Here I am again, about to write another chapter in this Final Fantasy story. I hope that all of my readers are liking this as much as I enjoy writing this story. I still cannot believe that here I am writing a story based off a roleplay by me and a friend. And for that I thank you, Ben! You rock! Thank you for being my Cloud!

Disclaimer: I do NOT OWN Final Fantasy or any of its characters!

Bare Your Heart To Me

Morning came all to soon in the city of Midgar. The sun shone through the small window in Tifa's little bedroom. She opened her eyes and yawned. Another day, another chance to push back her feelings that were overwhelming her. The dark haired woman sat up and stretched some. Her deep eyes looked around her room and stopped at the couch. A gasp came from her as she realized that her childhood friend wasn't here. Or was he? The events played in her head that happened yesterday, and regret fell upon her. She felt as if she had pushed him away. 'He could have left already.' she thought as she got out of bed and changed out of her night clothes.

Hurrying, she left her room. Not caring if her hair was brushed at the moment, she only wanted to see if he had left her once again. However, she stopped when she smelled something burning. Thoughts ran through her head as she made a check list of turning everything off yesterday in her head. When she was done, she realized that she had. 'Then who could be burning something?'

Her dark eyes widened as she figured out that Cloud must still be here. Tifa's footsteps soon took her to the bar, where she saw her childhood friend standing in front of the stove glaring at it. She stopped and tried to figure out what he was trying to accomplish by just standing there glaring. So, she moved closer to see what exactly what was going on. As she approached, she could hear him grumbling about how stupid this was and other comments like that. A smile appeared on her face as she just stood there watching him.

Cloud turned around and saw her standing there looking quite amused with the situation. He wrinkled his brow as he looked at her. What had he done that was so amusing? She must think him an idiot for burning something. A sigh came from him as looked back at the stove once again. It seemed that he would have to explain what had happened. After all, he wasn't exactly a ditz when it comes to cooking. He had just become preoccupied.

"I didn't mean to mess up anything." he said, looking back at her.

"What happened?" she asked, trying not to smile as she was holding back laughter.

"I was trying to make myself some breakfast and well...I got distracted." he said, upset at himself for doing this in front of her.

"Distracted?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, you see...I heard something outside, and I wanted to make sure it wasn't anything, well you know suspicious. And well, when I came back...it was burning." he said, ashamed of what he had done.

"Cloud, its alright. Everyone makes mistakes. Even I have burnt things before." she said, shaking her head as she moved past him to clean up the mess. "Whatever were you trying to make?" she asked, looking down at the blackened lump of what used to be edible.

"Eggs." he said softly.

"Eggs?"

Only a nod could be seen from him as he stood there still feeling embarrassed for doing that. He hardly ever did something this foolish. He guessed that it was his mind being elsewhere. So many other thoughts had entered his mind that he wasn't paying attention. Not to mention, the stray dog that had been eating out of the trash had made him a tad bit paranoid. After all, he was used to being out and getting into fights all the time, so the slightest noise always made him cautious.

"Well, its alright. How about I make you some breakfast them?" she asked, looking back at him and smiling.

That smile. It always seemed to warm his heart. It seemed to take away all the pain. In return, he smiled. Not knowing what he was doing know. He supposed that he was just being an idiot again. But she wasn't yelling at him. Odd. He just brushed it off as her just to busy making breakfast. His mako-blue eyes just looked at her. In his eyes, she was amazing. The way she always was striving to make others happy. How she always knew what to say to make a smile appear on his face. He wondered if she ever thought about him, like he did her. Then the journal's words ran through his head.

Tifa began to cook breakfast for them both. A warm smile on her face as she was thankful that he hadn't left her. She still felt awful about how she had treated him yesterday. But still, he deserved it for reading something that was private. Although, the raven haired woman would eventually have to tell him how she truly felt, she couldn't at the moment. Oh well, she would cross that bridge when she got there. Which she had a feeling would be really soon. It was harder and harder to keep this from him. What was the only thing holding her back? That his heart might still belong to someone else.

Her hands worked away for a good 30 minutes, making him and herself a meal. It seemed to get her mind off the fact that she was hiding her feelings, and that she would have to tell him. Tifa set the plate of food down and gave a warm smile to her friend. Reaching up to get a glass, her smile stayed as she was happy to be helping him once again.

"Here you go." she said, pouring him some milk to go with his breakfast.

A slight nod came from him as he began to eat.

