If you are a girl, or boy, and you understand that girl's have mood swings during their "monthlies", Tifa's actions may make a whole lot of sense.
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Miss Marlene Strife came bursting out of the van in a fury. She was as angry as all get up. Aeris got out of the front passenger's seat and tried to calm Marlene down. The "dance students" filed out of the van, giggling and snickering at the pre-teen's antics. As soon as everyone was out, Barret drove the van back to the garage.
"I hate Cloud!" Marlene yelled. "I hate him. He's such a jerk! I'll never speak to him again!"
"Calm down," Aeris said soothingly. "He meant no harm in what he did. You know he was only showing you affection..."
"Well he did it at the wrong time!"
The front entrance of the estate was soon filled the chattering of teenagers...and Marlene's continued screaming.
"What did Cloud-sensei do anyhow?" Laylia asked. "He does really weird things all the time."
Marlene scowled and turned up her nose.
"It's too embarrassing to tell," she grumbled.
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Cloud watched as the face towel soaked in a large bowl of hot water. Tifa lay down on her back, glaring at him suspiciously. He took the towel and wrung it over the bowl. Cloud opened one the jars that had bought and took a strange, thick oil from it.
"What is that disgusting smell?!" Tifa groaned.
"It's an African healing ointment," Cloud answered. "I can't quite remember which plant it comes from. It's always works...but it sure does stink!"
Tifa stared at the jar in horror. It smelled almost as bad as limburger cheese.
"What are you gonna do with that?" Tifa asked nervously.
"I'm going to rub it on those bruises of yours, Miss Lockhart."
Tifa backed away into the corner of the bed. She clamped her hands over her nose, for the smell was getting worse. Cloud shook his head, put a good dollop of the oil onto the towel, and crawled across the bed after her.
"Come on, Miss Lockhart. I went out and got this just for you," said Cloud.
"Are you trying to make fun of me again?!" Tifa shrieked.
"No, I'm trying to help. Don't worry. With this oil, you'll be up and running in no time at all. Now give me your arm."
Tifa cringed and rebelliously curled into a ball, refusing to obey.
"Forget it, Mister! And besides...you rubbing oil on me just wouldn't be right!"
"You're being very childish, Miss Lockhart."
Desperate to escape from the smelly oil, Tifa soon forgot what she was saying.
"Get away from me! I don't want your stupid, quack-African remedies, ya gender changin' freak..."
Tifa stopped herself, but the damage was already done. Cloud halted dead and stared her. It wasn't an angry stare, nor was it sad or surprised. It was just a plain old stare. Cloud sighed and got off of the bed. He placed the towel back into the bowl and turned around to leave the room.
"I'm sorry," Tifa said quietly. "I didn't mean that. I didn't mean to offend you. I don't understand anything."
Cloud stopped walking but did not turn around.
"I don't understand anything," she continued, "and I'll admit it: I'm scared. I know less about you than I thought I did twelve hours ago, and I don't know what kind of situation I'm in anymore. I was so out of it last night that I couldn't really understand what a big deal it was. So...until I understand...until I know everything I need to know...can you bear with me?"
"Are you afraid of me, Miss Lockhart?"
Tifa looked towards the window.
"A little, I guess," she replied. "Is that alright for now?"
Cloud turned around, shrugged his shoulders, and walked back towards the bed. He sat down on the edge of the bed.
"For now, yes," Cloud replied. "But if you continue to be afraid of me...then...you will not be able stay in my house."
Tifa nodded solemnly. She saw the towel in the bowl and wrung it out again.
"Are we still going to use the medicine?" Tifa inquired.
"I thought you didn't want my stupid, quack-African remedies," Cloud teased.
Tifa pulled him by the collar and to her face. He only grinned.
"I want it," she growled. "Don't mess with me, Cloud-sensei! I'm in a whole lot pain of right now..."
Cloud put his hand on her shoulder, and she let go of his collar.
"It's alright," he said. "I'm only joking. You know I mean well."
Tifa sighed, resigned. Mr. Shinra was right, though. She was getting used to Cloud's antics. But was that a good thing or a bad thing?
Tifa handed him the towel, and he began to rub the unpleasant substance onto her bruises. In truth, the oil's stench was terrible, but as soon as it touched Tifa's skin, it immediately set to work. The bruises became much lighter in color.
