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“She’s my bodyguard.” Aerith said, slipping an arm through Tifa’s and tucking herself at Tifa’s side.
It only took Tifa one second to remember she hadn’t agreed to that.
It took her one second more to not care about that fact because Turk in front of her was about to start swinging.
She pulled herself away from Aerith’s grasp and ducked into a fighting stance. Her muscles were burning already with the exhaustion that came from falling through a roof and onto a bed of flowers; she was certainly going to be feeling that when the adrenaline wore off.
Tifa dodged the baton the threatened to beam her in the head and followed it up with an uppercut that hit the Turk on the chin even as he tried to get away. He went sprawling, not anticipating the force from it.
A hand reached out to grab her and Tifa nearly jerked away before she turned to see it was Aerith.
“Come on!” Aerith said and pulled her in the direction of the back of the church.
Tifa didn’t hesitate to follow, holding onto Aerith as they ran. They ran up the stairs, Aerith taking the lead and it was clear she knew this sector like the back of her hand as they bolted out onto the church rooftop and across a wooden walkway that connected them to another roof.
Tifa slammed her foot down on the board as they finished crossing and it splintered on impact, crashing to the ground.
“Impressive.” Aerith giggled next to her ear, slightly out of breath.
“We’re not out of danger yet. I doubt that’ll stop the Turks for long.” Tifa admitted and scanned the area, looking for any threats or ideas to get them out of this.
“It’s a good thing I have a bodyguard with me then.” Aerith’s smile was on the edge of sly as she squeezed Tifa’s hand.
“About that…” Tifa began hesitantly, “I’m really not…”
Yelling from the church made her stop and they both stiffened before exchanging a glance.
“This way.” Aerith tugged on their connected hands and turned to take them across more rooves.
They made their way to a water tower where finally Aerith let go of her hand, making Tifa jolt at the sudden lack of warmth.
“Just up this ladder.” Aerith explained, still smiling sunnily.
“Are you sure? It looks rusty.” Tifa squinted at it, wondering if it would hold them. She tentatively climbed up on one rung.
“Don’t worry, I’m sure it’s fine.” Aerith said right as the ladder creaked from under Tifa’s weight.
Tifa scurried up before the ladder could prove her wrong and turned back to make sure Aerith was getting up okay too.
The ladder was groaning too much for Tifa’s liking and as soon as Aerith was in range Tifa reached down to take her hand and pull her up. It was right in time too as the ladder broke away from under Aerith’s feet.
“If you wanted to continue holding hands I wouldn’t mind.” Aerith said breezily, like she hadn’t just been in danger of falling.
“That isn’t-”
“Over here.” Aerith cut her off and lead them to another set of stairs going down. “The train station is this way. You should be able to get back to sector seven then.”
Tifa sighed and let herself be pulled in that direction. It wasn’t bad anyway, holding Aerith’s hand.
“So, bodyguard?” She asked now that they had the time, no noise of the Turks following them.
“Don’t worry, I pay well.” Aerith winked at her, swinging their connected hands just a little.
“Why are the Turks after you?” Tifa asked, frowning.
Aerith answered with a sad smile, glancing back at Tifa before looking away.
Tifa could see she didn’t want to answer though the question was still burning in her mind. “I guess I can keep helping- that is, don’t worry about fee. I could even come back. Here that is if you needed it.” She could feel her cheeks heating up as she stumbled on her words.
“Oh?” Aerith sounded amused then, a world better than the sadness she had a moment ago. “I could always use the help and people don’t often just fall out of the sky.”
“Sorry about that.” Tifa mumbled, “And the flowers.”
“I can grow more. I’m just glad you weren’t hurt.”
As if reminded of it her back ached and Tifa winced.
There was a green glow emanating from Aerith’s hand that held hers as a cool breeze washed over her, healing her pain and making Tifa shiver.
It lit up Aerith’s eyes along with it, even in the sun shining above them they outshone anything in Tifa’s view.
“Thank you.” Tifa said, rolling her shoulders and sighing in relief.
Aerith’s eyes crinkled when she smiled, something Tifa could only spot now that she was staring at them so intently.
