Well, I finally got around to finishing this chapter! So yeah, read and enjoy.
TiNkAh ( I only own the story)
"Wa-a-a-a-a-ait!" Cloud screeched to stop Tifa from taking another step.
With a frustrated expression on her face, Tifa took a slow deep breath and tried to mentally tally all the reasons why Cloud deserved to be alive right now. Turning around, she saw Cloud red in the face, huffing and puffing in his efforts to catch up with her. Tifa didn't even realize how far she'd traveled in her haste to confront Rufus. With a tired sigh, Tifa patiently waited until Cloud was finally in speaking distance.
"Yes Cloud? What ever could it be?" she said in a voice that was far too sweet to be believed.
"Tifa! You…you ….didn't even let ….me finish!" Cloud said between breaths.
"I heard what I needed to know," Tifa retorted. "You started out your explanation with Rufus Shinra."
Throwing up his hands in irritation, Cloud began shaking his head. "Tifa what's gotten into you? You're acting so weird, I don't even understand it. What is it about Rufus that has you so mad at him?" Before she could even protest against that, he quickly said, "The lights went out and when they were on again, you were found collapsed on the floor. No one knows what happened to you, Rufus carried you near the window and said that he'd be back to finish speaking with you. He left. That's all that happened."
"Ah ha! So you're on his side!" Tifa nearly shouted.
"No! I'm not on his side. I'm not on anyone's side. I don't even know what the sides are!" Cloud said in his defense.
"Well, then, how come you couldn't tell me before? You couldn't even look me in the eye Cloud, not to mention the fact that you totally sounded like a frog!" As far as hits went, this was a bull's eye.
Flustered and feeling his cheeks grow pink, Cloud turned away and said "It's because of what you said when you were knocked out. It's like you were having some kind of dream."
Having the most horrible feeling in her stomach, Tifa lurched towards the nearest wall. "Well..well…what did I say?" She didn't feel confident anymore, she just felt totally vulnerable.
Apparently, this was no easier for Cloud as he struggled to find the words that just wouldn't come out. "Well, I'm only going to say it if you really really and I mean REALLY wanna know…" Clearly, this wasn't the time to back out with the heated glare that came from Tifa's ruby brown eyes, so he took a deep breath and continued. It's not like she was giving him a choice anyway. "Okay, fine! But don't, not even for one second, say that I didn't warn you in advance. You were moving around in his arms…and then..you said…you said…" He really couldn't say why this was so hard until Tifa jabbed him in the stomach, "You said 'I love you' and kissed Rufus," Cloud finally managed to blurt out.
Tifa felt the breath pass between her lips and was surprised considering the fact that she didn't even know she'd been holding her breath. She stared at Cloud, one second passed by, another, and finally the words of his statement hit her. Hard. "I DID WHAT!" she roared in his face.
Cowering back a few feet, Cloud said "See, look, this is the whole reason why I didn't want to tell you! I knew you'd freak out!"
In a flash, all these images raced through her head. All of what Cloud said didn't make sense at all, she didn't even LIKE Rufus Shinra, so why would she want to kiss him and say that she loved him. Without thinking, she touched the tips of her fingers to her lips and felt them tremble. She wasn't sure if she was about to cry, she sure as hell knew she wasn't that far off from doing so. Denying the truth of it even to herself, she softly said "You're lying, I don't believe you."
Solemnly, Cloud replied "I wouldn't lie to you Tifa, especially not about something like this."
"I know Cloud. I know….I-I have to go, I'll see you sometime later yea?" And before he could even say his goodbye, Tifa turned and left him the second time that day. She had to be away, she needed to be alone somewhere.
As soon as she walked through the doors of her 7th Heaven, Tifa automatically went to the park. It was about a 5 minute walk away and God knew she needed the time to think. She felt numb, a little shocked, and just a touch of disgust. She couldn't believe it, she didn't want to believe it, but damn it all there it was. Finally reaching the park, she quickly walked to her favorite swing, the 2nd to the last one on the far right. It was the only one that didn't creak so loud and it had the best vantage point to see the whole park. This was her thinking spot and she'd come here many a time before to just swing and ponder. As corny as that sounded, it was a 100 percenttrue. She began her swinging as soon as she sat down. Taking a deep breath, she began clearing her mind.
She figured she was making things much more dramatic then they really were. C'mon, it couldn't have been that big a deal.
I was probably having one of those stupid dreams where Prince Charming fights off my dragons and comes and rescues me.
She scoffed at that. Yea, she would definitely be the last personever needing to be saved. If anything, she could probably kick the dragon's ass with a well placed punch and a few combos. Tifa had grown used to working, or fighting even, for what she wanted. She'd lay down her life in a second for any of her friends, but they didn't need to worry about coming to save her. She could easily do that herself. This was all that blasted Rufus Shinra's fault anyway. First of, she didn't even know the man. Second, he just barged into her life out of nowhere expecting her to just give in to any of his wishes. And third…Well there wasn't a third yet, but there was going to be one very soon. But she couldn't deny the fact that there was something else there as well. As annoying and irritating as he was, there was something about the way he looked at her, like he knew all her weaknesses. Even the ones that she couldn't even admit to herself, probably even ones that she didn't even know she possessed.
She shivered, and told herself it was getting cold. But that couldn't be true, there wasn't a breeze to be felt for miles around. The storm did recently just pass, so now it was just that quiet aftermath after the destruction. She didn't know what it was yet, but she knew that the next time she faced Rufus, she'd have to have her full guard up and be prepared for anything shocking he intended to say. It was easier just to forget what happened between them, so for the sake of that, she decided to forget the fact that she'd kissed him. Not like she really remembered it anyway, but just in case. With an intuition she didn't even recognize, Tifa knew that Rufus would be dropping by soon. He was going to state his business, and Tifa would be ready for it.
With that in mind, she slowly stopped her swinging, letting her shoes drag on the moist ground. Slowly and carefully, she got up and made her way back home. She needed to rest for the next battle of wits with Rufus Shinra.
Well that definitely was a more in-depth look at how Tifa is as a person. Haha, yea well hey, at least this one was longer eh?
Read and Review!
TiNkAh
