![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Title: Fidelity (2/??)
Characters: Zack, Cloud, Tifa
Rating: T
Summary: Tifa's side of things.
Notes: This was written for a prompt from![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
windrider1. It is an "alternate timeline" story, which differs from the canon timeline in two main respects: Cloud made it into SOLDIER, and Sephiroth was never sent to Nibelheim. (In short, things are a bit rosier for Cloud.)
Previous parts: Part One
Growing up, Tifa never wanted for company. In fact, as one of very few girls in her age group, she was spoiled with attention. Boys fell over themselves to be friendly, and to catch her eye.
Except for Cloud.
Cloud just... was. Quiet and somewhat smaller than most of the other boys, he went his own way, followed his own whims, and stayed on the fringes of any gathering or event. It made him seem mysterious, even though she’d lived next door to him all her life. Her father’s rampant dislike painted him with a dangerous brush that only served to color him even more intriguing.
She thought she would like to be his friend, if only her father would allow it.
When she was thirteen, and he fourteen, she learned that there were depths to him that no one – excepting his mother – had expected. Cloud had dreams of being more than just another boy from Nibelheim, and he was determined to make them become reality. He was confident not in his ability to succeed, but in the certainty that he had to try. And, somehow, she was at the heart of that. He wanted to be more than he was – more than the others – to prove he was worthy of her.
Her. As if she were more than a pampered little girl who received more than her fair share of notice, simply because she happened to be born female.
It was eye-opening, and suddenly, in that moment, she abruptly realized who she wanted to share her life... and it was him. Cloud Strife. Not because he wanted her, but because he wanted to be more than he was, and made her want the same. He kissed her on the cheek and promised to come back a hero; she watched him go with wide eyes and silently promised to be worthy of him.
She decided to start by learning more about him, her next-door-enigma. His mother was thrilled at the opportunity to talk about her son, and welcomed Tifa into their home when she timidly knocked on the door. At first, they discussed simple things: his favorite color (brown, which puzzled her, as he tended to wear blue), his favorite meal (chicken and dumplings, which Tifa became determined to learn to cook) and his hobbies (anything related to engines and motion). Having blossomed overnight into her first crush, Tifa thought every little detail fascinating; but she found herself wishing it was Cloud telling her about himself, rather than his mother, and bitterly regretting that she hadn’t paid more attention when she had the chance. Instead, in his absence, what she came to notice were the vacancies Cloud had been prone to fill; the way he’d always been there, in the background.
And how much she missed him, when they’d hardly ever spoken.
Slowly, over the next few months, Tifa and Audra Strife became friends, and began to share secrets. In time, their relationship became a comfort to both of them: the widow simply being lonely, and the teen craving the advice of another woman in the wake of the changes puberty wrought. Eventually, it was Cloud’s mother, not Tifa’s father, who gave her ‘the talk’.
Even so, Tifa insisted that she didn’t want Cloud to know how close they’d become. “If he changes his mind,” she tried to explain, “I don’t want him to feel obligated to come back for me, just because you and I are friends.” His mother had rolled her eyes and given Tifa a hug, huffing something under her breath about stubborn teenagers. Tifa had refrained from pointing out the other reason she didn’t want to tell him: he might think she was spying on him. Which, in a way, she was. And the more she learned, the more enamored she became.
Although far from being an unbiased source, all of the stories and anecdotes his mother related indicated that Cloud was a genuinely kind and caring person. One who didn’t just want a better life for himself – to make a name for himself – but who wanted to do it by becoming a hero. He joined SOLDIER not for the fame and fortune – although those were perks he hoped would help him catch Tifa’s eye – but because he wanted to help people. His mother described it as a deep and abiding need to protect others, and claimed it was the reason he’d been involved in so many fights: he’d made himself a target for the bigger, more belligerent boys in town, so they’d leave the younger kids alone.
Which was impressive, as far as it went, but it wasn’t the only reason he’d pitted himself against those who were both larger and stronger than he. “Cloud has been angry at himself for years because of his failure to protect you – his inability to save you when you missed your footing and fell from the mountain several years ago,” Audra explained, sighing with regret. “He couldn’t – or wouldn’t – forgive himself, and was insistent that he needed to be stronger. I guess he thought he could get that way through fighting.” It went unsaid, albeit understood, that his desire to be stronger was another reason he wanted to join SOLDIER.
