Now And Forever
By Heather Cat
Reno walked along the deserted hallways of his apartment building, his eyes never leaving the gaudy red carpet except to occasionally glance absently at a blank wall. It wasn't exactly the most luxurious place he'd ever stayed, but was good enough for someone who also slept in the gutters more often then he cared to remember. Flaming red hair fell in front of his blue eyes, and be brushed it away absently.
Reno was having some problems. This morning Yuffie had announced she was leaving, and she was upstairs packing at this very moment. Sure, she probably had a hundred good reasons to be upset, but she'd never done this before. Unfortunately, Reno knew what the real problem was.
Reno kicked at the carpet angrily as he found his feet leading back to his own apartment. Damn it all! He had tried to convince himself a dozen times that the girl was more trouble then she was worth, but he still didn't believe it. Neither did he know why.
There had been too many women in Reno's life to count, not that he'd even bothered to try. He'd never cared enough about most of them to remember their names. They came and went, and Reno had never cared an ounce before. He remembered with surprising clarity the last one who had walked out on him, only three weeks before Yuffie had walked into his life.
The woman had packed while he'd eaten breakfast, shouted a few choice insults and left as he'd wondered vaguely what was for lunch.
She had been an ex-secretary for Shinra, or so she'd said. More likely a bar maid who was trying to sound impressive. That was the thing about bar maids; they were either too stupid to get a real job, not attractive enough to catch one of the head honchos' eyes, or both. But then again, there was the occasional exception to that rule too. Reno remembered Tifa Lockheart with a grin. With a sigh, he wondered why all the interesting women were on the other side.
But then, one of them had stumbled into his life. Yuffie Kisaragi had been passing through Midgar to check out any opportunities to add to her Materia collection in the rebuilding mission. Tifa and Cloud were there, so there were plenty of likely reasons for her to be there as well.
While walking towards the inn where she was staying, she been jumped by six men on the prowl. It had just so happened that Reno was hunting these men to get back something they'd stolen for his then current employer, and had seen it all but without recognizing her. Without a second thought, she'd promptly kicked one of them in the groin and broken the nose of another. Reno had approached during the fight, in case the girl needed help, but had admiringly watched as she'd made short work of the other four as well.
Turning too fast for Reno to anticipate, she'd spun around and punched him in the face. Reeling back, surprised, he sat against the nearby wall in a daze. When he'd cleared the haze from his eyes he'd finally recognized the girl hovering anxiously over him. Her large brown eyes, short brown hair and lithely attractive figure left no room for doubt.
"Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh GAWD!"
Upon seeing his face, the girl had nearly had a bout of hysterics.
"YOU!! Not YOU!"
Reno had grimaced and tested the tender spot under his left eye.
"I'm glad to see you too."
With his cool understatement, Reno had carefully diffused Yuffie's oncoming bout of temper. Glaring at him, she'd cautiously offered him a hand up.
"You're not with those men, are you?" He'd merely shaken his head.
"Actually, I was following them. I had a few plans for them, but it seems that you did the dirty work for me. I suppose a black eye is small price to pay." He'd thrown her his famous grin before hunting around for the bundle of letters the men had been carrying. After finding them, he'd tucked them into his jacket and easily turned to meet Yuffie's glare.
"Yes? Can I do something for you?"
Her eyes had flashed fire then, and Reno remembered it with something akin to pride. Gods, that girl had spunk.
"You owe me one, then, bastard." Coughing to hold back a laugh, he'd given her an appraising look.
"Owe you.? Correct me if I'm mistaken, but aren't you the one who hit me in the face? I think you owe me." She had choked on that one.
"Like I'd have anything you'd want."
Grinning again, Reno had eyed her up and down suggestively. First she had blushed, but then turned red with anger.
"Reno, right? I ought to know your name before I hit you into the wall again."
Laughing, Reno had held out an arm for her.
"C'mon babe. The least you can do is walk me home."
And so it had started. After that night, Reno had talked her into dinner and a movie as 'payment' and it had only been two weeks before she'd moved in with him. That had been eight months, twelve days ago. How he knew, Reno hadn't a clue.
And now she was leaving. It was like she'd always been there; she had a place in Reno's life now, and going on without her was inconceivable. But then again, it also felt like she hadn't been there long at all, not long enough for Reno's taste. But that was why she was going in the end, wasn't it?
Reno wanted to reach out and stop her, to say something that would soothe her hurt and make her run into his arms again. But he couldn't. Not now, not ever.
For too long, Reno had lived as a Turk, never getting close to anyone. Not afraid, exactly, just painfully aware of the consequences. You can't just wash away nine years of your life and expect to remain the same person you were.
