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Premonitions: Uncut	By : Hippo_and_Friends_with_Benefits Category: Final Fantasy VII > General Views: 3905 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, and I am not making any money of of this writing.

Chapter List
- 49
- 50
- 51
Chapter 50: A Perfect Night
The sun rose gently over the Highwind. It was now in competition with Meteor, but the sun's glow was still welcomed by everyone who saw it.
Inside the Presidential Cabin, Tifa was the first to stir. Her eyes opened to the man sleeping beside her. It was such a wonderful feeling to wake up next to him.
As she sat up, the man she loved also woke.
"Hey, sleepyhead!" she lovingly greeted before bending down and kissing him.
"What time is it?" Cloud asked groggily.
"Eleven," Tifa replied as she gently stroked his head.
"Shit," he muttered.
"Don't worry," she assured him. "I just woke up myself."
"You okay?" he asked.
"Mostly," she replied. "Every muscle in my body hurts like hell, but I'm not surprised. I haven't swam in years."
"Neither have I," added Cloud as he sat up and checked his watch. "It's the eleventh."
"Two more days," Tifa said. "What are we doing today?" she asked him.
"I haven't thought of it, yet," he replied.
"There's a dance tonight at Gold Saucer," she suggested. "I'd kind of like to go."
Cloud was quite surprised. "You dance?" he asked.
Tifa blew a raspberry.
"And you want to go?" This was not exactly like her.
"Well," Tifa continued, "you do owe me."
"For what?" asked Cloud.
"Come on," replied Tifa. "I know you remember."
Cloud thought about it for a moment. Then he did remember. The real reason he joined.
FLASHBACK...
May was that special month in every child and adolescent's year. May meant school was almost over, but not quite. There were finals, which nobody was looking forward to. There was also the school dance, which everyone was looking forward to.
Except for Cloud. He had been trying to get his mind off of it. It was the Monday before the dance, and he was seated in between Tifa and Johnny, focusing on the question Mrs. Miln wrote on the board, as she did every Monday.
The question on the board was : "What was the most beautiful sight you ever saw?"
Whispers echoed through the room.
"Gold Saucer," said someone.
"The ocean," someone else said.
While trying to decide on her answer, Tifa got up to sharpen her pencil. And then, it happened.
"What did you put?" she heard one boy ask.
"A girl's butt," Johnny replied, giggling.
"Who's?"
"Tifa's."
She sighed in disgust. He never changed. She wanted to say something, but she bit her tongue. She did not want to start a conflict, nor cause anyone to lose the dance.
"So Cloud," began Johnny, in a whisper so soft that even Tifa could not hear, "you going to dance with Tifa?"
"No way!" Cloud replied.
"Why not?" Johnny asked. "Her mom died this year, and her dad wouldn't let her have a birthday party. If you dance with her, she'll like it."
"I don't dance with anyone," Cloud answered. "It's not my thing."
"It's just a friendly dance," Johnny replied. "It's not like you have to marry who you dance with!"
Just then, Mrs. Miln interrupted everything.
"Don't forget that the dance is this Friday," she said.
Everyone cheered.
"And boys," she continued, "if the girls ask you to dance, just dance with them. They'll be very hurt if you say no, as I'm sure you'll be very hurt if they say no. Please. You don't have to marry who you dance with."
"Told you!" Johnny whispered.
THAT FRIDAY...
The dance was held in the gym for the last three hours of the day. There were strobe lights, a D.J., and, of course, refreshments.
Even Cloud was participating, which did leave just about everyone surprised. Seeming to have buried the hatchet, he and Johnny were spinning each other in circles until they released each other and fell. The fifth time that had happened, Mrs. Miln warned them that they would be ejected from the dance if they ever did it again.
Then came the slow dances. There were four of them, and each time, Cloud would bolt for the boys' room. The first time, nothing happened; he hid in one of the bathroom stalls until he could hear the fast music playing. The second time, Johnny followed him in.
"You're going to do this every time there's a slow dance?" Johnny asked.
"Maybe," Cloud replied well aware he was on to him.
Johnny sighed. "Come on!" he said. "Why don't you dance with Tifa? She'll love it."
"I told you before, it's not my thing," Cloud said.
"You'll get to touch her hips," Johnny reminded him. "Dude, the dance isn't even half over. Maybe you'll get another chance."
"We'll see," Cloud replied.
On the third slow dance, he flew into the boys' room again. Johnny did not follow him in this time. But somebody else did.
"Cloud Strife," called a familiar voice.
Cloud turned around, and gasped. "M-mr. Tarin?"
"You've been running in here every time there's a slow dance," he observed.
"I-I'm sorry," Cloud apologized. "I-I don't like dancing with girls."
"Come on," Mr. Tarin insisted as he went behind him and began to gently push him out of the bathroom. "There's lots of pretty girls to dance with in there! You don't have to marry who you dance with!"
