"Fuck."
Tifa loves when he groans in her ear like that. She loves when he presses against her thighs, spreading her apart like taffy. She feels his heat in the space between them, rushing in the air like a wave.
"Gaia, you feel so good," he pants, his hands clenching the sheets. She brings her palms up to curl her fingers around his whitened knuckles, and she keens.
"This always feels so good," she breathes. "Cloud."
He pushes into her deeper and harder. It can't be defined as fast, but his thrusts are powerful and deliberate, and she cries out every time they collide.
"I love it when you make that sound," he growls. His forehead gleams with a sheen of sweat, and his cheeks are flushed pink, and his eyes are sharpened with the focus of lust and pleasure.
His mouth is parted, and it shines where she kissed him earlier, and the cords of his neck pop underneath his skin. The electric sparks from their love-making mix with how incredibly and stupidly attracted she is to the movements of his body. If she doesn't control herself, she'll come at the sheer view of him penetrating her. When he says, "Fuck," she moans at the way his throat bobs around the word, and when he says, "Gaia, your pussy is tight," Tifa's never heard him say that before, and it's dirty and vulgar and filthy, and that word coming out of him, bordered with his jaw and flushed cheeks and sweat makes her back arch, and she's suddenly and substantially drowning in the ocean of ecstasy. She feels it happening, and there's nothing she can do to stop it.
"Oh, Cloud, I'm…" she pleads.
He reaches up to place two fingers in his slightly parted mouth, the mouth that says pussy and fuck, and he drags his wet fingers across her clit. Tifa's eyes slam shut, and she twists her hands desperately into the sheets.
"I…can't…ah, I'm…" she says unintelligibly.
"How's that?" he asks her, voice husky and coarse, and he thrusts harder and harder. Tifa loses her vision.
"I'm…" she nearly screams.
She comes with his finger pressed up against her, his rhythm unrelenting and merciless, and Tifa thinks she loves this the best out of everything else.
He comes a few moments after, hands pressing deeply into the mattress, his arms shaking from the effort. As they catch their breath, they also catch eyes. Tifa grins at him, and he smiles, leaning forward to kiss her. She wraps her hands around his neck, lacing her fingers together. He lowers to his forearms, and their abdomens press and stick, his breaths expanding into her torso with gentle weight. She is cradled with him all around, and she tugs him closer, humming a soft noise of contentment.
"Mm, Cloud," she sighs between kisses. "I've never heard you say…um, pussy, before."
This somehow manages to pull a blush over Cloud's face. He huffs a little breath. "I, uh, guess I got caught up in the moment."
He rolls over to the side and she rolls along with him, facing each other.
"Caught up, huh?"
"Yeah," he says, one of his hands trailing down her side. It lands on her bottom. "I always lose my mind a little when I'm inside of you."
His word choice makes her experience a full body shudder from her navel to her toes.
"I do, too," she admits, folding his hair between her fingers. "And I thought….well, you saying…pussy was…hot."
His eyes begin to gleam at her. "You thought so?" He nudges closer, squeezing her ass. "Does saying pussy turn you on, Teef?"
She starts blushing, too, breaking eye contact. Her eyes fall to his lips. "I didn't know it did. It's…dirty."
"It's okay if you like it," Cloud says, beginning to smile. "Don't be embarrassed."
"I'm not," she says hurriedly, her blush deepening. "It's…how you say it, I think."
He raises a brow at that, but his smile is morphing into a smirk. "What do you mean?"
"You know," she shrugs, shaking her head. "You know exactly what I mean."
"So when I say things like…fuck," Cloud drawls, squeezing her bottom in his palm, again. "Shit. Goddamn it. Do those turn you on?"
Tifa swallows, his voice sounding strange saying those words so leisurely, with only a sprinkle of heat behind them. She shifts under his hands.
"Yes," she says quietly, running a finger along his jaw.
"If I said those words with the other dirty ones," he trails, paving a line from her ass to the back of her thigh. "Wet. Pussy. Tits, ass. Your clit."
"Cloud," Tifa protests, suddenly embarrassed again. She ducks her head, trying to hide. "It's different when we're not…having sex."
"Hm," he hums, a low chuckle emitting from his chest. "I don't know, Tifa. It can be the same." He tips his head to kiss her jaw, then he moves down to kiss her neck. "I can talk dirty to you. Do you want me to?"
"I…" she stops, biting her lip. "Um…well…okay. I guess we could…try."
"Okay," he says, and she can feel his smile against her skin. "Then…how wet do you get if you think about me fucking your pussy?"
The shame wars with how sexy his voice is. Tifa bites her lip harder.
"Cloud…"
"I'll lick you. Up and down. Over and over. I'll find your clit and suck on you until you scream my name."
Tifa takes a deep breath, his mouth a warm, heated circle around her pulse in her neck.
"I'll spread your legs wide so I can see all of you."
He says these things so easily, as if he thinks about them all the time. Tifa blinks, and she tries not to moan at the thought.
"Cloud, do you… ? "
"I'll drag my fingers so hard against you," he growls, and his hands begin to roam along her inner thighs. Tifa's stomach tightens, and she realizes how much she's enjoying this. Her heart begins to hammer against her sternum. She sighs loudly, gripping the back of his head.
"You're…good at this," she says, and she feels herself opening up for him, his thumb running along the joint of her hip.
"Mm," Cloud moans, his mouth suckling on her chest now. "I'll press my fingers so far into you. I'll fuck you fast and hard and spread you so far apart—"
Tifa gasps. "Oh, Gaia, Cloud."
"I'll fuck you until you come on my fingers, then I'll fuck you some more."
Tifa can't stifle the whimper that crawls up her throat. He's snarling the words—so vulgar and obscene and yet heated and full of promise. His thumb moves from her hip joint to her sex, running along the folds, and she moans.
"Oh, Tifa," he groans. "You're so wet already. And your clit—"
His thumb taps it, and her hips rock. She digs her fingers in his skull.
"It's swollen," she breathes, and Cloud taps again. Her hand glides down to his shoulder. "It's ready for you."
Cloud leans his head away to look at her, and he stares at her with darkened, lustful eyes. As he runs his fingers gently along her wet skin, her shame disappears. She stares back at him as he fondles her, her legs spreading on their own. There's something infinitely arousing about this. Infinitely desirous and blazingly electric. Cloud is barely touching her, and she's so wound up already. Her blood rushes to her face, and she licks her lip. Cloud breathes out in a huff as he watches.
"Tifa," he says, leaning forward to kiss her. She moans into his mouth.
"Will you…? " she tries, his eyes attached to her lips. "Will you fuck my pussy like you said?" she whispers.
Cloud's gaze becomes hazy. "Gaia, Tifa. Say that again."
"Fuck my…pussy," she says, and his pressure heightens. Her next words come out like a mewl. "Fuck me with your fingers. Touch my—oh, like that."
"Mm, Tifa. You like that?"
"Oh, I love that," she says, breathily. "Your fingers on my…clit."
He runs his fingers up and down her in a tease, and she slides her hand along his chest.
"Shit," he hisses. "If I slip my fingers into you…"
"Yes," she says, encouraging him by rocking her hips. "Please."
He does, and she makes a low noise, pulling deep from her throat. "You know—what's better than your fingers?"
He pumps her slowly, his thumb still on her clit, and she begins to pant.
"What, Teef?" he asks. "Tell me."
Her hand slides down further until she grips his arousal. His tip is wet, and he's silky and smooth, and she wants him so badly even though they finished not very long ago. It's always like that, she thinks. It's never sated. She wants him over and over again. It's been like that since before the desk sex, ever since he came to her office that day and confessed his want. Ever since her dream.
His breath is strangled as she pulls the skin of his arousal. She leans in so that her lips brush along his.
"Your cock," she breathes. "It's better."
"Oh, Tifa," he says, his voice blazing and heated. He curls his fingers, and she squeezes him harder. "You saying…cock…is…"
She loves the way he looks at her, as if he's enlightened and astonished and drenched in the pleasure she gives him. He hits her in that sweet spot, and she moans.
