Ending A Long Day [Kadaj/Open]

[Tifa Lockhart]

It was a late night at 7th Heaven bar. The last customer had just paid for his drink and left. Tifa was relieved since she could close up now. She flipped the sign on the door that said 'Open' to 'Closed'. She left the door unlocked though. She tended to leave the door unlocked in case she got some late night visitors. Mainly it would be her friend Kadaj. He tended to come at the most random of times and talk. She would let him stay the night often, in one of the bedrooms upstairs from the bar. She liked when he dropped by. It took away from some of the day's loneliness. Most of the time when she was working at the bar, it was only her and strangers. The only conversation she got was about drinks and food or saying to have a nice day.

How she became friendly with Kadaj was a very random story indeed. He came into her bar one night, just as she was about to close. Tifa had been slightly annoyed about his coming at first, mainly because she wanted to close the bar and go to bed. She put on a smile and welcomed him though asking him what he wanted. Tifa expected him just to eat and drink quietly the whole time. But he actually talked to her. Tifa was surprised in him but also glad for conversation. She never really got much conversation from anyone. She actually couldn't remember the last time that she had true conversation with someone before.

He told her about his past...it was very dark. Tifa had been slightly intimidated by him at first. What if he would attack her. Or something along those lines. But as the conversation progressed...Tifa actually felt sorry for him and his past. She really felt like he needed a friend. And she didn't mind being it. Tifa always seemed like the one to be the friend of those in need of one. She had done that with Cloud when they were kids. He had been outcasted without friends. Tifa had been well liked by the other children in the town but Cloud wasn't. Tifa became friendly with him and he soon became her best friend.

Tifa didn't get enough chances to see Cloud though. She saw a bit more of him when she joined Non Survian. But it still wasn't enough. She saw much more of Kadaj for some reason. Tifa looked out the nearby window into the night's sky. Would anyone be coming tonight. She really hoped to see someone come in. Kadaj or Cloud. Her only two friends that she could actually converse with. Her brown eyes stared out the window for a long moment. She sighed and then just went back to cleaning some of the cups and dishes that were in the sink. She was beginning to lose hope that someone would come and visit her.

[Kadaj]

Luca was certainly a better place during the night time. Mainly because it wasn't anywhere near as busy as it was during the day. Sure, there were still a handful of civilians wandering around, some talking to others, a few more leaving the pubs and bars dotted around the city. The sounds of the ocean were easy to hear now and in some sort of way... it relaxed the black clad figure of Kadaj who was walking through the streets of Luca. The ocean was a comfort to the assassin. Sin spent most of it's time there and it was in the ocean at Kilika, several years ago that the silver-haired, self-proclaimed Remnant saw the monsterous deity that was Sin. A smile spread across his lips at the memories of seeing Sin for the very first time. If it wasn't for Sin, Kadaj wouldn't have turned out this way. He'd never have dreamed about becoming an assassin who targets Summoners and Guardians alike. He never thought he'd give himself to the Darkness and use it's awesome, yet somewhat frightening power to become what he was today. Kadaj didn't regret it one bit.

Though he did regret Sin being killed...

"Damn those Summoners... Damn High Summoner Yuna...."
The assassin's smile vanished in an instant as he spoke out Yuna's name, feeling his hands tighter into fists and his anger start to boil. If only he had gotten to Yuna before she reached Sin... then maybe he'd still be alive and the world would be, to Kadaj, a better place.
"They'll all pay... Especially Yuna..."
Kadaj said to himself once more, mostly under his breath though as he felt his glowing turquoise eyes narrow as his brow tightened. His anger was raising again and the more he thought about it, the more angry he became. However, as soon as he walked around one corner, his eyes caught sight of a building he knew very well and once more, he felt calm and at ease again.

