A/N: Hey, everyone! Welcome to the date/characterization chapter in which there will be more things said about Reno and Sera than ever before. The irony of the chapter title is not lost on me, considering...yeah, I definitely made this chapter way long. But for a purpose, as I hope you will see.
Before you read on, I'd like to make some music listening suggestions, for those who are interested. These songs have definitely helped with this chapter especially: "City" by Sara Bareilles, "Cry Me a River" by Diana Krall (great cover of an old standard), "Green in Blue" by Miles Davis, anything off Norah Jones' Come Away with Me album ("Nearness of You" particularly), and just about anything jazzy that was in the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack.
Yeah, a lot of inspirations, but there's definitely a theme that connects them. So, happy reading. :)
Chapter 10: Above and Beyond
The first few minutes passed in mostly silence as Reno gradually drove his way out of Midgar. Not an easy task, given the sorry state of the roads and the people obstructing the way at points. The third time this happened, Reno laid on the horn and yelled obscenities, which caused Sera to smirk in amusement. It was clear enough that he avoided driving in this ruined town whenever possible.
"What's the matter?" she spoke up then. "Having a hard time through here?"
He snorted. "No shit. No one likes to move out of the way around here."
"I'd forgive them—they're probably stoned."
Miraculously, she received a scathing chuckle from him as a reaction, a sound that made her think of rusted nails drowning in whiskey. Of course, it wasn't one of his more pleasant laughs, but she was well-aware that he had his misanthropic moments. Didn't everybody?
More excruciating minutes lurched with no further conversation. Sera couldn't help but sense this had the potentiality to be awkward. Aside from exchanging banter and quarreling with him, she couldn't imagine what to discuss. For lack of a better alternative, she looked out the window to see where they were heading. At this point, it appeared that Reno had escaped the winding, crowded roads of Midgar for the considerably less clogged highway.
The one that she loved to drive through on her motorcycle.
She sighed heavily. He had told her very recently that he couldn't be shut in when it came to his always extroverted verging on obnoxious personality. Well, she couldn't be captive in a different way entirely. The space in closed vehicles, particularly this car, felt too small, too compact. She needed air, that rush of adrenaline. Being a front-seat passenger instead of driving herself was honestly a more claustrophobic experience.
Maybe this was taking into account her company for the night as well.
Sera concluded that out in the open by herself was where she belonged. She'd always sucked at small talk anyway. Ironic but a fact nonetheless.
As she was losing herself upon gazing at the very bright full moon, Reno brought her back to reality with a clearing of his throat. "Hey."
"What?" She might have sounded too snappish, but she never liked being interrupted in the midst of her ruminations.
"Wanna listen to some music?" he asked, lazily gesturing toward the radio with his right hand while his left remained on the steering wheel. Huh, she never realized he was left-handed. Either way, Sera distrusted those who couldn't have both hands on the wheel.
"Hm…sure."
"Any preference?"
She shrugged with an accompanying small smile. "As long as it's not hip-hop."
Her smile widened when she saw him wince and heard him utter a low groan.
"And I suppose that's your favorite station."
A slight nod in response though he looked on with sharp eyes at the road ahead. "You might say that."
"That explains a lot."
He sniffed. "Huh. Do tell."
"Well, just your slangish way of talking and your cocky attitude. I think hip-hop fits your personality quite well."
Judging from the nonplussed expression on his face, Sera could tell he didn't know whether to be offended or not at this observation. She hoped that he wouldn't push the subject further with another question because this was something he would just have to figure out for himself. With that in mind, she tried not to laugh.
"Eh, fine, you win. No hip-hop. I guess I can go without it tonight. Hope classical ain't your forte because there won't be any of that shit in my car."
In spite of his stern request, thus seemingly running what went on in the car with an iron fist, Reno didn't mess with the dial. He surrendered that duty to Sera, since he didn't want too many extraneous distractions pestering him. They compromised with a rock station, fast guitars and pounding drums, sweet music to her ears. Less than thrilled about not listening to his preferred music, Reno still seemed to tolerate what was selected. Good. She couldn't deal with a pouty man-baby, not tonight.