I'll never get tired of hearing that, Cloud thought sarcastically to himself.
Luckily for Cloud, the song was over by the time he was pushed through the gym doors. But the next time, the fourth time, he turned to flee once more, only to see Mr. Tarin guarding the doors. He realized that he was trapped. And as he realized it, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Sighing, he turned to face the inevitable.
"Cloud!" greeted Tifa. "Wanna dance?"
She was his best friend, and he did not want to let her down. They had been through everything that year. But she was still a girl.
"Th-that's okay," Cloud replied as he shook his head.
"Come on!" she pleaded as she gently grabbed his arm.
"I-I don't dance with girls," Cloud said as he began to sweat. "I just don't."
Tifa's smile faded as she folded her arms. "Seriously, Cloud?"
"I'm sorry," he apologized.
"We're just friends!" she protested. "Everyone's doing it! I even say Mrs. Miln dancing with Mr. Tarin!"
Cloud, unable to say anything more, ran to the opposite corner of the gym.
Tifa was left to stand there alone amidst the slow dancers, beyond humiliated. Anyone could understand how she felt.
She was now free to cry.
But she did not.
AN HOUR LATER...
It was now time for dismissal. Cloud slowly made his way to his locker to gather his belongings. What had happened was still fresh on his mind. He felt guilty about it, but he still felt as if he had done the right thing; for himself, at least.
As he closed his locker, the inevitable awaited him.
Tifa was standing there. Her hands were on her hips, and her face was red with anger.
"Cloud!" she shouted.
He gave her a sad look. He knew she had every right to be upset with him. He also knew that even she would not forgive him that easily.
"Why wouldn't you dance with me?" she demanded, looking almost as if she wanted to cry.
"I'm just...shy," Cloud replied.
"It was a friendly dance!" she protested. "It's not like we'd have to marry!"
"I'm sorry," he apologized, even though he knew it would not suffice.
"I'm sorry, too," she hissed. "Is that all you can say?"
Cloud was silent. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. It really was all he could say.
"I give up," she sighed. "I really give up, Cloud."
With nothing more to say, she turned and walked off.
And he let her leave.
...END FLASHBACK
"The next time we talked," Cloud said, "was when we met at the well and I told you that I was going away."
Tifa was speechless. "That was the reason you joined?!" she asked in surprise. "Because of that?"
"I'd never seen you that mad in your life," he said. "And I though that if I did something cool or exciting, you'd forget about what happened."
Tifa hugged him gently. She never thought that, in a million years, he would go through all that trouble to make her happy again.
"Cloud," she replied. "I forgave you. I know you were shy."
He sighed. "I haven't forgotten how much it hurt you. I still feel like I need to make it up to you."
"You've more than made it up," she said, thinking of all they had been through, as well as the present state of their relationship.
"I insist," he said.
"Well," Tifa began, "if you must, are you going to dance with me this time?"
"You bet," he replied.
THAT NIGHT...
This dance was held in the ballroom that Cloud and Tifa did not know about until that night. The room was twice the size of their school gym, but, as there were three hundred people inside, it was twice as crowded.
Cloud was dressed in a black golf shirt and a blazer to match, while Tifa was wearing a red spaghetti-strap dress that stopped right above her knees. It was completely informal, but Tifa had insisted they look at least somewhat nice for the evening. Cloud agreed, still feeling guilty of his antics seven years earlier.
On the floor, Tifa was the better dancer of the two. Cloud more or less took more pleasure from watching her dance than dancing himself. His favorite part was when Tifa would shake her hips with her back turned to him. It was a side of her he had never experience before. He realized they had missed the majority of each other's adolescence.
As he backed up to get a better view of his love, he felt himself bump into someone. He turned to see that it was someone he knew.
It was Rufus.
Cloud and Tifa immediately assumed a defensive stance.
"Relax!" he ordered. "The hatchet's buried for the night."
"What's going on here?" Cloud demanded.
"See those two broads?" Rufus pointed out in the corner. "I'm trying to bang 'me both. Don't fool my plans, and nothing bad happens."
"No worries," Cloud said. He then remembered how he and Johnny were able to get along for their school dance.
Moments later, as Tifa looked on and laughed in delight, Cloud and Rufus were spinning each other in circles.
"Holy shit!" Rufus exclaimed. "You used to do this, too?"
Also laughing were the to girls Rufus had pointed out earlier. It was a win-win situation.
Soon afterward, slow music began to play.
Rufus began to dance with the two girls in unison.
Tifa looked at Cloud as if to say: "Well?"
Cloud looked at Tifa as if to say: "Let's."
She placed her hands on his shoulders.
He placed his hands on her hips.
And they began to dance.
MEANWHILE...
