Angel Trapped On Earth
Chapter Six
. + . It's Obvious .+.
"Tifa….I think you're gonna punch a hole right through.." Yuffie said, wincing as she saw Tifa slam the fourth shirt inside her luggage case, and wondered how much more the case could take.
"'It's much too dangerous' they say, yeah well I can fight just as well as any of them!" Tifa said in a huff as she slammed a fifth shirt inside.
"We're just worried for your safety..that's all." Yuffie said, her eyes averting to the side. Tifa gave her friend a strange glance. She had never seen Yuffie so serious and so…mature before. When they were companions in battle, Yuffie was always hyper, loud, and well --obnoxious. Now she was composed, and her looks have changed also. Yuffie's eyes were softer and more feminine, her body more developed than it was before. Her brown hair had grown out of that boyish cut, and now extended a little past her shoulders. She looked more poise and elegant.
"You've changed.." Tifa muttered, still stuffing her case with clothes.
She had gotten news of her and Vincent throuh letters, and knew that they loved each other. Yuffie had taught Vincent how to love again without fear, and Tifa smiled at the thought of them together living in happiness. She felt a pang of loneliness stir within the depths inside her, but she brushed it away, feeling foolish for being anything but happy for Yuffie.
"So tell me about you and Vincent!" Tifa exclaimed with a wave of her hand, as she tried to sit on the suitcase to make it all fit inside. Yuffie looked down at the floor, and blushed slightly. Tifa smiled a sisterly smile, and motioned for Yuffie to sit next to her.
Yuffie took her place beside Tifa, and rested a head on the older woman's shoulder. It was sometimes like this between Tifa, Aeris, and herself. The three of them were like sisters, and they had been devasted when Aeris had died. Tifa had cried rivers for Aeris. Tifa caught the gleaming of an engagement ring out of the corner of her eye, and she grinned mischieviously.
"When did he ask?" Tifa asked, suddenly. Yuffie blushed again, and this time much more so.
"Not long ago…I..I said yes. Oh, Tifa! He makes me so happy! He's taught me so many things--I..feel as if I'm not worthy. I'm just a little kid…and..I was always so…," Yuffie tried to say, but tears of happiness choked within her, "Sometimes…I don't know if he's made the right decision."
"Of course he did! No one can ask for a better wife! You're a good girl. No, let me correct that, you're a woman now and it takes a lot of courage and love to make Vincent Valentine fall in love with you. You love him, and he loves you…that's all that matters." Tifa said, a hint of longing in her voice. Yuffie noticed this.
"Tifa?" Yuffie said softly.
"Yeah?"
"Do you love Sephiroth now?" Yuffie asked, now sounding very childish. It was her turn to grin mischieviously, and Yuffie did so far more better than Tifa did.
"NO! For heaven's sakes! I would never! The man is arrogant, he's a tyrant, egotistic, sardonic--" Tifa cried out, ticking off the things that she could possibly name about him.
"--And you love him." Yuffie finished for her with a comprehensive twinkle in her eye.
Tifa hmphed, and shook her head furiously as if to repeat the fact that Sephiroth is the last person she should fall in love with. Actually, he is the last person she should've ended up in the arms of, but somehow that managed to happen anyways. She scowled at the thought. Yuffie let out a small giggle, and Tifa's attention turned back to her friend.
"Has Vincent been any trouble at all?" Tifa asked, now concern etched upon her face.
"N--no..not really." Yuffie answered, knowing full well that Tifa was referring to Chaos. Tifa narrowed her eyes suspciously, and frowned deeply at Yuffie. Yuffie gulped, and knew that Tifa would want the truth and nothing else.
"Well…sometimes…when he gets angry, " Yuffie said tremulously, "He--he transforms…but I try and…nothing's ever happened to me yet." Yuffie finished with a little shake of her head. "I love him." She finished determinedly. Tifa smiled warmly, and patted the girl's hand.
"I know you love him, Yuffie. I wasn't saying otherwise..just..be careful okay? I know Vincent is a good man, and judging by your letters….he loves you wholeheartedly. There's no better couple." Tifa reassured her, feeling the loneliness inside her heart again.
"Cloud's betrayed us, y'know." Yuffie said softly.
Tifa remained silent. She didn't know what to say to this because she didn't quite believe so herself. It had been a shock to her, and she hasn't approached the subject yet. Still, she didn't want to.
"…We'll talk about it later, Yuff. Right now, I want to know all about you guys…it's been so long. Your letters have kept me company, but nothing is quite like seeing you guys again." Tifa said warmly.
"Yeah..we've missed you so much, Tifa. After we heard that Cloud had left…we wondered why you wouldn't come and live with Cid and us…" Yuffie said affectionately. Tifa's heart ached at her words. How she longed to have company. She had been so lonely for these past few years, and she longed for someone. Anyone.
"I…I couldn't." Tifa said, breathing in deeply.
"It's your pride, Tifa. Sometimes…you just have to trust again. Vincent and I have learned to do so." Yuffie said, lifting her head and straightened herself up.
Sephiroth entered the room, and eyed the two women with a scowl.
"Are you both ready? We'll be leaving soon." Sephiroth said, his rich, deep voice making Tifa's heart flutter.
"I don't see the use of leaving with you, " Tifa muttered under her breath, "Seeing as how you've excluded me out of everything."
Sephiroth narrowed his eyes dangerously.
"You're to stay with Yuffie." He spat out and walked out of the room with a flourish of his cloak.
Tifa watched him leave, then turned to face Yuffie with an I-Told-You-So look. Yuffie let out a chuckle, and swatted Tifa's shoulder playfully. She didn't like to think it, but she's beginning to like this Sephiroth character. Maybe he was the answer to Tifa's happiness.
