The world is quiet, but Tifa's heart is alive.

The first rays of morning sunlight sneak through the edges of their tent, casting everything in a gentle, golden glow. Tifa stirs beneath their old and ragged blanket, her body still cocooned in warmth from sleep. Instinctively, her hand reaches for Cloud's side, but finds only the faint warmth he left behind. She smiles, her eyes still heavy with dreams, already knowing where he's gone.

Outside, the familiar crackle of a fire and the soft clinking of metal meet her ears—Cloud, ever so quietly, tending to their morning coffee. The comforting scent drifts toward her, pulling her from her dreams and into a wakefulness that feels just as sweet. This gentle morning routine feels like the most precious thing she's ever had, a rhythm they've fallen into together, something sacred and unspoken.

For days now, they've been waking up like this—figuring out their new life among the rubble, inching closer to something fragile and beautiful. The space between them hums with a quiet, growing intimacy. Every day, Cloud's presence feels a little softer, a little warmer, and Tifa feels it deep inside. It's a slow, deliberate opening of his heart, a closeness that has grown greater and shines brighter since that moment in the Lifestream.

It's something she's longed for. Something she never dared hope for after everything they've been through. But now, these mornings, often following nights where they share bold but quiet intimacies, prove to her that it is real, finally within her grasp. Being with him like this is real, and she realizes that he isn't going away from her again.

She slips out of the blankets and steps outside, the cool morning air biting at her skin. Yet it's nothing compared to the warmth that spreads through her at the sight of Cloud crouched by the fire. His face is calm, bathed in the soft light of dawn, his movements relaxed and unhurried as he pours the coffee into chipped metal cups. For a moment, she stands there, watching him.

Her breath catches in her throat. The tenderness she feels when she looks at him is overwhelming, a warmth that spreads through her whole body and leaves her dizzy and distracted, like a schoolgirl gazing upon her first crush.

But maybe that's just it, she thinks. He's always been her first crush. Her first love. Her first…

…Everything.

When his eyes finally lift to meet hers, the quiet intensity in his gaze steals the air from her lungs. He's always been guarded, but in these last few days, there's something different in his eyes—a softness she's dreamed of but never thought she'd see. It grows with every moment they share, and she floats along it like a river of molten velvet, her heart fluttering at the hinted smile he shares with her.

"Morning," he murmurs, his voice still rough from sleep, and it sends a warm flutter through her chest.

"Morning," she replies, a smile tugging at her lips as she walks over to him. She sits beside him, their knees brushing, and even that small touch is enough to make her pulse quicken. The heat of his leg against hers, so simple yet so charged, fills her with a quiet, trembling joy.

Cloud pours her a cup, and when their fingers brush as he hands it to her, a spark ignites between them. His touch lingers, just for a second, but long enough for her heart to race wildly. From the way his fingers hesitate and the way his gaze flickers toward her, she knows he feels it too.

They drink their coffee in silence, the fire crackling between them, but Tifa's mind is racing. She leans just a little closer, letting her leg press more firmly against his, feeling the steady warmth of his body seep into hers.

"You okay?" Cloud's voice is soft, pulling her from her thoughts. He must have noticed the way her breath hitched, the way she's been looking at him.

Her face flushes, and she quickly looks down at her coffee, biting her lip to hide the smile that's threatening to burst forth. "Yeah, all good," she says, a little too quickly. But how could she not be? Every time they spend time together like this, she feels like she's standing on the edge of something wonderful, something she's been waiting for her whole life.

Cloud's gaze lingers on her, his eyes soft in a way that makes her heart flutter. She doesn't need to look up to know he's watching her with that tenderness that makes her blood rush and her eyes well up with happy tears.

Later, after they've washed up by the river, the morning fully settled around them, Tifa feels a spark of excitement bubbling in her chest. The day feels full of possibility, full of hope—because he's here, and he's letting her in.

"I've been thinking," she starts, her voice hesitant but brimming with hope. Cloud looks at her, curious, his eyes as soft as the morning light. "Maybe we could make this place feel more like home? It's just a tent, but we could... I don't know, build something more permanent. What do you think?"

Cloud glances toward the distant ruins of Midgar, then back at her, and when he nods, her heart skips a beat. "Yeah… let's give it a try. At least until we get around to building that bar, huh?"

The grin that spreads across her face is unstoppable. She feels light, giddy, like a thousand possibilities are suddenly opening up before her. And the way Cloud's lips curl into the softest of smiles—so rare, so precious—makes her heart soar.

They spend the day scavenging the nearby ruins on the edge of Midgar, finding wood, metal, and scraps of fabric to reinforce their tent, now their makeshift home. As they work, every touch and every glance exchanged over the debris feels like a secret promise of a future she hasn't dared to dream of before now.

They're building something together. Not just a shelter, but a life.

By the time the tent is reinforced, the added structures giving it a little more permanency, Tifa steps back, admiring their work. It's nothing fancy, but it feels more like home. Cloud stands beside her, his hand brushing against her shoulder, and she turns to him, her breath catching at the softness in his gaze.

"Not bad," he says, his voice low and a little bit smug. It makes her giggle.

"Yeah," she whispers, her heart full. "Thank you, Cloud."

