by JessieWrites
(Smile At You-Fleetwood Mac)
NOTE: The song is great and the story is better if you have heard Smile At You before. The song repeats itself which is good because it shows how their thoughts keep running in circles. I rearranged a few of the words so the song would fit in the dialog. Also, 'This is how someone's thoughts will look.'
Tifa waved goodbye to the last of her customers for the night and returned to wiping down the counter top. She was almost finished with the last of her closing chores when the bell above the door entrance chimed.
"Sorry, but we're closed..." She looked toward the door and gasped. "Cloud! You're home!" She quickly ran to him, "I didn't think you'd be back so soon..." Tifa tried to embrace him, but Cloud easily sidestepped and walked to the bar. "I missed you..." She kept her voice steady even though her chest felt tight.
Cloud didn't respond immediately, instead he sat on a stool and crossed his arms over the counter with his back facing her. Tifa waited for a response, but when it appeared he would remain silent she asked hopefully, "Umm...so why are you back?"
Cloud didn't turn around, but grumbled "Can't I get something to drink?"
"..." She frowned at his back and walked around the counter. Tifa pulled out a glass and the ingredients to mix his favorite drink. "Well?"
He looked at her pointedly.
She raised her eyebrows, "Why are you back?" She stopped mixing and kept the drink to herself as she waited for his answer. He went to grab it but she moved it out of his reach.
The blonde sighed deep in his throat and shrugged his shoulders, "I had something to do here," he said nonchalantly. He tapped his fingers in expectation oh his drink.
Tifa froze as cold realization snuck in and wrapped around her. "You're just here to visit her place again," she said in a small voice. Cloud shrugged again. Fire burst through her chest and her frown became an outright glare. She threw the contents of the glass in clouds face causing him to finally look her in the eye with anger clearly written all over his face. "So that's it?! You came by to get refreshed so you can visit the girl you really love?! You expect to be allowed to waltz on in, get a drink, and say see ya later?!"
Cloud stood and glared at her before pulling something small out of his pocket and slamming it on the counter. "Not just to freshen up, but to leave this."
Tifa looked at it. 'The house key...' "Argh...FINE...Go on, save yourself, leave the key here. You love someone else..."
Cloud turned his head away slightly, "I shouldn't be here. Don't ask me why, you know the answer..."
"...You love someone else..." Tifa hung her head "...There was no chance there..."
He glared defiantly at her, "I have come to know this world of changing faces. I can't fight the world, I can't change it."
She looked him back in the eyes and begged, "So be true to me, my walls are flamin'. If she's so willing, little one..."
Cloud squared his shoulders and raised his chin, "I won't be staying."
"Ah, ah..." The brunette's head dropped.
Cloud dropped his head again. "I knew I shouldn't have come. I should have..." 'Turned away and ran, I should've turned away and ran...Ah, ah...Fast as I can... just as fast as I can. Ah, ah...I should've turned away and ran, I should've turned away and ran...Ah, ah...Fast as I can... just as fast as I can'
Tifa's clenched fists shook and her voice grew louder. 'How dare he! He would have just left me without saying a thing!' Her head shot up, "I am older now, but I still remember. I took the greatest fall. I can't accept her. So be true to me, my walls are flamin'...If she's so willing, little one..."
Cloud shook his head, "I won't be staying."
"Ah, ah..." She punched one fist into the other and fought the urge to punch him. ' I should just turn away and run, I should turn away and run ' She looked down, 'Fast as I can... just as fast as I can...Ah, ah...'
Cloud looked at the door, 'Why'd I come? I should've turned away and ran, I should've turned away and ran...Ah, ah...Fast as I can... just as fast as I can...'
'Turn away and run, I should turn away and run.'
'Fast as I can... just as fast as I can.'
'I should turn away, I should turn away...'
'Fast as I can... just as fast as I can...'
Tifa looked back at him, and nodded her head in understanding. "What you did not need was a woman who was stronger. You needed someone to depend on you." She put a hand on her hip, and raised her chin. Cloud meet her eyes, deep regret shinning through. "I could not be her, I did not want to." She shook her head and remembered when she befriended Cloud and then when she brought him home from the train station. "My first mistake was to smile at you...smile at you..." Tifa's frown deepened.
They stayed silent for a moment. Cloud begged her with his eyes to let him be, to forgive, and to move on. Tifa's heart burned with the loss, even though he was never really her's, she had hoped, but now...now...Quietly she spoke, "Go on, save yourself. Leave the key here. You love someone else..."
"I shouldn't be here. Don't ask me why..."
"I know the answer. If she's so willing, little one..."
He shook his head, "There was no chance there."
'Ah, ah...Turn away and run, I should've turned away...'
'Ah, ah...Fast as I can... just as fast as I can...Ah, ah...I should've turned away and ran, I should've turned away and ran...'
"Fast as you can... just as fast as you can...Turn away and run" She needed to hit something bad and raised her fists. "Go on, save yourself. Leave the key here. You love someone else."
"I shouldn't be here..." Cloud turned and walked as quickly as he could out the door and then ran.
Tifa swung around and punched Cloud's picture that hung behind the counter. "Save yourself..." She knelt and felt tears slide down her cheeks. 'But who will save me?'