Eep... This chapter was soo late... -.- Gomen!!
Oh yeah, and recommended reading music during this chapter: Purachina from Card Captor Sakura. xD It really makes you feel warm and fuzzy, sorta. O_o
One more note, when it says something with dashes around it like -this- that means in italics or said in an exaggerated way. When I upload chapters with HTML, they go a little screwy, even with Notepad. xD
~*~
{ CHAPTER XV ~ AKWARDNESS }
Six short months... They passed in an instant, didn't they? One moment, Tifa had agrees to letting Cloud stay at her restaurant for a while, and the next thing she knows, they're working together side-by-side. Incredible how with time came many changes as well. If Tifa had remembered the words she'd said just months ago, she'd practically kill herself.
'I... I hate you.'
Who could hate those soft blue-green eyes, that rare smile? Tifa hated herself for admitting it, even in secrecy, but she -loved- him. She loved Cloud again. Whatever spell he had set on her, it worked perfectly and simply. And now she was back in the deep void, unable to get out. Just like a year ago.
It was another normal day, that would be followed by another and another. It had been like this for the past months that she had been working with Cloud. Tifa was sitting in the small garden that she had planted as a tribute to Aeris a while ago. It was January and light frost covered the town, but strangely enough, the flowers were in perfect bloom. Seemingly, all the snowflakes that fell on the petals had instantly melted...
She stood and breathed in the cool air. Life couldn't have been better at this moment. Keeping in mind, the key phrase was 'this moment'. Soon, Cloud would leave. Everything would go back to being bland and lonely for Tifa. She wouldn't be able to fight the tears this time around... Falling in love with Cloud again was unhealthy, seeing that she would be alone again soon enough. She sighed helplessly. Why must fate be so demanding and cruel?
Tifa started to walk back to her restaurant. It was just a block away, since she decided to plant the flowers in front of the local church. Her ruby earrings softly swayed in the wind. Snow began to fall, and she walked faster. But nearing her house, she saw that something was... Unusual. Tifa stopped and examined it.
...Her room. Something was different about her bedroom. Cloud stood on the veranda outside of her room, glancing around nervously. He didn't seem to notice her. Tifa ran into the house quickly and made her way upstairs.
Upon seeing her room, she nearly fainted.
Yeah, all the walls were still white. The desk and bed were in their proper places. That old photo on the wall. So, what was different?
The area beneath the photo. Tifa fell to the ground, joy overcoming her. She sat there, just taking in the sight of what stood there.
Cloud calmly walked into the room from the balcony. He held up a book of sheet music and grinned at her. "You remember how to play it, don't you?"
She nodded, too stunned to say anything. A black grand piano was in the empty space before her. So, that's what she found strange about her room... Something was blocking the window?
Tifa was ready to burst into tears, although she had promised herself to never cry again. This was a good reason to cry, though... Happiness.
"You got it for me?"
Cloud nodded. He placed the sheet music onto the piano and Tifa stood and walked over to it. She ran her fingers over the wooden keys, just appreciating the smooth feel that brought back the memories of childhood. Tifa swept her hands over them and played the scale with agility. Following that, she took a look at the sheet music, and began to play the presented notes. And as the music filled her room, she realized that she was no longer that boring woman with white walls in her room. The music was painting the walls. She had found her talent.
Tifa smiled at Cloud, the tears starting to spill down her cheeks. For just a moment, she lifted her hands from the piano, placed her arms around Cloud and leaned toward him. It was the best feeling, to receive the gift of realization. Tifa just took in the moment, this one moment that she would never be able to experience again. Cloud pulled her closer and closed his eyes. He felt the same way she did, like there was nothing in the world but this joy they shared right now.
But the problem with thoughts was that you could never truly show them to another person.
'What can she be thinking?' he wondered. That smile on her face burned him into feelings of depression. He only wanted to know what she thought of him. Her opinion alone mattered. Not Barret's, or Red's, Reeve's, Yuffie's, or anyone. Just Tifa's.
(a/n: Hey everyone, do you know what it's time for? A RANDOM PLOT TWIST©! :D Please don't eat me.)
Suddenly, as realization had struck Tifa, it struck Cloud. Maybe she didn't care at all. At least, not anymore. He could clearly remember the night that he and Vincent were left in the fields below Wutai. She said she loved Cloud, and he didn't care.
Maybe it was her turn to not care.
Pain stung him. Cloud pushed Tifa away lightly and turned toward the piano. His face was turning red, moreover from anger at himself.
Sadly, Tifa thought it was from embarrassment. She bit her lip slightly but kept quiet. 'I probably shouldn't have hugged him for that long.' She smiled despite the tension in the room and sat back down at the piano. Tifa opened the music book to a random page and began to play.
The melody was familiar to Tifa, as if she had heard it from childhood. It was sad and soft, and somewhat reminded her of someone. She glanced over at Cloud and saw that he was no longer tense, but now watching her calmly. His expression seemed pained in a way.
