Final Fantasy VII 1. Last night

**Closest thing to a Smile**

We had one more day. Tomorrow, we confronted Sephiroth, and tomorrow, Meteor would fall.

Even if we defeated Sephiroth, Meteor would still reach us. All we could do wasn't good enough. We continued anyways, but with that in mind.

One more day, only a few more _hours_.

It was already late, and the peaceful sky above Nibelheim confused me. How could it be so perfect when destruction was so close? Just like that night years ago.

And just like that special night, Cloud sat beside me again. I leaned against him, and he leaned back, just slightly. My hand slipped under his, and he allowed me to lace my fingers with his. I even felt his hand tighten, gripping mine.

Was he afraid, I wondered. Is that why he let me so close?

We had talked earlier, but eventually run out of words to say. We reassured each other in silence.

I kept my eyes open, staring sightlessly ahead. All my senses were focused on the man behind me. I felt each time he shifted his weight like a jolt. His hair brushed against the top of my head. His powerful heartbeat against my back. Together, we were warm. Warm and alive.

I wanted to feel this again. I wanted him so badly.

But we were all going to die tomorrow, weren't we?

I was tired, but as soon as I fell asleep, this would be over. I had to stay awake, just a bit longer.

The weight against my back suddenly increased, and the grip in my hand slackened. I turned my head, and saw his profile nodding forward. His harsh features were slack and relaxed, and his mouth was slightly parted.

He was tiered too.

I closed my eyes and smiled, taking his hand in mine again.

I would let him sleep.


	2. Strife

I wiped my hands dry on a rag towel after finishing the load of dishes. The new 7th Heaven bar in Midgar Edge had closed a little over an hour ago, and the sun was dipping completely under the horizon. I stared out the window, pausing as a few cars drove by. But no motorcycles.

He was running late again.

"Tifa!" A young girl bounced down the stairs, sticking her head into the kitchen. "Is he back yet?" I smiled and shook my head, and the girl pouted. "He's _always_ late." I tugged open the ice box and took out a plate of wrapped-up leftovers.

"I guess we should start without him then?" I asked her, and she nodded excitedly.

"Yeah! That'll make him get home quicker next time!" I laughed at the girl's logic. I doubted my leftover cooking would be the driving force behind his returning home early.

I sent Marlene up to bed after we finished our dinner, following her up the stairs. Her parents had been killed long before Meteor fell, and her father had entrusted her to his best friend Barret. He took Marlene in like a devoted father would, but for now, the girl was in my care. Barret was away right now too, trying to tie up the loose ends to his past and such. I was tired of all this soul-searching, but I still respected that it needed to be done.

And I needed Marlene around. I think he did too.

I tucked the girl away into bed, lightly kissing the top of her head before heading back downstairs.

I busied myself with washing down the tables and polishing the bar counter, but I was really just waiting.

Finally, I heard the dull hum of an engine in the back alleyway. I waited, listening to see if it passed. Instead, the humming stopped, and a kickstand was thrown into place.

The blond young man walked through the back door a moment later, locking it behind him.

"Hey." I greeted. He looked up briefly, acknowledging me with a grunt. "Do you want a drink?" He grunted again, and I filled a glass to the brim with Corel wine. He sat across from me at the bar, and I passed the drink to him.

"Sorry I missed dinner again." He apologized. I shrugged.

"You're busy, I understand. Though, Marlene wants to start threatening you." I warned, with a smile towards the stairs. He drained the glass, dropping it lightly back into place. "Cloud…Where have you been?" I asked. I had been wondering for a while now, but I still wanted to give him his space. I knew how he hated when he was asked questions like that.

"I…" He fingered the empty glass. "I started a delivery service." He confessed it as if it were a crime.

"A delivery service?" I echoed, mildly surprised. It hadn't been what I was thinking, but not what most others would have either.

Unlike other "couples", I never worried about him going off to see another woman. Though, it wouldn't be called cheating, since Cloud and I still maintained a kind of friendship instead of…something else. It made me wonder what it would be like if Cloud did find someone. He was handsome, if a bit short, and I hadn't been the only woman to look at him with secret intentions. But as soon as you tried to speak with him, that was the lady-killer. Cloud had been deprived of four years of his life, between ages sixteen to twenty, which were often the years in which young men learned how to deal with girls. Because of that, he still wasn't sure how to deal with others, and I think that was why he was so shy. When people talked to him, it became apparent that he was as socially awkward as a teenager. So, I never once thought he'd been out on dates.

I suppose that's why we understood each other so well. Because I had known him before he was old enough to really start flirting, and met him again after that age had passed.

"I had to go all the way to Cosmo Canyon today. Sorry I didn't tell you." He said, snapping me out of my thoughts. Smiling, I filled his glass again. He watched as it reached the top, and I carefully added drops until the surface was bulging, but not yet spilled.

"I'm glad you found something to do." I explained. "And this way, you can say hello to everyone if you go to their town, right?" He shrugged.

"I guess."

"Have you got a name for it yet?" I asked.

"Not really. Just Strife Delivery Service."

"I think it's catchy." He laughed dryly.

"Do you know what _strife_ means?" I narrowed my eyes at him, choosing not to respond. I knew what the definition was, working hard for nothing, and I hated it for having the same meaning that he often defined his life with. But since it was his last name, I always felt happy when I read it somewhere.

"This is nice." I said instead. He frowned at me, confused. I rested my chin on my hand. "Just sitting here with you. You haven't been home much lately. It gets lonely."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, Cloud." I smiled at him until he looked at me. "I'll keep a bottle of wine in the back, just for when you get home late." His lips curved upwards slightly. Not yet a smile, but close.


End file.

Final Fantasy VII, Hurt-Comfort, Romance