Disclaimer: Final Fantasy VII with the characters, items, places, etc. are the property of Square Enix, Inc. No infringement is intended.

Author's Note: This is a Cloud and Tifa story, just with a dramatic twist due to his absence. They will be happy later.

Thank you to all the readers and reviewers so far, your dedication and words have been very appreciated. The pace of the story will pick up with lots of drama still in store for the future. My beta reader Denebola Leo has been a tremendous help to bringing this story to you readers.

Updated Chapter Changes: 4/9/19 & 7/26/20

-. Don't Think Twice .-

Chapter VIII

September 17th, εγλ 0009, 8:07 p.m.

The ride back home went by in a blur. Cloud zipped through the plains with great haste to surprise Denzel and Marlene by returning early. He promised the children with a phone call that night before bed, but considered this to be more preferable to them. He could not change the past but he could impact the future by being an existing father figure. One they needed and deserved, even if he doubted his worth at times. It wasn't too late with them, unlike the situation with Tifa. All he could do was try.

It was between dinner and bedtime when he rolled down the street to Seventh Heaven. Cloud dismounted his bike a few houses away after he turned off the engine, gliding it smoothly into the garage to not tip off the kids he was finally home. He collected his bag out of the storage compartment of Fenrir, his muscles sore and stiff from the ride. No pain, no gain, he mused to himself. He gave a little stretch with his free arm to loosen up before stepping inside. It was good to be home.

Or so he thought.

Making his way in, the door was quietly closed behind him as he approached the bar. Tifa working her shift was to be expected, but her being seated at the bar wasn't. He presumed she would be mixing a drink for her patrons or washing glasses at the sink. Cloud stopped in his tracks to find the complete opposite. He found her leaning on her arm with a glass in hand and a smirk on her face. Tifa was sipping on a cocktail while conversing with a customer who was behind the bar drying off a few glasses. A male customer.

What the hell?

Cloud's eyes only darkened in the dimly lighted tavern as he moved forward. Tifa looked bewildered at his presence when she finally noticed. She slapped her glass down heedlessly, thus making the amber liquid spill on the counter. She scrambled for a napkin to wipe up her mess while jumping off the stool.

"Cloud! I-I wasn't expecting y-you home so soon!" Stammering her words, she stole the towel from the unknown man's hand.

Cloud noticed the sandy-haired man had stopped his task, as he no longer had the said towel, and just glanced the blond's way while avoiding eye contact. He had been mostly focused on Tifa when he came into the bar, not this…guy. The man behind the counter limited his movements, which Cloud assumed was because the stranger didn't want to provoke him.

Tifa rounded the counter towards Cloud, trying to put herself up as a barrier between him and the new guy. As she whizzed by her ruby eyes flickered with panic and her forehead appeared to be glistening with sweat. Obviously a nervous mess, she grabbed the glasses from the mysterious man to put them away. "I wish you would have called and told me you were –ahem– coming home tonight. The kids are already getting ready for bed." She was looking at him directly, trying to busy herself from the awkward situation.

Cloud stared at the man, knowing exactly just who this person was. His skin was tanned, but not as dark as his golden-brown hair. He had some build in his arms, from what Cloud could see from the hunter green tee-shirt that was layered with a black button-down shirt. The sleeves were rolled up, the top dark piece draping open. Jace didn't look like much to him, but Cloud wasn't too thrilled he happened to be present in his home. A muscle twitched in his mouth from his growing irritation. He only left early this morning and the new boyfriend was already here.

Questions began to ring in his mind. How often did he come around? Did the kids see them as their new dad?

On a whim, the unwanted guest in his home extended a hand out to greet him. "Hey, I'm Jace."

The eyes of the two men finally met, sapphire glaring back at amber. Jace appeared confident in trying to be familiar but now wavered to looking discouraged, but still left his outstretched hand in some act of hope.

This man must be really stupid.

Cloud didn't need First Tsurugi on his back to intimidate Jace, his grimace said plenty for the fool to back off. The blond relished in his inner ego a bit at the other man cowering. He wanted the stranger to be a little afraid of him. In return, he ignored the gesture and looked back at his wife, who looked apprehensive at the situation before them. Her arms were crossed while she stood next to Jace, closing herself off.

"I'm here to see the kids, not your boy-toy," Cloud said scathingly as he motioned his head towards Jace.

Tifa's eyes began to make daggers at him, and she was about to chastise him when she was disrupted by two small children barging into the bar area. Denzel and Marlene were dressed in their pajamas and sprinting towards Cloud.

"Cloud!" Denzel shouted. He bent down as they crashed into his arms, the two absolutely delighted that he was actually home. He really did miss them.

