboni driver!”
The coach strolls up to Cloud with a grin and extends his hand. He towers over Cloud, all muscle.
“Angeal Hewley, I coach the hockey team.” He introduces, voice smooth, shaking his hand firmly. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Cloud Strife. You too.” Cloud says. He’s about to ask about the schedule, but he is distracted by hurried footsteps approaching.
“Angeal! Wait up, man!” another man calls, practically skidding into the room. “Oh– Hey! Sorry. Didn’t realize anyone else was in here.”
“Don’t even think about walking in here with your skates on.” Angeal says.
“Huh?” The man says, stopping in his tracks and tilting his head in confusion.
When Angeal doesn’t reply, Cloud raises an eyebrow at him and points down to the concrete floor. The man looks down and recognition crosses his features.
“Shit, you’re right.” He says. He begins to (with great difficulty) remove his skates right where he stands.
“Where are your skate guards?” Angeal says, exasperated. He can’t be that annoyed, though, because Cloud can hear a hint of humor in his voice.
“Back with the rest of my stuff! I didn’t plan on coming all the way in here.” Zack says, yanking off both skates and then setting them outside the door safely onto the rubber covered floors. “Anyway, good to see you Lewis. I thought you’d be out of here by now.”
“He’s supposed to be.” Angeal says.
“Alright, alright!” Lewis says, throwing his hands up in surrender. “I’ll get going soon, now that Cloud here is taking over.”
“You’re the new driver?” Zack asks him, perking up.
Cloud nods. Zack crowds him, grabbing his hand and shaking it with fervor and an enthusiastic grin. Cloud shrinks back slightly, taken aback. “Great to meet you, Cloud. I’m Zack Fair, I’m a junior and assistant captain to the hockey team. Looking forward to working with you.”
“Me too,” Cloud says hesitantly. It comes out sounding more like a question.
Zack looks similar to Angeal, just slightly sized down. Not that Zack is small by any means, he looms over Cloud in a way that would be intimidating if the man wasn’t so outrightgiddy. Cloud doesn’t realize he’s staring until Angeal starts speaking again, and Cloud promptly drops Zack’s hand and takes a step away.
“Sorry to drop in on you two, I saw Lewis’ car in the lot when I came to meet Zack and wanted to check in.” Angeal says.
“No worries, coach. You’re right, I should be heading out.” Lewis says. “You know you’ll be seeing me at every game, you can’t get rid of me entirely.”
“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” Angeal says.
“Cloud, if you need anything you know how to reach me.” Lewis says.
“I’m available to you as well. I just finished the practice schedule, so I’ll get that to your inbox tonight.” Angeal says.
“Thanks.” Cloud says.
Angeal and Lewis talk comfortably amongst themselves a bit more. This is already more involved with the hockey team than Cloud intended on getting, but so far it wasn’t nearly as bad as he anticipated Midgar’s hockey team to be.
“Hey,” Zack says quietly from where he stands at Cloud’s side, arms folded over his chest. It takes Cloud a moment to register that the man is talking to just him. “If the team ever gives you a hard time, you let me know and I’ll rough ‘em up for ya, okay?”
“Very promising.” Cloud says flatly.
“They’re all great people!” Zack assures hurriedly. “Just get a little rowdy at times! That’s all, I swear!”
“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Cloud says.
“Alright, I’ll take that.” Zack says, grinning.
Before long, Angeal and Zack give Lewis a warm send off and wish him a happy retirement before the four of them start to go their separate ways.
Cloud slips away politely after his own goodbyes to the driver, and from behind him Zack calls “See you around, Cloud!”
Cloud looks over his shoulder to see Zack peeking around the doorway. His smile is so bright it’s contagious. Cloud gives him a wave, and breaks out into a smile of his own once he’s out of sight.