“It wasn’t his fault,” Tifa murmured in reply, stunned to find he blamed himself for her foolishness. His mother merely sighed again, the sound indicating that she wasn’t the one who needed to be convinced.
Initially, Tifa fell in love with the idea of Cloud: a boy who fired her imagination and sparked in her the drive to be more than an over-indulged princess in a backwater town. It was later, as she came to understand the different facets of his personality, that she fell in the love with Cloud the person: both who he was, and who he wanted to be.
The second plunge was even further, deeper, and more consuming than the first.
When Cloud graduated from cadet to SOLDIER 3rd class a year after he left Nibelheim, Tifa helped his mother bake and send him a cake to celebrate. He’d written back to say it arrived in one piece (although slightly squashed) and that he’d had a hard time keeping his best friend from devouring it while he – Cloud – was on duty.
Upon his promotion to 2nd class at the age of seventeen, the two women each had a single glass of champagne to toast the achievement. Tifa nursed hers for several hours while staring at his picture. She’d long since become accustomed to spending her evenings at the Strife home: trying out new recipes, discussing changes – or lack thereof – in the town, and – occasionally – giggling over passages in one of the romance novels the older woman had stashed away in her youth. At least once a week Audra would also share news from Cloud’s letters.
His promotion, however, was the first time he’d ever sent a picture of himself. Two of them, actually: one from the side, the other from the front. Both were bright, official looking glossies of him in a dark uniform. The sleeveless top revealed leanly muscled arms, while the blueish color called attention to his eyes. At some point since he left home he’d cut his hair, and she thought the shorter style suited him. Of course, that could have been her hormones talking, as her fingers wanted nothing more than to play with the strands at his nape. It certainly was no exaggeration to say that, after three years without seeing him, the photos threw her for a loop, leaving her stunned. Cloud had grown up to be... hot. Tifa’s only complaint was the fact that his pants were baggy. She pouted about it until his mother laughed so hard she spilled her drink.
Two more years passed, and although her subconscious grew more and more adept at fantasizing about her blond-haired hero, Tifa’s more rational side began to doubt he could possibly still be interested. Surely there were lots of girls in Midgar who would be interested in someone like Cloud. She’d heard that many SOLDIER operatives had entire fan clubs of devotees! Why would he come back to such a nowhere town for a girl who’d scarcely noticed his existence until he left?
And then Zack came to Nibelheim on assignment, and recognized her, because his roommate had once shown him a picture. Embarrassingly, the picture was a few years old, and she’d had on that horrid cowgirl outfit a friend had dared her into wearing (obviously, Audra would be getting an earful on choosing her photo moments) but it apparently meant something to Cloud. She must still mean something to Cloud.
The knowledge rallied her flagging spirits, and she began peppering the SOLDIER 1st with questions. Questions which Zack – friendly, cheerful Zack – willingly answered.
“Is he happy?” was the first thing she wanted to know.
“Except for when I trounce him at ping-pong, sure. Pretty much.”
“Ping-pong?” Out of all the things she’d imagined Cloud doing for fun, that had never once occurred to her.
“Yeah!” Zack’s enthusiasm was undeniable. “Lazard finally got a new table for the SOLDIER floor. It’s been a couple years since we broke the last one.” There was an odd note of... pride in that statement.
Tifa stared for a moment, and then decided that this was either (a) the kind of thing she’d have to see for herself in order to understand or (b) something she really didn’t want to understand. “Does he miss Nibelheim?” she asked, dropping the subject of ping-pong without regret.
“Not... really.” He rubbed the back of his head nervously, obviously not wanting to hurt her feelings by telling her Cloud wasn’t pining for home. “He misses some of the people – that’s why he writes his mom religiously, every week – but as for the town...? It’s not something he talks about.”
She nodded. There really wasn’t much to miss. If (or when) she left, she wouldn’t be regretting it, either. “So...” her tone was hesitant, and perhaps a bit wistful, “what’s he like?”
Zack laughed. “What do you mean? He’s the same as he ever was!” Virtually unchanged from the boy Zack had met almost five years before.
Blushing, she ducked her head. “I mean...” she fumbled for words, since just repeating the same question wouldn’t help explain, “he was always quiet and withdrawn. I just wondered if he’s changed.”
