[Tifa's quick to return the favor, knocking the wind right out of him the moment she surges forward and pulls him into a full-blown hug. In that first moment in her arms, Cloud's body goes rigid. He's so thrown off by the unexpected gesture that he even winds up dropping his helmet with a clatter beside their boots. Tifa's never hugged him like this before. No one's ever held him like this besides his own mother. Tifa's so soft... and warm, too.

Give him a moment. A moment's all he needs to soak up this warmth, to commit this to memory. To wrap his own arms around Tifa in return, squeezing back after she gives one to him. Later on, he might reflect on how perfectly she seems to fit against his frame.

For now, he can't stop thinking about whether or not he actually deserves this.

A short distance behind him, the sound of hard plastic hitting gravel seems to have caught Sephiroth's attention. Feline eyes narrowing, the vaunted war hero takes a step towards the young pair. Lucky for both of them, Zack comes to their rescue, tossing an arm out in front of Sephiroth to stop the older man in his tracks.

"Let 'em have this," he tells his friend, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "They're childhood friends, y'know? Come on... How long do you think they've been waiting for a moment like this?" The words leave him before he's really stopped to think about them. Sephiroth sure does, his intense gaze lingering on Cloud's back for a moment longer.

"...I wouldn't know."]

That's on me. [Cloud murmurs after Tifa lets him go.] I should've written you before I got here, I just...

[His fallen helmet makes for a good distraction, allowing Cloud a beat to collect himself as he hunches over to retrieve it. But when he rises back to his full height and locks eyes with Tifa again... guilt twists at his stomach.]

I didn't know how to break it to you. [Deep breaths. Better late than never.] I didn't make the cut.