Close To You
Close To You
AN: I own nothing in this story. This was inspired by Before Three by The Cure and The Crow. Please R&R.
A cool breeze blew through the hair of the figure standing before the grave. A rose was held between pale fingers. Birds sang their cheerful tunes to the world but nothing cheerful was imparted to the mourner. Those thoughts were not in the present but in the past.
Costa del Sol was basking in the summer sun. On the sea of gold just before the ocean Tifa held onto Reno tightly. His mouth was near her ear and his words were soft. His arms were wrapped around her side.
"We're going to get married. I'm going to quit the Turks and settle down. We'll have beautiful children and grandchildren." Reno whispered.
"Who said I'd marry you?" Tifa said with a smirk. Reno started tickling her sides and her laughter was heavenly to him. She had managed to press her lips against his and her tongue was cool in his mouth. Breaking apart after some time, both lovers had contented smiles on their faces.
"Who else could put up with you?" Reno responded. Tifa lightly punched him on the shoulder and hugged him close to her.
"I love you Re. I'll love you forever…" Reno didn't respond but he stroked her hair and Tifa felt herself getting sleepy. She didn't want to lose this moment, she had to keep it alive but sleep claimed her and she nestled into Reno's chest, his lithe arms wrapped her in a gentle embrace.
The wedding had been beautiful. Tifa had looked like an angel to the ex Turk and Reno had managed to find a black tux that complimented his looks well. Rude had been the best man while Yuffie was the maid of honor. They made quite a pair on the dance floor, Rude's height contrasting sharply with the materia thief's short stature. The mourner continued to visit the past and looked at the grave with cloudy eyes.
The moon was full in the winter sky and husband and wife were snuggled together in a warm bath, their bodies glistening with silver droplets of water. Reno's hands found Tifa's back then and started massaging her tenderly. She moaned in pleasure and Reno then started planting kisses on her neck.
"What should we do tonight?" Reno asked in-between kisses.
"I'm happy just being here next to you." Tifa said.
"Can't get enough of me can you?" Reno remarked.
"I should be asking you that." Tifa said, smiling.
"Well I'm content just staying here as well." Tifa then moved her head down towards his chest and started kissing up to his lips. One of her arms were draped around his side and pulled him as close as he could get to her while her other arm was resting on his shoulder; her fingers sifting through those red locks she loved so much. Stopping her kisses she raised her lips to his ear.
"Did I ever tell you how unattractive you are without your ponytail?" Tifa whispered in a teasing tone. Reno kissed her on the cheek then and flashed his boyish grin.
"And did I ever tell you that you drool a lot at night? It's a major turnoff." Tifa then glared at him in mock anger and he laughed at her.
"What's so funny?" Tifa asked.
"You look so cute when you're like that. Your nose gets scrunched up…it's adorable." Tifa splashed some water in his face after that remark but Reno dodged out of the way. Tifa tried again to splash him but he grabbed her wrists and pushed her forward, sending the former barmaid on her back with his glowing emerald orbs gazing down at her.
"Are you going to tell me what I get for Christmas?" Tifa said, pouting.
"I got you a wall." Reno said in a serious tone. Tifa raised an eyebrow at that.
"You got me a wall?" Reno nodded.
"And a door, plus some windows and a couple of toilets and a big bed." Realization dawned on Tifa and she shot up, hands on his shoulders.
"You got the house?!"
"Yes I did. Of course it still needs to be painted but I thought you would want to do that yourself…" But Reno was cut off by Tifa's lips meeting his. Breaking apart she had a goofy, ecstatic grin on her face. She got out of the tub and started doing a victory dance.
"We have a house!" Reno chuckled at his wife's childish glee but soon found himself beside her, taking her hand and dancing with her across the tiny bathroom floor. Tifa's foot then slipped and she hit the ground, dragging Reno down along with her.
"You're such a klutz…" Reno said, after making sure she wasn't hurt. Tifa's face was flushed and Reno wondered again why she had fallen in love with a guy like him. She smiled softly up at her husband.
"I may be a klutz but I'm your klutz." Tifa said, kissing him on the cheek.
"Don't forget you're also sappy, cheesy, and nerdy too." Tifa shut him up by kissing Reno on the lips and hugged him tightly. He shifted to his right and Tifa laid her head in the crook of his neck. Yawning loudly, she started to close her eyes, his heartbeat lulling her to sleep.
"Love you…so much…Reno…" She murmured.
"I love you too Tifa." Reno replied. The ex Turk watched as his wife fell asleep. Loud snores blasted from Tifa's mouth and some drool was already making it's way down her cheek. Reno wiped it away and carried her to bed, slipping in beside the most important person in his life. "I'll always love you..."
Tifa kneeled in front of her husband's grave and placed the rose gently on top of the angel tombstone, snow from winter still covering its wings. The wedding ring she still wore even after six years glinted in the afternoon sun and tears slid down Tifa's cheeks. She remembered how he would always wipe her tears away in the hospital. The disease had struck him during their second year of marriage.
He had died three weeks later, his body wracked with pain. But still he tried to wipe her tears away. He had smiled as death came for him and she held his lifeless form to herself, praying that she would feel his lithe arms wrap around her as they always had before. But her prayers were in vain. Shaking her head at the painful memory, she wiped her eyes.
"Reno…I know it's been awhile since I've been here. I'm sorry for not visiting more. I'm still klutzy but I'm doing well. Everyone's doing well…Cloud and Denzel are running Strife Delivery service now and Yuffie and Vincent just had a beautiful baby boy. Tseng and Elena got married finally. Rufus accidentally got the bouquet; you should have seen his face. Rude still visit's all the time." Tifa paused for a moment and then she heard someone come up beside her. A pair of tiny fingers held onto her hand tightly and a voice came to her ears.
"Mommy…is this Daddy?" The six year old girl asked. Her brown eyes gazed at the grave with confusion and then they gazed up at Tifa. Tifa smiled at her daughter and ruffled her flaming red hair that she had inherited from Reno.
"Yes Rem, this is your Daddy." She picked up her daughter and brought her closer so she could read the inscription that simply read Reno Lockhart. Rem then noticed her mother crying and raised a tiny hand to her face, her tiny digits wiping away the tears.
"Mommy don't cry…Daddy wouldn't like it." Tifa nodded and smiled at her daughter. "Will I get to see him one day Mommy?" Tifa nodded once more.
"One day you will." Tifa then put her daughter down and Rem placed a hand on the gravestone.
"I love you Daddy, Mommy misses you and Uncle Rude does too." Rem then walked back to her mother and grabbed onto her hand. "Mommy Uncle Rude is waiting in the car, remember?"
"We better get going then huh?" Tifa said, grinning at her child. Rem nodded and Tifa led her away from the grave, talking one last look back.
"It's forever now Re and I still love you…" Tifa whispered a small smile on her lips.