open ✨ life can be harsh, it can be bitter.

[starshower]

Who: Tifa Lockhart feat. Cloud Strife & YOU
What: September catch-all. Tifa tries to find something else she enjoys outside of Heavenly Blanc, and drags Cloud along for the ride.
Where: Where the threads happen
When: When the threads happen
Content Warnings: N/A

𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦. 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘧𝘧, 𝘭𝘦𝘵 '𝘦𝘮 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘦. 𝚌𝚕𝚘𝚞𝚍 & 𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚊 ★ 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚗 𝚌𝚘𝚘𝚙 ★ 𝚋𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚜𝚎 ★ 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚍𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚍 ★ ♫

Comments

[memorate]

[ If Ren thinks Cloud has a knack for hospitality, he's about to reconsider his position on that. ]

One sushi no-preference coming up.

[ Except Cloud thinks that "no preference" means he can present it in any way he wants, which works just fine for him! Making sushi is stressful enough, so why not go the easy route if it's offered to him?

Lo and behold, Ren is served a plate that's just... raw fish covered in a pile of rice and torn up seaweed. ]

LMFAO ADI i'm crying

[starshower]

[She thinks, at first, that Cloud is at the very least going to attempt to roll up the ingredients she's slid over to him, but then... BUT THEN...! Tifa watches this all happen in stifled horror, hidden beneath a crooked and sheepish smile, as her culinary life flashes before her eyes.]

Cloud... [she mutters under a breath. And when he slides the messy plate with its pile of rice, fish, and seaweed across to Ren, Tifa's laugh is as awkward as ever.]

Ah... Here's your Sushi No-Preference...!

[Might as well roll (no pun intended) with it!

She gives Ren a pleading look as if to silently tell him to say at least one good thing about it, even if it isn't the kind of sushi he was expecting. Cloud is trying (he is, right?) and she doesn't want one experience to turn him off of the idea of running the stand permanently.]

i cannot believe cloud got defeated by sushi

[forethinking]

(Ren keeps an eye on preparation, but while Cloud is not looking, he allows his expression to show the confusion with the frown and the tilt of the head.

?

Yeah, he reconsidered. This is definitely not sushi, but he's not about to throw off the happy vibe by bringing that up! To the very least, he's somewhat endeared by the... Attempt...? Cloud's trying!! He didn't even need the look Tifa gave him, but he gives a nod of acknowledgement, like he knew what she was asking of him.)

Modern take, huh?

(Not... Really... But sure.)

[memorate]

[ Cloud gives each of them a look, oblivious to what the big deal is. Modern... take...? ]

Is there a problem?

[ He said no preference!!! ]

[starshower]

[Before things can escalate like she fears they might, because Cloud's confidence is being put in the hot seat right now, she waves a hand between the two of them, as if that will diffuse some of the tension that she can feel there. This is almost like being between Cloud and Barret... It's not as bad, but she can feel that need to intervene in her gut.]

No problem at all! [She just casually cuts in to answer for Ren, sorry!] And I wouldn't say a modern take, just our own take on sushi! Hmmm. Like a sushi salad, yeah?

[She says it with such confidence that it might as well be a real thing.]

[forethinking]

(... His Japanese pride is hurting... A little... This is really not sushi, guys... But at least he does find something nice to say when he grabs chopsticks (?) and pops some of the contents of place into his mouth.)

Tastes good.

(That's a sincere compliment, though!)

How are things with you two?

[memorate]

[ Cloud is so used to being asked what his relationship with Tifa is that he immediately assumes that's what Ren is inquiring about, and his brain already defaults to his usual awkward reply. ]

What? No, Tifa and I... we're, uh, I...

[ He quickly starts preparing another sushi roll, trying to keep himself busy while he hopes that she takes the lead on this one. ]

[starshower]

[And Tifa, who's never been asked this before, goes red in the face when Ren asks, and even redder when Cloud stumbles with his answer. There's nothing to get so flustered over! Why is he doing this! She drops the knife she'd picked up, and gasps as it clatters against the counter.]

We're, uh... you know...! Same as usual.

[Long-time friends, that's all! Oh no wait, she's doing it too. Pull yourself together, Lockhart! She looks over to Cloud while he busies himself with the sushi, and that seems to calm her down enough that she can formulate a calm answer.]

