"What one dreams of, is what they desire. Subconscious ideas are spawned from the tiniest emotion. When the scale tips to the extremes, lives are changed forever. What would happen if you chose to go on, and find another love?"
The muffled whispers were all she could hear. It was telling her something... but what? She seemed engulfed in warmth and love when she heard it caress her ears. The voice was soft and sweet. So familiar.
"...Or what if you decided to stay behind, glaring into the void? Never to feel what you were destined too? I'll be waiting for you Tifa..."
Her head jerked back. The voice echoed in her head, though she technically never heard it.
Tifa rubbed her eyes and pulled her legs to her chest. "It was Aeris... I saw her... Cloud?"
She looked around... it was 4:00 A.M. Glancing over to the other side of the lumpy bed, she noticed it was empty. The ruffled sheets and pillows where pushed down and away where it's occupant had just been recently. When did he get up? She had not noticed him leave.
Softly she said aloud, "Where is Cloud?"
Something must be wrong, she thought. Deciding it was best to look for him, she got up and looked into the mirror that was positioned in the corner of the crowded room. Her silky brown hair was matted to her neck. She had been perspiring.
Tifa stood there silently and touched her hair. "Sweat...? Why would I sweat after THAT dream?"
Upon closer inspection of her reflection, she could see her cheeks were flushed. The rosy color stood out against her normally pale complexion. This only made her look younger then she was.
"Odd... that only happens when I'm near Cloud..." Her eyes widened slightly and she paused a moment to remember a feeling she had once had that she had always dismissed. She shook her head and stared longer into the mirror.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a thuddish noise on the door. Casually, she walked over to the door and opened it. Seemingly, there was no one at the door... until she glanced down. The four-legged animal was very familiar and she knew who the beast was immediately.
"Nanaki! I haven't seen you in months! What's going on?" she said coyly. It was wonderful to see an old friend, she thought silently. Especially since Cloud was more distant since Sephiroth's demise.
Nanaki lazily licked his paw and said, "I was on Pilgrimage, to remind me of my past. It helps me grow stronger. I came to Gold Saucer earlier today. Around an hour ago, I saw Cloud at the Battle Arena. He told me not to tell you, he's going for the record. He didn't want you there, afraid you would try to stop him if something happened."
Tifa pouted and looked at the floor. "I'm used to it... but I should have known that's where to find him... He always has to prove how strong he is to himself... It's becoming frightening over how crazy he acts about strength."
She faked a heavy sigh, as if she WASN'T used to this already. Tifa had come to love almost everything about him. This was just one of his other querks that made him special to her, even if he was going mental and seeming to end up like Sephiroth.
The beast furrowed his muzzle with a look of distress. "That doesn't sound good...." He sighed slightly.
She never failed to amaze him. Nanaki felt bad for the young girl, because he could tell how she was not happy at all, but was trying to make herself believe she was.
"Well, hurry up and get dressed, he's not going to be waiting, as you know!" He finally said.
She looked down at her body and did a double take. She was only wearing her nightgown, which barely reached her knees when she was standing. The top was low cut, making her chest stick out a little too far, especially for Cloud's comfort. Tifa thought about that and started to get all flustered.
The brunette closed her eyes and thought angrily. "Cloud... arrr... he doesn't seem to catch on to what I'm saying... ever..."
After an awkward pause, she put her hand behind her head and laughed nervously. "Oops!"
She blushed at the embarrassment, but Nanaki assured her it was okay. They were good friends, but only that. After convincing her not to be worried, he turned and padded out of the room and walked solemnly to the arena.
As soon as he was out of sight, she ran over to her dresser, pulled out her clothes, and sat at the edge of the bed. She hastily took off her nightgown and shivered as the cold air touched her whole body. Not wanting to prolong this feeling, she grabbed her tank top, slipped it over her neck, and adjusted it accordingly to cover any areas that were not suitable in public. Glancing down at the floor, Tifa saw her shorts. Carefully she put them on. They hugged the curves of her hips quite snuggly. Then, she grabbed her boots and stepped into them on one by one.
