A/N: Well, this is my first time writing in a very, very long time and I had this image in my head that I just couldn't get out. Well, I think it turned out the way I wanted it to..haha kinda. Hopefully it's not too OOC, but hey! I get points for effort, don't I?

TiNkAh

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII and all its characters equals not owned by me.

Counting to Ten

"One"

He hated it.

He hated every single second of it.

Well, maybe not hate, but he was extremely, extremely irritated. Cloud didn't know how it was possible, seeing as how he'd always been able to restrain his emotions from reaching the surface, but he didn't know how much more he could take of this. Not much…that was for certain.

He could do nothing but stand there, motionless, as the flurry of movement before him progressed. Tifa ushering Denzel and Marlene upstairs (after much protesting of course), Tifa running back down to clean the bar, Tifa running back up the stairs to take a shower, Tifa's footsteps softly hitting the floorboards of her room, getting ready.

That had to be what got to him the most. Tifa getting ready. For her date. Her "Date." Cloud didn't know how to react when she'd informed him that she had unknowingly agreed to a "blind date." As soon as she'd said that, all the background muttering about Yuffie and her sneaky ninja ways were completely lost to him. He couldn't get over it. Tifa…on a date? Yes, Tifa on a date. What was wrong with him? It didn't feel right, no matter how he tried to get around it. Yes, she was a grown woman of 22 and he really had no right in saying what she was and wasn't allowed to do. No right at all…so why did he feel like taking out his sword and hacking a tree into small bitty twigs. No, not even twigs, he wanted to hack the tree into shreds of paper…if that was even possible. So, unable to make up his mind, Cloud stood there silent and motionless. It was at that moment Tifa decided to come down the stairs.

Oh, he was in trouble.

Yes, indeed.

Tifa wasn't the type of girl who was into the way she looked, but tonight had to be different. Yuffie told her that the "blind date" she was going on was going to be some place nice and that she was well past in need of a break… and Tifa had to reluctantly agree.

Yes, she enjoyed working at the Seventh Heaven, taking care of the kids, and whatever else that seemed to fill her day, but for once, she wanted to indulge herself. And she couldn't very well say no when Yuffie already told her that it was already set in stone. It'd be mean, no matter how forced she'd felt in going, it'd be mean to stand up her date. She wouldn't appreciate that being done to her, so naturally, she wouldn't have the heart to do it to someone else. She had noticed, however, that Cloud was more silent than usual after she told him that she'd be going out tonight. He seemed to have entered his own little world as soon as she started explaining that Yuffie had coerced her into her little scheme. Tifa knew it. She knew it by that strange look in his eyes.

She wasn't going to bother him about it. So after preparing the children for sleep, wiping down the bar one last time, going upstairs and getting ready, she decided finally that it was time to leave. Wearing the nicest dress she owned, she made her way down the stairs before she could change her mind and back out. Tonight was her night out and she was going to make the best of it.

Cloud tried his best not to stare at Tifa once she entered the main hall. She was wearing a nice fitting black dress that wasn't too showy, but wasn't all too conservative either. Her hair was swept up, showing her smooth creamy shoulders and graceful neck. She was also a bit taller than usual, wearing black heels to match her outfit. Cloud bit back the urge to tell her to go back upstairs and change. He wasn't about to let her go out in that outfit.

'She's 22 years old. She's a grown woman and she can make her own choices,' Cloud tried to tell himself again, but he couldn't resist in saying at least one thing to her.

"Tifa?"

"Hey, Cloud. You're still up? I thought you'd be in bed by now," she replied as soon as she saw him standing against the wall. He looked uncomfortable, as if he didn't like what he was seeing.

He let out a breath and continued with what he had to say, "I don't think going out tonight is the best idea."

For a moment she seemed panicked. "Why? Is something wrong? Is everything okay?" she asked concernedly.

"Uhh..I..uhh, everything's fine," Cloud managed. This is harder than I thought.

