(no subject)
*quietly nudges open Seventh Heaven's door, noting that it still squeaked when pushed completly open before his sharp blues glanced around for the familiar face* ...Tifa?
Tifa cursed faintly as her head caught one of the shelves beneath her bar. Trust her to be on her hands and knees when that familiar voice came back into her life. She muttered something under her breath and slowly stood. Her gloved hand working over the slight sore spot on her head. Red eyes came to fall on Cloud Strife himself and she smiled." Hey Cloud."
He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face at seeing his old friend, relieved to see her safe, even if there was there was no reason for her not to be. As per old times, he took his same stool at the bar, elbows and hands in front of him. "Hey...how are you?"
" My head hurts." Tifa commented with a laugh, letting her hand drop away before she flexed her neck from side to side. She grabbed the stool she usually kept behind the bar and took a seat. One leg slipped over the other before she twisted her body to face Cloud. Her hands clasped together as she rested her eyes on Cloud's face." In all seriousness, I'm fine. Overworked but that's through personal choice so I can't really complain about it. You?"
"I'm...pretty okay." Cloud leaned forward on his elbows slightly, never having lied to sit straight when he had nothing to lean back on. "A little tired from the travel still, but glad to be here nonetheless." He added, tilting his head to rub absently at the back of his neck.
Tifa smiled." It's good to see you." She then gestured to a small door off to the side," You're welcome to grab some sleep in my room if you wanted to. I don't mind and it's not like I sleep much as it is. This bar opens early and shuts pretty late." Her eyes were slightly shadowed by black, clearly showing she hadn't been sleeping.
"It's not that I don't have time to sleep really, just that I haven't been able very well." He mused with a slight chuckle, his amusement quickly fading into over-concern for Tifa. "You shouldn't be doing more than you can handle..."
She waved a hand in the air, almost dimissively." It's nothing. And like I said to Aeris, the bar gets shut whilst I have friends visiting. I'm beginning to turn into a social hermit." Tifa pulled a slight face at the thought of that, her nose scrunching up just a little.
The corner of Cloud's lip twitched into a smirk at Tifa's little look of what apparently was disgust at the what she had implied. "Well good then, but what if I make sure that friends keep coming, or stay past their welcomes, you'll have to keep the bar idle now won't you?"
" Now you see my dilema." Tifa commented with a wry smile, pointing her long index finger in Cloud's direction." Do I work hard and make a lot of money so I can live a good life? Or do I let the bar fall idle so I can enjoy friendship?" She chuckled and smirked, one eyebrow arching as her eyes glittered." An easy choice at the end of the day. Can you guess which one it is?"
"...The bar?" He spread his arms in a guesture. "Why would you want to keep barflies like me around when you could be dealing with drunks who are bad tippers with busy hands?" The joke nearly faded due to his protective nature but after a moments pause Cloud shook his head and chuckled. "I wouldn't have thought the choice would even be close."
Tifa stuck her tongue out at Cloud before giving him a slightly playful shove." Friendship, you Doofus." She teased, a warm laugh escaping her lips before she frowned." The bad tippers do have the busiest hands. It's annoying but...if they insist on getting a knuckle sandwich from me, then who am I to object?" At this point, she winked." Speaking of the bar, do you want anything to drink?"
"If you remember any names or faces, I'll make sure that if they ever do come back, they won't have hands to worry about keeping in check." Cloud lifted a brow at her question, quietly concidering before repeating an old answer; "Give me something hard."
" As adventurous as ever I see." Tifa said with an approving smile before she blushed at the way his voice sounded when he spoke about the "busy hands," she liked that he wanted to protect her. She always had." How does a shot of tequila with lime and salt strike you?" She asked as she went about rummaging out the various things.
Cloud averted his eyes when he caught the rising color in Tifa's cheeks, rubbing at the smooth wood of the bartop with an index finger a little uncomfortable for a brief second. "Tequila's good, you'll be having some too I assume. You are technically closed for friends after all."
Tifa paused for a moment, placing the bottle, shot glasses, lime, knife and salt shaker on the bartop." Give me one minute." With that said, she flattened one hand against the bartop and vaulted her body over the bar itself. She landed on her feet and walked quickly to the door and to the OPEN/CLOSE sign. With a flick of her wrist, the CLOSE side was soon facing the outside." Wow.." She murmured as she realised what she had just done. She had closed the bar for the first time in who knew how long?
