"Not interested"

Because...churros!

Finally back with another chapter. You'll definitely like this one. I was supposed to post it a while back but my computer decided to commit PC seppuku. Either way I redid everything and I mean EVERYTHING. There is a certain scene here that I pushed myself to write, it's my first time trying to do something like this so I hope I was able to convey those feelings between to people. Anyway enough of this, let's start this chapter!

Cloud POV

He had faced many things before, hardships weren't anything new to him. He thought he would always be prepared for any situation, unfortunately this time he didn't know how to proceed.

What was the tactic to please your girlfriend if she was upset? How did you fix an upset mood? For all his experience, he lacked the experience for relationships.

He walked through sett's home and found her sitting on a stool in the kitchen. She was on the kitchen bar reading a book.

He sighed and decided to rip the band-aid off.

"Sera" he called out to her.

She put her book down and looked towards him. He thought she would have ignored him, yet she turned towards him.

"Yes?" She asked, her tone wasn't even cold or on edge.

"Are you ok?" He asked.

"Uh, yeah" she lifted an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because I said I wanted to enter the tournament" he watched as her eyes widened in recognition. "You also said you wanted to talk later"

"Oh...well I'm not mad or upset" she smiled softly. "Worried and anxious but not upset. It's like Akali said, we can't control you or force you to do anything"

She hopped off the stool and we went towards him, she hugged him and he returned it. He had grown accustomed to her touch, he didn't know when it happened, just that it did.

"I can handle myself" he tried to placate her fears.

"I know you can, but I still worry" she buried her head into his chest. "You might be strong, but the world is big and there is always someone who hits harder"

"Then I'll just have to make sure I don't get hit" he smirked.

"That's not the point" she rolled her eyes. "I know you aren't going to let anyone harm you, but I still worry because I love you"

Love was such a strong word. Did he love her back? He cared for her deeply and intimately, but was it as strong as her feelings for him?

He felt strongly for her, he was sure it was getting to the same point as how he felt for Aerith. He knew they were two different people, yet they were terrifyingly similar at the same time.

"I..." he couldn't say it back just yet. "I promise to come back in one piece" he held her tighter.

"Thank you, I could never get mad at you for something like this" she sighed.

"I also want to tell you something" she hummed as a response. "Ahri came to me and asked me to do something for her"

"Oh, that...good for her" she giggled.

Cloud separated himself from her and looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"You don't care?" He asked.

"I do but I also won't let someone I've grown to care about go through hell" she looked at him sadly. "Imagine going through an experience where it feels like someone uses your body and you can only just watch. Don't you think it'd be horrifying?"