Cliffie: …yes. I have another new obsession. Reno/Tifa is just plain awesome and wonderful and it somehow manages to work, I think. Maybe this is just coming from someone who loves both characters so much, but it seems to be a fairly popular pairing here. But anyway. This is Cliffie, your hostess for evening! It's a pleasure to meet you, and I hope you enjoy the entertainment for tonight!
/corny dialogue
Now that I've gotten that outta my system… the title is from the Anberlin song "Dance, Dance, Christa Päffgen." If you haven't heard the song, I demand you go listen to it. It seemed appropriate… that, and I couldn't think of any other suitable title. XD So "Dance Floor Prayers" will just have to do.
Um… this takes place after Advent Children. Let's say about six or eight months after; the time really isn't that important. For convenience sake, I'm not gonna make up names for the dances; I mean, they have cell phones, so why not the foxtrot and the polka?
And now, please read and enjoy, my friends!
Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII, Advent Children, or any of the characters. This is for entertainment purposes only.
The door to 7th Heaven opened, and Tifa sighed heavily. She didn't want another customer – she wanted to lock up and go to bed. But no, that damnable door just had to open again. It wasn't like there had been a lot of customers that night; in fact, tonight had been slower than usual. And she had been hoping, desperately, that she would be able to lock up early and actually get a good night's sleep.
She didn't bother looking up from the glass she was cleaning. "What can I get you?" she asked, voice tired. She didn't hide it; she wanted this person to be gone as quickly as possible.
"Aw, come on, babe. You know what I like."
Tifa glanced up, now annoyed. Reno stood before her, hands shoved in his pockets and a grin on his face. "I was just about to close up, you know," she said tartly. She held no reservations about being rude to Reno. He took her jabs with a smile and shrug, and, when he decided to rise to the challenge, the evening turned into a game of insults that never really stung either combatant.
His grin widened. "Were you now?"
"Yes. So why don't you find some other bar to go to and let me go to bed?"
Reno grabbed a stool and swung himself onto it. "Nah, that's okay. I like this one plenty well enough. Whiskey on the rocks, Miss Bartender." He slapped the bar top for no good reason except to annoy her and added, "Put it on my tab."
Tifa slammed the glass down on the counter, narrowly missing his hand, and glared darkly at Reno. His grin never faltered, and she reluctantly went to get his drink, realizing that this battle was lost.
When he had a drink in front of him, Tifa went back to cleaning. She was done within a few minutes, and carefully lined the glasses up on their proper shelves. The towel was thrown on the back counter; she would wash it in the morning. Then, with a heavy sigh, she leaned wearily against the bar and watched Reno sip his whiskey with half-lidded eyes.
"You don't look so good, babe," Reno pointed out after a minute of silence.
Tifa snorted. "That's what happens when I'm trying to run this place by myself and help Cloud with deliveries. And don't call me 'babe'." She hated it when he did that, but he never took the hint. He always called her that, and she had the feeling he always would. Of course, Reno probably called most of the girls he knew "babe".
"I think you need to get out more," Reno announced, nodding slightly to accentuate his point. "I mean, it seems like all you ever do is work. You need to relax once in a while."
Tifa gave up. Her legs ached, her feet throbbed, and her body felt like it weighed three hundred pounds. She made her way around the bar and eased herself onto the stool next to Reno. He gave her a look, raising one eyebrow, but didn't comment on her new position. Leaning back against the bar, her elbows up on the top, Tifa glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "I do, do I?" she said, somewhat mockingly.
Reno nodded again. "Yeah. Go to a club or something."
"Clubs are only open at night, and I work at night."
"Take a night off."
"I can't afford it." That wasn't quite true; she could probably close down for at least a night, but she always felt uncomfortable at clubs and didn't think Reno would understand. The music got on her nerves, and, if she went with Yuffie, the girl tended to abandon her soon enough. She was a wallflower at clubs, and being stared at by lecherous, no-good guys was not her idea of fun. She had learned long ago that agreeing to dance with any of them meant an invitation to press up against her uncomfortably and try to get into her skirt.
