The Heat
The first time she felt the heat, she had been thirteen years old.
It pulsed inside of her when she put her makeup on in front of the mirror, quick swipes from a pencil of kohl that had belonged to her mother, found buried in an old cosmetic bag in her vanity that was still in her parents' bedroom.
She stared at her reflection, at the pretty seafoam dress and the ways her hair was a long, dark spill against her shoulders, and she turned to admire herself, knowing that in just a little while, she was going to be meeting the boy that made her want to get pretty and fancy, the boy who was so cute but so shy and so elusive. His invitation had so surprised her, and it was the moment that the threads of the heat had started to unspool inside of her.
She hadn't understood it then, didn't know what that feeling was. All she knew was that it beat inside of her when she stared at her image in the glass, that it raged when she sat beside him on the water tower, his knee inches from hers as he quietly told her that he was leaving.
Her heart was somewhere deep in the center of her chest, plummeting as it thundered. She turned to him, desperate as the heat gathered and rose, and impulsively, she asked him to promise.
She didn't feel the heat again for another seven years, when they were reunited, when he came back to her no longer as a boy but now as a man.
She knew what it was by then. She'd grown over the years to understand her own needs, but there was no man in Midgar who could satisfy them. Plenty had tried, flowers and candy and sometimes borderline crude pickup lines, openly lustful gazes on the lines over her shape. But there was only one boy who she still thought of, and when he returned to her, his memories broken but his eyes holding a hidden softness only for her, she felt the heat return and rise deep inside, a pool that was low in her belly but soon fanned out over her entire body, throbbing between her knees.
Those first few days in Sector7 had been torture. She had taken to relieving the ache in the quiet confines of her room late at night, sometimes in the shower or sometimes deep under her covers, her fingers sliding into the wetness in her panties. And she was usually quiet, whispering his name gently into her pillow.
But not that night. That night, he'd stared at her while she worked behind the bar, his eyes following her body as she labored over bottles and dishes. They were thick with mako, and every time hers accidentally met his, she felt the heat creep back up the insides of her thighs, searing her, and Cloud would offer her the ghost of a smirk as if he somehow knew.
But he never said anything about it, never embarrassed her or pushed her into something, remained respectful even as he walked quietly side by side to Stargazer Heights with her that night.
But she had been too loud that night.
She couldn't get the image of his eyes following her out of her mind, and, forgetting how thin these walls were, she cried his name into her pillow as she gently padded her clit, wishing her fingers were his. She was desperate for him, the fire scalding her insides as she conjured an image of him, blond hair and blue eyes and strong, well-defined biceps, his chest just toned enough to have his pectorals firm against his sweater.
"Tifa."
His voice was stern and low on the other side of the wall, almost a warning, a chastisement. She stopped, pulling her hand away from her underwear, mortified that he heard her. She knew he had, could tell from the deep tenor of his voice.
"Yeah?" she called out breathlessly.
"Can I come in."
It wasn't a question, and the tone he used had her entire face red and on fire. She sat up, pulling her covers to her chin as she stared in terror at the door, the heat pulling her insides apart, her clit throbbing above the leak she was creating on her sheets.
"Yes," she responded, her voice tiny and terrified.
He opened the door, haloed by the artificial light of the pillar beyond as he quietly stepped inside of her room and closed it. He glanced at her, his eyes blue with just the subtle pulse of verdant mako glowing at her across the darkness of her room, lit only by the dim lamp on her bedside. He was wordless and armorless, no pauldron or harness or gloves. It only made her more aware of how toned and sculpted his body was, her eyes centered on his waist and how it narrowed toward his hips.
Wordlessly, he crossed the room and came to sit on the bed beside her. Her heart was too loud in her chest, thundering as she felt it begin to collapse. She was fully ablaze now, and she wondered if he could feel it too.
"I heard you calling my name, Teef," he said to her quietly.
She was mortified, covering her face with her hands. But he crept closer to her, dropping one hand to her blanket as he tugged on it a little, and she realized for the first time how beautiful his hands were, having never seen them before without gloves.
"Can I help?" he asked her gently, his voice so, so low and so, so soft, and Tifa felt the heat melt her then, felt her insides puddle away to goo, and she nodded, her thighs spreading a little as he carefully pulled the sheets away.
She was only wearing a tank top and her panties, and his eyes centered on the blue cotton that shielded her arousal, the material damp and hot. He admired her for a long moment, and it made her blush as her insides began to ache and her clit pulsed in need.
Quietly, he lifted her legs and pulled them around his waist, shifting closer to her so that he was practically pulling her into his lap. He leaned forward and wrapped his hand around her throat, nuzzling her neck before he pressed kisses up its line until he crossed her jaw and then found her lips.
Their first kiss, and he was so, so gentle and soft with her, mouth feathery and light on hers, not probing or prodding or demanding, but simply feeling, and suddenly, she wanted to cry at how badly she liked and wanted this boy.
"Your panties are soaking wet," he whispered, almost as if he were scolding her. "Is that how I make you feel?"
"Yes," she purred eagerly in response, her lips brushing against his, her hands now reaching for his shoulders, scrambling against the soft flesh there and the stretchy knit of his sweater. He chuckled at her need, smiling into her lips before he kissed a little harder this time, his tongue finally breaching the wet seam on her mouth.
"Were you touching yourself before I came in here?" he asked her, and Tifa almost burst into tears as she nodded.
"Yes, Cloud," she hid her face against his shoulder, feeling herself tremble. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry," he replied immediately, and one hand was rubbing her back consolingly while the other flirted between her legs, brushing along the insides of her thighs. "You're really sexy, Tifa. You want me to take over?"
She mewled, digging her fingertips into his shoulder, trembling as another wave of the heat crawled through her. She nodded in quiet assent, and Cloud smiled at her, leaning back to meet her eyes as he began to gently pet her through her underwear.
She felt the sear almost immediately, and it was unlike any feeling she had ever been able to produce in herself. His fingers were a heated press, grazing over her stiff, aching nub, causing it to pulse beneath the soft fabric every time he stroked. He studied her face intently as he explored, gauging her reactions and adjusting his tactics as she keened and shivered and pulled at him with tiny, choked moans. He patted her clit roughly a few times, and she cried his name and threw her head back, the feeling delicious but not enough, leaving her suddenly begging for more.
"Please, Cloud" she whined. "Please, please, please."
"What do you want?" he was now rubbing circles over her clit through her panties, and she felt the thick swirl of wetness slide out of her, deluging her underwear. "I want to hear you use your words, Tifa. I love the sound of your voice."
He leaned in then, pressing kisses to the column of her throat to encourage her. She held onto his biceps, leaning forwards so that her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, hiding her face from his as she shook her head.
"I want you to get rid of the underwear," she whispered. "I want to feel your skin on mine."
He hummed in response, his hand staying where it was between her thighs, the one behind her back carefully snaking around to her front. He brought it gently to her right breast, giving it a squeeze before he flicked his thumb over her nipple, hard and protruding through the fabric.
"Oh," Tifa moaned out, and he leaned back to smile at her.
"You like that, too?" he asked her, and she nodded slowly, wanting more, so badly.
He leaned forward, taking her nipple into his mouth, soaking it through the thin material as he began to lightly suckle it, twisting and hardening it beneath his tongue. She whined, parting her thighs as her hips rolled toward him.
"Cloud," she cried as she bent her head back, and he pressed down on her clit, giving it a little tugging rub while his mouth latched more firmly to her breast.
She was panting, her breath stolen as he smiled and then lowered his hand to her waist, holding her steady and still as he pulled away from her. Gently, his fingers slipped inside of her panties, carefully pulling the fabric to the side, his knuckles brushing against her warm center, forcing her to cry out when she finally felt his skin.
He cocked his head to the side, admiring her as she spread her knees even further, unable to stop herself. His smile deepened in appreciation, and suddenly she was blushing, covering her face with her hands.
