Author: Thanks for all your great reviews! I especially liked
Darknightdestiny's review. I feel so loved :D Geez, my spring break is
crazy. It's supposed to be a break, not an extra stressful time of the
year. I have sooooooooo much stuff to do and it sucks. :( The only fun
thing I have planned is more typing. lol. That's how pathetic I am.
Sephiroth: That's pretty pathetic.
Author: *glares*
Sephiroth: *hides*
Author: I spent a big chunk of my day typing this out. Now when I do the next chapter I only have a page and a half of writing to type out and then it'll be coming straight from my mind. Raw typing. Mmmmmm. typing. *drools* lol. I hope you all appreciate that I fought valiantly to find a location that had a computer with internet where I could post this chapter. I wanted to make this chapter a little fluffier, but I felt that it's too soon in their relationship for the things I had in mind. ;) Besides, I hate it when people are married by the second chapter or something corny like that. Real life takes time for these things to happen. Even if they're not real I still want to delay stuff as much as possible.
Sephiroth: *peeks out of hiding place*
Author: *smiles at Sephiroth* Come on out. I'm not going to hurt you. Much.
Guy with cell phone: Can you hear me now? Good.
Author: *looks at Sephiroth questioningly*
Sephiroth: *shrugs*
Author: Anyway........let's start now. (By the way, just a heads up. The next chapter is AWESOME! Lots of fluff. It makes me sooooooooo happy)
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Raising a hand to dial, laughter burst forth from him and he had to grab onto the wall to keep from falling. Tifa froze, watching him in shock.
"What? What is it?" Vincent pointed to the phone that dangled from a thin wire. Taking in the condition of her bar she giggled. The place looked as though someone had stampeded cattle through it.
"Maybe we should tidy up first," Vincent suggested with a smile. Insisting that Tifa rest on the couch, Vincent began to clean up the scattered broken glass and place chairs on top of the tables. The small amount of blood on the floor took him a bit longer to clean and Tifa finally ignored his protests and began collecting the dishes she had used and took them into the kitchen. Vincent followed her in after a few minutes and grabbed the dirty dishes out of her hands with a scolding look on his face, placing them on the counter. His eyes were full of concern and he crossed his arms over his chest, frowning at her.
"No cleaning," he warned, "if you want to go out for dinner tonight then you better go sit your ass down and rest!" Tifa smiled sweetly.
"Awwww, you're worried about me." Vincent shook his head, knowing that she was enjoying provoking him. Tifa reached forward and brushed some hair out of his face. "You should leave your cloak off more often. You have very nice features." Vincent raised an eyebrow and did his best not to flinch under her touch. Why she always insisted on fixing his hair or other such actions he would probably never know. If was just the way Tifa was.
"Are you trying to seduce me?" he teased, trying to act more relaxed.
"No, why? Is it working?" Tifa teased back.
"Not in your lifetime," he smirked and turned on his heels, heading further into the back to finish up the cleaning.
"Hey!" Tifa pouted. She sighed and took the dishes over to Vincent that he had left sitting on the counter. He seemed to be deep in thought as he loaded dishes into the industrial dishwasher. The dishes clattered when she set them down and his head jerked towards her. Tifa could see pain in his eyes for a split second before they were masked once again. She backed away awkwardly and he silently watched her go.
The dishwasher stopped and Vincent pulled up the cover, piling the clean dishes on the left and loading more dirty ones in. Being stuck in a bar for more then four hours just wasn't his idea of fun, but he wasn't about to leave Tifa alone until he could be sure she was safe again. He could sense that somewhere inside him their growing friendship may lead his heart to further feelings, but he would never be worthy of such a wonderful person. He barely missed catching a dish that slipped off the clean pile and shook his head, clearing it of thoughts. Could he ever be loved?
Tifa sat on the couch. Her head was leaning back against the headrest and she yawned, a little tired. The wall had a small paint spot on it that she stared at, thinking, and didn't even realize she was slowly falling asleep. Her eyes felt heavy and she wondered how long Vincent was planning on staying with her. She smiled at the thought of him being a permanent fixture in her life.
Vincent finished up the dishes and walked out into the bar, drying his hands on a towel. A small smile played upon his lips when he saw Tifa asleep on the couch. Walking over to her, he propped an elbow on the arm of the couch, leaning over her and wishing he didn't want so many things to be different when they never could be. She sure did make him smile a lot. His eyes wandered over her face for a few minutes and her eyes opened suddenly. He stepped back, surprised, and she sat up stretching. The couch creaked as she leaned forward and rubbed her eyes.
"Time to go?" she yawned. Vincent shrugged, grateful she hadn't seen him watching her.
"If you wish." Tifa jumped up excitedly and was a little wobbly on her feet. Vincent had to catch her as she crashed into him.
"Can you give me a minute to change?" she questioned sheepishly, not removing herself from his arms. Vincent nodded, hoping his cheeks weren't as red as they felt and Tifa headed back through the office that connected to her small apartment. Vincent sat shakily in a nearby chair that had yet to be stacked. What was she doing to him? Her accidental touch was enough to make his pulse race. The past while with her had been changing his heart without his knowledge. But did he truly NOT want to feel this way?
Vincent knew that he had forbid himself from falling in love again after the harsh slap of reality Lucretia had sent his way. Leaning back uncomfortably, he sighed. Forget it. She's too good for you. Come on woman, hurry up! Don't leave me alone with my thoughts!
