[In Luca, Open to all]

[heartofheaven]

Characters: Tifa, Cloud, Yuna, OPEN
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: Tifa helps Yuna out with the flower shop Aerith used to run. Cloud arrives in Luca some time and Tifa goes to meet him. And possibly some other stuff. Let's have a party post? Multiple threads and threadjacking is very welcome! KIDS, ZACK, XIII PEOPLE, heck Tidus why don't you come

Comments

TIFA'S HOUSE - AKA ALL THE SINGLE LADIES. PLUS DENZEL.

[heartofheaven]

serah is not single!! her fianceé is just not here right now.

[focustrigger]

Serah was reading. Over the past few days, everything has suddenly gone... well, rather hectic, multiple things happening at once. First, there had been some people Tifa knew who had appeared in Gaia. Not just a few, actually - many, if she was going to be accurate. And then Vanille showed up, and due to her and Lightning both being in Luca, it seemed prudent to have asked her to come here, which is what had happened. Not really being much help in any department, Serah had taken to going out a few times, and spending time, well, reading, getting herself accustomed to Gaia.

Of course, that was rather hard to do in a busy house.

[tinymakoaddict]

Shelke was moving quietly through the house as she always did when she spotted the girl reading. She hadn't spent much time speaking with the newcomers, busy distracting herself with working at the store or simply staying in her room. But she paused regardless when she spotted the book. She knew how irritating it could be to try to read when the whole Strife-et-friends household was awake. Half the books in the house were hers, after all.

"If you want somewhere quieter to read, I set up a chair in the back yard." She said suddenly. "But you may have to move Ruby, she seems to enjoy sleeping there."

[focustrigger]

Serah looked up at the voice. She knew Shelke from what she'd been told about her... but not much else. Either way, she offered her a smile. "Y'know, I may just do that. There's only so many times I can read the same page," she said, her smile extending and laughing a little. "Thank you. I will later. I was thinking of doing something else for a while."

[tinymakoaddict]

Shelke rarely had the reading-things-twice problem, even when she was distracted, so she refrained from comment, just nodding faintly as the other spoke.

"What are you reading?"

[focustrigger]

Gently, Serah closed the cover of the book she was reading. It wasn't a huge tome, but it was far from the thin, flimsy things that called themselves books. She softly brushed a hand over the cover before she spoke. "A history of Gaia," Serah said thoughtfully to the bound pages, before looking up at Shelke again. "I like history... and I figure I should learn more about Gaia."

Sure, there were the maps, the GPS system on the skyphones that could tell you where you were at the touch of a button, and the current state of Gaia outside... but Serah wanted to know more than that, to really ground herself. Granted, that could probably best be done with actually going out to explore, but Serah was no fighter, and going beyond Luca was not on her priority list, and she didn't want to worry her sister, especially.

POOR DENZEL. Surround by girls. Cooties. Ew.

[xnotyetaherox]

Denzel had been a walking grump machine lately. He wouldn't admit it. He wasn't grumpy. He was fine. He had tried putting on a brave face. He really had. But it wasn't easy when the closest person you had to a dad didn't even remember who you were.

It was hard enough when other people went away and didn't remember, but to be forgotten by your idol and hero, it was just a little bit too heartbreaking.

And with Eiko disappearing on top of that... Yeah, it wasn't a good time for the young boy right now.

He huffed and curled up in the chair he was in, cuddling down into Rex's fur.

[heartofheaven]

Tifa slipped her Sky Phone into her pocket. She was about to head out when she saw Denzel.

...They really needed to talk. She couldn't just say goodbye and leave while he was huddled up like that.

"Denzel..." She crouched down to look at him. "Cloud arrived in Luca. I'm going to see him. Is there anything you want me to say?"

[ooc: yeah, so let's say this takes place before Tifa goes to meet Cloud.]

[xnotyetaherox]

Denzel gave a shake of his head, hair flopping into his eyes. There was a lot he wanted to say, and yet at the same time his mind was blank. It was a very confusing and painful time. He'd pull through, of course. He always did. No matter what happened, he would always bounce back. It was just his way.

"Have a nice time. I bet you're real excited to see him again after so long." Oh and there it was, that Denzel smile - well, an attempt at that Denzel smile.

[heartofheaven]

He was putting on a brave front, but of course it wasn't hard to guess how he was really feeling. Tifa reached out to squeeze his hand.

"I am... but I'm worried about you. I'll ask him to come over and see you too... but you'll have to be prepared for the fact that it's his first meeting with you, okay?"

[xnotyetaherox]

Denzel was silent for a long moment, shifting slightly as though he wanted to say something, but wasn't sure how. "... Tifa," he started but the words soon died on his lips.

"... I was thinking, maybe it would be better if I wasn't in the way, you know?"

[heartofheaven]

"You're not in the way," Tifa answered at once. Her eyes widened as she realised what he was offering to do. "Denzel. I understand... You think it'll be easier on Cloud if he doesn't have to adjust to you being around. That's a very noble and very selfless thing for you to do, but it doesn't have to be that way. Cloud might not know you but he's still the same person. Think what he's missing out on if he never even sees you, mmm? He'll never get to know this amazing person. Or meet Rex - now that'd be a real shame, wouldn't it?"

She patted the dog, who had responded at the sound of his name, licking her hand enthusiastically.

[xnotyetaherox]

"What if he doesn't want to get to know me?" It was a deep fear Denzel had. "Things were so different back home. I was sick, and Cloud was sick, and everyone was suffering and it's not like that here... I'm just some dumb kid."

Tears welled in his eyes. He was trying so hard to be grown up about things, but it was so difficult to see things through an adult's eyes when you were so young.

[heartofheaven]

"You're not a dumb kid," said Tifa firmly. "Listen... Just... let's just see, hmm? But whatever happens, don't ever think it's your fault."

She reached out awkwardly to hug him, the dog still being in the way.

[xnotyetaherox]

"Okay, Tifa." Denzel leaned up to hug Tifa back. Rex licked at whoever's face he could reach from his position wedged between them.

"I hope it goes well - your visit with Cloud, I mean."

[heartofheaven]

"Me too, honey." She gave him a quick hug, then extricated herself before she got covered in dog slobber. She straightened up, ready to go. "You okay for now?"