Chapter Text
"What the HELL kinda backwards world are we living in?!" Tifa just purses her lips and digs her fingers into the counter of her freshly redone bartop. The drunk man who's already spilled his tenth hard drink on the wood floorboards is still leaning over the counter and howling at her. The other twelve people in the place are either completely ignoring it and talking amongst themselves, or they're struggling to decide whether to jump in or not. One thing is for sure; all eyes and ears are on him. This guy, with his bald head sweating and his foot stomping on the stool, has been a regular since the old Seventh Heaven debut. So Tifa's letting him go off. Everyone has a bad night… she tries to justify. "I mean YOU--YOU lost yer damn mind! How can ya think dating two people at the same time isn't insanity?!" Tifa just sighs and glances around the room. Quite a few people in the crowd shift uneasily, knocking their drinks back. It's been a topic she's been confronted about quite a few times since someone found out two months ago.
"I understand your discomfort. That's why the three of us try our hardest to keep it platonic in public," Tifa tries. But the man in front of her is too drunk to even hear her words. He just sags against the counter and drops his head against his forearm that's splayed out. "I'm sorry to do this Eddie, but I think you need to go."
"Oh come o--"
"--You heard me," Tifa presses, crossing her arms. "I'll see you tomorrow when you're sober, ok?" Eddie snaps his head up, looking like he's raring to go all over again before--
"Hey," comes a gritty huff. Eddie's eyes blink before they widen. "You heard her. Go . Or else." Cloud, in his black t-shirt and baggy pants, leans against the front door of the bar. His presence makes everyone quiet down, and maybe it sort of pleases him that he can still demand the attention of a room so effortlessly if need be. Cloud’s fingers flex until he balls them up and furrows his brows. Eddie pushes off the counter, nearly tripping over his wide boots and knocking into another younger man before he trudges toward Cloud who's holding the door open for him with his heel. As Eddie slowly makes his way closer, he flips Cloud off (which only makes the blonde chuckle) before barking out a,
"You shouldn't be entitled to having two, ya know. Seems to me like you just can't choose between ‘em." Cloud can't actually think of a comeback for once. Not even so much as a shut up travels up his throat before Eddie is tumbling down the steps, scaring two stray cats, and then dusting himself off like nothing happened. The room Eddie leaves behind is disrupted beyond belief, and while Cloud mopes as he throws a couple darts, Tifa worriedly watches him as she pours a few drinks for the five people left.
Forty Minutes Later:
Tifa wraps her arms around Cloud's middle and he nearly jumps out of his skin. She grins at the back of his head and kisses his clothed shoulder. He was still deep in his game of darts and didn't even notice she had already closed the bar's doors for the night and flicked off a couple dim lights. Cloud sighs and removes himself from her arms so he can put his lightweight red and yellow darts back in their place. Tifa shrugs off his lack of response and leans against the newly acquired arcade machine Cloud bought the bar with the money from his last solo gig. She smiles at the pixelated screen with fondness before Cloud speaks up.
"Maybe he was right," Cloud mumbles, looking at his feet and putting a hand on his hip. "That's what everyone says who finds out. 'Maybe you just can't choose between them.'" Tifa wrinkles her lips and shakes her head no.
"They're wrong Cloud. You know how we all feel about each other." Tifa tries her hardest to meet his bright eyes but Cloud just won't allow them to peel away from his own feet. "Don't make me tell Aerith you're doubting this again."
"Ugh." Cloud finally looks up into her glassy red eyes and itches his scalp. "Anything but that." Tifa has to crack a grin at the exhaustion in his voice. Last time someone confronted the three's relationship, it was when they were all together, and after Aerith just happened to knock over the woman’s freshly ordered flowers (and ruined that business relationship) Cloud had regretfully asked Aerith if this was too much public attention for them and their respective businesses. Aerith went off at him in the middle of the Sector 5 slums and slapped him right over the head to both his and Tifa's surprise.
"She really is the fiesty one of us," Tifa laughs lightly, hugging her own arm. Cloud smirks before dropping his lips again. His eyes lock onto Tifa's one more time as he lets out a final sigh and tries his damndest to forget the whole conflict. Not like that's gonna happen anytime soon, Cloud annoyingly thinks. It's literally burning the back of his mind and no matter how much he itches at his scalp it just won't buzz off. Tifa, of course, already saw this coming, and she hands him a freezing cold glass of water she set on one of the new steel tables. He hums before nearly swallowing the whole thing in one go.
