sevnthhart-a

[sevnthhart-a]

independent  +  private   —   hc based  &  canon selective  TIFA LOCKHART  from  𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐢 . read temp rules before interacting .

              written by aeri[s]  ( 20 .  she / they .  utc - 4 )  previously found at sevnthhart  

[sevnthhart-a]

heads up but i'm gonna be moving everything over to @meteodrives 👀 at a snail's pace though.

[sevnthhart-a]

heads up but i'm gonna be moving everything over to @meteodrives 👀 at a snail's pace though.

[sevnthhart-a]

I will get up again. And again. And again.

[sevnthhart-a]

Hey! BEAUTIFUL PERSON AWARD! Once you are given this award you’re supposed to paste it in the asks of 8 people who deserve it. If you break the chain nothing happens, but it's sweet to know someone thinks you’re beautiful inside and out. 💖💕💗

THIS ?? FROM U ??? THE COOLEST PERSON IN THE WORLD ?? AN ABSOLUTE HONOR

[sevnthhart-a]

growth

[sevnthhart-a]

what an awkward kindness, she thought to herself, for someone who looked far more intimidating than they were. any unknown, yet lingering, defenses fell near instantaneously. patience grew with each passing moment, allowing him to chase after whatever train of thought that escaped him — 'twas a virtue after all. at the abrupt ending of his question, she found hidden incertitude, exhibited by the ends of her mouth :  quirking up with a not - so - gentle exhale.   ❛  well ,  uh  ...  ❜   she trailed off, eyes glancing away from him & towards the near empty terrain, save for the occasional grass patch. her intention had been to find anywhere that would give some hope, even if it turned out to be a falsity — the roots of her former home having outgrown her due to circumstances unnamed.  ( to say she had left ,  without feeling entirely unburdened by guilt ,  would have been a woeful lie  ... )   ❛  i was .  ❜

          she wondered just what it was that brought him out this far. questions crossed her that she didn't suppose required an answer at that moment. it could wait, she concluded.  ( if only to be saved for an occasion that would never come .  )   ❛  ...  guess i'm a bit lost .  ❜   spoken as a pure jest at herself, an awkward chuckle indicating as much. she took no delight in being difficult, biting her tongue so not to trouble him further.   ❛  uh  —  so then  ...  i don't think i caught your name .  ❜   her relative seclusion from living outside of any decently populated area brought the perfect change of subject, placing the attention onto him.  ( she had long since written off stars from shining down on her ,  redirecting it to another while simultaneously wishing on them for thicker skin to withstand far more .  )

❛  i should know it ,  if i intend to pay you back ,  right ?  ❜   

❛ no sweat . ❜

HIS DEMEANOR COMES OFF CASUAL & NONCHALANT , AS IF NOT A CARE BREACHES THE GUARD OF HIS HEART . in a glistening blue , his sword disperses into the light , glove meeting flesh as he brushes the dust & grime from his hands ( as best as he can manage , that is ) . he takes a moment to gaze upon the girl with a mild concern furrowing his brow . she seems capable . . . he surmises he must've shown up just before she stayed the beast . a part of him feels a little guilty for it .

❛ nothing to worry about . ❜

he assures her with a somewhat breathy reply as he regains the calmness that so usually embodies him . shoulders relax & posture contorts into more of a slump than anything upright & regal . he's covered in dirt , & he takes note that he's not the only one . they've probably both been out here for some time .

❛ what are you , er . . . -- ❜

he starts , before realizing his effort in starting a conversation may not be met with a likewise enthusiasm . he stumbles for a moment , before a seriousness locks his eyes to hers .

❛ you headed somewhere ? ❜

perhaps she knows the direction to the nearest civilization .

