Final Fantasy VII: Lifestream - Book 3: Pursuit

FIFTY-ONE

Cloud and I shared tender kisses, not needing any words. It felt so good to be like this with him again. I'd missed it so much. Although it had only been about a month since I had put our relationship on hold, it felt as if it had been longer. Now it was back on, though, and I didn't have any doubts about my decision. Not one.

Eventually, I came up for air with a grin. "Whew! You sure haven't lost your touch, Cloud. Breathtaking as ever!"

"You're not so bad yourself," he quipped, stroking my cheek.

"Then get back here and let me show you," I teased.

He did, and I gave him a full demonstration of my talents. Our lips fused together as my heart slammed against my ribs and a hurricane of butterflies swept through my stomach. Until now, for the past month, I hadn't let myself go too far on the few times I'd kissed Cloud. But now, I didn't hold back. As I sat in bed with him in his arms while the bright morning sun shone through the window, I reintroduced my tongue to his with a vengeance and held him tight against me.

As we shared that tender, passionate embrace, I forgot all about the faint, dull throbbing in my lower back where Corneo had stabbed me. I was still worn out from using my flashy new powers last night on the mountain, but not as much as before, and I kept Cloud close as long as I could, my lips moving against his, until finally I had to relax, sit back, and catch my breath for a moment. I just laid against him for a while as I rested in the shelter of his arms. I could've stayed there all day, and to be honest, I was more than a little tempted.

"Don't push yourself too hard, Jessie," Cloud said as he held me so close. "I'm not going anywhere. I promised you that."

I smiled. "I remember. Back in Midgar."

He slid his fingers through my hair. "Yeah. I still mean it."

"So do I," my lips touched his again.

We spent much of the day there, in and around the Kisaragi estate, as I took a much-needed breather after everything that had gone on in the past few days. I moved as much as I could, taking walks with Cloud in the gardens and enjoying the fresh air. It was so nice, and the calls of birds chirping sounded here and there.

Then, as we rounded a corner on the garden path, I saw a familiar white eagle perched on a nearby branch. It was watching me with those same familiar eyes, its gaze knowing and almost infinitely deep. And as I stopped and gazed at it, I thought I understood, at least a little. It was Materia, and yet it wasn't. It was more than her. The dream Cloud and I had shared last night had been because of what lay behind her, a light that was vast and timeless. Materia was simply its face for now. And so was my other self. The realization made me tremble.

I let go of Cloud and bowed slightly. "Thank you..."

The eagle tilted its head slightly in my direction, then flew away. It soared up into the sky, circling higher and higher until it was just a tiny white speck in the distance. Then it was gone. As I watched it go, I took out the feather it had left me the first time I'd seen it.

"What's that?" Cloud wondered.

"A message," I murmured. "And a promise."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

I gazed quietly at the feather. "Things are gonna get harder, Cloud, a lot harder, but we're not alone. The planet... she's with us. No matter how dark it gets, there's always light. Hold onto that."

"Will do," he nodded. Then we started walking again. "Never seen an eagle like that before. You met it before?"

"On Mt. Nibel," I said. "Found this after she flew away."