Vincent knew from experience that a "minute" in Tifa's vocabulary meant at least half an hour. Forty minutes later, Tifa emerged adorned in a beautiful, but simple knee high dress. He stopped struggling with his demons and felt his eyes widen. The dress was black with spaghetti straps and the soft looking material draped down her body almost like a second skin. The small bandages on her legs didn't even dull the beauty of the whole outfit one bit. It just showed she didn't care what anyone else thought as long as she felt good about herself. He wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked, how incredible the dress was, anything, but words failed him.
"Does it look all right?" she asked hopefully, twirling to show off the whole dress, "I haven't had a chance to wear it yet so I figured what the heck." Vincent found himself feeling shy, an emotion that was alien to him. "Vincent?" Tifa asked again, worried about why he wasn't answering.
"It's nice," he spoke hesitantly, afraid his voice would betray his desire to grab her and discover what lay beneath the dress. Giving himself a mental slap, he pried his eyes off her and looked at the ground, no longer trusting his own mind. Tifa's face fell, but she tried not to show how much his opinion mattered to her. Vincent smiled at her and glanced at the door.
"Shall we go?" Tifa nodded, then frowned when she saw Vincent going to grab his cloak.
"Can't you spend one night without covering yourself?" Vincent raised an eyebrow and Tifa blushed. "Don't look at me like that. You know what I meant." Vincent seemed amused and slung his cloak over his shoulders.
"I promise to remove any coverings once we arrive at the restaurant." Tifa smiled and grabbed a light jacket to wear. As they left bar Tifa locked the door behind them and they walked leisurely in the cool night air. Tifa tugged Vincent's arm until he wrapped it gently around her waist, allowing her to press closer against him for warmth. In her mind. she knew that she wasn't really that cold, but for some reason she found herself making up reasons to get closer to Vincent.
Once on a main street, Vincent hailed them a cab and gave the driver directions. Their driver kept on glancing in the review mirror to give Vincent a knowing look and suggestive winks. Vincent kept a stony glare upon his features, knowing very well what the man was implying about him and Tifa. It was pissing him off. Not a smart idea.
Tifa felt as giddy as a schoolgirl. She hadn't gone out by herself or with anyone for such a long time. It was like a first date or something and that thought made her giggle. Vincent placed an absentminded hand over Tifa's while continuing his glaring/suggestive look contest with the driver. Her heart skipped a beat and she looked at him, seeing that he wasn't really paying attention. Her fingers intertwined with his, making her feel safer. Like he was her protector.
She used her free hand to prop up her chin and leaned her elbow on the door, watching the buildings go by. It must have been earlier in the evening then she thought when they woke up because the sun was just beginning to go down. The sun was almost set behind the buildings and it reflected bright reds and golds that shimmered and shone from glass windows.
Vincent glanced to the side and watched how the sunset lit up Tifa's hair and face. When did she become so beautiful in his eyes? He then noticed his hand.
Oh shit.
There was no way to take his hand back without causing lots of annoying questions to ensue. Might as well let her enjoy herself. It was her night out. The driver screeched to a stop when he almost missed the small but elegant restaurant. Vincent shoved gil at him and followed Tifa out of the cab. She thankfully let go of his hand, but then proceeded to tuck her arm in his. Her face was so radiant and happy that he couldn't help but smile.
The pair entered the almost empty restaurant and a young man came over and seated them near the band that was performing. Handing them menus, he smiled at Tifa.
"The name's Mike. I'll be your server for tonight. Can I get you anything to drink to start with?" Vincent smirked at the way the young man was staring at Tifa. So obvious.
"I'll have a lime margarita," Tifa decided.
"Water thanks," Vincent said softly, removing his cloak and keeping his clawed hand under the table.
"Be right back," he grinned, after scribbling on his notepad.
"Cute guy," Vincent commented, making Tifa laugh.
"Sure. If you like dating at the grade nine level," Tifa giggled. Vincent was quite enjoying himself. It wasn't often that he was able to let go and have fun. Any time he let down a small part of his control it seemed that his inner demons fought the hardest to escape. Being near Tifa seemed to calm them. Even make them disappear completely from his consciousness.
Tifa began looking at her menu so he did the same. As she scanned the menu she realized she was starving. Hmmmmmm...what do I want? Setting for a simple chicken caesar salad, Tifa closed her menu and set it to the side. Vincent couldn't seem to decide what to have. Using his distraction to her advantage, she studied Vincent while he looked over his menu. His long black hair seemed to have grown in the few weeks between their last visit and now. His bangs fell across his forehead, half-hiding his eyes. Her fingers itched to brush the hair out of the way. He looked really good without his cloak hiding his face, etc. He had a very nice build and it showed through the black dress shirt that he wore.
Vincent's eyes shifted up and looked into hers. She blushed slightly at being caught staring and smiled sweetly. "Know what you want?" He nodded, eyes still searching her face. Luckily their waiter came back, saving Tifa from further embarrassment.
"So what can I getcha?" Mike asked, taking out his pen and notepad again. Vincent waited for Tifa to speak up. Tifa smiled at the eager young man.
"I'll have the chicken caesar please." He scribbled it down and turned to Vincent, much less enthusiastically.
"And you sir?"