Cloud watched Tifa's actions curiously, spinning around in his stool when she was suddenly on his side of the bar...an amused shine in his eyes at the simple action she had done of flipping over a sign that obviously meant more than just that to his friend. "I hope that wasn't too painful..."
" Not as painful as I had imagined it would be." Tifa commented with a laugh, running a hand through her long dark hair." Right! Drinks!" She nodded her head and moved back to the bar, seeing to pouring them both a shot of tequila and cutting a lime in half.
"Well that's good to know." Re-spinning himself back around, Cloud picked up his filled shot glass, waiting for Tifa to follow suit. "...Are we 'cheering' to anything?"
Tifa smiled, lifting her own shot glass towards his." To friendship." She said with a warm tone to her voice.
Cloud nodded, smiling lightly at the words before throwing the shot back, swallowing the alcohol quickly before it could give his mouth a terrible taste, talking a limeslice to suck the juices out of.
Tifa tipped the glass to her lips and downed the liquid. It hit the back of her throat and burnt for a moment before she bit down into the a limeslice, sucking the juices out, enjoying how the two different extremes seemed to mingle together.
Cloud clicked his tongue over the sensitive roof of his mouth in satisfaction when both flavors started to dissipate from his mouth. "We haven't done that in a long time." He metioned offhandedly, discarding the limeslice into the trash.
" Mmm that is true." Tifa agreed with a chuckle, shaking some salt out over the back of her hand. She then bowed her head, running her tongue and lips over the salt. Soaking it up before biting down on her bottom lip. Oh yes, that was the way to finish the shot off." It's been far too long." She looked across at Cloud with a smile.
Cloud scratched his hair to ease an imaginary itch, discomfort again. Such a strange week he was having. He reached for the saltshaker for himself, tapping some of the small white crystals onto the back of his hand to flick his tongue over, sweeping them into his mouth. Of course this was done with much less grace than his female companion, but the task was completed, yes. "Yeah... But we did kind of have our reasons for not being able to sit down, talk and drink like this."
Tifa nodded her head." Yeah that is true." She chuckled softly, linking her hands together as she turned her head to look at him." I'm glad we're able to do it now. Better late than never." She lifted her fingers and brushed away the grains of salt which still clung to the corner of her mouth.
"Of course, there's always ways to make time for things that really mean something to you. Even if you do need to close your bar to make some time." The last sentance much more on a teasing level than the seriousness he started out with.
She smiled slowly, folding her arms on the bartop before resting her head there." That is very true and I always have time for my friends. No matter what." She gave Cloud a wink and a stunning smile, one that seemed to light up her eyes.
Cloud laid a hand lightly on Tifa's soft hair, his thumb moving in a slow circling motion for an affectionate pat. "I would hope so, I'm supposed to be your hero, if you wouldn't even make an hour for me I'd be pretty hurt you realize." He chuckled in the back of his throat, folding both hands in front of him on the bar again.
Tifa inhaled a slow almost content breath as Cloud briefly touched her hair, her eyes slipped shut. They only opened when he removed his hand." Ahh I can't have that now can I?" She teased right along with him, giving him a slight nudge in the side.
Cloud snickered, milking the nudge like a shove that nearly knocked him off his stool. "No, of course not Miss Lockheart. The Strife boy would be absolutely devistated."
She laughed to that." And that wouldn't be good. I kinda like the Strife boy not devastated." Tifa nodded her head before simply chuckling, her face lighting up as her eyes glittered. She hadn't realised how much she had been missing good company until now.
Cloud furrowed his eyebrows in thought, wondering just how would he be able to catch up with Tifa and get back into the feel of talking with her as he remembered, he was starting to miss being able to speak openly with someone from his past, even if it was one of the many facts about him he wouldn't admit. "So what have you been doing since...everything? You came straight back here?"
" Since..everything?" Tifa asked, inhaling slowly before she simply sat back up." Trying to work out what my place was in this world. I wandered for a bit, going from town to town, trying to work out what was going on in my head. Then I came here and focused on getting this place up and running and from there, working mostly, not to mention tossing guys out on their asses." She smirked to that before simply shaking her head." My life hasn't been the most exciting, it's just been me and this place really."
