Cloud x Tifa - Last Train to Brooklyn (Final Fantasy VII)

Chapter 6 - Too Much Faith in the Stars

Tifa inhaled deeply, her hands trembling at her sides, her heart stammering in her chest, her breath still ragged and her skin still hot.  Her father was standing in the center of the living room, his expression pulled back into a severe glower, studying her face with his eyebrow raised high on his forehead.

Cloud had left moments ago, leaving Tifa alone with her father in the living room, all of the air sucked out of the room when the door had closed behind him.  Now, standing alone with her father's penetrating, accusatory glare on her, Tifa felt her nerves begin to eclipse, anxiety bubbling up and expanding in her gut.

"I wasn't expecting you," Tifa finally spoke, her voice small and choked by the embarrassment that still flooded her body.  Just moments ago, Cloud had her pressed against the wall, grinding against her and sending new, hot sensations of pleasure coursing through her senses, and she had been seconds away from exploding into stardust when the doorbell rang.  It had been a brutal interruption, but the horror of the situation was only magnified by the reality that it was her father of all people who had chosen that exact moment to visit, and she was still disheveled and flushed, awash with scorching desire and an ache that badly needed to be assuaged.

It was a terrible condition to be in, standing in front of her father in this state, his scornful grimace informing her that he knew everything that had been happening prior to his arrival.

Brian tipped his head at her before dropping onto her couch, unbuttoning his jacket as he settled one arm out over its back, watching her carefully.  In tandem, Tifa turned, catching her breath and willing her heartbeat to slow, and took a seat in the armchair, facing him.

He ran his hand over his mustache for a moment before shaking his head at her.

"Was that that Strife bastard from Colorado?" he asked suddenly, thumbing back at the door where Cloud had departed moments ago.

Tifa blinked, feeling the heated flush of arousal she was still living under transform suddenly into anger.  She sat up straighter, glancing back at him, shaking her head.

"Dad..."

"I hope you are not getting involved with that boy, Tifa," her father cautioned, and Tifa once again hated the condescension in his tone, not too dissimilar from how Rufus had so dismissively referred to Cloud.  "He is absolutely no good for you.  I remember his family well; complete trash."

Tifa's mouth opened, her eyes widening in surprise, but her father went on relentlessly, crossing one leg over the other as he looked at her sternly.

"His father left that family in so much debt," Brian added, shaking his head.  "His mother defaulted on so many loans, she was the biggest liability I had ever seen in all of my years at Bank of the West," he shook his head.  "And she had no control over that boy.  He was always getting into trouble, I remember your mother talking about it all of the time.  I couldn't imagine why she insisted on being friends with that woman."

He was shaking his head, clearly disdained, but Tifa could only stare, feeling pressure build inside of her chest.

"I don't know what he is doing here, in New York," Brian continued, "But Tifa, I forbid you to entertain him.  A boy like that is nothing but trouble, and is certainly not worth your time nor is he any good for you.  Rufus has already made mention of this to me, which was something I intended to talk to you about.  A security guard?  Laughable."

Tifa stared, disbelieving.  Rufus had brought Cloud up to her father?  What sort of grotesque conspiracy were these men playing with her life?

"Dad," Tifa's voice had taken on a tentative, warning edge.  "What are you talking about?"