"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows?" Tifa eyed the book skeptically.

"Yeah," Cloud took it from her and placed it on the counter, fumbling for his wallet as Demyx scanned it, "It's one of Zex's favorite series; he hasn't read the last one."

"He must be excited."

"Well, it is a surprise."

"$49.99." Demyx yawned, obviously bored.

"That much?"

"It's on sale."

"Wow. Must be a good book…" Cloud handed him the money and asked if he wanted to join them in going to Xigbar's restaurant. Since he and Zexion came here so much, they'd formed a casual relationship with Demyx.

"Maybe later, I don't really feel like goin' out. Tell the kid I said hi."

Tifa snorted, "Kid? You're a year younger than him."

"And I have a job, a girlfriend, and my own house."

"Zex and Cloud work for my dad."

"Oh yeah, delivery service."

"And he did go out with Larxene for a while," Cloud spoke up as he bagged the novel and returned his wallet to his coat pocket.

"Please," Tifa snickered, "That bitch wasn't really 'girlfriend material'."

"But she was great in bed…" Demyx blinked, as if he just realized what he said. He nervously scratched the back of his head.

Tifa sighed, "My point exactly. Later, Demmy!"

With that, they left the shop and drove to their old friend Xigbar's restaurant. They knew him in high school three years ahead of them and kept in touch. He ran the joint with Axel and Leon. Sometimes they all ate together after hours, laughing together, but tonight it would just be Cloud and Tifa.

Axel, cheerful as ever, came to take their order, "So, what do you two want?"

"Steak, still mooing, and a Sprite." Cloud handed him the menu. Tifa simply said, "I'll have what he's having," and gave her menu to the redhead with a smile. He winked at her, then went back into the kitchen. Cloud noticed her staring after him, and was about to say something when they heard Axel shout at the top of his lungs:

"THEY'RE BACK! QUICK, LEON, WE HAVE TO HELP OUR BRETHREN CONQUER THE FRIEND-ZONE! WHERE THE FUCK ARE MY CRABCAKES?"

Cloud's face grew hot as Tifa burst out laughing. Mentally, he thanked God that she was oblivious and only saw this as yet another joke. How Axel ever found out about Cloud's feelings was beyond him, but he had been mercilessly teasing Cloud ever since.

Once she'd calmed down enough to talk, Cloud cleared his throat, somehow keeping his voice even, "So, how was work today?"

"Ah, whoo, it was alright," she wiped tears from her eyes with her napkin, "Yuffie's out for your head, though."

"I'm so scared."

"You should be. She had plans to go out with her boytoy Seifer."

"Tell her I can get Marluxia, clad in leather, hands tied and mouth gagged, waiting for her in a box on her doorstep within the hour."

"Duly noted. Now, tell me, what happened with Zex?"

Cloud's voice lowered, somberly serious, "We got him to talk. Apparently, he believes his parents don't want him to call them Mom or Dad. The poor kid thinks he hates them."

"That's messed up! Aerith loved him!"

"Tifa, he read her suicide note."

She stilled at that. It was a while before she finally responded with a quiet, "Oh."

A light silence fell, though it was not uncomfortable. Tifa let her mind drift, pitying Zexion no doubt, all the while not noticing Cloud staring at her. He knew she wouldn't snap out of it until he said something, and took the chance to admire her.

In his mind, Cloud recalled playing Pooh Sticks with her as a child, fighting off her bullies and suffering her other boyfriends in high school. To Cloud, Zexion's pain was the only one that rivaled the agony of having to see Tifa with another man. Ripping his own teeth out would have hurt less. It was always someone else kissing those lips, holding those hands, stroking that hair. For as long as he could remember, Cloud wanted to try those things. But then, he and Sephiroth met Aerith, and everything changed. He still missed her. Not a day passed without a thought of the beautiful brunette. Even if he never got the chance to kiss her, he'd held her, comforted her, and longed for her like a departed star-crossed lover overseas.

Aerith is gone. She's never coming back. She can never love me back. But, Tifa is here, now. She's not going to leave. I can love her.

Then, Cloud tried what he never could with Aerith: he reached across the table and placed his hand over Tifa's. She looked up, startled, to have their eyes meet. Cloud grasped her fingers firmly, stroking her knuckles with his thumb. Despite the sudden touch, Tifa didn't look away. It was almost as if she was trying to say something with her eyes, soft and earnest, but the connection was broken when Axel slammed their order down on the table before them.

"Bon appetit, lovebirds!" he flashed a grin, then sauntered away to serve another table. Cloud immediately released Tifa and picked up his utensils to dig in, not seeing the disappointment on her face.

She hid it well, going on with their conversation as if nothing happened, "At least he has you."

"He's got me, you, Yuffie, Demyx, Xigbar, Leon, Axel, Vexen…"

"That pedophile doesn't count as a friend."

"Well, perhaps not," he swallowed some Sprite, "Axel doesn't either."

"What're you talking about?"

"You aren't thinking of… you know, making him more than a friend?"

Tifa nearly choked on her meat.

"I saw you checking him out."

"What? Cloud, that's ridiculous! I'd never crush on a prick like Axel!"

Cloud raised an eyebrow.

She went on in mock-shyness, murmuring, "Just because I don't like him doesn't mean he isn't eye-candy."

Tifa heard the relief in his laugh. She was about to address it when Cloud's phone rang. He answered it good-naturedly, and then his face visibly twisted with horror and rage. As he hung up, she asked, scared, "Cloud, what's wrong? Who was that?"

His eyes blazing, he answered, "Xaldin's in the apartment."

Those four words was all it took for them to leave a check and run to the truck like the restaurant was about to explode. Tifa ignored all the road-signs, especially the ones limiting their speed. Thankfully Lexaeus was on break and they arrived home within ten minutes. Cloud literally leapt out of the truck, skidding to a halt in front of the door. The lock was busted, the door slightly ajar. Tifa audibly gasped behind him.

Cloud, regrettably, recognized the mark of a bullet.