“Ah.” Zack stood, gloved fingers idly scratching his chin as he stared off into the sky. “Well, I wouldn’t say he’s withdrawn, but he’s still pretty quiet. Cloud’s got to be really het up about something to raise his voice.” The mischievous edge to his grin clued Tifa in to the fact that the aforementioned ping-pong matches were one activity likely to provoke a reaction from Cloud. “His sense of humor is kind of sarcastic, and he can be pretty biting with it if you piss him off. Luckily, though, it takes a lot to make him angry.” Tilting his head, he shifted his focus back to Tifa’s face. “I don’t really know what else to say. I mean... I could talk about how he’s loyal and hard-working and stuff, but that’s pretty much a given.” Broad shoulders moved in an easy shrug. “He’s... Cloud.”
The nervous knot inside Tifa eased. He was Cloud, and still a familiar – if more mature – Cloud. Midgar hadn’t changed that. “Does he... does he miss me?” she’d tried not to ask, she really had, but couldn’t hold it back any longer.
Folding his arms across his chest, Zack gave her a narrow-eyed look that completely altered his demeanor. Not that he suddenly seemed unfriendly, just guarded. “Should he?” there was a protective edge to the question, and it was clear that – although he might not talk about Nibelheim much or often, Cloud had certainly explained at least a few things about how he grew up. “Did you, or anyone else, miss him?”
Tifa nodded without hesitation, brown eyes clear and earnest as she met Zack’s gaze. “Every day.”
Her answer took him aback, but only for a second. Then he recovered, face filled with good humor again. “Spike has good taste,” the SOLDIER commented, earning a blush for his effort. “All I know,” he went on, answering her earlier question, “is that he carries that photo of you with him everywhere.” He grinned, and raised his eyebrows flirtatiously. “Only way I’d do that is if I were crazy about the girl, or related to her.”
She flushed further in response, and shy embarrassment all but forced her next words out: “Then why hasn’t he come back?” Softer, looking away nervously as she reigned in her emotions, “He promised.”
Handsome features softened, a glint of understanding appearing in blue eyes. “What did he promise?”
So she told him, and – sighing and shaking his head – Zack had explained what he suspected was going on in Cloud’s. Together, they then devised a plan to give the blond young man some additional incentive.
Tifa was tired of waiting, and who better to help plot her seduction of Cloud than his best friend?
Which was how she ended up in Midgar, learning first-hand exactly how adorable, sexy, honest, sexy, sweet, sexy, frustrating and sexy Cloud could be. Most of which she couldn’t fault him for, but he had no business being that attractive if he was just going to get her hot and bothered -- simply by being -- and then leave!
It was both confusing and irritating. Especially since the whole point of her visit was to jump-start their relationship. The finer details of the promise he’d made five years before didn’t matter. At least not to her. She just wanted to be with him. Soon. Now.
When she’d first arrived, she’d been gifted with a few moments of heaven. Shortly after he’d opened the door, she’d thrown her arms around Cloud’s neck, and, for whatever reason – reflex, surprise, welcome – he’d hugged her back. Being wrapped in his arms, the planes of his body strong and warm against her curves, his clean, masculine scent causing an excited fluttering in her stomach, merely served to impress upon her that she was where she was supposed to be. A strong desire to be closer sparked an unexpected urge to wrap her legs around his waist, one she might have given in to, if he hadn’t abruptly released her and all but shoved her at Zack.
Blinking in puzzlement, she and Zack had exchanged glances, baffled as to what Cloud was thinking. Tifa also couldn’t help feeling somewhat hurt. Although inexperienced and perhaps a bit naive, she’d still felt Cloud’s reaction to her, and knew what it meant. So why was he pretending it hadn’t happened? Why was he ignoring it? Why was he ignoring her?
The remainder of the week was an exercise in – alternately – restraining herself from punching him out of frustration, and refraining from bursting into tears out of hurt. During the pillow fight Zack started, she ended up on top of Cloud, straddling him with their bodies pressed close together. For a few seconds, he arched into her, treating her to an amazing surge of sensation... then he rolled out from under her to go for a walk. A walk! The night they watched a horror film, and she all but climbed into his lap, she swore she felt him nuzzle her hair. But when Zack returned – after spending all the time he reasonably could in the bathroom – Cloud abruptly stood and retreated to his room, claiming the film was boring.
Moderately modest lingerie had him turning tail and leaving without even saying hello.
She was ready to give up, when Zack came to her – laughing, of all things – because he’d figured out what the problem was.
Cloud thought the two of them were dating. As in she and Zack. As in the girl he’d been in love with for years, and his best friend.
