you know, what the hey! I already had them written, let's do two more just because!
Chapter 21: Fitting In
Everyone but Cid and Shera were in the kitchen when Tifa went back to it and it was a study in attitudes to walk in on everyone. Cloud, face impassive, was still sitting at the table where she'd left him but the plate in front of him was empty. He had a mug of coffee. Leon was standing with his back against the counter, empty plate next to him and a mug of coffee in his hands as well as he watched Cloud with narrow, speculative eyes. Barrett was sitting in the chair directly across the table from Cloud, eating his pancakes with vicious stabbing gestures and shooting Cloud glares from time to time. Marlene and Denzel took up the seats on either side, filling in the middle parts of the table and they were happily chattering as they ate, eyes bright for this early in the morning. Aerith stood at the stove, making more pancakes with the mix Tifa had left in the bowl and happily contributing to the children's conversation.
The small kitchen seemed even smaller filled so full.
"Teef" Aerith flashed her a bright smile. "I saved you a plate. I know you don't eat until your stomach wakes up but if you eat now, they'll still be hot."
Tifa walked over, sliding past the crowd to get her plate and under her breath, Aerith murmured to her:
"Quite a house you've got."
The laugh bubbled up in Tifa and she stifled it by taking a bite of pancake as she stood up at the sink. Cloud stood up.
"I'm done. Take my seat."
Tifa gave him a smile as he brought his plate over to the sink.
"Here" she handed him the shirt and socks she'd brought down. "You make me cold."
He grunted his laugh and took the clothes.
"In that case." He surprised her by ruffling Denzel's hair on the way past and Denzel surprised her by beaming up at the blond man. It made Tifa suspicious of what kinds of pacts they must have made while she wasn't around to supervise. Knowing Denzel – it had something to do with the sword. Tifa slid into the abandoned seat and ate her food, giving Denzel an arch look that he replied to with an innocent look to which she gave him a 'not buying it' look which got a 'who me?' look in response. Who said no one sat down and carried on conversation at the table anymore?
The kids put themselves together and went out to door to school and Leon helped Aerith wash the dishes. Barrett grumbled about having to go out to make a delivery but promised Tifa that he'd be back long before tonight to help her keep an eye on 'that boy'. Tifa surrendered her dishes to Aerith and took another tray upstairs to her father. He was nauseated today however and not interested in food. Tifa gave him his medicine with a sinking heart and helped him move so he was comfortable. Nausea usually meant he was about to have a bad spell and each time he did, he always came out of it weaker than he'd gone in. He was asleep again before she'd finished tucking him in and she hovered over him for a little while. Just to watch him breath. Then she collected Cid and Shera's dishes on the way back down the stairs. Cloud was sitting on one of the stools at the bar in the otherwise empty room, the shirt a bit loose on him, feet covered in thick socks now. He was staring into space blankly, no expression on his face, but when she moved into the room, his eyes flickered and he raised his head with an inhale, focusing on her. He looked tired and Tifa moved over to him, setting the tray down on the bar. Gentle she brushed a hand over his hair without thinking about it.
"Why don't you go back to bed?" she suggested.
He shook his head before turning it into her palm. She'd been about to withdraw her hand but his action made her smile and she scratched her fingers gently over his scalp. He sighed. His hair was soft and light against her fingers. Just a bit damp. He'd taken a shower at some point this morning.
"You're going shopping. I'm coming."
"You don't have to" she told him, moving her gently scratching fingers to the back of his head and in response he leaned his head forward, eyes shutting. It made her smile. Denzel did the same thing. She listened to his breathing deepen.
"I'm still coming," he murmured.
"Go to sleep. You can come next time."
He shook his head absently.
"You need someone to carry everything. Triple what you're used to buying. I'm coming too."
"I'll bring someone else."
He didn't lift his head or open his eyes and his voice didn't change its soft tone but there was something intractable about it.
"I'm coming."
"Stubborn." She ruffled his hair and picked up the tray again. "Go lay down in one of the booths. I'll wake you up before you go."
"Yes" he agreed. Apparently trusting her to not slip out on him while he was napping. Tifa shook her head at him and carried the tray into the kitchen. Aerith was the only one in it.
"Leon's gone out. But he left this" she held up a decent looking amount of gil. When Tifa started to open her mouth, Aerith inserted: "He said it was only fair since they were eating your food and I thanked him for you and took it."
Tifa took the money and counted it. She could buy an awful lot with this, especially if she was careful and hunted for the bargains. In altruism and nobility she shouldn't accept it though. In practicality however, she was feeding a lot of people and her budget was already tight just feeding the ones she'd planed for. Her hand closed around the money and she slipped it into her pocket. At least now she could buy something she knew was meat for Shera and not just something she hoped was. Aerith sat down at the table and pointed to the kitchen door.
"So what are you going to do with Cute, Blond and Quiet?"
Tifa put the last of the dishes in the sink and started washing them. Cleaning helped her put things in order in her mind too.
