Say 'I Love You' and I'll Stay

This isn't the bonus one shot I was talking about in WDTL this is one I wrote a while before I started the other. The next oneshot I'm going to finish is a bit of AerithXZack with some ZackXCloud. So I'll see you all then or when I post my next WDTL chapter.

I wasn't sure what to rate this at first so I just rated it T. Seemed reasonable and a asked a little help from a friend! Thanks to ..SandxX for reading it through for me!

Well, peace out!

After everyone had left and night had fallen two people sat under an oversized airship looking up at the star encrusted sky in wonder thinking about there last night together. The two were speechless, each stunned to silence with their own different thoughts in their muddled up brains. They used to watch the stars as kids. It's why they did it now; the stars are constant, never changing and it relaxes them to think something was the same, even if it wasn't at all the same in the slightest, the stars were still bright and twinkling in the sky tonight as the two watched them.

Some stars were shooting across the sky off to find a new place to be beautiful almost like they realised that the planet was dying. The stars also showed milky patterns and swirls around and behind the giant red meteor that seemed to swallow up the whole sky. Not even the moon was visible behind the giant rock hurtling towards the planet that had populated so many people for so long.

Under the airship Tifa Lockhart and Cloud Strife lay. Their arms stretched skywards while they pointed out odd looking shapes the star patterns made. The little game used to amuse them for hours, but both knew the stars were only being used to distract themselves from the horror they knew was coming the next day so they didn't have to mention it to each other.

"That looks like your sword!" Tifa giggled pointing up to a clustered line of stars that seemed to form a point at one end and a handle at the other. Cloud let out a small chuckle at his friend and quickly stared over at her face becoming transfixed the second his gaze flickered to her face. He wanted to reach out and touch the curve of her cheek to see if it was as soft as it looked.

It wasn't a well kept secret that Cloud liked Tifa, everyone knew except Tifa -'Thank god' he thought. But now he wanted her to know just so he could reach over to her face without being questioned for doing so. With that being true everyone knew he liked the deceased flower girl too, but after she died I guess Tifa was the only one he felt he could trust because of how long he had known her; he had known her so long.

"And that one looks like Barrett in a dress!" Tifa giggled oblivious to Cloud's new fascination with thought of touching her face. Her beaming smile dulled when Cloud didn't reply and she looked over to see his dreamy face.

His eyes soon locked onto hers and both Cloud and Tifa just stared for an immeasurable amount of time both their gazes flickering around the others face looking for any flaws in the skin they both so badly wanted to touch. Tifa found one while Cloud found no flaws on the skin of Tifa's face.

"What?" Tifa asked tenderly in a soft whisper. The look in Cloud's eyes said it all for her. Being the bolder of the two Tifa hesitantly bought up her hand and began slowly caressing Cloud's one cheek.

It was soft and smooth under her hand but so much paler than the skin on her body. She loved the way Cloud reacted; he pushed his cheek further into her palm trying to seek more of the good, happy feeling he felt. Before he knew it Tifa had dropped her hand back to her lap.

"I was just admiring something beautiful." Cloud answered in a strong tone. He was sure about what he was saying, Tifa could tell that. She was blushing a bright crimson colour making her glad that Cloud couldn't see her properly so he couldn't see her reaction.

"The stars are pretty..." Tifa admitted shyly looking up as she spoke trying not to make any eye contact with Cloud. She knew this could be her chance to tell him how she felt. So far she hadn't had chance with Aerith's death and chasing Sephiroth and Cloud being in a Mako coma... She wanted him to know how she felt because she had a feeling they would die tomorrow. She wished Vincent had gotten the Phoenix Down's when she asked... (A/n: That really depends who plays the game mostly; they would die several times if it was me)

"Tifa." Cloud said softly as he grabbed Tifa's chin softly pulling her warm face around so she was facing him so their breaths were mingling together from where Cloud had moved closer to her in an effort to be bold. "I wasn't talking about the stars." Cloud told Tifa casually sweeping his hand up her face so it cupped her cheek while his thumb rubbed under her eye softly.