"I'll have the Korean BBQ plate. No skin, all seaweed." Mike frowned and wrote it down. (A/N: Vincent's order was actually a choice in the game when you eat at a restaurant in wall market. :P)
"I'll be back with your orders as soon as they're ready." Mike headed to the kitchen to put the orders in and called James. "Hey man, come check out this babe at table four." Another young man in a cook's uniform stuck his head out the delivery window.
"Huh? Where?" Mike grinned and pointed at Tifa and Vincent's table.
"Yowza!" James laughed, "but please tell me you aren't gonna try and score again. She's with another guy."
"Yah, but they might now be together," Mike smiled hopefully.
"Whatever," James shrugged, bored of his friend's antics and went to make the food. Only one other couple was in the restaurant and they were just finishing up their meal. It was quite late though. Vincent hoped that no one else would intrude on their evening.
He couldn't take his eyes off Tifa's face as she talked. She was so animated. Her eyes sparkled and a happy smiled never left her lips as she chattered away to him. He had just worked up enough courage to comment on how nice she looked when their food arrived. Damn him, Vincent cursed silently. He had many other things he wished to tell Tifa, but he knew he would never find the words. He knew he didn't stand a chance with her.
Mike placed both their plates on the table and smiled charmingly. "So are you two here for any special occasion? It's nice to see people celebrating their friendships and stuff. We get a lot of families in here." Tifa gave Vincent a desperate look, knowing exactly why Mike as asking her. Working in a bar, she had grown used to men hitting on her and trying to get her number.
Vincent smiled lovingly at Tifa and she shot him a confused look. "Yes actually," Vincent explained, "we are celebrating something. My wife and I are celebrating our anniversary tonight. Why do you ask?" Mike's face fell.
"Oh......," Mike said dully, "Um....Congratulations..... I'm asking because, um, you get free cake if you're celebrating something! Yah!" Vincent smirked, watching the young man squirm.
"Well.....I'll go get that cake then...." He hurried away and Vincent turned back to Tifa, seeing a strange look on her face.
"Wife?" she asked smiling.
Vincent shrugged slightly, "he's gone isn't he?"
"True," she grinned. Sighing quietly, Tifa felt slightly guilty for all the things Vincent did for her. He had probably already stayed much longer then he wanted to or had planned on staying. Not only that, he protected her and watched over her. She'd never felt safer then she did right now, not even with Cloud. Vincent actually seemed to be enjoying his meal. Tifa picked at her food and wished she didn't get such a painful stabbing in her heart every time she thought about Cloud.
Vincent could see her happy, perky 'mask' crumbling from the corner of his eye.
"Could we grab a to-go container?" he called to Mike, who was waiting by the kitchen for James to bring him their cake, "and forget the cake." He partially enjoyed the evil look he received in return.
Tifa had zoned out and leaned her head on the heel of her hand. Vincent gently touched her arm.
"Ready to go?" Her head snapped up and a phony smile was pasted on her face once more.
"Sure! If you'd like to."
Vincent sighed. "Cut the crap. If you feel like being sad, then be sad. You don't have to hide it from me. You should know that by now!" Tifa flinched at his harsh tone and tears formed in her eyes.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Vincent instantly regretting his tone and placed a gentle hand over hers. "Just don't hide what you're feeling, okay?" She nodded and thanked Mike when he handed her a container to put her dinner in. Leaving far more gil then was needed on their table, Vincent walked with Tifa in icy silence out of the restaurant and hailed another cab.
After giving the driver directions back to the bar, the cab became deadly silent again. The cab driver dropped them off at their street and Tifa breezed by Vincent's outstretched hand that he offered to help her out. Vincent opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it. He knew she was upset and that it as his fault, but he had never been good with fixing problems. It was one of the reasons that he avoiding making friends.
Upon entering the bar, Tifa went to her small apartment and slumped down on her bed, hoping she wouldn't cry in case Vincent followed her. She hated him seeing her being so weak. The ex-Turk stared blankly at the door she had gone through. Some supportive friend he was.
Tifa clicked on the stereo and closed her eyes once soft music began reverberating from the speakers. Vincent removed his headband and cloak, placing them on the bar counter.
"Tifa?" he called softly, knocking on her door.
"Come in," a distant reply came. Pushing the door open, Vincent walked over to the bed Tifa was laying on and flopped down beside her.
"I feel the need to apologize," he explained truthfully, "I regret my harsh words I spoke to you earlier. I have no right to say the things I did. Especially since I'm hiding a fair share of secrets myself." He trailed off waiting for her to respond. She rolled towards his and snuggled against his chest.
"It's all right."
The two remained silent again and Vincent tried to think of a way to escape the situation without furthering the problem. Her being so close to him was driving him insane. Luckily his self control was so strong or he might have acted upon her bold actions. Human contact just wasn't his forte.
Tifa ran her fingers down Vincent's cheek, eyes still closed. He caught her hand in his and raised it to hips lips, kissing it gently.
"When were you planning on having the bar open again?" Vincent asked, out of blue. Tifa curled into a ball and shrugged.
"When I feel like it."
"Oh."
"Why?" she asked curiously.
"......"
"Vincent?"
"No reason," he spoke soft. Hair brushed against his face and he breathed in the scent accidentally. A shiver ran down his back and he quickly pulled his face away. Tifa opened her eyes and looked up at him.
"Vincent?"
"Mmmm?" She glanced back down, fiddling with her fingers.
"Why did you stay?"
"What?" he asked surprised.
