Combing her hair sitting on the window ledge, Tifa watched the early morning sun creep up over the buildings. It would be another hot one today. She pulled herself up, letting out a tired sigh, and pulled on some shorts. No use making breakfast in her underpants.
Quietly stepping into the hall, she heard little voices whispering. She poked her head into Denzel and Marlene's room to find them sitting on their beds, talking to each other.
They both smiled at her and made to speak, but TIfa lifted her finger to her lips in a motion indicating silence and whispered, "Ten minutes."
She removed herself from her door and suddenly became aware of a steady snore coming from the room at the top of the stairs. She tiptoed over and opened the door slightly.
Cloud lay fully dressed on top of his sheets, face up with his head tilted towards the wall, emitting snores with every inhale. Tifa bit her knuckles to keep from laughing, but made her way into the room anyway, smiling.
She gently sat down on the end of the bed and began by untying his boots. One by one she slipped them off his feet and put them under his bed. She removed his socks and then his gloves before setting to work on his belt.
Gingerly did she undo the belt buckle and pull it out, managing to do so without waking him.
His sweater would be impossible to remove without waking him, thought Tifa, but his trousers were a different story. Before she knew what she was doing, she had unbuttoned them and was about to start scooting them down his hips when she caught sight of the dark blue boxers she had bought him.
Oh man, she thought, maybe taking off his pants was a little much. She buttoned them back up slowly when the snoring stopped.
Cloud inhaled sharply and turned over, away from Tifa. He curled up on his side and let out a sleepy moan. Tifa couldn't help it this time. She let out a giggle.
Now resigned to waking him, Tifa put a hand on his shoulder and gave a small shake. Another moan. His hand weakly attempted to bat her away, but the sunlight coming into the room meant that he was going to wake up sooner rather than later.
He rolled back onto his back and rubbed his eyes, looking at Tifa.
"Morning."
Tifa smiled. "Morning, sleepyhead. When did you get in?"
"Late. I went drinking." He looked at Tifa, who was holding his socks and gloves. "Thank you."
Tifa stood up. "Come on, I'm making eggs. I'll make you a Bloody Mary."
Cloud smiled softly and sat up, still rubbing his eyes. He waited until Tifa was out of the room and he could hear her footsteps on the stairs before taking off his sweater and trousers.
Small steps came to his door, and Marlene rushed in, giving Cloud a hug around his lower waist before immediately pulling away. "You smell gross, Cloud!"
"Good morning to you, too." Cloud was still smiling through his pounding headache. Marlene had gone to his bureau and brought him back a new shirt, a long-sleeved brown pullover.
He raised his arms over his head and Marlene carefully pulled his sweaty shirt off. Cloud sat in his boxers without self-consciousness and Marlene marched around his room in her little nightgown, the seven-year-old mothering him as best she could.
Grabbing the brown pullover, he slipped into it and stood up. At this point, Denzel came into the room and grabbed Cloud's hand. "Come on," urged Denzel.