A/N: Thanks to Emerial for beta reading!

Tifa kept reading the letter. Over and over and over again. It was in his handwriting, but he was dead. The Midgar military had called before they sent the box with his meager possessions to Ms. Strife with a letter explaining his demise and how he died with honors despite being a mere cadet, weeks before the physical test that would have made him one of their warriors. That was over a month ago.

But here was a letter addressed to her, from Cloud.

Dear Tifa,

I'm sorry I haven't written in a while, Teef. I've been busy trying to fix that mistake the military made about my death. I was injured, but I'm not dead. My friend was there to watch my back when it happened, he really helped me out that night.

How have you been? Did you like my gift? I hope it fits. I really miss you and Ma, you have no idea. I was thinking of visiting sometime, it's been such a long time since I've seen you both. It'll take a while before I get enough money for the trip though.

Do you have a cellphone yet? I was meaning to buy one. I'll give you my number when I finally scrape up enough gil to afford one. I hope to hear from you again soon.

Take care,

Cloud

Tifa went to Ms. Strife's house, the woman equally chilled at the sight of a letter written in her son's handwriting addressed to her. Her hands shook and her eyes held hope and uncertainty. Cloud was alive? The military was quite sure he was dead. What was happening here?

So, Tifa went to visit Zangan. He lived on the edge of the village, guarding Nibelheim as well as tending to the small church and teaching a select few students his martial arts. Zangan was also one to weave stories about the undead, and that was what she suspected here. There had been plenty of time for the military to recant the story, they never would have sent his possessions back in the first place.

How hard would it be to confirm a soldier's death?

Tifa showed Zangan the letter and explained what had happened. He shook his head as he gave the letter back to his student. "Most likely a vampire, of all things. An extremely dangerous monster. Very few undead are this sapient."

She looked down at the letter again, brows coming together. "Cloud wouldn't hurt me, even if he was a vampire..."

"Cloud would not. A vampire would. Cloud is trapped in that dead body of his with a vile spirit that does nothing but evil for the sake of evil, Tifa." Zangan put one of his large, calloused hands on her shoulder. "I did not know Cloud very well, but if he died as they say he did, then I can say with confidence he had a selfless heart. It's a terrible shame that he's rewarded with this."

Tifa gasped, tears forming in her eyes. She damned herself for not begging Cloud to stay with her in Nibelheim, then none of this would have happened! Her friend, her dearest friend that she did everything with until he left for Midgar, was suffering a fate worse than death. To make matters worse, this vampire planned to visit her and Cloud's mother. "I have to do something..."

Zangan raised his brows. "You wish to free him some day?" He shook his head with a frown. "Tifa, this is an extremely dangerous road you wish to take. You could end up like just like your friend," he warned.

She bit her lip, holding the letter tight in one hand and staring at the silver ring Cloud had given to her on the other hand, loose but always with her. What would Cloud do in her position? Tifa nodded, solemn. He would have done the same for her. "I...He's...very close to my heart, Master Zangan. I can't let him suffer."

Zangan nodded, then led Tifa into his home and towards a bookcase. He picked out a thick old tome. "When I'm done with you, you will know how to fight against the darkness."

Tifa woke up in the pitch black room, the dream of old memories fresh in her mind. She reflected on the irony of her situation in the present, and how it led her to Cloud with results she had not expected. Blinking her eyes open she yawned, and then slowly became aware that her hands were holding onto Cloud's arm, her forehead on his bicep. She blushed and looked about blindly, but no one was there to see. Sitting up and fumbling with the lamp she finally turned it on, then looked down at her friend. He was under the covers, his head leaning to her side of the bed.

She ran her fingers through his spiky hair, appreciating how soft it still was. Tifa remembered ruffling his hair so many times, eventually using it as a way to flirt with him those months before he left for Midgar. She wondered if he would have went off to be a cadet if she had said something to him, anything to not go so far from her.

Tifa leaned towards his face, her lips close to his ear. "I don't regret finding you again, Cloud. But I do regret not saying something to you earlier..." she said softly before studying his face, how peaceful he looked. She kissed him on the cheek before leaving the bedroom, turning on the lightswitch so she could turn off the lamp.

