Disclaimer: I do not own FF7 or FF13.
She can feel it; every second of every moment. It was like fire running rampant, burning fiercely upon the surface of her skin to set her senses alight. To Lightning, it wasn't like the heat of Meteor that swallowed her whole, but it was just as blazing. Red like the speckles amidst the auburn in Tifa's irises, red like the blemishes left in wake of their mouths, and red like the swollen lips she covets like a moth to a flame. Red; that was what Lightning has come to associate Tifa with. The color of blood, so alive unlike the endless abyss of black that Lightning has become so familiar with. And it was life.
Every kiss and touch greedily seducing her body and mind were like stones to glass, demolishing that invisible wall and so recklessly shattering the stillness that Lightning had long resigned herself to. Now though, she feels Tifa's fingers dig into her skin like scorching iron to forever mark ownership and dominance. A deep guttural moan forces it's way up Lightning's throat, caught by Tifa's lips that urge her mouth open so that her tongue can slip in and explore again what she had already previously claimed. She'd give anything to Tifa just to break away from that monotony – the endless droning and recycled pledge that fate forces on her every time the world finds a way to end – dictating far too many unnatural years of her ageless self. Every fight, every brush with death or grievous injury felt all too pedestrian and muted; the thrill that any normal person would find lost to her senses. Surviving became more of a chore and that deprived her of what it meant to live.
She could feel Tifa, feel her hand run across her chest – palm pressed flat against her to hold her down before she broke the kiss, much to Lightning's displeasure. They were both breathing heavily, deprived of air and brimming with desire that could not be sated. Lightning drank in the sight of the other woman, growing more and more restless in each second that passes where she spends unmoving beneath Tifa's weight pressuring her hips. Her parted lips, plump and red from their previous kisses were just as tempting as before. As much as she wanted touch, Lightning couldn't fight off the satisfaction of watching her seductress at work. What she loved about Tifa had hardly anything to do with her sinful body, no credit given to her fine curves that drew perverse stares, but that didn't mean that she wasn't aware of it. With her hands planted against her stomach, the heat and wetness sealing the contact of her thighs and everything in-between, and hips rolling in a needy rhythm while her body danced to the beat, it was impossible for Lightning not to notice. It's not like Tifa tries to hide the view she's putting before Lightning. One look at the black-haired woman's expression and Lightning knew that Tifa was doing it on purpose. Her narrowed eyes were darkened with ravenous lust, and it made her blood pump much more than a fight till death. Her breath hitched when Tifa suddenly dropped forward, pressing open mouthed kisses up her jaw and towards her ear to whisper hotly, "Like what you see?"
Mustering her voice, Lightning ran her hands down Tifa's waist to hold her rocking hips, loving the challenge in the fighter's question, "What made you think that?"
There was laughter nearly lost in her ragged breathes, but Tifa dragged her lips to the corner of her mouth, "You've never looked at me like that before… like you want me."
Even though she knew that Tifa had meant for those words to be teasing, they still struck hard and swift. Being always so focused on some goal, always fighting, winning, losing, having to put others' safety and needs before her own, and being able to sacrifice and throw her life away at a moment's notice, had simply been a way of life for her. That was how she lived. She'd be the last person on the Planet to dream of some fulfilling romance, or to think of losing herself to mindless pleasure. What she wanted from Tifa was different; a feeling that was much more intangible to words or actions.
When did she stop to think what Tifa wanted though? It never even crossed her mind until now that Tifa desired her like this... not this wantonly. The way she touched her so boldly, so hungrily, and the eagerness and passion was something she'd never seen from the modest woman she's come to know Tifa as. What did Tifa want? Control? Power? Tifa had always been a touchy-feely sort of person, but this was starkly different. For just a second, her mind blanked from their carnal indulgence, and there was nothing more assuring than the weight of Tifa's body falling onto hers, hot and heaving for breath. Their limbs tangled like garden vines, but that was when Lightning could feel the thorns etch into her skin. "You leave me, and I jump." Of all times, why did that memory come to her now? The image of the black-haired woman standing on the edge of the world as hell spiralled to oblivion, her long hair whipping behind her as the gusts of wind threaten to push her off her feet, and the pure fear – that desperateness – bleeding from Tifa's ruby-wine colored eyes as she begged her to take her on that path of self-sacrifice Lightning's been so set on travelling alone. To think that she had pushed Tifa to that. She could always leave it to Tifa to shake the patchwork ground beneath her feet, built of forced solitude and habitual self-denial, and it make Lightning realize that her form of unselfishness, was perhaps, the most selfish of all.