As they drew nearer to their destination, with the first bright lights and buildings within sight, Sera looked toward him again inquisitively. "Where are we going anyway?"
"Just some place I go to every once in a while…"
Decidedly vague, of course. Reno struck her as the restless type, constantly wandering from one place to another without putting down any roots. It most certainly summed up his dating life…if it could be called that. As for the destination, it could be just about anywhere as well. He went wherever the wind took him.
Narrowing her eyes a bit warily, she murmured, "Where you wine and dine the women often?"
She wasn't stupid. His reputation as a womanizer preceded itself. Whether or not it was to his disadvantage remained to be seen. Probably not. He literally got away with murder on those assassinations he did…for a living.
Reno glared at her in a way Sera deemed too playful before putting most of his concentration back on the road. "Nah. I usually pick them up at bars and clubs…when I feel like going, that is. I'm either on a job or sleeping, one of the two."
When not drinking or having sex, she thought, sneering to herself.
With a roguish smile pulling at his lips, he added, "They usually come to me."
Whereas all the guys stayed far, far away from her "erratic" and "dangerous" self. Powerful women weren't exactly prizes to be won from the male perspective, especially if they were anything like her. If only she was that lucky in attracting men. Oh, right, her sexism crutch, how could she forget?
Sera chose not to allude to this as she bragged calmly and complacently, "Yeah, guys will try to flirt with me, too. I have to keep them off me, they're so damn persistent."
Reno chuckled, "Liar."
These Turks couldn't be fooled, the closest Shinra had to a fully trained agency at their disposal. She sighed ruefully at this, previously assured that it had been a great lie. Nothing could escape his notice. He might have played being a dolt as well, but it was all for show in reality. As crafty as he was, he proved himself quite sharp and intelligent. Too bad he couldn't put those smarts to better use.
She feigned a laugh. "OK, you caught me. They're all assholes to me, actually."
He detected the falseness of her humor, and then, those keen teal eyes abruptly narrowed to slits. "Have they threatened you?"
"A few times…," she trailed off, her smile fading.
"Yeah, well…" Another shift in expression as he grinned, the lights from outside making his eyes glow like mako and his teeth glisten. "Since you're with me tonight, consider this a break from macho man stupidity."
Giving him a sidelong glance, Sera wondered if she ought to have been even the slightest bit concerned over potential mood swings. One minute, Reno had seemed irked at the idea that men sank so low as to try antagonizing her. It wouldn't have surprised her if malicious thoughts of teaching those guys a lesson or two through violent means had crossed his mind.
The next minute, he was as casual and laid-back as ever, offering her a flashy grin to alleviate whatever doubts she'd been harboring.
She shook her head at her own expense. She would never be able to fully comprehend him in spite of how much time they spend around each other.
Thus, she essentially put away her confusion by smiling at him in return. "Thanks. I guess the guy's guy has a chivalrous side, too."
He emitted a derisive snort as he stopped at a red light. "Eh…when you compare me to those meatheads anyway. Picking on a woman…Why the hell do they even bother?"
And they left it that.
Eventually, after five more minutes or so, Reno turned into the parking lot of a fairly ritzy restaurant. Sera was mildly surprised that he had managed to find a decent spot at all, what with the many cars taking up so much space. Studying the looks of all these vehicles, she also realized that the spiffy company car didn't exactly look out of place among them.
At that moment, she made the conclusion that Shinra money was a lot like mob money. Salaries were practically luxurious yet earned through copious amounts of blood.
Quite courteously, Reno opened the door for her to get out. He had displayed such an old-fashioned gesture that she remained sitting there for a brief moment in utter disbelief that she'd witnessed this from him. Then, she rationally pulled herself together and reluctantly took hold of his hand, so cool in hers.
