Chapter 10

"You.. you… you were trying to kiss me!?" Tifa asked in utter confusion.

"Yeah…" Cloud watched Tifa carefully, gauging her reaction, hoping he hadn't messed up completely.

"W… Why..w…wer…were you ttt trying to kiss me?"

Tifa's brain had left for the night, she couldn't understand why he would do that. But at the same time she didn't mind that he had wanted to. Tifa had imagined more times than she would like to admit how her first kiss with Cloud would have happened but in her wildest dreams it wasn't like this.

"The same reason I'd 'forgotten' to make those deliveries earlier."

Cloud was surprised at how easy the words were flowing. Whether it was shock or Tifa had knocked some sense into him he didn't know.

"After that day, the day Sephiroth had returned. I found myself forgiven, by you for running away from my…problems.

Tifa was about to interject when Cloud raised a hand to stop her.

"No let me continue. I knew you had forgiven me, I could see it in your eyes. You always do. No matter what I do. I also finally understood something too that day. That I had been burdened by a sin that wasn't mine to bare yet i refused to set myself free. I was given the nudge in the right direction I needed to forgive myself."

Cloud looked into Tifa's eyes, he could see her question before her lips had chance to move.

"Yeah, I saw her. She gave me the nudge I needed. I think… I think she was the only one that could have. Anyway… After that I started to think more clearly, see things for what they are… or so I thought. I knew that I had never really appreciated everything and everyone around me. Especially you."

Cloud saw the look of disappointment in Tifa's eye's he knew she was thinking he was only kissing her as a thank you.

"No Tifa." Cloud shook his head. "Its not that. I said I thought I could finally see things clearly, but it took some, shall we say, 'choice' words from a certain pilot for me to realise, it wasn't just appreciation I have failed to notice that I have for you. It was something else too."

Tifa was silently holding her breath now, all her defences were down, convinced of the moment she had always hoped for was finally here she allowed herself to not just hope, but really supplicate for. Cloud continued.

"I spent most of today in a daze. I'd been thinking about my past," Cloud smiled. "Our past. I was telling Cid what I was like as a kid, how I never liked any of the kids. Never had time for them. But you, you were different. I always had time for you. Always thought you were beautiful."

Tifa felt her cheeks burn hotly as she blushed at Clouds words. She knew from the lifestream that he had a thing for her back then. But to think she was beautiful was something else.

"Cloud.. you really thought I was beautiful?" Tifa asked timidly.

"Yeah, I did… and I still do." Cloud could feel himself blushing now.

"But, yeah. I told him that, then went on to talk about how I tried to join SOLDIER to get you to notice me. How, when I found you in the church after Loz had…" Cloud angered slightly at the thought of Loz beating Tifa.

"…how when I saw you there, my heart sank. I thought for a moment that I had lost you. I'd only ever felt emptiness like it once before, and that was in Nibelheim reactor. The day… well. You know what happened…. Anyway, Cid jumped in at that point and asked told me to stop 'yappin'. Said he didn't know about any of that stuff before we tried to steal his plane but I should just tell you that I love you cause we're pissing everyone else off by dancing round each other."

Tifa's was shaking. More and more with every word as Cloud retold his story.

"…and I do you know. It's taken me so long to realise it. But its true… I love you Tifa."

Cloud looked up into Tifa's face from the stop on the floorboards he had been staring at while retelling his story, afraid that if he locked eyes with Tifa he wouldn't be able to finish. Tears were pooling in her eyes, threatening to roll down the soft smooth skin of her cheeks.

Uh oh.

Tifa sniffled, and wiped her eyes to stave off the tears. Cloud had just told her he loved her. So was so happy that she could have taken on the world and won. Hell let her have a go at Sephiroth, she'd send him packing too. Looking deep into those mako filled eyes, she saw a glimmer of fear flash across them. He had just told her he loved her and she hadn't said anything only cried. Tifa laughed at the idiocy of it all. Then she began.

"Cloud… I'd had this wonderful speech worked out in my head. I was going sit you down and tell you everything. I was going to talk about how you had always been there for me when I needed you. How I've always secretly loved how you have protected me. From the time when you said nothing about that fall all those years ago. To the reactor at Nibelheim. I was going to tell you how cute I thought you were when we were kids… and how you still are today."

Clouds cheeks already tinged with red, darkened several shades at this. Tifa chuckled at the sight.

"Do you remember the night before we went into the Northern Cave? Everyone had left to work out why they were fighting. You said to me that everyone had an irreplaceable something that they were holding on to. What I never told you was that, to me, that something was you. I had this whole speech ready. That's why I was drinking that beer… Dutch Courage. That's what I was failing miserably at trying to get out when I caught you"

Tifa pointed half-heartedly at Clouds nose.

"But, none of that matters now. Because you've made my dreams come true. I love you too Cloud. I always have.

Cloud was out of his seat and over to where Tifa stood before the last syllable had left her lips. Half a second later his arms had wrapped themselves around her waist and he was staring deep into her eyes. His Lips, mere inches from hers.

Tifa snaked her arms, up between Clouds and wrapped them around his neck. She returned his gaze, and then slowly lifted her face up towards his as her eyes closed.

Their lips met for the first time and set bother their bodies alight. Electricity coursed through their veins, their stomachs filled with butterflies their spines tingled. So much emotion was pour into that first kiss. Almost as if they were compensation for lost time. They broke apart. There was silence, she opened her eyes and smiled. Tifa turned her head to the right and bit her bottom lip, and smiled. Looking Cloud in the face again she whispered.

"That was…. More than worth the wait." And she kissed him again.

Ok. We got there! Now however i dont know what to do. I was always going to end this with the line "i'm glad you had your Epiphany". So i can either throw it in here after the "worth the wait" line or save it for a final scene. Do i Carry on and include a chapter on them telling the crew and having an offical date? Or do i just stop there.? Depends on whether you like it or not i guess. Either way. If you are here, Thanks for taking the time out to read this and if you would, spare me 10 more seconds let me know your thoughts. Love it/hate it carry on/stop it. Theres a review button there for a reason! lol