beatinginavoid

[beatinginavoid]

[beatinginavoid]

Beating on the Bed

Just sitting on the bed after having a shower. Breathing. Heart beating. You know how it is. Headphones recommended. (Volume boosted and removed some hiss)

Life going on. I love listening, don’t you?

[beatinginavoid]

The nymph always loved to push the bodies of mortals beyond their brink.🌿

Up close gif of the heart:

[beatinginavoid]

A Curse? No

Here you go @heartsypartsy, a vampire cardiophilia story as promised!

🩺🫀🧛‍♀️💓

Vampires – creatures of myth and fantasy that were cursed to endure a tormented existence by stealing the life of others.

Illiana shook her head. How silly. All predators sustained their own lives from consuming parts of others after death. Just because vampires drank the blood instead of eating the flesh did not change the fundamental principle. If vampires were cursed because of that, then so were all the omnivorous humans in the world.

Humans never seemed to understand that though. Such a narrow world view. Well, not all humans were that dense or blind.

Some humans believed in such creatures, and realised that not all of them were little more than mindless killers. Illiana, being a vampire herself, felt blessed to have a human in her life that was one of those understanding few.

Illiana went still, only moving to tuck some of her long, black hair behind an ear. She could hear the faintest, dull tapping. It was quiet, but it would soon grow louder. It was a heartbeat – her vampire senses were finely tuned to the cardiovascular system of mortal, living things.

She closed her eyes to better focus on the sound.

There was nothing in the world quite like the thumping of a heart. The snapping of valves, the whooshing of blood…

The very sound of life. It was the most pure, enthralling sound in the world. Well, human hearts. There was no other animal on Earth with a heart that sounded as delicious as that of a human being. There were plenty of animals with hearts around the same size, rate, and power, but they were never as enticing to listen to or drink from.

Humans had no idea of how amazing the treasures in their chests really were. Such a shame, what a waste!

Well, some humans were aware. The one this heartbeat belonged to was Illiana’s special human. Marie knew about vampires and even accepted Illiana’s existence, which was a wonder in and of itself, and, even better, she let the vampire indulge in listening, feeling, and consuming.

The beating became louder in tandem with footsteps. The dull tapping turned into thumping, getting deeper and meatier the closer Marie grew. Illiana opened her eyes in time to see Marie wave in greeting, a gesture she happily returned. Each step was slower than the pumping muscle powering them.

Marie would reach her in short order. She could walk at whatever speed she desired, Illiana only cared for the tempo of her warm heart. Slow, restful beats were all well and good, but the faster a heart raced, the more the vampire enjoyed it. The biological power behind every contraction of each chamber was stunning, and the gushing spurts of the rich lifeblood that ran through the body in innumerable streams was simply intoxicating. Her eyes slid shut again.

Illiana knew when Marie was standing right in front of her. She could hear the mortal’s heart as clearly as if she had her ear pressed to her chest.

Ba-thump…ba-thump…ba-thump…ba-thump…ba-thump…

“Are you hungry?” asked Marie.

The vampire opened her eyes. Her human friend was smiling, eyes bright, and the faintest blush adorning her nose and cheeks. Illiana was always hungry to some degree – the closest thing to a curse she had.

“Not quite,” she said, all but purring the words.

Marie raised an eyebrow. A hand rose to her jaw and she caressed her carotid artery down the length of her slender neck. “I see.”

Her tone sure, her understanding strong. The vampire ran her tongue over her teeth, paying extra attention to her sharp fangs. The pair retreated into the house for more privacy, despite the fact that the garden was thick and the property was large, its neighbours distant.

Marie swanned past, going to an exercise bike next to a lounge that took centre stage in a room. She shrugged off a small backpack and dug out a cyan tubing stethoscope. A belt quickly followed and Marie tied the stethoscope in place with it, sticking the ends in her ears and straddling the bike. She winked at Illiana and took a deep breath as far as the belt would allow.

