Work Text:
Sway
Cloud inhales as his eyes pop open, the sharp scent of the sea filling his lungs. From his place lying back on the hammock, he stares up at the porthole of his room, seeing the bright night stars sink in from beyond his room.
Cloud groans and sits up slightly, rubbing his temple. Sleep has eluded him for a number of reasons. For one, the sway of the boat over uncertain waters did nothing for the mild queasiness he sometimes felt, especially lying here staring at the ceiling, alone. But after a busy, chaotic day running espionage and reconnaissance in Upper Junon and sneaking aboard the Shinra-8 as stowaways, his mind has been running nonstop, unable to stop thinking about Shinra and Sephiroth and what lay ahead as their small but growing group pursued him.
But more than that, Tifa’s been on his mind. Cloud hates to admit it, but Tifa is a staple fixture of his thoughts, and she occupies them even more when she’s not around. But right now, more than ever, he’s thinking about her. The conversation they had at the inn at Junon - making up after a fight that had left his heart bleeding for days - was still replaying in his head. They’d taken steps forward in their reconciliation and seemed to grow closer, but there was no denying that there was still so much that had been left unsaid, the room charged with megawatts of electricity as Cloud left with a sly smirk. He can’t stop thinking about what could have been if only he hadn’t been too cowardly to stay with her and take things to the next level.
But his mind is currently overloaded with the aborted conversation that he had almost overheard Tifa having with Aerith that afternoon when he had found them in the cargo hold. They had been talking about boys of all things, and Tifa had been prepared to share something that sounded important before the conversation was abruptly dropped.
He wants to ask more about it, but he keeps his thoughts to himself, instead regrouping their party and giving out a few quick orders for how they should proceed on the ship until they touched land in Costa Del Sol.
Cloud clears his throat and sits up on the cot, looking down at his uniform. One of those orders had been for everyone to remain in their disguises until further notice, wearing the Shinra infantry uniforms they’d stolen (and Barret with his… sailor suit). He himself still wears the grunt uniform, and the sight of it causes him to sigh as he gets to his feet.
He needs to clear his head if he is ever going to be able to sleep before the next leg of this journey. Forgoing the infantry helmet, Cloud slips out of his room, passing through the narrow corridors of the lower level and making his way up to the upper deck.
Despite the late hour, the boat is still alive, guests still sharing drinks on the deck while late-night tournaments of Queen’s Blood rage on. Cloud watches the activity from afar as he walks along the terrace. It is momentarily distracting, and he lets his thoughts wander before he turns away and heads for the farthest end of the starboard, breathing out quietly as he leans over the bow’s railing and looks up at the sky.
It’s beautiful, a navy blue canvas painted with bursts of glowing stardust that reflect off of the deep blue sea that they cut ripples through. The stars seem to be moving and stretching in long bands, raining down on him like glitter shaken from a painting. The moon is an iridescent, milky crescent in the center of it all, its brightness illuminating the entire ship as it moves among the waves.
Cloud breathes in, closing his eyes for a moment and letting the image burn to the back of his retinas. Almost as quickly as he closes them, the picture is replaced by a distant photograph in his mind, a similarly colored sky hovering above a rickety old water tower.
Ruby red eyes, staring back at him.
Promise me.
Cloud exhales and opens his eyes again, squeezing the ship’s railing beneath the tight, heavy leather of his gloves. Part of him wonders idly what Tifa might be doing right now, and it sort of pains him that he can’t spend this simple moment stargazing with her.
He can’t stop thinking about the last few weeks since they’ve reunited, the back-and-forth pull between them, the longing and the tension, the cracks in his memories that put strain on everything. He knows he’s not the only one who feels it, knows that it’s plaguing her too. If only he could figure out how to bridge past it.
All he wants is to spend time with her.
"Good evening, captain."
The sound of her gentle and husky voice arrests him, and he whirls around, his pulse suddenly dancing an erratic rhythm. The sight of Tifa, framed by the starlight he had just been admiring, is a vision that sends his heart into freefall. Turning to face her, he drinks in the sight of her familiar features softened by the moonlight, her body still wrapped tight in the guise of a Shinra soldier.
"Couldn't sleep either?" she asks, tipping her head to one side.