"Then what were you talking about?" Tifa asked in a stronger but still soft voice. Her voice made it seem as if she didn't want to talk and ruin the moment and break the spell that had been cast around the two putting them on their own little planet somewhere. She even knew she didn't need to ask; the evidence she knew what he meant could be seen all over her pink painted cheeks.

Tifa sat up quickly so she could look down on Cloud who was still lying out on the floor. He was sprawled out with his hand that was previously caressing her face on his stomach while the other was behind his head trying to keep it off the rocks. His one knee was bent so his foot was firmly on the ground. He seemed very relaxed, even if he wasn't. Cloud could feel Tifa's eyes all over him and soon bolted up following Tifa's lead. He leaned on his hands which he placed either side of Tifa so his face was close to hers. Tifa turned away embarrassed by the attention she was getting from the now smiling Cloud. He liked that she felt something for him, he could tell by the colour of her cheeks.

Cloud boldly pulled his hand up to once again gently turn Tifa to face him by her chin so he could look into her eyes. He loved Tifa's eyes; they were like a window into her soul. The big brown orbs were the one thing Cloud always wanted to get lost in.

"Cloud..." Tifa whispered noticing the little distance between their lips. His eyes noticed hers flick between his lips and his deep blue eyes intently. He felt her one hand as she slid it up his arm and over onto his chest where she caressed the scar over his heart.

"Tifa..." Cloud breathed looking at her lips now wanting so bad to kiss her just like he had seen himself do in his dreams and imagination. Their noses skimmed together as they both breathed slowly and rhythmically. Tifa was the first to speak and break the silence.

"You have to come out of your battle alive. I don't care if you flee and let everyone die, you I've to live." Tifa told him pulling away slightly to look at Cloud's whole face. Cloud moved back slightly looking into Tifa's determined eyes. The way she looked at him... It was like she knew he could do it. "Promise me." Tifa added in an almost whisper moving so she was now on her knees straddling Cloud's lap with both her hands on his chest while he leaned back on both hands. Cloud moved when Tifa did moving back further so she could easily be face to face with him.

"Another promise under the stars?" Cloud asked moving his face closer to Tifa and running his hand slowly up and down her arm in a small caressing gesture.

"Yes." Tifa said tilting her head to the side.

"Why should I keep it?" Cloud asked curiously mostly because he wanted to see how far Tifa really wanted to take this. She didn't give Cloud a verbal answer. Instead she moved forward wrapping her long arms around Cloud's neck leaning in just as he did connecting their lips in a long awaited kiss. Tifa felt Cloud smile slightly before she felt his tongue plodding and licking at her lower lip. He bit it just for good measure before Tifa parted her lips and felt Cloud's tongue slide in.

The way Cloud's tongue moved around the whole of Tifa's mouth bought a noise of pleasure from the back of her throat making Cloud inwardly rejoice that he could make her feel like that. Tifa felt Cloud's tongue slide against hers slowly making her react by pushing him down onto the floor behind him roughly. Cloud broke his lips away from Tifa's and looked up at her while he planted in a ragged breath and his heart sped on. Tifa was in the same condition: out of breath, heart racing. She was blushing slightly and looking away obviously worried and embarrassed by what she just did. Cloud didn't want her to feel like that so he brushed a lock of hair out of Tifa's eyes and pulled her chin up to stare into the chocolate-red pools of her eyes.

"You have a way with words Lockhart, I'll have to surrender and promise." Cloud said solemnly looking at Tifa as she lay almost on top of him as they sat there under the giant airship 'The Highwind'. She knew he was just playing and went along with him after realising it was okay and that he didn't mind -maybe even liked- where she had started the conversation going. A small smile graced Tifa's face she then beamed at Cloud and watched him as his blue eyes started shinning with the excitement she loved seeing in them. Tifa hoped she would always see his shining eyes, every day.

"Really? Because I'm just getting warmed up." Tifa said leaning back down from where she was half-sitting on Cloud's lower stomach.

The second time their lips connected was very much like the first. However this time Cloud felt Tifa's hand as it slid down his cheat round to the small of his back and found the buckle which tied around his middle in the form of that belt type thing. When Tifa managed to undo the belt she managed to also pull of the straps over his shirt and his shoulder pad off leaving Cloud in just his sweater type shirt and pants with the obvious addition of his shoes.

