Final Fantasy VII, Cloud/Tifa/Barret, When All is Said and Done
Title: When All is Said and Done
Author/Artist: queenoftheskies
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Pairing: Cloud/Tifa/Barret
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: touching
Word Count: 1,224
Prompt: Final Fantasy 7 - Cloud/Tifa/Barret - Cloud, Barret and Tifa have been together for a while, but their personalities still sometimes clash and their pasts still haven't stopped haunting them. But in the end they want to stay together. Mild smut would be nice, but affectionate cuddling in bed is just fine. (Alternate: Barret/Tifa - After AC, Barret returns to his family.)
When All is Said and Done
“I just don’t get it,” Barret growled, thumping the table with his metal hand. “One minute, you’re here with us and the next, you’re a million miles away. Aren’t we good enough to keep your interest, lover boy?”
“Barret.” Tifa clutched the edge of the bar until her knuckles turned white. When he favored her with a quick glance, she mouthed the word, Please.
“Stay out of this, Tifa.” His eyes blazed with anger as he leaned across the table, bearing down on Cloud until the blond lay in complete shadow.
Cloud’s head snapped up, his gaze intense when he met Barret’s eyes. “Let him say what’s on his mind.” He rose slowly until he stood eye-to-eye with the big man.
“It’s been two years, Cloud. You don’t belong to him any more. Her neither. You belong to us now. Unless there’s something we don’t know.”
Tifa glanced at the door, worried that some unfortunate soul would enter and drive Barret ballistic. He was close enough without interruption and though Tifa hadn’t seen him lose his temper in a long time, she knew it bubbled just beneath the surface, knew he did his best to control it for them.
Still, memories of Sephiroth and Aeris hurt. She wasn’t sure they could ever be sure that Sephiroth wouldn’t come back for Cloud or that he’d ever love them more than he’d once loved the Ancient. Maybe he still loved her. Sometimes, Tifa wasn’t sure.
Cloud’s jaw clenched. “I never belonged to him.”
One corner of Barret’s mouth curled, reminding Tifa more of a snarl than the unpleasant smile it was. “But, you don’t deny belonging to her.”
“I’m not your possession.” Cloud shoved away from the table, spilling the cup that had been sitting half full in front of him. “I don’t belong to anyone.” He whirled for the door, his boots pounding the scuffed floor as he left.
“Cloud!” Tifa rounded the bar to catch his arm. “Don’t. Please don’t go.”
The ex-SOLDIER looked over his shoulder, eyes narrow. “Looks like you’re the only one who wants me here.”
“That’s not what I said.” Barret pushed around the table, toppling it. Cloud’s cup rolled across the floor, spinning before it came to rest beneath another scarred table. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? An easy out. Someone to blame it all on.”
Cloud spun to meet Barret head-on, but Tifa interposed herself between them. She could just imagine what they’d do to each other with their tempers flaring and though she knew they’d both regret it later, each would be too proud to come back. She’d lose them both and they’d lose each other.
“Stop it, Barrett, Cloud. You’re being children. Just...just...stop it!” Tears burned in her eyes. She wouldn’t let them see, wouldn’t allow them the chance to blame each other for breaking her heart.
“Now look what you’ve done,” Barret accused, capturing Tifa’s arm before she could pull away. “You okay, Tifa?”
“No. No, I’m not okay.” She met him with grim determination. “Why did you have to bring it up? Why couldn’t you just let it go?”
“Me?” Barret curled one hand in to tap his chest. “What about...”
“It’s been two years.” Cloud’s voice was quiet, all anger drained from his face. “That’s what this is all about, isn’t it?”
“Two years?” Tifa sniffled. Wiping her eyes, she looked from one to the other.
“Two years exactly,” Barret agreed. “I was wondering when you were going to get it.”
“Doesn’t it mean anything to you that I didn’t?” Though there was a hint of challenge in Cloud’s voice, he dropped his eyes, righted the table and brushed his hands off on his pants before he faced them again.
Tifa could see that Barret was chewing on the question, long and hard before he admitted, “Maybe.”
“I don’t get it.” She pulled free from Barret’s grip. “Two years since...”
“I defeated Sephiroth, since...” He exhaled slowly. “I had a lot to let go of and I guess I thought I’d done a pretty good job.”
“You can’t forget her, can you?” Tifa wrapped her arms around herself, almost afraid to hear his answer. In spite of the fact that Cloud was with them and not with Aeris, she couldn’t help but wonder if he’d be with the Ancient now, if he could be.
“No.” His gaze grew distant, he shook his head. “If it hadn’t been for her, I’d never have forgiven myself. What she gave me, what she made me realize...” He came back to them. “I wouldn’t be with you now if it wasn’t for her.”
