Disclaimer: I own not the characters but only the story in which they appear in here. The idea is mine but everything else belongs to their respective owners. (Although I wish otherwise.)
Chapter 1
Tifa watched from behind her bar as she absently bounced Cid's three year old daughter on her knee. She glanced at her calendar again and confirmed her suspicions.
"Hey Tifa!"
Cid Highwind barged down the steps clattering noisily making Tifa wince. The pilot had just awoken it would seem. "Good afternoon Cid. Finally decided to join the living?"
Cid muttered unintelligibly under his breath, a sure sign he was cursing. He didn't do it aloud in front of his child after Shera had done short work of him that one time with her rolling pin. He'd complained afterward, that all her pies and pastries had a distinctly bloody tang to it since then. But he ate it anyway.
Tifa glanced at their visiting friend, Vincent Valentine, who was staring out the window at the swirling snow. "Hey Cid. Do you know why Vincent hasn't played the postman this year? Usually by this time he would be with Cloud giving him updates and our letters telling him our news."
Cid shrugged. "Maybe he finally wised up and decided not to involve himself with a liar and traitor anymore." Tifa resisted the urge to punch the man.
"Oh? This from the man who writes letters to said 'liar' every month without fail and then constantly nags Vincent not to lose them until he is forced to leave quickly to escape you?"
Cid turned red and stomped outside to swear volubly and to his hearts content. He hated it when people pointed out his faux pas. Tifa giggled making the child in her lap giggle as well. Looking down at Jessi. Tifa poked her nose and staged whispered to the uncomprehending child. "Your daddy is such a hypocrite."
She saw Vincent shaking his head at her but even he couldn't hide his amusement. She winked at him and nodded in return. But still it worried her. Vincent _always_ went to see Cloud this time of year. Nothing had stopped him before. Nothing could possibly except… "Oh my god!" She jerked up upright to stare at Vincent full in the face and saw her answer in the quiet red eyes.
"He's back?!!!"
There hadn't been any words. They didn't need any. Everything that they wanted to say could wait. All they had to do then was to revel in each others company again. As they lay intertwined on Cloud's bed, they exchanged little kisses and playful nips. Curled together, they radiated warmth and contentment to a disgusting degree.
A constant rumble, soft and low was heard by Cloud whose head was pillowed on Sephiroth's chest. He blinked in surprise the grinned. Turning his laughing gaze to his newly returned lover, he chuckled. "You're purring. You owe me twenty gils."
Sephiroth stared at his irrepressible lover for a moment before he began to tickle the blonde in earnest, single-handedly, while he used the other to keep the other man pinned to him. Cloud's laughter rang through the cottage soon joined by the joyful tones of a deeper voice.
The snow continued to fall and winter came and went. Throughout this, the two relearned each other. Building old bonds and old dreams as well as new and told their tales of their experiences during the time of madness which had split them apart physically for over ten years. They reaffirmed their love and devotion to each other, becoming so close it was almost eerie the way they could anticipate the others wordless intent.
Then as spring placed her dainty feet upon the ground, they began to make preparations. As much as they wished to, they could not hide from the world forever. There were people they had to see and things they had to explain. Perhaps later, when everything had been settled, they would return. But for now, their place was the road and their journey had just begun.
Tifa opened the windows and took a deep breath. She could almost smell the new life which came with every spring after the killing cold of winter. She moved around her home quickly, tidying up before heading to her bar where Vincent had been staying as a paying guest.
The thought of the raven haired man caused a sliver of unease. Vincent had been with them through the whole winter. Something which had never happened in the five years they had destroyed Jenova. It made her jumpy and she found herself glancing at the horizon and staring out the windows to the edge of town frequently.
As a sudden torrent of fat drops began to rain on her, she squawked in surprise and ran the rest of the way. Thankfully it wasn't too far and she didn't get soaked. Just a bit damp. She pushed the door open and entered with an audible sigh of relief.
"Hey, hey. Look what the *&#$@ cat dragged in!"
The withering glare Tifa sent Cid's way would have caused paint to peel. "Sha'up." She darted into the back room and quickly changed into her spare clothes which she kept for emergencies. She exited towelling her hair and took a seat next to Cid after kicking his feet of the chair with a bit more force than necessary.
"^$#@$^*^%!!!! Tifa that %$@*& HURT!!!" The young woman just smiled sweetly.
"Is Vincent up yet?"
"Yes, I am." A startled expletive and a yelp of shock came respectively from Cid and Tifa as they spun to see Vincent descending the stairs without a sound. Tifa shot him a LOOK, but he just shrugged and smiled.
"Yuffie will be arriving tomorrow to join in for Jessi's birthday party. Barret and Marlene as well. Even Reeve is coming. It should be a festive occasion."
'Should?' Wasn't that 'will' instead? Tifa frowned at Vincent's odd phrasing but before she could say anything the door slammed open and two figures tumbled in. Both were very familiar to all of them. Too familiar.
"Dammit Seph! There's no need to punt me through the bloody door! Just because I said Don Corneo chose me that time doesn't mean we've done anything!" The taller man didn't answer and instead pulled the blonde into a tight embrace and in front of three very intent stares, he kissed Cloud. They deepened the kiss until the sound of Cid's mug crashing to the floor; brought them back to the present.
They pulled away acting like chastened children. Tifa was on her feet and looking calm and collected if you discounted her clenched fist and pale face. Her voice quavered and would not steady no matter what.
"Cloud?"