When she finally reached the kitchen Aerith was there, making herself lunch as Rox ate some soup. Squeak was by her feet, jamming a piece of cheese into his mouth. Aerith had a knowing grin on her face as she swayed her hips playfully. "Afternoon, Tifa. Sleep well?"

Tifa closed her eyes as she exhaled, then opened them up again. "Yeah. Did you? Cloud said you went to bed early."

She nodded before going back to perfecting her sandwich. "I prefer my regular schedule. Do you work today? The furniture will be delivered soon, and um...Scratch is still by the door."

Tifa shook her head, then went to the fridge to pour herself some juice. She tossed some bread in the toaster and sat next to Rox, who looked up at her with a concerned frown. Tifa raised a brow. "How about you, Rox? Did you get to sleep okay?"

"Yeah. But when Aerith woke up you weren't there. So she checked his room and found you sleepin' next to him." Rox didn't sound as if she approved of the situation very much.

Tifa shrugged. "I didn't want to disturb you two so I bunked with him." A blush was creeping on her face as she felt Aerith's eyes on the back of her head.

"It was really cute how you were holding onto his arm," Aerith beamed before sitting next to her embarrassed friend.

"Gross," Rox mumbled before she ate another spoonful of soup.

Tifa looked away, suddenly interested in the toaster. She glanced down at Squeak, who was staring at her with a crumb of cheese held in his paw. Her blush grew, and she mouthed 'don't you dare' at the rodent. His lips twitched upwards. "I was probably just cold." She left her seat to prepare her toast, her cheeks tingling; it was a stupid thing to say, vampires weren't warm. Did Aerith know how she felt about him? Aerith always intuitively knew people's feelings, or maybe, Tifa thought, she herself was an open book to everyone.

Everyone but Cloud. Or maybe he was just as shy as she was.

She returned to her seat and munched on her breakfast, silence filling the kitchen. Aerith took a sip of her water. "What kind of schedule do you keep at your work?"

Oh yeah. Work. "I...don't think I should go there anymore."

Rox raised a brow. "Why?"

Tifa explained what happened last night, and that they had to enter the house from the roof just to be sure no one found their home. "But you two should be alright. They've never seen either of you. Me, I'll probably just pal around with Cloud if I'm outside at night just to be safe."

"Oh. If vampires have all these powers you were just talking about, how come Cloud...just used his fists last night to fight Domino?" Aerith asked.

Tifa looked down at her empty plate. "Because sometimes he can be a bit of an idiot." Her idiot. She looked at the kitchen clock, it was almost two. "After the furniture is delivered I'm going to go to the store for a few things. Do you two wanna come?"

She received enthusiastic nods from both women. After Tifa had placed her plate in the sink a knock came to the door and a muffled greeting from the delivery service. Tifa gasped, then called out for Squeak before rushing into the living room. "Just a moment! Scratch, get in the basement..."

The gargoyle begrudgingly did as he was asked before Tifa nodded at Squeak, who opened the door after she had come to it. Aerith and Rox helped guide the delivery men to the proper rooms for their furniture, assisting with assembly of the frames. Eventually they left and the three women worked on making the beds with fresh linens and putting their clothing away in their new drawers.

Each of them now had their own bed, a nightstand, drawers and a small bookcase. Aerith was thinking up ways to personalize her room despite what could be a small stay, while Rox seemed happy to just have a private room to hide in when Cloud was stalking the house.

Afterwards they walked to the store, Tifa using the trip to familiarize her friends with Junon and what landmarks to look for when traveling through their neighborhood. It was a sunny, balmy day, a sea breeze sweeping by the three.

Rox felt like she was in a better mood than she had been since Tifa disappeared. It was daytime, there was a shining sun and absolutely no vampires out and about. Tifa and Aerith were safe and next to her. Maybe she was still fretting over the guild, and maybe she still wasn't thrilled about living with a vampire, but for now at least she could focus on herself a little.

