AN: Happy New Year everyone! This chapter is really long and sorry for the lack of drama in this chapter haha. Again, thank you so much for the reviews/favorites/follows. Enjoy this chapter!

Burning Close

Chapter 6

Her heart pounded so loud she was afraid he would hear her heartbeats. She watched as he pulled his white shirt over his head, revealing tanned muscles and strong arms underneath. There were lines of scars here and there all over his body, but they did not take away the beauty in him. He was much more well-built and much broader than she thought. And though she was used to seeing topless men (thanks to traveling with a large group of them), seeing this particular man bare-chested was making her feverish.

In a few short strides, he was in front of her, lips firmly kissing her. His tongue entered her mouth without her knowing as her mind turned to powder. Arms so strong and so warm wrapped around her thin waist, fingers exploring under her shirt in no time. Gently, he pushed her onto the bed, her long black hair fanning behind her. He made sure he didn't crush her with his heavy body.

His tongue invaded her mouth with more intensity. This was not enough. He wanted to taste her. He needed to taste her everywhere. He wanted to pleasure her everywhere. He needed her everywhere.

…His kisses made her dizzy. Sweat dripped down her neck. Cheeks flushed like fire. Fingernails dug hard onto his shoulders. Her mind spun. Her breath hitched. Her skin burned. In a daze, she was bare before him, and he was bare before her.

Pleasures grew. More. More. More. Without her knowing, her moans were loud and clear and ringing in his ears like melodies. More kisses. More feelings. So much nerve-tingling feelings. Her fingers dug harder. His movements faster. Their scent merged together—

She has incredibly long eyelashes.

Zack peered over at the woman sleeping contently beside him, marveling at the beautiful, angelic face. With the morning sun shining brightly through the blinds, she really did look like an angel; the smooth, porcelain skin, the silky black threads that flowed behind her, the long, soft eyelashes, the red cherry lips that he could kiss forever and ever and ever.

Last night's images replayed in his mind.

Her light, yet firm touches on his bare skin. Her sharp nails digging on his shoulder blades. Her tongue-filled kisses on his neck's pulsing vein. Her ample breasts pressed tightly against his strong chest. Her soft moans of excitement and pleasure that were songs to his ears. Her wanton yearnings for more and more and more…

His monster awoke.

"Hmm…"

Bright ruby eyes fluttered open, slightly blinded by the radiant sun.

"Wakey wakey, sleeping beauty," Zack grinned, temporarily pushing his naughty thoughts away.

He leaned up by his elbow and smiled serenely down at the woman. Inching forward, he was about to kiss her forehead when Tifa gasped in surprise.

"Wait—" Her eyes went wide and gaped at the topless man beside her. Immediately, she pulled the duvet up over head, hiding her flushing face.

"Tifa?" Zack raised his hands up, trying to stifle a chuckle. "What are you doin'—"

Frantically shaking her head, Tifa kept herself hidden inside the covers as last night's events unfurled in her mind.

Shit. Shit. Shit. Now I've done it!

Strong hands reached for the duvet-covered figure. At once, all motion stopped.

"Tifa," Zack whispered. "Look at me, Tifa. Please?"

Slowly, the top half of the woman's face appeared sheepishly above the duvet. Timid, wine-colored eyes met the indigo ones.

"Don't stress about this," he started. "We—"

"No, Zack," Tifa shook her head anxiously, face flushed bright red like a tomato. "I—I'm sorry. I'm not into casual hookups or anything of that sort. I'm definitely not like those random chicks you bring home every night—"

"Whoa-whoa!" The man's eyes went wide in amusement. "Wait a mo'. Who said I bring random chicks home every night?"

"W-well," Tifa muttered embarrassingly, hiding behind her bangs, "that's what your friend said, right? That you're the womanizer of Midgar…?"

A loud chuckle let loose from Zack's lips. "Aww Tifa, you sweet gal! That's a joke!"

Leaning forward, he reached out, pulled down the duvet, and held Tifa's chin. As if reading her soul, intense blue eyes gazed into the ruby ones. The woman flinched softly at the touch, trying to avoid his gaze.

