bakerstreet | thursday pic prompt

['I should make some the next time your mom makes stew and bring them over so you can see if they go good with it or not.'

Cloud blinks, opening his mouth and closing it again, ducking his head and burying his chin in his scarf. Confused, and pleased and very much wondering when the other shoe will drop because why...

Why would this be happening now? At all? But nothing happens at all, just Tifa continuing, talking about even further into the future and Cloud... doesn't know what to think of it.

Frowning, some small, petty part wonders if it's because he happens to be here, now, or called her out but... this is Tifa and she's not--- He doesn't even know. He wants what she's talking about to be true.]

Um... Mom wouldn't mind. [Of course she wouldn't. She'd be delighted... Looking down at the ice, blue in the darkening afternoon, he makes a hard turn, shoots away from Tifa and then, inevitably trails back to their former parallel orbits, Cloud nods slowly.]

... probably. Old enough, I mean. It'll probably take a while before I can... [Well, he hopes not. He wants to succeed as soon as possible, of course.] ... can become SOLDIER. But I will.

But um... I... like that idea. [Flustered shyness has him hiding his face under his bangs and in his scarf again, and hopefully the darkening blue of the afternoon hides his blush.]

[Part of the reason is simply because he's there. She's used to having company and she's used to people coming to her instead of her having to go looking for anyone. She's the village sweetheart and its spoiled her. Not maliciously, but she's just never been presented with anything but attention. If Cloud wasn't a part of her inner group of childhood friends before she always just unconsciously assumed it was because he didn't want to be. If he never approached her before, she didn't think it was because they weren't friends. She thought it was because he didn't want to. And Tifa, even at her age, had a strong reluctance about actively trying to change the way someone was. If Cloud had wanted to spend time with her, he would have and if he wanted to spend time with her now he would.

That he is spending time with her, that he'd thought she was important enough to tell his dreams to before... she feels a certain amount of wonderful importance and pride. And a very warm, hug it to her chest in secret pleasure.

But it still never occurs to her that their relationship was anyway but the way he'd wanted it to be.

There's still no mistaking his flustered reaction though and for a second her eyes go wide in alarm, afraid she's said something wrong or assumed too much -

and then his chin ducks into his scarf and his cheeks go pink and her heart gives a funny little leap and then wobble in her chest. It makes her feel like laughing and grinning - and... it makes her feel strangely shy. So she simply spins to hide it all, quick little circles that keep her on the same general course they were taking and the cold helps her cheeks by the time she's done. She thinks something important just happened even if she doesn't completely understand why its important.]

Good! [Her enthusiasm is back and she skates, weaving around the trail he's leaving. And it means she doesn't have to look at him if she's busy with her feet and gives him some privacy to himself without leaving him. That feels important too.] Then it's a deal. Stew and cheese biscuits and cider as our celebration dinner when you come back! It'll give us something to look forward to while you're away and working hard. [Her chin, still round with her little girl's face, firms and her lips press together as she nods. Looking back at him.] I'll work hard too.

[At what she wasn't sure. Yet. But if he was going to put so much of himself into something so big and important... it didn't seem right if she didn't do the same thing too. She didn't want him to come back from the big city and think she was boring...

She flashed him a smile to push away the uncomfortable thought.]

You'll see! I'll be amazing when you get back. And then we'll both be amazing together. Nibelheim won't know what hit it!

[This is getting confusing, and a little like too much - the promise she'd asked of him had felt like validation and this... well, it sort of did too, but at the same time he didn't get it.

Why now? Why this?

But Cloud also didn't want to look at the questions too closely, or necessarily wanted an answer, instead nodded a little, looking up with a frown. Fought with the desire to leave because surely there was something at the other end of this that he wouldn't like, and just enjoy it for what it was, even if that seemed impossible.]

... what do you want to do?

[Something simple to focus on - and whatever it was, he was sure Tifa could do it.]

