"Mu-um!" the small boy wriggled around and tried to escape his mothers' grip as she brushed his long blonde hair.

"Would you cut it out? Everyday you wake up and look like you've been attacked by angry squirrels or something. I'm just trying to make you look more presentable." his mother explained, giving him a sharp prod in the side which caused him to squeak.

"You're gonna make it go frizzy!" the boy whined, staring sadly into the mirror which was in front of him.

"I'm almost done, stop complaining." his mother dragged the brush through his hair again and again, working all the knots out of it completely and then finally stepping back and allowing him to work his fingers through the naturally silky strands.

Without saying a word he turned to run out of the room, but was grabbed and pulled into a hug. Rolling his eyes, he tried to wiggle free again.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" his mother asked. "It isn't knotty now and it still looks like you just got up!"

"So what, you're gonna rub it in now?" the boy snapped.

"Cloud, relax. Stop squirming or you'll get it knotty again! C'mere, let me put it up for you." Cloud managed to pull away and ran to the other side of the room, pushing his back against the wall and staring angrily at the woman who had brought him into the world.

"Stop touching my hair! If it's knotty in the morning tell me to brush it, don't just do it yourself! And I can do ponytails, so don't offer to do that for me either!" he panted slightly, and then sunk down onto the floor, lowering his eyes. There was a moment of silence but for the soft footsteps as his mother walked towards him.

"Here, use this." he looked up and slowly reached a hand out to take the hair elastic being given to him. His mother smiled slightly and then left the room.

"Honestly, mum's so stupid." Cloud muttered, pulling himself off the floor and walking over to sit on his bed. "I bet no one else has to tell their parents not to touch their hair." Flicking his head back, he guided his hair with his hands and slowly wrapped the hair elastic around it. Now moving his head to look down, he grinned as the shorter bits of his hair fell forward out of the ponytail. Just how he thought it looked best.

"Cloud! Tifa's here!" Cloud's head shot up to stare at his bedroom door and he took a deep breath, standing up and glancing in the mirror as he walked past it towards the door. With a timid grin, he left his room.