"Cloud," she cried, but he leaned back a little to appreciate her.
"Tifa," he responded, now looking up into her eyes. "Don't be shy. You're beautiful. Your pussy is really pretty."
She started to weep, but he laughed in reply, and gently, he looped his arm around her waist and held her to him.
"Just try to breathe, okay?" he whispered as he leaned in, and she tucked her face into his shoulder, feeling a wave of euphoric terror wipe over her. "I'm going to take care of you."
He swatted at the inside of her thighs, forcing them further apart before he began to swipe his index finger over her folds. He found her wet and slick, and he took his time learning the feel of her, letting his digit become drenched as he rolled it through her heat. She trembled in his arms, holding on to his sweater tight, her insides coiled like a vice as she waited, her clit aching with a need that was almost painful.
He leaned forward again, kissing her softly, his tongue finding the tip of hers just as two fingertips found her clit. He began to rub her softly, the firm roughness of his digits sending fiery, violent sparks through her flesh in a lightning rod of pure ecstasy straight to her brain. It was unlike anything she'd ever experienced, and she began to mewl and cry when he stroked her with a little more pressure, focusing on the sides of her tender nub.
"Breathe," he reminded her again, kissing her as she started to become hysterical.
He padded and caressed her, stopping only to dip into the hot lava that was leaking out of her to soak his fingers again before he brought them back up to that sensitive little button, lovingly running his fingers up and across it in an upward stroke.
"Cloud, please, I can't," she begged, stretching out his sweater. He kissed her sweetly again in response.
"It's okay, baby girl," he comforted her, and soon Tifa felt the heat burst and bloom, her first orgasm with Cloud Strife a firefight in her brain as she wept her way through it. "Good girl, Tifa. Come for me."
He kept his fingers pressed to her clit as she struggled through it, stilling his movements but holding her firmly in place as her hips jostled off the mattress. He kissed her again, drinking her cries and her tears, and she bubbled and gasped, tearing so firmly at his sweater that the seams around his shoulder began to rip.
It washed over her in fiery waves that seemed to last forever, and when she finally came down, he slowly let his fingers slide away, pulling her panties back into place as he gave her a little pat. She gasped, and he cradled her in his arms, rocking her back and forth as he pulled her fully into his lap.
"Cloud," she whined, wiping her face against his sweater. "Please make love to me. I want to feel you inside of me."
"Not tonight," he responded, dropping a hand to her thigh and rubbing it before he kissed her again, this time chaste and light. "I don't think we're ready for that, Tifa. I don't want us to move too fast."
Tifa moaned in response, wrapping her arms around his neck, holding him tight. "But I want you to feel good, too."
He smirked at her, looking her in her eyes, his heavy-lidded. "I do feel good," he whispered in reply. "Watching you come like that made my entire week."
After that, the heat never left. It followed her everywhere she went, making it almost impossible for her to concentrate as she fought alongside him, as their eyes met across a room, as his fingers grazed her skin every time he saved her life.
He didn't touch her again until weeks later, when their party had arrived in Cosmo Canyon. They had been weeks that were filled with tears and fears, and she had been desperate to find a moment alone with him again, but it had eluded her, leaving her to try and alleviate the aches that the heat had brought her in the quiet confines of inn bathrooms.
He had pulled her to the side late that night after dinner, tucking her away into a small corner on the roof of the inn, embedded into the soft, red clay and overlooking the Candle below. It was a dry night, and the air had grown slightly cool, bringing with it a chill that curled under her skin.
He cornered her against the far wall, shadowing her body with his and blocking out the light of the flames. Instantly, her body came alive, covered by his warmth and his crisp, masculine scent, colored by mako and clean and woodsy. It melted her, the heat flourishing as it wrapped itself tight and thick around her hips and between her thighs.
"You okay?" he asked her, reaching up to gently brush his fingers across her forehead. "You were crying earlier."
"I'm sorry," Tifa whispered, looking down and avoiding his eyes. But Cloud was lifting her chin gently to look back at him.
"Don't be sorry, Tifa," he told her gently. "It's okay. I'm here for you, if you want to cry or anything else you need."
"Touch me," she said impulsively, unable to stop the way the sentiment fell from her lips in need. He was standing too close and his body radiated too much warmth, blending with that heat that was now a full wash of fire over her most sensitive parts. "You haven't touched me in so long."
He stared into her eyes, his now darkening to a deep midnight blue that was punctured by emeralds. He brought one hand to her waist, wrapping a gloved hand around the soft expanse of flesh above the band of her skirt.
"How do you want me to touch you, Teef?"
She closed her eyes, not wanting to go through this with him again. Her voice was small and trapped in her throat, and she shook her head, struggling to get the words out.
"I…" she tried, but it was too embarrassing, and she kept her gaze down, feeling her entire body begin to tremble as he moved in closer.
"Lift up your leg," he commanded.
She obeyed, carefully raising her left leg, bracing her back against the wall to help her balance. As soon as she lifted it, he slid his palm under her thigh, opening her up wider and anchoring her body to his. She let her eyes meet his, and she saw that rim of mako pulse before he leaned and kissed her firmly on the lips.
She wasn't wearing her shorts, only her underwear beneath her skirt, and she was suddenly more grateful for this than anything else in recent memory as his free hand slid between the warmth of her thighs. He nibbled her bottom lip as he turned his fingers and ran one up the center of the cotton, sliding between her trapped lips and pressing firmly against her clit when he reached it.
Tifa moaned in response, her arms around Cloud's neck and her fingers in his hair as he continued to kiss her. He pulled away slightly, drawing circles over her hot, frenzied nub, lifting his eyes again to meet hers.
"Did you miss me, Tifa?" he asked her softly. "Like this?"
"Yes," she readily responded, eager for him to finally just take her, to turn her around and ruin her from behind. "I've been missing you a lot these last few weeks. You gave me a taste, and then kept me starved."
He emitted a dark, low chuckle in response to that, and the vibrations of it echoed out of his chest into hers, exploding the heat across her entire body, hardening her nipples as she clenched her core, wanting him inside of her.
He pushed her panties to the side, and Tifa almost howled when his gloved fingers made contact with her skin. The leather was a stark coolness against her incredible, searing wet heat, the feeling unbelievable and melting her brain as he began to rub her clit, drawing wide circles and long, up and down strokes.
"Cloud," she began to sigh and coo, deepening the grip of her arms around his neck as her hips rolled forward in rhythm with the slide of his finger. "That feels… oh, Shiva, Cloud. That feels so good. It's so, so good…"
He kissed the corner of her mouth, and then he lowered those leather-bound fingers, dipping one into her honeyed, leaky entrance. He pressed inside that tight cavern, gently pulling and pushing, and Tifa hissed at the sensation, feeling a new inferno blaze its way across her entire swollen pussy and melting her nerve endings away into nothing.
He had never penetrated her before, and that one finger was enough to ruin her. It presaged a deep, desperate feeling, one she was chasing the more his graceful digit explored her walls. All she could think about was his cock, and she dropped one hand between his legs, finding him steel at the front of his pants. He groaned when she stroked him carefully, and he dropped his hand from her thigh and lowered it between her thighs, finding her clit and beginning to rub and tap. The dual sensation of smooth leather both strumming her hot, sensitive nub and curling gently and lovingly through her insides unraveled her, and she could no longer focus on reciprocating his bliss, only able to focus on the coming explosion as he sweetly and methodically fucked her until she was wet, hot and completely open on both of his hands.
It didn't take long for the pressure to break, and she came with a shudder and a wild cry of his name, Cloud hushing her and scolding her gently for her noise before he kissed away her tears and the desperation from her lips.
He lowered her leg, fixing her panties and then her skirt while she gasped, backing away slightly before he looked down at his hands, his gloves sticky with the mess he'd made her make. He smiled at the sight, but Tifa was embarrassed, covering her face with her hands.