Ba-thump…ba-thump…ba-thump..ba-thump..ba-thump, ba-thump, ba-thump, ba-thumpba-thumpba-thumpba-thumpba-thump, ba-thump, ba-thump..ba-thump..ba-thump…ba-thump…ba-thump…ba-thump…

Wonderful. Even the simple act of taking a breath could affect the pump so much. Illiana took a silent, deep breath of her own, though it was unnecessary and accomplished nothing. Her heart, if she still had one, was cold, shrunken, and still, her lungs shrivelled and useless.

The brunet slowly began to pedal, increasing speed at a glacial pace, breathing deeply and steadily.

Illiana daintily sat on the lounge, eyes fixed upon her dearest friend and ears tuned to the song of Marie’s life. Each beat was a tiny bit harder and faster than the last. The pedals moved quicker and quicker, and the constantly contracting muscle caged by Marie’s ribs swiftly overtook her feet in speed. The vampire leaned forward, elbows on knees and chin on hands.

Ba-thump.. ba-thump.. ba-thump.. ba-thump.. ba-thump.. ba-thump, ba-thump, ba-thump, ba-thumpba-thumpba-thumpba-thumpb-thmpb-thmpb-thmpb-thmpb-thmpbdmpbdmpbdmpbdmpbdmp-

Marie’s eyes were half shut, a soft smile quirking her lips at the corners. She was clearly enjoying the sounds of her heart almost as much as the vampire. But Illiana was sure that her enhanced senses did a better job than any stethoscope, no matter how advanced.

The organ was pounding, beating multiple times a second. The blood it pumped swooshed relentlessly. Such a pace was not sustainable for long though. Hearts were amazing things, but they were not machines that could go on forever at top speed and full power. Her friend’s breathing grew more unsteady and shallow as Marie’s lungs did their best to keep up with her body’s demands for more oxygen.

Illiana stood, entranced, and glided to Marie. The human stopped pedalling and sat up straight, eyes now fully closed and chest heaving. The vampire hugged her friend and pressed her ear firmly over the pump.

BDMPBDMPBDMPBDMPBDMPBDMPBDMPBDMPBDMPBDMPBDMPBDMPBDMPBDMPBDMPBDMPBDMP

Glorious. Absolutely glorious. The elastic muscle was proving its worth by beating just over three times a second. The thumpy snaps and rapid whooshing were a full course meal for Illiana’s ears. Her fangs began to ache as the metallic scent of rich, red blood – so close, so tantalising – engulfed her olfactory sense.

It was close to beating two hundred times a minute. For now. Illiana clung, several minutes passing as the stressed organ began to recover, slowing incrementally.

B-THMPB-THMPB-THMPB-THMPB-THMPB-THMPB-THMPB-THMPBA-THUMPBA-THUMPBA-THUMPBA-THUMPBA-THUMPBA-THUMPBA-THUMPBA-THUMPBA-THUMPBA-THUMPBA-THUMPBA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP, BA-THUMP.. BA-THUMP.. BA-THUMP.. BA-THUMP.. BA-THUMP.. BA-THUMP.. BA-THUMP.. BA-THUMP.. BA-THUMP.. BA-THUMP.. BA-THUMP.. BA-THUMP… BA-THUMP… BA-THUMP… BA-THUMP… BA-THUMP… BA-THUMP… BA-THUMP… BA-THUMP… BA-THUMP…

When it was back at a reasonable rate, Illiana let go and returned to the lounge. Marie followed and draped herself on it, lying back and leaving herself open. The stethoscope was still firmly in place, her ribs still flexing against the belt, though her eyes were open and fixed upon the vampire’s face.

“Hungry yet?” Marie asked.

Illiana ran her tongue over her fangs. “Oh yes.”

“I thought you would be,” she said. Marie tapped the side of her neck lightly in time with her heartbeat.

The vampire needed no more invitation. She moved slowly until she was leaning up against the human. She nuzzled the skin over the large blood vessels with her nose for a few seconds, lining up her target. Illiana’s mouth opened and her fangs grazed the soft skin teasingly.

Ba-thump… ba-thump… ba-thump… ba-thumpathump.. ba-thump.. ba-thump.. ba-thump… ba-thump… ba-thump…

A missed beat. Marie was enjoying this too.

