It's shorter than previous ones, but in my perspective, that's a good thing. I updated my profile – again – so if you have any questions or concerns, I have story information over there.
Disclaimer : I do not own FFVII.
I don't normally respond to reviews either in PMs or on stories, but I feel inclined to say a few things:
Frankokomando and Shade the Hero: You two are just awesome. You have reviewed on nearly every chapter, and it makes me happy when I see you have reviewed. Shade the Hero, I must say that your reviews actually make me go back a reread what I have written so I can try seeing it through your eyes. Frankokomando, I am so glad you love my stories! I'm especially glad you liked chapter eight. That one was hard to write so it pleases me to know it was enjoyed. Also, that fortune teller paper- Oops! Spoilers! Heh, you'll see soon enough.
KingStrife: Your comment inspired Cloud's reaction at the end of the last chapter.
Guest: You asked, "So no Tifa Cloud romance?" on chapter one. Read on and you'll see what's going to happen. Hehehe…
Sunflowerspot: You may not review on every chapter, but words cannot express how thrilled I am to see that you have reviewed. You and Shade the Hero both always divulge the little details that you like, and that helps me be a better writer.
I know that's not everyone who has reviewed, so I'd just like to let you know that your support and criticism is incredibly appreciated.
One quick question to you all before I get started: Are all of you Cloti fans? Just curious. Your comments seem directed that way. Anyway, on with the fic!
Barret had already carted off the children for their tour around North Corel. Marlene had been understandably peppy when waking up, but Denzel had to let Barret give him a piggy-back ride to the cable car that would take them down. Tifa and Barret assumed it was Denzel's excitement and constant activity that had exhausted, but Denzel was too groggy to either confirm or disprove the notion. Tifa hoped he would remain mentally awake long enough to gather the necessary information for his paper.
With the children and Barret gone, the group decided it was time to have a day for themselves. Exclusively and selfishly. Yuffie and Cloud in particular expressed equal determination to compete in the Battle Square. Their "discussion" had begun with Yuffie sauntering out of her room and declaring:
"Let's have a contest. Whoever gets the most BP wins. It's no challenge, really since monsters quake at the sight of the Great Ninja Yuffie!" She tossed a cocky grin at the group loitering in the Ghost Hotel lobby as she came down the stairs. "But at least it'd be a fun way to pass the time together."
"You think you would win?" Nanaki perked up, his tone challenging hers.
"Ah, I bet I could beat you all in an hour," Yuffie brought her hands behind her head and relaxed lazily.
Cloud stepped forward, "Really? Because I think I could double your points in the same hour." He set a firm a hand on his hip and stepped back commandingly. His stance emanated authority, and, to Tifa, it was eerily reminiscent of their AVALANCHE days. The fabric of his plain grey t-shirt curved and folded around his muscles making him look more like a man than a sulking teenager.
Instantly a sense of wrongslapped Tifa on the cheek. Hadn't Cloud been upset? What right did he have ignoring her without apologizing after walking out on her? At the same instant she reasoned that Cloud had been offended by her first, so maybe he expected her to do the apologizing. Or maybe he just wanted to ignore the incident and move on. There was only so much she knew, and she hated assuming what people were thinking because, she had found, she was normally wrong.
"Oh, yeah?" Yuffie jumped near Cloud and got in his face. "Well, I say that we all have to fight in the Special Battle for the whole hour, and we'll see who has the most points then."
Cloud folded his arms and leaned down a bit to face her directly. "Alright then. Let's do this."
"What's up with you this morning?" Cid questioned Cloud flatly. "Ya seem almost…happy. And where's your usual clothes?"
The ghost of a grin crossed Cloud's face, and he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I got kind of dirty last night in the Battle Square."
"I'd lend you an extra set of clothes," Cid reflexively reached for the cigarette in his mouth only remember it wasn't there. He grimaced and jeered at Yuffie, "If only the brat didn't steal my entire wardrobe."
Yuffie poked a darting pink tongue out.
As Cid began to grumble about potentially locking Yuffie in a closet and leaving her hanging by her toes, Nanaki smoothly spoke over him, addressing Cloud, "You and Vincent both have an advantage since you have spent most of your time unintentionally warming up for Yuffie's proposal."
"Yeah?" Cloud stood straight once more. "That's true."