Reno wasn't beaten yet. In fact, her responses simply made this a challenge. And Reno had always enjoyed challenges. Taking a sip of his whiskey, he continued, "Then do something girly."
Oh, Tifa couldn't wait to see what he meant by that. "Expound upon that, if you would."
He glanced briefly at her, then back to his glass. "Ah, shit, I dunno. Go shopping, or get your hair done, or whatever it is you girls do. Elena would probably go out with you if you wanted to go with someone other than Yuffie. Just don't call her 'Lena. She hates that." He gave a wicked smirk, laughing softly at some memory.
"All of those things require money, Reno. And I've never been fond of shopping anyway." She wrinkled her nose slightly. "It gets boring after a while."
Reno grinned, amused at her answer. "And here I thought all girls could shop on end," he commented, laughing a bit at the end. Tifa gave him a small smile, unable to remain perfectly solemn.
"Aha!" Reno slapped the bar top loud enough and suddenly enough to make Tifa jump. She gave him an exasperated look, but he pretended to not notice it. "I have the perfect solution!"
"And that is?"
"Dancing!"
Tifa merely stared at Reno, eyebrows raised, amused by how energetic he was becoming by this simple challenge. But something was stirring in her; a desire to move. She was active enough, keeping up with her training routine so she wouldn't lose her edge, but dancing… That was different than going to a club. Of course, her idea of dancing probably wasn't Reno's idea of dancing, and that only led back to the wallflower, lecherous option of dancing. She squashed the desire, reminding herself that she was too tired for something like dancing.
"I mean, most girls like to dance, right? And that's fun, and it would certainly make your life more interesting."
Tifa frowned. "And you saying I have a boring life?" She liked her life; she preferred boredom, and stability, and things being normal, as compared to fighting and death and blood and hurt.
"Nah, 'course not. Don't take things so seriously, babe."
"Don't call me that."
He downed the rest of his whiskey, ignoring her as usual, then stood, brushing off his pants in one movement. With his jacket open, his white shirt not tucked in and a good half of the buttons undone, and his red hair as unkempt as always, Reno was, undoubtedly, a mess. A rogue. But he was grinning at Tifa, and his grin was beautiful, mischievous, and so open she wondered how he could be so innocent-seeming and devious at the same time.
Let's go," he bade, holding one hand out to her.
She stared at it warily, not bothering to move. "Let's go where?" she demanded. If there was one thing she had learned since Reno had started coming to the bar, it was that it was much safer to not trust him. Always ask questions first, because he might just be doing something incredibly stupid.
"Dancing," he stated, rolling his eyes like she was the stupid one.
She didn't let up. "You can dance?" She glanced over Reno quickly, absently noting the lanky limbs and toned muscles.
Reno chuckled and leaned forward until his face was mere inches from her own. "Hell yeah," he whispered, a wicked tint to his tone. Tifa found herself completely unable to take a breath; her eyes were captured by his. Then, laughing and dispelling whatever had captured her, Reno drew back and planted his hands firmly on his hips. "So, what do you think? Wanna go dancing, babe?"
"For the last time, don't call me that! And why do you care what I do anyway?" she demanded, tiring of this game.
Reno shifted, now uncomfortable. "Dunno. I just do. Something wrong with looking after friends?"
She almost snorted, but reigned herself in at the last minute. After a brief moment of thought, she supposed they were friends. He came into her bar almost every night he was in town, and she never really resented that. And she certainly owed him for helping them out so much. She didn't despise his company, either. In fact, she found him rather exhilarating to be with. He was fun, and pretended to be carefree, and he always made her smile.
His expression, waiting patiently and expectantly, was surprisingly hard to deny. "Aw, come on, Reno," she murmured, softer now. "My feet are already killing me."
He knew she was starting to give in. "Please? I think it'll be good for you." Then, in a slightly more commanding tone, "Besides, I'm just going to annoy you until you give in."
And Tifa sighed, finally realizing that any fighting would be completely useless. "Fine," she said, voice bordering on a growl. She stood, reluctantly noting that her feet didn't hurt as much as she remembered.
Reno grinned broadly. Then he hesitated, head to one side slightly. "What say you put on the flippy little skirt I'm sure you have?"
