I do not own Final Fantasy VII.
Change of Heart
Chapter LIII: The Newest Addition
Looking down at Cloud's phone, Cissnei's lips tugged up into a smile. Her heart fluttered in her chest and her stomach knotted up. A part of her had been hoping it would ring, with the off chance it might be Cloud trying to track down his phone, while another part of her was struggling with the idea of dialing Seventh Heaven with the hopes that Cloud might answer.
As she walked down the damp grey street toward the bar from the shuttle station, Cissnei began to wonder if returning his phone to him in person was even a good idea. She was apprehensive of what could possibly happen; of course Cloud hadn't exactly left on the best of terms and Tifa didn't seem as if she was happy to have her there in the first place. And now she was about to just show up out of the blue, uninvited. It was a bold move, she supposed, perhaps even a little stupid, but when she woke up the other day to find that Cloud was gone, she realized how much she wanted him to be around. Her home suddenly seemed empty without him and she knew she couldn't spend her life without him in it one way or another.
She contemplated what she'd say to him when she saw him, what she'd do. There wasn't a single clear idea in her mind, but when she found herself on the doorstep, she knew she was past the point of no return. It was about seven in the evening, the bar was open and business was booming as usual, but despite the heavy crowd she could easily meld into, Cissnei felt like she was being put on the spot. A feeling of embarrassment overtook her and she shied away from the door. She didn't want to go inside, she didn't want to be seen by anyone, but she couldn't understand why. This wasn't like her at all; she never cared before what others thought of her, so why should it matter now? She was just returning her friend's phone; it wasn't as though she was there to stay, only the four suitcases she'd packed suggested otherwise, and as she stared at the crowded room through the window, she was glad she'd left them on hold at the station for her to pick up later.
Taking a deep breath, Cissnei found the strength to enter the bar, halfway expecting the locals to look up and give her strange looks for impeding on their watering hole. But no one did, no one paid her any attention at all. Feeling her hands trembling, she walked up to the bar, looking for a familiar face. She was rather relieved that Tifa was not there, instead finding Sephiroth serving up drinks. Leaning over the counter, she tapped his shoulder and he turned around, the shock written across his face.
"Cissnei? What are you doing back?" He was visibly surprised, but he seemed pleased by it.
"I…I…uh…" She lost her train of thought, but suddenly remembered as she felt the phone in her pocket, "Cloud's phone. He, uh, left it at my house. I was just returning it." She handed it to him quickly.
Sephiroth raised an eyebrow, finding it rather odd. "You traveled almost 900 miles just to return a phone?" He graciously took it from her, but continued, "You could've just mailed it to him."
Gulping anxiously, she meekly asked, "Is he here?"
Shoving the phone back into her hands, Sephiroth pointed at the booth in the far end, "Just about every night, four rocks and no water." He handed her a glass of whiskey and winked slyly before seeing to the other customers.
Cissnei nodded and turned toward where Cloud was sitting. He didn't seem to see her at all, he was hunched over, his forehead resting on his hand, and his eyes closed. He almost looked like he'd drifted off to sleep, but somehow she knew he wasn't. She didn't remember approaching him, but she soon found herself standing there, a cellphone in one hand and whiskey in the other.
Her heart in her throat, she placed them in front of him just hard enough to produce a loud thump. Cloud's eyes opened promptly, finding his missing phone and refill sitting perfectly before him. His eyebrows knitted momentarily, trying to figure out where it came from. Suddenly realizing how this was possible, his eyes flared open wide and he looked up, only to catch a glimpse of fiery curls speed out the door. Grabbing the phone, he rushed out after her, barely making it time before she disappeared into the night.
Running out in the dark, vacant street, Cloud felt his heart slam into his chest and he called out for her, "Cissnei! Cissnei wait!"
Her mind told her to keep walking, but her own heart was still climbing up her throat, pleading with her to stop and go back. As his voice rang in her ears, she paused, slowly looking back over her shoulder to find him running after her.
