One Year Later

Monday 8:27 AM

There is a bit of a rush to my step as I elbow my way down the packed streets of Midgar. Sometimes I try to figure out if it would just be faster to get to the damn coffee shop by walking or battling the insane traffic. My car's too pretty to be put in this type of danger, though…

Hi…my name is Tifa Lockhart in case you've forgotten…I know it's been a while since I've actually sat down and thought about things and wrote them out, but it's been a good year. After a rocky start, I'm quickly coming up on my one year anniversary of being in Midgar.

Currently, though, I'm trying to keep up a weekly anniversary that was established rather early in my life here in Midgar.

And if I'm late, he'll slaughter me with his glare.

Midgar is on a whole different level than Nibelhiem. There are tall skyscrapers everywhere, and trees, God I miss trees. I have to go visit Aerith within the next three years or else I will be killed by all the smog and nastiness. However, I must admit that the university here is one of the most competitive, and enthralling places I could be at. Marine Biology seems to be the place for me, though I really haven't gotten into the more specified classes for my major. So far I've managed to avoid the head of the Biology department, Prof. Hojo, and I'm hoping to keep it that way. After three semesters (summer classes) at this school, I've already heard plenty of horror stories about him.

Honk! Screech!

"Hey! You crazy bitch, watch where you're walking!"

"Watch where my fist is about to be, bastard! Pedestrians have the right away, especially at a cross walk!" It didn't take me long to find my voice in this city; you can't afford to be quiet here.

I flip the offender off, before making it safely back onto the opposite sidewalk. I elbow my way through the morning rush of coffee beggars as I enter Moonbucks. I pass by the counter without a glance, though I hear a couple rushed hellos. I throw my hand up at the familiar workers, before slinging myself down at the tiny table, dropping my bag down beside my chair, and pull off my red hoodie; it's cooler here in the city than Nibelhiem, surprisingly.

Sephiroth doesn't even look up from his newspaper, "Rough morning?"

I glance at my watch, "Heck yes! With a minute and twenty seconds to spare, I swear I get better everyday at not being late."

He spares a glance at me, my hair is frazzled, and my forehead is sweaty.

He sips his coffee, sliding a cup of hot chocolate towards me, "You know, I won't kill you if you're late."

"That's what you say when I'm on time, but when I'm late, your eyes tell a different story, Seph," I grin, taking a sip of my drink, "Oh, it's hot…thanks."

He grunts, flipping the newspaper closed.

"Anything interesting to report on this week?" I ask.

His gaze flickers towards me, and then around the bustling coffee shop, "Not really…there's a meeting Wednesday at six…do you think you'll be able to attend?"

I shrug, "I can see if I can get someone to cover for me at the bar."

He shrugs, his gaze roaming as it usually is, "It probably isn't too important. I feel as though the AVALANCHE meetings are more lectures than anything. There's been no protests in a good few months. Sad, really."

I look up at him from my drink, "You just get sad too easily, Seph."

He grunts, "I do not believe they are doing anything, really. Midgar is the same as it has always been, just with more liberal minds. Still doesn't mean anything has changed."

"Change takes time."

"I do not believe those people know how to live."

I quirk an eyebrow, "Oh? What do you mean by that?"

He meets my eyes for the first time this morning in his unnerving full on gaze, "I mean that there are two types of people in this world. Those that live and those that exist. AVALANCHE exists, it doesn't live," he sips his coffee slowly.

"What about me, Seph, do I live?"

He meets me in that not-quite-believing-what-you-just-said-but-I'm-not-taking-you-too-seriously-right-now look, "I believe you sit somewhere in the middle."

"Is that good or bad?"

He shrugs, "Figure it out yourself."

"You're no fun."

"I'm an anthropologist…fun includes dead people. Are you dead?"

I hold out my arm, "Pinch me; I'm not one hundred percent sure…you could be talking me to death, I'm surprised you haven't already."

He glowers at me, before calmly sipping his coffee. It's fun to mess with Sephiroth's head since he's such a serious guy. It's easy to get him annoyed, but I know not to push it.

"What of your paper? Have you finished it yet?"

"Argh, no. I have to do that tonight, thanks for reminding me Seph. Only a page left, and it'll be done."

"How many pages was it, again?"

"Eight. I swear my summer classes are harder than the regular ones," I shake my head, "And I've got that lab tomorrow."

"Tragic."

"So, any new discoveries on the Cetra?"

"Other than the predicted doomsday?"

My ears perk up, "Oh? When exactly is the world to end?"

"On your anniversary."

"Are you freaking kidding?" I ask.

He shakes his head no, "No…well, we maybe off a few years in the translation; the hieroglyphics were a bit distorted. Tell me Tifa, what for you would bring about doomsday this Friday…anything in particular?"

"I don't know…flunking out of college…getting kicked out of my apartment. I think it'd have to be a group of things to really end my world."

He grunts, "I heard the news today. Your father is staying in Nibelhiem another year?"

"Yep," I say, "It was unexpected, but they keep delaying the move. I told him to stay there…I miss him, and I know he misses me, but from what I hear, he's doing pretty well."

"And your sources would be?"

"Elmyra."

"Hmm," he says; he by now knows the mouth of Nibelhiem's name…AKA Aerith's mom.

"Have you talked to the flower girl lately?"