Tifa instantly bristled. "What makes you think I have a 'flippy little skirt'?"
"Mm, I'unno. You just see the type. I mean, hell, you wore a miniskirt for years."
Tifa felt her cheeks heat up, but whether from anger or embarrassment, she didn't know. Muttering darkly under her breath, wanting to slap the smirk off Reno's face, Tifa pivoted on one foot and stomped up the stairs to her room. She dug around in her closet for a minute, finally pulling out what Reno would deem a flippy little skirt. She had bought it more than a year ago on a whim. Yuffie had been with her, and pestering her to buy something other than black, and Tifa had only wanted to go home and stop with the shopping. She had finally complied by getting this skirt – dark blue, with swirls of silver lining around the hem. She kicked her door shut, then tugged off her shorts and slid the smooth material on. It was almost as short as her old mini. She had long grown to loathe the thing for reasons unknown… but the blue skirt was okay. She had to admit, she loved how the material felt against her skin. After a brief hesitation, she shrugged out of her vest as well, dumping it on the floor. A minute of rooting through her closest found the silver shirt Yuffie had coerced her to buy, claiming it matched her skirt. It lay completely off her shoulders, exposing milky white skin that never seemed to tan. She had never worn the thing even once, but, now viewing the outfit in the mirror, Tifa realized that Yuffie was right: the two items looked well together, and she couldn't help but think she looked pretty damn good. Her beaten down sneakers were kicked off for the soled slippers she owned in place of heels: black, but they would have to do.
She left her room, walking quickly down the stairs. People had always told her she walked too fast, but she had never bothered to learn how to slow her gait. Reno was waiting for her, his glass half full. She frowned at that; he had gone through her bar without letting her know. But when he heard her on the stairs, he stopped, placing the glass down, and turned to her, a smile already on his face. Then he saw her, really saw her, and froze, mouth slightly open. Tifa was shocked at the rush of pleasure that cascaded through her body when she realized he was admiring her. She allowed herself a small grin, twirling slightly as she reached the floor so her skirt flared up around her thighs. "Better?" she asked, a teasing tone in her voice.
Reno stepped forward, that mischievous grin back on his face. "Wonderful," he told her, voice smooth and low. Then he bowed, very gentleman-like, and offered her his arm. Tifa blinked at him for a moment, then, slowly, hesitantly, wondering if she was completely crazy, threaded her own arm through his. He grinned at her, and she couldn't help but smile back.
He led her out quickly, pausing only briefly to allow her to lock the door. They stepped out into the streets, the cold night air wrapped around Tifa. She shivered, immediately regretting her clothing choice. She drew closer to Reno, instinctively seeking body heat. There was a chuckle, and Tifa rolled her eyes. "Get over yourself," she said sharply.
Reno laughed, patted her hand, and merely continued walking.
He seemed to know where he was going, and made his way down the street confidently. Tifa kept close to him, using his body slightly to shield her from the mild, but icy, wind. "I hate winter," Tifa muttered, hugging Reno's arm closer.
"Aren't fond of the cold, are we?" Reno chuckled.
"What gave you that clue?"
"All right, enough chattering, babe. Here we are." Grinning broadly, Reno threw open the door to an inconspicuous building half a mile from her bar.
"Don't call me—" Her voice died as she stared into the dance club, the words stuck in her suddenly dry throat.
Tifa didn't quite know what she had been expecting, but it certainly wasn't what she was confronted with. Perhaps she had been expecting some wild, gyrating mass of people moving in a mindless manner to some obnoxious music. What she saw was a wooden dance floor with people doing, of all things, the foxtrot.
Tifa blinked, mouth slightly agape, and shot Reno an incredulous look. He grinned at her, head to one side again. "Not what you were expecting, is it?" he teased.
She couldn't lie. "Not… really."
He pulled her inside, closing the door behind her. "So, do you know the foxtrot?"