[sevnthhart-a]

☆ Put this star into the inbox of your favorite blogs. It's time to spread positivity!

for me u say 🥺🥺

[sevnthhart-a]

he spoke rather highly of you. she doubts that all things considered. with his close ties to the company she fought tooth & nail against, it was more troublesome to continue contact with her  ( & a danger for genesis to further entangle himself )  ; their last parting commencing in the form of a punch from her, a string of not so friendly commentary, & an exchange of final glances that were closer to a mutual glare. unsurprisingly, she hadn't heard from him since. no amount of time could change the fact that she was still a child in the face of anger. the man before her was a breath of fresh air compared to cloud & despite his face being at the center of a fair share of shinra propaganda, but the suspicion that he may have been there for reasons less than favorable lingered. the way he looked around, as if searching for some devilish ear listening in, only confirmed it :  he had a vague awareness that this encounter would cost his head, should it ever come to light. 

          ❛  your apartment ?  ❜   she questioned, eyes dancing to focus on anything else. there was notable reluctance, painted careful within each micro - expression. going anywhere with a man she'd only just met wasn't something she felt encouraged to indulge.  ( all those lessons as a child — the ones that warned her against believing strangers so haphazardly  ...  would her parents be looking down on her with breaking hearts ? )  her every option seemed rather limited. running the risk of bringing him back to the bar ... a colorful gamble more than a bargain. 

his intentions were not confirmed to be anything other than skeptical — not to an extent that satisfied her, at least. should he wield a rapier against her, that was fine ;   ( no one could knock her down long enough to have a white flag prepared )  but forcing everyone she held dear to face a potential threat was another story. best to fight alone, in such a case. 

           ❛  alright  ...  sure ,  ❜   she began, newfound determination showcased in a soft smile.   ❛  just no funny business ,  alright ?  otherwise ,  you'll have to answer to my fist .  ❜   spoken in a jesting manner, but it was laced with something far more serious than one might've initially believed.

Intense mako blue eyes watched her every move, and he noticed the way that her act seemed to crumble as he spoke her name. Good, that meant he had the right person. Although he too was keeping an eye out for any prying eyes. One could never be too sure in these parts.

The General gave a slow nod, watching her every movement closely. A habit that had been ingrained into him through his years of SOLDIER tenure: always watch the people you speak with.

"Yes. I know him. He and I have shared a few drinks on occasion." Let her think that his relationship with Cloud was more an exchange of pleasantries more than it was occasionally wanting to beat the crap out of that chocobo-haired bastard. Something akin to a smile touched his lips. "He spoke rather highly of you." Keep it pleasant and charming, don't give her a reason to lash out.

A brief pause as he looked around briefly again, his attention turning back to Tifa more fully. "I have something I'd like to ask you about, but I think it would be more prudent to discuss this in a more comfortable location over some drinks." Even if the dingy alleyway was more secluded than most locales, Genesis would rather not spend more time here than he has to. "We can head back to my apartment, if you like." At least his apartment would be free of prying eyes and listening ears. What he wanted to discuss was not something that should be leaked to the public.

[sevnthhart-a]

official move in date for my new place is early next month 💪

[sevnthhart-a]

Hiraeth (n.)

a homesickness for a home to which you cannot return, a home which maybe never was; the nostalgia, the yearning, the grief for the lost places of your past.

[sevnthhart-a]

tifa would probably have a really screwed up sleep schedule. she isn't the lazy type whatsoever, so i'd imagine there's a strict workout schedule she likes to stick to. the problem is: she wakes up early so she can get everything done without feeling rushed, but she also stays up significantly later than most people. whether it be due to work or it's just one of those nights where sleep is pretty much nonexistent. 4 hours, 5 at most, of rest on a nightly basis.

now, if she's with a significant other ... then she's more inclined to stay in bed longer. even then, however, i can see her partner having to convince her to lay down & go a bit slower this morning. it doesn't take much debate, unless there's something important that absolutely demands her attention. other than that, she's happy to push things off a little later for some more time together.

[sevnthhart-a]

[sevnthhart-a]

*      ◞      cloudvii:

·

“Really?”