She looked away, trying to hide her gaze.
The sounds of trains pulling into a station filled her ears as they approached it but another noise made her tense and pull Aerith along with her out of sight behind some crates.
A helicopter roared overhead and Tifa frowned at it. It could only mean the Turks were still looking.
“This way.” Aerith pointed to a spot between the crates that lead into an alley. “We’ll need to be careful.” She let go of Tifa’s hand and readied her staff, “There’s creatures back here that won’t take kindly to us, but don’t worry I’ll protect you.”
“I thought I was supposed to be doing the guarding.” Tifa said, amused and clenched her hand a few times to shake off the lingering feeling of Aerith’s own. It didn’t work that well but she hid her disappointment.
“Guess we’ll just have to watch each other’s backs.” Aerith smiled, making Tifa return it with one of her own.
They made their way through a scrapyard, fighting Hedgehog Pie’s and Smogger’s alike and it was nice Tifa reflected, to have someone there. It wasn’t that Cloud and Barret hadn’t been there but there was something different in fighting alongside of Aerith. Mostly in the way she teased Tifa after a fight, her gaze appreciative and warm.
“What would you be doing if you weren’t doing this?” Aerith asked as they continued.
“Trying to stop Shinra from destroying our planet.” Even though she wasn’t sold on the means how, Tifa thought quietly.
Aerith watched her for a moment and then slide up to her side, bumping her shoulder with Tifa. “And if you weren’t doing that?”
“I guess…watching the bar. Or maybe going to the market.”
“A trip to the market sounds nice! And your bar, I think I’d like to see it.”
“You’re welcome anytime.” Tifa replied, “All though it’s really nothing special.”
“You’re there so there’s something special in it.” Aerith teased, leaning into Tifa again.
“I-I guess.” Tifa admitted, caught off guard. “What about you? What would you be doing.”
Aerith hummed. “Trying to sell my flowers.”
“Sounds dangerous.” Tifa said, taking her chance to tease this time.
“It is.” Aerith said solemnly, breaking it only by laughing. “Guess that’s why I need a bodyguard.”
“So I should be coming back then?”
“If you’d like.” Aerith looked over at her. “I won’t argue it. I could always use the company.”
There was something in her voice that was more than just a joke, a longing there perhaps – a desire not to be lonely.
“I’ll see what I can do then. We can go to the markets together, you can sell your flowers and I’ll buy what I need and we can have dinner at my bar.”
Aerith’s mouth fell open, a little in surprise before she caught herself. “It’s a date.”
Tifa ducked her head to hide her smile at that.
As they approached the Sector 5 district Aerith reached out, her hand sliding next to Tifa’s and with only a second of hesitation Tifa grasped it.
“I’m Aerith and this is Tifa, my bodyguard.” Aerith said, five years later as people gathered in Seventh Heaven to see the people who had fought against Sephiroth and won.
Tifa groaned, mostly to herself and shook her head in amusement.
“Is she still introducing you like that?” Reno asked from his seat at the bar.
“As often as she can.” Tifa said, shrugging and pulling glasses out to serve their potential customers.
“And my wife.” Aerith continued like they hadn’t said anything, her eyes sparkling in mischief in a way that meant she’d heard them and ignored them completely.
“At least I get that tacked onto it.” Tifa couldn’t stop the smile that came every time Aerith said it. She leaned over the bar to press a quick kiss to Aerith’s cheek. Aerith tilted her head as she went to pull back and grabbed Tifa’s suspenders to tug her into another kiss.
She let go, looking proud of herself.
“I just think it’s important they get your full title.” Aerith said.
Next to them Reno snorted and muttered something about newlyweds.
“You don’t really need a bodyguard anymore.” Tifa pointed out.
“But I’ll always need you.” Aerith said like it was the same thing.
Tifa coughed, looking over at the bouquet of flowers on the bar that Aerith had refreshed just that morning.
“I suppose it’s not a bad title.” Tifa relented, like she always did.
Aerith beamed at her, setting her hand down on top of Tifa’s as she turned to address the group of people once more.