A/N – Okay, don't kill me when you start reading the chapter. A lot of you, readers, asked me for a different beginning but I… thought of doing it otherwise. Don't worry, what you guys want (cute cuddling between them) will come eventually. It's not described yet, but several of those moments will appear. I swear. :P

As always, my huge thank you's to all of you who haven't lost the faith in me and in my stories, and keep reviewing avidly and saying so great things about my writing… T_T You guys spoil me terribly and I love it :D

Just to inform you that there are forums about Dreamcatcher and several other matters on my website (check my profile). Namely, the high probability of a sequel is being discussed. You are most welcome to participate and tell me your opinion. I will need it 'cause I'm plotting the sequel meantime and I don't actually have a name for it. So I need suggestions.

ALL THE NEWS ABOUT THE PRIZES/CHANLENGES/CONTEST IS POSTED IN THE WEBSITE.

SO, I guess that's it. :D

Enjoy, people!

Disclaimer: As always.

Chapter 31.

When I woke up in the morning I was alone. If I hadn't seen the marks he had left in the bed, I would have dared to say that I had slept alone the whole night.

But he had been there, it was obvious – and I had missed him. Mainly, I had missed being aware of him.

Damn…

So much for my desires, my desperate need of feeling him next to me. I could almost imagine him sliding inside the bed without making a noise and positioning himself almost a mile from me. Oh, God. At this rate I would be sleeping back in my room very soon.

I didn't know what to think. What was this all about, after all?

I was seriously considering asking him about his… decision before the end of the week. I was not going to stand so much uncertainty.

In a swift movement, I got up from bed. Silence invaded the house. With a long sigh and slightly dizzy from getting up so hurriedly, I went to the kitchen. Everything was closed but he had already been there. The clock showed 9.20 am.

It was early.

Without hurry, I ate breakfast: toast and hot milk with chocolate. I finished it lazily next to the porch window, enjoying the view outside. Today the day was sunny.

I washed the dishes then and cleaned up the mess I had made for breakfast and I decided it was a good time to have a nice, long shower.

Completely unaware of my surroundings, I released a long yawn as I walked back into the hall, to get back to the bedroom.

I almost felt my heart stop.

"God!" I said, jumping.

A very serious Sephiroth stood, not a meter from me, catching me completely off guard.

He raised his eyebrows in response to my reaction.

"I-I… I thought you weren't at home." I said, my voice affected by the revelation his presence had given me.

"Well I am."

I looked at him immediately with a censoring gaze.

"I can see that."

Yep. I could see that. And I could see as well he was dressed differently today. No formal shirt, no coat. This morning he had a black T-shirt on, slightly adherent to his form, black pants and… nothing on his feet. Which were huge, namely compared to mine.

However, there was something new about him today. His hair. It wasn't loose. He was wearing his hair up. And it was – really - amazing, how that look fitted him as good as his usual hair style.

His eyes shone, his hard facial lines marked, now more visible to my eye. He was something to see, today.

"Your hair." I said, mesmerized.

"What about it?" He said, visibly curious, his left hand repositioning the huge sword he was grabbing, apparently disinterested in my answer. I had the sensation he was enjoying the effect he had on me.

"It's…"

"Up." He completed, his gaze suddenly on mine.

"It looks good on you." I declared. It did, really. Although I was used to see him with his hair at loose, I had to admit he looked particularly breathtaking like this. Well, not only because of his hair. It was him, his whole image.

My, he was so hot.

"Thank you."

"Okay." I answered, lost already in the details of his face, his body… oh. I should stop. Or I would die with mortification in front of him. "I… I am going to…"

And then the words just disappeared. Oh, man. I could only see him looking back at me, raising slightly his eyebrows again, inciting me to continue, but without really saying it. Finally, I managed to say something.

"Shower. Yes." I said, nodding mostly to myself.

"You do that." He said, visibly noticing how self-conscious I felt.

Without even blinking, I practically ran away from him, towards the bedroom. Wow, what a sight. He was … so beautiful.

Still dazzled with our last conversation, I went to shower. I only hoped he wouldn't join me like he did the other time – it would be embarrassing… But, most of all, I didn't know if I would be able to control myself. If he would have that idea again – surprise me naked in the bathtub… I wouldn't be capable of resisting. Not this time. Not with such remarkable anatomy like the one he possessed.

Thankfully, I wasn't visited during my shower. Although I felt nervous – after all, he was inside the house, doing whatever it was and there was some tension around us. I didn't know why, but it was there.

I dressed up fast and I went to the kitchen, thinking about lunch. My imagination for cooking wasn't very sharp today.

-/-

Busy with the juice machine in front of me and calculating the amount of oranges needed to make fresh orange juice for the day, I didn't hear him come in.

"Sora."

His voice was soft, although it possessed that characteristic seriousness, so typical of him. I was next to counter and I turned my face in his direction. He was next to the kitchen door. His hair was now down, as usual. Still, he wore the same clothes of before and he was… barefoot. No sword, thankfully. Maybe he had call it a day to his daily training.

