My first fanfic! No flames, please. English is not my first language, so please don't rub too much salt into the wound. XD

Disclaimer: Final Fantasy 7? Don't own it. Maybe in my dreams…

That Wasn't so Hard

The Seventh Heaven was covered in shadows, although dark, it had the very inviting aura of home.

I made my way into the bar as quickly as I could, but no matter how I hurry it seemed that I broke another promise to arrive within the time agreed upon, seeing as my phone told me that it was already two in the morning. I cringed at the sight of it as I inserted the keys to the door and turned the knob as quietly as I could. The heavy clamps of my boots were heard into the wooden floor while accompanying it with subtle creaks. Damn floor. I cursed in my mind and reminded myself to get quieter shoes as well.

My eyes were involuntarily drooping down to close but were instantly interrupted by the growling sounds of my very hungry stomach, so I made my way into the kitchen to get the food that I knew my childhood friend had prepared for me.

Seeing the plateful inside the fridge with my name on it, I was right, a small smile tugged at my lips, obviously happy about the fact that she cared enough.

I know she does. She never left my side… ever.

When I was stuck in a vegetable state back in Mideel, she was the one who asked to be left behind to devotedly look after me. Shortly after that, we fell into the lifestream; she helped me piece my ever so fucked-up self back to the way I was supposed to be. We even shared a special moment underneath the Highwind airship before the final battle with Sephiroth.

As kids, I even promised I'd protect her when she was in trouble, to which I've failed to do far too often.

And when I had the stigma, even though I didn't deserve it, she still managed to be the catalyst to my pathetic and weak false persona.

After being the wimp that I am, and all the crap I've put her through, I never heard a single 'I've had enough of this. You're on your own, buddy!' comment from her, and received a smile instead.

That's who she is, my childhood friend, my secret lover. Tifa Lockhart.

Though I have yet to tell her how I feel.

I walked to the living room with the plate in hand and sat comfortably on the couch. I was about to place a spoonful of the delicious gunk when I felt a small object tug at my foot. It was dark, so it was a challenge to identify the object that, kind of, kicked my feet.

I adjust my body to look at the floor, when I saw what I think was… a body? I leaned in to look closer then slowly I start to recognize the odd shape on the carpeted floor.

"Tifa?"

Confused, I scratch my head. Did she wait for me? This wouldn't be the first time, but… Whenever she did, she would never wait longer than one in the morning, since she had to open the bar early. So now I'm left wondering what she's doing asleep in the living room and on the floor.

I lifted her to the couch and positioned her body to be comfortable. I stared at her for a while; her bright features looked as if they were glowing in the dark.

Her long, dark auburn hair that dangled almost to her waist shone highlights of blue when the moon's light shone on it. She was still wearing the clothes she wore when I left this morning: her black leather zip-up vest that showed her small waist and shorts made of the same material, her black and silver ankle-cut boots hugging her feet. Overall she had a look that says: 'Stay the hell away from me or else get your ass kicked.'

It surprised me when she suddenly opened her eyes and threw herself to a sitting position. She was staring at me.

"Cloud, you're home." Her hazel eyes looked sheepishly at me, her movement seemed peculiar.

"…annoying bastard." Surprised, I looked at her with confusion in my azure eyes.

"Cloud Strife…" She said as she held out her index finger and poked my forehead hard.

"You are so full of shit."

My eyes widened with shock. Tifa Lockhart does not curse… or so I thought. I tried to register it in my mind with what I just heard; I just couldn't take it in yet.

"Excuse me?" She smiled at me and stood up, though she kind of tumbled in the process. She's definitely not herself today.

She walked to the bar counter in a not-so-straight line, hitting her head on the door because it seemed to me, like she forgot to open it. Maybe she was planning to go through it. I followed her to the bar area, carefully observing her in her weird state. When I saw the bottle of vodka on the counter—make that two—I finally understood everything.

I was… shocked. There are many things that Tifa Lockhart does not do, and drinking is one of them. So what got into that amazingly beautiful head of hers (did I mention that it was beautiful?) that made her want to enter the dangerous world of alcohol?

She sat on one of the bar stools and gestured for me to sit down. I complied.

"You make my blood broil, wait… brawl… no, you make my blood crawl… I think." a small chuckle escaped my mouth. She looked at me like she'd just been snickered at, which she was, and pouted those ever pink and soft lip- Whoa, whoa, definitely not what I was thinking. Switch topic, stupid mind.

"Boil." I corrected. She smacked her head with her hand.

