[it's not even so much that she likes the petting (she does, in a weird way), it's really she just likes the touch from cloud in general. she likes that he feels comfortable enough with her to try, and to be fair to her it's...y'know. been a while since anyone has touched her. feeling it from cloud is new, and she's not going to rush him into deciding what he wants to try. he squeezes her leg through her skirt and there's a little noise of surprised muffled into his neck, but she doesn't push him away. there's just another kiss to his collarbone.]

...yeah. [she gets it. he doesn't have to outright say it given they're here right now, but even the aborted attempt helps her know it's not just her. that cloud really does care in his own way, that he wants to take this plunge with her even knowing the battles they have ahead. it's reassuring in its own way.] We have a little more time now, don't we? So...we can use it to take a little more of what we want from each other.