Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Obsession ❯ Four ( Chapter 6 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

This fanfiction was created for entertainment purposes only. Standard Disclaimers apply.

If I lay here

If I just lay here…

Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

-Snow Patrol, Chasing Cars

A breeze passed, gently bending the leaves of the grass in a way that she could only describe as serene as she gazed about the landscape around her once more.

Closing her eyes, Tifa smiled.

It felt good to be rid of the chaotic thoughts that always seemed to plague her mind. Crushing the blades of grass situated beneath her palms, she lay there on the ground losing herself in this tiny moment of peace, if only for a minute.

They say happiness only comes in those few fleeting moments where we get to be truly ourselves Tifa. So now can you tell me…have you ever been truly happy?

A sakura petal lazily drifted downwards, landing on her cheek and a pale hand reached out to take it just as it came in contact with her skin. Eyes snapping open, she took in the small smile splayed on his face and the petal clutched in between his fingers.

“Sorry. Did I disturb you?”

She chose to ignore the question and instead sat up, eyes staring at the distance taking in the beautiful scenery of majestic mountains, willowy trees and the many beautiful things that composed nature, right in front of them.

After awhile she said, “Thanks for bringing me here.”

Following her stare he nodded then inhaled deeply; leaning back to relax at the trunk of the sakura tree behind him.

He was glad she seemed to be enjoying it.

Turning to her he watched the way her hair billowed out gently as the wind picked it up, before falling back into place after its passing. Fisting the hand that wanted to reach out and touch it just to see if she were really here and not some celestial being materialized just to taunt him, he turned away and to distract himself focused on the horizons once more.

It was his idea that they spend the day here.

They had been seeing each other for two weeks now with Cloud none the wiser.

Tifa had simply bought another ribbon and chair to replace the one she had broken at home and commented a wide-eyed “I wonder who would do this?” when they had found out about the desecrated statues.

It also helped that Cloud's absences became more frequent till it reached the point where he only came home once per week.

She remembered scolding him slightly out of anger and worry, but mostly out of fright and paranoia at a voice slightly higher than the norm that,

“How can you be taking so many jobs at once? Do you think yourself invisible now Cloud? Or is this another punishment or form of penance for losing Aeris? We don't need more money we have enough. So why--“stopping abruptly when he held up a hand, she stared at him, mouth tilting downwards when he simply replied

“Don't worry so much. You'll find out soon enough.”

She hadn't been able to sleep that night.

Or the other four nights after that.

Simply thinking about the implications was enough to drive her to a frenzy the days following.

Enough for her mask to almost slip when a customer commented on how lovely she was but unfortunate to have still remained single for so long. She had nodded amiably and through gritted teeth asked Marlene to please watch the counter for her while she used the bathroom.

After closing the door with a slam she turned on the shower to drone out the noise of her screams being muffled through biting the trembling hand that so badly wanted to slap the woman's face for her insensitive words.

She came out an hour later refreshed and ready to face another day, with a smile on her face and a bandage wrapped around her wrist; the only sign that reminded her of how less than refreshed she had felt earlier.

It didn't help either that the lingering looks she received from Vincent simply reeked `suspicious' every time the two of them were present in the same room. She thanked God Cid and Barrett had come to visit the following day.

Vincent wasn't a fan of loud noises, and it doesn't get any louder when you have Barrett's booming laughter paired with Cid's high-pitched keening as a sound system in the background.

The poor man had said to her later in quiet words that he'd be back in the next two days. She replied with a disappointed nod, telling him to have a safe trip and a hope to see you soon. Mentally patting herself in the back for the good job done, she had locked up the bar later on and went back to his motel for some much needed rest.

Yes, rest.

She couldn't pinpoint when exactly Yazoo had changed from a simple nuisance to something she looked to for comfort, but she had simply waved that thought away deeming it unimportant.

While yes, he looked like Sephiroth and as a matter of fact is his clone but thing is, the only similarities between them were the hair and perhaps sometimes…theeyes.

He had asked her if she wanted to go out with him that afternoon.

Raising an eyebrow at the question she had studied him searching for any signs of ulterior motives and tilted her head when she found none. Yazoo's reply was to simply raise both hands in a placating gesture saying

“You look more stressed lately. And I just wanted to help.”

She nodded sharply, marching towards the door and opening it, telling him in dead tones to “Lead the way.”

And then much to her delight and surprise he brought her…here.

“How did you know?”

“How did I know what?”

She plucked off the petal he held in between his fingers and released it, eyes following as it drifted off towards another direction before focusing on him once more. “That I needed this? That I was more stressed? That I was tired?” Hand clutching his wrist and clamping down on it in a firm grip; she tugged his hand to her saying in a no-nonsense voice emphasizing the importance of her question,

“How did you know?”

He smiled and caressed the hand gripping his wrists. “It's in your eyes Tifa.”

Leaning towards her so their foreheads touched he whispered,

“Believe it or not. I feel them too. Your anger, your sorrow, your jealousy, often times your hate. I…I feel them too.”

“You're delusional.”

Snatching back her hand when he held it tighter she stood up turning her back on him with the intention of going home. The bastard's words were enough to place a permanent chill on her bones and she was going back.

Even if she had to walk all the way there.

The click of what sounded like a gun being triggered was heard and she stopped dead. Spine rigid in anticipation, mentally calling herself ten-times the fool, Tifa slowly turned to look at him, left foot poised ready to run just incase he decided to shoot.

Opening and closing the lighter he held making the sound of its clicks continuous, Yazoo smirked the cigarette stick moving along with his lips at the action. Clicking it closed for the last time, he placed it back in his pocket and winked at the glowering woman in front of him. Taking the cigarette from his lips he blew out the smoke and with a grin answered,

“It looks like I'm not the only one living in delusions Tifa.”

Her hands clenched, the cocky son-of-a-bitch had the gall to scare her.

Walking forward and coming to a stop a hairs-breath away in front of him. She took the cigarette in between his lips and threw it way without so much of a thought. Breaths mingling she softly asked,

“Mind running that by me again Yazoo?”

He smirked murmuring “Gladly.” before closing the distance in between their lips.

And as their bodies joined in a familiar dance between two lonely strangers seeking comfort from a cold world, Tifa thought…it wasn't such a bad thing.

Even if fate seems to have a sick fondness of toying with their lives, in the end it wouldn't matter. If this thing between them led to her ruin or his, she would just have to wait it out and see.

For when the time came for the shit to finally hit the fan, she would just look back at it with a laugh saying that, yes.

She had a blast, because for once she…

She was herself.

And she…

She was happy.

Hopping from foot to foot both hands in between her legs, Marlene could almost cry with the need to use the bathroom. She pounded on the door behind her almost screaming “Denzel, please! I really really need to use the bathroom now.”

A groan coming from inside was her reply and a pained “I'm sorry Marlene. I'm using it too. Just use the one in Tifa's room the lock is by the shelf beneath the counter. Please just go--“but Marlene wasn't there anymore.

She was already racing up the stairs and after opening the lock to Tifa's room, ran towards the bathroom; immediately closing it after entry. When she had successfully finished her business, she flushed the toilet and opened the faucet to wash her hands. Glancing around the bathroom eyes studying the black and white tiles in the floors, Marlene frowned.

Tifa had always said her bedroom was off-limits when she wasn't around and especially her bathroom. She wondered why though. There wasn't anything different when compared with the bathroom downstairs except perhaps this one was smaller.

Turning towards the mirror in front of her she studied herself and fixed her braid when she found a lock out of place. As she was doing so, the lock to her favorite bracelet loosened and dropped to the floor with a small `ping'. Immediately crouching down to retrieve it she took the band when she found it on the floor and was faintly surprised to find a hidden cabinet at the wall near it.

The cabinet was below the sink and its doors were painted white to match the wall making it to appear invisible unless you looked really closely.

Now, Marlene was a curious child by nature, and as children tended to do when a mystery presented itself…she investigated.

The door opened with a small creak and her eyebrows scrunched at the objects she found inside.

Medicine?

How boring.

They were supposed to be gold or treasures or even beautiful dolls Tifa had stashed away but instead they were plastic white bottles that rang a pleasing sound like small pebbles being rattled when you shook it.

Hands closing around the plastic container she clutched it to her chest wondering,

`Why would Tifa need medicine?'

Shaking it again her frown deepened when she found that, yes it had been used often because of the small amount left inside.

`Is Tifa sick?'

At the sound of the front door opening and along with it Cloud's voice, her eyes lit up. Cloud was back! She could ask him about the medicine.

She raced down the stairs cheerily announcing “Cloud! Cloud! You're back! Look at what I found.” only stop when she reached the room. Panting heavily she placed a hand on the doorknob to support her weight; a huge smile on her face when she spotted Cloud talking to Vincent by the bar. Walking towards them she held up both hands showing them the medicine she discovered during her short adventure to Tifa's bathroom.

The two men stopped from their quiet conversation at the statement and glanced at the child who seemed to be holding something up for the two of them to see.

“Marlene, wha--?” question dieing down his throat when their eyes landed at the object Marlene held in between her fingers, Cloud stared at it in shock.

The glass he held slipped from numb fingers before crashing down to the floor to break into a thousand tiny pieces.

They were birth control pills.

A/N: I altered birth pills to fit in bottles for the fic. It comes in packets so make no mistake. Don't forget to Read and Review!