A/N: Agh, I just couldn't resist making this chapter a little cheesy and adding a dash of lemon... Not graphic in any way, just there. :D Hope you like! Please review!

Ch. 7 --- Speaking Without Words

It was a hell of a kiss. It blindsided me, shocked me, left me trembling, breathless, eyes wide and heart thumping irregularly before I began to respond and kiss him back. It was as if someone had taken a fire to my insides; I melted against Cloud's chest, kissing him back with all of the fervor I had so desperately wanted to for so long.

I was deeply enjoying myself, but soon, he let me go, stumbling backward himself – creating space. I knew that whatever had just happened, we either had to talk about it, or he would turn tail and run. I was waiting for the latter, still out of breath, and was stunned again when he spoke, also gasping for much-needed air.

"Tifa... I, uh... that was... just for... being there, for me, you know..." He kept his gorgeous Mako blue eyes on me, but I could tell he was embarrassed from the slight blush creeping into his face. I almost giggled at his hasty, uncomfortable words and obvious discomfort explaining to me whatever had just taken place.

Finally, he was mumbling incoherently, and I only caught words: "think that", "happiness", "without you", "dead"... "love". I wasn't sure what he was saying, but that was enough for me. I teared up instantly.

"Oh, Cloud," I sighed, giving a smile, which he returned, his momentary mumbling ceased. "You big dummy, come here."

And he did, his smile and his eyes saying more than words ever could, for him. He wasn't all that great at speaking; we both knew that, and were used to it... but maybe that was 'cause we could speak without words.

We kissed again, and again, over and over, until the heat within us both threatened to kill us if we didn't do something about it. The bar, which would have usually and should have been open by now, had been forgotten, and I hastily made my decision as Cloud's kiss grew more passionate. The bar could wait another night.

I didn't know exactly why, and still don't, but I think that maybe Cloud and I needed to make sure that it was real, that what we were feeling was valid, that the truth really was that neither of us was going anywhere and we would always have each other. We didn't stop to think about what it meant for us or for the children, because we both knew that it could only be good. We didn't hesitate, and there were no whispered promises or declarations of love, because that wasn't what we needed. We needed each other, we needed to feel it, be shown it, believe it, but words weren't necessary. So we delighted in the simplicity of what we had: each other's flesh, scorching and slick; limbs tangled, strong arms above me and heat enveloping me; a union that stole our breath and sent us soaring, the raw, pure pleasure of having the other... so close... and that was enough for us.

Lying together in the silvery light of the moon, making us appear as if we were wrought of silver, not flesh, I half-expected him to bail, to fear what he'd done and leave me cold and alone in my own bed... but he didn't. And I couldn't remember a time in my life I had ever loved someone so much. I wanted to say it, because even if that was what scared him, the words, there was no going back now. Silly thing is, he beat me to it.

"You have no idea how much I love you," he told me simply, his hand stroking my hair back from my forehead, his eyes never leaving mine.

I swallowed the furious lump that rose to my throat, refusing to cry, even if they were tears of joy. "I love you, Cloud," I managed to choke out, flashing him a brilliant smile. It was odd to think that this, sex, had brought about the words, but I knew it was the truth, because Cloud had stopped lying to me long ago.

"I think I always knew that," he said quietly, his voice a mere rumble in the silence of the house. "I just needed to figure out why; that's why I was gone so much... and now, it doesn't matter."

"Doesn't matter?" I asked, worried for one instant that he was going to tell me he was leaving, fearing for a moment that he was going to tell me that this was it, and it was done, that this had meant nothing. But he had told me he loved me... and the instant passed, and I knew it was as irrational a fear as I had ever had about anything. He wasn't going anywhere.

"No," he agreed. "Because I'm not leaving anymore. Not ever."

I didn't mean to, but I cried those happy tears anyway. That meant more to me, coming from Cloud, than anything ever had. For the first time, I didn't fear him leaving, in body or mind, even for a second, because I truly believed he wasn't. Whatever came next for us, I knew that it could only be wonderful.

He may have been a big dummy, but he was my big dummy... and most importantly, he was going to be there.