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Tifa was a woman with a secret.

She knew something that her dear friend did not know. But how she itched to share the things she knew. It was extremely difficult to keep her trap shut especially now that they were sitting across each other in a restaurant. They've been meeting at restaurants and coffee shops more and more since the past three weeks. She didn't dare mention 'weight' to Aerith. But Tifa could not help but think about Aerith's last runway next week.

"Is there still no progress with the spying?" Aerith suddenly asked. "Zack's really starting to glue his phone to his ear… I mean, the calls are more frequent, and he's always away. When he gets home, he's tired. Oh, Teef! I'm not supposed to be so stressed like this!" The petit mother-to-be placed her knife and fork down and pouted. There was almost nothing but bone left from her steak.

Tifa poked her own food without interest and shook her head. "Cloud's been following him around and he's not meeting any women, sweetie. He's working." She reached out and placed Aerith's hand in hers. The pregnant woman sighed deeply and raised her brow.

"He hasn't mentioned anything about work to me," she moaned. "What if he really doesn't find me attractive anymore? Tifa! My baby needs a father!"

Aerith's outburst made heads turn.

Oh damn, so much for the incognito! Tifa grimaced and signaled the waiter for their bill.

"You do know that all these people here can start another wild fire, right?" she asked her anxious friend gently as she fished out her wallet. "It's a lovely day today… why don't we go for a drive? Wanna go to Kalm?"

Aerith had her cheeks puffed. "No." the other girl answered moodily. Tifa sighed then stood up and pulled Aerith from the chair. "You can have your outburst in private." They walked out, with a few eyes watching their escape.

She did not expect to see Genesis walking towards the restaurant alone. But the sight of her ex-beau made her stop for a second, nonetheless. Their eyes met briefly. Both nodded with icy acknowledgment. Tifa and Aerith made their way to her car while he stalked to the restaurant. It was obviously a nice scoop for the ninja paparazzi.

Once they were safely inside the car, Tifa let Aerith have her go.

"Maybe he's got a surprise brewing," she said as she made a turn for the highway.

"Surprise shurprise." Aerith murmured, folding her arms. "He's just plain pissing me off, that's what he's doing!" Her eyes were narrowed. Tifa was worrying that Aerith might burn holes on her dashboard. "He just doesn't want to be with me now that I'm going through the motions!"

Tifa listened dutifully with her lips clamped shut.

It was nearly one in the morning when Cloud opened the front door. He dragged his feet through the living room all the way to their bedroom. Tifa was waiting for him with a book in her hands. He only bothered to kick off his shoes before collapsing beside her in the bed. She placed a bookmark and closed the book. "How was it?" she asked, rubbing his back sympathetically. Cloud did not speak for about five minutes. She understood and continued massaging his back.

"I'm telling you, when all this is over, I'm beating up Zack," he mumbled through the pillow.

She smirked. "Everybody feels the same, honey. I think Rufus is already contacting a gang. What did you do today anyway?" They were exaggerating everything of course. Her boss wasn't demonic like that. Sort of.

"Textiles," her fiancé sighed, turning over to face her. "He's really serious about all this, Teef! He's like a… a… fiancé-zilla!"

Tifa laughed at him and kissed his forehead. "Can you just imagine how she's going to react?" She reached down and pulled his face to hers.

"How was your day with her?" Cloud asked before kissing her. He tangled his hands on her hair.

Their kiss deepened and intensified. Both of them were gasping harshly when they pulled away from each other. Their breaths mingled hotly together on their cheeks. Tifa smiled and let her hand trail down to his neck then chest.

"She's getting worked up about it," she whispered. "It's not good for the baby. He's being really cruel about this… you know? She might not even agree with his color choices…" He caught her hand and kissed her fingers tenderly. "This isn't my idea of a sexy-time conversation." Cloud said quietly. Tifa laughed. "But I'll take it anyway," he pulled her on top of him.

Tifa giggled. "I thought you were supposed to be exhausted?"

"Your kisses revived me, I guess." Cloud said with a wink.

"Oh you—mmph!" Her words were crushed by his lips.

From that moment on, there were no more words.

It was a smartphone that finally managed to untangle their arms and legs. The sudden burst of morning sunshine was unwelcome to Tifa's drowsy and tired spirits. It was the same case with Cloud. They didn't feel like being morning people that day.

"Oh come on! I was finally getting my sleep!" Tifa moaned as she jabbed on the phone's screen with brutish force. "Hello?" She yawned after uttering the greeting. Who do I owe this rude awakening to? she added in her mind. Cloud kissed the nape of her neck and she finally smiled.

