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Title: House Rules
Characters: Cloud/Tifa
Rating: T
Summary: For the
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ffvii_het_meme . Requester wanted Cloud getting jealous because of a customer.Notes: Don't get used to this, as I really don't intend to keep writing two responses every time. ^^;
Afterward, everyone agreed it was the most foolish, cocky, asinine thing Nate had ever done.
They also agreed he got exactly what he deserved.
Someone was sitting in his spot.
There were two places the regulars at Seventh Heaven knew were reserved. One was the booth in the corner closest to the bar, set aside for Tifa and her family. The other was the seat closest to the gate that gave access to the kitchen and house proper. That’s where Cloud would sit once the children were in bed, keeping Tifa company until closing.
It didn’t matter if the stool or the booth remained empty while the rest of the bar was packed. Unless she was sure Cloud and the kids wouldn’t be using them, Tifa didn’t allow anyone else to sit there.
She’d known he would be home, albeit later than he’d planned. He’d called to tell her, and to say goodnight to Denzel and Marlene.
Yet someone was sitting in his spot.
The someone appeared to be tall – at least as tall as Vincent – with close-cropped curly brown hair. His shoulders were broad under the material of his shirt, and the arms curled atop the bar were muscular. He also sported a beard and mustache, both kept short. No weapons were in evidence, but given his build, he could probably give the average person a run for their money in a fight.
Tifa was so far above average she stubbed her toes on it. Besides, it was her bar, and there were several other empty chairs to be had. Why was this guy sitting in his?
Why was she letting this guy sit in his?
Confused eyes shifted to the woman in question, and widened.
Tifa was flushed and.. and.. flirting with the guy sitting in Cloud’s spot. Worse yet, she was being... she was wearing...
Cloud was very well aware that Tifa was a woman. It was obvious in her voice and her eyes and her emotions and her curves. It waved a red flag in front of him whenever he caught her scent or watched the way she walked. But when she wrapped herself in the leather and layers she normally wore in the bar, it was like she was donning armor. She was telling everyone that while she was a woman, she was also tough. Her clothing was a deterrent in and of itself. A shield.
Without it, she seemed vulnerable. Approachable. Available.
Naked.
At least it isn’t a dress, or anything like that little skirt she ran all over Gaia in a few years ago, he told himself. He couldn’t count the number of times he’d wanted to punch someone’s teeth out for smiling at her back then. Or claim his sword had ‘slipped’. Personally, although she’d never asked his opinion, he’d been all for the do-not-touch-me-on-pain-of-pain feel the leather gave off, at least when she was around other men. Based on skin coverage alone it was a vast improvement.
What she was wearing tonight covered even more. That wasn’t the problem.
The problem was the way it accentuated the fact that she was a woman, and completely obliterated the evidence that she was tough, and not to be approached.
So. The woman who held his heart was flirting with a man who was quite a bit larger and more impressive – at least to look at – than Cloud himself. She was letting said man sit in Cloud’s spot. And, in some obscure way that probably only made sense to him, she was naked.
No, that really couldn’t be right. Shaking his head to clear it, he closed his eyes, counted to ten, and then tried again.
Someone was sitting in his spot.
Cloud had kissed her. Cloud had kissed her. Cloud had kissed her. It didn’t matter where she put the emphasis in that statement, it still seemed a bit unreal, and made her feel just a tad giddy.
It hadn't been the careful brush of his lips across her cheek, or the gentle press of his closed mouth against hers that had become common in the last few weeks. It had been so much more, a step forward. It had been sweet and lingering, hesitant at first but slowly growing ever more certain. He’d courted her lips for long moments, then left her breathless, leaning weak-kneed against the door to her room after he told her good night.
There had been heat and restrained desire in that kiss. Of course she dreamt about him.
When she woke she felt excited and hopeful and happy. Cloud had kissed her, with every evidence of enjoyment, and the expression in his eyes said he definitely planned to do it again. The thought kept her warm when she slipped from the covers, and made her grin foolishly while brushing her teeth.
Wrapped in a thick cotton robe, her hair still dripping from her shower, she padded back into her room. The clothes she normally wore were resting neatly on her chair, and she paused, suddenly realizing that she really didn’t feel like wearing them. She didn’t want to hide behind serviceable black and sturdy leather: they’d only weigh her down today. She wanted something softer. Something that would remind her she was beautiful and loved and a woman.
