Author's Note: Sorry it's taking so long to update each story. I have
three going right now so I'm trying to juggle them, plus I have an idea in
mind for another one that I may just make a one-shot. I'm not sure.
Anyway, I'm feeling MUCH better, just can't get over this damn cough. Oh
well, anyways, here's another of Barfly! P.S. Did anyone else cry at the
ending of Final Fantasy X-2, I mean like, the good ending? Or even after
with the Perfect ending? I finally got 100% today, it was the second time
I had seen the good ending, but for some reason I bawled my eyes out. I
guess its just cause I loved Tidus so much, and I look like Yuna (With
Tifa's eyes) I just felt...enlightened. That game always gives me a sense of
peace, for some reason. My fantasy guy is Tidus, I do so love Cloud, but
Tan, fun-loving Tidus, he's just adorable. Plus, I finally found him.
Does anyone watch One Tree Hill? Notice how much Lucas looks like Tidus?
Yeah, I know he exists, I just gotta find him. Sigh, I'm such a hopeless
romantic. Anyway, this chapter has a lot of emotions I'm going through
right now, the movements and thoughts that Cloud and Tifa exhibit in this
chapter are linked to Tidus and Yuna. Enjoy!
Cloud moved uneasily in his sleep, groaning as he took his first breaths of the new day. At least he thought it was a new day, he couldn't be quite sure since it was still dark outside. The hammering in his head wouldn't stop, like an incessant phone, ringing and ringing to no end. He rolled over onto his stomach and grasped for his pillow, curling his body slightly.
He had drunk too much last night. He remembered it well, he wasn't that drunk, but he did know he would have a hangover. A single thought shot through his head over and over again, like a bullet train. He needed to see her again; he needed to hear her sweet voice. He had only a month to spend with her before he'd have to return to upper Midgar and tell her the truth about who he was, but until then he wanted to make the most of his time with her.
The ringing in his ears would not stop. He sat up and let his legs hang over the edge of the bed, the sheet resting ever so softly over his manhood. He remembered undressing in the hotel room, but had he been so tired that he passed out without changing? It was not like him, but he had to admit, regular beer did take a lot out of him. He leaned over and rubbed his eyes with his palms, trying to ease his throbbing headache.
He wanted to be her knight in shining armor that would come and sweep her off her feet, and whisk her away to a better life. He just didn't want to scare her away. The girl of his dreams had walked, rather, danced, her way into his life, and he couldn't let her get away.
Damn that ringing was getting annoying, he thought to himself as he walked into the bathroom to splash some cool water on his face. He leaned on the counter to look at himself in the mirror. How pathetic, he thought as he looked into his own weary eyes. He ran his fingers through his hair and grabbed a glass of water. He took it like a shot and slammed the glass back on the counter, finally realizing that the ringing sound was not his imagination.
He darted over to his cell phone and answered it. He could hear his father's stern face on the other end and sighed. He knew that he was in trouble. What had he done now?
"Son?" His father growled as he picked up the phone.
"Yeah, pop?" Cloud said as neutral as possible, trying to hide any fear in his voice.
"You been havin' fun down there?" Thaddeus inferred. Cloud raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah...why?"
"Well you better get your bony ass BACK up here at once, we got BIG problems, ya hear?" His father yelled, then hung up the phone without waiting for a reply.
Cloud sat down on his bed again, trying to figure out what could have happened. His father seemed healthy, judging from his screams, so nothing could have happened to him. Maybe it was a financial problem. He couldn't be sure but it seemed like the family fortune was well taken care of.
He lowered his head again. He had been there one day and already he had to leave. He wouldn't be able to see her again, wouldn't be able to say good-bye, or tell her the truth. Maybe it wasn't meant to be; maybe she wasn't really his dream girl, just a look alike.
He slowly rose to his feet and walked over to his bag. He pulled out a pair of black Dickies that hung below his ass and a navy blue sleeveless turtleneck sweater. He pulled on his navy blue boxers and finished getting dressed. He combed his hair in his usual fashion, messy and spiky, and brushed his teeth.
He walked outside and met the bitter cold. Winter cast its icy breath into his body and he shivered. He did not know what the cold was like. In upper Midgar, the weather was mostly sunny and warm, even in the winter. Here there was a fresh white powder on the ground and snowflakes falling from the sky. He pulled on his gloves and wrapped a red scarf around his neck. Lightly tinted sunglasses completed his ensemble, so that the snow wouldn't hit his eyes.
With his bag slung over one shoulder he walked to the train station just outside of Midgar. He stood and waited for the upper plate train to come and sat looking at the attendant as he stood staring back. The man looked Cloud up and down with a sneer, wondering why he was leaving the lower plate to go back to the upper plate. No one from upper Midgar ever dared leave for the slums, and it was strange that such a rich heir, of all people, would be the one to brave the unknown.
Cloud looked up at the sky as his train pulled in. He couldn't imagine what it was like not ever having seen the sky. He wondered what Tifa would say if she saw it again. He took one last look at the gate leading to the slums and sighed, then turned and stepped onto the train. He took a seat by the window and breathed in the warm air. He watched as the slums became further and further away from him, along with the girl he had just met.
His thoughts kept coming back to her. What would she think if he just up and left her? When would she find out and how would she feel? He worried that he would hurt her without even trying. It was the last thing he ever wanted to do. The other girls he was used to, he could hurt them, but not this one, not Tifa.
He looked down at his hands in his lap as the train pulled into the station. He hoped that whatever his father wanted would not last long so that he could see Tifa tonight. He wanted to talk to her some more, let her know the real him, minus the heir part.
