Disclaimer: Welcome back! Today I thought we would give Lightning and Noctis a break for a moment and just do something else for a bit. If you can recall I had a chapter that had no Lightis whatsoever (yet) and it was more focused on another pair. But like I said before in that same chapter, it's only a long prologue so it explains Lightning's origins in that story. And like in my NOTICE, I mentioned that these drabbles can have other pairs in as well but Lightis is the main. I will answer any questions you may have for me, but for now please enjoy!
As always, Happy reading!
NOTICE: These drabbles contain Lightis and some other couples depending on the story, and are in no particular order, nor do they tell a specific tale of just one story. Some of the drabbles might have a second part in later chapters, and if readers become fond of a certain drabble story, that drabble might have the chance to become a new full story.
CHRONICLES
Chapter LI: Family
Rating: T (Cloud and Tifa trying to cop a feel at each other)
Genre: Romance, Family
Characters: Tifa, Cloud, (young) Lightning
Pair: CloTi
Notes: It was that time of the year and what better way to spend it than with the family.
CAUTION: Part of the Best of Both arc.
"Happy Birthday, Mother!"
Tifa smiled widely at the little girl who stood in front of her with a plate of slightly messy strawberry shortcake in her tiny hands. The female ninja got on one knee and pressed a kiss to the girl's forehead. "Thank you my little lightning. You did not have to."
The girl grinned and pushed the plate against her mother's chest. "Taste it! I just finished baking it." Tifa laughed at her enthusiasm and ruffled her hair lovingly.
"Well fine, if you insist. But first I need to find your father. Where is he?" Tifa asked as she took the messy plate from her daughter's hands.
Young Éclair tilted her head innocently before she rushed out of the room with an abnormally fast speed before returning a mere ten seconds later. "Father's at the back of the house," she reported with a smile. Her mother chuckled and pat her head. "I hope you did not scare your father with the speed that you were going in. You know how he gets when he can't grab hold of either of us properly." Tifa giggled and her daughter snickered.
Cloud walked into the room, rubbing the back of his neck tiredly. He was covered almost head-to-toe in dirt from digging around behind the house. He held something behind his back and cleared his throat. Éclair giggled and clung to her mother's legs, knowing full well what her father's plan was.
Tifa raised an eyebrow at her daughter curiously until she glanced back at Cloud. To her surprise, the blonde pirate was holding a small bouquet out to her. The flowers were slightly bent as if they had been picked in a hurry rather than with care but just a hint of care to the plants could be seen by at the sight of how lovely the petals looked.
Cloud cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. "I am not very good with gardening, and I had no time to finish off your first present so…" To his surprise, Tifa pecked his cheek in response before taking the flowers from him. "Thank you, Cloud. That is very thoughtful of you." The female ninja took the red rose from the bouquet and placed it behind her daughter's ear.
Éclair grinned and it made her look so much like her pirate father.
"The both of you are too much really. And a bit messy, but I cannot ask for a better birthday. Thank you," Tifa said with a warm smile as she kissed Éclair's forehead and stroked a thumb on Cloud's cheek, wiping away a speck of dirt.
Both the husband and daughter clung to her lovingly. Éclair clutched her mother's legs and smiled up at the display of her father dirtying his wife by nuzzling his cheek against hers. Tifa playfully shoved Cloud after he dirtied her cheek. "All right, go clean up now you filthy Pirate. I'll get lunch ready."
Cloud pulled her back to him. "It's your special day. You should be the one to relax while I make lunch. Éclair already made you dessert." He gestured at the cake.
"I see that…" Tifa chuckled and ran the tip of his index finger over the icing and took a taste. It was sweet, a little too sweet, but all children had a sweet-tooth. She looked down at her little Pirate-Ninja-in-training to see her smiling up at her, silently asking her if she liked the taste of the cake.
Tifa ruffled the girl's hair, "It's sweet…but it tastes good. You did well for a first-time baker." Éclair's grin widened and her blue eyes sparkled brightly.
Cloud growled playfully and swept his daughter into his arms. "All right you little scurvy dog," he blew a raspberry into her cheek, making her laugh, "time for your map-reading lessons." Éclair pouted while her Pirate father carried her to the study. Tifa shook her head with a fond smile on her lips and turned to leave the cake in the kitchen while she started with lunch.
After a while, her keen ears caught the sound of laughing and something of a scuffle. Tifa chuckled, knowing that her daughter's rebellious Pirate side was having her escape map-reading lessons. She heard Cloud curse under lightly and their daughter laughing at the fact that her father had let slip a bad word.
