For ClotiConfessions2020! Happy Valentine's Day!

Cloud tried to focus on what was in front of him, and that was his dinner. Four plump chicken legs coated in tangy sauce, triple cheese macaroni, and some sauteed vegetables that he would eat first so the rest of the feast wasn't interrupted. If it were any other day, he would be happily noshing on his dinner, but tonight had him simmering and picking at his plate.

"Thank you for being one of my customers for so long!"

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tifa hand the man, this stranger , a box of chocolates. Out of all the boxes, this was the fanciest, largest one. Certainly he had bristled the first time she brought out a box of candy, to a young man who just came in to enjoy lunch at Seventh Heaven for the first time. But then she gave a similar box out to more people, and while Cloud's jealousy was diminished, it still made him alert for any threats to his fragile romance.

He took a long sip of his beer. Was Tifa breaking away, did she taste enough freedom from him the weeks he had been gone that this was it? She didn't need him, that was obvious. Tifa had been doing fine without him there to darken the room with his troubles.

No, no...the smile at the church meant something. Unless it was fleeting, and he really did ruin it, and he would have to go somewhere else. But he didn't belong anywhere else but here.

"Thanks, Tifa! I can't wait to snack on them."

Again, his eyes sneaked a glance at the red cube held by that stranger. It had a fancy, pink bow wrapping it. It looked big enough to hold ten chocolates. The others were half that size.

He gave the man a look. About his age, dirty blond hair, brown eyes. Charming smile.

Cloud bit into a chicken wing.

Who were these suitors?

Why was Tifa entertaining them? None of them deserved her, not even him, but he'd be damned if an outright stranger wooed her.

His eyes shifted side to side. He'd have to do better, faster. Before someone else really took her fancy. He drank from his glass, deeper this time, and watched Tifa as she did the last call. Her warm, carmine eyes locked with his just a moment, and she gave him a kind smile.

The little green monster in his chest subsided a little.

"T-Tifa…?"

She looked back at him with a questioning look.

"...D'you need help?"

Tifa looked at his plate, then at him. She smiled and shook her head. "I'll be fine, Cloud. You had a rough day, didn't you?"

He swallowed. "That doesn't mean—"

"Nonsense!" She gave his hand a pat. "Finish up your dinner!"

Cloud did as he was told, still occasionally thinking about those others and their chocolate morsels. Had Tifa been making them, giving them out while he was away? He tried his best not to sulk into his macaroni and cheese. No, maybe it was just today. That would take a lot of effort, he reasoned.

"Cloud?"

He looked up from his sauce smeared plate, Tifa giving him a confused look. He put down his fork(which he was using to pick at a chicken bone) and tapped the counter. "Y-yeah?"

She tilted her head a little to the side. Her hands were behind her back. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he lied, then tried to smile at her. "Hey, um...tomorrow, do you wanna close the bar…?" It was spontaneous, but what else could he offer right now?

Tifa beamed. "Sure! That sounds wonderful. I bet the kids would love it, too."

His smile grew relaxed. "Great."

"Hm. Oh, Cloud…" Her hands came out from behind her back, holding a large, heart shaped box. "These are for you! I hope you like them!"

Carefully, he took the box. It was twice the size of that customer's box, and shaped different, too. He opened it up to find twenty gleaming chocolates, waiting to be eaten by him. He looked up at her again, who was looking at him expectantly. He glanced the chocolates and randomly picked one.

He bit down, and the taste of cherries and bourbon flooded his mouth. "Mm."

"Oh, I'm glad you like them!"

"Love them, actually," he replied with blushing cheeks and a lick of his lips.

Another smile, then she dipped down and kissed him. Bashful, she twirled around and began furiously cleaning one of the last glasses of the night.

He felt blown away and a little embarrassed about his earlier thoughts. But now he was going to have to somehow one up this amazing gift...