• Distance

    A CloudxTifa one shot

    A/N: I really love this couple because they truly are one of a kind. I’m sure everyone has, or will, had a love like this. Hope you like it. I don’t own the song “If” by TaeYeon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_ywEWneMBA or FF7.

    Enjoy.

    .::.

    Tifa stood outside Cloud’s door even though it was empty. She bit her lip to stop her tears from falling. It took everything she had to not lock this door and forget him.

    “Tifa?”

    She gave a slight jolt at Marline’s voice, but then smiled, “What is it?”

    “Where’s, Cloud?” Marline looked up at her, her eyes reflecting worry.

    Tifa bent down with a sad smile,” He’ll be back soon.”

    Marline hesitated, but nodded her head, “Okay.”

    Tifa watched as Marline ran down the stairs and heard the front door slam below knowing she had gone to look for Cloud herself.

    “Damn it, Cloud!” Tifa slammed her fist against the wall causing the pink ribbon on her forearm to fall off. She stomped down the stairs only to freeze on the spot at the bottom.

    “Cloud!”

    He stood there in the doorway, his eyes dull. It was like the life had been drained from them.

    “Cloud, where have you been?” Tifa moved toward him a step and he closed the door quietly behind him. He stayed silent.

    How long will it take you to trust me? “Cloud, answer me.”

    He didn’t look up,”…I shouldn’t be alive, Tifa.”

    Tifa’s eyes widen in shock and anger, letting out a laugh in disbelief. Was he really this blind? Could he not see how lucky he was?

    Aerith.

    Always, always, always. Why couldn’t he let her rest in peace? She made her choice, she did what she thought was best. Why couldn’t he accept it?

    Tifa walked to Cloud and stared him straight in the eyes. He gave her a sideways glance with sad eyes.

    Then, without thinking twice, she slapped him hard across the face. Stunned, he slowly turned back to look at her.

    “You think you got it so damn hard, don’t you?!” Her anger and sadness she had felt these past months came pouring out of her heart.

    “You’re so lucky, Cloud! Why can’t you see that?! I-!”

    I love you..!

    Tifa looked down and away, holding back her tears, “I...I think you should be dead then, Cloud, if this is how you’re going to treat this gift Aerith gave you.”

    “…What gift, Tifa? For being a monster?” His tone was icy and sad yet somehow desperate.

    It was so simple to her.

    “No, Cloud,” her voice began to waver with sadness and frustration as she looked up at him, “for being alive.”

    Tifa brushed past him and opened the door to leave, not even turning around, “If you leave then take your things with you.”

    She closed the door forcefully and walked out into the chilling rain. It was harsh, but she had to. She had to set him free.

    Selfishly, she tried to deny her jealousy of Aerith, but she couldn’t. Aerith held a special place in his heart and he would not give that place up to another person. No matter what she did the distance between them never got shorter. The farther she tried to bring to this new future with her the more he stood still in his past.

    Why couldn’t she get him to move forward toward her? Why was she still waiting then when she could just keep going ahead?

    Quietly, she turned the door knob and peeked inside, “Cloud?”

    Silence.
    “Of course, he is Cloud,” she whispered sadly. Why had she hoped he had stayed?

    As she began to climb the stairs her heart seemed to be abandoned of all emotion except for raw sadness. This chest squeezing annoyance ate away at her as her willpower turned into tears.

    Seeing Cloud’s closed off room ,she stopped. It felt so empty without him here and so did her heart. Just tonight she wanted to sleep in his bed because she so desperately wanted to feel close to him. She didn’t want him to disappear from her heart no matter how lonely she was.

    Opening the door, her heart slowed down as her hand fell.

    “Cloud…!”

    She felt weak with despair and at the same time overwhelmed with joy. A smile almost graced her face, but it stopped since she knew he was going to say goodbye face to face. That thought knocked the breath out of her and she just wanted to give up on everything.

    But she couldn’t.

    She cared too much.

    He was standing there in the corner with crossed arms, but he stared at something in his hand. He looked up at her and walked over to her, “You dropped this, Tifa.”

    He dropped the pink ribbon into her hand and she realized she had been caught. He knew that before this fight she had been waiting for him to come home.

    “Tifa, I…” he looked away and she smiled a fake smile to herself. She composed herself so that he wouldn’t notice her trembling and she patted him the shoulder.

    “Welcome home, Cloud,” she spoke warmly and she meant every word.

    She turned around fearing that she might cry. How badly she wanted him to hold her tightly. She longed just to sit down and hold him, just be with him.

    How heartbreaking love is.

    She didn’t turn around as she headed for the door. He suddenly spoke, “Thank you, Tifa, for waiting.”

    She closed the door behind her and silently slid down it, landing softly. She smiled sadly as she looked down at the faded pink ribbon in her palm.

    Now she knew why she didn’t try changing the distance between them. At least this way she could always watch him from afar and he would never go away. Close, but never closer.

    Distance. What a painful one indeed.

    .::.