"I'm ready for you," she keens. "Fuck me with your cock. Make me scream your name. Make me come like you want."
His pupils widen, the black swallowing the blue. He slips his hand away from her, shifting just enough. She releases his arousal from her grip, and he positions himself right before her. There is one hot, delirious moment before he sinks in. She extends her head back, and he drags his teeth along her throat. He palms her thigh and runs it down to her calf before lifting it up and over his shoulder.
"Tifa, goddamn," he murmurs, beginning to roll his hips.
"Yes, Cloud," she cries, wrapping her other leg around him. "Just like that. Just…oh."
She loses her breath as he presses and presses, clawing at his chest. The dusk light filters in through the window, and it caresses along the straining of his abdomen, the fluttering lines and the undulating muscles. It's almost too perfect of a picture, Cloud's stare intense and needy and punishing to Tifa's thunderous heart.
"Cloud," she breathes. "I'm losing my mind."
At that, Cloud's lips tip up into a smile, so small and knowing and indulgent that Tifa comes immediately after witnessing it.
She tightens around him, grasping at his chest and the sheets. The cry that comes out of her is a strangled mess, constricted and wordless.
He groans as he releases, filling her up with his heat. Boneless and exhausted, Tifa lies there and stares at him while his chest heaves and recovers. He holds onto her leg, pressing his cheek against her calf as he catches her eye. His smile reappears.
She smiles back, and she can't help the laugh that bubbles up out of her. She relaxes her leg from his shoulder and sits up only to pull him down beside her. Her laughter inspires his own, his chuckles low against her giggles.
"Cloud," she says, curling her hands around his shoulders. "I told you to…" her voice falls to a whisper. "Fuck my pussy." She buries her head under his chin, continuing to laugh. "I've never said that before."
He runs his fingers through her hair.
"You also said clit and cock," he says. "Absolutely filthy, Tifa Lockhart. I can hardly believe it."
"Stop."
"You'll have to kiss your dad with that mouth, now, I hope you realize."
"Shut up!" she giggles, shaking her head. "Cloud! You're terrible. That's all I'll think about when I see him tonight."
Cloud laughs, abruptly and warmly. "That was really sexy, though, Tifa."
"I could tell you thought so," she smiles. "And you're too good at it."
At that he turns his head away, and she spies the blush crowding his face. "I uh, think about this sometimes."
"I knew it," she says, kissing his cheek. "So you fantasize, Cloud?"
It takes him a second to answer. He stares at her neck, his eyes climbing up to her jaw. "More than I should. You make it hard not to."
He leans in to kiss her, and she smiles against him.
"And now that I've heard you say cock and clit and pussy..." He trails off.
She laughs against his mouth.
"It's going to be worse. I'll whisper dirty things in your ear in public," he says, and she can't tell if he's teasing.
"Cloud, if you talk to me like this in public..." Tifa shakes her head. "I'll die of embarrassment."
"I love it when you're embarrassed," he says. "You get bashful and you bite your lip. You uh, push your hair behind your ear." He smiles again, and she stares.
"You've paid attention," she says softly, surprised at the thought.
He brings his hand to her waist. "Not interested in doing much else."
She kisses him again, humming. She glances over to the window, seeing the light beginning to fade through the windows.
They're in his old office. She thought he had been joking when he said he had a murphy bed, what feels like eons ago, but lo and behold, they snuck into the office a few weeks ago with the CEO office key he had secretly kept, and he walked right up to the wall and pulled it down. They began making it a habit to use together after work when their schedules aligned.
After her father's first two rounds of Cure, Brian began to visit every weekend. It's been almost six weeks since the first Cure administration, and her father has been doing better and better every week. He's even been house shopping around Midgar and in Edge, on the outskirts of the big city.
The only unfortunate circumstance is that Cloud and Tifa have less time to spend together. Cloud, with his newly implemented job, travels every other weekend. With the merger, Tifa's schedule has been filling with new accounts, the business thriving and evolving, growing hectic and chaotic.
Tifa had been both surprised and relieved that she still had a job to come back to after visiting Nibelheim. Cloud had merely shook his head at her.
"You're too valuable to the company, and I don't think Rufus ever cared much about our...relationship, anyway. I think he wanted to threaten me."
"Threaten you?" Tifa had asked. "How?"
Cloud smirked at her. "How else?" Then he kissed her soundly, and she understood what he meant.
Scarlet had ended up keeping her job as secretary, too. She wasn't secretary for Rufus, but some other man named Heideggar. He worked at the other Shinra building, so Tifa didn't know him, but she remained joyous that she wouldn't have to see Scarlet's icy eyes or red dresses nearly as often as she had before.
After Nibelheim, most things remained the same. They continued going to dinners, sleeping over at each other's places, and spending their free time together when they had it. It had been nothing but comfortable, Tifa always happy to see him and spend time with him on her couch or elsewhere.
Most things remained the same. Her love for him did not. It had only grown and matured, flourishing like the green grasses of summer.
They haven't identified what they are out loud, but Tifa knows by the way he holds her hand, the way he comes around behind her when she's cooking dinner, the way he kisses her and presses his hips against her hips.
It's her favorite when they sneak into his old office and utilize the bed in the corner. Rufus never seems to visit—he's only visited once during the first week after the merger. Now the beautiful top floor collects dust and stagnant air with no one to admire the view from the window. No one except them.
"You ready for tomorrow?" he asks her as they begin to collect their clothes from the floor.
"Yeah, I think so," Tifa answers, pulling up black underwear and her skirt. "Should be fun."
Tomorrow is Tifa's Tae Kwon Do competition. She'll perform her stances and jumps, then undergo a sparring match against a belt level higher than her own to determine her readiness for graduating.
Her father will be there, and so will Cloud and her girlfriends. Cloud hasn't been able to join them on any of their brunch excursions, always seeming to be suspiciously out of town. It is with no surprise that he hasn't been too keen on meeting them all at once, much to Tifa's endless amusement.
"They won't bite your head off," she'd said. "...probably."
Cloud simply grumbled.
Once dressed and leaving the office, Cloud offers to drive her home like he always does. When they arrive at her apartment, he says, "I'm looking forward to watching you kick ass tomorrow morning."
Tifa grins. "Thanks. The girls are going to love meeting you."
He rubs the back of his head. "Hope so."
Tifa grins wider. "You sure you don't want to stay for dinner?"
"Yeah," he says. "My mom's getting in a little later tonight. I need to make sure everything is...clean and orderly."
"Invite her tomorrow," she says. "She's welcome to come, too, if she wants. No pressure."
"Yeah, I will. She wants to meet you," he says. "I've…told her a bit about you."
Tifa grins at that. "You have?"
Cloud tilts his head away. "Uh, yeah. Nothing about your underwear, though."
Tifa laughs brightly. "Good. I wasn't looking forward to that conversation, yet."
She leans over the console to kiss him. Their lips linger and pull, and Tifa sighs contentedly as they break away.
"See you tomorrow," she says, opening the door. Before she steps all the way out, Cloud says, "Tifa."
She looks back at him.
"Tifa, I—" he pauses. "I'll…see you tomorrow."
Tifa nods, her smile large and happy before she pushes out of the car and shuts the door behind her.
Tifa arrives with her father to Zangan's studio bright and early the next morning.
Zangan greets them with his proud and calming disposition, clasping hands with Brian and bowing deeply to Tifa.
"Mr. Lockhart," he says. "It is wonderful to have you here."
Brian nods, grinning. "It's a pleasure. I'm happy to be here."
Zangan's eyes meet Tifa's, his dark grey eyes gleaming with acknowledgement. He knows the extent of her challenges, more than most others, watching her grow in her forms and her combinations, landing kicks and slicing through the air with her hands and feet—it is different between mentor and student, in ways Tifa can't explain. It is embedded between them, in all those vulnerable moments between her punches and her frustration, when he could witness her exhaustion and her angry tears and gave her a towel to wipe off her sweat.