"Why not even it out?" Vincent slid into the conversation. "Cloud and I will abstain from battles throughout the morning while the rest of you 'warm up' for the competition."
Everyone agreed and departed to either gear up or sit out.
Two hours later, Tifa tiptoed around the Gold Saucer looking for Cloud. Her two six minute battles were enough to tell her she needed to unwind. If she were anyone else, Tifa might have been able to ignore it, but she couldn't handle the way her mind analyzed everything that had happened. She needed this issue with Cloud resolved.
But standing in front of the door to Cloud's room, she hesitated. This was the only place she hadn't checked yet. What if she couldn't find him anywhere else because he was avoiding her? Quiet, she scolded herself. She had to quit letting assumptions run all over her. That's why she was trying to find Cloud, right? Because she wanted to know what was really going on in the quiet blonde's head.
Raising a fist, she tapped the door softly. If Cloud was inside, his ears would pick up on the gentle knock and perhaps he would understand her intentions were only on fixing things and not maiming him.
Ten seconds and no answer.
Her palm found the cool brass knob by her waist and she turned it slowly. No harm in double-checking.
Inside the room she smiled. Cloud lay on his stomach on his bed, boots and gloves still on and his arms splayed out. One hand hung over the mattress a little, and a neutral, approachable expression smoothed the subtle lines of his face. Sunlight from the window touched Cloud's infamous gold spikes and lit them up with a warm glow.
Tifa almost left him there. Cloud looked so much at peace and yet so exhausted that she didn't want to disturb him, but she couldn't make herself back away either. Softly she laid a hand on his shoulder. Tifa felt the muscles under her hand tense suddenly as trained SOLDIER eyes instantly snapped open and glanced warily around. Upon meeting Tifa's velvet brown gaze, Cloud relaxed a bit.
He blinked a few times and she gave him some room to orient himself. While he forced his groggy mind to function, Tifa explained her presence. "I need to talk to you."
Cloud sat up, still blinking heavy eyelids.
Tifa glanced around the boys' room, blushing slightly. "Um, maybe in the Round Square?" She mentally kicked herself, but Cloud nodded. He led her to the door and opened it, stepping aside to let her walk through. Tifa was gratified, but also worried. Why be worried if he's acting nice? She interrogated herself. Sadly she admitted that although Cloud normally did little kind things they were done with a hesitance like he wasn't sure if his kindness would be rejected or ridiculed. Things such as leaving her a Gongaga-made chocolate bar on the counter for her to find in the morning. Things like washing the dishes without being asked or surprising her by coming home early with a packed picnic basket ready for a day out of the city. His actions now were not bad or unwelcome. They were just…too formal. Too proper.
She watched him lead the way in front of her and suddenly Cloud's mannerisms made sense.
… … … …
Cloud sat across from Tifa in the gondola. The ride was not any cheaper in the middle of the day, but that didn't bother Cloud. Being in that little box, he could still hear the fireworks from so long ago…But today was different. It had been years since then, and Tifa needed to say something. He needed to say something to her too. Nervousness crept over him once more.
"You're hiding behind him again," Tifa muttered to her lap.
Cloud frowned. "I know." He glanced out the window. Even now he had to fight that die-hard habit of doing squats that Zack had. Cloud knew he was using Zack's personality as a shield. It was reflex for whenever he got nervous or particularly worried. Like now. Go on, get it over with, a voice very much like Zack's echoed in his thoughts.
"Tifa," Cloud forced himself to look at her even if he felt like curling up in a ball of shame. "I'm sorry for the way I acted last night."
She glanced up in mute surprise. Cloud wasn't done.
"It's my fault for being offended, and it's my fault for blaming you for the way I felt. I'm sorry if I've made you upset. I didn't mean to." He paused. "I planned to talk to you earlier," Cloud admitted shamefully. "I went to my room to wait for you to come out." Ducking his head, he softly finished, "I didn't mean to fall asleep." His eyes off of her, Cloud missed the small smile that tugged on Tifa's lips.
Cloud heard Tifa reposition herself before she started her own mini confession. "It's okay. It looked like you needed the rest. And besides, it's really my fault you're putting up walls again. I'm sorry. It was insensitive of me to share something you'd rather not have others know, and I shouldn't push you to talk about some things when you aren't ready."
Cloud focused on some point out the window. "I'm sorry I hurt you."
