A/N: Made some changes because I hated how I wrote them in the prev version ✌️

Whenever Cloud cares, he really cares.

He would behold her, and run his fingers across every part of her like they're precious artefacts to safeguard and preserve.

He does this every time he's patching her injuries and bruises.

He's carefully wiping traces of blood on her skin with a slightly wet hand towel and apologizes whenever she winces.

He's dabbing cotton balls laced with alcohol on her open wounds, asking if she's okay whenever she softly moans over the pain.

He's wrapping and sticking bandages and plaster strips wherever necessary, but not without making sure that they feel comfortable on her.

She doesn't think he realizes that he's at his gentlest in these moments.

"I've always wondered why you never wanted to become a nurse. You would've been a good one," she remarks, watching him as he attempts to remove traces of blood on her eyebrows.

He smiles. "Having you as my patient is enough."

He inspects her once again for blood and cuts that he missed, and discovers something that makes him frown.

He tilts her chin sideways and she doesn't know what he's seeing on her neck but it must have been bad because he's clicking his tongue.

"He shouldn't have done this to you…" he mutters.

He. That's right. They need to talk.

"How long has it been?" she asks, as Cloud moves to retrieve and fill an ice bag.

"How long has it been going on… between you and Zack?" she asks again when he returns to sit on the stool in front of her.

"….Quite a while," he answers, putting the ice bag onto her neck.

"Way before the exhibition that we went to together?"

He nods.

"But something did happen during the exhibition?"

He nods again.

"And during all the sleepovers at his place… those times when you're not home?"

Another nod from him.

Her mind takes her back to that night in Costa del Sol, the look he had that she thought was for her.

"In Costa del Sol… it wasn't just some random woman. You were with him, weren't you?"

"It's him. It has always been him," he replies, his blue eyes staring into her red ones with a kind of boldness that he rarely expresses, unless he's completely sure of himself.

"Why? Why… him?"

"Because he's there for me, Tifa."

She says nothing, and he continues, "All these years… I felt like I always have to take care of you. I thought I would be fine as long as you're happy. But… some days, I just couldn't take it. Whatever I do for you… it felt like it was never enough. There's just this constant pressure – something fucking heavy sitting on my back, and I just couldn't breathe. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't take it. And I just cracked."

With glassy eyes, he goes on a sudden hush.

She hears him take a deep breath, and carries on finishing what he has to say, "Zack saw through me… made me believe that I was enough… that I am enough."

"But I… I never thought you weren't enough, Cloud," she argues, rubbing away tears that are spilling out of her eyes against her will.

Hearing him tell her that she doesn't appreciate him fucking hurts because that isn't true. He was her everything.

"I know, Tifa. I never blame you for this. This is… this is on me."

They fall into a brief silence – giving her time to rein in her sobs.

And time for her to really reflect on what he just told her… that perhaps, she should've done more for him.

"I'm sorry… for making you feel that way."

He seems taken aback – jaw dropping like he wants to say something.

"No… I am sorry that I've been cheating on you. I never meant to hurt you."

To be frank, if this is some other previous day, she would have been so angry. She would have hit him until she runs out of strength.

But he's sitting in front of her and speaking to her with brutal honesty.

He could have lied. He could have run away again.

But he's not doing any of that. He's here because he thinks she deserves the truth.

Besides, she isn't all blameless either…

"Let's just… forgive each other, yeah?" she smiles, touching him lightly on his shoulder.

He's still hesitant, so she grazes her thumb on his shoulder mildly, hoping that he gets that she's telling him that it's okay.

He finally nods several time. "Okay…"

There must be a tiny cut that he missed on her cheek because he's grabbing a tissue and dabbing it onto her.

Her eyes follow his movements, until she's thinking about something else that's still bothering her.

"Is it… is it true what Aerith said? That she's just messing with me?"

It's a question she would rather not ask for fear of finding out the unwanted truth.

But she doesn't think that she can take it if she found out too late that things are never real between her and Aerith.

Cloud shakes his head. "I honestly don't know. All I know is she hates me and I hate her for ever making a move on you."

"And that she's the love of Zack's life," Tifa quips.

He scoffs, but doesn't refute. "Oh yeah. Definitely that too."

He bins the stained tissue, and then returns to her with a smile as if he's confiding a secret. "I'll say this though… from the way she looks at you, speaks of you… and cares about you, I don't think she's just messing around."

She doubts it… but decides against saying it out loud.

They're quiet again.

It must have been a minute or two minute before he tells her, "I love you, Tifa. I still do."

Totally not what she's expecting but it doesn't come as a surprise either.

She knows that she's someone special to him – someone he loves, even if there are days when she's doubtful.

Because he would have left a long time ago… and they wouldn't be sitting and talking here next to each other if he doesn't love her.

"But not as much as you love him."

Cloud glances down but it's hard to miss the little smile he has on his lips.

"What are you going to do about Aerith? It doesn't seem like he wants to leave her…"

"I'll figure something out."

"I can beat him up again, if you want me to. You know I can."

He sighs. "No. Anything but that."

"Protective of him, aren't you? The sex must be really good."

Cloud raises his eyebrows, and she quickly lets him know, "I found your treasure chest."

It takes him several seconds to work out what she means and when he does, he's blushing as red as a baby's butt.

Though it doesn't stop him from admitting, "Yes, he fucks me really good."

Unnecessary information. But it makes her laugh.

They lock eyes again and he leans closer.

She doesn't move away. She lets him give her a kiss – a tender one that makes her think of the little bird that used to perch and sing on the window sill of her childhood bedroom, just living its best life while making her days brighter than they were meant to be.

The kiss ends and they're smiling.

She knows that it's over between them. He does too.

But they're smiling – he's smiling, she's smiling.

Things have never been better.