Universe: FFVII
Timeline: Post-Dissidia
Status: Established Relationship
The kitchen smelled amazing. The air was filled with the thick, sweet scents of icing and gingerbread. The oven had been on all morning, baking the ginger treats to perfection and making the delicious smell waft through the house. It had been one of those days where Cloud had plucked the cookbook from its spot on the shelf, and got busy baking, pulling an eager Tidus along with him.
Bowls littered the kitchen counters, and were filled with every sweet topping Cloud could think to buy, from candy canes to gumdrops. Cloud glanced to his right. Tidus had a contented grin on his face as he iced one of the gingerbread men, and stuck two small peppermints on his chest to serve as buttons; he certainly seemed to be enjoying himself.
"How is it going?" Cloud asked, with a soft smile, sticking his spatula into the icing bowl and coating his own cookie with it. He was pretty proud of his and Tidus' creations. It had been Tidus' idea to make the gingerbread men resemble him and Cloud, and it had taken some effort to shape them correctly. Cloud's hair had been particularly challenging.
Cloud eyed the cookie fondly. The 'Cloud'-shaped gingerbread man had five large points on top of his head; Tidus had suggested using the star cookie-cutter as a guide. It was the best thing he could think of to help recreate his partner's unruly hair in gingerbread form, but it worked pretty well.
"It's going great," Tidus grinned, sticking two candy-coated chocolates on his cookie for eyes. It did resemble him a little. The cookie's hair was shaped to flip out at the sides, and Tidus had tried his best to use the icing to draw on his Zanarkand Abes outfit, suspenders and all. Tidus reached into the bowl of red liquorice and tore off a thin strip. Carefully, he shaped it into the Abes' symbol—not perfect, but not bad either, considering what he had to work with.
"You guys sure have some funny traditions here," Tidus marvelled.
"My mother and I used to make these every year. I guess maybe it was a country thing," Cloud replied, knowing a city boy like Tidus probably wouldn't know much about cooking—not that Cloud minded. It was fun teaching Tidus some of his mother's recipes.
At one time, any mention of home would have sent Cloud into a spell of depression, but Tidus had long since dulled that ache. In fact, Cloud liked talking to Tidus about his past because he knew it made Tidus happy when he did. Tidus loved learning about him. All Cloud's little quirks, his likes and dislikes, his past, his childhood—Tidus loved it all, especially since he knew he was one of the few privileged enough to know those things; Cloud didn't share with just anyone.
Tidus paused his cookie-making, and took a moment to picture Cloud as a child in the kitchen with his mother. Tidus imagined Cloud so small that he had to stand on one of the kitchen chairs to help at the counter. Today's cookie-making session was probably very different, but Tidus hoped Cloud was as equally fond of it.
"Wish my parents had done this sort of thing with me," Tidus spoke up. Cloud glanced to the side, his expression saddening a little. Tidus caught his eye, but quickly looked away again, feeling a little embarrassed.
"Hey, it's way better with you, anyway," Tidus assured him. Cloud's soft smile returned, and he took a step to the side, behind Tidus, so he could wrap his arms around his waist. Tidus relaxed at the contact, and returned his attention to his next gingerbread man. Cloud rested his chin on Tidus' shoulder, and watched as Tidus drew a smile onto his cookie with icing.
"All done," he announced.
"Mine, too." Cloud reached an arm forward, under Tidus' arm, and grabbed his own cookie. They held them together, and chuckled at the sight of them. They may have resembled them somewhat, but they were still a far cry from the real versions of them. Regardless, they were pretty adorable, and looked absolutely delicious.
Tidus stuck his cookie into the snowy ground of icing that lay all around the candy-covered gingerbread house, which they had finished earlier that day. Surrounding the house stood many other Cloud and Tidus cookies, each decorated slightly differently, but it just made it all the more pleasing to the eye—and soon, to the mouth as well, if Tidus had any say in the matter. The sight of all those various kinds of candy was making his mouth water.
Cloud went to place his final cookie in front of the gingerbread house with the others, pressing it into the icing snow, but his expression fell into one of both surprise and disappointment when he heard the cookie crack.
"Oh, no," Cloud practically squeaked. He didn't move his hand an inch, for he was too afraid to know what damage had been done.
"He broke?" Tidus asked, brows raised.
"Yeah, I think he broke," Cloud sighed, lifting the cookie, and finally untangling his arms from around Tidus' body. They eyed the sad sight before them. Poor little ginger-Cloud's leg was stuck in the icing, while the rest of him remained in Cloud's hand.
"It was going to be perfect," Cloud said, voice low, disappointed. Tidus glanced at him, feeling terrible that he was upset. Cloud had been having so much fun—more fun than he'd seen Cloud have in a while. Cloud had needed to relax like this, Tidus was sure, and no way was he going to let a broken cookie ruin Cloud's mood, or his perfect gingerbread town.
"Don't worry. We can fix him," Tidus promised, holding out a hand. Cloud glanced at him curiously before handing over the cookie. Tidus grabbed the spatula and spread a little icing on the hip of the gingerbread man, then he tugged the broken leg out from in front of the cookie house, and pressed both pieces together. Thankfully, just as Tidus had expected, the cookies stuck in place.
"Good as new," Tidus smiled, passing the cookie back to Cloud. Cloud smiled, and quickly placed the gingerbread man in front of his new home before more disaster struck.
Cloud's hand slipped into Tidus', and they stepped back to admire their work.
"Looks pretty good," Tidus awed.
"Good enough to eat," Cloud added, with a smirk.
"Let's take a picture first," Tidus said, eyes widening. "Don't want to eat any without proof that we did all that work!"
Cloud laughed, and pressed a kiss to Tidus' cheek, causing Tidus to look at him in confusion.
"What was that for?" he asked.
"Just, thanks. For today. I really enjoyed it," Cloud said, eyes gleaming with more sincerity and joy than Tidus had seen in a long time. Tidus leaned in and met Cloud's lips, brushing their noses together as they parted.
"The cookies were your idea, silly," Tidus reminded him.
"I know, but like you said, it was better making them with you."
Happy Holidays to everyone! Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, liked, etc. this year! It is your support that helps me stay motivated, and continue uploading new chapters! It means so much to know that people are still enjoying these ficlets, and I want you all to know how grateful I am :) I hope everyone has a wonderful start to the winter! See you again in a few weeks :D
