A/N: Thank you soooo much ATK1734! Your praise means a lot to me because you're one of my absolute FAVORITE writers in this fandom. I stan by anything you write! ^^ Aslo describing Caius as a dildo is the best, it made my day! XD Big thanks to Lumina as well! I totally get you about the Cid in FF13 - he's very confusing XD I hope my Cid can be the nice grandpa these guys never had :( Anyway, today's update is for you two! Thanks for your support! :)


CHAPTERXXVI.

Bonfire


Cloud

The week following the elections was slow. With no classes and club activities wrapped up for the year, there was nothing to do for most people.

Well, most people except the pink haired girl.

As social chair, her first official 'job' was to organize the annual bonfire. I only saw Lightning for her morning run, and I joined her and Zack just so I could get thirty minutes in of actually seeing her during the day. I lay on my bed, feet crossed. The clouds rolled by, and the grounds were white as far as the eye could see. There were fewer birds in the sky, and the glass was frosted, blocking the outside world as it turned translucent. The heater was operating at full capacity in our room and I relaxed in my warm bed, turning a page of the book currently in my hand.

Zack burst into the room with his usual energy. It was still early in the morning, and I was wondering what to do for the rest of the day.

"Broody! I am gonna borrow your girlfriend for a while," he told me and I just nodded.

"Go ahead. Not like I am gonna see her anyway…" I complained quietly, trying to focus on my reading instead.

"Well, you will see her cause she's coming over in like, five minutes," he grabbed a random shirt and tossed it to me. It landed on my head, and I sighed as I pulled it off.

"Cover up. You know she freaks out everytime you're shirtless."

I remembered the last time she had allowed me to go a little further and my cheeks heated up at the image of her shirtless.

"You're thinking something dirty," Zack teased and the blush on my face darkened.

"No," I lied quickly, tossing the book aside and putting on the shirt.

Never late, Lightning entered the the room in exactly five minutes. She kicked off her boots, dusting the snow off of her pink head.

"Alright, Zack, let's do this-" She noticed me and threw a small smile my way. "Strife."

"Farron…" I nodded back, trying to smile. It was so good to see her, even if it was like this.

Zack tossed a pink ribbon to her and Lightning released her hair from the bun, tying it back with the ribbon instead.

"Okay, go." She commanded and Zack started pacing around the room. My eyes followed him walking back and forth as Lightning tapped her foot impatiently on the floor.

"Zack," she emphasized and Zack cleared his throat, before suddenly taking her hand. She stared at him with her trademark deadpan face and he quickly let go of her hand, throwing his hands up in defeat.

"You're not convincing! Try to be… I don't know. Cuter. Less like a dude," he requested and Lightning grumbled, closing her eyes and opening them again.

She put on a forced smile, batting her eyelashes. "Zack~" she tried her best impersonation of Aerith and I slapped my hand on my mouth, trying not to laugh out loud.

"Okay… better…" Zack took her hand, getting on one knee in front of her. "Aerith… I want to sell flowers with you for the rest of my life…" he gulped. "Will you marry me?"

"No," Lighting replied coldly, yanking her hand away from his. "You're not applying for a job. Try again," she ordered, ruthless as always.

Zack sighed, getting up and pacing about again. He cleared his throat, getting on his knee once more and repeating the process. "Aerith, I want to build a home with you…"

Lightning smiled slightly. "Promising. Continue."

"...with good feng shui. Will you marry-" Lightning smacked his head lightly, growling.

"What did I say about feng shui?!"

"Man, you're tough!" Zack growled in response, standing up and going over to the wall. He buried his face there, mumbling to himself.

"Zack, come on!" Lightning called for him in a voice louder than usual, clearly running out of patience.

"Alright." Zack took her hand, this time standing in front of her confidently.

"Good. Third time's the charm. Let's go." She tried to encourage him.

"Wait, shouldn't I bend more? Aerith's a lot shorter than you-"

"Zack!" Lightning stepped on his foot lightly and he winced in pain. Giving in, she bent her knees in an attempt to reduce her height, and Zack awkwardly bent down to her eye level. I snapped a photo, sending it to the 'Proposal" chat we had created without Aerith.

