And when Aerith tells her that no one has seen him bleed or cry, she would tell the other woman that the statement was a lie, for she knew that she would be the first and last as she remembered melting ice with her own fiery eyes.
Hot ice
She was walking home. Many pieces of individual long locks gave her some comfort as she felt a creeping wind blow. Suspicious eyes narrowed as she checked her surroundings for good measure. She turned around a couple of times, absolutely sure of herself – as sure as she knew that Shinra was the creator of destruction - that someone was following her, but she couldn't figure out exactly who.
And so, she quickened her steps by a half second and clenched her fists in preparation, ready to knock out the stupid son of a gun who was going to attempt to rob, murder, or rape her – perhaps all of the above, she did live in the slums after all.
There was the usual smell of bodily fluids-urine, vomit, and blood-but there was something particularly unusual in the air. Empty bags, alcoholic bottles, and hopeless corpses filled the streets. Unfortunately, this was a normal sight in the place that contained her haven.
Then, hope came upon her as bright as the light that shone from Seventh Heaven as her home finally entered her peripheral until darkness overcame her, taking her sense of sight as her vision was blocked by hands that gave way to thick fabric and her fists were restricted by a much stronger strength before being tied with coarse rope.
Before she even had the time to fight or scream, she felt herself being thrown into a vehicle, her left side of her body landing on smooth leather. But, her head landed on something warm and flesh-like, as if she were laying her head on a man whose pants reeked of money and ruthlessness.
"How delightful," said the voice whose words dripped into her ears like honey, refusing to rid itself as it joyfully stuck onto her eardrums. The voice itself, however, sounded so cold that it iced her right to the bone, and she tried her hardest to ignore the chill that ran down her spine.
She laid still while the restraints around her wrists burned and cut through skin. Her chest had stopped heaving from the struggle prior to her current one. Despite her pride and stubborn, fighting spirit, she knew it was outright stupid for her to risk frustration for the enemy when she was clearly handicapped.
Quick and precise, the hands of the man holding her fate returned her vision and smirked at the sight below him - a curvaceous body sprawled on expensive leather with a spill of dark waterfall across his lap whilst surrounding the elegant visage of a woman whose eyes reflected his favorite emotion, fear.
But, his smirk widened as he saw brows furrow and determination work itself into those red pools, and then and there, he firmly decided that he would keep his eye out specially on this feline.
When she looked up, she was surprised to see a handsome face, nonetheless one which possessed an aura of wealth and sophistication and something that she couldn't quite place her finger on.
But before she could distract herself from gazing into his icy blue eyes - a different blue she strongly reminded herself - and perfect strands of platinum blond hair - platinum, not the yellow as bright as the dandelions that used to grow in her backyard, she reiterated - reality slapped her across the face as her current situation caught up with her consuming eyes.
She was tempted to spit in his face but instead said with an unlady-like snort, "Enjoying the view?"
The man leaned his left elbow onto his car door, tangling his left hand into his locks before performing a hairflip. He almost looked boyish, but the devilish smile fixed on his lips destroyed any hope of goodness. "Don't tempt me, Miss Lockhart." After seeing the victim's lack of response, he grabbed a folder from beneath him that read, "Classified," in big, bold, capital letters across the front. "Tifa Lockhart, age 20. No source of nuclear or extended family. Hometown of Nibelheim, fled to Midgar slums. Owner of Seventh Heaven, currently living with five other residents. Member of terrorist group AVALANCHE." He looked into her eyes as if he was boring holes into her own. "Would you like to hear more of yourself?"
Every word that she heard was like a needle pricking her skin, depriving her of the blood necessary for her to live. He knew what happened in Nibelheim. He knew who lived with her. He knew about her anti-Shinra group. This man was dangerous. Who was he? A Turk? A spy? A… Shinra?
A dreadful thought came to her mind. Was she going to die? The thought made her toes curl, and white crescent marks appeared on her hands and wrists. And if she wasn't going to die, she had to play her cards right, so the people inside a place she - they - considered home, after all of theirs had been destroyed, would be safe. Safe and sound, her mind reinforced.
With her stubborn chin held high, she nearly spat the question, "What do you want?"
And he laughed. He laughed. She didn't find her current position hilarious, but oh, he must have. After all, she was tied and held at his mercy while her mind screamed for bloody murder and vengeance.
