Every Morning

It was her scent. It was every where; it didn't matter which way I turned. I could smell her in my skin, in the blankets and pillows surrounding me. I forced my eyes open, wincing at the morning light streaming in through the blinds. I sit up slowly, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and yawning. I cast my eyes around the room before me, and smile at my thoughts.

What would it be like to wake up here every morning?

Tifa keeps her room clean. She's got a red, soft rug on the hard wood floor. In a corner are a dresser and a vanity, filled with assorted knick knacks. The wall is covered with various finger paintings done by Marlene and Denzel. To my right is a big leather seat, and a bookshelf that's currently over flowing. It's right beside the window. The piano sits to the left of her bed, and it looks right there. Next to her bed is her night table, complete with phone charger, clock, and her pearl earrings. I guess she slipped those off sometime in the night then.

Also on the table, there are photos. Some are more recent, like the one taken just after the Geostigma incident. There's one of just me and her taken a few weeks ago, and one of us with the children. The others are with the various members of AVALANCHE. One however, catches my attention. It's of her and Aerith, and I find I don't remember this picture. Course, the reason why is probably because she never had the heart to show it to me. In the background, I can see myself burning a wig; Aerith and Tifa however, are holding up this purple dress laughing. Actually, they're more or less holding each other up, arms wrapped around each others shoulders, and cradling laugh-ached stomachs, tears streaming from their eyes. I feel my mouth draw into a grim line. I thought I had gotten rid of all the evidence of that moment.

I glance at Tifa, still sleeping peacefully.

Her bed is nice and soft; all white complete with this feathery comforter. Little feathers decorate her bed that escaped the confining fabric. There's some caught in her hair, and I sit there for a moment plucking them from her hair.

"Good morning." I hear her mutter as she snuggles deeper into her covers.

My hand jerks. I didn't even realize she was awake, and she giggles.

"Did I frighten you Cloud?" She mumbles, her eyes still closed.

She's smiling though.

"No." I reply, "Although this picture did."

I don't even have to say which one. Her eyes fly open in horror. She looks up at me where I'm sitting, trying to seem innocent.

"Heh…What picture?" She giggles.

"Yeah, what picture…you probably managed to get a picture of me getting creamed in the face by an out of control cake last night."

I see her blush a deep red, and I swallow.

"You didn't…really…"

"Well…I didn't."

"Then who did?"

"Erm…it was some woman…she…had a camera. Heh…"

"You won't be receiving a copy, will you?" I ask.

"Erm…is it okay that I gave her our address?"

I sigh, "Why don't you just go ahead and start up a photo album consisting of 'Cloud's embarrassing moments'."

She scoffs, "Well how do you think I felt? You think I liked being the center of attention after my boyfriend got hit upside the head with my birthday cake?"

"What did you just say?"

"Well, I mean…after you ran off to the bathroom like the coward you are," She states, jabbing me in the chest. "I had to do clean-up…and you missed the fight Cid got into with the no pets hostess…"

"No…not that."

"What?"

"Did you just call me your boyfriend?"

"..."

I think she just squeaked.

I watch as her hand flies up to her mouth, and she turns pink in embarrassment.

I grab her hand, "It isn't a bad thing, you know? Unless you don't want me to be your boyfriend."

"Cloud!" She shouts, swiftly yanking her pillow out and smacking me with it.

"Hey!"

She giggles as feathers fly, and suddenly I'm losing my balance, and then…

BAM!

"Oh! Cloud! Are you okay?" She halfway crawls out of the bed, her hands on the floor, but her legs still on the bed.

"My hip…" I mutter.

She giggles, "You sound like an old man."

I glare up at her, and I'm about to say something when I hear a voice.

"Tifa!"

I pale…she pales…

It's Barret.

"Oh God…" She hisses.

You must understand the predicament we are currently in.

It will be quite obvious to Barret that I spent in the night in Tifa's room.

It will be quite awkward when he finds us together in her bed with nothing but our underwear on…ahem…

IF HE THINKS WE DID SOMETHING WITH LITTLE MARLENE NEXT DOOR HE'LL FREAKING KILL US…well, me is more like it.

He sees Tifa as his daughter…now, how does a father react when he finds his little girl in bed with a man? Yeah…you guys just figure that one out.

You see, he'll think something…ahem…sexual…happened…and we aren't married…and if little Marlene was to walk in on her two guardians…in a compromising situation…

Let's just not go there.

I do the only thing that seems logical: I push Tifa back up into the bed, and roll beneath her bed.

"Tifa!" Barret yells again.

Tifa covers herself with her blanket before answering, "Yea?"

"I'm coming in."

Man, what a freaking heathen…doesn't even ask.

I hear the floorboard creak as he enters the room, and I hold my breath, grateful for Tifa's cleanliness. This would be a whole lot harder if there was dust to make me sneeze.

"You seen Cloud?"

"Uh…no…" She sputters. "I think he went for a walk early this morning."

"Hmm…cause he ain't in his bed and it don look like no one slept there."

I can practically imagine Barret crossing his arms, and giving Tifa a piercing look.

"Well…I can't really say, Barret." She replies hotly.

"And what was that thump I heard earlier?"

"Huh?"

"It sounded like someone fell of the bed."

"Oh…that was me." She rushes.

"You fell of the bed?" He asks dubiously.

"It happens to the best of us…" She laughs nervously.

"Uh huh…Maybe you got yourself rats or sumtin…lemme check for ya."

Oh…we are so screwed!

I watch Barret's feet as he drops to one knee.

"Barret…that's really not necessary." Tifa's saying, and I see her weight shift on the bed.

"Barret!" She hisses.

Okay, Cloud, you can do this if you just time it right. Wait for it…wait…wait…now!

I roll out as silent as possible, grateful for the bed skirt that concealed me, and is now doing so again.

I sit up quickly and quietly once out from beneath the bed, spotting Barret's hunched up form on the other side of the bed. I stand quickly, dashing towards the door on my tip toes. I can't make it though, as I hear Barret shifting to stand. I dart behind the open door and the wall and hold my breath again.

"Any rats, Barret?" Tifa asks.

"No, Tifa…no rats." I hear him growl.

I listen as his heavy footsteps move closer to the door, and he pauses at the frame, pulling the door slightly closing.

"Just one thing, Tifa…"

"Yeah?"

"Since when do you sleep with just a bra?"

Oh…hell…

And I thought I was screwed.

I dare to peek out, realizing that Tifa's dropped her blanket, revealing her bra clad figure…and she's now turning blood red…from embarrassment no doubt…but there's something in her eyes.

Barret if you wish to live, you better move fast.

Man, I think he sees it too, because I haven't seen him move that fast since the AVALANCHE days…and that was when being chased down and hunted and fighting deadly monsters.

This was just Tifa chucking a clock at his head.

It crashes loudly against the closed door, and I can't help but let out a sigh of relief. I bend over picking up the clock which now holds a dent, realizing Tifa's hiding herself beneath her blanket. Walking over, I replace the clock and sit down beside of her.

"Go away." Her voice is muffled by the blanket.

"Why?"

"It's your entire fault."

"My fault?"

"If you hadn't fallen off the bed…"

"If you hadn't smacked me with pillows…"

"If you hadn't gotten in my bed…"

"If you weren't so damn irresistible…"

Oh that was smooth, Strife…smooth like butter. Mad props.

I see her eyes poke out from the edge of the blanket. I can see a smile in them, and I know that's why she's hiding her mouth. She's still trying to act mad.

I yank the blanket down quickly, and capture her mouth with my own.

As we fall back onto her bed, a thought crosses my mind.

Even if I did have to play a deadly game of hide and seek with Barret, I wouldn't mind waking up like this every morning.

A/N: I reiterate...no sex...just fun...yet...I have been C2'd...wow! I have been added to Cloud and Tifa...wow...I want to thank thenolifequeen for that. the story went up 20 reviews last chapter...wow...you guys...just...are awesome! I LOVE YOU ALL...And I just had to make a scene where Barret acted all fatherly...I dunno, I liked it. I have decided to keep Let It Be a seperate story line...I want to thank everyone who reviewed with their opinion...it really meant alot to me. So hopefully I'll update that soon! I just posted a ...depressing oneshot(alabaster)...so...if you're reading this...you probably want happy, not sad...but still, I want to thank those who faved/reviewed that one...if you click on my homepage, you'll see it's my deviantart page...i drew a quick sketch from a scene in this story...hopefully I'll be doing more of that...and I can give you guys real gifts for your awesomeness...later loves! OH! And don't think I'm stopping Diaries just because of Let It Be...no sir, no way!