He stepped off the train and looked up into the blinding sun. Tifa hadn't seen sun in over a year, and he wanted to show it to her. He walked down the streets with his hands in his pockets, staring at the ground. He could hear whistles and the calls of his name as he continued toward his home. It was no different than any other day; people were always calling out to him on the streets. Every man wanted to be his best friend, and every woman wanted to be with him.
He opened his front door and felt the strong scent of citrus as he entered his house. The maid had been over-cleaning again. She did that from time to time whenever Cloud's father insulted her. She would get so upset and just have to take her mind off the situation by burying herself in her work. Cloud wanted to walk over to her and put his hand on her shoulder for reassurance, but thought better of it. Mia had always hated him; she scowled at him every time he tried to talk to her.
He walked on down the hall and up the staircase. A soft breeze was blowing through the airy home that kissed his skin with ease. Sheer curtains blew in the wind gently, welcoming viewer's with open arms. Cloud stopped at the solid oak doors that loomed above his head. He knocked on them to alert his father of his presence.
"Cloud? Get in here." His father ordered, without even saying hello.
Cloud walked in and was greeted by the stone cold stares of his father and his father's attorneys. They were circled around his desk like a pack of hungry vultures, eyeing their prey and about to feast. Cloud walked slowly up to his father, sensing that something drastic was about to be done, and from what he could gather of the atmosphere, it involved him.
"Did you have a good time last night?" He father asked, a sneering hidden agenda as his motive. Cloud looked at him suspiciously, as if he were about to be ensnared in a trap. He didn't know what he had done, but he figured that his father had changed his mind about letting him have his own life, and had found a legal way to keep him from trying to find one of his own.
"...Yes?" Cloud said, in a deep voice, trying to show his confidence. He would not be trapped, he was beyond his father's mind games, he could play them as well.
"I see, I see. Would you mind telling me what you did last night?" His father pried, innocently.
"Nothing. I had dinner, and met with a friend." Cloud lied, not knowing where this was leading.
"Oh, alright. Then how do you explain this?" Thaddeus threw down a newspaper onto the desk and shoved it under Cloud's nose.
Cloud looked at it with an open mouth. There, splashed across the daily paper, in large block letters, scanned the words 'Heir's Gone Wild', with a picture of him sitting at the bar of the Sevenstone Strip Club. Cloud quickly read through the article, astonished to learn that a reporter had seen him talking to Tifa. The article stated that he had had a wild night on the town, gone to a strip club, and brought one of the "whores" to home with him. One the next page was a picture of he and Tifa walking together, with the caption 'Lady's Man Looks For One Night Tryst Before Inheritance'.
Cloud couldn't believe it. Now the world knew where he had been, and now Tifa would find out in the most insulting way who he actually was. He bowed his head and sighed, pretending to erase the whole event.
"Dad...I..." Was all he could say, he couldn't even look up at his father, couldn't show him the hurt in his eyes.
"Have some explaining to do? I know, so get on with it." Thaddeus snarled, leaning over his desk and glaring at his son. Cloud looked up through childish eyes, afraid of his father's wrath.
He had grown up, he no longer was afraid to be sent to his room, or go to bed without desert like he was when he was a kid. Now his father had the ability to take away his future, to deny his inheritance. And if he so wanted to, Thaddeus could have Tifa killed in order to protect the family.
Cloud lowered his head again. He didn't want that. He didn't want Tifa to get hurt, he wouldn't allow it. He stood up defiantly and looked at his father straight in the eye. He leaned across the table to meet his father's impending stare and gritted his teeth. He would not be beaten.
"I went to a strip club." Cloud bowed his head, then shook it and raised it up to his father's level. He squinted his eyes into a glare and flared his nostrils, like a beast about to hunt. "And I talked to one of the strippers." He stood up and looked at all the lawyers. "That's all. That's it. I didn't sleep with her, I didn't disgrace the family, I didn't do anything!" He ended by yelling. His father stood up as well and stuck out his chin.
"It doesn't matter what you did or didn't do, you could have killed her for all I care!" His father roared, shaking his fist. "What matters is what the press says you did! We have an image, Cloud!" He yelled, slamming his fist against the mahogany desk. "We have a reputation! And if you taint that, we lose the college."
Cloud turned to the side and laughed. Many business owners and world leaders had bad reputations, but that didn't mean they would lose their company or country. He turned back to give his father a serious look, and shook his head.
"Come on, pop. We won't lose the college because of what some asshole wrote about me in a two-bit newspaper." Thaddeus stood his ground and sighed, shaking his head.
"No, Cloud, you're wrong. A college is different than owning a company. A tainted college record goes to parents. They won't pay to send their children there, and kids don't have the money to pay, we lose business. We lose students, we lose sponsors, if we lose sponsors, we LOSE the college!" He bellowed, pounding his fist once again.
Cloud took a step back and parted his lips. He didn't know what to say, he didn't think that him having fun for one night would have such terrible consequences. He didn't care about his fortune anymore, even if he lost the college he still had enough money to live comfortably for the rest of his life. No, his only thoughts were of what would happen to Tifa. He shook his head to dismiss the thought as his father snapped his fingers.
"Now you listen to me son, and you listen good." Thaddeus preached, pointing a fatherly finger in Cloud's direction. "We're gonna have a talk with the press, don't worry the lawyers will handle that, and we'll get this whole thing straightened out. We'll get our sponsors and our supporters back and this whole thing will just blow over. Now in the meantime, you gotta go out there and tell the media that it was a one time thing and you're sorry and it won't happen again, tell 'em you'll never see the girl again, and that's that!" Thaddeus proposed, sternly and dignified.
