Cloud's hands are stained with dishwater and he's sick of his tender skin after each round of scrubbing, he's sick of kissing Marlene's forehead, and sick of ordering Denzel around, and he's sick of sleeping in an empty bed. His temples throb but he skips the medicine and falls right asleep, his phone by his side, his shoes half way off his feet, his hair messed and fluffed around. His eyelids are heavy, he doesn't even want to think about opening them. He was up late again, washing, and picking up, and cleaning. He's went from carrying a sword to caring for children, he's went from fighting, to dealing with fighting. Cloud's phone goes off, he's almost asleep so he thinks twice about picking it up but absentmindedly does so.
"Hello?" he mumbles into the phone, unable to grasp the word so it comes out slurred.
"Hi," a voice on the other line says gently, "How are you?"
It's been awhile since he's heard this voice, it's been awhile since he thought about the girl on the other line; it's been awhile.
Cloud sighs, his eyes are closed, he's playing dead tired but his head is screaming awake, "I'm fine, how are you?"
"I'm… not alright." She mutters and pulls a strand of hair behind her ear, "I'm glad you answered your phone."
Cloud cringes because he's being sympathetic, he's never sympathetic, ever, "Yeah, ah, sure, listen Tifa I've got to work tomorrow and I had a long day-,"
"Cloud!" she cries out, "Your day was long- What did you do?"
Cloud raises an eyebrow, "Not much." His finger reaches for the red button on his phone.
Hang up.
Hang up.
Hang up.
"I just, dishes, laundry, whatever." He shakes his head after the second one, he sounds like a house wife and that irritates him, "You shouldn't call here Tifa." His voice is stern, he wants to be hard with her but it's taking all his strength, "Ever."
"I know, I know," she mumbles, obviously those words upset her, "But I miss- being around."
"Then why'd you go!" Cloud snaps and hangs up the phone, unwilling to wait for her answer. He breathes deeply, trying to be quiet but theirs a lot of anger brewing inside of him; it's taking all his might just to not punch the wall in front of him. For a second he thinks he should call her back- but that would be stupid? He sighs and goes back to bed- another night he won't sleep well.
-
Tifa feels the smoke run through her lungs and she feels cramped in the tiny one bedroom apartment. Her phone is spilling from her fingers, her body from her top; this is another one of those nights where she's a tool and that leads her one inch closer into a breakdown. She holds herself tight- stares at a sleeping Reno and cringes with the thought of him waking up tomorrow. He was a working man who could never work as hard or pleasantly as Cloud. He had a cold touch, not a warm one, and he was too friendly, talked too much.
"Everything okay?" he mumbles, scratching his chest and turning to face Tifa.
She nods slowly, "Yup, just fine!"
Reno takes the phone from her hands and sets it onto the end table next to her bed. His hands trace her back giving Tifa chills. He wants to embrace her; he knows that everything is not fine but why question the girl, she is notorious for mood swings. She pulls away from him and rests her head on the pillow. She's got her mind set on two blue eyes, she's going to go home, one of these days.
A/N: Sorry it was a little boring. I'm just trying to throw the main point out there. I'm open to feedback; I'd love to hear what you think about it so far!