Control

AN: I own nothing in this story. This is for Rhino7 so enjoy! Please R&R.

Control, as her master had often pointed out, was the hardest opponent a strong person would face in their lifetime.

Tifa had taken Zangan's lesson to heart, always ensuring to never exert herself fully unless absolutely necessary. It was something she had excelled at doing, even in the face of her world being sundered and traveling foreign realms in search of her best friend.

It had always come so easily to her, save for a few broken stools when she sat down too hard or a few railings snapped in two thanks to putting just a bit too much pressure on them. But those were minor blips, easily taken care of with a flurry of apologies.

What had taken place just a week ago had eroded all her vaunted control over her, if she was perfectly honest with herself, monstrous strength.

She had broken her boyfriend during sex.

Two cracked ribs, a fractured arm, and a bruised cheekbone had Squall in bed for the foreseeable future and Tifa wracked with guilt. She hadn't even seen him since she had sent him to the hospital. For the first few days since the incident, Tifa took to comfort food, empty calories providing her with a tasty escape for a bit, only for the guilt to flare up like a newborn star after she had finished. So she had turned to training, pushing herself as hard as she could until every muscle ached. She even punched into the side of one of the canyons, her fists bloody by the end of her training session.

As far as she figured, Squall would leave her, not wanting to deal with a woman stronger than him, one who couldn't even control herself in bed.

That evening, she plopped onto her couch, wincing as she felt the metal legs give way.

Just more proof of how much of a monster I really am, Tifa thought to herself.

She was about to sink into further depression when there came a knock at her door.

Getting off her destroyed couch, she opened it, finding Cloud on the other side, hair as spiky as ever.

"Can I join the pity party?"

She moved aside and let him in.

"What do you have happening to be depressed about?" Tifa asked as Cloud took stock of her apartment. Empty ice cream cartons, holes in the wall made by punches and kicks, and a bin of overflowing garbage met his eyes. Turning back to Tifa, he answered her.

"My best friend running away from her issues."

"You weren't there Cloud, you didn't see the way he looked at me. He was terrified!"

"Are you sure about that? Maybe it was just extreme pain."

"That's worse! It's best for Squall if I wasn't in his life anymore. Let him find some gentle, quiet librarian who isn't as strong as an elephant."

Cloud sighed as he observed her sitting on the couch, looking like she was doing her best impression of his darkest days. Lowering himself beside her, he rubbed her back a bit before speaking.

"I don't think you're considering Squall's feelings in all of this. You haven't even talked to him, after all."

"Doesn't matter. Would you want to be with someone who could break you in half between their thighs?"

"Not if she ignored me after she broke me in half."

Tifa glared at Cloud after his answer but soon stared at the floor, face in her hands.

"Go talk to him. If you don't you'll just be proving to the world how weak you really are."

Tifa looked at him then before eventually nodding. Hugging Cloud tightly, she left then. Cloud remained on the couch for several minutes after he had left before he got up, wincing as he did so.

Tifa had bruised his ribs with that hug.

Even with Cloud's prompting in her head, Tifa still hesitated as she entered Squall's room at the hospital. She figured Squall would be alone but found Yuffie sitting by his bed, her eyes swiftly turning into a glare as she noticed Tifa.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see Squall."

"Well he doesn't want to see you. Some girlfriend you are, not even showing up for a week!"

Squall attempted to interject here, but Yuffie kept on talking. "I thought you cared about him Tifa. But it's obvious you just care about how other people see you. Did you think you could just hide from what you did?"

Tifa hung her head and was ready for more of Yuffie's anger when Squall cut in.

"Yuffie, that's enough. Could you wait outside for a bit?"

Yuffie didn't take her eyes of Tifa but she moved for the exit. "Better be careful Squall. She might break more of you."

And with that she was gone, leaving Tifa with her boyfriend.

She looked at the cast on his arm, seeing the names of their friends and other well wishers from Radiant Garden covering every inch. She took stock of the bandage on his cheek and the ones wrapped around his middle.

"I'm sorry," she finally said.

"I think you covered the apologies a week ago."

"I'm still sorry for doing this to you and I understand if you don't...don't want me in your life anymore. Maybe it'll be better for you if we're not together."

"Is that why you haven't visited? Because you were protecting me from yourself? Do you think I didn't know what I was getting into when we started this relationship? You're stuck with me Tifa, even if I'm in a full body cast."

"I don't want to hurt you again," she protested.

"Then don't leave me alone."

Despite herself, Tifa let out a sob at that and hugged him, gently, before kissing him on the lips.

"You're really forgiving her?" Yuffie's voice rang out, causing Tifa to pull away from Squall and turn around.

Squall nodded.

Sighing, Yuffie came up to Tifa and patted her on the back. "If he does, I guess I will too. But if you ever ignore him again, I'll send you to the hospital, got it?"

Tifa nodded and patted Yuffie on the back as well, the ninja crashing to the ground.

Zangan's finest student blushed as she helped Yuffie to her feet, apologizing fiercely, until a sound came to her ears.

Squall was laughing.

"It's not funny!" Yuffie roared. "I think I have internal bleeding and possibly a hunchback now thanks to your girlfriend!"

Puffing out her cheeks, Yuffie stomped out of the room.

The blush still on her cheeks, Tifa looked at Squall.

"Guess I don't know my own strength."