A/N: Suggested listening whilst reading this would be Dave Matthew's Band's "Crash Into Me", as well as KT Tunstall's "Through the Dark"...and just in case any of you know of this jazz/hip-hop group, then I suggest Restoring Poetry in Music's "There U Are" and "Play Your Part". The moods of these songs kinda mirror what's in store in this chapter. ---------- Costa Del Sol had a subtle sense of history that managed to weave it's transparent fingers together with the modern shenanigans of the youth of present day. Its buildings stood like silent sentinels as young men and women giggled past their aged facades. Not to say that the elderly and mature could not be found, but like a swarm, from left to right, were the bright and handsome faces of the young, their energized gazes almost inescapable in the heat of the afternoon sun. It was this atmosphere that the two girls found themselves coming into, the carefree attitude seeming like an inexorable gas that filled each of their lungs and made them sigh in warm satisfaction. They were finally free of the barren roads where only the spare truck kept them company. The air breezed past them as they rode along, smiles and grins making themselves present wherever they went. But time began to drag on, and Yuffie began to grow impatient. Tifa could feel the ninja's muscles bunch at the eleventh 'no vacancy' sign they found. "This is SO lame!" The girl huffed over the growling of her motorbike. "Isn't there any place we can stay?" From Tifa's place behind Yuffie, the woman could see the girl's eyes narrow and her nose scrunch up slightly as she allowed a snarl to cross her features. The wind whipped in her eyes as she sped the motorbike up, and Tifa had to grab onto the ninja tighter to keep from being thrown back. "Yuffie!" the fighter exclaimed in alarm, her long hair whipping behind her. It was as they were coming up a steep hill, on the north side of Costa Del Sol, that they found their salvation. The Oceanside Inn was a small, quaint little establishment, gifted with a sweeping view of the ocean. The manila-colored building was a three-story, with stucco siding and tall crenelations that imposed an idea of seniority over all the other buildings on the street. The small courtyard in front of the building was lush and green, beautiful rose bushes growing beneath the wide, arched windows. At the sight of the 'vacancy' sign, Yuffie turned sharply, causing Tifa to cry out in alarm. Pulling alongside the curb, the girl quickly took off her helmet. "Come on, Tifa!" she cried, an excited look in her eyes. Tifa stared at her. "What kind of driving was that?" the woman cried, scandalized. But Yuffie didn't pay her much attention. She was already walking toward the inn. "Come on, Rusty! In case ya hadn't noticed, Costa Del Sol is packed right now. So if we don't hurry and check in now, someone's gonna cheat us out of a sweet view of the beach!" the girl cried impatiently over her shoulder. Tifa took her helmet off slowly. "She can get so demanding." She grumbled sorely. Inside, Yuffie stopped briefly, impressed by the elegant decor of the main lobby. The walls were dressed in rich red wallpaper, a small gold chandelier hanging from the ceiling. On the wall to Yuffie's left hung a large portrait of a woman standing on the edge of a rocky cliff. Her black hair blew wildly in the wind as she faced out toward the ocean, a pale hand over her heart. Yuffie found herself staring at the painting for a moment, her eyes lingering on the woman's face. "Can I help you?" Yuffie turned her head sharply at the new voice. In front of her was the main desk, a middle aged man standing behind the counter. He was gazing at her curiously, his gray eyes searching her face. "Something the matter, Miss?" the man asked politely. Yuffie shook her head vehemently just as Tifa came in behind her. "What's wrong?" The fighter asked immediately, seeing her friend's movement. The ninja turned to look at her, somewhat flustered, "It's nothing!" She looked back at the hotel attendant, who was still gazing at her in concern. "Really!" She stuck her thumb at the painting, her cheeks tinging slightly. "I was just wondering what this piece was...uh...y'know, called." The man smiled at this and gestured toward the painting, "This piece is called 'To The