HAPPY (late) BIRTHDAY TIFA!

[loveandstrife.livejournal.com]

Characters: Everyone who wants to celebrate Tifa's (late) birthday!
Progress: Ongoing
Summary: It's late, but there's a party for her, since she missed her birthday.
Location: Strife-Lockhart Household, LUCA.
Date: 28th May 1804
Warnings: Shenanigans!


It had been difficult to distract Tifa all day. He couldn't talk, so conversations were entirely out of the question, and he was absolutely exhausted, considering he'd arrived home early morning and hadn't slept since two nights previous. Still, he'd achieved his difficult mission for the day and was headed back with her to their house.

The lights were out, as they should be with children in bed, but within the house were guests, all hiding in the dark. It was easy to make a text to Marlene to tell them to hide and turn the lights off.

Opening the door, Cloud flicked the lights on to a room full of guests springing up and shouting "SURPRISE!!"

--

With the party in full swing, a cake was made and decorations were put up by the children. Music was playing and there was a kitchen full of alcohol for the adults along with juice and snacks. Everything had been put together with effort and care, by a family that really did adore their mother figure.

A table stacked high with gifts, from everyone excluding Cloud, was against one wall and there were more coming with the guests that arrived later.

Now everything was done, Cloud sat himself at the dining table with a glass of amber coloured alcohol, out of the way of much of the noise, and soon fell asleep on his arms on the table. It had been a long day getting everything ready for Tifa.

Comments

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa nodded and smiled at Shelke. When Marlene arrived, she immediately hugged her too, overjoyed to see her surrogate daughter looking so vibrant and happy. Shelke was welcome to join in the group hug if she wanted, though Tifa wouldn't force her.

"Thank you, sweetie. So this was all your idea?"

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

"Seems like everyone was in on it." Tifa smiled. "Yes - it's still going. The kids did a great job."

It was a shame that Vincent couldn't be there, though she thought it might be unfair to say that. He had his own things to deal with.

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa could be found in the kitchen, mixing up some cocktails. The drinks were starting to run out faster than they had expected, and besides, she enjoyed it. She was still experimenting with new combinations using Gaian drinks.

[xnotyetaherox.livejournal.com]

"Marlene's an expert at arranging things and organising things! She's also a super artist. Her decorations are the best ones!" Denzel really did adore his little sister!

"Shelke helped too. We all did. For you, Mom!"

PARTYING, BABY

[gtfomyhighwind.livejournal.com]

He had been in the kitchen making more last-minute drinks for everyone. Cid got a little shout in when Tifa came home to the surprise before darting off for the drinks. He set the adults drink out on a higher table and the kids drinks on a lower one.

Spotting the brunette from across the room, Cid grabbed the drink he made just for her, and headed over. "Now, I ain't no bartender but ya pick a few things up after drinkin' as long as I have!" He laughed, presenting the drink. "Happy belated birthday, darlin'."

[chaos-vessel.livejournal.com]

"I'm glad to hear. If I could have, I would have returned to offer help, but that would have been... a bit difficult. I promised Marlene that if I couldn't return, I would have at least call."

[littleprotector.livejournal.com]

She hugged Tifa tightly, still grinning. "Well, I just wanted you to have the best birthday, and that didn't happen 'cause all of the dragons. So maybe I planned it a little?"

Marlene couldn't help but blush when Denzel went on. In truth, she was super happy that things had turned out so well. And that people had come, and other people had sent gifts! It was great.

"And Uncle Zack helped me make the cake!"

[littleprotector.livejournal.com]

Sorry for a spazzy kid, Rude. Leave it to the party hostess to be running around. Combined with snacks and drinks and you've got a kid nearly bouncing off the wall.

"Rude! You made it!"

[littleprotector.livejournal.com]

Party hostess, coming through! Marlene had been mingling too, offering snacks when needed, so she had a little try in her hand with some things. When she broke through the crowd, she noticed the familiar suit.

"Reno, you made it!"

[littleprotector.livejournal.com]

Marlene came up after a little bit, a content smile on her face. "Thank you for helping, Firion."

