Disclaimer: Final Fantasy does not belong to me...however much I may like it to. I own no characters, places etc. etc. so please don't sue me! I'm a nice person :)
Author's Note: Chapter Fifteen...PLEASE review as I really enjoy reading your views and they inspire me to get better! It would make me very very happy! Anyway stop reading this and get on with reading the fic! Hope you enjoy! :)
Chapter Fifteen: Isolating Drives and Provocative Conversations
The young woman's crimson-tinted gaze narrowed ever so slightly, as it swiftly became directed to the polished, wooden clock, which hung upon the wall; the mechanical workings ticking away meticulously in an irritatingly perfect rhythm.
Although her eyes took a moment to observe the time displayed with the two, finely crafted hands, she didn't seem to actually take the hour in and instead appeared to simply conclude that the silent minutes were ticking by at a rate not to be abided.
She quickly flicked her eyes back to the plate laid before her; though not without taking a passing glance at the young, fair male whom sat opposite her own form.
Unlike herself, the finely-held President seemed rather unaware of the current tension that lay heavily, with a coupling uncomfortableness, within the surrounding atmosphere, though one might have suggested he was simply more skilled with the art of ignorance.
Tifa's fingers kept their wrapped position around the two, pale-lighted, silver pieces of cutlery, though they were in use at the time, instead they remained stiffly held, hovering about the plate with an uneasy stillness.
The food had been really, very nice, and there was little of it left upon the pure, white china, which had now become prey to a few, thin tracks of sauce, and uneaten potatoes, but there was no denying that this dinner felt, and indeed appeared to be starkly different from the last shared with the President.
For one thing, they were at his home.
* * * Flash Back * * *
A slight, high-end squeak sounded, as the driver's leather-clad hands pressed tensely around the perfectly-formed steering wheel.
This time Rufus hadn't bothered with the privacy screen, obviously aware of her discomfort, of diminished energy; it had quite clearly been a trying day for the young female.
Tifa could not be exactly sure how long they had been travelling for, though it definitely didn't seem like it was, or would be a short trip.
Her stomach gave a small, empty flutter as the realisation of just how isolated she may soon become, after her exit from the vehicle, hit her like a EMR to the head.
His house could, and in fact appeared to be situated in a rather distant location, even if the President himself could make a swift journey to the city, or make an easy exit, it would no-doubt be a lot harder for her to do the same.
She'd have no transport, no way of contacting anyone, and no real idea of what path to take if she chose to walk away.
The young female was good, and truly at Rufus's mercy.
Tifa emitted a silent, ever so slightly pained sigh, as she tilted her head to lie upon the leathered head rest, so her gaze was directed purely at the vehicle's slick windows.
Of course it was a rather pointless gesture; the supposed windows were, themselves, blacked-out.
It wasn't surprising in anyway; after all the vehicle was used by the President, and not only did he like his privacy, he liked everyone else to know he could buy it.
Commoners could watch on as it drove through their darkened streets, knowing for a fact that one of the most powerful men resided within, metres away, and yet was sealed off from them completely.
It had come across her mind that he could have, if he wished had paid for windows which gave a clear view out, whilst only displaying dark-cloaked screens to the observers, and yet these windows were distinctly smoked.
She wondered if he ever admired a view, or took a moment to appreciate a piece of art.
The whole idea seemed so surreal, and yet extremely intriguing to her.
Could he really ever be like a normal person?
Did he ever watch bad daytime chat shows?
Did he ever sit down to a glass of milk and a good book?
Did he ever hum in the shower?
Did he ever stay up longer to watch a thunderstorm play out?
Did he ever want to be a doctor or a pilot?
Did he ever eat in bed?
Did he ever daydream about stupid little things?
Did he ever wish he could have a smaller nose?
Did he ever wish he could be someone else, even for a day?
A month ago she wouldn't have cared either way, she wouldn't even have thought about it, but now, for some reason still clouded to her, she wanted to know every little thing.
She wanted to know him better than anyone.
What's happening to me…
Tifa rubbed a close finger lightly across her brow, though still remained gazing into the greyed car-window.
The coloured glass was dull and ever so slightly dreary, but it was better than staring at the driver's capped-head.
It wasn't so much that the quiet was 'boring' or 'annoying' to her, but more, 'strange', and maybe even a little 'worrying' because she found it alright.
It had become comfortable to her.
As if she'd been there with him a million times before.
The idea, coupled with the silence, unsettled her to the point that she had, in fact, been unable to make eye-contact with the young male since their entrance into the vehicle.
She had been so intent on her ignorance of the present, Tifa almost didn't notice the gentle rumble emitted by the engine as it came to a sudden, yet soft stop outside the young male's home.
Soon enough the driver departed from the vehicle and had arrived outside the door upon the young female's side.
