Alright, my second fan fiction.
-x-
Upon writing this I was inspired to do so by Synchypn0tic17, who left a nice and pleasent reveiw on my little one-shot: Inside Hearts.
Seeing that really made my day and in result we get this start off chapter of my second fan fiction It Was You All Along.
I hope you enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing this.
Disclaimer;;
I do not own the following characters in this story, I'm simply using them for fun.
They belong to their respected owners.
The bar was clean, spic and span without a trace of alcohol permitting the air with its peculiar and tangible stench, no remains of dark glass and clear mugs shattered against the tables and walls.
Tifa Lockhart beamed at her work.
The long, drawn out weekends were always her busiest nights, some came to celebrate a well done week's work, others (those deemed as regulars) simply filtered through only looking for companionship and the usual buzz beer and liquor provided. Tifa offered that companionship, in a non-provocative sense, she often pitied those individuals who grew depressed and incredibly shallow and hammered themselves with obscene terms and objects; they had such fragile self esteem and security.
Tifa had met a few odd customers, but that was just one of the many consequences of being the boss.
The martial artist would never sell her beloved Seventh Heaven; it was her place, her home and her life. Tifa was incredibly proud of the bar and that would never change.
"Never, never." She whispered.
It was a rather peaceful Sunday, nothing too odd or disturbing, aside from the fact that Cloud- dear Cloud Strife- was off on another delivery that required his up most attention and further wedged him apart from the family.
This was custom.
It no longer bothered Tifa like it used to, oh no, not anymore. Certainly none of that pitiful pining and wanting, trying to beseech to Cloud's better nature and sanity.
We couldn't have any of that, not again.
Not ever.
Tifa's following sigh was thoroughly dark and lost; it really was just sad.
"And so stupid." She groaned into her pillow. Tifa growled into the soft light blue material, debating whether or not she should just shred the stupid thing.
Why was everything just so stupid?
Her eyes, dark and lonely and the color of a charming brown, were rounded and wide and reddened. It was times like these that Tifa Lockhart felt truly at loss.
But, there were times she felt wanted, desired and needed, when Cloud would offer a small furtive smile. Those blue eyes, so deep, would lighten up when they rested on her. She felt true bliss when those little moments happened; she longed for them constantly..
Now lying sprawled out on the bed, in her room and locked away (again) Tifa thought of Cloud.
Stupid, stupid- wonderful- Cloud.
Back at home, in Nibelheim, she had such a beautiful life. It was nice albeit lacking without her mother but regardless it was nice.
She recalled, with pain, when Cloud had requested she meet with him.
He had promised then to be her protector, her savior and to always appear as the knight in shining armor.
"I'll protect you Tifa, always."
"You said that then." She mumbled, twisting her delicate fingers into the light blue sheets, drawing them closer to her face and pressing her lips into a hard line. "But now is different…" Tifa wasn't necessarily the one to be a downer, the sour puss or just the plain party killer, but one grows weary day by day when the one you always loved just passes by. Those little gazes and smiles just weren't enough.
She wanted to give Cloud everything, anything he wanted would be his; if only he would ask.
Was it so hard to just ask?
It wasn't just Cloud Strife, it was her too; in a way.
Tifa sighed, groaning soon after and letting out a frustrated scream into her pillow. A soft knock came at the door then, timid and hesitant. Tifa's face softened, but only just a bit.
"Come in."
It was Marlene, sweet little Marlene with eyes slightly round with a familiar fear.
"It's okay Marlene, I'm sorry." The little girl closed the door behind her with a soft click.
"Denzel was worried," she mumbled, choosing to stare at the wood paneling beneath her feet. This wasn't the first little occasion when their caretaker, their mother, would lay in bed without any sign of leaving. "I mean, I was too just-"
Tifa scooted to the edge of her bed, holding out her arms to her adoptive daughter and offering a tangible smile; she hated making them worry, she wanted them to be happy. What sort of role model was she presenting to them?
Tifa Lockhart didn't want to fail in being a mother, that was her biggest fear.
Marlene curled in Tifa's arm, resting her head against her shoulder and closing her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Momma." Tifa's arm tightened around her, and sighing into her light brown hair she began to hum softly, a little tune she picked up from memory.
She had a vague sense that her parents did this for her: hold her and hum to her, trying to calm her down.
For Marlene it worked wonders too.
"Momma," she mumbled fluttering open her eyes and smiling brightly. Tifa titled her head slightly, her lips raising a fraction into their own best attempted smile.
"When is Cloud coming home?"
Just what she needed to hear, oh stupid, stupid Cloud…
"I don't know." She whispered, sighing and resting her chin atop of Marlene's head.
"I just don't know."
Deliveries were rather simple, no complex idea about them. Pick up the package, deliver it to it's designated area, collect the gil and leave. Oh there were the times the recipients of the packages requested his services too, he didn't mind. With a firm stoic expression he would accept and set off on another round of deliveries.
It wasn't pleasant work but he enjoyed the simplicity of it.
It helped distract him.
The road stretched out before him, heavy with promise and enjoyment. No traffic to delay him and the metal beast that was Fenrir. He straddled the large obsidian bike and fixed his goggles over his eyes, he kicked the machine into start and was met with the satisfactory purr of Fenrir, deep and powerful.
The wheels grinded into the gravel ruthlessly so and Cloud spun out of the dirt and into the long waiting road.
It curved, rose and fell with the land, often winding into lush wild forests and even large expanses of desolate land. He was perhaps another hour or so away from Edge and at the moment he felt a twinge of homesickness.
Edge was home.
Seventh Heaven was home.
And he couldn't even begin to describe the family that maintained loyal and sweet to him, their forgiveness and constant aide to his crushed heart. Cloud Strife was thankful for them and the amazing Tifa Lockhart always struck him in awe.
Nothing she couldn't do, her charm and power was relentless, the simple image of her was mesmerizing.
And yet-
A sudden pot hole in the road jolted him from his thoughts. With an unpleasant curse he stilled Fenrir from it's awkward swaying and twisted his hand on the throttle, sending the monstrous bike into deadly acceleration.
Cloud watched the sun bank, his mako enhanced eyes peering from behind his shaded goggles. He witnessed the night take over, the sun vanish into slumber, and the stars to dot above him into numerous constellations.
He appealed to his bike by twisting the throttle again, Fenrir jerked and responded with a growl.
Cloud wanted to be home in Edge, under the roof of his home.
In the presence of his best friend and family, that's what he wanted, that's what he needed.
She was what Cloud Strife needed.
Did you like it?
The second chapter is being written as of now, sorry if this one appears a tad short.
This is just to get things moving along.
-Namuu