~*Author's Notes*~ Gack! I am SO ashamed that I haven't updated in months!
Please forgive me! *bows humbly* So sorry! *sighs* I'm ashamed of myself.
But, hopefully this chapter makes up for it, right? Thanks so much to
everyone who was patient and stuck through!
Chapter 18: Fiancée?
Tifa smiled slightly, dipping her bare feet into the cool water of the stream with a small sigh, letting them dangle loosely, closing her eyes as she tilted her head back, letting the sun kiss her face. A small breeze flitted by, toying with her hair and for a moment she could almost imagine it was Rufus, and that thought brought a flush to her cheeks. She couldn't think about things like that, especially when she was engaged.
She sighed, hugging her knees to her chest, sighing loudly. It was just a dream she was having, that she could stay here, sure, even though Rufus was an outlaw, he was still acted so much like gentleman. They way he had held back, even though she knew what outlaws usually did if they wanted a woman. It made her blush again, though this time she didn't really mind, shoving everything from her thoughts except the brook tugging at her ankles, the sun beaming down on her, and the wind floating gently by. It was a beautiful day, and nothing could spoil it.
"Hey! What'dya doin' here?" Startled, Tifa turned around, only too see the angered blue eyes of a blonde woman who resembled Rufus so much it was almost scary. Maybe she was a relative or something?
"Just lazing around. Do ya want to join?" Tifa asked in a friendly tone of voice, though the woman scowled, hands on her curvy hips, her eyes narrowing dangerously, and for a moment Tifa wondered if it was a good idea to come here to meet Rufus in the first place.
"How did ya find this place? Ya ain't Tifa Lockheart are ya?" Tifa blinked in confusion, wondering how this woman knew her name. Tifa was almost certain that she had never met her before, so where could she know her from?
"Yes, I am. I'm sorry, do I know you?" Tifa asked, while the woman pointed a single, well manicured nail to her face, right on her nose, her eyes narrowing even further.
"Listen Ms. Lockheart, Ah don't take too kindly to women who try an' snag my brother." The woman snapped, and Tifa's eyes widened. Rufus's sister? How come he had never told her before? Smirking, the woman started, "Didn't tell ya 'bout me did he? Shows how much ya know my brother. He probably don' even care for ya, so why don' ya save yourself the trouble an' leave?" She mocked, and Tifa bit her lip, tilting her head to the side thoughtfully. True, Rufus had never told her anything about himself except about his mother's death, which was very painful for him to relate it seemed, so she figured that it showed how much he trusted her already. Besides, she had never told him anything about herself, and he had never pried, so in turn she hadn't either. She had just assumed that he had never had any other family, since he didn't mention it.
"Y'know, you never said your name, unless you want me to refer to as a rude wench." Tifa snapped, and the woman immediately flared, her eyes widening at her sudden outburst, then narrowing her words sunk in.
"Not like it matters, but Ah'm Scarlet. Just came here to give ya fair warning to stay away from my brother." Scarlet said, and without another word, turned her heel and trooped back in the direction of the bar. Settling deep in thought, Tifa sat silently, a frown tugging at the end of her lips. Still, Rufus should have told her he had a sister, especially one so protective. It was so strange, but then again, Tifa had never had a sibling, so she supposed she wouldn't know the first thing about it.
Suddenly a pair of arms snaked around her waist, and she stiffened, though relaxed when she heard Rufus's slight chuckle murmuring in her ear, sending warm trickles of heat shooting all throughout her body.
"Have you been waiting long?" He asked her softly, and a blush stained her cheeks. She thought somewhat of Scarlet and Cloud, though both of them had disappeared from her mind all of a sudden. It didn't matter anyway, for she couldn't construct a sentence as soon as Rufus turned her gaze to his, his eyes roving her face for a moment before he smirked slightly, his blue eyes softening.
As if silently asking her permission, he waited, and her throat, constricted and dry as a desert, could only nod, and with a small smirk still perched on his lips, he leaned forward, only a hair's breath away from her own lips, and with a blush on her cheeks, she closed her eyes, waiting, though nothing ever came.
