Disclaimer : I don't own Final Fantasy 7, any of it's characters or references and that includes On the Way to a Smile also.
Chapter 2: Reunion and Curiosity
Tifa was extremely happy this morning, from the preview she had gotten, it looked like it was going to be a beautiful day. The first event was when Cloud had woken her up and was staring at he exposed cleavage, she should have been angry but was happy, she was happy that she could get his undivided attention and that he was looking at her with desire in his eyes, this made her feel that Cloud desired her. She began to hum as she felt the warm water of the shower fall over her skin, she passed her had through her long hair and began to daydream again. Returning to her previous train of thought, she began to have self-doubt maybe he was just after her for what her male patrons had commented her on, but she quickly brushed the thought aside and shifted to another one, this one was of her friends that were about to visit. She was happy it seemed the only time they would visit was when there was a crisis, she rarely saw them during their time of peace.
She quickly finished bathing quickly after wrapping herself in a small white towel she stepped out and into her room, as she was about to take off her towel to put on her clothes the door opened.
Cloud was once again in shock after seeing Tifa earlier this morning and now seeing her in a small towel with her long legs exposed and the way it wrapped around her waist showing off her developed bosom he was left in a trance.
"Cloud my door was locked," Tifa said somewhat annoyed and somewhat happy at the way he was looking at her, she also did very little to hide the fact that her face was turning the colour of an apple.
Interrupted in his thoughts by her statement he quickly looked away.
"Sorry I used my key, I was just wondering if you were closing the bar today or not?" He asked.
"Yeah," She replied, "And if you don't mind I would like to get changed."
"Sorry about that," He apologized.
He turned to exit but turned around one more to get a glimpse of Tifa in her towel, as he exited Tifa was sure she saw a smirk on his lips. Then it caught her Cloud wasn't shy one bit from seeing her half-dressed, he seemed happy, Tifa smiled at the thought, maybe she had a chance with him after all.
After getting dressed she descended into the bar, a smirk formed on her face as she went behind the counter.
"You can come out Yuffie, I know you're there," Tifa stated.
Yuffie emerged from behind a box.
"Aww, how did you know I was there, I thought for sure no one would know," The young ninja girl said somewhat irritated.
Tifa smiled at the girl, "You forgot about the shadow that was cast against the wall."
Yuffie' was now stunned, she turned to look at the hiding spot and sure enough with the morning sun, the shadows of objects on that side of the room was cast on the wall.
"I think you need to redo your training, aren't ninjas supposed to know how to use shadows?" Tifa asked.
"So where are the kids?" Yuffie asked as she approached the bar counter and sat on a barstool.
"They'll be up shortly," Tifa replied.
"So has anything happened between you and Cloud recently?" The smaller girl asked
"What do you mean?" Tifa asked.
"Well, you know between you two, did you two get it on yet?" She asked a little too inquisitively.
"Yuffie!" Tifa exclaimed.
"Oh come on, you mean even after everything that's happened, you two still aren't together?" Yuffie was disappointed, it was part of her reason for visiting.
"Cloud and I aren't like that," Tifa replied, "besides even though he has forgiven himself for Aerith's death I think he still misses her, it's obvious who he chose."
Yuffie noticed a change in her friend, she was now sullen and her eyes lowered, anyone who knew Tifa personally would know how she felt about Cloud, despite her best attempts to hide her emotions, it was plain and obvious to see her affections.
"You know Tifa, one main difference between you and Aerith are how you display your affections," Another voice said, "Aerith always openly displayed her affection for Cloud, and was not shy and reserved about them like you, you always hide them, why not try letting him know."
The two girls looked behind them to see a red, lion-like creature make it's way up to the counter.
"Hey how did you get in here?" Yuffie asked annoyed, "I didn't even here you enter."
"Neither did I, I didn't even notice you, till you spoke Red," Tifa commented.
"No fair, I'm the ninja, I'm supposed to be the stealthy one," Yuffie said as she frowned.
"That's cause my feet are padded," The quadruped replied, "Allows me to move without much sound."
"I wish my feet were padded," Yuffie commented, "Hey Red I always wondered about this but are you canine or feline?"
"Both," Red replied sarcastically.
"Whaaaa, both how can that be?" Yuffie asked.
Red ignored Yuffie and addressed Tifa again.
"You should let him know how you feel, you can't expect to let him know how you feel if you never tell him." Red said.
Tifa was facing Red again, "For the last time Cloud and I are just friends," Tifa said stubbornly.
"Then why don't I believe you?" A new voice asked.
Everyone turned to the far end of the counter just in time to see and red-caped enigma approach the ground.
"Not you too, how can I never get this right?" Yuffie whined at the fact that Vincent was also more stealthy than her.
Just then a young brown-haired boy appeared on the platform on the staircase. He was dressed in his white pajamas and looked down at the woman he called mother.
"Tifa?" The young boy asked innocently.
Tifa smiled at the child.
"You're up early," She said sweetly, "Is Marlene still asleep?"
Denzel nodded.
"Okay, go get ready, and I'll prepare breakfast for you," Tifa said.
Soon after Denzel disappeared up the steps Cloud descended, he noticed several members of Avalanche were already there.
"You're here early," The blond warrior said addressing them.
"I don't sleep much," Vincent replied.
"I wanted to get here early," Yuffie answered.
"I had nothing better to do," Red added.
Cloud shook his head and awkwardly scratched behind it. He then turned to Tifa, unlike the others she was behind the counter and they were all in front it. The two smiled at each other.
Yuffie was the one to break the silence as she made an awkward cough.
"Well I might as well do what I came here to do," The vampiric man said.
Vincent took out a sheet of paper and handed it over to Tifa, while this was happening, Cloud had gone behind the counter with Tifa. The ruby-eyed maiden reviewed the sheet of paper she was handed, she then turned to Vincent, she was slightly surprised.
"Vincent this is a…." She was cut off.
"My resume," Vincent finished.
All eyes were now focused on Vincent, but he was unfazed.
"Apparently monsters no longer magically drop gil once you defeat them," Vincent stated.
"Sure, but do you know how to be a bartender?" Tifa asked.
"Actually I was hoping to be employed in the security division," He added.
"Well I suppose so," Tifa said.
Denzel had now reappeared in the bar. Tifa walked over to him.
"Do you want something to eat?" She asked.
Denzel nodded, "Tifa what is that?" He asked pointing to Red.
"Oh that's just Red, I'm not sure what he is, but he's a friend," She said.
Denzel's face lit up as he ran out the door in a stunning display of speed leaving a dumbstruck Tifa.
"I'm just going to the garage," He said as he ran out the door.
Tifa returned to her friends, she was glad to see them again and was enjoying their conversation but hoped they won't bring back up the her and Cloud topic in front of him. She thought she had done a excellent job of hiding her emotions about how she felt about Cloud but apparently it was to no avail, she wondered if everyone knew.
About two minutes later, when Yuffie was busying telling everyone about a monster she had to kill on the way to Midgar, she quickly began to exaggerate, changing features of the monsters such as size and number heads, Cloud and Vincent completely ignored her, Red was beginning to become irritated because she was changing her story to often and Tifa was trying her best to pay attention to her companion's fiction, while all this was happening Denzel quietly entered the bar again after getting what he wanted from the garage.
Tifa noticed the boy but was unprepared for what he would do next. In one swift movement the boy had snuck up behind Red. He waited for the crimson beast to open his mouth to speak then quickly jumped onto it's back and swung a rope into it's mouth, holding both ends with both his hands.
"Giddyup!" The boy exclaimed.
At the action Red erupted, immediately going back on his hind legs, trying to throw his new passenger off, but Denzel wouldn't be so easily swayed he held on tightly. Almost instantly at Denzel's action Cloud and Tifa sprung into action fearing for Denzel's safety.
The surprisingly interesting day had passed. Almost everyone had retired for the night, Denzel was back in his bed, this time in a navy blue pajamas. After tucking Marlene in, she approached the boy and smiled at him.
"Tifa am I in trouble?" He asked.
She quickly shook her head.
"No just try not to do that again," She said sweetly. She kissed him on his forehead and tucked him into bed.
"Goodnight Denzel," She said.
Denzel closed his eyes and turned to his side, "Goodnight mom," He replied.
Tifa smiled and left the room. She decided to check on Cloud next, to her surprise, he was not asleep just sitting on his windowsill. His top half was exposed and he was only dressed in the black long pants he slept in, his head was lowered and eyes closed.
Tifa approached him slowly. He looked so peaceful sitting there she didn't want to disturb him, she loved how he looked bathed in the silver light of the moon, the way it highlighted his features, making him look so tranquil.
"Hey," she said as she approached him.
At Tifa's voice he automatically snapped out of his daze. He glanced at her, she was standing at the other end of the window one of her elbows propped on the windowsill and her beautiful ruby eyes gazing off into the clear sky ahead, there were countless stars in the sky with a large silver moon which blessed the dark landscape with its aura.
"Beautiful isn't it," Tifa commented.
Cloud remained silent, the spiky-haired swordsman kept his gaze on the young beauty before him.
Tifa felt the awkward silence forming again, then she remembered Red's words, the difference between her and Aerith were how they expressed their emotions, but she had always been shy with her emotions, she wanted to tell him, she wanted to tell him so badly and just fall into his arms, she remembered the last time she decided to tell him it was during their date on the Gondola but she didn't finish, she just didn't know how.
"Umm…Cloud," She said still unsure of herself.
Cloud finally addressed Tifa, "Yeah."
"I really should tell you this," Tifa finally spoke, deciding it was finally time to let him know, that her feelings for him shouldn't be a mystery to him, as she prepared to voice her feelings, she moved her gaze from the starlit sky to her fingers which were intertwined with each other, "Cloud for the longest time, since you left our little home town, I've always thought of you…what I'm trying to say is that…well…Cloud I…" She was unable to finish as she cut off.
"Tifa, you shouldn't I can't give you what it is you want, I'm sorry I should have told you this sooner, but a part of me has always known, I'm sorry for leading you on but I can't return what you feel for me, I think I belong with Aerith" Cloud said sincerely.
He shifted his gaze from Tifa to captivating night sky, the silence that followed Cloud's confession was deafening, Tifa silently took her exit, tears already forming against her will, using all her strength from every fiber of her existence she made it to her room, once she closed the door, she collapsed on he knees, tears forming wet streams on her face, she didn't have the strength to fight it back, she couldn't even walk to her bed, she had to crawl, once atop, her sobs became muffled in her sheets, continuing to make the sounds of a wounded animal she cried herself to sleep.
To Be Continued...
I know i was supposed to update sooner, but never got around to it, on another unrelated note i finally saw the english version of Advent Children, it was pretty good. As for this story well, all i can say is poor Tifa, but don't worry it's a CloTi so brighter days are coming.
Please feel free to leave a review and tell me what you think, but only if you really want to.