Fic inspired by puffie!

Getting piano lessons now there was no school or other major career worries to concern herself with seemed like a good idea to Tifa Lockhart. She loved playing the piano. There was admittedly times when she might have claimed she hated it; for the most part, those times were back when she was younger, when she resented Dad's insistence she need to practice so hard and so often. He made clear she needed a hobby, and of all the possibilities she had chosen that instrument.

But as she got older there were other hobbies and activities to be had outside with the other kids. Far more appealing on hot summer days than staying inside and playing the same pieces of music over and over. But despite the distractions she did made the effort to practice and got pretty good at playing. Until life got in the way for a few, complicated years.

And now she found she missed playing. Not entirely easy to get back into it after she found a small electronic synthesizer to practice on. No way could she afford any kind of real piano on her salary. But as good as she managed to get on her own, something was missing, some part of her remembered skill was not coming back right. She could do better - and had been once before. Tifa might have given up then but for the notice in her local shop.

Piano lessons. Negotiable rates. All levels accepted. She debated it for about half a day before deciding to go for it. She rang the number and Ms. Gainsborough answered. Enthusiastic, warm and friendly. Keen to help Tifa out and wow that woman could talk and talk; Tifa soon found herself agreeing to a first lesson that weekend.

The decision lead to some frantic private practice sessions for the rest of the week in a vain attempt to be at least a little better before subjecting herself to someone else's judgement. The last thing Tifa wanted was to be all fingers and thumbs in front of her teacher.

Saturday arrived and a slightly nervous Tifa met Ms. Gainsborough. Or Aeris as she insisted. Her new teacher lived in a studio apartment with most of the floor space lost to a huge piano. Aeris was perhaps little more than a year older than her with her hair tied up into a bun. She had a tendency to peer at Tifa over the tops of her glasses as she grinned. And now it was hard not to steal glances at her whenever she could. No. She was here to learn- Well, practice the piano and- Aeris said something while her mind was elsewhere. "I'm sorry?" Tifa asked.

"I said, let's see what level you're at." She grinned and gestured to the piano.

"Sure. Anything you want me to play?" Books of sheet music lay on top of the piano; a varied selection from classical to modern. Was that a video-game score in the mix? Unexpected.

"Whatever you'd like." Nervous now; she was playing in front of an audience - even though it was just one person. Not something Tifa had done in so long. She sat at the piano and began playing. And regretted the choice; a favourite from childhood, a silly nursery rhyme. What was she thinking? She almost stopped after the first bar; such an infantile choice for her teacher. Better to start over or get this over with? No. Best to push on and choose something else next time. She carried on playing, the notes coming back without a second thought.

If Aeris was judging her she gave no sign. She waited until Tifa finished and wandered closer. "Good. Now, I just have to ask what you would like to get out of these lessons?"

"Well." Tifa licked her lips. "I want to get a little better and maybe get up to the next grade. If you think that's possible?"

"Oh, certainly." She nudged her arm. "Scooch up a little?" Tifa blinked and shuffled along the seat. Aeris sat beside her, her leg oh so warm against Tifa's. "So, first things first..."

The start of her infatuation. Or maybe that was still the crush at that stage. Tifa had met a gorgeous woman and she was her type. The actual infatuation began with the second session - and the moments Aeris messed with her hair and eventually re-tied it into a pony-tail. Tifa somehow did not stop playing at the sight, or twist around to keep on stealing glances as Aeris moved behind her.

Then again the infatuation might have started with the third lesson when Aeris had leant over from behind her, their bodies almost touching as she turned the page of the music for Tifa. Despite Tifa's attraction to her, Aeris was disarmingly easy to talk to and always ready with a terrible pun or awful joke.

She always asked about Tifa's week when they met. Not simply how Tifa's practice went at home, but what she'd been up to at work and elsewhere since they last met up. Tifa responded in kind, and it was sometimes hard to not wish she could accompany Aeris to some of the artsy events she mentioned attending. Possibly not so much the clubbing. Not the idea. Practising piano. Not a hook-up. Or girlfriend or- Getting way ahead of herself and missing the point once more. Thinking about Aeris was troublesome now. Especially if her thoughts wandered to her in the night-

Aeris was her teacher. Wasn't there something about teachers never getting involved with their pupils? Or was that doctors? So it might be okay; not like Aeris was a university lecturer or anything- No. Tifa shook her head. She was learning the piano and that was all. Maybe she needed to change teachers. Go somewhere else. Anywhere else. Somewhere without the wonderful distraction of Aeris Gainsborough. An option at least. And succumbing to her desires was a recipe for disaster; hooking up with Aeris and continuing piano lessons would just make things complicated. "You could just ask her out," her friend Jessie commented one evening after another lesson and another bout of temptation.

"I can't do that," Tifa moaned as she leant her head on the bar. "She's doing her job; I should not be hitting on her while she's working."

Jessie sipped at her drink. "Fair point. But you are smitten."

Tifa lifted her head. "I've got it bad, don't I?"

"Oh yeah." Jessie grinned. "Okay, so if your professional relationship is the problem then stop that part. There are other teachers around. Stop paying her, ask her if she'd like to get a drink. From the sounds of things you two have been hitting it off since you met."

Tifa nodded. There was a logic there. Okay. One more lesson. Then she could stop paying Aeris to sort of teach her and ask her out. Or lose her nerve, go home and wonder about what might have been and be certain that Aeris would never have said yes if she had asked. Tifa shook herself. What was she fourteen? This was absurd. So Aeris was attractive and- She was doing it again. Calm. She knocked on Aeris's apartment door.