"Tifa?" Startled, Tifa jerked back, her eyes widening as they fell on a confused looking Cloud, who was standing across the stream, his eyes fixed on her, wide and hurt. Suddenly she felt herself flush, and somehow embarrassed. Her fiancée had just caught her about to kiss another man, and an outlaw no less! The same one that had kidnapped her! She turned her face away, blushing, only to have her eyes widening as she looked up at the great Sheriff Sephiroth, his cold emotionless face reminding her of Vincent.
"I'm assuming you're Ms. Lockheart." Sephiroth said, though she knew it wasn't really a question at all. He probably already knew who she was, and her eyes narrowed slightly. Now she knew why Cloud was here, and even though she was touched, she somehow felt a bit angry. Since when did he care what happened to her anyway? Both Rufus and Tifa stood up, Rufus's eyes suddenly cold as ice, his eyes narrowing.
"What do you want?" Rufus asked, as if to break the tense silence, ignoring Cloud and instead glaring at Sephiroth, who gave a slight, disinterested shrug. He turned his gaze slightly to Cloud, who was still looking a tad confused, then back at Rufus with a slight grin.
"We've come for the woman, and your head." Sephiroth said easily, while Tifa glanced at Rufus out of the corner of her eye, who seemed perfectly calm, except she knew him well enough to know that he was seething silently. He didn't like to be disturbed, and she knew that well enough. Then he turned his gaze to Tifa, giving a slight shrug.
"Okay." He said it easy enough, and Tifa gave him a startled look, though he only shrugged again, and she felt someone grasp her arm. Startled, she looked up to see Cloud, whose expression was unreadable tough she had enough sense to tell he was hurt and angry. And she had never seen Cloud angry before, and that thought alone scared her. She just hoped Rufus knew what he was doing.
"Shinra." Sephiroth finally acknowledged after a moment, his hand hovering above the holster of his gun, while Rufus just shrugged nonchantly, his hand on one hip, his holster hidden beneath the folds of his coat. It was an old fashioned showdown, Tifa knew that much, and she knew one man would die, and the other would live. It all depended on the draw, how fast one man get his gun out and aimed, if the bullet rang true. She turned her gaze back to Cloud, who was staring at Rufus coldly, his blue eyes narrowed somewhat.
"Would you be so kind to count off, Tifa?" Rufus asked after a moment, breaking the still, and instantly her eyes widened, her wine colored eyes switching between both men who looked perfectly serious and calm when all she wanted to do was scream and tear hair out. How could Rufus even think she could count when her throat had constricted and her heart had somehow lodged itself tightly in her throat.
Both men were watching her now, back to back, Rufus raising an eyebrow at her hesitation, though eh gave her a slight small, encouraging smile, probably the only one he had ever graced her with, so she had no choice but to smile back. Tifa squeezed her eyes shut, giving a loud sigh, as if to clear her throat, then in a slightly shaky breath, spoke.
"One . . ." Please don't die on me, I don't think I can watch this. Tifa thought, watching the two men take a small step away from each other, their hands poised above their pistols, ready to spring into action and quite ready to take the other out. "Two . . ." Rufus, please be okay, don't die in something as stupid as this! I can't go back to Cloud, I can't . . . She cleared her throat, closing her eyes tightly, taking a deep breath. She struggled briefly against Cloud's hold, but his iron grip was clamped tightly on her shoulder, so there was no means of escape. "Three!" She screamed, and both men whipped around drawing their guns, and in a sudden flurry that left Tifa dizzy, Sephiroth's gun went flying in the opposite direction, Rufus's smoking gun barrel arched toward his mouth, a cocky look on his face.
Suddenly there was a loud click, and startled, Tifa turned around only to face Cloud, whose eyes were aimed straight at Rufus, his gun pinned on him. Sephiroth came out of nowhere, locking Rufus into place from behind, while the outlaw struggled fiercely, trying hard to grind Sephiroth's boot into submission, though the silver haired sheriff held firm.
"Did you think you could take Tifa from me without facing the consequences? Drop the gun now!" Cloud hissed, saying it like black poison, and Tifa's eyes instantly widened, as she squirmed against him, trying fruitlessly to free herself from him. Rufus merely dropped the gun to the ground, and Sephiroth kicked a booted foot at it, sending it flying across the field.
