A/N: Forewarning: This might be a little more… dramatic and darker than what I usually write. I'm experimenting with a new writing style that's more emotionally raw. Review and let me know what you think!
Summary: Tifa stands over a grave she never thought she'd see. Character death.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Final Fantasy characters mentioned and used, Square Enix and the creators do.
She stands still as everyone files away from the grave. It was never supposed to end like this. Everyone should've grown old together and not worried about anything. Their grandkids would run around the neighborhood with huge smiles on their faces because they didn't need to cloud their thoughts with war and bloodshed.
It is her burden to bear. No one expected the war to last as long as it did. No one knew, and it was the problem. She feels a hand run over her shoulders and she nods quickly at the man with the red cape. He stares at her for a second before he starts his descent down the hill. She wipes another tear from her eye.
She tries gripping her arms to protect herself from flinging down into the grave with the person in it. She loves everyone in her team, but this person was there when she needed someone most. She hears a sigh from behind her and turns.
The man with the robotic arm just gives her a hug and she smiles a teary grin. He gives a sharp nod and walks off. Others offer condolence, but she waits. She knows the one person will show up to tell her it is all a joke. She hopes he is in the crowd to tell her that every detail went right in the mission.
Every person leaves slowly except for two behind her. She stiffens and turns. Both have their heads down and she cannot stop herself. She slaps both of them. They shake their heads.
"It happened too quickly. He stepped in front of her." she looks at her dearest friend, the spiky haired blond, and then at his partner. Both look guiltily at her. She closes her eyes and wipes another tear from them.
"He promised me," she whispers and glances back at the grave. When she closes her eyes, she can see his gazing at her tenderly. She remembers their last day together, before his mission, and taking each moment as it was their last. He even had gotten his hair cut for her, something no one ever thought he would be able to commit to.
"Tifa," the red-haired woman's soft voice penetrates her consciousness. She shakes her head and heads down the hill. She cannot look at them without wanting to hurt them. They took the one thing that mattered most.
She never sees concerned blue eyes watch her all the way to her car. She never hears the sigh from the person with those eyes and never sees a hand shake hair in a contemplative manner.
After the dinner, she makes a lonely trip to their penthouse. Or rather, her penthouse, she thought with a chill.
She looks around at the cozy room and kitchen. Another tear runs down her cheek as she walks into the guest bedroom. She cannot work enough energy up to sleep in her bed. Too many memories are separate from her mind quickly and she does not want to deal with the consequences of that.
A month passes quickly. She gathers up his items, except his sword, and stores them. She puts his long sword on display in the living room and does not look at it again. It is comforting to know that he died with his sword in hand.
She lies in bed and he grins up at the ceiling. She knows he wears his satisfied grin without even looking at him. She shakes her head and he grabs her back toward him when she tries to get out of bed.
"Where are you going?" he asks quietly. She laughs and points to the bathroom. He shakes his head at her. "You're not leaving this bed unless I tell you to."
"Someone's in a dominating mood, aren't we?" she whispers as she climbs on top of him. They do nothing for a few precious moments as he stares at her. He whispers that she is beautiful and he doesn't know what he would do without her. She laughs at him and nips his bare chest while admitting the same thing.
"Baby, if anything were ever to happen, I'd like to go first. I don't know if I have it in me to love again," he says before he traps her beneath him. She laughs breathlessly as he penetrates more than her soul and brings her to a whole new realm.
A tear runs down her cheek and she slowly drops herself to the floor. She doesn't hear her front door open or the frantic footsteps to find her. She just gathers herself up and cries.
She almost fights when arms enclose around her. She smells a familiar smell, but it is not his smell. She feels calloused fingers slowly draw across her bare back and feels herself lifted and turned into a chest. The heartbeat comforts her and she closes her eyes. She sleeps.
She finds it is dark when she awakens. Her eyes fly to the kitchen and the low lights are on. Standing at the sink on the island is the one man she never thought she'd see again. His blue eyes meet hers and he pushes a cup in front of one of the stools. She walks over and sits down.
He hands her something and she takes it without looking. Familiar handwriting on the outside of the envelope makes her hands shake as she opens the envelope tenderly. She reads the contents and gazes back at the man in front of her.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart." His voice deepened, she thought. She feels a tear run down her cheek and reaches out for him. She tugs lightly on a small black curl. "I'll heal you. I promise."
The letter gracefully drops to the floor.
Tifa,
I love you. I know you have many questions, and if you're reading this, I cannot answer them. Instead, I wanted to leave you with something that you gave me: a reason to love and hope.
I wish I could be there to grow old with you and have children with you. My love for you, I suspect, will span long after I am dead. But, I also knew, I was not your first love. He found me during the mission and told me he was going to get me back to you no matter what.
He's always been a puppy and foolish. I want you to laugh with him. I want you to smile your extremely pleased smile. I want you to live with no regrets, just as I have. Don't worry. I'll always watch over you. And if he hurts you, I will haunt him for the rest of his days.
Forever yours,
Sephiroth
A/N: It's different than what I normally do, right?
Favorite, Review, and until next time!
DarkBelieverAnge