Besides, it was well into winter and getting too cold to bare her arms and legs.
Her closet, while not overfull, did contain a variety of other clothing – mostly things she’d purchased to please Marlene, with almost no expectation of ever wearing. Luckily, the little girl had excellent taste, and a practical streak. Velvety soft brushed cotton jeans in a warm cocoa color were a perfect match for the lightweight sweater in shades of brown and cream. The sleeves and body were a rich chocolate knit, cut high in the front and long in the back. A deep inset V extending from a point between her shoulder blades, as well as two wide ruffles around the bottom edge, were made of a fluttery cream fabric patterned with tiny orange, brown, and umber flowers. That touch, as well as the bow that tied at the small of her back, gave the whole a distinctly feminine feel, despite the dark colors. And, although the whole was demurely cut, the bottom ruffle just brushed the waist of her jeans, allowing brief glimpses of her tummy: a sight she had on excellent authority that Cloud enjoyed. Pulling her hair into a loose braid, and slipping her feet into a pair of cream colored sneakers, she was ready to face the day.
Marlene, of course, was thrilled at the change in wardrobe, hugging Tifa while sporting a smile that rivaled the ones Tifa herself had made while brushing her teeth. Denzel, though less exuberant, still quietly told her, in a manner similar to Cloud’s, that she looked pretty. Things were off to a good start.
Unfortunately, by nine o’clock that night she’d begun to wish she hadn’t changed her routine. There had been far more advances and disconcerting looks thrown her way, and somehow, without the shield of all that leather and the edge that went with it, she found herself at a bit of a loss. Take the customer at the end of the bar – sitting in Cloud’s seat no less. She’d approached to tell him he needed to move, and the moment the words, “I’m sorry,” slipped from her mouth, he was talking and taking control of the conversation.
“Don’t be sorry, I haven’t been here long, and with a vision like you to watch, I certainly don’t mind the wait.”
He’d winked and she’d blushed – actually blushed! – at the sound of that deep voice giving her compliments, ridiculous and over blown though they were. Part of her insisted that it was alright to feel flattered – the man was quite good-looking, after all. Another said she wasn’t interested in compliments from a random bar crawler. Although, she was pretty sure she’d seen this guy before, occasionally drinking with a group of her regulars. Yes, she definitely remembered him watching her... he’d just never said anything before. Apparently he’d been emboldened by her change in dress, and the lack of Cloud’s presence.
Not really the point, she reminded herself sternly. Regular, irregular, or completely new, she wasn’t interested in flirting with the customers.
“You should wear your hair like that more often,” he told her when she brought him his beer, speaking before she had a chance to try and explain that he needed to move. Really, she’d only brought him the drink in the first place because she was so flustered. Now she was even more so, as she reached self-consciously to touch her brown tresses. At some point during the day her braid had come undone, and the ribbon in the back had loosened and slid to the side. Escaping strands framed her face, while the bulk rested in a wavy ponytail on her right shoulder. “It looks nice,” he assured her, as he raised his glass to take a drink, “softer than your usual style.” Fingers, strong but not calloused, brushed a lock behind her ear and her eyes widened.
Pulling away and cursing her confusion – stupid, stupid, girlish reactions – she reached for the tray she’d been preparing and escaped the bar for a table across the room.
Cloud watched as the man sitting in his chair reached out and touched his Tifa. The sight made him growl under his breath. Obviously, the guy didn’t really need those fingers. The fact that Tifa retreated from the touch soothed his ego somewhat, but only increased his agitation. She was obviously flustered and confused, but unwilling or unable to do anything about it.
He had no such problems. Tifa was his, and he was hers. No over-confident customer was going to interfere with that. If necessary, he was willing to make that clear to everyone, Tifa included.
Shifting the weight of his sword between his shoulders, Cloud strolled toward the bar, timing his approach to arrive just before Tifa, watching her out of the corner of his eye as she made her way – reluctantly – back toward the granite counter.
Nobody made Tifa uncomfortable in her own bar.