The blonde nodded, paying attention the shifts in emotion in Tifa's voice when she spoke, both feeling for her yet feeling a sense of relief in knowing she did not have to go through too many severe problems on her own. "Well I'm not sure how exciting life can really be after everything we all went through. ...Whether that's a good thing or not I'm not sure."
" A girl can only take so much excitement." Tifa said with a wry smile, lifting her eyebrows as she lifted her shoulders at the same time." How's everything going for you? Better, I hope?" She asked with a hopeful twinge to her voice. It had been so long since they had talked, she really didn't know what was going on with him anymore. All of a sudden, a second shot seemed like a good idea and she set to pouring herself one." Did you want another?"
"A woman should only have to take so much until she gets someone to take the brunt of everything for her." Cloud nodded in a flat, serious tone. Not in the sense that he felt women were weak, helpless beings, but that they deserved the option of being protected with anothers life. The blonde's train of meshed thoughts were interupted at Tifa's question, debating on how exactly to answer. "...." Cloud shook his head and skipped over the first question for now. "Yeah, another drink would be great."
She suspected as much, Tifa still knew Cloud pretty well but with a smile, she poured them both another shot." I haven't got anyone to take the brunt of anything for me. Seems I'm only desirable to the bad tippers with busy hands." She snickered softly and shook her head before downing the shot of tequila, biting back a hiss before she sucked slowly on a limeslice.
After swallowing the second mouthful of tequila and sinking his teeth into the flesh of the lime Cloud muttered a few obscene words lightly under his breath at Tifa's talk of the perverted men.
She smiled as he did, cursing herself for blushing again. She really needed to get that under control." Well, there are a few toothless perverted men. Made the mistake of stepping into my fist." She gave him a completely innocent expression, smile, posture, everything was perfect. She then shook some salt over the skin of her wrist, dipping her head down to capture the grains into her mouth. If you were going to do something, you might as well do it right.
Cloud arched a brow, another smile teasing his lips. "Next time they'll make the mistake of falling on my Buster, don't you worry." Snatching the salt, he shook out some onto the side of his hand, closing his lips over the already sticking flecks to quickly add to the taste of alcohol in his mouth.
Tifa watched him before she merely shifted her eyes to a much more comfortable spot on the wall. Wow, had her wall always been that white? Lame yes, but it helped." Don't go killing all my customers, who would buy my alcohol? I could go bankrupt.." She laughed and simply smirked, her red eyes glinting.
There was another chuckle after he pulled his lips away from his own skin, pushing the saltshaker back over to Tifa. "You have nothing to worry about , you're home will always be in Nibelhiem anyway."
" Ah another good point. You're just full of them today, Mr Strife." She commented with a smile.
"I'm glad you think so Ms Lockheart." Cloud took a deep breath, releasing it in an attempt to relax himself both inside and out, deciding to give the question he skipped over a whirl. "And everything has been going..strangely, but you know me by now so I doubt you expected any less."
Tifa let out a short laugh before patting Cloud's shoulder." Hit the nail on the head." She then settled both hands back against the bar."And well, things will get better. True, we haven't had the best run of things getting better but I faith and most of all, I have hope so things will sort out, one way or another, all it takes is time."
"...." Cloud let the silence loom, not really wanting to elaborate on what he was calling strange, or the who's involved rather but for now he had to hold himself to the thought of not wanting to talk about it, whether he did or not. "Yeah.." He finally murmered, agreeing with her words even if he didn't for the meaning he thought she meant behind them.
Tifa exhaled a breath." Anyways, I appear to have stuck my foot in my mouth and here I thought I had gotten past that bad habit." She shrugged her shoulders, shifting a little uncomfortably before she wandered back around the bar, gathering a few things up." You needing another?" She asked as she held the bottle in one hand.
"No, you didn't. It's just my head again, the damn thing." He forced a light smile and took the bottle held up by Tifa, taking a long swig stright from it. He wasn't much of a fan if the taste of a large mouthful of tequila, oh no, but it made a lot of sense for him to do. A "...Thanks." was wheezed out a second later.