"Don't…" she whispered, eyes darting away, "don't look at me like that…"

Surprised at the response, Zack let go of the woman's chin. "Why not?"

"Every time you look at me…it's like you can read and see everything…inside my mind…"

At that, the raven-haired man sat up and crossed his muscular arms, an eyebrow perked up curiously.

"So maybe I can," he replied. "And that's what I want to do."

He reached for her chin again, forcing her to look at him.

"Tifa… I want to know you…" Zack murmured. "I really want to know you. I really do." He ran a hand through his black spikes. "I know I might look like a big ol' player and all that crap, but, that's not who I am. At least not now and definitely not in the future. Tsk," he shook his head softly, "I haven't been like that ever since I've woken up. Hell, I'm not even sure I was like that. I mean, all Kunsel ever told me was that I was a lady's man back in the ol' days. But I bet even that's a joke…" He smirked at the thought. "Ever since I woke up from my coma, I've never felt the urge to want to get to know someone or—hell—even get close to anybody because I was afraid to lose everything again…" He gazed into the beautiful round eyes. "That is…until I met you."

His lips touched the red lips softly.

"Tifa," he whispered, "All this time, I've never felt…real. But after I met you…I feel whole."

He kissed her again, nose tip touching hers.

"You're special," he breathed, "Very, very special. Yet, you seem to have locked yourself up for way too long. So long that you seem to have forgotten how to let people in. I want to be the one to open you up. I want to be that key. That one key…to your heart."

Ba-bump. Ba-bump. Ba-bump.

His lips met hers again, indigo colors swimming in ruby eyes.

"May I?"

And she kissed him.

She did not know how, why, and what happened. But she did it anyway. Was it her gut, her mind, or her heart? She did not know anymore. All she knew was that something—curiosity? loneliness? magic?—pulled her to him. She was deeply, terribly, regrettably attracted to him.

And she wanted more.

Sitting by the wooden table in the small open kitchen, Tifa watched in amusement as the raven-haired man crack several eggs, beat the eggs, and fry the eggs. It had always been her who did the cooking, so for the second time in two days, she entertained herself by watching someone else cook. She couldn't help but giggle.

"What?" Zack asked absentmindedly. All attention was focused on the frying pan in front of him.

Curious ruby eyes marveled at the man standing before her. He was much taller and much broader than a certain someone. His tanned, glowing skin reflected his sunshine persona. His muscular chest heaved against the white teeshirt. His firm lips curved ever so slightly on his chiseled face. His beautiful blue, indigo eyes filled with determination. His raven spikes glistened in the morning sun.

Sweat started to form above furrowed brows as he threw some bacon into the pan, oil spitting onto his hand.

"Ouch!"

"You okay?" Instinctively, Tifa placed a wet towel onto his hand. "Be careful."

A naive grin appeared on Zack's face. "Thanks," he winked. "Like the saying goes, behind every successful man, there is a woman."

Blood rushed to Tifa's cheeks as she swiftly looked away, hiding behind her bangs. Spotting the scrambled eggs on the plate, she took a small bite and gave a great big shudder.

"Oh god it's so salty!" she exclaimed.

"Hmm, maybe I was too distracted," Zack said thoughtfully.

"By what?"

"By you of course," he cooed.

Tifa rolled her eyes, despite feeling her face burn. "A big fat F."

"Well," the man flashed his dazzling eyes at the barmaid, "definitely no F in the bedroom, right?"

And she choked and blushed and coughed and scurried into the bathroom.

Zack laughed.

Quickly washing the dishes, Zack settled himself next to the woman on the beanbag lounge. He glanced at the clock. Noticing the man's eyes, Tifa spoke up.

"I think I should go," she said. "I need to run some errands—"

"No, stay," Zack insisted.

"But don't you have plans today?" Her eyes darted to the clock.

"Nope, not at all," Zack replied. "Just gotta finish a bit of work, that's all."

