[RL] The Aftermath

[xfinal_heaven]

Tifa was anxious, pacing with anticipation of the knock at the window downstairs. She hadn't seen Rufus--at lea st, not while he was acting himself--for so long. Before the virus, even. She wasn't sure what she would say. The uncertainty of the whole situation weighed heavy on the forefront of her mind

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[xfinal_heaven]

"Why!? He'll just... disappear again." Tifa's hands were clenching the edge of the counter so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. She turned slightly back to face him. "I... I don't know what to do, Rufus."

[xfinal_heaven]

"I do not--" She stopped herself once she'd whirled around entirely to refute his claim. She wasn't sure if she liked or hated having someone who knew her that much better than she knew herself.

"...My feelings won't change, even when. IF. I do choose to go find him," she whispered, looking down at the sink. "Nothing you, Zack, or anyone says can change that."

[xfinal_heaven]

Tifa shook her head strongly, looking back up at him almost desperately. "You're wrong!" She enforced, "I don't... want to love him anymore. I don't want to go through that. It's not the same as it was before. I, of all people, should be able to tell you that." She clenched her fists on top of the counter, trying to find some way to prove what she meant.

"I can only wait for so long." She reached up and grabbed the front of Rufus' coat by the lapel, and leaned on her tiptoes to reach over the counter to bring him in for a hasty kiss.

[the_zackman]

Zack, unfortunately, picked exactly that moment to step through the door. Sitting at home hammering Cloud with PHS messages wasn't accomplishing anything, and he'd been worried about Tifa. He'd also been in need of a drink--with Demyx leaving and Aeris still walking around with dark edges to her eyes, he'd felt more singularly helpless than he could remember feeling for a long while. Visiting the bar would have been a neat solution to both problems.

"Hey, T--"

Zack stopped dead as soon as he entered the bar, one hand on the door. It took a few moments for the scene to register, what with his brain trying to vehemently deny what it was he was seeing. He knew that Tifa and Rufus had a weird kind of on-again-off-again thing going while he was still dead. He knew that Tifa was emotionally distraught and tired of Cloud's disappearing. He knew he shouldn't really be surprised

[xfinal_heaven]

Tifa, who had just begun to lean into the kiss, heard the door swing open and pulled away immediately, bringing a hand to her mouth in surprise.

"Zack!" She exclaimed, eyes wide and quite resembling a deer's when caught in the headlights. "No, Zack, don't..." She clenched her fist, gaze fixing on the polished wooden floor.

There was no stopping him from being upset. From where he stood, it did look horrible. Of course it did. He didn't see what she saw, didn't feel what she felt everytime Cloud left. Everytime he betrayed her. It was only fitting that she did the same, after all of that.

She made no move to explain, but instead looked back up, straight past Rufus and stared hard into Zack's eyes with a glare that made no apologies. She had nothing to be sorry for.

[the_zackman]

Zack met her glare for glare.

"Don't what? Walk in on you deciding to stomp all over Cloud's feelings? He was tortured, Tifs," he bit out, eyes flickering briefly in Rufus' direction and flaring very blue. "You could've at least told him to his face before pulling this crap on him."

If he stayed any longer he was going to say--or do--something he'd really regret. With a muffled sound of disgust, Zack turned to go.

"Real classy, Tifa," he called back, before letting the door swing shut behind him.

[xfinal_heaven]

Tifa clenched her eyes shut, trying not to react to the accusations. Zack's words hurt, and they were only emphasized by the obvious effects of the torture. So, this was how it had to be. Her knees buckled and she slid to the floor as he left, and she buried her face in her hands, seeming to forget that Rufus was right there to watch her.

"I didn't do anything wrong. I talked to Cloud since then... that's not why he ran off!" She seemed to be convincing herself over anyone else. "Nothing would be different if I had said anything to him. He ran off before I got the chance, just like he always does." She whispered, shaking her head.

She was now down two best friends, and Rufus' pending reaction was the only thing that could possibly hurt her more.

[xfinal_heaven]

Tifa looked up at him almost pitifully. Her cheeks were red from where the tears had streaked down, and she was clutching his handkerchief as if it were a lifeline.

"He's my best friend. I can't... let him get hurt. I..." She buried her face in his shoulder, crying harder. "I have to. I'm sorry." When she got control of herself again, she drew back slightly and tried to even her breathing, resting her forehead on his collarbone.

"I... Rufus... I've been so blind. I've been so... so stupid," she murmured, not realizing that Rufus might attribute such words to her situation with Cloud rather than what lie between them. "...I love you, and that's why you have every right to hate me."

[xfinal_heaven]

"Don't say that!" Tifa cried and smacked him hard in the arm, shaking her head. She didn't want to hear it, she didn't want to believe it. Even though she had known it was true, she didn't want him to say it.

"Lie to me," she begged quietly, burying her face in his neck. "I know it's not hard for you. Just, lie to me. Please. I can't... I'm in love with you because I've been in love with you, Rufus. I know I hurt you before, but please." She reached up and touched his cheek, leaning back so she could look him in the eyes. "Please, let me fix it."