valentineninja (valentineninja) wrote in areyougame, @ 2010-02-18 00:14:00 |
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Current mood: | sleepy |
Stay With Me, Final Fantasy VII (Cloud/Tifa) Part 2/3
Title: Stay With Me
Author: Valentine'sNinja
Rating: M
Warning: Sex, language, drama, and a bit of angst
Word Count: 4544
Prompt: Final Fantasy VII, Cloud/Tifa: Secret sex - An affair to remember
Summary: AU. He wasn’t supposed to love someone he couldn’t have, but that didn’t make it any easier to walk away from her.
A/N: Here's part two, and more drama begins to unfold. I really hope that none of the characters seem too OOC. Also, Cloud seemed to be on a pretty mean stubborn streak. Please enjoy!
…………
The next few days of her life felt like a personal hell, far worse than it had felt after Cloud had found out about her forced engagement to Sephiroth. Her mother hadn’t been able to get her to leave her room, and it made Tifa herself angry that she was acting like a heartbroken teenager. The next person to visit her, after her mother and Rufus, was her dear step-father.
“Get up. Sephiroth is here,” he said in his authoritarian tone.
“Must I remind you that I’m not Rufus? I don’t answer to that tone,” Tifa said, calm. She was laying on her side, staring out of the window and the rain falling in torrents.
“Hmm. Would you prefer it if I begged you to get up?” he asked, darkly amused.
“I’d prefer it if you stayed out of my life,” Tifa replied, eyes narrowing in annoyance.
“I’m tired of seeing you moping around the house like a ghoul. Get up to see to your fiancé. If you don’t, I will authorize for him to come see you here. You look like you haven’t brushed your hair in days,” the man said before walking out.
Tifa sneered to herself. She had been bathing regularly, but she couldn’t deny that the old man’s way had worked—him poking at her vanity. Tifa sat up slowly and reached for her hair brush, sifting through the long strands quickly. Then, for a moment she just sat there, staring down at the brush in her hands, hating that her life had been reduced to a false engagement and getting her heart broken by her true love. She grit her teeth and stood, unwilling to release anymore tears.
She was not a pathetic crybaby! If Cloud didn’t care enough to leave his life behind the way she would have done with hers, then maybe he wasn’t worth it. Checking her reflection for a second, Tifa was content with herself—though not with the slight circles under her eyes—and marched out of her room.
She found Sephiroth waiting for her in the sitting room, looking uncomfortable and slightly annoyed with her mother and her rapid chattering. Tifa smiled at his narrowing eyes and cleared her throat. “Mom, would you mind if I took him away for a moment?” she asked.
If Sephiroth had been any other man, he would’ve jumped to his feet, but he was the famous General, admired by all, and he gracefully got to his feet and bid her mother goodbye. Tifa led him through hallways until they stepped into the greenhouse where her mother kept her most precious blooms. The clear walls and ceilings were being washed by the rain and the sky was still dark, promising never ending rain. “I’m sorry about my mother. I think she’s been a fan of yours for a long time,” Tifa said after a moment, leading Sephiroth over to a bench by the table her mother used for her work.
“That is… fine,” Sephiroth said dryly.
Tifa smiled. “What brings you here?”
“I believe that we need to talk. I was away on a mission for the last two weeks and therefore I wasn’t able to come to visit you sooner. Tifa, I understand that your step-father is a man used to getting his way, but if you say the word, we can both speak to him about this. We can call off this engagement,” he said, serious.
Tifa stared at his handsome face, at those bright green eyes and knew that Sephiroth would probably be a good husband to her, but… she wouldn’t be a good wife to him. She wouldn’t love him; her heart would always belong to another man and that wasn’t fair to a man like Sephiroth. He was giving her the out she had wanted, she realized. But Cloud still wouldn’t take the chance to be with her. Not while he kept thinking he wasn’t good enough.
“I…” Tifa hesitated.
“You don’t need to make a decision now. I would like to continue courting you,” Sephiroth said.
“Sephiroth,” Tifa started, swallowing hard before continuing. “I know that there is no love between us. I don’t want you to hope for something more from me.”
“Is there someone else?” he asked her, serious.
Tifa remained quiet.
He cocked a silver eyebrow. “Your silence is all the answer I need.”
“And that doesn’t bother you?” she asked, frowning.
“To be honest, I don’t want a wife, but your step-father seems to believe that if I am a married man, my image will continue to be a positive one for the ShinRa company,” he replied flatly.