[She's very good at encouraging and it would never occur to her that planning a victory dinner was anything particularly large or overwhelming. Not for three people when all she has to bring is biscuits. It's nice to think about the future and the things you can do to celebrate at the end of every test. And, again, cooking is an easy way of her showing emotions without having to actually show them so a victory meal seems even better. Cloud trusting her with his dream... it had done something to her. Made her feel - older. More serious. More... responsible for something. She didn't understand it entirely but... she thought it was the kind of thing she needed to grow into, so she'd be strong enough, good enough, to keep his dream safe here while he was out fighting for it there. It meant more than she knew she understood but - she would figure it out. She'd be ready with the answer by the time he came back.

His question though had her eyes lifting - and then she tripped. It wasn't bad and she caught herself before she pitched too far forward, righting her balance entirely but it still broke her out of their pattern and had her stopping in the middle of the wind swept lake, there under the shadow of the mountain.

For a moment, she felt somewhere between afraid and lost.

But village sweethearts weren't allowed to be that way and she swallowed against the thickness in her throat and tossed her hair to distract from her face and shrugged.]

I don't know.

[It was supposed to sound casual and careless and as if it didn't matter at all and she tried, hard, to make her voice sound that way instead of brittle and a little lost. She didn't know... Everyone else had dreams. Off to the big city to make their fortune or, like the boy in front of her, off to the big city to do great things and become someone everyone would talk about. And her...? What did she want to do...? Not go to the big city. But... not be left behind and alone either. Cloud had his whole future planned out and it must sound silly, childish, that she didn't have anything at all to offer back. What did she want to do...?

Be loved... find someone to love... be surrounded by friends and family and keep them all happy and warm and whole... she wanted to - she wanted to never lose anyone ever again, never hear ghosts she couldn't keep up with just over the mountain, never be left behind, all alone and forgotten...

She waved a mitten. Rubbed it against her cheek. Flashed the brightest smile she knew. Didn't meet his eyes.]

Maybe I'll become Queen of the Mountain. Someone really should, right? And I'll have some time, before you get back. No one's every been queen of the mountain before, have they?

[Having been looking up at the darkening sky and the stars, Cloud still didn't miss Tifa tripping. He doesn't get there fast enough to help (but when did he ever?), but she doesn't fall, so that's... good.

And he had no idea what to do about that flicker of expression he could only just see in the twilight, opening his mouth and his hand hovering somewhere between almost outstretched and tight against his side. Then it was gone and Cloud settled back, sliding back over the ice a little bit.

Felt too close, because he didn't know what to do.]

Um... I don't... think so? [A pause, Cloud hesitating before he tilted his head.] Maybe you could become Nibelheim's protector. That's what a queen would do, wouldn't she..?

[Tifa wouldn't need a knight then, really, but if she'd want that still, he'd be there. Or try to, anyway...]

[She was used to people going along with her. Agreeing with what she says, following her lead. Believing her smiles and her positive words. Its easier for everyone to do that. Easier to follow the roles, play their part. Less confusing that way. She did her very best to play her part right. It was what everyone expected and it was what they wanted and it kept them happy.

So she wasn't at all surprised when Cloud agreed with her. Ignore problems. Don't talk about them. Sometimes they solved themselves that way.

What she hadn't expected was when he offered her something to help and her face lifted, eyes flickering up to him.

Queen of the mountain was silly of course. She'd said it because it was silly and if she was being silly no one would expect her to be serious and give a real answer. But Cloud...

her eyebrows came down and her lips pressed together. Protect Nibelheim...

That was probably silly too. What was there to protect Nibelheim from? A few wolves and sometimes late supply deliveries in the winter but really - Nibelheim was boring and it was boring because it was so safe. Except - Cloud said it seriously. Or - more seriously than her joke and it made her think.

She did want to keep the precious things safe. The things her heart loved - she wanted to protect them.

And Cloud... Cloud thought she could. She was just a little girl in a nowhere town but Cloud thought enough of her to think that - that didn't matter. That she was more than that.

The realization did something funny inside her chest. Something that hurt and felt swollen and felt - good too. Something that made her feel strong. Something that made her feel like more than she was.

He was, she realized, giving her another of his dreams, if she would take it. And this time it was a dream for her. Her mittens rose and tucked over her chest for a moment, over her heart. And she wasn't playing any role when she asked:]

You think I could? Really? You think I could do that?

... why not?

[He shrugged, ducking his head. He'd never really thought of it before, but why not? Tifa was bright and brilliant and sweet - he knew that much, had seen that much - so why shouldn't she be able to do this?

He knew what the SOLDIERs looked like when there were pictures in the paper... he knew what Sephiroth looked like, and he was nowhere near either of those two things. But he wanted... so he had to try.]

If you train... that's the important thing, isn't it?

[It was what he was hoping for himself, anyway.]

[It was like a little firework going off in her chest and the laugh followed because it felt too good to hide inside. She gave a quick spin on the ice. He was right. He was right! Why not? Why couldn't she be a protector too? Just because she wanted to be rescued didn't mean she couldn't rescue people right back.

Granted, the how of it was still very vague but that wasn't the point at the moment. The point was that Cloud had pointed her at yet another star to chase and she really liked that. She liked him. He was so good at finding stars to follow and -

and he didn't mind finding them for her too.

She skated over to catch his hand and give it a little tug, skating backward so she could face him.]

That's right! You're right! We can both train and become protectors. That's what the world needs more of anyway. You'll do your best and I'll do mine and we'll share our stories when you come back.

Ah--- [Startled when she grabbed his hand, Cloud stumbled, caught himself, and then skated forward, following her motion more because he didn't know what else to do, even as he ducked his head, feeling the blush burn his cheeks in the cold from her enthusiasm.]

Um... yeah. It's why... [A shrug, and the brief flare of warm pressure from when she'd grabbed his hand was gone now, but it sort of felt like it was lingering.] I want to do this.

[But she knew that already, since he'd told her. Since he'd asked her to meet him so he could tell her. That and because he wanted to be SOLDIER, wanted to be like Sephiroth.]

You'll be good, Tifa.

[He manages a small smile. Doesn't say anything about the fact that it's probably a good idea, regardless of if he's there to help whenever she needs it because... Well. What if something goes wrong?]

[She's full of energy again, the melancholy chased away by Cloud and she gives another little spin.

She doesn't see anything wrong with being a protector and needed someone to protect her at the same time. Or in wanting to save people and wanting to be saved herself. Life is like that, no one's every only one thing and even young Tifa already gets that. So Cloud will go off and become SOLDIER and she'll stay here and - find a way to become a protector too. And one day, hopefully not too far away, they'll find each other again and then -

and then she's willing to let whatever happens after that wait to figure out. What matters is that he'll come back. He won't forget her. And she'll be someone that was worth remembering by the time he comes back.

She has utter faith in him.]

You'll be good too, Cloud. You'll be great! We both will. All we have to do is get there. [She laughs, flashes him a wide smile and challenges:]

Race you to the end of the lake.

[And she's off like a shot before he even has a chance to agree. The future doesn't look so lonely anymore, or so empty. They'll chase the stars Cloud's found for both of them. And, one day, they'll even catch them.]

I hope so, yeah...

[He smiles at her, shyly, and hopes he can do this--- a thought broken off by the sudden challenge and Tifa immediately shooting away. Half a second Cloud's left blinking, then;]

Ah---!

[Frowning, he immediately takes off, for a moment not thinking about how much or little she might even mean anything at all she's said while they've been out here on the lake, the chances of him messing up, of failing...

It doesn't matter. Because Cloud Strife is nothing if not competitive enough to try and not just catch up, but win. A crush or not, he's not about to let Tifa win just because she's Tifa without trying to win himself.

So he sets off after her as quickly as he can, heedless of the uneven lake ice and only thinking about the goal. A pretty small goal, given, but that'll work for now.]

thursday pic prompt

Yeaaah. Clearly ShinRa don't care but I sure hope most were at least 16-18 or older...

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good place to wrap it up?

:D I think so, yes!