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lights,
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[01]
June, 4th
Insufferable managers & very bad news

What kind of paradise am I looking for?
I've got everything I want and still I want more

(Ani diFranco)

Tifa Lockhart thought she was going to faint as she stepped out of her mansion, heading towards the luxury car waiting for her in the park.

She had just suffered through a two-hour long workout session. Every single muscle — even the ones she didn't know existed — screamed in pain. Under the shower her head had started spinning. She could still hear her personal trainer Zangan's voice echoing in her ears. NO! Not like that...raise that arm. More...I said more! Pull that... Seriously, Tifa, please, don't even think about that...grab that weight...God, aren't you a pathetic amount of flabby flesh...pick those up...concentrate, for Lord's sake... I told you the leg has to stay this way, not that way...Leg...More!

Okay, so maybe the four-day-long holiday spent drinking and sunbathing and more drinking in Costa del Sol had not helped her shape.

But, God, I just needed a rest, didn't I?

Tifa sighed heavily, while running a hand through her long, messy raven hair, which was still damp from the shower. As soon as she approached the car, the door was opened by the person inside. Tseng Baum, her manager.

It took her less than a fraction of second to acknowledge the fact that he was angry as their gazes locked while she collapsed in the backseat beside him.

Tseng angry – wow, big news.

"Hi Tseng!" Tifa tried to ignore his severe expression and flashed him the best of her smiles. "Sorry if I'm late! Please just forgive me, today's workout was really nasty. Hope we're not late for the interview!"

Tseng just put a hand on his forehead, as if trying to calm himself. His jet black hair, unlike Tifa's, was perfectly straight and brushed backwards. He was wearing a full blue suit, complete with tie and jacket, even though it was summer. Tifa could barely suffer the view, she was sweating in her white tank top despite the air conditioning.

At his slight gesture, the driver started the engine, and the car drove away, hitting the sunset bathed streets of Midgar.

"No, you're not sorry, no, I'm not forgiving you, and yes, we're late for the interview," he spat to her as soon as he managed to calm down. "But we're not discussing it right now, Tifa. There are two important things I have to tell you before we get to the interview."

He hadn't called her 'Teef' as he usually did. That meant he really was angry.

As soon as Tifa started to concentrate on what possible reason he could have for being so mad at her — apart from her being ten minutes late for an interview, which she didn't consider a sufficient reason —Tseng threw a gossip magazine on her lap.

There was no need to actually open it. The answer was right there on the cover.

Tifa Lockhart's hot summer! ! it read in bold red font. And yes, there really were two exclamation marks. In one corner was a blurry night shot taken in Costa del Sol beach, portraying a trio of indiscernible figures.

"Seriously, Tseng?" she immediately raised her voice, trying to sound accusing and offended at the same time. "You're going to mess with me because of some crap written by paparazzi?! That's ridiculous. You know better than me that these magazines are pure waste."

She hated paparazzi. She hated them with a passion.

"I just want to know..." Tseng started again as he began nervously browsing the pages of the gossip magazine without even removing it from her lap first. "What the hell were you possibly thinking at this rightmoment?"

He pointed his long thin finger on a particular shot.
Tifa looked at it.

Oh, crap.

Yes, it was blurry. Yes, it must have been taken with amateur photography equipment. Yes, it was crystal clear that Reno Sinclair was hoisting her on his shoulder in one shot, and throwing her into the sea in the next one.

Tifa raised her crimson eyes, meeting Tseng's pitch black ones.

"Look, I know what you're going to ask me. This is nothing. I'm not hooking up with Reno, I swear." To be completely honest, she had already done that. But that had been just a kiss, three years ago. "You recommended me to stay away from gossip. And I did."

Tseng let out a nervous laugh.

"This is what you call staying away from gossip?" He pointed at the photo again. "Skinny dipping alone with a flirt like Reno Sinclair in Costa del Sol? Amazing job, Tifa, really."

"We were not skinny dipping!" she replied hotly. "Actually, I was in my underwear."

Tseng sank his face in his hands again.

