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Fic: Reality
Beta: Skeren
Fandom: FFVII
Pairing: Cloud/Tifa
Wordcount: 1,317
Kink: Service
Summary: Cloud has some thoughts as he helps Tifa out.
It seemed like it was later than normal when Cloud heard the solid 'thunk' that meant the end of another late night at the 7th Heaven. While he didn't do much downstairs, other than help haul things around when Tifa was busy elsewhere, the man still kept a close ear on it. Oh, he knew that Tifa wouldn't appreciate it if she thought he didn't think she could handle it, but he knew she could, and it just made him smile when she gave him that indignant look. Tifa was strong, stronger than anyone else he knew. Strong enough to help support him when he was too broken to know that anything was wrong, and strong enough to weather his bouts of...whatever one wanted to call them.
Listening for a moment, to make sure that she was really shutting down, and his ears weren't playing tricks on him, Cloud stood up. He had been planning routes for the next day, but if Tifa was done for the night....
He moved, slipping along the floor in bare feet, not making a sound as he listened to her start the nightly clean up. He didn't go down the stairs. Again, this was something she liked to do on her own. When he offered to help, Tifa would just shoo him out, saying that it was her time to relax a bit. Even if she was working, she was alone, sometimes for the first time since she got up. Between Cloud, the kids, and then the customers, Tifa was always around other people except for very brief moments of escape. So she seemed to enjoy the time to herself while she cleaned and restocked her bar. The dishes would be washed, and the glasses set to soak over night, where they would be sent through the washer the next day.
But while she didn't want him down there while she wiped down the bar then swept and mopped the floor, Cloud could do something else. It only took a few minutes to make his way to the bathroom of their room, something larger than most. But they had planned it that way, when Tifa had asked him to help her redesign her lost bar. They were all fighters, and sometimes, it was easier to clean up when one had a bit more room. Or, worse come to worse, when a person had to help get everything washed up. So a nice, large bathroom.
With a small smile, he started up the water, making sure to plug the tub after the rush of cold had already splashed against the tub and drained. While it ran, he collected a few other things. Over the last few years, he had picked some things. Towels went in the warmer, because nothing was nicer than a warm towel after a bath. Then he collected a few things that he'd be looking for later, Tifa's robe, and some slippers. Again, no point in getting even a little bit chilly after the bath. Especially this time of year, where the nights were starting to have a bite even he could feel.
Their timing was getting pretty good, and as he reached over to turn off the water, he heard her footsteps coming up the stairs. She was quiet, but he was enhanced, and he heard the soft scuff of the steps against the wooden stairs.
He could almost imagine her smile, and when he straightened up and looked towards the bedroom door, it was easy to see in reality. Tifa's whole face relaxed when she saw him there, water steaming, and things ready for her.
Without a word, she started to strip off her clothing, the fabric clinging in spots where she had gotten sweaty or had a drink spilled on her. It still happened from time to time, even though she had started wearing the leather over-shirt to keep anyone from trying that to get a free show. Thought now, most often, it really was an accident.
Cloud didn't say anything, just smiled back at her, and moved to take the clothing without a murmur. He could smell the smoke on her skin, the way it clung to her hair as she moved. The smell of sweat and alcohol and other people were also there. She had been at the bar for the most part, but sometimes she had to make a round of the tables if the waitress was busy. And the 7th Heaven was always busy anymore, people wanting to be out and about as the fall season hit them hard as it started to slide towards winter. Almost too many people in too small a space, and she was always brushing up against people as she passed out drinks.
Once she was naked, Tifa moved to slip into the water while Cloud put the clothing into the hamper. Then he moved to the side of the tub, sitting on the back edge as Tifa dunked under the surface for a moment. Then she sat up, water streaking down her back as she let it drip, hair a long, dark, sleek stream along her skin. After a moment, she collected a bottle and handed it to Cloud.
Taking it, Cloud smiled. It was one of his favorites for her to use. Lightly scented, not so strong to make his nose burn, but still enough for her to enjoy the smell as well.
This, he could do for her. Pouring some of the shampoo into his hand, he carefully began to work on her hair. This, right here, he could do. Cloud knew he wasn't the most talkative of souls, feeling as if he was stumbling over the wrong words most of the time. Nor was he the most physically affectionate.
For both of them, Nibelheim would always be this block, this solid moment when everything had gone -wrong- in their worlds. Neither of them really spoke of it anymore, and while Tifa tried to pretend she wasn't reminded of it every time she saw Cloud, Cloud knew the truth. There was always that dark flash, and she was always ready to think the worst for a split second when he did something she didn't like.
But here and now, when he did this, when he was feeling the heavy weight of her hair slide through his fingers, the smell of smoke and drink and -others- being washed out of the strands, he felt he was taking part of her back. That she wasn't seeing the fire and death that had happened, that she wasn't seeing him and seeing a promise she thought broken for so long. Which was still broken. He hadn't been able to save her, not then, not ever. The other way, yes. She had saved him more than once.
But this, being here for her, helping her, rubbing his fingertips along her scalp as she hummed and leaned back into his touch, that helped.
It was also something he enjoyed doing. Feeling the wet hair slide between his fingers, and the trust she had in him, to not only let him see her this way, but to have that sort of trust to lean back into his hands when he gave a low sound, so that he could lower her back into the water and rinse her hair.
It was all about being here for her, no matter what she needed. Her needs were important, and it made him feel -good- to help her, to do these little things for her.
For Cloud, it meant he'd always have a place in the world, in her world, and for that, he'd give anything. Sephiroth had pretended to offer that, and with Tifa, by being here with her, and doing little things like this, it was a solid reality.
Cloud loved her for that. Would always love her for that.