Tifa made herself a plate and ate quietly as well. It seemed that they both were thinking of what they could not say to one another. Actually, it's quite odd to see that both of them couldn't muster up enough courage to say anything to each other. But sooner or later, one of them would break and tell the other. But which will it be? The loner who took someone else's identity, or the woman who was to afraid to bare it all because of another woman? Only time will now tell.

And so the morning turned into afternoon, and the young woman began to open her bar for another day of business. Cloud, on the other hand, went to her room and stayed there. Only coming out every now and then when he heard someone get rowdy. It was pure instinct to check on her. After all, he had made a promise to her long ago. His mako-infused eyes looked at her as he stood at the entrance to the hall. He looked around the bar, admiring all the pictures of her friends. Most of them had him in them. A smirk fell upon his face as he noticed that. However, his eyes finally fell on something that he hadn't expected to see. A white flower. It was pressed and hanging in a frame. Cloud had given her that flower a long time ago. It made him think back to her words, he had to prove that she was wrong. That his heart was with her.

Now while Tifa was working away, Cloud decided to leave. She noticed him leaving and froze. "Cloud."

He turned and looked back at her. "I shall be back." he said, with a smirk.

Relief found its way to her heart as she watched him leave. Hearing some of her customers calling for refills, she came out of her little daze and went about the day with a bright smile. One that hadn't been there for a while. Although, the shine didn't reach her eyes yet, it would soon.

Evening soon came, and Cloud still hadn't returned. Worry was starting to kick in, but he said that he would be back. So, she couldn't be to mad. Not just yet. Once again, she began to close the bar early. She knew they it wasn't good for business, but hey, it was her childhood friend. And they all knew how much she cared for him. In fact, most of them were surprised that he didn't know.

About an hour after sundown, Cloud returned to Tifa cooking once again. A smile came over his face as he watched her. He was glad in making this choice in his head. Cloud knew that she had to know. That the pain she must be feeling everyday had to be becoming unbearable.

"Tifa?"

"Yes, Cloud?" she said, looking back and smiling. But that shine wasn't in her eyes as it normally was.

"Come here."

"But...I am cooking."

"So?" he said, with a smirk.

"Don't you remember this morning?" she asked him, her tone playful.

"Hey, I said I was sorry." he said, mocking hurt.

She set the noodles aside and let them cool. Making her way to the other side of the bar, she stopped right before him. Her dark eyes looked at him and wondered what he was up to. Tifa placed an hand on her hip and raised an eyebrow as she watched him. She waited anxiously for what he was about to do.

"Well?"

"...Here..." he said, holding out his hand to reveal a ribbon. But this wasn't just any ordinary ribbon. It was one that would help protect her. Not only that but there was a surprise with it, two tickets to Gold Saucer.

Tifa's eyes widened as she looked at him, and then back at the present. She couldn't believe her eyes. What she was seeing, was it real? What was he up to? Her mind began to flood with questions. It was as if something extremely good had just happened to her, and she was refusing to believe it. "What is this?" she asked, barely being able to get that out.

"You said in your journal, that you wanted a night out with me. Well, I am giving it to you." he said, a cool smirk playing on his smooth face.

She could feel her heart pounding as she just stared at the tickets. "But..what is this? You just want to spend some time with me?" she asked, wanting to know his intentions.

"You could say that." he said, leaving them on the table. Cloud stood and moved closer to her. "Think of it as a chance for us to be together. So you can..." he paused as he leaned down to whisper the last part in her ear. "Bare you heart to me." he said, that smirk still on his face as he moved away from her and to the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for bed.

And so he left Tifa in the middle of the bar dumbfounded for a little while. The woman was trying to gather her thoughts as she looked at the tickets. So, he had read all the way through it. That was when her cheeks flushed as she realized that he had read all of what she was feeling. Dread ran through her body as she closed her eyes. But wait! Her friend hadn't become angry with her for this. Instead, Cloud had only gone out to make what she wanted, happen. Could it be that he felt the same way as she? That made her heart race as a smile came over her face. He just might like her. She took the tickets and went to her room to set them on her desk. Standing there, she giggled some as she realized that now was her chance to see if she would get what she desired most.

"Oh, wait...dinner!" she said, as she realized that she still needed to finish fixing it. So, off she went to continue to fix it with a bright smile on her face. That sparkle back in her eyes as she made her way to the kitchen. The days coming would be interesting indeed.

End Chapter...

Well, I am hope you guys are enjoying this so far. The good stuff is coming, I swear! It just takes time to make this story oh so perfect. Cuz as you all know, they both are kinda shy with this. But this is how my roleplay went, so this is how I am writing it. Just wait to see what I have in store. Well, if ya like...review and tell me. See ya soon!