Damn it, don't blush, she scolded herself.
Once they entered the restaurant, Sera froze in place yet again, enthralled with the scene before her, so very appealing to the eye. The interior looked absolutely stunning. She stood on rich crimson carpet. There were potted plants on either side of the entry doors, including indigo orchids, rare and expensive from the looks of them. Over the wooden barrier, she could see round tables draped in white linen and some square tables with booth seats near the windows. The waiters and waitresses she observed bustling about with dishes and menus were dressed rather formally as well.
And it was Reno treating her to this. Reno, the man who wouldn't bother to dress up for a date and opting instead to remain slovenly in appearance.
Even more astoundingly, he told the maître d' that he had a table reserved.
What?!
He continued to blindside her in the most befuddling ways. Was this the same man who proved to be impossible time and time again? His skills at unnerving and infuriating her were second to none. And yet, he did this. He put forth effort for this night, more than she did in some respects.
When they were seated at a booth table, Sera demonstrated her complete and total shock by lifting her hands and shaking her head. "I'm…I'm speechless, Reno. I really am. You've pulled off all the stops."
Reno seemed idly interested in examining his hand, the perfect imitation of a self-satisfied monarch. "Yep, I know. I bet you're wondering how I did it. So, tell me how great I am."
She rolled her eyes before picking up her menu to pore over its contents. "Don't push your luck. You knew how stubborn I was going to be. That's probably why you went out of your way to reserve a table here. I'm more difficult to lure."
"Are you ever gonna stop suspecting me of having an ulterior motive for everything I do?" Sighing, he jutted out his lower lip slightly like a petulant child as he browsed his menu.
"Nope."
He glanced back up to her, his eyes aglow with teasing. "Smart lady."
Of course, he wouldn't be so easily cowed, no matter how frequently she would scold or attempt to undermine him in conversation. Every time, he was going to rise to the challenge and be the foil to her plans, so to speak.
Now that she reflected on all those instances, she realized she quite enjoyed the volleying back and forth. It was as if both of them played a game of wits. There was something to take from that in that it was fun first and foremost.
As long as she was winning, of course.
Soon after Reno had complimented her intelligence (an ego boost, to be sure), a waiter came to take their order. Sera chose to have filet mignon with a side of steamed broccoli and another of green salad. And Reno ordered medium well steak with barbeque sauce with a side of Portobello mushrooms. He certainly liked to indulge—at least that was her impression. To top it all off, he also requested a bottle of Merlot wine for the two of them to share.
"No way!" Sera exclaimed as soon as the waiter walked away with the menus. "There's just no possible…That's my favorite wine!"
Raising a bemused eyebrow at her, for he was almost skeptical of her manic excitement, Reno remarked, "Huh. Is that so? Merlot is my favorite, too…when I feel like drinking wine, that is."
"When you're not wasted on vodka, that is." She smirked in a superior manner.
Snickering, he leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. "You think I'm that much of an alcoholic?"
"I know you're that much of an alcoholic, Reno."
He laughed, more fully and pronounced. "What do you suggest I do about it then?"
"Depends. Does Healen Lodge double as a rehabilitation facility?" Sera leaned forward, placing her hands atop clasped hands, awaiting his response.
"I don't need rehab. I love drinking, but I'm not an addict," he swiftly denied yet grinned craftily, curious about what she would say next. This was getting intriguing for him.
"Uh-huh, that's what they all say. OK, so rehab isn't an option. How about a swift kick in the head then? That can be arranged."
Although it wasn't out of the ordinary for her to mention causing violence and pain and suffering to him in a normally irritated fashion, this was the first time that Sera genuinely joked about it. There was no malice or viciousness behind it either, as she maintained a relatively light tone. She never thought she could be as carefree as she was in that regard.
She was thankful that they both shared a dark sense of humor when Reno laughed. Shortly thereafter, she joined in, and their laughter combined to create a companionable sound. Two sick people delighting in twisted jokes.