"Cloud," she chides. "You're gonna get a stomach ache doing that."
"It's not alcohol. I'm fine," he argues, swallowing the last quarter… just to feel a sharp pain in his stomach. He winces before rubbing at the spot. Tifa puts both hands on her hips and shakes her head with bored yet affectionate eyes. "Yeah yeah…."
"Oh just hug me already, will you?" Tifa pretty much throws herself at him and he has no choice but to reciprocate this time around. He pretends to be so stoic but we all know he's a huge softy. His warm hug always feels amazing even in the dead middle of a scorching summer (especially without the protection of Shinra plates). Tifa stuffs her face under his chin and presses a chaste kiss to his bulging cartilage. He squeezes her just a little tighter before letting go and leaving a kiss on the top of her head. Both of them can just imagine Aerith obnoxiously cooing at the gesture and they chuckle under their breaths. He picks up his empty glass and swiftly walks to the sink. "You don't have to clean it; I'll take care of it tomorrow." Cloud just waves her off and the sink groans before turning on. Tifa settles on to a stool and watches him clean it so thoroughly. One of the best things about him is that right there; everything he does he tries to do his best at. She doesn't even realize she's dreamily staring at his back like a little girl until the swinging of the front door interrupts them both.
"Hiya!"
"Aerith!" Tifa hates to see herself acting this lovesick, jumping out of her seat just to run over and scoop someone up in her arms. Never did I ever think this would happen to me, Tifa thinks, feeling giddy all over. Aerith kisses her girlfriend’s nose and hugs her back as tight as her skinny little arms can.
"Hug me tighter than that," Aerith dares.
"You're gonna regret that," Cloud mumbles as he dries his cup. Tifa tsk' s at him before lifting Aerith off the ground and squeezing her ribs until cartilage pops pleasantly down spine. Aerith snickers before being set on the floor again, and Tifa breathes in the flowery scent of Aerith's hair that's looking a little messier today than usual. Cloud steals the words right out of the bartenders pouting mouth when he asks,
"Why’d you come over here alone at this time of night?" He shuffles his way around the counter, jaw slack, and looks down at Aerith, peeved beyond belief; Tifa can't blame him. When the world flipped on its head after the plates went down, people from all over (good and bad) were swimming through the different sectors. Tifa had her fair share of creepy men howling at her at one AM and she and Cloud both dreaded imagining the kind of things those guys would shout at an innocent looking woman like Aerith who was too cute for her own good… even when she had dirt all over her cheek. Speaking of which, Tifa dusts off the side of Aerith's face as Cloud scolds her. "You know Tifa and me were planning on going over to you and your Mom's house tonight, so why'd you come here?"
"Jeez. You two act like I haven't been doing this since I was a little girl!" Aerith reaches up and squishes Cloud's nose, and he literally whines at her before Tifa speaks up in her softest voice,
"You know we mean well." One side of Aerith's lips lifts and she nods slowly. "After everything that's happened…" All three of them shut their eyes and they can see Sephiroth's blade going right through Aerith's back. A shiver runs down all of their backs. Aerith doesn't allow them to sulk for long though, and she pulls them both into a hug by the back of their necks and explains that,
"After everything that's happened you two should know nothing will ever be as bad as… that." Tifa and Cloud lock eyes. She isn't wrong.
"Fine," Cloud exhales, finally hugging Aerith's slim waist. "But I don't have to like it."
"That's fair." The two women smile at Cloud's disgruntled sigh before they all pull apart. The one light that's still on in the bar shines down on the flower girl like a vibrant spotlight. Even the world knows she's special to this day, Tifa thinks fondly .
"So why did you come here?" Cloud's question sparks equal curiosity in Tifa. Aerith bites her lip, not like that's distracting or anything, and coyly rubs at her opposite shoulder.
"Well… I could be blunt like this cutie over here," Aerith boops Cloud's nose and he steps back. "Or I can beat around the bush like someone I know."
"...Hey," Tifa warns weakly, covering her eyes with one hand. Aerith bounces on her heels in sudden delight.
"But I'll do neither and be perfectly in the middle." Aerith takes one look at Cloud's serious face and pulls him against her in a hug while her eyes lock onto Tifa's. "I didn't think my Mom would appreciate hearing what I had planned for tonight." Tifa raises a brow, not sure what to think of that.
"What the hell does that mean?" Cloud says just what Tifa's thinking again.
"Oh come--" Aerith lets go of Cloud and interlaces his and her fingers. "--It's been three months since we decided to all commit to this relationship. I mean, cuddling, hanging out, kissing, " Aerith sings happily, and Tifa must agree with that sentiment. "There's just one thing we haven't done yet." Ok, Tifa knows she's blushing hard now, and she touches her cheeks with her fingertips, trying to ward away the heat. When she looks at Cloud with her eyes as wide as plates, he looks unimpressed.
"...I don’t get it." Aerith slaps a hand over her forehead and Tifa quietly cuts in, nudging his shoulder with her knuckles.
"She’s talking about sex, Cloud." And now it's his time to blush. He turns his head away from them both before shrugging his stiff shoulders and rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Are you serious? How… how does that even work with three people?" To be honest, Tifa has been thinking about that prospect a lot, especially because of something that happened between her and Aerith last week.
Last Monday, 9:11 PM:
"We never get to be alone, you know?" Aerith had been bugging Tifa about it quite a bit since the week before then. She wasn't wrong. It certainly didn't help that Tifa was just so busy with the bar and building up her clientele again. Cloud had just left an hour prior to get an early rest at his and Tifa's shared apartment near the bar that they hadn't even had time to decorate (turns out Aerith would be the one to do most of that work for them). He had a two day long job coming up in the morning and he hardly kissed the two women goodnight before he took off. That just left Aerith and Tifa to close up the bar and decide where they'd be spending the night. Even though Aerith's mother didn't know the specifics of the three's relationship, she allowed even Barret to sleep at the house if need be. Aerith had tried convincing Cloud and Tifa her mother would accept it given time, but the two were incredibly skeptical, so Aerith let it go for now.
Tifa was scrambling to do all the last minute things, hauling her ass all over the back and front of the bar until Aerith, talking at Tifa the whole time, realized a vital thing; Tifa, with bags fabulously resting under her eyes, and hair looking limp at the ends, was utterly exhausted. Of course the bartender would never admit it, and Cloud would never call it out until he had to, so Aerith took it upon herself to quietly grab Tifa by her buff bicep, and physically stop her from moving. Tifa looked a little confused by the sudden strength in Aerith's hold before lips found her own, just grazing them. Aerith wrapped her arms around her partner's sturdy shoulders and looked into burning red eyes.
"You need a break, and we need some girl time." Tifa nodded solemnly as her fingers picked at the back of Aerith's new dress Tifa had bought her last month. It was pink and a little shorter than her usual one, but it looked adorable nonetheless with lace sleeves. "So come over to my house and I'll even paint your nails. How about it?" The peppy sweet voice in Tifa's ear was coursing through her blood and heating up every part of her.
"Can't promise I'll stay awake for the nail salon part." Aerith humed, amused.
"Then let's just get you a hot shower and we can lay in bed together?"
"Alright."
Fifty Minutes Later:
They had been in bed, and Tifa's wet hair was up in a messy bun as she sat against Aerith's loose headboard. Tifa could have sworn the bed was better than anyone else's, but that's probably just because if she was in it, that meant Aerith was too. She was reminded of this fact when Aerith rolled onto Tifa and pressed her head against a strong shoulder. It felt almost unreal, because these kinds of situations didn't happen often between the two.
