Detention.
Tifa Lockhart was sleeping in class.
It wasn't something that happened very often, if at all, so he supposed he was entitled to look his share while he still could.
Slumped against her desk, with her head tilted to the side and slightly forward, she was, frankly speaking, adorable.
Cloud hadn't thought himself capable of ever using the word adorable, but it wouldn't be the first, or last, time that he had made exceptions for Tifa Lockhart.
The way her long, long lashes fluttered innocently against porcelain skin as she dozed fitfully, oblivious to the ongoing lecture.
The way her lips, moist and inviting, parted slightly as she exhaled.
Without even trying to, she managed to look angelic, even while sleeping in such an obviously uncomfortable position.
Cursing mentally at his sudden propensity for sappy adjectives, he snuck a quick glance around the room to make sure that no one else had noticed, giving in to the strange impulse of protectiveness in his chest. Above all, Tifa was vulnerable in her current state, and no one was allowed to take advantage of that. Needless to say, he would have beaten into pulp any guy who so much as looked at her sideways.
Tifa was his. Not in the way that he would've liked, to be sure, but she was his all the same. His to protect, love and cherish. He had known that the first moment he set eyes on her in homeroom some two years ago, and confirmed it by the painful tightening of his stomach whenever he caught sight of her laughing and joking with the other boys in school. It didn't help that she was bright, sweet and genuinely friendly, as well as very, very pretty. Wonder then that she hadn't had a single boyfriend yet, always turning potential suitors away with an apology and some kind words.
He wasn't short of interested parties himself, and Cloud knew for a fact that almost any girl in school would've jumped at a chance for a date with him. Blessed with sharp, good looks and dreamy blond hair that he had inherited from his mother, his aloof personality lent an air of mysteriousness to his disposition that only seemed to encourage girls no matter how many he rejected.
No, the spot next to him was reserved for Tifa alone.
And so he watched her from the side, never finding the courage or the opportunity to ask her out.
He was admiring the way her long, dark hair tumbled half over her face like velvet silk when the teacher rapped his knuckles on the desk.
'Strife, please pay attention to what I'm saying rather than Miss Lockhart over there.'
A classmate kicked Tifa's chair surreptitiously, and she woke with a start, blinking the sleep away from her half-lidded eyes guiltily.
Feeling his cheeks burn with shame, Cloud's head snapped to the front, feeling the stares of the entire class on him. A few giggles escaped from the girls but he ignored them studiously.
God, I hope she didn't hear that.
'Honestly, Tifa, I'm disappointed. Sleeping in my class-'
It was then that they were rescued by the lunch bell.
The damned teacher snapped his book shut with a weary sigh before continuing.
'Both of you report for detention after school. Class dismissed.'
Chancing a quick look at Tifa now that the accursed lecturer was gone, he caught her hazel eyes for a brief moment before she averted her gaze abruptly, cheeks coloured a pretty hue of pink.
'I'm going to the washroom,' she murmured to a friend before pushing the chair away from her table and standing.
Shit, she definitely heard.
Even so, there was nothing he could do about it now. For better or for worse, he supposed things wouldn't really change between them. They had spoken on few occasions, mostly polite exchanges between two people that were not-quite friends.
Still, the rapidly emptying class and Tifa's presence in the restroom presented a rare opportunity. Standing up quickly before he could second-guess himself, he walked briskly to the vending machine at the far end of the corridor, fumbling briefly with his wallet while purchasing a can of coffee. For good measure he added an energy bar before making his way back to class.
Sticking half a head to check if the coast was, indeed, clear, he leaned against the heavy door, feeling more than slightly foolish. There was no time to hesitate, however, as he spied Tifa exiting the washroom, brushing her bangs back into place. Taking a deep breath, he darted back into class, picking his way through the ordered desks as quickly as he could without attracting attention. The room was mostly empty, thankfully, and those still in class were either engrossed in scattered conversation or their own meals.
Looking around one last time to make sure no one was paying him any heed, he took advantage of the opportune moment to place both items neatly on the corner of her table, before beating a hasty retreat to his own seat. He made it just in time, having barely settled into his chair before she came in. It was difficult to resist the temptation to look as she approached her desk, given how much he wanted to catch her reaction.
Would she know it was him?
Would she be puzzled, indifferent, pleasantly surprised?
In the end, he succumbed, and was rewarded by her pleased flush as she discovered the simple gifts.
