Revive

Alive

A cloudy figure hovered above Cloud's vision. When it started clearing he saw long black hair wavering along the frame of a pale face. Cloud reached out his hand and the woman took hold of it.

"Eva..."

Cloud squeezed her hand and he finally saw Tifa's face covered in scratches and dust. She held her phone in her left hand while she caressed his hand with her right.

"He's waking up now," she whispered into the receiver. "Okay, we're at the Church so I'll see you soon," Tifa hung up and held Cloud's hand with both of hers.

Cloud could see her shoulders shaking and carefully moved his wrist to her eyes and wiped her tears. He was in so much pain and moving his arm made his entire body pound.

"Cloud, you idiot," she cried.

Cloud sighed and forced himself upwards. Tifa tried pushing him back down but he grabbed her hands and gently held her. Her face was wet and dirty and her eyes wobbled as he stared directly into them. He grabbed the back of her head and pushed his lips against hers.

He was gently pecking her still lips before indulging her entire mouth with his tongue. She opened her mouth for him and grabbed the front of his shirt to steady herself. They playfully licked each other's mouth and sneaked in a breath before pressing on. Cloud could feel her smile on his skin and he pushed on her stronger. Tifa pulled away and stroked Cloud's chin, but his eyes filled with tears and flowed down.

Cloud quietly sobbed to himself and Tifa pulled his head in and hugged it within her chest. She patted the back of his neck while she let warm, wet tears fall onto her shirt. When he sat up, he turned away and wiped his eyes and nose. Tifa waited patiently for him to calm down but she grabbed his arm all the same.

"I'm sorry, Tifa," he said. "I put you in danger and all because I was weak,"

"Cloud, forget about that. I just want to know why Chase did that to you,"

Cloud slowly turned around and looked into her eyes which were glossy. "He wanted to kill me. He wanted me dead, like my parents are,"

"Your parents?" When Cloud nodded, Tifa gasped in realisation. "You got your memories back,"

Cloud smiled and realised how stupid he was for not telling her sooner. He lied back down and Tifa lied next to him on her side and Cloud revealed his entire traumatic story to Tifa. Surprisingly, she didn't stop him with questions or show any facial expressions of any sort. She listened to him with a blank face and waited until he was done.

"I guess Shinra was just a trap for me to die. Rufus's sick plan of me getting a dose of twisted karma or something," Cloud sighed. "They poisoned me and Shinra would've never been created if I had just died in the fire,"

Tifa grabbed and squeezed his arm so painfully that Cloud cried out. When Cloud glanced at her, her face was serious.

"No, Cloud. You're wrong," Tifa said. "Shinra was your father's idea. Even if you were to die, the creation of it wouldn't have been prevented."

Cloud considered her thoughts and sighed, staring at the stain glass ceiling. Tifa followed him and closed her eyes in thought.

"It is weird, though," she whispered. "Did your father really want to create a power source that disturbed the resting place of the dead?"

"To be honest, I don't want to know. Whatever my father's intentions were, they've burned down with him."

"But doesn't that bother you?" Tifa twisted around, widening her deep brown eyes in shock. "Wouldn't you feel satisfied knowing the truth behind Shinra? "

Cloud tensed up. "I don't need to feel satisfied. Things have already happened and I can't go back to the past and see what would've happened if my family wasn't dead,"

"So, you would rather live knowing that you could have been living a different, better life?" Tifa frowned. "You're fine with this?"

"There's nothing I can do about it, anymore!" Cloud jerked up as he shouted and he groaned in pain. Tifa held him close to her as he coughed violently. When he stopped, he sighed deeply and avoided looking in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I look awful,"

Tifa grabbed his face with both hands and looked at each scratch, sore and bruise on his face. She traced her thumb admirably over each cut as if her touch would heal him. Cloud loved it when Tifa touched him; it felt light and calming, like the way she talks.

Tifa tilted his neck so he would stare at her. This time he didn't pull away. Tifa observed his eyes, his pale blue iris and his pupil like an endless abyss. Cloud's long blonde lashes framed his eyes perfectly and made his eye colour glow, but Tifa noticed something different. His eyes didn't quiver or seem distracted, but they were strong and steady. It was like Tifa was staring at another person.

Cloud was worried when Tifa pulled off him. He went to ask what the problem was, when she suddenly burst out laughing. Cloud frowned in confusion at her reaction, but Tifa started wiping away her tears and shaking her head.

"Can I know what's so funny?" Cloud growled.

Tifa giggled. "Oh, you're amazing, Cloud." Cloud frowned deeper, but she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his forehead. "You're more alive than what I've ever seen you. This closure that you have accepted has given you strength, but I wish I was with you every step of the way,"

Cloud noticed Tifa's eyes soften in sympathy and he smiled. "Tifa, you're the reason why I'm alive," he whispered, while leaning in. "You revived me."

Cloud took Tifa's lips into another indulging, silky kiss. When they pulled away, silence layed thick between them as they wrapped each other in their arms and stared at the blinking, coloured windows of a church where flowers are destined to bloom.