A strong heart was definitely amazing, but Illiana couldn’t deny that she loved when one misfired. Missed beats and irregular rhythms were her sinful vices, especially when she caused them. As long as it was innocent and healthy – there was no way Illiana would ever risk hurting Marie, or her precious heart, like that.

Illiana stopped teasing and sunk her fangs in. Marie gasped.

Ba-thump… ba-thump… ba-thumpathump… ba-thumpathump… ba-thump… ba-thump… ba-thumpathump… ba-thump… ba-thump…

Gorgeous. Illiana began to drink, ears remaining tuned to the organ that was constantly in motion. It grew faster as the volume of blood in the human’s body was reduced, trying valiantly to keep up with the body’s demands. When it once again hit tachycardic levels, pounding away at over one hundred beats per minute, the vampire pulled back, licking the puncture wounds and stopping the bleeding immediately.

In a few hours the skin would be smooth and unblemished once more. Vampire saliva sped up healing by magnitudes, though Marie would have to replenish her blood levels by herself, the old fashioned way.

Her heart was hammering hard, virtually pummelling her sternum and ribs, as it compensated under the new workload. It was a new tune Illiana could almost dance to if the beat were consistent.

Ba-THUMP, ba-THUMP, ba-THUMP, ba-THUMPTHUMPTHUMP………… BA-THUMP… BA-THUMP… ba-THUMP, ba-THUMP, ba-THUMP, ba-THUMP, ba-THUMP, ba-THUMPATHUMP…… ba-THUMP, ba-THUMP, ba-THUMP, ba-THUMPATHUMP… ba-THUMPATHUMP… ba-THUMPATHUMP… ba-THUMPATHUMP… ba-THUMPATHUMP……… ba-thump, ba-thump, ba-thump, ba-thump, ba-THUMP, ba-THUMP, ba-THUMP, ba-THUMP, ba-THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP………… ba-thump, ba-THUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP………… ba-thump… ba-thump… ba-THUMP, ba-THUMP, ba-THUMP

Marie gasped as her heart threw a bunch of skips. It always soldiered on reliably during exercise, never missing a beat while it raced. But whenever Illiana fed, her heart beat all over the place, even pausing for seconds at a time before picking the pace back up. It didn’t exactly hurt, and it always gave her a thrill to hear her cardiac muscle misbehave. These sessions of arrhythmias only lasted for twenty minutes at most, so Marie never wanted to miss a second.

Illiana thoroughly enjoyed the results of her feeding as well, though she always worried for her dear friend while the pump stuttered, spluttered, hiccupped, paused, and struggled. It didn’t sound healthy in the slightest, but Marie never seemed any worse for wear.

It was times like this that the vampire wished she could hold her friend’s pulsing organ, holding and watching as well as listening. To caress the pump as it misfired, to gently squeeze the chambers in sequence, encouraging the proper movement of blood through beleaguered valves, to make the work easier.

She wanted Marie’s heart to continue for decades to come - beat after beat, contraction after contraction, thump after thump.

Ba-THUMP, ba-THUMP, ba-THUMP, ba-THUMP

It was her favourite song after all, and she would listen to it on repeat until the song finally degraded.

[beatinginavoid]

[beatinginavoid]

A restful request

I had a request for a raw, untouched recording. So, here it is - no volume boost, no edits at all. Just sitting down on my bed a short time after a shower. I hope you enjoy, and headphones definitely recommended 🫀🎧

[beatinginavoid]

[beatinginavoid]

Cruising in the fast lane

So many liked my first recording so I figured I'd keep going. 💓

When you have severe insomnia and even the meds fail sometimes. If my heart was a car, she would’ve been pulled over for speeding I'm sure 😅 Don’t know what bpm she reached, feel free to count and let me know! (Headphones recommended)

[beatinginavoid]

So...

I finally figured out a way to get a decent recording. I even managed to edit the file to remove some background noise and boost the volume. This is the first ever time I'm posting anything like this and I'm shy but determined to share... She loves speeding up when I inhale. So... what do you think? Worth listening to? Should I record and post more? Headphones recommended I guess?

[beatinginavoid]

I absolutely need a continuation of the stabbing story! I need to see if he makes it through surgery with how badly damaged his heart is...or if he dies in the ICU after all....