Happy... [she says with an exhale. Phew, Tifa to the rescue.] Business is going good, I think.

[forethinking]

(Oh, you two. Ren is biting his lip discreetly not to laugh, how did they twist such a simple question about their well-being to their relationship status? The laugh may have been successfully swallowed, but the smile he has on the corners of his lips may still be visible for those who are looking.

When Tifa finally speaks, Ren nods and busies himself with food. That's what he was doing before this, so might as well return so that the vibe calms down a little...)

Heavenly Blanc is fine too.

[memorate]

[ Cloud glances at Tifa, trying to read her own reaction before he gives a response. He's not quite sure if she wants to talk about the bar, or hear how fine it's going without her, or even if it wasn't going fine... it's best he offers them a chance to pivot from this subject. Whether they take it or not, that's up to them. ]

The location isn't the best to reach, though. Heard some of the others might start doing something about that.

[ Illuminating the pathways, digging more tunnels, etc... he's used to passively picking up chatter when he travels between places. ]

[starshower]

[She wouldn't have minded, but there is a flicker of sadness across her expression—one that she tries to hide behind a smile, as she tends to do. It's nice to hear that it's doing well, and she had no doubts that it would be fine without her, but the subject still bears some heaviness for her. Not enough that it would ruin an otherwise fun time sharing her cooking with good company, though.

Her hand briefly brushes against Cloud's arm, as a sign of appreciation, before she drives the subject in the same direction.]

Yeah, there were talks about building a bridge over the rocks for easy access. [Damien's leg wouldn't allow him to get down here, which bums her out... She would have liked to see him down here at the stand!] I don't know if it's gotten off the ground yet?

[Ren would have heard something about it, right?]

[forethinking]

Who's doing it? (He might not know who, but he knows why. Damien, right? All the others can access this place regardless of the annoyance it is. Ren almost swam the first time himself...

The plate is finished as of now and he leaves it neatly with utensils on top to be picked up.)

Any news on the Void itself? (Aside from the hunger.)

[memorate]

Not my business.

[ Real answer: He has no idea who's doing it, and whenever he doesn't have an answer to something, he defaults to feigning disinterest. Besides, he's already busy with charity work as it is. ]

Aren't you the one who has to talk to people all day?

[starshower]

[Tifa's sigh is loud and pronounced, but she busies herself with cleaning up the remains of the no-preference sushi on the countertop, wiping away the pieces of rice and seaweed sticking to the bamboo and packing up the fish to put away for their next customer.

Boys, please.]

Thought I overheard Kaiba talking about it but could be wrong.

[He never was that friendly with others, so it could have just as well been her imagination instead.]

As for everything else, not really. Not a lot of people know we're down here yet, so haven't had the chance to ask. I'd have thought there'd be more word spreading through Heavenly Blanc.

[forethinking]

Kaiba? (Ren echoes, eyebrows shifting into a frown and he's incredulous. For someone who seems so individualistic, he can't quite imagine what made him start it. Ren'd like to help, so he makes a mental note.)

I'm not there all day. (To Cloud, because Tifa knows that herself.) I haven't heard much. I guess everyone is just trying to adapt the best they can.

[memorate]

[ He just thought the same as Tifa, which is that the bar has more customers and therefore more chatter. Perhaps Blue or whoever else took over for Tifa might have more information... ]

Guess it doesn't help that the market decided to materialize here of all places.

[ It's very geographically inconvenient. ]

Can we really keep business going here?

[starshower]

Long as people need to eat, I think so.

[Though, there is a slight pang of concern to her voice as she pauses, arms folding.]

I know what you mean... [Those proprietress gears are turning!] Maybe if we get the word out a little more, you know? I wonder...

[Her eyes fix on Ren, and a lightbulb turns on in her head with an idea.]

What if we gave some of our food to Heavenly Blanc, and the Church? You know, as a sort of sample to draw more people to check out the real thing?

[forethinking]

(He can see the loading screen in Tifa's brain and he smiles, already knowing what can come out of it.

When she finally speaks, he nods decisively.)

I think that's a wonderful idea.

(And besides. Not everyone can stomach Blue's curry, and Ren's own, while great-tasting, it's still curry. People may get sick of the dish repetition.)