The irrational worry of jealousy spiked up a flare of anxiety in Tifa's heart, but of course, Aerith already saw that coming. The radio next to Aerith's bed was playing a soft jazz song just loud enough to hear mumbling words, and only a candle was flickering beside it. Tifa's brow was tense, and she was staring up at the ceiling trying to hide the last bits of anxiety from the woman she was holding tight against her side as if Aerith was a plush to cuddle. The thin sheet over their waists didn't do much either in the way of comfort. Tifa's whole body twitched when Aerith's mouth sucked and kissed at her neck without warning. Regardless, the flower girl decided to drag her fingers over Tifa's bare stomach as another hope of distraction. The shirt Tifa slept in is just like the one she almost always wears, but the one that night was silky and a little looser. When Aerith's hand slowly raised up just to the side of one breast, Aerith was pleasantly reminded Tifa left her bra off after bathing. Of course the darker haired woman could tell Aerith's mind was churning, and Tifa got increasingly nervous; much like Cloud, Tifa wasn't really the initiator. Aerith seemed to know just how to get the ball rolling nonetheless.
"Tifa…" the sound of Aerith saying that, just in her ear, shook Tifa down to her core, and her whole body began to ache and tremble. "I think I know what would help you really loosen up."
"H-hm?" Aerith's fingers danced over the silk again, this time boldly resting against the full breast to make Tifa's skin tingle.
"Would you feel comfortable touching yourself?" Tifa abruptly sat up and Aerith was forced to do the same. She didn't entirely take her hand off Tifa, but she put it in a safer place on her ribs.
"I--That's um. I… I'm not sure." Tifa self-consciously picked at the sheets all sewn by hand. "Do you think Cloud would be upset if we did something like that?" Aerith rubbed at Tifa's back and played with her hair, a gentle smile gracing her lips.
"We don't have to do anything," Aerith made sure to say. "But I talked to him about it before. He didn't seem upset if we kissed or anything." Tifa had let that sink in, eyes fixating on her toes moving under the sheets. "He isn't exactly the most physical man I've met. I wouldn't be too surprised if he isn't very sexual either." Tifa tried thinking back to a time Cloud showed any interest in women let alone either of them in a sexual way besides kissing and being emotionally there. She couldn't really think of many times he even tried to kiss them first. When Tifa finally looked back at Aerith who's cute green eyes peered right back at her, she was reminded of all the passing thoughts she'd had about the woman for longer than their relationship had even started. Of course, having never thought about sex with women, she mostly thought of Cloud when she was in a mood, but lately, it'd been Aerith more than anything. They just hadn't... talked about that stuff. So Tifa took in a huge lung filling breath and laid back down, her arm around Aerith.
"It's kind of embarrassing though," Tifa admitted quietly. Aerith had to strain to even hear her, yet Aerith worried her brow in understanding and kissed Tifa softly one more time. "I think I want to." Tifa knew she was as red as a hydrant right then, but Aerith didn't even tease her like she usually would, instead just nodding supportively. All of a sudden, Aerith sat up a little and pulled her nightdress over her head. Tifa's eyes went wide and she looked away as if not to stare. Aerith smiled at that and physically turned Tifa's chin back to her. The constant thumping of both their hearts was distracting, but Tifa just couldn't get herself to look away again. The blankets were covering the most intimate part of her girlfriend but her small breasts are beyond enticing. "Is--is your door locked?"
"Mhm." Aerith held herself up with one arm and started pinching at one of her own hard nipples just to get a rise out of Tifa. It worked. Better than expected really. The bartender didn't know what came over her but her mind and body separated and her mouth was suddenly sucking on Aerith's opposite breast, leaving a dark mark on the fair skin. "Nn. That feels so good." A little bubble of pride caught in Tifa's chest before Aerith reminded her to, "Touch yourself." Tifa paused her tongue before, at a snail's pace, she spread her legs just enough to reach with her calloused hand and rub over her shorts.
"Hnn!" Tifa breathed in hard and bit down on a nipple, moaning when Aerith's whole body vibrated. She could tell just from the minute touching, she was already soaked enough to feel it through her shorts and underwear. "Are you sure this is ok?" Tifa asked regardless. Aerith nodded almost miserably, wanting nothing more than to see Tifa do something so intimate to herself. Tifa braced herself and reluctantly released Aerith's breast while she hooked both thumbs into her shorts and pulled them off, kicking them down the bed under the covers. She groaned at the wetness sticking to the insides of her legs. "Gosh what are you doing to me?" Aerith chuckled sweetly and sat up a little closer to Tifa's mouth. Tifa then glided her fingers over her clitoris and her whole body rocked forward. " Aerith. " The woman she called for whined in the back of her throat and started playing with her own nipple again. The sight of that just made Tifa even wetter and she was already able to rub pretty fast. The clicking of her arousal embarrassed her but when she tried to slow down, Aerith grabbed Tifa's wrist and sped her up again.
