Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII...at all.


Author's note: My first songfic! And first SephTi fic! Enjoy!

Poison

Tifa smiled widely as she watched the rising sun in the horizon, temporarily ignoring her duty as a guide to the Nibelheim reactors. The pure, white orb in the sky shimmered on her alabaster skin and emphasized her wine-colored eyes. Tall, old houses surrounded her, with a large well in the middle of town, a place where she kept one sacred memory close to her heart. Daintily, the young woman brushed the dust off of her russet-colored skirt and straightened out her white tank-top which was accompanied with a matching auburn-colored vest.

"Ahem…Tifa…" Her father muttered, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Oh, I'll be right there!" She responded quickly, running towards the group she was to escort while holding her cowboy hat in place.

"Nice to meet you, I am Tifa Lockhart," she bowed respectably.

"This is supposed to be our guide?" One of the men inquired, lifting one of his eyebrows in disbelief. Tifa looked up at her clients. There were four men, one with creamy skin and long, spiky raven hair with bright green eyes wearing a soft, purple turtleneck shirt and matching baggy pants that were neatly tucked in his combat boots. He wore metal shoulder armor that was tied with leather straps, fastened to his shoulders down to his abdomen. The other man had a fair complexion, with long, silver hair that fell to his knees, bangs that stuck out and fell on his face and green, mako cat-eyes. He wore all black, except for the armor on both of his shoulders that was tied across in an "x" on his chest. His baggy, black pants were tucked neatly into his black boots. He also wore a black, long-sleeved leather cape-like tunic that fell down to his ankles, accompanied by slim, leather black gloves. The tunic was tied across the waist with a belt and split right below his abdomen to show the front of his long legs. Both men were taller than her, around six feet while she was around five feet and six inches. The other two men wore helmets so she couldn't discern their features.

"Yes!" Tifa perked up and pointed towards her chest with her thumb. "Leave it to me; I know those mountains like the back of my hand!" She exclaimed. The man with silver hair watched her with a searching glance, trying to detect if she was the right person for the job.

"Very well…girl…"

"It's Tifa," the young woman answered with her eyes slightly narrowed. Amused, the silver-haired man chuckled.

"Right…"

Swiftly, Tifa made her way to the entrance to Nibelheim Mountains, near an old, abandoned mansion with black bars blocking the way to the door.

"Here…we'll take this path to cross the bridge," she pointed out and was about to make her way towards the path before a large creature came up from a nearby cliff, heading its way to the girl.

"Aah!" She yelped as she ducked at its first strike. Quickly she took out her fighting gloves, ready to attack as it swept down once more.

"Get back," a gruff voice commanded. Tifa quickly consented and stood behind the man who she realized to be the one with silver hair and cat, green eyes.

"Sephiroth, sir!" One of the soldiers in the helmet exclaimed. Sephiroth is it? Tifa thought as she watched the man unsheathe is enormous katana. The bird-like creature shrieked loudly, pointing its claws at the man. With a single swing of his blade, Sephiroth instantly cleaved the monster in half. Flecks of crimson liquid splattered on the ground, making Tifa gasp in horror and disgust.

Your cruel device

His sword, painted with the creature's blood glistened in the holy light of the sun, screaming in pain and agony. Tifa stepped away from the cruel man, fascinated and at the same time, frightened.

"Are you alright?" Sephiroth asked in that melodious, strong voice. Meekly, the young woman nodded, afraid to invoke a powerful fury from him. "…Is this yours?" The silver-haired man questioned and picked up the auburn-colored hat that Tifa dropped. Before Tifa could part her mouth to claim that it was hers, Sephiroth gently placed the cowboy hat on her head. He held his hand briefly on her head before turning towards the other soldiers. Tifa felt the heat rush up to her face, a blush that she could not contain. This man…She mused.

"General…forgive me for shouting out like that," the soldier bowed. Sephiroth merely ignored him as he turned towards the young girl.

