Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Obsession ❯ Five ( Chapter 7 )

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

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Reno sighed for the umpteenth time that day and glanced at his partner who had the same weary expression plastered on his face. “Fuck! Boss sure knows how to whip ass doesn't he?” Rude's answer was to give a “hmm” of agreement.

Well now that it was clear they both agreed on that, the red head turned to look forward staring at the vaguely familiar establishment in front of them and gave a small sigh of relief. It was a club and clubs led to food and drinks. Plus, it was still relatively early in the afternoon meaning, the place was either armed with a costumer or two most probably none at all.

Exactly what they needed.

Walking towards the direction of the building, he glanced upwards at the sign on top of the entrance and smirked. Now he remembered why it was so familiar.

Mike, a buddy of his, had raved on and on about a club called `Muse' saying in exaggerated tones that it was literally “the shit”. Well, maybe he could convince Rude to stick around and get to see the view of the place during the night. After all, clubs were only worth something during nightfall.

He stopped and glanced at Rude contemplating his choices.

One, he could twist the man's words earlier making it out like it was his idea that they stay for awhile to relax and eat.

Two, he could blackmail the guy and even serve as pay back for having to endure Rufus' wrath alone while he just stuck to the corner listening.

Or three, they could always just settle this with the delicate art of coin tossing…Provided it was Rude's Gil of course.

After a minute of careful deliberation he finally decided on choices one and three.

Hey, who was he to reject a perfect opportunity of free gil?

Eyes rolling behind his glasses when Reno turned to face him with the trademark smirk usually leading to more trouble no doubt; Rude gave an inaudible sigh and prepared himself to refuse whatever scheme his partner had concocted now.

“Hey Rude what do you say we stick around and get some much needed R and R? We're both hungry and this is the last stop on our list so it's just fair right?”

“No.”

“What do you mean no? Didn't you just say you were tired and hungry too? Been eatin' your words now buddy?”

“I never - “

“I say we settle this in a coin toss.”

“I saidno Reno.”

“So not only do you eat your words, you're scared of a little competition too!”

“I said - “

“Oh ho. So he is scared! What's the matter buddy? Can't handle the shame when I whip your ass?”

“We have our orders to finish the rounds and report back once it's done Reno. And when I say no I mean NO.”

Reno turned away with a mocking smirk and shrugged. “Sure man, whatever you say.”

Rude stared.

Then just as the red head took two steps to walk away muttered a resigned,

“Fine.”

Immediately groaning when when the red head whooped in victory, he tossed him a coin knowing Reno would just snatch it without his permission anyway. Nodding when it turned out to be heads meaning his partner won, they approached the building about to enter.

Well, he consoled himself. It couldn't be that bad right? It wasn't like they would find a lead in this place so it was just a temporary break. Glancing back at the motel across the street, he made a mental note to remind Reno they needed to check it out later. They had skipped this place last month, thinking that one of the clones couldn't possibly stumble here it being too far away from the site of the fight and being too small to conceal something as obvious as a silver haired man with no money or family.

Placing a hand to keep the door from swinging shut, Rude followed suite after Reno entered. Surely it wouldn't hurt to take a break he thought. A small growl erupted from his stomach in response, causing the nearby waiter to hide a smile and Reno to snicker at the sound.

Nope, no harm at all. It was about damn time they take a break anyway.

He was famished.

Eyes furitively scanning the interior of the club, the duo proceeded to approach the bar where a man in uniform, most likely the bartender, eyed them nervously and asking their order when they took a seat.

After they finished ordering a drink, Reno gave a loud yawn of boredom. Just as expected, the place was dead in the daylight. Picking up the glass when the bartender placed it at the counter, he tossed the drink in one gulp and gave a drawn out sigh of pleasure. The feel of alcohol burning its way down his throat was just what he needed.

Twisting around to face the man with the intent of asking questions to get their job over and done with, both partners raised an eyebrow when the reply they received was a shaky gulp and to clutch the glass he held tighter, almost robotic in motion with the stiff way he held the wine glass wiping it clean.

Well, this was interesting.

It didn't take a genius to figure out that the person had something to hide if he was this discomfited.

Leaning forward, he braced both elbows on the table to support his upper weight and drawled out a lazy “So…Seen anything suspicious lately?” a glance at the nametag “Phil?”

Phil faced them and gulped. He knew who the two were of course. You had to live under a rock to not know something as critically important as the Turks. He had been thankful last month perhaps thinking that they thought there was nothing of importance in his club. Placing the wine glass back to the case for fear of it slipping due to the amount of sweat being produced in his palms, Phil evened out his breathing and answered a surprisingly calm,

“Not that I know of sir.”