"She does more than flowers, Seph…really, for someone who looks at skulls all day long you sure are close-minded."

"I do more than look at skulls—

"I've seen your collection of them at your apartment…that isn't exactly a fashion forward way to decorate the living room."

"Tifa," he intones.

"Fine, fine," I say, "Anyways, as I was saying, she could save your life with plants…keep you from becoming a skull sooner than you'd have to."

"Right."

"Tis true. Anyways, no…I haven't had time to call her, what with Marlene acting crazy lately."

"What do you mean by lately?"

I glare at him, "You don't live with the girl. You think the few times you've seen her is crazy? Please, Seph, she's much crazier than that."

"More crazy than throwing a dart at my face?"

"She didn't throw the dart at your face, she just really sucks at throwing darts."

"Then why did you let her?"

"Because I was drunk."

"Is that why she is so horrible?"

"No, she was sober. The sad thing really is that she can kick my butt when she's drunk, and I'm sober."

He grunts, falling back into his silence.

I tilt my head to the side, "Well, what's bothering you today?"

He turns his gaze on me evenly, "I spoke with Zack yesterday."

"Oh really?" I chirp, "That's great. How is he? I haven't heard from the devil lately."

He takes a sip of his coffee, deliberately letting his eyes roam now, "Fine…though, he is dating someone."

My jaw drops, "About time."

"He says the same about you."

"Never mind that, who is it?"

The corner of his mouth twitches in amusement, and I glare.

"Seph! Who? Do I know her? Oh God wait, don't tell me it's a him—

"No!" Sephiroth says quickly, and I smirk; it's rare getting an actual reaction out of him, but it's worth it when it happens.

He narrows his eyes, "It's your flower girl—

"No," I gasp, "That's freaking awesome. I can't believe she hasn't said anything!"

Seph raises his shoulder in a half hearted shrug, "I can't imagine why."

"Oh please, Seph, she knows very well I'd be happy for her—oh man crap they're dating, that's amazing wait how."

Sephiroth blinks, trying to piece together my attempts at sentences.

His brow wrinkles and he lets out a struggled, "What?"

"How? When! Details, man details!"

He grunts, annoyed, "He can tell you later, when you talk to him again. I don't feel like discussing it."

"And what did he mean about the about time with the dating about me?"

"What?"

"I mean, what's he saying about me and dating?"

"Oh, that. He just found it strange you hadn't dated anyone."

My face falls flat, "Seph…you've been in Midgar for how many years? When was the last time you went on a date? Midgar isn't exactly the love capital of the world."

"Point. Still, he believes it would be easier for you to get a date than I."

"Why?"

He shrugs, "I think it's obvious. I'm a man with strange hair that studies skulls—

"You do more than skulls, Seph—

"And," he says tersely, "You're a woman who studies living things. Not much competition there."

I lean onto the table on my elbow, "Technically they're marine living things. Wow…Zack and Aerith…that's surprisingly shocking but also awesome. They're so much alike, happy then suddenly serious. But they're good listeners, and they understand you."

Seph grunts, "Yes. They are much alike."

"Dude, if they get married you'll be stuck with two Zack's, only one will be a female. You'll be getting both ends of the stick," I laugh.

"Please, I was just beginning to accept it."

I eye him slyly, "I didn't know you and Zack talked so much, Seph…and about me. Really, I'm flattered."

He shrugs, "There for a while he was trying to get me to date you."

I choke on my hot chocolate, "What?" I flush suddenly.

Sephiroth seems unperturbed though, "He began to realize the pattern in our weekly meetings, and thought for sure a date would follow."

"When did he see this pattern?"

"Six months ago," and I see a rare hint of a grin on his face.

"Oh?"

"I thought about it."

"What?"

"Seeing if I could win a date with you."

"Really?" I ask, surprised.

He nods, "At the time…when you were with Zack I thought it interesting, and then when you sought me out in Midgar I found it more interesting. I repeat, my job and appearance usually does not have a positive affect on the opposite sex."

"I think your job is interesting."

"That's the point, one reason why I considered it."

"So why didn't you?" I ask.

His eyes meet mine, "Honestly, I knew it wouldn't work, just like it hadn't worked with you and Zack. Would you have said yes if I'd had asked?"

I pause, thinking about it, "I can't really say. I don't know."

He continues on, unperturbed, "I knew that it would not work…I believed it would be enjoyable, as the relationship you had with Zack had been, but differently. I believe that Zack was too comical, and rarely serious…I feel that I would be too serious, and not at all comical. You need a balance, maybe not a perfect one, but one like yourself. You do think a lot, Tifa, brood over the past more than you like to let on. But, you obviously have your moments of comic relief as you often like to remind me. I believe that you will end up with someone who is like yourself, and unlike you. It is hard to explain, really," but his eyes stray to the ring on my right ring finger.

I subconsciously ball my right hand up, and move it beneath the table.

"I don't know…I guess I'll never know," I say, sipping on my drink.

I glance up at the clock on the wall, "Hey…time to get out of here…" I say, heavier than I normally would, "Have a good day, Seph…I'll see you later."

I stand quickly, dumping the remains of my hot chocolate instead of taking it with me like I usually would.

It tastes bitter now anyways.

A/N: Har har...I know last chapter was sad...anyways, enjoy the return of Sephy. We reached 200+! Thanks you guys! I really appreciate the reviews