Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII © Square Enix.

A/N – Special Appearance: Noctis Lucis Caelum.

Chapter 1:

Meet Me the Half Way

Tifa smiled as she looked at her reflection on the mirror in front of her. She really liked that dress for the top of reason was Cloud just bought it for her exclusively. She smiled even bigger, the dress perfectly hugged around her slender curves. The floral dress that fell an inch upon her knees, colored in dark Aqua, was perfectly matched to her creamy skin. However, unfortunately Cloud Strife would not make himself being the first person to witness her in such adorable attire, instead of his best friend, Zack Fair. The spiky-blonde was busy with his deliveries as usual; he had gone for almost 3 days. Calling his phone to ask when he will come home was rather useless for he never pick up any call. Damn, he had a cell phone but he never picked any call up. Meanwhile, Denzel and Marlene were away with Barret to Kalm, spending their last week of vacation before back to school the next Monday.

Tifa sighed; she grabbed a black long coat from the closet and put it on. When Zack had any free time, the dark-haired man would rush to the Seventh Heaven bar then force her to cook some meal for him. He said in a proud tone that he wasthe First Class Soldier and he needed to eat the proper meal; Shinra Company served the meal that likely bad-as-hell, bitter taste, healthy and too much vitamins or whatsoever. Zack Fair needed those heavenly foods.

Tifa walked down the stairs and ahead to the kitchen where she left the SOLDIER before. As he came to her view, Zack was biting the last piece of his breakfast; two pancakes with scramble egg and a cup of tea. "Where will you go?" Zack asked as he saw the barmaid approaching him. His blue-mako-infused eyes slightly widened, it was such rare to see Tifa in such different attire. She was brighter, beautiful… perfect as always.

"I'll go shop for the groceries," Tifa simply answered. She saw that the plate and cup were empty now so she took that off and placed it at the sink. She washed her hands and wiped it at the washcloths.

"I wish I could join you, angel," Zack said in fake sad tone. "But I have to go to Shinra now." Zack looked down at his watch, "Damn! Even I'm fifteen minutes late!"

Tifa chuckled; she never expected that such a pride First Class Soldier would act this funny so many times. He was humorous, friendly and pervert at the same time, besides he was a good man though. "Why I'm not surprise that you're always late… purposely?" Tifa lightly laughed.

Zack winked an eye and placed a soft kiss upon her cheek. "Thanks for the breakfast, Teef." He then rushed out of the bar but not a while ago Zack re-entered the bar and caught the barmaid.

"Do you forget something?" Tifa asked.

"Yeah!" Zack abruptly grabbed her wallet from the coat's pocket and put that thing inside his. "What are you doing?" Tifa perplexed toward his action. Then it became clearer when Zack handed her his ID card, with a big grin. "Use this and you'll pay nothing for everything!"

Tifa looked at the man before him with slight confusion before shifted her concern to the card on her hand. What does that card about when she could buy everything for free? No doubt Shinra was the largest and most respectful company around the Gaia, but that meant they could do anything with only using a mere ID card? Questions will be answered soon. "Have a great day-off, Teef!" Well, perhaps Zack wanted to pay for his food's cost using his card after all.

Tifa once again sighed as Zack gradually vanished from his sight. She once again stared down at his ID card he just lent her for.

Zack Fair

First Class SOLDIER

Shinra Company

. . .

"One Choco-Vanilla Ice Blended," the waitress repeated her order as his fingers adeptly pushed the touchscreen button on the cashier machine. "It's 50 gil, Miss."

Tifa handed the waitress his ID card; bit her bottom lips nervously, waiting for the waitress' respond. If the waitress addressed her the same way as the storekeeper did minutes before, she surely would punch his head; it was all happened because of his damned ID card.

"You'll have it for free, Mrs. Fair. Thank you," the waitress gave the ID card back to Tifa and she half-heartedly smiled. It was so much awkward to call her by Mrs. Fair for she indeed wasn't Zack's mother or even his wife, thus it made her felt a little bit uncomfortable. However this card did its amazing job surely. Then Tifa walked searching for some spot to sit and luckily found the best one, beside the café's window. She sat there and pulled out the magazine she just bought on the way to café and started to read it.

. . .

His bright blue eyes scanning around Edge, there were people walking in hurry steps outside. This city might not as beautiful as his kingdom, but it was quite peaceful and strange. He needed to be away a while from his gang, his troubles, and the city of Edge was suit enough for him. At least, no one knew him as the last heir of Caelum dynasty. Noctis sipped his coffee and turned his sight to the people inside the café, not crowded enough. Until his sight dropped to a person who was sitting across him; a woman, he concluded, with that magazine hid her face. Beside her was a bunch of groceries bag. He was about to shifted his concern back to nowhere when that person finally revealed her posture.

Tifa dropped down the magazine and drank her ice blended drink but her eyes never left the magazine she read. Without her noticed, a man was enjoying the view of her beauty; Noctis could not shift his eyes from that woman, who obviously was Tifa. He had seen many beautiful and fine ladies in his entire life but there was nothing compare to such simply natural beauty as the woman in front of him. He liked how her raven hair plainly loosen around her back, black as if the midnight sky; her brown orbs, sweet like chocolate and her lips flushed in pale red rose. He concluded that she wore no make-ups and yet she was still beautiful in all of her glory.

