Alright! Here's the first one and I figured I might as well try my luck at a nice light hearted holiday one. If you like Yuffentine, just stop reading now. It's hopeless to try to convince me. Yes I do realize that they most likely do not have Christmas, let alone the Trans Siberian Orchestra in Gaia, but deal with it for now, okay?
This is the completely unedited version (Note to Deana: Stop right here before you murder me for my foul dirty language!!!) so I'm giving it a Teen.
"Hey Teef! Chuck me some tape!"
"Yuffie, get down here and help me with the food before you break your neck." Tifa called over her shoulder while mixing a stir-fry.
"But I've got to make this dump look perfect!" The ninja whined, swinging the garland she was trying to hang sadly. "How can we have a party without decent decorations?"
"By having good food, now get down here," Tifa waved her spatula threateningly at the younger woman.
"Alright fine," she turned around, forgetting that she stood on a thin ladder, and fell.
"Look what I caught."
"Hands to yourself Turk!" Yuffie glared up at Reno, smacking the hand inching toward her backside.
The red head set her upright with a sigh. "What is with all you frigid women?" Yuffie gave him a punch in the stomach for his trouble and stalked away. He bent over, coughing and holding onto the bar for support. "I'm so misunderstood," he pouted, sinking into a stool.
"I'll shed tears of pity for you later," Tifa rolled her eyes.
"You can laugh all you want, but you ladies don't realize that we can't control our selves when you look so good." He sighed dramatically. "Testosterone, what a curse."
"I can see you're all broken up in side. Down boy, and sweep while you're on the floor." She thrust a broom into his hands. "You're so full of it. Not every man can't control himself."
"Alright, name one who's never hit on you."
"Vincent, Cid, Rufus, Red XIII, Barret, Rude and Cloud."
"Oh come on! None of them count!" Reno started ticking off each one on his fingers. "The vamp? Let's just say that his heart wasn't the only thing that got frozen, if you catch my drift; The pilot's married to one hard ass woman; The boss ain't got eyes for anything but paper work; The dog ain't even human; That Avalanche guy's got a little girl, and nothing ruins a mood like that; I'm pretty sure Rude hasn't spoken to anyone but me in the past five years; And that Blondie?" He shrugged. "Through careful analysis, I've concluded he's a fruit."
"Reno!" Tifa scolded. "Just because he doesn't drool every time a girl bends over, doesn't mean he's gay."
"Yeah Turk, Cloudy's straight," Yuffie added in over the door of the fridge.
"Straight as a rainbow," the Turk shot back.
"Where's the rainbow?" Marlene hopped in the room, racing to the window. "I don't see it! Where is it?"
"Nowhere Hun," Tifa shot a withering look at Reno who shrugged it off. "Our friend Reno is just being silly again."
"Aw come on. I haven't even had anything to drink yet," He lit a cigarette, blowing the smoke up towards the fan.
"Out." Tifa pointed a frying pan at Reno like a baseball bat. "You're not smoking that inside with the children."
"What kind of a bar is this if a guy can't have a smoke?" But he put out the offending stick on the bottom of his shoe.
"My bar, now get sweeping or you're scrubbing toilets."
"Yes Ma'am."
"And don't be sarcastic!"
Moments after she set Marlene to work peeling potatoes, the door opened with a flurry of snow followed by a large figure in an over coat.
"Daddy!" potatoes went flying in all directions as Marlene ran to hug Barret around the knees. "Daddy! I'm helping for the party!"
"Way to go Marlene!" He picked her up, swinging her around in a circle. "Daddy's been missing you."
"Me too," she frowned sternly at him. "When are you going to be home for good?"
"Pretty soon, but it's not safe for you to be around when I'm working," Barret hugged her tightly. He looked up, glaring at Yuffie and Reno. "You two ain't been corrupting my baby have you?"
"Oh yeah about that," Reno said sarcastically. "She's up to two packs and a pint a day now, sorry bout that."
Yuffie made the wise choice for once in her life, neglecting to mention her latest project: teaching Marlene the useful skill of pick pocketing. This resulted in many of Denzel's colored pencils going missing. He had recently grown out of crayons and had started to collect more 'mature' artist's tools. The boy came down the stairs as everyone else called their greetings to Barret.