+.+.+.+
Sephiroth stalked back to the inn where the rest of the men were still preparing, and he scowled yet again. He felt irritated, and he wasn't in the best of moods. Did it always take this long for them to prepare for a trip?
'Bloody hell,' Sephiroth thought to himself, 'the men are just as bad.' He then proceeded to wait for them, sitting utterly still in a chair.
Sometimes they would look up at him and glance at him with an aura of mistrust, but they didn't say anything further about it. He would just throw them his famous scowl, and go back to his brooding state. There was no chance in hell he would stay with the two girls instead. At leat the men had the decency to keep their mouths shut while they worked. Women tended to squabble on about nothing.
"Yeh sure yeh don't have stuff to pack?" Barret said skeptically.
Sephiroth just merely arched his eyebrow, and crossed his arms disdainfully. Barret went back to packing his things with a stringful of muttered curses. Vincent was the first one done, and soon followed the others. Sephiroth emerged from his chair, looked at Rufus, then said, "I'm going to tell Tifa that we're ready."
Vincent looked as if he wanted to say something, but decided not to. Sephiroth left the room, and walked briskly back to Tifa's house. Damnable group, he thought to himself, he should be a saint by now seeing how patient he had been. This was the second time he had to walk back to her goddamn house. He knocked once. Twice. No answer came. A little surge of panic swept over him, as he turned the knob, relieved to find that it wasn't locked, and dashed up the stairs.
He let out a growl of frustration. Why the devil wasn't the two witless women there? He was definitely going have to be recommended for saint-ship.
.+.+.+.+
"C'mon. They're probably finished with everything, Tifa. Let's go." Yuffie said, tugging on a sleeve of Tifa's shirt. Tifa was wearing a soft, creamy blue sweater and pale blue shorts. She decided to have a change in outfit for once.
They were in Seventh Heaven, her bar. She had decorated it like a man's paradise. A pool table right in the far corner of the room, complete with two acarde games. It was the perfect heaven. Of course they usually came for a good beer, and to take an occasional glance at their beautiful bartender, Tifa. She had worked hard to rebuild her self-esteem and buisness, and she was damn proud of it. Pity, she had to leave her bar for awhile. She was beginning to her stability in her hometown, and everything had gotten peacefu, if not lonely.
"Hold on, Yuff. I just have to make sure everything is going to be taken care of while I'm gone, okay?" Tifa said, with a quick pat on Yuffie's hand.
Out from the back emerged a young, pretty sabled-haired girl. She smiled brightly as she saw Tifa, and rushed to greet her.
"Miss Lockheart!" She exclaimed, smiling. It was obvious that she admired Tifa.
Tifa gave her a grin, and said, "Oh come on. You know I hate being called that. Just call me, 'Tifa.' Oh and Lilly..I came here on some important news for you. Trudy's mother has taken ill, and so she had gone back to her mother's," Tifa lied, swallowing guiltily, she went on, "So I need you to cover for her. I'm going to be gone for a couple of days. Weeks, tops. Important buisness, you know? Think you can manage it?"
Lilly gave her a bright smile, obviously delighted for having bestowed such an important task. Tifa grinned even broader, and Yuffie noticed a little pride glinting in Tifa's eyes.
"Of course! Anything, Miss--err--Tifa! Anything!" Lilly exclaimed, her cheeks flushed with a delightful pink.
"Great! Now I just need to--" Tifa began to instruct, but was interrupted by a crash of the door. She groaned, knowing right away who it was.
"WHAT THE DEVIL ARE YOU DOING HERE!!!?" A voice roared.
"I work here, you know." Tifa said lazily, not even bothering to turn around. She rolled her eyes contemptuously. Lilly widened her eyes in horror as she saw a handsome man crashing through the bar, practically knocking over several men along the way. Then in a flash, he was by Tifa's side and took a hold of an arm.
"SIR! If you c-cannot behave…the..then..then leave!!" Lilly screeched, sttuttering as she realized how dangerous the man looked. He eyed her with a look that could've killed. It almost did because Lilly gave a small whimper.
"Don't mind him. He's harmless." Tifa assured her, knowing full well that Sephiroth was going to haul her away any minute.
"Harmless. I'll show you harmless." He growled under his breath. He proceeded to pull her away. She dug in her heels, and he practically dragged her.
"Now wait just a minute! I'm not going with YOU!" Tifa yelled, clearly still angry at him.
"For heaven sake's woman! Are you STUPID! You're coming with me now!" Sephiroth roared.
"NO. I'M. NOT!" Tifa firmly said through clenched teeth. Yuffie was watching with mild amusement and nervousness at the same time.
Sephiroth smirked, and for a moment he seemed to let her go. Big. Fat. Chance. He grabbed a hold of her waist, then her arms, and hoisted her over his shoulders before she could fully protest physically. He then marched out of the bar, and towards where the guys had said they had landed the Highwind. Yuffie trailed behind, giggling like a schoolgirl. Indeed, she was becoming very fond of Sephiroth. She could clearly see it now. Tifa and Sephiroth were just meant to be, and she, in her power, will help. She grinned with a set determination and was anxious to tell her fiancee of this little scene.
It was just too obvious!
.+.+.+.
[ Author's note : A short chapter, but I hope you like it nonetheless. Thanks for being so patient, and chapter six will be up real soon. Probably in a day or so. Well, bye for now and keep in mind that if I own FFVII, then I would've made Sephiroth clones a long time ago for all of us girls here. LOLz ^_^ bye bye! ]