Reaching out, Cloud fisted one hand in the back of the guy’s shirt, and lifted him bodily out of the chair. “Excuse me,” the words were polite but the tone held a warning, “this seat is taken.” Almost carelessly, he dropped the man to land on the next stool over, smirking at the cry of outrage when he just barely missed. His other arm curled around Tifa as soon as she was within reach, turning to face her as he half-sat, half-leaned against the now empty stool. One foot resting on the base of the chair, he snugged the other between her feet, and let his hands stroke over the soft fabric of her jeans where they clung so tightly to her shapely rear. Sliding them into her pockets, he dragged her closer, forcing her to straddle his thigh as her arms wrapped around his neck and she gasped his name in surprise. Ignoring the faint protest, and the crowd around them, he brought his mouth down over hers.
Unlike the night before, his kiss was hard and demanding and possessive, claiming rather than courting. Tifa whimpered and let him take more of her weight, then moaned as his leg shifted to press harder between hers. Keeping one hand firm against her bottom, pressing her close, he let the other roam: up her back and into her hair, curving along her nape to angle her head and vary their contact. Only when her heart was racing and her breath came in short pants did he pull back, just far enough to murmur against her lips. One word: mine. In the quiet that had descended over the room during their display, his soft voice was loud and carried to every corner.
Tifa flushed brighter than ever, and he smiled with pure male satisfaction. His lips brushed gently against hers, feather light kisses to calm her down. Then he withdrew and let her hide her face in his shoulder, while he turned those disconcerting SOLDIER eyes on the man beside them.
“I think maybe you should leave now,” Cloud commented lightly, one hand rubbing slow, familiar circles on Tifa’s back, the other still very obviously resting in her pocket.
Green eyes narrowing consideringly, the man finished his beer and set the glass down. “I didn’t do anything but tell her she looks pretty today.” The words were sullen, the tone a challenge.
“She’s gorgeous,” Cloud retorted easily, and felt Tifa stiffen with surprise at the blatant and willing compliment. “She’s also taken.” He shifted his stance just slightly, enough to call attention to the sword on his back. “Good night.”
Grudgingly, the other did as he was told, dropping some gil on the counter and slinking off into the crowd. Cloud then picked Tifa up easily, settled himself more firmly in his chair, and spun around in his seat to put her down on the bar in front of him, legs dangling. She made quite a picture, with her face flushed, hair mussed, and lips kiss-swollen. Fingers curling around the edge of the counter, she leaned forward to rest her forehead against his.
“Yours?” she asked, voice soft and surprised.
Cloud shrugged a bit, and reached out to tuck her hair behind her ear – the same motion that had made him lose his temper when the other man had done it. “It’s true,” he answered, although his eyes held a hint of worry despite his confident tone. When she smiled, he shifted to kiss her again. “Besides,” he whispered against her mouth, “I was jealous.”
- If you want to picture the same troublemaker I am, I had Ed Quinn (Nathan Stark on Eureka) in mind. He's 6'4" (Vincent is 6'2").
- Again, probably injecting too much realism in my approach (I know, hard to believe considering what I wrote!), but I couldn't imagine Tifa responding to someone's flirting -- other than Cloud -- unless she was outside her comfort zone. I tried to do that by changing her out of her "tough girl" clothes.
- I read somewhere that AC/ACC takes place in November. This is set a few weeks later, so after the movie, and early on in their couple-hood. It should also be very much winter. Tifa should not be wearing shorts!
- Tifa's shirt, should you be interested.
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no subject
Date: 2009-04-27 09:40 pm (UTC)From:That was fun! And I liked the realism. Makes it more fun. (How tall is cloud, btw?) I think that changing her outfit would most certainly put her out of her comfort zone. And I like Cloud's cranky response. Cranky is good!
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Date: 2009-04-27 09:54 pm (UTC)From:Cloud is 5'8". Tifa is 5'4". (Yeesh, Ed would be a giant next to her!)
Although Cloud can pretty much turn anyone he wants to into a smear, he's shorter than the rest of the men in their group. Cid is 5'10, Vincent is 6'2, Zack (his best friend, sadly deceased) is 6'3, and Barret is 6'5. (O.O)
At least, according to the final fantasy wiki. No height given for Reeve, but in DoC he looks pretty tall. Vincent doesn't tower over him or anything.
And I'm 5'7, so his 5'8 doesn't seem like much. My best friend is 5'9 (and female).
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Date: 2009-04-27 09:55 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-04-27 09:59 pm (UTC)From:Blame the fast on the last fifteen or twenty minutes of work and being bored out of my ever living mind. I was THRILLED to see you had posted. You saved me!!!!