"Do you even know who I am?" By then, her reports were closed and tucked neatly underneath the car seat, and he then linked his fingers together above his abdomen, careful not to touch the brunette's face. But before she could even open her mouth and attempt to guess, he said, "Oh, don't waste your breath." His face came closer to hers and stopped a scandalous inch away from her lips before touching the shell of her ear, "I'm Rufus Shinra, the next President in line."
She attempted to hit her head against his, but he seemed to have sensed this beforehand and dodged quickly in time. His previous playful demeanor turned into displeasure as his eyes resembled a snake's, and his voice turned stern. "Don't try that on me. I think you know better." He unbuttoned his wrinkle-free, starched suit, flashing a shine of metal that threatened death upon disobedience.
Rufus Shinra? As in President Shinra's son? She didn't expect him to look so, so not what she expected. Videos and pictures of him were never shown on TV; he wasn't ever even mentioned. She only knew that he was the president's son because she had heard about him a few times in the small talk that frequently occurred in her humble bar. Looking at him now, she wondered if this man was just like his ruthless father
She furrowed her brows as she tried to create a plan, but she knew that there were probably Turks outside, around the premises, and in the other parts of the car that were blocked off to her by solid, pitch black screens. She slowly met the stone-hard gaze of icy blue eyes with her lips set in a firm, straight line to reiterate her previous question, "What do you want?"
A callous free finger that had probably never worked a day in its life tapped at a stubble-free chin as if he was put on the spot. "Let's make a business deal."
Business? Was he being preposterous? If he had read all of her reports and the reports of the others that he also probably had made, he would've known that they all had no money to give when they barely had enough to make ends meet for themselves. Plus, he had more than enough money than he needed; in fact, he was the richest man in the whole wide world!
Eyes unamused, her voice sternly asked, "What?"
His fingers had linked together again, and he leaned closer to her face, "I will give you anything you need regarding Shinra - documents, blueprints, reports, money, etc. - in exchange for your," he paused for just a second, "services."
Her tongue was suddenly dehydrated, and she could have sworn that her lips started cracking. She licked her lips and then gnawed them between her teeth, noticing the way that ice followed her every movement. She didn't even see why he would have wanted her of all the women that were probably throwing themselves at him for a bag of money and bragging rights. Heck, he could have had a high class prostitute instead of coming down to force a slum barmaid into being his… ahem, business partner. Plus, she had no earthly clue on how to do the services that he was coercing from her. Her heart shook at the thought of losing herself to a man other than the one that she had been dreaming and waiting for, one that had eyes that shone as bright as the midnight stars and a shy smile that could make her heart leap and soar.
But, if she couldn't do it for herself, she knew that she had to do it for the others at stake - both for their own future and for the future of the planet.
But, what confused her was that the man before her didn't even look lecherous or like a horny, oily man. He was cleanly kept and had an air of sophistication and superiority that wrapped itself around her throat in mockery. He didn't even roam his eyes down her body hungrily nor did his body react to their compromising position. She couldn't even believe what he was offering in the first place. It was too damn good to be true. Why would he offer her things that could bring the most powerful company in the world down unless he was just bullshitting her?
"How do I know that this offer is legitimate?"
Lips curved at two corners like a cat. "Well, I am the world's most successful business associate, am I not?"
Thanks to the help of scams and corruption. "Why would you help me bring down Shinra?"
Lips curved even higher. "That's easy. I hate my old man."
Before she could react or say anything, he surprisingly grabbed her arms, sat her up straight and then freed her wrists. The bastard didn't even look nervous about the fact that she could have broken his pretty little nose right then and there.
He offered his right hand, "So, do we have a deal or what?"
With forced optimism and a restrengthening of courage, she shook his hand before regret swallowed her up.
x
She had kept her guard up infinity times more than usual - if that were even possible - ever since she had met Rufus Shinra.
Everywhere she went, everything she did - she was wary of pairs of eyes watching her every move. She even contemplated writing a sign with obscenities and flashing it around or even flicking her middle finger as a sign of her obvious distaste at the whole situation.
She had been so distressed when she returned to Seventh Heaven, but she plastered on her Tifa Lockhart smile and faked her usual optimistic demeanor throughout the night. She received some stares from Barret and pestering questions from Marlene, but they had left her alone when she assured them plenty of times that she was okay. She just told whoever asked her what was wrong that she was overwhelmed with the increasing amount of bar patrons and the upcoming AVALANCHE missions.
But, it had been at least three months. What was he waiting for? Was she not informed of a signal or meeting? Did he just decide to call the deal off because it was so goddamn ridiculous in the first place? She didn't know, but she sure did receive her answer.