Not meeting his eyes either, Tifa said, "I'm sorry I hurt you."
Cloud dragged his eyes up to meet hers. "We both still have a lot to learn."
She gave a tiny smile, "Yeah, I guess so. Being from the same hometown and living the past half decade with each other hasn't taught us enough, I suppose."
Cloud shadowed her expression. "There's still time to change that."
"Why not start now?"
The next half hour tore Cloud apart as he forced himself beyond his normal speaking limits and struggled to support Tifa's steady stream of polite conversation. She knew he was trying hard for her and the effort alone made her smile. She centered her talk around home life when he was gone, hoping that the threads in his heart connecting him to the bar would tug him in the right direction when he was away.
"… and I tried so hard not to laugh because Denzel chopped up the green tops of the carrots instead of the actual carrot. He said he didn't know what it was because it wasn't orange. It was purple."
Cloud shrugged at his dim connection to the memory. "I only knew they were supposed to look like giant bullets with green stuff on top. I didn't know they had to be a specific color.
Tifa laughed jovially, "That's just it though. You were right. It was a carrot. Denzel just didn't know that. Nor, apparently, did he know that you don't eat the carrot tops. I swear I lost half of the customers that ate the soup that night. I didn't even notice anything was wrong until you came home and tried it. I could tell you didn't want to say anything about it being awful, but I'm glad you did. If you hadn't I think Denzel's cooking might have added a new flavor to that soup permanently."
Cloud smiled, and Tifa beamed. This was…normal. It felt good to be talking about little unimportant things. Cloud never really knew what that felt like until now. Feeling like he needed to carry his weight in the conversation, even if the words were sloshing over each other in his mind, Cloud picked something he thought might make Tifa smile, a little detail. An unimportant event. Something that made him feel normal.
"What would you say is the strangest thing I ever brought home?"
Tifa looked surprised at first when Cloud took the initiative to speak, but she quickly covered it with serious contemplation. "I'd say the weirdest thing you ever brought was…that stack of Turk paperwork. I remember being so confused." She laughed to herself, "But you knew it would be getting cold and those confidential papers made good fire-starters for the woodstove in the back."
Cloud almost grinned. "What if I told you I bought you perfume once."
Tifa stared, not sure how she was supposed to react to that. "Really? When was this? I don't remember."
Cloud shook his head, "Some time when I was out on a delivery in Wutai. I came across this open market on my way out of the city, and this man was selling perfume. I thought maybe you'd like some- uh, not that you need any."
Tifa blushed and giggled while Cloud fussed with his hair nervously, trying to hide the blush on his own cheeks.
"Anyway…?" Tifa prompted gently.
"Yeah, uh, anyway, the guy promised me this one specific bottle was-" Cloud blushed again as he quoted, "'every woman's dream.'"
Tifa smiled widely, nodding him encouragingly to continue.
"So I bought it. On the way back I ran into your typical local monsters, only, I ended up getting thrown by one of them. The bottle broke and my clothes were drenched in that disgusting smell the man called perfume. It attracted every chocobo in Wutai. I'm kind of glad the bottle broke even if I had to keep moving to avoid the chocobos. According to the woman who ran the inn I stayed in a few days later, that 'perfume' was really a diluted substitute for a Chocobo Lure."
Tifa burst into lively laughter as she imagined a flock of yellow, green, blue, black, and gold chocobos trailing after Cloud like a devoted herd. Cloud smiled and lowered his head in mild embarrassment. After a minute, Tifa had calmed down enough to ask, "But why would someone pretend to be selling perfume when it's really a chocobo lure?"
"Con man." Cloud shrugged. "Sell whatever you have as whatever people want."
Tifa's PHS trilled in her pocket, and, still smiling, she answered. The smile dropped from her face in a second. "Tell me again. What happened?"
She listened to the speaker, and Cloud waited, anxiety growing iron bars around his heart as he imagined what Tifa was hearing. As Tifa flipped her phone shut, she glanced up at Cloud. His eyes asked the question. What's going on?
Tifa's lips trembled. "It's Seventh Heaven. It caught on fire."
There. Shorter and on time. Cloud's experience was based off of the picture found at www. zerochan. ne t *backslash* 482654
Remove the spaces and stick in the backslash and you'll see what I had in mind when writing that part.
-Dante