The metallic panel swung open with a seamlessly controlled grace, one that had all the air of being of so natural, and yet was so knowingly trained.
She stepped out with a slight awkwardness; her nerves, coupled with the hit of the cold, prickling air, causing her body to partially lose control and give way to the odd wobble, or changing glance.
When the young brunette made to turn, she found herself met with the familiar form of Rufus, whom had seemingly made his own way out of the vehicle; obviously not keen to wait for the driver to make his way round to his side.
For a moment she thought he'd displayed a hint of human emotion, and had actually taken the initiative to act for himself, though the thought was short lived, as she caught the scowl he swiftly directed at the driver.
He was angry that he had not been seen to first.
So much for common courtesy…
It was somewhat obvious that the President didn't appreciate coming second, as he motioned a quick, and somewhat 'warning' gesture to the driver, who darted back within the vehicle with a great deal less grace than he had exited with.
The engine made to start up once again, and soon enough it was gliding away and off through a completely different road than the one that they must have taken.
Tifa took a few steps forward and up to the pathway, where she came to stop beside the young male.
Her mouth neither dropped nor emitted a gasp when her crimson-tinted gaze fell upon the looming building, whose foundation lay rooted a mere six metres from her.
It was not that the structure wasn't impressive, far from it; the place was as large, and as daunting as any home would be when belonging to such an influential and wealthy male.
But that was exactly it; it had been expected.
Though, that being said, there was still one thing that seemed to claw uneasily within her.
For all its finery and expensive construction, the whole building emitted a feeling of pure and utterly untouched emptiness.
If it had been her own home, she would have never wished to enter it.
And she knew the inside would be just as hollow, just as bare, though not through lack of items, or decorations.
With the taking of a small, stiffed breath, Tifa began towards the exquisite, wooden frame, each echoing step matching the one of the male by her side.
* * * End Flash Back * * *
Rufus sliced through a piece of potato upon his place withan astounding grace, before proceeding to place and chew it with the same tailored silence, which seemed quite unbelievable to Tifa and yet she would have expected no less from him.
The brunette eyes fell down to her own plate once again, as she observed the half-cleared surface.
Although she was still somewhat suffering from the pounding hunger which had set upon her earlier, the meal's remains gave little comfort to her.
It was almost as if the troubled nerves had begun to rage her body to such a limit that the entrance of food would no longer be permitted.
Her gaze narrowed slightly as she continued to stare at the small mass with an almost weak determination.
Eventually the young woman seemed to cave, as her arm muscles relaxed, and loosened the grip upon the cutlery, whilst her entire form appeared to drop, and a quiet sigh found its way past her pale, pink lips.
I shouldn't have agreed to this…
As the unmoving silence persisted, every particle inside her screamed with a futile warning; the reaction now to late to matter.
She shouldn't have come here.
She shouldn't have agreed.
She should have just declined and walked away, back to the safety of her own, comfortable flat above Seventh Heaven.
But the fact was she hadn't.
For some reason, Tifa had accepted, and quite willingly at that.
But why had that been?
Sure the young President was attractive in an extremely charming and handsome sort of way, but he was also probably the most conceited, evil, socially and mentally immoral man she'd ever had the misfortune to know.
And yet here she was.
Rufus seemed to have finally taken note of his guest's reluctance to consume the food laid upon her plate and after swiftly flicking his chilled gaze up to meet her own, his familiar, straight tone sounded.
"You should eat."
Although she tried to keep the quiver from her voice, the young brunette found her response to be rather muted.
"One of my best friend's is in hospital, hooked up to a life-support machine…"
She traced a fingertip over the plate's rim as her gaze lowered slowly.
"It's hardly surprising that I've lose my appetite."
A moment passed, in which neither spoken a word, nor gestured, though eventually, a thought passed through Tifa's mind, one which she felt a need to air.
"Though I see you're having no problems…"
She could not stop her eyes from widening when the young male appeared to emit a deepened chuckle.
His eyes flashed brightly with a sort of delight at her testing comment.
"Why should I?"
Tifa took a few seconds to compose herself, and this time she made sure her tone was unfaltering.
"Because this is your fault."
The President's lips hinted at a smirk, though it never reached full potency.
"Poppycock."
He emitted a seemingly long held sigh, as his form leaned forward, so as to close a small degree of distance between them.
"This is Reno's fault."
This bold and composed statement was one of such daring offence that Tifa could do little to withhold her outrage.
She slammed one of her palms down upon the table with such a controlled force than the wood appeared to tremble.
"How?"
Although he took a great deal of pleasure from the young woman's outburst, Rufus took heed not to display it.
His hands clasped together as his form relaxed back into the well-structured dining room chair.
"He was the one who slipped up and got himself shot."
For a moment it appeared that the young woman would, once again, make some threatening gesture, and although her body did tense up, it was soon forced to relax.