"Discard the worries and the tribulations, Tifa," he had told her, once, as she used the towel to wipe at her forehead and her eyes. "The sweat from your exertion is the waste of your body. Rid yourself of your fears, one day at a time."
Today, it feels very much the same—continuing to rid her fears, exerting the waste from her body, and shoveling her vulnerabilities into the dirt.
"Tifa, my pupil. Are you ready?" Zangan asks.
She smiles at the look he's giving her, filled with a distinct surety and satisfaction. It is as close to a smile as she'll ever receive from him. She gives him a nod.
"Ready."
She warms up as the other competitors arrive, following her lead on the mats and meandering to the few punching bags hanging in the far corner of the room.
Her girlfriends arrive soon enough, surrounding and crowding her father by taking theseats around him. She hears his laughter across the room, and Tifa watches them all converse, grinning at how Yuffie flails her arms around when she speaks, Aerith resting a hand on Brian's shoulder with a grin, and Jessie punching him in the arm while her dad acts like it's injured him, bringing a hand up to hold his bicep.
When Tifa catches Aerith's eye, she beams and waves crazily, notifying the other girls who hoot and holler. Jessie pumps her fist in a circle, making consecutive grunting noises. Yuffie cups her hands around her mouth, shouting, "Tifa, you're my idol!"
Tifa feels herself redden, ducking her head as if she can hide from their reactions, but the grin grows on her face regardless of her embarrassment.
Within the next few minutes, Cloud arrives. Tifa is surprised and delighted to see his mother in tow, following behind him. Tifa pauses in her stretching, bounding over to Cloud as soon as she catches his eyes fromacross the room.
"Cloud!" she calls, walking up to him. His mother is telling him something before he turns further to greet her.
"Tifa," he says, an easy smile forming on his lips. "Hey." His eyes fall to her attire, her body robed up in her white uniform. "I like your outfit."
"Thanks. It's my ready to kick ass ensemble," she says, winking.
"I'm ready to see you in action, then," he says, smiling before clearing his throat and moving to the side and gesturing. "Tifa, this is my mom, Claudia. Mom, Tifa."
Tifa beams. His mother is beautiful, and she can already see where Cloud received his looks. Her hair is blonde and wispy, curving around her face. Her eyes are that luscious sky blue that Cloud inherited, missing the ring of green. Her face is narrow, her jaw gentle with a pointed chin. She reminds Tifa so much of Cloud, it's almost laughable. Even the softness of her gaze reminds Tifa of Cloud's when he's watching her, listening to her as she talks. Her mind immediately takes her to the things Cloud described when he was younger—cooking with his mother, tending the land with her, and learning how to play poker.
"Claudia," Tifa greets, holding out her hand to shake. "It's so wonderful to meet you."
"Yes, Tifa, same to you," Claudia answers, taking her hand. It is warm and welcoming. "I've heard very much about you."
Tifa blushes at that, glancing at Cloud. Cloud doesn't seem to be embarrassed by the confession, merely smiling at her.
"I told you," he says.
Tifa chuckles, shaking her head. She turns back to Claudia. "Thank you so much for coming. I hope you enjoy the competition."
"Oh, I'm sure I will. Thank you for inviting me."
"Of course," Tifa says. "The more, the merrier."
She smiles. "I look forward to getting to know you. I don't think I've known Cloud to ever be so enamored with someone."
At that, Cloud does blush. His gaze turns down to the floor. "Mom…"
Claudia laughs, and Tifa feels a building warmth cascade around her chest.
"You should know it's mutual," Tifa answers.
Claudia's eyes twinkle. Cloud glances up at Tifa's face, and she grins at him. He smiles back.
"Competitors! Make your way to the middle of the gym. Everyone else, please have a seat," one of the organizers calls behind them. The people who had been milling around begin to move and take their places.
"Well, that's me," Tifa says. She gestures to the area where her dad is sitting, still talking with her girlfriends. It almost looks like they are all watching Tifa and Cloud's interaction, but Tifa tries to ignore it. "My dad and friends are over there. They've saved you both seats."
"Oh, thank you," Claudia says, nodding. "Are these the friends you're dreading, Cloud?"
"I'm not dreading," Cloud argues.
"He's dreading," Tifa says, laughing. "Don't worry, they'll only nibble. I told them to be on their best behavior."
"Right," he says, seeming to be unamused. "Anyway, uh, good luck."
"Thanks," she beams. "Try to survive."
He grunts. Impulsively, she leans up to kiss his cheek.
She hears the girls make squeals and oohs immediately. Tifa glances at them and rolls her eyes. Aerith begins to giggle, and Yuffie and Jessie grin unabashedly, every single one of their teeth being showcased under the lights of the dojo.
"I'll survive for you," Cloud mutters under his breath. Tifa laughs before turning away toward the middle of the room, but she is called over by her father before she leaves.
"Tifa," her father says, standing up. He smiles at her, placing a palm on her shoulder. "Remember what I always say. It's not the size of the woman in the fight, it's the—"
"Size of the fight in the woman," Tifa finishes, smiling and shaking her head. "I know, Dad."
He chuckles, leaning forward to kiss her cheek. Tifa makes her way to the side of the room with the other competitors, already lined up against the wall. She is close enough to where her family and friends sit to hear their continued conversation.
Distantly, Tifa hears Aerith coo, "Oh, sit by me, Mr. Ex-CEO!"
"No, me!" Jessie cries.
Claudia greets them all with a smile, the girls happily and joyously saying their hellos.
"So your hair's real, huh?" Yuffie asks and pats Cloud's head once he takes his seat between his mom and Jessie. He is situated in front of Yuffie and caddy corner to Aerith. Tifa's father sits on the other side of Jessie, and he greets Cloud with a nod.
Cloud grimaces when Yuffie runs her fingers along his head, ducking away from her. His shoulders rise to his ears. "Uh…yes."
Yuffie cackles. Jessie pats his thigh in pseudo-comfort, and Cloud recoils.
"Please, don't," he says.
"Cloud, do you remember me?" Aerith asks, grinning. "And don't say no!"
Cloud glances at her and does a double take. "I…you're…"
"Aerith, the flower girl," she announces, smiling and endlessly pleased with herself. "I still think about that note you wrote to our darling Tifa."
Cloud's cheeks turn as red as Tifa's ever seen them—as red hot and burning as a stovetop.
"I…er…"
"So swoon-worthy, I tell you," Jessie says, loudly, placing the back of her hand against her forehead.
"Tifa just about died," Yuffie adds.
"I think we all did," Aerith titters, moving her hand up to cover her mouth. "I even told Zack about it. I asked him why he wasn't as romantic."
Jessie guffaws. "I'm sure he took that as a challenge."
Aerith's eyes gleam. "Oh, he did."
Their chatter continues, but Tifa's attention is diverted by Master Zangan, who stands in front of the line of martial artists. There are twelve of them in total, and Tifa is slotted to perform third. Zangan gives them his professional and instructional pep talk, as he normally does before any practice.
"Make yourselves proud, today. While this is a competition, it is also a test for yourselves. Take this challenge. Accept it. Do your best. Rely on yourselves. Make it count." He pauses. "And have fun."
This makes the line of competitors chuckle. "Fun," one of the guys mutters beside Tifa. She only smiles, glancing back at her friends. She watches Cloud continuing to be tortured by something the girls are saying, Aerith poking his shoulder, Jessie moving her hand to squeeze his bicep. Cloud seems to be scooting closer to his mother. When his gaze lands on Tifa, he shakes his head at her. He looks simultaneously angry and in anguish. Tifa can't contain her chuckle, placing a hand on her heart, and mouthing soon. She sees his chest rise and fall in a sigh.
The competition begins a few minutes later, the first competitor standing and going through the dance of his forms, performing kicks and turns and twists before bowing to one of the instructors at the end. Then they start their spar session, the instructor utilizing movements that they have trained for, different techniques to inspire strategy during the fight.