[flyboy-red.livejournal.com]

"Hey, little lady! Yeah, I made it. Can't keep me from a party, especially one you're hosting," he replied, reaching out to pat her head. They'd sort of become an odd pair of friends and it was weird but Reno was glad. It'd at least keep Marlene's surrogate parents off his back.

PARTYING, BABY

[championofwutai.livejournal.com]

Since Yuffie couldn't be there either, Tifa's going to get another phone call.

[tinymakoaddict.livejournal.com]

Shelke couldn't help but be awkward in situations like this, and she actually wanted to hug Tifa, in a sense. She knew it was the proper thing to do, and from the situations where she'd done it before she knew it wasn't a bad thing. But she still never felt right instigating it.

After a moment or two of thinking about it, as Marlene explained things about the party, Shelke finally closed the space there and gave Tifa a hug. Sort of. It was from the side. And it really only involved one arm? But she was trying! In her own awkward sort of way.

[littleprotector.livejournal.com]

Even if the friendship was weird, Marlene still liked making friends. Besides, Reno wasn't really a bad person anymore. He had helped save the planet from Sephiroth and the Remnants. That was pretty okay in her book.

"I'm really glad you came!" She still couldn't believe so many of their friends had come. "Want a snack?"

[flyboy-red.livejournal.com]

Crouching down so he could look her in the eye and save her some neck trouble, Reno folded his arms on his knees. "Sure, what you got then?"

It was still weird for him to talk to kids at all, considering work hadn't allowed for time to be around kids at all, and when he'd actually had to be round children, he'd had to try stealing them back from the Remnants. Regardless, Marlene was adorable.

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa laughed, putting one arm around Shelke while the other stayed around Marlene.

"I'll have to thank Uncle Zack too, then. In the meantime, why don't you guys go and have fun? You all deserve it."

PARTYING, BABY

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Tifa took the drink with a smile. "Thank you!" She tried a sip. "Hey, not bad. We could make a bartender out of you yet. How are you, Cid?"

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

"I'll make sure to tell her that you did," Tifa promised. "Vincent... Are you... Are you sure you're okay? You haven't really told us what you're doing nowadays..."

PARTYING, BABY

[heartofheaven.livejournal.com]

Which means Tifa had to scoot off again - into her bedroom this time.

"Hello?"

PARTYING, BABY

[gtfomyhighwind.livejournal.com]

He let out a few chuckles, "Nah! Not unless ya want grease smears all over the glasses! Not bad, all things considered. You? How's it feel bein' a year older?"

/waves at him

[piercedgloves.livejournal.com]

Rude hesitated before pulling his sunglasses off all the way. It was hard to see the screen that Cloud was using to communicate, and he knew the blond man was probably uncomfortable that a Turk who once had a thing for Tifa was in their house. Taking his sunglasses off (though they'd more than likely be back on as soon as anyone else came around).

Nodding, Rude grunted slightly. "Haven't been doing much. Still don't remember disappearing in the first place."

Ceiling!Cloud: /waves back! o/

[loveandstrife.livejournal.com]

Cloud nodded slightly, a bit unsure about Rude taking his sunglasses off. He hadn't ever actually really looked at him without them on, which seemed even stranger, and he stared for a long moment before his gaze fell back to his phone. He was almost disappointed to not find a bionic eye or something behind the shades.

"Most people don't. I still can't remember everything from the first time I was here, and Tifa says I was here before that as well. I guess it's just one of those things.

I'm guessing Reno's around somewhere?" That always meant some form of trouble.

[chaos-vessel.livejournal.com]

"As well as can be expected, with as little control as I have over Chaos now," Vincent said, with sudden honesty. "I needed to get away from cities for a while."

PARTYING, BABY

[championofwutai.livejournal.com]

Sorry, Tifa, but cue Yuffie singing... horribly.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to the coolest bartender and kick ass girl around, happy birthday to you!"

[piercedgloves.livejournal.com]

Rude made his way to the kitchen after a while. Tifa's drinks were legendary, after all, and besides, he had to wish her happy birthday and she wasn't anywhere else to be found. Leaning against the wall, Rude just watched for a moment, uncomfortable with making his presence known.