"Maybe we should take off your armour too..." Cloud said after Tifa untucked his shirt and let her hands wander under the fabric over the plains of his chest. The reply was a small 'hmmm' from Tifa as he flipped them over so she was now underneath him. Cloud began work on Tifa's neck while she wriggled beneath him. He started with light kisses but was soon licking and sucking his way up and down the flesh nipping it here and there lightly hoping not to leave any marks on visible parts of Tifa's skin..

Cloud made short work of Tifa's clothes in general not stopping at her armoured gloves and not stopping until she was only in her underwear. Tifa let out a noise of satisfaction as Cloud's lips moved further down her neck along her shoulder and down to leave kisses on the velvet surface of her one breast. Tifa whipped Cloud's shirt over his head carefully arching her body as he kissed along Tifa's Collarbone and neck every now and then dipping to kiss the top of her breast again. She felt Cloud lightly squeeze the one in his hand making another sound of pleasure erupt from Tifa's throat. Cloud began moving to unclasp Tifa's bra, the movement made Tifa arch her back and push herself against Cloud before rational thinking came back into Tifa's head.

"Cloud... Stop..." Tifa breathed as her conscience grew the balls to speak up and tell her this was leading to something that could end up badly for both of them. Cloud listened almost immediately sitting up and looking at her face. The look on Tifa's face told him why she wanted to stop. They were going too far, too fast and all because the world might end.

Cloud looked down before sheepishly looking up at Tifa with a small grin like a school boy who had been caught doing something bad. A smile graced Tifa's lips as she looked at Cloud with his small cheeky innocent smile. She thought it made him look younger, more like the Cloud she remembered from her childhood.

"It's not a 'no', it's a 'not now'." she told Cloud giving him a small peck on the lips before pulling back and looking for her clothes. As she moved away she wondered if he was just going along with it or if he would stick around for the later time she had talked about. The thought of Cloud being with her sent butterflies to Tifa's stomach. She needed to tell him how she felt.

When both of them were fully dressed they went back to watching the stars. This time Cloud sat with his back to a rock while Tifa sat between his parted legs leaning her back on his chest whole holding onto Cloud's hand dear life.

"Cloud..." Tifa said quietly turning to the man behind her. Cloud offered no more reply than looking at Tifa instead of the stars urging her to speak with his eyes. He held no emotion in his eyes, just as always.

"I... I love you." Tifa said looking away like she never said the words at all. Cloud looked at the back of her head with wide eyes. 'Did she mean that?' He thought as he tried to turn her head by her chin. When she wouldn't comply with his wishes Cloud sighed and gave up trying just taking to hugging Tifa from around the back and kissing her shoulder while she sat still.

"Tifa..." Cloud started. He sighed wishing she would turn around so he could look at her. She still remained silent and turned away. Cloud pursed his lips for a moment wondering what to say that wouldn't upset Tifa. Tifa didn't know what Cloud's silence meant, she waited for him to say something else.

"Tifa look at me... It's just a bit of a shock..." Cloud added not realising how his words would affect the girl be was holding. Tifa took the words the wrong way, she suddenly felt the urge to cry and a strong feeling that she had to be anywhere but where she was then.

So she bolted for the airship where she had a room she could lock herself in so she could cry.

"Tifa!" Cloud called getting to his feet in half the time it took Tifa and with double the speed he caught up too and grabbed her wrist. Tifa could feel the tears leaking from the corner of her eyes so she wouldn't look at him, she didn't want him seeing her like this.

"I'm sorry. I ruined everything, Cloud." Tifa whispered hoarsely in her tear thick voice. She mentally cursed her eyes for leaking when she needed to be strong, even if she was just pretending to be. She didn't want Cloud to know she was crying so she was trying to claw her way free of Cloud's grasp. Cloud still looked at what he could of Tifa's face like she wasn't trying to get away from him.

"Why do you think you ruined anything?" Cloud asked trying to see Tifa's face as she made exaggerated movements to hide it. He couldn't see her face but could tell from her ragged breathing she had been sobbing while she ran.

"Because you obviously don't feel the same for me. I ruined our friendship." Tifa now sounded more upset. Her voice seemed to break on some of her words as she spoke. Cloud tried to pull Tifa closer but she still tried to push him away. Tifa just wanted to run away and curl up somewhere where Cloud couldn't find her.