Cloud swallows hard. “Guess not," he replies, the corner of his mouth ticking upwards.
"Mind if I join you?"
"Company's always welcome," he says with a shrug, watching as Tifa moves closer to share the railing's cold embrace.
Cloud tries to steady his breathing in hopes that his heartbeat will calm down. Tifa is so close that he can smell her shampoo, clean and fresh with faint scents of lavender. Her hair cascades down her narrow shoulders, and Cloud can’t help but watch her out of the corner of his eyes, admiring how snuggly the grunt uniform fits her shapely form.
He swallows, wondering if his thoughts summoned her here, his pathetic longing somehow drawing her from below deck to meet him under the cool heat of the stars.
“How about you?” he asks her, following up on her earlier question. “Wasn’t expecting you to be up this late.”
Tifa smiles, her eyes tracing the patterns of the stars above. “I’ve been feeling a little restless,” she admits, and she leans closer to him, surprising Cloud when her shoulder gently bumps into his. “And believe it or not, Aerith snores.”
Cloud chuckles, trying to ignore the way that his cheeks heat up at her proximity and her openness. “Glad I got my own room,” he brags lightly.
Tifa giggles, playfully nudging his shoulder again. There’s a whispered desire for closeness in her subtle behavior, and Cloud has to fight every impulse not to pull her into his arms and hold the back of her body to the front of his, basking in the moonlight’s subtle romanticism. Instead, he shoves it aside, keeping his attention focused on the sea and the stars, even though he can’t help the grin that stretches his face.
"You know, I'm still swimming in the glory of that Queen's Blood victory earlier."
It’s his turn to chuckle, and he turns to her, catching the moon’s glint in her ruby-red eyes that hold a playful, teasing challenge. It warms his blood.
"Yeah? Don't get too used to it. Next time, I won't go easy on you."
"Go easy?" She feigns shock, her eyes alight with mischief. "I'll have you know, I earned that fair and square."
"Sure you did," he teases back.
"Maybe next time, we'll raise the stakes," she suggests, the breeze blowing her ebony bangs into her eyes.
Cloud can’t stop himself from reaching up with a gloved hand to brush them back into place, gently sweeping across her forehead.
“Stakes?"
Tifa turns away again, the breeze now blowing through the wisps of hair that frame her face. “I’ll leave that to you to determine, Captain.”
Cloud laughs lightly again, and she joins him, the sound of her voice a resonant, sing-song melody. This is nice, he thinks, spending a quiet moment with her where they aren’t thinking about past traumas or current battles. It’s just him and Tifa, enjoying each other’s company without pressure, the glow of the night sky to watch over them.
Tifa leans in his direction, and Cloud finds that it’s more and more difficult for him to hold back on the bubbling feelings that rise in his chest whenever he is near Tifa like this. All he wants is to be closer to her, and sharing laughter and smiles like this makes it even harder to shut down his impulses.
“Speaking of,” he murmurs, his eyes on her again. “You look… good.”
She turns to him, her carmine eyes lighting up with curiosity again. “Hm?”
Cloud looks her up and down, dragging his gaze over the way the infantry uniform clings to her body. Her waist is perfectly cinched and the sturdy material fits tightly over her full breasts, revealing the curves and bends of her statuesque form. For some reason, all of these layers make her look even sexier than she does in instances with far less fabric.
“I mean the uniform,” he finds himself stammering. “It fits you well, that’s all.”
Tifa leans back, somewhat surprised by his blatant compliment, blinking up at him. Cloud feels the unmistakable heat rise up his neck and he knows that he can’t turn back from his words.
After a moment, she tips her head to the side, stepping even closer to him. Her boots nearly collide with his, and her breasts are less than an inch from his chest, their bodies so close to touching. She gives him a long, hard look from head to toe, her eyes lingering on his firm torso and the center of his body.
“Likewise, sir,” she breathes.
There’s a playfulness behind her words, but there is also something openly sensual and inviting in the way she drags those words out. The husk behind her voice sends a vibration straight to Cloud’s groin, and he can’t stop the way that his body responds to the magnetic pull of hers, leaning in closer to her, their bodies finally brushing against each other through the thick material of these uniforms.
“Tifa,” he finds himself exhaling, his mind now focused on the prospect of nibbling her fat, pouty bottom lip between his teeth.