End.' We bought it from a gallery in Midgar called 'Edge'...it's nice, isn't it?" Yuffie nodded, looking back at the piece. "Yeah..." There was a pause. Tifa gazed at Yuffie with mild confusion. After another moment went by, the fighter cleared her throat and looked back at the attendant. "Um...We saw your sign outside-" "Ah yes!" the man nodded, jumping to life. "Yes, we've got at least two rooms open." the man chuckled as he reached beneath the desk, pulling up a large book. "I'm so very sorry, I should've assumed that was what you were both here for!" Tifa walked forward, shaking her head. "No, no...that's all right." she looked back at Yuffie, who was still looking at the picture. She was now two inches from it, her eyes narrowing on the face of the woman. Tifa blinked. "Er..." she turned back toward the hotel attendant. "One room will be fine for the two of us, if that's okay." The man nodded, opening the leather book before him. "Oh, that's fine." he flipped the yellowed pages until he came to the last page of signatures. Taking a pen from a nearby mug, the man handed it to Tifa. "The rate is four hundred gil a night. Is that okay?" "Yes, that's fine." "Then if you'd both just sign here, please." Tifa nodded and signed her name, inwardly marveling at the fact that some hotels still used log books. Finished, the woman straightened and looked back at Yuffie. The girl was still gazing at the painting. "Yuffie," Tifa called loudly, bewildered by the girl's odd behavior. The girl looked at her, blinking. "Huh?" she said. Tifa raised the pen and arched an eyebrow. "Are you going to sign or not?" "Oh," the girl said. She walked forward. "Yeah, sure." Grabbing the pen, Yuffie leaned toward the book as the fighter stepped aside, scribbling a messy signature beneath the older woman's neat and elaborate one. As she stepped back, Tifa gave her a sidelong look, thinking with mild annoyance, "Wasn't she the one hurrying me up earlier?" The man smiled and shut the book, replacing it beneath the counter. Then, turning, he plucked a key marked "06" from the key rack on the wall behind him, and began to walk toward the stairs. "Just follow me, and I'll show you two your room." the man said. Tifa followed him up the carpeted stairs, Yuffie sparing a glance back in the direction of the painting before following. "This hotel's been around since Costa del Sol was first built." the man began to say as they crossed the second floor hall. "The original owner, Mark Exelburg, died forty years ago. This place is now under the management of his nephew, Terek Exelburg." "And who are you?" Yuffie asked, hands shoved into her back pockets. The man looked back with a smile. "My name's Otis. I'm a friend of the owner." They entered the third floor and Otis stopped at the last door to the right. Taking the key, he opened into the room. "Wow..." Tifa breathed at the sight that greeted her. The cherry wood furniture was elegant and polished, the dark emerald carpet bringing out the color of the crimson colored walls. The sheets of the two large canopy beds were fluffy and soft. Tifa's hand lingered on them for a moment before her attention fell on the beds headboard's, which were decorated with an intricate carving of a rose. As the woman leaned in, she couldn't help but think the hotel's mix of styles strange, though she considered it far from unpleasant. On the outside, the hotel came across perfectly as something straight from South-Eastern culture, the practical design of the building something the last generations of Cetra partook in. But then on the inside, the rooms were rich with color and decoration, something reminiscent of the styles from the North. Yuffie gave a low whistle as she leaned forward to inspect the headboard of the bed nearest to the door. "Spiffy!" the girl exclaimed, her eyes shining. Tifa's eyes lit up toward the back of the room, where sunlight poured in through the sliding glass door leading out onto the balcony. Walking forward slowly, the woman slid the door open and stepped out into the air. She gave an excited laugh. "Yuffie, come look at this!" the woman cried, rushing to the railing and leaning out as far as she could. Yuffie hurried toward the balcony, Otis smiling as he watched the women marvel at the view. Yuffie gave a loud exclamation of