"It's okay, Tifa," he told her, pulling her hands away. "You're really sexy, and really, really pretty when you're like this."
Moaning and still slightly delirious from her climax, she leaned forward into him.
"I want more," she whispered, badly wanting him to fuck her into next week, right out here in the open against the moon and the dark brick-red clay of the cliff face.
"Not yet," he whispered, and Tifa wanted to stamp her feet and scream. But she also wanted to see him come apart with pleasure, so she was pleased when he let her begin to paw at his length again, and then, impetuously, she dropped to her knees.
Cloud was protesting, but Tifa refused to stop. If he wouldn't fill her swollen, empty cunt the way that she wanted, then he could fill her mouth. Her mind was screaming with embarrassment as she worked over his buckles, she'd never done anything like this before, had been completely intimidated by the prospect before this. But now, Cloud was hovering above her, the gentle evening breeze pulling and shifting through his stark gold locks, his eyes brilliant blue beacons, his breathing becoming labored as he insisted she stop, even though he moaned when she pulled his thick cock out of his pants, slamming his palm against the dirt behind them.
She had never seen him so bared before, and aside from health classes in school, she never really had much up-close experience with this. The women who shared Jessie's apartment had several magazines that they liked to look at, Jessie frequently sharing with Tifa her favorite positions, but Tifa always shied away from those conversations, too bashful to contribute anything or look too closely at those photos.
But crouched against the clay wall with Cloud hovering above her, Tifa couldn't tear her eyes from him. He was so long and so thick, his skin pale and reddened from the strain of his erection, the tip dripping in evidence of need. She blinked, thinking about him being inside of her, and she was suddenly ready to start begging him again.
As if he knew what she was thinking, he shook his head gently at her, bringing his hand to his cock and gripping it tightly to temporarily alleviate the throb.
Damnit .
She leaned forward, taking him into her mouth and licking his tip gently. His taste was salty and sharp, and instantly, she couldn't get enough of him. She shooed away his hand and wrapped hers around him in its place, squeezing him tight before she began to calmly pump, her mouth wrapped around him fully now as she wet the entirety of his skin with thick stripes of her saliva.
Cloud beat his palm against the earth behind them as she began to suckle him in her mouth, her head moving up and down in a rhythm that he began to buck his hips to. His free hand found the back of her head, gently pulling her closer over his flesh, his fingertips pressing against her skull.
"Tifaaaa…" He moaned loudly then, and Tifa felt her center leak again, pussy muscles clenching as she realized she was making him feel the way that he had made her feel just moments ago.
He finished rather quickly, trying to pull away from her when he began to spasm, but she held onto him tight, wanting to taste all of him. She let him pool her mouth, flooding her with his tart, sticky heat, and carefully, she swallowed, looking up to meet his murky blue eyes.
She pulled away as his chest heaved, wiping her mouth as she rose again to her feet, Cloud backing away to give her some space while he adjusted his pants. Meekly, she dropped her arms to her sides, looking down as her cheeks began to light up like the flame beneath them.
"Hey," he said softly to her, gathering her attention. "You didn't have to do that. But it was really sexy. Just like you."
Tifa blushed even further, unable to stop the stupid grin that erupted on her face. "I'm glad you liked it."
He smiled then, warming her heart, wrapping his arm around her waist as he gently pulled her away from the wall.
"Come on," he bade her in a low, sweet tone, unraveling her insides impossibly further. "Let's get some rest."
He didn't touch her again for another set of weeks, leaving her to burn alive under the oppressive heat that flourished anytime their eyes or skin met. But things had quickly careened out of control, friends dying and the Planet on the verge of destruction, Tifa's heart breaking into a million shards when they lost Cloud at the Northern Crater.
She cried when she found him in Mideel, she was no longer interested in the way that he made her body sing, but the way that she felt pieces of her crumble and die every day that he remained catatonic. When they shared those moments in the Lifestream, she became fully aware of the connection between them, understanding why the heat chased her and tried to strangle her in its death-grip.
He had always been soft with her, his voice low and his eyes caring, but after the Lifestream, he looked at her differently. He was even softer, even more concerned, his eyes lingering too long, his hold on her skin becoming altogether possessive.
The next time he touched her, they were finally alone, and Tifa found her heart now centered in her chest as the others departed, leaving them alone with the airship.
Cid, the last to leave, looked over at Tifa. "And what about you? You planning to stay with this jackass?" He thumbed playfully at Cloud.
Tifa worried her bottom lip, her eyes meeting Cloud's. He was watching her intently, waiting for her to decide. She could have gone with Barret to Kalm - it would have been nice to see Marlene - but she didn't want to intrude. He should have these moments with her uninterrupted. And there was nowhere else for her to go. And…
She wanted to be with Cloud.
"I'm… all alone. I don't have anywhere else to go," she admitted. Cloud winced, and Tifa saw something flicker and burst behind his bright blue eyes as he stared at her, and she almost collapsed when he stepped forward and leaned over her.
"You're not alone."
He stayed rooted firmly in place and swallowed thickly.
Cid was looking at him with anticipation, and as Tifa's heart began to pound, the pilot laughed, torching another cigarette that hung between his lips.
"Just don't leave a mess on my airship," he stated, shaking his head. He picked his travel pack which had been sitting at his feet. "Alright, I'm heading out. You can keep the airship, just don't mess with it. Don't even think about moving it. If I find a spot on my baby in the morning I'm busting your ass."
Cloud shrugged, his eyes were still trained on Tifa, drowning in the sadness that slid off of her in waves. She tried to breathe, feeling her lungs constrict as Cid passed them and gave Tifa a pat on the arm before he disappeared from the bridge, leaving them completely alone.
Tifa wrapped her arms around herself, not sure of what to say next. She let her gaze drift up again to Cloud's and saw that he was staring at her intently. She withered under his stare, wondering what he was thinking. He scratched his neck before he took a few steps toward her again, stopping when they were only inches apart. She could suddenly feel the heat of his body radiate towards her, could smell his distinct scent - the faint, sweet chemical odor of mako, the smell of his sweat where it had settled deep in his skin. His breath came out in a puff above her; he was only an inch or so taller than her, so their faces were close.
"Tifa," he began, and Tifa heard her heart's mad crash through her chest as she struggled to find the words.
He shook his head to clear the cobwebs, and he reached out to take her hands from where they were clasped in front of her, covering her small but lethal fists with the languid expanse of his palms and his long fingers.
"You're not alone, Tifa," he consoled again.
Tifa let him take her hands, feeling his warmth radiate through the leather of their gloves into her skin. "Cloud," she started, shaking her head, a smile drawing across her lips. She felt overpowered by his presence, felt that her legs might suddenly give out if he drew any closer to her. "It's okay. As long as I'm with you... As long as you're by my side... I won't give up even if I'm scared."
"Tifa…" her name on his lips was a whisper, and she could see the green flecks of mako shine in his eyes. Tifa knew her heart was beating hard in her chest, but she wondered if his heightened senses could hear it, could feel the gentle vibrations of the blood that was working through her veins to the place under her breast. He was always so attuned to her.
Without responding, Tifa turned her hands upwards so that they could fold around his, and he let his fingers tangle with hers. She directed her gaze to the window of the bridge, where she could see the night sky. It was full dark, and Tifa got an idea.
"Cloud," she said, pulling his attention back to earth, his eyes betraying his distraction as they roved over her. "It's a nice night, isn't it? Why don't we try to enjoy it outside?"
He blinked, but nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I've had enough of being on this airship. It makes me feel a little sick."
Sometime later they had descended the Highwind's ladder, its propellers still spinning as Cid had left it idling where it hovered. It was noisy, so Cloud took Tifa's hand and drew her close, pointing to an outcropping of flat hilly rock that jutted up in the grass. Tifa nodded and let him lead her, feeling his strong fingers wrapping over hers, the heat returning instantly, her anticipation mounting inside of her chest as she considered the possibilities of the night.