She looked at him with raised eyebrows and let her eyes say it all. If nothing was wrong, then she wasn't going to waste time asking, and besides she was already running late. When he still gave no response, she quickly brushed passed him towards the closet. As close as it was to spring, it was still a bit chilly at night and she wasn't planning on catching hypothermia in the dress she was wearing.

Cloud caught her faint scent of roses as she walked by him. He followed her with his eyes as she retrieved her jacket from the closet. There was no way he was letting her out. He quickly walked towards the front door and turned around, facing her as she made her way towards him.

With a quirk of a slender brow, Tifa said, "Cloud? Are you sure you're okay? You're acting kind of funny."

"Tifa, I was just thinking. What if this 'blind date' is a psycho? I mean, Yuffie did recommend him," Cloud reasoned with her. It was the best he could come up with in short notice.

For a few seconds, Tifa just stared at him in disbelief. What?

"Cloud, don't be silly! I'm sure it'll be fine. Yuffie wouldn't do that, would she?" It almost felt like she was trying to convince herself. She reached passed him for the doorknob when he quickly grasped her hand in his. As if lightning struck her, Tifa snatched her hand back.

"Tifa…I don't think you should go," he said quietly.

"Cloud! In case you forgot, I am old enough to be out past ten. You can't not let me go out," Tifa exclaimed exasperatedly. Really, she was starting to get angry. The one night, the one night she wanted to go out, she wasn't allowed.

"It's not that I'm saying you're not allowed to go, it's jus that..I don't think you should."

"As much as I want to sit here and discuss why you think I shouldn't go, I'm running late and I wouldn't want to stand the guy up. It'd be mean and you know I can't do that. It'll just be for a couple of hours, I'm sure it won't take long to have dinner," she explained. Again, she reached for the doorknob, but he effectively blocked her hand again.

"No," was Cloud's firm response. He had no idea what came over him, but he just couldn't stand by while Tifa went off into the night with that dress on to do God knows what and with some random stranger to boot. No, there was no way she could go unless he accompanied her. "I don't think you should go unless I go with you."

Tifa's eyes immediately bugged out. "Cloud..it's a date. A date, as in two people who go out to talk to each other and get to know one another. It doesn't even mean anything."

"Still, I can't let you leave," he said without budging.

Really, this was testing her nerves. With all her patience, she calmly said, "Please kindly remove yourself away from the door."

Cloud didn't even blink, but stood there as her eyes flashed with heat.

"Cloud… move."

He shook his head in a negative gesture, and that's when she lost it.

"Cloud, let me get through right now," she nearly yelled while grabbing the doorknob and yanking it with all her might. His weight was more than she could handle though, and while the door did open a bit, it closed again as Cloud used his back to force it shut.

"No, Tifa, I can't," he said simply.

"You can't! Why?" She moved closer to him, letting him see the anger in her eyes.

"Because I can't."

"Cloud, I'm giving you 10 seconds to let me through. After that, I can't be held responsible for my actions." Cloud didn't know what to do when Tifa started counting.

"One."

What to do, what to do. He didn't want Tifa to get upset, but he couldn't help that fact. It was just a necessary evil to stop her from going.

"Two," Tifa continued steadily. She was so close to running out of patience that she restrained herself in speeding up her countdown.

"Three."

"Four."

Cloud tried to think of a way to stop it.

"Five."

"Six."

He was running out of time.

"Seven."

"Eight."

As they say, desperate times call for desperate measures. So, he decided.

"Nine."

He closed his eyes and waited for the next number.

"Te-.."

And that's when Cloud did it. That's when Cloud Strife first kissed Tifa Lockhart. His lips quickly came down to meet surprised parted lips and he gave it all he could for that one last second, successfully ending her count. She pulled back after a few seconds and her eyes seemed dazed and confused.

"Wha..but what?" Tifa sputtered out, blushing profusely. "What was that for!"

Almost as surprised at the sudden turn of events as she was, Cloud couldn't help the small smile that crept on his usually stoic face.

Thanks for reading! I don't know if I should make another chapter or not..hum..we'll see.