Barret frowned, scratching his head. “I just don’t get it, Cloud. Sometimes, you don’t make any sense at all.”
“I think...” Tifa wrapped her arms around Cloud, leaned against his chest. “Maybe I understand. You blamed yourself for her death, didn’t you?” When he didn’t respond, she admitted, “All this time, I thought it was your love for her that...that drove you, that kept you from releasing her. But, it wasn’t, was it?”
“I promised to protect her.” His eyes dropped to meet Tifa’s. His arms closed around her, pulled her close. “I didn’t. I thought...”
“That you’d failed her.” Barret joined them, wrapping a massive arm around each of them.
An elusive smile almost settled on Cloud’s lips. It brightened his face as it passed. “I never understood that Sephiroth had to kill her, that what happened had to happen in order for her to have the power to help us the way she did.”
For long moments, they were silent. Then Tifa asked, “Why the long face earlier?”
“And where do you go,” Barret asked, his voice surprisingly gentle, “when you aren’t with us?”
“I’m always with you.” This time the smile stuck and mischief shone in his eyes. “Whether you want me or not. You’re stuck with me.” He slid one hand suggestively beneath Tifa’s shirt just as Barret let out a yelp that made them all dissolve into laughter.
“Don’t you go pinching my ass, SOLDIER boy.”
“I could close up early,” she said with a suggestive smile.
“That’s no way to run a business.” But Cloud’s hand found her breast, tweaked the nipple.
Leaning into his hand, she whispered, “But, it is the way to keep my men happy.”
“Ooooh.” Barret laughed. “Whatever happened to Miss I Don’t Need Nobody and I Can Take Care of Myself.”
“She fell in love.” Tifa’s hand dropped to Barret’s crotch, her palm caressed his growing erection. “But she can still take care of herself.” Reluctantly, she pulled free from Cloud’s grip. “Wait for me in bed?”
Their smiles said it all as they turned for the stairs while she made her way to the door. It only took a moment to turn the lock and flip the sign to CLOSED. But, she leaned against it, watching as Barret slid one arm around Cloud’s shoulders and Cloud leaned in to kiss him.
With a happy sigh, she bounded toward them. “Hey, wait! Don’t start without me.”
They turned at her approach.
“Never,” Cloud promised.
“It wouldn’t be the same without you.” Barret scooped her into his arms as they made for the stairs. His eyes locked with Cloud’s. “It wouldn’t be the same without you, either, Cloud.”
Author/Artist: queenoftheskies
Fandom: Final Fantasy VII
Pairing: Cloud/Tifa/Barret
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: touching
Word Count: 1,224
Prompt: Final Fantasy 7 - Cloud/Tifa/Barret - Cloud, Barret and Tifa have been together for a while, but their personalities still sometimes clash and their pasts still haven't stopped haunting them. But in the end they want to stay together. Mild smut would be nice, but affectionate cuddling in bed is just fine. (Alternate: Barret/Tifa - After AC, Barret returns to his family.)
When All is Said and Done
“I just don’t get it,” Barret growled, thumping the table with his metal hand. “One minute, you’re here with us and the next, you’re a million miles away. Aren’t we good enough to keep your interest, lover boy?”
“Barret.” Tifa clutched the edge of the bar until her knuckles turned white. When he favored her with a quick glance, she mouthed the word, Please.
“Stay out of this, Tifa.” His eyes blazed with anger as he leaned across the table, bearing down on Cloud until the blond lay in complete shadow.
Cloud’s head snapped up, his gaze intense when he met Barret’s eyes. “Let him say what’s on his mind.” He rose slowly until he stood eye-to-eye with the big man.
“It’s been two years, Cloud. You don’t belong to him any more. Her neither. You belong to us now. Unless there’s something we don’t know.”
Tifa glanced at the door, worried that some unfortunate soul would enter and drive Barret ballistic. He was close enough without interruption and though Tifa hadn’t seen him lose his temper in a long time, she knew it bubbled just beneath the surface, knew he did his best to control it for them.
Still, memories of Sephiroth and Aeris hurt. She wasn’t sure they could ever be sure that Sephiroth wouldn’t come back for Cloud or that he’d ever love them more than he’d once loved the Ancient. Maybe he still loved her. Sometimes, Tifa wasn’t sure.
Cloud’s jaw clenched. “I never belonged to him.”
One corner of Barret’s mouth curled, reminding Tifa more of a snarl than the unpleasant smile it was. “But, you don’t deny belonging to her.”
“I’m not your possession.” Cloud shoved away from the table, spilling the cup that had been sitting half full in front of him. “I don’t belong to anyone.” He whirled for the door, his boots pounding the scuffed floor as he left.
“Cloud!” Tifa rounded the bar to catch his arm. “Don’t. Please don’t go.”
