Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ What's Left of Me ❯ Coming Home ( Chapter 13 )

Disclaimer: FFVII is property of Square Enix, and I'm just borrowing them, but I promise I'll put them back when I'm finished.

 

AN: Sorry it took so long for me to get this up! I've been going back and forth over this for several months now, and I just felt like it was time to get this up and out of the way. The ending might not be so great, but I promise the next chapter will be better, longer, and full of ass-kicking! (Or something like that) Any whooo, happy reading!

 

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The tap water was hot as Vincent let it roll off his shoulders. He closed his eyes as he backed into the stream falling from the faucet, letting it soak his long raven hair, which clung to his wet skin. He could feel his muscles finally relaxing as he leaned against the wall, letting the water gush over him. It had been a long, hard couple of weeks, especially with those psycho Tsviets running around. He had no idea who they were or where they came from, and it didn't make sense to him that they insisted on continuously attacking, but they never actually took any of the mako shards he and the others were working so hard to collect. He was just grateful that they were finally finished and that Reeve and Cid were finally going back to Kalm to do some research on them, finally allowing him to return to Edge, and Tifa. He stood in the shower for a long time, thinking about everything he wanted to say (and do) to her when he saw her again. He smirked a little, before turning off the water and wrapping a towel around his middle.

 

He wiped the fog from the mirror, staring into crimson eyes that were staring right back, a teasing light in them. Oh yes. There were many things he would do to his innocent Tifa when he got back to her. Granted, it would be a day on a commercial airship, as when Cid told him that he and Reeve were heading back to the WRO headquarters, he baled at the soonest chance he got. There was no way in hell those two were going to drag him to Kalm before they let him see Tifa again. No way. So now he was probably going to be stuck on an obnoxiously long flight, between two obnoxiously annoying people, but he would suffer through it. Just for her. Anything for her.

 

He had spoken to her just a few hours earlier, when he checked into the hotel he was to spend the night at, and she had sounded very tired and worn down. Very un-Tifa-like. It had worried him for a while, as he thought he would never get it out of her, but it only took one question to bring a waterfall of suppressed emotion out over the phone. How are Cloud and Marlene? That was it. Before he realized what he had said, she was sniffling and barely able to answer his question between hiccups. Needless to say, Marlene was gone, spending time with Barrett and his wife before he had to return to the dangerous oil fields, and Cloud…..well, Cloud was Cloud, and the moment a comment or a memory hit too close to home, he was gone. Just like that. Without a moment's notice, or even a simple good-bye. Frankly, Vincent didn't know why Tifa didn't just turn him out. He realized that they had been friends for most of their lives, if not all, but he figured it would teach that air-headed blonde to grow a spine. But who was he to come between them? So, instead of saying what he really wanted, he chose to whisper soothing words of encouragement to her, telling her that he would be there soon, and that she needn't worry. Everything was going to be all right. Of course, it didn't change the fact that he felt like a stupid idiot for tearing that wound open, but he supposed, in hindsight, it couldn't have been helped.

 

As far as he knew, Cloud was starting to come around and get over things. He had finally started to behave normally for a change, and Tifa had been ecstatic. That is, until Cloud finally told her how he really felt about her and tried to kiss her. She had told him that everything went downhill from there. She been forced to tell Cloud that she didn't return his feelings, and, to Vincent's dismay, she chose not to tell him about their relationship. This tidbit sent waves of jealousy crashing over him (as if they weren't already, knowing that Cloud had dared to put his hands on Tifa in the first place), but he knew her silence was probably wise. Had she told Cloud about them, it probably would have been simply a matter of time before he came nose to nose with Cloud's Buster sword. And that was a confrontation he was not looking forward to. As much as he loathed the blonde's stupidity about everything, especially in the area of Tifa's heart, Cloud was one of his dearest friends, and he supposed that there were some things better left under the rug for a while.

