Set right after AC. What does a raving red-headed Turk, one obsessive Sephiroth clone, and a gun-wielding, non-talkative Vincent have in common? Absolutely nothing. That is of course, if you don't count their growing interest in Tifa.
AN: Okay, I've read one too many fanfics where Tifa is some poor little damsel in distress, hopelessly waiting around for Mr. Angst himself. And it's not to say that I hate all of these portrayals, because there are very talented writers who can pull it off and I applaud them. With me though, I grew up playing Final Fantasy VII looking up to busty fist fighter Tifa. Sure she had her weak points, I'm not saying she's indestructible, I just don't think Tifa gets enough credit for being this tough, smart-ass, bombshell. So on that note, enjoy the rest of my character descriptions. If you feel I've gone completely ass-backwards in terms of OCC-ness (which I'm trying to avoid) let me know and I'll do my best to edit.
Reno doesn't use 'yo' as every other word and has turned into somewhat of a decent human being when around everyone's favorite bartender. The guy's painfully honest and arrogant as always with some light ladies man history thrown in. I'll stop at that, more to come later.
Vincent, oh what to say, what to say. Well there's still a lot of character development I'm working on here; any suggestions are welcome. The only thing I'm sure of right now is Vincent not speaking in Shakespearean verses or cheesy metaphors. He'll be quiet, but straight forward and the best of listeners. He also respects Tifa as a strong fighter, and do I even need to say there's a huge attraction? Both share a good friendship at this point because of similar relationship issues and enjoy not talking in order to connect.
Cloud is Cloud; self-serving, oblivious to Tifa's feelings, but obnoxiously territorial whenever some guy gives her a look over. I decided not to include a CloTi here because I'd rather the love rectangle be focused around Vincent, Loz and Reno. On the other hand, I had one more idea where a good chunk of Clouds feelings, i.e. lust for Tifa that was never acted on, were transferred to Loz after entering the life stream. Trust me, just keep reading. I'm hoping it will all make sense as the story goes on.
Speaking of Loz, he's still a big baby who doesn't exactly think things through. The guy rarely knows what he's doing and though not all that clever; he is however deeply attracted to Tifa and not afraid to hide it. I don't want to give more away but just keep in mind that Loz is especially important.
Heavy Tifa-Vincent action to come later. I have no clue who Tifa will end up with so far. If I were biased I'd like it to be Vincent, but I plan to balance equal Reno and Loz time with her too. This chapter is mostly Tifa-Loz however, considering the little romance idea has been pumping hard and heavy through my head since watching Advent Children. Guess I couldn't resist. The fighting sequence between the two was just flat out amazing so I wanted to give a shot at writing a re-match. Foreplay and dirty related things thrown in a little, mind you. Get out while you still can kiddies!
Chapter description: Loz is alive. And he wants a re-match. Reno Tifa Loz centric with a jaw-dropping surprise at the end. Dun dun dun!-
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Watch what you're doing
Prologue
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After yet another lengthy shift with warding off drunkard's marriage proposals, preventing your to be expected fist-fights, and several other lovely little bar happenings; Tifa had experienced as normal a day as any in the Strife, Lockheart, Marlene, Denzel household. After all, nothing was more normal than a family with four non-related members.
Spotless counters and a nearly filled tip jar now marked two AM
The place looked dead.
Translation: closing time.
Exhaustion soon won a loosing battle as the young woman pulled up a seat opposite her last visible customer. Greasy red hair attached to its owner passed out along the counter, drooling liquor and saliva no less, was a total giveaway. And still the arrogant, self-serving fool he was when they first clashed, Tifa had coincidently grown fond of this particular bodyguard's sarcasm. Not to mention his company had turned into being that of a local regular at the 7th Heaven. And official part-time babysitter.
"C'mmon, up and atom Reno" she said, "I'm turning in now." Punching his shoulder a little harder than intended, the ex-Turk unexpectedly mumbled out Rudes name, and then cuddled in closer to the table. He jolted up however at the sound of Tifa's irrepressible laughter and then double took around the room.
"Developed a new pastime with moaning guy's names huh?"
