Small note of spoilers: There is just a tiny bit of it in a couple paragraphs in this chapter. Just to do with Vincent's past.
Burgundy veiled in two-day worn kohl became hidden as thin lids closed, brushing long lashes against delicate skin. A deep breath was inhaled, held for a moment and released through the newly formed part between pastel lips. Idly, slender limbs came to wrap her upper torso in a makeshift blanket—hands rubbing furiously against her biceps in attempt to scare off the gooseflesh that had formed in the chilled evening air.
The fleeting sun was settling behind the hills, and she wished it would cling to the sky and continue to shower what little warmth it offered over the small village. It had been such a pleasant day-- mild weather for hours-- but now that the sun was gone the breeze nipped at her skin harshly.
Burgundy came out from hiding, and she studied her surroundings for the seventh time from her vantage point on the sidewalk overlooking a small park. The village of Wutai truly was an attractive sight. The lush greenery was welcome in her mind, and the quaint buildings were just perfect. At first she had doubts about traveling to see an old friend, but now that she was here, the doubts had settled into distant memory. She hadn't been to see Yuffie just yet; she had been too caught in the idea of relaxing for a day or two before getting to that. Besides, Yuffie was a busy girl these days and Tifa hadn't bothered to call and announce her arrival until a few hours ago, when she left a message on the answering machine.
"You look cold." An even tone voice shattered the silence from behind her. The voice registered in her mind, but surprise still settled over the young martial artist. Lashes fluttered and she spun on her heels, coming face to face with a certain man. She was looking straight into a buckled red cloak, ever rising view finally coming to meet eyes a brighter red than her own.
"Vincent." She was confirming what she saw, still half in a daze from a moment before and half in surprise by seeing him. "What are you doing here?" She and Vincent had always carried a certain understanding. To say they were close would be a bit presumptuous, but they weren't quite strangers, either.
Vincent studied the expression that lay across her features. She was never too difficult to read, he liked that in a way. He knew his purpose for being in Wutai was slightly questionable. He shook his head lightly and answered, "I'm just here."
'A man of few words.' Tifa wanted to laugh a little, but she resisted the urge. "Well, that's interesting." A warm smile graced her lips as she finished her sentence. She looked around the area and then returned to Vincent.
"What are you doing here, Ms. Lockhart?" Vincent inquired.
"I uh—" She nearly forgot what her purpose was in Wutai. Her stutter caused Vincent's eyes to narrow, knitting his brows as he awaited the rest of her answer. She laughed nervously as she saw the expression he was giving her. 'Splendid, Tifa. Oh yes! Yuffie.' "I'm here to visit Yuffie." Tifa nodded in confirmation, calming from the embarrassment that had settled a moment before.
"Yuffie? I was unaware that you two were close." Vincent seemed a little skeptical. The whole group had grown closer in the recent reawakening of Sephiroth. Tifa had felt it necessary to thank Yuffie for coming, even if stolen materia had something to do with her appearance. She had also grown closer to her since and had missed her for some time after she left.
"We're closer now. She's so much fun." Tifa reminisced about the interesting times they'd had whenever she'd been around Yuffie. "She's mischievous, there's never a dull moment when you're hanging out with Yuffie!"
She laughed a little at the fact that this was utterly true. Vincent nodded in agreement, but was distracted by a barely audible rumble that came from Tifa's general direction. He titled his head, peering at her as if she'd done something wrong.
"Guess I forgot to eat…" Tifa confessed, a slight blush on her cheeks as another rumble escaped.
"You're hungry, then?" Not the smartest of questions, but Vincent didn't want to make any assumptions.
"I am, very much so." Tifa nodded.
"Then may I take you to dinner?" Vincent asked. Tifa was surprised at his invitation. She really was hungry, and eating alone wasn't her favorite of pastimes.
"Sure, I'd love to." Another warm smile came across her lips as she agreed. Vincent nodded and led her toward one of the restaurants in town. He hesitated before grabbing the door, and turned to Tifa.
"Is this all right?" He asked.
"Sounds fine to me!" She was too hungry to be picky about the restaurant. Vincent gave her yet another nod, and then held the door for her as they entered. It was a tad noisy due to all of the business and the music. The hostess smiled and upon confirming the number in their party, led the pair to a corner booth. The table was dimly lit by a small scented candle, and the location was a little quieter than anywhere else. Vincent was happy with this.
Shortly after the hostess wandered off, the waitress appeared. "Can I get you anything to drink? Perhaps an appetizer?" She asked.
"I'll have water." Vincent answered, looking to Tifa.
"Hm… I think I'll go with the same, but add a martini to that." Tifa smiled.