"Aerith, I want to tie pink ribbons in your hair for the rest of my-"

"That one really sucks," I called out from the bed, throwing my arms behind my head as I enjoyed Zack's struggle.

"Fine, you do it then!" Zack snapped and I propped one knee up on the bed, raising an eyebrow.

"Propose to Aerith?"

"No, propose to Lightning. For ideas." W-w-whaat?! I shot up, my legs now dangling from the bed as I sat straight. Lightning was equally embarrassed, and she pulled the ribbon out of her hair, handing it back to Zack.

"Just t-t-think about it more and I'll come again when you're ready," she said quickly. Zack crossed his arms, towering over her with a smug smile.

"You're saying you can't?"

Lightning growled, her competitiveness taking over. She was so unguarded around Zack, she didn't realize he was manipulating her. Well, most people thought Zack was incapable of actions like that, anyway. "Strife, get your blonde butt in here," she barked, and I obliged reluctantly, awkwardly standing in front of her.

We both just stood there as a heavy silence crushed us. Zack smirked, leaning against the wall behind us and crossing his arms. "Not so easy now, is it?"

"Give me a sec," I sighed, closing my eyes and trying to clear my head. This was probably more embarrassing than the stupid flash mob. I opened my eyes to greet pale aqua orbs - their iridescent glow was enchanting. Lightning cast a spell on me with her eyes alone, and I stood there, still, parting my lips. Nothing came out and I heard Zack's voice again.

"Great idea, just brood together until one person nods."

"I am working on it!" I snapped back, glaring at him once before returning my eyes to the girl in front of me. I wrapped my arms around her waist, drawing her closer. I placed my hand on her cheek, gazing deeply into her icy eyes. "Farr- Lightning," I corrected myself quickly, and she surprised me.

"Cloud." Her cheeks were glowing bright red, and I couldn't hold back after she said my name in that sweet voice.

"I know we haven't known each other that long, but I have never felt this way about anyone else. Being with you feels like a dream and I want to stay in it with you, forever. Please, marry me."

Lightning placed both her hands on my arms, and the closeness was welcome after what felt like an eternity of not seeing her. Her eyes were serious, but her face broke into a grin.

"Can't. I have a meeting in ten minutes." I blinked, and both of us chuckled, stepping away from each other.

"Much, much better. Something heartfelt is fine. It's okay if it's cheesy - no offense, Strife - but please, no feng shui." The pink haired girl threw her hair back in a bun, staring at an awestruck Zack. "Stop being impressed and start working on it!" She yelled and Zack's hand shot up in a salute.

"Yes ma'am!" He joked and Lightning rolled her eyes, smiling at us both. "See ya, Zack," she patted his shoulder and nodded in my direction, "Strife."

When she left I turned around and fell back into bed, burying my face in the pillow.

"Aw come on, you were really cool! Even made my heart skip a beat," Zack sat down next to me and patted my back in an attempt to comfort me.

"It's because you say things like that, people are always on about our bromance." I complained, my voice muffled against the pillow.

"Hey, I'm just keeping it real. Plus, our bromance is an epic tale for the ages!" He laughed as his fist bumped against my shoulder. "Come on broody, let's go. First rehearsal's this evening."

"Right," I rolled over, sitting up as I tried to forget the embarrassing episode that had just taken place. I slipped into my jacket, zipping it up. Zack followed suit, and we both grabbed a quick lunch at the cafe. My phone wouldn't stop buzzing, and I gave in, checking what the fuss was about. My eyes widened in horror as I checked the video of my fake proposal circulating in the chat.

"You made a video!?" I growled threateningly, but Zack just draped his arm around my shoulder casually.

"It was a once in a lifetime opportunity, dude."

Vanilleway: O_O

Hopeless: O_O

Tixfa: Being with you feels like a dream~

Serahlife: And I want to stay in it with you, forever and ever and ever~

Lighting Farron: I will kill you, Zack.

Fenrir: Not if I kill him first.

Fangit: Sure you're not dreaming, Cloud?