"Well, I suppose this makes it all better," he observed with a sarcastic snort.

"Look, Tseng..." She was desperately in need of something to say to make the whole thing appear what it really was — a funny night between friends. "There are other celebrities being paparazzed while making out with a different guy every week, being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs possession – yeah, maybe I guess I just drank a bit too much." The very moment after she said it, Tifa realized from Tseng's expression that her choice of words had not been exactly proper. "We were not even alone! There was Rude with us! See, here, this is him!" she hastily added.

She was pointing at an indefinite black shadow in the corner of the photo, at least ten metres from them.

Tseng narrowed his eastern cut eyes, lowering his head on the magazine.

"Is that really Rude?" he asked her skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"I swear by all the Gods," Tifa proclaimed.

By the way, that was the truth.

"You know what." Tseng relaxed back in his seat, giving up on trying to focus on the photo. He checked the time, and looked outside the car window. "I'm too tired for this. And since time is running out, I'll move on tothe second topic."

"That seems like a great idea," Tifa agreed.

She was starting to suffer the heat. Tugging at her tank top neckline, she retrieved an energy drink from the car minibar. Thinking back about that night in Costa del Sol was not helping either. After drinking a few gulps directly from the bottle, Tifa started fanning herself with the gossip magazine while looking at Tseng expectantly.

"This is supposed to be a good news — a very good one, one worth cheering with champagne — if I was just feeling in the mood to do that, which I'm not." was Tseng's introduction.

"I am afraid you will never be in the mood to cheer with champagne, Tseng," Tifa cut in.

He glared at her.

"Anyway, I was saying..." he continued, "despite the fact that you are already twenty-two years old, that you are so often victim to the lowest kind of gossip, that you go skinny dip—"

"I said I was not—" Tifa tried to interrupt him but he hushed her with a brisk gesture.

"-skinny dipping with hopeless womanizer boy band members, that you still have drunken nights, that—"

Geez. Is this list going on for much longer? He sounds like my grandmother.

Tifa sipped from the energy drink bottle again, just to pass the time, distractively looking outside the car window. She would have even opened the gossip magazine if Tseng had not been so mad already.

"-that you're not in your best shape, that you rarely get along well with your co-stars, that you punched that paparazzo in his face last month — despite all this, it seems that someone still wants you to be the main female character in his upcoming movie."

When he finally reached the point, Tifa's expression lit up in attention.

"Really? A new movie?" she exclaimed. "This is great! What kind of movie is it?"

"Actually, there are still not many details revealed about that. All I can tell you is that the film is called LOVELESS, and it will be directed by Hojo."

Hojo. She had heard that name already, of course. He was one of the most famous directors in the horror scene, known to be a perfectionist. He was like a living legend.

Now this is surprising.

"Seriously, Hojo?" Tifa expressed her puzzlement to Tseng. "I would have never thought I could be an actress suitable for Hojo."

"Actually, seems like this time he's thinking more about a blockbuster – said he wanted to reach the masses with his arts for once. So he was in search of young known actors, loved by loads of fans. That, as stunning as it may sound, is definitely your case."

"So what's the draft? At least that you surely know," Tifa insisted. "What's my role supposed to be?"

"You will be a vampire hunter."

Tifa's crimson eyes widened in bewilderment. She made a pout, pondering the situation.

"You don't seem that enthusiastic anymore." Tseng immediately read her mind.

Her manager had always had that ability, which was not that good for Tifa, because that meant she rarely managed to hide anything from him.

"Yeah," Tifa surrendered almost immediately into telling him the truth. "It's just that...you said I should go for more engaged, elite movies. And now — a vampire hunter? I just don't know, Tseng."

Tseng sighed, closing his eyes.

"I perfectly understand your scepticism, Tifa." He reached for his briefcase, opening it on his lap. "But for you to star in this movie I received an offer I could hardly refuse."

Money, money, money.

Tifa snorted.

It was all about money. Actually, she had a slight consciousness she was usually being paid very high to star in each movie, but in the end it was Tseng who had the most knowledge of that.

