[ Every journey to save the planet needs to have some downtime, and in this case, they've found themselves at the renowned Gold Saucer. There's not much they can do other than wait until morning before they can proceed, so they might as well go to their rooms or enjoy the sights.
Aerith in particular wants to explore as much as she can, yet at the same time she seems to insist on taking Barret with her. It's like she's plotting to leave the rest of the group alone. Come to think of it, Red is nowhere to be seen either...
Alone with Tifa now, he looks at her, half-expecting her to excuse herself somewhere else, too. Should they go their seperate ways, too? ]
[With Aerith and Barret off to watch the upcoming round of chocobo races and Red being... well, Red... Tifa finds herself alone with Cloud in the crowded Gold Saucer, leaning over the rails of the second floor's balcony and watching the water fountains shoot up and back down again.
His comment brings a smile to her face, warm and oddly content after everything they've just gone through, but for a perfectly good reason. It's nice to have some downtime, and how long has it been since the two of them have had the chance to do something as fun as this? And why does it have to be about everyone else!?]
Well, I guess we'll be busy too.
[Straightening, she rolls her shoulders and looks in the direction of the loud rings and dings of the minigames on the bottom floor, their lights flashing at them to snag their attention (and their gil.)]
[ In some ways, he shouldn't be so surprised that she just decided that they'll do something together. Tifa never liked being alone, but then again, Cloud never felt like he had a place to belong either... not until he reunited with her and met Avalanche. He doesn't mind them being alone, but... ]
Pass.
[ Games are for children, aren't they? Sure, he played some with the kids in Sector 5, but only because his arm was twisted by a girl.
Which appears to be the case, again. Dammit.
He sighs, seemingly inconvenienced by the idea, but Tifa likely knows it's just Cloud being Cloud. ]
... We'll play one, but we need to keep a low profile.
[ Hojo will want Aerith back, which means the Turks are still probably on their trail. ]
[Tifa says, waving a single finger at him, as if that'll be all. Getting him to play one game is still a win in her books, but stop being such a stick in the mud, Cloud!
She gets that they need to keep a low profile, though. Knowing Shinra, they aren't going to stop looking until they find and have Aerith again, nor are they going to take any of this lying down. Who knows, someone could be skulking around the Gold Saucer watching them, but when did that ever mean they should stop living because of it?
For now, she feels safe, and even safer within Cloud's company.
Her hands find their way behind her back as she leads him down the stairs, and she peers over her shoulder and up at him with a smile.]
So, what exactly is involved in keeping a low profile here? No winning?
[ Let's be real, this will probably be more games than just one. ]
Just... don't do anything that will draw attention.
[ That's so vague??? Not that Tifa's the type to want to be the center of attention, it's more that spending all those days with Aerith has him a bit more on edge than usual. You never know when a few innocent games will lead into dancing on stage and becoming an overnight sensation.
As for their options, there are plenty to choose from! There's a crane game where you can a special prize, a basketball game in which they can 1-v-1, virtual snowboarding/motorcycling, betting on chocobo races...
Further along are even special sighseeing locations, such as a romantic gondola ride that offers a whole view of the Gold Saucer. There's also a bar around... but maybe that one's a little too close to home. ]
I think we could use a win, though. What are you feeling?
[nothing like taking a break from this journey they are not too quite sure on the details of. if they should take a detour, it should definitely be to a chocobo farm—and the stink of the place really brings cloud back to nibelheim and its middle-of-nowhere fun factor. while the others are off questing for food to make a picnic out of things (why? cloud wonders), he instead finds himself gravitating towards the fences of the pen.]
[it puts him at ease just to stare out at the chocobos grazing and jumping about excitedly. there's a lot to consider—a lot that they've done and even more that they have to do—and he doesn't even know where to start parsing through those thoughts.]
[it does feel like everyone is looking at him as their leader on finding sephiroth, but cloud himself... doesn't exactly feel up to the task.]
[sighing, he shakes his head and slumps over a bit more against the fence.]
[Since their departure from Midgar and through their journey to the farm, Tifa's kept a close and concerned eye on Cloud. She figures none of this is very easy on him and although she's been watching, she's respected his space as well, not wanting to push her boundaries too far. They haven't talked much since, but when she catches him leaning over the chocobo pen's fence, she can't help but jog over.
The closest bird warks and ruffles its feathers at the new presence, and it draws an amused laugh out of Tifa.]
They're pretty cute, aren't they? ... If you can ignore the smell.
[he looks up at her laughter, keeping his gaze steady on the nearby chocobo when she speaks. only then does he reach out his hand to pet the feathers on its neck.]
[obviously, cloud is not about to call anything 'cute,' even if he may think they are.]
Reminds me of home a little. The fresh air, the big load of nothing around the farm.
[it's not a criticism, really. only now does he turn to look at tifa.] Not interested in the picnic?
[It is a little reminiscent of home. The contrast between home and Midgar was always jarring, but she got used to it after a while. Gotta make do somehow!
