Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Diamond Heart ❯ Healing of a Heart ( Chapter 1 )

“Tell me what you cherish most. Give me the pleasure of taking it away.”

 

Cloud shot straight up, fighting for breath.

 

“A-Argh!” he gasped, his hand flying to his right shoulder.

 

“Cloud! Are you alright?”

 

Warm hands came to his shoulders, a comforting presence somewhere behind him.

 

“Cloud?”

 

“Ehn…” he groaned, his fingers now biting into the skin of his shoulder, “I can still feel his blade…”

 

He felt the bed bounce softly as the presence sat down behind him. A hand covered his, rubbing it softly.

 

“He's gone now. There's nothing you need to worry about…”

 

He reached up and took the hand in his, his thumb rubbing soft circles into it.

 

“Tifa…”

 

“I'm here.”

 

“I know.” he looked over his shoulder at her, and as their eyes met, he noted the worry that shone in them. He smiled reassuringly, “You always are.”

 

She smiled coyly back at him, batting those lovely eyelashes of hers. “Would you rather I wasn't?”

 

“What? No, no, of course not! I need you here…” his sentence drifted off as he looked to the window, his eyes following the jagged skyline before alighting on the shinning moon. “It's just…these dreams…they won't leave me alone…”

 

Her hands slipped down his shoulders and began to run up and down his arms, from shoulder to elbow and back again. His muscles tightened at the contact, but began to loosen again as she continued, massaging his skin until his hand dropped back to his side and his entire body couldn't help but relax.

 

“It's alright…that's all they are: dreams. He's not coming back. You made sure of that.”

 

“Even so…” his hand involuntarily went to his shoulder again.

 

Catching the movement, Tifa laid her chin on his shoulder, preventing him from touching the spot.

 

“Relax…” she whispered, her movements on his arms slowing, her fingers working harder into his skin.

 

“I am relaxed.” he was able to groan out.

 

She giggled, and lightly touched her nose to the skin beneath his ear, allowing her breath to play across his skin. “Hmm…I'm not so sure. You still seem too up tight…”

 

By now it was too much. He wheeled on her, rolling onto his side. He put his hands on either side of her head and moved closer to her, pressing her further back onto the bed. She paused when she was propped up on her elbows. His nose dragged lightly across hers, his eyes darting quickly from hers to her lips and back again.

 

“You want me to prove it?” he asked, a half-smile slightly curling his lips.

 

“I won't believe you if you don't.” she answered, her lips shaping to match his smile. Her right arm lifted from beneath her, and curled around the back of his neck as he drew closer. His eyes slid slowly closed as their noses pressed against each other.

 

The only thought that could penetrate the heat of his mind was this: Damn her lips taste good.

 

What had begun as a light touch to her lips soon escalated to something much more fiery. Her arm tightened around his neck, pulling him closer. His hand moved to the side of her face, his thumb caressing her skin and suddenly, he couldn't get enough of her. His lips moving furiously across hers, he felt her fingers snare in his hair. He came up for air for hardly half a second before setting back atop of her. Her elbows gave way and she collapsed fully onto the bed. He moved his free hand to her neck, working his way slowly to her shoulder. With his hands no longer supporting him, he lay across her. Their bodies tensed momentarily as they pressed against each other, and then hey were going again. The fingers of her left hand danced across his muscled chest, as if intent on exploring every contour of muscle as his lips worked against hers, and slowly began to pull them apart—

 

“Cloud?”

 

Startled, he tore away from Tifa, rolling over quickly to the door. Denzel stood silhouetted in the doorway.

 

“Cloud? Is that you?” came the voice of the boy in the hallway.

 

“Er, yeah.” his voice was croaky, and he cleared it quickly. “Yeah, it's me.”

 

“Oh, okay…I thought it was.” a pause, “Where's Tifa?”

 

He felt a soft giggle shake the bed.

 

“She's uh…she's right here.” he said, a hand on her arm to stop her from sitting up or making any noise. “What'dyou need, Den?”

 

“I can't get to sleep…I was wondering if you could come with me to get a glass of water?”

 

Cloud's eyes searched the face of the woman beside him. Couldn't a glass of water wait?

 

She smiled and glanced at the boy, her chin jerking discreetly towards him. A clear sign for `go on'.

 

He turned closer to her on his side, pressing his lips lightly to her forehead, moving lightly down to her eyebrow and across her eyelid as they fluttered closed.

 

“Cloud?” Denzel called again.

 

“Go.” Tifa whispered, a hand on his chest gently prying him away from her.

 

“Yeah, I'm coming.” he said, and eased himself off the bed, his feet landing silently on the cool floor. “C'mon,” he said, and offered his hand to the boy. He glanced at Tifa as he turned into the hallway and caught her wink. “Let's go find some water.”

 

“” “” “” “” “” “” “” “”

 

Two glasses of water and a bathroom break later, Denzel was once again tucked away in bed. As Cloud returned to the room, he paused in the doorway. It had hardly been ten minutes and already Tifa was rolled on her side, a hand beneath the pillow, the other draped across her stomach, and her sides moving as she breathed deeply.

 

In other words, asleep.

 

He allowed himself a quiet chuckle as he moved to the bed. Sliding onto the mattress, he tucked himself close to her, his arm wrapping around her waist as he pulled her up against him. He pressed his lips against the back of her head, taking a moment to breathe in the scent of her hair. Then, his lips next to her ear, he whispered the three words he thought he would never say again.

 

“I love you.”

 

Tifa's breath escaped in a sort of sigh.

 

“I love you, too.” was her whispered response.