I decided to rewrite a couple of old fics of mine, this is one of them. Originally posted about three years ago.
Sudden Insomnia
The candle slowly burned and when Tifa finally opened her eyes it was merely inches high. It had melted down on the nightstand on which it was now stuck due to the hardened candle-mass. The foot made of oak in which the candle stood had almost completely vanished underneath the white mass. It now kind of resembled a candle one would expect to find in an old laboratory, standing on a human skull.
I must've fallen asleep, Tifa thought. She watched the still burning remains of the candle she used for reading. And almost started a fire too, she added.
She placed her hand behind the tiny flame, that way the melted candle would not spill when she, with a breath of air, extinguished the fire.
It had only been a couple of days since the last of the mako-reactors had been shut down and destroyed and therefore no electricity was available. The situation would soon change though, she figured, as there were already several alternative power sources waiting to be used. Corel had their coal, which they had been mining long before Shinra came with their mako-energi, and several wind and water plants that had become obsolete with the invention of Shinra's new and revolutionizing but oh so evil power plants, were already in the process of renovation.
Anyhow, Tifa figured, she was too tired to think of such things right now. Darkness engulfed the room and she would sleep again. When leaning back she felt something hard on her pillow.
Oh yeah. The book, she pondered awhile whether or not to re-light the candle in order to properly place the book on the shelf. Deciding it was unnecessary she simply let the book fall onto the floor.
She had expected sleep to come quickly, tired as she was, but instead she found herself quite incapable of returning to her dreamland. She twisted and turned, wrestled with the sheets but to no avail.
Am I not tired? Or what's wrong? Tifa questioned herself after some time had elapsed. She opened her eyes, slowly lifting one heavy eyelid after the other. Gazing up on the ceiling she thought of how to fall asleep.
I'm too tired to read, hell I'm almost too tired to move. Yet I can't sleep. She sighed. Getting out of bed tomorrow wouldn't be an easy task unless she got some real sleep.
All of a sudden the door to Tifa's room swung open, startling her. A dark figure appeared in the dorm. The figure took one step into the room and then froze, looking around in obvious confusion. Tifa watched from her place in bed without moving or giving any sign of being awake. The person quickly turned around to leave, but before he/she had the time Tifa sat up and asked, slightly frightened.
"W-who's there?" She cursed at herself for stuttering.
There was a short silence, however long enough for Tifa to wonder if she had done a smart move.
"Eh… Hi Teef." A familiar voice then answered from the dorm.
The person Tifa now recognized as her friend Cloud turned around again and if darkness hadn't been so complete she would have noticed a slight blush on his face.
The two had been traveling together since the dissolving of Avalanche, which was now exactly a week ago. They hadn't really spoken about it or made any plans on beforehand, it had just somehow come to be. They had stuck together and Tifa was relieved and very, very happy that she hadn't been forced to part with Cloud. Even though their relationship confused the hell out of her.
"What are you doing here?" She wondered.
"Well, I kinda thought this was my room" Cloud explained looking down on the floor although he couldn't see much more down there than the dark outlines of his boots.
"The doors look surprisingly alike in the darkness" he then said looking over to what he had, moments earlier before he had found Tifa in it, believed to be his own bed.
Tifa forgot all about her fatigue, being instead curious of what Cloud could be doing after midnight in a small town without any electricity.
"But why are you still up?" she asked to still that curiosity.
"I couldn't sleep so I went outside for some fresh air. Thought it would help"
So he has it to. Tifa thought.
"Did it? Help I mean." Her eyes had now almost fully adjusted to the darkness, and she could see Cloud leaning against the doorframe. Not in full detail, though, but his hair ensured her it was really him. His unruly spiky hair anyone could recognize anywhere.
Cloud remained silent for awhile, almost as if he needed time to check if he was still unable to sleep.
"Nope" he then concluded. "Still can't sleep…"
He moved away from the doorframe
"But just 'cause I can't sleep it doesn't mean you shan't, so I'd best be leaving." He said in a jokingly chivalrous fashion.
"No." Tifa said before she really knew what she was doing. "I-I mean, it's ok. I couldn't, can't sleep either." She explained, blushing in the dark.
"Is that so?" Cloud raised an eyebrow, "Maybe it's contagious?" he joked.
"Maybe…Um…" Tifa knew this was her chance "So… If you're still not sleepy, maybe we could, you know, be incapable of sleeping… together?" The darkness that luckily hid the blush on her face from him also prevented her from reading his reaction.
"I mean, just for the company." She added tentatively.
"Just for the company, huh?" Cloud repeated. To Tifa it sounded like he was smiling. She hoped so anyway.
"Sure" he then said to her relief. "I don't think I've ever been incapable of sleeping together with someone before. What do we do?"
"Stay awake, I guess"
Cloud chuckled at this. "Do we have a choice?"
Tifa motioned him to sit down, and so he did, on the far end of the bed. Tifa thanked the gods she had gotten a room so plain it had no chairs. When she sat up, keeping her sheets over her chest with one hand even though she wore a nightgown underneath, she was almost close enough to hear his heartbeats. Or perhaps it was her own?
Even closer would, of course, have been even better, but Tifa knew this was as close as she would probably ever get. Pessimistic as it may sound, she knew she was way too shy and frightened of rejection to ever make any moves on her handsome, spikey-haired warrior for childhood friend. He was always nice to her, perhaps even more so now that it was only the two of them, but that didn't really have to mean anything more than that he liked her as a friend.
Tifa watched as Cloud settled himself more comfortably and let out a sigh of longing. Cloud looked up and being closer as they were they could see each other more clearly.
"Something wrong?" he asked.
"No… I'm just tired that's all."
"That's the life of an insomniac."
"This troubles you often?" Tifa asked. She couldn't for the life of her picture Cloud as a tired insomniac, as much energy he always seemed to exhibit.
"From time to time." Cloud shrugged, seemingly not caring for the matter.
"You've never told me." She said slightly worried now.
"I can't see why." He answered, looking over at her. His shining blue eyes captured her instantly.
"That's cold…" she said, looking down in disappointment. If they couldn't be more than friends then at least she wanted to be the kind of friends that can tell each other everything.
"I didn't mean it like that..." Cloud sighed. When she still didn't look up he reached over and gently touched her face. "I guess I just forget during the day, you know. And I can't just go wake someone up in the middle of the night to talk, now can I?"
"I-It must be hard." Tifa voice came out almost as a whisper. Although he had retracted his hand from he face almost instantly, the touch still lingered with her.
"You get used to it" Cloud shrugged. "Kind of lonely, though"
He noticed the concerned look on Tifa's face even in the darkness of the night. He smiled, adding:
"But then again, it's very peaceful… and I doubt many people have seen as many beautiful sunsets and sunrises as me."
Tifa smiled slightly, knowing Cloud was trying to calm her.
"Well you can always come wake me up." She offered. She was very serious but managed to make it sound less so.
"I'll hold you to that Teef." He said although she knew he would never do it.
After that a silence fell over the two. Tifa found herself wondering if maybe her offer had been to forward.
I worry too much! She figured, That's why I always chicken out when it comes to Cloud. If only I could somehow act without thinking then perhaps…Or maybe that's a bad idea… …There I go again!
"You know, I've heard some people just don't need as much sleep. Like geniuses and such." Cloud suddenly broke the silence.
"So you're a genius now? Just 'cause you can't sleep?" Tifa said, giggling.
"Hey! I recent your laughter" Cloud said, insulted "Maybe I should be inventing stuff right now rather than wasting my time here" he gestured with his arms while speaking.
"So talking to me is a waste of time?" Tifa feigned to be offended.
"…No, you're right. It's probably a bad idea anyway. I'd be a terrible inventor." Cloud sighed tilting his head back to watch the ceiling.
"How come?"
"Let's face it," Tifa could see him smile "my area of expertise is rather limited. All my inventions would be somehow sword or battle related."
They both burst out into laughter.
"I'm sure there are other things you're good at." Tifa finally managed to say, as she ceased laughing. Cloud too had stopped.
"You think?" he asked, suddenly turning serious.
"Of course, I can think of several" She said hoping he wouldn't ask her to tell him what specifically, as talking about what she admired about him would make her terribly embarrassed.
He didn't and silence yet again fell over the two. Cloud returned to watch the ceiling and Tifa watched him. She wanted to say something as the silence was making her uncomfortable.
Act without thinking. Act without thinking… her mind was telling her.
"Um…" was all she managed to utter. Cloud looked at her and she had to say something.
"I-I'm really glad that… we're still together." Tifa spoke letting her gaze sink to the white sheets covering her lap. "Traveling together, I mean" she looked up again and their eyes connected for a moment.
Cloud leaned back at some spare pillows stacked at his end of the bed.
"Yeah, me too. I kinda got used to traveling in a group. Would probably have been lonely going from that to traveling solo."
"Yeah…" Tifa agreed. Yawning she realized yet again how tired she really was.
"…You should try sleeping again, Teef" Cloud demanded with a concerned look on his face "I'll stop bothering you and let you rest"
"No, I'm fine" Tifa quickly assured him, not wanting him to leave "I just need to lay down for a while"
His blue eyes followed her as she shifted slightly closer to him before leaning forward placing herself in his arms. Resting her head on his chest, she tried to act as if what she had just done was very natural, nothing special at all, when in reality her heart was racing like a crazy chocobo. It was strange how she could throw herself into fierce battle without fear but not into the arms of the man she truly loved.
Cloud remained still for a moment, surprised by her sudden actions, and Tifa began to worry. What would she do if he asked her to move? She wasn't sure if she could handle such a rejection without crying. Soon, however, he relaxed and she could feel him ever so gently place his arms around her. She sighed in relief finally feeling about ready to fall asleep.
"Are you always this forward?" Cloud asked smiling at the girl in his arms.
"You'd be surprised" Tifa spoke, her voice somewhat muffled by his shirt as she snuggled closer.
The end