Chapter Text
Pictures can tell hell of a lot if they are given the chance to. His eyes traveling over the framed photos and articles hanging on the Wall, a piece of art almost. Old and new photographs, newspaper cut outs and rearranged dusty pieces of what seemed to be a family picture of a long lost past stretched across the entire wall. His heart felt heavier the longer he looked at the pictures in front of him and just as he was about to carry on his eyes locked on a very familiar face on paper.
„Found what you are looking for?“
Silence. As if he hadn’t heard a word she said. Tifa stood in the middle of two tables serving drinks to her customers. A round tray propped up her hip on the left, the now free right hand was resting on her right hip as the was looking at the man in front of the wall. A small smirk and a slightly raised eyebrow accompanying her question from before.
„Hmmh.“
„That’s all? Alright, got it. No more questions.“
Her long black hair flowing in her spin as she swiftly turned around and made her way towards the bar’s counter to get the next round of orders ready and on the tray.
It was no extraordinary busy day at Seventh Heaven but it was definitely more to do since normality hit again after the Geostigma crisis was overcome.
Normality, as if we would know what that’s like, she thought to herself as she picked up the now heavy tray with beer and beverages balanced on top of it. She made her way through the tables, catching glimpses and fragments of conversations between her laughing customers.
„….what I didn’t regret afterwards. Can you imagine what he would….“
„So, how is your mother doing?“
„…new family! We could adopt, you know? They are looking for a good home for that pup.” - „Seriously? ANOTHER dog?!“
Seems like you’re the only person in this bar who’s stuck with his worries of the past. Her eyes drifted in Clouds direction again. Only this time her gaze was met with a glance over his shoulder out of the corner of his eye. Oh boy.
He turned fully around while started walking past her and disappeared behind the counter into the back of the building, taking the stairs up to their shared apartment. Tifa seemed to forget place and time as she absentmindedly looked after the blonde man disappear on the stairs.
„Well- he looked sad, didn’t he?“
„Sorry Reeve, did you say something?“
„Hm…you’re still fighting?“ he asked with a amused but worried tone in his voice.
Reeve sat at the corner table near the window and entrance to the bar. Paperwork spread across the table, a pen in his left hand, elbow placed on the benchrest and unlike everyone else in the room a coffee mug in his right hand.
„I thought we had it sorted out. But hells, Cloud can be a mystery sometimes.“
She began cleaning a table after a couple just left and slightly shook her head at the thought of Cloud.
„Seems like a mystery indeed. At least in my eyes.“ Reeve chuckled and shifted his focus on the paper-mess in front of him. „Oh Tifa, could you please give me a refill of coffee?“
„Should I be worried?“ she let out a small laugh.
„About what? Cloud, or the coffee and me?“
„I guess all of that“, she said with a half hidden smile and looked down at the table she just cleaned. „One more coffee coming up for you, Reeve.“ She looked up with a heartwarming and welcoming smile.
„Geez, nothing can wipe that uplift spirit of yours out, can it?“
„Hah, I try my best.“ She smiled and took off with his coffee mug in hand.
As the night settled in, the last customers left Seventh Heaven shortly after midnight. The newfound silence pulled on Tifa‘s ears, leaving her with a feel of little unease. She hated that feeling in her ears when the sound of laughter, beer jugs and silent conversations left the room after closing hours. She heard a sigh of relief from Reeve who was seemingly happy he finished his reports for the day. Ready to leave he turned to Tifa and handed her one of the sheets he previously worked on.
„Thanks again Reeve. It’s always nice to have the human version of you around, you know?“ He smiled at that. „I will discuss this with Barret when he comes tomorrow.“ She lifted the paper in her hand as a sign while she talked.
„Do so. It’s the latest assessment on that case. Though I doubt it will be more than just a regular check up on a few locations.“
Reeve took his leather briefcase and closed his jacked with one hand. He hinted a bow towards the barmaid, straightened up again and opened the front door. A harsh gust of wind blew inside and brought the chill of winter into the bar.
„Have a good night Tifa. I’ll look forward to your opinion. Greet Barret and the kids. And don’t loose hope, that moody boyfriend of yours will come around…eventually.“
With a smirk across his face the dark haired man exited the room while Tifa raised a hand as a goodbye. She looked the door behind him and let out a sigh.
„So I‘m the moody one, huh.“ Clouds low voice echoed through the dark hallway as Tifa made her way up the stairs and into their apartment.
„Well, you certainly check all the boxes,“ Tifa chuckled. She walked down the hallway. “And stop eavesdropping. Even if you can hear things that far away doesn’t mean you should listen to them.”
She passed by the bedrooms and the bathroom before reaching the end of the hallway. She found her partner looking somewhat defeated and laying spread out on the small couch in their living room. Though she couldn’t see his face. He laid on his back, face up towards the ceiling and a book laying face down on his head.
„You gave up reading then?“
She knew reading was not his favorite activity. Not because he didn’t like it but rather because he never really needed to read since he dropped out of school in Nibelheim and therefore never really got into the habit of it.
„I tried Tifa. I really tried…so hard“ he whined.
He grabbed the book, lifted it off his face and let it sind to the floor right next to him. With an angry sound he buried his face in his hands, still lying flat on the couch.
“I know. And I know because I’ve been there too! But you can’t go around and snap on Marlene and Denzel like that. So please listen to me. I made the same mistake before, why won’t you just accept my advice for once, Cloud?”
“I wasn’t… I didn’t want…” He didn’t know what to say. Like so many times before, here he was, overwhelmed by emotions he for so long never had to deal with and without the capacity of putting them into words that won’t hurt.
“All I wanted was to make sure they were safe’s all.” His voice became quieter.
He’s so defeated, Tifa thought again.
The dark haired woman walked further into the room and stopped right in front of the couch. She turned around and slowly lowered herself on the floor, her back leaned against the soft cushion of the couch. The hardwood floor beneath her was surprisingly warm. That was a welcome side effect of running a bar beneath their living space. The generated heat from all the people coming in makes its way up through the ceiling and warms up their wooden floors above.
She tugged her arms around her knees sitting on the ground and tilted her head backwards until it reached Clouds body. He let his arms sink to his side again and gently drew Tifa closer with his right Arm, his right hand firmly placed on hers.
“Cloud? Are you still mad at me?”
Silence.
“Hm. Not really. Not anymore. But to be honest, I never really was upset with you. Just mad at myself-“ He felt the smallest chuckle traveling through her body. “-but I guess you already knew that.” A faint smile formed on his lips. His face softened as he looked down to his love.
Why does she read me so well.
“I’m so sorry Cloud.” / “Sorry for what happened, Teef.”
They froze for a second before letting out their laughter. They truly had good timing.
“And what now”, Tifa asked, looking up to meet his shining deep blue eyes.
“I guess I’ll talk to them tomorrow when they’re back. I’m not backing out of this again.”
“I’m glad you found your inner strength again. It’s so easy to loose it after all.”
She fell silent and let her head sink towards her knees, looking down before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.
“So…downstairs, at the picture wall. What were you looking at exactly?” She raised her eyebrows as she asked and turned to see his face again.