[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

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ZACK'S HOUSE - AKA BFF BACHELOR PAD

[heartofheaven]

[mirroredecho]

He had been getting up, moving towards her. He had always been able to take anyone else's tears easily. He could look them in the face and tell them that it meant nothing to him. But her's, they had always been different. It had always felt like his strength was crumbling right in front of him and his world would come crashing down if he couldn't find a way to build it back up again

[heartofheaven]

"Cloud-"

Tifa looked stricken as he got up and walked away from her. It was ironic, really, that he was one of the few people she would admit that to. And she did expect a lot of him, though maybe not in the way he thought. She still hoped that Cloud would be the one to save them all, to fix things, that somehow he could make everything all right. Now she had a lump in her throat that she couldn't get rid of. She didn't know what to say.

She clutched her cup of tea, still almost full. For a moment she just stared at his empty seat, her mind blank.

Then she got up and followed him. She couldn't leave it like that. "There's a war going on, Cloud. The reason we're all stuck here. I'm going to keep fighting. And... I'm sorry that I'm not the person you remember either."

[mirroredecho]

He took a deep breath as he heard her foot steps behind him, his body twisting so he could look at her, bright blue eyes locking on her face.

"It doesn't matter, Tifa. All that matters is that you're still you. But... just because I don't have any memories of being here before, doesn't mean I'm not good enough to be what I was before."

And that was the part that hurt most. "I know things can't just go back to the way they were but... I'm here."

[heartofheaven]

"Oh..." Her face softened. Her stomach unclenched just a little, body less tightly wound up. "I'm glad you're here, Cloud. I really am. And I didn't mean that you're not good enough, that's not... Please don't think of it that way. It's not a standard, it's just different, that's all. You're fine as you are, you just need to catch up a little."

She smiled wryly. "I did say there was a lot to catch up on. Are you... okay?"

Tifa could tell that she'd hurt him. That pained her more than anything else. Her tone was light, but her eyes were full of concern.

[mirroredecho]

"Yeah. Nothing I can't handle." That seemed to be a mantra with him as of late, something he would say every time someone asked him if he was okay, or if he was going to be okay. It was a way to get out of the question and reassure him all at once.

"Anything else I need to know?" He was convinced that every time he asked that question, a new revelation was going to pop up.

[heartofheaven]

It reassured Tifa too, even if that was the only reason he said it.

"I don't think so," she said slowly, thinking about it. "It's hard to sum up an entire world's history... Right now, we're trying to find the Chaos Shrine, since that's where Garland's supposed to be. We have two of the four elemental crystals we need, so it's just a matter of waiting for the other two to turn up."

[mirroredecho]

"Guess I'll learn as I go then." That much he could do. That much he was used to. That much he was good at.

"I'll let you know when I'm ready to meet the kids." Because after this conversation, he really doubted he was ready to jump into another meeting where someone was going to expect him to be something or someone he wasn't. To be a certain way, to react a certain way, to remember things he didn't. He just wasn't sure he was ready. And he wasn't sure he ever would be. It was a big responsibly, one he had never imagined himself taking on. Especially under these circumstances. But he had no choice, it seemed. And so he would do what he could to prepare himself, and then move ahead.

That much he could do. That much he was used to. That much he was good at.

[heartofheaven]

She nodded. "I'll tell them."

She'd hoped that he'd be ready sooner rather than later. Her stomach was knotting up again, with guilt this time. It was her fault. Maybe if she'd said something differently, done something differently, this whole encounter could have been a lot more positive.

"Cloud... The last thing I want to do is let the past get in the way of things. Even if we are both different, you're right, I am still me and you're still you, and I meant it about starting over. As long as you're all right, and the kids are okay, that's all that matters. And whatever it is that you want to do, I'll help, okay? If you want me to."

She'd forget everything, expect nothing for herself. The welfare of her family came first. It was what she had done since her family had arrived here, even while she'd also focused on trying to get them all back home. Juggling the two wasn't easy, but she'd coped without Cloud before and she could wait for him again. He needed time to get his head around everything she'd told him.

[mirroredecho]

His eyes had wondered across the room, focusing on anything other than her face. Her words slowly sunk in past whatever outer defenses he had put up, making their way into his consciousness and causing those walls to tumble down. Bright blue eyes moved quickly as his head lifted, landing on her own brown ones soon after. His lips curled into a soft smile. Not that was more like the Tifa he remembered.

"We'll help each other." That was just the relationship they had. They helped each other and did what needed to be done. They could do it again here. "I just... have somethings that need to be taken care of first. Then... we can go from there.'

He had moved closer to her while he was speaking, and he slowly raised a bare hand, letting the back of his fingers brush over her cheek. It was a soft, reassuring gesture, one he hoped would work. "I'll be in touch soon. I promise."

[heartofheaven]

That simple touch of his hand said far more than words ever could. Tifa smiled back, feeling her cheeks flush. His close presence still had a tangible effect on her, maybe more so because they weren't actually together. Every gesture meant more then.

She nodded. "Okay."

So that's how it was, just like that. She'd told him about all the most difficult stuff. Now they could move forward, a fresh start. There was something appealing about that.

"Well..." She reached up to take his hand and squeeze it before stepping away. "You know where I'll be, Cloud. I'll give you the address - or Zack can give it, he knows where we are. And... thank you. For hearing me out."

[mirroredecho]

He nodded as she retreated, his only show of understanding. There was a small smile on his face, glad that they had gotten these things worked out between them.

"Yeah. Any time." He would do almost anything for her, after all. All she ever had to do was ask.

[heartofheaven]

And she knew that she had asked a lot of him. Somehow Cloud always stepped up though. She had faith in him.

"Thanks for the tea, Cloud. I'll see you soon."

She gave him one last smile and moved to leave. Now she just had to report back to the family.