disbelief as she came to stand next to Tifa. Before them, nearly all of Costa Del Sol could be seen, from the harbor, to the beach, to the residential district, to the open market, and to the main square. Neither girl could find the words to describe their amazement. The only thing they could do was look at one another and smile. "You can get an even better view on the roof," Otis said behind them as he joined them out onto the balcony. "There's lawn chairs for sun bathing and some tables if you'd like to eat there. The roof access is open until eleven at night." he pointed behind him, "If you two ladies need me for anything, just call me on the phone next to the bed by pushing the 'hotel service' button." Otis handed Yuffie the hotel key. "There's your key," the man smiled as he gave a slight bow. "Hope you two have a nice afternoon. Remember, call me if you need anything." Yuffie nodded, a wide smile on her face as Otis turned to leave. "Thanks, Otis!" Tifa waved as the men left, then turned to look at her friend. "I can't believe we found such a nice hotel!" Yuffie, who turned her attention back to the view, shrugged one shoulder. "For such a small, out-of-the-way hotel, four hundred gil a night seems expensive. But people don't know how nice the rooms are, and they probably don't even realize what a nice view you can get up here." The fighter nodded, leaning against the railing. "Yeah, you're probably right..." The two stood, together, marveling at the sight of the ocean and the way the water sparkled in the sun like broken glass. Tifa's eyes lowered at the feel of the ocean breeze sweeping against her skin, the light scent of salt and delicious food filling her senses. In the streets below, the bubbly laughter of children carried itself up to Tifa's ears. At the sound, the woman turned her attention to her friend. Yuffie was blank faced, an oddly distant look in her eyes. Her hands gripped the iron railing with a tight grip, so that her knuckles showed through her skin. Frowning, Tifa tentatively touched the girl's hand. "...Yuffie? Hey, are you okay?" The ninja blinked and looked at Tifa. In her eyes, the fighter recognized the light tinge of sadness she saw the first night Yuffie stayed at her home. Tifa took a step toward her, confused and unnerved at the sudden change in the girl's mood. "Yuffie, what's wrong?" she asked quietly. Then without warning, the look was gone. A simple blink and, like that, a smile was back on Yuffie's face, as if she had come out of a trance. "What're you talking about, Rusty?" the girl asked smoothly, her hands finding their places at her hips. Tifa blinked a few times, then placed a hand on Yuffie's forehead. The girl was burning hot...but then again, so was Tifa. The sun was pretty intense, after all. "Are you sure you're feeling okay?" the woman asked worryingly. Yuffie took Tifa's hand off her head, returning the older woman's look of concern with a look of mild annoyance. "I'm fine, Tif. What's with that look yer giving me?" Yuffie took a large step back from the woman and raised a challenging eyebrow. Tifa stared at her for a moment before sighing and allowing herself to shrug. "All right...you don't need to tell me what's wrong if you don't want to." She began to walk back into the room. "But I'm really hungry right now, so hurry up and do whatever you need to before we head to Serino's." Yuffie gazed after her, her cheeks tinted pink and a small scowl on her face. "I'm telling you there's nothing wrong with me!" ---------- Serino's was a restaurant on the East end of Costa Del Sol, near the ocean. The restaurant was an open one, that allowed the cool air to breeze in. The building was done in adobe style architecture, the interior painting an image of a period long gone, when people from the Eastern Continent came to colonize along the coasts of the Western Continent. The wooden floors echoed with the footsteps of the waiters flitting between tables, their movements sending vibrations up Tifa's feet as she and Yuffie came in through the archways. The restaurant was full, but in the center, Tifa spotted a clear table. Taking Yuffie by the hand, the fighter lead her forward, the ninja trailing with a surly look on her face. Since the time at the balcony, the ninja had been in a somewhat grumpy mood. A