" Welcome." Tifa commented with a sympathetic look before she gestured to her bedroom door." Go grab a few hours, it'll help." As always, she was playing the supportive friend role.
Cloud shook his head, setting down the bottle. "I don't think so, if anyone needs a rest, it's you sweetheart."
" I look that bad huh?" Tifa asked with a small smile, arching an eyebrow at him.
"N-no! That's not what I mean at all." Cloud shook his head both defensively and apologetically. "I meant....you know what I meant Tifa."
Tifa laughed, before grinning." Yeah I know what you meant. I was just pulling your leg, Cloud." She took the bottle off him and put it back into its right place before she cleaned up the bar just a little.
"I know... Still, you should rest, I'll stay with you here tonight if you want..to protect you and watch over the bar just in case." He cleared his throat, feeling a little embarassed at sounding quite so foreward even if it was more than obvious his intentions were anything but impure.
" I'd like that." Tifa said with a genuine smile and a slight nod of her head. She had to surpress the laugh that threatened as she noticed the uncomfortable way he fidgetted on his seat.
Cloud rubbed the back of his neck at her amused stare. "Don't look at me like that...really, you don't want to start blushing again..." He snickered lightly, pleased that he caught her earlier.
Her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened before she released a slight breath through her nose. Her arms folded across her chest and she feigned an offended look." I just happen to have an expressive face, is that a crime?"
"..." Cloud simply snickered, holding back what was the makings of a grin. He spread his arms, holding up his palms in defense.
" I can see what you're thinking, it's written all over your face." Tifa commented with a slight growl, moving to prod his chest before simply drawing her finger back, laughing just a little.
Cloud couldn't help but give in to his grin, closing his eyes tightly, laughing through his teeth. "...Nothing! I swear..I didn't say anything!"
Tifa shifted her hands to her hips." You don'tneed to say anything, I can just see it. I know you, remember?" She at this point, stuck her tongue out at him and presented quite the formiddable appearance, gloved hands clasped around her hips, back straight and red eyes narrowing in on the blonde haired and blue eyed man who was laughing.
After taking a moment to compose himself, he just smiled at Tifa in front of him, more amused at her reaction more than anything else. "You always were passionate like this, I missed that." Cloud said genually, his version of an apology for laughing at her.
She blinked just a little at his sudden compliment before she smiled, sighing just a little as she felt her cheeks burn." You know me, I never change. Well not much."
"Hey, look at that..." He lifted a hand, guesturing at her face and the color shift that just so happened to take place again.
" Oh shut up." Tifa commented in a jocking tone of voice as she flung the nearest towel at him.
Easily catching the towel hurled in his direction, Cloud set it back down on the bartop with a wink in Tifa's direction. "No need to get hostile Ms Lockheart, that's my job."
Tifa rolled her eyes." No, your job is to be a pain in the ass which you are doing very very well. You should get a payrise." She teased before her eyes slid shut and she sighed, flexing her neck from side to side. Exhaustion getting the better of her.
Cloud cocked his head beefore standing up from his barstool. "You need to get some rest. Come on." He said in more of a statement than question form.
" Yeah, you're probably right." Tifa admitted, trailing out from behind the bar.
With not even a seconds thought on what he was doing, instinct had the blonde man sweeping up the dark haired woman into his arms, carrying her to the room in the back, a light kick pushing the door open. "I'll keep watch on the front door, if you wake up and need me, I'll be in a chair out there looking out." The words were murmered low and in an attempt to be soothing as if Tifa was already asleep. With as much care used oin fine china, Cloud laid Tifa down on her bed, taking a step back.
To say she was surprised would have been an understatement. Tifa was in shock more or less and as he laid her down, she smiled." Thank you Cloud." She shifted to her knees before leaning up to kiss his cheek very gently, an extra thank you for showing the concern he had just done for her and then she settled back down on her bed.
Cloud froze for a few seconds following the kiss, nodding in response. "You're welcome... Try to get some sleep Tifa." He murmered, turning on his heels.
Tifa grabbed a nearby pillow and cuddled it close before resting her head down." I'll do my best." She muttered as her eyes slid shut and she was soon fast asleep.
Slowly shutting the door behind him, Cloud settled himself in one of the larger bar room chairs for sleep, hand always ready to draw his sword for any possible intruders of the night.
