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[powersouls]

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[powersouls]

Yeah, I...

[She trails off, biting her lip for a moment. She just can't let her mind settle on those thoughts, not yet. She needs to figure out where she's going, and... Do something. She can't start crying now.]

I wish you were here.

[meteorrains]

[Those words cause a crack to form within his heat, deep and bleeding, even as his chest tightens, emotions rising up far too quickly to stamp down.]

I wish I was there too.

[More than anything, he wishes he could be at her side, could look at her and tell her that it's alright, that everything is going to be fine.]

[powersouls]

[Tifa's gaze falls for a moment, and then she exhales, making herself look back up. He gets a forced smile.]

I guess we screwed up, huh?

[meteorrains]

[Something tears from his throat, a sort of stranded amusement, the emotion forced.]

Yeah. I guess we are.

[Even as he speaks his eyes are falling closed, trying to keep the more painful emotions from playing upon his face, not wanting to worry her or make things any worse than they are were.]

Tifa, I - I'm sorry, I should have tried harder to protect you.

[powersouls]

No, it's not—

[She cuts herself off, swallowing to try to sound more steady.]

I should have protected you, too. I shouldn't have...

[Shouldn't have dragged him into it.]

[meteorrains]

[If she hadn't, if she had faced that danger alone, if she had paid this price alone, than the guilt would be worse, would be far more overwhelming and powerful. He had failed, a bitter, painful defeat. He had failed to protect her, had failed to keep her alive.

But they had fought together, at each other's sides. They had paid the same price, had suffered the same fate. They had kept their promise, to fight until the end, to do so together. No matter what.]

We made a promise. That neither of us would fight alone. I'm not breaking another one.

[powersouls]

I know, but...

[She shakes her head. She doesn't think he broke his last promise, either, but that's another argument she doesn't have the energy for.]

I really thought we could stop him.

[meteorrains]

Me too.

[If they hadn't been hindered by the limitations of this place, if he'd only had his enhancements, his sword, they likely would have fared far better. But thinking about what could have been, going over and over and over one particular scenario trying to ascertain what had went wrong and what could have been changed to guarantee a different outcome was nothing more than a waste of precious energy.]

What should we tell everyone?

[powersouls]

I don't know.

[She keeps catching on that dream of his she was in, and she exhales. She doesn't want this plastered all over the network. Just the thought of it makes her uncomfortable.]

I don't want to tell anyone.

[meteorrains]

Then we won't.

[It wasn't as if anyone had seen or heard anything. They could practically tell everyone what ever they chose and they wouldn't know any better.]

We got trapped in the tunnels.

[powersouls]

Trapped in the tunnels. Okay. Right.

[There's another short pause.]

Cloud? Do you know if you... lost anything?

[meteorrains]

[A lie, but a believable one. As long as they both stuck to it, as long as neither one told another single soul, then the secret would remain safe.

There's a moment's hesitation, another deep intake of breath before he speaks.]

Yeah. I did.

[powersouls]

What was it? Are you okay?

[She's repeating herself, but she can't help it. She's just going to be an anxious mess the whole day.]

[meteorrains]

[Well prepare yourself, Tifa, because him telling you is definitely not going to make that any better.]

I'll be fine, Tifa. I just can't feel anything.

[powersouls]

[Yep, it definitely didn't.]

You can't feel anything? Anything at all?

[meteorrains]

[Figures.]

Nothing. Not the tablet, not my gloves. Just the cold.

[powersouls]

Oh...

[She bites her lip, shifting in place.]

I'm sorry, Cloud, I... Are you sure you're okay?

[meteorrains]

[They're apologizing to each other an awful lot for two people who just got murdered together.]

I've been through worse. I'll be fine. I just - wish you were here.

[powersouls]

[That's what they do.]

I know. I'll be there soon, okay? And... we can talk as much as you want. Everything will be alright.

[meteorrains]

[It's almost believable when she says it. Almost.]

Sure you won't get tired of me?

[powersouls]

[She smiles, small but there.]

Of course not. I could never get tired of you.

[meteorrains]

Is that a challenge?

[Good to know he didn't lose that dorky sense of humor.]

[powersouls]

[It is good to know. It's comforting.]

Should we make another bet?

[meteorrains]

Just name the terms.