Tifa's eyes widened. Slowly, deliberately, her gaze trailed downward to the sword protruding from her stomach. Strangely, the pain seemed far away. Remote. As though it was someone else's pain. After a long moment, her eyes returned to the eyes of the one who had stabbed her. Cloud. His eyes were wide. Confused. As though he couldn't comprehend what had happened.
"Tifa…I…" His voice contained confusion as well. Bewilderment. How had this happened? How could this have happened?
Tifa smiled. She leaned forward, feeling the sword slide more deeply into her as she did so. Feeling the blood flow even more freely from the wound. But, again, the pain was strangely removed. Not hers. Not hers. She pressed her lips to Cloud's. She could taste blood. Hers? His? She couldn't have said.
"It's ok, Cloud."
Cloud pulled back, pulling the sword from her as he moved. He watched her for several long moments. Waiting. Expecting something. Anything.
She watched him. Feeling the blood draining out of her. The edges of her vision began to fade. Cloud began to fade. She began to fall. The floor rushed up to meet her. She could see her own blood pooled around her. She hit the floor with a strangely painful 'thud'.
The thud moved though her like a physical blow and she jolted back to the present. Cloud stood before her. His eyes were downcast. His posture curled in on himself as though he expected a blow. She could see the tension in the set of his shoulders. The clenching of his jaw.
She looked down. Expecting to see a sword protruding. But it was absent. She could still feel the pain. But it was strangely muted. That's right. Cloud was leaving her.
"Tifa…I…" How had this happened? How could this have happened?
Tifa smiled. She leaned forward. Feeling the reality become more sharply real as she did so. She pressed her lips to Cloud's forehead. The pain was strangely removed. Not hers. Not hers. Not hers. She could taste tears. His? Hers? She couldn't have said.
"It's ok, Cloud."
Cloud looked up at her. His eyes were wide. Confused. He watched her for a moment, still seeming to expect a blow. Which did not come. Then he turned. He walked out of her life.
She watched him leave. She could feel her body going numb. Her vision going black. She began to fall. The floor rushed up to meet her. She could taste the salt of her tears in her mouth. She dropped to her knees with a strangely painful 'thud'. Her heart began to bleed.