Prompt: #32 Discover

Summary: There was always something new to learn.

Discover

One would think that since they had known each other since they'd been kids and have been living together for years, they know all there was to know about the other. Which was absolutely the furthest thing from the truth. Yes, he knew her the best. Yes, he knew her habits better than anyone else. Yes, he knew things like her favorite color, food, drink, outfit... all those things that were important but not all there was to her. He knew that she only played the piano when she thought no one was around to listen and she even sang. Her voice a deep, smoky one that reminded you of a cigar lounge with a nice, fragrant scotch in your hand. He can't understand why she won't perform during peak nights here at the bar. She played and sang better than anyone he knew and it would bring in more revenue for her. He also knew that when she washed the various glasses, she always washed the martini glasses first. Then, the wine glasses and then the shot glasses and the last were always the beer mugs. He even knows how she folds the laundry and the order in which she folds them.

He's always watched Tifa and when not watching her, was always aware of her, every time she was near. So, you could say that he's seen a lot. He's noticed a lot. But even watching her as closely as he does, there is always something else he can learn about her. Discovering those things was another of his favorite things to do. Like earlier, a glass had dropped from her soapy fingers and had shattered onto the floor. As it had dropped, she had let out an alarmed cry. When she had bent down and ended up cutting her finger on one of the shards, she had let out an entirely different cry. This observation would, he is sure, would prove useful in the future. So, were something similar to happen again, he would already know whether she was injured or merely surprised. It would make all the difference how he would react to any future accidents that were sure to arise.

It does surprise him, that watching Tifa as much as he does, he can still learn something else about her. She grew more fascinating and fantastic the more he learned. Finding those new facets of her personality only makes him love her all the more. Even when she's scolding him and being intimidating in that way that only she can, she's a sight to see. She still terrifies him though. Sometimes she doesn't even need to scold. All she has to do is let out one of those soft little disappointed sighs and he's wishing he could kick himself for disappointing her in the first place. She's the scariest, most beautiful woman he has ever known... and yet, he still hasn't gotten the guts to tell her what he should have told her years ago.

"That's a new one," her husky voice says quietly from just above him.

"What's new?" he asks just as softly. She is leaning over him and he can feel the heat from her body.

"That look on your face just now," she answers seriously.

"What did it look like?"

"Kinda clueless. Kinda sad. I don't like it."

"Want a grin instead?" he asks, exposing his teeth to shoot her a cheeky grin.

She laughs in that purely feminine way of hers and his chest blooms at being responsible for bringing it out.

"Numbers that bad?" she asks, tilting her head towards the ledger that he should be studying but he has been neglecting in favor of studying her instead.

"How can they be bad when they come here to stare at you?"

"Cloud...," she says exasperated.

"I do too."

"But I like it when you do," she smiles, before bending down to whisper in his ear. "I have a surprise for dessert. One of your favorites."

"I love your surprises," he says offering her a real grin this time.

The smile she gifts him with is his smile. It was one of his most precious discoveries and he knows for as long as he lives, he'll always be eager to discover more.