I'm really, REALLY sorry for 'disappearing' for a little over two months... I had some problems with our computer, I didn't think it would have gotten this long (but it DID --')... And to think it all started with the computer crash... I was honestly about to post this one last August 31 after my brother used the computer but it was already late in the night (around eleven, I think FYI, I'm an early sleeper) so I decided to sleep... And, yeah, when I woke up the next day, the computer wouldn't start out and it so happened that my brother somehow deleted the entire Windows 2000 thingees (I'm still wondering how he did it...)
Enough excuses, on with the fic.
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Disclaimer: SquareSoft and Sony's Final Fantasy VII characters and locations were used in this story for non-profitable entertainment purposes. No infringement intended.
Shades of Gray
Part Nine: Just One Wish
Shortly after speaking with Yuffie
Humming softly, Tifa allowed a small smile to grace her lips as she slowly made her way down the flight of steps of her home. Her home. Funny that Kalm was now "home" and Nibelheim was just that place where she once lived. Her Nibelheim didn't exist anymore - nothing there was left but an imitation, a set piece for some two-bit theatre. She could never imagine herself staying there, having to live there with the ghosts of the past and the phantoms of an empty future; one of the two was enough, right now.
The unwelcomed thoughts were quickly overshadowed by more pleasant ones - Christmas, presents, her chat with Yuffie... That was a lot like finding a sanctuary, a place where it was alright to act like a little kid, again. And for Tifa, this was one reason to be thankful for...
Having committed to memory the positions of every piece of furniture, Tifa did not even bother to flick on the lights to manoeuvre the bar; the house was a part of her, after all. As she passed by the aged piano that was gathering dust in one corner of the living room, she caught the red glow of the digital clock -it read close to one o'clock in the morning- and still, the others had not come back from their shopping... The paranoid side of Tifa was screaming that something must have happened to them, but the more rational side pushed to the front of her mind, keeping her calm. They were all probably caught in the Holiday rush - served them right, really, for waiting until the last minute to buy presents.
She sat down on the black leather couch and switched on the T.V. The door leading to the bar had been temporarily padlocked since Tifa was to close Indulgence in exchange for a few weeks of quality time with her friends. Anyone entering the house would have to pass through the side door, and she'd be able to see them from the living room.
Less than half an hour into the movie, she found herself awfully bored, with an unsettled mind and an upset stomach due to all her worrying. For her sanity's sake, Tifa reached for the remote control and switched off the television, revelling in the soothing tranquillity until she heard the sound of a key being fitted in the lock.
Tifa glanced up to see a silhouette of someone who, despite a heavy jacket and hat, was profusely shivering. The packages the person had been carrying earlier were now left forgotten on the floor while he rubbed his frozen -and uncovered, Tifa noted with exasperation- hands together.
"Reeve." Her voice rang out in the quiet house, and Reeve was visibly startled. His head whipped around as though hunting for a hidden assailant, but he recovered just as quickly. Masking his sheepish expression, he managed to give her a stiff nod as a means of acknowledging her presence.
"Tifa... didn't you ever consider moving to Costa del Sol?" He asked dryly, gathering his belongings and setting them against the wall before taking a seat beside her. "It hasn't snowed in days, but it's still freezing!"
Tifa laughed softly, shaking her head at her friend's silliness. "It's much cooler around Icicle Inn. Don't you remember?"
Reeve shrugged, glancing over. "Umm... I really wouldn't know, I was using Cait Sith then. Don't you remember?" He mimicked, his lips able to hold a teasing half-smile now that they weren't shaking.
She picked up a magazine and chucked it at him; it missed. They laughed together lightly, enjoying the company and warmth. "Well, Kalm is good enough for me. What were you doing out so late anyway?"
"Shopping for you guys-" he sneezed once, "... and myself as well-" And again. Tifa shoved a box of tissues under his nose, which he took gratefully.