"Has anyone seen my green or light blue?"
"Here's the blue," Marlene handed over the pencil with a sly giggle.
"And the green one is in the guest room on the right, in the back left pocket of my green shorts…" Yuffie stared off into space. No one bothered to ask what she was doing with colored pencils. "But I don't remember where they ended up last night…"
Reno ducked his head to hide a smirk. He didn't remember either. Hell, it had taken him a half hour to find his belt this morning. Tifa's sharp eye was the only one to notice his smug grin. She decided it was best not to mention it just now, but that didn't stop a coarse snort that she artfully turned into a sneeze.
"So where's Spiky?" Barret asked, frowning. "Don't tell me he's skipping out on us."
"No," Tifa tried to make her glance at the clock casual, but she couldn't keep the worried tone from her voice. "He was supposed to be home by now…"
"Don't worry, he'll show," Yuffie said in what she hoped was a confident, reassuring voice. "Everyone knows that blondes are ditzy. He probably just lost track of time getting you the perfect present."
Tifa laughed. "Knowing him, it only just occurred to him five minutes ago that you're supposed to exchange gifts this time of year." But her stomach still knotted, remembering that Cloud had promised to be back at the bar over an hour ago. "Excuse me a minute." She left the room abruptly, heading upstairs into the office. She dialed his number without even looking at the keys. It rang four times before he picked up. Tifa had to hold the phone a few inches from her ear to dull the roar of a motorcycle engine.
"I know." She strained to hear his soft voice.
"What are you doing? You were supposed to be here an hour ago. People are already coming. Reno came last night and Barret just walked in the door." Yuffie had been staying with them for over a week already.
"You invited the Turks?"
"It was an open invitation." She retorted coolly.
"Why'd he come so early?" Cloud disdained Reno most of all the Shinra employees. Though he would never admit it, the reason was mainly the red head's many failed attempts at getting into Tifa's pants.
"I don't know, but he sure found Yuffie's room comfortable."
"Wow…"
"Where are you right now?"
"Uh… just a few blocks away…" There was the blare of a car horn and a shout of:
"Get off your phone you freakin' moron!"
"Up yours!" an engine revved. "Sorry, not you Teef."
"Just get home in one piece okay?"
"Sure." And with a click he was gone.
She sighed, hanging up the phone. What could keep him out so late? On Christmas Eve! She took a deep breath, forcing herself to relax. It was perfectly reasonable for there to be more packages needing to be delivered tonight. And there were plenty of friends downstairs to keep her busy, most of them heavy drinkers…. God it was going to be an interesting night.
When she entered the bar again, Cid and Shera were peeling off their coats.
"Son of a Bitch! I'm freezing my Goddamn ass off!"
Yuffie crashed to the floor. She had tried to dive across the table to cover the children's ears but had underestimated how far she would slide on the freshly polished surface.
"Stop swearin round my baby girl!" Barret roared.
"Oh sorry didn't see them- hey!" Shera plucked the cigar from Cid's mouth and crushed it under her heel.
"No smoking or cursing the rest of the night," she ordered firmly. "This is a family friendly party."
"Yes Queen Shera," Cid rolled his eyes. "Will your Majesty allow me to drink with my friends?"
"Of coarse, I'm not cruel."
"Listen to you two, bickering like an old married couple," Yuffie giggled, completely recovered from her spill. "Wait, you are an old married couple!" she burst into hysterical laughter.
"And she's not even drunk yet," Tifa mused.
"Wait, the brat hasn't been drinking yet?" Barret stared at Yuffie incredulously. "I thought she was already soaked!"
"Not quite!" Yuffie ripped the cap from a bottle with her teeth. "But I ain't stayin sober for long!" She took a swig, rocking back and forth on her heels.
"Intoxicated already I see." Vincent barely opened the door in order to slip in.
"Hey Vinnie!" she threw a bottle at him which he caught deftly.
"No thank you," he set the beer down on a table. "And please refrain from referring to me as 'Vinnie', 'Vamp' or 'Box boy'." He grimaced.
"You forgot 'Emo'." Cid pointed out.
