Been a while since I've written something (and completed it hah). This is what I get for playing FF7 and watching Advent Children a billion times :P.

Disclaimer: I don't own the creation of FF7 or any of its characters and blah blah blah. Yah, you get it.

pressure suit

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Every morning she wakes up, her eyes weighted with fatigue, and she notices the absence of a certain man but she never questions nor does she complain because she knows that he's a private man and that there are some things she just shouldn't know (but she wishes she did). And when she looks to the side, across the room towards the empty bed, all she sees is the faintest imprint left of a body and she laughs at the irony (because that's all he is these days, an imprint; a memory).

So when she slowly gets up and brushes a hand through her brown mane, she wonders what she's doing with her life. It's not that her life is bad with where she's at now. In fact, it's almost perfect. She has a job and a bar and two of the most wonderful kids in the universe (she smiles when she thinks of Denzel and Marlene) and although they're not hers, she cares for them just as much as if they were. Her friends are to say the least, unique. They're not the most common people around but she wouldn't want them any other way. And she might not have a real family, but it's fine because the people she loves are as much as her family as anyone else would be and it doesn't matter if they're not blood-related, as long as they're there. And yet.. there's always this feeling; a sense where she's missing out on something.

And then her mind wanders to him (she yearns for him). The man she spends most of her time with, albeit, it's only business with them two and the few times she attempts to make it more, he doesn't acknowledge it, or her. So she tells herself she doesn't care (but she knows she does). She convinces herself that there's nothing more that she wants from him, just for him to be there (although most times, he's not).

Her lips partially open and a hint of a laugh breaks out. She's wasting her time again, mulling over asinine things (but yet, she does this everyday). It's almost routinely for her. She can never wake up in time to see him leave. To watch as he once again, walks out of her life, even if for the briefest moment. Not even to say goodbye or good luck (but she knows he doesn't need it). And even though he somehow always returns (most times, late at night), she still can't put away the feeling of apprehension; the dreadful feeling that he might never return. Because he's done this once before, and she doesn't want him to do it again. He says he won't, and she believes him or more so, she wants to (but there's always that doubt).

She shakes her head to rid of these thoughts and begins walking out of the bedroom and down the stairs towards the bar. There is a perfect silence spreading through the room. The kids are out with Barrett and she's got nothing to do because it's Sunday and the bar is closed. So she sets herself up on a comfy chair in the other room and grabs a book to read. Somehow in between reading and exhaustion, she's put into some kind of dream/reality reverie and once again caught up with thinking and contemplating on everything (especially about him). Then sleep follows.

She wakes up to a click of the front door opening and gentle, quick steps rustling in followed with heavy, slow ones. She recognizes that it's Marlene and Denzel and they are finally home and she sighs happily because now she isn't alone anymore. She checks the clock on the wall and she realizes she's been sleeping for a while. It's already past 9. She gets up from the chair she was comfortably lying in and walks up the stairs to say goodnight. Once she's done, she walks towards her (their) bedroom and gets ready for another night of slumber. But before she can slip under the covers and shut her eyes, someone else walks into the room.

She smiles because she knows that it's him and unconsciously, a wave of relief washes over her (because he's home and not somewhere else). She sits on the edge of her bed and even through the darkness, sees his face and she can tell it's impassive and indifferent but he's also tired. He stands there, quiet, and slowly walks towards his own bed. Gradually, he unties his shoes and sets them right beside his bed (ready for the next morning, to leave once again). She watches him with vigilant eyes and as he looks up to catch her stare, his blue eyes pierce through her (like they do every time). A shiver erupts within her spine and she can't help but wonder how he makes her feel this way without even trying.

They stay like that, watching each other, and wondering what the other's going to do next. She's pondering, deciding whether or not she should say something but she doesn't because she's unsure (and there's not enough words to even explain what she's thinking or feeling). She settles with closing her eyes (because she can't face him without rendering helpless) and as she does, there's a swift movement and once she opens her eyes again, he's standing right in front of her.

She's taken aback and doesn't know what to say and instead, just stares at him with wide eyes. He takes in her stunned expression and smiles (a small discreet one, but a smile anyhow). Her mind goes crazy and for once she doesn't know what to think. There he is, standing directly in front of her. In reaching distance, and she can't even do anything.

"Goodnight Tifa, I'll see you in the morning."

And he quickly but ever so gently, caresses her forehead with a soft kiss. Then in a blink of an eye, he returns to the other side of the room and shuffles into bed. Tifa sits there, and slowly brings a hand to her forehead. Her face is still shocked and she's baffled and confused but her lips curve into a smile. She gives one last look at Cloud before slithering into the warm covers of her bed. And she doesn't stop smiling because now she realizes that whether or not he leaves for a long or short period of time, he'll always come back to her.

WOW! Was that completely lame or what? lol. First time I tried writing a Tifa and Cloud story.. and I failed. Plus I rushed it (as usual). But hey, I finished. Got another one in mind actually, we'll see how that turns out. Hopefully better than this one xD.