Author's Note: I love my reviewers! All the reviews last chapters were long! Actual paragraphs! I loved reading every single word! You guys are amazing. I love you all! :)
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plotline.
The Risks of Gambling
Summary: [AU] Tifa didn't know she had a gambling problem until she staked her freedom… and lost. [CloudTifa] [ZackAerith]
Chapter 10 – Revelations
"Knock knock!"
Tifa just finished sorting one row of new stock from inventory boxes when she glanced at the visitor standing in the front door.
"Rinoa? What are you doing here?" the brunette asked with an arched brow.
"I wanted to say goodbye," Rinoa explained with a smile.
"So soon?" Tifa asked.
"I've never been one to stay in one place for long," the girl replied with another smile. "I already said bye to Zack and Aerith. It took me a while to find you, Tifa! I thought you would be with Cloud."
Tifa looked away, tucking an idle strand of hair behind her ear. "I was never 'with' Cloud," she admitted quietly.
Rinoa lifted a brow. "What are you talking about? You two were together when I first found you guys, and according to my uncle you two are always together." She studied Tifa's face, noting how the brunette avoided her eyes. Rinoa tilted her head. "If that's not being 'with' him, what were you to him, then?"
Tifa fell silent, wondering the idea herself. She tugged the bottom of her vest, fidgeting nervously.
Rinoa spotted a small silver glint from her neck.
"What's that?" she asked, voicing her wonder aloud.
"What?" answered Tifa.
"That pendant. The one around your neck."
Tifa tugged the necklace out from her black vest, revealing it to be a ring with a wolf symbol on it connected to a chain.
"That wolf…" mumbled Rinoa. "That's the symbol for the exclusive private boarding school, Highwind prep."
"How do you know that?"
Rinoa grinned. "Because my fiancé went there!"
"Fiancé?" Tifa repeated with an arched brow.
"You must be Tifa Lockhart from the Lockhart foundation!" Rinoa said, smiling to herself for figuring that out. "You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth." Tifa averted her eyes and Rinoa smiled again. "Why are you running a bar when you have more than enough money to never have to lift a finger?"
Tifa remained silent for a few moments before relenting, deciding she should explain herself. "My parents used to always twist my arm that I could never survive without their money. Yet here I am, doing just fine."
Rinoa smiled. "Ah, I see. And you knew being with Cloud would get you media attention that would prove you're doing well."
Tifa felt her face redden. "That—That's not—"
"Of course it wasn't," Rinoa said, smiling knowingly. "Does Cloud know?"
"Know what?"
"That you're secretly loaded."
Tifa looked away. "No. No one knows."
Rinoa nodded. "I see. Well, they won't hear it from me." She glanced around Tifa at the clock, noting the time. "Well, Tifa, I have a train to catch." She smiled and gave Tifa a hug, which the girl returned. "It was nice meeting you!"
Tifa waved, smiling. "See you around."
Rinoa beamed. "Count on it." She began to leave before she stopped at the doorframe and looked over her shoulder. "Take care of Cloud for me. He's got a good heart, but I don't need to tell you that, do I?"
She turned around and left before she could notice the smile fall from Tifa's face.
When Rinoa was out of sight, Tifa turned back around. Cloud has a good heart? she mused in her head. She almost wanted to laugh bitterly at the statement. Her heart still ached at the mere mention of him, she couldn't imagine how she'd react if she were to see him again.
Behind her, she heard the bar door open and a few footsteps step inside. Rinoa probably forgot something, Tifa thought, plastering a smile on her face as she turned around once more.
"Hi Rinoa, did you forget something—?"
Her body froze, her blood ran cold. Her breath hitched in her throat and her eyes widened.
There, standing in her doorway, was none other than Cloud himself.
She couldn't believe it. Or maybe she just didn't want to.
What was Cloud doing here, in her bar, of all places? Didn't she make herself clear when she asked—or pleaded—to leave her alone?
At the sight of him, all her feelings came rushing back. His hair looked slightly disheveled, his clothes a little dusty. His face looked worn and tired but his eyes still held a sharp intensity that made her heart race when she looked into them.
She felt her throat dry, at a loss for words.
He remained silent too, unmoving, as if he was taking in the sight of her. Then one foot took a step forward, followed by the other, until he was standing arm's length away from her.
Her eyes were wide, almost doe-eyed, and as he approached she instinctively backed away, shrinking back into the counter. She watched with a wary gaze when his hand dug into his back pocket, and she blinked when he took out a thin paper and handed it to her.
Her eyes flickered from the paper to his face. His face was stoic, but his eyes held an unreadable emotion. Hesitantly she reached for the paper, lightly grasping it and bringing it closer to her face.
