So, this is it. The end. First up it's Tifa. Since she started things off, she can start the end too.
Cloud's pov of this scene is chapter 'Hesitate' in 'Buried in Snow'.
Disclaimer: SquareEnix owns the recognisable bits.
Tifa.
Expectation: the act or state of looking forward or anticipating.
She knew he wasn't listening.
She could tell by the way he was staring so intently at her.
It should have been disconcerting but she welcomed it.
Still, she wasn't so keen on wasting her breath.
"… Hello? Cloud? Have you been listening to me?" He didn't move. If she'd been more paranoid, she would've gone and found a mirror. She leant forward a little, placing her hands on the counter between them.
"Cloud? Stop spacing out! I swear, you're getting worse…" Finally she got a response, only… a suddenly determined look wasn't quite what she'd been waiting for...
"Tifa…" She held her breath, uncertain what he was going to say. "….I love you."
She could have laughed. All this time and he thought she didn't know. She grinned instead.
"… took you're time saying it didn't you." Perhaps she ought to explain to him the exact depth of their connection whilst she had been in limbo…
He moved so suddenly, she was completely unprepared. He stood from the kitchen stool, placed both hands on the counter over hers and pressed his lips to hers.
Well, she certainly hadn't been expecting that.