Lol, I sorta stuck a typo into the last chapter. Guess no one noticed, but
Cloud said he had to get to Midgar right away, and Tifa lives in Nibelheim.
O_o Anyway, I got rid of that, so whatever. Here's the next chaper. ^_^
~*~
{ CHAPTER XIII ~ GIFTS }
Cloud fell to the ground before Tifa. "Happy birthday..." He fainted and Tifa crouched beside him.
"Cloud... You came all this way just to wish me a happy birthday?" she whispered softly. Tifa examined his face. He hadn't changed at all from a year ago. Adorable blonde spikes of hair fell over his eyes, shadowing his face. A black cloak was tied to his shoulders with the old SOLDIER uniform underneath.
She stood and headed to her kitchen. Minutes later, Tifa came back with a warm cup of tea to find Cloud awake again.
"Are you alright?" She handed the cup of tea to him and sat down at one of the tables.
Cloud smiled. "You haven't changed."
"Neither have you. Why are you here, Cloud?"
"Today's your birthday."
"I didn't think you'd care. I still hate you, you know."
Cloud looked hurt. Tifa realized what she'd just said and bit her lip. She gently motioned for him to come sit down.
"Tifa... I guess I came because I needed one more chance. The stupidest thing I've ever done is when I turned you down last year. I just needed some time to get my life sorted out." Cloud sipped his tea and looked back at Tifa. His eyes turned hazed. "Please, will you let me try again?"
Tifa knew he wasn't joking. He really did want to have a second chance. She wanted to hug him, she wanted so much just to say 'of course' and make everything perfect. But what you wanted wasn't what always turned out...
"I'm sorry... I don't have any feelings for you anymore." She turned away, fighting the tears easily. She knew that Cloud was shattered behind her and that all his hope had just been sunk, like Tifa's was a year ago. And she tried to make it seem like she didn't care. She didn't want to see him when she turned around. Never again did she want to see him. She only wanted to be alone now, to cry out all the tears that had come back and to resume life in her endless cycle of loneliness.
Cloud stood and placed the cup on the table. "I deserved that... I'm sorry that my earlier decisions had to lead to this... I guess this is goodbye again, Tifa." He stood up and headed for the door.
A million voices suddenly tore at Tifa's mind. One shone above them all. 'Don't make the same mistake that he did.' She turned around abruptly.
"Cloud!!!" Tifa ran toward him and tackled him in a hug. She pushed him to the ground, not letting him escape. "Don't go..."
Cloud was surprised by her sudden outburst. He pulled her up. "What?"
"I... I don't want you to leave."
"But you hate me." He cocked his head to the side and smiled.
Tifa frowned and hit his shoulder. "You know what? I think I will give you a second chance. You can help me work at the bar for six months. You can take use the spare room."
"So if you fall in love with me again..."
"Right. And if I don't, then you can leave."
Cloud grinned. "Thanks, Tifa."
Tifa wanted so much to express her feelings. This just may have been the best way. She didn't love him, nor did she hate him. But you couldn't leave an old friend behind in tears, even if he did that to her... Revenge was a sin.
"There's a clothing store down the block. Go buy something." Tifa grabbed a handful of gil from her pocket and handed it to Cloud.
"Oh yeah, before I forget..." Cloud pulled a small box out of his cloak and tossed it to her. He flashed a smile and walked out of the bar. She clutched the box to her heart as she watched him walk away.
'Half a year... Expect the unexpected, Tifa...' The thought was sudden. It could mean something certain, it could mean nothing at all. Whatever. She would get to live with Cloud in her bar for a while, and maybe even hope would stop by.
~*~
Light rain fell. The sky was a pale gray and a few clouds were scattered around. Reeve walked through the streets, his eyes searching. They landed on the ShinRa Headquarters, his home. And the rumors of the travelers were true... Outside the building, at the door, stood three familiar people.
One was actually sitting. She was on the ground, ignoring the rain and mud that dirtied her pure blonde hair. She stared at her fingers, which swept through the wet soil, drawing nothing in particular.
The second stood near, his black sunglasses concealing the eyes that stared down at her. He leaned against the side of the HQ, the blue uniform visibly getting dusty from the wall.