After Jessie and Barret had left together to find all the materials and information needed to blow up a reactor, and Tifa was sure that Biggs, Wedge, and Marlene were all asleep; Tifa went outside onto the porch. She tried to look for any signs of anything Shin-Ra related - minus the profane graffiti and Shin-Ra produced propaganda.
When she returned inside, she immediately heard her PHS ring, and her eyes narrowed in scrutiny as she saw the screen flash "Unknown Caller." She hurriedly picked up on the second ring.
A voice as smooth as velvet found its way into her ears. "Missed me?"
Her fists clenched as they desired to pull him out from the other side of the PHS. He must have been watching her the entire time to know that she had looked for any sign of him.
Her side leaned against her meticulously cleaned counter, and she put her hand against her chest. With lashes lowered demurely, a whisper of a word, "Yes."
She knew that he wouldn't be able to take her seriously, which was proven when she heard a scoff. "Playful now, aren't we? I expect you to be a bit feisty when you come over."
Her body froze; her feet rooted in place. His words buffeted her like fast, biting winds, but she took one look down the hall, and she knew that she couldn't back down. Sarcasm evident in her voice, she asked, "Where's my carriage, Prince Charming?"
He laughed, and it didn't sound maniacal or mocking. It reminded her of waves overlapping - low and rumbling. "There should be a vehicle outside. I'm expecting to see you soon." Click.
She dumbly stood in her spot, hearing the dial tone in her ear. Did he just hang up on her? She flipped her PHS shut and put it in her pocket.
After double checking that everyone was asleep and that all entrances were securely locked, she warily made her way to a black sedan that looked misplaced compared to the other rusty vehicles. When she entered the back seat, she noticed that there were only two occupants, herself and a Turk.
The first thought that came to mind besides the build and potential of her opponent and her chances of escaping was his sunglasses. The slums were nearly pitch black during the late and early hours of the days thanks to the shoddy streetlights, complements of Shinra. Plus, he was driving too. Could he even see the two men loitering outside a weapon shop down the street?
On the other hand, where was Rufus? He acted as if he were here himself, but he was not in the front passenger seat or back. She was surprised that he didn't bring a limousine and suggested for them to do it there themselves.
Her thoughts were disturbed from the quiet bellow of her escort's voice. "Excuse me, m'am, but could you please put on your seatbelt?"
Stunned in place by his good manners and sense of safety, she dazedly secured herself. Weren't all Turks like their boss? Heartless killing machines?
The car started moving.
"Where are you taking me?" And she wondered if he would bring her to a hotel or disgusting meetup house, and both brought a nasty taste in her mouth. She frowned at the thought of truly being treated as a whore, and she wouldn't expect him to treat her as any less.
She thought she saw him frown before he replied, "I was given orders to take you to his personal home."
Her eyes nearly went out of socket as her brows shot into her hairline. Suddenly wary of him possibly watching her in his sunglasses through the rear view mirror, she put on a semblance of a smile and gritted words through her teeth, "How nice of him."
Rufus Shinra's house. She was going to Rufus Shinra's house. That meant she would be above the plate for the first time in four years. That meant she was going to be a rabbit in a snake's den.
After his lack of response, silence ensued, and sleep quickly followed. She was awakened by a firm hand on her shoulder, shaking just enough to disturb her rest. She didn't know how long she was asleep or the path to her demise. Upon awakening, she was met with dark shades. The dark-skinned man stepped back when she came to and closed her door after she stepped out. When she stood next to him, she felt even smaller. His build could rival Barret's in both muscle and height, and she'd didn't even think that was possible.
Her stomach flipped, and her hands became clammy as she knew she was getting closer and closer to her destination. She forced all thoughts of a last minute escape through both ears as she was a hundred and ten percent sure that she would not make it out alive, and her heartstrings tugged at the thought of the assassination of her new-found family.
Following the Turk obediently like a lost puppy, the little girl in her jumped in delight as she saw the sparkling, white palace that she would have never had the honor to even witness once in her life, but she gritted her teeth when she thought of the millions of gil that was used on a single house that probably wasn't even fully utilized while the slums continued to eat up its prey and die off. She continued being escorted by the Turk as she was led into a side entrance, leaving her when she reached a waiting room.
Her mud-covered boots felt wrong as it rested on plush carpet. The cheap fabric of her clothes seemed to rustle noisily as she squirmed in her spot on a pliant loveseat. Tall ceilings, marble floors, exotic furnishings - she would never encounter such ostentatious luxuries ever again in her life. It made her feel...