Her eyes drop to his lips, then lift back up to his eyes.
“Cloud,” she sighs back, so close he can feel her breath, lifting both hands to his pauldroned shoulders and resting them there.
Cloud is completely unable to control his next impulse. Her signal was loud and clear as far as he was concerned and he can’t hold himself back anymore.
Slowly, he dips his head to meet her, tilting slightly and leaning in to close the final inches of distance between them. His lips meet hers for the very first time, soft and pliant, her taste clean and cool and sweet. Her lips part slightly so they can slot together with his, and Cloud lets his kiss open up, his tongue swiping through her teeth in search of hers.
It isn’t long before it becomes messy and demanding, Cloud’s arms locking around Tifa to hold her close while she grips his upper arms. The kiss deepens, both of them going back and forth with growing, feverish intensity as they nip and suck at each other. Cloud’s entire body is on fire and all of the blood in his veins has rushed to the center of his body, his length stiffening against her thigh where they are pressed together.
Tifa is clawing at him, sliding her arm up and down his lower back, which sets off fresh bursts of arousal inside of him. Cloud indulges himself in nipping on her bottom lip the way he’d fantasized so many times about doing. Tifa moans in response, and the sound nearly causes his knees to give way, his arms tightening around her as he lets his hands wander.
Suddenly he is damning these uniforms that they are both wearing.
He finally breaks free of their harried kiss, gasping for air. Tifa is panting, her skin flushed and her lips stung. She looks up at him with wide, doe-eyes, her pupils dilated with passion and desire. Cloud can barely contain himself at the pleading look that she gives him.
“Tifa,” he breathes again. Sometimes, when he isn’t sure what to say, her name is all that he needs. Just hearing himself say that beautiful, two-syllable word is enough to re-anchor him and leave him feeling a little bit more sure in his thoughts and feelings. “Let's... let's turn in for the night.”
He stares down at her, his words and their hidden meaning lingering in the air. The last thing he wants to do right now is go to sleep. And his invitation certainly is not meant for that, either.
The quixotic glint in Tifa’s eyes tells him that she has picked up on his meaning.
“Aye aye, captain,” she agrees.
Cloud’s face flushes as she steps back, taking away all of her delicious warmth. Hopefully, he’ll be able to reacquaint himself with in far more privacy. He realizes, belatedly, that they had been making out quite openly in plain view of the other guests along the starboard, though thankfully, nobody seems to be paying them any mind.
“Well,” Tifa prods him when he just continues to stand there. “Are you going to show me to your room now, Captain?”
That gets his ass in gear. Cloud smirks at her, his blood simmering as he reaches for Tifa’s hand. He gently takes it in his, then proceeds down the deck’s terrace, leading her through the narrow corridors and down dimly lit stairs.
His heart pounds the entire time they navigate their way back to the lower level. He and Tifa have had their share of quiet talks and intimate moments, but tonight is the first time they’ve ever kissed and they’ve never purposefully made plans to spend time alone like this before.
It’s all he can think about as he leads her into his tiny cabin in the guest quarters, the moonlight shining in through the porthole. They’ve got the cheapest set of rooms, and there isn’t much to offer but a chest and the hammock, which sits right in the beam of starlight from above. But Cloud is thinking of none of this. All he cares about is Tifa, and having her alone like this finally, his desire for her eclipses any semblance of logical thought he may have been assembling.
Thoughtlessly, Clouds closes the door, turning to face Tifa. He’s still holding her hand, and she’s suddenly shy, her cheeks pink and eyes on the ground. Her hair is highlighted an almost rosy color from the lighting, and the sight of all of it sets him off.
“Tifa,” he says her name by way of warning before he steps forward, pinning her body against the wall with his as he kisses her again, pinning the hand that he holds above her head.
Tifa moans and gasps and the kiss rages with sudden, explosive passion. Cloud can’t contain his body’s inclination to press domineeringly into Tifa’s, and his sense of possession kicks into overdrive when she rolls her hips towards him, her body seeking relief. He bites her lower lip and then lets his lips trail over her jaw, eager and desperate to taste every part of her.
"Cloud," Tifa suddenly breathes between kisses. "I really should wash up after today's... duties."