She put the energy drink bottle back to her lips, sipping at it while distractedly taking a glance at the sheet Tseng was producing.

Tifa saw the amount of Gils written there. Black on white. A stunningly large amount.

She wasn't the expert, but that amount almost made her choke on the energy drink.

Sephiroth sat on the bench press, currently lifting 250 pounds. This did not require a great concentration or effort, even if he had to admit that, being at the tenth series, he was starting to feel a bit tired.

Nonetheless, he could see from the corner of his eye his manager Elena Lewis standing in her perfect navy blue suit in the middle of the gym.

She was completely still, her chin length straight hair perfect as always, and Sephiroth knew she was probably counting his lifts, waiting for him to end the series to cut in with God knows which one of her useless ramblings.

When Sephiroth actually ended the tenth series, he put the weight's bar back on the rack, and sat up on the bench. He was shirtless, he was sweating, and he could feel the straight locks of his silver hair plastered on his forehead.

Just for the sake of unnerving her, Sephiroth started to walk away, aiming at the gym's door, completely ignoring Elena.

She cleared her throat after he'd moved just a few paces.

"Yes, Elena?" Sephiroth turned to her, his thin eyebrows low on his emerald eyes, pretending total cluelessness. "You need something? To be honest, I thought you were just here to admire my perfect body."

Elena closed her eyes, a nervous smirk appearing on her shut lips.

Sephiroth knew instantly that she was fighting hard not to yell at him.

"You're so fun, Seph," she snapped, moving a pace toward him. "Actually, you're so much fun I find it totally unbelievable that no one has engaged you in a comedy or a parody movie, and that they insist on having you play the cold war hero, the heartless mercenary, or the freaking psycho."

"That is indeed remarkable, I keep wondering about that, too." Sephiroth reached for a white towel, needing to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

"That said, I would like you to sit down for five minutes. There is something I have to tell you," Elena gestured at the nearest wooden bench.

Sephiroth totally despised every single one of her speeches that started like that.

Fuck's sake. Do not make this be another interview with some moronic reporter. Or even worse, gossip lecture.

"Can't this wait ten minutes?" He tried to escape with the cheapest of the excuses. "I'm soaked. I need a shower."

"No, Sephiroth, this can't wait," Elena insisted, gesturing at the bench again. "Because I have another appointment in five minutes."

"That is definitely good news," Sephiroth surrendered, and sat on the bench while throwing the towel on his well defined shoulders. "At least it means that this is really going to be short. Come on, I'm all yours." He smirked and opened his arms as if he was expecting her to jump on his lap like a cat.

Elena as always was trying her best not to lose her temper. Moreover, between an annoyed snort and the other, Sephiroth saw clearly her eyes trailing down his perfect abdomen.

"I think it would be proper if you just put on some clothes while we're talking about work. That would be far more professional and respectable," she scolded, diverting her eyes to a casual gym gear.

"And why's that?" Sephiroth let out a sarcastic grin again. "The risk for you to jump on me is too high if I'm shirtless?"

I love messing around with her. I just love it.

"You know what Sephiroth..." Elena threw both her hands up in the air. "Naked will just do it — as long as we end this damn talk."

"I'm all ears." He put his hand behind his head, and leaned back on the wall beside the bench. "If I happen to fall asleep, just poke me. Delicately, if possible."

"I'll get this as straight as possible." Elena this time deliberately ignored his provocation, and reached for her briefcase. "We have a new movie on the go. I said we're totally in." She handed him a sheet. "Here is a minimal draft of the movie concept. It sounds cool...I guess."

Sephiroth took the sheet in his hand, his eyebrow already quirking with suspicion. He had no intention of going through the whole sheet, so he just let his eye wander around it, focusing on random words.

Vampires. Blood. Haunted Mansion. Blood. Vampire hunters. Blood. Zombies. Blood. Vampire hunters teams.

Seriously, teams?

"Please, Elena." Sephiroth dropped the hand with the sheet in it, while pressing the other one on his still damp forehead. This time he was the one fighting to maintain self control. "Please. Just tell me you have not signed in for this shit."