Her gaze swings back at the sound of footsteps, just in time to catch the others returning from their quest for food. Barret has some kind of large animal swung over his shoulder like it's a sack of potatoes, and Red is carrying something smaller in his mouth. Aerith, on the other hand, has a basket full of what she can only assume are berries or greens.]
I am, but too many hands in is a bit chaotic. Looks like they did just fine without me.
[Who is going to keep him company otherwise?]
You, on the other hand— [She gives his arm a gentle nudge.] How're you holding up?
[he knows that it isn't true, and that perhaps tifa asked them to go on without her to give her some room to catch up with him. but cloud doesn't say anything about that—because it is likely she also didn't. tifa was a mystery and a half these days, after they've reunited again.]
[frowning at the nudge, cloud takes his hand back from petting the chocobo, turning his body to face her.]
Not gonna lie, there's a lot on my mind.
[it's easy enough to look down at his gloved hand and curl it into a fist.]
[The thing about Yuffie is that she does a lot of talking out of her ass. She's actually a very naive girl in a lot of ways. But she would be damned if she let anyone know that about her. She likes to pretend she knows more about the world than she really does and that includes...
.... Alcohol. She doesn't know anything about alcohol.]
Hey, Tifa! Give me something hard!
[She bounces and slides into one of Tifa's barstools and leans her elbows on the counter with a glint in her eyes.]
Barret says anything you make for me will knock me on my ass and I need to prove him wrong. Right now.
[Tifa's expression hardens ever so slightly, sternness wrinkling her brow, when Yuffie demands a drink. This may be serving as a hideout, but she's still a respectable bar that has a reputation she'd like to uphold. There are standards, and she isn't about to go breaking them just because Yuffie is a friend. Pretty sure she's a little too young to be drinking alcohol, and Barret is right — any drink would have her flat on her ass.]
Alright.
[She turns to grab a glass, drops some ice cubes in, picks out a tall bottle filled with clear liquid that she shakes a few times before filling the cup almost to its brim. It fizzes a little, with bubbles floating from the bottom up and crackling the ice.]
I don't know about it knocking you on your ass, but here you go. Drink up.
[At first Yuffie is none the wiser. Because she's a silly sixteen-year-old girl who tries to act much older than she actually is. She thinks she can get away with almost anything in the world if she plays her cards right.
Hah. She's gonna show Barret so much. Stupid blockhead.
Yuffie picks up the glass with a twinkle in her eye and--- SIPS.]
...................
[She gently places the glass down on the table.]
Is this some sort of big sister joke because it's totally not funny.
[Tifa waits patiently, hands folded across her chest, for Yuffie to take that first sip and tell her what she thinks. Her reaction is no surprise, and honestly? She expected that she would have spat it all across her freshly cleaned countertop. Tifa wouldn't have deserved that.]
It's a little funny.
[Her lip quirks into a smile before it fades back into disappointed mom face.]
Aren't you a little young to be walking into bars asking for alcohol?
[is there even a legal drinking age here? there is now]
[If anyone else owned this bar Yuffie might have spit the sparkling water all over it. But because Tifa does there's no chance in hell she'd do a girl wrong like that. But maybe he should of since Tifa just tricked her like that. Yuffie is ugly scowling.]
[Every single one of them had their own reasons for joining AVALANCHE, most of them personal. Biggs may not have known every detail of why Tifa had chosen to join him, but it's not in him to question— all he knows is that she works herself tirelessly to help out the entire cell, right down to keeping them well fed. Jessie might have questioned whether or not Tifa was up for the kinds of missions they were planning for the not-so-distant future, but even if she isn't, she brings something to the team that Biggs is afraid might get taken for granted every now and then. With the afternoon off from neighborhood watch duty, and Barret, Jessie and Wedge out in the field, it seems as good a time as any to check in.
Of course, he's not showing up to Seventh Heaven empty-handed. He has a small crate of produce tucked under one arm when he pushes the door to the bar open with one hand, offering the proprietress a smile before quickly scanning their surroundings for any sign of Marlene.]
Hey! How's business been today? I come bearing gifts.
[She takes a moment to finish scrubbing the counter when he walks in before peering up to discover Biggs hoisting a crate under an arm. Well, if this isn't a pleasant surprise, she doesn't know what is! Sliding out from behind the bar, she gestures to the nearest stool as a place for him to set it down, and so she can peer over the edges of the box to see what's inside.
Fresh produce filled to the brim.]
What's all this for!?
[Colour her surprised! Last she checked, they weren't in need of a lot of stuff. Maybe a shopping trip was due at some point, but this is a lot!]
I lucked into a good deal while I was out doing some rounds.
[He grins, carefully setting the crate down on the provided stool so they can both get a better look. He'd taken stock of everything before bringing it over here, of course, but this kind of thing is a rare treat for people like them.]
I thought maybe we could make good use of it— make dinner for everyone to eat together when they get back tonight. It's been awhile since we've all hung out, right? Celebrate a job well done. We all deserve it, in my opinion.
It's been too long since we've all had a nice, big meal.
[It's been nothing but missions lately that by the time any of them are back in Seventh Heaven, it's always something easy and quick before bed, if that. Sometimes, it was easier to pick up food on the way home. She has troubles remembering the last time they had the chance to sit down and eat with fresh food like this.