Rude gave a hmm of contemplation. And his mask of calmness almost cracked.

That guy with the shades was ten times creepier than grinning man who perhaps tried to mimic fire for a hair. See, Phil here was not a fan of UFO's and any of those E.T. crap. And Rude was just fortunate enough to remind him of one of those agents in Men in Black.

Minus the hair of course.

The increase of nervousness he displayed did not go unnoticed to the two and Rude inwardly smirked. This would be sooo easy. Leaning his head back he tilted it side to side, bones ominously cracking with the motion.

Phil shuddered.

Reno let out a wild grin.

Perfect.

“Oh what's that Rude? You think so too huh?”

Reno turned to Phil and jerked his head to the side indicating Rude as he said,

“Heard that Phil? Seems like me and my buddy here both think you've got somethin' to hide.”

Green eyes narrowed. “We don't really like liars do we Rude?”

“Aa.”

Reno stood up and twirled the Steel Pipe he held before smacking it to the counter, shaking the table and causing the terrified man to jump when it landed.

“Jumpy.” He murmured in a suave tone.

“Now, why don't you just tell us what we need to know Phil before my buddy here gets really angry.”

Rude stood to back up Reno's threat and swiped at the juice that had managed to fly to his cheek when Reno hit the table. Placing both feet apart as was his customary stance, he leveled an even stare at the trembling man in front of him and only said one word.

“Talk.”

And it was enough to break Phil's carefully placed resolve not to babble about other people's business. And leave him panting for breath after he recounted word per word about every single inebrated patron who shared their most darkest secrets to a 'compassionate' bartender until finally, it lead to what his waiter John told him two weeks prior; about the suspiciously polite silver haired customer who never came back to pay for his untouched drink.

As the seventh heaven bar came to view Tifa sighed and surprisingly felt disappointed that the time she shared with Yazoo had to end so soon. It was funny she thought, as she kicked a pebble to the side, how easily she could develop attatchments to a man she barely even knew.

And as if it weren't bad enough, a dangerous one at that.

Nearing the bar, she smiled when she saw Vincent once again seated outside waiting for her. It had come to be common sight after all. And she thought it slightly endearing that the reclusive man always made a point to make sure they were all safe.

What wasn't normal though was the narrow eyed stare he gave as he watched her. It was like he was looking for something…she inwardly smirked. If she had a past life, she didn't doubt one minute that her job was that of an actress.

She perfected schooling her expressions so much so it came as naturally as breathing.

Or so she liked to think.

“Hey Vince, what's up?” Vincent nodded in greeting and answered with a “Cloud's inside.” much to her dismay but she beamed at him as was expected when she received those kinds of news and nodded.

“Good. I told Marlene to buy us some tea yesterday so I could prepare one for us if you'd like.” He nodded again and turned to open the door. Pausing just before it opened he turned to her and murmured a quiet,

“You should watch out you know. He isn't particularly happy today.”

Not understanding in the least, she turned to him silently asking to expound more on that statement.

Vincent shrugged and opened the door wider.

It was better if she saw it with her own eyes.

And indeed he wasn't happy.

Seated at the table head bowed as though someone just died, it was almost comical along with the lights turned off add to that the cold atmosphere surrounding them.

She sighed just as he looked up and for a moment she even thought storm clouds gathered on his expression till her eyes sought the object tightly clutched in his hands; the woman immediately sobered thinking.

Yes, happinessis just a fleeting thing.

At the sound of footsteps Cloud looked up, he hadn't even been able to hear them coming in being so caught up in his thoughts. Inwardly berating himself for letting his guard down, he shook himself and stood up.

“Nice to see you're finally home Tifa.”

Tifa smiled, Vincent immediately picking up on its strain as she said.

“Wasn't that my line?”

Cloud stood in answer and placed the bottle by the table to be displayed to all, including Vincent who took a spot at the side observing them. He had flipped the sign to Closed earlier so they wouldn't be having distractions while they had this conversation. He needed to straighten things out. And if Tifa was hiding something, he needed to know about it.

Now.

Not even sparing the bottle a glance, she concentrated on Cloud answering his intense stare with one of her own. They were silent for awhile before Cloud finally couldn't hold back and said,

“Who's the guy Tifa? And why didn't you say anything?”

She raised an eyebrow “I'm not seeing anyone. And as for why I didn't say anything I honestly didn't think you'd care.”