“Then this marriage isn’t something you want either?” Tifa asked, hopeful.
He shook his head with a smirk. “I am not marriage material,” he said, chuckling lightly.
Tifa laughed with him and nodded. “Well, at least you accept it,” she replied, feeling a bit at ease with the General more than she ever had before.
“I must take my leave,” Sephiroth said, getting to his feet and taking her hand in his. He pressed a kiss to her knuckles and gave her a very small smile. “Whatever you decide, I will abide by.”
“Thank you,” Tifa said, grateful. “I think you’re the first person in a long time who takes my opinion into consideration.”
Sephiroth merely inclined his head before he was gone, leaving behind a mix of his spicy scent and the perfume from the flowers around them. Tifa sighed to herself and leaned back against the bench, considering Sephiroth’s words. This was what Cloud was asking of her. To be stuck in a loveless marriage, with a man who didn’t want to marry and would only do so to keep up a certain image. He wouldn’t try to be a husband, he would just be a man who spent a minimal amount of time with her and then run off to do ShinRa’s bidding, fighting wars that weren’t his.
Tifa shook her head. If Cloud wasn’t willing to fight for them, then what did she have to lose?
………………
“Strife.”
Cloud paused before entering the training room and turned at the sound of that commanding voice. “Sir?”
Sephiroth approached him, a black portfolio in his hand. “I need you to report to the first floor. Your assignment for today is to guard watch.”
“Sir, I was ordered by Captain Hewley to report to the training room. The Kalm mission—”
“—Can wait. I will let Angeal know that you have been reassigned for the day,” Sephiroth said before walking away.
With a resigned sigh, Cloud took the elevator down to the first floor lobby, feeling slightly peeved. Having interruptions like this usually meant that he had to follow around someone important for a couple of hours, keeping the person safe. He was so close to getting promoted to SOLDIER First Class, he could feel it, but that wouldn’t happen until after the Kalm mission. This afternoon excursion was a setback.
“I don’t understand why we need a guard. I go out by myself all the time and—”
“Tifa?” Cloud asked, feeling as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head. Both her mother and Tifa turned to look at him in surprise, and Cloud cleared his throat uncomfortably. “Mrs. ShinRa. Miss Lockhart,” he corrected.
Tifa’s eyes narrowed, but she said nothing. Her mother on the other hand, smiled. “Oh, the little Strife boy! I saw you around at the anniversary party, but I didn’t get a chance to say hello,” she said kindly.
Cloud managed a wan smile and nodded. “I am to accompany the both of you today,” he said, keeping his eyes on Tifa’s mother and away from Tifa herself.
“Wonderful. We should get going because we don’t want to be late to the appointment for Tifa to get fitted for her wedding dress,” the older woman said, taking Tifa’s arm and pulling her out the door.
Cloud forced his legs to start moving and his heart to stop its painful beats in his chest. After all, he had been the one to force her hand, and he hadn’t contacted her at all in the last three weeks. The drive was a relatively short one towards the upper district, and through it all, Tifa said nothing to either her mother or to him. And once they were inside of the boutique, her mother was the one doing most of the talking.
“This type would look beautiful on your form,” her mother said, showing Tifa a magazine.
“The neckline is too low,” Tifa replied, glancing over at Cloud, who had remained silent and standing by the door. “What do you think, Cloud? Would this dress look good on me?” she asked, holding up the magazine and showing him the picture.
Cloud glanced at it for a second and then looked away. “The neckline is too low,” he repeated in a quiet voice.
“You see?” Tifa asked her mother.
“Fine. But the design of the dress is beautiful. I’m sure you can get it altered so that the neckline isn’t so low. Come along to the back, darling, so that they can take your measurements,” her mother said.
Tifa walked towards the back room and Cloud followed silently, all the white surrounding them making him antsy. He stared out of the window, into the city while Tifa stood on a raised area, standing still as she was measured from head to toe. Though her eyes remained on the large clock over the door, she couldn’t help but watch Cloud as he stood as still as a statue. They hadn’t said a word to each other in three weeks, and even when she was the one who searched him out each time, this time had been different. She had stayed away and waited, but Cloud had not even called or sent her a note. She’d remained in her engagement with Sephiroth, and her mother had started the preparations for the wedding at old ShinRa’s insistence.
An hour later, it seemed that the people working around her were done measuring and asking her opinion on various cloths and silks. Tifa’s head was beginning to pound, and her mother’s excited chattering wasn’t helping. When they arrived back at ShinRa HQ, only her mother stepped out of the car.
