"I won't go if you don't want me to.”

The money? To hell with it. It paled in comparison to the way he felt when he was with you – the soft caress of your hair against his neck, the warmth of your skin. Nothing could compare to that. He knew Avalanche needed him, and yet he was tempted to abandon his obligations just to spend a few more hours in your company.

But he had made a promise to Tifa, Jessie, and the rest of the team. No matter how much he wanted to be with you, he couldn't bring himself to break that promise.

"But yeah... they need me," he said, a light chuckle escaping his lips – a rare occurrence for the once reserved Cloud Strife. "Doubt they'll make it through the mission without me."

Cloud's gaze softened as he looked at you. "You'll be okay, won't you? I won't be gone for long, I promise."