Cloud looked away from him. This wasn't what he wanted. There had to be some other way to get the media off his back. He couldn't go on television and apologize for something that he wasn't sorry for. He couldn't say that Tifa was a one time 'thing' because he wanted to see her so badly. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, a tear rolling down the cheek that was turned from his father.
"No dad. I won't do it." He closed his eyes again and looked up at the ceiling. His mother would understand, if she were still alive. Thaddeus stared at Cloud, his mouth agape and his brow furrowed, an anger flowing through his blood that could wipe out time.
"Why not?" His father sneered. Cloud looked back at him and gave a little love struck smile.
"Because...I wanna see her again." Cloud thought about how defiant he was acting. It pleased him to know that he was not afraid to stand up to his father and lawyers. He thought about seeing Tifa again, and telling her that he would give everything up just for her.
But what if that frightened her? What if she found out who he was but didn't return the feeling? He couldn't think about that, it was the here, and now that was important, not the what ifs. He nodded his head once, as if to prove to himself that he just said what he had said. His smile quickly faded when he saw his father's hard look of disgust.
"Because why? You think you're in love? With a stripper?" He rolled his head back and laughed. "You've met her, how many times? Oh that's right, once, and suddenly you want to go off and marry her?"
"I never said marry..." Cloud said, looking away again.
"So she's good enough to throw away an empire for, but not good enough for marriage? You've got a lot of nerve, kid." His father hadn't called him 'kid' since grade school. "Coming in here, acting all tough, thinking you like some little slut. And for what? So she can give you a disease, you can knock her up and then you'll part, both sore and broken?"
Cloud clenched his hands into fists by his side and gritted his teeth. His father had no right to call Tifa a slut, just because she was a stripper. But Cloud didn't know how many men she had slept with, if any. She seemed pure at heart and sincerely didn't like her job. She wasn't fond of what she was, and it wasn't what she had ever wanted to be.
"You're wrong, dad." Cloud growled, breathing heavy and deep. "Tifa..."
"Oh good, you know her name, congratulations." His father teased, waving his hands in the air. His expression turned serious and he flared his nostrils. "You're soul mates." Cloud glared at him, insulted.
"Tifa, she's not like other strippers. That's not what she wants to be..." He trailed off, knowing that a fresh argument was to ensue.
"Aww, is that what she told you? She wants to go to college but got lost along the way? I'm surprised at your stupidity, Cloud. She hooked you in like a sucker. Was she that beautiful? She gave a sob story and you came running? Well guess what, she lied. She's just after your money, they all are, so pick one that a little more reputable, will ya?" Thaddeus snarled, once again.
Cloud looked up at his father, and shook his head. He could not believe that his own father was being so close-minded. He turned away and closed his eyes, wishing for it all to disappear. He didn't want things to end this way. But what if his father was right? What Tifa had been lying to him? She seemed sincere, but any girl could pretend to be sincere. He just wondered...He needed to see her again, to ask her.
"No, I want to see her again." He shook his head.
"Cloud, please listen, the only way that we can get her out of this is by you letting her go." Cloud bowed his head to think about it. "You need to tell the press that it was just a one-night stand. Go on." His father urged.
Cloud just kept shaking his head. This wasn't what he wanted; he kept to saying to himself. He felt his legs move out beneath him, running, running away. How could one night with one girl do so much to him? He ran outside, around the pool and towards the wall. He slammed into it with all his might, not really thinking. Maybe he could break through it, but he knew he couldn't. He rest his hands on the ledge and looked out to the mountains.
He wanted to see her again, but if he couldn't, then...he wanted her to be safe. She didn't need the negative publicity, not on account of him, that wasn't fair to her. He knew what he had to do, even if it was so hard. He lowered his head and stared at the ledge. He could feel the presence of his father come up beside him and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, but he shook him off. Thaddeus looked out at the mountains, giving a deep and heavy sigh.
"I know it's hard son, but..." His father continued to gaze out at the mountains. "It's really for the best." Thaddeus gave him a pat on the shoulder and walked back into the mansion, leaving Cloud with his thoughts.
He wasn't a child anymore. He didn't need to take orders from anyone. He didn't have to do anything he didn't want to do. But if what he needed to do would protect someone else then...he needed to do it. He barely knew her, he didn't know the first thing about her, so why was this so difficult? Why couldn't he just walk away? It was going to be hard, but in the long run, it would be best...for her. He just hoped she would understand. He leaned over the ledge and closed his eyes, letting the breeze touch his face, his hair blowing gently in its caress.
Tifa woke up with a new hope. If one day could go so well, couldn't another? She opened her eyes and smiled. Today would be their reunion. She would get to see him again today. She couldn't wait to go to work for once in her life.
She had stayed up all night working on a new routine, just for him. Hopefully he would enjoy it. He made her actually want to succeed in her line of work. Tonight she would dance like he was the only one in the room. She was going to shop for a new costume to alter, something that would give her a loose idea, so that she could tear it apart and make it 'suitable'.
She got dressed in a pair of faded denim jeans and a tiny white t- shirt. With a smile on her face, for once, she left her home and headed out into the cold. The frost hit her shoulders but she didn't feel it. She had her new song in her heart, and butterflies in her stomach.
She found her fabrics and costume materials easily since she knew exactly what she wanted. Not too often did she ever make her own costume, but today she felt very compelled to do so. As she walked home however, she began to take notice at the heightened number of people staring at her. She was used to men gawking everyday, but something seemed odd on this day. Women were staring too, more scrupulously than usual.
