Title : Okaeri
Author : Dùlin
Pairings : Mentions of Cloud/Tifa and Cloud/Vincent
Fandom : Final Fantasy VII
Rating : PG
Warnings : Between AC and DoC. Missing scene.
Disclaimer : Squeenix owns. I am not Squeenix. You do the math.
A/N : So, I was trying to write some Gundam Wing. See how well that worked.
O.O.O.O
Tifa smiled as she heard the steps on the roof of Seventh Heaven.
Vincent was back earlier than usual. He usually didn't show up until it was dark outside, often after the bar had closed for the night and the last patrons unceremoniously thrown out. Every once in a while, though, he'd reach Midgar by mid-afternoon and take up his usual perch on the roof.
She'd been surprised the first time she'd heard the steps above her head, too high for it to be the kids or Cloud on the second floor. Then, she'd been surprised that she'd actually heard them. Vincent moved like a cat. You didn't hear him unless he wanted you to.
Knowing that, it hadn't been that hard to put two and two together.
Tifa reached for the kettle and put some water to boil. She counted to ten, and smiled again as she heard small feet running down the stairs. Right on cue, Marlene came into the bar. She was smiling too.
Tifa had tried to make Vincent come down at first, but while he always accepted the drink she brought with her, he seemed strangely reluctant to follow her back into the house. That too was not too difficult to understand, not after spending months on the road with both of them. They didn't talk about it, and she didn't either. It just was. And since talking things out wasn't exactly Vincent's preferred method of dealing, she'd chosen to compromise and lure him inside another way.
It was almost always Marlene who ended up navigating the roof of the building to bring Vincent his tea. Not that Denzel would refuse if asked, of course. But his own brand of hero worship tended to be directed towards Cloud rather than Vincent. In the end, it was almost as if the kids had tacitly agreed on who would be doing what when Cloud or Vincent turned up.
Neither Cloud nor Vincent had complained so far.
She helped Marlene up to the roof, then went back inside to wait. Ten minutes later, Marlene walked back in carrying the empty mug, Vincent in tow. She handed the mug to Tifa, then went back upstairs, leaving them alone in the deserted bar room.
"He's in," Tifa said. "I think he's sleeping, but he won't mind you waking him up."
Vincent nodded once and made his way to the stairs. He was about to leave the room when she spoke again.
"Vincent?"
He stopped, looking at her quizzically.
"Welcome home."