"Bless you." Tifa said, swallowing any laughter. She, for one, hated crowds and felt mildly unsympathetic for what he'd put himself through by waiting so long to hit the stores. "I won't ask what you got the others -it's a surprise and all- but, what did you get yourself? Didn't think one of Santa's elves bought their own gifts." She couldn't refrain from teasing, but Tifa was inwardly beaming at the perfect opportunity that had presented itself to her- no need to guess what he wanted anymore.
"Some... stuff." He dabbed a crumpled piece of tissue on his nose. "That might help with some mechanical problems on Cait. And some bacon and steak." Tifa raised an eyebrow; he noticed. "I'm allergic to chicken."
Really? Another little thing she never knew... "You never told me that."
"'Cause you never asked?" he offered, shrugging.
She knew him well enough to trust him with every single secret she had, apart from the one concerning Cloud -or maybe even that one. But in reality, she barely knew anything about him, nor did he know much about her... "Well, I bet you didn't know that I actually enjoy cooking. You should have told me, it's no bother fixing you a... a..." her voice trailed off while her hands gestured lightly to fill in the blank.
"An un-chicken meal...?" Reeve suggested, and the two of them ended up chuckling softly at the poor attempt at humour. He regained his composure first. "I'd appreciate that. Though, just knowing that I have a friend who would actually care enough to do that is enough to keep me happy for a while."
"Happy?" Wasn't that a little vague?
Reeve nodded with energy. "Yes... my life is great, and to see my friends enjoying the same kind of lifestyle and being content with their lives..." He gave her a small smile before averting his eyes to the blank television in front of them. "But that last part could never really happen... Once lives are ruined, nothing would be the same..." He was probing her, gently and with the skill and subtlety of a Shinra executive, but it was still a probe nonetheless. Part of him had to know if she was that same lost girl in the train... "People can't get back what they've lost no matter how much they cry."
Tifa frowned, realizing that their conversation had been stirred back into the themes of bitterness and resentment. A chill ran down her spine and she couldn't quite stop herself from thinking that maybe the spirits of those who had perished during the fight against Sephiroth were all here, that the gloom that hung in the air like some invisible blanket of death was their way of reminding the survivors the mistakes that were committed in the past... Or maybe, just maybe, this was there way of trying to exist even if it meant to be considered as a nightmare that plagued the mind...
"No matter how much we want to, we can never change the past..." Tifa sombrely agreed and out of nowhere, Reeve started chuckling with a shake of his head. "Hmm?"
"Nothing." He turned to look at her. "Take it easy, all these are part of life... But that's why Christmas is here. Of all the times to be unwaveringly miserable, this is not it. Besides, it just doesn't suit you, Tifa."
Tifa's eyes strayed towards his direction for a second before being transfixed once again on the television set. She was looking at it, intently, though it was nothing more than a blank screen. Reeve hesitated, afraid that he had overstepped his bounds as a friend, but though it didn't show, her sole attention was on him.
"They say," Reeve continued, trying a different track, "That Christmas is the time of the year to wish for something that isn't only for yourself..." He cleared his throat, the noise resounding in the silent room. "If the Planet was to grant me just one wish..." His voice trailed off and the cheerful disposition was replaced by one of longing.
"And that would be?" Tifa asked, engrossed, her voice barely above a whisper.
He just smiled wistfully. "For everyone to be happy..." Tifa couldn't help the wave of disappointment from subduing her. Maybe he'd figure out, someday, that he could trust her the way she trusted him. "What about you, Tifa?" She caught him stifling a yawn. "What would you wish for?"
"Snow." Reeve appeared puzzled and she had to smile. "You said it yourself, it hasn't snowed in days... The children can't wait to build their snowmen -though, I think adults enjoy the snowball fights more than the kids do. And you," she laughed softly, "You must know why I love it so much."
Tifa stood up gingerly, testing a leg that had fallen asleep. "Come on, it's getting late... We both can't stay up waiting for the others-"
"Actually, I'm the last one in." Reeve politely interrupted with a smile. It was Tifa's turn to look sheepish - she and Yuffie must have been too absorbed in their conversation that they failed to notice the arrival of their friends. "I was with them at the mall earlier, Marlene was exhausted so I made them go ahead..." Another yawn.