"Why do still come and see me? Sephiroth is gone, there's nothing left for you here and you still manage to come and see me every couple weeks. Why?"
Vincent laid back against the pillows. "Just worried about you I guess. You're overworked and under appreciated. The mansion does get kind of empty sometimes......"
Eyes widening, Tifa raised an eyebrow. "Could it be that the silent recluse Vincent is lonely?" Vincent smiled and faced her again.
"Maybe."
"Tsk tsk Vincent. Showing weakness."
"I'm only human," he stated.
"I know," Tifa whispered, he face moving closer to his. Sitting up, Vincent reached for the stereo remote and changed the song until it was on a soft familiar beat he vaguely recognized. A sudden urge came over him.
"Dance?" he asked Tifa, smiling down at her. She seemed surprised, but quickly nodded and joined him. They were both exhausted, but neither was ready to sleep just yet. As Vincent stood, he could feel the demons inside him writhing, trying to escape. They were waiting for him to let his guard down. He wouldn't let that happen.
Tifa walked over to him and he took her hand in his and let his claw wrap carefully around her waist. Tifa hugged him to her as they spun in drunken circles, laughing and having fun. Vincent twirled her and caught her in a low dip, laughing and almost dropping her.
'Aww crap,' she thought to herself, 'the guy had to be perfect didn't he?! Didn't he realize that everything he did made her more in love with him?' She pulled away and gazed into his red eyes. He fascinated and scared her at the same time.
"I'm......gonna grab a drink.... Want one?" Tifa smiled awkwardly.
"I'm fine."
Tifa felt flustered as she went to her own fridge and grabbed an already open bottle of vodka. 'I'll be fine. I just need a drink,' she thought to herself. She came back to the bed, filling a small shot glass and gulped it down. Vincent smirked and sat next to her.
"That's not good for you, you know. Eating barely any dinner and drinking on an empty stomach."
"Won't be empty for long," Tifa smiled. A few hours and many shots later Tifa was feeling sick to her stomach and so tired she was almost asleep on her feet.
"Tifa, I'm cutting you off. You've already had more then you need." Vincent pulled the nearly empty vodka bottle out of her hand and placed it on the counter by the sink, yawning loudly. Tifa stood up and staggered over to Vincent, trying to reclaim her alcohol.
"That's mine!" she whined. Vincent led her back to the bed and she stumbled, pulling him down with her. Laughing insanely she wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled her face into Vincent's chest. "You know what?" she asked, propping her chin on his chest.
Vincent shifted uncomfortably underneath her. "What?"
"Men are jerks! They use you, then leave you to rot. Stupid Cloud! He always expected me to come running back to him. I was his doormat. I always fall for his stupid 'I'm sorry' speech. I'm so pathetic. God. Look at me. I'm hideous...and.....and," her voice trailed off and she bit back sobs, tears slowly running down her face. Vincent knew from experience that people got overly emotional when they were drunk, but he still didn't like to see her in distress. He hugged her gently and stroked her back. Tifa stopped crying after a while and took shaky breaths, leaning against Vincent again.
"You're not pathetic," Vincent spoke softly, "and you're definitely not hideous." Tifa smiled tearfully at him.
"And then there's you. You're not a jerk at all. You're wonderful. Everything about you makes a girl fall in love with you. You're perfect." She listened to his heart beating and swore it was getting faster. Her mind felt muddled and fuzzy. Lifting her head once more, Tifa brought her lips down to his and he said something against her mouth in surprise.
"Tifa!" he gasped, half-prying her off, "you're drunk. Please. Stop this." It wasn't so much that he minded, but the girl was close to passing out. Taking advantage of her would not be a good idea. Tifa couldn't stop herself and kissed along the nape of his neck. Vincent shivered and tried to ignore what she was doing.
"Tifa," he whispered desperately. Tifa began undoing his shirt and he grabbed her hands stopping her. "Don't do this," he pleaded, "I'm an insensitive jerk. I'll break your heart."
"No you won't," Tifa smiled, stopping momentarily. "I know you won't. You won't hurt me." Leaning her head on his shoulder, her body went limp and she fell asleep. Vincent shifted and rolled her off him. She may be unconscious, but he wasn't taking any chances. After tucking her into bed, Vincent grabbed a couple pills and some water to feed her in the morning. She was going to have one hell of a hangover. He lay next to her, brushing a stray hair aside from her face.
Would she remember any of this in the morning? He sure hoped not. He couldn't keep his eyes open any longer. Draping an arm across Tifa's blanket covered body, he was able to rest at last.
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Author: Nooooooooooo! They were supposed to confess their love for each other! Stupid people! GRARGH! *lunges for the sleeping couple*
Sephiroth: *holds her back* Awww leave them alone. They're so cute.
Author: *looks at Sephiroth like he's a freak* Right........
Sephiroth: Well they are! *pouts*
Author: *sighs and shakes her head* I'm gonna cut these author's notes short because.......well.....I can. And besides, I have better things to do then sit here and write meaningless babble to amuse readers with intelligence levels even lower then mine. Lol. Just kidding. See you all next chapter. (It's already written! Yay for me!)
Sephiroth: *huggles author* I love you! Now will you put me in this story?
Author: Nope.
Sephiroth: *kisses her and nuzzles her neck* Puhweeeeze?
