Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII.
Holiday Greetings
Tifa looked up when Cloud returned from his deliveries.
"A letter for you," he said, letting his hand rest on hers a moment longer before he headed up to shower. Tifa smiled after him, letting her fingers curl over the letter. Tifa judged it to be a little heavy for a simple letter and brought it up to her ear, shaking it. There was an unmistakable jangle that betrayed the sender.
She tore it open and sure enough sizable amount of gil scattered like gold stars across the counter. She flipped over the card in the envelope and was greeted by the cheerful sight of a ninja hogging most the holiday greeting card picture. To her surprise, Vincent was in the background; his face was mostly turned away in order to glance out of a window. Tifa flipped open the card, recognized Yuffie's cramped, thin scrawl, and began to read the message.
"Happy Holidays, Tifa!
I'm hanging out at Vince's place right now. Did you know he doesn't live in that stuffy old coffin anymore? Wild, I know. He didn't want to take a picture with me, though. What a baby. We'll be at your holiday party, don't worry! I came here specifically to drag him over there, since he can be a bit of a schizoid. In the meantime, buy yourself something nice with the gil! (That negligee you've been eyeing! You know what for!) Tell the kids I say hi and that I'll be bringing presents! Rated G, I swear.
P.S. Cloud doesn't get a card because he's a poop. Tell him that."
Tifa allowed the smile to grow into a grin. Yuffie was such a silly girl. The bottom of the card was signed "The White Rose of Wutai (Yuffie Kisaragi)" and drawn next to her name were several lopsided spheres; materia, Tifa guessed.
She swept up the gil in her palm and slipped them into the front utility pocket of her shorts. She pocketed the card and envelope, hoping she would have time before the bar opened to arrange them on her nightstand along with her other precious gifts. Just as she finished wiping down the tables, Cloud came down from his shower, blond hair impossibly spiky despite the extended exposure to moisture. He headed straight for the tap to pour himself a glass of water.
Tifa bit back a smile, turning to face him. "You're a poop."
Cloud looked up, blue eyes sparked with confusion. It took him a moment to realize she had directed that inane statement at him. Tifa couldn't help herself. She laughed, the worn rag in her hand shaking along. Cloud set down the glass, the confusion in his eyes dissipating into something of a smile. Tifa stopped laughing when he had walked close enough to touch with a simple brush of her fingers.
"You're actually not the first person to tell me that today," he admitted, pulling a familiar-looking card from his pocket. He handed it to her to read. That gesture—that he was clearly open to sharing it with her—warmed and softened Tifa's heart. She sent him a quick, grateful smile before taking her eyes to it.
"Cloud, you're a poop.
P.S. I lied, Tifa. It felt too harsh to call him a poop and not get him something.
-The Hot Babe of Wutai (Yuffie Kisaragi)"
The signature wobbly materia drawings littered the side of her card. Tifa returned the card to him, amusement turning her brown eyes a laughing burgundy. "What did she get you?"
Cloud raised a brow and produced a single gold gil in his palm. Tifa clenched her teeth to keep from giving herself away. She wouldn't tell him that she had received ten times as much.
"Oh, that's..." She trailed off, placing a finger on her bottom lip. "It looks like Yuffie was expecting you to show me."
"What did she tell you?" asked Cloud, genuinely curious. It was a question he normally wouldn't have asked; so strangely intimate, as if he were reaching out.
"She RSVPed to the holiday party." She paused. "She told me to buy myself something nice."
Cloud nodded, seeming to agree. His eyes softened suddenly, and she became acutely aware of the rise and fall of his chest. Tifa felt as if her insides were melting, causing her to feel like a gooey, dripping mess. She tried to control her pulse, realizing that Cloud with mako-enhanced sense would be able to sense something amiss. She reached up and wiped a wayward drop of water trailing down his forehead with as much composure as she could muster. "Cloud, happy holidays," she murmured.
"Are Yuffie and Vincent coming to the party?" squealed Marlene, eagerly barreling down the stairs.
Tifa controlled her breathing, peeking at the girl over Cloud's shoulder. "Yes, they are, Marlene."
"I can't wait to see them!"
"Me neither, Marlene," replied Tifa, looking up at Cloud. Cloud watched her intently, his eyes swirling with a breathtaking brilliant blue. She placed a hand on his arm, feeling so unusually merry she could burst. "I better get back to work."
"Happy holidays, Tifa."
A/N: Originally written to be Yuffentine, but it turned into Cloti. Is it strange that I adore writing Yuffentine, but adore reading Cloti? Forgive me for character inconsistencies and the gooey mess that it became. It's my first strictly writing them, and I'll admit that their relationship is a lot harder to write well. If you have any critique, feel free to let me know. I want to improve. Thank you for reading!