Mind and Body
AN: I own nothing in this story. This was requested by Speedy Speck so enjoy. Please R&R.
Tifa opened her eyes and gave a groan. Why did she spend last night drinking nearly all the alcohol in the house? Reno was to blame but she should have had the willpower to resist the Turk.
Even if he is sexy with that red hair of his, those scars I love to trace with my fingers, and the- but Tifa shook her head as her thoughts started to drift. Besides the pounding in her skull made thinking a chore. Sitting up, she spared a glance to the covered up form beside her and reminded herself to give him a stern tongue lashing.
But first, she needed to take a shower.
She didn't check her reflection in the mirror, choosing instead to get under some warm water. The heat did indeed wake her up a little. As it cascaded down her body, she grabbed some soap from the tray in front of her and was about to place it on her chest when she realized something wasn't right.
A manly shriek broke the calm of the morning.
Reno's eyes opened when he heard the shriek and sat up, wincing as a headache the size of Meteor came to life.
"Teef, what's wrong?" Reno asked, not noticing yet how soft his voice sounded. Getting out of bed, he went into the restroom, scratching his rear disconcertingly. It was then that he saw himself in the shower, a look of terror on his normally calm face.
"Reno...what's happened to us?" But Tifa didn't receive any answer, Reno choosing to faint right there. Tifa gave a sigh then and got out of the shower, quickly pulling on a pair of discarded jeans. Returning to Reno, she picked up the Turk's now curvy form and stared carrying him towards the bed.
As she held Reno to her chest, Tifa felt a rush of attraction. But above this she felt an overriding urge to protect and cherish the passed out Turk.
Am I feeling what Reno feels for me? The barmaid thought to herself. Placing Reno on the bed, she waited for him to wake up.
Reno's eyes opened for the second time that day to find himself staring into concerned aquamarine eyes.
"So it wasn't a dream?" Reno asked softly. Tifa shook her now crimson topped head side to side. "What are we going to do? I have to work soon and you have to open the bar," Reno commented. He was suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of contentment as Tifa watched over him.
"Babe, is it just me or are we feeling what each other normally feels?"
"Yeah, I know what you're talking about. When I was carrying you all I wanted to do was protect you."
"So how do you think this happened?" Reno asked.
"I don't know. You didn't wish on a shooting star did you?" Reno gave a snort at that notion.
"No, but I suppose we'll have to deal with this as best we can. Which means you're going to have to go to work in my place." Tifa's eyes widened at that.
"But how are we going to make that work? And you don't know the first thing about working at a bar," Tifa responded. Reno held up a delicate finger and waved it back and forth.
"On the contrary, I've observed the mistress of bar tending at work so I think I'll be okay." Reno then saw what he looked like when he blushed.
"Thanks Reno," Tifa said.
"You're welcome, but from now on I'm Tifa and you're Reno, catch my drift?" Tifa nodded and stood up, walking towards the closet. As Reno watched, he couldn't help but notice the way she wiggled her hips.
Gaia help us... the Turk thought.
As Tifa entered the building which housed the Turk's headquarters, she was a bit nervous. Could she pass herself off as Reno? She spotted Elena then and noticed the cute skirt she was wearing.
"Elena, that's a cute skirt!" Elena turned towards Tifa then with a puzzled expression on her face.
"Thanks Reno, um...so how are things between you and Tifa?" Tifa decided to respond in the way she thought Reno might.
"I can't complain. The sex is fantastic and she's quite the little minx in bed," Tifa replied, adding a smirk in for good measure.
"Why do I even bother?" Elena said aloud, walking away from Tifa and to her desk. Having jumped that potential hurdle, she then prepared for the ultimate test of her Reno acting abilities: Rude.
"Hey partner, how's it hanging?" Rude took one look at her and Tifa found herself panicking.
"Good. That thing you asked me for is ready by the way. I'll give it to you after work." Having no idea what Rude was talking about, Tifa just nodded and sat at her desk. Rude cocked an eyebrow at the proper way Reno was sitting and shook his head.
Some days he just didn't understand Reno.
Reno was getting pissed off. Tifa hadn't told him that nearly all customers she dealt with during the day were perverted assholes. His shapely rear was sore from being pinched so much and his hand was aching from the number of slaps he had handed out. He had just finished reorganizing some chairs and wiping down the tables when the bar door opened.
"I wanna get drunk today Tifa, so give me some beer!" Reno stiffened as he recognized that voice.
It was Yuffie.
"Don't you have some Materia to steal?" Yuffie's eyes widened at that and Reno inwardly cursed. He was supposed to act like Tifa.
"Man, is Turkey not performing well in bed or what?" Yuffie said, giggling. Reno bit back the urge to call her a flat chested brat and merely gave an apologetic smile.
"Reno has nothing to do with it. I'm just a little cranky today. Sorry about that," he said softly.
"Ah that's okay Teef, just let me have a shot of liquor, please?"
Reno sighed heavily. How was he supposed to deal with this?
By some miracle Tifa had managed to get through Reno's workday and was just about to head to her car when Rude stopped her in the parking lot.
"Forgetting something?" Rude asked, handing Tifa a black velvet box. Rude took in her shocked expression when she opened the box. "Are you still sure about this Reno? I mean I know you love her but getting married? Think she'll agree to that?" Tifa opened the box and saw the brilliant diamond ring. Several tears fell down her face and she looked up at Rude.
"Yeah I do. Thanks Rude!" She then gave Rude an enormous hug and Rude found himself wondering if Reno was on drugs. But he gave his partner a pat on the back anyway.
"Just make sure I get to be best man, okay?" Tifa nodded. Rude gave a very slight smile then and bid Tifa goodbye.
She couldn't wait until she was alone with Reno again.
Upon entering Seventh Heaven, Tifa saw a passed out Yuffie on one of the bar stools along with a very bored looking barmaid.
"How was your day?" Tifa asked.
"Alright, except for the part where I got goosed by a bunch of perverted lechers," Reno responded.
"Sorry, I forgot that the morning crowd tends to be a bit more loose."
"How was it for you?"
"Fine and I found out something wonderful," Tifa replied, smiling widely. Reno came out from behind the counter then and came up to Tifa, hugging her gently.
"I'm not used to being shorter than you," Reno murmured into Tifa's chest. She gave a chuckle then and looked down at Reno, a smirk on her face.
"Well babe, do you want to go to bed?" She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively at this and Reno felt himself blushing.
"No...just keep on holding me, if you don't mind." It was getting annoying dealing with all these feminine emotions but as Tifa complied with his wish, he found himself not caring so much anymore.
But the ninja woke up then and with a loud belch shattered the romantic moment.
"Think I had a little HIC too much thar Tiffy..." Yuffie said after her belch. Tifa laughed and turned around to Yuffie.
"I'll take you home princess." To this Yuffie gave a silly smile along with a nod and Tifa soon had Yuffie out the door.
Twenty minutes later, Tifa entered the bar again and saw that Reno had set up dinner, even if it was the leftovers from last night. Sitting down at the table beside Reno, she dug into her meal.
After dinner was finished and digesting in their bellies, Tifa led Reno into the living room and looked into his eyes.
"So Rude had something for me today," Tifa said. Reno's eyes widened and he started to speak but Tifa cut him off with a loving look. "And when I saw what it was, I thought about what you mean to me. I mean you're not the most romantic of men, you're arrogant, condescending and you couldn't cook to save your life." Reno tried again to speak up here but Tifa silenced him with a finger on his now feminine lips. Taking a breath, she continued. "Despite all of your faults though you love me and I love you. Re, what I'm trying to say is..." Here Tifa got down on one knee and held open the velvet box.
"Will you marry me?" Reno tried to stem the tears from falling but he couldn't.
"Of course I'll marry you Tifa. But doesn't this break with tradition?" As Tifa slipped the ring on his finger, she gave him a smirk.
"Since when have we ever cared about tradition?" Then she picked Reno up and carried him to their bedroom.
Several hours later Tifa was sitting up in bed, Reno snuggled up to her. Their hands were entwined and both were staring at the ring on Reno's finger.
"Tifa..." Reno said.
"Yes Reno?"
"What if we're stuck like this for the rest of our lives?" She felt him tremble a little as he asked this question and Tifa hugged him.
"Then we'll just have to cope with it as best we can. But I won't leave you Reno, I promise," Tifa whispered into his ear. Reno kissed Tifa deep on the lips then and he found himself not caring if they were stuck as each other for all eternity. He had her and that was all that mattered.
Opening her eyes an hour later, Tifa found herself nestled up to Reno's chest, his arms wrapped around her. Looking up at his sleeping face, Tifa smiled before looking down at the ring on her finger.
"Everythings just perfect," she whispered. Closing her eyes, she snuggled closer to Reno and wrapped her arms around him, drifting back to sleep.