A/N: This chappie is short, but I'm giving you another two-fer. Thanks for the reviews and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story!
THE KILLING HAND
CHAPTER THREE
Zac Taylor has long ago reconciled himself to the fact that he is just one more man who wants Tifa Lockhart. Even if he discounts all the fools who want her only for her body, Zac is still in company with a frighteningly thick throng of men. He can't even say that he is the best man out of the bunch.
He will, however, claim that he knows her the best. Granted, this is the first time he's officially met her, but Zac is a strong believer in a child's judge of character, and they are a strong testament to her strength of character indeed. Denzel, Marlene, and a host of other neighborhood kids all agree that Tifa Lockhart is one of their—if not, the—favorite adults.
From them, he learned that Tifa has a heart of gold, always willing to take the time to help others, even if it is at the expense of herself. He learned that even though she has a soft heart, she is no pushover and is wise beyond her years in how she deals with people. Those who are genuinely struggling, she will aid with all her heart, and those who are trying to take advantage of her…well, if they are lucky, they don't get any broken bones. He learned that she kicks major ass in the kitchen and that she has a dangerous sweet tooth. He learned that her favorite color is blue and that even though she pretends romance novels are a load of bull, she has a secret stash of them hidden away in her bedside drawer. He learned that when she laughs, the world looks like a brighter place, but that nobody knows what it would look like if she cried because she never does (at least in public).
He also learned that she isn't happy.
Oh, she has her moments of course. Everyone does, but she lacks that sense of soul-deep joy.
He wants her to be happy. He wants to be the one to make her happy.
But he also knows that it will be hard, if not impossible, for him to do so. He has the face of Cloud Strife and that will always work against him.
He's seen pictures of the man in newspapers and videos and although those images have always been a bit blurry, even Zac has to admit the resemblance is uncanny. Zac spends a long time fighting the anger that arises every time he thinks of the fact that his face will only hurt her.
And so he has waited two years before he dares show himself to her. He would have waited even longer, but when he listened to her speech that day in the park, he realized he can't wait any more. She is healing, but she is also desperately sad. He has to lift the sadness from her.
So he finally gets Denzel to show him into the Seventh Heaven. His first real look at her is glorious. She is as beautiful as he imagines, but he is disturbed by the shadows that seemed to cling to her.
He is also proven correct that his face would be a major deterrent. Her friends eye him suspiciously, not that he blames them, but it lifts his heart when she defends him.
And now, now she has that rueful smile that lights up his very soul and he wants to spin her around in circles and exult in triumph. He settles with gazing at her with as much warmth as he can. He knows that his affections are engaged far more than hers, and he doesn't want to scare her away. He has to go slow, or he'd lose the best thing in his life.