Hello! I'm sorry, but I have no desire to write any more of that story. I left it open-ended for people to imagine their own ending - good or bad. Feel free to write your own continuation!

[beatinginavoid]

Just wanted to say hi as a fellow ace cardiophille and story writer. The space became very sexualized recently so I always appreciate finding content with a different focus. Really enjoying your writing.

Hello! Wonderful to meet you! I'm really glad you're enjoying my writing, and I hope to fill the space further!

[beatinginavoid]

About Me

Figured it was time I do one of these, so here we go. Hi! I'm into soft and dark cardiophilia. I am aroace and hearts are not something sexual for me, I just enjoy them. I'm not big on DMs because people seem to only be after the sexual aspect and stop talking to me the moment I admit it isn't like that for me. I also do not wish to share any contact info for pictures, audio, or video. Having said that, DMs ARE open. Absolutely no NSFW whatsoever. I am not into resus or any medfet, just hearts. I am a writer first and foremost, and I made this blog to finally share my secret desires and find like-minded people. I do take asks/requests. Yes, I accept anons. Please do not expect me to pounce on things and get them done lickity-split - I have a life outside of this little blog. I love getting art of my works and will happily prioritise an art trade for a story over a regular ask/request. If you do any art for any of my stories, please tag me so I can see!!! Happy to be here! May the beat go on. 🫀🩺💓

[beatinginavoid]

Can you write something about a young man being stabbed to the heart and left to bleed out? He's still conscious as the tamponade compresses his heart muscle and someone eventually finds him and calls an ambulance. A dramatic resus scene ensues...

Hello, hello! Sorry for the long wait. I'm not big on resus, but I hope I did the request justice.

🗡️🫀

It was quick. It was all so fast. One moment Dan was leaving the building and walking to his car, the next someone else appeared seemingly from nowhere. It was late, and he had stayed behind at a café to try and enjoy a drink, some food, and some background ambience before going home.

A person, dressed entirely in dark clothes, had blindsided him. Silver flashed under the moonlight, then a sharp pain engulfed him. He had fallen to his knees and then collapsed onto his back.

So here he was, staring almost unseeingly at the night sky, the light pollution reducing the visible number of stars.

An odd warmth covered his chest. Dan raised his hands and clumsily patted across his chest. He looked at his palm to see glistening red liquid.

Oh. He was bleeding. That was bad, right?

His mind, whirling and confused, told him pressure – apply pressure. Dan found the spot that hurt the most and placed both hands over it, trying his best to press down. It was only then did he notice his hands were directly over his heart.

In that moment, the pain truly registered. Every beat of his heart panged in pain, every agonising thump pounding in his head as well as his chest.

This was bad. This was so bad. Dan knew nothing about medical things, but any idiot would know that getting stabbed in the heart was way up there on the bad scale. His lungs were still working, but his vocal cords had decided to take an impromptu vacation. Any attempts to call out for help were thwarted before they started.

He would likely die here, and some poor soul would trip over his cold corpse hours from now. What a dismal way to go. Crimson warmth pulsed underneath his palm at a steady rate. How long did it take the average person to bleed out? It would be quicker since the blood was being pumped directly from the heart – the centre of the circulatory system.

The process being fast meant it would be less painful until he no longer felt anything. Which was looking better and better as the pain in his chest started growing. Despite the blood leaking out of him, Dan’s chest began to feel tight, as if a band was around his ribs slowly compressing them tighter with every shaky, desperate breath.

His head felt strangely floaty, but his heart was sending clear signals to his brain. Every contraction of his cardiac muscle, every inflation and deflation of his lungs, was screaming inside his mind, cutting easily through all of the fog.

Each thump pounded even as it felt like a fist was around the pump, the fingers squeezing without relent. The beating in his head sounded muffled and breathing became more and more of a chore.

“Holy shit!”

A guy appeared over him, looming like a vulture, eyes wide and mouth open in horror. The man fumbled for a moment before bringing a phone up to his ear. Dan heard the word ambulance spoken amongst a bunch of gibberish and a tiny spark of hope lit up in his struggling heart.

