Final Fantasy VII
Pairing: TifaXCloud (Implied minor CloudXArieth)
Summery: Tifa's sick and tired of ALWAYS being second to dead Aries. So what happens when she confronts Cloud about it and reveals her TRUE feelings? ONE SHOT!
A/N: Hey I'm back! :D Sorry for not updating new stories and stuff. To be honest I'm lazy. Sorry. I hope you guys like this story. I've never done a one point of view story before (Tifa's by the way). Reviews are great, but please nothing to mean yeah? Italics are Tifa's thoughts. A big THANK YOU to my best friend Sarah-Ann AKA 4thcifer (FAVORITE HER!) She told me the minor details I didn't know and approved this story. Thanks chicky! I don't know how I could've written this story without ya.
Always Second
Here I am. Alone in the bar once again. Marlene and Denzel are asleep, hopefully dreaming happy dreams. I watch them sleeping. They look so happy. I try to think of the last time I was happy, but I can't. Out of the corner of my eye I see a photo of us. Our family in front of 7th Heaven. Marlene, Denzel, me and you. Anybody would say that we looked like a happy family, but not me. I can see the want to get back there. Back to her. Away from Marlene and Denzel. Away from your friends. Away from me. I can feel my heart break every time I think of you. Cloud, why won't you come home? Don't you miss me like I miss you? The loneliness circles in the air and has no intention of stopping. I'm sitting on a stool, drinking. I can't stand this anymore. I know where you are. You are with her, at her church. Once again my heart breaks, you would rather be with her. She holds a place in your heart that I shall never have. Its almost like it has 'reserved for her' on it. I think to myself how I'm always second. I know that I'm sick and tired of it. I'm sick of putting on a smile and acting like everything is okay everyday. I'm sick of acting like you haven't broken my heart when you come home on the rare occasion. I'm sick of crying for you. I know what I have to do. Its the only way you will realize what your doing to me.
I'm walking down the street. I can see her church. I see Fenrir out front. I was right, you are here. I walk up to the brown double doors. I can smell the flowers from here. I walk in and see you looking at them. Before I can think I yell something out.
"CLOUD STRIFE!"
"Tifa. What are you doing here?" Like he has to ask
"I came to make sure you were alive, safe and to make sure you remember you have a family!"
"Of course I remember Teef. Its just that-" I cut him off
"Its just that you want to spend time with Arieth right? Why Cloud? Why do you put her above EVERYBODY? Before Marlene, Denzel, Yuffie, Vincent, Barrett?" Me?
"Why didn't you say your name Tifa? Don't you think you're important to me?"
"Actually Cloud, I don't. You rarely come home and when you do you say hello to me, talk to the kids and go to bed. You spend ALL of your free time here. You don't talk to me anymore. Its like, I'm not even in your life anymore. Like we aren't friends" I could feel tears building up. Not again. Im not crying for him again.
"Teef-" Again I cut him off.
"No Cloud. Don't call me that anymore. That's a nickname. Your only meant to say them to the people you care about. So stop calling me that." No. Not again.
I saw his eyes look up from the ground and at me.
"What?"
"You heard me Cloud. I know that you don't care about me anymore. If you did, you wouldn't be here anymore."
"Tifa, She DIED. I didn't save her."
"She died? That's your excuse? Well let me tell you Cloud Strife. You kill me, EVERYDAY!" Oh crap! Why did you say that Tifa?
"What?"
"That's right Cloud. Everyday!. Every day you don't come home I know you are here with Arieth. Every day when I have to tell Marlene and Denzel that you're not coming home that night. Every day when I don't see you. I die Don't you see it in my eyes? Oh wait, you don't look in them anymore." Just tell him Tifa. You're close enough.
"See what?" he looks confused.
"Gosh, you're so CLUELESS!" its now or never Tifa. "I Love You Cloud Strife. There I said it. I always have, but im not sure if I want to anymore. All you do is break my heart." You did it. Now, don't hold the tears back. "See Cloud? Im crying AGAIN! Im sick of it. I don't know why I love you anymore! You don't care about me."
"Tifa-''
"Well look who it is. Cloud Strife AND Tifa Lockheart" I turn around to see Sephiroth right behind me.