He pulls back just enough to gaze into her eyes, finding playful sparks dancing within those wine-colored depths.
"Do you now, soldier?" he teases. The thought of Tifa naked and in his shower, the water rushing over her curves and skin, leaves him delirious with want. "Should I allow such a thing?"
Tifa leans in and pecks his lips lightly with two swift little kisses, then pulls back again, meeting his eyes. “Only if you think I've earned it, Captain,” she taunts back, her tone rife with flirtatious insubordination. His dick is so hard that it hurts.
"Merit will be taken into consideration," he manages to reply smoothly, his mouth curving into another smile. He kisses her again, picking her up with both arms under her bottom as he carries her into the cabin’s tiny bathroom.
There is not much room, but they squeeze inside and make it work, lips still tangled as they kiss and make out.
"Regulations are regulations," Cloud says, his voice low and playful, yet edged with barely suppressed yearning. "A full inspection is required for soldiers under my command."
Tifa leans forward so that those full breasts of hers press into his chest again. “Of course, Captain,” she obeys, her breath hot against his ear and sending shivers down his spine. "I wouldn't expect any less from you."
Cloud growls, his blood lit on fire at her teasing words. He steps back slightly, leaning over to turn the shower on and filling the bathroom with steam.
“At ease, soldier,” he quips at her.
Tifa smiles, lowering her arms to her side. Cloud reaches forward, his movements deliberate as he begins unhooking clasps and pulling down the zippers of her grunt’s uniform. He handles the material haphazardly, ignoring the familiar, old pieces of fabric as they fall to the floor in front of her feet. Tifa blushes fiercely at the urgent movements of his hands and his seemingly endless wells of confidence as he works to disrobe her, and when Cloud notices the brightness staining her cheeks, he himself can’t help the heat that creeps up his own.
“This okay?” he asks her softly, dropping the act for a moment as he slowly begins to unzip the front of her uniform, the tops of her breasts spilling out. Tifa blushes harder, but she doesn’t shy away.
“Y-yeah,” she pants breathlessly.
Cloud exhales himself, then lowers the zipper all the way down, helping Tifa out of the uniform. She helps him take off her bra, and Cloud can’t help himself from staring at the fullness of her breasts and their pink, hard nipples when the dark fabric slips away. He is fixated, drinking in her perfection and her form.
His eyes pass over the scar that sits on her rib cage, and he notices the way she looks away. Cursing himself, he brings his eyes back up to hers, taking her hands and placing them on his chest.
“Your turn,” he says lightly. “And that’s an order.”
Tifa smiles, and she begins to follow suit, helping Cloud out of his uniform much the way he helped her. They slide out of the remaining pieces until they are naked in front of each other, and Cloud pulls her in close to help combat some of the shyness and mild embarrassment they both feel at the sudden vulnerability.
"Seems like you've been keeping up with your physical training, Captain," she teases, her tone light but her eyes dark with desire as they trace the lines of muscle now exposed.
This makes Cloud smirk proudly, smug at the fact that she’s noticed his physique.
“Can say the same for you,” he tells her as he pulls her into the shower. “Never seen a more beautiful infantryman in my entire career.”
Their lips crash together as they fall under the hot spray of the water, and it is both cathartic and relieving to experience such closeness under the cleansing heat. The water washes away the day's aches and dirt, and Tifa’s lips soothe his soul, stirring later desires and emotions inside of him.
"Better make sure you're squeaky clean," Cloud murmurs into their kiss as he reaches for the soap, his hands trembling slightly. He lathers it between his palms, then begins to gently wash Tifa's shoulders. Her skin is silky smooth under his touch, and he can't help but marvel at the fact that he is lucky enough to have her like this, all to himself. Tifa’s own fingers mirror his movements, exploring his chest with a tenderness that sends shivers down his spine, despite the warm water cascading over their bodies.
"Is this thorough enough for you, Captain?" Tifa asks, her voice low and teasing.
Cloud's breath catches in his throat. "Very... very thorough," he manages, his hands sliding down her arms, reaching for her waist and then her bottom.
Unable to resist any longer, Cloud cups Tifa's face in his hands and kisses her deeply. She responds immediately, pressing her body against his as the water continues to pour over them. His hands explore her body, pinching lightly at her nipples as he turns her body around so that her back is against his toned, muscular chest. Tifa sighed breathily at their new position, and Cloud leans in to nip at the space between her neck and her shoulder with his teeth.
