Summary=It's Christmas day and Cloud realizes what he's been missing. Family fluff
A: n: ok this is really short but a sudden burst of inspiration struck.
Disclaimer: I do not own final fantasy VII or its characters
Driving home for Christmas:
He was never going to Wutai again. The people annoyed him, the packages annoyed him, and the fact that Christmas traffic seemed to be everywhere annoyed him.
So all in all, Cloud was annoyed.
He was tired and cranky, and his fingers had permanently moulded to Fenrirs' handles. All he wanted to do was go home. Back to the bar, warmth...and Tifa.
He and Tifa had only been dating for about four months, but already it had seemed like a lifetime. Cloud had made the first move eventually, and now it all seemed blissfully happy, for he couldn't be happier. He loved Tifa, and she loved him back, that's all that mattered.
Home. He could see it, not too far now. After finally hearing the noise of his bike winding down, he let the crunch of the snow/ice from two days ago ring out from under his boots, almost savouring the moment his key turned in the door.
Knowing that the kids were probably in bed, being Christmas Eve they had made it the law that they go to bed early, dragging Tifa and Cloud with them. So no doubt they were all asleep by now, so he had to be as quiet as he could. He smirked as he flicked the living room light on to find a plate of cookies and a glass of milk by the bar, supposedly for 'Santa'.
He was sure that the kids wouldn't mind if he stole one cookie. He was starving after all. Hell, the amount of deliveries he had made that day, he might as well be called "Cloud Clause."
The sweet treat in his mouth, he pulled off his boots and took off the chunky leather jacket he always wore whilst on deliveries, feeling like a dumbbell had been lifted from him.
There was a note for him on the bar "Please put the kids stockings in their room, thanks a bunch T xxxxxxx"
He considered just crashing on the sofa, but decided against it as he almost dragged himself up the stairs, two stockings with big plush reindeer heads on them in his hands, a smile on his face.
He used his shoulder to gently nudge the children's bedroom door open, and the sight was just too cute for words. Denzel and Marlene were out of it, looks like they had been for a while, Marlene was basically cocooned in her duvet, whilst Denzel's was on the floor partly, and various limbs spread about the bed.
He gently hooked the stockings on the end of their beds and crept back out, pulling the door closed behind him. His smile couldn't be wider.
This was his family. This was his life. And he wouldn't have it any other way. Sure he still wasn't earning the Gil he did whilst being a solider, but he had a brilliant family, a roof over his head, and a beautiful girlfriend who loved him for him.
Life couldn't be sweeter.
Opening the door to his and Tifas room, he had to just stop and take it all in. Tifa was indeed asleep, her chocolate locks spread behind her as she rolled onto her side, snuggling deeper into the pillow. Cloud was grinning as he almost silently stripped down to his boxers and lifted the quilt so he could slide in.
She stirred and he immediately froze, scared he had woken her up. But the smile that was creeping onto her lips told him she was awake before he had come in. He kissed her cheek and it did the trick as crimson eyes fluttered open and Tifa rolled back to face him. "Santa? Your here early"
"Cheeky. I'm not that fat." Cloud grinned and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "And red is so not my colour." Tifa giggled and leant against his chest. "When did you get back?"
"About ten minutes ago. I'm absolutely shattered." He slid down, thanking god for the squishy, soft, pillowy goodness that was folding around his head. Tifas laugh almost gave him Goosebumps as she sniffed the air around him. "Cloud...why do you smell of cookie?"
"Don't tell the kids." All he needed to say to make her send out that laugh again.
About half an hour passed with him and Tifa just lying there, until sleep finally decided to claim Cloud and his eyes were just a millimetre from closing....
When two unexpected bombs were dropped onto his stomach.
Jerking himself awake and sitting up, he found Marlene and Denzel, buzzing like someone had put them on speed, with various little gifts scattered over the bed, and a stocking covering Tifas still sleeping head.
Peeling it off as not to suffocate her, Tifa sat up; rubbing her eyes at the light the kids had washed over them in their scramble to wake their parents up.
"wazz goin on?" Marlene didn't even let Tifa sit up as she practically screeched "Merry Christmas!" in her foster mothers face. Tifa immediately gave a warm smile and held her arms out for the two to hug her. After they had, they practically dog piled Cloud, who in turn hugged them back.
Denzel surprised Cloud completely for when Marlene pulled away and jumped for her presents, Denzel hung back and whispered "Thanks for being here."
Clouds stomach sank. It dawned on him that for the past two years he hadn't been here.
For the past two years he had been all over, helping everyone else's children from Kadaj, but didn't even think about helping his own with their homework or nightmares. He had left that to Tifa.
Oh god, Tifa. How could she even begin to want to be with him after all he had brung onto her shoulders.
But there was no time to dwell on the past. As the kids dragged him and Tifa down the stairs, where a Christmas tree and scattered presents awaited them, he saw his future, and the future was these kids and Tifa.
And as Tifa held out a small package to him, he put it down and dug under the tree for an even smaller one and held it out to her.
"Merry Christmas Tifa." Puzzled, she opened it. The ring inside said everything to her.
She looked at him and grinned.
"Yes." That one word was all he needed to make this Christmas the best he had ever had, even before it started.