 

He blinked out of his thoughts, noticing for the first time the way his scorching gaze had darkened to a glare. He smirked again, shaking his head slowly and running a hand through his dripping hair. If he hadn't known it was him staring back, he might have been scared. After dressing in a dark grey undershirt and red silk boxers, and toweling his hair dry, he flopped on the hotel bed, sighing a little. The bed, by far, was not the source of his comfort. In fact, it added to his discomfort, as it wasn't really the bed he wanted to be in, but just being here, knowing that Tifa was only a few hours away, made his body relax, and he fell into a deep sleep that he hadn't been able to succumb to for a long time.

 

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Her body ached. To put it simply, just the thought of seeing Vincent again made her knees go week, and she had to sit down, thinking that she might fall down if she didn't. He would be there in mere hours, and she had no doubt of the things that he was going to do to her when he arrived, mostly because he'd made it a fact to point out to her that she wouldn't be able to walk straight when he got done with her. At the time she'd laughed, but now, with all the tension building inside her, thinking about it simply sent a shiver down her spine. She had barely been able to concentrate on a single word Lucrecia said as they tended the bar, and finally, after noticing her distraction and the flush on her face, Lucrecia sent her to bed early, thinking she was coming down with a fever, and assuring her she could take care of things for a few hours, until closing time. Giving a distracted nod of consent, Tifa had high-tailed it to her room, slamming the door and sitting on her bed.

 

She stared at the door for a long time, chewing her lip. She had received his phone call this morning, letting her know that he was boarding a ship, and it would be late that night when he arrived. With every hour that passed, a knot was steadily forming, and growing, in the pit of her stomach, almost to the point that she didn't think she could bear it for much longer. Sighing, she leaned back on her bed, thinking that maybe she just needed to lie down for a while, and try to rest, and these feelings would go away. She told herself that it was just the stress of everything that had happened lately, with Cloud leaving and everything, and that she was just tired and over-reacting.

 

But those thoughts fled the moment she closed her eyes. She was not over-reacting. She was horny and wished that Vincent would hurry the hell up! She could barely stand it. Sighing tensely, she forced herself to stay calm, and tried to catch some sleep. Heaven knows she'd need it later to keep up.

 

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Lucrecia could feel it. It wasn't anything tangible. It was just this thing in the air, kinda like a smell, except it wasn't. She could just feel it. She didn't know what exactly to make of it, but she knew something, or rather someone, was coming. She kept glancing at the door, feeling him coming steadily closer, the hidden fist of tension in her chest building with each man that walked through the door that wasn't him. Finally, after some weirdo in a cape came in, she growled in frustration, watching as he made his way to the bar. She could feel him nearby, but where was he? She kept expecting to see a dark blue suit, raven hair, and those deep brown eyes, but instead she got nothing.

 

She felt her breath catch in her throat when she felt someone staring at her. She glanced around, gasping when her eyes connected with Creepy Cape Guy's, burning crimson to luminescent green. She watched as his eyes widened in surprise, and he stared at her dumbly for a moment, before they narrowed, as if questioning what the hell was going on. She swallowed, feeling the fist clench tighter as he neared. She could barely find her voice as he stepped to the bar, his gaze boring into hers.

 

“Uh, c—can I help you?” she managed, having to look away, unable to bear the way his eyes seemed to sear into her soul.

 

His voice was deep and smooth as silk when he spoke. “Is Tifa here?” he asked quietly.

 

Lucrecia cleaned a glass for the third time, feeling his eyes on her. “She's taken ill,” she said, looking up hesitantly. “Can I give her message?”

 

“Look,” he said, leaning on the bar. “She's been expecting me.”

 

Lucrecia realized that she couldn't look away as he watched her, his voice slightly anxious, and some fire in his eyes that she couldn't explain. Feeling suddenly apprehensive, Lucrecia's eyes narrowed, and she felt her courage return, saving her from the fluster that had clogged her mind. “I'll let her know you're here and ask her if she'd like to see you,” she said tersely, suddenly very suspicious of the stranger. She watched him nod, satisfied, and she turned and ran up the stairs, taking them two at time. When she got to Tifa's room, she knocked lightly, before letting herself in. She was surprised to see Tifa sleeping lightly, and she walked over to her. “Tifa?”

 

Tifa's hazel eyes fluttered a bit, and she blinked several times before her eyes focused on Lucrecia. She sat up slowly, concern on her face. “What is it?” she asked, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “Is everything alright?”