"……..So girl…..are you going to lead us on or not?" He asked nonchalantly while fingering a strand of his long hair. Tifa's face burned once more as she huffed, about to give a retort, but she restrained herself.

"It's this way," she pointed with her right index finger. The group continued their journey into the dreaded Nibelheim Mountains, a nightmare that was imbedded into Tifa's mind. The black-haired soldier came up to the girl with a cheerful grin.

"Hi there, my name's Zack," he introduced himself with great confidence, his mako, green eyes flickering. Tifa couldn't help but grin.

"And I'm Tifa," she replied smoothly.

"Hey, don't worry about Sephiroth okay? He's not always very open, ha-ha. Maybe being the greatest soldier comes at a price," he grinned and shoved his hands into his pockets. An emotionless soldier…a beautiful statue…one could gaze at it and admire its beauty, but it would never react to your affection… Tifa thought to herself. As the bridge came into view, the girl began to tremble with fear and trauma. I can't believe I'm still scared of that bridge…it was years ago since I fell off of it…why should I be afraid now? She questioned herself before coming to a stop at the foot of the rope bridge.

"W-we cross here…." Tifa motioned shakily, taking one bold step onto the bridge. The general cocked his head to the side, intrigued by her fear.

"Why are you so afraid?" He asked silently, his cool voice breathing in her ears. She shivered at his presence but maintained a proud posture.

"I'm not afraid," she declared and began to ascend the bridge, controlling her trembling. Sephiroth watched her with amusement in his cold eyes.

"You can always turn back," he voiced out. Tifa clenched her fists tightly, refusing to meet the man's eyes.

"I don't run," she muttered incoherently. Suddenly, the party heard a sharp snap up ahead.

Tifa cried out in horror as she watched one rope…two ropes snap at the weight of the group. Instantly, the bridge began to swing irregularly, throwing almost everyone off balance. Tifa quickly held onto the ropes on both sides of her, praying frantically that somehow they would be saved. Please, dear God…don't let us fall! She screamed in the inside. Suddenly, she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her slim waist. The girl looked up to see the silver-haired man hovering above her with an unreadable expression. Despite the obvious danger, she felt her cheeks flush dangerously.

"Hold on…" He murmured. Tifa held onto his strong hands and nodded vigorously. I trust you… The bridge collapsed and the party of five tumbled to their doom.

Are…we dead? …Sephiroth… Tifa groaned as she opened her eyes. She gasped when she saw the body of the silver-haired man sprawled on top of her, unconscious. Carefully, she sat up, letting his head rest on her lap as she took deep breaths, attempting to recover from the shock. Tifa scanned the area. What's this? Only two of them?! Where's the other soldier?! Zack and the soldier near her were unconscious, breathing a little irregularly. The girl sighed and absent-mindedly stroked the sleeping man's temple. We're…we're alive at least…most of us anyway… She mused sadly.

"…Hmph…" Tifa looked down at the beautiful man as he came to. His eyes fluttered open, meeting the girl's crimson orbs. "…I see that you're alive," he stated and got himself up before brushing the dirt off of his armor. Tifa couldn't help but wonder if he was an angel…or a demon. Such beauty couldn't possibly be human.

"Argh…" The black-haired man groaned as he sat up.

"Are you okay Tifa?" He asked.

"Mmmhmm…" She murmured shyly, still on the ground. Sephiroth wrapped his long, slender fingers around her arm and gently pulled her up. The contact made Tifa feel an electric current going up her arm. Keeping a straight face, she nodded in thanks, not able to find her voice.

"Agh, okay buddy, up ya go…" Zack groaned as he helped up the other soldier, frowning when he realized that the other one was gone.

"It can't be helped…we'll have to leave him behind," Sephiroth announced and began to walk up the steep road.

Your blood, like ice

Angrily, Tifa ran up to the man and grasped his arm.

"How could you leave your companion like that?! He was helping you wasn't he? Can't you at least look for him to make sure that he's safe?!" The woman demanded. Sephiroth's eyes narrowed coldly as he gazed at her furious eyes.