Author: *smiles* Well if you put it that way. *glances at readers* Gotta go. See ya. *pounces on Sephiroth*
Readers: O_O *go and read all of 'Dumber then a Moogle ass' stories and check out 'Ashnat Productions'*
Sephiroth: That's pretty pathetic.
Author: *glares*
Sephiroth: *hides*
Author: I spent a big chunk of my day typing this out. Now when I do the next chapter I only have a page and a half of writing to type out and then it'll be coming straight from my mind. Raw typing. Mmmmmm. typing. *drools* lol. I hope you all appreciate that I fought valiantly to find a location that had a computer with internet where I could post this chapter. I wanted to make this chapter a little fluffier, but I felt that it's too soon in their relationship for the things I had in mind. ;) Besides, I hate it when people are married by the second chapter or something corny like that. Real life takes time for these things to happen. Even if they're not real I still want to delay stuff as much as possible.
Sephiroth: *peeks out of hiding place*
Author: *smiles at Sephiroth* Come on out. I'm not going to hurt you. Much.
Guy with cell phone: Can you hear me now? Good.
Author: *looks at Sephiroth questioningly*
Sephiroth: *shrugs*
Author: Anyway........let's start now. (By the way, just a heads up. The next chapter is AWESOME! Lots of fluff. It makes me sooooooooo happy)
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Raising a hand to dial, laughter burst forth from him and he had to grab onto the wall to keep from falling. Tifa froze, watching him in shock.
"What? What is it?" Vincent pointed to the phone that dangled from a thin wire. Taking in the condition of her bar she giggled. The place looked as though someone had stampeded cattle through it.
"Maybe we should tidy up first," Vincent suggested with a smile. Insisting that Tifa rest on the couch, Vincent began to clean up the scattered broken glass and place chairs on top of the tables. The small amount of blood on the floor took him a bit longer to clean and Tifa finally ignored his protests and began collecting the dishes she had used and took them into the kitchen. Vincent followed her in after a few minutes and grabbed the dirty dishes out of her hands with a scolding look on his face, placing them on the counter. His eyes were full of concern and he crossed his arms over his chest, frowning at her.
"No cleaning," he warned, "if you want to go out for dinner tonight then you better go sit your ass down and rest!" Tifa smiled sweetly.
"Awwww, you're worried about me." Vincent shook his head, knowing that she was enjoying provoking him. Tifa reached forward and brushed some hair out of his face. "You should leave your cloak off more often. You have very nice features." Vincent raised an eyebrow and did his best not to flinch under her touch. Why she always insisted on fixing his hair or other such actions he would probably never know. If was just the way Tifa was.
"Are you trying to seduce me?" he teased, trying to act more relaxed.
"No, why? Is it working?" Tifa teased back.
"Not in your lifetime," he smirked and turned on his heels, heading further into the back to finish up the cleaning.
"Hey!" Tifa pouted. She sighed and took the dishes over to Vincent that he had left sitting on the counter. He seemed to be deep in thought as he loaded dishes into the industrial dishwasher. The dishes clattered when she set them down and his head jerked towards her. Tifa could see pain in his eyes for a split second before they were masked once again. She backed away awkwardly and he silently watched her go.
The dishwasher stopped and Vincent pulled up the cover, piling the clean dishes on the left and loading more dirty ones in. Being stuck in a bar for more then four hours just wasn't his idea of fun, but he wasn't about to leave Tifa alone until he could be sure she was safe again. He could sense that somewhere inside him their growing friendship may lead his heart to further feelings, but he would never be worthy of such a wonderful person. He barely missed catching a dish that slipped off the clean pile and shook his head, clearing it of thoughts. Could he ever be loved?
Tifa sat on the couch. Her head was leaning back against the headrest and she yawned, a little tired. The wall had a small paint spot on it that she stared at, thinking, and didn't even realize she was slowly falling asleep. Her eyes felt heavy and she wondered how long Vincent was planning on staying with her. She smiled at the thought of him being a permanent fixture in her life.
Vincent finished up the dishes and walked out into the bar, drying his hands on a towel. A small smile played upon his lips when he saw Tifa asleep on the couch. Walking over to her, he propped an elbow on the arm of the couch, leaning over her and wishing he didn't want so many things to be different when they never could be. She sure did make him smile a lot. His eyes wandered over her face for a few minutes and her eyes opened suddenly. He stepped back, surprised, and she sat up stretching. The couch creaked as she leaned forward and rubbed her eyes.
"Time to go?" she yawned. Vincent shrugged, grateful she hadn't seen him watching her.
"If you wish." Tifa jumped up excitedly and was a little wobbly on her feet. Vincent had to catch her as she crashed into him.
"Can you give me a minute to change?" she questioned sheepishly, not removing herself from his arms. Vincent nodded, hoping his cheeks weren't as red as they felt and Tifa headed back through the office that connected to her small apartment. Vincent sat shakily in a nearby chair that had yet to be stacked. What was she doing to him? Her accidental touch was enough to make his pulse race. The past while with her had been changing his heart without his knowledge. But did he truly NOT want to feel this way?
Vincent knew that he had forbid himself from falling in love again after the harsh slap of reality Lucretia had sent his way. Leaning back uncomfortably, he sighed. Forget it. She's too good for you. Come on woman, hurry up! Don't leave me alone with my thoughts!