"Why don't you think I feel the same?" Cloud sighed giving up trying to turn Tifa to him but not letting go of her wrist, he didn't want her running off. Tifa started mentally picking apart what he had just said. She was glad he wasn't trying to look at her anymore but she wished he would let her go. The way he'd said his last words made Tifa rethink how she had seen his comment before she once again got upset at Cloud.

"You said it was a shock!" Tifa wailed throwing her body around so she was facing Cloud. He could now see the very prominent blotchy colouring in Tifa's face and the tear track marks that ran from her eyes down her cheeks. She saw clouds eyes soften and knew he knew she was crying; 'I need to get away' was the only thought in Tifa's head so with another yank of her wrist Tifa pulled free but instead of running like Cloud thought she would Tifa just rubbed her wrist and then her arm still looking at Cloud like he just ate her kitten. Tifa couldn't look away from the look in clouds eyes. At first he looked sad then his eyes seemed to bubble with anger as he looked straight at Tifa

"What so I'm not allowed to be shocked at anything anymore?"Cloud snapped. Tifa was starting to get on his nerves with her disbelief but he didn't want to get mad at her; he didn't even know where the remark had come from. He didn't mean it at all but watched at Tifa turned to him in alarm and started waving her arms around trying to tell Cloud he had it wrong.

"That's not it! It's just-" Tifa was cut off by an angry ragged sigh that came from Cloud he ran a hand over his face pushing it into his hair before grasping it in a gesture meant to effectively show his stress. Tifa now had more tears flowing down her cheeks. The new wave of salt water found the path of its older friends quickly and began trailing down the confused girls face. She just stared at Cloud as he looked back at her with his stressed look. Cloud crossed his arms before he started speaking again.

"It was a good shock Tifa." Cloud examined calmly. He watched the brunettes eyes grow wide at what he was telling her as he continued. "I DO love you, I just never realised you would love me back." now it was Cloud's turn to look away. Tifa looked at him for a minute trying to tell if Cloud was telling the truth or not. She focused on the end of his statement. He didn't think she could love him; he was too hard on himself. Tifa moved so that she had a hand cupping each of Cloud's cheeks forcing him to look at her.

"Why wouldn't I?" Tifa asked looking down into the depths of Cloud's eyes. All Cloud could see in Tifa's eyes was innocence like should be in the face of his angel.

"Same question to you; why wouldn't I love you?" Cloud asked he knew Tifa would have a list but he love her and that was all that mattered to him right now.

"Cloud-" Tifa started before being immediately cut off by Cloud's lips as he tilted his mouth against hers effectively quietening the lively girl with his kiss. When Cloud broke away he just looked in Tifa's eyes taking her face in his hands like she had his before they had became wound around his neck like they were now. Cloud could feel Tifa lightly playing with the small hairs on the back of his neck. He liked the sensation.

"I love you" Cloud told Tifa sincerely looking only in her eyes before his gaze began flickering between the features of Tifa's face.

"I love you too." she replied pulling Cloud in for another kiss by just a tilt of his head. When she pulled away Cloud took Tifa by the hand and tugged as he walked away. Tifa looked confused before following Cloud.

"Come on, let go inside. We can sleep in the briefing room." he clarified before he began walking a bit faster towards the ship like he had seen a ghost.

"Why?" I asked with a slight giggle as the wind picked up sending a few of the dessert flowers that had been growing up into the air and in my direction.

"I don't like sleeping on rocks." Cloud confirmed looking back to Tifa to see her with a flower stuck in her hair -unbeknownst to her. Cloud stopped letting out a slight chuckle before moving back and sorting out Tifa's hair for her. Tifa had to agree her hair would be much safer and cleaner inside. She didn't like it full of tangles or rocks or even flowers.

"Fine. But I'd only come in from this beautiful night for you." Tifa mockingly sighed pulling Cloud close to kiss him before carrying on up the ladder into the ship.

"And I wouldn't have it any other way." Cloud mumbled as he climbed aboard the ship after Tifa.

So... how was it? Review please! It's just that button under the text... do it please!