Flirting
Chapter 8
Tifa stood up and dusted herself off. 'You took him away fromme again, Aerith.'
Slowly and sleep-drunken Tifa stumbeles outside into the darkness.
"What is a young woman like you doing in a chruch at this hour?" a familiar voice asked her. Tifa's head spun around. Her gaze fell onto a man dressed in a red coat, with a red bandana and long black hair. He had some similarities with a vampire, though the claw-like thing on his arm told her otherwise. "Vincent." she said shaky. "I did not expect to meet you here. It's been a while."
(Tifa POV)
In a place like this you had to find me? After I had cried for hours? Might it have been some kind of intuition, that you felt a friend needed someone to hold onto? Don't be pathetic Tifa. You are just looking for someone to hold onto because the man of your dreams just stabbed you again. My head dropped low.
"Mind going for a walk with me? You look upset." the man's soft voice spoke again. I nodded approvingly. What did I have to lose? I was free, I could go for a walk with anyone I wanted. Though I had always felt like I was tied to Cloud, as if we were in a realtionship – a one-sided realtionship. I had felt like I was not to fancy another man, because I wanted to stay loyal. Loyal to someone that didn't know about my feelings? Loyal to someone who saw nothing but a friend inside me? I was a fool, a love struck fool. But today, Cloud, you made me realize that I can not chase you forever. You want a dead to love you? Go ahead. I wont stop you anymore.
Upon realizing Vincent was waiting for me to follow him I sped up a little trying to keep abreast with the tall man. Now that I actually felt some kind of freedom, I never really noticed how handsome Vincent actually was. At least for someone that was a few hundred years old. I stiffeled a chuckle.
"So how are you doing Vincent?" I asked, clapping my hands. I tried to act cheerful. Maybe I was a little even? Wait Tifa, this is your friend Vincent, someone you've known for a while, not a random man that flirted with you.
"I am fine, thanks. What about you?" he retorted as we headed for the park. Yes the park, the park where I had run into Cloud, feeling his warm skin. I felt like the sorrow I had when waiting for him to wake up after he got shot paid off in this single moment. Oh boy, had I known that It was just the start of more pain.
"Fine." I retorted. I was so lost in thought all the time, Vincent must have thought I am not interested.
"You seem lost in thought." he commented. Now can you read my thoughts?
"I somewhat am." I admitted. "Things aren't really going the way they are supposed to lately."
"That's just fine I suppose. You are taking care of a bunch of kids, run a bar and we all know Cloud is not an easy character to deal with. You have always supported him the most, and I am sure he values that a lot. But it's quitet unmanly to admit that. Things will get alright again, I am sure." he chuckeled. Did I ever hear him chuckle? I doubt that. It sounded nice. As though a new side of this serious man was opening up to me.
I brushed a few hairstrands out of my face blushing a little. Oh I am?
"You are right, probably." I could only retort. Cloud and thinking about what is manly and unmanly? He never seemed to be the kind of person to even know what was and what wasn't to begin with. But I took Vincent's word for it and did not bother thinking about it any further.
Cloud, there's no way you can hear my thoughts, but you are not going to stay on my mind forever. If you can so easily walk away and leave me in this pain again, I can do the same. Today, I will do what I want, and I will not spend my thoughts on you.
After telling myself that I felt like I gained some strength, though I knew it was just a dream of mine. Did I really believe I could stop thinking about the man I cared a whole lot for? That's like telling Vincent I love him - Very unlikely.
Facing the man to my right again I noticed he had stared at me all the time. "I'm sorry." I stammered.
"You
must have a lot on your mind." his voice was somewhat smoky, yet
fascinating. Whenever he opened his mouth he spoke in such a
laid-back manner. It was nice to listen to his voice, it had
something comforting, mature, self-confident.
"I'm just trying
to find myself lately." That was just half the truth. Yes indeed, I
felt like I lost myself lately. Like I can not feel my own body
anymore. All these rushes of emotions lately. Sometimes I felt as
though I was living a nightmare. Nothing but a shell, an empty shell
filled with sadness. I would not even recognize my surroundings. If
it hadn't been for the kids, I would have lost myself a long while
ago already.
I don't know why I did it, but I guess it was just something spontaneous I wanted to do, seizing his arm and pulling him closer I rested my head on his upper arm. He was too tall for me to reach up to his shoulder. I did not see his expression, merely stared onto the path before us. I felt protected, I felt good. Something I hadn't felt in a while. Though inside, a small part of mine imagined this to be Cloud. Any ordinary woman would sure have given up on the man she loved when he hurt her like Cloud hurt me, but I could not give up. I had gained his affection once after Aerith death, I could gain it again. But as for now, I wanted to enjoy having someone close to me. Someone to make me feel alright. I guess I was desperate enough not to care who it was, as long as he made me feel loved, made me feel as though he cared. Sounds stupid? I wouldn't have cared. I wanted to feel someone caring for me, even if I would not return these feelings at all. It's just this feeling it gives you. If Cloud can be selfish, so can I. Even though part of me told me that this was just an excuse I was making up, I felt like there was no need to justify my actions. After all this pain my haert experienced, it wanted to be caressed too.
Me and Vincent – I always had to tell Denzel to say it like Vincent and me – sat down on the park bench. I was still clinging to the man's arm. Something gave me the feeling that I needed to hold onto something, needed to hold tight. As if a hole was beneath my feet and Vincent was the only one to keep me from falling.
I enjoyed this moment. A moment I would have liked to share with Cloud. I could hear my mother saying in the back of my head: "If a man never leaves your thoughts even if you try so hard, he must be the right one." her voice rang inside my mind. I could very well imagine how she would sound. Preaching and caring at the same time. Now it would have been the point where I would tell my mother how much I truly care for this man, that I love him. But it hurt me, thinking about these feelings again, that he would not return. Maybe I should have tried and bann him out of my mind. For a while at least. If this world was just a little bit fair, I would be rewarded for my pain. Maybe Cloud would come back. A dream I would always hold onto.
I felt an arm warpping around me. Vincent's arm. Enjoying the moment I shifted closer to him, leaning against his side.
I cried, hot tears running down my cheeks. My face was burried into his chest as he patted my back. He wrapped his arms tight around me. He did not talk, did not ask, he just listened. Listened to me cry. How I had wished these arms were Clouds and it was the warrior's chest I was crying into. But it was a friend's. And I had to admit, he had asked me to go for a walk at the right time. It was the first time I dropped my mask and showed others my pain. He held me there until I was done. As I realeased from the embrace I started into his cold eyes that showed some warmth deep inside If you just bothered to search for it. I smiled, a pathetic smile. My face stained with tears but I smiled. "Thank you." I said shaky. "Thank you for being here."
"I'll always be there when needed, just let me know." he retorted, in his laid-back voice again.
He had held a crying woman in his arms and stayed so calm. I ignored the fact he was just a friend, a friend I barely ever eally interacted much with. Right now he was there when needed, what I could not say just about anyone. The man I wanted to be here wasn't.
"I will bring you home." he said and stroked my hair. Maybe today when I lost Cloud I gained a friend back.
(Tifa POV End)
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Oh sudden change, eh:D I loved writing this chapter. It went so smooth and was done so fast. I hope you'll enjoy it too. :) Once again thanks for all those lovely reviews.
I somewhat find this chapter cute!