Cheap. That was what she was.
The prestigious bachelor didn't keep her waiting for long as he appeared before her in the same clothing they had first met - pristine white suit, black turtleneck, and brown boots. Each strand of platinum maintained its own place as knowing eyes froze things in place.
His trademark smirk appeared, and she desperately wanted to slap it off. But she couldn't. She was helpless, and she knew that he brought her to his territory on purpose. Even if she wasn't, she was sure that he would have Turks stationed at Seventh Heaven. Heck, they could be stationed there right now.
"Miss Lockhart, what could you possibly be thinking of?" And she was surprised to look up and see him right in front of her, his eyes feeling as if they were boring holes into her own.
She didn't even bother kissing up to him. She was sure that she would literally be doing it later anyway. Arms crossed boldly below her chest, she replied, "Nothing important to you."
His face remained passive, and he offered her a hand. She warily took it to get off the loveseat and narrowed her eyes in suspicion when he also offered his arm. She ignored it.
She followed him as he led her through the maze that was his house, and she tried not to gawk at the exquisite taste that decorated the halls and rooms that they passed by. Surprisingly, they left the house and entered another vehicle, but this time, he was driving.
Her heart thumped wildly in her chest as her mind came up with plenty of scenarios. Was he going to kidnap her? Kill her? Torture her?
But her mind was placated when they reached a much simpler looking home that still looked like it cost quite a bit of money. From the corner of her eyes, she examined Rufus and wondered why he took her here and if he was similar to his father at all.
Feeling rash, she asked, "Why did you take me here?"
And she waited a few moments for him to respond, "The President has horrid taste."
Unsatisfied, and instead confused by his answer, she merely nodded at his response.
After exiting the vehicle, she followed him into what she assumed was his actual home, and she noticed the huge contrast in taste. Everything was toned down by a greater degree but still held an air of superior sophistication due to smart handlings of various blacks, browns, grays, and splashes of white.
When they arrived at his room, her body turned into stone. She was not anticipating the next events soon to come. After all, she figured that she had to perform well in case any sense of displeasure would end up in grave results.
Distracting herself, her eyes swallowed his bedroom whole. It was simple and moderate; the room was mostly decorated with white, and there were a few dark pieces to reduce the feeling of coldness to instead add a bit of warmth to the room. It resonated a masculine feel that wasn't too empowering. After she finished her examination, she realized eyes were following hers the whole time.
Unsure of what to do without orders, she sat on his bed and crossed her long, milky legs, discretely aware of the scrunch of fabric under her that ruined his made-up bed. "So, do you always bring your whores up here?"
He shrugged off his white blazer and went into his bathroom. When he came back, his vest was gone as well. "No. I don't bring anyone up here." He side-eyed her as he tidied the mountainous mess of paperwork on his desk. So he actually does something in the company, she thought.
Feeling knots form in her tummy, she began twirling a piece of hair as a form of distraction. "What makes me so special?"
He placed both of his hands beside her, leaning in towards her face with a ghost of a smile on his lips. Her heart started beating so fast that she was sure that he was smiling at the wreck that she became. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
And in a split second, his lips closed the distance between them, and she panicked internally. At first, she kept her eyes opened and her lips a firm, straight line, but it was easier to move her lips against his when her eyes were closed. That way, she could at least pretend he was someone else.
His lips were playful and slow as he tried to get her to relax and join the dance. When she began participating, he angled his head, deepening the kiss and smirked against her when he heard her sigh. He used this opportunity to search her mouth with his pink muscle, sucking her tongue lightly before retreating and biting her lip.
Never having been intimate with a man before, she shyly copied his movements and did not enjoy the foreign feeling at her core. She knew she didn't like this. No, she was being raped, but she wasn't, wasn't she? She didn't say no to him; she had agreed to his proposition, and guilt ate away at her thoughts. She was doing this to herself. She could have fought back relentlessly and had different consequences, but the altruist inside of her reassured her, telling her, You can't risk losing anyone else.
So when his fingers went below her skirt and rubbed circles on her inner thigh, she untucked his shirt and used her hands to feel his tight abdomen. And when he used his body weight to press her down onto his plush bed, she hooked one leg around his waist.
When he released her lips from his, his lips began sucking at her pulse, and she brought her arms to wrap around his shoulders, one hand in his hair to press his lips closer. The sound of her staccato breaths filled her ears, and she realized that he did not seem as hot and bothered as she did.
She couldn't let him win so easily.