"You think I can save every single soldier that falls to his doom? It's their duty to serve and if so, die. You're only lucky that I haven't left a fragile girl as yourself behind," he lectured in a deep, angry voice. Tifa released his arm; eyes wide open in shock and hurt.

One look, could kill

If looks could kill…those deadly eyes would have obliterated me… She thought to herself, still conscious of the fact that he was glaring at her.

"Sephiroth…she was only concerned…give her a little slack would you?" Zack suggested with a shrug.

"…" Sephiroth did not respond, keeping his fury locked on the girl. Tifa did not yield; she kept her eyes strong, though on the inside, she wanted to run away. How many lives were ripped apart by your hands? How many of them were like that soldier that fell to his death? She wondered shakily. Zack decided to take the other soldier with him on ahead, leaving the small battlefield, a bit worried about Tifa, but he knew that Sephiroth wouldn't do anything to her. In fact, he thought that the general might be a bit fond of her. As long as they don't kill each other, things will be fine. He smirked to himself, looking back at the two. The staring contest continued between them until Sephiroth noticed a line of blood running down her soft cheek. Slowly, he lifted his gloved hand and stroked the wounded spot. Tifa winced in pain and bewilderment. He brought the blood to his lips and gently licked the crimson liquid off of his slender finger. The young woman gaped in shock and disgust, her face turning red with embarrassment. To further the uncomfortable atmosphere, Sephiroth cupped the girl's chin, staring deep and hard into her eyes before bringing his lips on her gash, letting the blood run down his mouth before lapping it up with his tongue. Tifa felt her knees grow weak at his touch. Her heart beat quicker and her breathing ragged. With an ethereal simper, he backed away, wiping his mouth with his gloved hand before going up the path.

My pain, your thrill...

Tifa stood there, dumbstruck, lightly touching her cheek. He's…a mystery…One moment, he's furious and the next…he…he's gentle, but even that gentleness felt evil. Tifa thought to herself as she ran up to catch up with the group.

"So Tifa…where to?" Zack asked while running his fingers into his long hair.

"Well…we could take that path and the other path…" She pointed to the fork in the road. "Either way is treacherous. To the right there are more monsters, a bit shorter while the left has a steep road, with jutting rocks that we'd have to get over," the young woman explained with her eyes squinted, trying to discern if there were any changes in the geography of where they were.

"We'll take the left then. The monsters will be no problem," Sephiroth announced, taking the initiative. Tifa watched the man's back, imagining one black, leathery wing and one white, feathery wing attached. A cruel demon…and a beautiful angel…

I wanna love you but I better not touch

The party entered a dark cavern, so far not encountering any sort of monsters which surprised the girl. Maybe at this time…they moved north…which means we'll have to deal with them later… She shivered.

"Whoa! I can't see a thing!" Zack exclaimed loudly. Tifa almost saw Sephiroth wince at the deafening echo that bounced off the walls.

"Zack, stay where you are. There's a way to light up this cavern," Tifa said, running her hands on the walls, trying to find some sort of mechanism. Suddenly, Tifa's foot collided with an object. "Aaaah!" She yelped as she tripped over a nearby rock, but Sephiroth caught her elbow before she slammed into the wall. "Th-thank you," the woman stammered as she touched the arm that her tightly.

I wanna hold you, but my senses tell me to stop

Immediately Tifa backed away from him, silently thanking God for the darkness that clouded her reddened face. She continued to search the cavern walls. Her face lit up when she found what she was looking for…a clear, transparent crystal engraved into the wall. Gently she rubbed at the stone, watching it light up until it bounced at every point of the cavern, illuminating the cave. Zack and the soldier looked up in awe at the mysterious light.

"How did you do that?" The raven-haired man asked, breathless. Tifa giggled.

"It's materia. It gets its energy from the fountain up ahead," she explained, pointing towards the exit of the cave. She glanced at Sephiroth for any sign of emotion. With none given, the girl sighed dejectedly and marched forward, following Zack.