They perform them in the middle of the large mat, centered in the room. The rest of the competitors watch and wait their turn.
After each performance is complete, everyone in the room claps or cheers. Tifa is impressed by the showing of the first two, who perform better than they have in comparison to their practices.
When Tifa is called, she steps forward to take her place, standing before Zangan. They bow to one another, and Zangan asks the question he asks to each of his pupils.
"Tifa Lockhart. Have you found who and what you are fighting for?"
Tifa has been thinking about the answer all day. She glances briefly over to where her family and friends sit again, her eyes catching on her father and then on Cloud. But it isn't only them.
She feels the tapping on her chest as she smiles and answers, "Yes."
Zangan nods. "Then show us all your skill, your strength, and your power."
He steps off the mat, and Tifa takes a deep breath before closing her eyes. She zones into her heartbeat, and she imagines she is by herself, completely alone with her movements and stances. She allows their meaning to fill her—the first described as The Learned Man, steady and sure, weaponless and agile. It flows into the second, The Diamond, full of hardness and might. The third is The Bright Mountain, and it fills her mind with pictures of home, settling across her like the dew across her mother's grave. The fourth is The Struggle of Peace, and Tifa wonders at how Zangan could have picked these out specifically for her, feeling that tug and pull of the uncertainty of the past months, hugging her arms and legs as she moves them around her, swinging her leg across the expanse of the mat. The fifth is Longevity, and she opens her eyes to find her father, who is smiling widely at her across the room. The sixth is Existence, and she imagines the night sky in Nibelheim—and she thinks about Cloud's eyes as he stared at her underneath it, on the water tower as the sun began to rise.
The seventh is The Growth, and Tifa feels the motions blossoming across her chest and stomach, feeding into her limbs like water in a tree, and it flows so easily into the eighth, Oneness. It moves with her like it's a part of her system, meshing with her mind and aching for connection with her spirit.
The ninth and last is Final Heaven. It persists like the infinite spectrum of the cosmos and the wonderment of creation, its change and completion. It desperately tries to connect the spirits of the living with the unknown, making her body twist and turn and fly, her hands outreaching but her feet always landing on the earth.
When she falls into the ending posture, she opens her eyes once more, unsure when they had closed again, and she swears she sees her mother against the sunlight that filters through the front window of the dojo. Her heart thuds and her mind is saturated with the sensation of connection—because never has she performed these stances altogether, all at once, flowing and fluid. Never has she had the energy to keep them tied and stitched, either distracted by work or muddled thoughts that clumsily tripped into her brain. Never has she felt so free, and never has she felt so unencumbered by the burden of life.
She stares straight ahead, breathing heavily, and she watches her mother smile against her eyes. When she blinks, the sight is gone and dispersed, perhaps never existing at all.
Tifa realizes she's crying. The tap against her chest is a punch, her sternum feeling bruised and inflamed, but so free. So free.
She doesn't hear the clapping or the hollering from the girls until Zangan comes to stand in front of her, bowing. Tifa quickly straightens, swiping a hand across her eyes and mimicking his bow.
"You have reached and outmatched your own Final Heaven, Tifa," he announces, and there is a softness in his eyes when he looks at her. "Are you ready to use it?"
Tifa takes in a deep breath, her limbs buzzing with the power of her forms. She nods, and the determination settles inside of her. She feels strength, calm and steady and infinite. She finds her fighting stance, bringing one foot behind her and her fists in front of her face.
"I'm ready."
"You were phenomenal, Tifa," her father tells her once the competition concludes.
Tifa stands with the girls, Cloud, her father, and Claudia, the new degree of her black belt striped and tied firmly against her waist. Aerith has slipped and hooked their arms together. Yuffie is hugging her from behind, and Jessie places Tifa's hand on her heart.
"You hear that, Teef?" Jessie asks. "That's my heart, completely taken by you."
Tifa laughs. "Thank you, guys. That was…fun."
It's such a lackluster word for what it really was to her, but she can't quite seem to find the correct description for it. Instead, she hugs Yuffie, then Aerith, then squeezes Jessie's hand and hugs her, too.
"You were very impressive, Tifa," Claudia tells her once the girls release her from their grip. "I've never witnessed any martial arts competitions, but this one was spectacular. Everybody was so impressive, you especially."
Tifa blushes at the compliments from her. "Oh, thank you. I really appreciate that. Everyone here has been training for a while, and all of them were training for a black belt or a higher degree."
Cloud stands a bit behind all the others, but Tifa catches his eye. She's felt his stare on her ever since she finished her testing, standing back against the wall. She had been directly in line with his stare, nearly losing her breath at his gaze.
It's no different, now, with how smoldering and bright the blue of his eyes seem to be. Tifa glances away, unable to take it.
They all chat for a little while longer, the girls planning the rest of their day . Jessie's play, entitled Lovely Lady, has its opening night that evening, and they've all planned to go for weeks. Tifa's father will be headingback to Nibelheim that afternoon, having stayed in Midgar for most of the week, and Cloud's mother will stay for lunch before leaving for Sector 1, where she is meeting a client to nanny and tutor their children.
Bidding the girls farewell with the promises to text them later, Tifa goes to the locker rooms to change into the shorts and shirt she brought in her duffle. When she comes back, Claudia and her father are talking, and Cloud is standing a few inches away, seeming to be half-listening to their conversation. When Tifa gets closer to them, Cloud looks up and smiles at her, his gaze lingering on her change of dress.
"Hey," he says.
"Hi," she says back.
"I didn't get to tell you this earlier, but…" Cloud says. "You were great. Really great."
Tifa smiles. "Thank you, Cloud."
Cloud glances at their parents for a moment, who are still engagedin their chat, before leaning forward. Lips on her ear, he whispers, "You were really fucking sexy, Tifa."
The blush burns up her neck.
"Cloud…" she mutters.
"I'll spar with you whenever you want," he says.
Tifa giggles, pushing at his shoulder. Brian looks over at them when she laughs, and his eyes catch on how Cloud's hand is suddenly at Tifa's waist. He quickly takes it away, and Tifa grabs it in her own before he can retreat further.
"What are you guys talking about?" Tifa asks, directing her smile to her dad and Claudia.
"Your dad was just telling me he's wanting to move to Midgar. I'm trying to persuade him to come to Edge," Claudia says. "It's only thirty minutes away, and it's slower paced than Midgar."
"Sounds a lot like Nibelheim," Brian answers, rubbing his hand over his jaw. "Regardless, I'd be much closer to you, Teef, and that's all I care about."
Tifa nods. "Me too."
Claudia eventually asks if they would all like to grab lunch together before her work and Tifa's father's train departure. Tifa has no qualms about it, becoming excited atthe prospect of all of them hanging out, talking and spending time together. She notices Cloud's hesitation, though, and as they leave the dojo to walk down the sidewalk to Seventh Heaven, they are distanced enough from their parents for her to ask, "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," he says slowly. "I've never done something like this before, that's all. And I'm not good at stuff like this."
"What?" Tifa asks, teasing lightly. "Going to lunch with your girlfriend's father and your mother?"
The word girlfriend slips out of her without her thinking. Her smile falters, but Cloud answers with a smirk, scoffing.
"Yeah. That. Not really something I do regularly."
He doesn't act like he even heard it. Tifa squeezes his hand.
"Don't worry. It'll be nice. The worst thing that can happen is that they tell us embarrassing stories from our childhood."
Cloud grimaces. "I have too many of those."
Laughing, Tifa says, "Oh, then I'm looking forward to it."
They stay at Seventh Heaven until it's time for Tifa to walk her dad to the train station.
Claudia gives Tifa a big bear hug before they leave, smiling at her fondly.
"I've always believed Cloud needed to find a girl who was mature, someone who could keep him out of trouble. I've always been worried with him being in the big city. So many temptations and distractions." Claudia looks over at Cloud. "I'm so proud of him, though. He's become a very responsible, successful young man."
Tifa follows her gaze, and Cloud rubs the back of his neck.