She turned it over, and her eyebrows scrunched together when she saw it was a photograph. A boy and girl. The boy was a cute blonde with a beet red face, while the girl… Tifa squinted her eyes and brought the image closer to her face. The girl looked strangely familiar…
Suddenly, her mouth fell open, gaping as her heart skipped a beat.
"Where did you get this?" she whispered, slowly raising her eyes to meet his.
"I made a mistake," he began. "I thought Rinoa was the girl from the dreams I told you about. The girl from my childhood, who I always met in a meadow. Everything matched until I mentioned that her father had called me scum."
Tifa flinched. "No…" she murmured.
"You know exactly what I'm talking about," he said, taking a step towards her, "because it was your father."
Her eyes were wide, her body trembling. Cloud's gaze remained fixed on her, never wavering.
"You're the girl. The one from the dreams. The one from my past."
Suddenly, the memories crashed into her mind.
When blue eyes fluttered open, seven year old Tifa beamed brightly at him.
"Morning, sleepy head!" she said cheerily, bending over him with her hands on her knees.
Cloud lazily rubbed one of his eyes, yawning. When his gaze cleared, a small blush dusted his cheeks.
"Whatcha doin'?" Tifa asked with genuine curiosity in her pretty brown eyes.
Cloud scrambled to his feet, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "S-Sorry, I didn't know—"
"What are you apologizing for?"
Cloud shrunk away. "You're not… mad?"
"Why would I be?" Tifa asked, raising an eyebrow.
"This meadow…" he glanced at the large house hidden behind the thicket of trees. "Doesn't it belong to you?"
Tifa shrugged. "I'm not allowed to be this far from the house. But I've seen you here a few times." That made Cloud's face even redder, but Tifa didn't notice. Instead her eyes drifted to the pile of apples lying not to far away from him. "Are those yours?"
Cloud blinked, nodding tentatively.
Tifa grinned at him. "Can I have one?"
"Um… okay."
The little girl cheered, plopping herself behind him as she took a hearty bite into the apple. Her face scrunched up in delight as she sighed contently.
"Thanks! Um…" She took another bite, swallowing before asking, "What's your name?"
Cloud shyly tugged at the blades of grass beneath him. "I'm Cloud."
The girl beamed at him. "I like you, Cloud!" He looked at her and she smiled even brighter. "Will I see you here tomorrow?"
He eyed her cautiously. "You're not going to tell on me?"
"Why would I tell on you? You're my friend!"
"Your friend?" Cloud repeated, more to himself than to her. His gaze wavered to the grass before he glanced at her again. "But… I don't know your name…"
"Tifa," the brunette answered. "T-I-F-A. Tifa." She stood up, finishing the apple as she brushed down the skirt of her dress. "So I'll see you here tomorrow, right, Cloud?"
His wide blue eyes looked into hers before he nodded slowly.
"Okay! Bye!" She waved enthusiastically before skipping away, humming contently to herself. Cloud watched her leave, blinking his eyes before a small smile made it's way across his face.
When she heard footsteps to her left, thirteen year old Tifa immediately turned her head, grinning widely at the sight that met her.
"You came!" she cheered.
Cloud gave her a shy smile in return, holding in his arms a fresh pile of apples. She pushed herself to her feet, running to meet him. When she reached him, she scowled playfully.
"You're late," she said, crossing her arms grumpily.
He laughed nervously. "Sorry. The good ones were really high today. It took a while to get them."
She eyed him up and down before her frown broke into a cheery grin. "I forgive you!" she chirped, helping him set down the pile of apples before handing him one. He mumbled a thank you and she nodded as she bit into the fruit.
The two had begun to meet once every week for the past few years. Sometimes it would be two, three or even four weeks before they saw each other again, but the young brunette was adamant about making sure they'd continue seeing each other, because he was the exception to her scheduled lifestyle, a person she could always be herself around and not constantly prim and proper.
When Tifa finished her apple, she stood up and stretched her arms. "I know! Let's roll down the grass hill again!" When Cloud gave her a disapproving look, she blinked. "What?"
"Your dress."
"Yeah?"
"It'll get dirty again."
"So?"
He frowned. "You'll get in trouble."
She scoffed, crossing her arms. "I don't care!" She tugged on his arm. "Come on! Let's go!"
He pulled away from her tugs. "I don't want you getting in trouble."
Tifa sighed heavily, looking down at the light blue sundress she was wearing. "I don't even like wearing this!" she said. "My mom says I have to 'coz that's what 'good girls' do."
"I'm sure it's not that bad," mumbled Cloud.
Tifa wrinkled her nose. "Oh yeah? How would you like having every day scheduled, always having to look nice and proper and 'remember your curtsy Tifa' and 'chew like you have a secret Tifa' and ugh!" She pulled on her hair in frustration.
Cloud's eyebrows furrowed together. "But you're rich."
Tifa made an unladylike snort. "If that matters to you so much we should trade places." She sighed and sat down beside him, drawing her knees to her chest. "I always have to do what I'm told, I never get to do what I want… except when I'm with you."
