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You were so distracted by the enemy in front of you that you didn’t pay enough attention to the one to your right. It didn’t help that Cloud called your name, even if he was only trying to warn you. Unable to dodge the attack, you inevitably fell to the ground when it lunged at you and pushed you off your feet.
Just when you were about to retaliate, however, ready to defend yourself, it withered before your eyes. A swift swing of Cloud’s big sword sufficed to rid you from the threat. He then towered over you, saving his sword and holding a hand out for you to take.
“You okay?” His piercing blue eyes watched you as he patiently waited for you to move.
“Yeah” You put your hand on his, and his fingers gently wrapped around your wrist to easily pull you up. “Sorry about that, rookie mistake”
“It happens” Cloud muttered with a carefree shrug. “You did pretty good”
“Thanks” You sighed and dusted your clothes, then looking up at him. “Are you hurt, Cloud?”
“Course not” He coolly crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m fine”
“That’s my boy” You booped his nose and secretly revelled in the fact that he blushed a little.
“Uh...” He muttered, raising a hand and brushing a knuckle against your cheek. “You have dirt on your face...”
It was now your turn to blush, gawking at him after the blunt move. Even if you two were relatively close, Cloud had never been so... flirty. Was he really flirting? Cloud Strife? Was he capable of that?
“Y-Yeah, I bet I look awful” Suddenly self-conscious, you tried to fix your appearance. Your fingers clumsily combed your hair as your other hand rushed to rub the dirt off your skin.
“Not really” Was his quick reply. When you stared at him, Cloud cleared his throat and changed the subject. “Do you need help?”
His hand pressed against your back and you started really getting suspicious. He had been really nice to you lately, but today especially so. He was going out of his way to look after you and compliment you. In Cloud, that was odd.
“As much as I would love you to carry me like my knight in shining armor” You teased, grinning at him. “I can walk”
At your response, Cloud began walking and leading the way. As he did, however, you heard him chuckling under his breath. It was a completely new sound for you, one which startled you.
“You just laughed! Did you hit your head?” You caught up with him and softly pressed your palm against the side of it. “Are you feeling alright?”
Back to his usual self, Cloud swatted your hand away and scowled.
“Said I’m fine” Was all he muttered as he continued walking.
You smiled to yourself, spotting his blush once more. Your suspicions only grew, and you had an idea on how to confirm them.
-
Cloud insisted on walking you home. He wouldn’t admit it, but he was a bit worried about you. It was hard to miss how tired you were, even he could see it. You asked him to stay for a little longer, reassured by his presence and hoping you were feeling better after you came out of the shower. To your surprise, he begrudgingly accepted. Or so it seemed, because he was somewhat reluctant to leave your side.
After the shower, feeling clean and refreshed, you did feel an improvement. You still needed some sleep after the challenging battle, but you felt much better.
Wearing your comfortable shorts and tank top, you walked back to the living room to meet with Cloud. You smiled to yourself when you found him there, arms crossed, gaze down and expression neutral as he leaned his back on the wall. The usual cool Cloud pose.
“Good as new!” You announced, causing him to look up at you.
He did a double take and paused for a moment. For several seconds, he just stood there, his lips parted in a gawking gesture.
“Oh” He muttered, his eyes growing wide as he watched you. “That what you look like normally?”
You weren’t wearing anything provocative, but your current clothes were definitely much more flattering than your usual armor. Your hair was now loose as well, looking much better than when you quickly put it up in a mess of loose strands to get it off your eyes. Besides, Cloud was used to seeing you in battle anyway. It was a big change.
“Yeah, believe it or not I’m not always sweaty and full of dirt”
“I didn’t mean...”
You laughed a little, and he averted his eyes.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, you... you look pretty”
That was all the confirmation you needed. You had never heard him compliment someone like that, not even Tifa. And there he was, staring at you again and blushing almost imperceptibly. His sudden general demeanor, bashful and unsure, was telling enough of how he felt about you.
“Thanks for everything, Cloud” Closing the distance between you, you threw your arms around his neck and hugged him tight against you.
He froze, keeping his arms by his side as he stuttered when trying to get some words out. You smiled to yourself, nuzzling his shoulder and enjoying the moment.
“What are you doing?” Cloud finally uttered, letting you hang off his neck still.
“It’s called a hug” You joked, letting out a soft chuckle. “People do it to show affection”
“I know” He clicked his tongue in annoyance to your teasing. “But why?”
“You’ve been flirting with me all day, I felt like it”
“Fair enough”
A surprised guffaw left your lips at his reply. He didn’t deny it. Cloud even laughed a little himself, genuinely amused and endeared by your laughter.
His arms returned the hug at last, even if they felt slightly clumsy and awkward around your frame. Nonetheless, it felt warm and comforting. It was genuine and comfortable, and it seemed to rid you of any remaining discomfort. After several seconds, you pulled away. Your hands still rested on his shoulders, and his lingered on the small of your back as you leaned away to look into each other’s eyes.
“See you tomorrow, Cloud?”
“Sure”
You giggled, leaning in to kiss him in the cheek. His arms immediately dropped to his sides in startle. Flustered, he took a step back and glanced away. If he had blushed a little before, now his entire face was bright pink.
Watching how he tried to escape and reach the door, you covered your mouth with your hand to suffocate your laughter. Just as his hand touched the doorknob, he paused. Cloud looked over his shoulder and showed you the beginning of a smile.
“Get some rest, Y/N” He kindly told you, to which you energetically nodded.
He nodded back, your gazes lingering before he left you in the safety of your home.