Sn0w: forever dreamin' with Lightnin'~

I locked my phone, pocketing it quietly as Zack read the constant inflow of messages, tearing up through laughter. "Thanks, though." When our eyes met, I could tell he was serious. "Something heartfelt, huh?" He smiled at me, crossing his arms as he leaned forward on the table. "I think I know what to say now, thanks to you and Light."

I wanted to stay mad at my blue haired best friend, but I found it impossible to. I exhaled, feeling all the anger exiting. "Great."

After lunch was over, the two of us went to the mall. We were supposed to shop for the outfits we were going to wear for Zack's proposal. Zack bought ice cream, handing one over to me as we sat down by the fountain.

"Sugar fix?" I didn't even need to ask.

"I'm nervous," Zack replied, biting into his cone and moaning loudly. "Not so nervous anymore," he said through a mouthful. I chuckled, looking around the shops.

"Where do we start?" I asked and Zack's eyes followed mine as he did a quick scan of the shops. "That big Christmas market over there," he decided. We both finished our ice cream and strolled over to the colorful store. Loud Christmas music was blasting over the speakers - it was the same few songs every year - and I groaned in frustration.

"Where are you taking Light for Christmas?" He asked me casually as he threw Santa hats in the cart, his eyes darting up and down the list Tifa had carefully prepared for us.

"Uh…" To be honest, I hadn't even thought about that. "Are we supposed to do something?"

Zack paused, looking at me with a horrified expression. "Yes? It's the biggest couple holiday of the year. I already have a reservation for dinner."

"Well, thanks to the bonfire and your proposal, Farron's been all over the place." I reminded him. He nodded apologetically at me.

"Thanks for doing this," his warm smile got to me and I just waved my hand dismissively, feeling guilty. It wasn't that. I was the one who didn't ask her out, and it had nothing to do with how busy she was. I just wasn't used to the whole dating thing.

"It's fine. I'll ask her out when I see her later." I said quickly, peering over Zack's shoulder at the list and helping him buy whatever else was on it. We got back to campus during the early hours of the evening. Tifa had rented out a dance studio for our practice, and we both lugged the heavy shopping bags inside.

"All set!" She smiled in satisfaction after looking through what we had bought. "Alright, just waiting for Light and - there she is."

Lightning ran into the studio, resting her hand against the wall to catch her breath. "Sorry I am late, we were building the stupid thing for the bonfire."

"It's fine, we're just getting started. Alright!" She clapped her hands together loudly as the rest of the group abandoned whatever they were doing. We all lined up and Tifa began to explain the choreography to us.

"So we'll start with Cloud, obviously," I wanted to protest but she shot her hand up to cut me off. "You'll be with Aerith, so I want you to hold her hand and then let it go when the music cues in. Then you'll take a few steps back, lip-sync the first part of the song and do the first part of the dance. I'll throw a rose at you, and you'll catch it, give it to Aerith right before the second verse starts." She turned towards the pink haired girl. "Then Lightning will slide in from the side, do the first verse, and jump into your arms," she pointed at me, "-then you'll…" Tifa didn't even pause for a breath as she ran us through the entire choreography.

Lightning looked mortified. I remembered her aversion to dancing, and I squeezed her hand in support. "It's fine, just follow Tifa. She knows what she's doing."

"Cloud, go!" Tifa's gentle push sent me tumbling forward and I sighed as the music played, following the steps exactly as she had explained.

"That's perfect! Okay, Lighting, just slide in-"

"How?" Lighting countered and Tifa smiled patiently. "Um... like this…" she showed the pink haired girl how to do a long side step.

"That's called a slide?" Lightning asked, confused.

"Um okaaay, this might take a while. Zack, you run the group through the whole dance and I'll work with Lightning…"

After three hours of practice, Lightning was still hopeless. I chuckled as I watched her struggle, sitting on the floor with the others. Zack passed the water bottles around and we all emptied them, covered in sweat.

"I am starving…" Serah complained and Tifa cut off the music.

"Alright, I think that's the best we can do for today…" she laughed anxiously, patting Lighting's shoulder. "You were great, Light!"