I wanna kiss you but I want it too much

The group finally exited the cavern, sighing in relief and comfort as they came across a fountain of light, a beautiful florescent light. The water was lightly colored by the energy that the fountain gave, making Tifa smile. I've never been here before…it's so beautiful… She mused and glanced once again at Sephiroth. For once he reacted to the beautiful supernatural object in front of him. He walked over the fountain gracefully, his green eyes reflecting on the pool of water. So beautiful…

I wanna taste you but your lips are venomous poison

"Materia…materia is made from here. The lifestream courses through this fountain, refining it," Sephiroth explained in awe.

"So this is where we use magic from?" Zack asked while poking at the water.

"You fool…you're in SOLDIER and you didn't know that?" The silver-haired man scoffed. Tifa walked over, standing next to Zack, bending over to get a better look. "It shouldn't even be called 'magic' though," Sephiroth chuckled, amused. Tifa raised her eyebrow. What is so funny? She thought as he shook his head, still chuckling. "A third-rate scientist screamed in rage when I referred to this as 'magic'," he chuckled again. He has…an odd humor…dark and dangerous…

"Magic…" Tifa whispered, letting the water slip through her slender fingers. Sephiroth eyed her with curiosity, but she didn't notice as he mused at the way the light bounced around in her crimson orbs.

You're poison running through my veins

"Well, the reactor is close by isn't it?" Zack asked the young woman. Tifa nodded.

"It shouldn't be far now," she explained. "But…since we didn't encounter any monsters here…we'll be fighting soon," she sighed while putting on her fighting gloves.

"Wow…you fight?" Zack asked, impressed.

"I'm still learning though," she grinned proudly. Sephiroth grunted and faced the girl.

"A lady shouldn't have to fight…" He muttered. Tifa's eyes narrowed dangerously as she leered at the man.

"I can defend myself, thank you," she retorted hotly.

"Leave this to the professionals," he ordered and focused once more on the fountain. What now? Are you treating me as baggage or as a possession that can't be broken?

You're poison

The reactor finally came into view, surrounded by empty land besides the mountains itself.

"Here it is…" Tifa pointed, hearing the disappointment in her voice. She realized that this would probably be one of the last times she would see them.

"Wow…that was quite a trek! Thanks Teef," Zack smirked, making Tifa smile back in spite of herself.

"You…" Sephiroth pointed to the soldier next to Zack.

"Look after the girl," he ordered him. The young martial artist's face contorted in anger.

"I can look after myself!" She growled. Sephiroth merely shrugged.

"This isn't a place for young girls. It's dangerous," he explained nonchalantly as he headed up the stairs. Wait…don't go! Tifa tried to follow the man, but she was blocked by the faceless soldier.

"Don't worry Teef, we'll be back soon," Zack winked before racing up to catch up with the general. Sephiroth…

I don't wanna break these chains.

Tifa paced around, impatient, kicking rocks to distract her from the agitation she was feeling. A sigh escaped from her lips as she looked into the distance, watching the fog twist around the jagged peaks of the mountains. Why…do I feel like racing in there just to see if…things are alright…that he's okay? The girl asked herself. Tifa scowled, frustrated by how long the two soldiers were gone. How long has it been…two hours? She asked herself before squatting down, watching two flying creatures rush by.

"S-Sephiroth, hey, get a hold of yourself!!" A familiar voice shouted desperately. Tifa quickly stood up, suddenly feeling hostility creeping up to her. What's wrong? What's wrong with Sephiroth?! Tifa screamed in her head. She stepped forward, but the soldier on guard continued to block her.

"Can't you see that there's something wrong?! Please, you've got to do something!" The young woman pleaded.

"Sephiroth, wait!" Tifa's head turned towards the entrance to the reactor, watching Zack call out to the silver-haired man. What…Tifa gasped as she gazed into the angel's once human eyes. Filled with boiling rage and misery, Sephiroth rushed past the young woman, completely ignoring her. Tifa stood there, confused and absent-minded, still in shock. What…what was with those eyes?

The dark-haired young woman found herself at home, recalling the face of the angel…Sephiroth…why are your eyes full of madness? What have you seen that turned you into a wrathful angel? Tifa thought to herself while lying down on her bed. Why am I so worried in the first place anyway? Why should I care so much? She thought angrily. Her frustration finally made her eyes heavy with sleep. Sweet slumber came quickly and the silver-haired God appeared in her dream.

Tifa! A voice screamed in her mind. Instantly she woke up, startled when a sudden rush of heat swept over her. Sweat trickled down her face. Wh-why is it boiling in here?! She panicked. Red flickers of flame danced out her window, filling Tifa with apprehension. Fire?! The young woman rushed to the door, enclosing her hand on the brass knob. "Eeeyah!" She shrieked in shock and pain, jumping a few steps back. Tifa gazed at her burnt hand, quickly concluding that her house is on fire. There's only one way out then… Without any time to waste, the martial artist equipped her reddish-brown fingerless gloves. She smashed the window open with a swift kick and promptly jumped out, dodging the rushing flames that aimed towards her. Gracefully, she landed on her feet. Her eyes scanned her once bright and sunny town. Horror filled her eyes when her eyes came to the decapitated bodies that littered the ground. Who…who could have done this?! Her lip trembled as she fought against her tears. "…F-Father…p-please be okay," Tifa choked as she ran around town, trying to find her father and any survivors. Calm down Tifa…if Father isn't here then he must be at the reactor… She consoled herself. With no survivors spotted, Tifa sprinted towards the mountains. I'll kill whoever did this!

Quickly rushing through angry monsters and jutting rocks, Tifa made through the Nibelheim Mountains, finally coming upon the reactor. I'm finally here…Father must be here! She thought as she entered the reactor. Green, swirling lights of lifestream and mako filled the air with a thick scent of energy. Machines surrounded her, groaning as it worked to refine. A fallen man caught her eye in front of her with blood streaming down his chest. Her wine-colored eyes widened in dismay as she felt the familiarity of the figure. Oh God…please don't let it be… She whimpered as she advanced towards the body. Her whole body shook when she gazed at her father. "F-Father!" Tifa cried out, throwing herself down beside her dying parent. Her fingers enclosed his large hand, holding desperately for his dear life. "Tifa…run…Tifa…" He choked, frantically pleading her before he breathed one last time. Tifa gasped when his body went limp. Tears poured down her round eyes, trickling down on her father's once lively skin. A strangled sob escaped from her as she held him in her arms. Father…please, this has to be a joke! Daddy, daddy! Oh God, please don't take him away! "Who…" She choked, becoming numb to the pain inside of her. Her eyes inspected her surroundings, falling upon a sword imbedded to the ground…lengthy and bloody. Sephiroth… "Sephiroth did this didn't he? Shinra…reactors…SOLDIER…" She muttered, getting up and reaching for the sword. "I hate them, I HATE THEM ALL!" She shrieked, swinging the sword the side, splashing the blood off of the sword.

I can't forgive him…never…never… "SEPHIROTH!!" The young woman screamed at the top of her lungs with rage and desire to kill. His back faced her, stroking upon the door that read 'JENOVA'. The silver-haired man did not turn at the sound of the wrathful girl's voice. "You…you killed my father, you destroyed my town….I won't let you get away with this!!!" She cried out, running up to him with his katana in her hands. Tifa threw all of her strength and weight down with the sword upon his head. Sephiroth swerved around with inhuman grace and sharpness. His hand gripped both of her small wrists and lifted her off the ground. She dropped the blade and attempted to struggle. The woman glared daggers of hate into his cat-like orbs. Never…never…I'll never forgive you…Sephiroth chuckled darkly, bringing the girl closer to his face. "…I thank you for bringing back my sword…girl…" He chuckled again and wrapped his free arm around her waist, hugging her close to his body. "LET GO OF ME YOU DEMON!!" She screamed desperately with hate and misery. Don't touch me…don't touch me! Demon, demon, demon! You're no angel!! Sephiroth let out a bark of cruel laughter before letting go of her wrists. Using that same hand, he roughly grabbed a handful of her hair and forced his mouth on to hers.

Your mouth, so hot

Tifa screamed, frantically trying to pry herself off of his grip. Tears streamed down her closed eyes as she felt her heart betrayed by the demon that she once craved for. How could you do this to me?

Your web, I'm caught

The young woman surrendered, submitting to the demon. I'm…going to give up…Father… Sephiroth released her mouth and looked into her dazed eyes. He laughed once again before nibbling the side of her neck.

Your skin, so wet

Tifa resisted the urge to feel the pleasure, replacing the feeling with pure hatred. Stop it…STOP! She screamed in her mind, still bound to him like chains. His hand trailed up her leg.

Black lace, on sweat

Tightly, Tifa closed her eyes, afraid of what might happen next. "…Mother is calling me…" He whispered in her ear before dropping the girl to the cold, hard ground. "Uhh!" The young woman gasped in shock. "Goodbye…Tifa," he sneered before taking up his katana.

I hear you calling and it's needles and pins

It's over…I die here and now… Sephiroth swung his sword across the young woman's chest, throwing her into the air. Blood flowed freely from the gash that the demon created in her chest and heart. Her body made contact on the stairs, sending her tumbling down, crashing hard onto the foot of the stairs. The girl watched as the soldier glanced at her ruined body before turning to the door.

I wanna hurt you just to hear you screaming my name

Her eyes glazed over. All the girl could see was red. Her fingers folded into her palm, clenching tightly as she imagined his neck in her grasp.

Don't wanna touch you but you're under my skin

Stop…leave me alone…get out of my head!! Tifa screamed in her mind as images of the once proud soldier formed in her mind. In her mind, he was still an angel…a beautiful angel…with an intoxicating smile…

I wanna kiss you but your lips are venomous poison

An illusion…lips so inviting…lips so poisonous… The girl shivered, feeling her life escaping from her.

You're poison running through my veins

An obsession…inside of me you're still there…Inside of me…you are trying to kill me with lies and deceit.

You're poison

But…

I don't wanna break these chains.

Tifa's eyes grew heavy. Her strength left her, letting her fall into sleep. Don't leave me alone...

Running deep inside my veins

Am I…breathing? Tifa's eyes fluttered open. She found herself somewhere unknown. Where am I? White curtains surrounded her with an IV right next to her. A hospital? Then…I'm alive after all… She sat up slowly and reached for her chest, where Sephiroth cut her.

Poison burning deep inside my veins

And yet…this poison kept me alive…

One look, could kill

I can still feel him in my mind…

My pain, your thrill...

Why…why can't I stop thinking about him?

I wanna love you but I better not touch

Tears once again escaped from her wine-colored eyes. The pain in her heart bore deep and all she could do was weep…weep for her own pitiful state and weep for the angel that died.

I wanna hold you, but my senses tell me to stop

Tifa wrapped her arms around herself, thinking about the lovely face that once captivated her. I'm alive…and he's dead…the man I knew is dead. She buried her face in her knees.

I wanna kiss you but I want it too much

How can a kiss be so evil?

I wanna taste you but your lips are venomous poison

My love…my crave…

You're poison running through my veins

How can you do this to me?

You're poison

"SEPHIROTH!!"

I don't wanna break these chains.

Poison!

This is the kind of fic I usually wouldn't write- something so dark and mature. And of course, a Cloti shipper such as myself would NEVER write SephTi! Haha, I got my inspiration from Groove Coverage- "Poison" and my friend, VVSecrets ('cause she was the one who showed me this song.) The lyrics kind of led me to Sephiroth and Tifa because she hates him with every fiber of her being, but because Sephiroth is just such a sexy guy, who couldn't help but admire his beauty?