It seemed preposterous, while at the same time making a tremendous amount of sense. Cloud would never make a move on his best friend’s girl, but at the same time, it would be almost impossible not to react to the (mostly innocent) teasing to which Tifa had been subjecting him.
Maybe it was still too early to give up, even if the week was all but over.
With Cloud’s misconception in mind, they concocted one last scheme. It was blatantly ridiculous – as so many of Zack’s ideas often were – but, he assured her, that’s why it would work.
“It’s when he relaxes that he forgets – even if just for a minute or so – that he’s not supposed to think of you as his,” Zack tried to explain, as he dug through the Shin-Ra cafeteria freezer to get a carton of ice cream from the very bottom. “Haven’t you noticed? I thought at first he was just hesitant about public displays of affection or something, ‘cause he’d go to take your hand or put his arm around your shoulders and then abruptly change his mind. But now,” he paused for a moment to straighten the dangerously leaning tower of ice cream, “I think those were times when he slipped and only just caught himself.”
Tifa’s expression was blatantly skeptical.
Zack sighed. “Cloud lives a lot in his head, right? I can practically guarantee he’s imagined dating you.” Given the way his own mind worked, he could probably guarantee a lot more than that... but he wasn’t going to elaborate. Cloud would kill him if he ever found out. “You imagine something long enough,” he continued, “it starts to seem real. In his head, the two of you being a couple has – probably – been a done deal for years.”
“And now he’s trying to adjust his thinking?”
“Exactly.” Having found what he was after – a carton of vanilla so encrusted with ice crystals as to give the impression it had been buried in a snowbank – Zack carelessly tumbled the other cartons back into the freezer, and slammed it closed.
“You better hope nobody ever finds out you’re the one that made such a mess,” Tifa commented dryly.
Shrugging with an impressive lack of concern, he held the carton in one hand, balanced like a tray on the tips of his fingers, and slung his other arm around her shoulders. “So... you up for trying to circumvent the part of Spiky’s brain that tells him ‘no’ when what he really should be thinking is ‘yes yes yes’?”
Hesitantly, her hopeful outlook greatly diminished, she agreed.
And as it happened, before the night was over she learned that Cloud kissing her was even better than Cloud hugging her. He didn’t rush, made sure she wanted the press of his mouth before doing more than brushing his lips against hers, and then proceeded to turn her legs to mush and set her heart to racing.
Bliss.
At least until he remembered what he thought he was doing, and tried to withdraw. Although he was adorable in his confusion, Tifa really preferred him without it. So she explained, and explained a bit more, and when comprehension dawned, and he finally – finally! – asked her to be his, she reeled him in closer to wrap herself around him in every way she possibly could.
Characters: Zack, Cloud, Tifa
Rating: T
Summary: Tifa's side of things.
Notes: This was written for a prompt from
windrider1. It is an "alternate timeline" story, which differs from the canon timeline in two main respects: Cloud made it into SOLDIER, and Sephiroth was never sent to Nibelheim. (In short, things are a bit rosier for Cloud.) Previous parts: Part One
Growing up, Tifa never wanted for company. In fact, as one of very few girls in her age group, she was spoiled with attention. Boys fell over themselves to be friendly, and to catch her eye.
Except for Cloud.
Cloud just... was. Quiet and somewhat smaller than most of the other boys, he went his own way, followed his own whims, and stayed on the fringes of any gathering or event. It made him seem mysterious, even though she’d lived next door to him all her life. Her father’s rampant dislike painted him with a dangerous brush that only served to color him even more intriguing.
She thought she would like to be his friend, if only her father would allow it.
When she was thirteen, and he fourteen, she learned that there were depths to him that no one – excepting his mother – had expected. Cloud had dreams of being more than just another boy from Nibelheim, and he was determined to make them become reality. He was confident not in his ability to succeed, but in the certainty that he had to try. And, somehow, she was at the heart of that. He wanted to be more than he was – more than the others – to prove he was worthy of her.
Her. As if she were more than a pampered little girl who received more than her fair share of notice, simply because she happened to be born female.
It was eye-opening, and suddenly, in that moment, she abruptly realized who she wanted to share her life... and it was him. Cloud Strife. Not because he wanted her, but because he wanted to be more than he was, and made her want the same. He kissed her on the cheek and promised to come back a hero; she watched him go with wide eyes and silently promised to be worthy of him.