Aerith wondered if Zack ever made it to her flowershop, then wondered if he would overwater her precious plants. Knowing him, he was probably wondering how much water was enough, she mused in her head. It put a smile on her face, a vampire fretting over flowers. She would have to make something nice for him for all the effort.

They found themselves in the grocery store a little while later, Tifa looking at her list for food and other sundries needed. The other two looked through the hygeine section for shampoo and their favorite toothpastes, not wanting to use up Tifa's supplies.

As they waited to pay, Aerith looked at a little poster on the wall nearby. She tilted her head, humming. "There's a festival tonight for the beginning of Summer." Aerith looked at Tifa. "Maybe we could all go? You and Cloud would have a chance to let loose."

Tifa blushed and looked away. "I don't know. Maybe. It would be something to do."

"Well, I'll stay with Rox during the festival. That way you two have time to yourselves."

Rox pretended to gag. "Are you really doing this, Tifa?"

"Doing what?" Tifa asked in a clipped tone.

The teen sighed. "Falling for a dead guy."

Tifa looked away. "We're old friends, Rox. I'm just comfortable around him, okay?" Rox let out a disgusted snort, and Tifa gave her a dirty look.

Finally they left with a couple of bags of groceries each, making their way back home. Aerith hummed for a time before turning to Tifa, who looked back with a fine raised brow. "You said you've slept with Cloud before?" she asked in a playful, teasing voice.

Tifa turned red. "Not like that! I wanted to keep an eye on him after a fight." As if he needed it.

"Is that the only reason?" Aerith pressed, smile growing.

Tifa huffed and looked straight forward. "We're really good friends. Why wouldn't I look after him like that?" she asked quietly.

Rox frowned. "You aren't gonna go out with him, are you?"

"What's wrong with that?" Aerith asked.

The teen groaned and adjusted her grip on her bag. "Well, he's a freaking vampire, that's plenty wrong right there."

"That doesn't mean Tifa and Cloud aren't compatible. I'm still going out with Zack."

"It's just so...ugh. And just thinking about you two with them..." Her shoulders shuddered. Rox didn't have anything personal against Zack, but the both of them were still unholy abominations in her opinion. Zack was just a friendly unholy abomination.

Tifa sighed as they turned onto the alley that hid their home. "Can we change the subject, please?"

Cloud reminisced of that night, weeks ago as he lay in his bed. He had immediately left home, forgetting his skin illusion as he went off to finish what he started the night before. He recognized Aerith's voice as he passed the cemetery's gates, and he certainly recognized the name that came from her lips. She had been calling for Tifa. He had frozen in his journey to his tomb, where he had left the corpse of his mark from the night before last. It was a troublesome victim that barely gave him enough time to get home before the sun rose.

'No. It couldn't be her,' he had thought. Cloud had continued on, but doubt and hope began nagging in his mind and heart. He had listened to her voice, and that slight accent from a faraway mountain village that he would know anywhere made him hide nearby and watch his childhood friend, the one he wanted to visit one last time to give a proper goodbye.

He had followed her down the road, fluttering overhead and trying to get her to walk down an alley so they would just coincidentally 'bump' into each other. But, Tifa had resisted. How could she resist so easily? It would make a discussion so much harder if she was frightened or apprehensive and he couldn't ease her mind.

Cloud had continued to follow her to her home. Her house felt strange to him, so he had watched from a ledge on the other side of the street as a bat. Something about her was a little unsettling, and he had squeaked a snort at the thought of a vampire thinking a living person was unsettling. He was the epitome of unsettling now.

Eventually she had left again and instead of just appearing behind her or from an intersection, he had bashfully watched her from above. His head had been swimming with possible questions she could ask of him. What have you been up to if you really weren't dead the whole time? Do you want to go out to lunch? How come it's taking you so long to visit Nibelheim? Why? Not the money. It was logistics.

What could he have asked her? How's Ma, she hasn't replied back in a year? What brought you to Midgar? Do you have a boyfriend yet? How come you never responded to my letters when I sent them again? Oh, he knew that one, though. Nibelheim was a little superstitious, not terribly so but just enough. Zangan had probably told her the truth, Cloud had deduced at the time.

