Disclaimer-I own nothing and I am not making any money off of these stories.

Chapter Warnings- mild sexual situations, violence, alcohol, mild language

Authors Note- This is my first Reno/Tifa fic. Go easy on me.

Tifa yawned as she ran the damp cloth over the wooden counter another time. It was late but that didn't stop people from coming in to get smashed. After she served another man his mug of Ale, she sighed and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. Taking out a plain shot glass her poured herself some of the strong liquor. Tipping the glass back she closed her eyes momentarily at the burning feeling in the back of her throat.

"Drinkin' on the job, Sweetheart?" a familiar voice said in front of her. Tifa opened her eyes, Reno.

"What do you want Reno?" She asked rather coldly.

"What? Can't I come down to my favorite bar anymore?" Reno grinned his slightly crooked smile at her.

Tifa sighed, why was he so hard to be cold to him these days, "What'll it be?"

"A shot of what you've been drinkin'" He indicated to the bottle. Tifa poured him his shot and shook her head when he grinned and lifted the glass to her before he downed it.

Tifa looked around her bar, many people seemed content with what they had and too wrapped up in what they were doing, whether it was a conversation or groping the nearest person to them. She shook her head and looked back at the redheaded Turk, he was watching her now.

"What?"

"How come your not celebrating up with your little soldier?" Reno poured himself another shot.

Anger flashed through Tifa's wine colored eyes, "He's not my little soldier!"

"Geeze, relax yo. I was just askin why you weren't with them. It is almost Christmas..." Reno looked slightly sad once he ended that sentence but it didn't last long.

"I didn't want to go," Her voice softened a bit but she quickly covered it quickly, "What's it matter to you?"

"What the hell! Lockhart what is your problem?!" Reno was obviously pissed now.

"I-" Tifa started but Reno cut her off, "No don't bother. I'm gunna go before I piss you off anymore." Reno swiftly stood up and stormed out of the bar. Tifa stood there for a moment before she swore softly at herself for being a bitch when Reno actually didn't do anything for once.

She put back the bottle and looked up at the clock, closing time. She yelled to the remaining costumers that it was closing time. Slowly they got up and left. As soon as everyone was gone, Tifa locked up and grabbed her keys. She headed out the front doors, she needed to clear her head.

Tifa made her way down the street as she tried to clear her head. "Okay so I didn't want to go deal with Cloud being all depressed and have to hear him talk about Areis and how he could only love her. Okay so it's selfish of me but he doesn't need me to be there for that. Besides it's not like they wont be back for Christmas, Barret said they'd be here on Christmas day. It's only a week until then. So why did I have to freak out on Reno! I mean yeah he wasn't exactly on our side in the past but he did help us recently and we were getting along pretty well. Hell he's been coming in at least three days a week, I don't know. What's wrong with you Tifa!" She continued to walk even as she ranted to herself.

Tifa continued to walk down the street not paying any attention to anyone else. Suddenly she felt a hand clamp down over her mouth.

"Hey, now where do you think your going?" a deep obviously drunk voice grumbled at her.

Tifa swung her leg back and kicked him hard in the back of his knees dropping the man to the ground. Before she could respond with another blow, three more people in hoods ganged up on her. She smirked and reached for her knife, then she cursed to herself once she realized it wasn't on her person but in the bar. Oh well.

Tifa began to fight them and was doing a good job when one of them pulled out a gun. She froze for a moment giving them the advantage they needed to drop her to the ground. Tifa swore loudly and kicked one unarmed man in the stomach sending him flying back. Another one armed with a knife ran at her and swung his blade down, smoothly she gripped his wrist, disarmed him and flung him at the brick side of the building. Then the man with the gun stepped up and pressed the cold barrel to her head, Tifa froze. She winced unsure what to do. The man smashed her head to the ground with his booted foot, hard. It was been to long since she'd been in a fight alone. Suddenly she head an crackling noise.