The night was mild and clear, a slight breeze leaving the temperature warm enough that they didn't feel they needed to add any extra layers. Cloud had packed several thick blankets in the bag he'd prepared, along with two canteens of water and a few snacks that Shera had stocked in the Highwind's small kitchenette. He'd also packed a small lantern, one that was fueled by kerosene and could be sparked by a quick flame.
After a silent walk together, he and Tifa reached their destination, and Cloud let his hand slip away from her as they surveyed the spot they had chosen before he dropped the duffle bag, tore the zipper open, and set to work arranging the blankets over the grass, setting up a small camp for them.
Tifa watched him shyly as worked, watching the muscles in his shoulders and arms shift as he moved, stretching the blankets out, setting a couple of pillows to the side, placing the lantern out of their way. It was such a mundane, domestic task, but he moved with focus and precision, the same way he attacked every other physical task. She dug the toe of her boot into the dirt beneath her feet, admiring the profile of his face as he struck a match to light the lantern, and its warm glow spilled over the blankets and across his features.
He looked up at her then, sliding over the blankets to sit with his knees up. His eyes were glowing brilliantly in the darkness, virescent swirls piercing the sapphire pools around the rim of his pupils. The intensity in his gaze and the way that it trapped her attention was unnerving, and she felt her throat tighten as she stood over him, her own gaze locked with his.
"Tifa…"
She closed her eyes then, feeling like she had been slammed into a wall. Every time he said her name, she felt the same jolt, but now it was overpowering. Her name on his lips, the way it rolled off his tongue, the way his voice dropped an octave and propelled it forward with a feeling of desperation and longing, made her want to collapse to her knees and crawl over to him and into his lap, so that she could give herself to him completely. But she shut her eyes tight and turned away from him so that he couldn't see the tormented yearning in her own gaze. Her breath hitched as she caught the sight of the night sky above them, wide open and black, littered with thousands of white and blue and pink and violet stars, overshadowed only by the haunting, puniceous crimson of Meteor. It reminded her of what the stars had looked like in Nibelheim.
Behind her, Cloud draped his arms over his knees and watched her, openly admiring the rear view of her body that she was offering him. It was quiet here; they had moved far enough away from the Highwind and its rotors to enjoy the landscape, and Tifa felt his piercing stare burn away the flesh on the back of her body.
She could hear him shift slightly behind her, and she pressed her palms flush against her sides as she parted her lips slightly to speak. Hearing his even breathing behind her, she steeled herself to say what had been living so deep in her ever since they had washed up on the shore of Mideel and their friends had dragged them safely back to the airship. She had been giddy and slightly delirious, basking in the truth that she finally found lying in Cloud's subconscious, in the knowledge that he was whole again.
Tifa brought up a fist to rest at her breast, over the scar that Sephiroth had left her with, above her heart, and pressed it there hard before she spoke. "No matter how close we are... we were far apart... before this. But when we were in the Lifestream surrounded by all those screams of anguish, I thought I heard your voice. You probably don't remember this…" She stopped then, and she closed her eyes to the stars above. She bit her bottom lip and felt a tremor sweep over her.
Cloud waited for her to continue, his silence slaughtering her. She thought of their past touches and embraces, the way he electrified her, the way the heat opened up her insides to a desperate need for fullness.
Trying to push away the building tension, she drew another breath before she continued. "Cloud….deep in my heart I heard you calling my name... Or at least I thought I did."
Tifa's voice trailed off, and lowered her gaze to the ground. Her hand slipped away from her chest, and she clasped them both in front of her.
"Tifa." He said her name again, and it tore lightning through her, causing her to finally turn around and face him again.
He extended a gloved hand to the space beside him, and Tifa saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed, before he bade carefully, "Sit with me?"
Tifa didn't hesitate. Her eyes were locked with his again, swirling cerulean oceans that begged her to dive and swim in their depths. She moved slowly, stepping towards him before lowering herself onto the blanket right beside him, folding her legs under her. She felt the softness of the heavy quilts and the gentle squish of the grass beneath as it sank to her weight. Cloud turned those eyes to her, first twining with her dark claret gaze before his eyes swept over her lips and down her body where she sat so close to him.
She inhaled, and his scent was greeting her again, pushing her emotions over the edge, bubbling them to the surface where they threatened to spill out clumsily. She tried to breathe as the adrenaline rushed through her blood, watching him as he moved a little closer.
Why was she so worked up?
"I heard you calling me, Tifa. Back from the stream of consciousness, or whatever it is." He shifted his weight slightly, turning towards her so that he could take her hands in his again, and she heard his breath catch as his fingers captured hers. "I promised you, Tifa. That if you ever needed me… I would come to help." He squeezed her hands as if to say , I'm still here .
Tifa tried to calm her breathing as Cloud's thumbs drew circles over the backs of her hands. She recalled the hazy, distant memories of his fingers and thumbs circling over another part of her body in that way once before, and she felt the heat crawl into her belly and across her cheeks. Working to distract herself, she let his reminder of their promise settle between them, and she looked back up at the stars, feeling his gaze follow hers.
"The stars," she murmured quietly. "They were with us that night. Do you think they remember, Cloud? Do they know how hard we're fighting for them?" Her voice was trembling, and she knew that there was fear caught deep in her blood.
Cloud pulled one hand away from hers and looped his arm around her, pulling her close so that she was flush against his chest. She leaned into him so that her shoulders met his chest, and he could feel her heart thunder through her back.
"I dunno, Tifa. The stars… maybe." She settled comfortably in the warm circle of his arms around her, looking up to the stars again.
Cloud swallowed thickly at her side, and Tifa felt his warmth seep into her as the silk of her hair brushed across his chin."Tifa….There are a lot of things I wanted to talk to you about. But now that we're together like this, I don't know what I really wanted to say. I guess nothing's changed at all."
Tifa's eyes widened slightly at his words. They were a confession, spilled out in the most Cloud-like way that could be mustered. She let them play over and over again in her head as she felt his arm tighten around her, his free hand still clasping hers. She could hear his heartbeat, and she thought she felt him tremble.
A long silence passed between them, and Tifa knew that Cloud couldn't figure out how to navigate his thoughts or his feelings. She knew this was hard for him; he had never been one for words, and his mental and emotional states had been torn through so much, she could only imagine how he struggled to piece together what was living inside of him.
But Tifa knew what was living inside of her , and if she didn't get it out finally, she might burst.
Carefully, she rested a hand atop his knee and shifted against him, turning so that she was facing him. Adjusting her stance, she let her hand fall between them, and she took his hands again, afraid to do anything less chaste than that. His eyes found hers, a sparkling red wine spill over the rims of her irises. He was watching her intently, waiting.
"Cloud…" he took a deep breath when she whispered his name, the husky echo of her voice sliding through the air between them. "Words aren't the only way to tell someone what you're thinking…"
It was probably the most suggestive thing she'd ever said to him, despite those previous times their physical attraction had pulled them towards one another, pawing each other's flesh as they sought a relief that they both knew deep inside only the other could secure. But they had never openly admitted or ventured this deep into the core of their feelings.
Cloud didn't let his gaze leave hers. She wasn't sure if her heart could beat any faster, but it was certainly trying. Her fingertips were curling inside of his palm, applying a gentle pressure that presaged what she wanted. Her eyelids were weakening, lowering her lashes to hood the carmine glint that shone out at him.
I think I know what you want. I know what I want, too.
One gloved hand came up to cup her cheek gently then. In reaction, Tifa pressed her face into his hand, urging his touch. Their faces were a few short inches apart, and she inhaled as she watched him slowly close his eyes and dip his mouth down to hers, letting them rest against hers gently for a moment, the ridges of their lips meeting one another's, fitting them together perfectly. His lips were firm and soft, the heat beneath them brighter than she could remember or ever imagine. It was not the first time he had kissed her, but it felt like it was. It felt like this was the first time they had ever touched each other.