And the third was beside him, arrogant as usual. Spiky red bangs hung over his eyes. He looked directly ahead. Pushing the bangs out of his eyes, he began to walk forth toward Reeve, a curious expression on his face.
"Reeve?" He stopped.
"Reno. Rude, Elena." Reeve smiled at all of them. "What brings you here?"
"What do you think?" Elena looked up, her brown eyes angry. "We've been out of jobs for a year. We can't survive on the streets forever. ShinRa is dead."
"Not quite. I'm the new President. No evil this time."
Rude looked up. "We know that. And we've come back."
"Why do you say 'we' instead of 'I'?" Reeve questioned.
"Cause we'll stick together, no matter what."
Reeve wasn't surprised at the response. "Alright, I think I can help you." It wasn't every day that you went out for a morning walk, heard strange rumors going through town, and came back to find former enemies at your doorstep. Reeve sighed lightly. He walked into the building, the Turks trailing behind.
~*~
Rubies. Real rubies. Where did he get them? Did he really have enough money from all the training to buy such things? Tifa examined the shining red stones that graced her ears. She smiled in satisfaction. No one had ever given her any jewelry. Actually, she'd never really gotten anything valuable.
A slam came from the main room. Tifa walked over. Cloud stood there, clad in a new outfit that was much too similar to his last. She giggled softly.
"Nice, Cloud. By the way, where did you get the ruby earrings?"
"It was something that I've wanted to give you for a while. When we saved the world, they were going to be a gift." Cloud shifted in embarrasement. "I never gave them to you cause I was shy. Well, consider them a birthday gift."
Tifa laughed. "So, how did the townspeople react on seeing their famous savior in their hometown?"
Cloud began to look nervous. "Well, actually... They're kind of all waiting outside the door right now..."
Tifa raised an eyebrow. She rushed to the door and opened it to find crowds of customers waiting to get in. She motioned for them to come inside and turned to Cloud.
"You'll have to help me serve these people. Thanks, Cloud, business is gonna bloom now that you're here!" She laughed in that adorable way and ran to the counter to start cooking.
Cloud walked over to help her. She had no idea how much he loved that laugh. It was so sweet and carefree, and maybe now life would be perfect after all thanks to the beautiful sound.
~*~
Expect the unexpected, readers... ^_~
~*~
{ CHAPTER XIII ~ GIFTS }
Cloud fell to the ground before Tifa. "Happy birthday..." He fainted and Tifa crouched beside him.
"Cloud... You came all this way just to wish me a happy birthday?" she whispered softly. Tifa examined his face. He hadn't changed at all from a year ago. Adorable blonde spikes of hair fell over his eyes, shadowing his face. A black cloak was tied to his shoulders with the old SOLDIER uniform underneath.
She stood and headed to her kitchen. Minutes later, Tifa came back with a warm cup of tea to find Cloud awake again.
"Are you alright?" She handed the cup of tea to him and sat down at one of the tables.
Cloud smiled. "You haven't changed."
"Neither have you. Why are you here, Cloud?"
"Today's your birthday."
"I didn't think you'd care. I still hate you, you know."
Cloud looked hurt. Tifa realized what she'd just said and bit her lip. She gently motioned for him to come sit down.
"Tifa... I guess I came because I needed one more chance. The stupidest thing I've ever done is when I turned you down last year. I just needed some time to get my life sorted out." Cloud sipped his tea and looked back at Tifa. His eyes turned hazed. "Please, will you let me try again?"
Tifa knew he wasn't joking. He really did want to have a second chance. She wanted to hug him, she wanted so much just to say 'of course' and make everything perfect. But what you wanted wasn't what always turned out...
"I'm sorry... I don't have any feelings for you anymore." She turned away, fighting the tears easily. She knew that Cloud was shattered behind her and that all his hope had just been sunk, like Tifa's was a year ago. And she tried to make it seem like she didn't care. She didn't want to see him when she turned around. Never again did she want to see him. She only wanted to be alone now, to cry out all the tears that had come back and to resume life in her endless cycle of loneliness.
Cloud stood and placed the cup on the table. "I deserved that... I'm sorry that my earlier decisions had to lead to this... I guess this is goodbye again, Tifa." He stood up and headed for the door.
