Final Fantasy VII. As a beginning test that rose in the Forums I decide to try the other triangle outside Cloud-Tifa-Vincent to the Lucrecia-Vincent-Tifa one. Since I have thought about this story several times I thought I could use it now, however I don't plan to make a light and happy story. Also since I'm not exactly mother language I still find hard to use some common expressions and grammar feel free to correct me please.
Also since many stated my short chapters…here ;D.
Said this let's proceed…
It was almost 7:30 and she had unfortunately waked up late because a stupid power loss in her building. She had barely caught her morning train and had embarrassedly put her make up in quite a rush.
A quick rush into the elevator and up she went to the seventh floor which was casually the same sector number in which she lived. She looked through the blurred mirror of the elevator to make sure her long brown hair was properly combed and her make up as equally perfect and not too strong.
Once out she swiftly made it near the vending machines and placed a coin selecting her usual morning coffee with no sugar, almost as quickly behind her she felt the familiar presence of her righteous supervisor.
"Good morning Mr.Valentine" she smiled trying to hide the tremendous effort she had endured in order to get there on time.
"Good morning Miss Loveheat…" he selected his usual tea.
Tifa felt a little embarrassed to correct him, she had been working there for more than a week now and had been very punctual about their morning drinks before work. Why wouldn't he just remember her surname, not her name, but at least her surname!
"It's…Lockhart actually…"
He did seemed sincerely embarrassed "I'm…sorry…just…"
"It's ok, I understand…with so many people working here…"
"Yes, definitely that…humm…well…I'll remember from now on."
He threw the empty plastic cup and went straight to his office.
Tifa crushed the cup violently before throwing it away "You said the same the other day as well ..."
x
There weren't many chances to meet Vincent Valentine. Sure he worked at the same floor but talking to him was entirely a different story. She remembered quite distinctively when she was first introduced to him and she had entered his office with complete calm that her references would've spoken louder than her previously prepared speech in order to convince him she was the best he was going to get.
Indeed the references spoke out for themselves because Tifa Lockhart wasn't talking at all. She managed to say her name out loud and a couple of mumble yes and no.
How can anyone blame her, before her stood the exact match of her female needs. Some handsome tall dark man interviews and how is she supposed to utter comprehensible words? She certainly couldn't be blamed and of course she was lucky enough Mr. Valentine didn't look for talkative people and yes, the references spoke so much she thought she heard them.
"Impressive Miss Lockhart" he then got up and extended his hand to her.
She had quite a debate there, sure she'd love to shake his strong hand but for some reason she felt incredibly ugly, smelly and sweaty and all she felt was left to do was bow…and so promptly and at such degree she almost hit his desk.
Tifa shook her head and took off her glasses. It was almost lunchtime and time just seemed to fly in front of a computer monitor. She got up and took out her meal from the fridge eyeing his office, but it seemed like the only present one was her annoying secretary Shinra Katsuragi.
She tried smoothly to make friends with her, but it was rather a hopeless case. The woman was affable and helpful but when it came to eyeing people like Tifa who were only looking for an easy rope to her principal's office she could be dangerous.
Sneaking around the corner she was startled by the sudden poke on her shoulder.
"Hey!"
"Egad! Elena, don't do that again!"
She giggled "Sorry, you know…you'd be an excellent sniper. You could stay here hours without eating or drinking awaiting for your pray to come out of its den."
"I don't need to hear your silly remarks."
"Well, are you going to eat or you intend on spending the rest of the lunch brake in stealth mode?"
"He has a meeting just after lunch brake, I'll get to see him" she smiled drawing her attention to his office once more.
"Tiffy…"
"Yeah?" she replied with out diverting her attention.
"He's…getting married?"
Tifa turned at her and with a quite violent move she shoved her against the wall.
"WHAT!"
"Let go of me! Tifa…snap out of it…he's completely out of your league anyways…"
"How can you say that? And who is this…this…"
"Bitch?"
"Well, I don't know her but still…yes! Who is this bitch…?"
Elena took a look at her wrist watch and then looked back at Tifa with a worried expression "Come with me."
x
They took the elevator and Elena pushed the second underground level. Tifa blinked for a moment but curiosity was too much for her to complain.
"We have to be quick, we're not supposed to go to lab areas since it's far from our jurisdiction but…we can risk once."
"Sure."
The elevator suddenly emptied all the black suits leaving spaces for white suits, all lab workers supposedly. They looked at the two ladies with a bit of curiosity but nobody dared say a word, specially to Elena who kept a cool and confident stare surrounding herself with an aura of high authority.
"Elena?" she tried to whisper but she responded with a finger crossing her lips.
Once below Elena jumped out quickly followed by Tifa, they way she moved showed not only confidence but someone who had certainly been down there before. After a couple of rooms she stopped at one.
Tifa noticed a tall lady with long light brown hair in a pony-tail and a pair of slim glasses. She wore the customary lab coat and underneath a high neck light blue sweater and was quite concentrated on her job to become aware of two intensive stares.
"That's her, right?"
"Quite evident?"
"Yes…he…he'd love her…" her eyes down and her perfectly polished nails sinking against her skirt.
"Let's go back."
Tifa nodded and Elena moved as quickly, their lunch was soon to be over and any further comments and acknowledgement of her rival would've been deadly. Her blond colleague was aware of her pain but she was even more aware of how much more painful it would've been if she had waited more. For Tifa to realise how vain her wish was became an important life achievement.
Elena covered her up for the next half hour as she let her friend cry a little in the bathroom. Tifa was back faster than expected with red eyes and a serious face, she calmly took sit and as Elena sent her an inquisitive look she answered with a big fake smile.
After work Elena proposed to go out and eat a slice of pizza for a girl's night out. Something to cheer her up and celebrate female independency from men but she was too messed up inside to be able to keep pretending everything was fine.
As she was leaving the building the thought of changing job stared to rise inside of her but before she could picture herself elsewhere she heard her name called out loud. As she turned she met the familiar red hair of one of the guys at the fourth floor.
"Hi Reno."
"Hoy!" he stopped right in front of her to catch some breath "I've been calling you from four stores."
"Really? Sorry, I was elsewhere…with my head."
"That I can see…" his right hand reached his pocket "Game tickets! Wanna join me?"
"Uhm?" she took a close look, nothing she would be interested in but after what happened she took a long hard look at her friend. She definitely had to find a boyfriend to occupy her mind.
"Sure" she smiled "When is it?"
"Wednesday night, want me to pick you up?"
"Oh, no no…I leave far…I'll meet you there, is that ok with you?"
"Sure" he added with pleased expression "Wednesday then! Gotta go now, missing train" and he waved for a last rush.
It was better than way. Reno was a nice guy and he was obviously of her own world, catching trains in the morning and…buying cheap colognes.
That night Tifa took her shower and decided to stop her diet and ordered some Brisket with Eggplant Balls. She opted for a quick call at her Wednesday's date with the excuse of timing incomprehension's and enjoyed the rest of the evening in front of a hilarious movie.
x
Next day she took it slow and easy. No make up aside a light pink lipstick and she had gathered up her hair in a bun and took the coffee to her desk and started working right away. At lunch break she met with her colleagues and then went back to her duties.
Elena's head popped up once in a while in apprehension and curiosity.
"I heard you're going out with Reno."
She smiled "Boy, everyone here gets to know everything quite fast…"
"It's his fault, he keeps boasting on how he got you to go out with him."
"I don't mind, it's flattering."
"You're not thinking of using Reno…"
"It's just a date Elena! Now let me go back to my work, I'm way behind schedule."
"Suuuure" she disappeared in an instant quite happy to see her sane again.
Time went by quickly and she had completely ignored Valentine's on goings and outgoings from his office, she was ready to leave when she decided to do some more paperwork. That way Wednesday she'd be able to get out earlier and get properly ready for her big date.
Even if she was not particularly attracted to Reno she found him fun and maybe he'd make her change her mind, otherwise it would remain a nice evening.
"Tif? Aren't you…going home?"
"I just want to finish entering some data Elena, I want to go out soon tomorrow…"
"Ok….whatever makes you happy. Mind sharing some time new Tifa?"
"Sure, we can go eat something Saturday night."
"Agreed…have fun then!"
By the time Tifa had finished it was around 10 p.m. and she couldn't help notice the desolation around her. Nobody left, it somehow felt scary, her only comfort where the lights from the vending machine and the big light under Mr. Valentine's office.
"He's still working?"
Even her secretary Shera was gone.
She had some remains from her lunch and thought of peeking in. Just curiosity she told herself, "I'm through with him" and so she knocked without fear.
"Who is it?"
Tifa opened up slowly, his voice sounded weird. Never would've she expected to find him like that.
His eyes red and the palm of his hand glued to his face, his right hand had a bottle of gin. On the small table in front of him some papers and an empty glass.
"Mr. Valentine, are you alright?"
"Sure" he raised his bottle "Want some?"
"Uhmm...no, actually I came to bring you some food. I see you didn't have dinner, or at least I suppose…"
She placed her tuna salad in front of him with a plastic fork. At first he seemed untouched but once he tasted it he devoured it an unlikely way from someone like him.
"Wow, you must've been starving."
"Yes, really…thank you…uhmm…"
"It's…"
"Lockhart!" he snapped.
Tifa blinked in disbelief "Now he remembers!"
"Drink…drink…" he poured some gin into the empty glass "You want some ice?"
"No, its fine, thanks…" she took the glass without having any particular thrill for alcohol.
"Let's toast!"
"Sure, to what if may I ask?"
"Women!"
"O-ok…"and they both drank at unison but Tifa couldn't keep with his speed.
"All of it! There is no point otherwise…"
"Uhmm…" she gave it a long stare and decided to swallow it all and then leave him to whatever sad problems he was facing. Soon as she said so she got up.
"Well, if you'll excuse me…"
"Leaving already?"
"Well, yes I have to take a shower and eat something…"
"I...ate your dinner?"
"No, no….just…"
"I understand, you women have all bigger plans in life…"
Tifa sat back down, she felt guilty and…curious. By now it had become way too clear her boss was in the middle of an emotional breakdown.
"I supposed you had quite a quarrel with your girlfriend Mr. Valentine…"
"Hum…" he rubbed his eye "I don't get to quarrel with someone I barely see…even so we live together and work at the same place…"
"Live…together?"
"I don't know…maybe I should just…give up…"
"On what sir…"
He chuckled "No sir….no…no…."
"Erm…"
He laughed loud "I'm going to die alone like my father…"
Certainly Tifa would've never imagined seeing the man of her dreams reduced in such a manner. He seemed so much more human and in an awful way, more attractive. Without much concern she placed her hand on his shoulder as she saw him cover his face.
Was he crying? Tifa almost in horror and morbid amusement bent closer but when his eyes flickered at her and she found her back on the sofa and his mouth on hers.
x
Well, that's it…for now…I don't know. If you people think it's worth working on please let me now. And please make me notice any grammar errors…I'm really trying to improve this skills.