The Proposal
Cloud's POV
Tifa and I had been together for six months now after I finally admitted my real feelings to her after being able to forgive myself over the death for my best friends Zack and Aerith who were like siblings to me. But now I wanted something more in mine and Tifa's relationship and I was ready to take the next step and ask for her hand in marriage, I got the ring already and all that was left was to ask but I didn't know how until one of my recent deliveries took me back the Gold Saucer to Dio and as I waited for him I remember the date Tifa and I shared all those years and the view from the gondola so I would speak to Dio about privately hiring the Gondolas so that I could propose and if he asks why well I would say it's for an anniversary otherwise the whole of Corel would know what I would be planning which wouldn't be fair on me or on Tifa's answer although I was rather certain it would be a yes but in the heartbreaking off chance that she would say no I didn't want her feeling guilty when the towns folk started asking.
"Hey boy" I heard Dio call and I couldn't help roll my eyes even after all these years he still calls me boy.
"Hey" I reply
"So have you got my parcel?" Dio asks and I shake my head, after all I stood next to a rather large box the clearly had Dio's address on the side.
"Here" I say pushing the box in front of me, I can see him lift an eyebrow and jester for the two men that had followed him to take the box off and he's about to follow him when I stop him.
"Um Dio, you need to sign for that and I need a word" I say starching the back of my head
"Okay boy" he says and steps forward and whacks me on the shoulder and for the millionth time I find myself rolling my eyes.
Once Dio signed for his parcel I finally brought the subject of renting out the gondola.
"Dio is it possible to privately hire out the gondolas, just for Tifa and I, you see it's our anniversary and I want to make it special" I explained starching the back of my head once again
"That's not a problem just let me know when and I'll close it up and I'll even throw in some catering, nothing much mind but some sandwiches etc" Dio agreed
"Thanks, next week um say the 15th, well I better be heading back" I say and then I make my way to the ropeway to board the cable car to take me back to my bike.
Tifa's POV one week later
So today was the day I was going to be going somewhere special that was all I had been told by Cloud that something special was going to happen and so I had to dress up so after some help from Marlene I finally chose a dress for the evening, she had helped pick out a A-line black dress covered in white stars, it was short though and I was a little worried I would get cold as no doubt I would be taken where ever I was going on the back of Fenrir so I grabbed some leggings and shoved them on and I would roll them up when I got there wherever there was.
When Cloud had arrived home after the small amount of deliveries he had on his work load, all of which happened to be in the Midgar, Edge area so he wasn't out long only a few hours.
He paused by me wrapping his arms tightly around my waist and placing a soft kiss on my cheek before letting me go and heading for the stairs probably to change out of his work clothes and I let my eyes follow him as he always drove me wild but at least now it wasn't as bad as before we got together or at the start of our relationship.
Whatever was happening tonight I wasn't sure it certainly wasn't an anniversary thing as that wasn't due for another 6 months so I didn't know what he had planned for tonight but hopefully it would be romantic but then again it was Cloud who wasn't really romantic but he had become more so over the last 3 months he had been a little more sweet and bringing home gifts, usually simple things like flowers or bath oils and soaks, nothing expensive but just little gifts that always held the message 'I love you' the first time he did it, it brought tears to my eyes.
"Teef you ready yet?" Cloud called from the top of the stair
"Yes, I just need to tie my hair back for riding on Fenrir" I call back as he emerges from the stairs dressed in a suit with a blue shirt and midnight blue tie that just screams sexy and I'm swooning over him.
"Come on" he says grabbing my hand and leading me out to Fenrir once I've tied my hair up and grabbed my purse.
Cloud's POV
When we reached Mt Corel I could hear Tifa asked "The Gold Saucer?" even in the wind that was blowing around us and once I had parked up we made our way through Corel and as we board the cable car to take us into the giant playground in the sky, I started to get nervous about what was to come, I had confirmed with Dio that I would be here for 7pm and right now it was 6.55pm so in five minutes, we would stepping into the privately rented Gondola with a small buffet table set out and as the fireworks were about to go off that's when I would slip off the bench and down on one knee and ask her the one question that had my heart racing a mile a minute.
"Hey boy and Miss Tifa" Dio called as we stepped out of the cabal car and into the Gold Saucer
"I hope you've got everything ready" I ask raising a questioning eyebrow
"Of course, of course boy" Dio grinned whacking me on the back.
"Huh?" I could hear Tifa ask under her breath
"Come on follow me and you'll find out" I grin offering my hand to her, she takes it and I'm just glad that I was still wearing gloves otherwise she would be able to tell just how sweaty my hands were.
"Cloud's what all this?" Tifa asked taking in the once plain gondola that had been transformed into a beautiful romantic restaurant well almost. The wooden benches were covered in soft velvet cushions, the window was framed in a black lace curtain held by red velvet ties and underneath the window was a smallish table that held a champagne bucket, two glasses, some strawberries covered in chocolate and two dishes I had order that were staying warm under the metal covers.
"Cloud what is all this" Tifa asked a look of total shock plastered on her face
"Well I just wanted to do something special" I say starching the back of my head, she smiles softy which just makes my heart beat that much faster but lessens my nerves on her saying no. I allow Tifa to sit down first and scoots right up next to the window and then jesters for me to join her right next to her but I take the seat across from her so I can look her in the eye when I ask. As I sit down I lift the lids of our meal revealing a chicken pâté and green vegetables.
"This is amazing Cloud and it tastes so good" Tifa smiled and I got lost in her eyes that I almost forgot I was about to do.
"Teef there is another reason for all this tonight" I begin and slide off the velvet seat cushion and onto the wooden floor that is carpeted with a red fluffy rug. I take a deep breath as I look into her beautiful wide wine coloured eyes
"Tifa Lockhart, the girl I've known since childhood, who stole my heart the very first time I saw you, the girl that actually cared about me, you the love of my life, you who stayed by me for all these years, you that has never turned away from me and always held a candle for me well I just want to say Tifa Lockhart I love you and will please do me the honour of becoming my wife?" I asked shocked that I had managed to not stumbled stutter or scratch the back of my head, and as the fireworks just started outside the window I opened the little black velvet box that holds a plain simple silver band with a tiny heart shaped blue diamond and beside it two smaller jewels the colour of her eyes.
"Oh Cloud of course I will I love you" Tifa shouts over the fireworks before throwing herself at me and wrapping her arms tightly around me and I can feel her lips teasing my skin and I have to pull her off me so I slip the ring onto her finger, she smiles once more tears filling her eyes as I allow my lips to ghost over hers and she pulls me closer deepening the kiss.