She decided to start by learning more about him, her next-door-enigma. His mother was thrilled at the opportunity to talk about her son, and welcomed Tifa into their home when she timidly knocked on the door. At first, they discussed simple things: his favorite color (brown, which puzzled her, as he tended to wear blue), his favorite meal (chicken and dumplings, which Tifa became determined to learn to cook) and his hobbies (anything related to engines and motion). Having blossomed overnight into her first crush, Tifa thought every little detail fascinating; but she found herself wishing it was Cloud telling her about himself, rather than his mother, and bitterly regretting that she hadn’t paid more attention when she had the chance. Instead, in his absence, what she came to notice were the vacancies Cloud had been prone to fill; the way he’d always been there, in the background.
And how much she missed him, when they’d hardly ever spoken.
Slowly, over the next few months, Tifa and Audra Strife became friends, and began to share secrets. In time, their relationship became a comfort to both of them: the widow simply being lonely, and the teen craving the advice of another woman in the wake of the changes puberty wrought. Eventually, it was Cloud’s mother, not Tifa’s father, who gave her ‘the talk’.
Even so, Tifa insisted that she didn’t want Cloud to know how close they’d become. “If he changes his mind,” she tried to explain, “I don’t want him to feel obligated to come back for me, just because you and I are friends.” His mother had rolled her eyes and given Tifa a hug, huffing something under her breath about stubborn teenagers. Tifa had refrained from pointing out the other reason she didn’t want to tell him: he might think she was spying on him. Which, in a way, she was. And the more she learned, the more enamored she became.
Although far from being an unbiased source, all of the stories and anecdotes his mother related indicated that Cloud was a genuinely kind and caring person. One who didn’t just want a better life for himself – to make a name for himself – but who wanted to do it by becoming a hero. He joined SOLDIER not for the fame and fortune – although those were perks he hoped would help him catch Tifa’s eye – but because he wanted to help people. His mother described it as a deep and abiding need to protect others, and claimed it was the reason he’d been involved in so many fights: he’d made himself a target for the bigger, more belligerent boys in town, so they’d leave the younger kids alone.
Which was impressive, as far as it went, but it wasn’t the only reason he’d pitted himself against those who were both larger and stronger than he. “Cloud has been angry at himself for years because of his failure to protect you – his inability to save you when you missed your footing and fell from the mountain several years ago,” Audra explained, sighing with regret. “He couldn’t – or wouldn’t – forgive himself, and was insistent that he needed to be stronger. I guess he thought he could get that way through fighting.” It went unsaid, albeit understood, that his desire to be stronger was another reason he wanted to join SOLDIER.
“It wasn’t his fault,” Tifa murmured in reply, stunned to find he blamed himself for her foolishness. His mother merely sighed again, the sound indicating that she wasn’t the one who needed to be convinced.
Initially, Tifa fell in love with the idea of Cloud: a boy who fired her imagination and sparked in her the drive to be more than an over-indulged princess in a backwater town. It was later, as she came to understand the different facets of his personality, that she fell in the love with Cloud the person: both who he was, and who he wanted to be.
The second plunge was even further, deeper, and more consuming than the first.
When Cloud graduated from cadet to SOLDIER 3rd class a year after he left Nibelheim, Tifa helped his mother bake and send him a cake to celebrate. He’d written back to say it arrived in one piece (although slightly squashed) and that he’d had a hard time keeping his best friend from devouring it while he – Cloud – was on duty.
Upon his promotion to 2nd class at the age of seventeen, the two women each had a single glass of champagne to toast the achievement. Tifa nursed hers for several hours while staring at his picture. She’d long since become accustomed to spending her evenings at the Strife home: trying out new recipes, discussing changes – or lack thereof – in the town, and – occasionally – giggling over passages in one of the romance novels the older woman had stashed away in her youth. At least once a week Audra would also share news from Cloud’s letters.
His promotion, however, was the first time he’d ever sent a picture of himself. Two of them, actually: one from the side, the other from the front. Both were bright, official looking glossies of him in a dark uniform. The sleeveless top revealed leanly muscled arms, while the blueish color called attention to his eyes. At some point since he left home he’d cut his hair, and she thought the shorter style suited him. Of course, that could have been her hormones talking, as her fingers wanted nothing more than to play with the strands at his nape. It certainly was no exaggeration to say that, after three years without seeing him, the photos threw her for a loop, leaving her stunned. Cloud had grown up to be... hot. Tifa’s only complaint was the fact that his pants were baggy. She pouted about it until his mother laughed so hard she spilled her drink.