Vincent knew from experience that a "minute" in Tifa's vocabulary meant at least half an hour. Forty minutes later, Tifa emerged adorned in a beautiful, but simple knee high dress. He stopped struggling with his demons and felt his eyes widen. The dress was black with spaghetti straps and the soft looking material draped down her body almost like a second skin. The small bandages on her legs didn't even dull the beauty of the whole outfit one bit. It just showed she didn't care what anyone else thought as long as she felt good about herself. He wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked, how incredible the dress was, anything, but words failed him.
"Does it look all right?" she asked hopefully, twirling to show off the whole dress, "I haven't had a chance to wear it yet so I figured what the heck." Vincent found himself feeling shy, an emotion that was alien to him. "Vincent?" Tifa asked again, worried about why he wasn't answering.
"It's nice," he spoke hesitantly, afraid his voice would betray his desire to grab her and discover what lay beneath the dress. Giving himself a mental slap, he pried his eyes off her and looked at the ground, no longer trusting his own mind. Tifa's face fell, but she tried not to show how much his opinion mattered to her. Vincent smiled at her and glanced at the door.
"Shall we go?" Tifa nodded, then frowned when she saw Vincent going to grab his cloak.
"Can't you spend one night without covering yourself?" Vincent raised an eyebrow and Tifa blushed. "Don't look at me like that. You know what I meant." Vincent seemed amused and slung his cloak over his shoulders.
"I promise to remove any coverings once we arrive at the restaurant." Tifa smiled and grabbed a light jacket to wear. As they left bar Tifa locked the door behind them and they walked leisurely in the cool night air. Tifa tugged Vincent's arm until he wrapped it gently around her waist, allowing her to press closer against him for warmth. In her mind. she knew that she wasn't really that cold, but for some reason she found herself making up reasons to get closer to Vincent.
Once on a main street, Vincent hailed them a cab and gave the driver directions. Their driver kept on glancing in the review mirror to give Vincent a knowing look and suggestive winks. Vincent kept a stony glare upon his features, knowing very well what the man was implying about him and Tifa. It was pissing him off. Not a smart idea.
Tifa felt as giddy as a schoolgirl. She hadn't gone out by herself or with anyone for such a long time. It was like a first date or something and that thought made her giggle. Vincent placed an absentminded hand over Tifa's while continuing his glaring/suggestive look contest with the driver. Her heart skipped a beat and she looked at him, seeing that he wasn't really paying attention. Her fingers intertwined with his, making her feel safer. Like he was her protector.
She used her free hand to prop up her chin and leaned her elbow on the door, watching the buildings go by. It must have been earlier in the evening then she thought when they woke up because the sun was just beginning to go down. The sun was almost set behind the buildings and it reflected bright reds and golds that shimmered and shone from glass windows.
Vincent glanced to the side and watched how the sunset lit up Tifa's hair and face. When did she become so beautiful in his eyes? He then noticed his hand.
Oh shit.
There was no way to take his hand back without causing lots of annoying questions to ensue. Might as well let her enjoy herself. It was her night out. The driver screeched to a stop when he almost missed the small but elegant restaurant. Vincent shoved gil at him and followed Tifa out of the cab. She thankfully let go of his hand, but then proceeded to tuck her arm in his. Her face was so radiant and happy that he couldn't help but smile.
The pair entered the almost empty restaurant and a young man came over and seated them near the band that was performing. Handing them menus, he smiled at Tifa.
"The name's Mike. I'll be your server for tonight. Can I get you anything to drink to start with?" Vincent smirked at the way the young man was staring at Tifa. So obvious.
"I'll have a lime margarita," Tifa decided.
"Water thanks," Vincent said softly, removing his cloak and keeping his clawed hand under the table.
"Be right back," he grinned, after scribbling on his notepad.
"Cute guy," Vincent commented, making Tifa laugh.
"Sure. If you like dating at the grade nine level," Tifa giggled. Vincent was quite enjoying himself. It wasn't often that he was able to let go and have fun. Any time he let down a small part of his control it seemed that his inner demons fought the hardest to escape. Being near Tifa seemed to calm them. Even make them disappear completely from his consciousness.
Tifa began looking at her menu so he did the same. As she scanned the menu she realized she was starving. Hmmmmmm...what do I want? Setting for a simple chicken caesar salad, Tifa closed her menu and set it to the side. Vincent couldn't seem to decide what to have. Using his distraction to her advantage, she studied Vincent while he looked over his menu. His long black hair seemed to have grown in the few weeks between their last visit and now. His bangs fell across his forehead, half-hiding his eyes. Her fingers itched to brush the hair out of the way. He looked really good without his cloak hiding his face, etc. He had a very nice build and it showed through the black dress shirt that he wore.
Vincent's eyes shifted up and looked into hers. She blushed slightly at being caught staring and smiled sweetly. "Know what you want?" He nodded, eyes still searching her face. Luckily their waiter came back, saving Tifa from further embarrassment.
"So what can I getcha?" Mike asked, taking out his pen and notepad again. Vincent waited for Tifa to speak up. Tifa smiled at the eager young man.
"I'll have the chicken caesar please." He scribbled it down and turned to Vincent, much less enthusiastically.
"And you sir?"
"I'll have the Korean BBQ plate. No skin, all seaweed." Mike frowned and wrote it down. (A/N: Vincent's order was actually a choice in the game when you eat at a restaurant in wall market. :P)
"I'll be back with your orders as soon as they're ready." Mike headed to the kitchen to put the orders in and called James. "Hey man, come check out this babe at table four." Another young man in a cook's uniform stuck his head out the delivery window.
