Disclaimer: I don't own FF7 or FF13.

The meat sizzles in the pan before her and she takes a moment to look up from the food to the people currently present in her small bar. Raines and Barret are wrapping up the deal in what looks like with a final hand shake, the trio are huddled in the corner table after finally emerging from their hideout to look for chips and soda, Cloud and Aerith seated on one side of the bar while Fang and Lightning stood near the doorway in some private conversation hushed between themselves. It was late already and although sunlight never reaches past the plate, the clock ticks on. Marlene's already asleep upstairs and even she could feel the fatigue slowly set in. Setting out three plates, she serves Cloud and Aerith first before she prepares the last one and sets it on the counter.

She doesn't consider herself curious but she sneaks in a better look at Lightning. Arms crossed, weight shifted to one side; impatient, Fang talked the most from the looks of it; quiet, and even around familiars her expression and eyes remained just as stoic and emotionless; perhaps impersonal? Wiping her hands on the towel, she straightened her skirt before approaching the two Academians. Their talk immediately ceased and all eyes turned to her. "Dinner's ready." Tifa said trying her best to keep her voice straight, not that she found it intimidating.

Fang's smile cracked easily before she shoved Lightning forward earning the first flash of emotion she has seen on the pink haired woman. Annoyance and even anger if Fang's laughter didn't tell her that it was alright. Her eyes narrowed into a glare, and Tifa amused herself wondering if Lightning could kill with it, happy that it wasn't directed at her. Fang though was probably used to it as she laughed it off, "Go get some food. It's good." Giving them a thumbs up, Lightning only rolled her eyes before her face went emotionless again.

"Thanks."

A small word of gratitude, quiet as spoken to her as she passed yet it sounded almost forced. "Don't take it personally." Fang said nodding at the pink haired woman, "She's like that with everyone. Not very... tactful."

"I've noticed." Tifa smiled.

"So..." Fang started, crossing her arms as well but her manner was so much different from Lightning's. It was almost teasing and challenging at the same time. Coupled with that smirk, Fang looked slightly smug actually. "I figure I should give you a fair warning. Light's used to working alone."

Light? A nickname? Tilting her head slightly at the thought, she nodded at the statement. She wasn't quite sure what to make of it. "Ok."

"I doubt it." The other snorted but left it at that. "Best not to get on her bad side."

What kind of advice was that? Tifa frowned slightly but Fang only patted her shoulder as she walked towards the counter where Lightning was sitting. "Alright..." Tifa drawled before turning back. Returning behind the counter she cleaned the glasses looking from the groups of people.

"Good?" She tuned into Fang's question.

"Sure." Now what kind of answer was that? What if Fang had asked if it was bad?

"Told you." So it meant that it was good?

Raising her eyebrows at their conversation, Tifa continued drying the glass before a soft giggle pulled her out of her thoughts. "So? What do you think?" Aerith whispered as she moved around the counter beside her and helped her with the job. Keeping her voice soft so they wouldn't be overheard, the flower girl continued, "About Lightning."

"What about her?"

"She kinda looks like Cloud doesn't she?"

"So I'm not the only one that noticed." Tifa laughed turning to look at the blonde man sipping his drink on the opposite side.

"Maybe they're long lost twins." Aerith joked.

"No, she's an Academian."

"So? They could've been separated at birth." Shaking her head, Tifa simply laughed it off. She knows Aerith was joking but even so, she and Cloud grew up together in the same village and he had always been an only child. "But she's rather quiet."

"I've been told she's not very good with words."

Aerith laughed shaking her head, "Doesn't take a genius to figure that out."

"You'd be surprised how many people can't seem to figure it out." The two jumped at the third voice, eyes darted to see Fang leaning over the counter with a Cheshire grin. "Didn't want to interrupt but I couldn't resist."

"You... heard everything?"

"It's part of the training." Fang hummed, "But... it's not that Lightning's not very good with words. She doesn't bother to be good with words."

The chair drew against the wooden floor catching all three of their attention as Lightning stood up carrying an empty plate over to them. "Here," she murmured and then in one smooth action slapped her hand against Fang's forehead, "And Fang, shut up." Exchanging looks, they watched as the soldier headed towards Raines before they all burst out laughing.

"Part of the training right?" Tifa teased.

"Believe me, she's done worse." Fang huffed massaging her head. "She's got a deadly right hand hook."

"Really?" Now that peaked her interest. Hand to hand combat was her specialty.

The bustle of the bar drew their attention. Raines stood up shaking Barret's hand one last time before tucking his white leather briefcase beneath his arm, "I look forward to our partnership." He stated nodding to the rest of them before he turned to Fang, "It's time." Tifa glanced towards Lightning seeing the pink haired woman leaning against the wall with her gaze directed at the ground. "Lightning?" Raines approached her resting his hand on her shoulder before he dropped his voice for some but not all the people to hear, "It's for your own good." She says nothing, only turns her head to the side and Tifa could hear Raines sigh before he leaves.

