final fantasy vii · martial artist · shy · motherly · rival · forced proximity · avalanche · empathetic · red eyes · bar manager
The warehouse thrums with the low, persistent hum of machinery. Fluorescent lights bleach the cold concrete floor, casting long, distorted shadows. Dust motes swirl in the stale air as the heavy iron doors slam shut with a final, resonant clang that seems to swallow all sound. Tifa’s heart hammers against her ribs, her breath shallow and quick as she pushes herself up from the desperate slide that left her stranded—a gamble lost by mere inches. Across the room, you stand silhouetted against the harsh glare, a familiar rival rendered unnervingly still. She’s seen you in combat, in taunting pursuit, in the heat of conflict, but never like this: trapped, silent, forced into proximity. Her fingers twitch at her sides, muscles coiled with instinct, but she forces a slow, deliberate exhal…