Chapter 1 - The Many Elements to Romance

Cloud Strife paced back and forth in his room, thoughts of Sephiroth flashed back and forth through his mind. Tomorrow they headed out to the Temple of the ancients and Cloud had a suspicious feeling that they wouldn’t be the only ones there, something forbidding clouded his thoughts when he considered the journey. Aeris would definitely want to come obviously and they might need her there anyway.

His thoughts trailed as he continued to pace back and forth. His fragmented past seemed to haunt his mind and he constantly seemed to be looking over the same memories and trying to put them all in place, for some reason it seemed more difficult than the laughing response you would expect when asked to complete such a task.

After a while the simple task seemed to be taking a toll on Cloud mentally and he sat down on the corner of the nearest bed, trying to forget the whole thing. Sleep was the obvious option but Cloud didn’t feel the slightest bit tired and knew when he was like this Sleep always evaded his grasp.

There was an simple knock at his door, the sound seemed to echo in Clouds ears before he made a move. He was almost glad for an interruption from his thoughts. He also dreaded the idea of Aeris or Tifa running around after him bothering him to the point of spontaneous-combustion.

After a few more seconds thought on the matter he decided to take action and got up and slowly opened the door, quickly looking to see who his visitor was.

“Hi Cloud” Yuffie said in an unusual toned down voice

“Yuffie” Cloud seemed to state, he started at her in surprise and then re- located his voice once again.

“Come in” Cloud said moving out of the way

“Thanks” Yuffie said as she walked by him and into the room.

Cloud stared at her as she walked by she was wearing her normal clothes expect she had took her shoulder guard off and just wore her green top and white shorts. But there seemed to be something different about her he couldn’t quite pin-point. It was if she had matured years within the space of a few hours she seemed to have a difference in aura or feel of presence.

Yuffie sat down on the edge of the closest bed to the door and looked around briefly, a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

“What you up to” Yuffie asked, seemingly a little more enigmatic

“Just thinking about tomorrow, why are you here anyway?” Cloud replied, curious of Yuffie’s presence.

“I can’t sleep, plus I’m bored” Yuffie answered sounding slightly bratty but Cloud let it slide.

Cloud just stared at her expecting more, an answer to why she came to his room. Apparently he would get an answer, just not the one he expected.

“Let’s go” Yuffie said trying to sound cheerful. She managed to make it sound natural while her heart was hammering against her rib-cage and she could have sworn that she was flinching with every beat.

“What do you mean ‘let’s go’” Cloud said shortly

“Let’s get out of this room” Yuffie said, demonstrating walking to the door

“I’m not going anywhere, I’m gonna get some sleep”

“If you were tired you would be in bed by now” Yuffie pointed out

“Come on, when was the last time you enjoyed yourself” She continued not letting him get a word in, trying to do that teasing voice that Aeris had perfected.

“Chasing you around to get our materia back” Cloud pointed out

“Ok I know, but come on you can’t sleep anyway” Yuffie sighed. Being this mature was a hard thing to keep up when having a conversation with Cloud.

Cloud mulled over the idea for a few seconds. Maybe it was a good idea he was sick of going over memories and he couldn’t sleep anyway. . .

While he considered this Yuffie stood a few paces in front of him pulling her most pleading face while trying to look him in the eye, after what felt like a year or two to Yuffie, Cloud seemed to stir.

“Alright then” Cloud agreed.

Yuffie imagined that if by some miracle he did agree then it would be as grudgingly as possible but a smile made the briefest of appearances on his face as he walked to the door which he held open allowing Yuffie to walk through first. Yuffie walked through the door with her heart running at a speed which would easily over- taken her if not for her rib-cage which was taking a bashing its self not unlike her nerves. She had to close her eyes for a moment or two to absorb what had just happen and keep a cool exterior about it.

They walked down the stairs of the hotel and both seemed slightly uncomfortable with this new arrangement. As they were about to walk out the front door of the hotel Cloud stopped and looked at his partner and shook his head. He then held out his arm and Yuffie hooked her arm around his and they then continued to walk out of the hotel. Yuffie was confused, but it was welcome as the same, Cloud appeared normal, he wasn’t sure why he offered his arm, but it was better than walking along next to each other unsure of what to do. When they reached the grave tubes to the other areas of the golden saucer both stopped and Yuffie found herself grinning, she almost tripped over but Cloud caught her just in time and simply put her back in balance and then took a step backwards with a cocky smile on his face and fell down a random tube behind him.