But quick to his wit, Reno took no time in covering this hush-hush subject up. Lucky for him he knew exactly how to get under the bartenders skin.
See: Cloud.
Also see: Mocking Cloud.
"Me, no. You on the other hand look in desperate need of a replacement for Spiky. Not putting out in the bedroom huh? Oh that's right; lover-boy never did in the first place."
"Just keep digging that grave deeper for yoursel-"
He cut her off before she finished. "Lighten up babe. Ol' Reno's just preaching the truth and you know it."
Starting to open her mouth in protest, the martial arts fighter decided against it and returned to cleaning. "Just finish up and head on out as soon as possible. I'm in no mood to argue, okay?"
"Yeah, about that… I was actually wondering if I could lay low here for a night or two."
"I don't want trouble coming with the kids upstairs. So help me if you've got a bounty on your head because I won't hesitate to collect the money for myself. And let me tell you I could sure use some."
"No, no, that's not the case at all. Though I appreciate such heartfelt integrity."
She threw a wash cloth at him.
"Fine. One condition stands though."
"Shoot."
"Could you take Marlene and Denzel to school tomorrow? I have an order coming in early. Can't miss it."
"No arguments here, gorgeous."
"Yeah, yeah thanks. Now can you please put the excessive drinking on hold and give me a hand with closing?"
"Alright, last one" Reno then flashed a smile in Tifa's direction, downing the liquor effortlessly in one mouthful.
"Something tells me you and alcohol share a long history together."
"Sweetness, I wrote the book." She rolled her eyes and started loading the dish washer.
"So whatta ya say to running off with me to Costa de Sol?" Reno slurred; then making a half-assed effort to stand up, walked around the bar counter.
Furious scrubbing continued as Reno came up from behind Tifa and soothingly rubbed her back all the way down to her waist.
"He hasn't touched you in a long time has he?" Reno noted.
And as an alternative of his usual mind game seduction for the opposite sex, Reno decided to take a different approach. Something that he was almost certain never happened during a conversation before.
"I'm sorry," he apologized.
Those two little words must have set the woman over the edge though because next thing he new, Tifa had grabbed one of the hands stroking her hair and twisted it backwards.
That's when he decided to never use the word 'sorry' again.
"Looks like I've struck a chord, hmm?" He grinned widely, not taking long to break from her grip.
"Let's get one thing straight, Reno" the woman pointed a finger at him. "I tolerate you for helping me at work and with the kids. But even though there might be a few moments where I find myself enjoying your company I will never forgive you for killing Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge. And I definitely don't want your pity."
Now just a little under five inches from her face, Reno's expression changed to glaring daggers sharp enough to cut through the almost impenetrable tension between them.
He took a step forward.
"What is it, would you rather I ignore you like he does? Take you for granted? Shove you against this wall, fuck your brains out and then leave for weeks without calling."
Two hands slammed down on both sides of the wall Tifa was pressed into. She didn't flinch. She didn't fight back. But she wasn't afraid.
"I can be that man if you want me to, Tifa." Fingers moved from beside her head to viciously entangle the long brown hair next to it. "When are you going to wake up and realize you deserve bett-"
Cutting him off, the woman bit her lip before sending a left jab straight to his gut.
Reno buckled to the floor, choking from loss of air.
"Can't say I," cough "didn't deserve that."
Tifa bent down, still unbelievably aggravated, but gently cupped Reno's face in her hands. "Let the record show that I do know Cloud doesn't love me. But we… we've never had sex together," The last part was slurred. "So keep your one-sided bullshit accusations to yourself!" This piece however was yelled at maximum power.
"Say what?" Reno's mouth literally hit the ground.
"You heard me. I was already on the train to self-conscious virgin land of sexual frustration before- you don't have to rub it in." She motioned another fist at the bodyguard, laughing a little this time.
"Look at how pretty you face gets when it's all red and angry," he joked back.
She smiled at this, making Reno wish he could go back and say it again.
"Take the damn trash out and I still might consider letting you spend the night."
Was that a smirk? A flirtatious complement plus a smirk usually equals flirting consent. Reno was trying to add up the math problem in his head but between Tifa's punch and his side still feeling like it was hit by a truck, the ex-Turk was a little too delusional to make anything conclusive. He did however allow himself to get hopes up as he replied with a simple,
"Anything for you, babe."