"Actually, I did." Elena did not make him wait for the answer.

Sephiroth gave her back the worst of his killer looks.

"You're sacked," was his immediate upcoming reaction. "I don't know for how much you sold my body for to star in this trash, but I can assure you, my dear Lena, that I'm rich enough already. No money is worth this crap."

"Turn the sheet over."

Sephiroth bit his lip, looking at her without understanding what was going on at first.

Then he obeyed, and turned the damn sheet of doom.

He saw the amount, held his breath for a second, and then handed the sheet back to Elena.

"We're totally in" was his conclusion.

Tseng concentrated on Tifa's perfect legs sticking out her black miniskirt as she was exiting the luxury car. They had managed to reach the building on time for the interview.

Maybe in the end he had been too harsh on her when saying she was not in the best of her shape.

"So, see you later, Teef." He waved at her from the car window after she closed the door behind her. "I'll be back here to pick you up in a few hours as scheduled. Good luck with the interview."

"Bye, Tseng!" She waved back cheerfully at him.

Then, in the very moment he was gesturing to the driver to leave, Tifa turned back to him.

"Wait a minute." She moved a pace back towards the car "I forgot to ask you something!"

Crap.

He had sincerely, foolishly hoped he could avoid the question — at least for a little bit longer.

"Maybe we should save the questions for later. You're almost late for the interview, Teef," Tseng tried to convince her.

Maybe later I'll have come up with a suitable answer.

"It's just so very quick." There were already traces of suspicion in her crimson eyes. "Who's going to be my co-star? I mean, the male lead?"

Tseng clenched his teeth, and just went for it. He could see no possible way to sugar the pill, anyway.

"It's going to be Sephiroth."

For a fraction of second, Tseng enjoyed her totally blank expression. Then, before she could come up with a reply, he touched the driver's shoulder.

"Go. Now."

He pressed a button, closing the car window.

When Elena felt her mobile vibrating in her pocket, she extracted it, and saw the usual snapshot of Sephiroth's contact blinking on it. She immediately knew what was coming.

She was currently raising her hand, desperately searching for a taxi in the messy and noisy Midgar rush-hour.

Being a professional manager, and wishing to fulfill all of her duties, she picked up the call, biting her lip.

"Seph? What's up?" she was practically yelling to overcome a near honk. "I'm kind of busy here. Almost late to my appointment." She kept it vague.

Maybe he wants to ask me something else. Just in case.

"Actually this is supposed to be very quick." There was utter silence on the other end of the line, apart from his sharp and suspicious voice. "You forgot to mention who will be my co-star. Which is very curious, Elena, because usually there is nothing you forget to mention."

Shit.

Elena cursed under her breath. Before pronouncing the sentence, the only positive thing she managed to think about was that after all, maybe, having to say it on the phone it was less problematic than vis-a-vis.

Just maybe.

"The co-star is Tifa Lockhart."

Silence.
Dead silence.

Elena instantly seized the opportunity.

"Look, Seph...I have another incoming call. It's very urgent, I have to take it. Talk to you later, okay?" She rushed her words.

Then she pressed the red button, ending the call.
Then she turned off her mobile.

She wasn't planning to turn it on again for many, many hours.

A.N.

1. On the verge of turning 30, you go like, 'OMG WTF am I doing with my life?'. You had sworn five years ago that you were done with fanfictions and with Tifa/Sephiroth, turns out maybe you weren't - and you find yourself writing the silliest one ever. Many of you don't remember me at all, some of you may remember me for 'Subservience'. Anyway here I am, with a new Tifa/Sephiroth, completely different from Subservience, but this idea has been bothering for forever. So please, if you've read and you're interested in seeing other chapters, let me know your feedback because I'm extremely unsure about this and I might even delete it. A big TNX to all my old and new readers, anyway, regardless how this will go :) 2. A big TNX to Savannah Singleton for having edited this story even if she's not into FFVII :) Go visit her profile! 3. Cover image is not mine is Arriku's! Maybe I'll do one of my own one day .. just maybe.

Have a great day you all!
Swamp-Eyes