Prompt: #25 Heaven

Summary: What it must feel like.

Heaven

"Are you ready?"

This, for some reason, causes a giggle to escape her before she can reply.

"Yes, I'm ready," she answers, turning to look at him. The eagerness is clear in her eyes. "I'm so excited! I have never thought we would be doing something like this."
He answers her enthusiasm with a smirk before he looks up as if he's making double sure that the attendants have everything right.

"Are you ready?" she teases with another giggle.

"Definitely," he answers, gifting her with one of his rare smiles.

He's indulging her in this as he has been doing for these last few months. It just keeps getting better and better and this had been another total surprise. Something Cloud has been become very good at, surprising her. Not in a bad way but in the most pleasant of ways. She's actually afraid of becoming too spoiled now because he's been so wonderful.

After the most awesome morning, where they had welcomed the dawn by swimming out towards it in the night cooled ocean water, she had been giddy with excitement. They'd spent about an hour in the water, alternately swimming and floating and generally fooling around. It had been one of the best moments of her life. Even though she had been in one of her prettier nighties when she had decided to take an impromptu swim and it was completely ruined in the salty water, it had been worth it. Especially afterwards, when they were getting out and Cloud had both a look of appreciation and none appreciation because he did not want anyone else to see all that one could see of her that way. Which only made her giggle more when he swung her into his arms and carried her bridal style back inside the villa. Where it took them a long while to come back out again once they made it back inside.

Since she had not felt like cooking, they had decided to walk to the nearby wharf to get some breakfast in one of the charming local eateries. With a full breakfast in their stomaches, they walked back hand in hand at a lazy pace just soaking up the scenery and each other. There was no set agenda for them and there was nothing they had to rush towards either. Like it had been all of the first week, they were lazy and their days were filled with the other and she thought that was one of the best ways to spend her time. She was enjoying all the sunbathing and swimming and the sheer satisfaction of watching Cloud all day long and then going to sleep beside him every night. She's never been on a real vacation before and even though there had always been brief moments of wistful yearning, she had never set her heart on ever going on one. Especially not one like this. She wasn't even sure what one usually did while on vacation, but Cloud had them covered there. His unusual initiative surprised her too, in a good way.

They had just returned from breakfast when he had advised her to wear shorts and a tee over her bikini and to make sure to wear secured sandals before meeting him back outside. She had been wearing flip flops all week so I was strange to actually have secure shoes on again, which made her wonder if they were going on some sort of beach hike. When she asked him if she needed to pack them any water and snacks, he just looked at her like she was the most adorable thing. He merely shook his head, kissed the bridge of her nose and told her that all he needed was her. Which left her flustered and happy while she got dressed to his specifications without anymore questions and met him outside. Then they both hopped onto Fenrir and were off. Even if that had been the extent of their plan, that would have been enough for her. A beautiful scenic drive while holding onto Cloud's strong body was one of her favorite things. But that wasn't all he had in mind and the drive was relatively short. She found them pulling into a smaller dock with a boat waiting for them. Then she let out a cry of excited joy when she figured out just what Cloud had in store for them.

True, she has been on a boat before. She's also ridden an airship plenty of times and soared through the skies. But she has never done both at the same time and instead of being nervous, she found she could not wait to get going. She would never have planned to do such a thing before but presented with the chance? She thought it was one of the coolest things that Cloud could have thought of for her. They spent a few moments learning what to do and what not to do and then they were both strapped into their respective harnesses. Now they were just waiting for the last minute preparations done by the crew and soon they would be off.

"How did you ever get the idea to paraglide?" she asks him excitedly.

"I've seen a few people do it and someone once described it as flying through heaven," he answers, smiling back at her. "I thought you'd enjoy the experience."

"This is such a cool idea!" she cries over the sound of the boat's engine starting.

They both watch as the boat begins to race ahead of them before they both look at each other in eager expectation. She can't hold back the startled laugh that escapes her when the rope tightens at the same time the man holding their chute lets go and they're lifted into the air. Then she laughs again at the sensation of rising up with the rushing winds and her insides feel like they're made of jelly. The feeling is unlike any she has ever felt. She grabs Cloud's hand and gives it a good squeeze before she turns to share a smile with him. The wind rushes through them and she can feel the cool air flow through every part of her body. Her dangling feet are weightless beneath her and when she moves them back and forth she has to fight against the friction and she loves that feeling too. It feels like such a rush!

That doesn't even mention the view before her. There is the vast reaches of the blue waters with yellow sands weaving endlessly beside it. She can see the inland boundaries with its misty mountains beyond. There are the other speed boats below and other vacationers scattered along the beaches. She turns just in time to see two seagulls fly upwards and away from them and all she can do is gap in amazement at all that she sees and all that she feels. It's like floating above the world on a cloud. It's like how it would feel to be completely free. It really did feel like flying through heaven and she already wanted to do it again. Again with Cloud just to continue this feeling of utterly weightless liberty.

It felt like they had just started before they were slowly being lowered back to the ground and it was all over. She feels exhilarated and revived and as soon as they're loose from their harnesses she leaps onto Cloud and plants a loud smacking kiss on his lips in gratitude. He responds by swinging her around in his arms before lowering her back to her feet to press his forehead against hers.

"Thank you," she breathes into his still open lips and keeps her arms locked around his neck. "Thank you for showing me what heaven is like."

"You're welcome," he breathes back. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"That was so awesome!" she cries, giving a little jump.

He gives her a look to show pleased he is that he's done something right before kisses her lightly and takes her hand in his.

"If you enjoyed that so much, we can try to come back before our trip is done."

"Really?"

He makes a small sound of agreement. "Come on," he urges, pulling lightly on her hand and leads her towards an activities shack just ahead of them. "Let's see what else you might want to try."

As she follows along with him, still feeling the exhilaration and rush of their experience in the air combined with the feeling that she's right where she's supposed to be and with who she's supposed to be with, she thinks that maybe this is all a little bit of heaven too.