The waitress left to fill their order and the two were left silent. Tifa perched both hands at her sides on the fabric of the bench, and peered over at Vincent for a moment.
"So, Vincent, tell me about yourself." It sounded like some sort of cheesy line, but she really didn't know too very much about him. She was curious to know more about the mysterious man she was now at dinner with.
"That is quite a tale. I think it would require more time than dinner." He answered.
"Oh." Tifa frowned. Vincent could tell she was a little disappointed.
"There is not much to tell, anyhow. I suppose I could tell you a small portion for now?"
Tifa's smile instantly returned, she was absolutely pleased that he was going to inform her of his life, however small a portion it was. She nodded fiercely. "That'd be great."
Vincent allowed a brief smile to lighten dark features above the cowl of his cloak. He settled in to the booth becoming more comfortable. He began his tale,
"As you may know, I was once part of the Shin-Ra Company's Turks. That was some time ago. I was once assigned to a project designated to my father. I met a woman then, she was assisting my father… her name was Lucrecia. My father was later killed whilst saving her life." Vincent paused as he saw the waitress approaching from across the room.
"Vincent… I'm sorry. What happened then?" Tifa inquired. He held one finger up to signal for her to wait a moment, and when their drinks landed on the table, she realized why he'd paused. After setting the drinks down, the waitress pulled out a tab and pen.
"Can I take your orders now?" She asked. She looked directly at Tifa as to signal for her to order first. Tifa hadn't even glanced at the menu yet, but she had a good idea that all she could go for at this point would need to be light. No sense in drenching her beyond empty stomach with something heavy.
"I'll have a garden salad." Tifa answered.
"Okay, what sort of dressing?" The waitress asked.
"Ranch'll be fine."
"Breadsticks?"
"Sure."
The waitress jotted down Tifa's order and turned to look at Vincent. "For you, sir?"
Vincent had eaten there a time or two, so he really hadn't the need to see a menu. He ordered his usual dinner, and the waitress left the table to put their orders in. Vincent brought his focus back to Tifa, he had never really opened up to someone, but something about her just put him at ease. It was strange and for the time being, inexplicable. Tifa had donned quite the curious smile while he was lost in his thoughts.
"Hey, are you gonna go on?" She giggled slightly, watching Vincent snap from his daze.
"Sorry. Yes, I will go on. Shortly after all of that, I was assigned to watch over a group of researchers working on the Jenova Project in Nibelheim. At that point, I ran into Lucrecia once again." He paused and took a sip of his water. Tifa had already gotten past the half-way point of her martini, but she was beginning to realize that this Lucrecia had a large role in Vincent's story. Vincent went on, "Lucrecia and I had become friends since the incident with my father and we became close. Eventually, I realized I had…" Vincent looked down, seeming to catch on his words.
Tifa's expression became quite compassionate, and she reached across the table to take Vincent's right hand in her own. "It's okay, Vincent." She persuaded with a sweet tone that displayed her concern for him. Vincent studied the dance of her slender fingers as they gingerly traced the top of his hand comfortingly. From this, he found the strength to continue.
"Eventually, I realized I'd fallen in love with her. I kept it to myself for some time, but after a while I had to ask her if the feelings I felt for her were reciprocated." He paused once more.
"Were they?" Tifa inquired.
"When I had asked her, she became distraught. That was when she confessed that she had entered into a relationship with Professor Hojo. I was stunned, but there was not anything to be done about it. I let her go. Not long after, Lucrecia became pregnant. The man I'd come to appreciate as a monster had impregnated a woman I cared for deeply, but it did not stop there. He began to inject her with Jenova cells to study the effects on an unborn child." Vincent paused. Tifa could see the sickness in his face, she could tell he was upset about the events being told and she felt bad about pushing him to do so.
Vincent was too open to stop now, he continued despite his better judgment. "Even so, in the interest of science, Lucrecia proceeded with the treatment and suffered various ill effects as a result. Lucrecia fainted one day in the Nibelheim Inn and I confronted Hojo quite angrily. We argued for some time, and then Hojo pulled a gun out of his coat and aimed it toward me. Time stood still for some time when I saw this, but before I could react, Hojo pulled the trigger."
Vincent paused as he noticed the strange expression Tifa had displayed. Before she could tell him how insane the story was sounding, he simply continued on. "Hojo laid me on his operating table; he reconstructed me and revived me. That's why my left arm is the way that it is. While Hojo's experimentation resulted in Galian Beast, Hellmasker, and Death Gigas becoming part of my anatomy, Lucrecia exposed my body to G Substance. G Substance is a contaminated form of mako. As a result, I became Chaos, an entity intended to pave the way for Omega WEAPON by killing all living things. I became angry and under Chaos' influence, I went into rage. Lucrecia used materia to control my actions and I went into a deep slumber. Some years later, you all found me in the basement of the mansion. That's the summary of my tale. If you want to know more, it will have to wait."