"Sephiroth! What are you doing here?" I ask
"I figured I would find Cloud here but not you too Miss. Lockheart. Did Cloud hurt you?" I look at Cloud.
"N-no It was m-me. Cloud hasn't done anything." Yeah right!
"Oh so he did. Shame on you Cloud. How could you hurt her?" I felt his arm come around my neck and getting tighter. I couldn't breathe properly. Help me Cloud. Please. This is your chance to prove I'm important to you. Please!
"Don't touch her Sephiroth!" Coz that's going to stop him Cloud. Brilliant thinking. His grip tightens and my breathing is cut of even more.
"Oh I'm sorry Cloud. Here let me take my hand away from her neck." He lets go but before I can take a breath it is replaced by something long and sharp. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!
"Oh Cloud. I have finally found what you Cherish most. You cherish Tifa."
"No, he doesn't. you already killed what he cherishes."
"Tifa, how can you say that?' Cloud says.
Sephiroth's swordgoes further into my neck, cutting it enough for blood to appear. Clouds face once again drops.
"Sephiroth. Kill me instead"
"Tifa! Don't."
"Deal."
"Im sorry Cloud."
"Tifa, please. Don't do this" Don't look in his eyes. Don't look into those beautiful Mako eyes.
"Lets go Sephiroth" We walk towards the door. Cloud lands in front of us in his fighting stance.
'This is between me and you Sephiroth. Leave Tifa out of this." Cloud what are you doing? Don't you understand I'm doing this to save you?
Sephiroth lets me go. "You want to fight Cloud? Lets fight."
"Tifa, Go."
"No way! Im staying with you." You dumbass! I'm not leaving you when you're going to fight!
"Then move out of the way." I stand away from the two. All you could here was the clashing of their swords. I watch in horror. Be careful Cloud. Please, be careful
Suddenly Clouds on the ground.
"Finally, you have fallen. Cloud Strife. You are no hero. You couldn't even save Arieth"
I can see Cloud. He's on the ground. Not moving. MOVE CLOUD! Sephiroth pulls up his sword. Cloud still isn't moving.
"Cloud! Move!"
"I'll give you a choice Tifa. Its your life or his." No competion here. Nice Sephiroth. either way you hurt Cloud.
I give Cloud a final look and mouth the words 'I Love You. Im Sorry. Please, forgive me'
"Tifa no. Please don't. I cant loose you."
"Take mine. Don't ever forget me Cloud"
I feel a sharp pain come through my body. I hear Cloud yell "Not again! Im not loosing her!", and Sephiroth laugh. I look down and see something pierced through my stomach. Its Sephiroth's sword. I look up at Cloud one last time. He seems to be crying. Please don't cry Cloud. Please, don't cry.
I fall into a pit of darkness. It's peaceful and I like it here. I almost feel happy. A white light appears and I awake in my bed. Cloud is next to me, just staring out the window. Its raining, my favorite weather. I love it when it rains. To me it symbolizes washing away the bad things. I try so sit up but instead it causes me pain. I groan.
"Tifa! Oh Teef! You're wake! I thought I had lost you. Please, NEVER do that again." His beautiful blue mako eyes light up and a rare smile makes its face across his face. My heart melts and all anger I had towards him disappears. Maybe he really does care.
"What happened? Is Sephiroth…?"
"He's gone Teef. For good."
"Im so sorry Cloud."
"Don't be sorry Tifa. It's me who should be sorry, and I am. I was blind. I couldn't see that what I want was right in front of me. Now I can. I Love You Tifa Lockheart."
"Do you mean that Cloud?" I can feel my heart pounding in my chest as I wait for his answer.
"Every word of it. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me Tifa Lockheart. You are what I cherish most Im just sorry it took me so long to realize it. Forgive me?" I smile.
"There's absolutely nothing to forgive. Love is blind. Its not your fault you're so clueless." We both laugh and for the first time in a while, I fell completely happy. He pulls me into him. I rest my head on his heart as we lay on the bed. I look up at him and see him smiling. This is perfect.
"What?" I ask
"Nothing, it's just that this moment, is the best. It's perfect."
Our lips are pressed together and we share our first kiss. I feel my body tingling and I smile during the kiss.
It is now that I realize I have my knight in shinning armor. Im no longer always second.