A/N: The more I thought about it, the more it would've made sense for Tifa and Cloud to have their chemistry tested first before Tifa is cast, and for each of them to wig out then. I'm pretty sure that a director would've wanted them to meet first before casting Tifa, to ensure that she and Cloud would actually work well together. Nothing sucks more than horrible chemistry, amirite? Then again, I have no clue how closely directors look at the chemistry between actors if they're not explicit love interests. Dang I feel like a stickler about details but it'd be nice to know haha.
And as always, thank you so so much to those of you who reviewed! ^^
Chapter 4 ~ Unexpected
Tifa recalled what Genesis said about getting on a personal level with his work. She supposed that was the reason she was called back to the same café the next day. Genesis had insisted on getting to know her better. The call was a little strange and random, no doubt, but then again it was clear that Genesis worked quite differently from other directors. Tifa wondered if she should've brought the script or something.
She had been reading it a lot, and not just for filming. Tifa was enraptured by the story, and for the first time in a long time she was really excited to start. It was a large action and adventure story revolving around a mercenary who got tangled up with an eco-terrorist group, eventually going on to take down the corporation responsible for heinous deeds surrounding a vengeful madman and a destructive alien organism that plagued the mercenary himself. That mercenary, Tifa knew, was going to be played by none other than Cloud. She would be playing the main female protagonist, a bartender and member of the eco-terrorist group who is responsible for roping the mercenary in.
Reading a script is a curious thing, because even though there are stage directions to add context around the dialogue, the actual images and interpretations of the scenes are still in the head of the director. If there was anything that Genesis was known for as a director, it was his way of telling his stories that expanded them beyond the script in such a way that reading the script alone barely told half the story. Working for Genesis would be filling a hefty order, and Tifa knew that she had her work cut out for her.
She had done another full, thorough read-through before heading to the café, wondering exactly what Genesis's vision was. She'd actually like to ask some questions, if she was going to understand her character better. Regardless, Tifa was excited about the role, which was quite a departure from her dramatic character in Starry Promises. The bartender also happened to be a martial arts expert, something that Tifa could actually relate to. She wasn't going to be playing a helpless damsel, and she loved it.
Tifa was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't realize where her eyes were wandering until they stopped on a pair of deep blue eyes staring directly at her. She stopped dead in her tracks. There was no mistaking the shock of spiky blond hair she hasn't seen since Nibelheim.
Cloud was sitting with Genesis at a table outside the café, although he didn't seem to be listening to whatever the director was saying at that point. Tifa felt a telltale blush seeping into her cheeks as he continued to stare at her. Forcing her feet to move, she tore her eyes away and quickly approached them. She desperately tried to avoid Cloud's gaze, but she knew that he still hadn't taken his eyes off of her. The thought only added heat to her face.
Genesis belatedly realized that Cloud was no longer listening to him and was instead gaping over his shoulder. He turned around to see Tifa approaching. "Ah, you're here!" he said with a smile.
Tifa nodded numbly, still unable to really lift her gaze any higher than the tabletop.
Looking back and forth between a staring Cloud and a flustered Tifa, Genesis's smile widened. "This is fantastic, it seems that you two already have an attraction to each other!" He laughed as Tifa quickly looked at the ground and Cloud jumped, reddening considerably.
"You didn't tell me that she was coming," Cloud said weakly.
"I thought it'd be a nice surprise." Genesis beamed. "I wanted you two to meet each other well before everyone else."
Tifa dared a glance at Cloud, avoiding his eyes. "Actually, we already know each other," she said softly.
The look on Genesis's face could be described as conspiratorial. "Ah, so this is why Cloud's friend had referred me to Tifa," he said thoughtfully. Tifa's eyes widened at this revelation, and she finally looked up at Cloud, who was suddenly avoiding her gaze.
"I invited you two here to introduce you and to get a gauge of your chemistry," Genesis explained. "It somewhat slipped my mind as Lazard and I were talking about casting Tifa. But it appears that there's nothing to worry about." His eyes were twinkling with delight.
"But our characters aren't love interests, are they?" Tifa asked with some confusion.
"Not quite, but they care for each other greatly," Genesis said. "Not to mention, you two are a little more important than the other leads. How you work together will be more important than any other relationship on set. So I'm thrilled that you two already know each other. Old friends?"
