I do not own FFVII nor any of its characters,however the story idea is mine. "Cloti"main pairing.Also a hint of Yuff/Reno (cause they're so childish they go good together).
In Love,But not with you
Tifa climbed out of the limo and walked quickly to the front door of her home.Her father trailed behind her.The door opened as soon as she approached and was greeted by a faithful servant with to happy of an attitude.
"So Tifa...what do you think of the Strifes?"Mr.Lockhart asked,giving the servant his over coat.Tifa stopped at the foot of a winding staircase.
"They're nice people,I suppose"she answered with a smile,though he couldn't see it.
"Good...I was thinking your wedding could be on a thursday,somewhere in August and such...".
"Hold,reverse,play.Excuse me?What did you say?"her secret saying of annoyance.She always used to say it when she was younger and didn't like what her parents said.
"Your wedding,on a Thursday or something.Some time in August".
"Father...August is in a month,I won't have a groom that soon".
"Yes you will...Sephiroth is a fine business man,and he will be a great advancement to our industry".
"Oh,hell to the fuck no.I'm not marrying Sephiroth".
"Excuse me?"
"Father you said I could choose whoever I wanted!"Tifa balled her fists.Mr.Lockhart looked at her.
"And who were you planning on choosing?"
"Well jeez,it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out if I didn't like the older brother,there's only one other canidate to choose from" Tifa screamed,her anger rising.
"That boy is a meniace...He would bring the company into the dark".
"In case you haven't noticed...I don't want to run the family business.I'm nineteen dad,business doesn't intrest me! I want to have friends and go out on the weekends,go to normal schools,go out on dates,I want to have a normal life!"
"Hey! I tried my very hardest to get this family in the power where it is today,young lady".
"Why do you think mom committed suicide!She was sick of being a caged bird,and so am I!You'll be lucky if you find me asleep tomorrow instead of hanging from my ceiling fan!" Tifa stomped up the stairs,he heels clicked loudly on the marble.Once she reached her room,she threw open the door,walked in,then slammed it shut and locked it.She kicked off her shoes,letting them slam into the walls and sat on her bed fustrated.Her cell rang its catchy jingle.
"Unknown Caller"is what it read.Tifa raised and eyebrow as he eyes narrowed.
"Hello!" still angry she yelled into the reciever.
"Wanna go to a party?"
"Cloud?"
"Yeah?"
"...sure"Tifa smirked an evil smile,her father would be lucky if she came back home at all.
Tifa walked to the balcony on the side of her room,the curtains swayed with the breeze.Tifa had replaced her sleek dress for a leather vest with a white tank underneath.Her pants were a black fabric and she had somewhat of a cape from her hips down.One her feet were comfortable sneakers.Her hair hung loose and danced with the wind as well.Black leather gloves sealed her fingers,palms,and knuckles out of sight.Proping herself on the ledge she prepared to jump.Her wallet and cell was in her pocket,just in case it was needed.Tifa jumped and landed like a cat,with ease,on the ground.One leg scrunched to her chest,the other stretched to the side of her.She quickly stood and brushed herself off.She then ran to the Seventh Heaven Bar,their meeting place.It wasn't a long journey,nor a long run,but the night was hot so Tifa's cheeks looked a little flush when she entered through the door.Drunks looked up as she entered and winked at her.One who was barely intoxicated walked up to her.
"Hey babe...lookin for a good time with a handsome man?"his voice was kind of slurred and he reeked of alcohol,but Tifa could see his eyes were unclouded.She scowled at him,and felt someone place their hand on her shoulder.
"She's already involved with a previous engagement"Cloud steered her away from the drunkies.The man tapped Cloud on the shoulder,making him turn around.This insane half drunk asshole dared to get rude.
"Hey man...I saw her first.So why don't cha just back on up and leave!"the random man swung his fist at Cloud,but Cloud easily caught it and forced his hand to bend in a way it should never bend.He made it so this guy could literally touch his shoulder blade with the same hand the shoulder was attached to without the use of his other hand.The man screamed in agony,making the others look up.
"Come on...before trouble starts"Cloud pushed Tifa back out the door.
"Are they always like this?"she asked.
"I wouldn't know"Cloud replied mounting his fenrir.Tifa jumped on behind him and held onto his waist securely.Buildings seemed to fly by,all looking alike and organized.It made her think of home which she shuddered.Soon they were dismounting and walking into club with heavy music flooding through the door.Cloud took her hand and led her past the crowd to a table where sat the people she had met earlier.They waved to her,and she waved back,a feeling of 'rightness' flooding her body.She felt these people would be her friends to.
"Tifa,you must tell me where you got that vest" Yuffie said getting up.Reno had been sitting next to her,his arm around her shoulder,and didn't look at all happy when the ninja got up.Tifa shrugged.
"I stole it".
"Really?"Yuffie seemed peaked with intrest,she was after all a thief.
"Yeah,my dad wouldn't let me get it and refused to give me money so I just took it...fits nice doesn't it?"Tifa placed her hands on her hips,yes,this is where she belonged.The vest fitted her just as nicely as she did this group of friends.And let me tell you,it fitted her nicely.
