The shadow's of the Gelnika's interior obscured all from view, leaving them with nothing but the sound of their voices.
"So…" trailed a woman's voice softly, her voice almost bashful.
"So…" came a man's tone, his voice lower and sharper yet somehow awkward.
"It's been a while since we were alone like this," drawled Tifa, the slowness of her words a mismatch for the way her heart now thundered.
"Yeah," replied Cloud, his normal reticence amplified by his current predicament.
Both silently thanked the darkness for hiding the flush of their features.
"If we'd only seen that… thing a bit earlier," lamented Tifa with a sigh so emphasized to hide the part of her that came to expect something out of this situation with her companion.
"Don't beat yourself up." Cloud shrugged and cleared his throat, his mouth dry and thoughts drifting.
The "thing" in question happened to be one of Hojo's experiments trapped in the Gelnika with them. The pair had found it in the hangar, stealthily clinging to the ceiling. They'd feigned unawareness to lure it out and succeeded. Their senses, honed by battle, had led them to do so.
Tifa had launched herself at it with a kick, sending it veering from its hiding place into a single well-placed cut from Cloud. Unfortunately, it had tried to fight back, its flailing form blasting lightning even as the swordsman bisected it. A single bolt had sent the Gelnika lurching, sealing the bulkhead that led into the hangar. And while their friends sought to free them by cutting through the metal of the bulkhead, they waited in darkness.
"Still, nice work taking out though. Never seen you move so fast," offered Tifa, brushing stray locks behind her ear. She inched closer to him then. She knew he was there, the sense of him all too familiar to her. The lone crate they shared as a seat shrunk.
"You did good too. I saw that kick. You been getting better lately?" A nervous smirk graced his countenance then, unseen in the darkness but present all the same. Her closeness had placed it there. And so Cloud leaned closer to her as well, knowing she was there. The senses of a super soldier and the training of an infantryman had made keenly aware of his surroundings. The feeling of another was familiar to him. And this time, he welcomed it with a gentle brush of his hand against hers in the dark.
It was nothing. His pinky linked with hers. Yet he held back, breath hitching. What to say?
Like always, she helped him forward.
"I think I remember the last time we were alone like this."
And like always, he responded in earnest, taking the lead in doing so.
"Was it the water tower?"
The blonde knew she nodded, hearing the gentle brush of her dark locks as she did. He didn't have to see.
"You asked me to come out. Told me you had something I had to hear."
She didn't have to see him either. Her hand had pulled away from his. Now she brushed against the firm, sleek muscle of his arm and felt him stiffen.
"Yeah. I didn't think you'd come."
Tifa smirked, the gesture colored by tenderness and something else. Something she fought against. Her hand continued its trail up his arm, her fight mostly victorious as she gave him a response. "I wanted to," admitted the fighter.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
A deep breath, one taken by both, filled the air. A gauntleted hand crossed from dark cloth to skin. Delicate yet deft fingers smoothed down unruly spikes. Another breath. A shifting of weight into his lap.
"Something you wanna say?" came a voice belonging to a man, deeper than the one she remembered from the boy next door.
"No," whispered the voice of a woman, the urging in her voice stronger than the girl who'd made a promise atop a water tower. "But there is something I want to do."
Her digits danced. Jawline. Neck. Shoulders.
His hands wandered. Hips. Back. Chin.
Then an explosion. And a light in the dark.
"Well, howdy you two!" howled Cid, his voice tired yet chuckling. "Took me an' Yuffie a bit to get the power workin' again. We take too long?"
"Nope. We just waited," fibbed Tifa, the flush of her face revealing her lie.
"Yeah. We waited," added Cloud, piling on another untruth. "No problem."
"All righty then." Cid just nodded, gesturing for them to follow. They trailed behind him as he hefted his spear onto his shoulder "Best we get goin'. Place's creepin' me out. By the way, you two, you sure y'all are gonna be okay watchin' the Highwind? After that speech o'yers, Strife, we all got somewhere to go. You two ain't goin' nowhere?"
"Yes." Their voices were as one.
Cid shrugged then. "Well, thanks, I guess. Now let's get goin'."
As the pilot turned, he failed to notice the smile Tifa gave Cloud. Bashful. Tender. Yet clouded by something else.
Cloud returned the gesture. Yet his eyes wandered, following the curtain of her swaying tresses until they rested upon her sashaying hips.
The swordsman swallowed. Tonight, they would be alone on the Highwind.
Who knew what would happen between them then?
Been a while. Glad to be back. This one was saucy. Don't forget to say something in the comments if you feel so inclined.