Needed
For: Alice001
Prompt: CloTi Fluff
Summary: How much do you need, Cloud?

Cloud Strife was known as a man of few words, and nothing else could describe him better. While most men serving in the hero department with oversized weapons dished out cheesy one-liners at their obvious strength and bravado, Cloud would simply walk away.

No one has yet figured out if he was just that humble, or that he just didn't care…at all.

So, when Cloud would speak, it was a moment to be treasured, a moment while far and few alike, was coveted by those people so lucky, so fortunate, as to hear his voice grace their ears with words…or word in some cases.

Today was no different.

"You son of a—just go in your damn little hole and be happy, you stupid little fu—Ow! Damn hammer in the damn stupid…" and so forth and so forth.

Like any man assigned with the task of constructing an object, the instruction manual was ignored, and like any man constructing a particular object (e.g. Marlene's new doll house) there was the usual prudence about this operation. Which basically means Cloud was hiding this task in the garage of the local Seventh Heaven Bar in hopes of avoiding A.) One hyper, high-pitched, annoying ninja, and B.) One fowl mouthed walking smokestack of an airship pilot. This also included a number of other interesting and unique characters, but they were not a threat at the moment.

And finally, like any man in this certain situation, one's temper can get the best of him.

"—I swear, I will get my sword and chop you in half, you stupid, pink doll house—

"Cloud?"

Cloud jerked as he swung his hammer down, the head of connecting solidly with his thumb, rather than the nail.

A hissing sound escaped Cloud's lips as he balled his hand up into a fist, his brow furrowed with the deepest lines Denzel had ever seen.

"Is this a bad time?" And like any stereotypical situation such as this, the child dutifully remains blissfully ignorant of the fact that it is always a bad time.

Cloud muttered a few words beneath his breath before replying, "No, Denzel. What is it?"

"Tifa wants to know if you need anything…like a drink or a snack, or a break…" Denzel glanced at Cloud's thumb, "Or a band aide."

Cloud pinched the bridge of his nose, "No, Denzel. Tell her I'm fine."

Denzel stared at him dubiously, hesitating, "I don't know…I thought some of those words only came from Cid's mouth. You seem a little tense, Cloud."

Cloud sighed deeply, "Denzel—

"Okay, okay…I'll tell her," the boy said, turning around and walking out of the garage.

Cloud sighed again, trying to wedge the wall of the inside of the house in place. He grunted, straining against the wall, grinding it across the ceiling and floor of the doll house.

"You're doing it wrong."

Cloud's hand slipped, and he fell forward, smacking his head against the roof of the doll house.

"Excuse me," he asked tersely, glaring over his shoulder.

Tifa stared at him, one hand clasped around a glass, the other on her hip, "I said, you're doing it wrong. Lemonade?" she lifted the glass in his direction.

"No," he said, annoyed, "What do you mean I'm doing it wrong?"

Tifa sighed, setting the glass down on the table beside the doll house, "I mean, you're doing it wrong. That piece doesn't go there; it goes on the level above that one. Piece 'D' goes there, not piece 'F'."

"It has a letter?"

"Yeah, right there," Tifa pointed to the small embossed letter 'F' on one side of the wall.

Cloud looked back up at her, "And how…?"

She lifted her hand on her hip, revealing a book, "Instruction manual."

"Cop out," he whispered.

"Hey!" she whacked him across the back of the head with the book, "You're the one in here grunting and complaining over this thing, not me, and I've could've already fixed half your problems."

He glared up at her, and she sighed.

"There's fourteen, by the way."

"Fourteen what?"

"Problems, Cloud," she shook her head in disbelief, opening the instruction manual, "You have fourteen problems. Look, if you want to get this thing done, this is what you need to do. First off—

But Cloud had long sense stopped listening to her, watching her closely, suddenly struck with a fascination.

She was a woman, a lady, and he was only just now realizing it. When had this happened? He could remember being in Midgar with her, and on that journey, but he thought that she'd still been a girl then. She was a woman, and maybe it was because she was working hard now to make a real life, with two children that weren't even hers…and him…a family with him.

"—and then, after you've done all that, you have to…Cloud…Cloud!" she snapped her fingers in front of his face, "Are you even listening?"

"…No."

Tifa rolled her eyes, "Yuffie told me it was a hopeless cause. You're such a guy, Cloud," she sighed, turning to walk away.

Cloud blinked, snapping back into reality, "W-wait!"

She turned, "What?"

"I need…your help…with…that thing," he pointed at the doll house.

Tifa laughed, holding out the book, "This is all the help you need."

She turned to go again, "Wait…uh…I need…more lemonade."

She sighed, exasperated, a hand on her hip, "Cloud, you haven't even taken a sip of the first glass! What's wrong with you?" she laughed though, and playfully ran a hand through his hair, "Crazy chocobo. What else do you need? A snack? A break?" she glanced at his thumb, "A band aide?"

He shook his head no as she reached down, grabbing his hand to inspect his thumb.

"Ouch, you do need a band aide…"

"…You…"

Tifa blinked glancing up, "What? What'd you say?"

"…nothing."

Tifa stared at him with a perplexed look, but smiled, dropping his hand, "I'll get you something for that…fix you a sandwich, and maybe I can convince you to take a break. Thanks for doing this, Cloud."

He shrugged, scratching the back of his head, and moved towards the table.

Tifa reached out, catching his hand, "No, thanks…" she kissed his cheek softly, "I need you too."

A/N: I'm not that good with fluff. XD enjoy!