When he finally caught up to her, they just stared at each other. An arm's length apart, they stood perfectly still, feeling nothing but the trembling of their bodies and hearing nothing but the loud beating of their hearts. The silence between them wasn't as awkward as one might think, but they worried about finding the right words to fill it.
"Cloud –"
"– Cissnei."
They both started and stopped at the same time, another silent moment passed as they contemplated over who should speak first. Finally, Cloud seized the chance.
"Cissnei…" He glassed down at the phone before looking back up at her, "I was really scared I wouldn't get it back."
She was a little confused by it, not to mention a little disappointed at how wildly unromantic that statement was. But it was only when he drew her in for what was probably the most passionate kiss that she realized he wasn't talking about that damn cellphone. Both of their minds were blank in that moment; the only thing they could fathom was what they felt, both physically and emotionally. Their hearts were pounding, the blood was rushing in their ears and throughout their bodies; their skin was riddled with goose bumps and it was growing harder to breathe though they both believed that they'd suffocate if they let go of one another.
As their lips finally parted Cissnei's voice was barely above a whisper, "I was really scared that you wouldn't want it."
"Cissnei, you didn't have to come here."
"Yes I did." She caressed his cheek gently, running her fingers down his throat and coming to rest on his chest, "I want to be with you…I want you to love me."
"I want to love you and I want you to stay."
"I have four suitcases down at the bus station…big ones."
"Let me get my bike."
Sephiroth watched Tifa from the bed, she looked so enticing as she flipped her hair over shoulder and bent down to pick up her discarded clothes to toss in the laundry hamper. She was still completely nude, which made this otherwise innocent act look terribly alluring.
"Tifa, come back to bed." Though they'd just made love the night before, Sephiroth was ready for more. He was reclining back against the pillows; the coverlet was pulled down and draped perfectly over his lower half, though should he move even in the slightest, it would fall and bare him completely to her.
"I have to get the kids ready for school." She protested, though her tone suggested her desire to give into him.
"Mother is seeing to them; I heard them get up a while ago. Now…come on…" He moaned, idly running his hand across his abs.
Giving in with zero resistance, Tifa approached him, and slowly leaned forward, dragging the sheets down to reveal his tumescence. The corner of her mouth curled into a seductive grin and she slid onto his lap, and ran both her hands over his chest. He relaxed beneath her, wrapping his fingers around her slender hips.
"I love you. You have no idea how much." He whispered, gently guiding her down over him before pulling her down into a kiss. Tifa only moaned against his lips, but he knew how she felt regardless.
Meanwhile in Cloud's room, he and Cissnei were sharing a moment similar in sentiment, though far less physically engaging. That night had been the best night's sleep either of them had had in years. Even though nothing more than sleeping had happened, there was no more question as to whether or not they wanted to be together. Despite what both of them had previously thought and knew they wanted, they were both aware that there was no replacing the ones they'd lost, and were content to find something worthwhile in one another.
Cissnei looked up into Cloud's eyes much like she did only a few nights prior, though now she was completely sober and in control. His fingers glided along hers, tracing lines in the palms of her hands before bringing her hand up to his lips. He kissed a tender trail up her arm, ending at her shoulder as he took her into a tight embrace.
"Cloud, I can't really say for sure that this will really work out but…I'm glad we're trying." She whispered against his neck, breath was hot and moist, making his hair stand on end.
He rubbing a lock of her satin hair between his fingers and breathed in her scent, "Well, I can't say for sure I'm truly in love with you yet but, just the same, I'm happy to try. I really, really care for you, Cissnei…more than I ever thought possible."
"That's all I can hope for," She leaned back to look at his face, "I care about you too, Cloud, I hope that no matter how this turns out, we can remain friends."
"Of course we will. How can we not be?"
"Do you think we'll be as happy as Tifa and Sephiroth?"
"There's no reason why we can't be."
A sudden realization struck Cissnei and she felt her chest nag with anxiety. "Speaking of Tifa, are you really sure it's alright that I stay here with you? I mean…I can get a room somewhere."
"Don't worry about it; I'll talk to her later. I'm sure she won't have a problem with it."