Tifa cursed faintly as her head caught one of the shelves beneath her bar. Trust her to be on her hands and knees when that familiar voice came back into her life. She muttered something under her breath and slowly stood. Her gloved hand working over the slight sore spot on her head. Red eyes came to fall on Cloud Strife himself and she smiled." Hey Cloud."
He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face at seeing his old friend, relieved to see her safe, even if there was there was no reason for her not to be. As per old times, he took his same stool at the bar, elbows and hands in front of him. "Hey...how are you?"
" My head hurts." Tifa commented with a laugh, letting her hand drop away before she flexed her neck from side to side. She grabbed the stool she usually kept behind the bar and took a seat. One leg slipped over the other before she twisted her body to face Cloud. Her hands clasped together as she rested her eyes on Cloud's face." In all seriousness, I'm fine. Overworked but that's through personal choice so I can't really complain about it. You?"
"I'm...pretty okay." Cloud leaned forward on his elbows slightly, never having lied to sit straight when he had nothing to lean back on. "A little tired from the travel still, but glad to be here nonetheless." He added, tilting his head to rub absently at the back of his neck.
Tifa smiled." It's good to see you." She then gestured to a small door off to the side," You're welcome to grab some sleep in my room if you wanted to. I don't mind and it's not like I sleep much as it is. This bar opens early and shuts pretty late." Her eyes were slightly shadowed by black, clearly showing she hadn't been sleeping.
"It's not that I don't have time to sleep really, just that I haven't been able very well." He mused with a slight chuckle, his amusement quickly fading into over-concern for Tifa. "You shouldn't be doing more than you can handle..."
She waved a hand in the air, almost dimissively." It's nothing. And like I said to Aeris, the bar gets shut whilst I have friends visiting. I'm beginning to turn into a social hermit." Tifa pulled a slight face at the thought of that, her nose scrunching up just a little.
The corner of Cloud's lip twitched into a smirk at Tifa's little look of what apparently was disgust at the what she had implied. "Well good then, but what if I make sure that friends keep coming, or stay past their welcomes, you'll have to keep the bar idle now won't you?"
" Now you see my dilema." Tifa commented with a wry smile, pointing her long index finger in Cloud's direction." Do I work hard and make a lot of money so I can live a good life? Or do I let the bar fall idle so I can enjoy friendship?" She chuckled and smirked, one eyebrow arching as her eyes glittered." An easy choice at the end of the day. Can you guess which one it is?"
"...The bar?" He spread his arms in a guesture. "Why would you want to keep barflies like me around when you could be dealing with drunks who are bad tippers with busy hands?" The joke nearly faded due to his protective nature but after a moments pause Cloud shook his head and chuckled. "I wouldn't have thought the choice would even be close."
Tifa stuck her tongue out at Cloud before giving him a slightly playful shove." Friendship, you Doofus." She teased, a warm laugh escaping her lips before she frowned." The bad tippers do have the busiest hands. It's annoying but...if they insist on getting a knuckle sandwich from me, then who am I to object?" At this point, she winked." Speaking of the bar, do you want anything to drink?"
"If you remember any names or faces, I'll make sure that if they ever do come back, they won't have hands to worry about keeping in check." Cloud lifted a brow at her question, quietly concidering before repeating an old answer; "Give me something hard."
" As adventurous as ever I see." Tifa said with an approving smile before she blushed at the way his voice sounded when he spoke about the "busy hands," she liked that he wanted to protect her. She always had." How does a shot of tequila with lime and salt strike you?" She asked as she went about rummaging out the various things.
Cloud averted his eyes when he caught the rising color in Tifa's cheeks, rubbing at the smooth wood of the bartop with an index finger a little uncomfortable for a brief second. "Tequila's good, you'll be having some too I assume. You are technically closed for friends after all."
Tifa paused for a moment, placing the bottle, shot glasses, lime, knife and salt shaker on the bartop." Give me one minute." With that said, she flattened one hand against the bartop and vaulted her body over the bar itself. She landed on her feet and walked quickly to the door and to the OPEN/CLOSE sign. With a flick of her wrist, the CLOSE side was soon facing the outside." Wow.." She murmured as she realised what she had just done. She had closed the bar for the first time in who knew how long?