She dismissed the thought and continued home, chalking it up to her new found love of life. She spent her remaining time that day creating her costume for the evening. When she finished she tossed it in her bag, took a shower, and put on her stage makeup. She then decided, out of nowhere, to go to work a little early, just to make sure that everything would be perfect for him.
She arrived in a cheerful mood, smiling and waving to everyone. But in return she received nothing but hardened glares. Usually the other girls at least pretended to be civil to her when she entered, sometimes even friendly, but today, they were harsh. With a questioning look she walked over to the newest stripper, Audra.
"What's going on?" Tifa asked. Audra looked her up and down and sucked in the corners of her mouth, raising an eyebrow.
"You're what's wrong!" She stated, handing Tifa a newspaper. "You're one damn lucky bitch!"
Tifa looked at the paper and saw the same picture and article that Cloud had seen. Her optimism turned to a look of being crushed. She clutched the paper to her breast and looked at the floor. She didn't understand, why didn't he tell her who he was? When she thought back, she had never asked him for his name. But it all made sense, his father working at Midgar University, the fact that he looked too good for this town, it all added up right in front of her. Why didn't she see it coming?
"That's...all I was to him?" She asked quietly, almost to herself. Audra and the other strippers snatched the paper from her and nodded, pouting their lips.
"Mmhmm. He played you like a fool. But damn, he's so hot! How was he?" Audra gave a coy smile and elbowed Tifa. The brunette just stared back at her, uncertain.
"What?" She asked, not really paying attention to what was being said.
"How was he in bed?" Another stripper chimed in. Tifa's cheeks reddened.
"Oh, we didn't..." She began, but was cut off.
"Riiiiight. Sure ya didn't." Audra added with a wink. Tifa rolled her eyes.
She walked away, towards the dressing room. She couldn't let the other girls see her cry. But maybe, just maybe, he didn't think of her as a tryst, that perhaps he did want to see her again. She stopped and looked at the ground, then turned back to the other strippers, who were gathered around the newspaper and leaning on the counter, reading it.
"Hey, hey girls. Come quick, he's about to give a speech!" One of the other strippers urged, motioning for the other girls to join her.
There was a little T.V. behind the bar that they used to turn on during slow nights, so men could keep track of the scores of their favorite sports game. She had it flipped to the news, one of the only clear channels they could get. The other strippers went running, crowding around the television like a pack of hungry wolves. Audra waved Tifa over.
"Come on, girl. It's your man!"
Tifa ran over, wiping her tears. The other girls moved to form a space for her up front, something they would have never done in the past. The group watched in awe as Cloud Strife walked to the podium in front of the press. About twenty different microphones were in front of him, each with a different cover on it corresponding to a different news station. Cameras flashed in the difference as the media closed in on him.
Cloud stood at the podium and sighed. This was going to be the most difficult thing he had ever done. He was going to lie on camera, and what's worse; he was going to lose the first girl he had ever met that meant something to him. He lowered his head for a moment, then looked up and cleared his throat.
"Ladies and gentleman of the media, I thank you all for coming. I know that everyone out there watching has read the papers, or watched the news, but I'm here, standing before you to put an end to it all." He looked down and closed his eyes, sighing deep. "What happened last night between that stripper and I," The girls all started cheering and hugging Tifa. "It was a one time thing. It was a mistake and I was wrong to do it and I'm sorry if I inconvenienced anyone." He looked down again, searching for the words. "She...is nothing to me and I'll never see her again. I made a stupid decision and I hope that you all can forgive me. I'm sorry." He hung his head again, not to feign guilt, but so that the media wouldn't see the tears in his eyes. He stepped down from the podium and walked away.
Tifa's lips parted. She gazed at the floor, as if it would tell her something different, and closed her eyes as the tears fell freely. She looked up at the ceiling as the other strippers got up and left quietly, leaving her alone.
She remained wedged behind the bar for another hour; no one dared go near her. She was tired of being hurt by men. She was tired of being lied to and losing people. She was tired of being treated like dirt. She didn't want this life, or this job.
She rolled her head to look towards the front door. She could run away, leave all this behind. She had nothing in this city, never had and now she never would. Her chances of getting into Midgar U were slashed, with what had just happened between her and the soon-to-be owner, she could never get accepted.
She brought her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs, sobbing openly. How could she be so stupid? How could she let herself get attached to a man so quickly and easily? She never even knew his name and she had gotten attached to him. She could kill herself for being so naïve.
So this was it, she thought. Her last straw. She didn't need this anymore, couldn't take it anymore. She wanted so desperately to leave. She had one day of happiness, just one. It should have been enough for her, but it wasn't. Being hurt by someone never got any easier for her. Her parents, past boyfriends, and now him. The one person she thought could rescue her from her dismal existence. She thought he would be the person to expunge all her fears and doubts.
Dan walked up to her and kneeled down beside her. He tilted his head and frowned, trying his best to show her some compassion. But she knew that he didn't care, or even understand. He lifted her chin to gaze into her glossy eyes, and wiped the tears from her face. He was trying to seem nice, but she knew he was only acting that way so that she would dance. He was so predictable. She looked up at him with a fiercely determined stare.
"I want to go." She stated, searching his eyes for some form of understanding. She found none and exhaled, resting her chin on her knees and staring straight forward.
"I know, I know you do. But you know you can't. Where will you go? You have no money; you'll have no job and no way to get there. Plus, he was just a guy, and there are plenty of them in the world, believe me." He said with a chuckle. Tifa blinked and looked at him again.
"You're wrong. I can leave. There's nothing you can do to stop me." And she looked forward again, causing him to laugh harder. "You'll see." Was all she said. She smiled to herself as he got up and left.
