(no subject)
Before Vincent left the house the next afternoon -- it would've been the morning, she's sure, if Marlene hadn't roped him into playing a game with her -- Tifa hugged him and smiled as she gave him a strict order.
"Don't be such a stranger anymore, Vincent."
To her surprise, he listened.
Three months later, he even happened to visit in time to help them move into the new bar in Edge.
The new Seventh Heaven is immediately more of a success than Tifa had expected. It's as though people have just been waiting for a place to eat and drink and gather with friends, and from its opening night, Tifa's happier than she's been in months.
Barret volunteers to be her guinea pig and test new dishes and drinks, and Cloud's job is getting all the ingredients she needs. Before the end of the first week, she has to hire someone to help prepare food, and Marlene cheerily takes it on herself to help wait tables. She's a big hit as a waitress.
And a big help.
In addition to beer, wine, cocktails, and sodas, they start serving an assortment of juice blends, each one Marlene-approved. It's been a long time since Tifa's been kept so busy, but she wouldn't have it any other way.
Not even two weeks have gone by before Barret, over breakfast one morning, surprises her. More solemn than usual, he tells them that he's decided to go on a trip, that he wants to go settle his past.
Cloud says he'd like to settle his own past, and cupping her glass of milk between both hands, she can't help feeling quietly stricken.
"You guys can do that here," Barret tells Cloud firmly. "Don't just take. Try proving that you can give, too."
Lifting her eyes, she looks from Cloud to Barret and doesn't say anything.
She's trying to give. Seventh Heaven makes her feel like she can.
Not long after bedtime, Marlene gets up and makes a beeline for Barret's door. Well into the night, she and Cloud can hear Barret's voice telling stories and Marlene's peals of laughter and commentary.
The next morning, Barret packs up and heads out, promising to write and call.
Cloud has been on the phone for longer than usual, and it surprises her a little when he comes back downstairs to tell her he has to go out for a while.
He's already gotten everything she needed for the bar.
"Where are you going?"
He seems at a loss for a second, sky-blue eyes riveted to the floor. "How should I say this?"
It's a worrying way to start an explanation, but he soon puts her fears to rest. Occasionally some of the people he gets their ingredients from ask him to make a delivery for them while he's on the road. It's been happening more often since he got his new bike, and even though it's all been going toward bike modifications so far, he's been making some money of his own.
She can tell he likes that independence, and she doesn't blame him at all. It's similar to one of the reasons she took the bartending job when she and Vincent were at Milliways. It's a good feeling to know that you're providing for yourself and not relying on anyone else.
He tells her the person on the phone was one of the vegetable farmers they've been buying from and that he'd promised to get something delivered tonight, but... he's kind of looking at her funny.
She smiles at him wonderingly. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Well..." For a split second as he hesitates, her Cloud reminds her of Vincent. Just like the one at the bar did. "I'm sorry I kept quiet about it."
"About what?" She's not sure she understands why he'd be so apologetic. He hasn't really kept any secrets from her.
"Doing what I wanted."
She laughs right out loud and moves to put an arm around him.
Maybe she is a little bit sorry this is the first she's heard about it, but... that's so minor. The important thing is that he's doing what he wants. He's getting out and doing things, and he likes it.
It's almost like his world is expanding. It's just the kind of thing he needs right now.
Can they mourn forever? Can they keep being sorry for things they've done or haven't done? All they can do is live life as it comes. No one can undo anything that's happened.
Pressing a tiny kiss to his cheek, she gives his shoulders a squeeze. "Come on, Cloud. I'll help you get ready."
Truthfully, she's proud of him.
Strife Delivery Service.
She kind of likes it. As far as she's concerned, he should make a real business out of it. In fact...
A knock on the door interrupts her train of thought, and since she's elbow-deep in a sink full of sudsy water, she's considering letting the closed sign in the window do the talking.
Until she cranes her neck to look out and spots a familiar figure in red outside.
She's at the door in record time, a towel in her hands, and beaming at Vincent. One minute she's there, grinning and holding the door open, and the next she's... not there.
After six months and the move into their new home, she thought she might be safe from having this happen again.
She was wrong.
When she and Vincent finally take reluctant seats at the bar, she receives a note on napkin reminding her of her Tuesday night shift. Time here is fluid, she was told on her first night here, but this is her first real personal I-just-lived-it proof.
