Final Fantasy 7: Seeing Red

Tifa's rational mind tried to formulate a polite strategy for disengaging without embarrassment. But the sad, lonely part of her mind that had spent the evening marinating in booze latched onto one word and ran for the mouth before she could stop it.

"You think I'm beautiful?"

"Of course, you're stunning. But surely you knew that already."

"Well...I mean...it's nice to hear it." Tifa mumbled.

"Well, let me assure you that you are an incredibly beautiful member of your species, in addition to being a phenomenally brave and competent warrior."

"Wow...No wonder you were so popular back in Cosmo Canyon."

Red chuckled softly. "I think the women back home mostly enjoyed teasing me."

"What do you mean?"

Red whined slightly under his breath. "Well...most of my trysts were attempts to pass my rite of adulthood. For many of them, it was something of a game, doing their very best to tempt me into giving in to my mating urges. They became...very good at getting me to give in."

"How did that even work?"

"Well..." There was a rumble in Red's chest. "It's quite simple, really. During the rite, the volunteer has a quarter of an hour to convince me to give in and indulge my feral instincts."

"Fifteen minutes? That's all?"

"It may sound easy to you but the carnal drives for food, aggression and sex are much stronger in my species than yours. That is why we place such importance on overcoming these instincts in order to become an adult."

"How many times have you tried?"

Red XIII simply shook his head again, causing the beads to clatter. Dozens of beads.

"Oh...right. Sex beads."

"I passed the tests of anger and hunger many years ago. But it seems I have a long way to go before I can fully master my baser urges."

Tifa realized that she was still draped over Red. The booze made her easily distracted. She gently raised herself onto her elbows. Still close, but no longer pressed all over him. She couldn't help but glance down at the patch of darker fur between his hind legs. He had a sheath, like a dog or a wolf, that concealed his member. Was it a little more prominent than it usually was? A little more swollen?

I wonder what it looks like. Tifa fought to push that thought out of her mind, with limited success.

"I still think you could do it." Tifa smiled at Red. "You're just so calm and collected, I can't imagine you losing control like that. How long has it been since you last tried?"

"Well, I was locked up in Hojo's lab for over a year and it wasn't exactly a priority when we last visited Cosmo Canyon...and who knows when we'll be back..."

Red sighed at that, tail laying flat on the ground. Tifa reached out and patted his haunches in a clumsy attempt at comfort.

"Hey, hey, it's fine. We'll definitely go back once this is all over and see your grandpa and everyone else." Tifa did her best to be encouraging, clapping Red on his shoulder in the best approximation of a hearty backslap she could manage. "I bet by the time we see them you'll be an adult already!"

"Hah. Well, that part's unlikely, unless you're volunteering to administer the test."

"Sure!"

They both stared at one another in surprise at Tifa's agreement. The word had just spilled out of her face fully-formed without ever stopping to check with her brain. Red's mouth was hanging half-open in surprise and Tifa's jaw worked up and down, but her brain couldn't find any words to put there.

Finally, Red managed a nervous chuckle, "Obviously we're just kidding around..."

"No, really. I'll do it."

Tifa almost punched herself in the face once her ears registered what her mouth was saying. She was drunk. She was lonely. She was not thinking straight.

...But at the same time...this time stuck in the gondola with Red XIII was the first time she hadn't been moping about Cloud and Aerith. And...and Red had called her beautiful and right now she really needed to feel wanted...

Besides...Red was the most in control, grown-up person on Team AVALANCHE. He may have been different in the past but the Red she knew would never lose control like that. It would just be a bit of fun...it wouldn't actually lead to anything. Of course not.

It was really win-win after all...Red could feel like an adult and she could feel...desired for a bit. Win-win.

"I don't know..." Red got to his feet and walked over to the other side of the gondola, putting some distance between the two of them. "Tifa...you've never seen this side of me. You don't know what you're getting into."

"I ran a bar in the slums of Midgard. A gang of men tried to rape me tonight. I know that type. That isn't you, Red." Tifa tried to sound confident, but inside her stomach was full of butterflies and she wasn't sure why she was trying to talk Red into this. But she had built up some kind of unstoppable inertia...stopping right now would be admitting that this was something shameful and weird. The only way to avoid that was to keep moving forward. "You just have to last fifteen minutes right, while I...do stuff?"