 

Lucrecia nodded, glancing at the floor. “Yeah, everything's fine,” she said slowly. “It's just….” She frowned as she looked away again. “There's some guy here to see you. He seems kinda shifty, Tifa.” She looked into her friend's eyes, seeing the concern there. “I mean, the dude's wearing a friggin' cape.”

 

Tifa's eyes suddenly widened, and her face paled for a moment, before she suddenly flushed again. “He's here,” she breathed, her hands on her cheeks as she looked away. “Uh, send him up.”

 

Lucrecia's eyes narrowed in confusion, but she turned, going to do as she was told. She was really out of the loop. She had been a little frightened at her friend's reaction, but she figured that Tifa knew the guy, so she made her way slowly down the stairs. When she reached the bar, she walked over to where the mystery stranger leaned against the counter, suddenly feeling flustered again. She hadn't realized it at first, as the sight of this fiery stranger was breath-taking in and of itself, but he was really sexy. She cleared her throat and looked at the floor, tapping the counter anxiously as he looked up.

 

“She said you can come on up,” she said tersely. When she lifted her gaze to glare at him, she was surprised to see him nearly halfway to the stairs already. “Hey!”

 

He paused at the foot of the stairs, his hand on the rail. “Don't worry, I can find my way,” he said, before taking the stairs several at a time.

 

Lucrecia huffed as she watched him go, thinking that he was the rudest jerk she'd ever met. She started to go up there and tell him he couldn't just barge into people's houses like that, but she stopped, his words suddenly echoing back to her. Had he been here before? She turned to look up the stairs, feeling an icy chill. Was there something Tifa was hiding from her? Curious, she walked toward the stairs, wondering what the hell was about to go down up there. She ascended them slowly, expecting any minute to hear fighting. She had just reached the landing, where Tifa let Marlene hang her pictures, when she paused, her eyes widening. “Holy shit.” There, in one of the stick figure drawings, was the caped man. She noticed right away that it was Tifa he was holding hands with, and she felt her hand fly to her mouth. “Vincent.” Her eyes were wide and frightened as she stared up toward Tifa's room. He had slipped in right under her nose, and didn't seem to recognize her at all. She felt her heart lurch with grief, before it was numbed by the fury she suddenly felt toward both of them. Vincent was hers!

 

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Vincent stopped at the landing, his breaths shallow, and not from leaping up the stairs. He held onto the rail, looking up to where he knew Tifa's room to be. His thoughts were quick as they whipped through his head. Maybe he was just imagining things. That was it. He wanted to see Tifa so badly that he imagined the girl downstairs was….

 

He shook his head, clearing the thoughts away. If he really wanted to know, he'd just ask Tifa. That girl seemed to know her. He drew a short breath as he ascended the last few stairs, silently walking toward Tifa's room. He felt his heart leap in his chest when he reached the door, placing a hand timidly on the door knob. It was like electricity suddenly shot through him, and on impulse, he pushed the door open, his heart nearly stopping when he saw Tifa lying on her bed, her back to him. He was suddenly consumed by the sight of her, and all he could manage was to stare at her for a moment, praying to the gods above that this was real. She had never seemed so inviting; this was like coming home. Anywhere he felt her presence was like home. He held his breath as he stepped toward her, sitting on the edge of the bed. He watched as her eyes fluttered open, and her breaths became shallow as her hazel eyes slid to look at him. He leaned across her, tilting her chin so that her face was toward him. He smiled as he took in her face, the first genuine smile since he left her.

 

“Hello, Beautiful,” he whispered, searching her gaze. “Did you miss me?”

 

Tifa smiled suddenly; not just one of her normal smiles, this one was brilliant, radiating happiness and warmth. She sat up, throwing her arms around his neck, clinging to him tightly. “I missed you so much,” she said, her voice breathy and cracking slightly. She could feel tears in her eyes as she kissed his neck. “Oh gods, Vincent, I missed you.”

