A/N: It has been a long time since I published a fanfic here...but I've been reading a few good VinTif and CloTi fanfics that got me itching to write. I hope you enjoy! This is a companion piece to my two-shot "Ribbons and Swords".

Cuts

Summary - [DenzelxTifa family/friendship with some CloudxTifa] Denzel believes that what he did wrong is causing a rift in Tifa and Cloud's relationship.

Warning: Un-betaed and rusty fanfic writing.

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII, characters and everything else associated with the Final Fantasy world belong to Square Enix.

Denzel flinched at the close approximately of the alcohol-drenched towel, as Tifa attempted to disinfect the long gash upon his face.

He could tell she was livid but she kept a calm mask as she carefully dabbed the towel once more at the corner where it bled the most.

"Tifa, I just wanted to-ouch!" He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to suppress the sting rising from his forehead.

"I told Cloud time and time again that Denzil still still too young to practice swords. That butterfly sword is half his weight."

She muttered under her breath, ignoring what he was trying to tell her as she applied Neo-Midgar-sporin on his wounds before peeling and placing chocobo moogle patterned bandages on top.

Denzel had about seven in total, three to cover the large gash on his forehead, two on his left knee and two on his right arm.

She would use the Master Cure materia if Yuffie didn't have a penchant of stealing their collection every time she visited.

And of course, they were left with nothing but her calling card "Yuffisfer, the queen of all ninjas", even on their secret stash.

Tifa began to stuff everything back into the emergency medical kit, her anger still evident in the way she slammed the tin kit shut.

Denzel scrambled after her before she stormed out of his room, her silence eating at him,

"Please don't be mad at Cloud. I begged him to let me use the sword. Please don't kick him out."

Denzel pleaded, his hazel eyes brimming with guilt and tears. His tiny fingers tugged at her left arm as if this was Cloud's third strike.

Tifa let out a heavy sigh, and brushed his curly strands of hair from his face, "Now where in Gaia did you get the idea that I will kick Cloud out?"

"That's what my Mom used to do when my Dad did something really bad...when they were alive..sometimes Dad didn't come home for days and I always thought it was because of what I did that caused it...and Cloud left us before and now..."

Denzel began to weep, unable to suppress the sad memories of his former family and the circumstances.

Tifa dropped the medical kit and pulled him into an embrace, "You silly child! It was never your fault. The things your Mom and Dad went through have nothing to do with you. It was between them."

Denzel pulled back and wiped his tears with his arm, "But how do you know?"

Tifa placed a kiss on his forehead, above his bandaged gash, "Because love conquers all and nothing can drive them apart if you didn't exist."

"So if I didn't exist, then..." The confusion caused him to frown even more.

Tifa mentally slapped herself and let out a sigh, "It doesn't matter. What matters is that they loved you and know that you are not the reason that caused that dark moment in their life."

She rubbed the tears from his tear-stained cheeks, "And don't worry, Cloud and I are fine. He's just an idiot." She tried to joke at the end.

Denzel hiccuped a few more sobs before calming himself, "Does that mean you and Cloud will make up in bed after this?"

Tifa nearly bashed her head back against the adjacent wall at Denzel's innocent words as a blush rose upon her pale complexion, "Denzel!"

"What? That's what I once heard Uncle Cid and Aunt Shera say to each other when they wanted to make up. It's just hugging right?"

Tifa rubbed the back of her neck and let out an awkward giggle, "Yeah something like that. Just don't go saying that around other people, got it?"

Denzel nodded.

"Now go wash up and help Marlene set the table for dinner." Tifa ordered, placing another kiss on his cheek.

"Will do! Now go make up with Cloud in bed!" Denzel teased before dashing out of the room and down the stairs to the bar area.

Tifa shook her head before swiping the medical kit and blindly walking back towards the bathroom across the hall. Kids say the darnest things.

"What's this about making up?" Cloud's voice echoed from his office, the sound of receipt paper and typing following after his inquiry.

Tifa spun around from the bathroom and marched up to the blond idiot, her face up close his, foreheads and noses touching.

She puffed her cheeks and tried to stay somewhat angry but her earlier conversation with Denzel had calmed her just a bit. But she was still pretty much angry at Cloud either or.

"You and I are going to have a long talk about safety."

"Oh? What's the safety word this time?" Cloud joked, a grin replacing his stoic expression as he tried to hold back a laugh while Tifa sent light punches to his chest,

"You could have hurt our child! Be careful more next time!" She screamed though making sure not to be loud enough to alert the children downstairs.

Cloud blinked as he took hold of both of Tifa's wrists to calm her spontaneous sputtering, "Our child? Since when did he become our child?"

"Since the day fate bought him to to you and when you decided to bring him to our home."

Cloud pulled Tifa to his lap and wrapped his arms around her, breathing in the scent of her sweet perfume,

"I'm sorry Tifa, but you need to know that Denzel is a tough little guy. I learned at a young age and look how I turned out?"

Tifa snorted at the comment, "Yeah no...you are a man that was exposed to Mako, who had been stabbed by a large Katana twice and survived death three times. You are not...human...Denzel, he's just a boy..."

Cloud scrunched at Tifa's reply a little hurt by the statement although it was true.

With another sigh, he nuzzled his head against the curve of Tifa's neck and shoulder,

"I guess you're right...But we're pretty lucky...Two wonderful but very troublesome children, great comrades and a good home. What will we do without Marlene and Denzel?"

Tifa returned a sigh of contempt and played with a lock of his blond spikes, "You and I will just have to make one ourselves then, right?"

Cloud bemused look and utter shock of silence caused a gentle smile to display upon her beautiful features.

She chuckled and placed a chaste kiss upon his lips before slipping away from his embrace, leaving him still frozen in place.

"We still need to talk about your punishment and safety on sword practice with Denzel. Now come on down, dinner is ready."

The way she said punishment caused Cloud to nearly fall off his chair.

~Owari