"I'm sorry," Tifa whispered. "I've become a nuisance."
"Thank of it as my payback for all the horrible, unspeakable things I've done to you," Cloud answered jokingly. "...just don't get banged up every other week, though...you worried me half death when I realized that you had followed me."
"You didn't show it," Tifa said in astonishment. "You have such a poker face."
"I always smile when the danger's passed."
Cloud made Tifa lay on her stomach to get to the bruises on the back.
"These are the worst of all," Cloud said to himself, aloud. "Jerald really did a number on you."
Tifa sat up, without Cloud's permission.
"I'm so stupid! I couldn't even obey a simple order: 'Don't follow'. I hate that!"
Cloud listened without interrupting or commenting.
"I was completely useless, and I ended up getting beaten up and made a fool of. I know I've been taught to be tough and strong...I even act it all the time...I know I'm supposed to be an assassin...but when you get right down to it...I'm only a girl."
Without any warning, she flung herself onto Cloud and latched onto him like a baby who didn't want to leave its mother. A knock came at the door, and Barret ventured in.
"Mister Strife, the students are here and..."
He stopped and noticed the situation.
"They gonna start without ya today?" Barret asked.
"Yeah. This is gonna take more time than I thought."
Barret bowed his head and left. Quickly.
"I'm still a girl, dammit! I'm no good at my job at all. That's why I keep on getting easy assignments! Now, Mr. Shinra must be sick of me! I've been an annoyance to him ever since he found me on the streets! Now he's dropped me off on you!"
"That's not true, and you know it," Cloud scolded. "You're here because he cares about you, personally. You're just emotional right now. Jerald's not the easiest kind of person to face, and you are, after all, on your monthly cycle. Besides, Jerald wasn't even human. You're lucky that you caught him in a good mood..."
"But I don't usually act like this on my cycle!" she whined. "I haven't been like this in years."
Cloud finally got out of her grasp.
"Tifa."
This was the very first time Cloud had ever called her by her first name. Tifa sniffled and rubbed her eyes.
"Yes?"
"Shut up. I don't want hear that nonsense coming out of your mouth again."
Cloud's tone of voice was harsh and chiding. Tifa stared at him in shock, her face stained in tears. She calmed down, and they both sat at the edge of the bed. He wrapped his arm around her again, and she scooted closer, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"I know this may be a lot to ask right now," Cloud continued, "but if I'm going to be helping you, you have to trust me and let me take care of you."
"How can I trust you when I don't know who you are?" she retorted.
"I guess I'll hafta tell you then."
Tifa took her head off of his shoulder and stared at him curiously.
"But at another time," Cloud added. "You're not calm enough yet."
Tifa scowled and lay on her stomach again.
"Keep your silly secrets then!" she mumbled.
"You're back to normal fast," Cloud said sarcastically.
Cloud was actually half glad that Tifa went off into hysterics. The more time he spent in this room, the better. After all, he was not on good terms with a certain twelve-year-old girl that was waiting for him downstairs.
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"What does Cloud think he's doing?" Aeris mumbled angrily. "Leaving me alone with all of the children, for Pete's sake!"
Luckily though, the detention class had improved well. It wasn't too much trouble to watch them anymore. But Aeris was not going to let Cloud get off scott-free.
"I'll be right back," she said to the class.
Aeris left the room nad headed towards the bathroom. On her way, she passed the kitchen while the maids were gossiping.
"So Cloud's up there with Miss Lockhart?" said one maid.
Aeris halted and listened at the door.
"Yeah, I heard she had a nasty fall yesterday!" said another maid. "Bruises and cuts all over. Poor thing...but I think Cloud's putting the medicine on the bruises tight now. Lucky!"
Some of the maids, who were really other assassins, kept their mouths shut and pretended that the rumor of Tifa's "fall" was true.
"Yeah...there's a romance in the making, and no mistake about it!" Heather shouted. "I've been with Cloud long enough to see through that poker face of his. If he didn't like her...well, he wouldn't be up there taking care of her so much! Took care of her last night...Taking care of her right now!"
The kitchen erupted with giggles and oh-la-la's. Aeris stormed off towards the bathroom in rage.
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I usually have something to say at the end of a chapter, but I don't know what to say anymore...