They made quite a pair indeed.
At that moment, her previously sour presentiments over the date softened, and Sera decided that this would be a great time after all. So far, she hadn't tried fleeing from the scene. This felt like a date, no bondage and no being held against her will. Mentally, she crossed out "kidnapping" from her list of tonight's descriptions.
They were served their main course meals within approximately forty-five minutes, though they continued breezily conversing as they ate. Sera found herself immensely pleased with how well this date was working out. The lost-a-bet feeling evaporated completely as she soon became engrossed with their talking and him in general, honestly.
She knew that she would wake up tomorrow with her regular frustration intact. But, having this one night would be the highlight, the time when Remo was being sincerely amiable without being a jerk about it. At least they were both seeing different sides to each other for a change, slightly more vulnerable than usual, less guarded.
In spite of them acting like a couple on the surface, the small talk and getting-to-know-each-other topics were quite unorthodox. An example of this was when Reno asked Sera why she had chosen a motorcycle for transportation. She cheerfully explained that she loved the sensation of the wind rushing through her, the fact that it was quite the maneuverable vehicle, the cost-effectiveness of it in comparison to a car, less gas needed…The more she talked about her motorcycle, the more animated she got. Her already bright eyes shone. And she used more hand gestures at an exponential rate. Reno couldn't help but notice.
"I even have a name for it. I haven't told anyone, actually." Sera chuckled, savoring the taste of the tender beef on her tongue. She needed something to chew on and a distraction to avoid the subject. Of course, she was foolish enough to bring it up in the first place. Naturally, Reno wanted to pursue it.
"What is it?" he asked, chewing on a portion of his steak but nevertheless focused on her.
"…Phoenix." She winced, ready for him to laugh at her lame choice in name.
Instead, he appeared contemplative for a moment before responding with, "That's not that bad. Sounds cool. Especially in comparison to the name I give my car—oh."
He realized his error too late as Sera smiled widely. "Oh? And what would that be?"
"Not tellin'."
Pursing her lips in a pout, she pretended to sound whiny. "Please. I admitted that I have a name for my motorcycle. The least you can do is—"
"OK, OK, fine. It's Angel."
In all fairness, she should have held back her giggling since he had had the grace not to even smirk at her. However, she couldn't resist and ended up nearly crying from laughter. Angel, really? Was he so typical that he had to bestow his car with a pet name he probably used in half of his pick-up lines? This was comedy gold!
At least there was some degree of symbolism behind her choice, deeper than Phoenix sounding cool.
Reno covered his face with his hand. "Knew this would be a bad idea, telling you…"
"Could be worse." She wiped at her eyes. "You could have called it Babe."
"Shut up."
There was little fight behind the command, so more or less, he was too humiliated to redeem himself. Seeing him in his wounded pride oddly filled her with glee.
Yet, not wanting him to suffer for much longer, Sera respectfully changed the subject. "So, what's the story behind those tattoos on your face?"
Reno appeared to perk up from his self-pity, now that she switched to his favorite topic: himself.
"Oh, you mean these?" He pointed to the bright red swishes near and under his eyes. "Not much to tell, really. I got drunk one night, decided it'd be cool if I got a tattoo, and that's how I ended up with them. They're great, if I do say so myself."
She shook her head with a touch of fondness. "I wonder how many of your stories begin with 'I got drunk one night'."
His grin was quite smug. "Believe me, we'd be here all night."
Although she couldn't believe the arrogance over his idiotic antics, she laughed with him yet again.
There had been music playing out back the whole time they dined, Sera carefully noted, since she was entertaining a rather sentimental idea. It wouldn't leave her alone, only becoming more and more prevalent in her thoughts as she finished eating. On an ordinary day, she wasn't a romantic but a moody realist looking out cautiously for herself.
Tonight, she felt different but not in an off-putting way.
The go-getter side of her was aching to jump at the chance to take this date one step further. She absentmindedly tapped her fork against her plate while waiting for Reno to finish and formulating her plan.