"He didn't say anything about Vince or Vampy either," yuffie giggled.
"Hi Vincent!" his scowl softened as Marlene smiled innocently up at him. "Merry Christmas!"
"The same to you Marlene," he shook her hand gravely.
"Crickey! Ma knickers been frozen to ma-" Cait Sith stopped in mid rant, seeing Denzel looking at him curiously. "Rear." He finished lamely.
Red XIII courteously shook the snow from his fur on the front step. "Good evening everyone." His lone eye roved around the room. "Where is Cloud?"
"He'll be here in a minute," Tifa glanced at the clock. "I talked to him about ten minutes ago… he said he was close…"
"Where've you been Reno!?" the door hadn't even closed before Elena stepped in, followed closely by Tseng and Rude. "We've been working our Asses off all night and today without you!"
"You should really let someone know when you're going to take unauthorized time off," Rude brushed the snow lightly from his suit.
"Then it wouldn't be unauthorized now would it?" Reno smirked, putting his feet up on the table and rocking on the back two legs of his chair. "What can I say? I'm a sucker for the holiday season."
Yuffie whistled with her hands behind her back, obviously thinking this to be inconspicuous. Reno immediately saw what was coming and dropped his chair back down. Instead of sweeping the chair from under him as she had apparently intended, Yuffie stubbed her toe and fell to the ground cursing.
"Stop cussin round the children lassie!" Cait Sith called from his place at the bar.
"Boss said he'd be here in a bit," Tseng informed the room at large. "He's just finishing up some paper work."
"Well we're all happy to have you all here," Tifa said diplomatically, daring the others with her eyes to disagree. Barret fidgeted but said nothing. "That will be almost everyone then. Should we wait for Rufus and Cloud? Or eat now?"
"Now!" Yuffie cried. "I'm starving!"
"It makes no difference to me," Red XIII curled up in the corner by the furnace.
"it's his own fault he's late!" Cid waved a hand impatiently.
"Yeah, we could be up all night waiting for his skinny white a-" Barret caught himself just in time. "Butt."
"But what if it's all gone when they get here?" Marlene turned her puppy dog eyes on them. "Everyone should have good food at Christmas time."
"Marlee's right. We can't eat without Cloud," Denzel piped in.
No one could disagree with the two children, so it was decided the food could wait.
"What are we going to do until then?" Reno asked in a bored voice.
"Why don't you kids decorate the tree?" Tifa suggested. "I got the ornaments down this morning."
"I love the decorating!" Marlene bounced over to the small fir. "Come on! What are you waiting for Denz?" The adults watched them carefully put up each delicate ornament until Marlene turned around, her hands on her hips. "We can't reach the top you know!" She stormed over to Rude as everyone laughed. She pressed a plastic Santa into his large hand. "Put it up by the top." She ordered.
The rest tried not to laugh as the tall man obeyed silently. A few minutes later, the door swung open and Tifa's breath caught in her throat. Finally, he was here and she could stop worrying and start enjoying herself. But just as she was about to call out a greeting, the snow cleared and Rufus stood in the doorway, his signiture white suit dusted in snow. Tifa allowed herself a moment of disappointment before smiling. "Glad you could make it!"
"Glad to be anywhere but the office," the president of Shinra grimaced.
Barret clenched his fist, moments from eruption. Tifa gave him a warning look that clearly said; 'He wasn't involved. They are our friends now. Behave yourself and be nice.' To his credit, the large man barely squirmed when Rufus took a seat on the stool next to him.
"So we're only waiting for Blondie?" Yuffie frowned. "What's taking him?"
"Ah the lad's an odd bloke," Cait Sith said wisely. "But not a bad one, eh?"
"Ah them pretty boy's are all the same," Cid scoffed. "Think they can just leave everyone else hangin."
"Well if he don't get here soon, he ain't gunna be so pretty no more," Barret cracked the knuckles on his remaining hand. "I'm starving!"
"I'll call again, just to make sure everything's alright," Tifa retreated up the stairs again. This time she had to suffer five rings before he answered.
"I'm sorry."
"Where the hell are you?!" she hissed into the phone. The chatter from downstairs would most likely cover her voice, but she kept it low just in case. "Everyone's getting hungry!"