She would be terrified of him, he had thought. Would it be hard to convince her that he wouldn't harm her? Vampires were supposed to be cunning, evil things, humans warped into blood thirsting monsters. He was cunning, he did thirst for blood, and he was a monster. But he wouldn't necessarily call himself evil. Maybe he was a reluctant villain, he felt that suited his situation much better. Still did, he thought.

He had offered his cell phone number to both Tifa and his mother, and received silence from the former and a gentle refusal from the latter. Ma's letters had a tension to them, as if she had feared something. The last letter she had sent Ma had asked if he had the funds to go to Nibelheim yet. He said yes, and that when he got back they could catch up on everything.

His trip had been delayed again, however. One of the mines on the journey there had collapsed, and he needed that mine to hide in during the day. Cloud never received any replies back after that letter, and sometimes, he wondered if it was his fault she died.

Cloud had landed in the shadows to watch from afar as she tossed a gil into the fountain in front of the cathedral. That building repulsed him physically, but he had always appreciated the architecture regardless. Tifa had walked in and he waited. It was a mass night, maybe she had become more religious back in Nibelheim, he had thought. He had tapped his foot in nervous anticipation, then decided the roof of the building he stood by would be a better vantage point when they let out.

Eventually they had, and he picked out Tifa as the crowd dispersed, walking off a different way than her house. He had a sick, uneasy sensation in the pit of his stomach. She had been nearing Favevo's home, an associate of his. Not one he socialized much with and wouldn't in the future now; he was a spiteful sort, arrogant and proud. Cloud had followed her from the rooftops to an alley where he found her hiding. Why was she hiding, he had wondered to himself. Favevo had dumped a corpse after a few minutes of watching and his ghouls began eating it.

Cloud had watched, stupefied, as his childhood friend fought the ghouls without much trouble after waiting for the other vampire to leave. Her hand came up, and there it was, a silvery weapon he had seen in the hands of at least one victim of his. Tifa had become a vampire hunter. He had wondered if he would have to help her at all, putting him at severe risk of becoming a turncoat in his guild. Maybe, he had thought, if he made it look like he was attacking her instead...

She was finished, and had taken something from the gritty pavement near a pile of ash. His eyes had followed Tifa as she quickly walked away from the scene of the fight. He then followed right behind her, thinking of what he could do, should do. She was a vampire hunter. She became what should be his worst enemy, his greatest foe. But...

It was Tifa. He promised to save her in a pinch, and even if he hadn't he still would have saved her.

All it took was a simple illusion and a sleep spell from his materia, and he quickly spirited her away to his home. Before Favevo came this way to investigate, before anyone could see. It had been such a strange, tense night to Cloud.

Now, he thought, it was as if their seven year hiatus never happened. They laughed and argued, they risked themselves for each other. They surprised each other with little gifts. It only kindled what love was already there for Tifa. Both of them would be hunted now, but she said she didn't regret what happened. She didn't regret being with him again.

'She became a vampire hunter because of me. Because she wanted to free me. That's...love, isn't it?' Cloud opened his eyes, sat himself up in bed and rubbed his face; tonight was the night. He promised Zack he would, and he was damning himself for doing so. Cloud turned on his lamp before making his way to the bathroom, flicking on the light and starting the shower before fetching a towel and placing it on the large sink.

The heat of the water was nice. The lather of the soap and shampoo was nice. Everything was nice, except he was going to blurt out his feelings to his best friend sometime tonight. Anxiety flared as he rinsed the shampoo out of his hair, thinking about how and what he should say. Where to say it.

After leaving the shower he dried his body off before plugging in the hair dryer and attempting to tame his mess of soaked spikes. They slowly stood up on his scalp as the hot air dried them, his comb moving them this way and that. When he was finished he took a look at his body, towel wrapped around his hips.

He hadn't given himself a good, hard look in a very long time, and he felt rather self concsious despite Tifa having seen him like this already. Ashy skin, darkened lips. His eyes looked duller than they had in life, and he had to admit he looked like the animated corpse he was. 'Why do we have to look so creepy?' At least if he went about like this people in the city still paid no attention to him. He almost looked like a goth in his dark clothing.

