A/N: Hey! There's a FFX quote hidden in here...can you find it? Hehehehehehehe....

Cloud swallowed. He fidgeted restlessly, his actions filled with remorse. He gently cursed to himself for acting like an idiot, but another part of it praised him for being forward in his opinions. He stood slowly, giving a gentle sigh. Things had quieted downstairs, and he knew that Tifa must have been ready to close.

Cloud went to the bathroom, washing his face quickly with water, rubbing his eyes tiredly. He'd slept almost the whole day after his incident with Tifa, who had remained downstairs the entire day. The kids must have been asleep, so he decided to try and confront her.

His body protested weakly as he trudged gently downstairs, his heart racing with anxiety. He heard the water in the kitchen running, and he turned his head to see Tifa washing dishes.

"Hey." he offered softly. Tifa started a little before turning to him. She reddened in the slightest way, and Cloud realized she'd been shy of his advances.

"Cloud, you should've stayed upstairs." Tifa told him.

"I came down to see how you were." Cloud said stupidly, his voice hindering. Tifa chuckled lightly.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine," she said. "perfect, actually. Really damn good.''

''I didn't mean to.." Cloud trailed off. He looked down to defend himself from her auburn gaze. Tifa bit her lip and stared at him.

"Right." she said bitterly as she could manage. "You didn't." she scrubbed gently. Cloud gave a small breath and looked at her directly. She was very attractive, yet for some reason he'd never seemed to realize it until he had hurt her. She was a fighter yes, and a tough one at that, but she was also fragile, weak and glass-like. It made him feel a slight sting of affection for her-this girl he had known since his childhood. She looked up and caught his gaze with a ficker of annoyance. "What?"

"Nothing." Cloud applauded his response sarcasticly in his mind. Tifa nodded knowingly.

"Guess you don't really want to apologize, do you?" she said.

"Hm?" Cloud raised his eyes.

"Granted, you do do it a lot," Tifa said to herself. "not like it wouldn't be any different from the last time."

"What are you talking about?" Cloud struggled to find his thoughts. Tifa sighed, shutting off the water and leaning against the counter.

"Cloud, you know," Tifa paused. "you're so hard to figure out, you know?"

"No." Cloud replied, shuffling slightly. He had no idea what he was really like.

"Well," Tifa continued thoughtfully. "you are." she gave him a forced smile. "It's strange,sometimes,I don't know whether you're happy or not...and I get confused by everything." she stroked her hair quickly from behind her ears. "It just sounds like I'm rambling..." Cloud stepped forward slightly.

"No." he assured her gently. He found his concern easier to maintain.

"Cloud, my father had hit me before, like you did, for being with you." Tifa said. Cloud's brows raised.

"Yeah?"

"Mm." Tifa bit her lip and brushed her hair again. Cloud could see her eyes darken slightly as she looked at the floor in thought. "He never really liked you. But he also knew you would never hurt me so...you know...I never really cared that he'd hurt me."

"Tifa, I don't understand." Cloud told her. He lowered his eyes shamefully.

"Cloud, it's just..." Tifa sighed. "I need to know what you're feeling sometimes, alright? You can just expect me to know and do everything." Cloud nodded slowly. "You're so caught up with your static past that you can't even focus on the future and now you're worried about Vincent and I?" Tifa laughed. "At least he can move on,Cloud." Cloud furrowed at her change of tone.

"Move on?" he questioned mildly,his voice raising.

"Cloud, you know exactly what I'm talking about." Tifa said, her eyes watering. Cloud winced.

"No, I don't think I do," he replied, moving towards her. "why don't you tell me?"

"See, Cloud!" Tifa cried, shoving him. "That's exactly what I'm talking about!" she moved from him. "You can never explain yourself! Why should I make assumptions when you can just fucking tell me!" Cloud winced again at her vehemence.

"Hey." he said gently. Tifa ignored it.

"Why don't you go, Cloud?" she said quietly. "Go with Yuffie and fuck her somewhere."

"What are you talking about,Tifa?" Cloud asked desperately,struggling to regain the calmness of eariler.