Lighting just grumbled, catching the water bottle that Zack threw at her. She drank from it, taking a deep breath as the others started packing up.

"You guys go ahead, I'll practice a bit longer." She nudged us. I wanted to stay back, but Lighting looked so focused, I wondered if I'd just be in the way. We hit our rooms to shower before going out for dinner and drinks.. It was around 10 pm when we got back, and I fell back on my bed tiredly.

"Bro, I'm going over to see Aerith!" Zack waved at me as he grabbed his things. I checked the chat and thankfully my embarrassing video from earlier had been forgotten. I never got to ask Lightning out for Christmas day, so I dialed her number. It rang a few times and she answered on the fifth ring, sounding a little out of breath.

"Strife?"

"Farron, where are you?"

"Dance studio," she replied like it was no big deal.

"I'm coming over." I told her, jumping out of bed and throwing on my jacket. I trekked through the snow to the studio, stopping by a convenience store on my way to her. I watched her from outside the glass door, as she tried the same movement repeatedly. I knocked on the door and it broke her concentration. Lightning tumbled backwards, about to hit the ground, but her hands planted firmly on the wooden floor to break the fall. She jumped on her feet, waving at me tiredly.

"Sorry," I apologized immediately, walking over to her. "Did you eat?"

"Not yet," she replied and I narrowed my eyes angrily at her.

"Farron, please don't tell me you never left."

Lightning looked equally annoyed as she stared me down, before her expression eased. Her shoulders slumped and she looked away. "It's important. To Zack. I don't want to mess it up."

"I had a feeling it'd be like this, so I brought you food. Here," I handed her the bag and she gratefully took it from my hand.

"Sandwiches… ah, the best," she sat on the floor and dug into the food with a satisfied smile. I chuckled, passing her some water. Lightning drank some of it, throwing her head back against the mirror as we both leaned against it. "I prefer fighting Loz over this."

I smirked, glancing sideways at her. "This is a lot easier than fighting Loz."

"Fighting Loz was pretty easy," she smirked proudly and our fingers intertwined. It felt like I hadn't seen her in ages, and we were only apart for a week.

"Let me help you," I offered and she nodded hurriedly.

"Yes, please." I was startled at her willingness, but it spread a warm feeling inside my chest. I stood up first, helping her to her feet. We walked to the middle of the floor and stretched silently for a while.

"Alright, Farron, listen. When you're fighting, you're fast, accurate, and all your moves just flow into the next flawlessly."

"Do they?" She smiled and I nodded at her.

"Yep. And this is not that different from fighting. So I know you can do it. Okay, just imagine Loz is standing right here, and then take a long side step towards him, throw your right hand out like you were slapping him with the back of your hand. And imagine Kadaj is on the other side."

Lightning laughed, nodding as she readied herself. "Do I slap him too?"

"Yep, slap both of them. But gently." I smirked as I played the music with the remote.

"Okay, remember, when I come back like this and spin away, that's your cue." I showed it to her once.

"Got it."

I did the first part of the dance and Lightning did her entrance. It was spot on, except her hands.

"That's a really hard smack. Are you trying to break their teeth?" I teased as the pink haired girl blushed.

"If I can." She quickly recovered.

"Okay, you don't actually want to hurt them. Just open your palms up and throw them back gently. Imagine it's Yazoo. Well, two Yazoos."

Lightning did it again and it was much better than the first attempt.

"Great, then there's this part…"

We worked on it together through most of the night, until either of us could barely keep our eyes open. We finally decided to retire, and I walked her back to her room, pausing outside it.

"Thanks a lot, Strife." She unlocked her door and opened it slightly, hand still on the doorknob. I placed my hand on hers, shutting the door close again. The pinkette blushed, blue eyes fluttering over to mine.

'I, uh…" I hesitated, but she waited for me to continue quietly. "I was wondering what you're doing on Christmas day."

"Oh," Lightning cleared her throat, but she didn't look away as our eyes locked. "Nothing that I can think of."

"Then, will you- I mean, let's- I mean," I struggled and she finished for me.

"You wanna do something together?" It wasn't exactly what I meant, and sounded a lot more like casual hanging, but I was in no position to refuse.

