A new story because I haven't written something in so long.

Disclaimer: Naturally, I own nothing of FF7.

Another day.

In the gloomy city of Edge, they say that friendliness is possibly the worst thing you can wish for. If you were to say hello to someone on the grimy street or smile pleasantly at them, they were as likely to scowl at you as they were to simply brush you off and ignore you. It was the sort of negative attitude that Tifa had grown accustomed to when not in her homely bar.

When you were in control of their alcohol for the night, they were the friendliest bastards you'd ever meet.

But out here they only regarded her with disdain as they did any other person.

After The Reunion, she had sincerely hoped there would be a larger sense of community. The Geo-stigma that had racked everyone had been dead and gone for near on the entire year now. Yet so many people were rapidly converting back to their old, nasty habits; back to when Edge had only just been conceived from the ashes of Midgar and everyone looked out for number one. Children still wandered the streets and alleys, the crannies and alcoves, still growing up parent-less, preying on one another in gangs, cheating for coin, or scrabbling and thieving for food. Drug addicts lay in dirty gutters, begging for gil with their brown bowls up and their needle marked arms down.

It was a pitiful shame, in retrospect. But nothing she could repair alone. She sighed inwardly as she trudged through the streets.

A low growl escaped past her lips as a passer by roughly moved her aside from their path without so much as an 'excuse me', and near on punched someone who did the same thing not five seconds later. If there was something she prided herself in though, it was maintaining self-control. She simply took in a deep breath, counted to ten, slowly exhaled, and continued to walk toward her destination.

Home.

She would have plenty of precious time to run herself a much needed, relaxing bath. That titillating thought was more than enough to carry her back to Seventh Heaven without hospitalising someone. Such as it was, when she arrived inside her bar, the door was promptly shut and locked. She even firmly stuck the 'Closed' sign in the window to keep away the pesky regulars.

They would knock and shout regardless, she suspected.

It was as if the days events had all simply conspired to weigh down on her mind and body, but suddenly her limbs were leaden. Slowly, she crossed the space between the doorway over to the staircase, her feet beginning to climb the steps one by one toward the 'house' portion of the bar. Upstairs was the true living area in which Marlene, Denzel, Cloud, and herself resided. It was as nice as she could make it. Clean top to bottom with not a speck of dust to be seen, when she could help it; yet right now her heavy padded boots trailed in dirt, grime, or whatever else she trod in off the street.

Entering her own spacious room, kicking off the fighters boots, Tifa released a most content sigh of relief as the pressure left her sore feet, with a small hum of joy passing when she felt less confined than she had been not a minute before. Orderly, she unbuckled the leather skirt-cape from around her waist, throwing it onto her double bed with little care. Next came the leather shorts, the item of clothing was almost skin-tight to her hips, so removing them did take a few minutes, her hand then reached up and pulled down the zip that held her sleeveless leather crop-top against her body, which again was given to make her breathe a little easier as her chest expanded free from its confines.

Her white under-shirt was loose and filmed with sweat. Baggy as compared to her leather clothing she tended to wear. It was quickly pulled over her head, joining the rest of her garments. She titled her head back with her eyes closed, craning her neck until she heard the soft click. The feeling of the cool air against her bare breasts was a nice sensation after a hot day.

Tifa Lockhart hated bras.

Left standing in only her panties and socks, she walked from her own room, into the bathroom. The awaited bath only taking ten minutes or so to run, the water being steaming hot as the taps were shut off. It was no small amount of pleasure that ran through her shapely body when she pulled of her socks, slipped her underwear down to kick them away, and sunk her nude form under the water, deliberately at a leisurely pace.

There was a difference in the heat of the sun, and the heat of water in a bath. The latter was one that simply eroded the aches in her joints, made her to feel wonderfully relaxed. Her head resurfaced, her lungs taking in fresh air, Tifa leaning back against the soothing porcelain of the tub. The water was beginning to settle from the entry, calmly rocking just so over her more than ample cleavage.

She could stay like this for hours.

With a most bitter snarl, Cloud slashed down with the force that only genetic enhancements could bring, cleaving the attacking beast in two as Tsurugi passed clean through its grotesque torso. He only exhaled sharply when his body healed itself of all the recent injuries the creature had brought his body. He grabbed an old shabby scrap of reasonably large fabric from his pack and began wiping the gore from his precious sword.

He was enraged now, his lithe frame racked with small shakes. Usually when a monster attacked, it was good. It got out a little bit of anger. But this one had destroyed his package while he'd been riding. An expensive statuette, that he was delivering to Junon. Granted, Junon was a far cry from Edge, but what Gil the buyer had offered for Cloud to deliver this small trinket in person was too good to pass up.