"Yo!" A loud crack was heard and the man dropped to the ground. Reno stood over head with his hand outstretched. Quickly Tifa accepted the help up. She spun around and took out the remaining guy. The other two ran off saying something about him being a Turk. The one Reno hit was twitching on the ground, electricity still pulsing threw his body. The redheaded Turk turned back to Tifa.

"You okay?"

"Yeah...thanks," Tifa said softly as he rubbed a bruise on her arm. She wavered a bit as she tired to stand still with Reno's eyes never leaving her.

"Lockhart are you going to be okay heading home?"

"I can take care of myself Reno," Tifa began to walk away when she felt the world spin out from under her. Tifa stumbled and would have hit the ground if it wasn't for Reno. The Turk grabbed her around the waist right before her head hit the ground again.

"You can't even walk," Reno said with his arm still around the brunet. She tensed up.

"I can walk just fine..." Tifa argued but Reno didn't let go of her.

"Come on Tifa, it's freezing out and you don't even have a coat on. You just fell, what happened?" Reno said as he started leading her back to the bar, he knew she lived above it.

"I'm not sure. A bunch of people jumped me. That guy, with the gun, smashed my head into the ground..." Reno felt anger flash through him, honestly who in their right mind messed with Tifa Lockart, especially if they were untrained.

Reno crushed his anger and helped the martial artist back to the bar. After she unlocked the door he lead her to a chair, for which she was grateful. Reno looked at her for a moment before he spoke.

"You got any potions here?"

"Yeah...its in the private bathroom upstairs. I'll get it..." She tired to stand when wave his dizziness hit her. Reno watched her as he sat back down and gripped the table.

"I'll get it," The turk walked up the stairs and opened the bedroom door. Walking past the bedroom he made his way into the bedroom. After he grabbed the x-potion the redhead went back downstairs. Tifa looked up at him, sleepily. She probably had a concussion.

"Drink this," Reno commanded. Tifa took the offered liquid and drank it quickly. It was bubbly but soon enough her head felt clear, even though she was still tired. She looked over at Reno who was behind the bar helping himself to a glass of liquor. Once the Turk had his drink he walked back over to her and sat down.

"Thank you Reno..." Tifa said softly as she looked at the redhead.

"Dont worry about it," Reno said soberly.

"I didn't get a chance to talk to you earlier..." Tifa said softly, "I wanted to say I'm sorry about freaking out on you. You really didn't deserve it.."

"It's okay," Reno took a sip of his liquor.

"I just feel like... I don't know like ive been wasting my time pining over someone who doesn't care about me at all. I feel like im expected to still be waiting for him once he realises that Aries isn't ever coming back..." She could feel tears pricking at her eyes. She looked at the floor then back up at Reno, "I shouldn't be dropping all my problems on you."

"Lockhart, you don't have to do anything you don't want to. If waiting around for that stupid soldier is hurting you then move on to someone else..." Reno said before he downed the rest of his drink.

"...I want to...i just..."

"Dont have the guts to Lockhart? You can kill a man three times your size with your bare hands but you can't get over this stupid blonde and pursue someone else?"

Instead of taking it like a joke like the Turk intended Tifa looked like she was going to cry. Reno instantly felt bad. "Tifa..."

"No, your right... that's why I wanted to be away from them this week. I needed some alone time to clear my head..." Tifa sighed tiredly as she watched Reno get up and retrive the liquor bottle and another glass with ice in it. Quietly he poured the alcohol in both glasses and handed one to the brunette beside him.

"Come on, it's Christmas time celebrate with me a little," Reno flashed his trademark grin before he took a long swallow from his glass. "Dont make me break out the mistletoe," Reno playfully threatened.

Tifa cracked a smile and took a sip of the potent liquid, "You'd like that too much Reno."

"Hey I wouldn't be the only one enjoying themselves," The Turk winked at her. Tifa laughed and tried to stuff the color that was rising on her face back down.

"Yeah sure," She laughed as he emptied her glass.

Reno poured more liquor into both their glasses before he lit a cigarette, "Oh come on Tifa, I know you've heard about the things I can do to women. Hell I could curl your toes so fast you'd be beggin' me for more."