“Would you be a dear and take Tifa home? I will be staying to have lunch with my husband,” she said, waving at Tifa. “Don’t lock yourself into your room the same way you’ve done these last few weeks. Go out with your friends. Live!” her mother said before walking away.
Tifa had reddened in annoyance and anger at her mother’s words. She had just given Cloud the knowledge that she had been miserable without him.
Cloud just nodded and got back into the car—like a good chauffer, he thought acidly. He still wasn’t happy that he had been forced into babysitting Tifa instead of training for his mission. He eyed her through the rearview mirror and bit the inside of his cheek; he wasn’t going to be the one to speak first. He was angry, but he had no right to be because he had been the one to walk away from their relationship.
Soon enough, he found himself pulling the car up the driveway of the massive ShinRa home, getting out and attempting to open the door for her. Tifa was having none of that and opened the door for herself, starting up the steps and towards the main door. “We need to talk,” she said, motioning for him to follow.
“I need to get back to HQ,” Cloud said simply.
Tifa didn’t turn to look at him. “I’m sure Sephiroth will understand if you take longer to return.”
She hadn’t meant to say it to spite him, but her words had come out in a cool tone anyway. Cloud grit his teeth and followed her, eyes narrowed. She led him to her room and once he was inside, she slammed the door shut but didn’t turn to look at him.
Cloud heard the long breath she released and, before he could even think it through, found himself standing behind her, his nose nearly buried in her hair. “I’ve been miserable, too.”
Tifa closed her eyes and felt her heart skip a beat at Cloud’s words. “Then why didn’t you come back?” she asked softly.
“I thought it was better for the both of us if I stayed away.”
She turned finally, their noses bumping together and their eyes meeting. “Well, it’s quite obvious that it’s not what’s best for the both of us. I don’t—I can’t live my life without you, Cloud.”
He brought his gloved hand up to cup her face and let out a deep sigh. “Maybe after I’m promoted to First.”
“It’ll be too late. I still have a chance to break off the engagement now. If we wait, it’ll be worse. I have to know if you’re in this with me, Cloud. My mother and step-father are planning the wedding as quickly as they possibly can,” Tifa said with a long sigh.
“And Sephiroth?” Cloud asked, his eyes darkening.
“He’s a good man,” Tifa replied in a quiet voice. “He gave me the chance to get out of this, but… you weren’t there.” She briefly explained her conversation with Sephiroth a few weeks before.
Cloud’s blue eyes searched her wine colored ones and he reached up to hold her face between both his hands. “I love you. No matter how far away I may be and even if we’re not together. Remember that.”
Tifa frowned at his words and forced herself to not question him. There would be time enough for that later. Now… Now he was here and she wasn’t going to let him go without a fight. Tentative, she pushed her lips against his, nibbling on the lower one with gentle teeth, her eyes wide open and focused on his. When she brought his lip between her own and sucked, Cloud’s eyes darkened with heat and he was the one who took the next step and sealed their mouths together, taking her lips like a desperate man.
Tifa’s eyes slid closed and she winced when her back slammed against the door, but she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. She had missed him so much the last few weeks that now that he was pressed against her, she realized that she had felt as if a vital piece of her had been missing. Why couldn’t he see that?
Her lips released from his with a smack, but his mouth was on her neck and traveling lower, one of his gloved hands popping the button of her jeans and pushing her simple top higher. “Bed,” Tifa gasped, having enough mind to lock the door before Cloud pulled her away and carried her to the center of her room.
The rough material of her jeans scraped against her sensitive skin as Cloud jerked them off quickly. Her panties followed and before she could do more than utter his name, his mouth went the same way her pants had. Tifa’s loud gasp echoed around her room, and she shut her eyes as he caressed her most sensitive spot with lips and teeth. His tongue felt a little rough, but the pleasure was shooting through every part of her body. Her hands twisted in the sheets, her eyes scrunching closed as he began shove the pleasure higher and higher. And then he stopped.
Tifa’s ragged breathing froze and her eyes opened in confusion. Was he seriously going to just stop?! “Cloud…” she nearly whined.
His smug little smirk entered her line of vision, as did his naked body. “Yes, Tifa?”
Instead of answering, she grabbed a handful of blond spikes and pulled him into a kiss, her nerves calming when she felt his hard muscles slide against her soft body. She broke away with a small moan, his body sliding into hers with familiar ease. Everything quieted down, even her breathing, and all Tifa was aware of was the feel of Cloud inside her, the sky blue of his eyes, and his heartbeat thundering against hers.