The ex-SOLDIER looked over his shoulder, eyes narrow. “Looks like you’re the only one who wants me here.”
“That’s not what I said.” Barret pushed around the table, toppling it. Cloud’s cup rolled across the floor, spinning before it came to rest beneath another scarred table. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? An easy out. Someone to blame it all on.”
Cloud spun to meet Barret head-on, but Tifa interposed herself between them. She could just imagine what they’d do to each other with their tempers flaring and though she knew they’d both regret it later, each would be too proud to come back. She’d lose them both and they’d lose each other.
“Stop it, Barrett, Cloud. You’re being children. Just...just...stop it!” Tears burned in her eyes. She wouldn’t let them see, wouldn’t allow them the chance to blame each other for breaking her heart.
“Now look what you’ve done,” Barret accused, capturing Tifa’s arm before she could pull away. “You okay, Tifa?”
“No. No, I’m not okay.” She met him with grim determination. “Why did you have to bring it up? Why couldn’t you just let it go?”
“Me?” Barret curled one hand in to tap his chest. “What about...”
“It’s been two years.” Cloud’s voice was quiet, all anger drained from his face. “That’s what this is all about, isn’t it?”
“Two years?” Tifa sniffled. Wiping her eyes, she looked from one to the other.
“Two years exactly,” Barret agreed. “I was wondering when you were going to get it.”
“Doesn’t it mean anything to you that I didn’t?” Though there was a hint of challenge in Cloud’s voice, he dropped his eyes, righted the table and brushed his hands off on his pants before he faced them again.
Tifa could see that Barret was chewing on the question, long and hard before he admitted, “Maybe.”
“I don’t get it.” She pulled free from Barret’s grip. “Two years since...”
“I defeated Sephiroth, since...” He exhaled slowly. “I had a lot to let go of and I guess I thought I’d done a pretty good job.”
“You can’t forget her, can you?” Tifa wrapped her arms around herself, almost afraid to hear his answer. In spite of the fact that Cloud was with them and not with Aeris, she couldn’t help but wonder if he’d be with the Ancient now, if he could be.
“No.” His gaze grew distant, he shook his head. “If it hadn’t been for her, I’d never have forgiven myself. What she gave me, what she made me realize...” He came back to them. “I wouldn’t be with you now if it wasn’t for her.”
Barret frowned, scratching his head. “I just don’t get it, Cloud. Sometimes, you don’t make any sense at all.”
“I think...” Tifa wrapped her arms around Cloud, leaned against his chest. “Maybe I understand. You blamed yourself for her death, didn’t you?” When he didn’t respond, she admitted, “All this time, I thought it was your love for her that...that drove you, that kept you from releasing her. But, it wasn’t, was it?”
“I promised to protect her.” His eyes dropped to meet Tifa’s. His arms closed around her, pulled her close. “I didn’t. I thought...”
“That you’d failed her.” Barret joined them, wrapping a massive arm around each of them.
An elusive smile almost settled on Cloud’s lips. It brightened his face as it passed. “I never understood that Sephiroth had to kill her, that what happened had to happen in order for her to have the power to help us the way she did.”
For long moments, they were silent. Then Tifa asked, “Why the long face earlier?”
“And where do you go,” Barret asked, his voice surprisingly gentle, “when you aren’t with us?”
“I’m always with you.” This time the smile stuck and mischief shone in his eyes. “Whether you want me or not. You’re stuck with me.” He slid one hand suggestively beneath Tifa’s shirt just as Barret let out a yelp that made them all dissolve into laughter.
“Don’t you go pinching my ass, SOLDIER boy.”
“I could close up early,” she said with a suggestive smile.
“That’s no way to run a business.” But Cloud’s hand found her breast, tweaked the nipple.
Leaning into his hand, she whispered, “But, it is the way to keep my men happy.”
“Ooooh.” Barret laughed. “Whatever happened to Miss I Don’t Need Nobody and I Can Take Care of Myself.”
“She fell in love.” Tifa’s hand dropped to Barret’s crotch, her palm caressed his growing erection. “But she can still take care of herself.” Reluctantly, she pulled free from Cloud’s grip. “Wait for me in bed?”
Their smiles said it all as they turned for the stairs while she made her way to the door. It only took a moment to turn the lock and flip the sign to CLOSED. But, she leaned against it, watching as Barret slid one arm around Cloud’s shoulders and Cloud leaned in to kiss him.
With a happy sigh, she bounded toward them. “Hey, wait! Don’t start without me.”
They turned at her approach.
“Never,” Cloud promised.
“It wouldn’t be the same without you.” Barret scooped her into his arms as they made for the stairs. His eyes locked with Cloud’s. “It wouldn’t be the same without you, either, Cloud.”