Dan returned a few minutes later to go over the night's agenda with Tifa. He knew she would never leave; he had too good a hold on her for that. She wanted to get into that college, and now he was her only hope. He walked over to the bar and peeked behind it, hoping to surprise her. But there was nothing. A knot formed in the pit of his stomach as he rushed to find her, racing all around the building like a madman. None of the other strippers had seen her since the news program. With his greatest fear confirmed he ran outside the door and looked down the streets. Nothing. He screamed her name and collapsed to the ground, a shadow of a man. His business was ruined. She was gone.
Cloud moved uneasily in his sleep, groaning as he took his first breaths of the new day. At least he thought it was a new day, he couldn't be quite sure since it was still dark outside. The hammering in his head wouldn't stop, like an incessant phone, ringing and ringing to no end. He rolled over onto his stomach and grasped for his pillow, curling his body slightly.
He had drunk too much last night. He remembered it well, he wasn't that drunk, but he did know he would have a hangover. A single thought shot through his head over and over again, like a bullet train. He needed to see her again; he needed to hear her sweet voice. He had only a month to spend with her before he'd have to return to upper Midgar and tell her the truth about who he was, but until then he wanted to make the most of his time with her.
The ringing in his ears would not stop. He sat up and let his legs hang over the edge of the bed, the sheet resting ever so softly over his manhood. He remembered undressing in the hotel room, but had he been so tired that he passed out without changing? It was not like him, but he had to admit, regular beer did take a lot out of him. He leaned over and rubbed his eyes with his palms, trying to ease his throbbing headache.
He wanted to be her knight in shining armor that would come and sweep her off her feet, and whisk her away to a better life. He just didn't want to scare her away. The girl of his dreams had walked, rather, danced, her way into his life, and he couldn't let her get away.
Damn that ringing was getting annoying, he thought to himself as he walked into the bathroom to splash some cool water on his face. He leaned on the counter to look at himself in the mirror. How pathetic, he thought as he looked into his own weary eyes. He ran his fingers through his hair and grabbed a glass of water. He took it like a shot and slammed the glass back on the counter, finally realizing that the ringing sound was not his imagination.
He darted over to his cell phone and answered it. He could hear his father's stern face on the other end and sighed. He knew that he was in trouble. What had he done now?
"Son?" His father growled as he picked up the phone.
"Yeah, pop?" Cloud said as neutral as possible, trying to hide any fear in his voice.
"You been havin' fun down there?" Thaddeus inferred. Cloud raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah...why?"
"Well you better get your bony ass BACK up here at once, we got BIG problems, ya hear?" His father yelled, then hung up the phone without waiting for a reply.
Cloud sat down on his bed again, trying to figure out what could have happened. His father seemed healthy, judging from his screams, so nothing could have happened to him. Maybe it was a financial problem. He couldn't be sure but it seemed like the family fortune was well taken care of.
He lowered his head again. He had been there one day and already he had to leave. He wouldn't be able to see her again, wouldn't be able to say good-bye, or tell her the truth. Maybe it wasn't meant to be; maybe she wasn't really his dream girl, just a look alike.
He slowly rose to his feet and walked over to his bag. He pulled out a pair of black Dickies that hung below his ass and a navy blue sleeveless turtleneck sweater. He pulled on his navy blue boxers and finished getting dressed. He combed his hair in his usual fashion, messy and spiky, and brushed his teeth.
He walked outside and met the bitter cold. Winter cast its icy breath into his body and he shivered. He did not know what the cold was like. In upper Midgar, the weather was mostly sunny and warm, even in the winter. Here there was a fresh white powder on the ground and snowflakes falling from the sky. He pulled on his gloves and wrapped a red scarf around his neck. Lightly tinted sunglasses completed his ensemble, so that the snow wouldn't hit his eyes.
With his bag slung over one shoulder he walked to the train station just outside of Midgar. He stood and waited for the upper plate train to come and sat looking at the attendant as he stood staring back. The man looked Cloud up and down with a sneer, wondering why he was leaving the lower plate to go back to the upper plate. No one from upper Midgar ever dared leave for the slums, and it was strange that such a rich heir, of all people, would be the one to brave the unknown.
Cloud looked up at the sky as his train pulled in. He couldn't imagine what it was like not ever having seen the sky. He wondered what Tifa would say if she saw it again. He took one last look at the gate leading to the slums and sighed, then turned and stepped onto the train. He took a seat by the window and breathed in the warm air. He watched as the slums became further and further away from him, along with the girl he had just met.
His thoughts kept coming back to her. What would she think if he just up and left her? When would she find out and how would she feel? He worried that he would hurt her without even trying. It was the last thing he ever wanted to do. The other girls he was used to, he could hurt them, but not this one, not Tifa.
He looked down at his hands in his lap as the train pulled into the station. He hoped that whatever his father wanted would not last long so that he could see Tifa tonight. He wanted to talk to her some more, let her know the real him, minus the heir part.
He stepped off the train and looked up into the blinding sun. Tifa hadn't seen sun in over a year, and he wanted to show it to her. He walked down the streets with his hands in his pockets, staring at the ground. He could hear whistles and the calls of his name as he continued toward his home. It was no different than any other day; people were always calling out to him on the streets. Every man wanted to be his best friend, and every woman wanted to be with him.
He opened his front door and felt the strong scent of citrus as he entered his house. The maid had been over-cleaning again. She did that from time to time whenever Cloud's father insulted her. She would get so upset and just have to take her mind off the situation by burying herself in her work. Cloud wanted to walk over to her and put his hand on her shoulder for reassurance, but thought better of it. Mia had always hated him; she scowled at him every time he tried to talk to her.