Tifa perked an eyebrow. "Oh? I thought you don't need to work," she teased.

"Of course I do!" the man laughed. "I have my own business."

"What sort of business?" Tifa asked. What business would be stimulating and exciting enough for this active ex-SOLDIER? She was intrigued.

"Mercenary," he said proudly. "A do-everything business."

Something in her clicked and her heart started pounding loudly. Her palms were suddenly filled with cold sweat. The same feeling creeped into her mind. Again. There was something about the two of them that just seemed so similar, too similar in fact… Before Tifa could unravel her tangled thoughts, Zack continued.

"I'm heading to Junon later," he said. "You have the day off, don't you? Why don't you join me?"

"Join you?" Her eyes widened.

"Yeah, just a day trip. We'll be back by night fall." He motioned to the large bottle of wine. "Need to bring that baby to a client today."

"Well, I—"

"It'll be fun!" Zack beamed. "I'll treat you to a nice restaurant."

"But I'm still wearing my clothes from yesterday…" she muttered embarrassingly.

"We'll stop by the inn and you can change."

"But—"

"The food's there is heavenly. Man, do I miss their escargot!"

"I can't—"

"I promise you, it'll be worth it. Every single bite of it."

His eyes sparkled with glistening shades of blue. His grin was a thousand watts, bright and infectious. His body was practically jumping with excitement.

Ruby eyes closed in defeat, Tifa couldn't help but grin and gave a soft nod. Zack gave a loud whoop and kissed her.

Once again, she surrendered to the golden light welcoming her with open arms. The only question was, would she get burned?

While waiting for Zack as he packed up for his traveling, Tifa's eyes moved to the clock again. 10:05AM.

The two had spent nearly 24 hours together. She chewed her inner lip. Was this really okay? This as in…what? The two of them seeing each other? The two of them dating? The two of them in a relationship? In a committed relationship? Truthfully, Tifa was nervous about "dating" someone. She had never even dated anyone in her teens, what with all the boys leaving the village for work. And when she settled down in Midgar, the only thing she focused on was revenge. And then, the closest thing she had to a relationship was with him and that was difficult and complicated and overwhelming…

Well, did you enjoy last night? Oddly, her mind spoke in Yuffie's annoying, teasing tone.

Tifa rolled her eyes.

Sure, it was…enjoyable. It was, for some strange reason, something that she seemed to need without her knowing. Something that she was unconsciously seeking for—the warmth, the touch, the closeness of just being wrapped tightly in someone's arms. And it felt wonderful to be embraced so firmly, so passionately by someone again. It made her feel warm and skin-tingly…like human. And perhaps, this was why she was afraid. What if she liked the intimacy but not exactly him? Was that even possible?

And how was she to know whether he could be trusted? He may be all sweet, sugary words, but he could end up being an even bigger jerk, a player who slept with every girl in town.

Well, what's there to lose? Yuffie's tone again. Live in the moment! Carpe diem! You're young! Enjoy life! Go with it! Have fun now and think later—

Tifa squeezed her eyes shut frustratingly. Never in a million years am I sharing details about my sex life with Yuffie…

"Yo, Teef!" Zack's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Ready to go?"

Her eyes opened and found herself staring into a deep sea of blues and violets.

"What's wrong?" Zack grinned. Gently, he placed his index finger on her forehead. "You have this deep wrinkle when you furrow your brow. It's cute."

Cheeks heated up in a nanosecond. There was no stopping her blood from boiling at the mere slightest touch or a simple, innocent flirt.

"C'mon, Miss Tomato," the man teased, "let's go."

The two gathered their belongings and walked toward the door. Zack turned the doorknob and at once, came face to face with his dark-haired friend, who had a hand up, ready to press the doorbell.

"Hey man—whoa!"

Kunsel's hazel eyes grew wide like saucers as he took in the scene in front of him. He scanned from left to right, from Zack to Tifa, then whistled softly.

"Why, good morning, Ms. Tifa! What a surprise to see you here," he grinned.

Face flushed bright red, Tifa cleared her throat. "Good morning…Kunsel."