'Maybe he remembers that song from somewhere like I do.' Tifa took her fingers off the keys. The music disappeared immediately. Suddenly something ached in Tifa's heart, as if the music made something seem missing.
"Tifa?" Cloud looked at her, his soft bluegreen eyes pleading.
'Funny how he can change expressions so quickly,' Tifa though, a smile crossing her face. "What?"
"Um... Can you come to the Gold Saucer with me tomorrow night?" Cloud lowered his eyes to the ground. He was acting too shy. The look in his eyes made him seem so innocent and young...
How could Tifa resist? She couldn't say no anyway. Cloud was truly her best friend, and she would never let him down, even if did the opposite to her.
"Of course," she said, standing up. Tifa started to head downstairs, but stopped before leaving her room.
'I wonder... If he'll mind?' She turned around slowly, her cheeks beginning to turn red.
"Tifa? What's wrong?" Cloud took a step toward her, panic sweeping him.
Without a word Tifa stepped forward, placed her arms around Cloud, and caught him in a soft kiss.
~*~
CLIFFHANGER! MWUAHAHA!!! *gets pelted with tomatoes* X_x Sorry. I can't really give you a cliffhanger if I had this fic on such a delay, now can I? -.- Soo, here's a less cheap ending to the chapter. :]
~*~
'Was I wrong about her not caring?' Cloud thought. Before he knew what was happening, Tifa pulled away and turned around, ready to run. Cloud took her hand and pulled her back to him, embracing her.
'Of course I was wrong. Tifa is the sweetest, kindest person I know.' Cloud glanced at Tifa, who leaned against him. 'She loves me,' he thought bitterly, angry at himself for ever hurting her.
He lifted her chin and suddenly realized that she was crying.
A tear slipped down her cheek and landed on the ground, followed by another, and another. Bitterness swept through Cloud. 'She -loves- me,' he thought, angry at himself for hurting her so much last year.
"C-Cloud... Please, let me go..." Tifa sobbed quietly. Cloud could clearly see that she was disappointed that he hadn't said anything about the kiss. She was hurt in the worst way possible-rejection.
'I can't make things worse,' Cloud thought miserably. He let her go and she ran down the steps, away from it all. Cloud sighed headed for his room. He sat on the edge of his bed and glanced around.
Cloud's eyes landed on a small box on the dresser beside his bed. 'At the Gold Saucer, tomorrow...' he thought, reaching over and picking up the box, 'I just hope Tifa understands...'
He flicked open the box and examined the jewel that sat on a gold band inside.
~*~
You get that last line? ^^; For those of you who are a little slow, wait til the next chapter. :] Which I guarantee, won't be late.
Oh yeah, and recommended reading music during this chapter: Purachina from Card Captor Sakura. xD It really makes you feel warm and fuzzy, sorta. O_o
One more note, when it says something with dashes around it like -this- that means in italics or said in an exaggerated way. When I upload chapters with HTML, they go a little screwy, even with Notepad. xD
~*~
{ CHAPTER XV ~ AKWARDNESS }
Six short months... They passed in an instant, didn't they? One moment, Tifa had agrees to letting Cloud stay at her restaurant for a while, and the next thing she knows, they're working together side-by-side. Incredible how with time came many changes as well. If Tifa had remembered the words she'd said just months ago, she'd practically kill herself.
'I... I hate you.'
Who could hate those soft blue-green eyes, that rare smile? Tifa hated herself for admitting it, even in secrecy, but she -loved- him. She loved Cloud again. Whatever spell he had set on her, it worked perfectly and simply. And now she was back in the deep void, unable to get out. Just like a year ago.
It was another normal day, that would be followed by another and another. It had been like this for the past months that she had been working with Cloud. Tifa was sitting in the small garden that she had planted as a tribute to Aeris a while ago. It was January and light frost covered the town, but strangely enough, the flowers were in perfect bloom. Seemingly, all the snowflakes that fell on the petals had instantly melted...
She stood and breathed in the cool air. Life couldn't have been better at this moment. Keeping in mind, the key phrase was 'this moment'. Soon, Cloud would leave. Everything would go back to being bland and lonely for Tifa. She wouldn't be able to fight the tears this time around... Falling in love with Cloud again was unhealthy, seeing that she would be alone again soon enough. She sighed helplessly. Why must fate be so demanding and cruel?
Tifa started to walk back to her restaurant. It was just a block away, since she decided to plant the flowers in front of the local church. Her ruby earrings softly swayed in the wind. Snow began to fall, and she walked faster. But nearing her house, she saw that something was... Unusual. Tifa stopped and examined it.
...Her room. Something was different about her bedroom. Cloud stood on the veranda outside of her room, glancing around nervously. He didn't seem to notice her. Tifa ran into the house quickly and made her way upstairs.
Upon seeing her room, she nearly fainted.
Yeah, all the walls were still white. The desk and bed were in their proper places. That old photo on the wall. So, what was different?
The area beneath the photo. Tifa fell to the ground, joy overcoming her. She sat there, just taking in the sight of what stood there.
Cloud calmly walked into the room from the balcony. He held up a book of sheet music and grinned at her. "You remember how to play it, don't you?"