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Meanwhile...
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Rain. It was pouring rain as a dark figure appeared outside the Seventh Heaven. One foot was placed two steps ahead, the other not far behind as the man's walking turned into running.
Oblivious, Reno was still stuck on how to go about persuading Tifa into a date as he emptied two bags of trash into a dumpster.
Thankfully it happened fast. One uppercut to the jaw was all it took and the Shin-ra bodyguard didn't even know what hit him. Tifa sure heard it though, and in seconds appeared outside to investigate.
" Reno!" she screamed, rushing in the direction to where a familiar face was crushing his.
The clone smiled at her and laughed. But all Tifa did was rub her eyes. This had to be a dream right? Or a joke. Yeah that's it, some kind of terrible, tasteless joke.
Firming her determination now, the woman's hands tightened into fists. Point of the matter was Reno needed her, and she had to get to him at all costs.
Loz took another step while the woman did the same backwards.
"Afraid of me?" he asked with an innocent smile.
"Like hell I am! Now put Reno down!"
His eyes widened slightly and he drew back as if she had hit him. But that same oblivious expression remained on his face. "Still the same, Tifa."
The woman stood her ground despite her stomach doing summersaults and a conscious yelling for her to start running. But she would not let him intimidate her, and she certainly wasn't going to leave the unconscious Reno alone. Even if the man could taste her fear, she'd make him work for it.
Loz surprisingly obeyed her terms, removing his hand from the ex-Turks neck and tossed him to the ground carelessly. Next, Tifa arched her back to silhouette a fighting stance, jolting forward as she tried to get in touch with Reno while Loz seemed distracted.
It was a bad move though.
He shook his head slightly, waking from whatever eyes-open trance he'd been in and smiled again. "Don't," he said. "I want to play--" But she didn't let him.
Evading behind Loz, the busty fist fighter sent a series of quick blows between the midsection of his ribcage, catching him off guard with the hasty start.
One punch was followed with another, and then one of Loz's.
Blocking periodically was all Tifa needed however because it wasn't long before the clones attacks proved sloppy and repetitive. All of a sudden she grabbed his fist, predicting exactly where it aimed, and:
Crack.
Snapped the wrist bone in two.
Confidence resurfaced as the words "I'm winning" rang through the woman's head.
Or maybe not.
Tifa had been sure up until that moment she would not miss his smile. But the way he was staring now made her very much wish he'd start to again.
The sound of his dislodged bone being popped back into place could be heard. Then a hand clamped down on her shoulder without warning, sharp edged fingernails digging into it as she jerked to a stop. With brutal effectiveness, Loz spun her around, using his newfound control to shove her up against a wall. There was an almost cynical triumph in his eyes when he leaned down to look her in the face, cupping each side with his hands, skin smelling like blood and sweet.
Lashing out with a knee for his gut, crooking her fingers into punches aimed at what she thought to be his weak points, Tifa screamed.
The violence only seemed to encourage him as he laughed, leaning into her and trapping her beneath his weight. No, this wasn't supposed to happen; she had the upper hand just a second ago.
Rough hands grabbed at her, pulling her down so that her hips were forced into straddling his own. Loz's features softened with admiration in Tifa's relentless struggling, and transfixed by their closeness, he savored the feel of heat coming off her. Far beyond irritated now, Tifa promptly lashed out of her hold and jumped into a back flip, meeting her foot below Loz's jaw line.
Kicking up, blood spattered everywhere.
He must have seen that attack coming though because after the hit, his hand met with her leg, still in the air, and harshly caught it.
Alike their last encounter, he then proceeded to throw her into the ground, dragging Tifa head-first against the rock hard cement pavement. She felt her skin scrape off without difficulty as Loz continued to push her harder and harder, deeper and deeper into the Earth. Now completely knocked out, it didn't even register to the woman that Loz had begun performing CPR, trying to fill her apparently non-breathing body with air again. Was he trying to save her? No, that didn't make sense. Fuck, fuck, fuck, not good.