week ago, the woman would've been uncomfortable, and furthermore, perhaps a little angry at the girl's behavior...but she had come to understand one thing. As surprising as it may seem to others, Yuffie Kisaragi was, in reality, not as open as some would think. Whether her reticence was a simple refusal to admit guilt, or perhaps a denial of sadness or fear, the girl was capable of being as tight lipped as any one else, despite how loud and out-going she may have appeared. So Tifa did not feel angry, or uncomfortable...she felt sympathetic. If Yuffie didn't wish to reveal what her thoughts and problems were, who was Tifa to push her to speak? She, who had stuffed down her own fears and anxieties, even at the expense of others? For a brief moment, the woman thought of her recent conversation with Barret, and his suspicions regarding the necklace Yuffie had given Tifa. But the fighter shook the thought out of her head. Not now. She wouldn't think of that now...or even later, for that matter. Pulling out one of the wooden chairs, Tifa indicated for Yuffie to sit, which the girl did silently. Tifa sat next to her, brushing her long hair back over her shoulder. She had decided to let it down for the evening. "So what do you think?" the woman asked, scooting closer to the table. Yuffie looked around slowly, her back slouched slightly. "It looks nice." she said with a subdued sort of enthusiasm. Tifa patted her hand, a smile on her lips, "Wait till you try the food! The menu here is fantastic. Aeris and I thought we'd die from the tastes..." Yuffie straightened slightly at the mention of their deceased friend. "You ate here with Aeris?" Tifa nodded. "Yep." She pointed toward the other side of the room, where a large statue of an ancient soldier stood. It was a life-sized replica of a soldier from the Eastern Continent, the metal armor and long powder gun a trait of the warriors from the time. "Aeris sat with her back to that statue. The thing made her anxious...so anxious, in fact, that when the waiter came up behind her, she screamed and knocked his pitcher of water all down his front." Tifa laughed, a hand flying to her mouth. "I couldn't stop laughing!" Yuffie grinned and leaned forward, "I can't believe I missed that!" "I think you were squirreling around in that materia shop by then..." The ninja chuckled. "Gosh, I wonder if that shop owner is even still there..." "Probably not...you did steal more than half of the man's materia, y'know." The two women were laughing when a waiter finally stopped at their table. He was tall, his strawberry blond hair swept back with gel that shined in the light. "Hello ladies! My name's Jeremiah and I'll be your waiter for this evening." he handed them menus just as they began to calm down. "Tonight, our special is Crema de Champinones, which is mushroom cream garnished with lettuce and ham." "Eyech." Yuffie said under her breath. Tifa kicked her lightly with her foot. Jeremiah smiled lightly, "If you two ladies want, I could come back after a minute or two so that you can look through the menu?" "Yes, if you'd please." Tifa asked with a polite smile. The man bowed slightly. "Then I shall come back in a bit." As he walked away, Yuffie gave Tifa a sharp look. "What was with that kick?" Tifa opened her menu, unphased by the irate stare her friend was fixing her with. "You shouldn't do that to people when their speaking. It's rude." The girl opened her menu unenthusiastically. "Well that dish he mentioned sounded grody." "Its part of his job to say what the special is for tonight, it wasn't as if he were saying you HAD to have the dish." "Feh...these restaurants with their big fancy names..." Yuffie grumbled, slouching in her seat. Tifa smiled in mild amusement as she looked at her friend out of the corner of her eye. The girl was pouting. Yuffie growled. "Seriously, Tif, how the heck are you supposed to pronounce these names?" Tifa tilted her head slightly, her eyes still skimming her menu. "What one are you having trouble pronouncing?" Yuffie sat up and scooted her chair closer to the fighter. Leaning in, she pointed at one of the names of the dishes. "That one." Tifa smirked. "'Estofado de Pulpo y Calamares.'" Yuffie stared at her. "Uh...what?" The older woman giggled. "Don't worry about it. I don't think you'll like