a/n: This is a long overdue piece of fiction I promised TheOnlyDoylie from Youtube. So yes, this fanfiction is based off of her video, It's Already Over, Tifa.

Chapter 1:

With whisper thin fingers, consciousness barely touched him. Gently reality brushed its intangible fingertips over his brow, and carded its way through his spiky blond hair. The morning light was muted, blocked off by the thick curtains Tifa originally had gotten to help her sleep. With the bar being open all night, she used to sleep in late to catch up, but that was before 7th Heaven had accumulated a family to house.

The comforters were alive with the long set in warmth their bodies had gathered throughout the night, and Cloud couldn't convince himself that the last alarm on his phone was worth getting up for. Ok-up-up-ok-down-ok, and the alarm was off. His fingers had long grown accustomed to the routine of turning off his cellular alarm.

With a grunt, the blond burrowed deeper into the gentle embrace of his pillows. Frilled as they were, Cloud was not conscious enough to give in to his masculine desire to separate his face from the flowered patterns.

A soft knock at the door disturbed his fluttering sense of reality, and dream.

"Cloud?"

His eyes involuntarily rolled beneath his lids as he tried to lock gazes with the woman in his doorway. His throat was as unwilling as his eyes. "Tifa?" he stuttered sleepily, "What's wrong?"

Tifa smiled warmly, an expression Cloud's blurry eyes didn't quite catch, and moved to his bedside. The blond could hear the faint clitter-clatter of dishes as she approached. Her tone was welcoming, and happy, "Nothing is wrong. Do you want to go back to bed, or are you ready to tackle this breakfast I made? If I had known you were going to be lazy, I would've waited to make it."

Cloud straightened a little as the smell of scrambled eggs and fried bacon blessed his nose, "I'm awake."

Tifa chuckled in a motherly tone, something Cloud hadn't quite gotten used to, despite the fact she had been like this ever since Marlene first joined them. "Of course you're awake. Who wouldn't be?"

It had been two years since the Geostigma was finally cured, and a little longer since he started his delivery service. After months of traveling by bike, with various odd hotel beds, and cheap meals, Cloud had grown used to appreciated a real meal whenever possible. Tifa wasn't the best cook, but she was a foster mother. Mothers of any sort just knew how to cook.

"I should've waited for you to come down," Tifa said awkwardly—nervous that he had changed after all the time he had been away, he assumed—and tucked a lock of wayward hair behind her ear. As Cloud straightened into a better position and went for the tray, Tifa smiled and looked away. Like she was unwilling to believe that this moment was really happening. But after years of rejecting the truth of his life, Cloud was finally ready to settle. He had given up his fake SOLDIER persona. Given up his guilt. Given up all that he was, all that he is—no more deliveries, no more journeys—to become apart of a family. Her family.

It was his first day back as a permanent member of 7th Heaven's household, and the idea of having a constant, unchanging roof over his head made his heart swell. Why didn't he ever want this before?

But you did, says a small voice, Zack wanted to have a family. He wanted to be apart of Aerith's family. Remember? You wanted that too.

Once upon a time that mocking little voice of doubt controlled his life. He would grimace as it cheerfully pointed out all the little flaws in his life, but now? Cloud smiled, and the memory of what the voice said became a blur.

He had a family now, and they were fighting all of his doubts together. They were a real family. His family.

Tifa's calloused fingers nimbly picked a spare muffin from his tray top, and waggled her brows at him, curious if he would challenge her move. Cloud moved his tray away, weary of future attempts of theft, and together they laughed; laughed like they always should have laughed.

Breakfast came, and the food went by slowly. Despite the chill the little breakfast had accumulated, Cloud continued to eat gratefully between breadths of conversation. When his plate was clear, his stomach full, and his heart ready to take on the day, Tifa reached for his tray.

Cloud drew away as the brunette reached, and said, "I'll handle it. I need to get up anyways."

As the blond gathered himself up, took his tray, and headed for the door, he was stopped by Tifa's voice. There was something unreal to it. Like someone so grateful to have someone they thought was gone, back.

"Hey."

Cloud turned in the doorway of their bedroom to regard her, "Hmm?"

"I'm glad you're home," and the name that followed that sentence confused him. Her lips moved one way, but her voice said another. The blond tried to ignore it. He figured that his morning stupor hadn't quite passed, and blamed his hearing on his late start. With a smile he nodded, and headed down the stairs to the bar, but wondered all the while:

Did she say Cloud…or Zack?