Slightly delusional, Tifa came back into consciousness but Loz's mouth remained. And still exhausted, she couldn't struggle to refuse. His kiss, though the woman hardly considered it one, had no taste; just force. To no surprise, it wasn't long before she bit down hard, piercing a good amount of his tongue.
Blood dripped off her lips.
But Loz didn't even so much as draw back.
The bastard was actually enjoying it.
Enjoying it.
"I didn't know you like to play rough too," the clones eyes widened excitedly. Then taking Tifa's right hand and securing the other with one of his own, Loz crawled on top of her again; leather pants grinding uncomfortably against her legs. Right now is when the clone returned the very same 'breaking wrist' routine as she had previously exerted on him.
And she tried; she tried so hard not to scream.
Loz on the other hand laughed.
Next he positioned the girl's hands behind her back, managing to hold both with one of his own. Eyes on fire now, Tifa wanted to rip the clone limb from limb. She hated feeling overpowered, not in control. And having your enemy accomplish all of the above did not help.
His fingers impatiently traveled to the zipper around the gorgeous brunette underneath him. With knees bent into her thighs, the clone finally discarded Tifa's little black overall top after much kicking on her part. Loz took this moment to admire the strong fighter's helplessness.
"What the hell are you doing here!" Tifa yelled, still holding that prominent strong voice of hers, refusing surrender.
Loz roughly collapsed hips down to the revealed lower half of Tifa and pressed his obvious arousal against her.
The woman spit in his face
The clone however, smirked and wiped it off by rubbing up against her chest.
"I thought I'd go to where Kadaj and Yazoo left. But mother wanted me here instead of the lifestream; she said part of brothers memories were mixed with mine after his battle with Sephiroth and couldn't take me."
Loz dipped into the fuming Tifa's neck and gently bit it. "You were all I could think about when I came back. So I decided to find you."
"Cloud's memories?" she asked anxiously, wondering why that would have to do with anything.
"How come you look upset," Loz sounded apologetic, suddenly removing himself from the woman. "I thought you liked to fight."
Tifa sent the clone a dumbfounded look until what was just said registered.
He was fighting to have fun. He was fighting to have fun with her.
A game.
Then Tifa's eyes widened after a gunshot hit Loz, paralyzing him as if on contact.
BANG
Vincent's fire had managed to pierce both the clones Legs as he hit the floor, still conscious, but undeniably down for the count once hit with sleep materia. Another comatose body clung to the right side of the gun wielder as he tossed it in front of Tifa, and then began helping her off the pavement; wrapping two protective hands around the fighter. She had beat many a man on many occasions, routinely experienced blood and guts, but when it came to guns, Vincent remembered very well the reason why she wanted nothing to do with them. Her mothers shooting still bothered her just as much now as the day Tifa witnessed it.
"Kadaj?" she asked confused, ignoring the pain that was rapidly spreading.
"Whad' I miss?" Reno thoughtlessly interjected, wide awake now, to Vincent's evident disappointment.
The three all exchanged looks of 'what the fuck,' ultimately deciding in unspoken agreement to do the only thing that would later provide answers.
They brought the clones back into 7th Heaven.
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AN: Okay, let me just throw out my authors two cents here. This storyline has to do with Loz and Kadaj, (human now) returning to Earth. A lot more will be explained next chapter, but just to help clear up any confusion I'll recap again. Loz now represents Clouds sexual desires that he formed for Tifa in Avalanche in addition to their friendship growing up together. Though Cloud never, at least in this story, acts on them, it doesn't change the fact that he holds them in and has for quite some time. Kadaj on the other hand symbolizes Clouds envy and guilt. He attacked Vincent because Cloud's now holding some resentment for the guy's newly acquired closeness with Tifa. The guilt is for him knowing that he's the reason for holding Tifa back, refusing to ever make a relationship together or let her move on. Cloud is almost using Vincent as a scapegoat so he can have something to trigger his hatred at. By blaming someone else, Cloud is able to ignore that he's the one at fault.
Okay so that about wraps it up, hope you enjoyed this. Send reviews on who you would like to see the next chapters revolve around romantically.
Loz/Tifa?
Reno/Tifa?
Vincent/Tifa?