And so she wrapped both legs around his waist and swiveled slowly, hearing him hiss at the friction she had created between them, and she smiled victoriously when she felt his package press against her thigh.
She had to let him know that she wasn't weak.
After she grinded her hips against his, he gripped her hips to stop her daring actions. He planted kisses down her abdominal muscles through her shirt until he reached the hem, using his nose to bring it above her now heavy breasts. She didn't know why she blushed when he leaned back on his hands to view at the pleasurable sight before him - tangled hair, bruised lips, and the glorious view of her succulent breasts. Her eyes followed his tongue as he licked his lips.
She felt an odd sensation when he began to suck one breast, his tongue swirling around her areola before nibbling on her nipple until it became as hard as a pebble. Her breaths became more and more sporadic when he fondled her other breast with one of his hands, his fingers pinching the tip of her nipple. When she looked down, she saw his icy blue eyes melt with desire, and her body involuntarily arched closer to his mouth when he pulled away.
She took this opportunity to regain the reins of control, so she unbuckled his belt and loosened his pants before she wrapped both of her hands around his manhood. She gasped as she felt him, so hard yet so soft at the same time. Looking up to see his reaction, she noticed daring eyes before they closed tightly shut. She ran her hands up and down his length tentatively before rubbing the tip with her thumb, increasing her tempo as she noticed his arms giving to jelly and his hands tightly gripping the now overly wrinkled bed sheets. But before he could release, he hastily removed her hands from his pants. By now, she had cleared the haze that shadowed her mind, and she secretly thought that he possibly didn't want to risk soiling his pants and an embarrassing trip to the dry cleaners.
She giggled out loud at the thought, and she saw eyes open and a brow arch at her lilting laughter. Ignoring the question in his eyes, she ushered him to sit against his headboard, and he followed dazedly. She straddled his hips and raised his black turtleneck up and above his head, his torso now free to be examined and felt. She traced a path with her tongue, winding around his stomach and chest until she reached his neck, and she decided to try to create the sensations he had created on her earlier.
She put her hands on his chest and started to kiss up and around his neck and shoulders, finding a place to suck and mark. When she found a spot and began sucking, his hands found her hips and gripped so hard that his knuckles turned white. She smirked into his neck before her teeth bit down and marked delicate skin. After she was done, he grabbed her chin and attacked her lips, tangling his hands into her long, dark hair. In response, her hands felt his shoulders and neck before settling into his scalp, sensitizing every place her fingers touched.
When they parted, he pulled both her skirt and panties down, and she lifted her hips in order for them to be stripped from her legs. Crimson eyes widened and glazed over with lust when his uncalloused finger found entrance to her nether lips. His finger curled inside, and his thumb pressed against her swollen bud. She looked up into his eyes that she was sure mirrored hers when she heard a chuckle escape his reddened lips.
Deciding that the bulge in his pants looked too painful to bear, she pulled down his pants and boxers down just enough to unsheathe his member. Her warmth hovered above it, and she swiveled teasingly just like before, but the grip she had on her shoulders tightened as she realized the increased intensity from the touch of bare skin against bare skin.
His hand grabbed her firm rear and squeezed, and his teeth tugged on her ear drop earring before his usual smooth, elegant voice turned rugged, "Don't tease, Miss Lockhart." And she shivered when his hands brought her chest tightly against his.
Her eyes tightened in nervousness and anticipation as he guided her entrance to his tip, his member slowly entering her as she swallowed his hardness whole. Tears started to fill her eyes as the pain overcame the pleasurable sensations that she had sensed before, and she stayed frozen in place. The fear that had always hung over her head like a cloud finally surfaced as tears began to drop down her face, and she was sure that he could feel it as she hid in the cover of his neck.
To her surprise, she felt him pressing soothing circles on her lower back, and his body turned absolutely still. At this, she removed herself from her cover and attacked his lips, tongues fighting a battle that neither wanted to lose. This enabled her to distract herself as she lifted her hips and slowly came back down, eliciting moans from both parties.
The pain had faded, and her mind gave way to her body as she bounced against him, and he lifted his hips to reach hers. The sinful pleasure coursed through her veins and made her blood pump so fast that she heard nothing but the breaths and moans and groans that escaped from both her and him, and she somehow forgot that she was fucking a man that had coerced her to do so.
She couldn't think as nipples rubbed against each other, as the sound of skin slapping against skin reached her ears, and the tightness and warmth and wetness emanating from both him and her heightened her senses.