"Huh? Where?" Mike grinned and pointed at Tifa and Vincent's table.
"Yowza!" James laughed, "but please tell me you aren't gonna try and score again. She's with another guy."
"Yah, but they might now be together," Mike smiled hopefully.
"Whatever," James shrugged, bored of his friend's antics and went to make the food. Only one other couple was in the restaurant and they were just finishing up their meal. It was quite late though. Vincent hoped that no one else would intrude on their evening.
He couldn't take his eyes off Tifa's face as she talked. She was so animated. Her eyes sparkled and a happy smiled never left her lips as she chattered away to him. He had just worked up enough courage to comment on how nice she looked when their food arrived. Damn him, Vincent cursed silently. He had many other things he wished to tell Tifa, but he knew he would never find the words. He knew he didn't stand a chance with her.
Mike placed both their plates on the table and smiled charmingly. "So are you two here for any special occasion? It's nice to see people celebrating their friendships and stuff. We get a lot of families in here." Tifa gave Vincent a desperate look, knowing exactly why Mike as asking her. Working in a bar, she had grown used to men hitting on her and trying to get her number.
Vincent smiled lovingly at Tifa and she shot him a confused look. "Yes actually," Vincent explained, "we are celebrating something. My wife and I are celebrating our anniversary tonight. Why do you ask?" Mike's face fell.
"Oh......," Mike said dully, "Um....Congratulations..... I'm asking because, um, you get free cake if you're celebrating something! Yah!" Vincent smirked, watching the young man squirm.
"Well.....I'll go get that cake then...." He hurried away and Vincent turned back to Tifa, seeing a strange look on her face.
"Wife?" she asked smiling.
Vincent shrugged slightly, "he's gone isn't he?"
"True," she grinned. Sighing quietly, Tifa felt slightly guilty for all the things Vincent did for her. He had probably already stayed much longer then he wanted to or had planned on staying. Not only that, he protected her and watched over her. She'd never felt safer then she did right now, not even with Cloud. Vincent actually seemed to be enjoying his meal. Tifa picked at her food and wished she didn't get such a painful stabbing in her heart every time she thought about Cloud.
Vincent could see her happy, perky 'mask' crumbling from the corner of his eye.
"Could we grab a to-go container?" he called to Mike, who was waiting by the kitchen for James to bring him their cake, "and forget the cake." He partially enjoyed the evil look he received in return.
Tifa had zoned out and leaned her head on the heel of her hand. Vincent gently touched her arm.
"Ready to go?" Her head snapped up and a phony smile was pasted on her face once more.
"Sure! If you'd like to."
Vincent sighed. "Cut the crap. If you feel like being sad, then be sad. You don't have to hide it from me. You should know that by now!" Tifa flinched at his harsh tone and tears formed in her eyes.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Vincent instantly regretting his tone and placed a gentle hand over hers. "Just don't hide what you're feeling, okay?" She nodded and thanked Mike when he handed her a container to put her dinner in. Leaving far more gil then was needed on their table, Vincent walked with Tifa in icy silence out of the restaurant and hailed another cab.
After giving the driver directions back to the bar, the cab became deadly silent again. The cab driver dropped them off at their street and Tifa breezed by Vincent's outstretched hand that he offered to help her out. Vincent opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it. He knew she was upset and that it as his fault, but he had never been good with fixing problems. It was one of the reasons that he avoiding making friends.
Upon entering the bar, Tifa went to her small apartment and slumped down on her bed, hoping she wouldn't cry in case Vincent followed her. She hated him seeing her being so weak. The ex-Turk stared blankly at the door she had gone through. Some supportive friend he was.
Tifa clicked on the stereo and closed her eyes once soft music began reverberating from the speakers. Vincent removed his headband and cloak, placing them on the bar counter.
"Tifa?" he called softly, knocking on her door.
"Come in," a distant reply came. Pushing the door open, Vincent walked over to the bed Tifa was laying on and flopped down beside her.
"I feel the need to apologize," he explained truthfully, "I regret my harsh words I spoke to you earlier. I have no right to say the things I did. Especially since I'm hiding a fair share of secrets myself." He trailed off waiting for her to respond. She rolled towards his and snuggled against his chest.
"It's all right."
The two remained silent again and Vincent tried to think of a way to escape the situation without furthering the problem. Her being so close to him was driving him insane. Luckily his self control was so strong or he might have acted upon her bold actions. Human contact just wasn't his forte.
Tifa ran her fingers down Vincent's cheek, eyes still closed. He caught her hand in his and raised it to hips lips, kissing it gently.
"When were you planning on having the bar open again?" Vincent asked, out of blue. Tifa curled into a ball and shrugged.
"When I feel like it."
"Oh."
"Why?" she asked curiously.
"......"
"Vincent?"
"No reason," he spoke soft. Hair brushed against his face and he breathed in the scent accidentally. A shiver ran down his back and he quickly pulled his face away. Tifa opened her eyes and looked up at him.
"Vincent?"
"Mmmm?" She glanced back down, fiddling with her fingers.
"Why did you stay?"
"What?" he asked surprised.
"Why do still come and see me? Sephiroth is gone, there's nothing left for you here and you still manage to come and see me every couple weeks. Why?"
