He ran, all he could do was run. He ran as fast as he possibly could, away, away from the horrors he just saw. His eyes were clenched shut trying to stop tears from running down his soft pale cheeks. It was in vain, the tears managed to come effortlessly. He didn't know where he was running to and really didn't care. He opened his eyes to see where he was, but it didn't do any good, to many tears clouding his view. He could hear someone yelling after him, not someone, more than one. The Turks. His father sent his hit men after him. Not to kill him of course, no that wouldn't go over well at all. Not that he loved his son, he needed an heir, that was all. Yes, this young 17 year old boy was Rufus, Rufus Shinra. Odd isn't it? Rufus finally couldn't hear the yells of footsteps behind him, the Turks gave up their pursuit. That didn't slow Rufus down at all though. All he could think about is what happened.
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Rufus was in his room reading a book. He sat quietly on his bed with his somewhat young black panther, Dark Nation, at his feet. He smiled a bit and pet Dark Nation. His smile faded as he heard screaming and yelling coming from downstairs. His parents were fighting again. This always happened when father came home drunk from being with one of his 'women'. Rufus pretended not to know about them, but everyone did anyways. He heard something crash and his mother scream. Rufus dropped his book and ran out of his room. Dark Nation lifted his head and watched his master run out, he quickly followed. Rufus hid behind the rail as he watched his parents argue.
"You are NOT leaving! You can't walk out on me! I control this whole city! What will everyone think? They need to see me as a family man, elections depend on having a family." Rufus' father yelled.
"I can do what I want! This is hardly even a family, you're always with your whores from Don's! I want to be somewhere where I'm loved and wanted! Not just needed for elections!" Rufus' mother yelled back tears in her eyes.
"Shut up! You can't leave me and that's final!" He yelled.
Rufus saw his father raise his hand and slap his mother causing her to fall to the floor. Rufus wanted to cry out to her but knew better then to defy his father.
"I am leaving, where's Rufus?" She said, slowly standing up.
"You aren't leaving or taking Rufus with you! He yelled.
"Fine! I hope he never turns out like you! Never! Rufus I love you! Remember that!" She yelled hoping her son would hear.
Just as she went to run out the door president Shinra pulled out a gun and aimed it at his mother. Rufus' eyes widened in shock.
"Mother look out!" Rufus screamed.
Rufus saw his mother start to turn and closed his and covered his ears as a shot rang out through the large barren room. When Rufus opened his eyes he slowly let his hands drop to his sides. His mother was laying on the marble floor. She looked like an angel, her blonde hair strewn about her like a veil. Her aqua eyes opened staring to the sky, never to blink again. Her pale skin glowing under the light. Red, scarlet blood slowly seeping out from behind her flowing over the marble white floor. Rufus went to scream out to her, but no sound came out. He ran down the stairs to his mothers side. He held her hand with eyes full of tears wanting to escape. Rufus slowly shut her eyes which would never open again. He turned to face his father in anger.
"You son of a bitch!" Rufus yelled, "You killed your own wife! How could you? You heartless bastard! You murdered the only person that ever loved me or cared about me!"
"Don't you dare talk to me like that!" His father yelled grabbing his sons wrist yanking him up to face him.
Rufus pulled away from his father and ran out the door, he could hear Dark Nation barking after him. "Stay! Stay Dark Nation!" Rufus yelled.
Dark Nation stopped and watched helplessly as his master ran away with the Turks running after him.
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That whole scene just kept replaying in his mind, over and over again driving him mad. Rufus held his head in agony slumping to the ground. Why did this have to happen? He felt a hand being placed on his shoulder. His eyes snapped open and he quickly stood up. He turned expecting to see the Turks, but was surprised. He saw a young women, couldn't have been older than he was. He felt a blush creep along his face. She was very pretty, she hard long dark brown hair that went past her waist which was tied near the bottom. She had ruby eyes which caught his attention as soon as he looked into them. Ivory skin, not pale to the point it would look sickening. She also had a figure that had to be more mature then most. Rufus finally noticed he was staring and look slightly downward avoiding her gaze.
"Are you alright?" asked the girl noticing the tears in his eyes and his wet cheeks.
"I- I'm fine." Rufus said trying to wipe the tears off his face.
"You're a run away huh?" She asked. Rufus looked up at her a bit shocked. She was smiling and it melted his heart, something about her.
"Yes, how could you possibly know?" Rufus said.
"Well you have to be about my age, you don't look much older than I do so you probably don't live on your own. And you obviously don't live on the streets because of your clothes. And you're...well...you were..." She couldn't finish her sentence because she didn't want to embarrass him.
"I was crying, you can say it." Rufus said.
"Yes, but the reason is why?" She asked.
Rufus shook his head, he didn't want to tell anyone about it. It wasn't something to be said. He sighed and a thought struck him, he didn't even know her name.
"Um...well I usually don't tell people about my life without at least knowing their name." Rufus said. The girl smiled lightly at him and gave him a handshake.
"My name is Tifa, Tifa Lockheart. What's your name?" She said.
"My name is Rufus, I don't wish to give out my full name." Rufus said afraid she'd leave if he told her his name was Shinra. His father wasn't very popular.
"Alright Rufus it's been nice, but it's late...maybe I'll see you around." Tifa said slowly starting to walk away. Rufus stood there watching her slowly walk away when it hit him. He had no where to stay, he couldn't go home, that was out of the question.
"Hey! Tifa please, wait." Rufus waited for her to turn around before going on. "I don't have a place to stay...I hate it there, nobody cares about me. If I stay there I'll go insane...or worse, turn into my father."