The scars on his chest were whitish reminders of his death, and he touched the one along his belly that had come from the wraith that disembowled him. That injury had hurt quite a bit, he remembered. He opened his mouth and examined his fangs as he prepared his toothbrush. They weren't long right now, but they were still plenty sharp. If he kissed her, would he hurt her? The first and last woman to kiss him, he had hurt her.

She had been a mark he had followed to a party in the evening, watching her slowly become more inebriated as the night wore on. He tugged her mentally to join him in the bathroom of the bar, the red headed woman enthusiastically joining him in the small space. He had wanted to make it quick and impersonal as always, equally disgusted with the act of feeding and craving for it like a drug addict. He was only eighteen and still angsty from his sudden life change not two years prior.

The mark giggled as she entered the room, misinterpreting his demeanor and the locked door. She was drunk, and he shouldn't have expected anything less. Before he could do anything more than bring his hands to her sides, she snaked her arms around his neck and pushed her lips onto his. Pushed against the wall in surprise, she forced her tongue into his mouth, causing him to shudder as she grazed his sensitive fangs. His mark tasted bitter from alcohol.

It wasn't her kiss to take.

He had gently pushed her away, studying the drunk woman. She was...waiting for him to do something. So, he did. He pressed her against the wall next to them and brought his face close to hers, arms wrapped around her torso. Then the illusion of life slid away from his body, and the mark stood there, more stupefied than anything at the sight of the living dead smirking evilly at her. Cloud lowered his head and kissed her neck, feeling her jerking reaction to the sensation of his icy lips on the thin skin protecting her veins from his needy mouth. She was tense, gasping and trying to push him away as he purposefully grazed her skin at the nape of her neck with a talon. Pleas to release her tumbled out of her mouth.

He squeezed her body tightly against him and bit hard, silky and sweet blood pouring into his mouth. She cried out, but the party beyond the bathroom they were locked in was much too loud for anyone to hear her. When he was finished with her he left her corpse on the toilet before disappearing into the crowd. Cloud mentally cringed at how dramatic he could be sometimes.

He brushed his teeth and wrapped himself in that illusion that made him look like he was alive, made him feel warm to the touch of others. It was such a contrast, the light almond tan, the freckles dotting his cheeks, the way his eyes shone. The scars on his chest were hidden, but his canines still looked different than they had been when he was alive. Not so different anyone would actually notice unless they were ready to plunge into someone's neck.

Cloud went into his bedroom and rummaged around his drawers for something a little more colorful than black or white. He wanted to look more alive, and black wasn't going to cut it. He looked around and found a pair of blue jeans, that was something he wore a lot of back home. Now he needed a shirt. Not his black zip up vest, not just a plain white shirt...His hand rested on a plaid button up, white and blue and black. 'When did I buy this?'

He tilted his head as he stared at it, then took it and a white T-shirt. That should look normal. Cloud put on his outfit and took a look at himself in the bathroom mirror again. It looked like something a country boy would wear, he thought. Perfect.

As he went downstairs he bumped into Tifa, her hair still damp and the scent of her flowery shampoo flowing off of it and finding itself wafting into Cloud's nose. "Evening," he said with as little emotion as he could.

"E-evening..." Tifa looked him up and down, Cloud feeling a little self conscious as she studied him. Her eyes met his after a few moments. "We found out there's a festival tonight."

"Oh." He scratched the back of his head. "D'you wanna go?" It was risky traveling after last night, but he decided he would risk it for Tifa if she wanted to go. It wasn't like those hunters would attack in a place full of people.

She bit her lip. "If you think it would be alright..." Tifa's cheeks were tinged pink, her brow slightly creased.

Slowly, Cloud nodded. "Y-yeah, I can handle anything that happens anyway."

"Okay. Let me finish getting dressed, I'll meet you and the other two downstairs." Tifa gave a tentative smile, then walked passed him into her room. Cloud continued his way downstairs, Aerith and Rox standing near the door talking. They turned his way as he entered the living room, and he nodded in greeting.