Never before had she felt so complete, and Tifa feared that she would never feel that connection with anyone else. This was a type of love that would last forever, even if Cloud decided to walk away from her in the end.
………
“I’m cheating on the man that is going to be my husband.”
Great Goddess—she didn’t know what had possessed her into saying that, but it was too late to take it back. The damage was done, and she could feel Cloud stiffen and begin to draw away from her. “Cloud, I didn’t mean—”
“You’re right. I made myself forget that you’re engaged. I’m sorry,” he said, getting to his feet and finding his clothing.
“It’s okay because I don’t love him.”
“It’s not okay, Tifa. You accepted to marry him. You said he gave you an out, and you didn’t take it. I won’t hold that against you, but I won’t turn you into that type of person either. I won’t make you a cheater,” he assured her quietly, unable to meet her eyes.
“What do you mean by that?” Tifa whispered, unable to keep the quiver from her tone as she sat up in her bed, wrapping the sheet around herself to ward off the chill Cloud‘s body had left behind.
“I’m getting transferred to the base in Junon,” Cloud replied, finally meeting her eyes and seeing the complete heartbreak in them. The Kalm mission was another thing entirely, but the base in Junon would put the sufficient space between him and Tifa. “Sephiroth is a strong man, and even though he may not love you, he will expect fidelity. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt because of me,” he said, desperate for her to understand.
Tifa simply nodded, her long hair cascading to hide her face as she folded her knees to hug herself. Cloud felt his heart break even more at what he kept doing to her. He sat on the side of the bed and lifted her chin with a finger. She looked at him solemnly. “They wanted you to have a change?”
Cloud shook his head, sending blond spikes over his own eyes. “I requested the transfer myself.”
She couldn’t hold in her tears then, and they rolled slowly over her smooth, white cheeks. His fingers caught them carefully and brushed them away. Tifa sighed and shook her head, making sure that his gaze was on hers. “No matter what you say, you keep coming back to me, Cloud. We‘re meant to be, even if you don‘t believe it yourself.”
“Everything is against us, Tifa,” he said, checking that he wasn’t missing any personal belongings. He stopped before opening the door and turned to give her a sideways look. “I’m sorry I couldn’t make you happy.”
Tifa looked away from him and the only indication that he had left was the quiet click of her door. Falling back against her pillow, Tifa shut her eyes and more tears squeezed out. Her pillow smelled of Cloud, but his spot was beginning to cool and she felt cold in more ways than one. There was a part of her that hoped that he loved her too much to move so far away, but another part of her was scared that he would go through with it. There’s still time, Tifa thought inwardly. She just didn’t know what to do to make Cloud see that they could be happy together if only he allowed himself to fight for the both of them.
………
“You’re looking a little green.”
Tifa nodded and forced herself to smile. “I woke up feeling a little sick,” she admitted to her best friend.
Aerith touched her forehead and frowned. “Well, you don’t have a fever. Maybe it’s wedding day jitters?”
Tifa nodded. “Yes, that’s probably it.”
Five weeks had passed like sand slipping through her fingers and she hadn’t been able to convince Cloud that they should be together. Any note she sent through Zack for Cloud was returned, or Zack would tell her that Cloud had thrown it away without reading it. She had run out of options and even though she had some influence for being ShinRa’s step-daughter, she hadn’t used it to try to get into the ShinRa building to look for Cloud. It would be entirely too dangerous and there was a chance that Sephiroth or old ShinRa would find out.
Though it disappointed her that Cloud hadn’t tried to contact her, Tifa convinced herself that it was because he was on a mission. She knew that there were missions that ran from one week to an entire month or more. That had to be the reason why Cloud hadn’t even called. She could trick her heart into believing that, but her mind was an entirely different matter, and it was telling Tifa that Cloud had well and truly ended things between them the last time they had been together. The preparations for the wedding had been completed and no one had asked either Sephiroth or herself if they were okay with the wedding date.
A short while ago, the make-up artist had arrived and had started with Tifa’s nails on the day of the wedding. Her hair was next, but Tifa was starting to feel nauseous and her breakfast was making a return trip. She jumped out of the chair she had been sitting in and made it into her bathroom just in time. Aerith followed in after her and held back the long strands of Tifa’s hair while her friend wretched painfully.