Yuffie wanted Reno to be there for her, he was aware of that. But why couldn't she understand the fact that he just wasn't able!? He couldn't even admit to himself what she meant to him, let alone to her.
Reno slowly opened the door to his apartment and walked inside. The action was almost involuntary, but he didn't know what else to do. It felt like he was losing a piece of his life, but he wouldn't break. He had forgotten how long ago. Maybe he'd never known.
He slowly walked towards their bedroom. The door was open, and Yuffie was furiously grabbing clothes and stuffing them into an oversized duffel bag. Reno noted in passing that more then one of his shirts had 'accidentally' made it's way into the bag as well. He leaned against the doorframe, not bothering to make his presence known.
Yuffie's cheeks were red with anger, but her eyes were strangely dulled. That was what hurt Reno the most. He dropped his head onto the doorframe, but remained silent.
Yuffie knew he was there. She just felt his presence, and she spun around to glare furiously at the man with whom she'd spent the last eight months of her life. Her eyes softened for a moment with hope, but when he said nothing they hardened again just as quickly.
Raging inside with embarrassment and hurt pride, Yuffie grabbed the duffel bad before once again twirling to face Reno.
"You can be happy now, bastard. Your life is ALL yours again." She waited for a reaction but none came. "I'm SO glad you cared enough to see me off." Her bitter, sarcastic tone left no room for argument.
She began to purposefully march towards the door, but as she approached Reno who still stood there, she stopped again. She stared at him, and he watched as her eyes start to water and sparkle with unshed tears. Suddenly she threw down the bag and stepped up to him.
"Hell, Reno! Don't you give a damn about anything or anyone else?!" The slap rang out in the silence. Yuffie's red handprint stood out on his cheek, but he didn't wince, only stood there in silence.
Yuffie's tears now fell undisguised. Stalking back towards her dropped bag she threw one last thing his way.
"This is it Reno. Goodbye."
Suddenly, that last word hit him a hundred times harder then Yuffie's hand could have, and he involuntarily stepped forward. His own eyes glittering now, his hand darted forward to snatch Yuffie's wrist as she reached for her bag. He grabbed her shoulder and spun her back around to face him. He pulled her face close to his.
"Don't you know what you're doing to me Yuffie!?" His words were angry as his eyes burned mercilessly into hers. For a moment she seemed to slump, but then her back stiffened again.
"No, Reno. No I don't." That particular truth hurt Reno more then he cared to let on, although there was no denying her words. Her voice carried that characteristic hint of steel that endeared her to him so much. Although she screamed inside at what she was doing, Yuffie wouldn't give in. She was too much like Reno for that.
Shaking her head in disgust, Yuffie raised her hand, not to wipe away her own tears, but to push Reno away.
"Let me go, Reno!" To her surprise he did so, and she stumbled back before continuing in a much softer voice. "You blew it, Turkey. I'm getting on the ship to Costa Del Sol and I'm not coming back."
Slowly taking the bag, she walked to Reno and pushed her way past him. Yuffie didn't care that Reno didn't follow her as she walked through their apartment one last time, she hadn't expected him too. Pacing angrily through the kitchen, only now did Yuffie bother to wipe away her tears.
She scanned the kitchen and remembered how it had been at first. The time Reno had surprised her with a romantic dinner; the time he'd brought her roses and wine for no particular reason except he felt like it. She remembered making dinner with him. She couldn't cook if her life depended on it, and when she'd burnt the water she was boiling they'd both laughed until they'd cried.
Memories flooded back to her, and as Yuffie left those rooms she said a silent last goodbye to each of those moments they'd shared. But she didn't stop or turn around, because Yuffie Kisaragi bowed to no one.
As she reached the front door, Yuffie opened it but paused as she heard footsteps on the carpet behind her. Smiling through her tears, Yuffie turned to face Reno one last time.
"I love you Reno. Now and Forever." And then she walked out and closed the door behind her. Gone. Gone now and forever.
Reno stared at the door, emotions suddenly raging within. Part of him wanted to go drink himself into oblivion, and another part wanted to fall down and weep like a broken child. But Reno just stood, words on his lips that he'd never gotten to say. Finally, he whispered into the darkness.
"Now and forever." He almost forced a smile, but his quiet voice faltered. "I. love you, Yuffie."
Reno straightened and looked around for his jacket. Grabbing it, he shouldered it on, not bothering to straighten it. Something of his old smirk touched his face as Reno went out and locked the door behind him. The hallways were still as quiet as before, but now there was a reason for him to be there. Taking the stairs two at a time, Reno jumped over the banister and hurried towards the front door.
Stepping out into the night, Reno grinned. He'd have to get a ring and flowers of course, but there'd be time for that later. Right now, he had a boat to catch.
Because right now was all that mattered; Now and Forever.
