Pre-game AU - Tifa x Barret
"Tifa," a young voice called, accompanied by the bedroom door opening at speed. Tifa's eyes blinked open and she rolled over to see Marlene grinning at her.
"Hey, sweetie," she said blinking sleep out of her eyes.
"Happy birthday," the four-year old said.
"Thank you," croaked Tifa, coughing as she sat up, disturbing her partner.
"Hmmm? Marlene? What time is it?" Barret groped with his one hand at the beside table to look at the clock.
"Time for breakfast." Marlene replied hurrying over to her father's side of the bed. "You promised we'd make Tifa breakfast before presents."
Barret sighed and Tifa grinned as he swiped at sleep sticky eyes and levered himself upright. "Do you want us to bring it in here, or do you want to eat in the kitchen?"
"I think I'd like us to sit down together," said Tifa after a brief pause.
Barret wrapped his arm around her and kissed her forehead. Marlene grabbed at his hand, straining backwards as she tried to get him up. "Okay, okay Marlene, I'm coming." Tifa soon heard the heating start up, the cooker light and the fridge plundered for foodstuffs. She scrambled out of bed herself and pulled her dressing gown around her as she too headed for the kitchen. Sitting on the hard plastic chairs beside the table she watched as Barret began arranging the meal as Marlene helped.
On any other day Tifa would be doing the cooking, but Marlene had been adamant that today of all days it was Papa's turn. She watched as Barret made breakfast with consummate skill. He cracked eggs with one hand, switching between the grill and frying pan with ease. It was not surprising; Barret had been taking care of himself and his daughter for years. She still watched with amusement as Marlene bounced on her heels waiting to ferry the plates from the counter-top to the table. Barret paused in his preparations to ask her to set the table, fishing cutlery from a nearby drawer.
Tifa thanked the girl as she set the knives and forks down on three sides of the table. Barret passed each plate to Marlene who walked with exaggerated caution to lay the least chipped plate in front of Tifa. She carried her father's next before her own, clambering up onto her own chair afterwards. Barret plunked a mug of coffee in front of Tifa kissing her forehead again before sitting down.
She paused a moment to look at them both as they dug into their meals. It was hard to believe that she had not known them that long, that she had felt so lost here in the city until she met them both. She lost the last of her family in the confused fire at Nibelheim, her saviour failing to appear on cue. But that was her past, that was before. Now she had Barret and Marlene and she would not give up either for the world.
Marlene swallowed a too large mouthful with a grimace before turning to Tifa, all smiles. "What do you want to do today?"