“Need to make sure I don’t miss any spots,” he whispers hotly into her ear.
Cloud's hand trails down Tifa's body, caressing her breasts and the soft curves of her waist before finding its way between her thighs. His fingers slide through her folds, teasing the slick wetness he finds there, and Cloud nearly collapses at how eager and responsive her body is proving to be for him.
Tifa gasps needily at his sudden touch, and Cloud turns her jaw with his free hand so he can kiss her and swallow her sounds. Her desire for him fuels the need in his own blood, and he lets his fingers explore, circling around her hidden nub while his cock presses into the curve of her ass.
"Cloud," she breathes, all pretense of their role-play forgotten. "Please..."
Tifa's head falls back onto his shoulder, giving herself over to the sensation while he continues to kiss her, his fingers teasing and testing the sensitive flesh between her thighs. He’s never done this before, but he’s eager to learn and he listens to the soft, escalating moans that she releases, pays attention to the way her body eagerly twists and arches every time he passes his fingers over her sodden flesh. He strokes long, gentle patterns across her clit, before sinking his fingers inside of her, whispering promises and encouragement into her ear as she rapidly inches closer to the edge of the cliff.
The sound of their breathing grows erratic, punctuated by the steady drumming of water on the tile and their bodies, Tifa's heated depths clenching around his probing fingers. The tension coils tight inside her body, and Cloud nips at her neck again, soothing the spot with a lavish swipe of his tongue.
“Let go, Tifa. That’s an order.”
Her knees buckle and he holds her, leaning back against the tile as she trembles and whines, her release slipping out of her. Her eyes flutter closed, her lips parted and kiss-stung, and Cloud thinks he's never seen anything more beautiful.
As Tifa's breathing returns to normal, Cloud gives her one last kiss before he reaches behind her to turn off the water. He grabs a towel and begins to dry her off gently, before he does the same for himself, careful to pat her long, heavy hair down to dry it of excess water. She is so delirious from her orgasm that she can only happily comply with his actions, smiling at him with heavy-lidded eyes.
“Come on,” he whispers to her with a kiss as he helps her carefully out of the shower and then leads her, naked, back into the room. He eyes the hammock, piled with the blankets that have been left to make sleeping warm and comfortable. Cloud eyes it and then looks back at Tifa, seeing the shy look on her face.
“You want to lay down with me here?” he asks her.
It sounds like such a stupid question. What he really wants to ask is “Do you want to have sex with me?” but he could never be that forward. Nonetheless, Tifa reads his meaning, biting her lip as she eyes his naked body and then the hammock.
“Of course,” she puffs out in a fragmented breath, turning back to look at him.
Cloud doesn’t need any more encouragement than that. He takes her hand, leading her to the hammock. He considers the awkward sway of it, then sits in the center, steadying it with his feet firmly planted on the ground as he holds his hands out to Tifa.
“Come here.”
All pretense of their earlier role-play has been abandoned. Tifa saunters between his legs, obeying him and trusting him to proceed and to care for her in this new and exciting moment of closeness between them. Cloud feels the weight of the responsibility he’s been given, and carefully, he guides Tifa over his lap, her legs straddling him.
“I’ve got you,” he promises in a whisper against her earlobe, his arms circling her waist to hold her close to him, keeping her secure. His cock is hard and leaking, nestled against her soft thigh, waiting for permission to enter her. “Just follow my lead, okay? We’ll figure this out together.”
Tifa nods, shivering visibly when his lips ghost over her shoulder. Her arms loop around his neck and her nails dig into the exposed skin of his back, leaving marks that he hopes he has the opportunity to show off once they get to Costa del Sol.
Cloud kisses her sweetly, one hand roaming her body while the other takes his cock in hand and swipes the tip through her drenched folds and over her tight and clenching opening. She gasps with anticipation and he kisses her again, whispering light encouragement against her tongue. He holds her steady as he presses forward, and she whines at the feeling of him breaching her opening and slowly filling her up.
Taking her by the hips, Cloud pulls Tifa flush against him, sinking in one thrust all the way inside. She gasps and hisses, and Cloud nuzzles her nose before kissing her hotly again.