He walked on down the hall and up the staircase. A soft breeze was blowing through the airy home that kissed his skin with ease. Sheer curtains blew in the wind gently, welcoming viewer's with open arms. Cloud stopped at the solid oak doors that loomed above his head. He knocked on them to alert his father of his presence.
"Cloud? Get in here." His father ordered, without even saying hello.
Cloud walked in and was greeted by the stone cold stares of his father and his father's attorneys. They were circled around his desk like a pack of hungry vultures, eyeing their prey and about to feast. Cloud walked slowly up to his father, sensing that something drastic was about to be done, and from what he could gather of the atmosphere, it involved him.
"Did you have a good time last night?" He father asked, a sneering hidden agenda as his motive. Cloud looked at him suspiciously, as if he were about to be ensnared in a trap. He didn't know what he had done, but he figured that his father had changed his mind about letting him have his own life, and had found a legal way to keep him from trying to find one of his own.
"...Yes?" Cloud said, in a deep voice, trying to show his confidence. He would not be trapped, he was beyond his father's mind games, he could play them as well.
"I see, I see. Would you mind telling me what you did last night?" His father pried, innocently.
"Nothing. I had dinner, and met with a friend." Cloud lied, not knowing where this was leading.
"Oh, alright. Then how do you explain this?" Thaddeus threw down a newspaper onto the desk and shoved it under Cloud's nose.
Cloud looked at it with an open mouth. There, splashed across the daily paper, in large block letters, scanned the words 'Heir's Gone Wild', with a picture of him sitting at the bar of the Sevenstone Strip Club. Cloud quickly read through the article, astonished to learn that a reporter had seen him talking to Tifa. The article stated that he had had a wild night on the town, gone to a strip club, and brought one of the "whores" to home with him. One the next page was a picture of he and Tifa walking together, with the caption 'Lady's Man Looks For One Night Tryst Before Inheritance'.
Cloud couldn't believe it. Now the world knew where he had been, and now Tifa would find out in the most insulting way who he actually was. He bowed his head and sighed, pretending to erase the whole event.
"Dad...I..." Was all he could say, he couldn't even look up at his father, couldn't show him the hurt in his eyes.
"Have some explaining to do? I know, so get on with it." Thaddeus snarled, leaning over his desk and glaring at his son. Cloud looked up through childish eyes, afraid of his father's wrath.
He had grown up, he no longer was afraid to be sent to his room, or go to bed without desert like he was when he was a kid. Now his father had the ability to take away his future, to deny his inheritance. And if he so wanted to, Thaddeus could have Tifa killed in order to protect the family.
Cloud lowered his head again. He didn't want that. He didn't want Tifa to get hurt, he wouldn't allow it. He stood up defiantly and looked at his father straight in the eye. He leaned across the table to meet his father's impending stare and gritted his teeth. He would not be beaten.
"I went to a strip club." Cloud bowed his head, then shook it and raised it up to his father's level. He squinted his eyes into a glare and flared his nostrils, like a beast about to hunt. "And I talked to one of the strippers." He stood up and looked at all the lawyers. "That's all. That's it. I didn't sleep with her, I didn't disgrace the family, I didn't do anything!" He ended by yelling. His father stood up as well and stuck out his chin.
"It doesn't matter what you did or didn't do, you could have killed her for all I care!" His father roared, shaking his fist. "What matters is what the press says you did! We have an image, Cloud!" He yelled, slamming his fist against the mahogany desk. "We have a reputation! And if you taint that, we lose the college."
Cloud turned to the side and laughed. Many business owners and world leaders had bad reputations, but that didn't mean they would lose their company or country. He turned back to give his father a serious look, and shook his head.
"Come on, pop. We won't lose the college because of what some asshole wrote about me in a two-bit newspaper." Thaddeus stood his ground and sighed, shaking his head.
"No, Cloud, you're wrong. A college is different than owning a company. A tainted college record goes to parents. They won't pay to send their children there, and kids don't have the money to pay, we lose business. We lose students, we lose sponsors, if we lose sponsors, we LOSE the college!" He bellowed, pounding his fist once again.
Cloud took a step back and parted his lips. He didn't know what to say, he didn't think that him having fun for one night would have such terrible consequences. He didn't care about his fortune anymore, even if he lost the college he still had enough money to live comfortably for the rest of his life. No, his only thoughts were of what would happen to Tifa. He shook his head to dismiss the thought as his father snapped his fingers.
"Now you listen to me son, and you listen good." Thaddeus preached, pointing a fatherly finger in Cloud's direction. "We're gonna have a talk with the press, don't worry the lawyers will handle that, and we'll get this whole thing straightened out. We'll get our sponsors and our supporters back and this whole thing will just blow over. Now in the meantime, you gotta go out there and tell the media that it was a one time thing and you're sorry and it won't happen again, tell 'em you'll never see the girl again, and that's that!" Thaddeus proposed, sternly and dignified.
Cloud looked away from him. This wasn't what he wanted. There had to be some other way to get the media off his back. He couldn't go on television and apologize for something that he wasn't sorry for. He couldn't say that Tifa was a one time 'thing' because he wanted to see her so badly. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, a tear rolling down the cheek that was turned from his father.
"No dad. I won't do it." He closed his eyes again and looked up at the ceiling. His mother would understand, if she were still alive. Thaddeus stared at Cloud, his mouth agape and his brow furrowed, an anger flowing through his blood that could wipe out time.