Aerith waved. "Evening, Cloud. Did you enjoy sleeping next to Tifa?" she said with a mischievous smile. Rox rolled her eyes and groaned.

Cloud blushed and turned his head. "Rox was takin' up half of Tifa's bed, I didn't want her sleeping on the couch."

"Don't pin that on me!" Rox snapped. Cloud looked back and gave her a half smile before walking up to them both, Rox shrinking back a little as he advanced.

"Looking forward to gettin' out?" he asked.

Aerith nodded, Cloud glancing at her. "It's a good opportunity to enjoy Junon. I just wish Zack was here," she replied.

Cloud hummed back, then crossed his arms. "I wish he was here, too. I'll keep you three safe during the walk there and back. How far is it?"

"Oh, just three blocks away. You aren't worried about being attacked?" Aerith raised a brow, unsure.

He shook his head. "Attacking me in front of a crowd is just gonna get them in trouble with the law. They know what I am, but a cop is just gonna see a nutjob trying to stab a citizen." Cloud looked over at Squeak, but resisted asking what happened during the day. He said he wouldn't spy on them, but that glint in Squeak's eye said he heard something juicy. Cloud mouthed "No" before looking away, waiting for Tifa.

After a few minutes of waiting Tifa came down the stairs, her hair in a low ponytail and a red tank top covered most of her torso, Cloud's eyes lowering to her exposed belly. She wore jean shorts and a new pair of sandals that looked similar to the ones she had lost at the beach. He thought it was a cute outfit. "I'm ready!"

They were out the door, Rox holding onto both Aerith and Tifa while eyeing Cloud, the vampire trying to ignore the teen's stare. Finally he looked back at her before they reached the main street. "Everything okay, Rox?" She didn't reply, and he scoffed. "I'll be watching from the shadows, now. Just until we get to the festival."

"Watching from the shadows?" Aerith looked back at Cloud, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Tifa chuckled as they turned onto the street, the glow of the festival greeting them in the distance. "He did this every time I'd walk home from work. He's watching from somewhere we can't see, or maybe we can if we pay attention."

"Oh."

Rox looked about, shuddering. She pointed at something overhead. "He's above us."

Aerith looked up. "That's just a bat, Rox."

"Vampires can turn into bats n' other things." The teen replied, eyeing the bat.

"Really? That's kinda neat."

"Yeah, until they fall on top of you and-"

Tifa sighed harshly. "Rox."

They made it to the festival, Cloud mysteriously appearing behind them before they made it to the entrance. Aerith dragged Rox off, the teen giving a pleading stare to Tifa while Aerith gave a thumbs up. Cloud and Tifa blushed, feeling a little awkward. He looked down at her before offering his hand. "Let's go have fun."

She took his hand and nodded, her blush not letting up. They walked about the festival, looking over the various stalls. Tifa pointed at a dart game. "That looks fun."

The two stopped at the game, the man pointing at Cloud. "Step right up! Win a stuffed animal for your sweetheart!"

"Eh heh..." Tifa looked at Cloud with a sheepish grin.

Cloud's face was reddening as he fished some money out to play, and he was given five darts. A shoddy wooden wall covered in partially inflated balloons of various colors stood in front of him, and he tapped his fingers against the stall counter. He picked up a dart and paused, aiming for a promising balloon. He tossed it and the dart bounced off the rubbery surface.

Tifa was chewing her lip, attempting not to laugh. Cloud gave her a wayward glance before trying again. The balloon popped, and he let out a little grunt. "I got this."

"I bet you do," she teased.

Cloud finished the game three to five and was awarded a small stuffed bear that he stared at in disappointment. He was about to suggest a larger stuffed toy when Tifa took the little thing out of his hand. "It's cute, don't you think?" she asked.

"I guess so."

She handed it back to him. "If you work really hard tonight, maybe you can get a bunch to keep you warm in bed."

He chuckled and placed the stuffed animal in her hand, patting it before turning around. "I'd prefer you keep me warm..." he mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

The two traveled some more, competing in a few of the games there. Cloud had several small stuffed animals, and he stared at them like they were the most pathetic things he could ever give Tifa. He decided the next game he played he was going to get one of the really large stuffed animals, even if Tifa scolded him later.

