Fear and Courage Chapter 13
"Tifa? Is that... Is that really her?"
"Ha! Of course it is! You don't let jus' anyone in your villa, do you?" Barret laughed. Cloud couldn't believe it. It was just as Aeris had said.
The words repeated over and over in his head.
"But rather than going after her, it would be better if you stayed here,
until the time comes."
He snapped out of his thoughts and looked at her and Marlene giggling at
something that Cid had said.
"C'mon, does the hair cut make her look that different?" Barret had asked
Cloud, who wasn't listening.
Tifa put Marlene down and started to converse with Cid. Cloud just stared
in amazement. "Cloud snap out of it, man!"
"Huh, what?" Cloud stepped back into reality. "You zoned out. Tifa's been doin' that a lot, too, y'know? Go talk to her!"
Cloud nodded in response and walked slowly over to her.
Cid had walked over to Vincent, and Marlene to Yuffie, leaving Tifa to admire the paintings on the wall. He could see her facial expression. It
showed awe and wonder. Cloud blushed. He could see that Tifa adored the works of art, produced by him. The 'Spanish Rose' was his best one, and she
was captivated by it.
He was stood close enough to take in her scent. As always, he was met by the vanilla aroma, which made him melt. He wanted to stand and stare all
day, but thought he should get her attention instead. So he tapped her
shoulder with a trembling finger.
She was pulled out of thought by the tap. She turned slowly to find... Him.
He was right there in front of her. She couldn't believe it. He looked divine. Cinnamon skin, his hair was shorter and he wasn't wearing a shirt!
"Oh my God... Cloud!" She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly,
feeling his smooth skin against hers was heaven to her. "Tifa, you're really here!" Oh, what he'd give to make her his right now. She pulled away a little and kissed him on the cheek. He blushed almost instantly. "I've
missed you so much." She whispered in his ear.
"You, too, Teef."
They pulled away and looked around to see everyone was looking at them.
"What?" they both asked simultaneously. "Nuttin'" Cid replied quietly, with a broad grin. And they all continued doing what they had done previously. Cloud shrugged his shoulders, like he
always used to do.
"Can we open the presents, pretty please?" Yuffie asked everyone. "Good idea!" Marlene ran over to the bag and dragged it into the middle of
the room.
"Kids." Nanaki muttered.
"Tifa? Is that... Is that really her?"
"Ha! Of course it is! You don't let jus' anyone in your villa, do you?" Barret laughed. Cloud couldn't believe it. It was just as Aeris had said.
The words repeated over and over in his head.
"But rather than going after her, it would be better if you stayed here,
until the time comes."
He snapped out of his thoughts and looked at her and Marlene giggling at
something that Cid had said.
"C'mon, does the hair cut make her look that different?" Barret had asked
Cloud, who wasn't listening.
Tifa put Marlene down and started to converse with Cid. Cloud just stared
in amazement. "Cloud snap out of it, man!"
"Huh, what?" Cloud stepped back into reality. "You zoned out. Tifa's been doin' that a lot, too, y'know? Go talk to her!"
Cloud nodded in response and walked slowly over to her.
Cid had walked over to Vincent, and Marlene to Yuffie, leaving Tifa to admire the paintings on the wall. He could see her facial expression. It
showed awe and wonder. Cloud blushed. He could see that Tifa adored the works of art, produced by him. The 'Spanish Rose' was his best one, and she
was captivated by it.
He was stood close enough to take in her scent. As always, he was met by the vanilla aroma, which made him melt. He wanted to stand and stare all
day, but thought he should get her attention instead. So he tapped her
shoulder with a trembling finger.
She was pulled out of thought by the tap. She turned slowly to find... Him.
He was right there in front of her. She couldn't believe it. He looked divine. Cinnamon skin, his hair was shorter and he wasn't wearing a shirt!
"Oh my God... Cloud!" She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly,
feeling his smooth skin against hers was heaven to her. "Tifa, you're really here!" Oh, what he'd give to make her his right now. She pulled away a little and kissed him on the cheek. He blushed almost instantly. "I've
missed you so much." She whispered in his ear.
"You, too, Teef."
They pulled away and looked around to see everyone was looking at them.
"What?" they both asked simultaneously. "Nuttin'" Cid replied quietly, with a broad grin. And they all continued doing what they had done previously. Cloud shrugged his shoulders, like he
always used to do.
"Can we open the presents, pretty please?" Yuffie asked everyone. "Good idea!" Marlene ran over to the bag and dragged it into the middle of
the room.
"Kids." Nanaki muttered.