Cloud stares at Tifa, dumbfounded before his expression quickly shifts to annoyed. “You’re worried about speaking terms when you’re the one that started throwing hands?” He didn’t forget; she knocked the shit out of him. Worrying about speaking terms should’ve been better reserved for if he was going to retaliate. She clearly had little issue bringing violence into this.

The SOLDIER sneers, crossing his arms over his chest and briefly has to wonder why he’s even here. Tensions between himself and Tifa were at an all time high; harmful words have been exchanged and it may only be a matter of time before Cloud let’s go of every remnant of their shared past and treats her the same as anyone else who was in his way. Cloud isn’t there yet - in fact the opposite. He was slipping further and further away from Rufus and the company, not because of the harm done to the world they’d caused but purely because his own life was violated by them. The Devil you know is still better than the Devil you don’t - Cloud still can’t commit to walking away.

“Then I guess I shouldn’t ask you if you’ve met a SOLDIER named Genesis?”

He has no way of knowing if they’ve spoken or not. To keep Genesis at least somewhat protected from the President’s gaze, Cloud has sense abandoned contact since last they spoke. Cloud was not allowed companionship, or allies, or friends. Spending too much time especially off duty with any one person could put them in danger now that Cloud is questioning the hand that created him. Rufus may know him, but Cloud knew Rufus too.

she wanted to roll her eyes —  ( waiting ,  waiting ,  waiting )  it never happened, much to her surprise. there was a silent understanding that the oncoming confrontation wouldn't be something to look forward to ... & the way her last, tangible fragment of childhood spat venom towards her confirmed every one of her worries ;  but emotions came in halves since they last met :  half anger, half annoyance  ( a dual confliction :  aimed towards him for pushing her too far & at herself for letting it happen ), & half remorse. none of which seemed to suffice — missing the mark of something else undefined.   ❛  it's not like it was unprovoked ,  ❜   her voice was hardly small — defensive with a tightened fist. few seconds passed ...  ( one ,  two ,  three  ...  )  & her temper had settled, setting it free with a strangled sigh. another argument wasn't worth wasting time on — he sought her out, despite ...  ( second chances were near sacred from him .  )

          ❛  ...  if it means anything ,  it didn't really help .  ❜   the strings of emotion didn't untangle themselves. she had been hurt by his actions & wondered if he had been hurt by hers. some sick, twisted part of her wanted him to be — so many reasons to hate him, manifesting itself into a single punch. all of that, however, seemed overpowered by the past. a casual victim of remembrance. she wanted to shrug it off but, once again, it doesn't happen. instead came a stiff nod.   ❛  you just  ...  go too far sometimes .  ❜   but so did i, the thought crossed her — sentiment dying before it could be written. it wouldn't happen again, she swore as much ... but there would be no apology — yet. anger is anger, ugly as it was, & she was not shielded from the ill effects it can bring. it felt childish, but apologies wouldn't grace her lips until they were uttered from his first. or perhaps, after some time, when the dust had settled. doing so prematurely would be a fatal blow to an already guarded ego. instead, she left it at that, shaking her head to throw out the words unsaid.   ❛   ...  we've met ,  yeah .  ❜   ( eyelids expanded for a brief moment before giving in to that heavy feeling ,  a detailed recount of the meeting playing at the surface of her mind .  )   ❛  gave me a bit of a fright  ...  he knew my name before i could tell him .  ❜   she wanted to cringe at the sad attempt of a joking, yet pointed, commentary of the event.

genesis meant no harm to her, she had soon realized, recognizing he walked on eggshells. curiosity had piqued, wondering just what those private conversations entailed for him to behave such a way  ( had cloud mentioned her combative skills ?  would that have been enough to scare off a solider of his rank ? ). despite this, tifa knew well enough she was not in any position to ask.   ❛  said you two had a few drinks together ,  but  ...  ❜   ( eyes gazed over to him ,  frustration & grief held in equal amounts )   ❛  not a friend ,  right ?  ❜   friend :  a filler word with scarce usage from him. knowing both men, she hardly suspected the terms of their relationship were all that pleasant — too unlikely of a pair to operate seamlessly as companions. cloud seemed to rather suffocate himself than address her with such familiarity  ( a man of similar status was likely no different ). yet strangers, or even allies, was hardly appropriate. something in between would far better suit, but the word only seemed to exist in both their minds as a concept. hands found comfort by crossing her arms around herself, loosely holding the inner crevice of her elbows ;  the entire situation was much too uncomfortable to be considered a casual chat between two people. speaking terms? yes ... terms & conditions may apply, however.   ❛  so  ...  is that why you're here ?  ...  wanted to ask what happened ?  ❜

[sevnthhart-a]

“Her face: beautifully sculpted Yet, filled with fierce determination, a fiery passion to prove her worth”

— thoughts on dan wilds / tfc, c.o

[sevnthhart-a]

her heart seemed to stop at the mention of his name. not in a way that had her jumping for joy out of relief  ( he knew her friend !  what a small world !  )  — rather, it was entirely laced with adverse emotions  ( he knew her enemy  ...  at least ,  the one written in blood on paper ). in a matter of seconds, her former act had dropped, evident on her features. no point in keeping up the charade when he had her name. she could lie, but it wouldn't take him very long to find out the truth. her face was too well known among the slums. he could take a stroll down there one afternoon &, while they all seemed to look after one another, his charming demeanor may hinder whatever childish sentiments she believed would be enforced. 

           ( play it safe ,  fight back if needed )  she would not allow herself to be so easily blindsided. 

❛  uh  ...  yeah ,  that's me  ...  ?  ❜   her voice was low, so not to ring any alarm bells for anyone who might catch tidbits of their conversation. loose lips sink ships, after all — unintentional or not. she felt stiff in her place, unsure of what can & cannot be revealed, only feeling security through the tightened fists that rest at her sides.   ❛  so  ...  you know him ,  huh ?  ❜   many people must've by now. the violent reputation from his childhood held up well. she wondered if the man before her had no qualms acting in a similar manner. would he take the opportunity to strike her down, if it presented itself? he hadn't given her any reason to assume otherwise.

           regardless, she would not allow him such a chance.   ❛   ...  what is this about ?  ❜

After his talk with Cloud, Genesis had gone to try and find Tifa. He'd been keeping a close eye out while trying to look as casual as possible. It was something of a tricky situation to be in, trying to watch out for a certain individual while also avoiding the gazes of fans. Even in some more casual attire and his hair tied up into a braid, there were still some who would recognise him even through that.

He'd managed to find someone who matched her description and had offered something of a greeting, though she appeared to be talking her way out of it. Keep it casual, now.

"I see. Rather a shady spot to meet this friend of yours, hmm?" Meeting in an abandoned alleyway? Now that was just asking for trouble, even if this young woman did look as if she could handle herself in a fight.

His looking over her became more intense, and it was now that he realised that she matched the description of Tifa that Cloud had given him. He could hear the man's words replaying in the back of his mind.

Don't play games with your theatrics, he had warned.

Her question wasn't graced with an answer, of course we would look familiar if the ShinRa propaganda was anything to go by. He had become the poster boy of SOLDIER now. Instead, he simply offered a faint smile. "Was it Cloud that you were waiting for, by any chance?" A quick namedrop, show that he didn't mean her any harm. Or at least, that was the idea. "You must be... Tifa, right?"

[sevnthhart-a]

the air felt haunted  ( it's cold ,  unforgiving ,  & sharp )  — ashes of the past had not yet finished her off & they would not rest until she was the one being wept over ;  mya's words feel alive & warm, despite being faced with such adversity. the moment she finds her resting place, situated right next to tifa, it doesn't feel quite as cursed to be breathing. it's relief & she just barely leans into it — leaning onto her, like she always has. very rarely did things feel so overwhelmingly out of her control & all too often did it feel as if she was relying heavily on the beating flame herself. there would never be an option healthy enough to give her peace. that was a luxury too grand for her to afford. 

           can the others not wait? can she not be allowed the sanctity of moments alone? in her unyielding heart, she knew it was wrong. she felt like a child, throwing a tantrum when things didn't go her way ;  there was no time for such nonsense & arguing against it would do no one any favors. her hands, through battered fists, were meant to protect. allowing them to collect dust & wipe away her own tears would just be wasteful. exhausted lungs & tepid breaths brought her here, sitting with a defeatist attitude. only the rested palm on her shoulder, held with a sort of strength that meant honesty, brought her out of it. do you think you could trust that? it was almost comical. had mya not been present in her life, tifa could have named off several instances in which she would have surely been a goner.

if there was anyone, anywhere on gaia she trusted could alter fate itself, it was none other than the lady crimson.   ❛  i think  ...  ❜   she began, volume low for fear of ghosts listening in.   ❛  yeah .  ❜   there was so much more she could say — more she wanted to let her know. she didn't think any word or written phrase could convey just how grateful she was. instead, a gloved hand reached out for hers, ready to provide the world if she asked. a favor of comfort returned in such a welcomed way.   ❛  you're right .  i guess i  ...  ❜   she trailed off, shaking her head stiffly.   ❛  let's fight 'em & once we're done  ...  let's fix it .  ❜   whatever it was ... something always needed to be repaired. be it a heart or a place.   ❛  just  ...  maybe avoid getting hurt ?  even if it's an accident  ...  i'm not ready to lose someone else .  ❜   always the one mourning, never the one being mourned. tifa had her back — even if that meant sacrificing her own ;  but they would not be donning blood at the end of this day.  ( let such atrocities befall someone else  —  befall her  ...  but not mya .  )

There is the memory of fire lingering, lingering, lingering. Fire is a vicious element, a capricious, crimson mistress, much alike Mya Payne herself. Fire represents both shelter and destruction. Where one finds warmth and relief, another may find unspeakable cruelty. In the aftermath of consumption between fire and all else that surrounds it, only ashes remain. Ashes, ashes, ashes. Some like to believe that, from piles of dust adorning ruinous surroundings, something new may emerge, quite ironically, symbolized by flames in the shape of a bird. So, what is the fire? The harbinger of death, or the spark of life? Ah, but this is too exhausting to ponder upon when everything they carry is ruin. Are they monuments, graveyards taking the shapes of two women? There must be more. But, what?

The same weariness that dulls Mya's senses appears to make a presence in Tifa's bones, too. Let's stay here. Just for a bit. crowns request uttered in such sacred confidence. And it is precisely in this sort of moment when crimson one knows not what path to choose. She is not a stranger, conceptually, to the idea of human vulnerability. In the end, they have both witnessed so much side by side, have wept side by side, embraced each other upon the hour of doom's reckoning, survived the unspeakable. Even so, Mya cannot be warm without morphing into a scorching blaze, she cannot feel nothing as she feels it with such outrageous intensity it becomes feeling something. Doesn't other know? Mya would burn the world for her, too. Should any ill fate befall her, there is nothing on the entirety of Gaia that would be able to withhold her wrath. Thinking it, feeling it comes easier to her than uttering it, than inviting this in their conversation.

The flame stayed but briefly, fire-kissed wraith of wrath takes a seat by Tifa's side. This room suffocates her. Nay! The entirety of Edge suffocates her. She wants to breathe. It is as though the World herself choked the very air out of avenger's lungs. "They need us out there, Tifa," at last utterance is given, "What else do we do anyway? Haven't we been fighting and screaming and shouting for as long as we can remember?" From her seat, she turns her head to regard Tifa, storm-like hues' gaze softening in a manner which is given solely to her. "I don't want to go back, either. Still, I hate the idea of others fighting my battles for me." She puts a firm grasp on Tifa's shoulder. "I've got your back," offered in a whisper of secrecy, meant solely for her ears alone, "No matter what happens, I'll always be there, just like you have done for me. Do you think you can trust that?"