Grinding

Final Fantasy VII, all rights to the Square-Enix.

XX

"Hi!"

She grabbed his hand and let him in.

"Are you hungry?"

She was smiling. But it was an odd kind of smile, the kind that ends up turning into a grin.

"No, thank you."

Vincent sat on the sofa while Tifa got something to drink.

"What is it that you wanted to show me?"

"Uhmm…actually nothing" she sat near handing him a glass of corrected soda. She took a sip and leaned to him giving him a deep kiss. Vincent responded back. She got up and grabbed his arms taking him to the bedroom.

She let him sit on the bed and started kissing him pushing him down. She placed her knees around his waist and kissed him softly in his ears.

"You missed me?"

"Sure…for the last 17 hours." Ha caressed her back.

"I have been very good. No man has approached me or have I approached any."

"Sounds great."

"And you?" she smiled.

"I…" he grabbed her tightly "…don't have the habit of dealing with other men."

"You silly" she giggled kissing his ear "I was referring to women in your case."

"Oh…that would be none of your business."

"Huh?" she tightened her grip on his waist with her knees. Vincent felt she was deliberately crushing his chest on purpose.

"Just who is it you're seeing, uhm?" she had an inquired look.

"Tifa…I'm going to have some trouble breathing if you keep me tightened in a vice."

"Oh I'm so sorry…It's just I can seem to think of you in a café with some blonde bitch."

Vincent didn't say a word. He was little surprised but seemed awfully sad.

"Move" he said.

"Forget it! Tell me who is that bitch?"

Tifa had a nice pair of legs, but they had an awful strength. Vincent didn't see any other way. He jumped up taking her by surprise shoving her to the ground.

"Don't call her bitch ever again!" he stood up heading for the door.

Tifa got up and ran after him. He was already heading for the stairs.

"You have no right to treat me like this Vincent. I'm not seeing any other men as promised, what's with you?"

"The deal never intended for me monogamy. You're doing this only for the apartment."

"Oh please! As if I'm more interested in the apartment than in you! Haven't you figured it out already?"

He waved and moved on.

"Don't you dare leave Vincent! I'll go see other men…"

Vincent stopped and gave her an apparently blank look. Tifa had his attention.

"That's right! I could call….Reno. How would you feel about that?"

He disappeared. Tifa was left in sadness and rage. She went back in slamming the door.

XX

Yuffie waited for Cloud to be alone all day. He had that sad look, the sad look of refusal. She could understand him fully, even before she would be officially refused. She noticed Barret taking to him outside. She just watched the two men talking even if she couldn't hear them but she didn't care. After a while, Barret got up and left, Cloud remained. Her chance. She flew outside before Cloud could stand up.

She cat-walked and sneaked up on him like a real ninja. She covered his eyes. Cloud just left a low sigh.

"Please Yuffie…"

She let him go and moved her head on his shoulder.

"You ok?"

He nodded.

"Need a massage?"

"No, but thanks."

Yuffie moved to the seat where Barret had been before. Cloud wasn't looking at her, his stare aiming low…blank and numb. Yuffie didn't see any reason why to keep playing fool.

"She…doesn't know what she's missing."

"Humph! Maybe she knows…" he acted as if it was normal that Yuffie should know. She knew everything that went around in that house.

"She's probably stuck up on that ex-boyfriend she had."

"Maybe…" he shrugged "Then again it's her right to refuse me."

"I would never refuse you…" she blushed realizing what she had said. Cloud remained as before.

"Err…I mean…you're the kind of man that gives a woman reassurance…"

"Yuffie…" he looked at her "Thanks for your words but this really isn't the right moment."

"What?"

"I know you think of me that way."

She turned away.

"Tifa told you, right?"

"No. It was pretty obvious."

"Was it?"

"Yeah…thanks. I'm sorry to let you down…join the club" he got up leaving Yuffie to her own thoughts.

XX

Tifa left the apartment soon after Vincent. She was angry and destroyed. The man she was finally sure to love was cheating on her, so bluntly it made her sick. In rage and fury, she actually called Reno giving him an appointment in 30 minutes in front of the Seven Heaven. He had eagerly accepted.

After a while, though, she realized she made a mistake. She had a fight with her boyfriend and now…there she was using Reno as a weapon against Vincent. She tried calling him back but he wouldn't answer.

"Why isn't he answering dammit?"

She decided to reach the place and wait for him. She'd give him some answers.

Walking down the street, alone she noticed a crowd of people around an ambulance. Some unfortunate event was capturing their attention. She was tempted but she had to rush to the appointment.

In front of the closed bar she noticed Reno hadn't arrived. Really weird since he said he was nearby. Reno couldn't possibly let her down. He was more than simply attracted to her and she knew it.

Then it hit her…

She ran back to the ambulance making way through the crowd. She noticed the bright red hair.

"RENO!"

XX

The ending is pretty close. In the next episode I'll clear things finally, just adding suspense…whatever that really means.