"Please don't feel weird. You look so sexy," Aerith whispered with heavy lidded eyes. Still, Tifa didn't want to let her s/o hear her moans so she sucked on her own tongue; that was working well, and she was enjoying the sight of Aerith, drinking her in, until she stretched and slid a finger inside of herself and moaned loud enough for anyone upstairs to hear. Of course that broke her moment and she pulled her finger out. "Baby," it always did feel special when Aerith said that word. "Just a little quieter, ok? But don't hold it all back. Let me know how good you feel. Come on." Aerith released her own breast to touch Tifa's, and soon Tifa went back to it. Had she ever been this turned on in her life? It was a thousand times better than any fantasy she'd ever had, and she wasn't even being touched let alone doing the touching. The idea of touching Aerith really set her off, and when Aerith pinched both nipples at the same time, Tifa moaned inside her own mouth and dropped her head back in disbelief.
"Aerith, I want--" it came out without warning and she shut her mouth as fast as she opened it. The green eyed woman looked down at her, so ready to listen, but Tifa shook her head with a weary grin. I shouldn't. Tifa pressed two fingers into herself and the shame was dissipating. Here she was, flat on her back, legs spread, and she was pounding herself right in front of someone else. Life is crazy. Every thrust felt amazing and just right, and each one was helped by the mouth kissing her ear and tweaking her breasts. She was close. She knew it. Aerith seemed to like it too, since she was moaning just as loudly as Tifa which was so hot. Tifa was just about panting when her mind went blank and words flew out of her mouth. "Can you rub me out?" Tifa's hand slowed. She couldn't believe she actually said that, and she was feeling bad for it. It felt like cheating, but she couldn't sulk on it because Aerith wasn't having any problem with the idea. Her fingers zipped right to Tifa's clitoris and she stuffed her face into Tifa's hair that came undone on the pillow. Aerith was moaning. Really moaning. Tifa was going to combust any second now.
"Oh you sound so good, baby." It was almost funny, Tifa was thinking the exact same thing. A whine snaked its way off Tifa's tongue and her body ached and pulsated as she slammed her fingers inside herself while Aerith snuck her fingers under Tifa's wet palm and rubbed her clitoris at the perfect rhythm.
"Holy, shit… you're--mmmm!" Amazing. Perfect. Beautiful. She couldn't decide. A squeezing against her fingers let her know she was about to release and she pulled Aerith on top of her to devour her mouth. It was a mess of tongue and teeth but they couldn't stop. Tifa's hips were bucking up into both of their palms and she was nearly crying into Aerith's mouth while her partner comforted her with,
"Cum. It's ok. Do it for me." Tifa couldn't tell if she was screaming or saying nothing at all but she finished with her arousal gushing out onto her fingers for what felt like a minute long orgasm. It's never felt this good. Ever. When Tifa was done she laid back and threw her arm over her eyes that saw nothing but stars.
"Fuck." Aerith laughed, sounding so giddy and cute against Tifa's cheek. "I--you--that was--I can’t." Aerith laughed again at Tifa's flustered slurs and pushed Tifa's hand away before she took that hand that was buried inside Tifa and licked from wrist to fingertip. "Aerithhhh," Tifa collapsed back onto the bed and rubbed at her eyes with her other hand. "You're just trying to kill me," she complained.
"It'd be a nice way to die," Aerith mentioned, and Tifa smirked. Ten minutes went by of them just kissing and rubbing each other's sides, little to no words there. A little nagging thought had still been breaching Tifa's mind though. When Aerith finally parted their lips and dropped her head on Tifa's shoulder, the strong woman interrupted the silence.
"Should you… also touch yourself?" Aerith sniffed before kissing Tifa's cheek and draped her arm along Tifa's stomach.
"Tempting but let's wait because… well." Aerith got up on her elbow and made sure to look right into Tifa's eyes when she stated that, "If we were to start there's no way I wouldn't want you to fuck my brains out and you need some sleep tonight." Tifa’s brain stopped working for the rest of the night and well into the morning.