"Right, let's do something together." I smiled as I let go of her hand and she waved at me.

"Well, see you in the AM. More like, three hours later."

I chuckled as she slipped inside, closing the door softly behind her. Words flowed a lot better between us when… situations necessitated them, but it was still difficult sometimes. Both of us were not very vocal, and relied a lot on non-verbal communication. I envied people like Zack and Tifa, who were able to say whatever they wanted.

When I got back, Zack was still awake, playing video games. "Dude, I thought you got kidnapped again. What happened?" He rubbed his eyes sleepily.

"Oh, sorry. I was helping Farron practice for the dance."

"Until now?" Zack paused the game, tossing the controller away. "She's been practicing all this time?!"

"Yeah. You mean a lot to her," I told him, yawning loudly. "I think I really need to get some sleep in…"

"Go for it. I'll wake you up in a bit," Zack offered and I dozed off as soon as I climbed into bed.

The next morning was equally insane as we all poured into the studio. Zack was following Lightning around like a puppy, too touched by her determination to make this a success. The pink haired girl was confused, but didn't seem to mind his closeness. She was most herself around Serah and Zack, and I admired them both for being able to reach that part of her… a part that she didn't exactly show to met yet, despite our intimacy.

"Alright guys! From the top!" Tifa cheered us with a few claps as she turned on the music. I started with my part as usual, and Lightning did hers flawlessly, heading straight for my arms. I picked her up by the waist and twirled her, setting her down as Vanille and Hope took over.

"Light, that was fantastic!" Tifa squeezed Lightning as they hugged.

"I had help," she smiled my way but I shook my head.

"It's all you," I smiled back at her as we began preparing for the next part. For the next three days, we practiced at least six hours a day. Rehearsals were brutal, and Tifa wouldn't let us rest more than five minutes at a time. With the bonfire a day away, and the proposal to follow, I almost felt sorry for how sleep deprived and tired Lightning looked during practice. I didn't see her except in the studio, and she stopped participating in the chat as well.

I wanted to do something nice for her, so I recruited Vanille and Hope for the task. They helped me set up a tent on the furthest end of the beach. It was a spacious tent, with two comfy foldable mattresses, warm covers, pillows, a bluetooth speaker and a warm lantern shaped lamp to light up the inside. Vanille suggested hanging fairy lights over the tent, and I agreed. Anything that could brighten up the mood - it would be pitch black by the time I brought the pink haired girl here.

The night of the bonfire came and Tifa called to tell me that the beach was already packed with our university crowd, even though it was still early evening. I wore my usual baggy pants and a sleeveless shirt, just throwing a warm jacket on top. Zack was already in the lobby when I got downstairs, and I apologized for making him wait.

"No problem, let's go show Light some love!" He announced, grinning cheek to cheek. I didn't know any other two people that supported each other as much as these two. I nodded, following Zack to the beach. My eyes widened, taking in the magnificence of Lightning's work.

Last year, the bonfire had just been a regular college beach party, from what I had heard, at least. This year, the whole place was buzzing with life. There was a photo booth, food stalls, and even blankets being rented out. It was nothing short of a festival, and I wondered how Lightning had managed to get all this done while rehearsing with us every day. A huge wooden rooster was stacked on top of logs of wood, ready as the student council ran around it, making sure it was safe to burn.

I joined the rest of the gang. Tifa leaned against my shoulder, sighing deeply. "I am so tired watching Light run around. Can't imagine what it's like for her."

"I know," I nodded, my eyes scanning the crowd for pink hair. I found it, but it belonged to the younger Farron. Serah was sitting in Snow's lap, a blanket spread over them both. Zack ran up to us, bringing drinks with him. He passed them to us and we both took a sip.

Lightning finally made an appearance. She was wearing skinny black pants with heavy boots, and a black tube top that - given how revealing it was - was likely Tifa's work. A baggy jacket hung loose from her shoulders, and she rubbed her hands together, saying something to Hope. The silver haired male nodded, clearing his throat as the music died down. He took the mic and smiled at everyone gathered.