"No wonder you said you were busy today, Zack…" He winked at his friend.

"I am," Zack frowned, slightly annoyed. "Heading to Junon now."

"With Tifa?" Kunsel smirked.

"Yeahhh…" The man stole a peek at the woman beside him (who was still red like a tomato). "C'mon," he hissed, pushing his friend out of the way and closing the door behind him, "we'll chat later."

After bidding hasty goodbyes to Kunsel, Zack led Tifa to the back of his hut, all the while darting anxious glances at her.

"Sorry about that," he apologized. "Didn't expect he'll drop by."

Tifa shook her head, cheeks still flushed. "It's okay."

"He's not gonna go around and tell everyone," Zack continued. "So don't worry about it."

"Okay…"

"Umm yeah," he scratched his head, convinced that he had royally fucked up this time.

They reached the makeshift garage, built with metal roofing panels and steel scaffoldings.

Pulling aside a wooden board that acted as a door, Zack said, "I thought we'll travel with the bike—"

Tifa sucked in her breath.

Sitting inside the garage was a metallic navy Hardy-Daytona that greatly reminisced the motorbike that the gang had stolen from the Shinra Building many lightyears ago. Except this bike had a matching metallic navy sidecar with two white, vertical stripes on the body.

Sensing Tifa's reaction, Zack tilted his head, a peculiar expression on his face. "You seem to know a bit about bikes…?"

"Oh," the barmaid blinked several times and shook her head. "It's just…I've been on one before. Hardy-Daytona, I mean. Sort of. A friend kinda had one…ages ago."

"Hmm…" Zack looked thoughtful, but quickly smiled. "Kunsel got this for me when I started my business. Some old man wanted to sell it and he thought it was perfect for me."

"It's nice."

"C'mon! Nice is an understatement!" the man exclaimed, voice filled with enthusiasm. "It's superbly beautiful!"

The barmaid giggled. Men and their toys…

Placing a hand on the bike, Zack traced along the shiny body. "It was originally black," he explained, delicately examining a particular spot and then rubbing it vigorously. "But black seemed too dull for me. I wanted somethin' flashy. You know, to match me," he winked.

Tifa rolled her eyes but continued smiling.

"So I spray painted it myself and voila! My perfect bike."

"Well, I guess I better be careful with it, huh?" the woman smirked.

"You're an exception." Zack crossed his arms and grinned. "I'll let you do anything with it. And with me," he added, eyes twinkling.

Laughing and blushing, Tifa shook her head and turned toward the vehicle. "Well? Aren't you gonna stop by the inn?"

"Yeah!"

Carefully, he placed the huge bottle of alcohol and a manila envelope into the sidecar.

"But…?"

Zack glanced up and saw Tifa's confused expression. "Hmm?"

"Aren't I sitting in there?" she questioned, awkwardly pulling on her leather shorts.

"No way!" He walked toward the other side of the bike and patted the back, leather seat. "There's enough room for two here."

Wine-colored eyes widened. "Umm I think I'd be more comfortable sitting in the sidecar…"

"Nah-ah!" Zack shook his head. "The wheels will pick up the rocks and dirt from the roads. That's too much pollution for my dear Tifa. You're sitting on the bike here with me."

Without further ado, Zack reached for a helmet and slipped it onto the barmaid's head.

"You look hot in helmet and leather," he whispered, eyeing Tifa from top to bottom and back again.

Although her face was nearly hidden by the helmet, Tifa was quite certain whatever skin that was unhidden turned bright red, and the man was bound to see it. Because he continued to grin as he pulled on his own helmet, a teasing glint in his blue-violet eyes.

After stopping by the motel to let Tifa quickly change her clothes, they started toward Junon. The journey itself was quite uneventful. The long winding road was much more developed compared to the dirt roads back in the Meteorfall days. Half of the travel was on concrete highways. Traffic was smooth, and it took them a little over two hours to get to the port city. By the time they arrived at the lower town, it was already half past one.