"Hi Tifa." Aeris smiled as she let her in. Possibly Tifa had not been as ready as she expected - the knowledge this should be the last time was not really much of a comfort. Things went about as normal; they exchanged pleasantries and their usual catch-up. As was routine, Aeris directed her to the seat and asked her to begin with the same piece as last time. Tifa did as requested and Aeris murmured advice and encouragement from nearby.

No good. Despite her best efforts, Tifa's hands trembled and soon she was missing keys as she brought her hands down. She was not going to be able to do this. "Stop, stop, stop," Aeris said. "Hey. Are you okay?"

"Fine," Tifa replied, avoiding Aeris's gaze and clenching her fists in her lap. Too nervous.

"Did I push you too far?" Aeris got a little closer.

"Not sure," Tifa murmured, unwilling to face her teacher at this point.

"My fault." Aeris hummed. "Would it help if I guided you?"

"What?" Tifa twisted around. Aeris was staring at her and tapping a finger against her lips. "Guide me?"

"Sure." Tifa had to look away from Aeris's eyes as she met her gaze. "Help you get the timing and the pressure and- Scooch up?" Tifa slid along the stool, only realising a moment later that perhaps fleeing now would avoid the risk of later embarrassment. "Thanks. Excuse me a moment-" Aeris's arm was around her, the heat of her bare arm intense against Tifa's blouse. The other woman laid her hand on top of Tifa's. "Okay?"

Tifa tried to centre herself. "Yes," she breathed. Too far, this had all gone way too far. But she would not see the other woman again for who knew how long and-

"Good." Aeris brushed her fingers across Tifa's hand and she started to play. Feather-light touches on her skin at first, then more direct and harder as Aeris pushed her fingers down. But despite the proximity, despite the closeness, Aeris being right beside her was calming. "That's it," Aeris murmured. Her hand drew back to rest on the stool beside Tifa's hip. "Good. Very good."

Tifa smiled and continued. This was better than any other time she played music. Did she really want to give this up now? No. But by the same token what was the chance Aeris was into girls and would also have any kind of interest in her? All too soon Tifa reached the end of piece, the allotted time and now the last note faded into silence. "Was that better?"

"Yes." Aeris stood up. "You understand the concept now?" She paced away, humming to herself.

"Yes, I... I do." She swallowed. Could she really say this? "Aeris?"

"Yes?" The other woman span around to face her. Tifa could step forward and kiss her now. No, she was supposed to be asking her-

"I'd like to kiss you- I mean." Tifa's face was scorching hot now. She tried to recover. "Would you like to go get a drink or something sometime? As friends?" Her voice was weak; she had given everything away. What was her teacher going to think?

Aeris thankfully did not look shocked. Surprised maybe. And then- She smiled. "I do like the sound of that. So; yes." Tifa smiled with relief. A first step and she had not scared Aeris away. "But-" Aeris nudged her glasses up her nose and tapped her lips with a finger again. "I do also like the idea of the kiss." She stepped closer. "If you meant that?"

Tifa's throat threatened to close up but she did manage to squeak out a yes as she nodded. Aeris came closer still, her hands reaching up to cup Tifa's face. A wonderful moment as Tifa stared into those greens eyes and Aeris brought their lips together. After a moment - the kiss continuing - Tifa brought her arms up around the other girl's neck while she shifted hers to Tifa's waist.

Aeris kept on kissing her and Tifa kissed right back, neither of them making any move to stop. She almost complained as Aeris shifted until she kissed along her jawline to her neck. Tifa stumbled backwards, dragging Aeris with her only to jump a mile at a discordant sound. She pulled away from Aeris; she was half-sitting and half-leaning against the piano's keyboard. "Oh, I'm sorry-"

"It's fine." Aeris kissed her again, her hands fumbling with something behing Tifa. With a sharp thud, something brushed against Tifa and when Aeris pressed into her, the piano was silent. More. She needed more. Tifa fumbled with the buttons on her own blouse; she needed to feel the other woman against her. Aeris asked if she could help; Tifa nodded and Aeris picked at the buttons. She helped Tifa out of more of her clothing, each time checking Tifa was still okay as she undressed her. Tifa asked the same question as she fumbled with Aeris's blouse; Aeris consented but Tifa only managed to remove the other woman's shirt when she lifted Tifa up and onto the piano.

"Is the piano going to be okay?" Tifa asked breathlessly as Aeris leaned over to kiss her chest.

"Definitely," Aeris murmured as she slid onto the piano beside Tifa.

Something like two hours later and Tifa finally felt like moving. They'd moved to Aeris's bed after the initial pleasurable tryst on the piano so Tifa could return the favour. Now her stomach was grumbling and she had to find out what the consequences of her impulses and Jessie's urging were. "That was so good," she ventured and winced at her own words.

Aeris did not seem to mind and grinned at her. "It was." She made a satisfied noise. "And I have to admit I'm of the mind to stop charging you for lessons," she said as she toyed with a strand of Tifa's hair. "If you'd like to do this again of course."

"Definitely," Tifa replied. "I mean, I'd like to see where this goes - if that's okay? And that offer of a drink still stands. Or maybe dinner would be a better idea?"

Aeris hummed. "Both options are tempting. But-" She sighed and rolled into Tifa's embrace. "Right now, I think I'd like to stay here. How does pizza sound?"

Tifa grinned. "An excellent plan."