Éclair ran to the kitchen and hid behind her mother's legs and giggled when Cloud caught up and was out of breath. "Running back to your Ninja leader, are we? You lily-livered Lightning you," Cloud teased. The girl laughed as she ran in circles around the female Ninja.
Tifa rolled her eyes. "You two are such ruffians," she joked as she scooped the girl into her arms with ease. "Ah! There you are my runaway pupil." Tifa smirked at her and then placed the feisty girl down again. "Enough rough-housing now, you two. Lunch will be ready in a bit," Tifa nodded and wrapped his arms around his wife and nibbled her ear.
Éclair stuck out her tongue and pointed a finger at her open mouth. "She takes after your Pirate ways, Cloud." Tifa joked as she swayed slightly against her husband's hold. The blonde Pirate chuckled, "She's fast and cunning like you." He kissed Tifa's ear, making the Ninja shiver in delight.
Seeing her parents were preoccupied, Éclair left the kitchen and returned to the study. Once she was gone, Cloud snickered. "The only way I could get her to actually pay attention to her map-reading…" "You rotten Pirate," Tifa retorted playfully, shaking her head.
Cloud smirked and nuzzled the back of her neck. "And yet you still accepted my proposal, and my attempts to court you behind you clan's back…"
Tifa smiled lightly as she reached up behind her to stroke the soft spiky mane of her husband. "You make it sound more scandalous than he really was. And you were just lucky I found you interesting enough." She leaned her head back and winked at him.
"Already a mother of my daughter and you are still a tease, Tifa Lockhart," Cloud murmured in a husky voice, his lips pressed against her shoulder. "A Ninja is still a Ninja after all…" Tifa replied in the same tone. It made Cloud shiver but he held himself back for the sake of his daughter's very young virgin eyes. After all, the girl was much smarter than any ordinary child.
"Father?" A small voice called. The pair turned to see Éclair holding one of the maps. "I just finished my map-reading; I read the maps from Nibelheim to Bodhum and Esthar and Eden."
Cloud was surprised. "Are you? Come on then, let me see how well you learned." He let go of his wife and led Lightning to the living room to test how much she had learned.
Tifa smiled again. Éclair looked very much like her father; in fact she resembled him the most. Though Cloud would always protest that their little Lightning had her mother's lips and smooth face.
Éclair, from the very beginning, was the most precious treasure that had come into her and Cloud's lives.
The moment Tifa had discovered that she had bore Cloud's child, the Pirate had immediately come to her side, not once hesitating to look after her despite how well Tifa knew to protect herself. Cloud's actions and words had touched her inside that she had no idea could be touched; as a Ninja who was trained among the best and most powerful, Tifa was the perfect warrior and assassin. But Cloud Strife, a Pirate who was known for his ruthless fighting skills, his impressive sense of direction and treasure, and irresistible charms with women, had remained by her side—a Ninja, an enemy.
Yet she herself could not turn away from him either. She was just as bonded to him as he was to her.
Tifa thought back to the time they first met; as expected, upon seeing each other, their first instincts were to insult and attack. The fight had been close with both of them matching each other in skill and power. If that sea beast had not interrupted the fight, Tifa wondered if things would still end up they way they did. Perhaps they might have, but in a different way.
It came as a surprise to her when Cloud, a Pirate had actually felt gratitude towards her for saving his hide. Still, as a humble Ninja, Tifa would not accept any attempts of repayment. But Cloud had been persistent.
It was then they allowed themselves to just…talk to one another. Tifa had discovered a great deal about Cloud as a Pirate and as a man.
For a long time she kept her association with him a secret until Yuffie came along, sticking her nose in, along with Vincent, a fellow Ninja. Tifa had been prepared to defend herself and Cloud from any oncoming insults, or worse, banishment. Yet Yuffie—though she was in shock—seemed rather intrigued about such a development. Vincent said less like always but the very few words he had said that day made perfect sense to Tifa.
"Are you all right Tifa?" Cloud asked as he returned to her side. He had just allowed Éclair to play outside after she impressed him with her map-reading. Tifa waved him off. "Sorry. I was just…thinking." Curious, Cloud wrapped his arms around her again. "Thinking about what my Ninja?" He asked, pressing his lips to her dark hair. The woman in his arms stroked his forearm gently. "I was just remembering when we first…bumped into each other."
Cloud laughed lightly and kissed Tifa's neck while his hands stroked her hips. "I remember that very well. I was surprised at how hard you managed to hit me." "I was mentored by the clan leader, after all," Tifa reminded playfully.