Cloud Strife was satisfied.
It was later in the afternoon when he finally escaped from the torture that their teacher had called detention. It wasn't a particularly difficult task that he had set them but-
But it had entailed a few hours of being in close proximity to Tifa, listening to his heart hammering inside his ribcage.
They had been detailed to clean out the gym storage, and that had meant spending half the day cooped up together in the cramped confines of the tiny old shed. The stale and musty air inside had only amplified the intoxicating effect her pleasant scent had on him, the faintest trace of vanilla and baby powder serving as a stark contrast to the stink of sweat. Worse still, they had had to work mostly in the dark, with the only the waning light from the evening sun as their guide. They had barely spoken to each other, with the only brief exchanges being embarrassed apologies for inadvertent, accidental touches.
Brushing dust off of his rumpled uniform, he reached for his bag, eager to put this nightmare behind him.
Tifa couldn't possibly be more uncomfortable around him right now.
He had barely gone a few metres when-
'Cloud! Wait!' she called out from behind him.
And just like that, he stopped in his tracks.
He turned around to face her and waited patiently until she had caught up. Was it just him or was she..blushing?
'Cloud..uh..thanks..for the coffee earlier..' she managed to stammer, while looking away off to the side.
He didn't say anything. It was enough for him merely to look, illuminated by the soft glow of sunset that bathed her slender figure. A few stray wisps of silken hair floated before her face, caught by the gentle breeze that had picked up.
She's beautiful.
'..but you can't do this..to me..Cloud. You've..got to..stop.. I don't want anyone starting rumours..' she continued, voice suddenly firm before faltering again.
'..even..even though I'm actually..happy..' she finished, voice barely audible against the faint rustling of wind through the leaves.
She was looking at him now, through her thick lashes, eyes a curious shade of wine swirling with indescribable emotion. It seemed like she was waiting-
A certain recklessness engulfed him. He had been holding back – for hours now, the desire to kiss her. It felt like all of his senses were heightened at this particular moment – the chirping of faraway birds, the feel of the cool breeze against his skin. He could've counted the lashes on her eyelids, see the way her cherry lips quivered ever so slightly in embarrassment and..
And just like that, he was lost.
Overwhelmed by the feeling of the moment, he finally gave in and stepped forward, towards her.
He caught sight of the almost imperceptible way she flinched, and it broke his heart.
But she didn't back away.
Nor did he stop.
He was close enough to touch her now, and heartened by her silent acquiescence, he reached to take her own, trembling, hand in his.
So small. So soft.
Bringing his face closer to hers. Giving her enough time to stop him, if she wanted to.
She didn't.
In fact, she seemed to be tipping her face upwards..as if to make up for the difference in height.
At this point in time, nothing could've stopped him, even if he had wanted to in the first place.
He closed the last few inches between them at an almost-leisurely pace, before finally, finally touching their lips together.
It was just like he had always imagined.
He could taste her strawberry chapstick on his own lips, hearing her low gasp as they made contact.
It was perfect.
Still, he pulled back after a short while, breathing heavily and looking at her with worried eyes, fretting about her reaction.
This time, she kissed him.
Tugging him onto the downy grass, he discovered that, at some point in time, her free hand had snaked around his back and established a firm grip on his flaxen hair. Supporting himself on his elbows, her full chest, much too well-developed for a girl her age, was snug against his own, and it felt as though her soft and pliant body had molded itself completely into the hard, angular planes of his.
Heaven.
He was wrong about earlier; their second time felt even better than the first.
All he could feel was her warmth in his arms. All he could smell was her comforting scent, mixed in with the fragrance of freshly cut grass. All he could hear was the soft sigh of his name as it slipped past her lips, parting shyly for him. All he could taste was her, as their tongues tangled in an unfamiliar, yet welcome meeting.
Breaking apart momentarily for air, he took the opportunity to cradle her head to his chest, where she could hear his beating heart.
'..I love you..'
She blushed furiously, the colour of her cheeks deepening from baby pink to a flaming crimson within a matter of seconds, and hid her face in his throat.
But it was enough for now.
A/N: Just some fluff. Felt like taking a break from my usual stuff (normally my style is a lot darker) so I came up with this. Just to let you guys know, it's been a long time since the last update but I haven't given up on my other story. It's just that everytime I write I end up being dissatisfied with the result so I've put off uploading the other chapter until it's done to my liking.
Until next time.