"See you later." Fang said with a short wave to no one in particular before she followed the man.

The door closed and a silence fell in between all of them as their attention turned to the pink haired woman. "So... uh..." Barret started glancing back at Tifa, "Why don't you bring her to the rooms?"

"W-Where?" As far as she knows they don't have any extra rooms. "I guess you can stay with me."

"Whatever." Lightning barely muttered under her breath. The silence grew tense instantly at the answer.

"Uhm... r-right." Tifa managed heading up stairs and the pink haired woman soon followed behind. Standing at her room door, she looked down the stairs tensing when she saw Cloud walk up behind them as well. He gave her a nod but she barely had enough time to return one before he disappeared into his room. Only when she saw someone shift in her peripheral vision did she snap back to reality meeting the hardened blue eyes of Lightning. "Sorry..." Just as she opened the door, Aerith's voice called out to them before the very woman caught up to them with a grin.

"I'm going to stay the night."

"Oh, well... I guess it's a sleep over then." Tifa smiled before a snort interrupted them. She turned to see Lightning rolling her eyes before she motioned at the door.

"Are you going to go in or not?"

"Yes, but it's not like I was going to ignore-" The pink haired woman turned her head tossing her gaze to the side in disinterest. The words became lodged in her throat and she had half a mind to reprimand the woman as if she was some child because at the moment, her attitude definitely needed some straightening out. She swallowed that feeling, no matter how painful it was to hold from lashing back, and stepped into the room. Aerith followed in first and then Lightning. There had been multiple opportunities where Aerith had stayed over in the past so it didn't take long for her to settle in. She took a seat on her bed but Lightning stood at the doorway looking around the room as if she was judging it. "It's small." Tifa stated roughly seeing no point in being kind or even pretending to do that if Lightning wasn't courteous enough to return it. "I'm sure it's doesn't compare to what you have in Academia."

"It doesn't." Lightning responds tersely, "And I wouldn't expect it to."

Tifa bit her lip and reigned back her anger. She had always prided herself on her patience and ability to handle and understand people. She was kind and gentle when she wants to be but it was like an entirely different story around Lightning. With a huff she waltzed towards the queen sized bed she had fit inside her modest room, meeting Aerith's curious stare with a glare to show her displeasure. "Uhm... So..." Aerith started after a moment suffocating in the heavy silence, "Lightning? Can I call you Light?"

"No."

Tifa could only snort loudly before laying down on her bed with her back turned to the pink haired woman lingering at the doorway. "Well, I'm going to call you Light." Aerith hummed with a smile regardless of what Lightning had said. "Are you just going to sleep there?"

"I don't see another bed."

Tifa's hands clenched around her pillows as if she was trying to strangle the life out of it before she finally caved, feeling a wave of fatigue wash over her. She was tired, they were tired, and Lightning did save their lives even if she was acting like a spoiled brat. "There should be sheets in the closet." Tifa mumbled into the pillow. She was a fighter, trained in martial arts, trained in the ways of patience and generosity and there was no way she was going to let this Academian take that away from her. Steeling herself, she pushed herself up turning to see Lightning seated with her back against the wall beside the door with her sheathed weapon resting on her lap. Eyes closed, yet her expression somehow still remained hardened. "You're not going to be able to sleep like that."

"It's fine."

"At least let me get you a blanket-"

"I said it's fine." Lightning asserted without even opening her eyes to look at her as she talked. At this rate, she may as well toss Fang's advice out the window because it was clear that even acts of kindness got on Lightning's bad side.

"Fine." Throwing her hands up, she dropped back down on the bed again. "Fine." Tifa muttered to herself and Aerith only let out a sigh before she laid down beside her. Sleep didn't come as easy as she wanted to and she couldn't even toss and turn because Aerith was right beside her. It also didn't help that there was a stranger in her room, and a rude one at that. It's not like it was cold during the night underneath the plate, rather it was always stuffy and muggy yet sleeping without a blanket wasn't sleeping in her dictionary. She doesn't know why she bothers. It's not like Lightning's going to appreciate it or suddenly become her best friend the next morning yet she knows what's right so her parents won't be rolling in their graves. Pushing herself up, she turns to see Lightning still in the exact same place and in the exact same position. Eyes closed and her head bent slightly down. Opening her closet, Tifa pulled out a thin sheet before kneeling in front of the pink haired woman. For a soldier, she's not very alert. If it were Cloud, he would've woken up by now. Carefully, she placed the blanket over her body. Lightning didn't so much as budge. Maybe she was tired from today as well. Standing up, Tifa stretched to iron out the knots in her shoulder before resting back in her bed. Now, sleep came much easier.