Massage :

Disclaimer : Final Fantasy VII and its characters belong to Square Enix.

Author note : First try at writing from Cloud's perspective.

Please, read and review ;)

Takes place several months after the end of Advent Children Complete.

It wasn't that late when I finally arrived at Seventh Heaven, the bar had closed for the night not that long ago. Tifa was surely upstairs, either taking a shower or reading a book in her room. I knew she always waited for me to come home before going to sleep.

I smiled, my presence seems to always ease her worries. She still was scared that one day I would leave again. I was sad thinking of that because for the four passing months I still didn't have find a way to make her trust me completely.

I sighed.

Sure, things were better since I returned but it was just not the same anymore, especially between us. I was tired of my inability to express myself clearly with her.

I yawned, my muscles ashed from spending too much time driving an insanely big and heavy bike, but Fenrir is Fenrir and I love my bike so no complain.

I arrived in front of Tifa's room, knocked lightly before entering.

"I'm home" I said smiling at her.

"Hi Cloud, welcome home. Tired?" she beamed at me. Yes, she is like a ray of sunshine, my bright light that is always here to cheer me up, strong and unwavering.

"Yeah, can I take a shower?"

"Sure, go on."

I headed towards the bathroom. Oh how I crave for hot water on my shoulders and my back.

I stayed a lot longer in the shower than usual. When I emerged there was some steam in all the bathroom, but it felt good.

I dried myself and went to my room a towel wrap around my waist. I changed quickly in my pyjamas and went back to her room for a proper goodnight.

It had become a ritual for me to spend some little time with her after or before work, it was five minutes or ten minutes but I always came to speak to her. Maybe it was my unconscious way to tell her that I'm caring. I came to love our chit chat talk, usually about everyday life problems, sometimes about more serious and painful matters but nonetheless I enjoyed it. Tonight was no different even in my exhausted state.

I came to sat on her bed and noticed her book was about cooking.

"Find anything that seems good?"

"Everything looks good, I don't know what to try first. How was your day?"

"Tired, storm, rain and all, the usual." I smiled weakly stretching my back and winced a little.

She chuckled. "Seems to me it was a rougher day than usual." She watched me intently before speaking again "Are you ok?"

There, I can sense worry in her voice, do I look that pitiful? Well, maybe, I know I have bags under my eyes.

"Mmmh, my back is a little stiff, that's all." I kissed her cheek to reassure her. She smiled.

"I have something that may help." She searched in the drawer of her night table and picked a little round box. She opened it and put it under my noise. I was assaulted with a fragrance of mixed herbal essences, strong but pleasant.

"What is that?"

"For massage, it works well, I use it after training. Wanna try?"

"Hu... now?"

"Yes, I can do something with your back if you want."

My mind took some times to register what she had said. She knows massage? She is offering to massage my back? Hell, as if I was going to say no!

It seemed I had spaced out too long because I felt her shifting on the bed nervously.

"But it's late so I guess you prefer to go to bed." Her words made me refocus instantly.

"No! I mean yes!"

She looked back at me, confused. I cleared my throat to finally give her a coherent answer.

"If you think you can do that for me, then yes I would like it." I really tried not to blush... but I failed.

She smiled at me.

"Take off your shirt and lay on your stomach."

I followed her instruction and comfortably lay on her bed. I felt her straddle me, sitting on my thighs.

I heard her rub her hands together with the oil massage and soon after I felt the warmth of her hands on my back. Oh god... I'm going to enjoy that!

She pressed gently following my spine, that made me tense a little, dare I say shiver?

"You're too tense Cloud, relax a bit." she whispered in my ear...and it didn't help me at all. I inhaled sharply, maybe that was a bad idea, I'm too sensitive to her touches, she is gonna make me loose control in no time. I winced, no Cloud, get a grip on yourself, or she will think that she's doing a poor job or that I'm a complete pervert.

I felt her fingers on my hips suddenly tickling me, and it works because I didn't see it coming. I yelped and laughed and squirmed under her playful fingers. I shifted my position to look at her, she was chuckling and looked self-satisfied, little devil that she is. "More relax now?"

She repositioned my arms, I took hold of one of her pillow and surrendered to her touches. I exhaled deeply, closed my eyes and buried my face in the pillow... it's gonna be alright...

Her hands continued their dance on my back then around my shoulder blade where it was really tense, she noticed it and rubbed more vigorously on that spot. I almost moaned because of the relief it brought. She moved to my shoulders and I have to say she really seemed to know what she was doing.

It didn't take long before I completely relaxed in her hands, letting her taking away all the tension. And it felt good, so good.

She finished by placing a kiss on my right shoulder and I'm not quite sure what happened next. I remembered saying a thank you to her and that's all.

I woke up the next morning in the same position, I groaned a little before turning on my side only to realize I was wrapped like a sandwich in the bedspread. I wriggled free and noticed Tifa was sleeping beside me, except she was under the sheet and me above.

Visibly I fell asleep here after her massage and she covered me with the bedspread. I repositioned it on her, smiling at her peaceful face. I yawned and stretched myself, I do feel better, my back is no more painful. God, she knows how to take care of me!

Did I do well with Cloud and his many inner little talks?

Chappy 2 soon!