"No stop! Don't shoot him!" Tifa cried, while Cloud just stared at her coldly, the look silencing her, filling her with cold ice. No . . . Rufus said nothing, his face strangely pale, as if he accepted fate, accepted death. Don't die . . . Rufus turned his face to her, an apologetic expression gracing his features. 'I'm sorry' he all but mouthed, for his eyes said it all, and in a sickening blast of gunfire, she let out a loud shriek.
"Rufus!" However, he didn't fall, instead, she felt Cloud's death grip on her arm slacken, and in a sickening thud, he fell to the ground, clutching his side and groaning in pain. Startled, she whipped her head around only to see Scarlet, a hand on her hip as she raised an elegant eyebrow, pointing her thumb next to her, and silently she eyed Vincent, gun barrel smoking.
Glancing back over at Cloud, she knelt beside him, tearing off the hem of her shirt and applying pressure to the wound, making a makeshift bandage.
"Too fickle Ah tell ya, if she's already helpin' the enemy." She heard Scarlet say in disgust, though she ignored her, turning back to Cloud, who stared at her with innocent eyes, filled with hurt and confusion.
"Why?" He asked softly, as if it was her who had personally shot him, and she blanched, still pressing her hands over his wound, his side spilling with blood.
"I'm sorry." Was all she could choke out, before Vincent tapped her on the shoulder, and she looked up, and with a slight nod of his head, picked up Cloud and turned a heel, carrying him back in the direction of the bar, Scarlet throwing one last look over her shoulder and pointing at Sephiroth.
"Let go of him!" She demanded, though with a slight smirk, Sephiroth produced another gun, hidden on a second holster at his hip, pointing it straight at Rufus's head.
"I always finish what I start." Sephiroth snapped, his hand going to squeeze the trigger, and with a kick over his head, aiming for the gun, which was knocked out of the sheriff's hand, Rufus caught it as it heeded back for the ground, his smirk growing wider.
"So do I." He fired a rapid succession of bullets that Sephiroth was lucky to dodge, two or three nicking his side as he dove for his gun, giving a slight tumble before straightening, having one aimed for Rufus, who slid out of the way, dust sprawling up around him as the bullets narrowly missed his form. He fired his gun again, nicking Sephiroth on the side of his neck, barely missing an important artery, as he flinched.
"What I've expected from a legendary outlaw." Sephiroth said with a slight smirk, as if he was pleased with this revolution, and for a blinking, Tifa spotted Rufus's weapon lying a couple of feet from her, an idea forming in her mind. "But like all legends, they have to die." Sephiroth said with a low voice, deep and throaty as he looked smugly at Rufus, who kept his cool, gun aimed at Sephiroth's forehead.
Without another word, both men lunged forward, firing bullets, getting nicked here or there but always managing to dodge the other while firing like mad. Suddenly Sephiroth switched tactics, shooting Rufus at the leg, sending the outlaw to his knees in pain.
"This is where you end, Shinra!" Sephiroth exclaimed, gun pointed at point blank range at Rufus's chest, and Rufus panted heavily, closing his eyes. This was where it all ended . . .
The sound of a gun firing brought Rufus's eyes open wide, turning his head to see Tifa standing a few feet away from him, the gun barrel of his gun smoking. Startled, he turned to face Sephiroth, who clutched his bleeding side, his eyes twitching as he glared venomously at Tifa.
"I suggest you hightail it out of here Sheriff, and I also suggest you don't come back, unless you want to be six feet under." Tifa snapped, in a serious, almost outlaw like voice, and Rufus had to crack a smile at that. Maybe he was a bad influence on her . . .
Sephiroth merely said nothing, and still clutching his side, turned and limped over to his chocobo, Tifa's gun barrel following him the whole way. Without another word, he mounted, with some difficulty, and spurred the chocobo forward, looking a bit pale as he rode off.
After he had disappeared into a speck of nothing onto the dust, Tifa lowered the gun, giving a loud sigh.
"I never really meant to shoot him," She said apologetically, looking at Rufus who shrugged, "I just meant to scare him off, but I guess my aim's not that good." She laughed, and Rufus gave a low smile, accepting her hand that had been lowered by his face to help him up.