that one." "Why?" "It's stewed octopus and calaman." Yuffie blinked. Then, without warning, she pulled Tifa's menu out of her hands and stared at the dish name and its description. "Really?" Tifa made an indignant noise. "Hey! You've got your own menu to look at!" Miffed, the fighter pulled her menu back out of Yuffie's hands. Jeremiah approached their table, his eyebrow raised slightly as he looked at them both. "Um...are you two ready to order?" Tifa, still giving Yuffie an annoyed look, nodded. "Yes. We're ready." Jeremiah nodded, taking out his notepad. "All right, what'll you be having?" Tifa shut her menu with a sigh and shrugged, "I suppose I'll have a Conejo Asado and a glass of a red sangria." The man nodded, jotting down the woman's order. Then turning, he looked down at Yuffie. "And you, Miss?" Yuffie paused, looking down at her menu. "Um..." she looked up again and shrugged. "I want the octopus." Jeremiah blinked at her. "Er...Do you mean the Estofado-?" "Yeah." Yuffie interjected, waving a hand dismissively. "Yeah, that." Tifa stared at her. "Uh, Yuffie?" The girl looked at her and grinned. "I like octopus." Jeremiah shook his head with a grin as he jotted the girl's order down. "And for a drink?" Yuffie looked up at him again. "Huh? Oh...uh, I guess I'll have the same as her." she said, pointing at Tifa. Jeremiah nodded. "So the red sangria then." "Sure." "Okay." The man tucked the notepad in the pocket of his apron. Taking the girls menus, he said, "You're food will be ready soon. In the meantime, I'll bring your basket and drinks in a moment." and with that he walked away. "Basket?" Yuffie said with a frown. She looked at Tifa. "What basket?" Tifa, who had been gazing at the statue across the room, turned to look at her friend. "The basket? Oh, don't worry. Ya see, they give you a free basket of tortilla chips while you wait for your food." The ninja's eyes grew wide. "Really? That's so cool!" and immediately, she began to look around to see who else had chip baskets. Tifa gave her a look. "You had better not eat all of the chips, Yuffie...besides, your supposed to save room for the actual food." The ninja shrugged. "Well, it's free isn't it? You've always gotta take advantage of that kinda stuff." The fighter sighed, propping her head up on her fist. "You're such an opportunist." Yuffie chuckled, winking at Tifa. "Better believe it." Tifa laughed slightly at the girl's attitude, relieved that she wasn't surly anymore. "...Hey, Yuffie?" the woman said. The girl looked at her. "Yeah, Tifa?" "You wanna go shopping after this?" "Oh hey!" Yuffie wagged a finger at Tifa, a smile on her lips. "I was gonna ask about that!" she nodded. "Yeah, I'd like to go shopping after we leave here. We'll need clothes for tomorrow night." Tifa frowned. "What're we doing tomorrow?" Yuffie raised an eyebrow. "What else? Clubbing!" "...Clubbing?" "Yeah! Why? Did you honestly think we were gonna stop here and not go clubbing?" Tifa straightened, biting her lip. "Well...I didn't really think about-" Yuffie cut her off. "Nope! You can't have doubts about this one, Rusty. In order to fully enjoy the nightlife experience, one has to give into it." Tifa stared at her. "You're making it sound like some weird, spiritual thing." "Well...it can be spiritual...under, y'know, the right influences..." "...Yuffie, I am NOT taking any drugs." The girl laughed, nudging the woman with her elbow. "Re-lax. I was just kidding!" "You had better have been." Tifa muttered, giving Yuffie a skeptical look. The ninja sighed, looking at her friend with an exasperated look. "But what's your issue this time? Is it about dancing in public? 'Cuz I'd like to remind you-" "No, that isn't it." Tifa said, waving a hand. "It's just...clubs can be dangerous. What with all those people and drugs and alcohol...I don't wanna end up in any sort of trouble, that's all." Yuffie rolled her eyes. "Pfft. Give me a break, Tif. Do you really think I'd lead us into any dangerous situations?" "...Do you really want me to answer that?" Tifa deadpanned. Yuffie pouted and leaned forward onto the table. "Aw, you're no fun, Rusty..." Just then, Jeremiah appeared, drinks balanced carefully on a tray. "Here you are, ladies." he said, as he laid their glasses before them. "Thank you." Tifa said gratefully, taking