'Tifa! It's me… uh, did I wake you up?'

It was Aerith. Tifa rolled her eyes. "Hmm…. Yeah, I was just falling asleep… what's up?"

'Zack's not here!'

Tifa's eyes widened. "What do you mean by he's not here, A?" Her head swiveled to face her fiancé, who gave her the same bewildered look.

'He wasn't here when I woke up, Tifa! He ran away! I told you he was tired of me!' Aerith was beginning to sob. Tifa jumped out of bed as if she had been electrocuted. "Wait for me, Aerith. I'm on my way!" Cloud threw her a fresh set of clothes. Tifa ended the call and ran to the bathroom. "I hate not having my reflection showers!" she cried. Cloud agreed with her but Aerith was a real emergency herself. She was in a delicate state, and everybody that was in the know knew.

Aerith was sweaty, pale and snot-faced by the time the couple arrived. Tifa enveloped the other woman in a tight embrace and tried to soothe her anxiety. Cloud frowned and dialed his friend's number. Zack picked up at the fifth ring.

'Hey Cloud what's up?'

He walked out to the balcony and closed the door behind him. "This is going too far, Zack. She's getting stressed and you know it's bad for the baby." The morning view from his friends' loft wasn't so bad.

Zack sighed on the other line. 'Look I'm sorry… are you at home with her now? I'm at the store. Can you excuse yourself from them?'

Cloud pinched the bridge of nose as he turned around to look at Aerith crumpled in his fiancé's arms. Tifa caught him looking and they held the look for a moment or two. Her eyes narrowed at the phone in his ear. His lips settled into a thin line and he shrugged. She rolled her eyes.

"I don't even know why I'm letting you do all this bull, really." Cloud snapped, leaning on the balcony. "She's really panicking. Get your ass home right now, you idiot. If you don't she might call your engagement off. She's starting to think that you're not into her anymore. She told Tifa that."

'She said WHAT? Oh shit. Fine, I'm coming.'

Zack burst through the front door in less than thirty minutes. He was wearing track pants and running shoes. "Oh! You're awake already, baby!" He looked surprised—Cloud could tell that he was finally listening to his acting teachers. "I'm sorry… I felt like running this morning. Did you eat already?"

Aerith sniffled and glared daggers at him. She did not speak.

The couple stared at each other helplessly as the silence hung over them and grew thicker by the second. Tifa continued to rub her friend's arm comfortingly. Cloud stood awkwardly behind the women. Zack terrified.

"You!" Aerith bellowed. It was the first time that they all heard her shout in such a guttural manner. She was definitely mad, Cloud thought. His eyes met with his friend's wide, scared eyes. "I know what you're playing at, Zachary Fair!" She stood up so fast that she almost toppled over. Tifa caught her and helped her regain equilibrium.

Zack looked utterly lost. No, it couldn't be happening. "Aerith… honey… it's not what you think!" he tried to reason but a throw pillow hit him in the face.

"You don't want me anymore because I'm knocked up and I'm going to look like a beached whale and you're looking for another girl!" Aerith screamed, throwing two pillows at him. Blood was rising to her cheeks and ears. Tifa looked at the couple then at her fiancé, feeling really afraid and annoyed. The raven haired man had no choice but to duck from his fiancé's assault of throw pillows.

"Aerith, will you please calm down!" he yelled. Cloud and Tifa could see that he was trembling.

He really was a pup.

"Calm down!" Aerith scoffed. "I can't calm down, Zack! I can't! You've been leaving me alone too many times! How dare you think that I'm stupid! I know when a man cheats!"

"I'm not cheating! Ah! That hurt!" A pillow had hit him in the shin.

"Then why are you always leaving me!" she yelled.

Zack straightened up and looked at their friends, who were standing awkwardly in the corner, obviously trying to blend in with the wallpaper. He looked at them helplessly. They both looked at him with well-what-will-you-do-now eyes. He sighed.

"Look babe," Zack said. "I'm not looking for another woman, nor will I ever think about doing it ever. Hello. I proposed to you and we were going to have a shotgun, but these lambs didn't want to go along with it. So now, I want to be able to cater to all your needs and so that I can pay for your dream wedding, that's why I've been leaving an awful lot of times."

Aerith's face softened and the last throw pillow fell from her hands. "Really?"

He nodded. "I'm sorry if you felt like I didn't…"

"Shut up," she said as she walked towards him and hugged him.

Author's Note:

Um. Did you guys get the hint? Or do I seriously suck at this mystery thing? Hahaha

VC