"Go ahead and eat without me. I'm almost there."
"What are you talking about?! I can't even hear your bike!" Tifa was rapidly losing her temper. "Cloud, where are you?"
"On my way, sorry got to go."
"Cloud you get your ass home right now or I'll-" but he had already hung up. She threw the phone at the opposite wall in frustration. "Dammit!" There was a small knock on the doorway. Tifa turned around to find Shera looking at her worriedly.
"I'm sorry," she said, looking uncomfortable. "But I really couldn't help over hearing."
"Oh no it's fine," Tifa ran a hand through her hair. "Sorry, I'm just a little stressed right now."
"Uh huh," Shera nodded skeptically. "Bull. You tell me what's wrong." She crossed her arms sternly. "Is it that man of yours, making you wait around for him?"
Tifa forced a laugh. "Who? Cloud? You're joking."
"Of coarse not," Shera narrowed her eyes shrewdly. "I never joke about important things like love. I've seen the way you two look at each other. But you're like grade schoolers and your first crush. Too shy for your own good. Grow up!"
Tifa didn't know what to say to this, so she decided not to dignify it with a response. "We need some music," She commented, shuffling a stack of CDs.
"It took Cid years to figure himself out," Shera continued. "Maybe people are right about blondes. The men anyway."
"Carols or piano music?"
"But you do realize that it goes both ways don't you?"
"I love the piano, but it is Christmas."
"You've got to let him know it's safe. The way's clear and you want him too. Are you listening to me?" Shera snapped her fingers in front of Tifa's face. "Hey! You awake in there?"
"Yeah," she sighed. "Give it a rest, will you? It's got nothing to do with Cloud. I don't come all on my own you know. There's the kids to think of. What man would even think of a bar keeper running an orphanage?"
"I'll tell you what man," Shera was getting more bold with her proclamations as she went. "The man who has lived with you the past two years and who is adored by all those kids you mentioned."
Tifa sighed, giving up her cherade. "Don't you think that might be why he hasn't- you know- said something by now? He doesn't want the responsibility of raising children that aren't his?"
"Are we even talking about the same person?" Shera threw her hands up. "Who are you talking about? Cuz I'm talking about Cloud Strife, you know, the guy who thinks it's his responsibility that the sun comes up every morning! He's saved the world a fair few times, I think he can handle a few little ones."
"Hmm…" Tifa picked up the phone from where she had thrown it. "Damn, I lost the batteries." She set it on Cloud's desk, her hand pausing near the photos propped up there. "I never liked this one," she commented, running a fingertip along the frame. "Even the kids look sad. But that was when he'd leave…. For weeks sometimes…"
"Listen to me, you're young! Don't waste these years you've got until you're old like me."
"You aren't old."
"40 this summer," Shera informed her. "What about you? Early to mid twenties right?"
Tifa nodded.
"See? Why waste the good years while you've got them? Beauty is only skin deep, but it doesn't exactly hurt. And that isn't exactly in short supply with this romance." Shera sighed when Tifa offered no response except to turn brick red. "All right, the old lady's ranting is done. Just come down with me before people start to worry."
Tifa followed her with a sigh, unwelcome thoughts running around her head. Maybe Shera was right. But no! It was too late for the both of them, she knew that. There would be no fairy tale ending for Tifa Lockhart.
"So what's up with Spike?" Barret asked. "He comin or what?"
"He says he's on his way," Tifa tried to keep her voice as light and casual as possible. "But to eat without him."
"He better be here for the presents," Marlene humphed disapprovingly. "Denzel's presents are the best! But he says I can't tell what they are."
"Shh!" Denzel shushed her frantically. "I want it to be a surprise…"
"I'll get the food out," Tifa offered. "Sit down and clear a space would you?"
A few minutes later, they were all enjoying Tifa's deliciose cooking.
"Where do you get these noodles?" Yuffie asked, slurping noisily. "I'd love having these back home!"
"Cloud picks them up special," Tifa blushed happily as everyone expressed their pleasure in different ways. "There's this grocer who pays him in foreign foods. Pretty weird, but nice for a change of pace. But what makes them good is the peanut sauce from Wutai."
