A/N: No, I haven't died! Just haven't been finding the right inspiration lately, but here was an idea I had that finally got around to writing.

Disclaimer: No, not mine!

Summary: So, maybe it was beyond embarrassing and utterly mortifying, but—sadly—it wouldn't have been for the first time. Poor Tifa!

The Devil's Own

Chapter 3: Behind enemy lines

"Get him! Find him! I won't let you inside the house without him!"

"But…Tifa…"

"No 'but Tifa's' are going to work today."

"But…but…"

"Nope. Not working."

Two small figures slumped their shoulders in defeat. Under normal circumstances, these tactics would work. But, it seemed as if Tifa had finally broken the cycle and caught on. She wouldn't let them within a foot inside the house, not if she had anything to say about it.

Marlene and Denzel both decided that they didn't particularly like being denied entry into their own home, so they had to go find him.

"Marlene! Why do you think he did it this time?" the young boy questioned his slightly younger companion.

"I don't know. Sometimes, I really he think he does it only to get under Tifa's skin," she responded back knowingly.

Suddenly, as if right on cue, both children stopped walking, looked at each other, and burst out in merry laughter.

"Oh! But, the look on Tifa's face is always so…so…" Denzel couldn't even finish.

So, Marlene finished for him, "…So funny!"

After the gales of laughter died down a bit –this, of course, meaning they were able to once again breathe—the pair couldn't help but feel slightly guilty. If it was anyone else but Johnny, they both knew no one could ever get away with it.

Only Johnny, with his cute furry face and equally furry paws could face punishment with no delusions about what was inevitably going to happen.

Tifa would be furious, he'd be yelled at, and then, would be luckily saved by one –sometimes two—other members of the household.

Yes, he indeed had it made.

They had finally tracked him down after what seemed like half an hour, hidden behind a few bushes near the park. It was impossible to miss the white fur, after all.

"Johnny! How could you do this again?" Marlene scolded him gently.

"Bad dog! Bad dog!" Denzel reiterated.

He responded back by yapping, but he knew that they never could be seriously angry with him.

So…Johnny was whisked away and carried back to Seventh Heaven bar with a little surprise still securely attached to his mouth:

Tifa's pink polka-dotted underwear.

A/N: Short, but sweet yes? Please review!

-Tinkah