Minty Fresh
For: Cerberus angel
Prompt: Sweets
Summary: She's a sucker for them.

Cloud was sitting on the couch in the living room. The windows were frosted, and outside snow was falling softly. Cloud tipped his head back; he was exhausted. For the past week, Cloud had put in probably a 90 plus hour week, and the week wasn't even over technically. After delivering countless packages, and driving an infinite amount of miles, it was finally Saturday night, Christmas eve, and after what seemed like ages Cloud was finally just sitting.

There were dark bags beneath his eyes, and his body felt weary with exhaustion. The only light in the room was the orange glow from the fire, and the soft lights on the Christmas tree. Tifa had taken Denzel out ice skating again, Cloud too tired to go, and Marlene had a bit of a cold. Tifa had wanted Marlene to stay in for fear of her cold getting worse for Christmas morning.

Cloud sighed, at the point of almost sleeping, his mind completely blank.

There was a soft rustle to his left.

Cloud cracked an eye, catching sight of Marlene clad in her purple pajamas, clutching her ragged, stuffed chocobo closely to her chest.

Cloud sat up, inhaling sharply, "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

Marlene glared at him, "I have a cold. I'm not that sick."

"What is it?"

Marlene glanced at the tree, "The tree isn't done. Will ya help me finish it?"

Cloud narrowed his eyes, "What do you mean?"

Marlene hooked the chocobo beneath her elbow and dove onto the floor, pulling out a package of candy canes from beneath the bed.

"Why...did you hide that?"

Marlene scoffed, "They'd already be gone. She would've eaten them all."

Cloud frowned, but Marlene ignored him, ripping open the package.

"I need you to get the top," Marlene proclaimed, thrusting a candy cane at him.

Cloud took it slowly, standing to help Marlene 'finish' the tree.

They were halfway through the box when Marlene frowned.

"There's a broken one. Here, you have it, Cloud."

Cloud took it, opening the package and handing a piece to Marlene before taking one for himself.

Marlene grinned, before continuing to hang the candy canes.

When they finally finished, Cloud crashed gratefully back onto the couch, finishing off a piece of the broken candy cane. Marlene sighed contentedly, before walking out of the living room.

Cloud sighed, tipping his head back in relaxation again.

A door banged open, and Cloud flinched, but ignored it.

"We're back!" Tifa called, and Cloud heard the scurry of feet on the floor.

"Hey, Cloud!" Denzel popped up beside the couch, grinning.

His nose and cheeks were red, and his ice skates were thrown over his shoulder.

"Hey, Denzel," Cloud said, giving a faint smile.

Denzel grinned wider, rushing across the floor back towards the kitchen, shouting for Marlene.

A soft hand on his shoulder alerted Cloud to her presence.

Tifa stood behind the couch, smiling down at him, "You look beat."

He grunted.

He heard a soft gasp, "Who put up candy canes?"

"Marlene made me. I just finished one off myself–

Cloud cut off, his eyes flying open in shock as Tifa pressed her lips to his.

Tifa broke off the kiss, blushing deeply.

"Uh...thanks..."

Tifa grinned, "It's quicker to kiss you than it is to open a candy cane."

A/N: Tifa loves candy canes, she loves candy cane kisses more. Such is life.

Duderman: THANK YOU! Thank you so much! I really appreciate your review. You have no idea how happy that makes me. I hope you continue to enjoy my stories, and I hope to live up to these standards you've given me. O.o Anyways, thank you once again!

Here's the list. Rant and rave if it's wrong!

Requests

1. Le Pecore Nere- Dog Filled
2. Tri17 – Aeris' dress Filled
3. mistakenXsilence – piano Filled
4. sam – Tifa gets angry, cloud makes up Filled
5. Alice001 – CloTi fluff Filled
6. Aknskywalker – friendship Filled
7. Calistar Heir – argument Filled
8. x.one.winged.angel.x – decorating Filled
9. elebelly – irony Filled
10. Le Pecore Nere – sadness w/ flower, to happiness Filled
11. Meilinoa – Training Filled
12. Mandylion – Mistaken Identity
13. Paintball Willie – Tifa beats Cloud at Paintball
14. Lord Divestre Croft – accident (Hospital) Filled
15. Zaz9-zaa0 – Cloud babysits (who's this guy?)
16. Tifa Lockheart Strife – Songfic When You're Gone Filled
17. Iskra Revoir – Cloud the doctor loses patient Filled
18. G.M. Potter – Tifa gets sick/Cloud takes care of her Filled
19. Lachrymosity – Love subtle
20. sam – songfic (kismet)
21. src83 – Cloud&Tifa detectives (Solve murder)
22. purple parasol – Tying up lose ends
23. Cerberus angel – sweets Filled
24. DynastyWarriors - childhood at school and cloud alone and Tifa asks him to play with her
25. Julian K. Spire – Vincent appearance
26. Ur1Nonly - Tifa jealous, Zack jealous
27. ArEAf-rules – Post AC Cloud/Tifa argument Filled
28. Flower Girl – ClotTi fluff during sparring
29. anime girlie10 – Cloud w/ reading glasses Filled
30. KaleidoscopeLight – biological parents of toddler w/ fluffy convo
31. Lord Divestre Croft – Nightclub
32. xx-lheanna lockheart-xx – Cloud-bedtime story Marlene/Denzel
33. xXNejiluverXx – Drunk Cloud Filled
34. Verona Sage – "Go ask your mother"
35. Verona Sage – proposal
36. space-halo – Cloud/ Tifa dinner w/ dad
37. ArEAf-rules – Teenage Cloud/Tifa at party
38. sparky – that day seven years ago (Nibelhiem incident)
39. Biskitty – phone convo
40. Tifa Lockheart Strife – Cloud finds Tifa's diary/drawings
41. Xxyuna4evaxX – Muse-unintended songfic
42. ChieriAn9el – Cloud is missing, Tifa freaks over nothing
43. Unpersonified - Tifa's death Filled
44. x.one.winged.angel.x - Cloud has an irrational phobia
45. Lord Divestre Croft - Cloud-girl"Gender Bender" (I should've expected that from you XD It'll be fun!)
46. Iskra revoir - Beach trip
47. firefox99 - Cloud ticklish
48. xXNejiluverXx - jealous Cloud
49. Valentine's Ninja- Blind Date
50. laila - hangovers