Prompt: #15
Summary: Let it in and then let it out.
Breath
A swift inhale. A soft exhale. A deep draw. A drafty withdraw. It was a great indicator to how effected a person was by whatever was going on. Not right now though. Right now? She can say she isn't doing either. She's just not breathing all together. Just like the time Cloud said those three little words that made all the difference, she's in a state of… gaping. Yeah, gaping would be the proper word. Followed by a heat in her cheeks that ended on a huge blush, especially from the way he was currently looking at her. Not the usual look that Cloud gets when he's studying someone. It was something a lot more and he studies her, a lot. She knew he did because she was always watching at him too. How could she not? But most of the time, she couldn't rightly tell what Cloud was thinking when he was watching her. She can't say she can tell now, but the that look on his face makes her insides get all mushy and yes, unable to breath.
It was late. Last call had come and gone. Patrons had left. The bar was empty. This meant her usual late night clean up and after the busy night that she had, had there was a lot to clean up. She was hot and she was sticky from all the running around, along with the natural humidity of so many bodies occupying a confined space. Not even the open window was enough. It had just been that kind of packed tonight. Clean up went from massive glass and mug lifting to minor table rub downs and now it was the last step. She was tired. Her back ached. Her feet hurt and the thoughts of a bath were making her nostalgic right about now. She just wasn't sure how a bath was possible because she was going to fall dead asleep as soon as she settled in that warm water. Just the thought had her eyes lids getting heavier.
Cloud, not one to be idle when there was so much to do, had been helping her. He was in the middle of the last step, lifting the chairs onto the table tops, when he stopped to stare at her as she stretched out her back a little.
"I think I'm going to save the moping for tomorrow morning," she announced, working a kink in her back before smoothing a few strands of her long hair away from her sweaty forehead.
"You should," he agreed. "Or I could do it for you."
"No, no," she replied. "I'll do it. I just need to do it tomorrow." She looked up at him to see his intent stare and smiled. "Do I really look that bad?"
It was sort of a joke. Sort of because she really didn't feel that attractive at the moment. A day's worth of filth and sweat on her from tending the bar and almost dead on her feet besides.
Cloud just shook his head at this, blonde spikes swaying with the movement, before he finished lifting up the last chair and making his way to her. He stopped when they were about an inch apart and ran a gentle hand through her hair. His thumb making a lingering sweep of her cheek.
"You always take my breath away," he confessed.
And that, was when he took hers away.