Two more years passed, and although her subconscious grew more and more adept at fantasizing about her blond-haired hero, Tifa’s more rational side began to doubt he could possibly still be interested. Surely there were lots of girls in Midgar who would be interested in someone like Cloud. She’d heard that many SOLDIER operatives had entire fan clubs of devotees! Why would he come back to such a nowhere town for a girl who’d scarcely noticed his existence until he left?
And then Zack came to Nibelheim on assignment, and recognized her, because his roommate had once shown him a picture. Embarrassingly, the picture was a few years old, and she’d had on that horrid cowgirl outfit a friend had dared her into wearing (obviously, Audra would be getting an earful on choosing her photo moments) but it apparently meant something to Cloud. She must still mean something to Cloud.
The knowledge rallied her flagging spirits, and she began peppering the SOLDIER 1st with questions. Questions which Zack – friendly, cheerful Zack – willingly answered.
“Is he happy?” was the first thing she wanted to know.
“Except for when I trounce him at ping-pong, sure. Pretty much.”
“Ping-pong?” Out of all the things she’d imagined Cloud doing for fun, that had never once occurred to her.
“Yeah!” Zack’s enthusiasm was undeniable. “Lazard finally got a new table for the SOLDIER floor. It’s been a couple years since we broke the last one.” There was an odd note of... pride in that statement.
Tifa stared for a moment, and then decided that this was either (a) the kind of thing she’d have to see for herself in order to understand or (b) something she really didn’t want to understand. “Does he miss Nibelheim?” she asked, dropping the subject of ping-pong without regret.
“Not... really.” He rubbed the back of his head nervously, obviously not wanting to hurt her feelings by telling her Cloud wasn’t pining for home. “He misses some of the people – that’s why he writes his mom religiously, every week – but as for the town...? It’s not something he talks about.”
She nodded. There really wasn’t much to miss. If (or when) she left, she wouldn’t be regretting it, either. “So...” her tone was hesitant, and perhaps a bit wistful, “what’s he like?”
Zack laughed. “What do you mean? He’s the same as he ever was!” Virtually unchanged from the boy Zack had met almost five years before.
Blushing, she ducked her head. “I mean...” she fumbled for words, since just repeating the same question wouldn’t help explain, “he was always quiet and withdrawn. I just wondered if he’s changed.”
“Ah.” Zack stood, gloved fingers idly scratching his chin as he stared off into the sky. “Well, I wouldn’t say he’s withdrawn, but he’s still pretty quiet. Cloud’s got to be really het up about something to raise his voice.” The mischievous edge to his grin clued Tifa in to the fact that the aforementioned ping-pong matches were one activity likely to provoke a reaction from Cloud. “His sense of humor is kind of sarcastic, and he can be pretty biting with it if you piss him off. Luckily, though, it takes a lot to make him angry.” Tilting his head, he shifted his focus back to Tifa’s face. “I don’t really know what else to say. I mean... I could talk about how he’s loyal and hard-working and stuff, but that’s pretty much a given.” Broad shoulders moved in an easy shrug. “He’s... Cloud.”
The nervous knot inside Tifa eased. He was Cloud, and still a familiar – if more mature – Cloud. Midgar hadn’t changed that. “Does he... does he miss me?” she’d tried not to ask, she really had, but couldn’t hold it back any longer.
Folding his arms across his chest, Zack gave her a narrow-eyed look that completely altered his demeanor. Not that he suddenly seemed unfriendly, just guarded. “Should he?” there was a protective edge to the question, and it was clear that – although he might not talk about Nibelheim much or often, Cloud had certainly explained at least a few things about how he grew up. “Did you, or anyone else, miss him?”
Tifa nodded without hesitation, brown eyes clear and earnest as she met Zack’s gaze. “Every day.”
Her answer took him aback, but only for a second. Then he recovered, face filled with good humor again. “Spike has good taste,” the SOLDIER commented, earning a blush for his effort. “All I know,” he went on, answering her earlier question, “is that he carries that photo of you with him everywhere.” He grinned, and raised his eyebrows flirtatiously. “Only way I’d do that is if I were crazy about the girl, or related to her.”
She flushed further in response, and shy embarrassment all but forced her next words out: “Then why hasn’t he come back?” Softer, looking away nervously as she reigned in her emotions, “He promised.”
