A/N: Okay, I was seriously having a major case of writer's block in all my unfinished fics recently and while having a peaceful evening as I stare at my computer screen, I suddenly remembered something CRAZY about Cait Sith and his prediction about Cloud and Aerith's star and how compatible they were before he died in the game (Secret weapon of Clerith fans everywhere.) and I decided to make a oneshot about it.
Slight alchohol induced OOCness.
A bar called Seventh heaven in the city of Edge was finally closed for the night, chairs and tables were empty and only the buzzing of the ceiling fan and the clanking of the glasses being washed was the sound heard all around. Tifa was unusually solemn for reasons she didn't understand that evening, it was rather uncharacteristic as she is known to have a smile on her face even if death was inevitable during their conquest against Sephiroth years back. Maybe she was tired, but tired of what? Her juggling the kids, the bar and Cloud Strife every single day? Or maybe the past events all these years had finally taking its toll. She didn't understand it and decided not think about it, atleast tried to.
Maybe I just need some rest. She thought with a sigh, she was actually grateful towards Barret for taking the kids with him for the weekend so she can have a much deserved time for herself. She set aside the last of the glasses before she turned the faucet off, she wiped her hands dry on a nearby hanged towel before she went on her way towards the stairs, but she didn't get the chance to reach it when the front door suddenly opened and a spikey blonde hair emerged from it. Tifa immediately stopped on her tracks to stare at the blue eyes which were also looking back into her ruby ones while he closed the door behind him.
"Sorry I'm late." Cloud started as he made his way towards the bar, his heavy boots making loud noises against the hard wood floor, immediately letting Tifa know that his body is heavy from exhaustion.
"It's alright, I'm just glad you came home safely." Tifa said with a smile as she made her way back to the bar. "Why don't you take a shower so you can relax a little and eat?"
"I'm fine Teef, I already ate on the way home, sorry, I was starving."
"It's alright." Tifa said with a reassuring smile.
"I want to have a drink though... Join me?" Cloud suddenly said which surprised the martial artist, he was not one to initiate something like that, not since the events two years ago.
"I... I'd love to Cloud." Tifa said with a smile.
"In that case." Cloud said before he gave the beautiful bartender a very handsome wry smile. "Give me something hard." Tifa tried to hide her blush but failing then she started laughing.
"Y-yeah, okay." Tifa stuttered before she turned around to get him the drink but ended up bumping into the sink. "Ow!" Cloud raised both eyebrows in amusement.
"You okay?" The blonde asked with a slight smirk.
"No, yes!" Tifa slapped her forehead with a grimace. "Now let's have that drink." She could hear Cloud chuckling behind her so she grimaced again in embarassment.
"Alright." Cloud said in a monotone before Tifa turned around to slide the drink she just poured into his direction, the blonde grabbed it with ease before he raised his glass with the still wry smile. "To you." He said which made Tifa raise her eyebrows.
"What? Why?" She asked with an amused look.
"Well..." Cloud started scratching his right cheek with his forefinger while blushing slightly. "For being the best... I guess..." He said quietly and Tifa couldn't help but grin.
"You know that you're the best too." The brunette said which made Cloud scoff.
"I'm not. Never was." The warrior said with his head down.
"What are you talking about? You are a great leader, you saved the world, you are a great friend and a father to-" She immediately stopped talking then blushed in embarassment at her last statement, Cloud however just stared at her before he cleared his throat louder than he intended.
"...Well... Ummm..."
"Anyway, straight up." Tifa said then immediately took her shot then slammed her glass on the counter top which made Cloud raise both eyebrows. Then he too took a drink of his own.
"That's good." He said quietly with a lick of his lips.
"Yeah..." Tifa said before she smiled.
Tifa had been laughing while Cloud chuckled quietly as they talk about the events of their past travels, from stealing and breaking Cid's Tiny Bronco which made them all stranded in the middle of the ocean, letting out a sleeping Vincent from his coffin to coming after Yuffie because she stole all their materia.
"Oh, I have a memory that's really hilarious." Tifa said with another laugh.
"Oh yeah? What's this about?"
"Remember when I went undercover as a Honey bee inn girl?" Tifa said with a wiggle of her eyebrows. Cloud however suddenly choked on his drink which made Tifa laugh even harder.
"I know, I get it, I dressed as a gir-"
"No, no, well, there's that but..." Tifa said with a huge grin which made Cloud really nervous that he started sweating.
"But what." He said in such monotone that it didn't sound like a question at all.
"When you were alone with the Don after he chose you to be his bride..." Tifa started laughing again with her lips pressed together. Cloud however was maintaining his blank look as he stared at the red faced brunette who can't seem to stop laughing. "And when I opened the door to his bedroom, I saw you, going nearer to his bed... With your lips slightly pouted towards his cheek-"
"No." Cloud interjected immediately even if there was no question to be answered.