"Yes?" I said, my voice faltering. The genuineness in his complexion worried me. I had a feeling he was about to bring up some serious matter.

"I…"

Oh-uh. Not a good thing.

He was struggling with words, while he approached me, until he stopped completely, very close to me. I had to look up like I was stargazing or something, just to keep my stare leveled with his. He was so… awfully irresistible. I wish I could hold him, anchor myself like… forever. My mind was completely absorbed in his details. Only his voice seemed to wake me up from this daily dream I was experiencing.

"I've decided." He finally said. I took some time processing his words. This was serious enough.

"You've decided…" I whispered, not knowing what to think. I didn't know if I had affirmed it or if I had made it sound like a question, but I was so anxious with the perspective of him telling me something about… us, that I wasn't capable of disguise it.

"You've got to stop fearing me someday." He said, with a gentle voice.

Oh, man. Maybe if he looked at himself sometimes, he would understand my reactions. Sometimes he was creepy. Really creepy. Of course, some other times he surprised me with… oh well. Tenderness. Affection. Amazing kissing.

"It's… I'm sorry." I said, trying to justify myself. I had to look away from his eyes to elaborate a coherent sentence. "I'm a little nervous." I admitted.

"A little?" He quoted, smiling softly. Great. He was making fun of me and my uncontrolled anxiety.

I didn't answer him with words. I just let my stare focus anywhere else, but not on his eyes. This moment, this terrible anticipation… it was somehow agonizing, really.

"Listen, I…" He said, suddenly, earning my immediate attention. Our stares locked once again. "I am willing to give us a chance. I… feel this…" His hesitation was almost painful. "… for you and…"

Oh my God. He felt something for me. He did. He had just admitted he did. Did I listen well? I could only look at him, mesmerized, my mouth half-opened with… surprise?

"I'm not very good at this." He finally said, like he was admitting something very uncomfortable.

"No!" I said, maybe too quickly. "You are, you are, really good at… this."

Yeah, he was. And he wasn't just good. He was outstanding, although he had that terrible idea about himself and that misplaced theory that he wasn't fit for loving.

"You really mean it." He declared, eyeing me curiously.

"Of course I mean it. I… " …Like you with all my heart. …Want you with all my will. …Am surrendered to you without even blinking?

He smiled at me vaguely. It was like he was reading my thoughts while I was thinking them. I didn't know how he could read me so well. I was, completely, at his mercy.

"So…" He started again, searching for my eyes. "How about you?"

"What about me?"

"Your opinion."

My opinion? He knew it already. So why was he insisting on it?

"You know already-"

"I want you to be sure." He said, his face neutral. Oh. So he wanted me to be sure. I didn't have to think twice about this. But, come on, I didn't want to show myself… excessively desperate for him.

"I… agree with you." I said. Okay, so this was the best way to tell him I – also - wanted to engage in a relationship with him. Discreet. Not straight to the matter.

"Very well."

He knew perfectly what I would say, that I would agree. He knew it all along. But, he wanted to hear me say it. That was very military of him, very typical. I was kind of used to his ways already. He felt doubtful that I could eventually have forgotten what I had told him two nights ago.

His stare left mine slowly. It was like he was thinking about what to do, how to react from now.

Unhurriedly, he left the kitchen, as swiftly as he arrived.

I felt suddenly lost, not knowing very well the terms of our little agreement.

Were we a couple, now?

-/-

We had lunch – an awkward silent meal, may I add, and I made a consistent volume of a very tasteful orange juice.

I was standing next to the dish washer, when I felt him next to me. His body, his extraordinary muscled upper body touched my right arm, and I shivered at the contact. I felt the hardness of his muscles through his clothes. God, I shouldn't be this transparent. It wasn't good to my ego.

I heard him talk to me, his masculine scent hitting my nostrils and imbibing me in a cloud of desire and melancholy. I searched for his eyes, hoping he would look at me differently. After all, we were linked now… somehow. Weren't we?

"I'm going out for the afternoon. I'll meet you at dinner."

His tone was very neutral, although his face showed something I couldn't exactly classify. His eyes were on mine while he spoke but, before I knew it, he was already off range. I only had time to answer him, nodding while I spoke.

"Okay." I said, as I watched him go and leave the kitchen, toward his afternoon duties.

Confused, I sighed. This was frustrating. I wanted him so badly, that I could almost squeal with yearning. Why was he behaving so defensively?

I wondered, for a consistent amount of hours if, at any moment, I had done something wrong.

-/-

He was back earlier. Way earlier.

Clearly, I wasn't expecting him around… 5 p.m.

I had been introspecting the whole afternoon – while laundry, while waiting for the machine to finish the spin cycle, while putting the clothes outside to dry. I had sat, in the porch, considering the latest events. I concluded nothing new.