As they walked about and into a less busy part of the festival Tifa heard Cloud snort, and she looked towards him. He was watching someone. "Who is it?"

"Domino." Cloud stared at Domino, the vampire hunter at a game stall ten feet away and glaring back. The vampire smirked as he looked down and next to Domino, a child of perhaps eleven looking up and talking to the vampire hunter with a smile. Cloud's eyes floated back to Domino's before looking away, his opponent thoroughly unnerved. He wouldn't ever go so far as to harm a child, but scaring Domino with the possibility was still on the menu.

"I hope you aren't planning on fighting him again," Tifa said in a wary yet withering voice.

Cloud looked at Tifa, a smirk still plastered to his face. "Not tonight."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, good. I was hoping I wouldn't have to drag you out of another skirmish."

He snorted. "I can take him one on one." Tifa couldn't help but smile at his casual bravado.

The two stopped at a funnel cake stall, ordering a cake then eating at a wooden picnic table. They shared the treat, pulling at a piece here and there as they looked about for the next place to visit. "I wonder if Aerith and Rox are having a good time."

Cloud pointed to another table, twenty feet away by a fried food stand. "You could always ask them." Tifa glanced over, and there was Aerith and Rox, watching them. Aerith was whispering something to Rox, who was cringing and limply holding her corn-dog.

"They seem...interested in us," Tifa replied.

"Yeah." Cloud felt uncomfortable, having an audience watching them. He picked at the last piece of funnel cake on his side of the paper plate. "Wanna go someplace quiet?" He pointed at the ferris wheel. "Maybe...that?" He swallowed as he looked back at Tifa.

She took a look at it then him, a nervous nod of her head accepting his invitation. She stood up and tossed the paper plate in the trash and joined Cloud to walk up to the ride, large and rickety. There weren't too many people in line, most wanting something more exciting than a farris wheel. They paid for their ride and sat down next to each other in their compartment, silence and tension filling the small space as they slowly went up before another person could board.

Tifa looked about and away from Cloud. "So..."

He looked back at her as he wrung his hands. "Hm?"

"You never told me what you wanted to say at the beach, you know." She looked back at him with a teasing smile.

Cloud looked down at his feet. "Oh. Right." He took a deep breath but held it in, trying to unscramble his brain. Their compartment raised up a little more.

Tifa's smile became a disappointed frown. "You...forgot?"

He looked back at her. "I'm trying to remember everything."

She nodded and licked her lips, nervous. "Oh. We've been friends so long, but here we are, too nervous to speak."

Cloud huffed a gentle laugh. "Yeah." His face became serious, his blue eyes studying her intently. "Tifa...I..." He swallowed hard. "When you told Aerith you'd follow me, is that what you really want to do?"

Tifa nodded, looking away again. "I know what that means, but I want to be there with you. Like always," she added suddenly.

"And I wanna be there for you, too." He inched closer to Tifa as the ferris wheel climbed up once again. Her body heat flared, just like her cheeks. He was pretty sure he was just as red at this point.

"Did you remember what you wanted to say?" Her voice was faint, but there was a little impatience held within.

" I...had a lot I wanted to say. But now...I can't get it out. Kinda makes you wanna laugh..." He flashed a nervous smile and forced a small chuckle. 'At this point I'm surprised she hasn't tried beating it out of me.'

Tifa closed her eyes and sighed. Her fists squeezed the fabric of her shorts, but she knew she had to say it. The air was heavy and not just from the humidity of summer. "Cloud..." Tifa opened her eyes again, her ruby gaze boring into Cloud. "Words aren't the only way to tell someone how you feel."

He stared at her for an indeterminate amount of time, the ferris wheel again lurching up for another load, then another. 'This is it. For better or for worse.' Cloud looked down at Tifa's hands, the digits clenched around her shorts. His eyes flickered to hers again, and if his heart could still beat it would have skipped as those ruby circles slowly grew more forlorn.