"I still appreciate it." He said huskily, drawing her closer, her eyes widening slightly as she blushed, realizing their closeness, and somehow feeling right being here, in his arms where she belonged. Thank god he hadn't died. If he had . . . she gave a slight shaky smile as he tilted her chin up to face him, his eyes roving appreciatively over her face.
"Ahem!" The pair turned their eyes back to an annoyed Scarlet, her hands on her shapely hips as she glared, particularly on Tifa, though she said nothing. "Rufus, there better be a good explanation for this." Scarlet said with a scowl, and for a moment, Rufus hesitated, turning his face back to Tifa, a small mischievous glint lighting his face almost boyishly.
"Of course. This is my fiancée, Tifa Lockheart." Rufus said slowly, his eyes holding question as he looked down at her, and Tifa blushed. Marriage? Well, the thing with Cloud had been resolved, somewhat partly, though still . . .
"Yes." She heard herself saying, and Rufus gave a low smile, while Scarlet visibly fumed, and if she could, she probably would have steam coming out of her ears.
"Fiancée? Ah've been gone for two weeks an' ya already engaged? What happened ta waitin' for my permission?" Scarlet screeched, while Rufus said nothing, his hand still tucked gently under Tifa's chin. They distantly heard Scarlet turn and stomp off angrily, murmuring something about skinning someone named Tim for not telling her these things.
"Are you sure?" Rufus asked bluntly, and for a moment, Tifa hesitated. Being with someone like him meant more incidents like today would happen, she could never be rich or stable, and she could never go back to that simple life she had lead before.
"Of course." She breathed, and for a moment, his eyes lingered on her for a moment, and he gently brushed his lips against her own. This time she didn't resist, and he delved deeply into her soft lips, his hands burying themselves into her silky chocolate strands, the sudden scent of flowers assaulting his nostrils. She tasted sweet, innocent, pure and untainted. She pressed more deeply into him, and he gave a slight smirk, letting his senses become overridden with her. Oh holy, how tempting she was, his little fiancée.
~*Author's Notes*~ *long pause* Um, yea? I think this is the next to last chapter, so I hope you liked it! It's been a long road, and I loved this fanfic, since it was my first Rufus/Tifa, and I always support those weird pairings, so look out for me! *grins* I'll really miss this story and all you nice people who reviewed throughout it! *sniffles* I feel so loved! Please read and review!
Chapter 18: Fiancée?
Tifa smiled slightly, dipping her bare feet into the cool water of the stream with a small sigh, letting them dangle loosely, closing her eyes as she tilted her head back, letting the sun kiss her face. A small breeze flitted by, toying with her hair and for a moment she could almost imagine it was Rufus, and that thought brought a flush to her cheeks. She couldn't think about things like that, especially when she was engaged.
She sighed, hugging her knees to her chest, sighing loudly. It was just a dream she was having, that she could stay here, sure, even though Rufus was an outlaw, he was still acted so much like gentleman. They way he had held back, even though she knew what outlaws usually did if they wanted a woman. It made her blush again, though this time she didn't really mind, shoving everything from her thoughts except the brook tugging at her ankles, the sun beaming down on her, and the wind floating gently by. It was a beautiful day, and nothing could spoil it.
"Hey! What'dya doin' here?" Startled, Tifa turned around, only too see the angered blue eyes of a blonde woman who resembled Rufus so much it was almost scary. Maybe she was a relative or something?
"Just lazing around. Do ya want to join?" Tifa asked in a friendly tone of voice, though the woman scowled, hands on her curvy hips, her eyes narrowing dangerously, and for a moment Tifa wondered if it was a good idea to come here to meet Rufus in the first place.
"How did ya find this place? Ya ain't Tifa Lockheart are ya?" Tifa blinked in confusion, wondering how this woman knew her name. Tifa was almost certain that she had never met her before, so where could she know her from?
"Yes, I am. I'm sorry, do I know you?" Tifa asked, while the woman pointed a single, well manicured nail to her face, right on her nose, her eyes narrowing even further.
"Listen Ms. Lockheart, Ah don't take too kindly to women who try an' snag my brother." The woman snapped, and Tifa's eyes widened. Rufus's sister? How come he had never told her before? Smirking, the woman started, "Didn't tell ya 'bout me did he? Shows how much ya know my brother. He probably don' even care for ya, so why don' ya save yourself the trouble an' leave?" She mocked, and Tifa bit her lip, tilting her head to the side thoughtfully. True, Rufus had never told her anything about himself except about his mother's death, which was very painful for him to relate it seemed, so she figured that it showed how much he trusted her already. Besides, she had never told him anything about herself, and he had never pried, so in turn she hadn't either. She had just assumed that he had never had any other family, since he didn't mention it.
"Y'know, you never said your name, unless you want me to refer to as a rude wench." Tifa snapped, and the woman immediately flared, her eyes widening at her sudden outburst, then narrowing her words sunk in.
"Not like it matters, but Ah'm Scarlet. Just came here to give ya fair warning to stay away from my brother." Scarlet said, and without another word, turned her heel and trooped back in the direction of the bar. Settling deep in thought, Tifa sat silently, a frown tugging at the end of her lips. Still, Rufus should have told her he had a sister, especially one so protective. It was so strange, but then again, Tifa had never had a sibling, so she supposed she wouldn't know the first thing about it.
Suddenly a pair of arms snaked around her waist, and she stiffened, though relaxed when she heard Rufus's slight chuckle murmuring in her ear, sending warm trickles of heat shooting all throughout her body.
"Have you been waiting long?" He asked her softly, and a blush stained her cheeks. She thought somewhat of Scarlet and Cloud, though both of them had disappeared from her mind all of a sudden. It didn't matter anyway, for she couldn't construct a sentence as soon as Rufus turned her gaze to his, his eyes roving her face for a moment before he smirked slightly, his blue eyes softening.
As if silently asking her permission, he waited, and her throat, constricted and dry as a desert, could only nod, and with a small smirk still perched on his lips, he leaned forward, only a hair's breath away from her own lips, and with a blush on her cheeks, she closed her eyes, waiting, though nothing ever came.
"Tifa?" Startled, Tifa jerked back, her eyes widening as they fell on a confused looking Cloud, who was standing across the stream, his eyes fixed on her, wide and hurt. Suddenly she felt herself flush, and somehow embarrassed. Her fiancée had just caught her about to kiss another man, and an outlaw no less! The same one that had kidnapped her! She turned her face away, blushing, only to have her eyes widening as she looked up at the great Sheriff Sephiroth, his cold emotionless face reminding her of Vincent.
"I'm assuming you're Ms. Lockheart." Sephiroth said, though she knew it wasn't really a question at all. He probably already knew who she was, and her eyes narrowed slightly. Now she knew why Cloud was here, and even though she was touched, she somehow felt a bit angry. Since when did he care what happened to her anyway? Both Rufus and Tifa stood up, Rufus's eyes suddenly cold as ice, his eyes narrowing.
"What do you want?" Rufus asked, as if to break the tense silence, ignoring Cloud and instead glaring at Sephiroth, who gave a slight, disinterested shrug. He turned his gaze slightly to Cloud, who was still looking a tad confused, then back at Rufus with a slight grin.
"We've come for the woman, and your head." Sephiroth said easily, while Tifa glanced at Rufus out of the corner of her eye, who seemed perfectly calm, except she knew him well enough to know that he was seething silently. He didn't like to be disturbed, and she knew that well enough. Then he turned his gaze to Tifa, giving a slight shrug.
"Okay." He said it easy enough, and Tifa gave him a startled look, though he only shrugged again, and she felt someone grasp her arm. Startled, she looked up to see Cloud, whose expression was unreadable tough she had enough sense to tell he was hurt and angry. And she had never seen Cloud angry before, and that thought alone scared her. She just hoped Rufus knew what he was doing.
"Shinra." Sephiroth finally acknowledged after a moment, his hand hovering above the holster of his gun, while Rufus just shrugged nonchantly, his hand on one hip, his holster hidden beneath the folds of his coat. It was an old fashioned showdown, Tifa knew that much, and she knew one man would die, and the other would live. It all depended on the draw, how fast one man get his gun out and aimed, if the bullet rang true. She turned her gaze back to Cloud, who was staring at Rufus coldly, his blue eyes narrowed somewhat.