Lightning knows that she has no merit worth loving. She's cold, detached, brusque, and just generally unlikeable. Countless times she's put Tifa as her last priority, never given in to Tifa entirely, but just enough to string her along because of her own deficiencies and vulnerabilities. Tifa still waits for her though, all bright-eyed, happy, and warm. She didn't deserve her, but there was no way in hell that Lightning was going to let her go, not unless Tifa asks her to. Her hands seize Tifa's shoulders suddenly, unyielding, and it's obvious that the fighter's caught off guard by the sudden show of force. She pushes Tifa onto her back while using her body to lock her there like a cage. The small squeak of surprise is swallowed by Lightning when she kisses her like never before. Tifa's lips part at Lightning's urgency and she wastes no time staking her claim. There were no words that could explain what she felt, nothing that could describe the magnitude and depth of emotions, and it was no secret that Lightning isn't known for her tact. She's merely not gifted in that aspect, always choosing to prove herself through her own actions instead, and so maybe this way, she could sufficiently tell Tifa how she feels. The kiss eases only when she feels a slight resistance, and Lightning allows Tifa to push her away just enough so that their lips part.
The air has changed; no longer is it pungent with lust. Unlike before, Tifa's touch is almost hesitant, as if she's afraid that she'll shatter like fragile glass. Her fingertips drift across her lips, while Tifa peers up at her through her eyelashes. She wonders what Tifa sees in her, but she doesn't dare ask.
It always baffled her how expressive and open Tifa's eyes were, so unlike her own, and now, she almost finds it intimidating. She's fought so many enemies and foes unhesitatingly, but now she falters against honesty. Crawling back into her shell of reclusiveness, Lightning began to draw back, pushing her body off Tifa and already cursing at herself for turning the situation into this… uncomfortable, awkward, and tension filled silence. However, before she could fully sit up, Tifa rises faster than she does and presses their lips together once more. It was brief and innocent, and it doesn't register until it's over. Under Lightning's stunned stare, Tifa bites her lips shyly, "I love you… too." Just like that, Tifa makes everything easy again. Before she could give a response though, Tifa slips out of bed and begins dressing. "I bet you're hungry. I'll make dinner, but you're doing the dishes." Tifa laughed, turning to give Lightning a rather carefree yet sly smile.
She stared at Tifa's back, then at the blank surface of the door that closed behind her. She was left alone with her thoughts again, sitting on the bed that was growing increasingly cold. She had always written Tifa off as an open book, but it was becoming apparent that she had pegged the fighter wrong. Resting her head back down onto the bed, she stares up at the ceiling thinking of… nothing. She's no longer planning and plotting, there's no war that needed strategizing. The room's entirely silent, save for the ticking clock hanging on the wall. It was hard to grasp how she felt about all of this.
She didn't want to linger on these thoughts that brought neither happiness nor sadness. Leaving the cushiony confines of the bed, Lightning padded over to the closet, her fingers trailing across the surface to feel the gritty texture of unpolished wood. When she opened it, she was met with a lot of black – not that Lightning could ever remember Tifa wearing any color – so her eyes were naturally drawn towards the baby blue hoodie that stood out from the rest. She snorted softly at the familiar piece of clothing and pulled it out along with another pair of black shorts.
Counting the handful of times she had been in this house, Lightning peered into each of the slightly ajar doors to catch just a glimpse of that foreign domesticity. She remembers how Cloud's office was like, Marlene's room was rather messy and she took a quick note of the large stuffed chocobo and moogle tangled with the messy blankets on the bed, while Denzel's was surprisingly organized and clean. Nothing was out of place, his toys were neatly kept inside plastic bins, his desk clean and clear save for the table lamp and a tray to hold his pencils and erasers. She continued her way, heading down the stairs and into the main living area. The soft clangs could be heard in the kitchen, and the moment Lightning caught a whiff heavenly aroma, she felt her stomach twist. It halts her in her mission towards the kitchen momentarily, and draws her hand to rest upon her stomach as she marvels at how hunger feels.
