K! A short update, not too much going on; it's mainly the opening to something that WILL be going on in the next chapter. Just need to lay the cards out on the field. In other news- my Halloween sucked, spent it making love to the toilet all night and day. We have some fun times, fun fun times. Nice sloppy make-out sessions. Ohhh yeah. =) How was everyone's Halloween.

Shopping

It only took about three days of convincing to get Sir Spike-a-lots to go grocery shopping, and not only that, but to take me along as well so that I could make sure he got the good stuff. Honestly, I may not understand the male population very well but damnit! They really need to learn what is needed, and what is not needed around the house.

"Oh! Here we go!" I announced as a plucked the hair product off the shelf and waved it in front of Cloudy's face for a few moments. "Extra strength hair gel! This is perfect for you, isn't it Spikes?"

He took a few moments to glance around the area a bit as if making sure that no one was spying on us. I rolled my eyes at the action. I made sure to pick the store Moogle Mart because Aerith doesn't come here, and Squall… well as far as I know he just doesn't eat. He simply maintains his shape and form by pure will power alone… Mmm…

"Yuffie… I honestly don't need that. Nor do I use it."

"Then how do you spike your hair?"

"…I don't."

"You mean… it's natural?" This concept seemed foreign to me. Who had spikes of THAT degree naturally? It's like… impossible. An act of Gods. "…Are you naturally blond too?"

"All over." I swear he gave the lightest bits of a smirk. For that, I threw the bottle at his head, which he obviously ducked out of the way. Damn those reflexes. The bottle ended up knocking a shelf over, in which case we ended up calmly moving onto the next aisle. By calmly I mean we bolted out of there before we were seen, almost knocking over an elderly woman in the process.

Hair products long forgotten, we found ourselves in the most important aisle in the store- the breakfast aisle. Before I could grab the correct items, my trained hyped up ninja senses kicked in as I took notice of Cloud placing something into our happy little cart. A very offending item indeed, "What is this?" I hissed out as I snatched the little box out of the cart.

I waved it accusingly in front of him, "Protein bars? Protein bars?" I repeated several times to emphasize my annoyance at his selection, "Spikes, are you trying to kill me?" I tossed it back from whence it came, which it only hit the shelf and landed on the floor. I grabbed a larger box, no make that two. "These are what you should be getting Spikes."

"…Fruity Moogle Pom-poms and Extra Chocolate Balls?" His brows raised up in question as he looked at the two most important cereals that belong in everyone's cabinet. "I don't need… no I don't want that in my house Yuffie. Lord knows you don't need to be eating that either."

"Oh but I do. It's part of my diet."

"We're not getting—"

"Shh! They're already in the cart and breakfast aisle is already done."

"Yuffie."

"Come on Cloudy."

Of course he obeyed and continued to push our tiny little cart with its rusting body and squeaky wheels. I have to admit, he looked quite miserable Nyuk! Nyuk! Nyuk! But that's not what's important—the condiments aisle. Zesty, dill, Italian… I grabbed all three flavors and stuck them in the cart.

"Um…Yuffie?"

"Yes Cloud?" I replied back oh so innocently.

He starred at the three large jars of pickles in the cart, looking as perplexed as ever. His eyes were widened ever so slightly as he tried to comprehend why I needed that many. "…Why am I getting three jars of pickles?"

"Because four is too many, and two is not enough."

He shook his head and continued down the aisle as I scanned the shelves behind him. Hmm… What to get, what to get?

"Cloud?" On instinct I dove right behind a display case that was holding something for dried soup. I didn't need to be seen by her, she would get the wrong idea, honestly. I'm just here dragging Spikes out shopping to get some actual normal food in his house.

I peeked around the corner to see Cloud stop pushing the cart and take a look behind him to see that I wasn't there. What the heck is Aerith doing here? She never comes here? She's not supposed to be here. "Hey Aerith." I heard blondie reply back. "What are you doing here?" I rolled my eyes at the question and ended up mimicking the reply with my lips.

"Shopping. I didn't know you come here." She looked pleased, or amused, I'm not sure since I can only sort of peek out and take note of actual features. "Yuffie called me yesterday. It seems she found a place, but hasn't told me where it is yet."

"Really?" Cloud shuffled his feet, probably feeling about unsettled at the moment. Can't blame him though, "She probably needs to get settled in first."

"I suppose." Oh, good Ol' Cloudy, able to come up with such a nice bullshit lie on the whim. Thank you.

Suddenly I heard Aerith giggle as she reached into the cart, "Pickles? I thought you hated pickles." I felt my heart leap into my throat and my knees begin to ache from being crouched down behind the display rack for some time now. A random customer walked passed and gave me a strange look for which I ended up giving them a wave as they passed by.

"I do."

"You have three jars in here."

"…They're for a friend." I nearly facepalmed at that.

"You're buying a friend pickles." 'Do I look stupid?' would be the translation.

"I'm having a party tonight, a few friends are coming over."

"Oh! I didn't know you had friends." It's funny how Aerith can say something so demeaning and sound so utterly sweet about it. It's instances like that which makes me want to strangle her. "What time is the party?"

"Um… eight." Oh no…

"Tonight?" She's not…

"Yeah…" Turn back Cloud, run away!

"Oh good! I'll be sure to drop by, I'd like to meet these friends of yours."

"Um… but."

"I have to buy these, I'll bring something over too. I'll bring Leon too." No! Not Leon as well! Wait… that may not be such a bad thing. :Heehee.

The moment she left, I came out from my hiding place and smacked him alongside the head. "You stupid idiot! What do you plan on doing now? She's coming over tonight, and you don't even have any friends to even make it seem like a valid party."

"… I have Reno and Rude." He almost whined, almost. If he HAD I would have shoved my sneaker up his ass. Now my head is starting to hurt. What was going on in that thick skull of his? Could he not see the obvious path that Aerith was leading him into?

"Ok… So now we need to… buy food for a party, cook the food. And somehow convince your two stupid friends to be at your place before Aerith and Leon. Do you have anyone else you could invite?" Why am I bothering to ask?

"Um… I have one other possibility." He scratched the back of his neck and gave this look that was a smile filled with a hint of fear. I'm not sure I even want to know who he's thinking about asking to the party. Or maybe my body is just producing too many chemicals to actually read that look right.

"Ugh… we're better off just taking people off the street and telling them there's free food."

"We could-"

"NO!"