Yuffie stood there for a few seconds staring at the nothingness strait ahead. This wasn’t the Cloud she knew, although she liked this personality a lot more the former one. She smiled lightly then jumped down the tube to follow Cloud.

Tifa Lockheart simply stared strait ahead, for a while she had been simply amazed, now she was mocking every expression.

“So that’s how I see it” Cid Highwind said taking another cigarette out of the pack and sparking up his trusty lighter.

Tifa was sat up on one bed nearest the window while Cid was leaning against the opposite wall. Cid had just completed his essay on why Tifa shouldn’t wait around on Cloud.

It seems that Cid had noticed that Tifa was not her usual self lately. True Tifa had been feeling depressed lately and it did feel at times like the world was crumbling around her, but there were a few things wrong with this situation.

First of all. Why would Cid of all people comes to try and talk out her ‘emotions’, it wasn’t she didn’t appreciate it at all, but she had been hoping someone else would take notice of her change of mood. . . he never gave her a second glance.

“Well I guess you need some time alone, eh?” Cid said as he headed for the door

“Well if you need to talk. . .” He left the option open and he slid past the door quietly.

Tifa nodded, trying to put on a hopeful face as she watched him close the door quietly behind him.

Cid headed back down towards his room. What a fool I just fucking looked like he thought, but I had nothing else left to bet with!!! Damn fucking Barret, he was incredibly lucky for someone who claim to have never played poker before. Cid continued to mumble as he slammed his door behind.

A sly tear ran down Tifa cheek as she sat huddled up on the bed, hugging her knees, the tears ran down to her chin and hung on a few seconds before falling and touching her skin Reminding Tifa that her body could feel. Why didn’t he care was he that blind or was there something blocking his view. . . Aeris, most likely with an edge of scorn she would have liked to ignore.

Tifa didn’t dislike the celtra in anyway, she was a good person and friend but she just. . . hated her for taking Cloud away. Tifa tried to bite back more tears but failed miserably and they seemed to rapidly roll down her face, forcing Tifa to express her emotions whether she wanted to or not. As sharp knock came at her door, Tifa tried to compose herself at least a little and managed to but didn’t feel very stable.

“Come in” she called

Silently the door opened and Vincent slowly walked in as if not to alarm anyone.

“I thought I heard you crying. . . I heard Cid was here” At the mention of Cid the barest flicker of a smile appeared on Vincent but it lasted as long as Tifa’s cover, she burst out into tears within the blink of an eye and she buried her face in her hands.

She felt so embarrassed crying was bad enough but in front of one of the group and Vincent too. . . Facing the world again didn’t seem like much of an option.

Vincent hesitated this was situation he hadn’t counted on. He had heard crying he had expected to find Cid bumbling through a sentence that had somehow offended Tifa, but it seemed that was not the case.

Vincent started to take a step forward trying to make a descion. Tifa seemed to be one of those that never cried, able to keep those emotions far away. But Vincent knew that was never the case not with anyone.

Vincent walked forward to the bed and took his cape off and sat down on the edge trying to give Tifa her space, he offered his cape in a very awkward way but she accepted it barely looking up to Vincent. She wrapped herself in it as best she could, covering her face and soaking it with tears. Vincent sat down on the floor leaning against the bed. As if to guard it from invisible foes.

“Cloud. . .” He started

“I don’t want to hear about fucking Cloud” She shouted at him, another wave of tears staining her face. She went back under the cape which seemed to be a temporary refuge from the world of prying questions.

“This is about him, isn’t it” Vincent continued.

There was no reply. . .

“Tifa?”

“Yes” She barely managed

“This is about Cloud” He said again. She winced at his name.

“Yes. . .” She replied slowly, tears to accompany the words.

Vincent rose slowly and sat down on the bed closer to a sobbing Tifa, while making sure to give her space. Slowly he laid a slight shaky hand down on her tear racked form. She seemed to cease all movement at his touch.

Silently Tifa moved the cape to reveal a pair of blurry eyes, in a slow motion she sat up and looked Vincent in the eyes.

“It hurts to rejected, more when your unsure of where you stand” Vincent said in a whisper.

She nodded in reply, trying to avoid his piercing crimson eyes, which seemed to be scanning her face for something. She didn’t really consider the next few seconds before they happened. She rose to her knees and embraced Vincent In a smooth motion. Vincent felt clueless for a second before reacting and returning the embrace. She buried her face in his shoulder while tears flowed freely and he whispered sweet comfort in her ear.