"Hey guys, welcome to the annual bonfire. I am just going to pass this over to our social chair, who'll start off the festivities with a few words." He glanced at Lightning, who vehemently shook her head.

"GO LIGHTNING!" Zack screamed at the top of his lungs. Hope physically dragged her in the front, and Lighting protested until the last minute, earning a laugh from the crowd. Even I had to laugh - she was so damn cute.

"Ahem," she cleared her throat as the laughter settled. "Right…" she glanced nervously at Hope, who just showed her a thumbs up. She exhaled sharply, bringing the mic closer to her lips. "Every year, we have the bonfire to burn away everything that held us back and hope for a clean slate for the year to follow. Or well, that's what I have been told anyway."

Another small laugh erupted and Lightning chuckled as well. "This year, we chose a rooster because it symbolizes strength and good fortune. I hope that tonight, we can burn away that which made us doubt, unsure of ourselves and of others. May the next year make us stronger, better than we were this year, and more open to following our hearts, unapologetic for who we are. May we find luck when we need it, and solace in good friends-" she paused as she looked at us, "when we run out of it. So…"

She smirked, scanning the crowd. "Are we lighting this thing up or what?"

Deafening cheers followed as Lightning moved away from the mic. The girl called Alyssa handed the torch over to Lightning, who shook her head before it was passed on to Hope. She stepped away as the wood caught fire. Looking relieved to spot us, she walked over to join us.

"You were so great!" Tifa and Aerith hugged her tightly.

"The best!" Serah was with us as well, and she joined in the hug.

"What a speech, my dude!" Zack threw himself on the girls who complained under his weight.

I waited for the others to finish, but the list was endless. Not only our friends, but people I am sure Lightning had never spoken to were talking to her. I scared people away, but the pink haired girl was too polite to turn people away. She was confident, charismatic, and had a good head on her shoulders. I realized how different we really were as she was dragged away again, and I hated to admit that I felt a little lonely without her.

"Cloud's brooding because randos stole his girlfriend," Vanille told Hope as he came over to us.

Hope chuckled as I shook my head to say 'I am not brooding.' "She'll be done soon and you can have her all to yourself. We're going to announce tonight's King and Queen soon and then boom, it's done." Hope and Lightning headed towards the front, and Lightning passed an envelope to our new president. There was applause, but I couldn't hear a thing. Lightning occupied all of my thoughts. People turned back to look at me, and Tifa nudged me gently, ending my confusion.

"What are you spacing out for? Are you going to make me dance by myself?" She smiled and I realized what she meant.

"Sorry." I took her hand to the front, glancing nervously at Lightning. She didn't mind, and she showed it with a smile. I placed my hand on Tifa's waist and we began moving slowly to the music. We both kept a distance between us, but I studied the expression in Tifa's crimson eyes, leaning closer.

"What is it?"

"This could have been us last year. But you didn't come."

I nodded, sighing as I stared into her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I am glad I got to have this dance with you in the end, after all." Her hand gripped mine tighter and she took a deep breath. I tore my eyes away from hers, watching the waves travel silently to the shore.

"Were you afraid of what I'd say? The first time you… told me." I didn't need to finish the thought.

"No. I already knew you wouldn't say it back, but I said it anyway."

"Why?" I faced her, and Tifa smiled wider.

"Because I just needed you to know." I nodded and Tifa surprised me by leaning close to my ear. "There's no right time, or place. You just say it when you feel it." She withdrew as the song ended, letting go of my hand.

There was applause, and Tifa gave me an encouraging nod before turning around and walking away. My cheeks burned and I tried to swallow the lump in my throat.

Come on Cloud, be a man.

I saw Lightning surrounded by a bunch of seniors. They were hitting on her. It was subtle, but she was oblivious to it. I went over, taking her hand in mine. "Sorry fellas, I am just gonna borrow my girlfriend for a second."

The pink haired girl was looking away as we walked, and I couldn't meet her eyes either. I stopped, turning around and pulling her against me. Lighting's arms wrapped around my neck and my own snaked around her waist.

"Just like we practiced," I smiled against her cheek as I kissed it.

"I still hate dancing," she reminded me, pressing against me.

"Sorry you had to see that. The dance."

"No, it's fine. I can't date a guy who refuses to dance with a beautiful girl." She smirked against my chest, and a smirk spread over my own face in response.

"I am dancing with the most beautiful one now."

Lighting tensed and I felt stupid for making things awkward. There was silence, and we continued to move slowly with the music. Neither of us wanted to part from each other. I closed my eyes, enjoying this moment, hoping it would last for the entire night.

"Farron. I…" Lighting moved away so she was looking into my eyes. As soon as our eyes met, I found myself unable to say the words.

"What?" Her own voice was soft. She blinked, and I pushed myself to continue.

"I...love..." I paused again, watching her raise an eyebrow at me curiously.

"...what you've done with the place. Great job." I finished and Lighting didn't doubt me at all. I wished she could somehow realize what I actually wanted to say to her. She nodded in thanks, placing her head on my chest again.

After a few minutes, one of her hands found its way into my hair and she tugged it lightly. I leaned away from her, observing her parted lips as she tilted her head up, gazing into my eyes longingly.

"Guys, photo! Get in here!" We both jumped as Zack's loud voice reached us. I reluctantly released the girl from my arms, and she jogged over to the group ahead of me. We all squeezed in for a photo and I held her hand tightly. When the photo was done, everyone explored the many food stalls.

"Fireworks going off in a bit!" Hope gave us a heads up. "Want to watch it together?"

"Actually," I coughed, tightening my grip around Lightning's hand. "We're just gonna… um. Take a walk."

Hope and Vanille both grinned, having helped me with the plan in advance. I let Lightning say her goodbyes to everyone, before I started leading her away from the bonfire. We walked in silence for a long time, until the bonfire's light could no longer reach us. It was pitch black, save the tent. Lightning could only make out its shape, so she reached for her phone, but I stopped her.

"Wait." I ran over to it, switching on the fairy lights. Her eyes scanned the set up I had prepared, before meeting mine.

"You… did this?"

"With a little help, yeah." I told her, taking her hand and leading her inside the tent. I turned on the lamp inside, and Lightning patted one of the mattresses.

"Are we sleeping here tonight?" She was blushing, and keeping her eyes glued to one of the pillows.

"If you want," I said quickly. "It might get cold later. We can head back whenever you want to."

Lightning nodded, and I connected the speaker to my phone, playing the music I knew we both liked. We both took off our boots, sitting outside the tent. I lit up the fire Hope had helped me prepare, sinking next to the girl in the sand.

"I think I like this bonfire more," Lightning smiled as she spread a blanket over our legs. I grabbed two glasses, pouring some whiskey for her. She took the glass, chuckling as she swirled the liquid inside it. "Wow Strife. Hard liquor. How romantic."

I chuckled, slipping my arm over her shoulders as I pulled her closer. "I am sorry. I thought you'd appreciate it, even if it's not exactly date material."

"Is this a date?" She took a sip, smiling against the glass some more.

"It is." I smirked, drinking the liquid. My throat burned, but it warmed me up quickly.

"What's the occasion?" She asked as she refilled her now empty glass. I forgot how much she could drink, and struggled to keep up with her pace.

"I wanted to do something nice for you. You've been really stressed lately."

"Thanks." She leaned against my neck, closing her eyes. We enjoyed the music as words became unnecessary. Lightning warmed up her hands by the fire, stretching her legs. We finished the bottle between the two of us, and I swayed as a powerful cold wind blew past us.

"Are you okay?" She tilted my face towards her own.

"Did anyone ever outdrink you?"

"Ha." Lightning smiled proudly. "Hmm… my Lieutenant-Colonel easily outdrank me, but he was really funny when he was drunk. I guess he was like a father to me. Still is."

"We should go see him sometime." I suggested, and Lightning agreed with a nod.

"I am sure he'd love to recruit you."

"I might even do it if he asks nicely." I joked and Lightning tilted her head to the side.

"Can you shoot?"

"Yep. Held my first gun when I was ten."

"That's young…" her eyes took on a sad expression, and I regretted what I said. "Yazoo is a damn good shooter if I have ever seen one."

"I think he held his first one when he was five."

"Wow…" Lightning paused, her hand reaching up to stroke my cheek. "I wish we had met earlier. I think about it sometimes. If I could somehow, I don't know…"

"Protect me?" I guessed, but she shook her head.

"No… just… make everything better for you."

"You already do." I told her honestly. She parted her lips and my own parted in response. "Farron… I…"

Her eyes shot behind me, and she blinked hard, trying to make out something in the distance.

"Strife… There's a car right over there."

"That's Cid. Man's just doing his job." She nodded again, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

"Right. Um, want to go inside?"

I took the hint, my arms sliding under her knees as I lifted her up. Lightning held onto my neck tightly, and our lips came together as soon as we stepped inside the tent. We both pushed hard into the kiss and I set the girl down when we parted for air. She pulled off my jacket and I returned the favor, caressing her smooth skin, exhibited so openly, so pleasing to the eye.

"I like your clothes," I whispered. Lightning's face was glowing red.

"You mean my lack of clothes?" She shivered slightly and I pulled her closer to warm her up.

"Yeah." I didn't deny it, taking this chance to resume our kiss. Lightning tugged on my hair with both hands, and my hands traveled down to her rear. I squeezed it with both of my hands, before hoisting her up. Lightning wrapped her legs around me tightly, moaning louder into the kiss as it grew hotter. She inhaled sharply as I felt her up more boldly. I got on my knees, never breaking the kiss as I lowered her on one of the mattresses.

Lightning sat up, pushing my shirt up towards my extended arms with urgency. Once it was out of the way, her hands ran over my neck, down to my chest and over my torso with excruciating slowness, like she was taking her time to enjoy me. She gasped again as I pulled her into another kiss - her lips were as intoxicating as the whiskey we drank moments ago. Lighting gripped my arms as she pulled me down towards the ground, before rolling over so she was on top. She straddled me, hips moving slowly as she began grinding against me, and I threw my head back, suppressing sounds of pleasure. I could feel my arousal grow, and my nails dug into the soft skin around her small waist, trying to hold back. She lowered herself to kiss me, and I quickly threw her under me. I growled softly, kissing the side of her neck as one of my hands supported my weight, while the other massaging her breasts over her top.

"St-Strife." I buried my face in the pillow next to her neck, pausing my movements as I tried to take a deep breath. Both of us were panting hard, like there was a lack of air in the tent. I tried pulling my hand away, but Lightning caught my wrist, nodding as our eyes met.

"It's f-fine." I claimed her lips as soon as the words escaped them, and she moaned into my mouth, letting me continue. I paused this time, pulling my hand away from her chest and resting it on her stomach. Lightning stared at me in a daze, arching into me as her arms wrapped around my neck.

Before I knew it, the words were forced out from a deep place inside me, and I wasn't able to hold them back any longer.

"I love you."

Lightning's eyes widened. She tensed, removing her hands from my neck and sliding them down to my arms. She gripped them, blinking slowly to process what I had said. Both our faces were ridiculously red, and I waited to hear something… anything from her. I hovered over her still, even as our breathing had long returned to normal.

"Thank you."

My body moved on its own accord, before I could even understand what she had said and I hurriedly rolled off of her. My heart was pounding furiously in my chest, and the disappointment of the two words she had returned in exchange for the three I had said was… heavy. My back faced her, and I grabbed my shirt from the floor, slipping back into it.

Lightning was already on her feet. She grabbed her jacket, covering her face with her sleeve. "Sorry, I am gonna go." She told me, leaving the tent swiftly before I could say or do anything. Just then, the sky burst into a hundred colors, the noise of fireworks drowning out everything else.


A/N: Why Lightning? Whyyyyy? Cloud's reaction is probably something like... just google "blinking guy meme gif." XD

Anyway, next update will probably be the proposal. I am trying to write Cloud's dancing part without laughing but the FF7 remake XDD Guys, I can't anymore. "Honey, I'm in love" XDD Oh god *cries*

Anyway, I am really nervous about the next chapter, but I promise to do my best for Zaerith! :) Thanks for reading! ^^