Cloud watched Tifa's actions curiously, spinning around in his stool when she was suddenly on his side of the bar...an amused shine in his eyes at the simple action she had done of flipping over a sign that obviously meant more than just that to his friend. "I hope that wasn't too painful..."
" Not as painful as I had imagined it would be." Tifa commented with a laugh, running a hand through her long dark hair." Right! Drinks!" She nodded her head and moved back to the bar, seeing to pouring them both a shot of tequila and cutting a lime in half.
"Well that's good to know." Re-spinning himself back around, Cloud picked up his filled shot glass, waiting for Tifa to follow suit. "...Are we 'cheering' to anything?"
Tifa smiled, lifting her own shot glass towards his." To friendship." She said with a warm tone to her voice.
Cloud nodded, smiling lightly at the words before throwing the shot back, swallowing the alcohol quickly before it could give his mouth a terrible taste, talking a limeslice to suck the juices out of.
Tifa tipped the glass to her lips and downed the liquid. It hit the back of her throat and burnt for a moment before she bit down into the a limeslice, sucking the juices out, enjoying how the two different extremes seemed to mingle together.
Cloud clicked his tongue over the sensitive roof of his mouth in satisfaction when both flavors started to dissipate from his mouth. "We haven't done that in a long time." He metioned offhandedly, discarding the limeslice into the trash.
" Mmm that is true." Tifa agreed with a chuckle, shaking some salt out over the back of her hand. She then bowed her head, running her tongue and lips over the salt. Soaking it up before biting down on her bottom lip. Oh yes, that was the way to finish the shot off." It's been far too long." She looked across at Cloud with a smile.
Cloud scratched his hair to ease an imaginary itch, discomfort again. Such a strange week he was having. He reached for the saltshaker for himself, tapping some of the small white crystals onto the back of his hand to flick his tongue over, sweeping them into his mouth. Of course this was done with much less grace than his female companion, but the task was completed, yes. "Yeah... But we did kind of have our reasons for not being able to sit down, talk and drink like this."
Tifa nodded her head." Yeah that is true." She chuckled softly, linking her hands together as she turned her head to look at him." I'm glad we're able to do it now. Better late than never." She lifted her fingers and brushed away the grains of salt which still clung to the corner of her mouth.
"Of course, there's always ways to make time for things that really mean something to you. Even if you do need to close your bar to make some time." The last sentance much more on a teasing level than the seriousness he started out with.
She smiled slowly, folding her arms on the bartop before resting her head there." That is very true and I always have time for my friends. No matter what." She gave Cloud a wink and a stunning smile, one that seemed to light up her eyes.
Cloud laid a hand lightly on Tifa's soft hair, his thumb moving in a slow circling motion for an affectionate pat. "I would hope so, I'm supposed to be your hero, if you wouldn't even make an hour for me I'd be pretty hurt you realize." He chuckled in the back of his throat, folding both hands in front of him on the bar again.
Tifa inhaled a slow almost content breath as Cloud briefly touched her hair, her eyes slipped shut. They only opened when he removed his hand." Ahh I can't have that now can I?" She teased right along with him, giving him a slight nudge in the side.
Cloud snickered, milking the nudge like a shove that nearly knocked him off his stool. "No, of course not Miss Lockheart. The Strife boy would be absolutely devistated."
She laughed to that." And that wouldn't be good. I kinda like the Strife boy not devastated." Tifa nodded her head before simply chuckling, her face lighting up as her eyes glittered. She hadn't realised how much she had been missing good company until now.
Cloud furrowed his eyebrows in thought, wondering just how would he be able to catch up with Tifa and get back into the feel of talking with her as he remembered, he was starting to miss being able to speak openly with someone from his past, even if it was one of the many facts about him he wouldn't admit. "So what have you been doing since...everything? You came straight back here?"
" Since..everything?" Tifa asked, inhaling slowly before she simply sat back up." Trying to work out what my place was in this world. I wandered for a bit, going from town to town, trying to work out what was going on in my head. Then I came here and focused on getting this place up and running and from there, working mostly, not to mention tossing guys out on their asses." She smirked to that before simply shaking her head." My life hasn't been the most exciting, it's just been me and this place really."
