"Dedication"
"Oh but why?!?" shrilled Marlene, shouting, jumping up and down.
"Because...it's personal...I want to keep things for me." she said bowing her head down. Marlene tilted her head to the side frowning. Tifa wanted to sing. It was her only hidden talent but she didn't want to sing this specific song to the crowd, but it was the only song she would sing.
"But you like singing right?"
"Yes," she confessed, "But...not like this."
"What do you mean 'not like this?' I love your voice and especially this song! So sing! And have fun with it! You really don't have to tell the people it's for Cloud! It doesn't have his name on it! You wrote it!!" Marlene exclaimed. Barret looked confused, and somewhat angry, just of the mention of Cloud.
"You're 'tellin me all this shit is about his spiky headed ass!?" Said Barret looking at a hurt Tifa. He embraced his brunette friend tightly.
"I guess its 'gonna be all right Tif."
"I hope so." They broke apart and Tifa sniffled her tears away and bent down to look straight at Marlene and smiled.
"You want me to sing this song?" she asked politely. A hyper Marlene jumped up and down.
"Well you know it's my birthday and I'm the princess for the day and you have to do whatever I say!!!" Tifa felt a little better. She now felt like she needed to sing and it was really now or never. She looked up at Barret and gave him a small nod.
"Can I go introduce you now? You'll be on in like 15 minutes, right after Cid's comedic performance." Before Tifa could sputter out "Cid?!?!" Marlene interrupted, "He's making a dummy talk!! And I gots a performance dress just for you!! Follow me!!" Marlene pulled Tifa's hand and pulled her to the dressing room. Marlene pulled out a knee-length sparkly blue dress and handed it to her.
"Here!!"
Minutes later, it was Tifa's turn. She heard Barret introduce her and she walked up on stage people cheering for her. She knew most people at the bar, all the local people. She felt even more welcomed and better,
"This song...I'm about to sing...is called "Shadow" It's...dedicated for..--" She stopped and smiled, "Marlene's birthday." She couldn't' say it's for Cloud, for some reason. She started getting flashbacks of the times her and Cloud spent together while she started singing.
Your body warms but you are not,
You give a little not a...lot,
You coup your love until we kiss,
You're all I want but not like this,
Cloud and Tifa were both sitting at the well. Alive and young, They were talking about a recent event. Cloud had confessed to Tifa he was going to join SOLDIER and become greater than the great Sephiroth.
"All our boys are leaving to Midgar..."
"Yeah." he responded to her.
'If you only knew I'm going just for you..' wandered in Cloud's mind. Tifa looked down kicking her feet in the air.
"Cloud?"
"Yeah?"
"Promise me something." Cloud looked at Tifa's crimson eyes and nodded at her, with a small smile.
I'm watching you disappear,
But you, you were never here
Its only your shadow,
Never yourself
Its only your shadow,
Nobody else
Its only your shadow, filling the room,
Arriving too late and leaving too soon....and leaving too soon...
"You'll be like a hero out to save me, I've always wanted to experience that." Tifa swooned, smiling dreamily. Cloud smiled at her enjoying her beauty. He was sitting next to her and turned his head to her,
"I promise."
"Thanks..." while Cloud had the strong urge to kiss her, she seemed like she also did too. He saw her lean in a bit and hesitated. This was Tifa, the girl he always liked, and her father didn't even like him. This kiss would change their lives forever. 'God she's beautiful.'
"I'd...rather not. Sorry Tifa..." he said when their lips were like a millimeter apart.
Your body gives,
but then holds back.
The sun is bright
The sky is black.
Can only be another sign,
I cannot keep what isn't mine.
You left and it lingers on,
But you, you were almost gone...
Cloud and Tifa had nowhere to go. All their friends went to say goodbye to their families, because of the result of their upcoming death upon meteor. They had Nibelhiem, but that was all gone, all because of Sephiroth. The great Sephiroth.
Both sat together in deep thought. Tifa knew how much she loved him, and they were alone. She had the strong urge to tell him how much she loved him, but she couldn't. Another reason that tempted her was Aeris. She felt that he loved her. Her eyes misted a bit while she was sleeping, until she heard his voice.
"It's almost morning..." she felt him tap her shoulder. She wanted to last forever on his shoulder.
"Just...a little longer."
Its only your shadow,
Never yourself
Its only your shadow,
Nobody else
Its only your shadow, filling the room,
Arriving too late and leaving too soon....and leaving too soon...
She smiled at the crowd, her eyes turning watery. She examined the crowd...they looked eager for more...
I cannot tell if you mean what you say,
You say it so loud but you sound far away,
Maybe I had just a glimpse of your soul,
Or was that your shadow I saw on the wall?
I'm watching you disapear,
But you, you were never here
Its only your shadow,
Never yourself
Its only your shadow,
Nobody else
Its only your shadow,
filling the room,
Arriving too late...and leaving too...soon...oooh...
Its only your shadow...
The song ended and it resulted in loud cheers and heavy applause. She responded in a small 'Thank you' and headed backstage. She ran to the nearest chair and sat there with her face buried in her hands, crying. While she sang the song, she remembered all the times she had with Cloud, which made her even worse.
"That...was a great song." said a voice backstage. Tifa wanted to be alone, she didn't want anyone to bother her.
"Thanks." she said still hiding her face from the man. The song hit her way too hard.
"you have a beautiful voice." said the man again. She wanted him to go away. She wanted to be by herself. Sitting on her chair, she cried, "Thanks."
"Can I..-"
"Please go away sir I don....-" she interrupted. She couldn't believe her eyes when she noticed who it was. Those mako-infested eyes could never trick her.
"Oh...my..."
"God?" he finished with a slight smile.
"Yes.." she cried, giving a small sniffle. He walked up to her.
"C-Cloud??" Tifa asked getting up from her chair, looking straight at his sapphire blue eyes. She ran her hand across his cheek softly.
"Yes." she had no other choice, and hugged him tightly for her life. She finally had him in her arms.
"You...came."
"Yeah, and I'm so sorry for leaving you the way I did. I wanted to find myself, but I realized I couldn't find myself without you by my side. All this time I thought I had a piece in my heart and it was you Tifa. I realized my strong feelings for you, and I...love...you." and with that, Tifa couldn't hide her feelings from him.
"I've always loved you, even though I thought I could never have you." She said, bowing her head down. Cloud lifted her chin with his hands and smiled.
"Now you have me..." The blonde replied with a smile, and sealed it with a kiss.