Cloud finally looked up at Tifa, and she offered a small smile. The corner of his mouth lifted in response. "We grew up in the same town," he said.
Genesis chuckled. "It seems that you have a lot of catching up to do. I'm already confident in your chemistry, so how about I leave you to it?" He was already getting up.
"Already?" Tifa and Cloud asked together.
"I have a sense for this kind of thing," Genesis said with a wink. "Besides, I think it's better if I leave you two alone. I'll call you both when we set up a day for a joint screen test."
Tifa almost protested, too embarrassed to be left alone with Cloud already. But to her surprise, Cloud nodded. "We'll see you later, then." With a grin, Genesis was gone.
Tifa felt at a loss of what to say or do next. She eyed the now empty seat where Genesis was sitting, figuring that she should probably sit down for a start. Suddenly feeling much more self-conscious, she slid onto the chair and faced Cloud. His blue eyes were piercing, but gentle. "Tifa," he murmured.
"Hey, Cloud," she said softly. "I see you've been well."
He grunted in reply. So he still wasn't a big talker. Tifa shifted uncomfortably at his unreadable eyes. He wasn't…disappointed to see her, was he?
"So…I have your friend to thank for this, huh?" she said, searching for a topic.
Cloud looked away. Was he…embarrassed? "He thought you'd be good for the role," he said.
"Because we already know each other?"
He shrugged.
Tifa's head was swimming for something to continue the conversation. What the heck, I might as well. Reunions are supposed be at least a little sappy. "It's really good to see you," she said honestly.
Cloud seemed to have been caught off-guard. His eyes shot up, slightly wide with surprise. Then it quickly melted away into a smirk. "Really good, huh?" he said.
Now Tifa was the one caught off-guard. She couldn't help raising an eyebrow at his response. All Tifa had seen of Cloud for the past few years was whatever she saw in magazines and on screen. She had no idea how he had changed since she last saw him in Nibelheim, but he already seemed distant from the shy little boy she had known from her childhood. She didn't know how much she liked it.
"Well, it is!" Tifa said. When his smirk widened, she decided that this was a good opening. "You've come a long way from Nibelheim," she added.
Cloud folded his arms and leaned back in his chair. "Not just me," he said. "I saw Starry Promises the other day. It's really good."
Really? He seemed to be surprising her in every way. "It's nothing big," Tifa said. "Really, it's overhyped in my opinion.
"Overhyped?" Cloud lifted an eyebrow. "Why are you downplaying it? You did an amazing job. You deserve all the hype over it."
Tifa blushed at the sudden compliment. Suddenly, she felt a little bolder. "And what about you, 'Hottie of the Year'?" she teased.
"Hey, I have no say in what those magazines publish!" But Cloud was chuckling. Tifa joined him, and the discomfort finally felt like it was beginning to dissolve.
"But who would've thought that we'd reunite like this?" Cloud continued.
"Leading costars for a Genesis Rhapsodos movie?" Tifa shook her head. "If someone told me that a few years ago, I wouldn't have believed them. It seems too improbable."
"It takes some getting used to," Cloud admitted. "I'm still not used to it."
"Not just that part." Tifa laughed. "I mean the chances of meeting again like this."
Cloud gave her a cheeky grin. "Well, we are both actors. Come to think of it, how'd you end up acting anyway?"
Tifa shrugged. "I wanted to get out of Nibelheim," she said. "People wouldn't think a small town girl would get anywhere, so I looked for something in the city. Then I found out that I really liked acting."
The blond smiled. "Sounds like something you'd do," he commented.
She had to smile back. He was beginning to sound more like the Cloud she remembered. "And what about you? You left Nibelheim so unexpectedly…"
Cloud suddenly furrowed his brow. He shrugged, and looked away. "Same kinda reason, I guess," he said slowly. "Wanted to get out of there."
He was hiding something. Now she was certain of it. But Tifa remembered that even back when they were kids, trust was earned very carefully with him. She wasn't about to risk that by prodding any more than necessary. She'd brush it off and let it pass.
"I mean, can anyone blame us? It's such a small village, and nothing ever happens there." Tifa shrugged.
Cloud's expression was unreadable. He seemed to be wavering back and forth, she realized. But no matter what he was hiding, Tifa wanted to be his friend. The mercenary and the bartender were childhood friends that reunited after several years. It seemed funny how that part of the story paralleled theirs. Tifa wasn't asking for a play-by-play, but she was hoping to finally get to know Cloud a little more.