When everyone had finished eating, Marlene took out the last of the decorations. "The angel goes on top." She informed Vincent, gently cradeling the doll-like figure. "Be real careful or she'll fall."
He took it and only paused a moment; staring at the heavenly host's clasped hands, closed eyes and long brown hair. When he had set it gently on top, Marlene clapped her hands.
"Perfect! Good job, I told you decorating wasn't hard."
"… Angels don't remain on this earth very long…" he said softly to no one in particular. Anyone who knew of their dark friend's tragic past searched for a change of subject.
"What's for dessert Teef? Or do we go straight to the booze?" Yuffie always had a way with words.
"I don't have anything very special, but someone could get the candy canes and cookies while I do up the dishes," Tifa suggested.
"Don't be rediculouse," Rufus tried gathering a few plates himself, nearly dropping most of them.
"Yeah, you cook, we clean," Cid balanced a stack of glasses on one hand while snatching up serving bowls with the other.
Tifa watched the other's hap hazard attempts at cleaning, laughing when Yuffie, seeing that his hands were full, pushed a handful of spoons into Barret's mouth.
"What do you think you're doin you little snot?!" he roared when he had set down his load and spit the spoons into the sink.
"Why take more than one trip?" she asked logically. "I was doing you a favor."
"Next time you want to do me a favor, don't alright?"
"Step aside lad," Cait Sith ordered Tseng who was staring blankly at the sink. "I'll show ya how it's dun." He twisted the hot water knob with both front paws and knocking over the dish soap with his tail. When enough suds had squirted in, he kicked it back up with his hind leg. "Start scrubbin, lad." He ordered, drying his paws on a towel. "One a ya get a rag ta dry."
No one disputed his authority, as not one of them (except perhaps Shera) had so much as held a bottle of detergant before.
"What the hell is this?" Tseng held up a brillo pad, looking as though he was about to cry.
"Are you sure you don't need any help?" Tifa opened the connecting door from the kitchen with her hip, carrying platters of cookies. "I feel so rude watching you all work."
"Oh no," Elena elbowed her partner in the stomach. "We'll be fine. You relax for awhile."
"Alright…" She caught Marlene by the arm as the little girl ran past. "Could you pick out some music for us to listen to?"
"Sure!" the girl scampered off, then ran back. "What's your favorite chistmas song?"
"Mine?" Tifa thought for a moment. "I'd have to say 'Carol of the Bells'. It's so pretty."
"Thanks!" Marlene ran off again, grabbing a handful of candy canes to pass out as she went. She held one out to Reno, who had somehow avoided cleaning duties entirely.
"Thanks kid," he took the sweet and bit off one end.
Marlene looked at him as though he had just kicked a puppy in the face.
"What are you doing?! You can't eat a candy cane like that!"
"I can't?" he blinked, still crunching.
"Of coarse not! Haven't you ever had a candy cane before?" she demanded, climbing up onto the seat next to him.
"I dunno. Maybe."
Marlene then took it upon herself to teach the Turk the 'proper' way to eat a candy cane.
"I tell ya, that Chocobo head is startin, to tick me off!" Yuffie called over the clink of dishes being washed. "I swear, if he ain't here in the next five minutes, I'm shaving his head while he's asleep."
"Who's head?"
"Cloud!" Marlene and Denzel rocketed across the room to hug the sword weilding blonde.
"Hi everyone. Sorry I'm late."
"Where've you been Spikey?" Barret clapped him on the back, knocking the breath out of his lungs. "We been waitin forever!"
"I just had to make a couple more stops on the way here," he coughed, removing his sword sheath and sunglasses. "Sorry. But it was important." He gave Tifa an apologetic look. She tried to answer cooly but it was hard to be angry with him when she was so relieved he had come.
"That's alright. Are you hungry? I can warm something up if you want."
"No that's okay," he sunk gratefully into a chair, looking tired.
"Well now that everyone's here, we can finally party!" Cid opened a bottle and threw a second to Cloud. "Have a drink man, you'll feel better."
"Thanks," No one noticed that Cloud only pretended to drink along with the rest.
"Yuffie? What's your favorite Christmas song?" Marlene asked the tiny ninja.