She immediately gets to work unpacking the food and spreads it out across the bar. It's so... vibrant and refreshing already.]
That, I thought we could decide together— depends on what you might have on hand, but with all of this, I figure we can turn anything into a feast.
[Which is saying something, because he himself is quite a fan of Tifa's cooking— as is the rest of the gang— but it would be a lot to expect her to feed everyone all on her own.]
Whatever we decide, though, you're taking it easy. You spend enough of your time looking after all of us.
[It had been a long time coming. Even longer than before they agreed on it, but over the past few weeks, it was always one thing or another that would force Tifa to put their date on hold. The kids' school projects, a leaky faucet in the bar, babysitting plans falling through... She was starting to wonder if the universe was doing this on purpose. That by some strange, divine judgement, Tifa and Cloud were about to overstep the lines laid down by fate.
It's been frustrating, to say the least. Tifa was never one to take things lying down, but these were all situations that couldn't be helped. They would have to surrender to the whims of the universe for a little while longer, to fix that leaky pipe, or reschedule their plans, and in that time, she and Cloud fell back into the same old tired routine. They would wake up, she would kiss him goodbye as he left for his daily round of deliveries, and then worked Seventh Heaven from open to close, until her feet were sore and her hands dried and rough from the water and dish soap. There was little time for her to catch her breath in-between. Tifa never had complaints about routine—it allowed them more time to spend with Marlene and Denzel, but she would be insincere to say she wasn't also longing for the day when it would just be the two of them again.
So, the moment the opportunity presents itself in a complete stroke of luck when Barret returns to Edge for a surprise visit, Tifa snatches it. He, of course, had no objections to watching them while Tifa shut the bar down for a few days so that she and Cloud could have a break of their own. After saying their goodbyes, it's on the back of Fenrir that they travel, their bags slung over and tied to the back behind Tifa, her arms wrapped tight around his waist to hold on for dear life, and her face burying into his back to shield it from the biting wintery air of the countryside.
Fortunately for them, the stars have all started to align. Their room in the haunted inn had been set up without a single hitch, the hearth burning bright for them already by the time they arrive, and Tifa had offered the bathroom up to Cloud first before she occupied it for some time, to clean themselves up for their "night out", so to speak.
For their matching scheme tonight, Tifa had picked blue, and left it up to Cloud to find something for himself that he thought might go with what she would wear, and she'd left her trust implicitly in his hands. Her own attire for the night is perhaps a touch overdone for the Gold Saucer—a short, deep blue dress with heels to match, and a gold pendant earring for that small dash of colour—something reminiscent of an old favourite of hers. Coming out of the bathroom fresh from a shower and now dressed, her hand palming through her hair, Tifa pauses in the doorway to peer around its frame, feeling the flush of anticipation already rising in her cheeks.]
Cloud? You almost ready? Figure we could grab a bite first before we checked out the rest of the attractions.
["The rest of the attractions" being the new ones the Gold Saucer had added since Meteor. With the loss of many cities across Gaia, they took it upon themselves to improve on the place, adding new attractions made specifically to appeal to adults. It still had its games, shows, the battle arena and gondola, but there was a new myriad of rides, restaurants, booths, and even a small shopping centre of fancy boutique shops all lined up. She'll be hard-pressed to pick which places to go, but she had booked them in for two nights for a reason.
[ It's funny, really, how some things change: and how some things remain, almost terrifyingly, the same. He hadn't expected their room at the haunted inn to look so jarringly similar to his memories; and he remembers quite a bit about the Gold Saucer, actually, despite the obvious state he had been in when they arrived there. He remembers the incessant, headache-inducing music, the exhausting trials of the chocobo racing, the silly gondola ride and the heat of his embarrassment. He remembers the little jump scares and strange tricks in the haunted inn--he remembers falling asleep, with his friends tucked in around him in their beds, and thinking that maybe, in some way, things weren't so bad. He wasn't alone, at least.
He's not alone here, either, even when Tifa disappears into the bathroom to get ready. A part of him feels like an idiot: in the hanging mirror on the wall, decorated around the edges with silver stoning meant to imitate some sort of grave headstone, he looks at his reflection and sees the same stupid kid that couldn't just spit out what he felt, the same stupid kid that had to be dragged into everything, the one that never really fixed anything, or helped anything, and just made things worse. His hair still looks the same, properly styled and something of a mess around his face; his clothes are starkly different, chosen with much consideration by both Cid and Vincent before he left Edge and--yeah, maybe that was something of a mistake on his part, but who else did he have to ask? Definitely not Yuffie--and most definitely not Barret, either.
He doesn't look old, but he feels like he looks ridiculous, wearing a deep blue turtleneck that sticks and fits to his frame, a thin leather jacket tossed over it and black jeans that feel like they're hugging in every place they can, belted at his waist with the sweater all neatly tucked in. Even his shoes feel strange: gone are the dirty boots he wears for deliveries, instead wearing a pair of smart dress shoes that he would never be able to fight in. The thought makes him a little nervous. What if they get into some kind of trouble? Should he bring a sword? How is he going to defend Tifa without a sword?
With his hands on his hips, he's debating going back down to the garage where Fenrir is parked--but Tifa says Cloud? and he freezes, turns and looks sheepish, and when his gaze falls on Tifa, he looks even more sheepish still. She looks beautiful--and he looks like the guy that parks her car for her and fetches her her keys. Rueful, he nearly even smiles. ]
Are you going to be warm enough in that?
[ It's not as cold here, but there is the hint of a winter chill--he crosses the room, already shrugging out of his jacket so that he can put it, practical, over her shoulders, and at least that doesn't feel strange. He's used to taking care of her: that much, he figures, he can do without any questioning. ]
Put this on for now. [ And then he tilts his head towards the door, reaching for the handle: it gives a recorded, spooky little laugh as he twists the knob and opens it, something that makes him nearly roll his eyes. ] I'm ready.
[Tifa finds it almost charming how, even when the rest of the world has changed outside, so much of the Gold Saucer has managed to remain the same. It's exactly as she remembers it from their last stay at the Inn—the candelabras washing the entire room in their dim, flickering lights, the mini-guillotines that she's still sure serves a double purpose besides being mere decorations, with how sharp the blades are, the stickers of cheeky ghosts stuck to the bathroom mirrors, and of course, how could she forget the god-awful jump scares in any given drawer that promptly makes her slam it shut in embarrassed frustration.
Somehow, it's comforting in its eccentric way that this place could manage to make her walk in the footsteps of the past so easily and still fascinate her.
And although this is so far from the romantic date she had always dreamed of for them, she'd rather not ruminate on their lack of options and take what she can. The fact that they're here at all after the mess the last few weeks has been makes her that much more grateful that they are now, and Cloud being here and dressed up with her for a silly night at the Gold Saucer is more than she could have hoped for in such dreary, trying times.
So when she finally rounds the corner, stepping out fully into view, Tifa's eyes round out with surprise, the crimson cuts in them glimmering with awe and adoration when she sees him and realizes... when was the last time she'd seen him so dressed up? When he wasn't in those baggy pants and dirty boots covered in the mud of a long day's work? He would often come home smelling of motor oil and the countryside—flowers and rain and wood, and she would bask in all of its masculine glory when she stood near enough, but there's something about him that sends a flutter through her stomach that only grows when he smiles at her. And when he drapes his coat over her shoulders, she can't help the one that spreads wide across her face, rippling over cheeks and into her eyes.]
I'll be fine!
[Cloud always was good at taking care of her, even when she insisted that he not. He worked so hard, pulling long hours every day and yet, he still found time in those last hours of his day to make sure that she was comfortable. She's always appreciated him for it, even when she shrugged him off or shooed him away from the kitchen as she washed the dishes and closed up shop for the night.
Hugging the coat around herself, Tifa only laughs at the door's spooky cackle and the subsequent roll of Cloud's eyes before she passes through. She had already been startled by it once when they arrived, but it wasn't going to fool her twice.
She stops, however, before they can get another step from their room, where the brighter lights flush her out and saturate the pink in her cheeks.]
... You look nice.
[Tifa knows that he's gone far out of his element for this, but she needs to make sure that he's aware how much she appreciates that he's trying. How much she appreciates him. Heck, he's even picked an outfit that matches hers, just like she asked. And she knows that somewhere, deep down, is still that awkward fourteen-year-old boy who just wanted to be noticed.]
Do I? I feel like I look like some part-timer here.
[ It's said with a wry note of humor, begrudging, but he appreciates that she says anything--even if he guesses it's likely just Tifa being kind to him, noticing how out of his element he is, or how much he needs to at least be reassured before they step out into the crowds of people. That's one thing he's never liked about this place: and one thing that, surprisingly, hasn't changed at all. In fact, he wonders if there are even more people here in the Gold Saucer than before--people trying desperately to find distractions from the way the world is, now, with the threat of destruction and the pressure of rebuilding, and the looming, terrifying shadow of geostigma threatening to wipe them all out for good.
They haven't really talked about it, since that night at the inn, and it's something he's grateful for. Nothing has really changed--his arm aches, from time to time, but the splotch of dark, painted across his skin, hasn't gotten any bigger, and he hasn't felt it really affecting anything unless it's been a particularly long day and he hasn't stretched properly before work. Here, too, he doesn't notice it: it's tucked safely underneath the sleeve of his sweater, after all, and Tifa won't be able to see it, or feel it, even if she reaches out to touch him. Maybe a part of that is wishful thinking, on his part; maybe he's falling into the same traps that everyone else is, seeing this place as an escape from reality, even just for the night.
With their door shut, and his hand testing the handle on the outside just to assure that it's locked, he drops his arms down, awkwardly, uncertain of whether he should offer one to Tifa or not. ]
I was thinking we could...maybe try out some of the new rides, or whatever, first.
[ He mumbles this, slightly, as they make their way down the hall--at the stairs, he lifts a palm, gestures for Tifa to go ahead of him so that he can, practical and firm, watch her back, as though she even needs his protection when there's no one else that he can see inside the place to begin with. ]
There's a carousel, I don't know if you'd like that.
[ Ruefully, he reaches up to adjust some of his hair before he hops off the last stair, at the bottom, and darts forward--he pushes the door open for her, gesturing her out into the cooler air of the Gold Saucer itself. It's hard to remember that he should be doing all these things for her; mostly he assumes that Tifa is too capable to want some guy doing this or that for her, not wanting to insult the respect that he has for her power: but this, he figures, is different. She should be treated like the beautiful woman that she is; and he feels like he fumbles over everything. ]
[Tifa pauses again at the bottom of the stairs after a descent in amused silence, her steps light and airy, almost as if each one carried the smile she was wearing along in them. She catches him at the bottom, looking so sheepish as he plays with his hair, and that's when Tifa finally takes him by the arm to link with hers. Already, she can feel how tense he is, even through his layers. She gets it—she understands, if her own timid demeanor gives him any reassurance of that, her eyes not quite able to look at him at first when she stops him from moving any further into the crowds passing in and out of the Gold Saucer.
Cloud has always put her first, no matter the situation, be it in battle or in their quieter days now. She appreciates that he's always looking out for her and acknowledges that it's just how he is—it's what comes naturally to him, but there are times when she wants to look out for him too. Silly as it is to think so much about it when it's down to something as trivial as what ride they should check out first at the Gold Saucer, after having just left the haunted house inn, but with the way he so self-consciously asks her for her opinion, she doesn't want him to feel forced into doing something he'd rather not.
So, with a tilted head, she lets her gaze fix on his, her lips pulling into a wider, patient smile.]
You know, we never got to do these kinds of things when we were kids, huh?
[Never mind that they were never particularly close growing up, but maybe if there had been opportunities, they could have been. Circumstances just never allowed for it.
Honestly, Tifa isn't opposed to the idea of letting her inner child run free tonight. At least, when it comes to the rides and the games—she doesn't think she would be as embarrassed as Cloud to be seen on a carousel, or playing the new arcade games that they've added, and for a moment, she wonders to herself... Was this a good idea in the first place, coming here? With the way he is, there's the small twinge of worry that twists her heart in her chest, and she worries that this might be asking for too much from him, no matter of whether he's here or not.
That isn't to say that she doesn't appreciate him for being here, and for putting in as much effort as he already has so far—she does!—but...
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Cloud Tries to Act Cool like an Adult but Fails
Aerith in particular wants to explore as much as she can, yet at the same time she seems to insist on taking Barret with her. It's like she's plotting to leave the rest of the group alone. Come to think of it, Red is nowhere to be seen either...
Alone with Tifa now, he looks at her, half-expecting her to excuse herself somewhere else, too. Should they go their seperate ways, too? ]
I guess everyone's gonna be busy for a while.
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His comment brings a smile to her face, warm and oddly content after everything they've just gone through, but for a perfectly good reason. It's nice to have some downtime, and how long has it been since the two of them have had the chance to do something as fun as this? And why does it have to be about everyone else!?]
Well, I guess we'll be busy too.
[Straightening, she rolls her shoulders and looks in the direction of the loud rings and dings of the minigames on the bottom floor, their lights flashing at them to snag their attention (and their gil.)]
Those games aren't going to play themselves!
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Pass.
[ Games are for children, aren't they? Sure, he played some with the kids in Sector 5, but only because his arm was twisted by a girl.
Which appears to be the case, again. Dammit.
He sighs, seemingly inconvenienced by the idea, but Tifa likely knows it's just Cloud being Cloud. ]
...
We'll play one, but we need to keep a low profile.
[ Hojo will want Aerith back, which means the Turks are still probably on their trail. ]
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[Tifa says, waving a single finger at him, as if that'll be all. Getting him to play one game is still a win in her books, but stop being such a stick in the mud, Cloud!
She gets that they need to keep a low profile, though. Knowing Shinra, they aren't going to stop looking until they find and have Aerith again, nor are they going to take any of this lying down. Who knows, someone could be skulking around the Gold Saucer watching them, but when did that ever mean they should stop living because of it?
For now, she feels safe, and even safer within Cloud's company.
Her hands find their way behind her back as she leads him down the stairs, and she peers over her shoulder and up at him with a smile.]
So, what exactly is involved in keeping a low profile here? No winning?
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Just... don't do anything that will draw attention.
[ That's so vague??? Not that Tifa's the type to want to be the center of attention, it's more that spending all those days with Aerith has him a bit more on edge than usual. You never know when a few innocent games will lead into dancing on stage and becoming an overnight sensation.
As for their options, there are plenty to choose from! There's a crane game where you can a special prize, a basketball game in which they can 1-v-1, virtual snowboarding/motorcycling, betting on chocobo races...
Further along are even special sighseeing locations, such as a romantic gondola ride that offers a whole view of the Gold Saucer. There's also a bar around... but maybe that one's a little too close to home. ]
I think we could use a win, though. What are you feeling?
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it's chocobo time
[it puts him at ease just to stare out at the chocobos grazing and jumping about excitedly. there's a lot to consider—a lot that they've done and even more that they have to do—and he doesn't even know where to start parsing through those thoughts.]
[it does feel like everyone is looking at him as their leader on finding sephiroth, but cloud himself... doesn't exactly feel up to the task.]
[sighing, he shakes his head and slumps over a bit more against the fence.]
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The closest bird warks and ruffles its feathers at the new presence, and it draws an amused laugh out of Tifa.]
They're pretty cute, aren't they? ... If you can ignore the smell.
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[he looks up at her laughter, keeping his gaze steady on the nearby chocobo when she speaks. only then does he reach out his hand to pet the feathers on its neck.]
[obviously, cloud is not about to call anything 'cute,' even if he may think they are.]
Reminds me of home a little. The fresh air, the big load of nothing around the farm.
[it's not a criticism, really. only now does he turn to look at tifa.] Not interested in the picnic?
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Her gaze swings back at the sound of footsteps, just in time to catch the others returning from their quest for food. Barret has some kind of large animal swung over his shoulder like it's a sack of potatoes, and Red is carrying something smaller in his mouth. Aerith, on the other hand, has a basket full of what she can only assume are berries or greens.]
I am, but too many hands in is a bit chaotic. Looks like they did just fine without me.
[Who is going to keep him company otherwise?]
You, on the other hand— [She gives his arm a gentle nudge.] How're you holding up?
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[frowning at the nudge, cloud takes his hand back from petting the chocobo, turning his body to face her.]
Not gonna lie, there's a lot on my mind.
[it's easy enough to look down at his gloved hand and curl it into a fist.]
But I know who our focus is.
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.... Alcohol. She doesn't know anything about alcohol.]
Hey, Tifa! Give me something hard!
[She bounces and slides into one of Tifa's barstools and leans her elbows on the counter with a glint in her eyes.]
Barret says anything you make for me will knock me on my ass and I need to prove him wrong. Right now.
[LETS GO.]
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Alright.
[She turns to grab a glass, drops some ice cubes in, picks out a tall bottle filled with clear liquid that she shakes a few times before filling the cup almost to its brim. It fizzes a little, with bubbles floating from the bottom up and crackling the ice.]
I don't know about it knocking you on your ass, but here you go. Drink up.
[It's carbonated water.]
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Hah. She's gonna show Barret so much. Stupid blockhead.
Yuffie picks up the glass with a twinkle in her eye and--- SIPS.]
...................
[She gently places the glass down on the table.]
Is this some sort of big sister joke because it's totally not funny.
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It's a little funny.
[Her lip quirks into a smile before it fades back into disappointed mom face.]
Aren't you a little young to be walking into bars asking for alcohol?
[is there even a legal drinking age here? there is now]
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What! Tifa?! Are you kidding me right now?!
[She huffs indignantly.]
I'm eighteen isn't that good enough for you?
[She's ... sixteen.]
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team moms gotta stick together!
Of course, he's not showing up to Seventh Heaven empty-handed. He has a small crate of produce tucked under one arm when he pushes the door to the bar open with one hand, offering the proprietress a smile before quickly scanning their surroundings for any sign of Marlene.]
Hey! How's business been today? I come bearing gifts.
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[She takes a moment to finish scrubbing the counter when he walks in before peering up to discover Biggs hoisting a crate under an arm. Well, if this isn't a pleasant surprise, she doesn't know what is! Sliding out from behind the bar, she gestures to the nearest stool as a place for him to set it down, and so she can peer over the edges of the box to see what's inside.
Fresh produce filled to the brim.]
What's all this for!?
[Colour her surprised! Last she checked, they weren't in need of a lot of stuff. Maybe a shopping trip was due at some point, but this is a lot!]
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[He grins, carefully setting the crate down on the provided stool so they can both get a better look. He'd taken stock of everything before bringing it over here, of course, but this kind of thing is a rare treat for people like them.]
I thought maybe we could make good use of it— make dinner for everyone to eat together when they get back tonight. It's been awhile since we've all hung out, right? Celebrate a job well done. We all deserve it, in my opinion.
[Times have been especially tough lately.]
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It's been too long since we've all had a nice, big meal.
[It's been nothing but missions lately that by the time any of them are back in Seventh Heaven, it's always something easy and quick before bed, if that. Sometimes, it was easier to pick up food on the way home. She has troubles remembering the last time they had the chance to sit down and eat with fresh food like this.
She immediately gets to work unpacking the food and spreads it out across the bar. It's so... vibrant and refreshing already.]
What did you have in mind?
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[Which is saying something, because he himself is quite a fan of Tifa's cooking— as is the rest of the gang— but it would be a lot to expect her to feed everyone all on her own.]
Whatever we decide, though, you're taking it easy. You spend enough of your time looking after all of us.
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🌠 mercedis
It's been frustrating, to say the least. Tifa was never one to take things lying down, but these were all situations that couldn't be helped. They would have to surrender to the whims of the universe for a little while longer, to fix that leaky pipe, or reschedule their plans, and in that time, she and Cloud fell back into the same old tired routine. They would wake up, she would kiss him goodbye as he left for his daily round of deliveries, and then worked Seventh Heaven from open to close, until her feet were sore and her hands dried and rough from the water and dish soap. There was little time for her to catch her breath in-between. Tifa never had complaints about routine—it allowed them more time to spend with Marlene and Denzel, but she would be insincere to say she wasn't also longing for the day when it would just be the two of them again.
So, the moment the opportunity presents itself in a complete stroke of luck when Barret returns to Edge for a surprise visit, Tifa snatches it. He, of course, had no objections to watching them while Tifa shut the bar down for a few days so that she and Cloud could have a break of their own. After saying their goodbyes, it's on the back of Fenrir that they travel, their bags slung over and tied to the back behind Tifa, her arms wrapped tight around his waist to hold on for dear life, and her face burying into his back to shield it from the biting wintery air of the countryside.
Fortunately for them, the stars have all started to align. Their room in the haunted inn had been set up without a single hitch, the hearth burning bright for them already by the time they arrive, and Tifa had offered the bathroom up to Cloud first before she occupied it for some time, to clean themselves up for their "night out", so to speak.
For their matching scheme tonight, Tifa had picked blue, and left it up to Cloud to find something for himself that he thought might go with what she would wear, and she'd left her trust implicitly in his hands. Her own attire for the night is perhaps a touch overdone for the Gold Saucer—a short, deep blue dress with heels to match, and a gold pendant earring for that small dash of colour—something reminiscent of an old favourite of hers. Coming out of the bathroom fresh from a shower and now dressed, her hand palming through her hair, Tifa pauses in the doorway to peer around its frame, feeling the flush of anticipation already rising in her cheeks.]
Cloud? You almost ready? Figure we could grab a bite first before we checked out the rest of the attractions.
["The rest of the attractions" being the new ones the Gold Saucer had added since Meteor. With the loss of many cities across Gaia, they took it upon themselves to improve on the place, adding new attractions made specifically to appeal to adults. It still had its games, shows, the battle arena and gondola, but there was a new myriad of rides, restaurants, booths, and even a small shopping centre of fancy boutique shops all lined up. She'll be hard-pressed to pick which places to go, but she had booked them in for two nights for a reason.
Tifa Lockhart always comes prepared.]
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He's not alone here, either, even when Tifa disappears into the bathroom to get ready. A part of him feels like an idiot: in the hanging mirror on the wall, decorated around the edges with silver stoning meant to imitate some sort of grave headstone, he looks at his reflection and sees the same stupid kid that couldn't just spit out what he felt, the same stupid kid that had to be dragged into everything, the one that never really fixed anything, or helped anything, and just made things worse. His hair still looks the same, properly styled and something of a mess around his face; his clothes are starkly different, chosen with much consideration by both Cid and Vincent before he left Edge and--yeah, maybe that was something of a mistake on his part, but who else did he have to ask? Definitely not Yuffie--and most definitely not Barret, either.
He doesn't look old, but he feels like he looks ridiculous, wearing a deep blue turtleneck that sticks and fits to his frame, a thin leather jacket tossed over it and black jeans that feel like they're hugging in every place they can, belted at his waist with the sweater all neatly tucked in. Even his shoes feel strange: gone are the dirty boots he wears for deliveries, instead wearing a pair of smart dress shoes that he would never be able to fight in. The thought makes him a little nervous. What if they get into some kind of trouble? Should he bring a sword? How is he going to defend Tifa without a sword?
With his hands on his hips, he's debating going back down to the garage where Fenrir is parked--but Tifa says Cloud? and he freezes, turns and looks sheepish, and when his gaze falls on Tifa, he looks even more sheepish still. She looks beautiful--and he looks like the guy that parks her car for her and fetches her her keys. Rueful, he nearly even smiles. ]
Are you going to be warm enough in that?
[ It's not as cold here, but there is the hint of a winter chill--he crosses the room, already shrugging out of his jacket so that he can put it, practical, over her shoulders, and at least that doesn't feel strange. He's used to taking care of her: that much, he figures, he can do without any questioning. ]
Put this on for now. [ And then he tilts his head towards the door, reaching for the handle: it gives a recorded, spooky little laugh as he twists the knob and opens it, something that makes him nearly roll his eyes. ] I'm ready.
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Somehow, it's comforting in its eccentric way that this place could manage to make her walk in the footsteps of the past so easily and still fascinate her.
And although this is so far from the romantic date she had always dreamed of for them, she'd rather not ruminate on their lack of options and take what she can. The fact that they're here at all after the mess the last few weeks has been makes her that much more grateful that they are now, and Cloud being here and dressed up with her for a silly night at the Gold Saucer is more than she could have hoped for in such dreary, trying times.