Tifa flushed the toilet and stood to wash her teeth, still looking pale and sick. Aerith gnawed on her lower lip in worry and wondered if she could ask the question without having Tifa fly off the handle. “You’re pregnant,” she blurted instead.
Tifa glared at her through the mirror. “What?”
“Have you missed a period?” Aerith countered.
“Yes, but I usually do when I’m stressed—”
“When was the last time you and Cloud…?”
Tifa shook her head and paced in front of the sink her brain going through the possibilities. For the love of… They hadn’t used protection that last time they had been together. This couldn’t be happening! She was about to marry another man, and Cloud had practically disappeared! “I—”
“Should take a pregnancy test first,” Aerith said in worry. “I’ll be back in a little bit. Let the hair stylist begin to work on your hair.”
Before Tifa could say anything else, Aerith was gone in a flurry of auburn curls and pink. Tifa could feel the panic building in her chest. She couldn’t possibly marry Sephiroth if she was having Cloud’s baby! But the ceremony, the guests, and the General. What would she say to everyone?
Despite what Aerith had said to her about letting the hair stylist continue to work on her hair, Tifa stayed holed up in her bathroom, millions of possibilities and problems racing around in her mind. Of course being a mother freaked her out, but if it was Cloud’s baby… Just that little fact made it all better. Even if Cloud decided that being with her still wasn’t worth it with a baby in the picture, she would make it on her own.
“I’m back!” Aerith called outside. She walked into the bathroom with a frown on her face and gave Tifa a look. “I thought I told you to let them work on you? What if it’s a false alarm and all you have is a stomach flu?”
“I can’t continue pretending that today is something I’m looking forward to!” Tifa hissed in annoyance.
Aerith nodded. “I know, but I think it’s too late for you to try to call off the wedding. Tifa, you should’ve done that weeks ago.”
Tifa got to her feet and nodded. “I know. It’s unfair of me to do this to Sephiroth now.”
“Take the test. I’ll wait outside, and once we know the results, we’ll see where to go from there, okay?” Aerith asked, giving Tifa’s shoulder a squeeze.
Tifa took the paper bag from her friend and waited for her to walk out before taking out the box inside. She’d never taken a pregnancy test before but it didn’t seem terribly difficult to use. After some awkward fumbling and trying to steady her shaking hands, Tifa finally set the test on some tissue paper and washed her hands before letting Aerith in.
“What will you do if it’s positive?” Aerith asked quietly, leaning back against the sink.
“Find Cloud to tell him. This is his baby, too.”
Green eyes softened. “Do you think he’ll be happy to know he’s going to be a father?”
“I hope so,” Tifa said, her voice catching on a quiet sob. She accepted Aerith’s comforting squeeze and they stood together for the three minutes that were necessary for the test. When it was finally time, Tifa nearly dropped the little stick more than once. “I—I don’t think I can look.”
Aerith grabbed the stick with the tissue paper and looked at it. She turned bright eyes to her best friend since high school and gave her a sad smile. “It’s positive.”
Tifa felt her knees knock together and she would’ve fallen onto them if Aerith hadn’t helped her to sit on the toilet. “I… Goddess—what am I going to do? I get married in a few hours!”
“We can go to ShinRa HQ now,” Aerith said quickly, a smile beginning to bloom on her face. “You can tell Cloud before it’s too late!”
“What if he’s not there?” Tifa asked in a small voice.
“Let’s just worry about one thing at a time,” Aerith said, pulling Tifa out of the bathroom, ignoring the other people in Tifa’s room.
“Where are you going?” Tifa’s mother asked as they began to race down the stairs.
“I have something really important to do, mom. Don’t worry, I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Tifa said, feeling her blood begin to pump as she and Aerith sped up their walk. “If he doesn’t care?” Tifa asked Aerith once they were inside her car.
Aerith smiled. “Cloud has loved you for a long time. He’s just scared that he’ll ruin your life and that’s why he’s been staying away. But he talks to Zack, and well, Zack talks to me,” she said with a mischievous grin. “All he needs is a little kick in the right direction.”
“More like a big kick in the ass,” Tifa muttered, opening the window and relaxing in her seat as she felt her stomach protest the movement. She placed a careful hand over her still flat stomach and smiled. A baby. Cloud’s baby… Even with the wedding looming over her, Tifa found that a spark of happiness was taking bloom in her heart with the news. All she had to do was talk to Cloud and tell him about the baby. It would all be easy… right?