The blonde nodded, paying attention the shifts in emotion in Tifa's voice when she spoke, both feeling for her yet feeling a sense of relief in knowing she did not have to go through too many severe problems on her own. "Well I'm not sure how exciting life can really be after everything we all went through. ...Whether that's a good thing or not I'm not sure."
" A girl can only take so much excitement." Tifa said with a wry smile, lifting her eyebrows as she lifted her shoulders at the same time." How's everything going for you? Better, I hope?" She asked with a hopeful twinge to her voice. It had been so long since they had talked, she really didn't know what was going on with him anymore. All of a sudden, a second shot seemed like a good idea and she set to pouring herself one." Did you want another?"
"A woman should only have to take so much until she gets someone to take the brunt of everything for her." Cloud nodded in a flat, serious tone. Not in the sense that he felt women were weak, helpless beings, but that they deserved the option of being protected with anothers life. The blonde's train of meshed thoughts were interupted at Tifa's question, debating on how exactly to answer. "...." Cloud shook his head and skipped over the first question for now. "Yeah, another drink would be great."
She suspected as much, Tifa still knew Cloud pretty well but with a smile, she poured them both another shot." I haven't got anyone to take the brunt of anything for me. Seems I'm only desirable to the bad tippers with busy hands." She snickered softly and shook her head before downing the shot of tequila, biting back a hiss before she sucked slowly on a limeslice.
After swallowing the second mouthful of tequila and sinking his teeth into the flesh of the lime Cloud muttered a few obscene words lightly under his breath at Tifa's talk of the perverted men.
She smiled as he did, cursing herself for blushing again. She really needed to get that under control." Well, there are a few toothless perverted men. Made the mistake of stepping into my fist." She gave him a completely innocent expression, smile, posture, everything was perfect. She then shook some salt over the skin of her wrist, dipping her head down to capture the grains into her mouth. If you were going to do something, you might as well do it right.
Cloud arched a brow, another smile teasing his lips. "Next time they'll make the mistake of falling on my Buster, don't you worry." Snatching the salt, he shook out some onto the side of his hand, closing his lips over the already sticking flecks to quickly add to the taste of alcohol in his mouth.
Tifa watched him before she merely shifted her eyes to a much more comfortable spot on the wall. Wow, had her wall always been that white? Lame yes, but it helped." Don't go killing all my customers, who would buy my alcohol? I could go bankrupt.." She laughed and simply smirked, her red eyes glinting.
There was another chuckle after he pulled his lips away from his own skin, pushing the saltshaker back over to Tifa. "You have nothing to worry about , you're home will always be in Nibelhiem anyway."
" Ah another good point. You're just full of them today, Mr Strife." She commented with a smile.
"I'm glad you think so Ms Lockheart." Cloud took a deep breath, releasing it in an attempt to relax himself both inside and out, deciding to give the question he skipped over a whirl. "And everything has been going..strangely, but you know me by now so I doubt you expected any less."
Tifa let out a short laugh before patting Cloud's shoulder." Hit the nail on the head." She then settled both hands back against the bar."And well, things will get better. True, we haven't had the best run of things getting better but I faith and most of all, I have hope so things will sort out, one way or another, all it takes is time."
"...." Cloud let the silence loom, not really wanting to elaborate on what he was calling strange, or the who's involved rather but for now he had to hold himself to the thought of not wanting to talk about it, whether he did or not. "Yeah.." He finally murmered, agreeing with her words even if he didn't for the meaning he thought she meant behind them.
Tifa exhaled a breath." Anyways, I appear to have stuck my foot in my mouth and here I thought I had gotten past that bad habit." She shrugged her shoulders, shifting a little uncomfortably before she wandered back around the bar, gathering a few things up." You needing another?" She asked as she held the bottle in one hand.
"No, you didn't. It's just my head again, the damn thing." He forced a light smile and took the bottle held up by Tifa, taking a long swig stright from it. He wasn't much of a fan if the taste of a large mouthful of tequila, oh no, but it made a lot of sense for him to do. A "...Thanks." was wheezed out a second later.
" Welcome." Tifa commented with a sympathetic look before she gestured to her bedroom door." Go grab a few hours, it'll help." As always, she was playing the supportive friend role.
