Prompt: #45 Hollow

Summary: He's not so empty anymore.

Hollow

Sitting on the rooftop of Seventh Heaven and staring up at the starry night sky, he remembers a time long ago. A time that seems like ages in the past. A time of innocence and of big dreams with the eagerness to grow up. A nightly scene of brilliant stars is not so much a regular occurrence here. Actually, not possible at all. Within the city, they were always robbed them of the full glory of the stars and he missed the jewel toned nights of his youth. Those nights that he would stare as he does now and dream. The nice kinds of dreams. The kinds that he had looked forward to instead of dreading as he does now. It's not like it used to be. It'll never be with the same eager, naivety that he had, had back then. He wonders whether he would ever get that enthusiasm back.

The daily bustle of the busy city gave way to only dark skies and the hollow sounds of electric silence. His sensitive hearing is used to putting it in the background now but its presence always reminds him that it's never truly silent here. Not like his hometown. Not like how it was when he was growing up. Those silent nights had really been that and he missed being able to walk out of his house and get lost in the forest of trees.

"Can I join you?" Tifa's soft, soothing voice asks from the window of their bedroom.

"Of course," he replies, motioning to the space beside him.

When she settles beside him, he wraps an arm around her and pulls her close against his side. His lips graze the line of her hair before laying a gentle kiss on her forehead. "All set for tomorrow?"

"Sure am," she answers, leaning her head against his chest. "Barret is already snoring so he should be up with the kids in the morning."

He tightens his arm around her a moment, needing the comfort of her presence.

"What were you thinking about just now?"

"Home," he replies, looking back up at the shadowy night sky.

"I miss seeing all the stars back home," she admits with a sigh. "They never shine as brightly here."

"That's what I was missing too."

"And meeting at the water tower," she recalls fondly.

"And meeting at the water tower," he agrees with a soft smile.

"Are you ready for this?" she asks hesitantly. Her wine colored eyes look worried as they look up at him.

"Are you?" he asks instead.

"I think it's something that we both have to do."

"I agree," he says. "I think maybe that small part of us that's been hollow all these years can be mended this time around."

"Face those demons without the threat of the planet and all the craziness to just... remember the good stuff."

"Exactly," he replies in approval. "We had more good memories than bad."

"I did, but what about you?" she asks.

"I need to do this as much as you," he says. "Out of respect as well. To really let that go."

He feels her nod in response.

"I'm proud of you," she states. "I've always been proud of you."

His throat clogs on the multitude of emotions that course through him at her statement.

"I was proud of your bravery when we were kids and I'm proud of the man you have become."

Had this been before, he would have fought her on this. That he wasn't something she should be proud of. That he wasn't worthy of her. He would have said a lot of other things too and listed all of his flaws. Only now, he doesn't say any of that at all. Because he knows she'll let him have it if he starts another argument like that again and … because he believes her when she says this. Though he doesn't see why she would be, he's ever grateful that she does feel this way.

"Thank you," he whispers into her hair. "Thank you, Tifa."

"My hero, Cloud," she says softly and smiles up at him to receive his kiss.

A light kiss that shows just how much he adores her and loves her and thanks her for everything that she is.

"Without you, I would be completely hollow," he tells her with all sincerity.

She responds with another of her heart warming smiles and gives him another kiss to show him just how much he means to her too.