“You okay?” he asks her, kissing her face. She murmurs an affirmative, kissing him messily and biting his lip, much the way he had bitten hers. He loves it, her passion driving him crazy, and they make out for long moments while he throbs inside of her, the hammock swaying gently.
“More,” Tifa demands through another kiss, her walls squeezing down on him.
Cloud can hardly contain himself. He holds her by the hips, feet firmly planted on the floor as he lifts her and thrusts up into the heat of her waiting passage. She bites out a tiny yelp of pleasure, and Cloud slams her down on his cock, feeling his tip greet a spongy spot inside of her.
“Ooooh,” she moans loudly throwing her head back, her arms around his neck. “Cloud.”
Hearing her whimper his name like that is too much for him to handle. The thunder in his veins claps, and he thrusts up into her again, setting a steady rhythm as she clings to him and whines. Cloud winces, feeling beads of sweat break out across his forehead as he rocks into her, gently stretching her walls and learning the hot, tight feel of her insides for the first time.
“Tifa…”
His groans meld with her coos and cries, and Cloud’s passion surges. He leans back, swinging his legs onto the hammock so that he can lay back with Tifa fully straddling him. She gasps at the change in position, his cock grinding against her spot, and steadies herself on him by holding his chest with both hands.
“Oooooh,” she whines, her eyes rolling back.
“You like that, baby?” Cloud growls, grabbing her hips and beginning to thrust. “You like the way your captain fills you up?”
Tifa whines a reply, but Cloud is too far gone to decipher it. He fucks up into her with fast, precise strokes, his vision whiting out as he attempts to hold onto his control until she breaks first. He grips and squeezes her ass, giving it little pats, anything to encourage her to come so he can spill inside of her.
“Harder,” she gasps, scraping her fingernails down his chest and breaking the skin. “Fuck me, please, Cloud.”
Tifa swearing makes him throb and he almost loses it right then. She’s close, so close that he can see it in the way her mouth hangs open and desperate cries and moans spill from her lips. The hammock sways as they thrust together, making their connection even deeper and sending brighter bolts of pleasure across his nerves. Cloud reaches a hand between their bodies, finding her clit and stroking it gently, Tifa crying out his name vividly as her walls flutter around him and she comes messily.
Cloud lets the dam break when he knows she’s fallen over, releasing weeks of pent-up tension as he spills inside of her. Tifa falls weakly on top of him, and although he is breathless, he is careful to catch her, holding her tight with both arms. She sobs into his chest, and he rubs his hands soothingly over her back, kissing the top of her head as the hammock slows to a gentle sway.
“Fuck,” he swears lightly. “You’re amazing, Teef.”
His guard is lower than it’s ever been, he realizes. He may never put it back up again.
“Not quite as amazing as you,” Tifa sighs in reply, pressing a kiss to his pectoral. “Captain.”
Cloud smiles at that, letting his fingers drift through her hair.
They lay together in silence for a moment, Tifa’s breathing growing deep and heavy. Cloud nuzzles her, his thumbs rubbing a warm spot into her skin.
“Hey, Tifa.”
“Hmm?”
“You and Aerith,” he begins, swallowing as he considers what he is about to ask. “You were talking earlier.”
Tifa waits for him to finish, but when he says nothing, she looks up at him.
“Yes?”
“Um,” he stammers. “About boys…”
Tifa laughs, leaning in to return his nuzzle. “Yeah?” she agrees, her head tipped to the side. “And ?”
“What were you going to tell her?” he blurts, unable to hold back his forwardness.
Tifa smiles, claret eyes meeting his in the dimness of the room.
“Just that I’ve had a crush on you forever.”
His mouth falls open in shock, but before he can say anything in response, she leans up and kisses him again. Cloud melts into her, the wires in his brain short-circuiting as he realizes what she’s just admitted.
“You’re not the only one,” he tells her with a smirk, his heart pounding at the way that she blushes. “Now get some sleep. It’s been a long day, soldier.”
She smiles and kisses him again, burrowing into him. Cloud sinks into the kiss, slowly letting himself drift off.
And it would have been the best night’s rest he’s gotten yet if it weren’t for the emergency alarms that blare less than an hour later.