He begrudged it. But they always needed the money.

'They' being Tifa and the kids. He always cared for them, and he always would. He was certainly fit enough for that. He'd hoped that after The Reunion he would of gotten even marginally closer to his family-of-sorts. As it was now, he still mostly lived in Aeris's peaceful church in the old ruins of the slums. Cloud despised that he still could not bring himself to stay around them for extended amounts of time.

All the anguish brought about from his life still weighed on him after all this time. No battles fought and won seemed to bring him his solace. He knew for a fact Aeris forgave him, because she never really needed to. To see her and Zack that last time, her bending over her cherished flowers, moving to her feet and smiling at him, Zack casually smirking against the stone church entrance, both loving him. It was bitter-sweet. He'd hold it in his own memories forever.

But forgiveness needed or not, past wrongs righted, present problems fixed, memories returned, enemies vanquished; it didn't change his nature. It did not make him a joyous person. He was happier now than he was, definitely. But he still kept his own company. He did not believe for a fraction of a second that he was truly fixable. He was a broken toy in the fumbling fingers of a simple-minded child.

He shook his head silently, rolling tense muscles.

Tifa warned him not to think such things. ...Even if he thought them true.

He was becoming too lost in thoughts these days.

After his weapon was free of blood, he grimaced at the broken package laying softly in the earth's dirt. Cloud sighed, crouching to scoop it up, and securing its remnant on his back-seat. He swung a leg over Fenrir, making back for Edge.

No use in delivering broken merchandise.

Cloud hated it when deliveries botched up, his anger was still clearly present when he drove through Edge's entrance, straight toward the 'slums'. By now, he'd been heard coming along, and as he expected, many children could be seen cheering him on. Most people had the good sense to clear the dirt filled street so he could get by without incident.

He altered his path half-way to his destination though, after thinking about the day.

A stiff drink was in order.

Tifa beamed brightly when she saw Cloud enter.

Filling, and placing down a cool, sweet mug of cider on the counter-top, she gave a small smile and a hello in way of greeting, smiling slightly wider and shaking her head as Cloud took a stool, depositing three times the amount of gil the drink costed. Long ago she'd said he never need pay for anything in The Seventh Heaven, and to this day he'd happily (If happily was the term to be used), ignored her, paying extra on days where he had the spare gil. Tifa smiled that bit more because she kept a small nest egg hidden away upstairs for all the money he needlessly handed her to pay for things in emergencies.

It was their running joke, of sorts.

Because of Cloud, Tifa never needed to worry about the bar being shut down from unpaid bills and the like. He was her true solace in this rather bleak city, and she could always rely on him; he'd promised to always be there for her. Denzel and Marlene were still at school, but they'd be home soon. She hoped Cloud would stay long enough to see them at least.

"Do you plan to stay tonight?" She asked, the hope in her voice not restrained.

His reply came back quiet. "Maybe. I thought about it."

She wished he'd said just even a simple 'yes'. It meant she could ask him to promise. She felt horribly sneaky when constantly resorting to make Cloud promise, merely so she could know he was there for a time. It went unsaid that he always adhered to the prospect of fulfilling a wish. His presence always made her and the kids feel comfortable and safe. She sighed inwardly, thinking while she stood on the balls of her feet. Cloud drained his mug and set it back down. She knew well enough by now to know he'd want another, clasping the hardened glass, taking and refilling it.

Usually he'd ask for stronger stuff, (Namely the 'Cloud Special' as the locals dubbed it, a wicked concoction that could take down the most thick-blooded of men), considering it took him twice as much alcohol in his system to get even a buzz due to the mako running through his veins, but he was still clearly on the fence about staying tonight, and he would no doubt watch his intake fiercely until the decision of jumping onto Fenrir, or collapsing in bed upstairs, had come about.

"I have changed your sheets since you were last here..." Tifa smiled her sweet signature smile. Cloud liked clean, crisp sheets, she hoped it sweetened the deal all the more. It'd been a month or so since his last visit, she recalled now.

"Hm." He nodded.

A silent whisper of a disheartened sigh escaped her lips; he was just probably going to up and leave soon. Although, if she read into it correctly, she did note that his eyes briefly darted to that special Junon Banora-Red she kept next to the kegs of home-brewed Seven Ale. To which he did like both on the occasion.

Tifa chose not to speak for the time being, letting the sullen silence do her talking for her and leave Cloud to his own strange and bewildering thoughts. The fan on the ceiling spun almost noiselessly, a faint whir among the ticking of a clock set into the wall to her left. Her fingers clasped the polished counter while the air hung, she wordlessly took the empty mug Cloud placed down yet again, refilling it with the same cider. He'd ask for something else if he wanted it.

She sadly gazed upon the Blonde; his features were downcast as was typical of Cloud. He still didn't display the bearing of someone over twenty, still eerily similar to the tough, yet shy boy she'd grown up with for the most finite of time. His features were that of a painting, in hindsight.

Lightning blue eyes, which weren't meeting her own, but instead boring holes into the darkened and musty pine floorboards that laid row upon row. His dishevelled, unkempt spiky hair was almost a platinum blond in the low glare of the ceiling light. His features were smooth and unblemished, chiselled to a point, dainty lips that almost pouted, androgynous was easily the best term applicable. To top it all off, his body was slender and toned, yet willowy, almost curved in places. She recalled not recognising him in Corneo's Manor until he'd spoken, and even then his quiet voice was misplaced on her mind as feminine.

It could certainly not be said that Cloud Strife was not stunning.

Her review of his form abruptly stopped as his gaze snapped to hers. His eyes were gorgeously piercing. It stunned her how a man she trusted and cared for, felt safe with, could make her uneasy with the most unassuming of stares.

He opened his mouth, but didn't utter a word, gently closing it only moments later and looking away, as if he hadn't properly thought of what to say. He found his tongue after he'd promptly drained the mug set before him.

"I'll stay the night." He settled. "A clean bed sounds... nice."

Tifa's mask broke and a grin spread over her features.

She composed herself, eagerly grabbing the depleted flagon to fill it with something better. Cloud didn't object as she moved toward the Banora-Red he'd trained his eyes on only minutes before. She placed down a full-to-the-brim cup of the beverage.

...And he downed it.

She appreciated that he essentially solidified what he'd said.

"So..." Tifa asked, trying to start some form of conversation. She grabbed a somewhat middle sized glass for herself, pouring some Banora-Red, as Cloud was drinking it too. "How'd today's deliveries go?"

Clouds somewhat blank stare darkened slightly and immediately he took a long gulp of his just-refilled mug. He shifted about, sparing a glance at the doorway, then went back to Tifa. He spoke softly and simply: "Bad."

"Why bad?" She replied to his sullen expression.

"Monsters attacked. Broke the package."

"Oh. Well at least you weren't hurt, Cloud."

"Yeah."

"You wouldn't of come here if you'd been hurt. Would you of?"

"Not likely."

"Didn't think so." Tifa smirked, folding her arms. Oh, she read him like a bloody book. She rested on her back foot, studying him for a few moments with drink in hand. He met her scanning eyes, looking through her almost, as if he was trying to determine why she'd asked, eliciting an impromptu staring contest between them. Eventually she relaxed, unfolding her arms and resting upon the counter, looking away after the 'match' proved too awkward for her. "I'm glad you stopped by. I- We've missed you."

Cloud didn't answer that immediately.

"Hm." He replied a half-minute later.

By now, she was used to his mannerisms and all the little things he did. Whenever Cloud was Cloud or feeling ever so slightly uncomfortable he would look somewhere besides the person who was talking to him. When he felt extremely uncomfortable or was otherwise annoyed, he would rub the wolf broach on his shoulder; its iron ring, between his thumb and forefinger.

And he was doing both those things.

Tifa sighed at his cold attitude towards the new topic of conversation. It didn't matter what mood Cloud happened to be in; he could be in his neutral state of mind, or even happy (which was rare in itself), but the second anything to do with him, her, or the kids was touched upon, he'd retreat back inside his shell, lock up tight, and throw away the key.

It... it actually pissed her off an awful lot.

"I've..." He began, stopping her before she could have a go at him. "I've missed... being here too."

She visibly loosened her stance, the notion of sternly giving him an earful slipping away rapidly, appeased by the answer. It was the best she was going to get from him for now, she knew. Tifa bent over the bar, leaning in towards him, she gently placed a chaste kiss on his cheek.

"Thank-you." She smiled. "Was that so hard?"

"I... No." He whispered, staring down. Apparently his feet were really interesting.

Tifa made to re-fill his glass with something stronger, moving toward the barrel with the 'Cloud Special' in it. She took in into both hands, removing the cork, but Cloud had gotten to his feet, standing straight. He turned to the door, not moving, thereafter turning back around until he faced the stairs leading up. He took hold of the tankard seeing as Tifa had filled it nevertheless. He took a sip, a very faint smile playing on his face as he came to realise the personal drink.

"It's been a while."