She threw her head back as he penetrated a certain spot over and over and when he pinched her clit and when his hands grabbed both her breasts. His face soon took shelter at the joint of neck and shoulder, lips mouthing and panting against her skin.
And when they both came, she knew victory was hers when she could not even recognize the man before her. He was certainly not Rufus Shinra with the marks that marred his once perfect skin, his clothes rumpled and in disarray, platinum locks wild and unruly, and his usual piercing, icy blue eyes had melted and turned into gray.
But most of all, she, Tifa Lockhart, had made him, Rufus Shinra, lose control.
x
When she returned home, her victory was short-lived. She was disgusted by herself as she held her hair back and threw up in the toilet. She flushed and wiped her face with the back of her hand.
She went into her room, grabbed the closest clothing in reach, and tossed the fat stack of Shinra information on her bed before going back into the bathroom and locking the door. After hastily stripping herself, she turned the water on, making the temperature scalding hot. She stepped in and immediately pressed her back to the shower wall as she slowly slid down, showered in droplets of faucet water and her own tears. She had let the bubble of regret grow bigger and bigger until it popped.
She hated herself. She had let herself be used by that Shinra piece of shit, and she had enjoyed it. And worst of all, she had let herself be weak. Her hands covered her eyes as she drowned herself in her sorrows. She couldn't help but remember the way his lips tasted or the way his hands felt on her skin or the way he felt inside her. Awakening from these thoughts, she clumsily stood up and scrubbed away at any parts of her body that he had touched until the area was tinged pink.
She wrapped her arms around herself as a pathetic piece of comfort, and she closed her eyes to envision her knight in shining armor and a promise on a starry night. This calmed her angry sobs to hiccups, and she began to wash herself.
With her rationality back in tact, she vehemently told herself that she couldn't be selfish. That this wasn't about her. That this was about Marlene, Barret, Jessie, Wedge, and Biggs. This was about providing justice for everyone in the slums. This was about everyone.
And her knees turned to jelly and her lips trembled as she said aloud in a whisper, "This is about Dad. This is about C-Cl-Cloud…"
She could endure everything for just a bit more. AVALANCHE was planning its attack on Shinra soon anyway, and they could use all the help that they could get. She would lessen a great load if she could continue providing, but she wouldn't tell them how. She wouldn't be able to peer into eyes of shame and disappointment if she did tell them. No matter how much they pressed her, she wouldn't budge. They couldn't make her because they would be grateful for her, but she knew she would worry them so much. But, she was Tifa Lockhart, the cheerleader of AVALANCHE. Nothing could be wrong with her as long as she continued to smile and laugh, right?
And she assured herself that she didn't like having sex with Rufus because she actually enjoyed it. It was natural for a human body to express such feelings when engaged in sexual intercourse, right? And if it felt so pleasurable, she could focus on the sensations than the man she was doing it with, right?
Plus, it wasn't her fault that she couldn't escape or say no. She couldn't be reckless and selfish by looking out only for herself. There were other people at stake too. On the other hand, Rufus probably had tons of Turks at his disposal, and she only saw the one that drove her. She couldn't be sure that the one that grabbed her was the same one that drove her. She wouldn't even be able to kill Rufus faster with her fists than he could kill her with his gun. Everything was merely out of her favor physically, right?
And so with a new resolve in her mind, she stepped out of the shower and put on her clothes with purpose. She looked into the foggy mirror and wiped it, noticing a bruise forming on her neck from when he had sucked on it earlier. She didn't frown. She would just ask one of her female customers for some makeup in exchange for a free beer or just wear certain shirts that would cover it up until it healed.
She would not let him beat her.
She was a fighter after all.
x
He disentangled their limbs and moved over to the other side of his bed. Both of their chests heaved heavily, and the adrenaline that had consumed them left their bodies.
She had become accustomed to the "business deal." After the first time, she had turned in her mentality of a kitten in exchange for a lioness. The information he had given her was extremely useful, and she was thankfully not persistently interrogated by the others.
When his breathing returned back to normal, he stood up from his bed and looked at her. Feeling vulnerable by his gaze, she shyly covered herself with the soiled bed sheets. Amused by her action, he walked over to her and leaned his head on his folded arms that laid on his bed. "Why are you suddenly shy? I've seen your body more than once."
She blushed at his statement. It was true after all. He had seen and touched every part of her.
At that moment, she noticed a strand of hair falling in his eyes, and she impulsively leaned over to brush it back. But when she was returning to her spot, he grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to kiss, and he smiled when he heard her yelp in surprise.