"You're really home!" Marlene squealed while bouncing in his embrace. "I thought you were going to be gone for a couple of days."

"I thought so too…" Tifa mused to herself, but it was loud enough for him to hear. Cloud peered up at his wife from his kneeling position, mildly surprised that Tifa seemed genuinely happy for the kids' excitement. His homecoming had caught her off guard with her boyfriend. Jace stood off to the side, now with his hand in his pocket, observing the family. Her boyfriend looked rather uncomfortable while trying to smile at the children.

"Are you going to be leaving again soon?" Denzel asked him while pushing back a little from his hold. "Can't you spend another day with us again? Please?"

Cloud nodded at the young boy and reassured him with a smile. "I need to finish a few deliveries first and then we can plan to do something. Wanna help me with my maps tomorrow?"

"Yeah!" Now it was Denzel's turn to start jumping, but was cut short with Tifa's hand. It was firmly placed on the boy's head.

"Okay, that's enough excitement for tonight. You two still have school in the morning," Tifa reminded the two. They reciprocated her order with a loud groan, the thought of bedtime dampening their mood.

"Alright, alright. You two need to get ready for bed," Cloud ordered while scooping Marlene up in his arms while he adjusted himself upright. She wrapped her arms around his neck, securing herself so he could hold her closer. Cloud offered his hand to Denzel, who accepted it readily.

Tifa was ready to begin the routine, trailing a little behind the three who were already on the stairs. He could handle this himself, and he didn't want to be alone with Tifa any time soon. He could feel a fight brewing between them, but now wasn't the time for that. "I got this," he said sharply as he slightly turned his head to glare at her, all the while ascending the staircase.


Mid December, εγλ 0007

The two mountain town dwellers had been a done deal for years it seemed. Finally kissing her in the bar gave him a small taste of her — sweet, a hint of raspberry and slightly addicting upon the first sample. Now they were together on their travels, secretly meeting in Tifa's tent every night as they journeyed to Junon. No one knew but Aerith, who helped with their privacy needs by casting Sleepel on the whole group. By morning, the Esuna that was casted if the spell hadn't worn off yet, and they'd venture off again to find Sephiroth. No one noticed what developed between the pretty brawler and handsome mercenary.

Her arms were around his neck with her fingers locked into his wild hair while her legs entangled his waist; clinging to his body as it laid next to hers inside the tent. Tifa uttered a soft sigh as Cloud connected his lips with hers with hunger as the heat between them had been rising higher and higher. His hand rubbed circles idly across her upper leg, earning a moan when he slid his hand to massage her inner thigh. She adjusted herself to give him more access as he suckled on her bottom lip.

Accepting her invitation, he brushed his fingers against her folds, both warm and wet with desire. Tifa broke the kiss as her head fell back, exposing the smooth satiny skin of her neck. Another invite she presented, he brushed his mouth over her throat while rotating his hand harder against her. She was always willing but it never went beyond heavy petting. The two were inexperienced but eagerly learning from each other, basking in what pleasure they could both receive and give.

"Cloud…" she whispered his name as she squeezed his shoulder. At that, he nibbled her earlobe, which in response she tightened her legs around him while a whimper emerged between her panting.

Now was not the time to make love as she deserved a proper bed and private room when he took her. Soft and warm against his body, he only ever imagined this in the past; the reality was far better than the fantasy. In the meantime, giving her much needed release he could grant. "I want this just as much as you do, Tifa."

"Yes," she responded. She began to moan louder, which she covered up by kissing him. His almost lover arched, asking for more friction and more contact. She broke the kiss yet again as she came close to completion.

"Please...Cloud…please," tossing her head back she began biting her lip. The blond couldn't believe he was having this effect on the girl next door, seeing as she was trying to control her senses as she was near her climax. He slipped inside and stroke her harder, much faster. Tifa's hips bucked in rhythm against his hand, crying out her pleasure.

Cloud watched her as the ecstasy took over, looking and sounding beautiful as it built up inside her. He grunted a bit into the column of her neck; his erection throbbed as her inner walls clenched his digits, her white warmth beginning to pool. Curling his fingers he felt her body tremble with overwhelming pleasure, sending her over the edge.


September 17th, εγλ 0009, 9:34 p.m.

Tifa lightly tapped the door before she entered his office, more of a warning rather than a request to enter. He thought with dread as the oncoming conversation was going to be another late night fight, a common and unwanted feature in their lives. A feeling tremored throughout his body; this was going to be the biggest one yet. He hadn't been given any time to acclimate to the new man in her life, and within a day the bastard was in their home trying to be chummy with him. Cloud peeked over his shoulder at his wife and continued to clear out his duffle bag.