The moment she stepped into the town, Tifa knew she made a mistake. The familiar fume floating out of the chimneys. The familiar salty scent of the less polluted sea. The familiar grayish tone of the hidden skies. Everything was all too familiar. She was certain that one second or another she would see familiar faces. Especially a particular, familiar face. A face with thin lips, azure eyes, and pale skin.

Junon was one of the cities most frequented by him. It was, after all, a connecting point to the many continents. He would take Fenrir on the boat rides with him and continue his travel to wherever he was headed. Sometimes, if time allowed, Cid would fly him on Shera, accompanying the delivery boy on his trips. But she digressed…

Sharp, ruby eyes were now darting left and right, front and back, here and there, with every step she took. What if she saw him here? What if he saw her with another man? Tifa bit her lip anxiously as she followed Zack toward the Upper City. What would he think? What should she do? She felt like a silly teenager hiding from her crush.

Once in the safe confines of the elevator, Tifa took a deep breath.

Zack noticed and smiled. "You must be hungry?"

The barmaid blinked and gave a soft nod. No really, I'm just preoccupied…

"Just gimme five minutes to drop this off," he motioned to the big bottle on his shoulder, muscular biceps stretching his black shirt, "then we'll head off to lunch."

Tifa gave another nod and remained quiet.

The two walked out into bright, warm sunshine as the elevator door closed behind them.

"Feels great to be under the sun again!" Zack beamed and started toward the east, where lines of boutiques stretched as far as the eyes could see.

Upper Junon was even more prosperous than before. With oil becoming more and more of a daily necessity, the town acted as the most important port city for shipping companies. Merchants from around the world gathered in the town for businesses and trades. Thus, more and more stores and hotels were established at Upper Junon to attract travelers, along with luxurious houses being built along the hillside, overlooking the great, wide ocean.

The woman followed, strolling past branded shops and fancy hotels. Yet again, red eyes started scanning around her. Blonde-haired women, blonde-haired men. Brown spikes, black spikes. Black dresses, black jeans. No sign of him. Yet.

After walking a block down the street, Zack stopped in front of a small liquor store.

"Here we are." He wiped a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead. "Let's go in—"

"No."

Tifa's eyes grew wide as she stared at the shop. She knew this shop. She knew this shop because of him. She had previously accompanied the man for a delivery to this exact same shop not just once but many times. The owner would recognize her instantly.

Zack turned around, an eyebrow raised in surprise. "What?"

"Uh, I'll just wait you over there," Tifa pointed across the street. "There's something I want to see."

"Oh, all right," the man smiled. "I'll be quick."

Swiftly crossing the street, Tifa ducked into a store selling trinkets and sorts. Through the window, she glanced toward the liquor store, now two shops away across the road from her. The raven-haired man was talking animatedly with the owner, a balding man in his fifties.

"Why the hell are you hiding like this?" she gritted her teeth.

She hated her own passiveness. So what if others saw her with another man? It wasn't like she and Cloud were a thing… Despite so, living with the man in a house with two children made everything so much more complicated. Explaining to people often ended up with even more awkward questions and unsolicited comments. People often thought they were already married, and hence, the children. Or in some scenarios, they were the unconventional unmarried couple with children. In the end, they didn't even bother explaining anymore. Because, what was the point? What they learned the hard way was that people were quick to judge. And people would judge no matter what. No arguing with that.

Turning her focus to the small accessories in front of her, the barmaid instantly became mesmerized by the handmade items. Tifa Lockhart had always been fond of jewelry, especially earrings. Nothing fancy, but enough to add some spark or spice up her normally bland outfit.

Her eyes roamed over beaded necklaces, leather bracelets, silver earrings, and gemstone rings. At once, a particular glass pendant caught her attention. She picked it up. It was cool to the touch. Made of transparent and blue-colored glass, the pendant was shaped in a teardrop. Due to the shades of blue and the light reflected through the transparent glass, it looked like a droplet of water straight from the sea. A thin silver necklace dangled from the top.

"It's beautiful."