His blood soaked hand was nudged aside and a folded jacket replaced it, two hands pushing it down far more firmly than Dan had managed. His breath hitched slightly and he groaned at the pressure and increased pain. Now it felt as though there was a heavy weight trying to crush his ribs from the front, even as the imaginary band around them squeezed the sides tighter.

Dan’s heart thudded awkwardly, feeling as though it skipped several beats, then stumbled its way through several more, before doggedly picking up the pace under the new onslaught.

The poor thing did not feel up to this challenge anymore. Although going faster, the beats did not feel as strong as before. Dan’s mind vividly conjured up the image of his cardiac muscle shaking and wobbling like a runner on their last legs, the blood barely being moved until the muscle spasmed once then fell still.

Was he dead?

No, no, he could still feel the organ pumping inside his chest.

How much longer could the injured and stressed heart keep going?

The guy’s face was looming in his blurred and shrinking field of vision again. The mouth was moving, but nothing seemed able to penetrate the cotton wool stuffed in his ears, and surrounding his brain, except for his own thoughts, shallow panting, and uncertain heartbeat.

Ba-thump, ba-thump, ba-thumpathump… ba-thump… ba-thump… ba-thumpthumpthumpthumpthump…… ba-thump, ba-thump, ba-thump, ba-thumpathump…ba-thumpathump…ba-thumpathump………… ba-thump……… ba-thump…… ba-thump…… ba-thump…ba-thump…ba-thump…ba-thump, ba-thump, ba-thumpba-thumpba-thumpbathumpbathumpbathumpBATHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMPTHUMP… BA-thump…BA-thump…ba-thumpathump…

There was no dancer in the world, no matter how talented, that would be able to dance to such an erratic, off-key, mess of percussion.

Dan could no longer feel his fingers or toes. If he was moving them, he couldn’t tell. Were they even still attached? His head felt so floaty that he wasn’t entirely sure it was still stuck to his neck. His neck, which was linked to his torso. His torso, that was being crushed, squashed, and squeezed relentlessly. The effects of which were making it very hard for his lungs to inflate like they should. His lungs, that surrounded his heart, were unable to give the beating muscle enough room for it to do its job adequately either. His heart, pierced, injured, somehow still gamely struggling along.

A struggle that was all too likely to end soon.

The guy was still hovering over him, still pressing down his chest, still talking. The words were no more audible than before, but now the man’s face was no longer in the dark. It was oddly alight, flickering quickly between red and blue, like he was in a colour limited rave.

Dan didn’t remember going to a rave. He had been in a nice, quiet café, right? Was he still there? No… No, he’d left. He was outside. That was right, outside in the cold. He didn’t feel cold. Shouldn’t he feel cold?

Not being cold didn’t feel bad though. So, it was a good thing, right?

Something about that set alarm bells ringing in the back of his mind. But his mind was too fuzzy to properly register them, let alone dredge up the energy to do anything about it. Dan was tired. So, so tired.

Tired people should sleep, right? Sleep was healthy and important.

His eyes were halfway closed when a new blurry figure popped into view, also flickering red and blue. Their mouth was moving too, although Dan couldn’t hear them either.

Had the rave damaged his hearing? No, he hadn’t even been at a rave. He’d just established the events in his mind, hadn’t he? Ugh, thinking was hard.

His head, which he was ninety-nine percent sure was only hanging by a thread, pounded dully in time with the out of tune drum in his rib cage. It really was an awful beat - musicians would weep in sheer horror and frustration.

The guy pressing into the drum really needed to stop and let the poor instrument retire.

There was an odd sensation, and Dan swore as the pressure on his heart shifted. It was as if every fibre of the moving muscle was trying to beat while being pulled completely taut, the strain visceral despite the blood that slicked the whole surface. Things slid over his skin and an image of his ribs being exposed popped into his mind.

If someone were to crack his ribs and spread them, Dan would be grateful. It would probably do wonders to help alleviate that vice grip they were currently held in. The world flickered in and out, black, red, grey, and blue cycling around and around.

Voices still eluded him, but high-pitched beeps broke through the muffling silence. They sounded random and quickly became irritating. Dan gasped fitfully as his lungs stuttered, unable to do their job. The lack of oxygen quickly affected his already stressed body, and his heart grew weaker with each irregular beat, the muscle pulsing slower and less effectively until it grew still.