"Why not?" His father sneered. Cloud looked back at him and gave a little love struck smile.
"Because...I wanna see her again." Cloud thought about how defiant he was acting. It pleased him to know that he was not afraid to stand up to his father and lawyers. He thought about seeing Tifa again, and telling her that he would give everything up just for her.
But what if that frightened her? What if she found out who he was but didn't return the feeling? He couldn't think about that, it was the here, and now that was important, not the what ifs. He nodded his head once, as if to prove to himself that he just said what he had said. His smile quickly faded when he saw his father's hard look of disgust.
"Because why? You think you're in love? With a stripper?" He rolled his head back and laughed. "You've met her, how many times? Oh that's right, once, and suddenly you want to go off and marry her?"
"I never said marry..." Cloud said, looking away again.
"So she's good enough to throw away an empire for, but not good enough for marriage? You've got a lot of nerve, kid." His father hadn't called him 'kid' since grade school. "Coming in here, acting all tough, thinking you like some little slut. And for what? So she can give you a disease, you can knock her up and then you'll part, both sore and broken?"
Cloud clenched his hands into fists by his side and gritted his teeth. His father had no right to call Tifa a slut, just because she was a stripper. But Cloud didn't know how many men she had slept with, if any. She seemed pure at heart and sincerely didn't like her job. She wasn't fond of what she was, and it wasn't what she had ever wanted to be.
"You're wrong, dad." Cloud growled, breathing heavy and deep. "Tifa..."
"Oh good, you know her name, congratulations." His father teased, waving his hands in the air. His expression turned serious and he flared his nostrils. "You're soul mates." Cloud glared at him, insulted.
"Tifa, she's not like other strippers. That's not what she wants to be..." He trailed off, knowing that a fresh argument was to ensue.
"Aww, is that what she told you? She wants to go to college but got lost along the way? I'm surprised at your stupidity, Cloud. She hooked you in like a sucker. Was she that beautiful? She gave a sob story and you came running? Well guess what, she lied. She's just after your money, they all are, so pick one that a little more reputable, will ya?" Thaddeus snarled, once again.
Cloud looked up at his father, and shook his head. He could not believe that his own father was being so close-minded. He turned away and closed his eyes, wishing for it all to disappear. He didn't want things to end this way. But what if his father was right? What Tifa had been lying to him? She seemed sincere, but any girl could pretend to be sincere. He just wondered...He needed to see her again, to ask her.
"No, I want to see her again." He shook his head.
"Cloud, please listen, the only way that we can get her out of this is by you letting her go." Cloud bowed his head to think about it. "You need to tell the press that it was just a one-night stand. Go on." His father urged.
Cloud just kept shaking his head. This wasn't what he wanted; he kept to saying to himself. He felt his legs move out beneath him, running, running away. How could one night with one girl do so much to him? He ran outside, around the pool and towards the wall. He slammed into it with all his might, not really thinking. Maybe he could break through it, but he knew he couldn't. He rest his hands on the ledge and looked out to the mountains.
He wanted to see her again, but if he couldn't, then...he wanted her to be safe. She didn't need the negative publicity, not on account of him, that wasn't fair to her. He knew what he had to do, even if it was so hard. He lowered his head and stared at the ledge. He could feel the presence of his father come up beside him and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, but he shook him off. Thaddeus looked out at the mountains, giving a deep and heavy sigh.
"I know it's hard son, but..." His father continued to gaze out at the mountains. "It's really for the best." Thaddeus gave him a pat on the shoulder and walked back into the mansion, leaving Cloud with his thoughts.
He wasn't a child anymore. He didn't need to take orders from anyone. He didn't have to do anything he didn't want to do. But if what he needed to do would protect someone else then...he needed to do it. He barely knew her, he didn't know the first thing about her, so why was this so difficult? Why couldn't he just walk away? It was going to be hard, but in the long run, it would be best...for her. He just hoped she would understand. He leaned over the ledge and closed his eyes, letting the breeze touch his face, his hair blowing gently in its caress.
Tifa woke up with a new hope. If one day could go so well, couldn't another? She opened her eyes and smiled. Today would be their reunion. She would get to see him again today. She couldn't wait to go to work for once in her life.
She had stayed up all night working on a new routine, just for him. Hopefully he would enjoy it. He made her actually want to succeed in her line of work. Tonight she would dance like he was the only one in the room. She was going to shop for a new costume to alter, something that would give her a loose idea, so that she could tear it apart and make it 'suitable'.
She got dressed in a pair of faded denim jeans and a tiny white t- shirt. With a smile on her face, for once, she left her home and headed out into the cold. The frost hit her shoulders but she didn't feel it. She had her new song in her heart, and butterflies in her stomach.
She found her fabrics and costume materials easily since she knew exactly what she wanted. Not too often did she ever make her own costume, but today she felt very compelled to do so. As she walked home however, she began to take notice at the heightened number of people staring at her. She was used to men gawking everyday, but something seemed odd on this day. Women were staring too, more scrupulously than usual.
She dismissed the thought and continued home, chalking it up to her new found love of life. She spent her remaining time that day creating her costume for the evening. When she finished she tossed it in her bag, took a shower, and put on her stage makeup. She then decided, out of nowhere, to go to work a little early, just to make sure that everything would be perfect for him.
She arrived in a cheerful mood, smiling and waving to everyone. But in return she received nothing but hardened glares. Usually the other girls at least pretended to be civil to her when she entered, sometimes even friendly, but today, they were harsh. With a questioning look she walked over to the newest stripper, Audra.
"What's going on?" Tifa asked. Audra looked her up and down and sucked in the corners of her mouth, raising an eyebrow.
"You're what's wrong!" She stated, handing Tifa a newspaper. "You're one damn lucky bitch!"
Tifa looked at the paper and saw the same picture and article that Cloud had seen. Her optimism turned to a look of being crushed. She clutched the paper to her breast and looked at the floor. She didn't understand, why didn't he tell her who he was? When she thought back, she had never asked him for his name. But it all made sense, his father working at Midgar University, the fact that he looked too good for this town, it all added up right in front of her. Why didn't she see it coming?
"That's...all I was to him?" She asked quietly, almost to herself. Audra and the other strippers snatched the paper from her and nodded, pouting their lips.
"Mmhmm. He played you like a fool. But damn, he's so hot! How was he?" Audra gave a coy smile and elbowed Tifa. The brunette just stared back at her, uncertain.
"What?" She asked, not really paying attention to what was being said.
"How was he in bed?" Another stripper chimed in. Tifa's cheeks reddened.
"Oh, we didn't..." She began, but was cut off.
"Riiiiight. Sure ya didn't." Audra added with a wink. Tifa rolled her eyes.
She walked away, towards the dressing room. She couldn't let the other girls see her cry. But maybe, just maybe, he didn't think of her as a tryst, that perhaps he did want to see her again. She stopped and looked at the ground, then turned back to the other strippers, who were gathered around the newspaper and leaning on the counter, reading it.
"Hey, hey girls. Come quick, he's about to give a speech!" One of the other strippers urged, motioning for the other girls to join her.
There was a little T.V. behind the bar that they used to turn on during slow nights, so men could keep track of the scores of their favorite sports game. She had it flipped to the news, one of the only clear channels they could get. The other strippers went running, crowding around the television like a pack of hungry wolves. Audra waved Tifa over.
"Come on, girl. It's your man!"
Tifa ran over, wiping her tears. The other girls moved to form a space for her up front, something they would have never done in the past. The group watched in awe as Cloud Strife walked to the podium in front of the press. About twenty different microphones were in front of him, each with a different cover on it corresponding to a different news station. Cameras flashed in the difference as the media closed in on him.
Cloud stood at the podium and sighed. This was going to be the most difficult thing he had ever done. He was going to lie on camera, and what's worse; he was going to lose the first girl he had ever met that meant something to him. He lowered his head for a moment, then looked up and cleared his throat.
"Ladies and gentleman of the media, I thank you all for coming. I know that everyone out there watching has read the papers, or watched the news, but I'm here, standing before you to put an end to it all." He looked down and closed his eyes, sighing deep. "What happened last night between that stripper and I," The girls all started cheering and hugging Tifa. "It was a one time thing. It was a mistake and I was wrong to do it and I'm sorry if I inconvenienced anyone." He looked down again, searching for the words. "She...is nothing to me and I'll never see her again. I made a stupid decision and I hope that you all can forgive me. I'm sorry." He hung his head again, not to feign guilt, but so that the media wouldn't see the tears in his eyes. He stepped down from the podium and walked away.
Tifa's lips parted. She gazed at the floor, as if it would tell her something different, and closed her eyes as the tears fell freely. She looked up at the ceiling as the other strippers got up and left quietly, leaving her alone.
She remained wedged behind the bar for another hour; no one dared go near her. She was tired of being hurt by men. She was tired of being lied to and losing people. She was tired of being treated like dirt. She didn't want this life, or this job.
She rolled her head to look towards the front door. She could run away, leave all this behind. She had nothing in this city, never had and now she never would. Her chances of getting into Midgar U were slashed, with what had just happened between her and the soon-to-be owner, she could never get accepted.
She brought her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs, sobbing openly. How could she be so stupid? How could she let herself get attached to a man so quickly and easily? She never even knew his name and she had gotten attached to him. She could kill herself for being so naïve.
So this was it, she thought. Her last straw. She didn't need this anymore, couldn't take it anymore. She wanted so desperately to leave. She had one day of happiness, just one. It should have been enough for her, but it wasn't. Being hurt by someone never got any easier for her. Her parents, past boyfriends, and now him. The one person she thought could rescue her from her dismal existence. She thought he would be the person to expunge all her fears and doubts.
Dan walked up to her and kneeled down beside her. He tilted his head and frowned, trying his best to show her some compassion. But she knew that he didn't care, or even understand. He lifted her chin to gaze into her glossy eyes, and wiped the tears from her face. He was trying to seem nice, but she knew he was only acting that way so that she would dance. He was so predictable. She looked up at him with a fiercely determined stare.
"I want to go." She stated, searching his eyes for some form of understanding. She found none and exhaled, resting her chin on her knees and staring straight forward.
"I know, I know you do. But you know you can't. Where will you go? You have no money; you'll have no job and no way to get there. Plus, he was just a guy, and there are plenty of them in the world, believe me." He said with a chuckle. Tifa blinked and looked at him again.
"You're wrong. I can leave. There's nothing you can do to stop me." And she looked forward again, causing him to laugh harder. "You'll see." Was all she said. She smiled to herself as he got up and left.
Dan returned a few minutes later to go over the night's agenda with Tifa. He knew she would never leave; he had too good a hold on her for that. She wanted to get into that college, and now he was her only hope. He walked over to the bar and peeked behind it, hoping to surprise her. But there was nothing. A knot formed in the pit of his stomach as he rushed to find her, racing all around the building like a madman. None of the other strippers had seen her since the news program. With his greatest fear confirmed he ran outside the door and looked down the streets. Nothing. He screamed her name and collapsed to the ground, a shadow of a man. His business was ruined. She was gone.