He Tells All

by: Bishojo Beauty

Chapter 2

At first, it was shock. And then it settled into small startle, and finally realization.

"Vincent!" Tifa exclaimed drawing the attention of a couple in the room who no sooner turned their attention back to whatever they were doing once they caught a glimpse of the other man's bloody glare.

Tifa jogged the few steps needed, and jumped in excitement wrapping her arms around the tall man's neck causing him to step back in order to remain upright. Vincent grew tense at the closeness of the other AVALANCHE member and his hands immediately, automatically, flew up to wrap around the upper arms of Tifa, prying her arms from around his neck. His claw was ice cold, seeping through Tifa's thin shirt, but his flesh hand was fairly warmer. Tifa let go immediately as she realized who exactly she was hugging, smiling sheepishly to herself as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, drilling her foot into the floor.

Close contact was definitely not the other man's preferences, confirmed by the discomfort written across his eyes. Tifa quickly distracted herself to avoid him from seeing the blush that chose to creep up onto her cheeks. She had no doubt that he had probably seen it anyway being as observant as he was, but it was definitely worth the try she figured. She picked up a stray chair from the side of the café and added it to the only remaining side of her table, as the other side sat nestled near the wall. She turned smiling to Vincent expectantly.

At first he made no move to indicate that he was going to join her, he hesitated, his features remaining unreadable. Tifa observed that it was very unlike him to hesitate so, but she ignored it having her day made by seeing an old friend since three years. He made his way over to the table and unexpectantly pulled out Tifa's chair. Tifa immediately assumed he preferred a more secluded seat, away from the walkway, so she made her move to sit in the extra chair she pulled earlier.

But Vincent's soft voice stopped her. She turned to look at him and noticed his small gesture towards her previously occupied spot. A small "oh," escaped Tifa's lips as she understood.

"Thank you, Vincent," she said as she sat down smiling up into the collar of his cloak instead of his face. He seemed to nod slightly from behind the high collar of his cloak, and took a seat in the third chair. Tifa took the short amount of time available to study what she could see of Vincent's features, his eyes. They were deathly tired. She then noticed too that his whole body language spoke of exhaustion, the dark bags under his blood red eyes only accentuated his condition. He was at the moment glaring suspiciously at the elderly man who now had a cup of hot cocoa sitting in front of him, a gentle smile playing on his lips.

"You haven't aged one bit, Vinnie my boy," Chester said, his gentle smile slid into a more sly smile. Tifa's brows raised at his statement.

"You have yet to be educated on how to silence yourself," Vincent responded monotonously, taking his eyes away from Chester, and resting them onto the table in front of him.

If Tifa's brows could raise any higher, they would have done so as she looked back and forth between the men. Vincent knows this old man? Tifa thought. And as if the elderly man could read her very thoughts, he spoke, "I was also with Shinra Manufacturing in Administrative Research."

Tifa still could not believe what she was hearing. Somebody actually knew Vincent from when he was a Turk, working for Shinra. Or as they seemed to like to call it, Shinra Manufacturing in Administrative Research. She just couldn't believe it.

An awkward silence fell between the trio, but was broken with out a problem by Chester. The elderly man seemed too stress free to be true, but it was.

"What's with the Hallowe'enish get up?" He asked, lifting his wrinkled and aged hand to tug at the collar of Vincent's cloak. He jerked back reflexively, brushing the elderly man's hand away gently while giving him a warning glare. Chester sighed, slumping his shoulders as he leaned in to take a drink from his cup. Shaking his head, he turned his attention towards Tifa. But before he could speak, Vincent cut him off, once again, another act that was very unlike him.

"How have you been, Tifa?"

"I've been good, how about you, Vincent? I, or anyone else, haven't heard from you since we parted ways! It would have been nice if you'd at least let one of us know that you were doing fine, that you were still here on this Planet!" Tifa let out her frustration on the dark man. She had spent one too many of her days thinking about his well being, knowing that it was very possible that he could have crawled back into the very coffin Cloud had sprung him free from.

She waited, at first patiently for a reply, but when none came, she let up a puff of air, and set her chin in her hand, thumping her elbow onto the table, all in one fluid motion. This caught Vincent's attention she now noticed as he glanced up towards her from whatever had caught his attention so intensely on the surface of the table, his eyebrows slightly raised. He must have drifted off during Tifa's little outburst. She frowned slightly turning her eyes down onto the table as well. She felt Vincent stiffen, clear his throat and then shift uncomfortably in his chair. Something was bothering him, but Tifa knew better then to ask, but she would do no better by just to observing.

Tifa cast her attention towards the now surprisingly silent Chester, creases of worry appearing on his face as he studied Vincent.

"What happened to you when you disappeared, Vincent?" It was one simple question posed by Chester who seemed truly worried, but it seemed to trigger something inside Vincent, as he got up abruptly, nearly knocking his chair over, but he was able to catch it and steady it before he bolted out of the café.

Chester, well, unfortunately, didn't have a very big role in this chapter, but I promise you that he will next, considering that yes, Vincent ran away, and Tifa has lots of questions!

Once again, whether you liked it or you hated it, I'd like to hear from you so I can write better. Thanks for reading again!

Bishojo Beauty.