Cloud tilted his head. "Really?"
She tucked her chin to her chest, using her hair to hide the blush on her cheeks. "Yeah… I like it when I'm with you. We always have fun. And," she took another apple, passing it between her hands before she smiled at him, "you always have yummy apples!"
Cloud's face flushed, sheepishly rubbing his hair. "I like being here too," he mumbled.
She sighed heavily, scooting an inch closer to him. "I wish we could stay like this…"
Cloud looked up at the clear blue sky. "I'm not going anywhere."
She smiled. "Good."
A few weeks later, her father had found her.
She was showing Cloud a high kick she had learned in martial arts class as he tried to emulate the kick.
"Higher!" said Tifa. "You have to kick higher!"
"Higher?" Cloud replied, raising an eyebrow skeptically. "How can you kick higher?"
She giggled. "Higher, Cloud! You're not doing it right!"
"Tifa?"
The girl looked to her right, jumping when she saw her father sternly looking down at her with hands on his hips.
"D-Daddy!" she gasped.
"This is where you've been sneaking off to every week?" her father scolded. "We told you never to go this far from the house." He glared at Cloud, who shrunk from his harsh stare. "And who is this? A boy from the village?" He sneered at the blonde. "Tifa, come here this instant."
Tifa's lower lip trembled, slumping her shoulders. She glanced at Cloud sadly before trudging her feet over to her father.
Her father gripped her upper arm tightly, his face stern. "You are not to continue seeing him, do you understand?"
"Why not?" Tifa whined.
Her father laughed condescendingly, looking between Cloud and his daughter. "Tifa, look at him. The boy is scum, he's not nearly good enough for you, not even close—"
"That's not true!" Tifa shouted, pulling herself out of her father's grip. "Don't say that about Cloud! He's my friend! I like spending time with him!"
"Oh honey, you don't know what you like," her father replied."Now come, Daddy has a meeting with the president of Avalanche and he can't be late."He grabbed her arm again, dragging her away as the girl struggled in vain to get out of his grip. After several hard tugs, she relented, looking over her shoulder sadly at Cloud.
The boy watched her father take her away, feeling an odd hollow feeling at the pit of his stomach. He looked at his clothes, noting the simple t-shirt and jeans he wore. Nothing compared to the nice silk dresses and ribbons Tifa always wore. He knew he wasn't poor, but he wasn't as rich as she was either.
Her father's patronizing voice echoed in his mind. He was scum. Worthless. How pathetic.
The next day, Tifa found Cloud standing around, hands in his pockets as he idly kicked a rock.
"Cloud…?" she mumbled.
He saw the unhappiness in her eyes, instantly knowing what she was going to say. "You're leaving," he murmured.
She nodded, clutching a fist to chest. "Tomorrow. My dad put me in this boarding school in Europe. He thinks it'll help me forget about you. Ugh, sometimes he's just…!" She looked down, calming her nerves. "I didn't want to leave without saying goodbye."
He swallowed the heavy lump forming in his throat. He felt a strange discomfort stirring within him. "It's probably for the best," he mumbled. She frowned when he added, "I'm not good enough for you. You shouldn't be wasting your time with someone like me."
"You're wrong," she said. "Seeing you was the best day of the week. My dad doesn't know what he's saying—"
"No," he said quietly. "Your dad is right. We come from two different worlds. We could never be together."
His words hurt her. "I don't believe that," she whispered.
He didn't answer. She frowned.
"Cloud?" He turned his head slightly towards her, a sign he was listening. "I hope I can see you again one day."
He heard her footsteps against the grass as she walked away.
Cloud studied Tifa's face, watching the recognition flash across her eyes.
"The moment you told me your name, I knew something felt familiar. Didn't you feel that too?"
"A little bit…" she admitted, chewing her lower lip.
"Then the dreams started occurring more frequently. Now everything makes sense." He looked at her directly in the eye, taking another step towards her. "I am who I am today because of you. For you."
He frowned when she winced at his words.
"Did I… really mean that much to you?" she asked.
"Yes."
She looked away.
He mumbled, "You still do."
"Cloud…" she said, her voice shaking slightly. "I had no idea…"
His eyes narrowed when she still refused to meet his gaze. He reached out, grabbing her wrist. Her face turned to look at his hand, and when she finally looked at him, she looked pained.
"You never stopped thinking about me," she whispered, her eyes glistening.
"Never. Until that mako injection…"
She smiled sadly. "That's just it. You never stopped thinking about me. But…" she lowered her gaze to the floor. "I'm sorry, you were just my friend. A friend from when I was little." She winced again when he let go of her wrist, his arm falling limply back at his side. "I had fun when we were young, but…"
His fist clenched at his side, turning his head away. "You said you wanted to be with me."