Noctis shook his head; it was strange behavior for him to admire a woman just from the first sight. He must be restless or out of concern. He closed his eyes and tried to calm down himself, try not to blame for all those strange behavior, but immediately it slid open as he heard a sound from the spot across him. Noctis glared from the corner from his eyes, seeing Tifa was already put the magazine back to the groceries bag and ready to go. She stood up and left the spot without spare any glare or noticed that Noctis had laid the eyes on her since before. He saw Tifa walked out of the café with her left hand carried the groceries bag and disappeared into the crowded street. That woman did attract him and he did not know her name.

. . .

I'll be home this evening.

Cloud.

Tifa hummed some songs as she preparing for the dinner meal. Cloud will back tonight and she wanted to make sure that the ex-Soldier got the best as she can give. Otherwise, deliveries must ruin him so that Tifa chose to clean his bedroom, filled it with much comfort and smelled like home. Surely she would never get bored for taking care of Cloud and everyone.

As she finished the food and placed them on the dining table, Tifa heard the roar of motorcycle, obviously Fenrir, entered the garage and parked inside. Cloud turned off his favorite bike and pulled out the key. His clothes were enveloped with dust and mud, but his spiky-hair amazingly stood still against the gravity. Cloud then entered the bar and found Tifa was smiling at him.

"Welcome home, Cloud," Tifa warmly greeted. Thus in respon, Cloud willingly nodded and gave the barmaid a gentle smile that he never gave to anyone else, except her. His face was showing nothing rather than tiredness and mess.

"You'd better go shower first," Tifa suggested.

"Hmm." Cloud walked to the stairs, about to going to his bathroom before he noticed something unusual. "Shouldn't you open the bar right now?" He turned around and asked the barmaid.

"I chose to take the bar a day off since you come home tonight. The crowded may disturbed your sleep."

"You shouldn't do that, Tifa," Cloud felt a little guilt for knowing Tifa purposely closed the bar for him. He surely could sleep everywhere in any conditions, but some peaceful sleep was really his necessary now. "Thank you," Cloud murmured before he walked the upstairs and entered the bathroom.

Somehow she felt lighter and happy when Cloud came home, especially earlier like that time. But at the same time she couldn't deny that something hurt her. Cloud was smelled of the flower girl's scent, Aerith. She knew, Cloud had just visited her. Every time Cloud would always have time to spend with her, without him knowing that the children were sick and tired of waiting for him to come home, she did too. Every time she would greet him with warm and cheerful welcome and Cloud could do just nodded and gone to his bedroom or eat the meal silently. Aerith has Zack, she loved him, right? What on Earth that Cloud want to stand between them when Zack was his damn best friend? Why did Aerith return his affection? Alas, Tifa felt the burn jealousy toward the Cetra; Aerith Gainsborough had everything the barmaid always craving for. Aeirth had friendly warm and open personality; she had smile and happiness, also his heart.

As usual, the dinner time ran smoothly in silence, none of them started the conversation until Tifa finally broke the icy silence. "How's the delivery?"

"It's good," Cloud swallowed his meal. "It makes us earn much gil."

"Tomorrow the children would back. I hope you could stay when they're home."

"I doubt I can't," Cloud hesitantly said. "Aerith asked me to accompany her tomorrow, so that I…"

"It's okay, Cloud. I understand," Tifa hurriedly interrupted, tried not to sound disappointed. She hated to hear more reason from him. It was always he put Aerith upon his 'little family'. Cloud secretly gazed at her chocolate eyes. He could see there was pain, bitter and clouded with salty droplets. He had hurt her, but he did nothing but to say, "Tifa, I'm sorry."

"It's really alright, Cloud," Tifa forced a smile. "I know Zack is off again for his job and Aerith needs some company. The children will be okay," Tifa reasoned; she actually really hated to tell a terrible lie for Denzel and Marlene but she had no choice, and she did realize the children got off of their limits about her lies. Eventually, it was his life and she had no rights to interfere. "I hope next time you don't mind to spend your time with them." Them? She even never asked Cloud to spend his time with her, no matter how much he wanted it. Cloud nodded slightly, "I promise." How many times he ever joined Tifa and the children to go to the park or at least accompanied them to shop? It was less than five times. And how many times did he promise to the children, to Tifa? It was countless but none of those promises were being true.

Tifa finished her meal first then brought the plate and mug to the sink, and washed them cleanly. She then passed the dining table where Cloud still eating the food without spare any glare. "I'll go sleep. Just put the dishes at the sink, lock the door and turn off the light." Then Tifa went upstairs, coldly leaving Cloud alone. Those blue-mako-infused eyes bear guilty and emptiness.

A/N: I got this idea as I stuck on Travis Garland's Fuckin' Perfect song, and I do no hate Cloud neither Aerith, I'm just addicted to ZackTifa pairing, Lol! Thus, we've got special appearance from the new hero in FF universe, the handsome Lord Noctis! Hope you enjoy this piece, dear readers! And Happy belatedBirthday, Cloud Strife!

xoxo