Tifa pursed her lips and her eyes looked down and away. "It's alright, Cloud. I-I don't know what I was thinking, saying such a thing..." She was willing her heart to not rip in two, thinking she had misinterpreted his actions and words. Tifa let out a soft chuckle as she wrapped a thread of her hair around a finger, brushing off the subject.

'Of course it wasn't that. Now he's going to be uncomfortable around me.' Again her eyes looked up at Cloud, and his gaze was more intense than the night he bit her. It wasn't an angry, irritated gaze, just pure intensity. She scooted away an inch. "Cloud?"

In one fluid motion he brought his hand up to her cheek before leaning in, closing his eyes, and kissing her quivering lips. They were warm and soft and he had wanted them for the past seven years to rub over his. He slowly moved his fingers into her hair, his thumb brushing her cheek gently. His other hand began to cradle her back, pulling her closer to him. Whether she accepted him or rejected him, he'd remember this moment until the day he was finally put down for good.

Tifa's eyes widened as she felt his lips on hers, taken aback by the suddenness of the action. She soon relaxed into it, tilting her head and parting her lips for him as her arms wrapped around Cloud's torso and shoulder. She let out a hum as he squeezed her gently, his tongue gliding beyond her lips and probing shyly.

After several minutes they parted, Tifa letting out a shaky breath and moving her hair out of her face. Cloud studied her for any signs of displeasure, but found none. "Are you sure this is what you want, Teef?"

She huffed at his question before scooting as close as she could to him and leaning her head on his shoulder. Cloud's arm cradled her. "For a very long time."

He let out a relieved chuckle as his other hand found hers and held it. "I guess I should have said something back in Nibelheim, then." If she accepted him like this, being an outsider in Nibelheim would have been nothing.

She squeezed his hand. "I should have, too. I didn't want you to leave. Then when you died, I blamed myself for not convincing you to stay."

"I had to go. I was a nobody in Nibelheim." He sighed and moved his now free hand towards her cheek, affectionately rubbing it. "I wanted to be worthy of you. Someone that you could see being with."

She glanced upward at his face, his eyes full of sadness. "Cloud, I always saw myself with you...No one else treated me like you did." Tifa snuggled into his plaid shirt, disappointed she couldn't hear a heartbeat. "If you were just a farmer or a jack of all trades, I would have been with you. Even if you spirited me away to Midgar to start a new life..."

Cloud snorted, then squeezed Tifa gently. "I can't give you everything I wanted to give..."

Tifa let out a weak laugh and she looked towards one of the small windows of the compartment. The ride was slowly circling now, and they were climbing to the top. "Just give everything you can, and I'll do the same. We'll take everything one day...night, at a time."

He kissed her cheek, his lips lingering on her skin. All Cloud wanted to do was stay in that ferris wheel and hold Tifa to him. She was warm and her skin was soft, and her hair smelled faintly of her shampoo. His eyes wandered down to the necklace she wore, and his hand plucked the silver ring up and off her chest. "Do you think this is a nice ring?"

Tifa looked back at him and then the ring, a wry smile on her face. "I'm wearing it, aren't I?" she said without missing a beat.

Cloud chuckled. "But it's not where it should be."

She looked at the ring he was still holding, then put her hands on the back of her neck to undo the knot holding the necklace in place. The leather drooped and she pulled, letting it slip away from the ring.

He took her right hand and gently pushed the wolf ring onto her ring finger. "I was worried it didn't fit," he mumbled.

"It didn't. But it does now." She fidgeted in her seat a little, looking at the ring and then him again. "I wore it on a necklace because it...reminded me of you. The responsibility I had."

He raised a brow. "I thought it was because you didn't want it to break when you fight?"

She shrugged. "That was secondary." She let out a little snort. "You didn't think I'd open up to a strange vampire in a dark basement, did you?"

Cloud smiled and hugged her close again. "Silly me."

They sat in silence as the ferris wheel continued on, and then when it was time to leave Cloud glanced at Tifa. "D'you want another round? It might be our last chance at some real privacy until those two settle down." He motioned towards Aerith and Rox, spying on them from nearby.

Tifa giggled. "I would like some more alone time."