I do not own Final Fantasy VII.

Too Much To Ask

Chapter VI: The Woman in the Black Dress

Cissnei pulled open her closet door.

She was met immediately with a vast landscape of black suits...Do I really work that much?

There were very few regular street clothes, and even fewer formal dresses. She groaned in dismay, pushing the suits from side to side, searching almost frantically for something to wear. Checking the clock, she noticed it was approaching 6:30 and soon it would be too late to go.

Finally, when she was almost ready to give up, Cissnei came across a very provocative, sleek black dress. She found it to be quite form fitting when she slipped into it, it was a simple design, floor length with a scooped out neckline, 3/4 length sleeves, and almost transparent lace panels in the sides, exposing her pale skin beneath it. No bra...no panties...and it would look smooth and perfect...She couldn't remember where she'd gotten this dress or if it was a gift from someone...who cares?

She grinned when she found a pair of black pumps to match...perhaps it's too revealing for a place like that. She didn't care, if she got kicked out it would serve as a good reason to ditch her date.

The date in question was no one worth mentioning, just an office worker that she had no interest in. In fact she'd already turned down his offer, but decided at the last minute to call him back. She didn't really want to go out, but it beat sitting at home feeling sorry for herself and eating microwaved food.

"You want to go to Loveless Avenue?" She'd asked, when he'd offered to let her choose the place; if she wasn't paying, she didn't really care how much it cost. Her date had been a little hesitant to say yes, but he gave in to her and said he'd be around to pick her up shortly.

So she eyed herself in the mirror. Sexy less than described her in this dress. She certainly didn't look like herself, that was for sure. She left her hair hanging down over her shoulders, but did smooth some blood red lipstick over her lips. That was all she needed, and she looked ravishing.

Her date arrived within a few minutes and almost passed out at the sight of her.

"C-cissnei..." He gasped as he took in the sight of her. "Wow...you look..." He couldn't finish; no words could describe her at that point.

"Let's go." She sighed heavily and continued past him, not really bothering to pay attention to him.

Cissnei wished she was going out with Zack. It just wasn't fair that Turks and Soldiers weren't allowed to date. It was hard enough just to be friends with that man without anyone getting suspicious. Not that their suspicions would be completely unfounded; she wanted to be with Zack and if it got her fired then so be it...But she'd been with ShinRa her entire life, she knew nothing else, so to be fired would be like loosing her family...something else she never actually had.

As they entered the restaurant, Cissnei and her companion were led to the bar, the only place that still had readily available seating. But as they journeyed through the foyer, she caught of a glimpse of the man she desired. Zack was sitting at a table with Aerith. She still couldn't fathom why Zack preferred Aerith over her, he'd known Cissnei longer, had more in common with her, but that pink clad girl still won him over. She kept her eyes glued to them as she passed by, aching on the inside.

She ordered a drink as soon as they were seated; she didn't want to feel that aching in her gut or the heaviness in her chest anymore. It just wasn't fair...

Her dull date tried at conversation, but Cissnei only nodded and acted like she was listening. But she could still see Zack from where she was sitting and kept her eyes rivetted to him, some part of her afraid he'd dissappear. She watched as he called out to Sephiroth and introduced him to Aerith, she watched as Scarlet judged her and sent her running away in tears. Her heart almost lept of out her mouth as she saw Zack run after Aerith. She wished he'd comfort her whenever she cried. But after he vanished from view, she got up and without a word to her date, left the bar and went into the main dinning room to speak to Sephiroth, she didn't know why, but she wanted to talk to him.

"Hey, Sephiroth."

Sephiroth turned his attention to the familiar voice and was met with a sight pleasing to any male. He'd seen her as she entered the restaurant, but he didn't speak to her, uncertain if her date would approve. But seeing her a second time only strengthened his prior thought that she looked so...there wasn't really a word to describe her.

"Cissnei, you look...amazing." He planted a kiss on her hand just as he'd done with Aerith. She blushed at this attention.

Sephiroth was always the gentleman, but Scarlet found she couldn't stand how Sephiroth showed it.

"Thank you, Sir." She turned to Scarlet. "How are you tonight, Scarlet?"

"I couldn't be better, " She said, "Sephiroth just asked me to be his girlfriend." A vain smirked covered her lips and Sephiroth frowned, suddenly rethinking his offer, but he said nothing.

"Oh, that's great." Cissnei tried to smile sincerely, but she couldn't. Everyone's got someone except me... She shook it off, "Well, I'll leave the two of you alone then, sorry to bother your date."

"It was no trouble at all, Cissnei, I'll see you tomorrow." Sephiroth patted her arm affectionately and sent her on her way with a cheerful "Goodnight."

She nodded with a lopsided smile and strode back off into the bar to finish what's left of her date. She turned deaf ears to whatever it was her annoying companion was blabbering about. She was more than relieved to finally go home, berrating herself the entire time about why she even bothered...

Once back in her apartment and free of her burdensome friend, she tossed her dress and shoes in a corner somewhere before finally falling into bed and burrowing deep under the sheets.

She felt completely tired a moment ago, but as she stared up at the ceiling, she was suddenly awake again. Damn...She sighed indignantly and fussed with her pillows before finally just sitting still. She continued to gaze upward through the darkness and felt her eyes close. She wasn't going to sleep yet, but she hated her plain ceiling so thought better not to keep looking at it.

Instead, she conjured up an image in her mind, one she'd much rather see. In her mind's eye, she saw Zack before her. She imaged him lying naked on a bed, his muscles rippling beneath the white satin sheets, his hardened manhood creating a peak in the fabric. He had a lusty grin across his lips beckoning her to come near. In her vision, she joined him on the bed, their hands caressed one another's bodies, their mouths creating hot wet trails along their skin.

Cissnei's own hands slid across her body as she became caught in her fantasy. She touched every part of herself that she wanted him to touch...her tongue wetted her lips and she moaned out softly when fingers found their way into her moist heat. Her free hand took hold of her breast and she squeazed tenderly. She touched herself the way she wished Zack would touch her and arched her back as his name escaped her lips over and over as if she were chanting a mantra.

But alas, her hands could not please her the way a man could. She craved his touch with all she was and she would not be sated until she'd finally had it.

"Oh...Zack..." She moaned with annoyance as she rolled over onto her stomach. "I want you so bad." She knew he had a girlfriend and would probably never look at her that way, but she hoped, she prayed that one day he'd noticed how she felt about him. "What's she got that I don't?" She mulled over it in her mind, trying to pin-point what it was that Zack found so attractive about Aerith.

Cissnei hid her face in her pillow as she pondered over it, but it wasn't until she was putting on her uniform the next day, did she realize a possible answer. She looked at her reflection with a sense of disdain. She wore a black suit with a white shirt, a black tie, and a pair of black boots. How...manly...she looked. That must have been it; Aerith was so much more feminine than she, even her casual attire was boyish in comparison to the Cetra.

With a loud huff, she yanked her tie off and unbuttoned the first three buttons of her shirt - if Reno could get away with it, so could she. Then she opted out of her boots and swapped them for her pumps from the previous night. With this simple change, Cissnei instantly looked more like a woman, the shoes made her legs look longer and shaplier, and the unbuttoned shirt offered a small glimpse at her cleavage. With a final look in the mirror, she strutted off to work.

Perhaps Zack would notice her today.