And there I was, in the kitchen, crouched in front of the open refrigerator, trying to optimize the space inside it, as I thought about preparing something with mushrooms for dinner.

His sudden, rush appearance startled me.

He entered the kitchen through the porch doors. Almost automatically, I stood and closed the refrigerator door.

With a blank expression, I stared at him.

His eyes seemed to be on fire. His complexion was different and I sensed some hesitation from him. He didn't say anything, and neither did I.

We just remained there, a couple of meters apart, staring at each other. The anxiety and the anticipation were enormous, its heaviness threatening to demolish all around us.

What are you thinking? What do you want?

I didn't have time to verbalize my thinking, because he moved. Not fast, not slowly.

He moved in my direction, his long footsteps meeting my quivering form. I reflexively stepped back and my lower back met the counter, while my whole body found his. My heart rate rose instantaneously.

I felt my breathing alter as well in the moment I sensed his arms - one, and then the other – gradually envelop me, like an octopus. My face found his chest and my hands and arms remained still, defensively positioned next to him as well. It was like I feared him, feared his attitudes, feared him with all I had in me.

Then I sensed his breathing. His hot, tantalizing breath close to my right ear. My eyes shut down involuntarily. It was too much. This was too much to bear, I couldn't take it much longer.

As I felt the skin of his face next to mine, I wasn't able to control myself anymore. My hands touched the skin of his face, so fair, so strangely smooth.

I could get used to this…, my mind conceived. Yes, I could get used to many things, I could get used to this overwhelming part of him that assaulted me with longing transpiring all over. I felt it, that sudden craving, through his way of holding me.

Strands of his hair, randomly loose all around us, caressed me, teasing my hands to touch it as well. I had no doubt… if I could, eventually touch heaven, it would feel like this.

I knew what would follow – and I wanted it badly. I wanted to feel him again, his taste, his touch… but, most of all, I wanted to remember how it felt… kissing him. Random, vivid images of our first kiss, back in my bedroom, filled my mind. However, what made me gasp with anticipation was the memory of the emotions I had felt that night. Those had been intense moments.

Priceless, unique sensations.

My face searched for his. Without realizing it, I was angling my mouth toward his. I was behaving on impulse by now, letting my desire control my actions completely.

Without difficulty, our mouths found each other.

It was difficult to control myself when he pressed his lips against mine, while his altered breathing fueled my need to touch him constantly.

My left hand made contact with his cheek, ear and hair… his right hand met my neck, entangling his fingers in my hair, whilst his other hand grabbed me, my body, around my waist area, circling me completely.

I was definitely small, compared to him.

His mouth revealed some urgency. I realized how impatient he was feeling for more contact. Just like before, like that day in my bedroom, he ached rapidly for something more intense. And I was willing to give him what he wanted – because I felt that need as well. Without even thinking twice, I allowed him to deepen the kiss, not breaking the contact not even once.

His kissing was mind-blowing. Now, that we hadn't that stressful component of before – the argument, the harsh words – I was able to enjoy a lot more our not-so-innocent contact.

And I bet he did as well, judging by the way he responded to me.

Our first kiss of the afternoon almost left me without breath. After kissing me like the world was about to end and exploring untiringly each detail of my lips and mouth, he allowed me some moments to regain strength.

He didn't say a word, neither did I, but I wanted to. I wanted to say that I loved him and that I ached for this moment to come for too long, that I dreamed of the moment he would hold me like this and… and…

All I was able to sense was his half-dazed stare on me, while our foreheads met, while he explored my right ear with his nose and soft lips, while he… breathed against my skin, driving me mad with eagerness. His breath, hot and irregular was the only sign I had of him, an indication that he was enjoying this moment as strongly as I was.

I knew he wasn't a man of many words. He was mostly a man of actions.

God, if he's this absorbing in all aspects I'm definitely in heaven already…, my mind mocked, and I smiled vaguely at my own thought.

Now, if my eyes would focus something, it would be the kitchen ceiling. But I didn't see anything, I could only hear and feel. I could only feel how he kissed an imaginary line from my earlobe to my throat, slowly, languidly… I could only hear the way his breathing changed, each time his lips met my skin.

I felt shamelessly exposed, panting the way I did.

I had the feeling he liked that… seeing me, hearing me like I was trying to get air out of the air itself.

Feeling him teasing me like this gave me ideas. Similar ideas, ideas in which I was much bolder and…

He didn't let me think of anything in concrete, because his mouth found mine again.

And he was on fire.

A/N – Okay so, finally! Even I was dying to see some action between them.

I need opinions, people! Things are going to warm up from now on. The following chapters will approach the expectation of… the rating. Shall I mark said chapters with "M-rated"? Do you want that or… just simply wait to be surprised? It's your call people :D

Please, review as many as you can… I am very eager to read your comments :)

[Suggestion: Try "Ami –FFVIII Piano Collection" while you're reading the kissing scene in the end.]