Tifa's eyes closed completely as she let Cloud kiss her, holding her face so gently as if he were afraid her cheek might shatter in his hand. The leather of his glove was cool against her skin, but his lips were hot against hers, and they sent waves of that familiar heat pooling through her body, warming her belly, igniting the space between her thighs. She leaned upward into the kiss, bringing her body closer to his, pressing her breasts against his chest, and she felt his lips part against her mouth, inviting her in, pushing his tongue past hers.
Cloud's arms circled around her as they breathed into each other, the tips of their tongues teasing out the desire that was buried deep inside them both. He gripped her possessively, and she felt the powerful strength in his muscles that nearly crushed her to him. It hurt a little - he was strong - but she reveled in the pain as she felt his lips draw back to suck her bottom lip tightly, to nibble it with his teeth before he let his tongue kiss hers again. It was a pain that she needed to feel.
Tifa soon became pliant and accepting in his arms as he kissed her, as she returned his kisses with urgent fervor. She knew this was spiraling out of control, but she was past the point of holding back. The violent red glow above them reminded her that this may be their only chance. And she needed him desperately.
"Tifa," he said to her softly, breaking their kiss for just a moment.
Tifa melted into him at the sound of her name on his lips again. She would never tire of hearing him call for her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he dragged his lips away from hers, leaving them sore and trailing a thin line of saliva between them as he nuzzled her cheek gently before pressing his mouth to her throat.
Tifa felt his tongue run hot against her pulse point, and she threw her head back to allow him access. Her throat was suddenly on fire, and she clung to him, shifting her body again so that she was over him, her legs straddling, knees pressed to the sides of his thighs. He groaned his approval into her neck, and she moaned when she felt his teeth nip the flesh there.
Tifa's head was full of foggy heat when his hands traveled to her waist and pushed her white tank top, gliding it over her breasts. She moaned and easily lifted her arms so he could tear it off.
He was left confronting the black sports bra that she wore, a thick elastic fabric that held the weight of her breasts so that her back wasn't so strained when she was active, which was often. She felt their weight shift when he instinctively reached around to rub her back, before finding the clasps of the bra, his fingers clambering to undo them.
He pulled the material away from her, and she let the straps fall down her arms. He pulled it away and discarded it to the side with her tank, and let his eyes fall to her breasts, full and heavy, milky white with dark pink areolas that spread across their peaks. Cloud watched in real-time as her nipples hardened as the breeze kissed them, and Tifa's cheeks flushed hot and pink, and she tore her gaze away from him, embarrassed.
Mesmerized, he slowly brought both hands up to cup her breasts. He looked down at the scar between them, and Tifa turned away, feeling vulnerable and bared. But Cloud leaned forward and kissed that pale, jagged line of flesh that a blade had carved so mercilessly into her all those years ago, and suddenly, she knew without a shadow of a doubt, without a moment of hesitation, that she could trust him, that he would protect her forever. She felt him offer her a gentle squeeze, the sensation causing her to drip in her underwear, and she moaned lightly just as he pulled away, looking at his hands.
Gloves .
He withdrew his hand and quickly set to unlocking his bracers at his wrists, pulling the gloves off and unspooling the bandages around his arm. Tifa watched him in anticipation, and then set to removing her own gloves and armor, placing them off to the side while she waited for him to touch her again.
Once his gloves were gone, Cloud hungrily reached for her breasts again. His fingers were cold and calloused, his palms rough, and Tifa bristled against him, savoring the friction of his skin against her supple flesh. Cloud was at her mouth again, biting and sucking her lips, pushing her tongue around. She realized then that while he may not ever be one for words, his mouth was talkative in other ways.
Unable to resist any longer, Cloud dipped his head to take a breast into his mouth, his tongue circling over her hardened nipple. Tifa moaned above him, her hands gliding along the planes of his body, wanting desperately to feel him. She realized that his pants were strained against the hardness erecting itself painfully between his legs, and he circled one hand to her lower back, pressing her closer to him, letting her feel the deepening heat between them.
Tifa arched her back and let Cloud suck and kiss her breasts. She was blushing furiously; she had never let a man see her this way, and even the times she and Cloud had fooled around before were never so intense, where she was fully on display. His fingers were digging into her flesh and his tongue was desperate. Each time his mouth closed around a nipple to tease out a suck or a bite, she felt the heat increase between her legs, could feel her panties dampen just a little bit more.
"Tifa," he was saying, and he was pulling at her the waistband of her skirt. He was breathing hard, fingers hooking into them. He tugged at them a little, and then he looked up at her, letting his gaze lock with hers, a question lying in them.
"Tifa," he called again, hands on her shoulders as he forced their eyes to meet. His hands ghosted down to her thighs and pushed at her skirt to illustrate his intent. "Do you…"
Tifa felt puddles gather against her panties when he spoke her name again. She leveled her gaze with his, understanding his question even though he didn't finish his thought. She nodded without reservation.
"Yes," she pledged with conviction, and rose to her feet, standing above him, the apex of her thighs just above his head. Tifa took in a deep breath, knowing what she was communicating to him, knowing that she was giving him permission to move them past the point of no return. She dropped her hands to her sides and waited.
Cloud leaned back and drank her in, their eyes connecting before he lowered his gaze between her thighs, staring up under her skirt. Knowing he was watching her so intently, the tops of her cheeks became stained with blush, her bottom lip trapping itself between her teeth.
No turning back.
Cloud leaned back up and placed his hand against her rear, squeezing the curve of her toned ass in his hand as he pulled her closer to him. He reached one hand under her skirt and brushed his fingertips against the soft cloth of her panties, finding them sodden, and earning a jarring gasp from Tifa above him as she steadied herself by dropping her hand to his shoulder. He locked his eyes with hers at the discovery of her wetness, and conveyed an unspoken promise to her.
Tifa read it in his eyes, and she shivered at the electricity that shot through her clit to her belly, urgent for him.
His fingers snaked upward to find the zipper at the back of her skirt, and he pulled it down before tucking his fingers into the waistbands of both her skirt and underwear. He pulled them down slowly, careful not to disrupt her thigh-high nylons, the only thing she was still wearing now that she had kicked away her boots.
Tifa tried to bring her hands to cover herself as Cloud tossed her last items of clothing to the side, but he brushed her hands away before he began to undo his own clothing, unstrapping his pauldron and harness and tearing them away, his eyes still locked with hers. Tifa could no longer resist the urge to touch him. She bent down and hooked her fingers under the hem of his sweater, and he let her pull it off him.
She started to crouch down to him, but it seemed he wasn't ready for that yet, stopping her by leaning forward so that she was forced to stand upright again, and he wrapped his arms around her legs, his hands splaying across her bare bottom. He pressed his lips to her inner thighs, nudging her legs apart slightly, and Tifa closed her eyes, feeling herself grow wetter, feeling the need gathering in her core. She needed him now, needed him to touch her and fill her, to give her everything he had.
Cloud pressed kisses and gentle licks to her abdomen and thighs in alternating, unexpected patterns, leaving her trembling above him as his lips hovered dangerously close to the center of wetness leaking over him. He kept up this sweet, torturous assault for long moments, setting her blood on fire, before he pulled back just enough to kick off his boots and pull away his pants and shorts, tossing them with the pile of everything else. His erection was hard and standing at attention, flush against his toned abdomen. Tifa let her eyes rove over his body, and when she saw his cock spring free, she stared in awe, admiring its length and thickness, thinking back to the night in Cosmo Canyon when it had been lodged in her throat. She felt the heat pool inside of her in a violent burst where she knew that the hard length of him would soon be inside of her body in a different way.