Now she knew she was blushing, when did Reno get so damn sexy...wait Reno sexy? It must have been that hit to the head she took earlier. "Your all talk Reno."

Reno raised a slim eyebrow as he leaned towards her in his seat, "Oh yeah? Let me prove it you. Then you'll think otherwise, yo."

Tifa laughed as he took another sip of her drink, "I don't think so."

"You'll come around eventually," Reno laughed before he took a long drag from his cigarette.

Many hours of the night were filled with the two polishing off the bottle and then some. They joked, laughed and flirted shamelessly like they'd been friends for years. Tifa was feeling tipsy at the least by the time they decided to stop. Her whole body was warm and she was smiling.

"Mm...I need to go to bed soon," Tifa yawned she speech slightly slurred.

"Alright, I'll head out now and let you sleep," Reno said after he polished off his glass of liquor again. The Turk rose to his feet feeling the effects of the alcohol, he was a bit buzzed, and made his way to the door. Looking outside he noticed it was starting to snow heavily. "See ya around Teef."

"Wait," Tifa stood up and grabbed him by his shoulder, "It's snowing really badly out..."

"So it is..." Reno turned and looked at her curiously.

"And uh... I think that...you've been drinking and..."

"Tifa, you asking me to stay here?"

"Uh...yeah?" Tifa was starting to hate herself for even thinking about him staying here. She didn't even know why she wanted him to, maybe she just didn't want to be alone.

"Want me in your bed already?" Reno grinned mischievously

"No! I just... didn't want to spend another night alone," Her wine eyes met Reno's teal ones.

"Alright, I'm kinda beat anyway," Reno said not really wanting to face to cold. Not that the prospect of being that close to Tifa was a bad thing, oh the things he like to do to her. Mm Tifa in black lingere and whipped cream, oh hell yeah. The Turk looked back at her, acting on impulse he reached out and cupped the side of her face.

"Reno..." Tifa purred his name softly.

"Hm?" Reno pulled her closer to him, keeping his hand on her warm face, the other now around her waist. Tifa curled her fingers around the collar of his shirt as their eyes met. In one swift motion he closed the gap between them with his lips on hers. Maybe it was the alcohol that gave him the idea but it didn't matter. Tifa froze for a moment and Reno was beginning to feel foolish. Then he felt her lips move against his. Reno tightened his grip on her waist and pulled her flush against him. The action caused Tifa to mewl into his mouth, giving Reno the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth.

Soon enough Reno pushed her up against the wall as he continued to kiss her. The busty brunett wrapped her other arm around the back of the Turk's head and wove her fingers through his hair. Reno pulled his mouth away from hers and slowly began trailing hot kisses down her neck. Slowly he sucked on her pulse point causing her to cry out and clutch his neck and shoulder.

"Reno..." she breathed his name against his neck sending shivers down his spine. The redhead lazily kissed and licked his way back to her mouth, which he claimed with a heated kiss. Surprisingly enough his hands stayed where they had been the entire time. The one moved to hold the base of her skull and just pulled her deeper into the kiss. While he rubbed small circles with his fingertips on her waist. Slowly he broke the kiss and he felt Tifa sag against him. Pulling back he looked at her.

"Alright babe?"

"Mhm...just tired..."

"Alright, come on," Reno said as he lead her to her own room. Yeah okay so he could be a good guy at times.

Reno half carried the intoxicated barmaid up the stairs to her room. Once he reached her bed he let her go. The redhead pulled off his shoes, jacket, and shirt and stretched out on the couch in her bedroom. Tifa proceded to strip herself of her pants before he laid down in her bed. After a few moments of moving around she gave up.

"Hey Reno?"

"Hm..." he opened an eye too look at her.

"Come here." Reno sat up and looked at her for a moment before he rose to his feet. Softly he walked over to and laid down behind her under the covers. Lazily he threw an arm around her as she pressed her back to his smooth chest. Pressing his forehead to her shoulder, Reno let sleep overtake him just as it did Tifa.