"You said she could stay?" Tifa was just a little bit pissed. She stared Cloud down with a look that could kill.
"What was I supposed to say?" He balled his hand into a fist, "She came all the way here, I couldn't just make her leave."
"No, but you shouldn't have offered to let her move in!"
"Tifa, calm down." Sephiroth put a gentle hand on her chest and eased her out of Cloud's face before handing her a fresh cup of tea.
Tifa took the cup offered to her but only placed it on the table without bothering to drink. "You should've asked me if it was alright first."
"Come on! You didn't ask me if Sephiroth could just move in!" Cloud was becoming angrier by the second. He felt almost violated in a sense, disrespected and undermined. He lived in this house just as long as Tifa, and despite how much she'd claimed to be in love with Cloud, she'd still neglected to let him have some say in whether or not Sephiroth stayed.
"I don't give a damn if I didn't ask you!" She slammed her hand on the table, causing the dishes to rattle and clank, "This is my house, Cloud. I didn't ask you because I did not have to."
"Wow, Tifa. You really don't care what I think, do you?" Cloud swallowed a little of his pride just then; he'd always thought his opinion mattered to her, but he supposed it didn't after all.
"I used to." She confessed, her voice dropping to a mournful whisper, "I cared right up until you rejected me. After that moment, I no longer really cared what you thought about me, Sephiroth, or anything else for that matter."
"That's a lie, Tifa."
The rage boiled in her stomach and spread throughout her veins with a slow, maddening burn. The only reason she didn't start throwing punches, was the firm hand Sephiroth kept on her shoulder, acting as her anchor, and keeping her from flying off the handle.
"I'm sorry that I caused you so much trouble."
The three of them tossed their attention at the door where Cissnei stood, she was trembling, though none of them noticed. A sense of embarrassment gnawed at her gut and she chose to keep her distance from them.
"I didn't mean to start a war." She continued meekly, "If it would be better, I'll go back home."
"No." Cloud went to her side. "You can stay as long as you want." He put his arm around her shoulders and drew her against his chest, meanwhile tossing Tifa a defiant look.
"But, I don't want to impose."
"You're not imposing, Cissnei," Sephiroth was on neither side, instead looking at this from an outsider's perspective, seeing from both sides, "I understand that you and Cloud want to be together. And despite having your own house in Wutai, you wish to live here with Cloud because this is where his family is. But the problem with that is that Cloud didn't ask the owner of the home if you could stay." He moved his hand to Tifa's hair, stroking it tenderly, eliciting a soft moan from under her breath, "I'm sure though, if you asked her politely, she would consent to this arrangement."
Tifa turned the evil eye up at him, but it vanished as quickly as it came.
Feeling put on the spot, Cissnei still stepped forward and stood before Tifa. She had her hands folded in front of her, her fingers tightly clasped as she sought the best way to phrase her request.
"Tifa, if it's alright with you, may I stay here with Cloud? At least until we find a place of our own?"
Tifa felt a little better after hearing her ask so politely…especially loving the part about her eventually moving out again. She too, swallowed a little of her own pride and nodded, trying to regulate her breathing so she didn't get too upset.
"Ok," She sighed, "You can stay."
When Cloud and Cissnei returned to their room, Tifa face palmed. She sat like that for several seconds while a very amused Sephiroth just sipped his tea.
"What are you smirking at?" She whimpered from under her hand.
"Nothing, Dear." He only pressed his lips together to keep from snickering at her.
"You're unbelievable." Tifa leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes while she did some calculations in her head, "We have eight people in a four bedroom house with one bathroom…damn my life."
"There's always the one down here in the bar." Sephiroth pointed out.
"Of course…which means I'll have to clean it more often."
"It was just a suggestion, Sweetheart." Though his reply was actually sincere, his tone was one of extreme sarcasm.
Tifa just shook her head, trying to figure out why he got such a kick out of this whole thing. "What is so damn funny?"
"Nothing is really funny, but…I just realized how adorable you are when you're mad."