She sees Tifa standing in front of the stove with her back facing her and so focused on the meat simmering in the pan that she didn't even notice Lightning. Her bare feet are soundless against the polished wooden floors. For the first time, she sees Tifa in her element; doing what she loves and it effortlessly brings a small smile. A sight like this meant more to her than any celebration or parade, it represented what she had fought for more aptly than any valiant story.
She settles in front of the sink, raising an eyebrow at the amount of dishes already waiting for her. "Better get to work then." Lightning mumbled, earning a laugh from Tifa.
"Saved it all for you." Tifa teased, leaning in to place a quick peck on her cheek before returning back to the stove.
Hot water sprouted from the tap, the steam wafting upwards to cascade over her face. The rubber pink gloves she had protected her from much of the heat as she sloshed the sponge around over the plates while the bubbles foamed ontop. That crouching tension sitting in the back of her mind slowly loosened, giving Lightning a sense of relief as if she had found what she had been looking for without realizing what it is that she was seeking. She just washed and washed, taking everything Tifa would give her and scrubbed it all clean. So lost in the simple task itself, Lightning didn't even notice she had cleaned all of them until she reached over and found an empty sink.
Tifa was already over by the dining table, food on the plates with utensils waiting on the sides, and a small pop of a cork drew Lightning's attention to the bottle of Bacchus Brew the black-haired woman was now pouring into the glasses. Shedding the rubber gloves before giving her hands a quick rinse, she patted them dry in a hanging cloth below the sink and made her way towards Tifa. "So?" Tifa stood back, looking proud and accomplished, "What do you think?"
"It's…"
"Impressive?" Tifa teased, "Stunning? Delicious?"
Rolling her eyes, Lightning pulled out a chair and sat down while Tifa sat across from her looking never smugger. She offered half a shrug, "Sure."
Tifa just smiled broadly, "I told you." It was definitely a hearty meal. Lightning's mouth watered from just the aroma, her fork yet to sink in as she couldn't decide what to taste first. The first slice into the meat drew juices, rich and dark from the seasoning, and the first bite was irresistible. It was like it melted in her mouth, cooked to perfection and the flavor was strong, but not so powerful that it overwhelming. The first bite was savoured, but everything after came quickly. The gnawing pit in her stomach warmed comfortably at the food she was feeding it, and Lightning didn't stop until she heard Tifa's soft laugh. "You can have some of mine if you want."
Stopping mid-chew, Lightning forced herself to swallow and unconsciously licked her lips before she cleared her throat. While she was close to half-way through her meal already, Tifa hadn't touched her own at all, seemingly far to content to just watch her eat. "It's… been a while since I've… felt what hunger feels like." Lightning muttered before internally flinching at how privileged that sounded taken out of context. "As Etro, I never-"
"Light, you don't have to explain." Tifa chortled, "I know what you meant. I can only imagine what it feels like eating now, it probably makes everything taste better… not that I'm discrediting my own cooking. Let's just say that it makes my food taste even better than it already does."
"Right…" Lightning rolled her eyes as she took another bite, all the while casting occasional weary glances to Tifa's unfaltering grin. Seeing Tifa's smile, the pride she took in her cooking, and the life she had built with Cloud and the kids, it brought back the unsettling question that Lightning is almost too fearful to ask. She took her time chewing, swallowing slowly as if to bide herself time that she wasn't exactly short on. "Would you have… done it?"
Tifa tilted her head slightly, "Done what?"
"Jumped." The ever-present smile on Tifa's face disappeared, her ruby brown eyes darting down to her food. She wanted to make it absolutely clear that it was inacceptable to throw life away so callously, and for a reason no other than loss and sorrow.
"I've told you…" Tifa began quietly, "…over and over again. I don't want to live in a world-"
"You've done it before."
"And you have no idea what it did to me." The fighter's response was swift and sharp. If Lightning didn't know better, she'd say that Tifa's angry, but she knew that this was the hurt speaking.
She needed Tifa to promise her though, because all she knew was that Tifa deserved to live. She deserved to be happy and the thought of Tifa killing herself was… "Don't throw your life away for something like that."