After finishing, she ran to the door and into the hall. She had to make sure he would be okay, after all.
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The muffled whispers were all she could hear. It was telling her something... but what? She seemed engulfed in warmth and love when she heard it caress her ears. The voice was soft and sweet. So familiar.
"...Or what if you decided to stay behind, glaring into the void? Never to feel what you were destined too? I'll be waiting for you Tifa..."
Her head jerked back. The voice echoed in her head, though she technically never heard it.
Tifa rubbed her eyes and pulled her legs to her chest. "It was Aeris... I saw her... Cloud?"
She looked around... it was 4:00 A.M. Glancing over to the other side of the lumpy bed, she noticed it was empty. The ruffled sheets and pillows where pushed down and away where it's occupant had just been recently. When did he get up? She had not noticed him leave.
Softly she said aloud, "Where is Cloud?"
Something must be wrong, she thought. Deciding it was best to look for him, she got up and looked into the mirror that was positioned in the corner of the crowded room. Her silky brown hair was matted to her neck. She had been perspiring.
Tifa stood there silently and touched her hair. "Sweat...? Why would I sweat after THAT dream?"
Upon closer inspection of her reflection, she could see her cheeks were flushed. The rosy color stood out against her normally pale complexion. This only made her look younger then she was.
"Odd... that only happens when I'm near Cloud..." Her eyes widened slightly and she paused a moment to remember a feeling she had once had that she had always dismissed. She shook her head and stared longer into the mirror.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a thuddish noise on the door. Casually, she walked over to the door and opened it. Seemingly, there was no one at the door... until she glanced down. The four-legged animal was very familiar and she knew who the beast was immediately.
"Nanaki! I haven't seen you in months! What's going on?" she said coyly. It was wonderful to see an old friend, she thought silently. Especially since Cloud was more distant since Sephiroth's demise.
Nanaki lazily licked his paw and said, "I was on Pilgrimage, to remind me of my past. It helps me grow stronger. I came to Gold Saucer earlier today. Around an hour ago, I saw Cloud at the Battle Arena. He told me not to tell you, he's going for the record. He didn't want you there, afraid you would try to stop him if something happened."
Tifa pouted and looked at the floor. "I'm used to it... but I should have known that's where to find him... He always has to prove how strong he is to himself... It's becoming frightening over how crazy he acts about strength."
She faked a heavy sigh, as if she WASN'T used to this already. Tifa had come to love almost everything about him. This was just one of his other querks that made him special to her, even if he was going mental and seeming to end up like Sephiroth.
The beast furrowed his muzzle with a look of distress. "That doesn't sound good...." He sighed slightly.
She never failed to amaze him. Nanaki felt bad for the young girl, because he could tell how she was not happy at all, but was trying to make herself believe she was.
"Well, hurry up and get dressed, he's not going to be waiting, as you know!" He finally said.
She looked down at her body and did a double take. She was only wearing her nightgown, which barely reached her knees when she was standing. The top was low cut, making her chest stick out a little too far, especially for Cloud's comfort. Tifa thought about that and started to get all flustered.
The brunette closed her eyes and thought angrily. "Cloud... arrr... he doesn't seem to catch on to what I'm saying... ever..."
After an awkward pause, she put her hand behind her head and laughed nervously. "Oops!"
She blushed at the embarrassment, but Nanaki assured her it was okay. They were good friends, but only that. After convincing her not to be worried, he turned and padded out of the room and walked solemnly to the arena.
As soon as he was out of sight, she ran over to her dresser, pulled out her clothes, and sat at the edge of the bed. She hastily took off her nightgown and shivered as the cold air touched her whole body. Not wanting to prolong this feeling, she grabbed her tank top, slipped it over her neck, and adjusted it accordingly to cover any areas that were not suitable in public. Glancing down at the floor, Tifa saw her shorts. Carefully she put them on. They hugged the curves of her hips quite snuggly. Then, she grabbed her boots and stepped into them on one by one.
After finishing, she ran to the door and into the hall. She had to make sure he would be okay, after all.
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