"Mom…" he trails.
"Anyway, thank you for taking care of him these last few months, Tifa. I know it hasn't been easy on either of you."
Tifa blinks, gripping her fingers and twisting them over each other. "Oh, of course. It's been…really nice having him around."
"We'll do this more often," Brian says, smiling. "You can bet on it."
Cloud and Brian shake hands, and Cloud tells Tifa, "I'll call you later?"
Tifa nods, beaming at him. "Yes, sounds good."
As Tifa and her father arrive atthe station, he takes her hands in his own.
"Have fun with your friends, tonight," he says. "Be careful. Watch your surroundings. I'll let you know when I arrive at Nibelheim."
"I will, Dad," she says. "And please do. If you don't, I'll call."
He laughs. "Sure, sure."
Before he heads into the station, he turns back. "And Tifa, listen…" he says. "Cloud and his mother…they're good people. And he's…well, I know you love him, but he's a good lad."
Tifa feels something sprinkle over her, like that deep warmth from a hug or a kiss. She smiles.
"Yeah. I do love him. He's great."
Her dad lingers. "I believe he'll take care of you."
"I don't need to be taken care of, Dad," Tifa says, shaking her head.
"No…" her dad hedges. "But it's nice when you find someone who can."
Tifa grins and sidles up to kiss his cheek and hug him.
"Yeah," she says. "It is. I love you."
"I love you, Tifa."
Cloud picks Tifa up around 7:00 pm to drive to the theater. She decides to wear a newer dress, having shopped with Yuffie and Aerith the week prior. It is made of shimmery, lavender fabric with a speckled, leopard print. Exotic, the sales associate had gushed, describing the designer and how popular it had been once it hit the shelves. The dress is more conservative than the dress she had worn at the merger, covering her back and spanning the length of her legs, but it teases with a hint of skin, slits in the sides coming up to nearly her hip bone, and the skirt sashays around her legs when she walks. She decides to wear a pair of her black, sheer thigh-highs to keep it tactful.
Cloud wears a black dress shirt and a purple waistcoat, the accent colors matching her own. He had texted her earlier that day, Tifa teasing about how they should color coordinate. She hadn't known he would take it seriously, but upon opening the door to her apartment, her eyes light up and that desperate warmth takes over her chest again.
She immediately steps forward and kisses him—just like she had wanted to after the Tae Kwon Do competition. He responds with easy eagerness, pulling her into him, the lipstick she decided to wear smearing off her lips and into his mouth.
They make out for a while before Tifa's phone buzzes with a text from her girl group. Tifa huffs a laugh.
"We should go," she says into his lips.
"Should we?" Cloud asks, continuing to kiss her. "We can rain check."
"No, it's opening night! We're going," Tifa says, pushing him away as best she can. "But I'll definitely take a raincheck with you."
Cloud hums a pacified assent, squeezing her ass.
"Fine."
By the time they make it to the theater, it's twenty minutes before curtain call. They find Yuffie, Vincent, Aerith, and Zack in the lobby, the entrance wide and sprawling. The chandeliers overhead are so luxurious, they're almost gaudy, the twirl of the metal antiquated and almost brassy. The tiled floors are glossy and sparkling.
When Zack sees Tifa, he elbows Aerith and goes to stand.
"Tifa!" he calls jubilantly, his grin stretching wide across his face. "Long time, no see!"
Tifa beams, and she feels like she's been beaming all day. "Zack!" She rushes forward to hug him. "It's so good to see you. How've you been?"
"Well, I've been pretty upset since I had to miss your competition testing this morning," he says, sighing dramatically. "Angeal is a real pain in the ass, sometimes."
Tifa laughs. "Oh, no, it's okay. I know how busy work can be."
"I heard I missed a helluva showing. I'm not surprised, but I'm disappointed I didn't call in sick."
"I told him I recorded it," Aerith says, rolling her eyes. "He refused to watch until you got here."
"I'm a gentleman," Zack says, turning to wink at her. Then he glances behind Tifa, his eyes catching on Cloud.
"Hey, man," he greets, his tone as affable as ever.
"Oh, Cloud, this is Zack. Zack, Cloud," Tifa says.
"Great to meet you," Zack says.
Cloud nods, seemingly unbalanced by Zack's genuine reception of him.
"Uh, great to meet you, too," Cloud says.
Zack laughs. "I was wondering if I'd ever meet the guy who sent Tifa that new contract."
Cloud blanches. "What?"
"Oh, I never told you," Tifa says, surprised that she never remembered to tell him. "When you first emailed me that contract—"
"These girls wanted to make sure you weren't screwing around with Teef, so they had me read over it. I work at Hewley and Fair Law Offices. I'm the Fair," Zack clarifies.
Cloud's mouth parts open. "I…never knew that."
Tifa cringes. "I'm sorry, Cloud.
He shakes his head, amusement warring with his shock. "No, that's okay. I'm…glad you did that. It was smart."
"Your contract was pretty slick, too, dude," Zack grins. "If I could have done something like that to get Aerith in my office, I would have."
Cloud flushes. Tifa pushes a lock of hair behind her ear.
"As if I would have taken the bait," Aerith says, laughing. Zack places his hand over his heart.
"Oh, you love hurting me, don't you?"
"Hey, what am I missing over here?" Yuffie says, bounding up to them. "I was distracted because I was talking with Vincent. Talking, I know. Who would have thought?" she laughs. "Anyway, he didn't want to get up from his seat. He doesn't really care about socializing. Or people."
"Sounds like a loser," Zack says, grinning over at Vincent. Vincent hears him, merely giving him a blank stare. Zack sighs, leaning over to Cloud. "I've been trying to get him to warm up ever since I got here. He's a tough one to crack."
"He won't," Cloud deadpans.
Zack seems incredibly off-put by Cloud's reaction, cringing. "Really? Why?"
Cloud shakes his head. "He's been like that as long as I've known him."
"Huh. Well. Never too late to try." He leans even closer. "I mean, he's dating Yuffie. I say there's hope for him."
"Hey!" Yuffie says. "Don't be a jackass, Fair! You know I'm amazing."
Cloud's eyebrow quirks, and he tries to lean away from Zack's sudden encroachment in his space. "Yeah. Maybe."
"Listen, man," Zack continues, placing an arm around his shoulders. Cloud nearly recoils, but the weight of Zack's arm keeps him in place. "Girls are powerful. We've been chosen. You can't tell me that doesn't change a guy." He shakes Cloud, and Tifa can see Cloud attempting not to grimace. She bites her lip to keep from smiling.
"I know I've changed," Zack continues, grinning. "For the better, of course."
"Right," Cloud says. He seems to succumb to his fate, his side right up against Zack's chest.
Zack prattles on, and Aerith whispers to the girls, "I think Zack's found a friend."
Tifa chuckles. "Yeah, I think so. A very disgruntled friend."
Cackling, Yuffie says, "He looks so uncomfortable right now."
"Hey, how did teasing him go at the dojo?" Tifa asks. "I wish I could have been there."
"Wonderful," Aerith says, grinning deviously. "Cloud was as red as a cherry the entire time. His mom even contributed!"
"He was not a scary ex-CEO at all," Yuffie says. "He hated all of us poking him."
Tifa shakes her head. "Oh, you guys."
"But when you performed, he was completely entranced," Aerith whispers, glancing over Tifa's shoulder at Zack and Cloud. "Did he tell you?"
Tifa thinks back to how Cloud stared at her. She bites her lip. "Yeah. Sorta."
"Sorta?" Yuffie asks before she blows a raspberry.
"I mean, he did," Tifa says quietly, trying not to blush. "He doesn't have to say much. Kind of like Vincent, I think, Yuffie."
Yuffie smirks, waggling her eyebrows. "Oh, yeah, I hear you, Teef."
They make their way into the theater a few minutes before curtain call. The seats are filling up quickly, the red plush cushionsglowing underneath the gleaming lights overhead. Cloud finally disentangling himself from Zack and taking a seat on the opposite side of Tifa. Tifa sits between Cloud and Zack, with Aerith on his other side, Yuffie and Vincent sitting on the other side of Aerith.
Tifa turns to him as the music begins to swell, the curtains still pulled down.
"Make a friend?" she whispers.
"I wouldn't go that far," Cloud answers, just as quietly. "But he seems…cool."
Tifa smiles. "He is. You'll like him."
She finds his hand on the armrest, and their fingers lace together.
"I have a feeling he'll try to make me like him," Cloud mutters.
Tifa's shoulders shake in silent laughter.
"You're probably right."
As the curtains draw up and the introduction music resounds through the hall, the opening scene hooking them in with Jessie—who plays Julia—bargaining with an uppity, rich man through the window of his mustang. It doesn't end well, with Jessie screaming after him as he drives away.
"Asshole!" she yells, her thigh-high, black leather boots nearly touching her indecently short skirt. A girlfriend comes up to console her, telling her she only needs to land one to make the payment for her apartment. Jessie is apathetic and aloof in her responses, not seeming to care either way.
"As long as I'm a whore, it'll always be the same." Jessie flicks away a cigarette before standing, done wallowing, and readjusts her bra, puffing up her breasts. "What can girls like us expect?"
Jessie—or Julia—eventually saunters up to a gleaming convertible. The man behind the wheel, Biggs—or Richard—is flustered and new to the district, obviously never having done something like this before. Jessie uses her charm to slither into his passenger seat, teaches him how to drive a manual stick shift—it's new, Biggs says, trying to hide his shame—and offers him a special deal for being new in town. When Biggs offers her dinner, Jessie laughs. I appreciate this seduction routine you've got going on, honey, but let me tell you something. I'm a sure thing.
Jessie continues on being a flirtatious lady of the night, and Biggs continues to be somewhat flustered, endearing yet straightforward gentleman, showing his business intellect and cunning during the later scenes.
"Hm," Tifa mumbles. "Reminds me of you when I first met you."
Cloud looks at her. "He does?"
"A businessman. Sweet yet hiding away, cold and unsure." Tifa leans against him, as close as the armrest will allow. "You think they'll end up together?"
"If we're anything to go by…" he says. "I think they will."
Tifa smiles.
Eventually the scenes change, from Jessie and Biggs learning the nuances of their strikingly different worlds. He shows her refinery and indulgence. She shows him how business and pleasure aren't as contrasting as he first believes.
He shows her she can be a lady—she can be strong, independent, and do whatever she wants. She makes him believe that the success of life may not only coincide with the quantity of possessions.
And in the end, when love seems impossible—when it shouldn't work, when it is the most improbable thing that should occur—it blooms, bright and bold and lovely.
The ending lines between them are the ones on the brochure.
So what happens after he climbs up and rescues her? Biggs asks.
Jessie smiles before kissing him.
She rescues him right back.
Cloud shifts underneath Tifa's head, and she glances up at him.
"That's…a good line," Cloud says at her questioning look. He seems to be blushing.
"It is," Tifa agrees.
When the curtains close on the scene, they stand up and clap, hollering and yelling. Tifa brings up her fingers to her lips and lets out a loud whistle. As the curtains open back up with all the cast arm in arm, their ruckus grows even louder.
"That's my best friend!" Yuffie screams. Aerith and Tifa follow her lead, Aerith professing her love and Tifa proposing her hand in marriage. Jessie, on the stage, begins laughing.
Biggs is standing beside her, grinning at her reactions. He flees off-stage for a moment, coming back with a giant bouquet. Aerith squeals.
"That's my arrangement," she breathes, clapping faster. "Oh, it's perfect."
As Biggs hands it to Jessie, Tifa's shocked to see Jessie's eyes are glittering with tears. Biggs tells her something, and Jessie shakes her head, gripping the flowers in one hand, and gripping Biggs' neck with the other. She kisses him in front of the whole audience, and it elicits scattered screams throughout the crowd.
"That's right!" Yuffie shouts. "Ship it! It's real!"
Tifa laughs, turning to Cloud. "She did so amazing."
"Yeah, she did great."
"I think this calls for a celebration. First Tifa, now Jessie?" Zack says, pounding a fist in his hand. "I say, Sector Six here we come."
Chocobo Sam's is the chosen bar.
They arrive close to midnight. Jessie is flying high on her victorious opening showing, dragging Biggs along beside her. Yuffie keeps Vincent on his toes, pulling and tugging, Aerith is giggly against Zack, and Tifa and Cloud are more subdued as they follow all of them, holding hands and sharing glances.
Jessie ends up getting to the bar first, ordering rounds for their group. Biggs tries to explain to her that's not how it works, and someone else should buy her a drink for a job well done. She winks and tells him he can buy her one later.
Once they all get their drinks, they toast to each other in a circle—to Jessie and Biggs and Tifa and happenstance that brought them all together. They break apart but stay close, each falling into individual conversations or grouping up. Cloud stays beside Tifa for a while before he takes his drink by the bar, leaning against it while he watches the others talk and laugh. Vincent is the same. Zack meanders between the girls and Biggs, then tries to lasso Vincent into the chat. Vincent hardly gives him any leeway, so Zack goes to grab Cloud's shoulders instead, telling him he's the coolest one out of all of them, anyway.
When Tifa begins to feel the heat of the alcohol rush to her cheeks, the smile loose on her lips, she comes to stand in front of Cloud once he's meandered back to the bar, mimicking his stance by leaning against it.
"Hey. What are you doing all the way over here?" she asks.
"Admiring the view."
She narrows her eyes at him playfully, tilting her head. "Nice try, Strife. I know you don't like being social."
"Yeah, you're right," he says, his eyes roving over her. "But I like watching you have fun. Besides, Zack keeps dragging me back every chance he can get."
She pouts. "It would be more fun if you were closer."
Cloud leans forward, brushing a few wayward bangs across her forehead. "It would be more fun for the girls. I've heard you all comparing dick sizes, tonight."
Tifa begins laughing. "We can't help it. We have to talk about it."
"I'm sure it's a very important topic of discussion."
Tifa shakes her head, pointing at him. "It doesn't sound like you've been drinking enough."
Cloud smiles. "I'm driving, remember?"
"You have time to sober up," Tifa says. She glances at the clock above the door. "We won't leave until past closing."
He makes a low noise, shaking his head. "Tifa Lockhart, being a bad influence? This is almost as shocking as when you said…" he leans forward to say in her ear, "Cock."
Tifa's head tilts away from him, and the smile on her face stretches. She breathes a laugh. "Cloud. Don't distract me." She reaches forward and taps the bottom of his glass. "Drink up."
He indulges her by taking a small sip. She nods. "Better. How is it?"
He makes a noncommittal noise. "It's alright. Not as sweet as you," he says, and she blushes at the bluntness of his words. "What would be better," Cloud continues, leaning toward her ear again. "Is if you let me press my hand up your dress."
"Mm, no," Tifa answers back, pushing her forehead against his temple. "What would be better is if you touched my...clit."
"Tifa…" he grumbles. "Touch you. Lick you. Bite you. What if I turned you around and bent you over?"
One of her hands runs up the nape of his neck.
"My ass would be pressed right against your…cock."
Cloud groans. "Then I would feel you with my hands, see how wet you are. I'd open you up…"
"Yes?" she asks, shifting closer. "Open me up? Get me ready for you to…to…"
"Fuck you. Shove my cock so deep inside you—"
"Oh, yes."
"Make you pant. Make you cry out."
"Oh, Cloud. You'd…um, fuck my…pussy so good, wouldn't you?"
They are close, now, pressing their bodies up against one another. Tifa can feel his arousal against her thigh, and she's so hot from the alcohol and his grumbly words that she thinks all she'd need is one little press from his finger and she'd be thrown over the edge.
She can't believe they're doing this so openly, but the buzz in her system dulls the audacity. She had prepared for this, when he was teasing in his old office space, but not so blatantly nor with so much…enthusiasm.