"Uhh…" she thought for a moment, bouncing subconciosly on the spot. "Santa baby!"
"What about you Cid?"
"I dunno, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, how bout that one? Why are you askin little lady?"
Marlene handed them each a candy cane. "I've got to pick the music for tonight," she said proudly. "So I'm asking everyone their favorite song." She tugged at Vincent's cloak. "What's yours?"
He smiled softly down at her. "Silent Night."
"Cloud what's your favorite Christmas song?" she continued her survey on the other side of the room.
"Uh…. What's that one…? Sera Jevo."
"Thanks!" soon, she had everyone's answer and picked the appropriet CDs out from her case.
"Thank you Marlene, that's much better," tifa smiled as their own selections blared from the old player in the corner. "You did a very good job."
Marlene giggled happily, giving her gaurdian a hug. "Are we going to open presents now? Cloud's here."
Thinking it best to put the children to bed before her friends started drinking in earnest, Tifa nodded. "I think it's about time we exchanged our gifts." She called over the chatter.
There was general agreement and Denzel ran upstairs.They laughed and joked as they opened variose packages of weapons and other life nessecities. Marlene gave a piercing shriek when Barret unvieled her new dollhouse. Denzel came down after a few minutes, shyly handing each of the party goers a portrait of themselves.
"These are beautiful Denzel," Tifa's breath caught in her throat as she looked at a 2D version of herself, even if it was much prettier than she thought herself to be in real life. "Thank you so much," She pulled a wooden case from behind her back. "And here's your present, it's from all of us."
Denzel's eyes went wide as he opened the case to find rows of neatly sharpened charcoal, pencils, pastels and packs of moldable earaser, surrounding a thick sketch book.
"Thank you," he breathed, as though if he wasn't careful, the gift might disapear.
Tifa let the children stay up a little longer to try out their new presents. Once Yuffie's speech started to slur and her language became steadily more dirty, she rushed the kids upstairs and into their bedroom.
'Good night you two. Christmas comes early in the morning," she kissed them both good night and shut off the light. When she returned to the bar, the party had gotten considerably more wild. Yuffie was on the bar, dancing in a way she never would have, had she been sober. Barret was determined to beat Vincent at bloody knuckles, but was too drunk to see his draconic friend's smug smirk. He was using his metal claw of a hand. Cid and Cait Sith were putting on a double act for those not previosly engaged, juggling whiskey bottles across the bar. The no longer business like Elani was laughing hysterically at Reno and Tseng's game of spoons. Tifa shook her head, smiling and made her way over to where Cloud sat quietly.
"Put the kids to bed?"
"Yeah. I didn't want them around for this," she jerked her head pointedly at Yuffie, who's dance was getting more like a strip tease by the minute.
"Good plan," he raised a bottle to his lips before setting it down, as though he had thought better of it. "Sorry I didn't give you your gift yet."
Tifa blinked. In all the commotion, she hadn't noticed. "That's alright. You don't need to get me anything."
"No I've got one… on the way here. I'll just give it to you later." He cleared his throat, staring across the room as though suddenly very interested in a story Rufus was telling about a girl he had met in Kalm
Tifa didn't know what to say to this. Sometimes Cloud acted so strange. "Well thank you in advance. I'm sure I'll love it."
"I hope so."
"So seriose aren't you?" she laughed. "What's with you tonight? You're so mysteriose."
He smiled and Tifa had to hold in a sigh. She would never get tired of his rare smiles. He had gone without one for so long. "I guess I'm just tired."
"Well hang in there a little bit longer. It's so nice having everyone together for once.
"Yeah… What the-" he looked up as something green hit him in the face. Yuffie had finally hopped down from the bar and found a bowl of mistletoe. Cloud grimaced as the two of them were barraged with plant life.
"Not very subtle is she?" Tifa commented, picking a sprig from her hair.
"You don't say."
"Was that a joke Mr. Strife?"
"No."
"I think it was," she teased, punching his shoulder playfully. "This is good for you. We should have all the drunks over more often."
"You do own a bar Teef," he yawned, putting his feet up on the nearest vacant chair. "It can't be that hard."
"you're just Mr. Funnypants now aren't you?"
He raised an eyebrow at her. "Funnypants? I didn't think you'd been drinking too."
