Disclaimer: FFVII is property of Square Enix. I own none of it.
MOVING ON
It was utterly disgusting, all the things that Tifa's stomach dreamt up for her to consume. Consume, or devour, or…or obliterate was more like the word he was looking for. The way her fit self sucked down the entire contents of the fridge and freezer (and then some) with whatever unlucky condiments that lay nearest to her was analogous to a predatory black hole.
It was also the specific ORDER of items to be obliterated that made Cloud's own stomach want to hurl. Specifically across the room, where it would mercifully descend into unconsciousness and numbness once it had reached the wall with the right velocity.
Braised chicken dripping with layers of chocolate sauce and ginger oil on top (for kick). Caramel poured over raw broccoli, mushrooms, string beans and crab. Whole, hard-boiled eggs churned to frothy foam with bananas and tuna. Squid with strawberries and cream. Brussels sprouts with pixie-sticks icing. Honey-barbequed frogs' legs. (Imported)
It had Cloud running back and forth frantically to the store on the corner in between deliveries and gave Fenrir double the amount of work the old wolf was used to. Just the other day, he could have sworn he heard the bike snarl in pain as he started the ignition. Or else, maybe it hadn't been relishing the grocery list either. If bikes could read. If bikes had eyes.
Other than that, the days spun happily by. Denzel and Marlene came racing back every day from school. Barret made occasional visits, all too infrequently for his impatient child. Now and then, even Reno and Rude sauntered in for a drink and a couple lines of gossip.
Sometimes, Cloud's hand would go up to the pink ribbon on his arm. Sometimes, the string Tifa used to tie up Marlene's hair would remind her. But it was always of strength and love of life. It was what they all remembered Aerith best for.
Now, with Tifa standing in the sunlight of the bar's open door, her smile silhouetted and her hands on her rounding stomach, he placed his own on hers and felt the warmth of the young one inside. It seemed his path was clear before his feet.
This was life. All over again.
And at the moment, life demanded to be fed sardines with peanut butter and mayonnaise.
So, just a little fun exercise turned fanfic. I wanted to write about someone who had craving problems XD, and I picked TIfa because I just watched Advent Children, and needed to get it out of my bloodstream. And I don't wanna hear anything about Tifa/Aeris bashing. None of that.