Handsome features softened, a glint of understanding appearing in blue eyes. “What did he promise?”
So she told him, and – sighing and shaking his head – Zack had explained what he suspected was going on in Cloud’s. Together, they then devised a plan to give the blond young man some additional incentive.
Tifa was tired of waiting, and who better to help plot her seduction of Cloud than his best friend?
Which was how she ended up in Midgar, learning first-hand exactly how adorable, sexy, honest, sexy, sweet, sexy, frustrating and sexy Cloud could be. Most of which she couldn’t fault him for, but he had no business being that attractive if he was just going to get her hot and bothered -- simply by being -- and then leave!
It was both confusing and irritating. Especially since the whole point of her visit was to jump-start their relationship. The finer details of the promise he’d made five years before didn’t matter. At least not to her. She just wanted to be with him. Soon. Now.
When she’d first arrived, she’d been gifted with a few moments of heaven. Shortly after he’d opened the door, she’d thrown her arms around Cloud’s neck, and, for whatever reason – reflex, surprise, welcome – he’d hugged her back. Being wrapped in his arms, the planes of his body strong and warm against her curves, his clean, masculine scent causing an excited fluttering in her stomach, merely served to impress upon her that she was where she was supposed to be. A strong desire to be closer sparked an unexpected urge to wrap her legs around his waist, one she might have given in to, if he hadn’t abruptly released her and all but shoved her at Zack.
Blinking in puzzlement, she and Zack had exchanged glances, baffled as to what Cloud was thinking. Tifa also couldn’t help feeling somewhat hurt. Although inexperienced and perhaps a bit naive, she’d still felt Cloud’s reaction to her, and knew what it meant. So why was he pretending it hadn’t happened? Why was he ignoring it? Why was he ignoring her?
The remainder of the week was an exercise in – alternately – restraining herself from punching him out of frustration, and refraining from bursting into tears out of hurt. During the pillow fight Zack started, she ended up on top of Cloud, straddling him with their bodies pressed close together. For a few seconds, he arched into her, treating her to an amazing surge of sensation... then he rolled out from under her to go for a walk. A walk! The night they watched a horror film, and she all but climbed into his lap, she swore she felt him nuzzle her hair. But when Zack returned – after spending all the time he reasonably could in the bathroom – Cloud abruptly stood and retreated to his room, claiming the film was boring.
Moderately modest lingerie had him turning tail and leaving without even saying hello.
She was ready to give up, when Zack came to her – laughing, of all things – because he’d figured out what the problem was.
Cloud thought the two of them were dating. As in she and Zack. As in the girl he’d been in love with for years, and his best friend.
It seemed preposterous, while at the same time making a tremendous amount of sense. Cloud would never make a move on his best friend’s girl, but at the same time, it would be almost impossible not to react to the (mostly innocent) teasing to which Tifa had been subjecting him.
Maybe it was still too early to give up, even if the week was all but over.
With Cloud’s misconception in mind, they concocted one last scheme. It was blatantly ridiculous – as so many of Zack’s ideas often were – but, he assured her, that’s why it would work.
“It’s when he relaxes that he forgets – even if just for a minute or so – that he’s not supposed to think of you as his,” Zack tried to explain, as he dug through the Shin-Ra cafeteria freezer to get a carton of ice cream from the very bottom. “Haven’t you noticed? I thought at first he was just hesitant about public displays of affection or something, ‘cause he’d go to take your hand or put his arm around your shoulders and then abruptly change his mind. But now,” he paused for a moment to straighten the dangerously leaning tower of ice cream, “I think those were times when he slipped and only just caught himself.”
Tifa’s expression was blatantly skeptical.
Zack sighed. “Cloud lives a lot in his head, right? I can practically guarantee he’s imagined dating you.” Given the way his own mind worked, he could probably guarantee a lot more than that... but he wasn’t going to elaborate. Cloud would kill him if he ever found out. “You imagine something long enough,” he continued, “it starts to seem real. In his head, the two of you being a couple has – probably – been a done deal for years.”
“And now he’s trying to adjust his thinking?”
“Exactly.” Having found what he was after – a carton of vanilla so encrusted with ice crystals as to give the impression it had been buried in a snowbank – Zack carelessly tumbled the other cartons back into the freezer, and slammed it closed.
“You better hope nobody ever finds out you’re the one that made such a mess,” Tifa commented dryly.
