She never deemed herself the flower type. Maybe when she was younger and the boys with their puppy crushes offered freshly picked wildflowers as a means to express what their bumbling lips could never explain. Another token of affection to add to the pile, to forget in an instant.
And when Cloud extended the white blossom to her upon returning from a successful mission, Tifa hesitated.
"For me?" she asked.
"Yeah."
Tifa held it as if it were glass. When was the last time she glimpsed at a flower—a real flower? Long before she settled into Midgar, no doubt. Her thoughts then muddled with desperation and survival, not superficial items. Though as she relaxed within the slums, she searched through the shadows and heaps of garbage for something resembling a life she once knew. She remembered sunlight through the windows, fresh air tickling her face, and the echo of a piano. None of that resided in Midgar—nothing did.
That flower reminded her to smile, to keep her optimism on the surface and never compromise it for others; it was proof that something vibrant and beautiful could bloom within a place so cruel and bleak.
Her ruby eyes flicked to Cloud. "Where did you get it?"
"Flower girl," he said with a shrug.
"I didn't know flowers could grow in Midgar."
He said no more, leaving Tifa to stare in awe of the blossom. Once free from her reverie, she rushed to find a suitable container for said flower. A pint meant for beer held the single stem, filled halfway with water and nothing else. Was that enough to sustain it? Tifa frowned. I feel like I'm going to kill it off before I ever extend its life.
Besides, what was a girl like her to do with a flower? She consisted of enough muscles and wit to scare off the most troublesome of clientele; why hire help when she could be both a bartender and the bouncer? Those who looked past her lean physique opted to gawk at her other assets than ever humored her with a lick of chivalry. The gift of a flower was meant for women who sat quietly and let the world pass by. Tifa yearned to stand up and be heard; if that meant forsaking everything ladylike, then so be it.
But still, a flower was a treat. It was the thought that counted, right?
The blossom never lived to see morning. Tifa kept it in a drawer; despite it wilting, she couldn't stomach throwing out a sliver of beauty. She intended to save it somehow. Perhaps in a frame? Didn't people used to press them between books and thus preserved those lush, vibrant petals? Tifa shoved that plan into the back of her mind. With each passing day, she forgot the flower. She worried about Cloud, about the safety of AVALANCHE. She couldn't fret over a silly flower.
A reminder came in the form of a woman, close to her age. She donned a sultry, crimson sequin dress with brunette waves that flowed behind her like a wisp of clouds. Her presence alone radiated through the shady aura within Don Corneo's mansion. Not once did she cease to smile.
It was like staring back at that flower all over again.
"I'm Aeris!" She offered her hand. "Cloud told me all about you."
She hesitated, only to gaze deeper into those rich, emerald eyes. "Name's Tifa," she eventually responded and shook her hand.
Despite the events that transpired, Tifa's focus returned to the newly met woman. She blamed the hint of blush on her cheeks on the anxiety from confronting Don Corneo himself, yet it persisted when she and Aeris were ushered away while Cloud was taken elsewhere.
"Don't think these guys are going to give us a break," Aeris murmured to her.
"Yeah, I doubt it."
Their backs touched as they eyed the swarm of ogling men.
"I also doubt Cloud's going to swoop in to save us, but…." Aeris peeked past her shoulder and flashed a smile. "We got this, right?"
Tifa blinked. "Nothing I'm not already used to handling. Will you be okay?"
"I may be a flower girl, but I can hold up my own in a fight."
A flower girl.
That alone fueled Tifa's fervor. With a smirk, she nodded to Aeris and bolted at their targets with clenched fists. It was a reason to knock out those blocking their path, a reason to keep her alive. She needed to ask Aeris about the flowers.
She needed to know more about her.