She nodded, too stunned to say anything. A black grand piano was in the empty space before her. So, that's what she found strange about her room... Something was blocking the window?
Tifa was ready to burst into tears, although she had promised herself to never cry again. This was a good reason to cry, though... Happiness.
"You got it for me?"
Cloud nodded. He placed the sheet music onto the piano and Tifa stood and walked over to it. She ran her fingers over the wooden keys, just appreciating the smooth feel that brought back the memories of childhood. Tifa swept her hands over them and played the scale with agility. Following that, she took a look at the sheet music, and began to play the presented notes. And as the music filled her room, she realized that she was no longer that boring woman with white walls in her room. The music was painting the walls. She had found her talent.
Tifa smiled at Cloud, the tears starting to spill down her cheeks. For just a moment, she lifted her hands from the piano, placed her arms around Cloud and leaned toward him. It was the best feeling, to receive the gift of realization. Tifa just took in the moment, this one moment that she would never be able to experience again. Cloud pulled her closer and closed his eyes. He felt the same way she did, like there was nothing in the world but this joy they shared right now.
But the problem with thoughts was that you could never truly show them to another person.
'What can she be thinking?' he wondered. That smile on her face burned him into feelings of depression. He only wanted to know what she thought of him. Her opinion alone mattered. Not Barret's, or Red's, Reeve's, Yuffie's, or anyone. Just Tifa's.
(a/n: Hey everyone, do you know what it's time for? A RANDOM PLOT TWIST©! :D Please don't eat me.)
Suddenly, as realization had struck Tifa, it struck Cloud. Maybe she didn't care at all. At least, not anymore. He could clearly remember the night that he and Vincent were left in the fields below Wutai. She said she loved Cloud, and he didn't care.
Maybe it was her turn to not care.
Pain stung him. Cloud pushed Tifa away lightly and turned toward the piano. His face was turning red, moreover from anger at himself.
Sadly, Tifa thought it was from embarrassment. She bit her lip slightly but kept quiet. 'I probably shouldn't have hugged him for that long.' She smiled despite the tension in the room and sat back down at the piano. Tifa opened the music book to a random page and began to play.
The melody was familiar to Tifa, as if she had heard it from childhood. It was sad and soft, and somewhat reminded her of someone. She glanced over at Cloud and saw that he was no longer tense, but now watching her calmly. His expression seemed pained in a way.
'Maybe he remembers that song from somewhere like I do.' Tifa took her fingers off the keys. The music disappeared immediately. Suddenly something ached in Tifa's heart, as if the music made something seem missing.
"Tifa?" Cloud looked at her, his soft bluegreen eyes pleading.
'Funny how he can change expressions so quickly,' Tifa though, a smile crossing her face. "What?"
"Um... Can you come to the Gold Saucer with me tomorrow night?" Cloud lowered his eyes to the ground. He was acting too shy. The look in his eyes made him seem so innocent and young...
How could Tifa resist? She couldn't say no anyway. Cloud was truly her best friend, and she would never let him down, even if did the opposite to her.
"Of course," she said, standing up. Tifa started to head downstairs, but stopped before leaving her room.
'I wonder... If he'll mind?' She turned around slowly, her cheeks beginning to turn red.
"Tifa? What's wrong?" Cloud took a step toward her, panic sweeping him.
Without a word Tifa stepped forward, placed her arms around Cloud, and caught him in a soft kiss.
~*~
CLIFFHANGER! MWUAHAHA!!! *gets pelted with tomatoes* X_x Sorry. I can't really give you a cliffhanger if I had this fic on such a delay, now can I? -.- Soo, here's a less cheap ending to the chapter. :]
~*~
'Was I wrong about her not caring?' Cloud thought. Before he knew what was happening, Tifa pulled away and turned around, ready to run. Cloud took her hand and pulled her back to him, embracing her.
'Of course I was wrong. Tifa is the sweetest, kindest person I know.' Cloud glanced at Tifa, who leaned against him. 'She loves me,' he thought bitterly, angry at himself for ever hurting her.
He lifted her chin and suddenly realized that she was crying.
A tear slipped down her cheek and landed on the ground, followed by another, and another. Bitterness swept through Cloud. 'She -loves- me,' he thought, angry at himself for hurting her so much last year.
"C-Cloud... Please, let me go..." Tifa sobbed quietly. Cloud could clearly see that she was disappointed that he hadn't said anything about the kiss. She was hurt in the worst way possible-rejection.
'I can't make things worse,' Cloud thought miserably. He let her go and she ran down the steps, away from it all. Cloud sighed headed for his room. He sat on the edge of his bed and glanced around.
Cloud's eyes landed on a small box on the dresser beside his bed. 'At the Gold Saucer, tomorrow...' he thought, reaching over and picking up the box, 'I just hope Tifa understands...'
He flicked open the box and examined the jewel that sat on a gold band inside.
~*~
You get that last line? ^^; For those of you who are a little slow, wait til the next chapter. :] Which I guarantee, won't be late.