Cloud shook his head, setting down the bottle. "I don't think so, if anyone needs a rest, it's you sweetheart."
" I look that bad huh?" Tifa asked with a small smile, arching an eyebrow at him.
"N-no! That's not what I mean at all." Cloud shook his head both defensively and apologetically. "I meant....you know what I meant Tifa."
Tifa laughed, before grinning." Yeah I know what you meant. I was just pulling your leg, Cloud." She took the bottle off him and put it back into its right place before she cleaned up the bar just a little.
"I know... Still, you should rest, I'll stay with you here tonight if you want..to protect you and watch over the bar just in case." He cleared his throat, feeling a little embarassed at sounding quite so foreward even if it was more than obvious his intentions were anything but impure.
" I'd like that." Tifa said with a genuine smile and a slight nod of her head. She had to surpress the laugh that threatened as she noticed the uncomfortable way he fidgetted on his seat.
Cloud rubbed the back of his neck at her amused stare. "Don't look at me like that...really, you don't want to start blushing again..." He snickered lightly, pleased that he caught her earlier.
Her mouth dropped open and her eyes widened before she released a slight breath through her nose. Her arms folded across her chest and she feigned an offended look." I just happen to have an expressive face, is that a crime?"
"..." Cloud simply snickered, holding back what was the makings of a grin. He spread his arms, holding up his palms in defense.
" I can see what you're thinking, it's written all over your face." Tifa commented with a slight growl, moving to prod his chest before simply drawing her finger back, laughing just a little.
Cloud couldn't help but give in to his grin, closing his eyes tightly, laughing through his teeth. "...Nothing! I swear..I didn't say anything!"
Tifa shifted her hands to her hips." You don'tneed to say anything, I can just see it. I know you, remember?" She at this point, stuck her tongue out at him and presented quite the formiddable appearance, gloved hands clasped around her hips, back straight and red eyes narrowing in on the blonde haired and blue eyed man who was laughing.
After taking a moment to compose himself, he just smiled at Tifa in front of him, more amused at her reaction more than anything else. "You always were passionate like this, I missed that." Cloud said genually, his version of an apology for laughing at her.
She blinked just a little at his sudden compliment before she smiled, sighing just a little as she felt her cheeks burn." You know me, I never change. Well not much."
"Hey, look at that..." He lifted a hand, guesturing at her face and the color shift that just so happened to take place again.
" Oh shut up." Tifa commented in a jocking tone of voice as she flung the nearest towel at him.
Easily catching the towel hurled in his direction, Cloud set it back down on the bartop with a wink in Tifa's direction. "No need to get hostile Ms Lockheart, that's my job."
Tifa rolled her eyes." No, your job is to be a pain in the ass which you are doing very very well. You should get a payrise." She teased before her eyes slid shut and she sighed, flexing her neck from side to side. Exhaustion getting the better of her.
Cloud cocked his head beefore standing up from his barstool. "You need to get some rest. Come on." He said in more of a statement than question form.
" Yeah, you're probably right." Tifa admitted, trailing out from behind the bar.
With not even a seconds thought on what he was doing, instinct had the blonde man sweeping up the dark haired woman into his arms, carrying her to the room in the back, a light kick pushing the door open. "I'll keep watch on the front door, if you wake up and need me, I'll be in a chair out there looking out." The words were murmered low and in an attempt to be soothing as if Tifa was already asleep. With as much care used oin fine china, Cloud laid Tifa down on her bed, taking a step back.
To say she was surprised would have been an understatement. Tifa was in shock more or less and as he laid her down, she smiled." Thank you Cloud." She shifted to her knees before leaning up to kiss his cheek very gently, an extra thank you for showing the concern he had just done for her and then she settled back down on her bed.
Cloud froze for a few seconds following the kiss, nodding in response. "You're welcome... Try to get some sleep Tifa." He murmered, turning on his heels.
Tifa grabbed a nearby pillow and cuddled it close before resting her head down." I'll do my best." She muttered as her eyes slid shut and she was soon fast asleep.
Slowly shutting the door behind him, Cloud settled himself in one of the larger bar room chairs for sleep, hand always ready to draw his sword for any possible intruders of the night.