"Would you be so kind to count off, Tifa?" Rufus asked after a moment, breaking the still, and instantly her eyes widened, her wine colored eyes switching between both men who looked perfectly serious and calm when all she wanted to do was scream and tear hair out. How could Rufus even think she could count when her throat had constricted and her heart had somehow lodged itself tightly in her throat.
Both men were watching her now, back to back, Rufus raising an eyebrow at her hesitation, though eh gave her a slight small, encouraging smile, probably the only one he had ever graced her with, so she had no choice but to smile back. Tifa squeezed her eyes shut, giving a loud sigh, as if to clear her throat, then in a slightly shaky breath, spoke.
"One . . ." Please don't die on me, I don't think I can watch this. Tifa thought, watching the two men take a small step away from each other, their hands poised above their pistols, ready to spring into action and quite ready to take the other out. "Two . . ." Rufus, please be okay, don't die in something as stupid as this! I can't go back to Cloud, I can't . . . She cleared her throat, closing her eyes tightly, taking a deep breath. She struggled briefly against Cloud's hold, but his iron grip was clamped tightly on her shoulder, so there was no means of escape. "Three!" She screamed, and both men whipped around drawing their guns, and in a sudden flurry that left Tifa dizzy, Sephiroth's gun went flying in the opposite direction, Rufus's smoking gun barrel arched toward his mouth, a cocky look on his face.
Suddenly there was a loud click, and startled, Tifa turned around only to face Cloud, whose eyes were aimed straight at Rufus, his gun pinned on him. Sephiroth came out of nowhere, locking Rufus into place from behind, while the outlaw struggled fiercely, trying hard to grind Sephiroth's boot into submission, though the silver haired sheriff held firm.
"Did you think you could take Tifa from me without facing the consequences? Drop the gun now!" Cloud hissed, saying it like black poison, and Tifa's eyes instantly widened, as she squirmed against him, trying fruitlessly to free herself from him. Rufus merely dropped the gun to the ground, and Sephiroth kicked a booted foot at it, sending it flying across the field.
"No stop! Don't shoot him!" Tifa cried, while Cloud just stared at her coldly, the look silencing her, filling her with cold ice. No . . . Rufus said nothing, his face strangely pale, as if he accepted fate, accepted death. Don't die . . . Rufus turned his face to her, an apologetic expression gracing his features. 'I'm sorry' he all but mouthed, for his eyes said it all, and in a sickening blast of gunfire, she let out a loud shriek.
"Rufus!" However, he didn't fall, instead, she felt Cloud's death grip on her arm slacken, and in a sickening thud, he fell to the ground, clutching his side and groaning in pain. Startled, she whipped her head around only to see Scarlet, a hand on her hip as she raised an elegant eyebrow, pointing her thumb next to her, and silently she eyed Vincent, gun barrel smoking.
Glancing back over at Cloud, she knelt beside him, tearing off the hem of her shirt and applying pressure to the wound, making a makeshift bandage.
"Too fickle Ah tell ya, if she's already helpin' the enemy." She heard Scarlet say in disgust, though she ignored her, turning back to Cloud, who stared at her with innocent eyes, filled with hurt and confusion.
"Why?" He asked softly, as if it was her who had personally shot him, and she blanched, still pressing her hands over his wound, his side spilling with blood.
"I'm sorry." Was all she could choke out, before Vincent tapped her on the shoulder, and she looked up, and with a slight nod of his head, picked up Cloud and turned a heel, carrying him back in the direction of the bar, Scarlet throwing one last look over her shoulder and pointing at Sephiroth.
"Let go of him!" She demanded, though with a slight smirk, Sephiroth produced another gun, hidden on a second holster at his hip, pointing it straight at Rufus's head.
"I always finish what I start." Sephiroth snapped, his hand going to squeeze the trigger, and with a kick over his head, aiming for the gun, which was knocked out of the sheriff's hand, Rufus caught it as it heeded back for the ground, his smirk growing wider.
"So do I." He fired a rapid succession of bullets that Sephiroth was lucky to dodge, two or three nicking his side as he dove for his gun, giving a slight tumble before straightening, having one aimed for Rufus, who slid out of the way, dust sprawling up around him as the bullets narrowly missed his form. He fired his gun again, nicking Sephiroth on the side of his neck, barely missing an important artery, as he flinched.