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Date: 2009-04-28 12:16 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 09:44 pm (UTC)From:XD
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Date: 2009-04-28 08:59 am (UTC)From:I came from ctlove comm to read one of your fics, and decided to read the rest. =)
Anyway... Tifa, according the official JP profiles, is almost 5'6. I don't know why they shrunk her in all the NA/English stuff.
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Date: 2009-04-28 10:33 pm (UTC)From:I hope you enjoy the fics, and thanks for coming by!
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Date: 2009-05-01 06:01 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-04-27 10:47 pm (UTC)From:So yes!
And I loved it. Cloud being all "Grr...Mine!" <3 so much!
Your talent never ceases to amaze!
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Date: 2009-04-28 12:23 am (UTC)From:The repeated use of "his spot" or "his seat" or "his chair".
That maybe having this a few weeks after the end of ACC, yet only having really really kissed the night before isn't the right kind of timing. Should they have moved faster? Should it be that he... I dunno, touched her (waggles eyebrows) the night before? (Not necessarily sex, but venturing further in that direction?)
That the phrase: "The woman who held his heart..." is too sappy for Cloud to think. Should it be something more like "his girlfriend" or "his woman" (oo, caveman Cloud!) or "his Tifa"?
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Date: 2009-04-28 12:58 am (UTC)From:I thought the repeated use of "his seat" "his spot" etc was an intentional device on your part. Kind of an internal marking of territory. That is Cloud's place--as is the one in her heart...etc. A little machismo, so to speak.
Also, I don't think Cloud would be aggressive unless prompted to be, so a kiss is good. I mean they spent years dancing around the issue of "them" so, no, the pace was fine.
That phrase was a bit on the "softer" side of Cloud but I still don't think it qualifies as "sappy", so no worries there either. :D
Very happy prompter here.
And I'm picky.
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Date: 2009-04-28 10:34 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-04-28 12:15 am (UTC)From:Love this line: "Tifa was so far above average she stubbed her toes on it. "
I got all giddy when he just said "she's gorgeous." Soooo refreshing to hear a direct compliment out of Cloud! mmmm hot.
I like Tifa's outfit and her thinking behind it and the changes it brings about in her. Of course, I loooove badass Tifa, but I am interested in why/when she might try other clothes, and Cloud's reaction to them. Hmmm...
At first I wondered if it was ooc to have Cloud be so obviously possessive, but when I think about it, Tifa really is his, and one of the only things that's really his at all. She's always been his friend, he has always loved her, she has always been by his side, even when his own mind has failed him. If he's going to be possessive about anything, it would be Tifa.
I really loved this! Thanks for posting, definitely cheered me up on my sick day!
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Date: 2009-04-28 12:28 am (UTC)From:I just posted s short list of things I was worried about, and "his spot" was one of them. So that's a relief!
I was wondering about the possessive thing, too... but then I thought about the scene in the church, where he finds her hurt and passed out, and there's something there that definitely screams "mine" and "I'm going to kill whoever did this!" (loves that Cloud lots)
I have a collection of pictures that I've dubbed Tifa's wardrobe. (face-palm). She's a woman, I don't care how comfortable and kick-ass her AC outfit is, she's got to have other things she wears. I suspect they tend toward the practical side (probably not a lot of high heeled shoes in her closet), but they have to exist. Yuffie gets more wardrobe changes in the compilation than Tifa does, and I just don't buy that.
Where are the rest of her clothes, SE? Where?
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Date: 2009-04-28 06:27 am (UTC)From:You know, I feel a little bad for the other guy at the end! It's true, he did only compliment her... but as he'd been in the bar before, he should have known better than to do so while sitting in Cloud's seat!
Also, I love your icon, so cute!
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Date: 2009-04-28 10:38 pm (UTC)From:She's probably cooler about it than I would be, as she's just cooler in general. ^.~ But she has to have an inner squee going on sometimes.
The other guy was a Bad Man for trying to horn in on Tifa while she's dressed up for Cloud and he's not home. XD
Glad you like the icon. My husband showed me that picture and I knew I had to have an icon out of it. It's my new 'responding to fics or feedback and you guys ROCK' icon. I think I may make one out of sackboy Seph, too. =)
Getting used to...