Tifa watched on as this young boy broke down in front of her, she normally would've walked away, it was the slums. He could be a psycho for all she knew, but he looked so young, innocent. She looked into his large blue eyes and he reminded her of 'him'. She walked over to him and put a hand on his cheek. She remembered when she first came here a year ago, no one would take her in. She lived on the streets until she turned 17 and could open her own bar. She never intended to have a bar and live on very little money, she wanted a different life, but things turned out differently. She would be different then the people here, she'd take him in.
"Rufus you're coming with me. Let's go." Tifa said helping Rufus up.
Tifa began to lead him to her '7th Heaven', she had closed it a few hours ago and decided to go out for a walk when she came across Rufus. She was going to get some 'fresh' air. Tifa brought him inside, and locked up. She began cleaning up after what all the drunks left. Rufus sat on the floor hugging his knees to his chest not really knowing what to do. He hated the smell and pushed his nose against his knees as if trying to get the smell out. It smelt like alcohol, it smelt like his father. Tifa finished cleaning and saw Rufus on the floor. He had a distant look in his eyes, like he was off some where else. Tifa walked over to him and bent down so she look him in the eyes.
"Come on Rufus, let's go to sleep. You look like you could use some rest." Tifa said.
Rufus nodded and stood up carefully not wanting to fall over, the smell was getting to him. Tifa lead him to the back room, there was only one bed. Rufus was slightly confused. Either he had followed Tifa for no reason or she was leaving, and he didn't think any of them where good reasons. He watched as Tifa walked to an old dresser and pulled out some extra blankets and a pillow. She laid them on part of the bed.
"Rufus I know I'm not the richest person and I don't have much to offer, you don't mind sharing do you?" Tifa said shyly. Rufus walked over to her and smiled as best he could.
"Tifa you didn't even have to take me in, of course this is fine. Thank you for letting me stay here...I just can't go back yet." Rufus said.
Tifa smiled at him and took off her fighting gloves and boots. Rufus blushed bright red and turned away. Tifa looked Rufus over, he obviously came from a rich home, why he was running from it she didn't know. Rufus had blonde hair and had big blue eyes, and a fair skinned face. He was slim, and wearing stylish clothing, but they were slightly dirty now. She sighed, he almost looked like 'him'...but that was the past now, she had to forget about it. Rufus turned and looked at her, she wasn't exactly wearing a whole lot, almost underwear you could say, but still nightwear. His blush deepened but he couldn't look away. Rufus began to take off his shoes and coat and walked over to the bed. Tifa had her back to him which he was thankful for, this was kind of embarrassing. He shyly crawled into bed and quickly turned his back to her, this was really awkward for him, he wondered if it was the same for her.
"Rufus, why did you run away? I mean your clothes kind of tell me you weren't exactly poor. Why would you run away from a good home?" Tifa asked but didn't turn to face him.
"If it were such a good home I wouldn't have ran away from it...and I really don't feel like talking about it..." Rufus said as he stifled a yawn.
"Alright you don't have to tell me, but I hope you do sooner or later." Tifa said turning to face him only to find out he was asleep. She smiled a bit and stared at his back. After a few minutes she fell asleep, trying to figure this young boy out.
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Rufus saw it, it was all happening so slowly. His father pulled out a gun, aimed for his mother. Rufus felt himself scream out to her, it was all he could do. But it wasn't enough. She fell to the floor in a pool of her own blood. Rufus ran to her and held her hand. It was his fault, he could've stopped his father, but he was scared. He was weak, he hated weakness in himself. How could he let his mother die? He looked up at his father who had the gun aimed at his head. Rufus screamed out it wasn't heard over the loud "BANG!".
"AHHHHHHHHHH!" Rufus screamed as he bolted upright in his sleep.
He landed right into Tifa's arms. Tifa had been watching him, he had awakened her. He had been twisting and turning making muffled noises in his sleep, Tifa had woken up and was watching over him until he woke up. Rufus shifted a bit to make sure it was her and calmed a bit. He closed his eyes and held onto her resting his head in the crook of her neck. She softly ran her hand over his hair whispering to him.
"Sssshhhhh, it's alright. It was only a dream." Tifa said soothingly into his ear.
"Yes, but these things...these things had happened, thing I would not like to remember." Rufus said slowly, keeping his eyes shut as if trying to keep out the memories.
"What did you dream?" Tifa asked. She pulled Rufus from her and looked at him with concern. She had only just met him but already felt something for him. He wasn't answering. "Rufus please, what's wrong?"
"My mother, she...she was killed. It was what I was running from. Killed, by my father." Rufus said slowly opening his eyes to look at her. He saw Tifa's eyes widen in horror.
"Killed by your father?" Tifa asked almost not believing him.
"She wanted to leave, he was sleeping with other women and was never home. She hated it, she wanted to take me with her but he wouldn't allow it. As she began to leave he shot her, without honour, he shot her in the back." Rufus said, tears welling up in his eyes.
Tifa hugged him again pulling him close. It reminded her of her pain. She had just moved here a few months ago from her old home town. Which is now burnt to the ground. She escaped just barely with her life. She was scard for life, literally. Along her chest was a long dark red scar. A constant reminder of what had happened. She had lost her father there and had lost her best friend there as well, the only person she had loved. She felt a tear roll down her cheek as she held Rufus. She began to whisper in his ear again until she felt sleep consume her. They slept like that for the rest f the night.
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