She flinched a little at his visible distaste, but pushed forward anyway. "Cloud"

"What?!" He cut her off, not trying to hide that he was slightly miffed with her. His voice was loud, an unintentional move on his part as he didn't want the kids to hear. Marlene witnessed fights between them before, but not like this. He grabbed a few articles of clothing to put away in his drawer. His gaze drifted to hers to see she was intimidated by his icy blue eyes. His cold stare wasn't enough to make her back down though, and she began to press again as she stepped closer to him.

"I didn't mean for you two to meet so soon. I thought you were gone for a few more days, and we were expecting your call"

"Guess I shoulda called so you could've pushed back your little date with your boy-toy," Cloud countered while facing her full on and seeing her crimson eyes start to flare as she stared straight back at his.

"Would you let me speak? And do not call him that, Cloud! He is not my boy-toy, he is my boyfriend. I didn't plan for him to be here when you were," his wife retorted while glaring, her arms already crossed.

Oh here we go, he mused sardonically.

"Well your boyfriend needs to stay the hell out of my way in our house," he ordered, his tone sharp and harsh.

"Jace didn't do anything wrong, Cloud. He figured you should know him if he is around the kids…do not take this out on him because you are jealous," Tifa firmly accused as she stiffened her posture up higher. The brawler was never easy in a fight.

"Jealous? Tifa, you've known for months our marriage was over, and I just found this out myself. Just give me some fucking time with it. I don't need to see him, I don't need to talk to him. Don't flaunt it at me. Please," Cloud pressed back while tossing his bag next to his desk. He can own up to hurting her, but she didn't have to push her new relationship in his face. He was both baffled and irritated with her. Did it really have to come down to this?

"It wasn't my intention for that to happen. And you know that is not the type of person I am," she replied as she held his gaze, her voice a little softer than earlier.

"Is that where you are going to go with this Teef? I wouldn't have replaced you so quickly and put it in your face. What about all the years of loving each other? After all the battles we fought, our dreams of being together and married...doesn't that count for something?" he snapped.

Tifa squeezed her arms tighter around herself, visibly trembling before him. "Honestly I don't know anymore. Those nights you were gone in the beginning I kept thinking you would be home every night. Even when you pushed me that last night you were home, I always held onto hope for awhile. I never pictured our life together to be like this…"

"Do you love me still?" The words left his mouth without much thought. He didn't want to get in the way, but he had to know. If there was any chance that their marriage meant anything, he would try. He took an oath, married her, and loved her.

She hastily scrambled to wipe the tears falling down her pale cheeks. "...It's not that simple, Cloud. You're a totally different person to me now. I used to think of you as someone that would never hurt me. Not ever."

A long silence held the air as he watched her cry. Each tear he witnessed was a reminder he had hurt her beyond repair. His chest constricted when her shoulders shook, her hands concealing her pain-stricken eyes from him. Instead of happiness, he was causing her misery by reopening the wounds he inflicted months ago. Cloud clenched his fist to fully resist the urge to console her, despite his own anger. Tifa was his wife, and he imagined her to be in every part of a happily ever after with him. And now he had nothing with her at all.

.

.

.

"Damn it, she's not going to make this easy for him, is she?" Zack asked casually while peering into the window at the hopeless couple. "I just talked him up again and she shot him down. He's never gonna make a move at this point."

"Love isn't supposed to be easy, Zack," Aerith chided her boyfriend. She was seated on the window sill outside Cloud's office, her legs crossed over as she leaned up against the glass. Their current plan wasn't working, and she had a feeling she knew why. Cloud never possessed the confidence the raven-haired soldier had, so of course, he was amused by the suggestion to just 'woo' Tifa.

"Well, what should I do now?" he questioned, feeling at a total loss.

"Nothing."

"What?! But they're supposed to be together."

She giggled at him for a moment until her emerald eyes connected to his. Zack was always such a romantic, she mused. Her face however turned very serious when addressing him though. "And they will be Zack. Cloud needs to hear from someone who won back their love after messing up. And I know just the right person..."

He perked up at her idea, swiping his thumb against his cheek to his chin. "And?"

Aerith shook her head to dismiss his haste. "And we wait until the time is right. Cloud needs to pace himself to win her heart back after all."


Author's Note Continued: Chapter updated on 4/9/19; additional thoughts and feelings from Cloud's POV. Fight scene extended with an appearance from both Zack and Aerith at the end! Chapter updated again on 7/26/20; dialogue changes and date/time stamp applied.