"Oh, like I don't realize you went to the club to have sex with her?" Tifa snapped. "You're so disgusting,Cloud." Tifa turned from him. "I've loved you since before I knew what love was. And yet you still ignore me, stll take me for granted, still give a shit less." Cloud heard her sob gently.

"Tifa-"

"Go, Cloud!" Tifa cried. "Go to your room, go away, just go!" she turned to him tearfully. "You're not helping me out anymore!" Cloud furrowed solemnly and gazed at her. Tifa took a breath. "Cloud, you're not going to hurt me anymore..." she said weakly as she saw his eyes. Cloud swallowed.

"Tifa, I'm not going to hurt you." Cloud as said convincingly as he could manage, though he wanted it to sound sincere. Tifa shook her head.

"I'm not going to let you hurt me."

"Just, let me try, okay?" Cloud said, holding out his hands. "I've been trying so hard to live my life as best I can." he moved his eyes around the room. "I care about you, Tifa, I really love you...but it's hard trying to show it when I have so much pain from the last time." Cloud blinked rapidly for a moment. "I love you so much...you're my best friend.I can't let go of you because there'd be nothing left to hang on to. I'm sorry I screw up all the time, but that just means I'm trying, right? I'm trying real hard, Tifa...to make us happy."

"Us..." Tifa whimpered. Cloud sighed quietly.

"Yeah." he said. Tifa looked at him. Cloud glanced at her but returned his eyes to the ground soon after. They stood in silence.

"Tifa?" a small voice questioned from the stairs. Cloud saw Denzel peering from the top. He glanced at Cloud before stepping down the stairs.

"Hey buddy." Tifa smiled weakly, trying to rid herelf of tears. Denzel embraced her and put his head on her shoulder lovingly. Cloud swallowed. He could say nothing. The boy might have heard his half-monolouge, but to him it would mean nothing unless it was carried out. He had to rebuild his trust. Tifa rubbed Denzel's back and pried him off her slowly. "Can you go back upstairs, sweetie?" she asked him. "We're fine, okay?" Denzel nodded quickly and was emotionless as he went to his room. Cloud sniffed.

"Tifa-"

"I know, Cloud." Tifa said. Cloud lowered his head. "Denzel loves you to death." Cloud gave a quick smile. ''You're like a father to him." she blushed deeply and gave a small laugh. "The customers always ask if you're his and Marelene's dad." Cloud looked at her.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Tifa smiled at him. "They think all sorts of things..." Cloud smiled.

"I'm too young."

"You just seem old." Tifa said. Cloud was glad she was smiling. Denzel must have calmed her nerves a bit. Cloud took pleasure in her face as it lit up with good humor, humor he had likely given her. Her eyes were red and still watery, and this sight pained him despite her smile. He'd never liked her to cry. He had always tried to be gentle with her, even in their spars. He always felt obligated to keep her cocked her head slightly. "Cloud, what are you thinking?"

"Hm? Nothing." Cloud turned his gaze from her.

"Cloud?" Tifa asked.

"Hm."

"Look at me." Cloud moved his gaze to hers reluctantly. Tifa bit her lip and smiled. "You have the prettiest eyes." Cloud reddened.

"Hm." he grunted in defense.

"There's always that mako in them," she said, still staring intently at him. "I remember when they were just this nice blue..." Cloud shuffled nervously, his heart racing. Why was he so anxious? He thought it due to her almost emotionless reading of him. She never left his gaze. "No one else in school had blue eyes." Tifa said. Cloud grunted.

"Yeah?" he said weakly. His hands were shaking slightly.

"Yeah." Tifa replied. "That's why they made fun of you, I guess. You were always so different..." Cloud blinked. "But...you're so much more different now." Cloud watched her auburn gaze turn darker until he could see himself in them. A jolt of pleasure ran through him as Tifa's eyes turned more brown.

"Tifa?" he enquired. "You have really nice eyes."

"Cloud, mine aren't any different than anyone else's." Tifa said.

"Well they are to me." Cloud thought he sounded stupid. Cliched and backed into a corner. Tifa seemed to sense this.

"You don't have to say anything." she assured him.

"I would like to say everything." Cloud said.