"For… something like that?" Tifa repeated, her voice quivering like thread about to snap, "You said you were tired, and I understood what you meant. I know, but… I'm not like you. I can't live like you do. You're the most… unselfish person on this Planet and it's driving me insane. Do you have any idea how much you mean to me?"
"No," Lightning answered honestly, never once breaking eye contact in hopes that Tifa would hear her out, "I don't, but no matter how much, it' s definitely not worth your own life. I'm a hypocrite. I know that. I'm the person that turned herself into a crystal after Serah died, but the difference is… you would've lost more than what I could ever dream of having." In her eyes, she had always been the most expendable and somehow her life wasn't worth as much as the people around her. If she died, Serah could still turn to Snow. No one would miss her. "I'm not good with words, and I've never been… I'm sorry, but it makes me wonder if you have any idea how much you mean to me."
"You don't get to turn this on me."
Taking a deep breath, Lightning set her utensils down that have long sat still and heavy in her hands. "Please… Just promise me."
"Fine, only if you promise me that you'll never leave me." Tifa wasn't buying it. She's probably fed up with her bullshit by now, and Lightning knew that this 'promise' Tifa would make was empty and false. Her word was true though, and she'd go through hell and back again to be with Tifa.
Tifa was wrong about one thing though; she's not as altruistic as Tifa likes to think. Arguably, Lightning's form of selfishness may be the most reprehensible of all. "I promise." Lightning spoke with absolute sincerity, and for what it's worth, Tifa settled down slightly.
That didn't mean that everything was suddenly fine though. Tifa rose from her seat and took her own plate of food with her, "I'm not hungry anymore." Left with her own half eaten meal, Lightning forged through it all the while listening to Tifa's tinkering in the kitchen. The food was truly delicious, but it didn't stop her from washing it down with Bacchus Brew after topping the half-filled glass up. The liquid burned her throat as it went down, and she poured herself a second glass before she braved the kitchen with her dirty plates in one hand. Setting it in the sink, Lightning glanced at Tifa's back as she's sorting the dried dishes.
It took only a few steps before she could wrap her arms around Tifa's waist and burry her face into the crook of her neck. "I hope you're happy to know that you terrify me." Lightning murmured.
There was a pause before Tifa responded, "Is that supposed to be romantic?"
Lightning pulled back slightly in disbelief as Tifa turned around in her arms, "That's romantic to you? Sadistic much?"
Her hand rang it's course against Lightning's cheek, gently pulling her close so that their lips met. When Tifa pulled back she frowned slightly, having tasted her tongue, "Is this the Bacchus Brew talking?"
"Depends." Lightning answered smartly, "The bit about you terrifying me? Yes. You being sadistic? That's from me."
"Now you're being talkative." Tifa emphasized the word as if it was something incomprehensible. "How many glasses did you have?"
Lightning smirked, leaning in to nip at Tifa's lips, "Two."
She could feel Tifa's smile against her, "Lightweight." It was all too easy for the kisses to escalate as the passion builds once more, but before they could take it any further, they're promptly interrupted by footsteps. They only have time to turn and look to see Cloud stop abruptly the entrance from the stairway with wide eyes. "C-Cloud." Tifa stammered, and in the corner of her eye, Lightning could see her face color red.
The said man shifted awkwardly. "Marlene… said that she left her homework here…" Cloud murmured lamely, "I'll – uh – I'll check her room." Scratching the back of his neck, Cloud looked as if he wanted to walk, but stumbled slightly like he couldn't get his legs to work properly. He turned back to them tentatively and pointed up the stairs, "S-Shouldn't you be doing… that in your room? This is a family space after all."
Tifa scrambled out of Lightning's arms and yelled indignantly, "We weren't going to do it here!"
Crossing her arms Lightning leaned back against the kitchen counter and easily stopped the two's bickering, "You wouldn't know even if we did already."
Tifa's look of absolute horror, and the way Cloud choked on his own saliva made Lightning chuckle. Clearly, neither of them expected that from her. "W-W-W-W-W-W-We didn't!" Tifa protested, her face flushing bright red like a tomato, and even Cloud had a hard time suppressing the pink on his cheeks.
"Y-Yeah, I'm… going to go." Cloud stammered, quickly heading off and up the stairs.
"Light!" Smirking more so to herself, the pink haired woman quirked an eyebrow at Tifa before she lent in a pressed a chaste kiss to her lips.