When he pulled back, her eyes were still closed, and her face leaned closer to his, expecting another kiss. But he walked away and asked her, "Do you want some coffee? There's a robe hanging in the bathroom if you insist on covering yourself." He left the room before she could answer.
She went into his immaculate bathroom, finding his robe on a hook behind his door. She felt silly wearing it since it ended at her feet and was much too big for her.
She walked down the lengthy hall and turned left into his kitchen. From the few rays of light that appeared through his French doors, she could tell that it was dawn. She sat down on one of the dining chairs and watched him make breakfast nonchalantly in his freed skin.
Everything felt uncomfortably intimate as he brought a plate of breakfast over with two sets of utensils, bringing the two mugs of black coffee after. What was she doing have homemade breakfast with Rufus Shinra while he wore his birthday suit, and she wore his robe?
She took a sip of her coffee, the heat and strong taste reawakening her. She watched the man across her eat a simple breakfast of eggs, sausages, and pancakes.
She felt awkward; he had never invited her to do anything after sex, so she didn't know exactly what to expect or do. Her stomach, however, did as it growled at the sight of him eating tasty food.
She mumbled a sorry and forked some scrambled eggs, creating a path from the plate and into her mouth. When she looked up, she saw a warmth in his eyes that she hadn't seen before, and she gave a small smile back in reply. Unexpectedly, his eyes quickly avoided hers, and she noticed red in the tips of his ears.
When he finished the rest of his platter, she picked it up and brought it to the sink to wash. Her daily barmaid chores made her feel obligated to do so, and she really didn't mind.
While she washed the rest of the pans he had used to make breakfast, she felt arms surround both sides of her body and his nose in her hair. She thought she heard him inhale before he opened a cabinet above her to return the coffee beans in its rightful place.
.
Everything felt so, so… wrong yet so right. If she blocked out the voice yelling in the back of her head, she could pretend that they were a normal couple living a normal life, but life was not that easy. They were enemies, or at least she thought they were. The proposition created blurred lines, and she was stuck in the shades of gray.
When she was done, she noticed that his arms had not budged. She turned around and saw a smoldering look in eyes that usually chilled her to the bone. Hands came up and gently grabbed her face as if she was made of fine porcelain, and lips pressed against hers to place a slow, savory kiss that suddenly made her knees weak.
When he released her, his hands remained on her cheeks, and melting ice seemed to be searching her cooling fire. A strange feeling appeared in her stomach and climbed its way up into her heart, but her mind fought and kicked it down. She told herself that she did not like the way he was looking at her.
Hands, calloused from years of martial arts, placed themselves onto a naked chest and pushed slightly; eyes lowered as pink lips dried and opened, "I gotta go. The others will wonder why I'm not home yet."
She dared herself to look up at his face, and his expression had returned back to its usual stoicness, his arms heavily dangling at his sides. Voice, husky and scratchy from their earlier activities, trailed into her ears, "They're on my desk."
He didn't follow her.
x
"Has anyone ever told you that you're like just your father?" She didn't know where that came from, but her curiosity about his relationship with his father had always intrigued her.
He was at his desk, working on the endless amounts of papers before him. It was her first time seeing him do something regarding his company; and she felt like she was intruding, but he didn't seem to mind.
When he heard her question, she thought she saw his fingers clench his pen just a bit. A bitter chuckle escaped his bruised lips, "Why would I want to be like someone I despise?"
Finding a boost of courage from out of nowhere, she sat on the edge of his desk, careful to move her limbs and his robe away from his work. "What made you hate your own father?"
She didn't quite understand. She loved her father, even when he had started coming home late with the smell of alcohol on his breath as he desperately grasped for past, happy memories. She knew that having all the power and money in the world didn't necessarily make one happy, but for some reason, she wanted to know, because frankly, the constant loving side of her cared.
Inscribing notes in neat script, he deadpanned, "He's a coward."
Coward? She could see how his father was a coward, hiding behind money as he bribed and paid his way out of everything.
He continued speaking and ended with a scoff, "He uses money for everything, but what happens when he runs out of it? Money doesn't grow on trees."
And she remembers her first day on the job when she arrived at what she could now positively confirm was President Shinra's house, mansion, palace - whatever one wanted to call it. She remembered the gaudy, over extravagant pieces and decorations that littered the place. The old man was certainly spending money as if he had an unlimited supply of it.
However, she knew that he was only touching the surface of it. The tension that surrounded his body like a fog isolated her from him, and she knew that there was turmoil building in himself that he had let grow and grow inside until it overcame him like a monster.