"Crap, I'm sorry." Cloud shook his head as though he were clearing it. "We've been sitting here for a while but I didn't bother asking if you wanted anything."
"Huh?"
He motioned with his head to the café front behind him. "Do you want coffee or something?"
It was such an insignificant little thing, but for some reason, the gesture was reassuring to Tifa. She smiled. "I'd like that," she said.
Cloud wasn't sure what to make of the situation. Tifa wasn't guarded. If anything, she sounded happy to see him.
Something wasn't adding up, and Cloud didn't like it. He was still content to listen as Tifa chattered about a bar she often went to with her friends. He really couldn't help the small smile that he knew was stuck on his face. With her, he wasn't an outcast or a glorified piece of meat. Tifa just treated him…like Cloud.
It was almost as if...she forgot. Cloud couldn't find any other reason for her carefree attitude. Tifa didn't seem to radiate any kind of spite or hurt. If anything, she should be yelling at him for being a coward, for all those years ago. Why didn't she remember anyway? Of all people, Tifa should've remembered the most. She was the one who got hurt the most…
He quickly decided to shake those thoughts for now. It was too risky to ask and Tifa's response was too unpredictable at the moment. Cloud wondered how long it would take for the truth to come out.
He refocused his attention on Tifa, who was still going on about the bar owner's daughter with shining eyes. She had only grown more beautiful since he last saw her. When Cloud first caught sight of her, walking towards the café, he immediately found himself entranced. For a long time, Tifa had only been a fleeting memory, one that left a bittersweet hollow in his chest. Now here he was, sitting right in front of her for the first time in years, and he can hardly breathe.
Shiva, how he wanted to take off his mask for her. Tifa was acting friendly and open enough for him to want to end his charade. But in the case that she remembers why he left Nibelheim, or if it's brought up, he couldn't risk it. Cloud didn't know if he could take the hurt that would come. More importantly, he didn't know if she could take the feeling of betrayal if she found out. No, it was probably better if he kept the mask on, to minimize the inevitable collateral damage. If he opened up too much, if they got too close...
"Cloud?" He blinked, and met Tifa's wine-colored eyes. The same eyes he admired since he was a little boy. "Did you hear me?"
Embarrassed, he scratched the back of his head before shaking it.
Tifa laughed. "I said, maybe I can bring you to the bar sometime."
The bar? Right, Seventh Heaven. "Yeah, that would be nice," Cloud said without thinking further.
She beamed. "Well here, why don't we exchange numbers and you can give me a call when you're free," Tifa said. She turned to rummage inside her bag.
Cloud nodded numbly as he pulled out his own. Tifa obviously wasn't hiding any contempt, unless she was as good of an actress for reality as she is on screen. Is hanging out more really a good idea?
The mask. It should be okay as long as you keep your distance.
"You'd better call, okay?" Tifa said with a smile as she handed his phone back. "It can't hurt to catch up more outside of work."
"Yeah." Cloud realized that sounded like Tifa was ready to leave. "It's really good to see you, Tifa," he said without thinking.
She gave him a sly grin. "Really good, huh?" she said mockingly.
Cloud shrugged and smirked in response. "Guilty."
That earned a laugh from her, which made his heart tighten in his chest. "I'll see you later, Cloud," Tifa said.
He nodded. "Later, Tifa."
As Cloud walked around the corner to where his motorcycle was parked, he narrowed his eyes at a man with a camera around his neck. He already knew that the man held pictures of him and Tifa sitting in front of the café, but learned long ago that fighting with the paparazzi was a lost cause. The only solution was to simply resorting to the typical hats and sunglasses to conceal his identity when he wanted privacy. He didn't necessarily hate them, but they were the mosquitoes of his existence. On the occasion that Cloud forgot that he was a high-profile celebrity, he'd find himself caught off-guard and getting mobbed. He shivered at the memories of such occasions.
Fortunately, news of him and Tifa being casted for Genesis's movie should ward off any ridiculous rumors that were bound to spring up in the tabloids. He had his fair share of being roped into cringe-worthy relationship speculations before flatly denying all of them. Not that he would mind being mistaken for being in a relationship with Tifa…Ifrit, what was wrong with him?
He had been so resolved to wear the mask to protect not just himself, but Tifa too. He didn't anticipate how hard it would be to wear it around her.
