His eyes glistened. A slight smile reprieved the annoyance from his brow, and his arms found their way around her in return, if only to quench the subtle awkwardness he had worn so well in the past. An eye closed. "Tamara," he said, dropping a duffel bag to the ground. "I... well. It's-"

His buster sword CLANKED against the top of the doorway as he entered. Cloud blinked, showing a look of annoyance at his own bulkiness. Usually he was more careful about these things... "... Damn it," he cursed under his breath. So much for a surprise.

His hair fluttered over her hands. His eyes closed. Sword cluttering to the ground. His gloved hand reached for hers. A soft grunt, and then a breath. "Told you... it's nothin'."

"Don't. Just..." he strained, placing his hand on hers. It was weak. Not nearly strong enough to even make a fist. "... Stay."

"Don't... worry," he found himself uttering, cuts and gashes, bruised skin coming to light. He grunted, seething as he used his sword to prop himself up. "Just- a scratch..." Cloud collapsed.

Cloud flared his nostrils, eyes closed, blush on his face. "I-I'm not even anything like that." Opening his eyes, suddenly all serious. The wind shifted. "I'm way more badass." ... Looking away, somber clarity. "And... I wouldn't be anywhere without you, so. Thanks."

Tea. Right. Damnit. He should have remembered. He was too busy going over the plans of Cid's new airship, like he could understand them. Cloud was in the other room, mulling it over. He had already delivered his package in Rocket Town. May as well have paid Highwind a visit. Suddenly, he heard -

Staring at Aerith in utter disbelief. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes with a heavy sigh. "... Alright. But you're payin' for it." Eyes widening as he realized, waving a hand out. "And /no/ pictures!"

"S-Stop!" he cried, backing off, and blushing even darker. "Have /what/ in me? I'm badass."

"No need," he asserted, eyes scanning Dara up and down. Cloud glanced at the package beneath his arm and pursed his lips. "No they haven't." A thought. Even though Nibelheim brought rough memories... "Say- Might not be able to make it back to Midgar today. 's getting dark out."

Dropping down a warm cup of coffee on the table for him, kicking the couch to wake him up, and slamming the door shut with a exit-

// SOMEBODY GAVE #FFRP A PHOENIX DOWN

ᴏꜰ ᴀᴠᴀʟᴀɴᴄᴇ ʀᴇᴍᴀɴᴛ ᴀɴ ɪɴᴅɪᴇ ᴘᴏʀᴛʀᴀʏᴀʟ ᴏꜰ ʙᴀʀʀᴇᴛ ᴡᴀʟʟᴀᴄᴇ, 18+, ᴍᴅɴɪ ᴘᴇɴɴᴇᴅ ʙʏ: #ᎠմąӀìʂէìçⱮօօղ Temp Pinned #FF7RP #FFVIIRP #FFRP

ᴏꜰ ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀʜᴏᴏᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰʀʏɪɴɢ ᴘᴀɴꜱ ᴀɴ ɪɴᴅɪᴇ ᴘᴏʀᴛʀᴀʏᴀʟ ᴏꜰ ᴇʟᴍʏʀᴀ ɢᴀɪɴꜱʙᴏʀᴏɢʜ, 18+, ᴍᴅɴɪ, ɴᴏɴ ʟᴇᴡᴅ ᴘᴇɴɴᴇᴅ ʙʏ: #ᎠմąӀìʂէìçⱮօօղ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇᴘᴏꜱᴛ ofmotherhoodandfryingpans.carrd.co #FF7RP #FFVIIRP #FFRP

❝ 𝓑𝓮𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓵𝓸𝓷𝓰, 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕦𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘥 ᴵ’ᵐ ˢᵘʳᵉ ᵗʰᵉʳᵉ’ˢ ˢᵒᵐᵉᵗʰⁱⁿᵍ ᵗᵒ ᵇᵉˡⁱᵉᵛᵉ ⁱⁿ 𝕃𝕚𝕜𝕖 a 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓷𝓭 ᵂʰᵉⁿ ᴵ ᵍᵒ ᵒⁿ, ʰᵉᵃᵈᵉᵈ ᵗᵒʷᵃʳᵈˢ ᵗʰᵉ ⁿᵒʳᵗʰᵉʳⁿ ˢᵏʸ ❞ ✮⋆˙ ᴀᴇʀɪᴛʜ ɢᴀɪɴꜱʙᴏʀᴏᴜɢʜ . ݁₊ ⊹ ·:*¨༻¨*:·

┄┄┄┄┄【🌸】┄┄┄┄┄ ❛𝙸 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚕𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞, 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎..❜ ┄┄┄┄┄【🌸】┄┄┄┄┄ 『#FFVII┋#MVRP』 ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ↻ + 💖

💮She/Her, Wutaian 💮5'2" 💮Post-DoC 💮Heterosexual ⏞ 21+ mun 18+ only #AphroditeWT #FFVIIRP #RP ⏟

" ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴ' ᴏꜰꜰ? ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴊᴜᴍᴘ! ɢᴇᴛ ᴏꜰꜰ ᴍʏ ʙᴀᴄᴋ! " . ⤷ #ꜰꜰᴠɪɪʀᴘ ʷᵉ ᶜᵃⁿ ᵇᵉ ʰᵉʳᵒᵉˢ ᵉᵛᵉʳʸʷʰᵉʳᵉ ʷᵉ ᵍᵒ . ⤷ #ꜰꜰᴠɪɪᴀᴄʀᴘ ᵏᵉᵉᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᵘˢ ᵈᵒʷⁿ ⁱˢ ⁱᵐᵖᵒˢˢⁱᵇˡᵉ . ⤷ #ꜰꜰᴠɪɪᴘᴏꜱᴛᴅɪʀɢᴇʀᴘ 'ᶜᵃᵘˢᵉ ʷᵉ'ʳᵉ ᵘⁿˢᵗᵒᵖᵖᵃᵇˡᵉ ℂ𝕀𝔻 ℍ𝕀𝔾ℍ𝕎𝕀ℕ𝔻 . / /

Staring at the dress with a blush, puffing his cheeks and looking away. "C-Cut it out, Aerith. We don't talk about that anymore-"

Something of a smile is inching his cheeks up. Are those his friends? Better not let them see it.

"ᴵ ˢʰᵃˡˡ ʳᵉᵐᵃⁱⁿ ʰᵉʳᵉ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵈᵉᵛᵒᵗᵉ ᵐʸˢᵉˡᶠ ᵗᵒ ᵗʰᵉ ᶜᵃʳᵉ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʷᵒᵘⁿᵈᵉᵈ." ⇥ ┃ #BSKYRP #MVRP #FFRP #FINALFANTASYRP ┃✑ ◖↻ ⇆ ♡◗

"Yeah," he replied, feeling her shift. His hand moved off the handle to pull her closer. "Don't wanna lose you," he said, hand moving back to the handlebar, "Make sure you hold tight." "Yeah. I'll pay for our rooms this time. Should probably support 'im."

"I guess. Just not used to sitting around doing nothing," he mumbled, getting onto the interstate. "Maybe we should check it out. Knowing him, he's made a splash."

The highway was packed. Cloud drove them through the lanes, moving for the interstate. Needed to get out of Midgar. Travel by airship? Most likely. "I guess. I'm not exactly thrilled about it, but... y'never know."

Cloud glanced forward. He touched her hand for a moment, then reached for his handle. "Hold on tight, alright?" VROOM! They took off. "... Yeah. Tifa said the same thing. What about you? You need a vacation?"

Cloud glanced at her. Shy eyes once again. "You uh... don't wanna ride on mine?" After being a doofus, he looked ahead and started it up. "Told her I'd take a vacation," he said bluntly.

"Wh-... Mocha! Wait!"

A sigh. He opened his eyes and began walking towards Fenrir. "Costa Del Sol. Kinda a trek, but... I promised Tifa I'd get it done. Been... holding it off."

He chewed his lower lip. "It's cool. I'm fine." Shutting his eyes. "Need to get something done. Delivery. You wanna come with?"

"... /You/ have a crush on me?"

"Don't need to be saved." ... "... What's that supposed to mean?"

Cloud removed himself with a grunt. "W-What? 'm not shy. I'm a badass. Bonafide."

Cloud blinked. "Everyone has a crush on me. Is that it?"

Cloud averted his eyes shyly. "... Yeah. Would be nice."

"Don't play dumb. You've been up to something. I'm gonna get to the bottom of it."

A blink. Returning the hug with an awkward arm. A slight blush tinging his cheeks. "Love... ly?"

@starlightflorist.bsky.social "Alright. Spill it."

Cloud's mouth opened in awe. A gentle gasp, until he fixed his composure and grinned ever so slightly. "You... think so?" he asked. "Guess I am pretty good." A nod. "Yeah. Maybe I could teach you a thing or two."

He glanced down at their hands and breathed quietly, releasing and turning away. Hand on his hip. "People love to dance, right?" Closing his eyes, huffing. "Gotta be cool. Plus, moving to a rhythm... it's cool. Coordinated. Kinda like fighting."

His hands stayed interlocked with hers. A couple blinks. "What do you mean? Gotta be ready for anything."

He lifted her up and flipped her body like a cheerleader, immediately catching her, grabbing her hand and spreading both arms out wide! Smiling and gazing into her eyes. "Good work."

In an immaculate display of precision and grace, the ex-SOLDIER began to spin her, tugging her to, hands on her hips. "Follow through!" he said, rolling her body around his, arm exchanging arm.

Cloud took a step back and outstretched his arms. "Follow my lead. You'll be safe, don't worry."

It's too early for your shenanigans, Mocha.

Cloud's face turned blank. Concentration. Slow breaths. Intensity. "Yeah. Let's show off. Ever heard of swing dancing?"

“We pray for our sorrows to end, and hope that our hearts will blend. Now I will step forward to realize this wish.” More info below 👇

The smirk turned to a smile. "... You wanna do a flip?"

Cloud offered a slight smirk, and lifted her arm, spinning her. His free arm lifted behind him as he took a step back to allow her space.