Title: Lost Without You
A/N: Heya, I don't know much about FF VII: Advent Children so forgive me for any errors. I'm just crazed over this anime ever since my friends introduced me to it, and as you can see from my summary, I'm a Cloud&Tifa fan, but it doesn't mean I hate Aerith Gainsborough. Enjoy!
A bright streak of lightning filled the sky and it was followed seconds after by a loud deafening crash of thunder. Tifa rolled over in her sleep, her hazel eyes fluttering open as she slowly sat up in bed, scanning through the pitch black darkness of her bedroom.
Something wasn't right, something was missing and she knew it. Marlene and Denzel were curled up like little balls on their mattresses on the floor beside her, clearly explaining that they weren't the problem, but there was one other occupant in the house… Cloud.
I know I can be a little stubborn sometimes
A little righteous and too proud
Feeling a pang of worry hit her chest, frantically but quietly, Tifa slipped out of her bed and out of the bedroom door. She walked gently across the wooden floor of the house and switched the lights on.
The hazel eyed young woman squinted slightly at the sudden burst of light. She was probably overreacting again; she had had pangs of worry many times, and some of those times the pangs were due to unnecessary paranoia.
However, the blonde spiky haired young man had left the house secretly many times, only to return in the morning or sometimes in several days.
I just want to find a way to compromise
Cos' I believe that we can work things out
Tifa hesitated before Cloud's bedroom door which was closed; she placed a shaking hand on the doorknob and twisted gently, hoping with all her heart that when she set her gaze onto his bed she would see him there, sleeping like a baby.
I thought I had all the answers never giving in
But baby since you're gone I admit that I was wrong
However, Tifa was wrong. Cloud's bed lay bare, the sheets strewn all over his bed as if its occupant had been tossing and turning around on it. Tifa strode into the room, her eyes welling up with tears of worry and desperation.
The dark-haired young woman pulled open Cloud's cupboard doors, to find it empty. Tifa could feel her heart being shattered to pieces, as if it had been stabbed over and over countless times till it couldn't take it anymore.
Tifa scanned the entire bedroom frantically, hoping to find any sign of the blonde young man or even a simple note, but no matter how much she hoped and looked, she found nothing.
All I know is I'm lost without you
I'm not gonna lie
How'm I gonna be strong without you
I need you by my side
In her heart she had held an abundance of love for Cloud for over a decade. They grew up together as next door neighbours, and though certain boundaries prevented them from getting close, she had loved him from the very day she had understood what the meaning of love was.
Tifa fell limply sideways onto Cloud's bed, curling into a tight ball as she clutched the bed covers close to her chest where her heart was. Streams of tears flowed freely from her hazel eyes as she thought of her blonde prince.
She inhaled the scent of the bed covers, recognising it as the familiar scent of Cloud; a scent that was unique to him and only him. Tifa could still feel the lingering warmth of his body on the bed despite him not being there, and remembering him only made her wonder why he always left.
Of course, Tifa knew exactly why Cloud frequently left her, Marlene and Denzel. Cloud had sunken deep into depression after Aerith's death, and although it wasn't his fault, he blamed himself entirely for her loss.
Cloud had always had a thing for Aerith, and many of the AVALANCHE members knew this fact, even Tifa, and as much as it saddened her to see that he was blind to her love for him, she only wanted him to be happy, and so she let him go.
If we ever say we'll never be together
And we ended with goodbye
I don't know what I'd do
I'm lost without you
In many ways and reasons Tifa could see nothing that made Aerith superior to her, and it wasn't that she was jealous that made her think that way. Sure, Aerith was pretty, feminine, graceful and wise, however, Tifa was equally attractive and equally capable; she was a woman men lusted after and Tifa knew it.
However, the very man whom Tifa was closest to and loved the most chose someone else over her. Cloud Strife, he was the one and only young man that Tifa loved and probably would ever love, but he was blind to her feelings for him and disregarded them totally.
The handsome blonde young man had inflicted and caused hurt to Tifa countless times, and yet, Tifa stubbornly held on to him. She knew he loved Aerith and that she didn't own Cloud, but she simply couldn't see why Cloud had never loved her.
I keep trying to find my way
But all I know is I'm lost without you
I keep trying to face the day
I'm lost without you
There was only one place left that Tifa could look for any sign of Cloud.
"Aerith's church," mumbled Tifa, before she darted out of Cloud's bedroom and out of the house's front door into the pouring rain of the storm, not bothering to grab an umbrella or a raincoat even.
The hazel eyed girl didn't care how far or how long it would take her to reach Aerith's church on foot, all she wanted and wished for was for Cloud to return to her side.
How'm I ever gonna get rid of these blues
Baby I'm so lonely all the time
The rain was slowly soaking into Tifa's clothes, drenching her from head to toe and it wasn't long before Tifa's hair lay flat on her head and on her face.
Her tears blended in with the cool rain falling on her skin and her legs were starting to ache from running non stop for at least 3 minutes or so.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Tifa arrived at the entrance of Aerith's church. She entered cautiously, her clothes and hair dripping wet.
Everywhere I go I get so confused
You're the only thing that's on my mind
Oh my bed's so cold at night and I miss you more each day
Only you can make it right
No I'm not too proud to say
Tifa's light footsteps echoed throughout the four walls of the church.
"Cl…Cloud?" Tifa called out softly before calling out louder and stronger another time. "Cloud!"
No answer. Not even a creak or a whimper, just pure silence.
All I know is I'm lost without you
I'm not gonna lie
How'm I gonna be strong without you
I need you by side
Tifa broke into a mad sprint of desperation, searching every room and corner, under every pew and chair in the church, hoping she'd find Cloud, but once again she was left standing in the middle of Aerith's church with empty hands.
Tifa trudged heartbroken back to the entrance of the church and sat down on its steps. Staring out onto the roadside, the blustery weather creating little puddles here and there.
All she wanted was to feel Cloud's strong arms around her, and feel the warmth and love he could give to her in return, but it would probably never happen.
"Cloud, where are you?" whispered Tifa, burying her head into her arms and shivering constantly from the cold. "Please come back… I love you,"
No matter how she hoped and wished, nothing could change the fact that Tifa Lockhart was sitting drenched by the foot of a church, cold and unloved…
If we ever say we'll never be together
And we ended with goodbye
I don't know what I'd do
I'm lost without you
A/N: How was that? My first FF VII fic, hope you enjoyed it! Sorry for errors and pls be nice and review! P.S: The song was 'Lost Without You' by Delta Goodrem.