~*
By Heather Cat
Reno walked along the deserted hallways of his apartment building, his eyes never leaving the gaudy red carpet except to occasionally glance absently at a blank wall. It wasn't exactly the most luxurious place he'd ever stayed, but was good enough for someone who also slept in the gutters more often then he cared to remember. Flaming red hair fell in front of his blue eyes, and be brushed it away absently.
Reno was having some problems. This morning Yuffie had announced she was leaving, and she was upstairs packing at this very moment. Sure, she probably had a hundred good reasons to be upset, but she'd never done this before. Unfortunately, Reno knew what the real problem was.
Reno kicked at the carpet angrily as he found his feet leading back to his own apartment. Damn it all! He had tried to convince himself a dozen times that the girl was more trouble then she was worth, but he still didn't believe it. Neither did he know why.
There had been too many women in Reno's life to count, not that he'd even bothered to try. He'd never cared enough about most of them to remember their names. They came and went, and Reno had never cared an ounce before. He remembered with surprising clarity the last one who had walked out on him, only three weeks before Yuffie had walked into his life.
The woman had packed while he'd eaten breakfast, shouted a few choice insults and left as he'd wondered vaguely what was for lunch.
She had been an ex-secretary for Shinra, or so she'd said. More likely a bar maid who was trying to sound impressive. That was the thing about bar maids; they were either too stupid to get a real job, not attractive enough to catch one of the head honchos' eyes, or both. But then again, there was the occasional exception to that rule too. Reno remembered Tifa Lockheart with a grin. With a sigh, he wondered why all the interesting women were on the other side.
But then, one of them had stumbled into his life. Yuffie Kisaragi had been passing through Midgar to check out any opportunities to add to her Materia collection in the rebuilding mission. Tifa and Cloud were there, so there were plenty of likely reasons for her to be there as well.
While walking towards the inn where she was staying, she been jumped by six men on the prowl. It had just so happened that Reno was hunting these men to get back something they'd stolen for his then current employer, and had seen it all but without recognizing her. Without a second thought, she'd promptly kicked one of them in the groin and broken the nose of another. Reno had approached during the fight, in case the girl needed help, but had admiringly watched as she'd made short work of the other four as well.
Turning too fast for Reno to anticipate, she'd spun around and punched him in the face. Reeling back, surprised, he sat against the nearby wall in a daze. When he'd cleared the haze from his eyes he'd finally recognized the girl hovering anxiously over him. Her large brown eyes, short brown hair and lithely attractive figure left no room for doubt.
"Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh GAWD!"
Upon seeing his face, the girl had nearly had a bout of hysterics.
"YOU!! Not YOU!"
Reno had grimaced and tested the tender spot under his left eye.
"I'm glad to see you too."
With his cool understatement, Reno had carefully diffused Yuffie's oncoming bout of temper. Glaring at him, she'd cautiously offered him a hand up.
"You're not with those men, are you?" He'd merely shaken his head.
"Actually, I was following them. I had a few plans for them, but it seems that you did the dirty work for me. I suppose a black eye is small price to pay." He'd thrown her his famous grin before hunting around for the bundle of letters the men had been carrying. After finding them, he'd tucked them into his jacket and easily turned to meet Yuffie's glare.
"Yes? Can I do something for you?"
Her eyes had flashed fire then, and Reno remembered it with something akin to pride. Gods, that girl had spunk.
"You owe me one, then, bastard." Coughing to hold back a laugh, he'd given her an appraising look.
"Owe you.? Correct me if I'm mistaken, but aren't you the one who hit me in the face? I think you owe me." She had choked on that one.
"Like I'd have anything you'd want."
Grinning again, Reno had eyed her up and down suggestively. First she had blushed, but then turned red with anger.
"Reno, right? I ought to know your name before I hit you into the wall again."
Laughing, Reno had held out an arm for her.
"C'mon babe. The least you can do is walk me home."
And so it had started. After that night, Reno had talked her into dinner and a movie as 'payment' and it had only been two weeks before she'd moved in with him. That had been eight months, twelve days ago. How he knew, Reno hadn't a clue.
And now she was leaving. It was like she'd always been there; she had a place in Reno's life now, and going on without her was inconceivable. But then again, it also felt like she hadn't been there long at all, not long enough for Reno's taste. But that was why she was going in the end, wasn't it?
Reno wanted to reach out and stop her, to say something that would soothe her hurt and make her run into his arms again. But he couldn't. Not now, not ever.
For too long, Reno had lived as a Turk, never getting close to anyone. Not afraid, exactly, just painfully aware of the consequences. You can't just wash away nine years of your life and expect to remain the same person you were.