"I haven't. Cut me some slack, I've been trying to teach Yuffie to clean all day."
"My sypathies."
"See? You're just full of jokes tonight." She giggled
"But you just said I was being too mysteriose."
"I know! That's why it's so funny." She laughed harder. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's gotten into me. I must be stressed."
"Stressed huh? That seems to be the excuse of the night, now isn't it?" Shera had over heard again.
"Huh?" Cloud looked up, confused.
"Aw, nothin that concerns you Boy," the older woman smiled evilly at Tifa's death glare. "It's just that the holidays seem to be a rough time for this one." She clapped Tifa on the back.
"What's goin on over here?" Reno slid into a seat at their table, slapping down a deck of cards.
"Nothing," greatful for the interuption, Tifa cleared a space on the table. "Anyone up for a game of poker?"
"I'll play!" Yuffie skipped over.
"I'll give it a shot." Barret swerved to their table.
" Count me in," Elani slid sluggishly into the seat next to Reno.
"Why not?" Tseng slurred.
"Hit me!"
"That's BlackJack Cid."
"All the same, just give me some cards."
"I guess I'll play," Cloud shrugged, sitting up a bit straighter.
"What's the call?" Reno asked, shuffeling his deck. "Hold'm? 5 card?" He smirked. "Strip?"
"Hell yeah baby!" Yuffie hopped up and down excitedly.
"Why not, I ain't rememberin a thing tomarrow," Tseng took another swig from his brandy bottle.
"On second thought, count me out. I'm going to bed," Cloud got up hastily.
"Aww, sit 'own buddy. You got layers," Barret put a hand on his shoulder, pulling him down.
"What's wrong? Afraid?" reno asked innocently, dealing the table.
"Forget it, you're all drunk anyway. It wouldn't be fair." Cloud stood again and waved a hand to the whole room. "G'night. Sorry I couldn't be here earlier."
"Night Cloud!"
"Merry Christmas pretty boy!"
"Take care of yourself Blondie!"
"Yeah sure."
Tifa yawned. "I think I'll go to bed too. It's getting late and Lord only knows how early those kids will wake up."
"Teef! Wait- Stop it!" Yuffie giggled as Reno pulled her into his lap, trying to twist her around to kiss her. "Quit that! I'm trying to tell Teef somethin important!"
Tifa paused, rolling her eyes as the red headed Turk ignored Yuffie's protests.
"Teef! TeefTeefTeef!" she finally escaped Reno's hold, smacking his hands away. "Wait up a sec." She staggered over to Tifa who grimaced as the younger woman's alcohol soaked breath hit her full in the face. "TeefTeefTeef!" she repeated, giggling. "Remember to- what I mean is-" she snorted, holding onto Tifa's shoulder to hold herself up. "Don't forget protection!" at that, she burst into a furiose fit of giggles and fell back into Reno's lap. Tifa rolled her eyes and continued her way upstairs.
When she walked past the laundry room, she noticed that the load she had thrown in was dry. Pulling the clothes out, she sighed with a small smile. Dull purple and black. She carried the basket down the hall and knocked on Cloud's door.
"It's open."
"Your clothes are done," she walked in and set the hamper on his small creaky bed. He nodded, pulling off his gloves. Tifa turned to leave but stopped, something on his desk catching her eye. "This is pretty." She commented nonchalantly, picking up the small gold ring.
"I thought so too," he sat on his bed, back to her, and began unlacing his boots.
"Where'd you get it?" she studied the ring, turning it over in her fingers slowly.
"I dunno. That shop out of town."
"Must have been expensive."
" Hmm. Guess so."
"I like it."
"Good. I hoped you would."
"Good night."
"Night."
She turned to leave again, but went a complete 360 degrees, laughing and ran to kiss him.
"You're such a pansy!" she exclaimed after they had broken apart, slapping his arm.
"I assume that's a yes?" he tried to hide the grin that was taking over his face.
"Shut up. You have the worst sense of humor."
"Merry Christmas Tifa."
Sorry... that was soooo dorky. Yes. That was Cloud's sorry excuse for a proposal. But can't you see him doing that? As always, review and I'm sorry.