Tifa sat in silence and Vincent followed suit. For once in her life, she hadn't a clue what to say. What he had told her was bordering on a vague explanation of his past and how he became the Vincent she knew. She had so many questions still and she had wanted to launch an exploration into the events he'd told in his story, but her mind traced over his last sentence. 'If you want to know more, it will have to wait.' She was already thankful he'd opened up. This was uncharacteristic for him, and she knew as much. She opted not to push him any further.
Their food came moments after his tale finished, but suddenly Tifa didn't feel as hungry as she had earlier. She picked at her salad and managed as much of it as she could, eventually finding a way to get through three-quarters of it. Vincent ate as well, but neither of them said a word the entire time.
Once their food was gone, the waitress bused the table and dropped the check at the edge. Vincent quickly paid the total and left a tip. Tifa had tried to discourage him from paying for the entire meal, but he wouldn't have it. They left the restaurant afterward, strolling down the dark sidewalks and into a small park. Tifa finally found the courage to bring up his story.
"I wanted to thank you for opening up to me. I feel so special, I know it isn't common for you to do so. I really don't know what to say about the things that happened to you accept that I wish things could have been different for you." Tifa stopped beneath a tree, looking to Vincent as he stopped with her. "I have gained so much respect for you, tonight." Vincent tilted his head; the quizzical expression on his face spoke volumes.
"Tifa, you are special. Though, why have you gained a respect for me?" He asked.
"You have survived so much. I would have never been able to deal with such things." For a moment, her mind drifted to Cloud. She had feelings for him, but was lost in the wake of Aerith. Was this how Vincent had felt with Lucrecia?
"As you have as well, Tifa. You have survived much, and you are resilient." Vincent managed a crooked smile, his voice taking a soft tone. "You are amazing."
Tifa couldn't believe what Vincent had just said. She had known their friendship carried a mutual respect. Vincent had admired Tifa for her kindness and had always been willing to help her, but the fact that he found her amazing was new. Warmth flooded Tifa's cheeks and she turned her face to hide the blush in her cheeks.
"Tifa?" Vincent wondered if he'd said something to upset her. Tifa regained her composure and brought herself to look at him again, a smile causing her to appear elegant beneath the embrace of the silver moonlight.
"No one has ever told me that before." Tifa confessed.
"They'd be foolish not to." Vincent assured.
"It's nice to hear." She giggled softly. She noticed a bench and promptly took a seat. Upon relaxing the warmth that had graced her lithe form simply left. She suddenly felt quite cold, and her arms settled around her upper body. Vincent took note, and without a word he sat close to her and wrapped his right arm over her, using the cloak to shield her from the elements.
The proximity sent her flesh into a flurry. She hadn't been close to him like she was in this moment. Her arms left their stance and one came to rest between them, her hand idly resting on his thigh. She hadn't really paid much attention to where it landed, but Vincent sure did. His own skin danced as her hand tensed into his thigh. The touch of a woman had been absent for quite some time, and his excitement to the interaction could be enhanced by this fact. He felt almost drunk when her fingers danced from pinky to thumb; all the while she was unaware of what her innocent actions were causing.
Vincent cleared his throat in a less than stable manner, and Tifa looked up at him. He was staring out into the park nearly sweating bullets. Depths of wine traced down his form to her hand resting upon his thigh. She realized just how far up his thigh it was, and instantly the warmth in her cheeks flushed back in full force. Her hand was quickly withdrawn and she muttered an apology, "Oh! I—I'm sorry."
Vincent barely heard her, but he brought himself to look down upon her. "It's okay." It actually wasn't. He was highly aware of himself at the moment and he was fighting off desire. What began as a platonic friendship after he was awoken, had taken a quick turn this evening, to lands unknown. He had opened his heart to her earlier, something he'd not done with anyone since the events with Hojo and Lucrecia. This was a rare feat, and he wasn't entirely sure what had caused him to allow Tifa such a view into his past.
"No… I made you uncomfortable. I'm sorry." Tifa lowered her head, feeling quite displeased with herself. After hearing his story, she felt drawn to him. Perhaps it was her need to help, or perhaps it was something far deeper. Whatever the cause, she felt the draw and it had caused her to make him uncomfortable.
