The boat rocked gently as the waves cushioned it a short distance away from the shore, the dazzling golden sand still visible from a distance under the glare of the sun. However, the cool sea breeze managed to deflect the attention of the energetic sun as it shone down upon the four people in the small rental boat.
It had been Tifa's idea to act as a tour guide to the seemingly impressed Aeris. Cloud noted that old habits seemed to die very hard in his childhood friend. This had predictably been one of the first things she had wanted to introduce to her new friend, having enjoyed the experience with Cloud himself on their first night in Costa Del Sol on their own. The blonde felt slightly violated at their private memory being opened up to visitors like an advertisement, but as usual he let it slip under the surface of the azure waves.
Restlessly tugging at the peeling white paint of the railings of the tired old vessel, Cloud felt a sigh of boredom escape him. He had been all for escaping to another part of the world, but his intentions had never been to settle down in one place. Deep within him was a feeling of being kept on a leash, holding back his natural desire to explore the vast world of which he still had little knowledge and experience. But Tifa seemed content to stay put in the coastal resort, and he had allowed her eagerness to overwhelm his own needs. But now as he drifted lazily out in the ocean, he felt the desire beginning to burn within him once more.
"It's really beautiful, huh?" Aeris smiled at the blonde, jumping slightly with the suddenness of the way Cloud pulled himself out of his daydream. His eyes seemed focused, but not upon her.
"I guess…"
"I suppose when you see it everyday, it kinda loses its magic," reasoned Aeris cautiously, leaning on the railing beside him. She smiled and closed her eyes, enjoying the way the cool breeze brushed against her face. Cloud allowed his eyes to linger upon her for a second before forcing them back to the scenic view through some unfounded sense of guilt. She was dressed in a loose dress which billowed gently under the pressure of the wind, which fanned the bare skin of her legs.
"So how did you end up here anyway?" Aeris broke the awkward silence, but did not turn to look at Cloud who wriggled awkwardly under the question.
"I could ask the same about you," he chuckled, deflecting the question back towards her. Aeris laughed gently, a soothing sound which Cloud could almost have predicted without even having heard it before. It just suited Aeris' image.
The pair both jumped slightly as Tifa rounded the corner, and instantly diverted the attention to the view surrounding them. Cloud almost let a laugh escape as he contemplated whistling innocently to complete the image, although he could not explain why either of them should feel any guilt at all.
"I'm afraid the captain says we have to head back to shore now." Tifa sounded disappointed. "Apparently there's a storm heading this way." She paused, before allowing a sly smile to appear on her face. "It's good to see you two are making friends. It really is very sweet." Aeris giggled at the teasing tone of Tifa's voice. Cloud merely stared out towards the black storm clouds on the horizon.
Upon arrival back at the docks, it became even more apparent that Aeris' arrival had been a very spontaneous decision. With no hotel reservations or no more than fifty gil to her name, Tifa took pity upon her new friend and offered her sanctuary within the inn where she and Cloud resided. The short awkward discussion of sleeping arrangements was quickly sorted with Tifa offering her bed to the brunette, while she herself would sleep on the small sofa that resided against the far wall of her room. Cloud felt both relieved and disappointed. The idea of having to share his room with either of his female companions made him feel awkward, yet he also felt somehow distanced as a result of the final arrangements.
The first droplets of rain began to explode against the dusty stone streets of the resort as they reached the door of the inn, the sky rumbling ominously in the background. Unable to explore the city any further under the relentless pressure of the storm, Tifa and Aeris sat by the bar, entertaining each other with stories from their lives as their friendship continued to strengthen. Cloud remained a solitary figure, sitting silently on the window ledge gazing out at the uneasy storm. It seemed to reflect his inner self, as though deeper feelings were hidden within the thick black clouds which hung overhead. It made him feel awkward, and yet he could not convince himself to draw his eyes away from the danger in the skies, his eyes reflecting the sudden bolts of lightning which lit up the sky for a brief moment. Then they were gone.
They were only able to tell when the day ended and the night began by the relentless ticking of the aging wooden clock over the bar. As the hands finally clicked into place to inform them that it had gone midnight, Cloud made his excuses to the pair of women and made his way slowly up the stairs, the thought of collapsing into his bed an appealing short term goal. As he changed out of his clothes, he heard his friends following his lead up the stairs, the low drone of their chatter only broken by the closing of the door to the next door room.
Escaping into the soft sheets of his bed, Cloud found himself instantly beginning to drift into sleep, putting up no resistance to his slow decline. But it made no difference as a dull sound echoed through his mind, forcing him back to reality. He listened intently for the noise again. At first there was silence, broken only by his own breathing. The sound came again. Cloud instantly focused his attention upon the door to his room, wondering who could be knocking for him at this time of night. The clock beside his bed informed him that it was after 3 in the morning as he slowly levered himself out of the comforting warmth of the sheets into the cold night air. The storm was still raging outside, the rain continuing the attack on his window in endless waves. His bare feet made little noise as he crossed the floor, their sound muffled by the thin carpet. As he finally reached the door, he felt the cool metal of the handle in his hand. He paused, unsure of what to expect on the other side of the door. Pulling the door open cautiously, he let out a nervous sigh of relief as he saw Tifa standing awkwardly in front of him. She blushed slightly as she became more aware of being dressed in her night clothes, causing Cloud to react similarly.
"Cloud… I, uh…" she stammered, trying not to look directly at Cloud in his state of being half dressed; in response to this, the blonde did his best to hide himself behind the door. "The sofa was kinda uncomfortable… so I was wondering if…"
Sighing, Cloud nodded and turned back into his room, leaving the door open for Tifa who followed him in nervously. Picking up a spare sheet from his wardrobe, Cloud settled himself down on the sofa in his room. Tifa remained standing for a moment, uncomfortable in the silence.
"Are you sure it's okay for me to take your bed?" she whispered through the darkness. Cloud mumbled something which Tifa took to be positive and slowly allowed herself to slip underneath the sheets. "Thank you," she whispered, feeling both relieved and nervous under the protection of the sheets. Cloud said nothing, but simply lay in silence listening as the storm continued to rage in the skies outside.