"That's right..."

"And I don't have to touch you or anything? I bet the girls back in Cosmo just made things extra tough on you."

"That's true. So long as you're...inviting me...the trial counts."

"Good! Then let's get started. Who knows how long this ride'll stay stuck." Tifa had to keep moving, keep convincing herself this was a good idea. She pulled the flip-phone out of the pocket of her miniskirt and started setting up a timer. She was having a little trouble with the fiddly little buttons and it took several minutes longer than it should have.

"Tifa...you're drunk. We shouldn't do this."

"Oh? The way I see it, you can't really stop me, can you?" Tifa smiled with a confidence she didn't quite have, her heart pounding in her chest. "If I decide to do...sexy stuff...it's my choice. You've just gotta keep it in your pants."

"I don't have pants."

"You know what I mean your...uh..." Tifa trailed off, only to realize that she was staring at his sheath. It definitely looked bigger, like there was something inside it, ready to come out. She shook her head and held out the phone defiantly.

"Tifa..."

"No arguments! Timer starts now!" Tifa hit the button and there was a cheerful electronic chirp as the countdown began. Red still looked uncertain but he straightened up, sitting firmly at attention like a dog waiting for a command from a trainer.

There were several long, awkward seconds as Tifa just stood there, realizing she had no plan. What was she supposed to do? Talk dirty? She didn't know how to talk dirty! What was she thinking? Why didn't she ask what the girls at Cosmo Canyon did? What was she thinking?

Red tilted his head to one side, clearly picking up on her uncertainty. There was a glint of amusement in his good eye. That sparked a bit of defiant indignation in her chest.

Laugh it up, fuzzball, I'll show you.

She sat up on her knees and hooked her thumbs under the straps of her suspenders, sliding them off her shoulders. Then, interweaving her fingers together, she stretched her arms out in front of her before slowly raising them above her head. The position arched her back, thrusting her breasts forward and stretching the fabric of her tank-top.

She noted Red's expression with satisfaction. That got his attention.

"See anything you like?" Tifa teased, stretching her arms behind her back and leaning slightly backward, causing her tank-top to ride up and bare more of her midriff. Still resting on her knees she spread her legs a bit, allowing Red a tantalizing glimpse underneath her miniskirt. "You sure you don't want to...?"

She let the sentence trail off, hoping that Red took that as seductive innuendo rather than sheer embarrassment. She unlaced her fingers and set her hands on her knees, slowly moving them upwards. She let her fingertips hook the edge of her miniskirt, rolling it another inch higher up her thighs, and then moved them further up her body.

Her skin tingled as she let her hands slide up her waist and abs. She was feeling hot and dizzy and it wasn't just the alcohol anymore. Red XIII's eye was fixed on her body and she could see the hunger there, barely restrained. She no longer had any doubts about those animal instincts he had mentioned or his popularity among the human women of Cosmo Canyon. Having someone look at her with such naked desire felt good. Really good.

She swayed sensuously from side to side as she slid her hands slowly up her torso. When her fingers reached the fabric of her tank top she gripped it and began, ever so slowly, to peel it upwards.

A quiet, husky growl rose in Red XIII's throat and she spared a glance over at the phone on the ground. It had only been a few minutes. She kept pulling her tank top higher until it finally cleared her chest, letting her breasts bounce free, bound only by the sports bra she wore underneath. Red's mouth opened, tongue lolling free as he panted. She pulled the shirt over her head, pulling her long hair through it before she tossed it to one side.

"You know, a lot of guys back home would kill for a show like this." Tifa cupped her breasts, feeling the firm nubs of her nipples under the fabric. Even in the confines of the black sports bra, they were large and she knew exactly the sort of effect they tended to have on men. She pressed them together, teasing Red. "You sure you don't want to come over here...I'll let you lick them."

There was a grinding sound as Red's claws dug into the wooden floor of the gondola. She glanced over at the phone again. About ten minutes left.

"...or maybe you'd rather lick something else?" Tifa winked, spreading her knees a bit wider and leaning back on her hands. Slowly, she unfolded her legs, making sure Red had plenty of time to take in her thighs and a glimpse of white underwear. She rose to her feet and faced away from Red before reaching back to grab the zipper on the back of her skirt.

As she did so Red's long, sustained growl became deeper and louder and for a moment she hesitated. Even with her back to him, she could feel his one-eyed gaze burning across her body. It was intense, erotic and a little bit frightening. For a moment she wondered what she would do if Red lost control of his instincts.

But she didn't want to stop. She knew she'd probably feel embarrassed and ashamed after this was over. She'd berate herself for acting like such a tease and a slut. Her clumsy attempt at seduction would haunt her for many nights to come. But that would only happen after. Right now, she felt sexy. She had a man...or a male at least...that she liked and respected and they were going mad with desire over her. Barely holding themselves back.

It felt amazing.

The sound of the zipper filled the cabin as she slowly pulled it down, loosening the skirt. She looked back over her shoulder at Red XIII, her eyes shrouded by her hair. His tail was flat on the ground but the tip was quivering and twitching wildly, filling the cabin with flickering firelight.

Inch-by-inch, with sadistic slowness, she pulled her skirt and panties down over her ass and then down over her long, long legs. She kicked them both away.

Standing there, nude from the ribs down, she could feel the cool night air from the window tickling at her thighs. She was wet. Not just wet but practically dripping. It glistened on her thighs and the bare lips of her pussy. She had shaved earlier that day...just in case the date with Cloud went really well.

She heard the sound of Red breathing deeply. He had mentioned catching her scent earlier...could he smell her? Smell the scent of her arousal? Almost certainly.

She glanced over at the phone. Barely five minutes left. Time to go all out. Somehow, this had gone from a game she was confident that Red would outlast to a full-blown competition. She knew exactly how the women of Cosmo Canyon must have felt. Even as she tried to remind herself that obviously she didn't want Red to lose control, she wanted to make the game as challenging as possible.

She turned her head back to Red and her eyes widened slightly. If there was any doubt that he wanted her before it was gone now...his sheath had grown and...

Tifa had seen cocks before. Even touched a couple. She had carried a torch for Cloud for a long time but it had been years since they last saw each other. She'd had dates...even a boyfriend for a short while. And while she was still technically a virgin there was once a well-loved dildo stored in her underwear drawer back in Midgard, before the whole thing was crushed.

But this...this wasn't like any man's cock she had ever seen. It was glowing for one thing. It was much dimmer, but it had the same fiery red-orange light as Red's tail. It was roughly canine, its glistening length coming to a blunt point, and much larger than she expected. Larger than any cock she'd seen before...and she had once accidentally walked in on Barrett getting changed so that was saying something.

But there was no stopping now. So long as she kept moving forward there couldn't be any regrets. Still facing away from Red, she pulled the bra off and tossed it onto the pile of clothes by the wall. She breathed an internal sigh of relief as her breasts were freed. The cool air drifted over her nipples, which hardened even further as the cold air met the sheen of sweat on her chest. The coolness was a delicious contrast with the heat that was burning in her belly and between her legs.

Tifa cupped her breasts again, breath catching slightly as her fingertips brushed over her nipples. Her body had never felt so sensitive, responding to the slightest touch, the slightest breeze...the feeling of Red's eye roaming up her legs, ass and spine until it rested just between her shoulder blades...waiting for her to turn around.

As Tifa turned around she ran her hands through her long, knee-length hair, draping it over the front of her body. The hair barely concealed anything, especially considering the size of her chest, but Red XIII whined at the teasing, his cock quivering eagerly between his legs. His claws had carved deep furrows in the wooden floorboards.

"Oh? Did you want to see everything?" Tifa grinned, flicking the end of her hair to and fro. "You could always come over here and see what's underneath for yourself..."

Red let out another guttural whine-growl and Tifa actually felt a surge of pity. The poor thing was clearly hanging by a thread and even if he lasted through the whole test he'd have balls bluer than support materia. That hardly seemed fair...but there was no going back at this point anyway.

Tifa rolled her head languidly and let her hair fall back behind her, baring her body to Red. She could see him take in every part of her...her long, muscular legs...her shaved, glistening pussy...her toned abs...the generous swell of her breasts, topped by perky pink nipples. Then his eye met hers and her legs almost gave out. She could see how much he burned for her...and how hard he was working to hold back. How much he was trying, both for his sake and for hers. She began breathing heavily, her breasts rising and falling, but his eye stayed locked on hers.

"Fuck me, Red." Her mouth said, once again ignoring any conscious part of her mind. But...that was the idea, right? She was supposed to invite him...it didn't mean she really...obviously not? Her mouth continued. "I want you to fuck me, Nanaki."

Red's body rippled with muscle and for a moment she could see exactly what he was going to do...he was going to leap on her, bearing her to the ground with his weight and pinning her beneath his warm, hairy body. Then he would...

Before that mental image could continue any further, Red's body clenched like a fist, fighting against itself as Red struggled to maintain his control. He shook and panted as instinct and reason tore at one another inside of him. With a quavering whine he finally regained control, ears flattened back against his head.

It occurred to Tifa that even though she had seen Red about to go out of control and leap on her, she hadn't moved an inch. Hadn't taken the slightest steps to defend herself. Earlier that evening she had dodged a bullet fired an inch from her face...but just now, if Red had jumped she would have just...let him.

She opened her mouth, but she had no idea what she was going to say. Maybe tell Red to call this off, that things were getting too real. Maybe try and comfort or encourage him as he trembled painfully in front of her. Or maybe she'd continue to tease and invite him...that was the whole idea, after all. She had no way to say because she was interrupted by the tinny MIDI chime of the phone's alarm going off.

The two of them stared at the phone in shock, its tiny monochrome screen flashing with a large 00:00. They stood stock-still as the annoying little tune repeated over and over.

Tifa finally unfroze and snatched up the phone. Her hands were shaking as she tried to shut off the alarm.

"Fuck!" She cursed, using too much strength and accidentally driving her thumb through the keypad of the phone. With a snarl of frustration, she crushed the ruined phone, bits of plastic scattering to the floor, and tossed the remains out the window.

Smooth, Tifa. Real smooth.

The test was over. Now she was just...now she was just standing naked in front of one of her closest friends. What now?

"See, Red? I told you that you could do it." Tifa shrugged awkwardly, now painfully aware of how that made her bare breasts bounce. "I guess that means you're all grown u-"

She was cut off by a beep from the intercom.

"The Golden Saucer would like to once again apologize to customers currently inconvenienced by the gondola malfunction. Please be assured that we are working to repair the gondola as quickly as possible. Thank you for your patience."

Tifa, who had glanced up at the speaker when the announcement came on, started to turn back towards Red with a wry smile.

"I guess we'll be-"

"Rwwwoooooaaaaaaaaarr!!" Tifa was cut off by a feral noise halfway between a wolf's growl and the throaty yowl of a tomcat and the sight of Red XIII mid-leap as he launched himself at her.

The two of them hit the ground together, the force of the impact setting the gondola rocking violently. Red landed on top of Tifa, his front paws on either side of her head and violently panting muzzle only inches away from her face. She could feel waves of heat sleeting off of his body and once again noticed that smoky, campfire odor that clung to him.

"Red?" She whispered. Red's eye was wide and glittered in the light from the window, pinning her in place with the ferocity of his gaze.

Red was panting, that growl still rumbling in his chest.

Slowly he lowered his head towards her.

She was panting too, her chest heaving enough that she could feel her bare nipples brushing against the downy fur of Red's underbelly. The feeling was electric and terrifying at the same time.

Red's face was right next to hers, his single good eye staring directly into hers.

"Tifa." His voice was rough and husky, underlaid with the feral sound still bubbling inside him. "What are you doing?"

"W-what?" Tifa managed, her voice catching in her throat.

"Hit me!" Red growled, body trembling above her. "Kick me off! I can't control myself!"

Red squeezed his eye closed, a tear gathering in the corner. He shuddered, struggling to hold himself back. Tifa glanced down and she could see his cock, still glowing slightly, trembling mere inches above her stomach. It was even larger than before and she watched as the sheath bulged, revealing a thick, round knot at the base. As she watched, a tiny bead of liquid gathered at the tip before falling to splash silently on her belly.