CLOUDY DAZE
by Zelda6
zeldasix@hotmail.com
This revised version has several additional scenes not included in the 8/99 version on GlassShard's site.
Disclaimer: All characters, places, belong to Square. The crude Star Wars reference and cheesy plot belong to me.
/ indicate character's thoughts
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Prologue:
After Sephiroth's defeat, there was a Great Disturbance in The Force, and many villains and heroes from the Lifestream ended up among the living, among them, our protagonist, Cloud's old friend Zack. Cloud and company were on a quest to resurrect Aeris when Zack met up with them.
Three months later, everyone but Cloud was ready to call it quits.
Though Cloud continued wandering the planet, Tifa bought a bar in Kalm to start over. Zack decided to settle near her. It hadn't escaped his notice that the former tourguide had grown up a beautiful woman. She was hurting for Cloud, and he had just the cure for her heartache.
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Chapter 1: The come on.
But it turned out Zack had to wait a while. Tifa's wounds were too fresh for her to be dazzled by his smile, though she sometimes blushed at his come-ons. More often, though, she just stared at him, aghast.
For three long weeks, Zack had to bide his time. He spent late nights at the bar, reassuring her Cloud would be fine on his own. He picked up the occasional grocery. He even took out the trash.
/Just what I signed up for.
/Geez Tifa, you'd better be worth this...
Then one night, he made his move.
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It was past 2 am, and Tifa had finished shooing out the last of her customers. Well, all but one.
Zack placed his shot glass on the table and stood up from his seat near the door. He headed for the bar, his legs slightly unsteady underneath him. She glanced over, a tired smile upon her face. A smile that tried hard to be reassuring -- everyone had been watching her with concern since Cloud left. Zack especially.
He returned the smile, inexplicably relieved. It wasn't that she'd been particularly convincing, but he was encouraged that she'd tried.
/This is gonna be easy. And you're gonna thank me, Tifa...
He slid smoothly into the seat across from her, his eyes drifting purposefully down her figure as she continued to wipe down the bar. She noticed his lingering stare, but her customary glare reserved for lecherous drunks was conspicuously absent.
/This is goin' just fine...
When he slipped his arm over to stroke her back, she inched slightly away, looking up with brown eyes filled with wonder. But not repulsion.
"Tifa," he softly whispered, preparing to turn their physical closeness into another form of intimacy. His left hand gingerly traced the contours of her face. Almost immediately he knew it was a mistake.
"Zack-- ," her eyes widened yet further, and the nakedness of her aching froze him.
"Hey...," he stumbled.
/Oh, man... What are you thinking, Tifa...
"I... I can't..." Her eyes began to brim.
/Shit!
/It's only been three weeks! I gotta work on my timing...
"Hey," he said again, his voice taking on a soothing, and reluctantly platonic, quality. He couldn't think of anything to say, or do, other than to open his arms to her. She hardly made a sound despite the sobs that shook her frame, the tears cascading down her face. She fell into his arms, clutching him with trembling hands that nonetheless held tight. His hands gently caressed her back, occasionally straying to smooth back her hair.
"It's ok...It's gonna be ok..." he repeated helplessly, and tightened his arms further about her.
/Just feel better, Tifa. He's not worth this...