Date: 2009-04-28 12:35 am (UTC)From:^_^
Cloud should continue varying his good-bye kisses in the morning...
Hmm. I feel a fanfic request coming on.
BTW, question on your new community, does anybody get to write?
Re: Getting used to...
Date: 2009-04-28 12:43 am (UTC)From:On the new community: yes ma'am! Anyone who is taken by a prompt bunny is welcome to write
no subject
Date: 2009-04-28 01:17 am (UTC)From:I like how you described the two "reserved" places in the bar and why they were reserved, hammering in the importance of it so that it really becomes significant that someone is in Cloud's spot. That Tifa must have LET someone in his spot, if she usually doesn't allow it.
I also like that you made him tall, since we all know Cloud isn't the tallest guy in the world. (Still taller than me, though. I'm 5'3" if I'm wearing shoes.)
"Tifa was so far above average she stubbed her toes on it." <---- That line was WIN.
I also can't properly describe how much I loved the description of how Tifa's leather clothing was her "armor" and a deterrant, but that she could wear clothes that covered more but were less armored. It all made perfect sense and I like how Cloud noticed it all. I really love all the things he's noticing.
"And, in some obscure way that probably only made sense to him, she was naked." <---Another line I *heart*.
AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. AWWW AWWW. AWW--okay, I'll stop, but seriously. AWWW. (Okay, that was the last one, I promise!) I adored how you backed up and showed what was going on with Tifa, and the beautiful description of how Cloud had kissed her, and how she decided to wear something different because it would remind her she was "beautiful and loved and a woman." Again, it just is perfect and is SO understandable.
*refrains from Aww-ing* The kids were so sweet on the ways they "complimented" Tifa on her new attire.
"Obviously, the guy didn't really need those fingers." HEHEHE
Oh my goodness, Cloud's reaction was just so--wow. Good for him, LOL! My favorite bit in there was Tifa gasping his name in surprise; I could just HEAR it so clearly.
I'm now an absolute pile of mush, thank you very much.
(No, really, thank you. This was so much fun to read.) :D
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Date: 2009-04-28 10:41 pm (UTC)From:I'm glad you liked the stubbed toes line. I thought it was funny when I wrote it, and wondered if anyone else would. The same with the one about her being naked. I can imagine the difficulty he'd have trying to explain that to anyone else.
LOL on all the awwing. =D
Thanks so much for the feedback and the comment!
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Date: 2009-04-28 08:49 am (UTC)From:First: your write jealous Cloud just perfect!*applauds* So what if they only just kissed the day before? With so much history between them, the sudden bolt of possesivness feels just right!
Secondly, the line "Obviously, the guy didn’t really need those fingers" is made of win.
Yes, yes, yes, made me a very happy reader, yes it did *happy Cloti dance*
no subject
Date: 2009-04-28 10:43 pm (UTC)From:I think the part of Cloud that spawned the line about the guy not needing his fingers, is the same part that wished he could let his sword 'slip' when people smiled at Tifa during the original game. XD
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Date: 2009-04-28 05:23 pm (UTC)From:*the usual fan-girly sigh* You write Cloud and Tifa (and all the supporting characters) SO well, and of course so hawt. ^_________^
no subject
Date: 2009-04-28 10:44 pm (UTC)From:Yes, I was a busy chickadee over the weekend. I worry that I am spamming people's f-lists. ^^;
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Date: 2009-04-29 12:06 pm (UTC)From:=3 I just LOVED this...it made me smile!
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Date: 2009-04-30 12:39 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-05-01 10:15 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-05-01 11:12 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-05-02 07:50 am (UTC)From:Oh, btw.. I think the line Green yes narrowing consideringly... -- the word is supposed to be 'eyes'? Sorry, if it isn't! Just thought I'd point it out to you. ^^*
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Date: 2009-05-02 07:54 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-05-05 09:45 am (UTC)From: (Anonymous)no subject
Date: 2009-05-22 09:51 pm (UTC)From:*Laughs* Anyways, now I can write more 'cause I don't have to use that dumb PSP!
Okay, first off, awesome. I <3 this COMPLETELY. Possessive Cloud is awesome... much better than angsty Cloud anyday.
;P Jealous Cloud makes me happy... even more so when he PUBLICLY displays his jealousy.
no subject
Date: 2009-05-23 01:48 am (UTC)From: