Cloud & Tifa

[Cloud Strife]

....Silence reigned over them for a time before he responded. "Tifa...you know me by now. Would I have asked you to join me if I didn't mean it? Would I have asked you to join me if I thought you to be a liability? Hell, it would probably do me some good to have someone with me rather than constantly being alone all the time..." He murmered, only to run the back of his hand along her face.

But that was precisely when he spotted how...frail she looked. And so suddenly, too. Frowning, he instantly leaned down in order to scoop her up and into his arms - bridal style. "You need to sleep." He stated, more so an order than anything. Ha. Dr. Cloud was in the house, and now she was going to be forced to sleep. xD

[Tifa Lockhart]

Tifa would have protested against him carrying her if it weren't for how tired she was, the most he got was a small grumble about not being tired. But something comforted her about her present situation and no sooner had she said it but her eyelids were drooping heavily.
She was afraid to sleep... by not sleeping she kept the dream away... but she really was tired.
So, however inadvertently it was she leaned her head against his chest and let her eyes do what they wanted to. Pretty soon she was asleep.

[Cloud Strife]

Cloud silently exited the kids' bedroom and wandered down the hallways and into her own room - a large bed resting off to the side. Gently, he would adjust her so that he was supporting her with one arm. That way, he could move the blankets out with his unoccupied hand and stick her underneath once her shoes were discarded. After doing so, he would bring the covers up to her chin, a thin smile contorting his features gently. A hand went down to brush some of her bangs out of her face...before finally he headed towards a chair, dragging it over to the side of her bed. Seating himself, he would lean forward and begin to quietly observe her - contemplating to himself the internal struggle that was called his 'feelings'.

And that was where he wound up falling asleep too. Arms resting on the bed, head resting on his arms. You get the picture...and boy was it an adorable one. >w<

[Tifa Lockhart]

Tifa slept dreamlessly for some time, Cloud would have been well and truley asleep before hers was interrupted by the dream she feared so much.

It worked the same as normal, she'd wake to a noise down in the bar. Slowly she'd edge out of bed and make her way downstairs, keeping as quiet as she could. The noises came continuously, clattering of glasses and the steady creak of the floorboards. Inhaling deeply Tifa would step around the corner into the bar, hand searching the wall in the darkness for the switch. Then, there was a sharp pain at the back of her head and from the darkness of her unconsciousness a voice called. 'Tifa where are you!'

The dream stopped here this time, Tifa jerking into an upright position with a sharp gasp. She pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them, teeth chattering as she shivered from the cold sweat she was now covered in and the same throbbing ache as usual raged through her.
It was then she became aware of someone else in the room, she turned to find Cloud asleep in the chair beside her, slumped forward.
Hoping not to wake him Tifa slipped out of the bed and crossed the room to open a window and inhale the fresh air from outside.

[Cloud Strife]

Naturally, Cloud woke up when she left the bed. It was rather difficult not to when the bed was shaken and you were resting your head on it. Plus, the blond was a naturally light sleeper...what with all of the enemies he had managed to gain throughout his life as a SOLDIER.

Either way, he blinked a bit, only to turn towards where Tifa had placed herself. Frowning, he stood up slowly and wandered over to her - stretching as he did so. His muscles were cramped from the odd position they had been in...though he did not complain. Instead, he approached her and spoke. "...Are you alright?" He inquired gently, mako blue gaze filled with concern. It worried him when Tifa was upset...and believe me when I say that he KNEW something was wrong. He always knew when something was bugging the woman. Why he knew...he never understood...but he just...did. Strange...

[Tifa Lockhart]

Tifa heard Cloud's footsteps on the floor and even though she was aware of who it was, all her senses prickled into alert. As his calm voice spoke she felt herself relax, as if she'd needed proof it was him all along.
She inhaled one deep shuddering breath of night air before she turned to face him, the glimmer of sweat still glowing on her face in the moonlight.
"I'm sorry i woke you." She said, her voice quivering as she swallowed, her saliva feeling thick in her mouth.
Her body quivered with the cold that chilled her to the bone, despite it not being that colder weather.

Next door the children slept unhindered. They'd stayed up a little past their bed time, discussing how well they thought Tifa and Cloud's talk would go. When they finally decided they'd best put themselves to bed they crept upstairs and peaked through the door into Tifa's room. Denzel had to stop Marlene from giggling excitedly when they spied Tifa lying asleep with Cloud looking bleary eye beside her, like he to would fall asleep any moment.
Pulling the door shut with a gentle click they'd headed to bed, falling asleep, content that Tifa would be on the mend from now on.

[Cloud Strife]

Cloud regarded her calmly, though the concern still remained in those mako blue depths. Gaze remained steady, however, as he listened to her commentary. A shrug followed, for he really did not mind that he had been woken. After all, he was actually glad that he had - knowing that being able to help Tifa was better, anyways. He responded accordingly.

"It's alright. I am a light sleeper, so I was truly only dozing." Another shrug followed before frowning suddenly - gazing at the sweat that was glistening on her forhead. "....Are you alright? You are pale...and you look as though you've seen a ghost. Did you wake up because you had a nightmare or something?" He inquired softly, a hand lifting to run along her forhead in an attempt to see if she was ill.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Tifa inhaled deeply as Cloud queiried her condition, his hand feeling cold against her forehead, which would be hot to the touch... explaining why she was so cold.
"It was the nightmare again..." She said honestly, knowing that he would not buy a lie. She hugged herself tightly, hoping to control her chattering teeth.
"I always wake up like this... i'll be alright in a few minutes." She raised a slightly quivering hand to brush back a lock of her alabaster hair, her shakes had calmed a lot since she'd first woken. The desperate voice and unrelenting darkness still clung to her mind like static.

[Cloud Strife]

This only deepened Cloud's frown. Her forhead was hot, feverish. Tifa needed rest, but he was unsure of how to ease her mind and rid her of the nightmare that plagued her. A sigh escaped him as he nodded. "...Why don't you go back to sleep? I will be right here in case you need me." The blond stated, a soft smile curling the corners of his lips upward. "I'll be here...so I'll wake you up if I see that you are beginning to have a nightmare again. Is that alright with you?" He inquired gently, only to suddenly scoop her up into his arms and tromp back towards the bed.

Cloud would set her down, then, and tug the covers over her. "Sleep."

[Tifa Lockhart]

Tifa only sighed as he swept her up and took her back to bed, not having the energy to argue with him, nor the will.
"It isn't as bad, with you around." She said sleepily, shutting her eyes for a moment before she looked back at him.
"Would you mind checking on Denzel and Marlene for me?" She asked.

[Cloud Strife]

Cloud shrugged, only to then shake his head. No, he didn't mind checking on them. "Sure, I will be right back." He stated, only to pat the covers that enshrouded her figure from view. The blond was being strangely over protective, but then again, wasn't he always a little bit on the over protective side? It was only worse when he was away from his 'family' for an extended amount of time.

This was no different.

He turned, then, to head towards the children's room and once he was there, he paused and cracked the door open. Peering inside, he watched the children sleeping - making sure that they were comfortable. Hell, he eventually decided to just walk in and tuck them both in better - a small smile contorting his lips upward. It really wouldn't be bad...if he stayed here permanently.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Tifa watched Cloud leave before she closed her eyes and allowed herself to slip back asleep. She felt comfortable, knowing that Cloud would be there when she woke up, and that she wouldn't have to face another day of drunken abuse and strange violent questioners.
Her sleep remained unaffected.

Marlene was woken by the sound of footsteps approaching her bed, cracking one eyes open she was surprised to see Cloud moving to tuck Denzel in to bed more comfortably. She smiled lightly, already feeling that things were on the incline again. As the broad blond turned to tuck her in the same she closed her eyes again and pretended to sleep. She could get used to this, even though she missed Barrett dreadfully, Tifa and Cloud were like parents to her too.

[Cloud Strife]

Cloud continued his rounds, making sure that both of the children were tucked in, before heading back to Tifa's room. Upon reentering the room, he noticed that she had drifted to sleep again; a satisfied look crossing over his features before finally he took up his seat again. He would then wait, only to fall asleep a few hours later when he could no longer keep his eyes open.

And thus they slept until the next morning.

[Tifa Lockhart]

When Tifa woke the sun was high in the sky, so high in fact it startled her something fierce. She's slept in! A lot! Sliding out of bed she grabbed her shoes and pulled them on while heading for the door in one uncoordinated motion, ramming into the door and knocking it open as she tripped on a shoelace. Athletic as she was she managed to save herself from a nasty fall and, taking this as a lesson, stopped to tie up her shoelaces. She the headed down the flight of stairs into the bar.

She was surprised to find the joint open, Denzel scurrying around behind the bar in an efficient fashion while Marlene washed dirty glasses in the sink at the end of the bar. Boy did she love those two.
They both waved to her as she entered the bar and pointed to a red head who sat at the bar buried in his glass. Reno, as usual. He always showed up at one time or another each day for at least one drink.
"Thanks you two." Tifa whispered to the children, who smiled and waved away her gratitude.
"Would you like us to stay and help you?" They queried, but Tifa told them to go off and play, should could handle the bar now.

((i didn't mention her seeing Cloud. because i wasn't sure whether you'd want him to still be asleep or up already))

[Cloud Strife]

Cloud had been awake, of course. He never slept for more than a few hours at a time...yes, he was something of an insomniac. Either way, the man walked into the bar with bags and bags of groceries - mainly for the bar though some were for the children and the family, in general. Wandering over, he walked behind the bar, setting the bags behind the counter before glancing to Reno; a nod offered towards him.

"Hey! Cloud my man! How's it hangin'?" Reno called over, offering a bit of a wave. "Been awhile since I seen you last!" Cloud internally groaned. The red head would never shut up, now..especially if he had a drink or two in him. "Mm. Indeed. I have been here since yesterday." He stated absently, only to turn towards Tifa. "Where do you want these...? And...is there anything that needs to be done?" The blond inquired, dutifully ignoring Reno at this point.

"Heey! No fair, man! Pay atteeennntttiooon!" The red head whined, only to recieve a nicely sized clonk to the side of the head. "OW! What the hell was that for?!" He groaned, hands instantly lifting to cover the spot that was smacked. Cloud merely smirked, not dignifying that remark with a response. Why should he? Reno should know by now that he was an idiot. :3

"Where's Rude?" Naturally, this was inquired by Cloud..and because of this, he turned his attention back towards the red head. Reno just shrugged. "Dunno. Haven't seen him yet today." Another shrug. "He's prolly running around somewhere nearby. Running errands, no doubt." Cloud simply nodded before turning back to Tifa expectantly.