The voice sent shivers down her spine. She turned and black raven spikes poked her.

"Buy it," Zack grinned.

Tifa shook her head. "It's nice, but I don't really wear necklaces…"

"It matches you."

"But it'll break easily. It's glass."

"Not if you took care of it."

It really was beautiful, exquisite, and delicate. But she rarely wore necklaces, because they interfered with her fighting. Tifa flipped over the price tag. Dang. Way too expensive to her liking. She shook her head once more and placed the pendant back down.

"Let's go for lunch," she said.

"…All right."

It was a small, cozy restaurant, hidden in a quiet road, away from the hustle and bustle of the main street. The soft glow emitting from the windows reminded Tifa of a warm campfire burning. Inside, small round tables and wooden cushioned chairs scattered here and there. Several large ceiling fans spun lazily overhead. The attendant, dressed in a smart white shirt and black bow tie, led them to a table next to the windows, looking out to the busy street.

Quickly asking if Tifa had any preferences, Zack ordered two lunch sets.

"I'm starving." The man patted his stomach.

Tifa returned a soft smile. Unconsciously, she scanned her surroundings again. With several tables occupied with what appeared to be mainly couples, the restaurant was rather empty. The atmosphere was no doubt a perfect choice for a romantic date. She blanched at the thought.

"You've been acting kinda weird ever since we arrived town. You kept looking behind your back," Zack observed. He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "What is it? A creepy stalking ex in town?" he teased.

Ruby eyes widened, ears burning. "What? No!"

The man tilted his head, a smile tugging on his chiseled face. "Then what?"

"N-nothing," Tifa muttered, hiding behind her bangs. "I'm just looking around, that's all." Just in case I bump into someone I know… Instinctively, her eyes darted out the restaurant window, quickly scanning the passersby.

Zack couldn't help but flash an evil grin. "Speaking of…" he propped his chin on his elbow, Mako blue eyes shining, "so, who was the lucky guy who had the pleasure of being your first boyfriend?"

"First boyfriend…?"

"Yeah, tell me about him."

"Umm…" Tifa kept her eyes down.

"Don't tell me there's no ex?" Zack asked, eyebrows raised in shock.

She glanced up, utterly embarrassed. "I…we weren't…really…" What should I say? We weren't even "officially" together.

Zack stared at the woman with the most serious expression she had ever seen on his face. Brows deeply furrowed. Eyes slightly squinted. Lips firmly tightened. For a moment, he just stared in disbelief, unsure of what to say, yelling a million "what"s in his mind. Blinking away his thoughts, he frowned.

"Well then, tell me about the asshole who's been making you sad, because I can't stand to see you sad."

Tifa gaped, shocked at the sudden harsh words. "Please don't call him that," she defended (though she tend to agree the "a" word described that man perfectly). "He's…a good person."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes. He's kind and caring…benevolent and selfless…strong and swift…" She stared at her fingers. "He's shy but in a cute, Cloud way—" She caught herself and stopped, ashamed at her outburst.

"Hmm he kinda sounds like me." Zack's grin returned. "Except I'm not an asshole."

Tifa pursed her lips.

"And, there's one thing that I'm definitely better than Mr. Cloud." He didn't miss a beat.

"What?"

"I make you smile."

Tifa blinked several times, heat returning to her cheeks.

"Isn't it true? I make you smile, right? All he did was make you cry."

"I…" Tifa hesitated.

Was it true? Was it true that all the blonde ever did was break her heart and make her… cry? Memories of their times spent together… All the obstacles they hurdled together… The few intimate encounters they secretly shared together… Those were sweet. Right? But what about the abandonment she felt when he left the family? The loneliness she felt when he chose to push her away? The coldness she felt when he did not reciprocate her love? So was it true then? Was Zack correct? Her heart tightened. She didn't want to agree. She didn't want to believe.

"No, you're wrong." The words flew out of her lips without thinking.

Zack blinked, genuine surprise in his eyes. Sighing, a small, wistful smile surfaced. "He must be…really important to you."