"I don't know," she admitted. "He hasn't told me how he got poisoned in the first place or if he has to report back or – " Come to think of it, there were a lot of really important questions Cloud hadn't answered. Though – granted – she hadn't thought to ask them either.
"So you're going to keep him, right?" Aerith asked simply and Tifa shot her friend a look over her shoulder.
"Yes. I told him he could stay as long as he liked. I should change this place from a bar to an inn at the rate I'm going."
Aerith just grinned.
"I know you're enjoying this," she stated. "But don't worry. I won't tell."
Tifa started to open her mouth to retort and then stopped. Turned around drying her hands off on a towel.
"You know - ? I am. Its dangerous and draining and stressful and I feel like I'm walking through a mine field sometimes but – I feel useful, Aerith. I mean, useful outside of just my family. I feel like I'm really doing something." She thought about it for a minute. "I shouldn't – but I'm enjoying that."
Aerith smiled softly and nodded.
"I know. It's being a part of something bigger. Even when its scary – you still know you're important."
Tifa shook her head.
"We're crazy, you know. Anyone sensible would be counting the seconds until their lives went back to normal."
"We have more fun," Aerith answered blithely and Tifa chuckled as she put the towel back on its rack.
"You going to stay here?"
"Wouldn't be anywhere else. When I was coming over I thought something might be up so I told my mom that I'd be gone for a while."
Not unusual for them. Aerith was a regular member of the Lockhart household. Tifa nodded.
"I'm taking Cloud food shopping. Can you keep an eye on dad for me? He's – not so good today and I think he'll sleep the day through."
Aerith's face softened and she nodded. Her healing magic didn't work on sickness. Tifa dropped a kiss on the top of her head as she went past.
Cloud was asleep on a booth bench in the bar area, curled on his side with his arms folded in front of his chest. It looked – defensive to Tifa. And it made her wonder why, even in his sleep – especially in his sleep - he was instinctively protecting himself.
"Cloud" she knew better than to reach down and try to wake him up when he was tense in his sleep. Instead she bumped the sole of his foot. He woke up with a silent inhale that jerked into him and his eyes, aqua, flew open. For a minute they were blank. And then he blinked. Sat up with a quiet sound and looked at her.
Tifa thought – he was going to break her heart one of these days…
"Come on, sleepy head" she reached out and ruffled his shaggy hair. "If we get this done now, we can both get a nap before the kids get out of school."
"You hid my boots," he told her and she smiled.
"When you first came," she acknowledged. "I'll go get them."
The trip up the stairs was quick and when she came back down he was sitting on the edge of the bench, arms across his knees while he waited. She handed him his boots and then the jacket she'd dug out of her father's room.
"Where's the rest of my stuff?" he asked as he pulled on his boots and expertly laced them. She knew he wasn't asking about the sword. Shinra trooper uniform came with leather belts and straps, pads and protectors. She handed him the gloves.
"It's all stashed in a box in my closet. It's – really obvious."
He nodded, looking down at the gloves. Tifa sat down on the edge of the bench and nudged him with her hip until he made room for her.
"Do you have to keep it?" she asked. "Are they really going to come looking for you if you don't report in?"
Cloud's eyes lifted and they went from confused to wry touched with bitter. He shook his head.
"I don't report in, Tifa. I'm not Shinra anymore." He looked down at the gloves he still hadn't put on. "Not for a while now."
Tifa looked down at the worn brown gloves as well. Rested her shoulder against his because he seemed – so alone in that moment.
"You just dress up like them for fun?"
His eyes flickered to her and the edges of his lips reluctantly curved upward. Again he shook his head and his light hair swayed with the movement.
"No. Not for fun."
Tifa reached out and tapped the back of his hand.
"You're being mysterious on purpose, aren't you?" she asked, teasing and gentle at the same time and he turned his face to her, lines around his blue eyes relaxing.
"Not on purpose."
She gave him a light nudge.
"Come on. We've got a nap waiting if we're quick enough." She slid out of the booth and walked over to push on her boots and take her jacket off the hook next to the door. Cloud followed her, pulling on her father's jacket and shoving the gloves into its pocket. Now that he was wearing shoes, he made sound when he walked. Tifa paused at the door and looked back at him. Needing to know and yet terrified to ask. Cloud must have seen it in her eyes because he waited.
"Cloud?… Have you seen Leon since the convention before you came here?"
His eyes met hers and they were expressionless as he answered.
"No."
For some reason she wasn't reassured but she nodded all the same and let them out the door, carefully locking it behind them.
The cold hit her like a physical blow and she shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket and dipped her chin against it. Next to her, Cloud didn't react with anything more than a deep inhale. She shot him an unfriendly look for having extra body heat and watched the edges of his lips twitch. Shaking her head, she broke into an unwilling smile of her own.
"Come on" she told him. "I'm going to buy extra for you to carry just for that."