Tifa had learned alot about the group in just one hour,then she ever had about her own so called 'friends'.Since Rude and Barret were old enough,they purchased alcohol for everyone.Cloud chose not to,since he was driving.
"Aw come on Spikey!You drive like a lunatic anyway!Whose to know your a little tipsy"Barret laughed forcing a beer in Cloud's hand.Cloud rolled his eyes as he put the beverage on the table before them.They offered Tifa some but she turned them down.
"I don't like alcohol to much,just some stuff.Not a beer fan"Rude and Barret looked at her as though she had lost her mind.
"What?" Tifa tilted her head to the side in question.Yuffie tugged on her shoulder.
"Just ignor them,they're beer fanatics,its scary sometimes".
"Mostly its funny"Reno pointed out.Barret had challenged Rude to a drinking contest,both getting clumsier by the second,their voices slurring and laughing at nothing in particular.
"Hey Yuff...wanna dance?"Reno asked,hopeful.Tifa smiled,it was obvious he liked her,and already she had learned Yuffie didn't notice signs of affection.Yuffie nodded and followed Reno to the dance floor.Tifa looked around,Cloud was no where in sight.Not wanting to stay with the drunks,Tifa walked to the nearest exit to get some fresh air.Cloud was leaning against the wall,his eyes closed.
"You invite me to a party and then stay outside?Thats very confusing"Tifa folded her arms with a smile.Cloud looked up and smiled back.
"Just got a headache,and the music doesn't really do anything to help ease the pain...how drunk are they?"
"They're having competitions to see which guy can fall over in the funniest way".Cloud laughed as he closed his eyes again.
"I think the pounding of the base you hear from outside would be making your headache hurt even worse"Tifa noted.Cloud opened his eyes again.
"Didn't want to leave and make you worry".
"Then lets go sit over there on the park bench,it should be quieter".They walked across the street to the small park and sat on an iron bench,listening to the crickets chirp and the grass crumple underneath their feet.
"So..."Tifa said,starting a conversation,"Why are you such a trouble maker?"
"Heh...Guess you could say,I need to beat my brother at something".
"You two don't get along very well do you?"
"Not really.We've been rivalries ever since I was born.He hates me so much,and I guess I'm likewise".
"That doesn't answer my question,and beating your brother at trouble isn't a good thing".
"I don't want to go into business...I don't see the point of it...one day the stock market will eventually crash,and we'll have what that Alernate Universe had called the 'Great Depression'.My father wants to stay in power,but he doesn't see that my brother is over throwing him day by day".
"Is your family that bad?"
"My brother hired a 'Hitman' for my seventeenth birthday to get rid of me,I'm twenty now...yeah,its that bad".
"Ouch".
"Thats not even the best part".
"Hmm?"
"My father's hitman ended up killing my brother's hitman by mistake.Both my family members want me dead.They say I get in the way to much.Once I actually responded 'then why don't you kill me'.Guess they took me literally"Cloud shrugged.
"And I thought I had it rough".
"All my friends have it rough,thats why we all get along"Cloud shrugged.
"What do you mean?"
"Reno and Rude work for the asshole ShinRa,Yuffie's a ninja princess thief whose not allowed to know anyone beyond her bloodline,and Barret lost his wife last year to a guy in SOLDIER under ShinRa's command.And your father's forcing you to marry my brother.We all have it bad".
"How did you know that?"
"My father talks very loudly when he's being secretive"Cloud answered.
"I threatened my father I was going to commit suicide like my mother did"Tifa's eyes drifted to the floor.
"That'd be such a waste of life".Tifa looked up to find him staring at her.She shrugged and turned her head away,but his hand brought her chin back in his direction.He leaned down and lightly brushed his lips against her's like he had done earlier.His tongue ran across her lower lip,begging entrance into her mouth.Tifa was about to comply when she pushed him away and looked on the ground.
"Cloud...I don't even know you...and yet,I'm allowing you to get passed all my barriers...how are you doing this to me?" Tifa asked quietly.Cloud couldn't answer,and didn't need to when suddenly his cell rang.
"Hello?"
"Where are you?"
"Somewhere where your hitman can't find me brother dear".
"Cloud,your starting to bug me".
"Then what do you want so I can hang up".
"You need to come home".
"Yeah...no thats alright.Your basically telling me to go lie in a ditch with a butch of poisoness snakes".
"Alright,but if I find you,I'll bring you back home myself and tear you to pieces".
"You have one hour to do that then"Cloud hung up and placed his phone back into his back pocket.
"I should get you home,trouble's going to be coming my way soon,and I'd rather you nor my friends were around to be made targets"Cloud said standing up.He offered his hand to help her,and she took it greatfully.They took the back way to his fenrir and hopped on.He drove close to her house a stealthy way,by useing very little gas and power.He stopped at her home and watched her dismount.
"Thanks for the wonderful time..."Tifa kissed him on the cheek,that was as far as she'd go right now.She was not going to be some high school slut around a gorgeous guy.Cloud bowed his head and looked at his watch,but made sure that she climbed through her window safely.His heart beated nervously as his senses picked up that his brother was closing in on him.
A/N: I think its going rather well,don't you?Special Ice cream sunday to Eldameldor for the first review and encouraging words,this chapter's for you