"No point denying what would've happened if he hadn't shown up." Lightning shrugged as she moved towards the stairs and after Cloud, leaving the shocked Tifa in the kitchen. Cloud was already rifling through the messy desk and drawers when she stepped into the room, eyes scouring the toys scattered on the ground. "Hello to you too." Lightning remarked with a sarcastic droll.
"You're feeling a lot better." Cloud responded, tossing a glance over his shoulder, "Good."
"What's the assignment?"
"You mean her homework?"
"Same thing."
"A story." Cloud sighed, "Apparently, she had to write a story."
"What kind of story?"
He turned around and frowned at her. "Is this supposed to be small talk? Coming from you?"
"Just answer the question."
"Anything. They were to write about anything they wanted." Lightning nodded curtly, and stalked towards the bed, while Cloud continued watching her. "I don't think it's going to be there." Grabbing the stuffed moogle by the fabric antenna, Lightning searched through the blankets and beneath the pillow, finding a hard corner.
"You'll be surprised." Lightning grunted before she pulled out a tattered notebook, "Serah used to keep all of her stuff in her bed." Flipping the cover open, Lightning paused at the scribbles of stick figures and crayon writing scrawled all over the pages.
"You're going to read it?" Cloud asked, approaching to stand beside her.
"Why not?"
He moved closer, "Did you drink?"
Lightning leaned back and regarded him carefully, "Are you sniffing me?"
"Your breath." Cloud scoffed, and he even put in the effort to look affronted, "Explains a lot."
"Tch." Choosing to ignore him, Lightning turned her attention back to the notebook while Cloud peered down from her side. At first glance, she hadn't noticed it, but now that she's focusing-
"That's you." Cloud mumbled, and he was right. Although the stick figure drawn in with black was hardly anything to go by, the messy pink coloring on top of the head couldn't be mistaken. "Lightning-" Cloud read.
"She spelled my name right."
"Lightning the wor- wor… wor-eer."
"W-o-r-e-e-r." Lightning pursed her lips, "Wor-eer?"
"Worrier?" Cloud suggested. With a dissatisfied frown, she flipped the page and he continued reading, "Going to save the b-e-u-tiful Princess Tifa."
"She got the 'u,' that's the hard part." Lightning offered as consolation to no one.
"And she meant to say 'warrior.' So it's wor-e-er."
Lightning flipped the page, "Aerith's in here too. So are you. As…"
Pulling the book from Lightning's hands, Cloud ran one hand through his hair, "The loyal chocobo. I'm a chocobo."
"Better than Aerith. She's a talking flower. I don't know what's sadder; the fact that Aerith's a talking flower, or that I have a talking flower as my, and I quote, 'bestest friend'."
"I'm a chocobo."
"Not everything is about you, Cloud."
"At least Aerith talks. I'm a chocobo."
She didn't bother hiding her smirk when she reached up and ruffled Cloud's hair, "Kweh kweh."
"Shut up." Cloud swiped her hand away and tucked the notebook under his arm, "I need to go. Marlene needs to finish and it's due tomorrow."
Just before he leaves, Lightning speaks up and halts him in his steps, "For what it's worth, I wouldn't have gotten anywhere without the chocobo. So… thank you."
He meets her eyes, stare intent and genuine, "That's my line." Just as he's about to leave, he stops again but doesn't look back at her, "Glad to have you back." She listens to his steps going down the stairs and catches his conversation with Tifa there as if he purposefully said it loud enough so she could hear, "Keep it in your bedroom." Lightning laughs, but it's drowned out by Tifa's stutters.
Soon enough Tifa appears and walks up to her, looking at the room disapprovingly, "I'm surprised you two found it in this mess."
Lightning, though, just shakes her head self-deprecatingly, "Lightning the Worrier…"
"Light?"
"It's the story Marlene wrote. Lightning the Warrior, off to save Princess Tifa with Cloud the Loyal Chocobo and Aerith, the Talking Flower." Lightning sighs, "It's… surprisingly accurate."
With a concerned look, Tifa rests both hands on Lightning's cheek, "Are you sure you're not drunk?"
Are YOU sure Lightning's not drunk? ;D
Now that's a chapter and a half of pure Lightning/Tifa. With Cloud's appearance, it's time to move things forward! Thanks for reading! Till next time!