Cid was sitting outside the Highwind, smoking a cigarette. Shera had warned him countless times that it would kill him one day, but she was nowhere to be seen. He continued to puff until it had outlived its usefulness, and he tossed it into the grass.
Just then, a figure approached him. Cid quickly assumed a defensive stance before he realized whom it was.
"Where were you?" Cid demanded.
"Out for a walk," Barret replied.
"A walk?" Cid asked skeptically.
"That a problem?" Barret asked.
"It's not like you," Cid pointed out. "Not to mention, this is a weird island. God only knows what's out there."
"Right," replied Barret as he boarded the Highwind.
Cid found it odd. Not only was that not like him, he seemed different. As if something had happened. Of course, Cid was terrible at reading minds, so the situation would forever remain a mystery. Without further ado, he resumed his cigarette.
BACK AT THE DANCE...
Cloud and Tifa gently released each other from their embrace. The loud music had began again, and Tifa signaled for him to follow her into the quieter room next door. It was a small room, with a large window for the viewing pleasure of the park. The noise could still be heard from the dance, but it no longer drowned out anyone's voice.
"There, Cloud," Tifa began as she affectionally placed her hand on his shoulder. "You danced with a girl and nothing bad happened!"
"Huh?" asked Cloud. "Oh yeah," he remembered aloud. "I think I've come a long way with that."
"So you're okay dancing with girls now?" she playfully asked.
"Of course," Cloud replied with a smile.
"Even the one in front of you right now?"
"Especially the one in front of me," he replied as he wrapped his arms around her waist.
The two of them shared a kiss.
"So Mrs. Miln was right," she added.
"Mrs. Miln?" asked Cloud, perplexed.
"Don't you remember what she said?" Tifa laughed. "You don't have to marry who you dance with."
"That's right," he said. "Along with Mr. Tarin and even Johnny."
"Johnny said that?" Tifa asked.
"It was a rare mature moment," he said.
And then, Cloud's smile suddenly faded from his face, and he became silent.
"Don't be embarrassed!" Tifa playfully commanded.
But Cloud remained silent. He seemed almost nervous, as if he wanted to say something, but he was not sure he should.
"What's wrong?" asked Tifa.
He hesitated for a moment. Then he spoke.
"What if I want to?" Cloud asked.
Tifa's smile faded from her face. Her mouth went dry. She began to shake, but not in a bad way. She could not even describe how she was feeling. She was having a hard time believing what he had just said.
"W-what did you say?" she managed to stammer out. She needed to be sure her ears were not playing tricks on her.
"What if I want to marry the girl I just danced with?" Cloud repeated. He was looking at her straight in the eyes, and his heart was beating to the point that even Tifa could swear she heard him.
Tifa's heart was beginning to accelerate as well. Her ears were not playing tricks. She heard what she heard.
"Do you?" she cautiously asked. She was happy enough that he had admitted that he loved her. But this was something she did not see coming at all.
"Yes," Cloud replied. "I would. She's the girl I want to spend the rest of my life with."
"Really?" she asked as she placed her hands on her chest in surprise. He did say it. He just said he would like to marry her.
"Yes."
"Cloud..."
Was this really happening? Of course, she wanted to marry the man she just danced with. And she almost failed to even tell him how she felt. There were certainly no regrets at this point.
"Oh my God, Cloud..."
She wanted to finish. But there was nothing she could think of.
Instead, she threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. She then pulled back, and gently stroked his hair.
"We know everything about each other," Cloud continued.
"And we know what life was like if we didn't get married," Tifa added. "We lived it first-hand. I didn't like that life."
"Neither did I," Cloud added. "I spent it longing for you."
Tifa took a deep breath. What just happened was a lot to take in.
"So," she asked with a smile, "what does that leave us as?"
"We're still boyfriend and girlfriend," he clarified. "But now we've talked about it."
Tifa understood. She knew he wanted to do things the old-fashioned way.
"When should we tell everyone?" she asked.
"I'll formally propose to you after we take out Sephiroth again," Cloud said. "And then..."
"We'll get married," Tifa interjected, smiling as she clutched Cloud's hands in hers. Her eyes were threatening to tear.
"Right," Cloud laughed. "We will. And then..."
Tifa interjected again. "We'll make love."
He paused. "I was going to say knock the walls down in our old houses so they'd be one."
She giggled. "Cloud, that's a great idea!" She then gave him a serious look. "I know I seem like a prude with it, but I do think about us making love. A lot."
Cloud blushed slightly. Of course, he was with Tifa because he loved her for whom she was, not to mention that the fact that they grew up together made him feel at home with her. But every now and then he was beginning to wonder how loud she would be, or what her butt looked like.
"Cloud, you make me feel like the luckiest woman in the world," Tifa continued. "And I'll love you for the rest of my life!"
And as they kissed, a series of fireworks exploded outside.
It was the perfect end to a perfect night.
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- 51
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Premonitions: Uncut