Vincent laid back against the pillows. "Just worried about you I guess. You're overworked and under appreciated. The mansion does get kind of empty sometimes......"
Eyes widening, Tifa raised an eyebrow. "Could it be that the silent recluse Vincent is lonely?" Vincent smiled and faced her again.
"Maybe."
"Tsk tsk Vincent. Showing weakness."
"I'm only human," he stated.
"I know," Tifa whispered, he face moving closer to his. Sitting up, Vincent reached for the stereo remote and changed the song until it was on a soft familiar beat he vaguely recognized. A sudden urge came over him.
"Dance?" he asked Tifa, smiling down at her. She seemed surprised, but quickly nodded and joined him. They were both exhausted, but neither was ready to sleep just yet. As Vincent stood, he could feel the demons inside him writhing, trying to escape. They were waiting for him to let his guard down. He wouldn't let that happen.
Tifa walked over to him and he took her hand in his and let his claw wrap carefully around her waist. Tifa hugged him to her as they spun in drunken circles, laughing and having fun. Vincent twirled her and caught her in a low dip, laughing and almost dropping her.
'Aww crap,' she thought to herself, 'the guy had to be perfect didn't he?! Didn't he realize that everything he did made her more in love with him?' She pulled away and gazed into his red eyes. He fascinated and scared her at the same time.
"I'm......gonna grab a drink.... Want one?" Tifa smiled awkwardly.
"I'm fine."
Tifa felt flustered as she went to her own fridge and grabbed an already open bottle of vodka. 'I'll be fine. I just need a drink,' she thought to herself. She came back to the bed, filling a small shot glass and gulped it down. Vincent smirked and sat next to her.
"That's not good for you, you know. Eating barely any dinner and drinking on an empty stomach."
"Won't be empty for long," Tifa smiled. A few hours and many shots later Tifa was feeling sick to her stomach and so tired she was almost asleep on her feet.
"Tifa, I'm cutting you off. You've already had more then you need." Vincent pulled the nearly empty vodka bottle out of her hand and placed it on the counter by the sink, yawning loudly. Tifa stood up and staggered over to Vincent, trying to reclaim her alcohol.
"That's mine!" she whined. Vincent led her back to the bed and she stumbled, pulling him down with her. Laughing insanely she wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled her face into Vincent's chest. "You know what?" she asked, propping her chin on his chest.
Vincent shifted uncomfortably underneath her. "What?"
"Men are jerks! They use you, then leave you to rot. Stupid Cloud! He always expected me to come running back to him. I was his doormat. I always fall for his stupid 'I'm sorry' speech. I'm so pathetic. God. Look at me. I'm hideous...and.....and," her voice trailed off and she bit back sobs, tears slowly running down her face. Vincent knew from experience that people got overly emotional when they were drunk, but he still didn't like to see her in distress. He hugged her gently and stroked her back. Tifa stopped crying after a while and took shaky breaths, leaning against Vincent again.
"You're not pathetic," Vincent spoke softly, "and you're definitely not hideous." Tifa smiled tearfully at him.
"And then there's you. You're not a jerk at all. You're wonderful. Everything about you makes a girl fall in love with you. You're perfect." She listened to his heart beating and swore it was getting faster. Her mind felt muddled and fuzzy. Lifting her head once more, Tifa brought her lips down to his and he said something against her mouth in surprise.
"Tifa!" he gasped, half-prying her off, "you're drunk. Please. Stop this." It wasn't so much that he minded, but the girl was close to passing out. Taking advantage of her would not be a good idea. Tifa couldn't stop herself and kissed along the nape of his neck. Vincent shivered and tried to ignore what she was doing.
"Tifa," he whispered desperately. Tifa began undoing his shirt and he grabbed her hands stopping her. "Don't do this," he pleaded, "I'm an insensitive jerk. I'll break your heart."
"No you won't," Tifa smiled, stopping momentarily. "I know you won't. You won't hurt me." Leaning her head on his shoulder, her body went limp and she fell asleep. Vincent shifted and rolled her off him. She may be unconscious, but he wasn't taking any chances. After tucking her into bed, Vincent grabbed a couple pills and some water to feed her in the morning. She was going to have one hell of a hangover. He lay next to her, brushing a stray hair aside from her face.
Would she remember any of this in the morning? He sure hoped not. He couldn't keep his eyes open any longer. Draping an arm across Tifa's blanket covered body, he was able to rest at last.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author: Nooooooooooo! They were supposed to confess their love for each other! Stupid people! GRARGH! *lunges for the sleeping couple*
Sephiroth: *holds her back* Awww leave them alone. They're so cute.
Author: *looks at Sephiroth like he's a freak* Right........
Sephiroth: Well they are! *pouts*
Author: *sighs and shakes her head* I'm gonna cut these author's notes short because.......well.....I can. And besides, I have better things to do then sit here and write meaningless babble to amuse readers with intelligence levels even lower then mine. Lol. Just kidding. See you all next chapter. (It's already written! Yay for me!)
Sephiroth: *huggles author* I love you! Now will you put me in this story?
Author: Nope.
Sephiroth: *kisses her and nuzzles her neck* Puhweeeeze?
Author: *smiles* Well if you put it that way. *glances at readers* Gotta go. See ya. *pounces on Sephiroth*
Readers: O_O *go and read all of 'Dumber then a Moogle ass' stories and check out 'Ashnat Productions'*