"Éclair is outside right now… No doubt she would be running off to Old Man Gysahl's stables again to see that new male foal." Cloud mumbled, wondering what was so fascinating about horses to her daughter, considering how rare horses were and not common like the chocobo.
Tifa giggled, "Oh let her have her fun. I think the new foal likes her so no need to worry." Cloud rolled his eyes then smirked as he ran his hands up and down the sides of Tifa's body.
The Ninja and Pirate entered the stables in search of Éclair when she failed to return home earlier that day. Old Man Gysahl chuckled at the pair as he led them to the corral.
"That youngster of yours is a fine animal caretaker. She has been helping me clean up the whole day and spending time with the new foal," he explained. Tifa smiled. "I had no doubt about that. I just wonder what was so exciting that she did not come home again this time."
The question was answered when the three approached the large corral where the new foal was. Éclair was standing in a corner of the corral and watching as the male foal was struggling to his feet.
Cloud and Tifa exchanged looks, finally understanding. The very young horse was getting onto his feet and taking his very first steps. And Éclair wanted to be there to witness this moment.
"You can do it. I know you can." Éclair encouraged as the foal struggled a bit and wobbled when his skinny legs lifted his body up for the first time. The foal was an oddly colored one; his body was a pure black from head and ears to the tip of his hooves, yet his mane and tail were the purest white that anyone has ever seen.
Everyone watched as Éclair approached the foal and carefully reached a hand out to him. The young animal sniffed her hand and without hesitation nuzzled it, letting her know he finds her to be friendly.
Éclair smiled widely and stroked the neck of the foal gently. Old Man Gysahl laughed proudly, "Yep! Within a few hours that little foal will be trotting and cantering already! And running of course!"
Since horses were rare, not many knew of their growth and development but it was impressive at how fast a newborn foal would be able to get on its legs and move as efficiently as the adults.
Éclair looked up at her parents pleadingly and they knew she wanted to stay at the stables and watch as the foal took his first steps to running and cantering.
Cloud sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Well I guess we have nothing else to do. Why don't we all tend to the animals? If that is alright with you, Old Gyshal."
The old man waved the concern off. "Oh certainly! An old man can use a couple of strong hands. And I know Little Lightning will take good care of the foal and his mother."
In response, a pure white mare neighed in the from another corner of the round area inside the corral. She looked over to where her son was and trotted over.
The mare nuzzled him and the foal immediate began to suckle from her. Éclair reached up at the mare to touch her snout and the equine nuzzled the young girl tenderly in response. "Tell me Little Lightning, have you thought of a name for the foal?" Old Man Gysahl asked from the other side of the corral.
Éclair smiled as she fed the mother horse a handful of hay she had grabbed from a nearby sack. "Odin." she answered, "Because…he is strong and he will grow up to be stronger."
The adults smiled at the child as she continued to give the foal and his mother attention. The mother seemed to adore Éclair and the foal had taken a liking to his newfound friend.
"She's a spitfire, that one." The old man commented with a grin. "You both did good. No need to worry about the whole Ninja-Pirate hate thing. Little Lightning is proof of that."
Cloud and Tifa could not agree more, and they could not be any more proud as they watched their precious treasure—the result of two different worlds colliding—bond with the foal and his mother. No doubt that a strange new bond and friendship has been formed between Cloud and Tifa's and the mare's offspring.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIGHTNING FARRON!
So it's May 13, Lightning's birthday and May 3 was Tifa's birthday. This chapter is sort of a little tribute to both characters since its Light's birthday today and this is a sort of late birthday tribute to Tifa. Mine was on the 7th and it's so cool to share a birthday month with two of my favorite characters! How about you guys?
To clarify, her name is Éclair but her nickname is Lightning because—due to her being part Ninja—she is extremely fast and because of that, the people in the town Cloud and Tifa are living in have nicknamed her Little Lightning or just Lightning or Light.
I am going to be writing another chapter for Chronicles. Again I am sorry if you are waiting for Sanctuaire; I need to write drabbles in order to get my writing drive back since drabbles are not in order and are mostly short stories. But Sanctuaire is definitely being worked on as well, you have my word!
TERMS USED
Equine: Equus is a genus of animals in the family Equidae that includes horses, donkeys, and zebras.
Foal: A young equine that is one year old or younger. Colt is a male and filly is female, however they are referred to as such when they reach the age of three or four.
Like always, vote for your favorites in Chronicles and see who will ascend the throne was Sanctuaire steps down! Have fun reading or re-reading, and voting!
Until then…
