Leaning on You(FF7)

47

~Vincent's POV~

Tifa locks the door for the night and sighs contentedly, leaning against the wall for a moment. I smile, amused at her mock exhaustion. She's closing early on Sundays now so that people stop blaming her for their hangovers at work. I can smell our dinner in the oven in the other room and I makes my stomach growl. I guess Tifa's does too, because she glances down at her gut before walking over to me.

"Finally," she says breathily. I smile again as she rests her chin on my shoulder from behind. Only three more days until Sephiroth comes back. I can't help but wonder about the Black Materia and the rebel group led by Cloud's cousin, Casper.

"Tired?"

"Hungry," she corrects. Her hands slip around my waist and she snuggles her face into the crook of my neck.

"Tifa," I sigh and she lifts her head. I turn around in my seat and face her. "I've gotta go check the lasagna."

"You scared me there for a minute," she laughs.

"I don't know, dinner's pretty deadly," I smirk, kissing the tip of her nose before starting to leave the room. She catches my arm and pulls me back to her. Her arms wrap around my neck and pull me down to her level.

"You missed," she mumbles with a sly smile before reaching up and kissing me.

I chuckle against her lips and hold her waist gently as she backs me into the nearby wall. Her mouth leaves mine and trails down my jaw. It's like a zap of electricity when her teeth graze over that spot. And she knows it, judging by the smirk on her soft lips. Odin... Does she even know what she's doing? I swear I'm gonna lose my sanity any day now. Suddenly, I remember what today is. The anniversary of Lucretia's death.. Good thing I've moved on... Tifa's warmth disappears and I open my eyes. She's looking at me with a look of shock and hurt. I blink at her.

"What?" Nothing. She looks ready to cry. I take a careful step toward her. "Did I get you with my claw?" She moves away from me, shaking her head.

"You said her name," she says just over a whisper.

"Who?" I frown.

"Luc... Lucretia."

I feel my eyes widen a little and my mouth opens to say something, but nothing comes out. Crap. She suddenly shakes her head quickly and leaves the room as fast as she can. I seem to wake up.

"Tifa!"

"I thought you'd be over her by now," she scowls at the floor and keeps moving.

"I am! I just remembered..."

"Obviously you're not if every time..."

"Tifa," I grab her shoulder gently, turning her to face me. She still glares at the floor. "I am over her. I was just distracted, I was thinking about her." SHOOT! A million curses run through my mind as I realize it was the wrong thing to say. I should've worded that differently, but I only think that after her hand meets my face. I clench my jaw against the stinging and forcing myself to look at her.

"You still love her," she whispers.

"No I..."

"Dinner's burning," she mutters, turning on her heel to take our dinner out. I've suddenly lost my appetite and I have to take many deep breaths before being able to think clearly. Crap. Crappity crap crap. I silently follow her to the kitchen and drop down heavily into one of the chairs at the small table there. I push my bangs out of my face and hold my hands there in my hair to support my head as I stare at the table top. How am I supposed to apologize?