Her eyes rested calmly upon the male's own, as she raised a solitary eyebrow.
"Well what about the rest of it…?"
She had no doubt that he knew what she meant, though he still persisted on emitting nothing but air, so after only the briefest of moments, the young brunette chose to elaborate enough so that, even Rufus, could not deny his already held knowledge.
"Everything else you've done."
His brow rose, though not with surprise or even the amusement she'd been so very much on the brunt of, but rather more out of curiosity.
Much to her annoyance, the President seemed insistent upon not saying a single word, and even though she made many a hinting facial gesture to display her want for a response, she received no such thing.
She sighed with an edge of frustration, before crossing her arms and once again latching her warm, burning gaze onto his own, icy one.
"Did you see anything interesting? In my bar…with those little cameras of yours…"
Rufus neither smiled, nor averted his eye line.
"What did I see?"
He lifted his wine glass and after taking a light, smooth sip, he lowered it just as carefully.
"I saw a woman."
Tifa's brow furrowed; it was not the answer she expected.
"Is that all?"
The young male took in a deep, yet controlled breath.
"I saw a woman alone."
Although her brow decreased, and a small, sarcastic chuckle escaped her lips, she was still unable to completely hide her confusion.
"I think I'd remember if I'd had no customers, and Yuffie came in more than once-"
She was halted in her rather pitiful response but the young male, whom smirked knowingly at her.
"You can be surrounded by people and be completely alone Miss. Lockhart…"
A lingering silence passed between them, though it was neither uncomfortable nor tense, but rather just 'provocative' in its presence.
An idea seemed to awaken in the young brunette's mind, and although she didn't actually display one, a smirk seeped through into her tone as she spoke.
"Have you learnt that from experience?"
The President's facial muscles twitched, and this time Tifa could not withhold her smile; she'd touched upon something there.
Her arms unlocked as she made to lead closer towards the male, whose body was still parted sufficiently by the table.
"You are just as alone as me…"
She'd hoped this little addition would trouble the young male even more, but instead it appeared to offer him some sort of reasoning escape.
Rufus had been in the process of taking another sip of the ruby shaded wine, and as he lowered the rim, he raised one of the fingers that had been clasped around it, to gesture his need for speech.
"But there in lies the difference…I chose solitude."
An unimpressed huff sounded from the brunette.
"I don't believe that."
Her crimson-tinted eyes bore into his with a slightly biased conviction.
"No-one chooses to be alone."
It was Rufus's turn to be unimpressed now, and as he raised an eyebrow, his lips curled into a glinting sneer.
"And why is that Miss. Lockhart? Because you can't stand it?"
He emitted a dark chuckle, which was neither pleasant in tone nor appearance, as his eyes roamed over the young woman's uncomfortable form.
"Look at yourself, your life has become a wisp of what it once was."
Tifa's jaw clenched as his eyes narrowed, with an intentional velocity, which was full of knowing arrogance.
"And you hate it..."
Her fingers curled into their palms, both needing to hurt and restrain, whilst her once, warm eyes, glistened with a sheen of pricking liquid, which had risen because of something other than hatred.
Usually she wouldn't have thought twice about blaring out some hurtful insult, or raging into her own attack, but the young woman knew he was trying to tempt her to do exactly that, and she wasn't uninhibited enough, at least at that moment, to give him the satisfaction.
Instead she simply blinked away the hot sheen of tears and carefully lifted up the plate before her.
"I'm finished."
The President observed her for only a moment, before rising from his seat and taking the piece of china from her.
"Suit yourself."
The cupboard door closed with a gentle thump, as the cushioned edges collided with one another.
The kitchen was flawless, well, at least to Tifa's eyes.
Each surface appeared to be pristine, and free from the clutter so commonly found upon other people's areas.
Someone might have assumed that the room was actually never in use, and that it rather existed for the stake of displaying its immaculate design, but the young brunette knew he did in fact go in there often.
It was the little touches that gave it away; the one glass with the clouded ring, placed in perfect alignment with the sink, or the jar, which although crafted beautifully, and with the finest glass, was littered with dried tea leaves, as only a few bags remained at the bottom.
I wonder if he takes milk…
The thought only crossed her mind for a moment, before it was gone, but its fleeting presence did arose something smiling inside of her, and yet the raging emotions that had flared earlier still remained dangerously sparked.
Her crimson-tinted gaze glided over the room once more before coming to rest upon the young male, whom was busily separating their used cutlery from their plates.
She hadn't been asked to follow him, if anything, it had been somewhat silently assumed that she would stay seated in the dining room, but that would not do for her, and besides, watching the President tidy up was something too intriguing to miss.
Tifa's lips curled slightly as the male went to close another drawer after setting a pair of placemats within.
The small facial motion did not go unnoticed by Rufus whom halted in step, and furrowed his brow immediately; obviously assuming the reason behind it would offend him in some way.
"What are you smiling at?"
The young woman emitted a small gasp, as her cheeks blushed lightly at the realisation that she'd been spotted, though it only took a moment for her voice to return.
"It's just…"
A slight, nervous smile hinted uncertainly upon her pale pink lips.
"…you doing this. It's…surreal."
His brow relaxed, and yet still remained lowered, demanding silently for her to expand upon her rather bleak explanation.
Tifashifted somewhat self-consciously upon the spot, and her fingertips began to fiddle uneasily with the cold, metallic door knob which rested behind her.
"I just always imagined you'd have servants to do this kind of stuff."
This seemed to both amuse and offend the young male, whom with a controlled grunt quickly set back about his tidying.
Rufus's eyebrow cocked, as he forced a rather too whitened cloth to glide over one of the work surfaces.
"Did you really believe I did nothing for myself?"
Tifa's warm, crimson-tinted eyes gave a gentle flutter.
"Well no…"
Her desperate tone expressed the tense discomfort she felt, though before continuing the young brunette made a conscious effort to pull on a fearless smile.
"Just the everyday things."
Tifa's smile widened into a rather unneeded grin, that had only become present to distract from her following statement, which seemed so ridiculous to her, and yet held some sort of effect.
"It's almost as if you're normal…"
Rufus flinched lightly at the mention of the term 'normal', but the moment soon passed.
After spending the following minutes-worth of silence placing everything within the kitchen back to its state of perfection, the President emitted a sharp gasp, preceded shortly be a sigh which both conveyed offence and slight disappointment.
Tifa's brow furrowed with a hint of interest, though her curious spark was soon quelled when her searching gaze fell upon the source of the male's discomfort.
A small, thin line scarred the tip of the President's finger; the skin supposedly having been torn by some stray wood splinter, or shard of long forgotten plate debris, which had gone unnoticed, though had clearly kept its razor-sharp intent.
A tight, moist flow of brightened crimson soon welled up from within the damaged area, but although the bleeding was small in mass, the young male still made quick work of enwrapping it within the holds of a pale brown plaster.
After placing the red medical box back within the cupboard from which it had just been forced to emerge, the President made to run a stray hand through his silver blonde locks, though he soon stopped mid-motion, when his icy gaze latched onto the young woman, whom stood, staring absorbedly at his now bandaged finger.
Rufus rolled his eyes, whilst a smooth groan sounded from between his pale, thin lips.
"What now?"
Although she was indeed startled, Tifa made a point not to show it.
Instead she inhaled in a deep, calming breath and took a few, confidently knowing steps towards the young male.
Her eyes locked onto his miniature wound once again, whilst she spoke as if quoting from a newspaper.
"…'no one's ever seen him bleed or cry'…"
A dulled chuckle of amusement sounded from the brunette; the movement causing a few dark strands to fall and brush with a soft delicacy upon her pale, porcelain shaded skin.
"It used to be something of a legend...in the slums."
Rufus raised an eyebrow with a testing slowness, and although his eyes expressed something close to a satisfied amusement, his tone was as composed and pompous as ever.
"It's just an idea Miss. Lockhart."
For a few seconds, neither spoke a word, nor moved an inch, until something completely unexpected sparked within the more feminine of the two.
One corner of Tifa's mouth curled upwards into a knowing smirk, as her head lowered, and her feet drew her back, towards the open door frame.
"Still…"
When she reached the carpeted pathway which separated the kitchen from the hall, the young woman flashed a slight, coy smile, before twirling gracefully and making towards the living room, though not before sounding out quietly, and yet loud enough for him to hear;
"…one down."
A/N= Argh! I'm so, so sorry about the lateness of this update, and I know I said it would be out earlier than this, but I've had a lot dumped on my plate recently and I had a slight bout of writer's block which was incredibly irritating.
Also it's my birthday on the 10th…so today! (woop woop) and I'm having a Final Fantasy themed party on Saturday, so I've been planning that! I'm having a Sephiroth cake :D and I'm dressing up as Tifa :D I've got the whole outfit and everything…its pretty awesome stuff XD
The next update WILL be sooner…usually it goes; A chapter for my RufusxTifa fic, a chapter for my RenoxTifa fic, and then a request, before starting it round again…but as I currently don't have any requests I can start work on the next chapter much sooner!
And I know there isn't actually a lot of conversation between Rufus and Tifa in this chapter, but that's because the main bulk of the stuff that I had didn't quite 'fit', but it defiantly fits in more with the next chapter! So don't worry the stuff that I said I had will be included :)
I was actually going to have a completely different ending to this chapter…in fact I had a whole other section planned out, but I realised that it just wasn't right, well just now anyway, because the atmosphere wasn't right, and it needed for something else to happen first…like if I put it in, it would look like I just slapped it in there for no reason, and with no build up…