Stubborn

It becomes a ritual to him every nights like this. He comes home in the middle of the night, when all tenants in the house have already fallen asleep. Cloud carefully pulls Fenrir to a stop, without making as much noises as possible. He does not like the idea of having everyone in the house waking up because of him.

The weather is cold, with the wind breezing through his skin like needle, in addition that he declined the jacket offered to him this morning. After pushing through Fenrir to the garage, Cloud makes his way to the front door and his hand searches frantically through his pocket for the keys. The cold is almost unbearable and his hands are slowly turning numb.

Pushing the door open, the sudden feeling of heat radiated from the house makes him feel better. Cloud quickly closes the door behind him. As expected, the whole living room is only occupied by darkness with some hints of light from the moon. The room is engulfed by total silence.

'Curse my luck, huh?'

Cloud settles down his equipment over at a corner and throws himself to the couch. For him, being in his room is a bad idea. First, the stairs creaks. Second, he is too exhausted. Third, the living room is already warm enough for him and his bed may be even chiller than the couch.

Cloud's eyes slowly close as he tries his best to drift into sleep. But then, it is all interrupted when he hears the creak of the stairs. Someone is coming down, he guesses. And he is right.

"Cloud? Is that you?" The soft voice calls, trying to make confirmation due to the vision is obscured by the darkness.

On the other hand, Cloud easily sees the person from the stairs with his Mako enhanced eyes, "Yup, Teef."

Cloud remains unbudged even the sound of the footsteps getting nearer to his direction. He can feel the electricity when a smooth hand touched his shoulder; it is Tifa, no doubt.

"You shouldn't be sleeping here. You could catch a cold, you know?" Tifa said, concerned.

"It's fine, I'm used to sleep here anyway. Get some sleep yourself."Cloud retorts.

However, instead of the usual arguments, this time, Tifa hovers to the couch opposite to Cloud's. Cloud could hear a slight giggling in the darkness, "In that case, I should join you this time, stubborn-head."

Cloud finally stirs and faces her, indeed, she is lying right across him. Tifa twist and turn a bit to be more comfortable, meanwhile, Cloud simply stares at her actions. After Tifa gets herself comfortable, she looks straight to Cloud. The moment their eyes meet, Cloud immediately turn to the ceiling, avoiding the rather dazzling eye contact.

"It is so hard going back to your room?" Tifa starts the short argument.

"It's cold." Cloud counters.

"Oh." Tifa stops abruptly. She knew that the further argument is pointless. Cloud will never go to his room whatsoever.

"Don't mind me being here, okay?"

"Suit yourself." Cloud replies, coldly.

After a short while, Cloud dares himself to turn to Tifa and take a slight peek of her. Tifa is not facing him by the time he looks at her. Apparently, she is curling up like a ball on the couch. The warmth is enough for his Mako-cell, but not for Tifa fragile skin. Guilt washes over Cloud as he feels that he is the one forcing Tifa to be in this miserable state.

Finally decided, Cloud climbs over to Tifa's side and in response, Tifa slowly opens her ruby eyes to his.

"Get to your room." He commands.

"I'm just being as stubborn as you here, Cloud." Tifa playfully retorts. Cloud sighs in disapprovement, "Fine, what will it takes to get you to your room?"

Tifa levels herself up with her elbow, "Hmm…if you dislike your cold room so much… how about staying in myroom?" She is joking, she does. But, too bad Cloud is way too dense to count it as a joke. He scoops Tifa up and earns a surprise gasp from her, "What are you doing!"

"To your room, as you said." Cloud replies blankly.

Tifa intended to correct him. But in this situation, Tifa thought that it is not too horrible to take this as an advantage to her. During the time Cloud heading to Tifa's room, she keeps on debating with herself, whether she should remind Cloud about that 'joke'. Maybe not… she thought.

Cloud pushes the door slowly and let it close behind him. He sets the flushed pink Tifa on the bed, who is having a hard time reacting what to do next. Apparently, Cloud has decided earlier that he is going to camp at the floor. Getting herself together, Tifa looks over to the side of her bed, "You're gonna sleep there?"

"Something wrong?" Cloud looks dubiously at her.

"You should come here. The reason I coax you to sleep in a room is not having you catching a cold, silly." Tifa pats the empty space beside her.

"It's fine."

Tifa scoots closer to Cloud's side, "Don't force me to join you and be as stubborn as you." She warns.

Cloud stares at her momentarily, Tifa couldn't be stopped. Giving up, Cloud drags himself to the bed and he could hear the soft chuckles from Tifa.

"There. Satisfied?" Cloud asks the moment he settles himself, and he gets a "Mmm." in reply.

It is so bittersweet for Tifa, she knows that she will have a very hard time sleeping tonight, but at the same time, she has Cloud on her side. Although Cloud is facing away from her, but she could still feel his heat emanated underneath the sheets they now sharing. Both of them are very still, none showing any hints of movement.

"… Cloud?" Tifa whispers silently, with hopes of getting his attention, but at the same time, not waking him. Apparently, Cloud enhanced ears caught the whisper.

"Hmm?"

"I don't think I can sleep tonight."

Cloud stirs and faces her, "Why so?"

"It's… anxious, having you here." Tifa timidly admits.

"Would you like me to leave?" Cloud attempts to leave.

But beforehand, Tifa quickly grabs her arm lightly, "N-No! But, can I tell you something? Maybe… I could settle things between you and me…"

Cloud lies back down beside her, to which she releases her grip, "I'm all ears."

"Promise you won't laugh, or maybe run away?"

"Alright."

Tifa takes a very deep breath, a very very deep one. Her throat is finding a way to make proper words vibrate, her lips stutters, but all of them are inaudible to Cloud, even to Tifa herself.

"I… I don't know… How to put this…" She mutters.

"Can I say something myself first?" Cloud asks softly. Tifa nods in response.

"Back then, my mom used to say how stubborn I am, just like how you did. She used to ground me because I refuse to meet a little girl in Nibelheim she found rather suitable for me."

"So, if you listened to your mother, you would be married by now?" Tifa abruptly forgot her motive of gathering her nerves.

"Yes. But I was too stubborn of something that made her gave up eventually."

"Of what?"

Cloud pauses for a few seconds, "Well… I was too stubbornly in love with you."

Heat begins to flush both faces. An awkward silence follows suit. Then, Cloud slowly continues, "And I still do."

The silence continues from where he had left off, it is killing him. Did he just say something that makes Tifa changes her mind about him?

"Am I being stupid?" Cloud blurted. He gets no reply; instead, a warm hand reaches for his cheek and pulls his face slowly towards her direction. He knew where he would go and gladly obliged. He claims Tifa's lips with his and she eagerly returns.

Time seems to be so slow during that moment and the cold outside are easily forgotten. Has it been minutes? Or maybe hours? They care not and both keep on with each other's will. Yet, the lack of oxygen factor forces the couple to pull away reluctantly. Cloud and Tifa pant heavily for deep breaths.

"If…If you think that… loving someone since childhood… is stupid…" Tifa struggles in between breaths. She slowly reaches out for Cloud's hand and kisses it, "…Then I am one too."

Using another free arm, Cloud pulls Tifa closer to his side. Dragging the sheets to their shoulders, Cloud kisses Tifa's forehead in return, "I so love you."

Content, Tifa rests her head under Cloud's chin. Before sleep can claim them, Cloud asks one final question, "Say, what did you want to tell me earlier?"

"You have said it." Tifa replies simply, tireness is starting to take over.

"I know, say it again." Cloud nudges her playfully, warning that he disallow her to sleep unless she says so.

"You really are stubborn…"