bakerstreet | thursday pic prompt

[He nods. She might have changed, but she still is who she is. He can't fault her for making that choice. Nobody is free from scars, after all.]

But you gained as much as you lost. I mean, I saw you piledrive a dragon. That's one hell of a talent. And you learned how to ride chocobos. And hey, you can snowboard too.

[She can always count on Cloud to encourage her and his words have her smile coming back and spreading into a grin that lights up her eyes. She is pretty proud of how far her training has come -

and its also nice to hear he's been impressed with it too.]

I wouldn't be a Nibelheim girl if I couldn't snowboard. [Her smile dimples her cheeks and she reaches over to tap the tip of his nose.] But you're the one with the magic touch when it comes to chocobos.

[He is really impressed. She's changed so much from when they were children, become so strong. Not that she was ever really weak, but rather she's come so far.

He laughs a bit when she touches his nose, liking those little gestures of affection.]

Man, I sure didn't see that coming. Never expected bird husbandry was my real talent.

[It makes her giggle and - its really nice. It's been a long time since she's felt this free to relax and laugh and - and just not have the weight of the world weighing her shoulders down. Long before Meteor that's for sure. She lays her hand over his and gives it a little squeeze.]

Well, you had to herd our group around often enough. I'm not surprised you're good at it with giant birds too! [Her smile softens.] Besides, you're gentle and you take good care of them. They know they can trust you.

[He clasps Tifa's hand, squeezing it affectionately in response to her. Her laugh and her smile are enough to give him butterflies, reminding him just how much he had fallen for her recently. Man, so much for the aloof ex-Soldier act.]

Maybe I'll become a rancher and sell my chocobo manure all over the world.

[So much for the aloof ex-SOLDIER act.

She's not sorry to see it go.

And when his hand closes warm around hers, she feels the pleasure of it run all the way up her elbow and settle in her chest. Sometimes she's still surprised she gets this with him. This easy affection and deep devotion that tugs at her heart and makes her feel giddy and secure at the same time. Suddenly it doesn't matter what they're talking about as she smiles back at him.]

We could do that. You've already got great stock. [Another little laugh.] You could probably make a better profit off that than their manure.

[He's surprised too at how sappy and fluttery he feels with her, but he's coming to accept maybe that's just who he is. Dealing with feelings isn't easy, sometimes, but he's resolved himself to try to be honest to himself.]

You saying you want to go into business with me?

[He can practice being as sappy and fluttery with her as he likes. It's a mutual feeling and one she's still surprised and delighted to find she's able to share. It gives her hope. For both of them... and for both of them together.

And then his question has her eyes going a little bigger and jumping up to find his. There's still so much they're still working out, figuring out, about their future. Now that the world's not ending, suddenly they have a future.

She might have a future with him...

Her fingers wind a little closer with his and, quiet, she says:]

If you want a partner. All you have to do is ask.

[For once he's able to pick up a cue, and read the deeper implications into the word partner. The future seems vast and unconstrained. He wants her to be in it. He smiles brightly, slight dimples forming on his cheeks.]

I'd always be willing to have you as a partner.

[He couldn't have given her a better answer if he'd had years to plan it. The words - and the way he smiles when he says them. She feels her whole heart light up in her chest and there's no stopping the brilliant return smile she gives him.

Hes always handsome but when he smiles like that - ]

Than I'm yours. All the way.

I know.

[Well, isn't this a convenient time for the food to come? He looks up surprised, then to her, but doesn't let go of her hand. He looks almost apologetic that this moment was interrupted.]

Oh! The food's here.

[Maybe the 'I know' should bother her, he's so sure of her heart. Except it's the very opposite and his assurance sends relief and happiness through her. There's been so much confusion, so much doubt and second guessing about so much that they've gone through. That he doesn't doubt her - or her love -

that's a wonderful thing. He doesn't doubt their place together. It has her heart swelling in her chest with happiness and her smile spreading and then -

the food comes.

And she honestly doesn't know whether to laugh or sigh.

He doesn't let go of her hand. She feels the little laughter slip out and her fingers squeeze his.]

Than we should probably eat. I know someone said they wouldn't have hot chocolate by the fire until after dinner.

[Tifa has been a pillar of stability in his life all this time. He can't claim to know her mind, but he knows enough to trust in her.]

Yeah, the hot chocolate is really important.

[He's undeniably hungry, but he also doesn't want to let go of her hand, or interrupt the conversation. But he also knows that they'll still be there after dinner.]

[It does funny, wonderful things to her heart, the way he seems so reluctant to let go of her hand. Of course it will still be there for him after dinner. She'll still be there for him after dinner. But - that he doesn't even want to let go long enough for that...

They've both lost so much. Maybe its all right if they need to hang on to each other a little longer and a little more tightly than most.

But it will still let his dinner get cold and as hungry as she is, she knows he's even more so. So she gives his hand a tight squeeze, a silent promise, before she slips her fingers from his and reaches for her meal.]

We can take the cocoa to our room after dinner. We'll just have to make sure we bring enough of it. Right?

[Cloud enjoys those little gestures of affection. It sends a little thrill through him to openly acknowledge his love for her.

He blushes at the mention of them going into the room, and the implication that they will be spending a lot of time there; whether that was intended or not, he can't help it. Nevertheless, he nods and starts on his food.]

Ah, r-right.

[She misses the implications

but not entirely the thought behind them.

Yes, there's a fireplace in the main room of the inn and they could easily settle there but - there's a fireplace in their room too and that feels... that feels more intimate and private and

and she's just not ready to share Cloud and her time with him with the rest of the world until she has to. If they're in their room, she gets him all to herself. She likes that idea. Much beyond what that means, she hasn't considered. Yet.

Instead she pulls her meal over and starts in one it, pausing after the first bite to appreciate the taste of it before continuing. As hungry as they both are, she doesn't think it will take them long. A day on the slops builds an appetite.]

Better than trail meals. I never want to see another vacuum-sealed meal ever again.

[Displays of affection are certainly nice, but by and large he prefers privacy for anything more intimate than hand holding. And he certainly does want that private time with her, whatever that entails. Of course they could be romantic anywhere, but there's something special about this place and time.

He doesn't discard his manners, but he eats pretty quickly. The food is good, and he ought to savor it more, but he's really hungry. He's also finding it difficult to focus on the food, when his attention is centered on her, her words and her gestures and everything.]

I never knew chicken could be that tough to chew.

[Maybe some other time they can linger over a meal but its hard to want to right now when she's got the promise of hot cocoa, a fireplace of their own and Cloud. She's certainly too well brought up to be a sloppy eater - but she's also learned from her time, not just on the trail but living in the slums. You could eat very quickly and still be polite about it. She does pause enough to duck down a little and giggle at his words though, smile coming for him.]

We probably would have finished some of our fights faster if we'd just thrown some of those trail meals at the monsters. Anything that didn't kill them on impact, would have killed them when they'd tried to eat it. I still can't believe that Yuffie liked some of that stuff.

[He laughs at those memories, covering his mouth as he almost chokes on a bit of food. Not even Nanaki would eat that stuff, though maybe it was prejudiced of Cloud to assume he'd anything to begin with.]

Those rations would have stopped Sephiroth, no problem.

thursday pic prompt

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

sorry for being so slow ;;

you keep coming back, that's what really matters

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject