How High?
For: Sam
Prompt: Cloud ticks Tifa off and makes it up to her.
Summary: In which Tifa gets a little ticked off and Cloud is an idiot. Tread lightly, Strife.

If there was one thing Cloud had come to learn since living with Tifa, was how to gauge her mood on one simple thing: her hair.

Since chopping off a good part of her hair, Tifa could no longer whip her hair into the tie at the end of it and leave it. Instead, she would put in a pony tail or something of that effect.

On good days when Cloud would come in, Tifa would be standing at the bar with nothing in her hair. On those days where something may have required more attention than usual, her bangs were pulled back with a simple tie to keep them out of the way. On those days when the children were being particularly irksome, she'd whip her hair back into a lose pony tail that would rest on her back. If something was really frustrating her, then she'd tie the pony tail tight, up higher off of her neck to keep her from getting hot. And so the trend went, the higher and tighter the tail went, the more pent of frustration Tifa was currently experiencing.

Today when Cloud walked in, he fought the urge to turn around and walk right back out.

Today the hair was pulled all the way up, and tight. It was frizzy, and yet she'd managed to not let a single lock escape the tie, lest it drive her crazy while doing something.

"Gah!" the blender's lid popped off.

Well, crazier.

Cloud swallowed, a bit of fear coming up sudden, but it seemed that Tifa's excessively bad mood, no noise escaped her ever attentive ears (more than likely listening for some type of crash from the children).

Tifa looked up, catching Cloud's eyes, a bit of banana smoothie smeared across her cheek from the blender accident. She made a quick jerk of her head in his direction, signaling for him to come closer.

Cloud swallowed again, reluctantly putting one foot down and then the other, making his way slowly towards the bar. One thing, one little thing could set her off, and he'd never hear the end of it. He found it best to say nothing.

"…"

"This has been the worst day! I don't have time for this!" she was scrubbing furiously at the resisting banana smoothie bomb, "I've got things to do! Places to be! How long does it— Denzel?! Denzel!"

"Whaaaat?!" there was a particular displeasure to Denzel's voice tonight.

Tifa let out an irritable sigh, and Cloud quickly cut her off, "I'll get him."

"I don't understand why he can't just walk down the steps to talk to me. Not everyone carries civil conversations by shouting up and down stairs," Tifa continued on, unawares that Cloud had walked away.

Cloud returned with Denzel and stood by impassively as Tifa talked to the boy.

"—now, the casserole is in the fridge and you two are to be in bed by ten o'clock, understand? I don't care if is Friday, okay? I really need you two to behave tonight," she glanced at the clock, "Reno should be here at seven, so I need you two to be on your best behavior, okay?"

"Where are you going?" Denzel asked.

"To the opera," Tifa replied, cleaning up the last of the banana smoothie.

Cloud froze, his head tilted to the side. Tifa was going to the opera with Reno?

Tifa was mumbling under breath again, "That stupid dress was in the bottom of my closet…I've still got to get a shower, and iron it…I don't know if I'll have the time—

"You're going to the opera?" Cloud asked, unable to resist.

Screw the pony tail. This was Tifa and Reno at an opera.

Tifa's eye twitched, "Yes Cloud…I told—

"With Reno?" Cloud couldn't help himself, even though he knew better.

Tifa dropped the glass she was holding into the sink, and stared at him with narrowed eyes, "I can not believe…" she said under her breath before stomping up the stairs to her room and slamming the door shut.

Cloud stood frozen for a moment before swallowing and slowly making his way upstairs. He stopped at Tifa's door for a minute, trying to figure out why she was so mad. He glanced away; on the doorknob to the laundry room was a black, wrinkled dress. Cloud sighed, Tifa was pissed off at him, and for some reason she was going to the opera with Reno. He had always known Tifa was one for classical music…but Reno?

He shook his head before heading for his room.

Tifa was heading out her bedroom, wrapped in a towel, her hair still matted to her back. She looked towards the laundry room door to grab her dress.

"No! Where's my dress?!" she quickly turned back into her room to search her closet over with no luck.

She headed back out of her room and pushed open the laundry room door to see Cloud's back. She hesitated before speaking.

"Cloud…?" she still felt kind of bad for getting angry at him earlier, "Have you seen my—

She cut off, freezing as he turned holding out a wrinkle free dress. He froze for different reasons…those reasons being the fact that Tifa was standing in front of him in nothing but a towel.

She swallowed, slowly taking the dress into her hands, "Thank you, Cloud," she blushed, feeling even worse for earlier.

He shrugged, words beyond him at this point, keeping his eyes averted from certain areas.

She gave a small laugh, "I didn't know you could iron. You're really good."

"…my…my mom used to make me. I never thought I was good…I just thought she was that bad."

Tifa giggled, before hesitantly moving forward and putting a small kiss on his cheek. Cloud flushed more than normally considering what she was wearing…or lack there of.

"Oh, and by the way…for the eighth time…I'm not going to the opera with Reno. He's coming here to pick up Yuffie in case you didn't notice her presence. They're going to go play poker with the Turks is my understanding."

Cloud swallowed, still red, "So…"

"I'm going with Cid, and no, I'm not going to explain to you how he got interested in opera again."

Now he knew why she had gotten mad; she hated it when he forgot things she told him multiple times.

"So…it isn't…"

"Cloud! For the last time, I am not going on a date with Cid."

"…I knew that…"

A/N: Der Cloud...anyways, going camping! I'll try and update this Friday, and Diaries...Blood Wars should be seeing an update as soon as I can transfer the chapter, then from there maybe some BTWH and Modern. Till then loves!

If you aren't on the list, and you've requested, let me know! I might've missed you. This is everyone I have up till this chappie.

Le Pecore Nere- Dog Filled
Tri17 – Aeris' dress Filled
mistakenXsilence – piano Filled
sam – Tifa gets angry, cloud makes up Filled
Alice001 – CloTi fluff
Aknskywalker – friendship
Calistar Heir – argument
x.one.winged.angel.x – decorating
elebelly – irony Filled
Le Pecore Nere – sadness w/ flower, to happiness
Meilinoa – Training
Mandylion – Mistaken Identity