She nodded, somewhat dumbly. Of course she knew the foxtrot. She knew all the dances like this, because she had a sort of passion for them. Ballroom dancing was elegant and wild in a way no other dancing could be. It had only recently spread through the commoner bars and dance floors in the last seven years. Tifa had learned how to dance long before that on a whim, practicing whenever she could and failing more often than not. But her practice eventually paid off, and she became a damn good dancer. Only Cloud couldn't dance; he was surprisingly graceless with those things. And Barret wasn't very good, although he danced with her all the same. Vincent always refused when she had the bravery to ask him. Cid laughed in her face if she even tried to persuade him. In short, she had been without a good partner for too long.
Reno gave her a wicked look, his grin all the larger. He spun her out onto the dance floor, so swiftly she nearly lost her balance. Instinct kicked in, and she quickly found her footing. He pulled her in again, his other hand finding her waist as she was briefly pressed flush against him. She raised her arm and placed her hand softly on his strong shoulder, taking a step back so there was a bit of room between them. The position felt disturbingly natural, and she raised her head slightly, meeting Reno's eyes. The wooden floor was smooth beneath her slippers, and Reno was suddenly moving her back, his push gentle and his steps in perfect harmony with the music. Two steps back, one to the side. It was easy, the foxtrot, and, after a few seconds, Reno kicked it up a notch, adding steps and spins and everything Tifa loved. He was good, perhaps even better than her. She matched his pace effortlessly, letting the music twine around her like a lover as she followed Reno's guidance.
When the song ended, she was breathless and smiling widely. Reno was in the same condition, and he gave her a small wink. "Did I tell you you'd enjoy this, or what?"
Tifa made a show of rolling her eyes and huffing, but she didn't bother wiping the grin off her face.
They danced six more dances – another foxtrot, the polka twice, and the waltz three times; not the slow, hesitation waltz, but the wild, spinning one that always made Tifa dizzy and forced her to hold onto Reno more tightly – before her partner finally dragged her off the floor, groaning and complaining about his feet. Tifa, recognizing the dull throbbing as a sign that she should stop before it got worse, agreed without any fuss.
"Ready to go home, then?"
She nodded reluctantly. "You don't have to take me," she said as he led her out the door. "I know the way."
Reno gave an uneasy, almost embarrassed, shrug. "Hey, what's a gentleman for?"
The walk was silent and even colder than the earlier one. Shivering in her thin attire, the sweat already drying on her skin and sending chills through her, Tifa sidled up to Reno and tentatively took his arm, wanting that gentle body heat back from before. He gave her a clearly surprised look, then freed his arm from his hold. There was a brief rush of hurt that was completely obliterated a second later when Reno slung an easy arm over her shoulders and pulled her close to his side. Warmth immediately infused her, and Tifa smiled.
He paused at the edge of the front door, letting her draw away to unlock 7th Heaven. She turned, smiling brightly at him. "Thank you, Reno," she said, really, truly meaning it. "You were right, and I had a great time."
Reno gave her that devilish smirk, leaning lightly against the wall near her. She was a step above him, and now just about the same height. "You're welcome, babe. It was fun. Maybe we can do it again sometime."
And Tifa smiled, and nodded, and didn't reprimand him for calling her "babe".
"Yeah, maybe we can. That… would be nice, I think."
Reno laughed and, before she could stop him, grabbed her waist and pulled her tight against him for a quick kiss. His lips were warm and soft and commanding, gathering her attention completely and utterly for the few seconds they were against hers. "See ya later, babe," he whispered into her ear as he drew away. He didn't say anything else, explanation or otherwise. And, truthfully, Tifa didn't expect him to. Laughing at her shocked expression, Reno made his way back down the street, a slight jaunt to his step.
Tifa stood in the doorway for a few seconds before the cold and her aching feet made her retreat inside. She didn't go after Reno to berate him for stealing a kiss; she would leave that for next time.
Cliffie: Yay! It's longer than I thought it would be! I know 3k may not seem like a lot, but it feels long to me, the person who has only been churning out ficlets or very short one-shots lately. Maybe this means I'm getting my groove back! Too bad my name isn't Stella… hahah. /brick'd/
Hope you guys enjoyed it! And be on the lookout for more ReTi fics (who comes up with these acronyms, I wonder…?); I think I'm in love. :P Reviews are very much appreciated! Thanks for reading, and goodnight!