"What I've expected from a legendary outlaw." Sephiroth said with a slight smirk, as if he was pleased with this revolution, and for a blinking, Tifa spotted Rufus's weapon lying a couple of feet from her, an idea forming in her mind. "But like all legends, they have to die." Sephiroth said with a low voice, deep and throaty as he looked smugly at Rufus, who kept his cool, gun aimed at Sephiroth's forehead.
Without another word, both men lunged forward, firing bullets, getting nicked here or there but always managing to dodge the other while firing like mad. Suddenly Sephiroth switched tactics, shooting Rufus at the leg, sending the outlaw to his knees in pain.
"This is where you end, Shinra!" Sephiroth exclaimed, gun pointed at point blank range at Rufus's chest, and Rufus panted heavily, closing his eyes. This was where it all ended . . .
The sound of a gun firing brought Rufus's eyes open wide, turning his head to see Tifa standing a few feet away from him, the gun barrel of his gun smoking. Startled, he turned to face Sephiroth, who clutched his bleeding side, his eyes twitching as he glared venomously at Tifa.
"I suggest you hightail it out of here Sheriff, and I also suggest you don't come back, unless you want to be six feet under." Tifa snapped, in a serious, almost outlaw like voice, and Rufus had to crack a smile at that. Maybe he was a bad influence on her . . .
Sephiroth merely said nothing, and still clutching his side, turned and limped over to his chocobo, Tifa's gun barrel following him the whole way. Without another word, he mounted, with some difficulty, and spurred the chocobo forward, looking a bit pale as he rode off.
After he had disappeared into a speck of nothing onto the dust, Tifa lowered the gun, giving a loud sigh.
"I never really meant to shoot him," She said apologetically, looking at Rufus who shrugged, "I just meant to scare him off, but I guess my aim's not that good." She laughed, and Rufus gave a low smile, accepting her hand that had been lowered by his face to help him up.
"I still appreciate it." He said huskily, drawing her closer, her eyes widening slightly as she blushed, realizing their closeness, and somehow feeling right being here, in his arms where she belonged. Thank god he hadn't died. If he had . . . she gave a slight shaky smile as he tilted her chin up to face him, his eyes roving appreciatively over her face.
"Ahem!" The pair turned their eyes back to an annoyed Scarlet, her hands on her shapely hips as she glared, particularly on Tifa, though she said nothing. "Rufus, there better be a good explanation for this." Scarlet said with a scowl, and for a moment, Rufus hesitated, turning his face back to Tifa, a small mischievous glint lighting his face almost boyishly.
"Of course. This is my fiancée, Tifa Lockheart." Rufus said slowly, his eyes holding question as he looked down at her, and Tifa blushed. Marriage? Well, the thing with Cloud had been resolved, somewhat partly, though still . . .
"Yes." She heard herself saying, and Rufus gave a low smile, while Scarlet visibly fumed, and if she could, she probably would have steam coming out of her ears.
"Fiancée? Ah've been gone for two weeks an' ya already engaged? What happened ta waitin' for my permission?" Scarlet screeched, while Rufus said nothing, his hand still tucked gently under Tifa's chin. They distantly heard Scarlet turn and stomp off angrily, murmuring something about skinning someone named Tim for not telling her these things.
"Are you sure?" Rufus asked bluntly, and for a moment, Tifa hesitated. Being with someone like him meant more incidents like today would happen, she could never be rich or stable, and she could never go back to that simple life she had lead before.
"Of course." She breathed, and for a moment, his eyes lingered on her for a moment, and he gently brushed his lips against her own. This time she didn't resist, and he delved deeply into her soft lips, his hands burying themselves into her silky chocolate strands, the sudden scent of flowers assaulting his nostrils. She tasted sweet, innocent, pure and untainted. She pressed more deeply into him, and he gave a slight smirk, letting his senses become overridden with her. Oh holy, how tempting she was, his little fiancée.
~*Author's Notes*~ *long pause* Um, yea? I think this is the next to last chapter, so I hope you liked it! It's been a long road, and I loved this fanfic, since it was my first Rufus/Tifa, and I always support those weird pairings, so look out for me! *grins* I'll really miss this story and all you nice people who reviewed throughout it! *sniffles* I feel so loved! Please read and review!