The darkness swallowed Dan and he knew it would never again be light for him. His chest was no longer tight at least.

“We’re losing him!” said one of the paramedics as the heart monitor line fell flat.

“There might be too much damage,” said the other paramedic.

The first shook his head. “There has to be something else wrong. The blood pressure didn’t match the cardiac output. I think…”

He dug into the large bag next to him and took out an imposing looking needle. He pulled the cover off the metal tip and plunged it into the flesh near the stab wound in Dan’s chest. The plunger was slowly pulled back, dark red blood filling up the empty space it created.

“Of course, a cardiac tamponade,” the second said ruefully. They immediately began chest compressions, the blood-slicked surface threatening to slide their hands out of position.

Blood dribbled out of the stab wound with every press, Dan’s life hanging in the balance with every forced, artificial beat.

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump…

Would it ever beat on its own again?

[beatinginavoid]

Heyy I was wondering if you're gonna write a story about a character having a heart attack:)

Hi! I'm sure it's on my list somewhere. If not, I'll probably get to it eventually. I have a few requests backed up, but we'll see after that.

[beatinginavoid]

I do enjoy the extra speed and thumpiness a warm bath or shower grants the heart.

I spent an hour in the bath with a stethoscope tied as tightly in place as I could manage. With a tiny bit of breathplay I pushed my heart rate up to 138, but it never dipped below 90.

I simply enjoyed feeling and hearing every single (sometimes irregular) beat. I did feel a bit light-headed and dizzy, so I didn’t play around much.

It's the little things in life.

🩺🫀

[beatinginavoid]

Down Under, mate!

Hello dear heart lovers, steth lovers, resus lovers and everyone from the community. 💗

🌍 Where are you from? 🌍💗

Please reblog this post to expand the community 🙌🏻🥳

[beatinginavoid]

You guys wanted fics so... here you go! This was actually a gift for someone, but I'll share it here now.

-------

The scenery was beautiful in a faintly nostalgic way. Rugged rocks and patches of bare mountainside presented themselves in shades of grey, brown, and rusty red. Dirt and grass switched interchangeably in swathes and patches, various species of flowers reached proudly into the air and swayed gently each time a breeze blew softly by.

Soft, wispy white clouds drifted lazily in their high up ocean of light blue. The sun was a little too warm to be strictly comfortable, but the intermittent breeze afforded some amount of respite from the heat. Some, but not enough for one of the two people currently traversing the mountain.

Tifa frowned, huffed, and stared at the spiky tufts of blond hair on the back of Cloud’s head as she walked behind him. Did he not feel the heat? Was it a SOLDIER thing? She would be jealous of his abilities if she didn’t know the toll that acquiring them had left on her childhood friend.

She wasn’t even sure why they were making their way up the mountain in the first place. Something about an herb or a flower? Some kind of plant at least. One that only grew inconveniently at the summit of a couple of the nearby mountains.

“Are we high enough yet?” she asked.

Cloud raised an eyebrow, unseen by Tifa, at the possible context of her words. He chose to ignore it and take the words at face value, gazing upward and trying to gauge distances.

“No.”

A blunt and to the point answer, just like this version of Cloud that she had stumbled across, miraculously back from the dead. Red eyes narrowed at his back for a moment before she closed her eyes and sighed. Her friend was physically here, but sometimes she wondered if her friend was truly alive in that body.

“What are we looking for again?” she asked casually, hoping for more conversation.

“An herb.”

She waited. And waited. No more words were forthcoming.

“And this herb looks like…?” she prompted.

Cloud absently kicked away a loose rock. “Shiny leaves, waxy feeling, with a stem covered in stinging hairs.”

Tifa pulled a face at that, momentarily glad that Cloud couldn’t see her face. “Sounds lovely,” she said, tone sarcastic.

The gradient of their chosen path steepened until they were climbing more than walking. Tifa watched him carefully, putting her hands and feet in the same places he did, secure in the knowledge that they were tested and safe. As a native of Nibelheim, and especially considering her past, she knew intimately just how treacherous mountain terrain could be.

