I'm not usually too into song fics, but for whatever reason I've had this song stuck in my head for some time now and I felt like it would be an opportunity for a cute oneshot. All credit goes to "Moon Song" by Karen O.

'OPEN' turned to 'CLOSED'.

Tifa let out a heavy sigh as she rubbed her eyes with one hand. It had been a particularly long day, and nothing sounded better than a long shower and a comfortable bed to lie in. Turning back to face the bar, she saw the remnants of her patrons—glasses, plates and bowls, the occasional phone number left behind on a used napkin for either her or another poor woman who was unfortunate enough to get stuck talking to some inebriated man. Tables and chairs sat disorganized and out of their usual order; Friday nights were always a sight to behold as the bar never quit moving. Even after closing, it was not uncommon for her to have to boot several ornery customers with nothing better to do with their time than to drink out onto the street. The bar was chaotic enough without stubborn patrons—she didn't need to wake the children with the incessant yelling and commotion that typically followed confrontations such as that so early in the morning.

Quietly—almost like a mouse—came footsteps. Heavier than Denzel or Marlene's tiny feet, these footsteps had experience tip-toeing their way around things. She shot a kind smile as a mess of blonde hair rounded the corner of the stairwell; Cloud had apparently woken from his sleep. It was a rare occasion that he came home before she closed, let alone fall asleep a few hours before; she had even felt his forehead upon his arrival home as to make sure he wasn't falling ill. But he had told her that his deliveries ended early that day, and in turn he had been tasked with making sure that Denzel and Marlene completed their homework before heading off to bed. Thank Gaia, too—math was most certainly not Tifa's strong suit. Cloud was a man of few words to many, but he at least knew his numbers pretty well.

"What are you doing out of bed, Cloud? It's nearly three in the morning," Tifa continued to wipe down a table and scoop dishes into a container to be washed.

He said nothing at first, but instead took a glass from the top shelf of the bar and poured himself a glass of water from the tap. After drawing out a long sip, he resolved to sitting at the bar and watched her preform her closing duties. "…I wanted to make sure that everything was alright down here."

It earned a small laugh. "What? Were you afraid I was going to have to fight off some nasty bar customers? Trust me, I don't think they could do so much as stand up without falling over when they're that drunk."

He chuckled softly, taking another sip of his water. "Just making sure…I know how it gets on the weekend, sometimes."

Tifa stopped wiping the tables, a realization dawning on her as she placed her hands on her hips, dirty rag still in hand. "…Is that why you came home so early, Cloud Strife? To be my protector against the evils of alcoholics?"

"I just wasn't sure if you could handle it is all," He gave her a small shrug of the shoulders, a sly smirk gently tugging at the corners of his lips. He pulled his drink to his lips again and nursed the water, his eyes never shifting away from hers.

She rolled her eyes. "Well, the next time I have to kick someone out, I'll let you know. You can bully them to your heart's content," She grinned.

The two sat in silence for a while; Tifa could feel those cerulean eyes burning holes into her as she glided from one end of the bar and back, scooping up dishes and glasses in her arms and bringing them to the sink. She quickly washed and rinsed the mugs; dishes had become almost a sport to her as she had to do them so often. Sometimes, she made Marlene or Denzel do them as a chore in the mornings but she wanted to be able to sleep in a little tomorrow before she opened for lunch. The only downside to this new Seventh Heaven was the fact that the top dish rack felt as if it were a mile above her; she loved Barret deeply, but sometimes she believed that he had trouble understanding that not everyone was as large as him. She rose onto her toes, still struggling to reach the hook to hang her glass by. She muttered a few choice words as she felt the muscles in her calves being stretched to their limits.

Suddenly, a hand slowly reached above her head and hung the mug for her. Glancing over her shoulder, Cloud wordlessly stood behind her, already placing more glasses up onto the upper rack. She smiled and remained silent, washing plates and bowls. The only noise filling the bar was the whirring of the ceiling fans and a small radio chattering away behind the bar.

I'm lying on the moon

My dear, I'll be there soon

It's a quiet and starry place

Time's we're swallowed up

In space we're here, a million miles away

"…I like this song."

Cloud acknowledged her with a quiet grunt. He listened for a moment, pausing his dish duties.

She lowered her soapy plate into the sink's warm water, abruptly drying her hands on the rag in her waistband. She stepped back, outstretching a hand. "I want to dance."

Just as he had begun to resume his putting away of various white dishes, he stopped again, this time with a bewildered look on his sleepy face.

"Come on," She laughed quietly, shaking her hand with the insistence that he take it. "The song will be over soon if you just keep looking at me like that."

"But…" Cloud's voice trailed off, his face becoming flush. "I don't know how."

The bittersweet realization that Cloud had never danced with anyone before dawned upon Tifa; she had plenty of opportunities to dance with men that she had no interest in. But he never got the chance because life had dealt him a slightly different hand than she. She flashed a gentle smile, turning the volume dial on the radio so that it could be heard more clearly. "…Come on, I'll show you. It's not hard—I promise."

Cautiously, Cloud set down the plate he had been trying to find a home in the cabinets for and followed out from behind the bar until they were standing in a barren spot between the tables.

There's things I wish I knew

There's no thing I'd keep from you

It's a dark and shiny place

But with you my dear

I'm safe and we're a million miles away

She straightened her back, closing the space between them by taking him by the wrists and gently placing his fingers upon her hips. She in turn then wrapped her own arms around his neck, her wine-colored eyes gazing at him with a smile growing upon her tired face. "…And you just sort of sway. It's easy, I told you."

He looked at her for a long time, studying her features carefully before speaking, as if he had suddenly realized that he should say something in return. "I think I can do this."

Tifa laughed softly, closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath through her nostrils. He smelled clean—he had showered before going to bed. She laughed to herself of the idea of Cloud doing the same to her; she could only imagine what on Gaia she smelled like right now. Food, alcohol, dish soap, and probably the remnants of some vomit of an inebriated customer that she was forced to clean up. But Cloud didn't seem to mind. She gently rested her head against his shoulder, her forehead brushing the nape of his neck. He was so warm.

His arms, initially remaining at her waist, then spread to envelope her fully, pulling her as close to him as he could. He rested his head atop of hers.

They swayed, wrapped up in each other. Then, slowly, Tifa lifted her head from his shoulder. Cloud lifted his head in turn, and they locked eyes. She gave him a sheepish smiley; her cheeks turned a rosy pink. Even in the dim light, his eyes glowed with that deep hue of electric blue and it had never failed to mesmerize her. She could see green, brown rings—something that she didn't think she had ever been close enough to notice.

She stood on her the tips of her toes once more, no longer reaching for a dish rack. She closed the distance between her face and his, their noses brushing briefly before she ducked her head just a little lower to plant a soft kiss against his lips. When he didn't respond, she pulled away, her eyes wide with embarrassment as she immediately began to panic. Her eyes met his once more, both pairs a little less groggy.

A sleepy smile slowly tugged at the corners of his lips, flashing a few white teeth.

Their lips met again, this time with a mutual understanding of one another. She let herself relax and felt him do so in turn, their mouths becoming just a little more open. The swaying stopped, and she reached a hand up to press against his face, tilting it ever so slightly in the way she wanted it to. This was good.

Life was good.

We're lying on the moon

It's a perfect afternoon

Your shadow follows me all day

Making sure that I'm okay

And we're a million miles away