“Bull--“ quickly interrupting his curse with a snap of “Cloud! The kids - ”

“The kids aren't here Tifa. They're with Yuffie and Barrett. I asked them to watch Marlene and Denzel for us so that we could have this conversation.”

He breathed in to calm his temper while she bit a sarcastic “How thoughtful of you." before snatched the pills from the table and placing it in her pocket.

"And I suspect you let them in on your ridiculous suspicions as well?"

When he didn't answer, she took that as confirmation and strode towards the doorway, voice raised to show her anger as she said,

"God, Cloud you can be suchan idiot!" and marched on with the intention of getting out, going to her room for a shower and just forgetting this whole incident ever took place.

A hand gripped her shoulder as she passed Vincent and she stopped.

Eyes fixed at a point in the shelf beyond the open doorway leading upstairs, she waited for the man's words that were sure to come, bracing herself for whatever hit it would inflict.

“You're doing it again.” He murmured slowly releasing her arm.

She turned to look at him. “I'm not doinganything.”

Cloud approached and came to stand in front of her, blocking her path as he said.

“Yes you are. You're running away.”

She took an instinctive step backwards before she noticed what she just did and steeled herself. Holding her ground to stare at him defiantly answering a sharp,

“That's funny Cloud. As far as I remember, you're the one who's been so fond of doing just that.”

Blue eyes narrowed “I was over that because of you Tifa. And you know it.”

"Well that's certainly news to me Cloud."

He took a step forward after that and said “Look Tifa, If you're seeing another man and...” a slight pink tint dusting his cheeks “being…intimate with him” hands forming fists at his side as he continued a “Just say it. So I…” a slight cough from Vincent. “We wouldn't have to worry so much.”

She turned her head unable to look at both of them muttering a tired “It's just birth pills Cloud. What are you so stressed about?”

And here she regained her confidence enough to say a clear,

“The reason I take this is for my period. So there! Satisfied now?”

Oh…

Oh!

“So that's what that was for?”

She stomped towards the counter for a drink and rolled her eyes confirming,

“Yes. That's what that was for.”

Opening the clasp of the mineral water, she drank in large amount of gulps hoping that the water would cool her rising temper and hid a trembling hand beneath the table.

Goddamnit, for a minute she thought that they found out only using the bottle as another proof to back up the statement that she slept around with Yazoo. Throwing the bottle to the trash bin after she was through, she placed a hand on the table to steady herself, her other still continuing to remain hidden when it just wouldn't seem to stop shaking. Thoughts halting when Cloud said,

“I told you it was nothing.”

She lifted the hand when it stopped, both palms now placed in front of the table. Tifa and Vincent both snorted thinking along the same lines of.

Yep...Typical Cloud Strife reaction when subjected to embarassing situations.

And try as he might Cloud couldn't seem to hide the wave of relief he felt at her statement which was why the courage he sought to ask the question came to him in a rush enough for him to throw his head back in laughter and wiping the sweat that had accumulated earlier in his forehead.

Tifa forced on a smile at the sound of his laugh. Hands unconciously clenching on the fabric of her shirt. If it mattered that much to him if she saw someone else how would he react if - ?

“You don't know how glad I am to hear that Tif.”

He raised a hand to rub his neck looking abashed and awkward.

Vincent's eyes narrowed.

“I'm sorry I even suspected you of doing those things it's just…”

The nails forming crescent moon patterns on her palms drew blood as she judged where he was going with this.

“Remember when you asked me what I was saving up for?” cerulean eyes looked down as though he was studying the ground.

“I saw this great place see. It was at Kalm and you know how beautiful the place is right?”

Nobody answered so he forged on despite his nervousness

“Well, I thought it was a great idea if I could build a house. Just like the one you owned in Nibelheim. The one where you and your…family lived in. I've been getting it done for quite sometime…and I'm happy to say it got done two days ago so…”

Vincent pushed himself from the wall and stood up.

Cloud smiled at his friend not meeting his eyes but instead focused on Tifa and smiled reassuringly, while she just stood there eyes and mouth both parted in shock.

“If you're not seeing someone Tif. We could live there and be a family. A real one this time. That is of course if you still--No. Wait. I'm not doing this right.”

He walked towards her, not noticing the hostile aura emanating from the man beside him, nor the opening of the front door, and took her hand in his, fishing out a jewel box from his pocket with his other one and kneeling in front of her.

“Tifa…” he hesitated when he heard the commotion of people coming in before ignoring it and continuing in a shaky tone at first then turning determined as he finished,

“Tifa…Will…Will you marry me?”

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