her drink and sipping it. Yuffie gazed at her glass suspiciously. "Your orders will be ready in a moment." Jeremiah said, as he walked away. Tifa looked at her friend. "Well, go on. Take a sip. It's good." "What is it?" Yuffie asked, picking the glass up and sniffing at the liquid. It was a dark magenta color. The ice clinked against the glass as the ninja set the drink back down with a grimace. "It's sangria," Tifa said with a shrug. "It's a juice drink. They put a bit of brandy and wine in it." Yuffie gave Tifa a skeptical look, to which the woman replied with an urging gesture toward the glass. Sighing, the ninja picked the drink up and took a reluctant sip. Smacking her lips, the girl seemed to think for a moment, before suddenly chugging the drink down fiercely. Tifa grabbed her arm in alarm. "Woah! Yuffie, you can't just chug it like that! I already told you, its got alcohol in it!" Yuffie set her drink down, three quarters of it already gone. "Ow." she reached up to her forehead, a look of pain on her face. "...Brain-freeze." Tifa rubbed at her face. "Geez..." It was at this moment, sitting there with her hand covering her eyes that she heard the voice. "Jane Doe?" It was vaguely familiar, and the woman slowly lowered her hand to look around. Her eyes locked onto a set of blue ones across the room. People looked up as a man in a dark leather jacket and wavy brown hair quickly strode past, and Tifa's eyes widened as he neared. The man from the gas station in North Corel. ...What was his name again? "It is you!" the man exclaimed, his white smile spreading wide across his face. He had allowed a soul patch to grow beneath his lower lip, and he had also allowed his sideburns to grow out. The look this achieved was something like that of a sleek movie producer. Tifa blinked and smiled up at him nervously, her mind churning frantically to recall the man's name. "Oh GAWD, it's you again!" Yuffie exclaimed in blatant disgust, her face screwing up in a venomous scowl. The man made a kissing noise at the ninja as he pulled up a chair and sat down on Tifa's other side. "Nice to see you too, Kid." Tifa grabbed Yuffie's hand quickly, giving it a tight squeeze as the girl jerked forward, a furious look on her face. Giving her friend a warning look, the fighter let go of her hand and looked back at the man. "What's his name?" the woman thought frantically as she forced a smile to spread across her face. "Ah, what brings you here..." the woman faltered, her mind quickly going through names. She was certain his name began with a 'c'. "Chuck, Charles, Chester, Chance...Chance? ...Chance, chance..." she thought. "Chauncey!" Tifa exclaimed, a victorious look coming over her face as she finally remembered. She quickly sat back however, her face turning beet red. Chauncey didn't seem to notice her outburst, however. Instead, he simply sat back and smirk. "Don't you remember? I came here to celebrate my winnings from Gold Saucer." The fighter nodded, her mind recalling their conversation at the gas station. "Oh! That's right! Um..." The woman bit her lip, "Are you...having fun so far?" The man chuckled deeply, and Yuffie sneered at him from the across the table. "Yep. That I am...but what I wanna know is..." the man sat forward, his lips curling, "When did you get here?" Tifa pulled back slightly, "We, uh, just got here today." Chauncey sat back again, his eyebrow raising. "That so?" "She just told you, idiot." Yuffie snapped, glowering at him. The man didn't look at her. Instead, he smirked and said, "Is she always so pleasant?" The ninja slammed a fist on to the table, earning some stares from those around them. "Who the hell do you think you are, buddy?" Tifa sighed, and looked at her friend pleadingly. "Yuffie, please." Yuffie gave the woman a sharp look before looking away with a loud growl. "Reminds me of my lil' sister." Chauncey said, still smirking. "Sweetest lil' thing in the world, that she is." Tifa massaged her temples and closed her eyes. "Did you just get here?" she asked wearily. The man shook his head, standing. "Actually I was just on my way out...I was about to hit some spots, you wanna come with?" The woman shook her head and looked up at him. "No, I was going to go out with my friend after this." Chauncey nodded, licking his lips thoughtfully. "Well..." he held up a hand, "Another time then?" Tifa smiled complacently. "Maybe." Chauncey grinned and gave a mock bow. "Then I guess I'll see you later Jane Doe..." He walked slowly past her, his boots clomping loudly on the wood floors as he went. The strong smell of cologne hit Tifa, and she resisted the urge to wave the odor away with her hand. When the man was out of the restaurant, the woman turned to her friend. "Yuffie?" The girl looked at her, a genuinely angry look in her eyes. Tifa sighed. "Please don't look at me like that. I didn't mean for him to come over here, y'know." Yuffie said nothing, only slouched in her seat. After a moment of glaring at the table, the girl said through tight lips, "I don't like him." "I doubt we'll see him again, Yuffie..." Tifa said, trying to cheer her friend up. Inwardly the woman sighed at the sight of her friend so unhappy. And she had brightened up so much earlier, too... Grabbing her hand again, Tifa stroked it, "Look, how about we skip shopping for tonight and head down to the beach instead? The sky should be clear, just like last night..." At this, the girl looked up at her slowly. ---------- The sand felt cool beneath her bare feet. A soft smile playing on her lips, the woman wiggled her toes, savoring the feeling of the sand between them. Looking up, Tifa turned back to look at Yuffie, who stood behind her, higher up on the sand dune. The young girl gazed out at the water with a look of such sincere fondness that even the fighter could feel the girl's love for the ocean, deep in her heart. The ninja stood with her legs slightly apart, her arms still at her sides and her hands relaxed. Chin tilted up slightly, the girl breathed in deeply as the wind picked up, blowing her dark hair into her mahogany colored eyes. Tifa, marveling at how beautiful the girl looked, turned completely and stepped back a few steps. She wished to enjoy this sight, and commit it to memory, for to her, there was few things that could match in beauty. After a moment, Yuffie looked down at her. Her eyes were twinkling, and a soft smile was on her lips. She extended a hand to Tifa... And Tifa took it. Together they walked down the rest of the sand dune, approaching the crashing waves with a slow and relaxed pace. They stopped just short of the reaches of the water, and with a sigh, Yuffie slung Tifa's arm over her shoulders and hugged her around the waist. The woman said nothing to this action, instead, she simply laid her head against Yuffie's as the ninja snuggled close to her. "It's a beautiful night." the girl breathed. Tifa sighed and closed her eyes, nodding her head once. "Yeah..." "The water...do you think-?" Yuffie hesitated, a frown coming over her face. Tifa opened her eyes slightly. "Hmm?" "...Do you remember that painting from the hotel?" The fighter frowned slightly. "Yes?" "What did the coast the woman was at look like?" Tifa lifted her head and looked down at Yuffie. "What do you mean?" The girl sighed. "I mean...didn't it look familiar?" Tifa frowned. "I...no. No, I didn't recognize it." Yuffie hugged Tifa more tightly. "It looked like Wutai." At this, the woman blinked. Wutai? "Yuffie, was that what you were thinking about earlier?" At first, the girl said nothing. ...Then. "The woman...she looks just like my mother." "Really?" Yuffie nodded mutely against Tifa's shoulder. The fighter turned slightly and rubbed Yuffie's right arm with her other hand. The girl was freezing. "Do you think it could be her?" the woman asked quietly. Yuffie shook her head. "No. That's impossible. It must have been a recent work..." "Why do you say that?" "Because until about fifteen years ago, artists and photographers from the East weren't allowed to do any artwork based off of Wutai. Something about...'preventing a twisted portrayal of the Wutanese people.' ...Really, I just think it was because they didn't want spies coming in from Shinra taking pictures of the city. Y'know...a tactical thing." Tifa nodded. There had been a period before the Western Invasion, when Wutai and Shinra had obsessed over gaining the upper-hand through information. It was the first time in history that espionage had played such a vital role in war. "So do you feel better now? Or are you still upset?" Tifa asked, laying her head against Yuffie's again. The girl closed her eyes. "I feel a lot better now...thank you, Tifa, for bringing me here. The ocean's always made me feel better whenever I'm upset." "I'm sorry about Chauncey, I honestly didn't expect him to show up at the restaurant." Yuffie shook her head. "No, I'm not mad at you for that. He just made me angry, what with his stupid arrogance and that gross soul patch." Tifa laughed, and Yuffie laughed as well, burying her face in the woman's shoulder. But when they calmed down, the ninja pulled away from their embrace, a solemn expression on her face. "But please, Tifa. Please watch out for that guy. I don't trust him. He's got that narcissistic attitude and-" "Like you?" Tifa asked with a playful grin. Yuffie didn't return it. "I'm being serious, Tifa." The woman sighed, hands lightly holding Yuffie's. "I know..." "You will be careful...won't you? If we see that leech again, will you tell him to go sit on an air hose?" Tifa looked down into Yuffie's eyes. There was a pleading look there, mixed in with a light bit of fear. The woman nodded, hands reaching up to cup Yuffie's face gently. "Yes. I promise. I'll tell him to leave me alone." Yuffie smiled wide in relief. Hugging Tifa again, the girl nuzzled the woman's neck. "Good..." Hand finding a place at the small of the girl's back, the older woman swallowed hard, resisting the urges that began to rise quickly in her. Her eyes turned lidded and her mouth opened slightly as a sigh of longing escaped her lips. They were pressed so intimately close...was it just in her head? Was Yuffie doing this on purpose? The way she was nuzzling Tifa's neck...the woman thought she was going to go mad. Her mind was heady with all sorts of thoughts...thoughts that a few days ago, would have made the woman scream with embarrassment and perhaps even shame. But tonight...what was different about tonight? Ah yes. Yuffie's breath against her neck. Yuffie's hands clutching at her back. Tifa closed her eyes and reached a hand up to run through the girl's hair. The strands felt light and smooth against her fingertips. Together, they stood embracing one in another in the moonlight. "Do you ever think things, Tifa? Weird things?" Yuffie breathed suddenly. Opening her eyes slightly, she asked in a low voice, "Like what?" "So you don't?" Yuffie lifted her head and looked Tifa in the eyes, her eyes lidded. The woman leaned her forehead against Yuffie's, unconsciously licking her lips. "I don't know what you mean..." she whispered. Yuffie furrowed her eyebrows. "...Don't you?" Tifa's heart was hammering. They were so close. This really wasn't in her head. It wasn't a mistake. Yuffie was gazing at her, and the look in her eyes...the woman could feel the girl's breath against her lips. If she leaned forward, they would be hers. Yuffie's lips would be hers...And then a thought occurred to her. What would happen next? What would become of them then? With a jerk, Tifa pulled back, the cold air rushing between them and sending chills all across her skin. Yuffie stared at her, alarmed. "T-Tifa? What's...What's the matter-?" Tifa smiled shakily, wiping her hands quickly on her pants as if trying to wipe something off. "Y'know, it's really late. We should probably head back to the hotel now, y'know? We've got a lot to do tomorrow." Without waiting for Yuffie to do or say anything, Tifa turned and hurried up the sand dune. She nearly fell twice as she came back up to the street, where Yuffie's bike rested at the parking lot. Her heart was pounding painfully against her chest, and her body screamed at her for denying it its satisfaction, but the woman did her best to ignore it all. She shivered in the face of the night air, her skin already missing the comforting warmth of the girl still standing back at the beach. Tifa paced in front of the bike, her footsteps quick and anxious. Over and over, she thought of how she was doing the right thing. The logical thing. There was simply no use in indulging in an idea that had no hope of taking flight. Over and over she repeated this to herself, but even as she paced back and forth, it simply came down to one thing and one thing only... ...Tifa Lockhart was afraid.
Back to Vagrants Rhapsody Index - Back to Final Fantasy 7 Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction