Wolves and Dogs

Well, here's a one shot, set between chapters 12 and 13 of my Ripples in Time story. This was also inspired by an article I once read, about the differences between wolves and dogs, and since this go-round has Cloud being called a wolf, his friendship with Zack got colored a bit by that.

Zack didn't know what to make of his roommate, who was only two years younger than him. Cloud was quiet and occasionally sarcastic, but sometimes it seemed like Cloud couldn't stand being around him, or anyone really.

Zack knew Cloud had lost two friends, knew that sometimes, the blond would wake up in the middle of the night with a choked cry, and wouldn't go back to bed for a awhile.

He'd never had a real problem getting to know someone before, but Cloud kept shutting down everytime he thought they were making progress.

Cloud was trying to seperate the current Zack and the one he had seen die in his head. The problem was, it was Zack, and this Zack really wasn't that much different from the other one, and Cloud couldn't help but relax too much around him- and then Zack would do or say something that reminded Cloud that this Zack wasn't the one he knew. It was like poking an old wound that never fully healed.

But as painful as it was, he really did want to be friends with this Zack.

"Angeal, you got a minute?" Angeal blinked up from his reports to see Zack standing in his doorway.

"Yes, I do, what's wrong?"

"How do you get someone to open up if they're not much of a talker to begin with?" Zack tilted his head. "Because there's a guy that I know needs to talk, but everytime I think I'm getting close, he just . . . Pulls away."

" . . . Maybe you should try finding a common activity you can both do, and try waiting for him to open up."

"Common activity . . . I got it! Thanks, Angeal!" Zack was gone in a blink, and Angeal just shook his head.

"Hey, Cloud!" Cloud blinked as Zack literally bounded up to him. "Are you busy right now?"

" . . . No, not until later, why?"

"I need a training partner." Zack smiled. "Would you mind training with me?"

Zack discovered that, when Cloud got really into the training missions and spars, Cloud was dangerous. The kid was very good at focusing on both multiple or single opponents, and he was capable of using materia at a slightly higher level than Zack. When Cloud was fighting, he wasn't holding back, and much easier to read.

Cloud watched Zack move, recognizing moves but more often than not he was a little surprised. Part of it was the lack of the Buster sword. The materia Zack used was different, manufactured by ShinRa (except for the summons Zack had). Cloud was a little relieved when he realized that he was simply on the same level as Zack. It became easier to let go when they trained and sparred, as Cloud didn't have many memories of that with the Zack he knew.

Slowly, the two started to make progress.

It was an accident that Zack found out about Cloud's most recent nickname. He'd been half asleep when the PHS went off, and had answered it with a sleepy 'hello?'.

"Damnit, you stupid wolf, I don't know what you were thinking-"

"'m sorry, who is this?" Zack blinked, now more awake. The voice on the other end stopped as if switched off. "Hello?"

"Who are you, and why do you have Cloud's phone?"

"I'm his roommate, Zack, you?"

"Name's Tifa, why do you have Cloud's Phone?"

"I dunno, I just woke up . . . " Zack stared at the clock. "Um, you want Cloud, right?"

"If you wouldn't mind." Zack started moving, trying to untangle himself from his sheets.

"So . . . Why'd you call Cloud a wolf? He's not that bad of a guy." Tifa laughed a little.

"When we were kids, he saved me from a Nibel Wolf, and he alternated being a lone wolf and watching out for a little pack of kids." Tifa's voice had taken a mischevious tone. "He's told me a little about you and how you have the nickname of Puppy, since you're being nice about me waking you up, you have my permission to use any variation of wolf in retaliation- but you have to tell me about his reaction when you do."

"Deal." They traded numbers, and Zack discovered Cloud had his PHS.

It wasn't long before Zack got a chance to use the nickname, Cloud had been trying to write a report, and had ( sarcastcally) asked if all puppies preferred to play.

"Don't be like that, Wolfie!" Zack managed to get a picture of Cloud's blatant shock.

(Cue mad dash around the apartment to keep the picture from being deleted, while trying to send it to Tifa. Zack succeeded, but only just.)

Cloud was very wolf like, Zack realized, he was wary around people and he was a very fierce, take-no-prisoners, give-no-quarter type of fighter. Cloud was very loyal to people, not vague ideals. He was quiet, too, and it sort of fit, because wolves could only howl, not bark. Zack wasn't going to leave Cloud alone, because all wolves need a pack, even if it was just one other.

Zack, in Cloud's opinion, had really earned the nickname of Puppy. He was growing out of it, but still, bids for people's attentions, slightly short attention span, the emotions shown for all to see, the genuine concern for everyone, and the puppy eyes that Zack could pull off with success, had definitely proved it to be true. The problem with puppies was that, eventually, they became dogs. What type of personality they had after that, depended partly on outside forces, and Cloud wasn't going to let ShinRa ruin Zack by pushing him till he broke.

And that's it, next one shot will be either the one with the three comanders, or one with Mama Strife. (Anyone want either in particular?)

There's an interesting article about a wolf that plays with dogs, said wolf lost his pack, but he seems to have adopted most of the dogs in one area.