Title: The Dress
Fandom: Final Fantasy: Advent Children
Characters: Cloud, Tifa, Cid (slight Marlene and Denzel)
Prompt: 011 - Red
Word Count: 979
Date finished: 06/13/2006
Rating: G
Summary: Cloud asks Tifa on a date.
Author's Notes: I walk past this place filled with swords and daggers, banzai trees, and incense every morning when I walk. And always, in the window (next to a 18-in high statue of a unicorn) is an oriental dress. I've always wanted one (if only I'd ever look good in one), so instead, I let Tifa wear it.
Disclaimer: Characters are owned by Square Enix and Sony Pictures as far as I know.

And realized he'd never seen her dressed formally. He turned away from the dress - oh, he'd like to see her in that, but he didn't know if that was something she liked. There was one way to find out, for sure. He picked up his pace as he strode toward the Seventh Heaven bar.

Things were starting to look up in Edge; Rufus Shinra had made good on his claim to want to help the planet recover - at least so far. But there were fancier places in Edge, now, upscale restaurants and even a theater. The plan formed in his mind with only one hitch, but he figured he could talk that out with Tifa and she might have an idea.

Cloud slipped around back, through the dark alley where the back door was located. Inside, he could hear the low murmur of patrons in the bar, but he didn't want to wait. He walked in, glancing around to see if he recognized anyone, and was surprised to see Cid behind the bar. Cloud walked over. "Where's Tifa?" he asked.

Cid grinned at him. "Be right back," he said, and sure enough, her hand brushed his shoulder as she walked by him. He grabbed her hand gently, pulling her around to face him. She turned easily, without resisting, and smiled at him. He had to smile back. "Got a minute?" he asked.

Tifa glanced at Cid, who had a knowing look on his face, and he gestured them out of the bar. Cloud led the way into the passage way to the back, with the stairs to one side that led to the apartment upstairs. He paused, not entirely sure now what he wanted to say.

Tifa waited patiently, reaching out once to brush something from his hair. He'd had a close encounter with a bush that hadn't wanted to let go earlier that morning, so he wasn't too surprised when she showed him a small branch. "Tifa, when's your next free evening?"

She paused, looking at him curiously. "Why?"

"Because I'd like to take you to dinner, and maybe a show or something. A reason to get dressed up," he added, and it dawned on him that he had nothing formal - or even semi-formal - either.

She stared at him like he'd lost his mind, a look he'd never seen when he really had been, then she smiled. "I'll let you know," she said. "I'd love to."

"Thank you," he said, and gave her a kiss. "You'd better go before Cid does something you'll regret."

She laughed as he let her go, then walked back into the bar. He stood in the hallway for a moment, then started up the stairs to figure out where they'd go, what they might be able to see, how they were going to get there - and what he was going to wear.

It turned out to be easier than he thought, though he had to visit one of the clothing shops. The woman there was kind enough to suggest styles and colors that matched what he normally wore; he had no idea what Tifa was doing, or if she was doing anything, but she had asked him how formal he wanted to be. He'd told her about the dress, not sure what else to do. She'd looked very contemplative as he'd finished, but he didn't know if it were good or not.

The date night arrived; Cloud had gone to the tailors earlier that day to pick up the clothes he'd had made. He'd specified that he wanted to be dressed up without looking like a Turk; the tailor had smiled at him with humor and agreed. He dressed carefully, wanting to not ruin anything. The black slacks were easy to move in and comfortable, which helped, and the dark green shirt was soft against his skin. He glanced at the harness of his Tsurugi, hanging on the wall, and then turned his back on it. Edge was safe enough now.

He finally went downstairs, where Marlene and Denzel sat at the bar eating dinner. Cid was on duty tonight - although what he was doing there, Cloud wasn't sure. He stood behind the children, wondering how he was going to ask, when Cid grinned at him. "There's a person under all that hardware," he teased.

"Of course there is," Cloud responded, and Denzel and Marlene turned around. "Why are you here?"

"I'm the only one Tifa trusts with the bar, other than you," the pilot said.

"Cloud," Marlene said, eyes wide. "You look good."

He smiled slightly at her. "Thanks, Marlene."

And then a vision appeared in the mirror behind the bar, and he spun so fast he nearly lost his balance.

He wasn't the only one thrown off by Tifa's arrival. Most of the men in the bar had turned to look at her. Cloud moved before anyone else could, and walked up to her. She was in that red dress he'd seen, and she looked amazing. Her hair was pulled back, away from her face, and bound behind her head in some intricate… elaborate knot he didn't even know she knew. She'd found red tear-drop earrings, and a delicate silver chain graced her throat. "You look gorgeous," he said softly, and she blushed a little.

"You look good, too," she said, and he smiled at her as he offered his arm.

"Shall we go?" he asked, and she took it. He led her across the floor and out the front door toward dinner, leaving the bar silent in disbelief behind them.

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