Always.
Beta: Skeren
Fandom: FFVII
Pairing: Cloud/Tifa
Wordcount: 1,317
Kink: Service
Summary: Cloud has some thoughts as he helps Tifa out.
It seemed like it was later than normal when Cloud heard the solid 'thunk' that meant the end of another late night at the 7th Heaven. While he didn't do much downstairs, other than help haul things around when Tifa was busy elsewhere, the man still kept a close ear on it. Oh, he knew that Tifa wouldn't appreciate it if she thought he didn't think she could handle it, but he knew she could, and it just made him smile when she gave him that indignant look. Tifa was strong, stronger than anyone else he knew. Strong enough to help support him when he was too broken to know that anything was wrong, and strong enough to weather his bouts of...whatever one wanted to call them.
Listening for a moment, to make sure that she was really shutting down, and his ears weren't playing tricks on him, Cloud stood up. He had been planning routes for the next day, but if Tifa was done for the night....
He moved, slipping along the floor in bare feet, not making a sound as he listened to her start the nightly clean up. He didn't go down the stairs. Again, this was something she liked to do on her own. When he offered to help, Tifa would just shoo him out, saying that it was her time to relax a bit. Even if she was working, she was alone, sometimes for the first time since she got up. Between Cloud, the kids, and then the customers, Tifa was always around other people except for very brief moments of escape. So she seemed to enjoy the time to herself while she cleaned and restocked her bar. The dishes would be washed, and the glasses set to soak over night, where they would be sent through the washer the next day.
But while she didn't want him down there while she wiped down the bar then swept and mopped the floor, Cloud could do something else. It only took a few minutes to make his way to the bathroom of their room, something larger than most. But they had planned it that way, when Tifa had asked him to help her redesign her lost bar. They were all fighters, and sometimes, it was easier to clean up when one had a bit more room. Or, worse come to worse, when a person had to help get everything washed up. So a nice, large bathroom.
With a small smile, he started up the water, making sure to plug the tub after the rush of cold had already splashed against the tub and drained. While it ran, he collected a few other things. Over the last few years, he had picked some things. Towels went in the warmer, because nothing was nicer than a warm towel after a bath. Then he collected a few things that he'd be looking for later, Tifa's robe, and some slippers. Again, no point in getting even a little bit chilly after the bath. Especially this time of year, where the nights were starting to have a bite even he could feel.
Their timing was getting pretty good, and as he reached over to turn off the water, he heard her footsteps coming up the stairs. She was quiet, but he was enhanced, and he heard the soft scuff of the steps against the wooden stairs.
He could almost imagine her smile, and when he straightened up and looked towards the bedroom door, it was easy to see in reality. Tifa's whole face relaxed when she saw him there, water steaming, and things ready for her.
Without a word, she started to strip off her clothing, the fabric clinging in spots where she had gotten sweaty or had a drink spilled on her. It still happened from time to time, even though she had started wearing the leather over-shirt to keep anyone from trying that to get a free show. Thought now, most often, it really was an accident.
Cloud didn't say anything, just smiled back at her, and moved to take the clothing without a murmur. He could smell the smoke on her skin, the way it clung to her hair as she moved. The smell of sweat and alcohol and other people were also there. She had been at the bar for the most part, but sometimes she had to make a round of the tables if the waitress was busy. And the 7th Heaven was always busy anymore, people wanting to be out and about as the fall season hit them hard as it started to slide towards winter. Almost too many people in too small a space, and she was always brushing up against people as she passed out drinks.
Once she was naked, Tifa moved to slip into the water while Cloud put the clothing into the hamper. Then he moved to the side of the tub, sitting on the back edge as Tifa dunked under the surface for a moment. Then she sat up, water streaking down her back as she let it drip, hair a long, dark, sleek stream along her skin. After a moment, she collected a bottle and handed it to Cloud.
Taking it, Cloud smiled. It was one of his favorites for her to use. Lightly scented, not so strong to make his nose burn, but still enough for her to enjoy the smell as well.
This, he could do for her. Pouring some of the shampoo into his hand, he carefully began to work on her hair. This, right here, he could do. Cloud knew he wasn't the most talkative of souls, feeling as if he was stumbling over the wrong words most of the time. Nor was he the most physically affectionate.
For both of them, Nibelheim would always be this block, this solid moment when everything had gone -wrong- in their worlds. Neither of them really spoke of it anymore, and while Tifa tried to pretend she wasn't reminded of it every time she saw Cloud, Cloud knew the truth. There was always that dark flash, and she was always ready to think the worst for a split second when he did something she didn't like.
But here and now, when he did this, when he was feeling the heavy weight of her hair slide through his fingers, the smell of smoke and drink and -others- being washed out of the strands, he felt he was taking part of her back. That she wasn't seeing the fire and death that had happened, that she wasn't seeing him and seeing a promise she thought broken for so long. Which was still broken. He hadn't been able to save her, not then, not ever. The other way, yes. She had saved him more than once.
But this, being here for her, helping her, rubbing his fingertips along her scalp as she hummed and leaned back into his touch, that helped.
It was also something he enjoyed doing. Feeling the wet hair slide between his fingers, and the trust she had in him, to not only let him see her this way, but to have that sort of trust to lean back into his hands when he gave a low sound, so that he could lower her back into the water and rinse her hair.
It was all about being here for her, no matter what she needed. Her needs were important, and it made him feel -good- to help her, to do these little things for her.
For Cloud, it meant he'd always have a place in the world, in her world, and for that, he'd give anything. Sephiroth had pretended to offer that, and with Tifa, by being here with her, and doing little things like this, it was a solid reality.
Cloud loved her for that. Would always love her for that.
Always.