7th Heaven, a bar owned by a beautiful and friendly woman called Tifa, was a nice place to grab a meal and a drink. It was this place that the Remnant stumbled into a few years ago, during his self appointed Exile, that he met the young bar owner. She was closing up for the night but left the door open, to which Kadaj had entered and bought a meal and something to drink. The two of them got talking, which Kadaj remembers seeing her somewhat surprised expression as vividly as if it happened yesterday. That caused Kadaj to let out a small chuckle, knowing that he'll see the same expression tonight as soon as he stepped through that door. It wasn't often that he did come and visit his friend... his only friend. Perhaps he should more from now on, seeing that it was her who helped put the Remnant back on his feet.

After approaching 7th Heaven, the assassin glanced into one of the dimly lit windows, trying to see inside before he grasped the door handle and turned it, hearing the satisfying 'click' as the handle turned and the door opened. Kadaj entered quietly and closed the door behind him, turning around to glance around the partially cleared bar. The place was empty. A few plates and glasses were left on the tables from guests who had only just recently left. Though it was the generic smell of this building that always made the Remnant smile on the inside. Such a welcoming smell. A second later and Kadaj's eyes caught sight of a young woman towards the back of the bar, cleaning something in the sink. Most likely some dishes. Wondering whether or not she heard him enter, Kadaj raised a gloved hand up to his mouth and coughed, allowing his presence to be known.

[Tifa Lockhart]

Tifa turned her head away growing tired of looking out the window and just waiting for someone to come and in a sense saving her from her loneliness and boredom. She just sighed quietly and she kept working at the dishes. She took out a small tub and walked around to some of the tables in the bar and picked up the glasses and plates that had been left alone throughout the day. She didn't like leaving them out like that, since it did look less professional. And it could also have a side effect on the people that came into the bar. She always managed to get them done. Tifa did a repetitive motion. She cleared all the dishes and cups off one table and then just moved on. She looked bored while doing it.

Tifa was never really sure why she opened this bar in the first place. After Sin had destroyed her home village and killled her father, she wasn't sure where to go or where to turn to. She just knew that she wanted to go far away so the memories wouldn't haunt her when she saw all of those ruins. That would just be too painful for her to handle. She didn't like to think about that day. The day when she herself almost died. The day when she watched her father die. Her last surviving family member. After that, she was on her own. And it was a scary thought to think about. She didn't even have Cloud to lean back on since he went off also.

Once in Luca, she came across an open shop and she decided to pay rent for it. Originally, this bar was only supposed to be a temporary settlement. She was mainly here to make some money so she could go further out and join the fight against Sin. But all she did was wait. She never decided to take any action. Waiting...it wasn't good enough. Which is why Tifa was still working the bar everyday. Sure she didn't hate it. She liked it from time to time. Sometimes good things would happen. Or something fun. Getting a visit from Kadaj was always good. She could have a nice conversation with someone and get to see her friend again. Tifa always liked to see her friends. Well...the two that she had at least.

She moved back toward the sink in the back of the bar and she kept at her work. The only sound was really the running water and small splashes when it hit Tifa's hands. She held a blue rag in her arms and she cleaned in and out of the glasses. Tifa had been so hard at work that she didn't even here the door open. The steps that Kadaj made were so quiet and gentle. Much of that like a cat. Her brown eyes still focused on the dish that was in her hands and the running water serving as the only image of movement. She lifted her head in surprise when she heard a light cough. She whipped around quickly and looked over to see Kadaj. She smiled and let out a small laugh. She had been so scared before.

"Kadaj...you should say its you. Way to scare me." Tifa said and she let out another small laugh. She turned arond and leaned on the counter offering a small smile to him. "Can I get you anything?" Tifa asked him.

[Kadaj]

Glowing eyes watched the figure of Tifa as she continued to wash the dishes over in the sink at the far end of the bar. The running water from the tap reached the Remnant's ears easily, along with the gentle tinkle and clunk of glasses knocking against one another. After quietly closing the door behind him and stepping only a short distance into the bar itself, with cat-like steps that made no sound, Kadaj continued to watch the bar owner as she started to make her way out from behind the bar. The assassin stood still, his black leather clothing most likely camouflaging him into the darkness of 7th Heaven's entrance due to the night sky. As the female martial artist rounded the bar, she was carrying a tub with her. The silver-haired assassin watched in silence, wondering how close she would get before spotting him and jumping out of her skin. Though as she drew nearer, Kadaj could easily spot the awfully bored expression plastered across her face.

The Remnant knew what this meant. He had been around the Monk long enough to know that whenever she looked bored, it was because she missed having some decent company. Kadaj was hardly the one person you'd ever want to sit down and talk with if you knew about his past... which actually make the assassin somewhat attracted to the Monk. She knew of his past. Knew who he was and what he had done and probably had a pretty good idea of what he was going to do in the future. Even with that knowledge, she still accepted him into her bar that one dark night so long ago, and they became friends.

~Friends?~
Kadaj thought to himself as Tifa got closer to him, collecting glasses and dishes from the few remaining tables. She obviously didn't see him, since the Monk turned tail after finishing her collecting and returned back to the sink behind the bar. Kadaj's glowing, turquoise eyes couldn't help but wander down her figure slightly until they came to a rest on her hips, watching as she walked back. Blinking, realizing what he was doing, the Remnant of Sin just smiled inwardly and silently raised a gloved hand to his head to rub at it awkwardly.
~Maybe it's not such a bad thing... having a friend?~
Thought the assassin, to at which he felt his heart pound in response inside his chest, reminding him of his duty and job as Sin's Remnant. All life must perish... but as that thought crossed Kadaj's mind, he wondered for only a second.

Was that really the Darkness in my heart just now...?

Unfortunately, before he could chase that idea up, the sound of a female voice had drifted through the air and reached his ears. Seems like Tifa had noticed him at last and with an expression the Remnant was hoping for. With a light chuckle, Kadaj stepped forwards, his boots actually making sounds on the floor now until he walked under a light hanging from the ceiling that was still lit. Here he stood still for a moment before nodding his head.
"Tifa."
Kadaj said, bowing slightly as he always did to her. A sign of respect though he knew she'd tell him to stop it like she did every time the assassin bowed to her.
"It's good to see you again too."
Kadaj continued, his tone unusually calm and relaxed... compared to normal anyway. It was weird. Tifa, a Monk and bar owner and one true friend, was the only person in the world he found comfort in. Kadaj couldn't remember his parents, due to the act of Sin all those years ago. If anything, Kadaj possibly admired Tifa more then he did Sin. Maybe...? With a smile, he paced further into 7th Heaven until he reached the bar at the end. Picking a stool out from under the bar with his foot, he slid down silently onto it and rested both forearms on the bar top.

Kadaj was a completely different person around Tifa... almost as if this would be how he'd have turned out should the incident with Sin way back when, never happened. Friendly, polite and caring. It was a shame that Tifa probably knew just as well as Kadaj did, that the second he would step out of 7th Heaven, he'd turn back into his original self and continue on his journey to spread fear and chaos throughout Spira. More disturbingly, that someone was most likely going to get killed...
"A drink?"
The assassin's voice sounded slightly surprised, yet he almost purred too when speaking. If Kadaj was an animal in his previous life, it would definitely have been a cat. Thinking about that brought a small smile to his lips, to which he used to his advantage and focused his eyes back on the long haired Monk.
"Sure. Give me something hard."
The Remnant said with an incline of his head as he lowered his eyes from Tifa and watched his hands as he started to pull off his gloves one after the other, arranging them neatly on the table before him. His Souba came off next, including the straps that held his scabbard to his back. That went down beside his stool though. Finally, he ran his hands through his hair from front to back, lowering his head back to look at Tifa, blinking the once as his fringe returned to it's natural position.
"It's good to be back. How have you been?"

[Tifa Lockhart]

Tifa watched as he came closer. She could mainly hear the sounds of his steps as he came closer. She smiled when he came under the light and paused so she could see him. The first familiar face that she had gotten a chance to see in a long time. Well not counting the regulars that came into her bar. They would only sit down and drink and eat. Then leave. The first familiar face where she could actually have a conversation. She couldn't do that with all that many people in the first place. And she knew that she was Kadaj's only friend. She felt a bit honored too be his sole friend like that. But she couldn't help but wonder how she became friends with such a character like him in the first place. She never questioned it all that much. She was just happy to have a friendship with him.

When he bowed to her, she just laughed and shook her head. "Kadaj, how many times do I have to say that you don't need to be so formal. You do this every time like we are just meetiny. You've known me for some time now. I think manners can be pushed aside." Tifa teased and she wore a small smirk on her face to show that she was just kidding. The same thing seemed to happen everytime they met up. Same reactions, same greetings, same conversations. All of that. But Tifa found that pattern of things being the same oddly comforting. She liked knowing what she could expect with Kadaj. No surprises. Unless he had some story to tell her. But even those tended to be a bit on the similiar lines. She liked this repetitive chain. Most of her day to day life was very repetitive, actually. And she often wanted more from it. But this repetition she liked and wanted to keep around. She didn't want it to change all that much.

Tifa knew that the Kadaj she knew wasn't the same one that the rest of the world knew. She was the only one that knew this Kadaj actually. She knew of who he was to the rest of the world. A bit of a displeasing thought. But still...she was thankful to at least have him in her life and ba able to count on him whenever she was feeling lonely. He always managed to come when she was feeling lonely. It was like he was able to sense it. Tifa wondered if it was just the timing or if he was able to tell when she was feeling lonesome. She knew it was just the timing but it didn't hurt to think that something else caused it. Something in their friendship. It was a nice and happy sort of thought to have. She liked to keep some of those close with him.

She nodded when he said he wanted a drink, but just when she was about to ask what kind and he said something hard she began to wonder. Had he been having a rough time. She took out a clean glass and placed it in front of him. "Something hard, huh? Did you have a rough day?" Tifa asked as she took out the bottle of liquor and she poured the cup. She left the bottle out for him in case he wanted refills. She always gave him all the drinks and food for free. He was her friend. And in her mind, friends didn't pay in her bar. She would never charge any of her friends money for food and drink. Especially Kadaj. He was nice enough to come in and see her frequently. It was the least that she could do. He helped take away from her being alone. Which was a feeling, she never liked to have with her all that much.

"Glad to have you back. And things have been pretty good. Business is doing pretty good. Gets kind of repetitive here in the bar, but I'm not complaining. How about you?" Tifa said as she leaned against he bar counter while talking.

[Kadaj]

Not having his gloves on, the Remnant slid his fingers slightly across the wooden surface of the bar, feeling all the dents and small cracks where past patrons might have placed their glass down too hard after having one too many. In silence, the Assassin ran his index finger in a circle around such a dent, still soaking up the fact that he was back in 7th Heaven and back with his one true friend. It was a feeling he'd never allow his Darkness to take away from him. Kadaj was Sin's Remnant at the end of the day and low and behold, it wouldn't surprise him when the day came that everyone in Spira wanted him dead. But was that really such a good thing? Kadaj raised his hand from the bar top and glanced at Tifa, whom had already gotten out a glass, the Remnant's favourite drink and poured him half a glass. She was leaning against the bar now and the silver-haired man could only smile as he looked up and watched her face for a couple of seconds.

~Tifa would be devastated... I can't allow her to suffer such trauma should that happen... Maybe... Maybe I should stop working for Sin?~
He thought to himself, continuing to stare at Tifa with his unusual, glowing turquoise eyes. As far as Kadaj knew, he was the only person alive to have such eyes, except for fiends perhaps. Was it because of his alliance to Sin and that he allowed the Darkness of Spira to take over his heart, granting him strength and speed that he could have only dreamed of prior it this? The Remnant blinked and forced himself to look away from Tifa, picking up his drink and taking a small sip of it, letting out a satisfied sigh as he felt it slid down his throat.
~It's only when i'm in here, with Tifa, that I have no desire to kill...~
Kadaj felt his heart pulse with the Darkness that he had devoted himself to acquiring, but at that instant, he looked back at his one and only friend, feeling the pain vanish in moments.

A smile crept across Kadaj's lips as he took a second small sip of his drink, placing the clean glass back onto the bar before leaning on his elbows, just so he could be that little bit closer to the long, black-haired woman.
"I'm sorry. I guess it's just a habit. You really are all I have got in this world... I wouldn't want to loose you."
Kadaj said, his voice purring as always as he spoke calmly and casually. His facial expression had changed slightly upon saying that. The Remnant did look more... worried now. Perhaps even frightened. Tifa trusted him, even when she knew of who he REALLY was. Kadaj respected that and didn't want to loose her. She was his light in the darkness. At that, he sat back up and ran his fingers into his hair, taking a light grasp of his own head and massaging it lightly with his fingers before letting out another small sigh.

"All my days are rough... fighting the urge to do what I do... battling the darkness with me, wanting me to please Sin and to continue with it's work..."
Kadaj removed his hands from his straight, silver hair and closed his eyes, resting his elbows on the table, clasping his hands together with interlocked fingers before rested his chin on his knuckles. He was frowning. Silence. The Remnant just sat that for a few seconds and said nothing, as if he were battling with himself right now. Finally, he opened his eyes, they glowed again as always while his vision focused upon Tifa.
"... Yet no matter how much I fight it... I end up... still doing it."
He shook his head, taking his glass and swirling the drink around the glass slightly before returning it to the same spot on the table. Keeping his hand on the glass, his hand tensed and squeezed it.
"Perhaps... I should stay here from now on..."
He said, continuing to look at his friend in her deep, absorbing eyes. Kadaj loved staring into those eyes, yet when he realized he was, he quickly looked away before sipping his drink once again.

Tifa spoke to him now, explaining that things were going well for her and the bar. It was comforting to hear and he was even more pleased to hear her say that it was good to see him again. Again, he was so thankful she was here for him. Kadaj knew, he swore to himself that no matter what would happen to him, he'd be at Tifa's side the instant he knew she was in trouble. It was almost like a sixth sense he had. Even if he were across the other side of Spira, with concentration, the Assassin could tell how Tifa was feeling. This was something he kept to himself though. He never really understood how it worked, but it did. One of the reasons he was here now, actually.
"It is good to be back. Good to see you again too and it's good to hear you're doing alright... But, you wouldn't mind if I stayed around a little longer this time...?"
Kadaj asked, obviously referring to what he said a short while ago, hoping that his one and only friend wouldn't mind him lingering about.

[Nise]

The night was moving along, as a cloaked shape was wandering through the city. Not lost, or dazed, but in fact looking for something. But no one could tell what it was, not even the figure itself, because this was a calling. Something pulled her here, as it had pulled her elsewhere. Steps finally ended at a door, and she gave the closed place's door a slight push, feeling it open. For the moment, it seemed all too quiet. The woman would peek inside, if she hadn't had such grace. She simply slowly walked in, feeling a bit out of place. Was she interrupting something? A mental chuckle vibrated through her mind, an almost amused one. This was definately something interesting. ''My, am I interrupting something?'' her voice, soft, melodious, floated out, gentle and yet slightly thick. Not dark, although it could be easily classified as such, as amusement drifted out in her tones. The cloak was still up on the girl, hidding all features, even gender, the only clue her voice, as her eyes looked at the two. What had drawn her here, what here was Yevon's will? Hm. Interesting to say the least..

[ooc : I hope you two don't mind.. XD if you do, I'll just hop my own way back. Dun wanna cause trouble.. sort of short too. :/ sorry.]