 

Vincent wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, feeling his conscious thought slipping away as the sensation of her lips on his skin made him forget where he was; hell, he forgot everything, except the feel of the girl he loved more than anything in world in his arms. His mind was lost in a haze of warm confusion as the buckles on his cloak were undone, and it slid off his shoulders. For a moment, he let Tifa have her way, before the need to have her possessed him, and he forced her down on the bed. He watched as her deep hazel eyes fluttered open, and she gazed up at him, her eyes darkened with lust, but shimmering a bit with love. He smirked a bit, remembering his promise to her.

 

“I can't tell you how long I've waited for this moment,” he whispered, leaning down to press his lips against hers. He listened to her moan softly, feeling the sound shoot right through his ears to his nether regions. He couldn't suppress a gasp as he pulled his lips away from Tifa's. He had missed this. He watched as her face flushed, and she bit her lip slightly as she stared up at him. Her breaths were shallow, and it was clear that, although uncertain, she needed him as much as he needed her. Smirking, he began to pull slowly at the zipper on the front of her leather vest, baring the white tank that she wore beneath it.

 

He caught her lips in a passionate, gut-wrenching kiss as she sat up on her elbows to allow him to dispose of the vest, and he felt her flinch slightly when he slid his gloved hands up her curves, disposing of her white tank top as well. After a moment, he pulled away from her lips, moving to the angle of her jaw, slowly making his way down to her neck, feeling the rapid pulse of her heart beat beneath his lips.

 

Tifa gasped when she felt his teeth biting her, and her eyes flew open. Slightly agitated at how slowly he was proceeding, she caught his hands as they slid across her bare skin, quickly ridding him of his gauntlet and gloves. She felt him smirk against her neck, and she watched as he looked up, letting his fingers drift across her midriff.

 

“Anxious?” he asked softly, sliding his hands around her smooth, toned torso, the only thing obstructing her from him now being her skirt and undergarments. He watched as she met his gaze, blinking the haze from her eyes and swallowing thickly. He kissed her softly when she sat up a little, bringing her face closer to his.

 

“A little,” she whispered, her voice breathy and barely a whisper. She slowly reached up, pulling the bandana from around his forehead, giggling a little as his hair fell across his eyes, making him frown. She watched as he shook his head, trying to flip the hair out of his face. “Looks like you need a hair cut.”

 

At this he paused, looking at her. “Says who?” he demanded. He watched as her demeanor shifted, taking on a much more confident air than the one from earlier. He let her brush his hair from his face, catching his collar in her hands and pulling him down for another lip-lock as her hands slid across his chest, easily undoing the buckles on his clothing. When his shirt was finally free, she pushed it over his shoulders, watching as he shrugged out of it, letting it fall to the floor.

 

Smiling, she ran her hands across his bare chest, really noticing how well toned it was for the first time. Her smile turned mischievous as she leaned forward, pressing her lips just over his heart, before dragging her tongue from there to the crook of his neck, where she began to suck gently on his heated flesh. She listened to him groan as she brought her hand up to rest on the other side of his neck, giving her better leverage, and she smirked when he shuddered slightly. She shivered when he let his hand drift from her wrist to her shoulder, and slowly down her back, finding the clasp on her bra and snapping it, allowing the garment to slide from her slender frame.

 

He watched as she paused long enough to toss it on the floor, before returning to what she was doing, her tongue blazing a trail of fire wherever it went. Before he knew it, he had her tightly pulled against him, needing to feel the contact of her body against his. He listened to her moan softly as he ran his fingers through her hair, tilting her head to capture her lips once more. As he distracted her, he caught her hands, which had taken to wandering, and used them to force her down on the bed, pinning them to either side of her head. As soon as she realized what had happened, she broke the kiss, frowning up at him.

 

At the look on her face, Vincent tilted his head, his brow furrowing. “What?” he asked. He watched as she looked away, a light blush on her cheeks, and he knew whatever she was thinking, it was probably dirty.

 

“It's nothing,” she said quietly, her blush darkening with her thoughts.

 

Vincent arched a brow, smirking. “Apparently nothing has you really flustered,” he said quietly, nipping along her collar bone. He listened to Tifa giggle, feeling her run her fingers through his hair. It was going to be a long night.