Her laughter echoed through the empty building. She ungracefully popped the barrel down, resting both arms on it.

"Yep." She said, a full on grin etched into her features. "Figured you'd like that."

It was much later, after the children had come home and been settled into their beds, now well past midnight, when Cloud stumbled up each step, one by one, escorted by an equally inebriated, if not more drunken Tifa. After the 'Cloud Special' had made its infamous appearance, the Blonde had sat himself back down to drink, his previous discomfort gone in mere seconds of taking a few mouthfuls of the brew.

If not for the fact that he was sluggish in his footsteps, or for the slight slur to his voice, it would have been impossible to distinguish drunk Cloud from sober Cloud, because he more or less acted the same, except he might smile, or talk a little more than was usual for him.

Of course, it was one of the reasons Tifa loved it when Cloud was drunk.

The other, was that he opened up, exiting his pesky shell after a few Specials. She could talk to him just as easily as she would talk to Marlene on a good day. He was cheerful about things, if not indifferent, and kept the conversation flowing like the wine he'd drank after emptying her reserves.

Tifa almost tripped over the rug outside her room, but luckily her SOLDIER-in-shining-armour saved her from bruised knees, catching her before she could register she'd began to fall. She murmured a small thanks, wishing him a goodnight and placing another kiss on his cheek. It wasn't as innocent as the first kiss she'd given him earlier, as drunk Tifa was now out to play. But on the whole it was simply a longer kiss.

"Sleep well, Cloud." She said, suddenly deciding she wanted a hug, pulling him into an embrace until her hands met around his upper back. He returned it, resting his arms around her. They held each other for moments that she felt were like hours. As quick as it had come along, it was over, and he wished her a pleasant night before moving off to his own room.

She entered and fell into her double bed with a tired yawn, clumsily navigating her way into the warm duvet until her head rested on a soft cotton pillow. Tifa grunted in a ladylike manner as she threw off pieces of clothing until she was down to her panties. The duvet was smooth against her mostly nude body, yet abruptly, she found she wasn't sleepy now.

If Tifa had been sober, she'd of simply chalked it up to Cloud being in the next room, and therefore it was strange because he was actually therefor once, and she'd nod off to sleep soon after. As she was, her priority came to her in the form of needing to hug Cloud in order to get to sleep. It seemed a brilliant idea.

Rather unceremoniously, the covers were thrown from her, and she arose.

Her feet carried her from the warmth of her room, into the hallway. She gently paced (As well as she could drunk), until she stood before Cloud's door. She didn't knock, she simply pushed on the handle until the door miraculously opened for her. The light spilled into the dark, causing the prone form in the bed to shift about so the brightness wasn't on their face.

Tifa smiled to herself, closing the door, then tipsily sauntering over to the other side of the large bed. She lifted the covers and slid underneath them, scooting and snuggling up to Cloud as best she could. Her hands sook purchase on his (to her delight), almost naked body, attempting to pull him onto his back, succeeding when he realised what was occurring. He was still slightly puzzled as his eyes adjusted from the light-to-darkness, seemingly surprised to see her there when they had done so.

"Oh hey, Tifa." He mumbled, still sounding genuine in his surprise that she was in his room. "Was your bed cold?"

She giggled, nodding. Her head laid down onto his chest as one of her arms snaked underneath him, her other arm moving over his waist to rest on his side. His arms moved to embrace her in kind, pulling her against him tightly. She sighed against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. A perverse thought crossed her mind as her breasts were currently squished against him, dispersing as soon as it had appeared.

It was a new fleeting idea that unexpectedly came into her head, but she went with it.

Leaning up until their faces were level, she pressed her soft lips against his own.

He was reluctant at first, clearly deciding if this was good or not, but she pleased to see he ultimately returned the somewhat hungry kiss, pushing upward against her. She released the smallest gasp of satisfaction when his tongue warily moved into her mouth and explored. His hands briefly glided upward as well, massaging her rather large chest. Their tongues met and danced, wildly playing along to their own music, until she broke the kiss, giggling like a schoolgirl.

"Oh, Cloud..." She whispered in his ear, holding him close, simply enjoying the feeling of skin against skin. "I care for you."

"I know." Came his reply.

"Hold me?"

"Yeah."

He whispered for her to face the other way. She shifted about until she was on her side, and yawned contentedly as he put his arms around her, spooning her firmly. His hands rested just below her breasts, occasionally sliding up to caress the smooth, pillowy mounds. It was a very welcome and relaxing feeling.

She fell asleep in his caring embrace.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed the read. Let me know what you think and leave a review.

I might expand upon this in future, it depends. For now it can stay a One/Shot.