The last thing either of them needed was an accident to occur.

Things were quiet aside from the scraping of boots on rock. Not even the chirping of birds was audible up here and it was disquieting. She was a little tired, her breathing a bit heavier. From what she could see of Cloud, he looked like he was unaffected and could keep going for hours.

The SOLDIER had planned to go on this mission by himself, but Tifa didn’t like the idea of any of them going off alone, so she immediately volunteered to go with him. He was perfectly capable on his own, though something in her heart quivered and refused to settle until she was by his side. She knew the likelihood of him vanishing for another several years was low, but still…

She had no plans to lose him now that she had him back.

Some areas were steep enough to turn their progress into an almost sheer vertical climb. Tifa admired his athletic form before grumbling under her breath and reaching for the nearest handhold. She was almost to the top when her boot slipped. She gasped, red eyes blowing wide as her hands and fingers suddenly took on the task of supporting her entire body weight. Her boots scrabbled against the sheer rock, desperately searching for a foothold.

“Tifa!”

A hand wearing a glove wrapped around her right wrist. His grip was firm, and a little on the tight side, and he grunted softly as he heaved, lifting her up carefully. She tried to help as best she could, hauling herself up and over the edge the moment she could. Once every part of her body was no longer dangling in danger, she took a moment to catch her breath and looked at Cloud.

His eyes were locked on her, his usually impassive face held a small, worried frown. The Mako glow of his eyes was faint in the daylight, but his gaze was intense enough without it. She saw him looking at her up and down in assessment. Tifa knew Cloud was not checking her out, he was searching for injuries. 

She wasn’t sure if she should feel any disappointment about that.

It certainly didn’t help that Cloud was as dense as a box of rocks about girls and romance. Tifa and Aerith, and even Yuffie, had discussed it more than once. It had been the reason for many girlish giggles between them.

“I’m okay,” she assured him. Tifa let herself close her eyes as she laid there, processing what just happened.

A breath hitched. It wasn’t hers.

Her eyes flew open and she looked over to see Cloud holding his head in pain. Oh no, not again. Her poor friend had these weird episodes that left him tired, drained, and off-kilter. He always went to lay down when they ended, needing to sleep them off. For one to hit now was the worst possible timing.

Tifa scrambled over to him and covered his hands with her own. “Cloud? Cloud, can you hear me?”

His teeth were clenched and his breathing was a bit haggard, a frown etched on his face. He shook his head, sending blond locks swinging, and grunted in pain, giving no indication that he could hear her.

“It’s me, Cloud, it’s Tifa. I’m here, I’m with you, I’ve got you. Let me know if you can hear me, Cloud, come on!”

“No, Tifa!” he said breathlessly.

He slumped forward and the martial artist braced against the weight.

“No, no, no…” he muttered. “Not again. Not again!”

Tifa had no idea what he was talking about but she knew whatever he was experiencing wasn’t good. She did her best to wrap the fingers of her left hand around his, while her right hand sifted down through his hair to cup his cheek. Her thumb gently rubbed over the apple of his cheek and he froze.

“No!” he cried out. Cloud got up and lunged, right arm outstretched, and dove over the edge, sweeping his childhood friend along with him.

She gasped and instinctively clung to him, hoping the landing didn’t hurt too much. Cloud’s arms wrapped around her and he twisted in the air, putting himself beneath her to absorb the damage.

“I won’t let you fall alone again,” he whispered just above her head.

There was a loud THUD and Tifa slammed into Cloud, bouncing back up as far as his grasp would allow, then falling back onto him. His breath was knocked out of his lungs by her weight and he arched his back up slightly as she bounced. They both settled and all that could be heard was shaky breathing from her and shallow breathing from him.

Tifa was curled into his chest, unwilling or unable to move. She could feel his ribs rise and fall and there was a drumming beneath her right ear.

Bathumpbathumpbathumpbathumpbathumpbathumpbathumpbathump-

Cloud’s heart was racing, probably fueled by fear and adrenaline, much like her own. She focused on the sound, strong and steady despite the pace. It was undeniable proof that he was alive and still with her.