Her heart twisted painfully. "A lot changes in ten years."
"What about the past few weeks?"
He closed the distance between them, placing an arm on either side of her. He looked down at her, watching her teeth chew on her bottom lip restlessly as she avoided his gaze. She placed a hand on his chest to push him away, but she ended up feeling the pulse of his heart instead. She closed her eyes, turning her head away.
"Cloud, please…"
Not again. I can't take it.
"The last few weeks. What did they mean to you?"
"Nothing…" her voice trembled.
"You're lying."
She forced herself to look at him. "You said we're just business associates. Remember?"
The back of his hand slowly caressed the side of her face. "I lied," he murmured. "Just like you're lying to me right now."
She exhaled a shaky breath. "What do you want from me?"
"The truth." He thumbed a locket of her soft brown hair. "Tifa…" He tilted his head, closing his eyes as he inhaled her sweet scent. When his eyes opened, his gaze was heavy, half-lidded. His brilliant cerulean eyes looked into hers, and her mouth parted with how close his face was to hers.
His gaze dropped from her eyes to her lips. He wanted to kiss her. But her body was trembling.
What is she afraid of?
He leaned forward, lightly brushing his lips against hers, watching her under hooded eyelids. Her hand clutched the front of his vest, her eyes squeezing shut. He pressed his mouth against hers, waiting for her to react, but she didn't respond.
He pulled away, and he noticed her cheeks had flushed pink, but her eyes remained closed.
"Tifa," he said quietly. "Kiss me."
"No…" she whispered.
He kissed her again, but her body remained still. "Kiss me," he spoke against her lips.
"I can't…"
She sounded like she was about to cry. He leaned back enough to see her barely open eyes watering, her head tilting down. A hand was clutched in front of her chest as her body quivered.
There was a painful clench in his chest seeing her look so sad. He hadn't meant to make her cry. His eyes lowered to the ground, turning his head away from her as he stepped back.
"…Fine."
He had spoken so quietly she barely heard him. She looked at him, and her heart hurt at the dejected expression on his face.
"Cloud—"
Ring~! Ring~!
Both of them glanced at Cloud's hip, where his cell phone rang loudly. The man avoided looking at Tifa as he dug his hand in his pocket, pulling out the mobile device. His eyes squinted at the name before flipping the phone open and holding it against his ear.
"What?" he said, his voice monotone. Tifa heard murmurs on the other line, quickly recognizing the loud voice to be Zack's. She wondered what he was telling Cloud as the blonde's face twisted, his eyebrows furrowing together as his eyes narrowed. "Tomorrow. He said that exactly. Are you sure? …No, it doesn't work. Because it doesn't, Zack." He grew quiet, eyes flickering over to Tifa for a second before looking away. "I know," he muttered before hanging up the phone and returning it to his pocket.
Tifa studied his face hesitantly, unintentionally flinching when his eyes finally met hers.
"Tomorrow Gast is having a party. He specifically requested you and I—"
"Cloud," she interrupted, her voice soft, her eyes sad. "I told you I don't want to do this anymore—"
"One more," he said. "That's all. It will leak that we will no longer be together. After I'll figure out something else. I'll leave you alone, like you want." She noticed something flicker across his eyes before they turned cold. "You owe me that much."
Her face softened before she shook her head. "I don't owe you anything."
"Tifa," he continued, before looking down. He quietly muttered, "I won't go without you."
The tone of his voice made her wonder if they were still talking about the same subject.
She knew it took a lot out of his pride to practically beg her to go with him. Her shoulders slacked, and she noticed she had stopped trembling.
"Just one," she said softly. She looked at him, meeting his eyes. "Then no more."
His gaze shifted from one brown eye to the other before he turned his head away and nodded. He turned to leave only to stop when he felt her hand on his wrist.
"Cloud," she said, and she watched him turn his head slightly over his shoulder, his brilliant cerulean eyes looking back at her. "I mean it. This will be the last time."
He looked ahead of him, his gaze turning half-lidded. "I know."
He pulled his arm out of her grasp and walked away.
Author's Note: Hello my lovely gumdrops! School's starting today (it's past midnight right now hehe, and yes my university starts late) so I honestly don't know when I'll next be able to update. :( I'll try working on it as much as I can!
I'm trying to work on an outline for the rest of the story. If you'd like to help out leave a review with possible ideas! This story is really close to ending, I think there will probably be two or three chapters left. I have events for the story that will happen, I just need to connect the dots between them.
Thanks so much for sticking around so far! I love each and every one of you! All your reviews bring the biggest smiles to my face. I honestly didn't expect this story to get this popular hehe. It's very flattering!
Anyway till next time! Hopefully that won't be too long C:
Also my sister was a huge help for completing the chapter and with some parts before hand. Please show her some support and check out her stories too! Her account name is mauia88.