If she ever meets the Landlord, she's not giving him a head start.
"Don't be such a stranger anymore, Vincent."
To her surprise, he listened.
Three months later, he even happened to visit in time to help them move into the new bar in Edge.
The new Seventh Heaven is immediately more of a success than Tifa had expected. It's as though people have just been waiting for a place to eat and drink and gather with friends, and from its opening night, Tifa's happier than she's been in months.
Barret volunteers to be her guinea pig and test new dishes and drinks, and Cloud's job is getting all the ingredients she needs. Before the end of the first week, she has to hire someone to help prepare food, and Marlene cheerily takes it on herself to help wait tables. She's a big hit as a waitress.
And a big help.
In addition to beer, wine, cocktails, and sodas, they start serving an assortment of juice blends, each one Marlene-approved. It's been a long time since Tifa's been kept so busy, but she wouldn't have it any other way.
Not even two weeks have gone by before Barret, over breakfast one morning, surprises her. More solemn than usual, he tells them that he's decided to go on a trip, that he wants to go settle his past.
Cloud says he'd like to settle his own past, and cupping her glass of milk between both hands, she can't help feeling quietly stricken.
"You guys can do that here," Barret tells Cloud firmly. "Don't just take. Try proving that you can give, too."
Lifting her eyes, she looks from Cloud to Barret and doesn't say anything.
She's trying to give. Seventh Heaven makes her feel like she can.
Not long after bedtime, Marlene gets up and makes a beeline for Barret's door. Well into the night, she and Cloud can hear Barret's voice telling stories and Marlene's peals of laughter and commentary.
The next morning, Barret packs up and heads out, promising to write and call.
Cloud has been on the phone for longer than usual, and it surprises her a little when he comes back downstairs to tell her he has to go out for a while.
He's already gotten everything she needed for the bar.
"Where are you going?"
He seems at a loss for a second, sky-blue eyes riveted to the floor. "How should I say this?"
It's a worrying way to start an explanation, but he soon puts her fears to rest. Occasionally some of the people he gets their ingredients from ask him to make a delivery for them while he's on the road. It's been happening more often since he got his new bike, and even though it's all been going toward bike modifications so far, he's been making some money of his own.
She can tell he likes that independence, and she doesn't blame him at all. It's similar to one of the reasons she took the bartending job when she and Vincent were at Milliways. It's a good feeling to know that you're providing for yourself and not relying on anyone else.
He tells her the person on the phone was one of the vegetable farmers they've been buying from and that he'd promised to get something delivered tonight, but... he's kind of looking at her funny.
She smiles at him wonderingly. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Well..." For a split second as he hesitates, her Cloud reminds her of Vincent. Just like the one at the bar did. "I'm sorry I kept quiet about it."
"About what?" She's not sure she understands why he'd be so apologetic. He hasn't really kept any secrets from her.
"Doing what I wanted."
She laughs right out loud and moves to put an arm around him.
Maybe she is a little bit sorry this is the first she's heard about it, but... that's so minor. The important thing is that he's doing what he wants. He's getting out and doing things, and he likes it.
It's almost like his world is expanding. It's just the kind of thing he needs right now.
Can they mourn forever? Can they keep being sorry for things they've done or haven't done? All they can do is live life as it comes. No one can undo anything that's happened.
Pressing a tiny kiss to his cheek, she gives his shoulders a squeeze. "Come on, Cloud. I'll help you get ready."
Truthfully, she's proud of him.
Strife Delivery Service.
She kind of likes it. As far as she's concerned, he should make a real business out of it. In fact...
A knock on the door interrupts her train of thought, and since she's elbow-deep in a sink full of sudsy water, she's considering letting the closed sign in the window do the talking.
Until she cranes her neck to look out and spots a familiar figure in red outside.
She's at the door in record time, a towel in her hands, and beaming at Vincent. One minute she's there, grinning and holding the door open, and the next she's... not there.
After six months and the move into their new home, she thought she might be safe from having this happen again.
She was wrong.
When she and Vincent finally take reluctant seats at the bar, she receives a note on napkin reminding her of her Tuesday night shift. Time here is fluid, she was told on her first night here, but this is her first real personal I-just-lived-it proof.
If she ever meets the Landlord, she's not giving him a head start.