"Right. You make my blood bowl." I laughed. I was enjoying this obviously. I have never seen a drunk Tifa before, even if she does run a bar.

"Cloud Strife, are you mocking me?" Her lips did that pouting thing again that I thought was kind of cute, and I decided to savor this moment. Hell, she won't remember this in the morning anyway.

"You've been coming home late for the past week, and there was even a time when you weren't back for two days! You even broke your promise to the kids by not coming home early. You had me going crazy, thinking that you got all emo over them again. You know, blaming yourself for letting them die and all that shit."

"For Minerva's sake, Cloud, move on, dammit."

She rested her head on the counter, but she still had her eyes fixed on me.

"Tifa…" I was going to explain that that was not the case but she interrupted.

"Don't give me all that crap that you've had your… reso… resol… that you've gotten over your guilt. Because I can see it in your gorgeous face that it isn't true."

I gawked. Gorgeous? I could feel a slight blush covering my face.

Her eyes widened, clearly surprised by her words. "Did I just say that out loud?" she asked me as she blew the dangling hair in an attempt to get it out of the way, but it fell back to its original place.

"Yeah." I told her with a smile as I watched her blow her hair again.

"Oh well." She continued to blow.

It fell back.

Blow.

Fall.

Blow.

Fall.

Bl—

I tucked the dangling hair behind her ear. It was kind of irritating me. She let out a small giggle.

"Sometimes, Cloud, you confuse me." She released a sigh along with a hiccup.

"Huh?"

"All your dumb dilly dallying is pissing me off! You've done a lot for me and the kids these days, like giving us gifts and all that crap, not that they're crap, but… you get what I mean."

I blinked.

"Like that time when you came to save me dressed up in that purple dress, which, surprisingly, looked good on you. Hell, the Don even chose you! Hah! Bad for the ego, huh?"

I could feel another blush form on my cheek, this time a big one.

"I just… took the time to… look good… so that he wouldn't choose you."

I could tell that that surprised her; I wasn't exactly someone who expressed my feelings like an open book like a certain hyperactive ninja that I know of.

Her eyes gave a perplexed look. "You're (hiccup) doing…" That's the second time. "…it again."

"Doing what?" I asked as I ran my hands through my blond locks.

"Giving me… assu…assump… clues." She fiddled on her vodka glass.

"Clues?"

"Like… maybe you're, I don't know, in love with me."

I almost fell out of my chair. Shit. She could tell?

"Wh… what makes you think that?"

The look in her eyes told me like it was obvious, which it was… I think.

"Oh c'mon, Cloud! I'm not dense. You've had the biggest crush on me ever since we were kids… Heck, you practically stalked me, for all I know! Then there was that promise, which you agreed to and obsessed with it for years. Then I found out that you joined SOLDIER just to get me to notice you, but when you didn't make it in, you hid yourself from me! Really, Cloud, I just put two and two together."

Yup. She's drunk.

"Tifa, maybe you should get to bed. You need sleep." I stood up and gestured for her to take my hand, but she slapped it away.

"Cloud Strife, I am not drunk!" I didn't tell you you were drunk. I sighed. "Just come right out and say it!"

Great. She's asking for the impossible. No way in Hell will I admit it to her. Not in a thousand years.

Hiccup. Third time.

"Chicken."

Oh no she didn't.

"Cloud Strife is a big chicken! A chicken with chocobo hair!"

My eyes twitched. She did NOT just call me chicken. And no cracks about the hair, woman. She stood up and made a mocking face like a child would.

"Cloud, the man who defeated Sephiroth and saved the world… twice, can't even say three words to a helpless little girl. How pathetic."

Hiccup. Fourth…

"Chocobo hair."

That's it.

"I do NOT have chocobo hair."

"Yes you do."

"I am NOT a chicken."

"You are too!"

"You are NOT a helpless little girl, are you even a girl?"

"Hey!"

I grabbed her hand and pulled her to me.

"I can do more than just say three simple words to a tomboy."

And before she even had the time to protest, I joined my lips with hers. Her lips were softer than I had imagined it. She wouldn't remember, anyway, right? They were pink and full of something sweet, I expected the strong taste of vodka, but for some reason I could only taste orange juice from her incredibly—wait… orange juice?

With all my will power, I broke the kiss and looked at her with accusing eyes. The corners of her mouth turned upwards as she flashed me her best grin.

"There. That wasn't so hard now, was it?"

Tifa Lockhart does not drink.

"Dammit."