"Please, I was not uncomfortable. It has been a long time since I've felt close to anyone. I suppose that is why I reacted the way I did." Vincent squeezed her shoulder with the hand belonging to the arm draped loosely around her. At his words, Tifa looked up to him again. A smile slowly spread over her lips, she thought for a moment he was rejecting her touch. She was mistaken.
"I understand that." Once her sentence was finished, she shivered again. A chill ran down her spine as the night breeze proved itself quite the enemy. Vincent felt her and tugged her even closer to him. Their bodies were connected at the side and her arms wrapped the center of his waist. She hugged him tightly, her head coming to rest against his chest. He held her loosely for a moment, but reluctantly, he let her go.
"You are freezing, and I heard the yawn you were trying to hide. You should go and get some rest." He ran his right hand through her hair and as she began to move away from him, he placed a fleeting kiss atop the crown of her head, briefly taking in the sweet scent of her hair. Tifa moved so that she could look at Vincent, moved by his endearing gesture. He was incredibly thoughtful and he made her feel safe and cared for, something she hadn't felt in quite some time.
"I guess you're right. What about you?" She yawned once again, stifling the action with her hand. Veiled eyes found crimson as she awaited his answer.
"I don't know. I may sleep as well." His answer didn't seem to be enough for her.
"Where? Hey… don't think about perching yourself somewhere in town. There's an extra room next to mine at the Inn, why don't you stay there?" She thought it was a perfect idea. Little did she know that her suggestion was slightly tainted by her subconscious desire to see him again.
"That sounds fine. Shall we?" Vincent stood from the bench, offering to help Tifa stand in her tired state. She obliged and they walked side by side to the Inn, not far from the park.
Vincent went to the business of retrieving a key for the room, while Tifa seemed to have wandered off to her room upstairs. Once he had paid for his stay and received the key from the Inn keeper, Vincent too went up the stairs. His room was indeed next to hers, and when he arrived in the hallway he saw Tifa propped against the wall between their doors.
"I wanted to say goodnight." She said. He nodded and brought himself a few feet from the dark haired beauty. As he came near, she took the liberty to close the distance between them, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and reaching her tip-toes. He returned her embrace for a moment.
"Goodnight, Tifa." His voice was smooth and deep, she found shivers trailing down her spine as he spoke nearly into her ear. She pulled away from him until her hands were against his biceps. She studied his face for a moment, appreciating his handsome features beneath the dim light of the hall. Though his hair and cowl obstructed her view, she could see most of his face. He was beautiful, quite simply.
He was also going about the business of appreciating Tifa. Her delicate features were a contrast to the punch that she could offer when pressed. Her dark hair and eyes were mysterious and her dainty nose completed her face perfectly. Her lips were plush, and his eyes dwelled on them for a moment.
She smiled once more as he watched her, and he leaned in and placed a soft kiss directly on the center of her forehead. He finished the light kiss with a soft caress against her cheek, before slipping from her grasp. There was nothing left to say tonight, so he turned and unlocked his door.
"Goodnight, Vincent." She said, also turning to enter her own room through the cracked door. Once he closed his door, she mirrored his action. She leaned against the door for a moment, a longing sigh escaping from betwixt pastel. 'I adore you.' She finished her sentence in her head, if only she had the nerve to say it aloud.
Tifa pushed herself from the door and found herself hovering over the bathroom sink in seconds. She had barely made the trip to Wutai two days ago, and something had exhausted her so that she had slept most of the first day. The second day she had wandered similar to a zombie, finding her way to the sidewalk where Vincent had come upon her. What had pulled her into such a strange existence lately was a mystery to her at the moment, but it seemed to have leveled since her encounter with Vincent.
Tifa turned the small brass handle with a 'C' etched into the top, water began to flow from the faucet. Hands cupped together and gathered enough cool water to splash her face and rinse the grime from her skin. It was much needed, since in her previous state she had forgotten to wash her face all together. Tifa finished and dried her face with a small towel.
Upon exiting the bathroom, she pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it to the ground on her way to the bed. She removed her shoes before the rest of her clothes met the same demise, save for her panties, and she drew on an old tee shirt that lay across the bed. Once nestled between the sheets of the queen sized bed, Tifa reminisced about the evening she had just had. Vincent piqued her curiosity and when he opened up to her, she felt so drawn to him. She also felt the need to know more about his past and basically anything to do with him. So many questions burned in her mind, but they'd have to wait since those were Vincent's orders. 'What am I to do about this?' She pondered. Her thoughts of Vincent drifted away as her eyes slowly closed and sleep pulled her under.
Disclaimer: I do not own Vincent, Tifa or Wutai.. or anything else for that matter. This applies to each chapter.