Yuffie wanted Reno to be there for her, he was aware of that. But why couldn't she understand the fact that he just wasn't able!? He couldn't even admit to himself what she meant to him, let alone to her.
Reno slowly opened the door to his apartment and walked inside. The action was almost involuntary, but he didn't know what else to do. It felt like he was losing a piece of his life, but he wouldn't break. He had forgotten how long ago. Maybe he'd never known.
He slowly walked towards their bedroom. The door was open, and Yuffie was furiously grabbing clothes and stuffing them into an oversized duffel bag. Reno noted in passing that more then one of his shirts had 'accidentally' made it's way into the bag as well. He leaned against the doorframe, not bothering to make his presence known.
Yuffie's cheeks were red with anger, but her eyes were strangely dulled. That was what hurt Reno the most. He dropped his head onto the doorframe, but remained silent.
Yuffie knew he was there. She just felt his presence, and she spun around to glare furiously at the man with whom she'd spent the last eight months of her life. Her eyes softened for a moment with hope, but when he said nothing they hardened again just as quickly.
Raging inside with embarrassment and hurt pride, Yuffie grabbed the duffel bad before once again twirling to face Reno.
"You can be happy now, bastard. Your life is ALL yours again." She waited for a reaction but none came. "I'm SO glad you cared enough to see me off." Her bitter, sarcastic tone left no room for argument.
She began to purposefully march towards the door, but as she approached Reno who still stood there, she stopped again. She stared at him, and he watched as her eyes start to water and sparkle with unshed tears. Suddenly she threw down the bag and stepped up to him.
"Hell, Reno! Don't you give a damn about anything or anyone else?!" The slap rang out in the silence. Yuffie's red handprint stood out on his cheek, but he didn't wince, only stood there in silence.
Yuffie's tears now fell undisguised. Stalking back towards her dropped bag she threw one last thing his way.
"This is it Reno. Goodbye."
Suddenly, that last word hit him a hundred times harder then Yuffie's hand could have, and he involuntarily stepped forward. His own eyes glittering now, his hand darted forward to snatch Yuffie's wrist as she reached for her bag. He grabbed her shoulder and spun her back around to face him. He pulled her face close to his.
"Don't you know what you're doing to me Yuffie!?" His words were angry as his eyes burned mercilessly into hers. For a moment she seemed to slump, but then her back stiffened again.
"No, Reno. No I don't." That particular truth hurt Reno more then he cared to let on, although there was no denying her words. Her voice carried that characteristic hint of steel that endeared her to him so much. Although she screamed inside at what she was doing, Yuffie wouldn't give in. She was too much like Reno for that.
Shaking her head in disgust, Yuffie raised her hand, not to wipe away her own tears, but to push Reno away.
"Let me go, Reno!" To her surprise he did so, and she stumbled back before continuing in a much softer voice. "You blew it, Turkey. I'm getting on the ship to Costa Del Sol and I'm not coming back."
Slowly taking the bag, she walked to Reno and pushed her way past him. Yuffie didn't care that Reno didn't follow her as she walked through their apartment one last time, she hadn't expected him too. Pacing angrily through the kitchen, only now did Yuffie bother to wipe away her tears.
She scanned the kitchen and remembered how it had been at first. The time Reno had surprised her with a romantic dinner; the time he'd brought her roses and wine for no particular reason except he felt like it. She remembered making dinner with him. She couldn't cook if her life depended on it, and when she'd burnt the water she was boiling they'd both laughed until they'd cried.
Memories flooded back to her, and as Yuffie left those rooms she said a silent last goodbye to each of those moments they'd shared. But she didn't stop or turn around, because Yuffie Kisaragi bowed to no one.
As she reached the front door, Yuffie opened it but paused as she heard footsteps on the carpet behind her. Smiling through her tears, Yuffie turned to face Reno one last time.
"I love you Reno. Now and Forever." And then she walked out and closed the door behind her. Gone. Gone now and forever.
Reno stared at the door, emotions suddenly raging within. Part of him wanted to go drink himself into oblivion, and another part wanted to fall down and weep like a broken child. But Reno just stood, words on his lips that he'd never gotten to say. Finally, he whispered into the darkness.
"Now and forever." He almost forced a smile, but his quiet voice faltered. "I. love you, Yuffie."
Reno straightened and looked around for his jacket. Grabbing it, he shouldered it on, not bothering to straighten it. Something of his old smirk touched his face as Reno went out and locked the door behind him. The hallways were still as quiet as before, but now there was a reason for him to be there. Taking the stairs two at a time, Reno jumped over the banister and hurried towards the front door.
Stepping out into the night, Reno grinned. He'd have to get a ring and flowers of course, but there'd be time for that later. Right now, he had a boat to catch.
Because right now was all that mattered; Now and Forever.
~*