A million voices suddenly tore at Tifa's mind. One shone above them all. 'Don't make the same mistake that he did.' She turned around abruptly.
"Cloud!!!" Tifa ran toward him and tackled him in a hug. She pushed him to the ground, not letting him escape. "Don't go..."
Cloud was surprised by her sudden outburst. He pulled her up. "What?"
"I... I don't want you to leave."
"But you hate me." He cocked his head to the side and smiled.
Tifa frowned and hit his shoulder. "You know what? I think I will give you a second chance. You can help me work at the bar for six months. You can take use the spare room."
"So if you fall in love with me again..."
"Right. And if I don't, then you can leave."
Cloud grinned. "Thanks, Tifa."
Tifa wanted so much to express her feelings. This just may have been the best way. She didn't love him, nor did she hate him. But you couldn't leave an old friend behind in tears, even if he did that to her... Revenge was a sin.
"There's a clothing store down the block. Go buy something." Tifa grabbed a handful of gil from her pocket and handed it to Cloud.
"Oh yeah, before I forget..." Cloud pulled a small box out of his cloak and tossed it to her. He flashed a smile and walked out of the bar. She clutched the box to her heart as she watched him walk away.
'Half a year... Expect the unexpected, Tifa...' The thought was sudden. It could mean something certain, it could mean nothing at all. Whatever. She would get to live with Cloud in her bar for a while, and maybe even hope would stop by.
~*~
Light rain fell. The sky was a pale gray and a few clouds were scattered around. Reeve walked through the streets, his eyes searching. They landed on the ShinRa Headquarters, his home. And the rumors of the travelers were true... Outside the building, at the door, stood three familiar people.
One was actually sitting. She was on the ground, ignoring the rain and mud that dirtied her pure blonde hair. She stared at her fingers, which swept through the wet soil, drawing nothing in particular.
The second stood near, his black sunglasses concealing the eyes that stared down at her. He leaned against the side of the HQ, the blue uniform visibly getting dusty from the wall.
And the third was beside him, arrogant as usual. Spiky red bangs hung over his eyes. He looked directly ahead. Pushing the bangs out of his eyes, he began to walk forth toward Reeve, a curious expression on his face.
"Reeve?" He stopped.
"Reno. Rude, Elena." Reeve smiled at all of them. "What brings you here?"
"What do you think?" Elena looked up, her brown eyes angry. "We've been out of jobs for a year. We can't survive on the streets forever. ShinRa is dead."
"Not quite. I'm the new President. No evil this time."
Rude looked up. "We know that. And we've come back."
"Why do you say 'we' instead of 'I'?" Reeve questioned.
"Cause we'll stick together, no matter what."
Reeve wasn't surprised at the response. "Alright, I think I can help you." It wasn't every day that you went out for a morning walk, heard strange rumors going through town, and came back to find former enemies at your doorstep. Reeve sighed lightly. He walked into the building, the Turks trailing behind.
~*~
Rubies. Real rubies. Where did he get them? Did he really have enough money from all the training to buy such things? Tifa examined the shining red stones that graced her ears. She smiled in satisfaction. No one had ever given her any jewelry. Actually, she'd never really gotten anything valuable.
A slam came from the main room. Tifa walked over. Cloud stood there, clad in a new outfit that was much too similar to his last. She giggled softly.
"Nice, Cloud. By the way, where did you get the ruby earrings?"
"It was something that I've wanted to give you for a while. When we saved the world, they were going to be a gift." Cloud shifted in embarrasement. "I never gave them to you cause I was shy. Well, consider them a birthday gift."
Tifa laughed. "So, how did the townspeople react on seeing their famous savior in their hometown?"
Cloud began to look nervous. "Well, actually... They're kind of all waiting outside the door right now..."
Tifa raised an eyebrow. She rushed to the door and opened it to find crowds of customers waiting to get in. She motioned for them to come inside and turned to Cloud.
"You'll have to help me serve these people. Thanks, Cloud, business is gonna bloom now that you're here!" She laughed in that adorable way and ran to the counter to start cooking.
Cloud walked over to help her. She had no idea how much he loved that laugh. It was so sweet and carefree, and maybe now life would be perfect after all thanks to the beautiful sound.
~*~
Expect the unexpected, readers... ^_~