After dinner, they sit by the fire, cocooned in a pile of blankets, and Tifa leans against Cloud's side, her head resting on his shoulder. His arm wraps around her, pulling her close. The fire crackles softly, the stars blink into view, and the warmth of his body next to hers fills her with quiet peace.

"We're finally building something real," Cloud murmurs, kissing the top of her head, his voice full of quiet meaning.

Tifa smiles, closing her eyes, letting his words and the shivers from his kiss wash over her. "We are," she whispers, her voice soft and full of joy. And she knows— he's not just talking about the shelter.

He's talking aboutthem.

His arm tightens around her, his fingers brushing gently against her skin, and Tifa feels her heart swell, happiness blooming in her chest. She turns and leans further into his embrace, knowing that this is only the beginning.

Cloud's touch is electric, sending shivers down Tifa's spine as he trails his fingers along her skin, leaving blazes of heat in their wake. The air between them crackles with anticipation, desire swirling in the small space that separates their bodies. Tifa leans into his touch, her every nerve on fire with need.

As Cloud's lips capture hers in a searing kiss, Tifa feels herself melting into him. His kiss is both gentle and demanding, sending her heart racing. When Cloud's hands slip under her shirt, lifting it over her head, Tifa gasps at the sudden rush of cool night air against her skin. She feels exposed, vulnerable, and yet strangely empowered by his gaze as it traces the scar left by Sephiroth's blade. In that moment, all the pain and darkness of her past fades away, replaced by the desire that burns brightly in her veins.

He shifts slightly, laying her beneath him and pulling the blankets around them to offer them some modesty. Not like it's the first time they've made love outdoors, Tifa laughs inwardly, but she finds his thoughtfulness sweet. His touch is reverent as he kisses her scar, and Tifa's hand reaches up to cup his cheek, her thumb brushing against his lips before tangling in his hair. Cloud's eyes meet hers as he slowly trails kisses down her neck, igniting a fire wherever his lips touch.

Tifa arches into his touch, a soft moan escaping her as he lazily sucks on her breasts and teases her nipples with his tongue. Pleasure courses through her veins like wildfire, each sensation sending waves of desire crashing over her. Cloud's hands roam, sliding between her thighs and over the curve of her ass, his touch both gentle and possessive, stoking the flames of need deep within her core.

They carefully work their way out of the rest of their clothes, careful to keep the blanket sheltered around them. Cloud's arousal is evident against her, pressing insistently and making her pulse race with desire. Gently, he slides his hand between her thighs again, caressing her clit into a stiff, pulsing nub, sliding one finger inside to feel her walls tremble and tighten. She gasps into his neck, unable to contain the moan that threatens to escape.

As she moves her hand down his toned chest and stomach, feeling every muscle twitch in response, she takes hold of him, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from Cloud. With slow, deliberate strokes, she brings him closer to the edge while he continues to tease her slick and sensitive skin with skilled fingers. She whimpers and grinds against him, causing Cloud to respond with a low and guttural groan.

Cloud's grip on her waist tightens as he responds to her movements, his own desire rising to match hers. Their bodies press together, the heat between them almost visible in the cool night air. The sound of their ragged breathing fills the silence, a testament to the raw emotion and need that binds them together.

His eyes lock with hers, filled with a hunger that matches her own. She sees the desire burning in his depths—the need to possess her completely, to give her the two things she's always craved: safety and passion. And in that instant, she knows that he is hers just as much as she is his.

In this moment, she realizes that Cloud is not just her partner—he is her home, her sanctuary, her safe haven.

As Tifa's arousal climbs closer to its peak, she feels herself on the brink of ecstasy, every nerve ending singing with desire. She arches into Cloud's touch, her breath coming in short gasps as he teases and tantalizes her to the point of no return.

Just as Tifa feels herself about to fall over the edge, Cloud takes his hand away and slides his length inside her, the sudden and powerful connection sending shivers of pleasure coursing through both of them. His movements are slow and deliberate, each thrust stealing a gasp from Tifa's throat and sending blinding white into her vision. Tifa can't help but throw her hips against his, desperate to deepen the connection and desperate to reach her peak, feeling the rush as their bodies move in perfect sync until the world outside dissolves leaving only them and the binding of their souls.

Her climax comes like a tidal wave, crashing over her, her entire being focused on the man above her, crushing her with his love. He follows suit when he feels her walls tighten and clench, spilling hotly into her with whispered swears against her cheek, his body trembling and layered in sweat.

Cloud's hand strokes her back in soothing circles. She can hear the rhythm of his heartbeat, steady and strong, matching her own. It lulls her to sleep, warmth and safety a place she now has residency in when it was once a place she could never find.

"Wanna lay down in our upgraded tent?" he asks lightly, his voice floating on the pleasure of his release.

She smiles into his shoulder. Opening her eyes, the stars wink at her with their twinkle, and she tightens her arms around him.

"Let's just stay here for now," she murmurs, riding her bliss into sleep.

Tifa feels his lips on her skin again, soft yet firm in their possession. These moments are theirs to treasure, simple and imperfect. But they are theirs.

And tomorrow, they'll wake up and do it all over again, building their lives together over the scent of their morning coffee.

Together.