Cloud let her stare at him a moment longer before he gathered her into his arms, pressing their naked bodies together before he dropped a new kiss to her lips, and she opened her mouth to accept him eagerly, her pussy clenching desperately as he explored the cavern of her mouth.
In one fluid moment, without breaking their kiss, Cloud lowered them back down to the blankets, seating himself again so that she could straddle him once more, her knees on either side of him. Her arms snaked around his neck as she returned his kiss fervently, and he held her waist firmly, pulling her closer. His dick was pressed against her inner thighs, dangerously close to her wet heat, and she tangled her fingers in his hair, tugging painfully at his scalp.
"Cloud," she declared his name, her voice strained with desire as she pulled at him. She needed him, and she needed him to know it.
He kissed her again before he moved one hand, dropping it between her legs. His fingers found her pussy, hot and wet, and he gently brushed across it, from the bottom of her slick slit up to her clit, where they hovered precariously. She felt her breath hitch and she pushed into him, turning her hips, fervent for more. She realized that he was careful not to apply too much pressure to that sensitive nub that was questing out for his touch, instead letting a finger slip inside of her, causing her to melt and shiver over him.
Tifa mewled next to his ear, and Cloud kissed her again as she rocked against his finger, pushing his cock closer and closer to her wetness. Tifa was wrapped around him, pulsating on his finger, begging without words for him to take control of her body. He slipped a second finger inside of her and she clenched, moaned in his ear again. He scissored his fingers gently, and Tifa keened, knowing this was the most penetration he'd ever given her, and she started to whine, she wanted the fullness so bad.
"Cloud," she started to purr above him, pulling on him, and she felt herself drip on his fingers as he curled them inside of her. After a moment, he drifted those digits up and finally let them slide to her clit, rubbing long, drawn-out circles over the slippery flesh. Tifa moaned loudly in his ear as he did so, telling him over and over again how he made her feel.
"Yes, yes, please, Cloud. Please. That feels so good. Oh, Cloud, please. It feels so, so good. Oh."
Before she could venture too close to the edge, Cloud gently stopped and pulled his hand away, letting it fall to his cock. Realizing what he was doing, Tifa panted and dropped one hand to fall to his length as well, wrapping her fingers gently around it. Her heart beat upwards into her throat when she heard him moan under her grasp of him.
He was hard and hot, and she could feel the veins of him under his skin. She gave him a gentle tug, feeling the thickness under her calloused fingers, imagining the feel of him inside of her starving pussy.
"Tifa," Cloud suddenly said, electrifying her again, and his hand dropped to rest atop hers as she gripped him. His eyes were serious again, bright green flecks of mako setting off sparks within the depths of his beautiful blue irises. He kissed her bruised lips gently before he continued. "Is this… is this your first time?"
Tifa let herself become lost in his eyes, understanding the tenderness and the care in his gentle question. She felt her heart fill again in her chest as if it might burst, and she gave him a tiny, bashful nod.
"Yes. Cloud… you are my first. Just like I always wanted you to be."
Tifa noticed the shit-eating grin that spread across his face at her response, and she too began to smile. He nuzzled the crook of her neck and shoulder, leaving kisses there, and she was left feeling like a teenager again, chasing after the feelings and moments that had been stolen from their adolescence.
"What about you?" she was asking, her tone careful and even, tentative, unable to stop herself.
Cloud closed his eyes against her shoulder, and his silence had her heart spinning through backflips as the terror and the dread mounted
"Yes," he admitted against her collarbone. "My first, and my last."
Above him, Tifa's eyes went wide at that confession, and she clawed his hair so that she could pull him to look up at her again, so that she could kiss him again, deep and long. He moaned into the kiss, and his cock twitched against her thigh. She pulled away and stared at him.
"Please, Cloud."
It seemed that her slow whine was his breaking point. Carefully, he guided the head of his cock against her wet entrance, using the fingers of his free hand to part her folds. He intentionally brushed over her clit in the process, earning a soft gasp from her in the process. He teased his cock over the length of her opening, precum swirling with her soaking wetness, the head of his cock laving over her clit, eliciting strong whines of pleasure from her throat as she pulled him as close as she could to her. Finally, he began to slide his length inside of her slowly, and she clenched desperately around him, feeling the exact moment he met a slight barrier of resistance. Glancing up at her, he questioned her with his eyes again, but her response was to simply pull him closer, urging him to fill her. It was all she had wanted for months.
Cloud wrapped his hands around her waist, fingers digging divots in the flesh at the tops of her hips, and he pulled her close and down on him as he thrust upwards, cementing himself into her to the hilt, sparks flashing behind her eyes as she felt herself sheath every part of him.
The pain was bright, and Tifa let out a sharp cry, clutching him tightly, dropping her head to his shoulder as she shuddered. She felt him still himself completely, and all she could hear was her own heartbeat, feeling it thrum against his chest.
"Tifa," he said quietly, waiting for her to be okay.
She breathed heavily. The pain was subsiding, it had been quick and sharp, like the rip of a bandage off of flesh. She grit her teeth until she felt it leave her, replaced instead with the heady awareness of how full she was. She could feel him deep inside, up into her belly, reaching a part of her she had never felt before. Never could her own hapless touching of herself achieve this kind of connection.
He was concerned for her, rubbing her back absently with one hand while he held her hips to steady her with the other, his voice calling out for her gently. She swallowed hard, her throat feeling tight. She didn't notice the single tear that had squeezed its way out of the corner of her eye from his sharp insertion.
"Yes," she finally answered, her voice shaking. "I'm… I'm okay, Cloud. I'm… this is perfect. You're… big, and I can feel you so deep." The more she allowed herself to speak, the more the words wanted to roll out of her and spill between them. She needed him to know how she felt. "I just need to adjust to you. I never… never knew it could feel like this." She sank her face into his shoulder, pressing a kiss to his neck. She cried out when he pulled at her hips again, raising his to deepen his penetration.
Soon, Tifa was grinding on him, rolling her hips, clenching her muscles to encourage him. Cloud obliged, pushing up high inside of her, not really pulling out but keeping himself buried so that he could grind into the spongy spot inside of her that had her throwing her head back, her neck bared to the stars as she moaned the dark details of her pleasure. He slipped a hand between them and caught her clit in his fingers, tugging and rubbing it as he pushed and ground into her, his hips beginning to work a quick, efficient rhythm. She started to cry out, her voice high-pitched, her legs spreading as much as they possibly could as she opened herself to him. Holding her secure with one hand under her waist, the other between them teasing her clit, he dipped his head down to kiss her breasts, heaving and bouncing above him.
"Cloud… Cloud, please…." Tifa whimpered, feeling her insides begin to splinter. "Oh gods…. Yes, yes, Cloud…Cloud!"
Tifa was clenching him tightly, calling to the heavens for him as she neared the peak. He pumped into her, and she felt the heat coil inside of her belly, threatening to send her headfirst into the stars. But he held on to his control, working her clit and her insides as she felt herself near the crest.
His motions breaking her in half, Tifa held onto him, instantly beginning to chant and sob.
"Cloud, I'm going to - I can't!"
Hearing the desperation in her voice, Cloud kissed her throat and looked back up at her. "Tifa," he called, and somewhere in the thick haze of the sweet torture he was inflicting on her, Tifa was responsive enough to meet his eyes as he continued to tear her apart. Her eyes focused on his lips as they parted to speak.
"You're so beautiful, Tifa," he whispered, his breath hot against her throat. "Come for me, Tifa. Let me see you come, pretty girl."
His words were her undoing; she was at the end of her line. As his hips lifted up to slam into her again, and his fingertips assaulted her clit with a delicate pressure, she shattered. Her final cry was wrangled by a sob, the orgasm was so deep inside that it tore apart her entire body. Cloud continued to thrust, now pursuing his own release, but he gentled his movements of his fingers against her clit, working to help her ride out the wave, to ease her back to shore.