"It really looked like you were going to kiss him!"
"No." Cloud said again with that blank look, but his cheeks were visibly red making Tifa laugh harder.
"Okay, okay, I believe you." She said with a shake of her head while still laughing. "Crazy times." She said again before she took another sip of her drink. Cloud started chuckling again while looking down on his glass before Tifa spoke again. "That was the first day I met her." She said with a sad smile which made Cloud look up at her, then he looked down again with an unreadable expression.
"Yeah." He croaked before he took another sip.
"Maybe your life would have turned out differently if she didn't..." Tifa choked and wasn't able to finish her sentence, Cloud however looked up at her once again with a slight frown.
"What do you mean?" He asked in monotone.
"Well, I just think you would have been happier if she's here and-"
"You think I'm not happy?" Cloud asked with his eyebrows still knitted together.
"N-no, it's just... Sorry... Nevermind..."
"What is this about Teef?" Cloud asked while he leaned back on his chair with his arms crossed, his face still holding that frown.
"Come on Cloud," Tifa said with a shake of her head. "Anybody could tell that you two... Well, you laughed whenever you talk to her, you were... Different when she was around... Happier..." Tifa said, Cloud didn't say anything and didn't change the way his face looked as he continued to stare at her. "You two were great together... And I can't blame you, she's beautiful, she has these great eyes, she's funny..." Tifa pointed out. Cloud's frown only deepened at her statement.
"You really think so? You think we were perfect for each other?" He asked. Tifa visibly swallowed the lump on her throat.
"Yes, even Cait Sith predicted that you two were were meant for each other, remember?" Tifa answered back with a smile but her face immediately changed into seriousness after that, that memory bothered her for a while, she was there when Cait Sith said that Cloud and Aerith's star showed great future.
"Yeah, you're right. He did say that." Cloud said before he took another sip of his drink.
"See." Tifa said with her hand gestured towards him.
"Except you're forgetting one thing."Cloud said without looking at Tifa which had her really confused.
"What?" She asked. "What are you-"
"Cait Sith's predictions are never accurate." Cloud finally said which widened Tifa's eyes greatly. Cloud gave her another one of those handsome wry smile and she could feel her heart banging on her chest. The blonde slowly stood up before he started walking slowly towards the end of the bar with his eyes intensely glued to Tifa's ruby ones, and she swore that she forgot how to breathe. "Do you really believe that, Tifa?" He asked.
Oh my... He's drunk. He's just drunk. Tifa convinced herself.
"W-what? I... Well..." Cloud was right, Cait Sith was never reliable when it came to predictions, that was one thing she forgot completely. "I..." Before she could speak further she saw Cloud approaching her with that still intense eyes. "Umm..."
"You didn't answer my question." He said again before he pinned her on the refrigerator with her eyes wider than saucers and an arm was held on the side of her head.
"What question." She said rapidly with a swallow.
"Do you really believe that?" Cloud asked huskily before he grabbed some strands of her hair to play with it.
"Shiva..." Tifa said with a shaky voice. "You're drunk." She said again with a higher pitch than usual.
"Maybe, but... You haven't answered my-"
"I did believe it, yes. I could see it! Everyone did! And it pushed me to set aside my feelings for you and-" Tifa gasped loudly before she slapped her mouth with her hand in attempt to cover it. Cloud's blue eyes visibly widened with his lips slightly parted and he stared at her for a while. "Is that... Really surprising...?" Tifa asked with a muffled voice when she finally recovered.
"Yes." Cloud responded quickly with a swallow.
"Oh come on, when we were in..." Oh my Gods, I'm probably drunk too and now I can't keep my mouth shut! "...The Gondola in Gold saucer, I tried to tell you!" Tifa said with a small laugh.
"Tell me what..." Cloud said huskily while searching her ruby eyes, his face only inches from hers.
"That... Ummm..." She was caught off guard by the way he looked at her. "You are so dense... That's what I'm- mmmm! mmmm...!" She wasn't able to finish when Cloud crashed his lips into hers suddenly with her eyes bugged out of her head. They pulled away with a loud smack with Cloud licking his lips.
"You were saying?" He asked.
"That ummm.. Y-you-" She didn't get to finish when she was kissed once again and this time, she didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around hs neck. "What did you believe?" She asked in a whisper in between kisses. Cloud pulled away to stare into her eyes.
"What's happening now, that's what I believed, for a long time..." He said with a small smile before he wiped the single tear that escaped the corner of Tifa's left eye, the brunette chuckled before she pulled him closer. "Maybe I should make a note about this, so in case you forget that we had this conversation..." She whispered with a smirk and Cloud couldn't help but laugh.