Tifa laughed, eyes glittering with a strange combination of tiredness and amusement. "How generous of you. Now, go to bed before I carry you there."
He snuggled deeper into the cushions, letting out another quiet yawn. "Is that a promise?"
Tifa stood there for a moment, thinking, and -with an exceptional show of impulsiveness- grabbed hold of his arm, pulled him to his feet in a blink of an eye and broke into a run, and being dragged away, Reeve had no choice but to follow. Halfway to the stairway, she let go of him and broke into a laughing fit as she watched a surprised Reeve collapse to the polished wooden floor.
"Haha. Very funny." He muttered under his breath as he struggled to stand up. He tried to take hold of her hand but she quickly skipped a few feet away, just beyond his reach.
"Last one up is a rotten egg!" Tifa shouted as loud as she dared without waking up any of their friends. She teasingly stuck out her tongue before disappearing into the dark, her faint outline the only thing showing Reeve that she was still there by the stairway- He jumped to his feet and pursued the chase... Man, the two of them like this must have been a sight to behold...
Reeve, for his part, could only decide that she wasn't that lost girl on the train. Or rather, not anymore...
Author's Notes: YES we're back to Reeve. I just realized that since most fanfics leave li'l Reeve out of the stories, I decided to give him a little taste of the limelight.
If any of you think it's a bit weird for Tifa to suddenly play around like a little child, let me remind you guys that she just finished speaking with Yuffie. Giddiness and silliness rub off on people just how sadness could 'infect' others. )
Oh, I just feel like I've been away for so long and I think I've forgotten how most things function around here... But, yeah, gotta call some people's attentions (I owe them an explanation or two...)
Amanda: mah friend, how have you been? I realized that it had been a long time since I last opened my scatterbrain email ad... So, yeah, I did realize how long it had been since we last talked... Gomen for disappearing just like that...
Kimetara: Dude, sorry I wasn't able to email you and everything, guess I still owe ya one... And I'm also sorta lagging (Just finished your two-part CloTi but I have yet reviewed it, and about your Jade... Heh, gotta go catch the next chapters, huh? I still haven't read the latest chapters of your Vincent/Tifa... As I've said, I have a lot of catching up to do...)
Lee: You changed your pen name, right? Faerie Wings if I'm correct... Heh... You seem to be forgetting that you still have to write me a mail... Or is it my turn already? scratches head
Magnum Opus: Due to my limited internet access the last couple of weeks/months, I accidentally sent you a lot of junk mail... So sorry for that! Surfing the net in our library is tiring--- you have to constantly check if the 'computer break' is coming soon or you have to stand and wait for a long time before you could use a computer... Excuses, excuses... I still owe you a mail, babe.
Persuasive Intelligence: Hey pal, not sure if you're reading this... :D what the heck, I'll go on anyway... I think you changed your pen name to green something (if I'm correct, if not, feel free to bonk me on the head) but that's not the point. The story we are supposedly working on, I'm supposed to be writing the next one, right? I am restarting it since I wasn't able to salvage what I have finished... I hope I'm not irritating you or something, but bad things just keep happening to me... and so I'm sorry.
Samantha: Thank you for sending the ideas for the Christmas Presents! I wasn't able to thank you enough but words can't really express my gratitude.
Tiy: Soulmate, whatever happened to you? Haven't heard from you in a long time... I'll let you in on the details soon, ok? V
Zelda6: just wait, my friend, and we shall all be Blasted to Nibelheim The drawings are a-coming!
LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT THE LEAST, to the READERS: Thank you for taking time to read this chapter! I'd love to know what you think of this one Comments, suggestions and other forms of reactions are always welcome, please feel free to drop it in the review box or email me at sodacolapop AT yahoo DOT com
'Till next time! c",