While she cried out above him, clutching him, he finally tipped over the brink, and with a final thrust, spilled inside of her, a long, dragging moan escaping his throat and crashing against her collarbone. His cock pumped and trembled inside her, coating her insides with his seed. His breathing was ragged and wild, and he wrapped both arms around Tifa, crowding her to him as he rode the final throes of his orgasm with her, and they both floated back down together. Tifa continued to sob her pleasure, but all he did was hold her close, pressing kisses against her collarbone and reminding her over and over again with his touch that she was his and he was hers. She mewled, understanding, no words needed to be said. She held him close.
Long moments later, when they had both collected themselves, Cloud slipped out of Tifa and kissed her. The wetness between them was suddenly jarring, and she looked down, realizing that he'd come inside of her. They hadn't even discussed protection, and the cosmic red disc in the sky had made it seem trivial.
She hummed against him, and her fingers were trailing faint lines across the expanse of his back. He caught the smile on her face, and he shifted slightly so that she could sit in his lap, her shoulder to his chest as he cradled her. He reached over and pulled one of the blankets over them, shielding her body from the night air.
"Are you okay?" He asked her carefully, the first sound either of them had made since they had ceased their earlier screaming and crying.
Tifa let her head fall back onto his chest, and a small smile graced her lips. How did she even answer a question like that? She would be okay for the rest of her life, after this moment.
"Cloud…" her voice was tiny and soft; her insides coiled as she remembered how he had felt inside of her, how he already learned her body and knew everything it needed even though this was their first time together like this. She tried to find a way to say all of that coherently, but she was still fuzzy from the elation of her orgasm.
"You were so good," was what she mustered, and she turned to kiss his shoulder. Under her, his dick twitched at her words, and Tifa shifted a little to face him, her eyes meeting his as she smiled mischievously.
"More already?" she asked playfully, and Cloud hugged her and caught her lips between his, and with a swift moment, he rolled them over and pressed Tifa on her back against the blanket, hovering over her.
After that, they began to make love everywhere and often.
They hadn't been expecting to live, and so when they climbed out of that crater finally, watching the bright, luminating flashes of light into the sky, he'd looked at her then, and she already knew how their night was going to end.
It started at the inn they were staying in Midgar. It was the place they'd chosen to room in while they worked with Barret in the cleanup of the city, the only place they could settle while they tried to determine what they were going to do next.
She hadn't been banking on him to become so possessive and hot, but that second time, he had been rough. He slammed the door of the inn behind them, dropping his rucksack to the floor, and had chased her around the room, Tifa running and laughing wildly in response to his mad charge, the way that he snarled as she tried to evade him. He caught up to her quickly, wrapping his arms around her waist, and he lifted her and dumped her haphazardly to the bed.
She yelped when he approached, reaching for the hem of her skirt, tugging it down her hips. It seemed that he was in a hurry, and she bit her bottom lip up at him as he began to savagely tear away her clothing. She helped him by dispatching her shirt and bra, tossing everything to the side until she was naked beneath him, his eyes focused on her center where she was already leaking.
"How do you want me to fuck you, Tifa?" he asked her.
"Hard," she answered immediately. He smirked at her, rubbing her thighs beneath his palm.
He then leaned forward, offering her a sweet kiss. She began to twist her body beneath his, and he laughed across her skin as he lowered himself, pressing kisses to her jaw and neck, winding a trail along her collarbone and between her breasts, licking at her scar.
That was the first time that Cloud went down on her.
She trembled as he kept going, dragging his lips lower and lower down her flesh. She dropped her palms to her sides when he settled between her thighs and pushed them apart, running a warm stripe with his palms across her skin before he dropped the fingers of both hands to her split of flesh, holding her open as he admired her, forcing her to blush vividly.
"You're so beautiful," he told her softly, and she felt the vulnerability flare in a hot stream alongside the desperate heat that was always there across her brain and her between her thighs, and she wondered, feeling herself leak in front of him, if she would ever be able to handle the way that he looked at her.
He lowered his face to her arousal then, dropping his first kisses to her soft, pillowy lower lips, nuzzling the strip of dark curls at the apex. She purred in response, and at the sound, he began to peck higher and higher until he reached her clit.
All those times he had rubbed the pads of his fingers against that tiny, sensitive spot had not prepared her for the sensation of his lips pressed to it. They were somehow firm and warm, and as he pressed against her skin, his tongue darted out to swipe hot over her button. She arched her back, keening instantly, and his heavy blue eyes looked up to catch hers, her irises now an almost black scarlet as they disappeared against her widening pupils.
"You like the way that feels?" Cloud asked her, his breath hot all over her, and she spread her thighs even more, nodding enthusiastically in response as her hands fisted the dark sheets. He lifted a finger to her folds, stroking them gently, encouragingly.
"Speak, Tifa."
"Yes," she managed to cry out in response. "It feels so good. Please, do it again."
"I like it when you beg," Cloud commented absently, returning his lips to the tender flesh at the crease of her thigh, causing her to shiver and stretch as the wetness slipped out of her again. "What feels so good, Teef? What do you want me to do again?"
Tifa slammed her eyes shut, unable to keep staring at those magnetically dark sapphire eyes, lit up by that brilliant, terrifying rim of mako. It made her insides hurt, and she turned away, facing the window as she pressed her face into the mattress.
"Hm?" he prodded her when she didn't respond, giving her bottom a little tap.
She kept her eyes closed, still facing away from him, the deep rumble of his voice a thunderclap in this tiny, dilapidated old room. Her lips dropped open as she struggled, pulse now in a mad rage, but she knew that he wasn't going to continue until she said the words he wanted to hear.
"It… feels good when you lick my clit. Please, please don't stop. Please ."
"Good girl," she heard him respond, and she turned back to him, watching as he finally lowered his mouth to her skin again. He began to run his tongue in long, hot stripes over her sore, aching pussy, fondling her lips a bit before he began to stroke the sides of her clit. Instantly, she started to writhe and beg, the pleasure singeing her from the inside out, and she felt it scream across every highway of nerves in her body when he dropped the flat of his tongue to her nub, massaging her in a deep, rough rhythm.
She dropped her hands to his hair, pulling at it with her fingers threaded through to his scalp, tossing her head back as she began to moan and shout.
"Cloud, please… please don't stop, Cloud. It feels so good… please.. I can't… I think…"
Her whimpers grew incoherent, and he wrapped his lips around her clit in a tight, wet rim of heat, his arms now wrapped around her thighs, holding them open. He began to suck and lick, and Tifa mewled and cried, tossing her head back and forth across the mattress as he made her body come alive, the heat now threatening her life as she crossed the precipice into her release, shouting his name at the top of her lungs.
He didn't relent until she had fully eclipsed, until she had burst into tears from the euphoria of her release. She didn't even realize that she was now assaulting the bed, beating her palm flat against it as she choked and sobbed. He kept his lips to that sore, overstimulated peak, until he finally pulled away from her slowly, watching her with a smile on his face as she fell deeper into the fragmentation. As she tried recollect himself, he finally dropped his pants to his knees and raised her ankles to his shoulders, giving her the hardest fucking of her life while he stared down at into her eyes, his rolling back in his head when she began to disintegrate with bright shouts again.
After that, she loved it when he was rough with her, when he would push her into a mattress or cross her arms above her head and pin her to a wall, his teeth and the sucks of his lips leaving marks all over her skin.
After his bout with Geostigma, that all changed again. He was apologetic and tender, never too rough with her, always sweet and gentle and soft. She tried to encourage him, tried to beg him to bring back that vengeful lust that filled her with a heady mix of pain and pleasure, but he was careful not to push her too hard. He kissed her gently every night, curling her body beneath his as he slid his hand between their bodies and stroked her through the bliss, finally holding her tight beneath him as he pressed inside of her.
That had started weeks ago. Tifa had plans to bring the side of him that she missed back out, and tonight, something changed. She realized it when he came home, his boots loud echoes on the wooden floor of Seventh Heaven.
The kids were with Barret; she had sent them off with him a few hours ago before she dressed for Cloud's return, shutting the bar down after the dinner rush. She had put on the sexiest lingerie that she owned, a royal blue, two-piece lace, then pulled her leather skirt on - she hadn't worn it in over a year. She wore dark, heavy nylon thigh highs and a bright blue v-neck top that was tight and clung to her skin, matching the set she wore beneath. But after she had brushed her hair, she stopped in front of her mirror, aiming her PHS up at the glass before she took a photo of her reflection.
She sent the picture to him, her thumbs crossing the display as she typed.
Tifa : Do you like my outfit?
Cloud : Yeah. I like that color on you. Haven't seen that skirt in a while. You look really pretty, Tifa.
Tifa : I can't wait for you to tear it off of me.
He didn't respond after that, and she knew that he wouldn't. She just hoped that he didn't manage to spin out on his bike on the side of the road as he made his way home.
And so now he was finally home, locking the door carefully before he crossed over to her. She was standing at the bar, not facing his direction, the vibrations of his boots creating radio waves that emanated from the soles of her booted feet to her core, stretching the heat across her entire body. She leaned over the ice cream she was currently tasting, a small bowl of vanilla that was cold against her tongue and quelled some of the fire detonating inside of her.
The way she was bent over had Cloud instantly looking at her ass, and she could feel his eyes as they burned their trail over her body. She turned back to him and smirked, dipping her spoon into her mouth, exposing her tongue as she let a little bit of the cold, white cream slide past her teeth. Cloud licked his lips when their eyes met, and then he crossed the room to her, coming up to stand behind her as she pressed her bottom against the front of his body.
"What are you doing?" he demanded instantly, the first words out of him tonight.
"Well hello to you too," she greeted with an alluring smile, dropping her spoon back to her bowl. "I'm eating ice cream. Want some? It's so good, imported from Wutai."
"You're teasing me," he said instead of answering, and he dropped one hand to the counter, crowding even closer to her, letting her feel the hard line of his erection against the curve beneath her skirt.
"Do you like what you see?" she asked him over her shoulder.
He pushed the bowl out of the way almost violently, sending it in a skid across the bar. Tifa started to laugh, but he was unstrapping his pauldron, tossing it to the floor with a resounding crash.
"You're not going to be able to walk when I'm done with you," he whispered as he leaned in close to her, wrapping a gloved hand around her throat as he pulled her back and kissed her jaw.
She felt that heat now being to rise and pulse against her nerves, her center awaking as he pulled her hips back toward him. Already his hands were rough, pushing up her skirt into a bunch around her waist, leaving her backside completely exposed to him with the exception of her panties.
He admired her, running his palm over her bottom before lightly squeezing it. "I like these," he complimented, hooking his fingers into the seam of the fabric where it sat tight across her curves. "You look good in them."
She purred at his praise, and Cloud kneed her legs apart, dropping his hand between her thighs, rubbing her over the already soaked, heated fabric, pressing and flicking her clit the way that he knew she liked. She sighed, and he leaned over her again, dropping another kiss to the inside of her clavicle.
"You know you're being a naughty girl, right, Tifa?" he rumbled low next to her ear, sending her heart into her throat. "If you wanted me to fuck you rough, you could have just asked."
She whimpered in response, and Cloud laughed at the sound she made before he brought his hand back to her flesh. Still wearing his gloves, he pulled her panties down to her knees, then held her hips steady and firm with one hand, while the other dropped with a harsh swat to her rear.
Tifa cried out, feeling the tingly pain radiate across her flesh from his open palm. He chuckled again, then started spanking her a little harder with his hand, careful to not hurt her, but reddening her skin all the same, the corners of her eyes beginning to pool. The sensations were incredible, leaving her dizzy from both the raw exposure of being bent over the bar like this, and from the confusing blend of pain and pleasure that assaulted her nerves from that point of contact. She began to cry his name in earnest, reaching her arms out for the opposite end of the counter and gripping it tight until, finally, moments later, he ceased his torture.
While she gasped for breath, delirious with disbelief at what had just happened, he removed both of his gloves, dropping them onto the counter in front of her face where she could see them. And then he began to rub soft, soothing circles into her bottom, chasing the flushed soreness away. She kept her eyes squeezed tight, mortified at the thick wetness that was slipping out of her, making a mess of his pants as he kept his knee beneath her center, propping her thighs open.
He became aware of it, leaning close to her again, wrapping his arm around the front to her body, snaking down to find her clit, smoothing all of her slippery hot wetness over it in quick, tight circles that had her instantly whining again.
"You liked that, didn't you?" He asked her softly, right beside her ear, and she melted for him, nodding her head quickly.
"Yes," she heard herself admit in desperation. "I don't… I can't explain…"
"Shhh," he hushed her right beside her ear, and she sputtered when he pinched her clit between his fingers, flicking it with his thumb as he pulled her skin gently with his careful fingers. She stomped one foot, crying out as he worked her, her nerve endings trying to escape the heat in her body as she leaked both from her eyes and her pussy.
He shifted slightly, and she heard his zipper drop. He left her clit hard and aching when he pulled away to line himself up with her entrance, and she could feel the hard, wet tip of him as he pressed himself inside of her. He pushed in deep, then kneed her legs apart a little further, bending her even deeper at the waist over the bar.
He dropped both hands to her hips, soon building a fast, punishing pace inside of her. With her entire body still alight from his spanking, the feeling of him moving inside of her with this frenzied, unapologetic speed was too much to handle, especially as he hit her spot, deep inside and setting loose a brushfire in her belly. She screamed and swore, banging the wood with her fist now, but he was relentless, pounding into her with a steady rhythm that had her pulse erupt as she fought for her breath, her throat beginning to hurt from her screaming.
He pulled his hands from her waist and dropped them to either side of her on the counter, leaning back a little as he thrashed her. She felt the build, and the sounds she made turned into a crescendo of weeping little cries and bright shouts of his name as her orgasm rocked over her, leaving her leaking and dripping hot over him.
She was trying to shudder her way through it when he pulled her upper body up and held her against him again, flush to his chest. She reached for the counter, gripping the wood tight to keep from falling to her knees, her legs boneless rods of jelly. But he was ruining her, running his hand under her blouse to squeeze her breast while the other hand dipped between her legs and began to play ceaselessly with her clit, his fingers rubbing and tapping and flicking until she screamed.
He finished with a few pumps inside of her, racing to the finish of his own release, painting her insides as he called her name over and over again. And then he hugged her from behind, holding her as she trembled, the shockwaves sending a white cloud of haze through her brain.
"Fuck, Tifa," he swore.
Tifa was fulfilled and spent, delirious and trying to remember her own name, his voice behind her filling her mind with incoherency. She was trembling, afraid she might fall, but Cloud was turning her in his arms, pulling her panties back up and fixing her skirt before he lifted her in his arms, squeezing her gently, his expression now soft, the same way he had looked at her under that airship.
"Are you okay?" he asked her, and she nodded quickly, resting her head against his shoulder as he cradled her close to his body.
"Yes, Cloud," she whispered. "Please don't hold back with me anymore. I need… you."
His eyes sparkled as he looked at her, and he smiled, offering her a little nod. Then, he leaned forward and kissed her, and suddenly, the heat was back, her entire body relighting itself on fire.
"Come on," he told her softly. "Let's go take a bath. I'm gonna take good care of you tonight."
And she held onto him tight, looking up at his jaw, feeling completely in love and safe in his arms.
And as he rounded his way into the bathroom, carefully setting her down on the edge of the tub before he began to dote on her, she realized, that heat, that bright feeling, had always been there and that it would never, ever leave.