Tifa bit her inner cheek. Glass of water in her hand, she twirled the cup, watching the ice cubes clinking onto each other. "…He was…" (still is), "…We've known each other since we were young." And went through a hell lot of things together.

"Oh, so a childhood sweetheart?"

She shrugged, unsure of what to answer. They were more than just a few simple words could describe. They were more than just complicated. Thankfully, the appetizer (the stuffed escargot Zack raved about earlier) arrived, successfully changing the subject.

GROWLMMM.

A loud rumble erupted somewhere nearby. Tifa glanced up at the clear skies, late afternoon sun casting a gentle orange glow on the town.

"Huh." Zack gazed up as well. "Strange. No clouds in sight. Wonder where that thunder came from?"

Ding.

The elevator arrived, distracting their thoughts.

"If a thunderstorm is coming, guess we better leave quickly before we get soaked from the rain."

Tifa agreed.

Reaching the quiet town below once more, they walked through the darkened streets and toward the rubble grounds that acted as a parking lot. With Upper Junon surging with traders and visitors in every corner, returning to the lower idle town was a sharp contrast to the active life above them. It was like a juxtaposition of fantasy versus reality. If Tifa could choose, she would probably choose the former. Fantasy was always better than reality. At least it felt warmer.

"Did you have a good time?" the man asked.

Smiling, Tifa nodded. "Yes, I did. Thank you for treating me to lunch." Despite she insisted to pay her share of the meal, Zack had brushed her off, claiming it was a man's job.

"You're welcome," he grinned. "Did you like the escargot?"

"It was delicious."

Buttery and full of herbs, the stuffed escargot was unlike anything she had ever tasted. Although it did sound kind of disgusting, knowing what it was before being cooked. Even the grilled grasshoppers Barret once made the team chew on while traveling through a thick forest sounded less disgusting. Sort of.

Zack beamed. "Let me try to cook it for you next time."

"You?" Tifa was incredulous. Surely even a skillful chef like the barmaid herself wouldn't be able to whip up something like that without actually learning it.

The man smirked. "Trust me, I serve really, really good food. But of course," the spark in his indigo eyes darkened with that strange Mako glow, "I'm best served in bed."

Tifa bit her lips from laughing too hard.

Not many motorcycles were parked in the lot, so they easily found the man's navy bike in the sea of vehicles. Tifa climbed onto the back of the bike and was about to put on her helmet when Zack stopped her.

"Hang on."

"Hmm?"

Wine-colored eyes widened in shock as she watched him pull out a familiar, blue object from the pocket of his jeans.

"Zack…?"

He grinned, cheeks slightly flushed. "For you."

Swiftly and skillfully, Zack reached out and clasped the necklace around her neck. The glass teardrop pendant sat above her white blouse, shining brilliantly like a delicate droplet of ocean water under the early sunset.

"Zack…" Tifa held the pendant in her fingers, heart suddenly tightening. "I can't accept this."

"You have to." The man crossed his arms, voice adamant. "It's a gift for you. You can't say no."

She frowned slightly. "But I—"

"You can thank me later with a gift for me."

He was looking at her with those round, violet eyes—which reminded her of puppy eyes for some reason—pleading her to accept the gift.

"But what if I break it…?" Tifa murmured.

Pendant still in her hand, she turned it in her fingers. Colors of the ocean, colors of the sea, colors of the waters. It was beautiful, and she loved it so much and was so hypnotized by it she was sure she could just sit and stare at it for the entire day—but, how could she accept it?

"You won't break it," Zack smiled. He leaned over, nose touching hers. "I know it'll be loved under your special care." Softly, his lips touched hers. "You love it and you know it."

AN: I had a hard time deciding on the perfect vehicle for Zack. I've never played Crisis Core, so I wasn't sure if Zack drove any cars or rode any bikes in the game (unlike Cloud, who is obviously a motorbike guy) and couldn't find anything on google. But I decided to choose the motorbike for Zack as well, because, well, it'll add to the list of "similarities."

Again, please go vote for your favorite man in the poll on my profile. :)