So when she finally rounds the corner, stepping out fully into view, Tifa's eyes round out with surprise, the crimson cuts in them glimmering with awe and adoration when she sees him and realizes... when was the last time she'd seen him so dressed up? When he wasn't in those baggy pants and dirty boots covered in the mud of a long day's work? He would often come home smelling of motor oil and the countryside—flowers and rain and wood, and she would bask in all of its masculine glory when she stood near enough, but there's something about him that sends a flutter through her stomach that only grows when he smiles at her. And when he drapes his coat over her shoulders, she can't help the one that spreads wide across her face, rippling over cheeks and into her eyes.]
I'll be fine!
[Cloud always was good at taking care of her, even when she insisted that he not. He worked so hard, pulling long hours every day and yet, he still found time in those last hours of his day to make sure that she was comfortable. She's always appreciated him for it, even when she shrugged him off or shooed him away from the kitchen as she washed the dishes and closed up shop for the night.
Hugging the coat around herself, Tifa only laughs at the door's spooky cackle and the subsequent roll of Cloud's eyes before she passes through. She had already been startled by it once when they arrived, but it wasn't going to fool her twice.
She stops, however, before they can get another step from their room, where the brighter lights flush her out and saturate the pink in her cheeks.]
... You look nice.
[Tifa knows that he's gone far out of his element for this, but she needs to make sure that he's aware how much she appreciates that he's trying. How much she appreciates him. Heck, he's even picked an outfit that matches hers, just like she asked. And she knows that somewhere, deep down, is still that awkward fourteen-year-old boy who just wanted to be noticed.]
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[ It's said with a wry note of humor, begrudging, but he appreciates that she says anything--even if he guesses it's likely just Tifa being kind to him, noticing how out of his element he is, or how much he needs to at least be reassured before they step out into the crowds of people. That's one thing he's never liked about this place: and one thing that, surprisingly, hasn't changed at all. In fact, he wonders if there are even more people here in the Gold Saucer than before--people trying desperately to find distractions from the way the world is, now, with the threat of destruction and the pressure of rebuilding, and the looming, terrifying shadow of geostigma threatening to wipe them all out for good.
They haven't really talked about it, since that night at the inn, and it's something he's grateful for. Nothing has really changed--his arm aches, from time to time, but the splotch of dark, painted across his skin, hasn't gotten any bigger, and he hasn't felt it really affecting anything unless it's been a particularly long day and he hasn't stretched properly before work. Here, too, he doesn't notice it: it's tucked safely underneath the sleeve of his sweater, after all, and Tifa won't be able to see it, or feel it, even if she reaches out to touch him. Maybe a part of that is wishful thinking, on his part; maybe he's falling into the same traps that everyone else is, seeing this place as an escape from reality, even just for the night.
With their door shut, and his hand testing the handle on the outside just to assure that it's locked, he drops his arms down, awkwardly, uncertain of whether he should offer one to Tifa or not. ]
I was thinking we could...maybe try out some of the new rides, or whatever, first.
[ He mumbles this, slightly, as they make their way down the hall--at the stairs, he lifts a palm, gestures for Tifa to go ahead of him so that he can, practical and firm, watch her back, as though she even needs his protection when there's no one else that he can see inside the place to begin with. ]
There's a carousel, I don't know if you'd like that.
[ Ruefully, he reaches up to adjust some of his hair before he hops off the last stair, at the bottom, and darts forward--he pushes the door open for her, gesturing her out into the cooler air of the Gold Saucer itself. It's hard to remember that he should be doing all these things for her; mostly he assumes that Tifa is too capable to want some guy doing this or that for her, not wanting to insult the respect that he has for her power: but this, he figures, is different. She should be treated like the beautiful woman that she is; and he feels like he fumbles over everything. ]
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Cloud has always put her first, no matter the situation, be it in battle or in their quieter days now. She appreciates that he's always looking out for her and acknowledges that it's just how he is—it's what comes naturally to him, but there are times when she wants to look out for him too. Silly as it is to think so much about it when it's down to something as trivial as what ride they should check out first at the Gold Saucer, after having just left the haunted house inn, but with the way he so self-consciously asks her for her opinion, she doesn't want him to feel forced into doing something he'd rather not.
So, with a tilted head, she lets her gaze fix on his, her lips pulling into a wider, patient smile.]
You know, we never got to do these kinds of things when we were kids, huh?
[Never mind that they were never particularly close growing up, but maybe if there had been opportunities, they could have been. Circumstances just never allowed for it.
Honestly, Tifa isn't opposed to the idea of letting her inner child run free tonight. At least, when it comes to the rides and the games—she doesn't think she would be as embarrassed as Cloud to be seen on a carousel, or playing the new arcade games that they've added, and for a moment, she wonders to herself... Was this a good idea in the first place, coming here? With the way he is, there's the small twinge of worry that twists her heart in her chest, and she worries that this might be asking for too much from him, no matter of whether he's here or not.
That isn't to say that she doesn't appreciate him for being here, and for putting in as much effort as he already has so far—she does!—but...
To comfort him, she squeezes his arm.]
You want to check out the carousel?
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so sorry for the delay! slowly but finally getting caught up 🥺💕
no worries, take your time 💕
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kicks down the door!!! sorry for the delay 🥺💞
no worries!! 💞
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slides back into your inbox... i'm so sorry for taking eternity 😭
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