Shrugging with an impressive lack of concern, he held the carton in one hand, balanced like a tray on the tips of his fingers, and slung his other arm around her shoulders. “So... you up for trying to circumvent the part of Spiky’s brain that tells him ‘no’ when what he really should be thinking is ‘yes yes yes’?”
Hesitantly, her hopeful outlook greatly diminished, she agreed.
And as it happened, before the night was over she learned that Cloud kissing her was even better than Cloud hugging her. He didn’t rush, made sure she wanted the press of his mouth before doing more than brushing his lips against hers, and then proceeded to turn her legs to mush and set her heart to racing.
Bliss.
At least until he remembered what he thought he was doing, and tried to withdraw. Although he was adorable in his confusion, Tifa really preferred him without it. So she explained, and explained a bit more, and when comprehension dawned, and he finally – finally! – asked her to be his, she reeled him in closer to wrap herself around him in every way she possibly could.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-07-11 11:52 pm (UTC)From:Uhm... smut now, yes? **eager face**
no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 12:19 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 12:32 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 12:38 am (UTC)From:I'd like some "Hunger", too. (Hopeful Look)
BTW, I've decided that this icon depicts Cloud after you've let Tifa carry on with Zack. ^.~
no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 03:21 am (UTC)From:Besides, the stories I have in the works for Cloud and Tifa are full of steamy smut. he gets WAY more action than Zacky boy ever thought of. :P
no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 04:03 am (UTC)From:*sits back and waits for cloud/tifa smut*
no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 04:31 am (UTC)From:Cloud: What do you mean, that was the "MODEST" lingerie?!?!
no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 05:44 am (UTC)From:LOL. I think it's a difference of opinion regarding the lingerie. ;)
no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 04:52 am (UTC)From:That's just awesome. There is something so absolutely awesome about Tifa and Zack conspiring together. Against adorable, clueless Cloud. XD <3 Nicely done.
no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 05:45 am (UTC)From:As I told Windrider1, I just couldn't get to the smut w/o writing Tifa's side of things. Glad you enjoyed!
no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 06:39 am (UTC)From:LOL. I love the ping-pong part. I can so see Tifa's expression as: Wha...?
I also love that you kept the Which was how she ended up in Midgar, learning first-hand exactly how adorable, sexy, honest, sexy, sweet, sexy, frustrating and sexy Cloud could be. part the same. (Cloud is totally sexy.)
Moderately modest lingerie... *snorts* He had to go to the VCG because of that moderately modest lingerie.
Awesome! *Waits eagerly for smut*
no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 07:01 am (UTC)From:I'm gonna see about finding a picture of that lingerie. I think it's a difference of opinion brought on by Cloud thinking (basically): She needs more clothes. More clothes between her and me because I'm running out of self-control...
no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 07:16 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 12:54 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 01:53 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 12:55 pm (UTC)From:Also, icon love!
no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 08:58 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-07-14 03:06 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-07-14 07:51 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-07-15 02:44 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 01:32 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 01:53 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-07-12 05:38 pm (UTC)From:Love that Tifa was puzzled over Cloud's favorite color being brown. Hehehe.
And ah-ha! This was why you wanted a "better" reason for Cloud to get into fights, wasn't it? ;)
I laughed SO hard at this line: "Tifa’s only complaint was the fact that his pants were baggy. She pouted about it until his mother laughed so hard she spilled her drink."
The Tifa and Zack interaction was lovely, too. :D
And YAY, you used the sexy lines! Hahahaha!
I love that Zack came to her laughing when he found out what the problem is. It was great to see Tifa's perspective of it, LOL.
<3
no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 01:55 am (UTC)From:That is why I wanted a "better" reason! Hopefully it works.
That line made me grin really big, too =)
no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 01:38 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 01:55 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-07-13 12:01 pm (UTC)From:I really love this story, it's like a balm to the FF7 soul. I especially love the parts where Tifa is with his mom, growing her idea of Cloud and her affection towards him. I feel like I've experienced that before, though I can't quite think of when.
I love how you characterize Zack, I would love if he showed up in more of your work, he's so much fun!
I would also love to see Cloud and Tifa and Cloud's mom interacting!
Thanks for posting this, so sweet <3 <3
no subject
Date: 2009-07-14 03:01 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-07-14 03:19 am (UTC)From:Joey
no subject
Date: 2009-07-14 07:52 pm (UTC)From: