AN: Hi everyone! My name is Vivi, I'm still a newbie in here, so nice to meet you!
This is my first story, so I'm sorry if there are so many mistakes in my grammar. R&R please? ^_^
Flames accepted here, so I can improve…
Thank you very much! So this is the story, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own every character in this story. All of this character belonged to Square Enix.
Flame and Liquor
A man walked with his slumped shoulder. "Such a day…Man, I almost can't feel my back." He sighed and run his hand through his flame color lock. He glanced at his right and stared at a bar. "Seventh Heaven" he mumbled to himself. Without any thought he entered the bar, he glanced inside, the bar is empty. He grinned to himself.
Behind the counter, a woman with long dark-brown hair is washed the glass with a rag "He's not here anymore…" she sighed. The woman heard the bell ringing but didn't turn her back to the customer. "I'm sorry sir, but we're closed right now. Come back again tomorrow." She tried to hide her tired tone with her gently voice.
"Aw, that's too bad, but can't your old friend visit you just a while?" the red-head asked. She turned her back to the voice and greeted by a tall, handsome man with his cocky grin. She can't help but smile at him. "Reno!" Tifa run to him and give him a friendly hug. Reno returned it firmly, "Hey hot-stuff, long time no see." He patted her head. "Yeah it is, would you like to drink something?" she said and walking behind the counter. "You said it's closed, but now you asking me what I want." He smirked and sit down on a stool.
Tifa giggled and poured him a drink "Yes it is, but for you, it's special". Reno put his hand over his heart "Oh, thank you so much, you don't know how I feel about it." And he smiled. "Oh Reno, stop trying to be dramatic." Tifa slap his arms playfully. "Hey, you know what babe, yesterday, I count the stars, there's one thousand. And then, today, I tried to count it again, it become nine hundred ninety-nine. When I look into your eyes, I suddenly knew why the stars missing. The stars, it's in your eyes." He smirked when she turned into tomato. "Nice try!" she slap him again. They laugh together.
"Hey babe, where's chocobo-head?" he asked while taking a slip from his glass. Tifa fell silent for a moment before answering his question "He's doing some delivery. It's been a week." Her expression turned into a gloomy one. "Is it must to be really that long?" he put down his glass and stared to her. "No, it should've been done in four days. Maybe, he is searching for Aerith again." Tifa eyes fell to the door, hoping there'd a man with blonde haired and stunning mako blue eyes step into the bar.
"That bastard…He is so dense. Why can he's so blind? Everyone knows that you love him, even I noticed it. Yet, he's still searching for a dead flower girl." Reno hand turned into fist, his face had a frown on it.
Tifa stared at him and give him a sad smile "Don't blame him. He just confused…Maybe someday he can fully accept that she's gone, and notice me."
Reno takes her hand to his and stared deeply to her, he noticed that her face is tired, her eyes full of sorrow, pain, loneliness. "Tifa, you deserved better than this. I can't stand seeing you hurt more than this. You took the pain from everything he said about Aerith. He didn't notice your tears every time he left you." He leaned forward and rested his forehead against her.
Tifa can feel her face in heat, usually Reno will teased or laugh at her in situation like this, but not this time.
"Thanks Reno, but I don't know. I've already do what I can, I always beside him whenever he need me, I always take care Denzel and Marlene whenever he's doing the delivery, but it's not work. I'm getting a bit tired with these. Sometimes I wonder, if I'm the one who's dead instead of her, will he loves me the way he loved Aerith?" she let out a chuckle.
Reno slightly pulled away from her, his eyes widened. "You know, not long ago I tried to cut myself. But then, I was thinking about Marlene and Denzel. If I died, who will tucked the when they sleep, who will fed them." She added. Reno quickly take her wrist and check it, there's a scar, not too long, but not too small either.
"No, don't be like this Teef…It's time for you to move on. You can't be like this forever." He squeezed her hands firmly. "I don't know if I can Reno. I just really loved him." Tifa closed her eyes, letting a lone tear slid down to her cheek.
"Tifa, there's someone who loves you with all his might. He would do anything for you. He even gives his life just to save you, he always beside you." Reno wrapped his arms protectively on her waist. "Reno…" she whispered, Tifa burned her face on his chest and cry. "I love you, Tifa…I always do." He kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…I don't know what to do..." she cries harder. Reno just stroke her hair lovingly and whispered "It's okay Teef. Don't cry again…Just put your smile, your usual smile that always make my hearts flutter." Once again, he rested his forehead against her. "
"Maybe Reno was right…It's time for me to move on. I can't be like this forever, Reno, he is the man who loves me, and always there for me." Tifa thought, she stared into his beautiful green eyes. Reno slowly leaned in, he closed his eyes and kiss her lips gently. Tifa was shock a bit before she relaxed into his kiss and start to kiss him back. He slightly pulled away and smile, "Tifa, can you give me a chance to be the man that replace Cloud from the special place in your heart?" he stroke her cheek, waiting for an answer.
"Reno, I don't know about this." She whispered. Reno let her go from his arms, a sad smile forming on his handsome face "Well, that's okay Teef. I know I didn't stand a chance for it." He slowly walked away from her to the door.
When Reno was about to open the door, he felt a pair of arms circled his waist "Reno, you stupid…You didn't let me finish my words." She chuckled. "What are-" he was cut off by her soft lips on his. His eyes widened, Tifa pulled away slowly "I would love to give you a try." She smiled at him and snuggles into his chest. Reno was shocked, he didn't know what to say. He just simply stood there and wrapped his arms to her. "Thank you Teef." He smiled and inhaled her scent deeply.
'Maybe, I can love him the way I love Cloud, or even more' she though.
5 months later
A blonde man with spike hair walks into a bar that he usually calls 'home'. He stood by the door, running a hand through his hair. "it's been a long time since I've been here." He mumbled and stepped into the bar.
"Welcome to Seventh Heaven, what can I-" Tifa froze when he saw the figures that just come.
"Cloud!" she ran into him and gives him a friendly hug "Where are you all this time? I'm really worried about you, you know?" she smiled at him, he just returned it with small smile. "I'm sorry…Tifa, can I talk to you?" "Sure, I'm free anyway." She gestured him to sit on bar stool. He followed her and sit beside her. "Where's Denzel and Marlene?" he asked "They still at school right now, maybe one hour again, they'll back." She said after looking at clock. "Well, Tifa, I'm sorry for what I did to you all this time. I'm sorry for hurting you, you didn't deserve it." He hung his head, Tifa put her hand on his shoulder "I've already forgive you before you ask Cloud...Don't worry about it." She smiled again at him "Tifa…Thank you. One more thing that I wanted to let you know, I always cared about you, I always love you Tifa. I've just noticed it when I was searching for Aerith." He stared deeply into her eyes. "Cloud…"
Suddenly, the door open and a man with flame hair came in "Hey babe!" he smiled and stopped when he saw Cloud "Oh, it's you. Finally came back Cloud?" he smirked at him.
"Reno!" Tifa stand up with her bright smile, Cloud startled a bit when he saw Tifa like this. Reno walked to her and kissed her on the lips. What Cloud see make his jaw dropped slightly, he can't believe it.
Tifa pulled away, slightly blushing and turn to Cloud "Cloud, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you're too late. I'm in love with him right now. He always there for me, comforts me, make me laugh, smile, he really care for me."
Cloud can't help but felt a pang of hurt in his heart, but he can't do anything, he regret it for not noticing his love for her long ago. And now, when he already notice it, she already belong to someone else.
"But you're always be my best friend Cloud." She gently smiled at him. Cloud just let out a small smile "Don't worry Tifa. I understand. I'm really sorry because I was so blinded by Aerith. As your best-friend I just wish that you're happy with him." Cloud walked to Reno and put his hand to one of his shoulder "Take care of her, she deserve better than I always do to her. If I see her cry because of you, just get ready to death." His tone sounded really serious. "I know that, yo. Don't worry about it." Reno smirked. "Good if you understand." He take his hand again from Reno shoulder.
"Cloud, thank you…" Tifa take Cloud hand and squeezed it.
Cloud slowly walked away from them "Cloud, where are you going?" Tifa asked "I just wanted to picked up Denzel and Marlene from school" he smiled "And after that, we're going to Gold Saucer" he added.
"Spikey, you're going to vacation with them?" Reno asked. "Well, yeah, I'm going to spend my time with them. I rarely going out with them anyway…" he turned the doorknob.
"Then, have fun Cloud!" Tifa waved at him, he returned it with smile.
Soon, they heard Fenrir engine sound slowly disappeared. "So, babe…" Reno wrapped his arm at her waist. Tifa just hummed and rested her head at his shoulder. "I want to ask you something."
He stood in front of her and get on one knee and holds her hand "I know maybe this is too fast for you, but I can't hold it anymore." Reno inhaled, her eyes filled with curiosity "Tifa Lockhart, will you marry me?" he take out a small box and opened it for her. There was a ring with heart shaped and the diamond color is ruby.
Tifa covered her mouth and tears fell from her eyes, she's too happy. "YES! I DO, I DO!" she jumped and landed on top of him. Reno just chuckled "Wow babe, I thought you'll reject it." He wiped her tears "Idiot, I love you so much to do that." she smiled at him. "Really?" Reno smirked, they slowly leaned and touch their lips, murmuring the word 'I love you' to each other.