Hesitantly, she asked, "So you're using me - well, AVALANCHE - to exterminate your father because you hate him so much, and we just happened to already be on our way to do so, right?"
He slightly nodded, his hand continuing to scribble away, and she prepared herself for what she was going to ask him next.
"Well, aren't you being a coward too? Letting someone do your dirty work for you just like him?" She watched him carefully, noticing the way that his breaths came out slower and the way he had stopped his work altogether.
His eyes downcast, covered by the strands of his tangled locks, he whispered in a tone so quiet that she had to strain her ears to hear him, "I am not a coward, and I am nothing like my..." and he spat out his last word and smiled sardonically, "father."
His hands clenched the arms of his chair so hard that his knuckles turned white, and he looked up at her and regained his impervious attitude with a flip of his hair. "I don't hide behind others. In fact, I could have you executed right now for attempt of double assassination."
Her eyebrows furrowed into a deep line at his sudden change. She figured out that he had a mask, and he had put on the same mask he had on at their very first meeting.
Hands linked together, and his body leaned back indifferently, "On the other hand, no one would know that I gave you all the information myself. I could imprison you indefinitely for robbery of classified information, and I don't think you would want anything to happen to you or your precious, pathetic family, do you?"
And she didn't dare to break his cheeky gaze, she knew that this was just a barrier that he had put around himself for who knows how long. It was his fault for letting himself slip up enough around her, so she could catch it.
She didn't know what he thought of her lack of response as he examined her, still and quiet. He spoke again, "You see, humans are so easy to control. Do you know why? It's because they let their emotions take over instead of using logic and rationality." He paused for a moment. "That's why I will control the world with fear." And his notorious smirk made an appearance once more, looking much too cynical on his face.
The gears in her head started turning, and she remembered his unspoken threats that lingered in her heart for days and months. He knew her weakness and had used it in order for her to comply, and she had fallen into his trap like a fly on a spider's web. But she knew better, he could have killed anyone important to her even if she obediently obeyed his command. She knew that there must have been something inside of him that made him vulnerable towards the thoughts of family. Why else could he have hated his father so much that he couldn't even say the word?
She frowned. She removed herself from his desk and stood in front of him, kneeling down on both knees in order to place her hand on his chest where his heart would be. "Who froze your heart and made it so cold?" She leaned over and replaced her hand with her lips to place a lasting kiss on his bare chest.
She noticed that he did not budge.
They remained in that position in silence until he grabbed his forehead with his hand, his body emanating tremors. "W-why? Why aren't you afraid of me? Why are you doing this...to me?"
She stood up and gave him a hug, awkward from the way he hunched over as the chair and desk got in the way. Sensing no refusal, she began stroking the soft silk of his hair and hummed a tune that her mother always sang to her when she was upset.
Suddenly, she felt arms circle her as he grabbed her desperately, and his face pressed into her bosom. She began to feel a damp pool on her chest, and she encouraged him to release any further distress with her soft murmurs. When she felt him release his hold, she peered into his eyes and saw the way blond lashes stuck together from moisture. And if she looked closely, she could see blue turning into gray as she looked at him looking at her.
Breaking the gaze, she placed a kiss on the corner of his lip and hovered just a bit. He turned slightly so their lips would meet, and he kissed her desperately as if she was his source of life but gradually changed his roughness into a kiss that made her feel that she was up and flying in the clouds.
And when she finally left, she couldn't get the taste of salty tears, regret, and something else that she hid in her heart out of her mouth.
a/n: So, I don't know if any of the old readers are here, but if they are, do y'all remember me?! This was a piece that I originally worked on everyday for two weeks, I believe. It was something I had written after a looooong break from writing (circa 2014), and I had honestly thought I lost all of my writing skill. So when I somehow conjured up this piece, I was like, "huh, ain't too shabby." I believe I had some feedback, but it was later removed due to someone reporting it of plagiarism, which I didn't find out until reading an author's note in a different RufusxTifa fic. Thankfully, I cleared everything with the author, and she was nice enough to read my piece and offer some feedback! You know who you are, girl!
Recently, I happened to think of this account, which made me go on a reading spree and browse through my old files. I used to be so scared due to that incident, but after rereading this piece, I felt like it deserves to be put up. Besides adding the author's feedback, I also changed some stuff around as well. I hope you guys enjoyed this piece, and as always, it'd be so great to receive reviews as well. Well, now I'm off to respond to the past four years of reviews!