"I would," he promises. "I'd fuck you, but I'd also make love to you, all night. Whatever you want. Whatever you like."
Those words are unexpected. Tifa places her glass on the bar, and she reaches up to squeeze his shoulders under her hands. She feels like her fingers are iron.
"Cloud."
He kisses her neck. "Are you close?"
Tifa blinks. "I'm…um…"
Cloud adjusts his thigh between her legs and he rocks her forward. She gasps, cradling both hands around his neck. To anyone else, it looks like they're hugging. It seems like they've confessed something important to one another.
He presses his thigh up again, and Tifa feels the push of the wave. "Oh, Gaia," she stutters. "I can't believe I'm actually…"
"I can," Cloud mutters against her skin. He kisses her jaw. "Shit, you're so wet for me, aren't you?"
"So wet," Tifa shudders. "Can you make me come? Right here?"
"You want it?" he asks, and he presses his thigh up once more. Tifa has to bite her lip from her yelp.
"Yes. Just a little more."
He grabsher ass and pushes up. The release hits her with the pressure, and Tifa feels it like a hit of ecstasy right in the middle of her forehead. She loses her breath before she smiles, beginning to laugh. It is senseless and abrupt as it falls out of her.
"Gaia, Cloud, did that really…just happen?"
She hears his chuckle like a grumble against her throat. "We're insane."
The fact of the statement washes over her, because they are insane. "I'm sorry you didn't—"
"I did."
She laughs some more. "You did?"
"I don't think you realize how much you turn me on, Teef."
She leans back from him. Her eyes even feel glassy, but his face seems to be in a picture with a filter. It's too smooth, glowing too brightly, too perfect and serene.
"And I don't think you realize how much I—" she pauses, the heat and the euphoria clogging her windpipe. "I, um—"
"Tifa! Cloud! Get your asses over here!" Jessie calls, words slurred in a manic jumble. "We're riding chocobos!"
Cloud sighs. "I'd rather go to the bathroom."
Tifa giggles. "Oh, Cloud, I'm sorry."
Yuffie cackles delightedly, running forward and grabbing Tifa's hand, breaking them apart. Zack headlocks Cloud and pulls him along before Cloud can make his much needed escape. Aerith is holding two glasses, each with a different colored liquid.
Biggs has a flush that grips his cheekbones, and he's continuously smiling throughout everything that happens. As he attempts to saddle up on the mechanical chocobo, he slips off the side, though he has a perpetual grin on his face the whole time. He then wobbles as he stands, weaving up to Jessie and kissing her, and kissing her, and kissing her…
"Get a room!" Zack shouts between cupped hands. Aerith laughs and hands her drinks to Zack, running over to the chocobo and slipping onto it. She falls off in a matter of seconds, screeching. Tifa goes over to help her, but Aerith only pulls her down instead. They land on top of one another in a mass of limbs and giggles.
"Aerith!" Tifa screams.
"Tifa!" Aerith screams back. "It's your turn! Get on it!"
Tifa stands and pulls Aerith up with a giant heave. Cloud is standing beside Zack, who is cheering to Aerith's fall, finishing one of the two drinks she made him hold.
Tifa catches Cloud's eye, and a conversation from weeks before appears in her mind.
"Cloud!" she calls. "You're after me!"
Cloud raises an eyebrow, and she already anticipates his rejection, so she says, "You have to beat my time, remember! Don't say no!"
She hops onto the saddle of the chocobo, feeling her dress shift across her calves. She grabs onto the pommel once it begins to rock back and forth, squeezing the body's sides with her legs. Becoming comfortable with the pace, Tifa glances up to find Cloud. He's already watching her, and she grins.
"I might be a little drunk!" she says. "But I'm going to win!"
The chocobo's speed steadily increases, and Tifa has to will her mind to concentrate harder than it should. Her hand begins to slip on the pommel, and she goes to readjust. She tightens her thighs. Her body starts to list, and she claws at the machine, trying to find any handhold to grasp only to find nothing but yellow painted metal, slick against her sweaty palms.
She lets out a yelp as she tumbles off the side, and she tries to prepare hitting the padded ground against her back.
She's pleasantly surprised to find she lands in two strong arms, instead.
"Oh," she says, blinking up into Cloud's face. "You saved me."
"Not really," he says. "You fell very slowly."
"Still. Hey, how long did I last?"
"Eight entire seconds," Cloud says, beginning to smile.
Tifa frowns. "Eight? That's all?"
"Longer than everyone else."
"I thought I did so much better!" she sighs. "Well, it's your turn, now."
Cloud merely shakes his head, shifting her in his arms. "Why don't we go home, instead?"
Tifa harrumphs, pouting. "No, you have to try at least once!"
"What if I forfeit? You win."
"Cloud, no!" she says. "Once. Please?"
He stares at her for a few seconds. She tries to widen her eyes, pushing her bottom lip out until it's uncomfortable and feels too fat.
She sees his resolve crumble. His chest heaves in a slow, ponderous sigh.
"Fine."
Tifa grins immediately, wrapping her hands around his neck and bringing him into a soft, happy kiss.
"Then we can go home," she answers.
Cloud nods, gently lowering her to the ground. She wobbles for a few seconds before her equilibrium comes back, and she gives him an encouraging nudge toward the chocobo.
Cloud's face morphs into a frown, but he hops onto the animal without trouble. He glances down at her before it starts moving.
"What'll you do if I beat you?" he asks.
Tifa blinks, her mouth parting. "Um…probably be disappointed."
It slowly begins to undulate. "That's all?"
She places her hands on her hips, watching as he slides around the saddle.
"Maybe…I'll reward you."
One of his eyebrows quirks up. "Reward me?"
The chocobo begins to quicken. Tifa shrugs a shoulder. "It'll be a surprise."
Tifa has a feeling he's already won with how he's smirking, but he remains on it until it starts to spin in jerky circles. When he seems satisfied with his time, Cloud simply slides off, landing in a kneel. His hair is mildly fluffed and his cheeks a little pink.
"Sorry, Teef," he says. "When you said reward, I couldn't lose."
The way he's looking up at her from his crouched position makes her heart thrum in her chest.
"Hm. Well, you looked like you were having fun," she says, crossing her arms and glancing at the counter clock. "I can't believe you went for twenty seconds!"
Cloud shrugs, but he looks sheepish. "Got carried away."
"Uh huh."
"I guess I did have a little fun."
Grinning, Tifa pulls him into a hug.
"Alright, Strife. You win today, but I'll get you back," she promises. "Let's go home?"
"Yeah," he responds, kissing her cheek. "Let's go home. But let me go to the bathroom first."
Tifa laughs.
The ride back to her apartment is quiet and lulling. Tifa dozes off a couple times, warm and content . Cloud gently shakes her shoulder when they arrive.
"Hey, Tifa. We're here."
She sighs a little, rubbing at her eyes. "Mm, okay." She stretches with her arms above her head, tapping the ceiling of the car, and turns her head to look at Cloud. He smiles.
"Today was nice," he says.
Tifa frowns, sitting up. "Aren't you staying with me?"
"Yeah, I just…" Cloud trails, glancing away from her. "I had a…really good time."
Tifa relaxes against the seat. "Even though I forced you to ride the chocobo?"
"Especially because you forced me," he says. She laughs at the answer, reaching up to touch his cheek.
"C'mon then, cowboy," she says. "Let's go to bed."
Half-way to her apartment, Cloud stops Tifa to bend over and carry her. She protests before she succumbs, allowing him to traipse up the stairs and pushing her nose into his neck before needing to unlock her door.
She kicks her heels off in her entryway. Cloud follows her lead and slips off his shoes before she grabs his hand and lures him to the bedroom.
He's spent enough time here to leave some of his clothes—t-shirts, sweatpants, a dress shirt or two—and Tifa has a designated spot in her closet for them.
"Do you want pajamas?" she asks. "Or do you want to…?"
He lets his hands fall to her hips. "I don't want pajamas."
Tifa swallows under his stare, suddenly awake. Her heart begins to beat like a heavy drum.
"Okay," she whispers. She turns, showing him the expanse of her back. "Unzip me?"
The zipper is small and short, ending at the small of her back, only the length of an inch. She hears the pull of it and feels it give. Cloud then unclips the notch holding up the halter and the dress slides off. Tifa steps out of it, turning back to face him. She begins to unbutton his waistcoat and black dress shirt without any prompting, and Cloud watches her all the while. The alcohol is burning away, but there's enough in her system to keep her nerves sedated and her hands steady. She doesn't fumble as she might when sober, and she begins smiling, thinking about that first day in her office when Cloud's hand was fumbling and shaking behind her back.
"What?" he asks.
She looks up at him, pushing off his dress shirt the rest of the way once it's unbuttoned fully. "Thinking about you in my office, that's all. When you told me you wanted me. When this…started."
She unbuckles his belt, then she unbuttons and unzips his slacks. They slip down to the floor, and Cloud steps out of them. In their underwear, they stare at each other. The moonlight slashes against Cloud's chest through her bedroom window, coloring him with shadows. Tifa presses a hand against the white light from the moon, feeling the tender give of his skin. His heart is so close, Tifa thinks she can touch it through his sternum.
He reaches up and takes her hand in his own. He brings it up to his lips, and he kisses her fingertips. Tifa watches his mouth move over her fingers, and she shudders at the contact.
He runs his thumb over her knuckles, and he breaks eye contact, staring down at her hand.
"Can I tell you something?" he asks her, and Tifa inhales deeply. His voice is soft, but it sounds like he's hesitating inside its low timbre.
"Of course," Tifa says, curling her fingers around his. "What's wrong?"
He looks up at her at that. "Nothing. I've just…been thinking."
She smiles. "Yeah?"
"Too much, probably," he admits, shaking his head. "I guess it's just…after seeing your relationship with your dad, in that hospital…I've been thinking about mine a lot more. You know how I've felt about it. I've followed my father's footsteps, and I was ugly in the way I strived for my dreams, and…" he pauses, holding her hand in both of his. He spreads her fingers apart, running his own over her knuckles. "I've wondered if it would have been any different. If he had loved me or if he wasn't in my life at all. Was I bred by circumstance? Would I have always been the same?"
Tifa reaches up to his face with her other hand, running her thumb underneath his eye. The alcohol is fading completely, her mind beginning to clear at his words. "Cloud…"
"I've been wondering what makes me me. Spending time with my mother these past few weeks has helped, but spending time with you…" he sighs. "I've been trying to be better. To do better. To be…something," he says. He drops her hand and places his palms on her hips, dragging her closer to him.
"When you first walked into my office after that email," Cloud says. "You held your own. You didn't put up with my bullshit. You were fearless."
Tifa watches the ripples of his face in the darkened cover of the room. His eyes are shifting, and she can see how he struggles with his words. His throat bobs in a swallow, and he huffs out a breath.
"You…" he says. "You embodied what I have always wanted to be. Even today, during your competition, you performed something that I've never seen before. You told your own story without words, with movements alone. You've done that time and again.
"That day in my office, you swiped your lipstick on me, and it felt like a killing blow—something I was never able to do to my father."
His eyes have stopped shifting and his words are no longer a struggle for him. His stare is the honed edge of a blade, sure and true, and he impales her with the force of it. She loses her breath, her hands on his chest trying to find purchase.
He almost smiles, but his lips can't quite make it.
He says, "I think I fell in love with you right then."
Everything feels stuck, suddenly, as if the world has stopped in its revolution. Time is a pure figment of imagination, and Tifa's nails dig further into his skin.
"Cloud," she breathes, her eyes beginning to fog over. She reaches up to his face and pulls him forward to kiss him. She kisses him over and over, doing her best to ravage him—to express what it means for him to say it out loud, from his heart and into hers.
"I love you," she gasps. "I love you. I don't know when it happened, but I love you."
She feels him smile against her lips. He presses her body further into him as they kiss one another, her tears falling down her face and melding into his mouth. He kneads her skin from her back to her hips to her bottom to her thighs, and they fall back against the bed, urgent but soft and delicate. They handle each other as if they are unfathomably rare—as if every movement they make is terribly expensive and indulgent, one in a million. Their bodies are new to one another, suddenly, as if the love that had been growing is now unsheltered and free to bloom without fear, cradled by the palm of their hearts. It is showcased, now, the spotlight blazing and bright, acknowledged for the world to see and damage and take and weather and grow. Always growing—always alive—digging its roots deeper and deeper into the belly of their spirits.
They shed their underwear, one article at a time. Cloud worships her body—from her neck to her chest, her abdomen to her thighs and lingering in between them. His tongue touches her, flooding her senses with bliss. She delves her fingers into his hair, caressing and tugging, and when she's so close to her climax, she stops him—because it's so different now, so different and not different at all. It's the same as it's always been, but Tifa can wholeheartedly and freely believe in the love that flows between them. That's what makes it superior to any other time. Everything is heightened and fully effervescent, and she wants to come when he's closer to her than no one else will ever be.
She pulls him up and turns him over on his back, and she mimics his reverence of her, praising the lines of his body with her mouth and her tongue and her laughter that spills out of her because the sensation of it all overtakes her.
She makes love to his arousal with her mouth, and it's never been so powerful. His moans and guttural gasps twine around her spine like netting, and he says her name—"Tifa"—so devotedly, she runs her tongue around him faster, pushes him into her throat deeper until he pleads with her, aches for her, and she halts herself before he can release because she wants him so desperately and so badly and it can't end, not yet. Not yet.
She crawls on top of him, and he pulls her down immediately, kissing her with messy ardor. Their mouths are wet and full of their need and want, and when he presses into her, full of their love.
"Cloud," she moans. "Please."
They rock and slide together, tender but passionate, thrusts incapable of delicacy but each connection made with precision, measured with care. They pursue the climbing euphoria and the building peak, up and up and up.
Tifa breaks first, their foreheads pressed together and their hands intertwined above his head. Cloud takes a few more rhythmic thrusts before he follows behind her, and Tifa is uncertain how long it takes to recover. All she can think about is how radiant everything seems to be, glowing and thriving and alive.
Cloud lies beside her, continuing to catch his breath. Tifa faces him, and they stare at each other.
Tifa begins to smile. "Your reward was supposed to be lingerie, but you distracted me by telling me you loved me."
He smiles back, a laugh escaping him. "I couldn't help it." He kisses her. "Reward me tomorrow."
"Won't be a problem."
They're quiet for a while, basking in each other's glow. Tifa's on the verge of sleep before Cloud says, "You know, Zack told me he was proposing to Aerith tonight."
Tifa's eyes snap open. "What?"
"Yeah," he smirks. "I wasn't going to tell you but…he inspired me, tonight. So I guess you should thank Zack for making me gain some courage."
Tifa grins before starting to laugh. "No, I shouldn't. He'll never let us hear the end of it." She shakes her head. "That's amazing, though. I'm so excited for her. We all knew it was going to happen eventually, but we weren't sure when."
She snuggles closer. He wraps his arms around her waist.
"Sorry for ruining the surprise, I just…I had to thank him, that's all."
"Your new best friend," she giggles.
"I wouldn't go that far."
"You two were attached at the hip all night."
"I think he was attached to mine," Cloud mutters.
"He even confessed his proposal to you. True friendship in the works."
"Yeah, sure."
"I might get jealous."
"I'll remind you there's no reason for it," he says, squeezing her bottom. She chuckles into his neck.
"Hey, Cloud?" she says.
"Hm?"
"I love you."
He presses her closer.
"I love you, too," he says.
In the morning, Tifa wakes up to two hundred text messages.
And she wakes up with Cloud curled up beside her.
As she scrolls through her phone to read through the messages, she doesn't think any daydream she had when she was younger could have ever matched up to the real thing.