“Cloud?” she asked softly. Her red eyes opened and she tilted her head up to look at his face.

He moaned and turned his head fractionally, eyelids fluttering for a moment but staying shut. It took a lot to knock down a SOLDIER, enhanced as they were. She was sure the episode he had just suffered was the main reason he was unconscious. She carefully moved off of him, mindful of injuries, and quickly checked him over.

There was a small bleeding wound on the back of his head, and some inconsequential cuts and scrapes on his arms. His back was going to be a mass of nasty bruises, but nothing seemed broken at least. She turned him on his side and wrangled the massive sword off his back, setting it aside and letting him lay flat again.

She was anxious and fidgety, bitterly wishing she had a potion or Cure materia. It only took seconds before Tifa rested her head on his chest again, on his left pectoral. She couldn’t shake this niggling feeling that he would somehow disappear on her again. His heart had slowed, unlike hers, and she listened to it attentively – the only thing completely reassuring her that he was still with her.

Ba-thump…ba-thump…ba-thump…ba-thumpathump……ba-thump…ba-thump…

What was that? Did she need to be concerned? Had her weight on him when they landed done damage she couldn’t see? She bit her lip and brought her left hand up to her face, placing her palm flat on his sternum with splayed fingers.

Tifa could feel the faint impacts of his heart against his ribs and sternum in time with the thumping in her ear. The rhythm was mostly steady with the occasional hiccup. His face didn’t register any pain and his breathing was unaffected, so she eventually decided it was harmless. It might even be normal for him, she simply didn’t know.

Time passed and Tifa found herself lulled into a near doze by the heart thumping steadily, for the most part, in Cloud’s chest. Despite any irregularities, the strength behind each beat was undeniable. No matter what the blond had gone through he had lived through it, life pumping in his body with a fierce strength she couldn’t help but admire.

Ba-thump…ba-thumpathump……ba-thump…ba-thump…ba-thump…ba-thump…ba-thump..ba-thump..ba-thumpathump...ba-thump..ba-thump..ba-thump…

The rate increased slightly and her eyes opened immediately, finding his face. He was frowning and his blue eyes cracked open. Tifa sucked in a breath and gently patted his sternum. She couldn’t quite bring herself to move away from that oh so reassuring sound just yet.

Cloud groaned, the sound low as it vibrated through his chest. “T’fa?” he mumbled.

“I’m here, Cloud,” she said clearly. The patting turned into rubbing as she tried to give him some warmth and a sensation he could ground himself with.

He tightened his grip on her absently. “You fell,” he stated.

Something clicked in Tifa’s mind. “No, no, no, that was years ago, remember? We were just kids.”

He shook his head. “N-no. Not then. You fell,” he insisted.

Tifa really didn’t want to tell him the truth – that he had jumped and taken her with him. She sincerely doubted that he would take it well. “I’m fine,” she said gently but firmly. “I’m right here, with you, safe and sound. You can see, hear, and feel me, can’t you?”

The blond made a non-committal noise. His grip tightened fractionally and he took a slow, deep breath, blue locked onto red.

The thumping beneath her hand and head slowed slightly as he took in her words and her presence. The rhythm was steady, no more odd skips or stumbles, as he calmed. The tension bled out of her as he relaxed. His impromptu hug became more protective than restraining and the pair didn’t move or speak.

He looked up at the sky and she took the opportunity to scrutinise him. The faintest tinge of pink dusted his cheeks and she smiled, feeling accomplished for no particular reason she could discern.

“Do you have a potion?” Tifa suddenly asked.

Cloud blinked and looked down again. “What? You said you were fine,” he said, his voice holding a tiny sting of betrayal.

She rolled her eyes. “I am fine. The back of your head is bleeding.”

One of his arms moved from around her and his hand ran through his hair. His gloved fingers snagged and he tugged them loose with a tiny wince, bringing them around to take a look. His lips turned down at the ends at the smears and flakes of red on his gloves.

“Oh.”

They went back to laying there in silence, though Cloud’s arm didn’t wrap around her again. It was a bit disappointing, but Tifa was inordinately pleased that he was allowing her to remain on his chest.

The pair returned much later, herbs in hand.