When he felt her eyes gazing attentively at him, he lifted his head from the remains of the steak. He sipped his wine too, playing it cool once more without revealing what he thought.
"So, what's up?"
Motioning with her head toward the glass doors opposite them, Sera murmured, "I think this place has musical entertainment."
"Yeah, they always do on Saturday nights. So?"
She inwardly snarled in frustration. Could he be any more dense? The Merlot was probably starting to cloud his senses.
Suddenly shy, she twirled some of her hair around her finger. "Well, I was thinking that…you and I could maybe…dance."
His bemusement made her even less sure of herself. She was more than prepared for the rejection that would soon follow. Numbly, Reno looked like he was attempting to grasp her implications behind her plan. It was a fairly standard date idea, though, and why he would downright refuse was beyond her.
He blurted out, "Are you drunk?"
"Are you? You've had half the damn bottle," she countered as soon as he asked and did so defensively as well as bluntly.
"OK, not drunk, just…Turks don't dance."
"Did anyone ever tell you that some rules were made to be broken? That goes for the ones you've made yourself, Reno." Sera's voice softened. "Just one night. And who do we know in here who will care?"
Ah, she got him there. It could have been the alcohol fogging up his quick wit, but Reno couldn't come up with a proper rebuttal to that. And he wasn't one to concede to anyone willingly, especially this woman sitting across from him, staring him down. She was a firecracker, all right, with her stubborn spirit that rivaled his. He looked down at his glass and sighed. OK, why the hell not?
"Good point," he grudged, not without annoyance.
Sera beamed, knowing that she was winning. "I'm glad you're smart enough to see that. But, um"—she slightly faltered in an attempt to negotiate—"I'm not trying to piss you off or anything. I really do want to dance…with you."
Was she blushing? Most likely. The warmth was creeping in, and she felt like a schoolgirl with him as witness to her stumbling mannerisms. How degrading.
She plowed the rest of the way through. "If that's OK with you, of course."
Feigning long musing, Reno murmured, "Hm…I guess I could make an exception."
"You better." Sera promptly bounced back. "Otherwise…Ah, hell with it, let's get out there. Nice night for dancing."
And she couldn't suppress her ecstatic grin as he accompanied her outside.
The dance floor consisted of smoothed-out stones, but the décor and the band were more to brag about. Colorful, vivid paper lanterns hung on wires overhead while the band played on a makeshift stage. Most of the music comprised of smooth jazz tunes with an occasional upbeat number. All in all, this floor was implicitly reserved for the couples, for those who could appreciate the intimacy of the music. Sera hadn't considered herself a huge jazz fan…at least not before tonight.
"This is beautiful," she whispered, awestruck at the expert skill of the band, the luminescent, soft glow of the lamps, and the people in love. She was a skeptic but pondered over whether or not her faith had been restored in that powerful magic.
Love, so simple yet so rare.
Unaccustomed to seeing her like this, her being such a starry-eyed dreamer, Reno let slip a small smile that still managed to resemble a smirk. So, all it took for her to relax was some pretty lights and slow music, huh? If he had known that, he would have provided her with all that ages ago.
As it was, he liked to think this was his idea. The end result made her happy, after all.
He held out a hand toward her. "Well, what are you waiting for?"
"One important ground rule, though." She turned back toward him, pinning him with a grave look.
"Yeah, OK, shoot."
She smirked, priding herself on knowing his mind's inner workings. "No touching my ass. That's part of First Date 101."
Reno groaned, with a shake of his head, and muttered, "Aw, I knew you would say that," but it was all in jest. Somehow, he didn't feel the need to subject her to that type of touching anyway. Who would grope on the first date?
Oh…well, never mind.
Nonetheless, he could be self-deprecating once in a while.
Noticing his grin that showed he was kidding about being cut-up over the issue, Sera didn't resist smiling back. "Besides, I want you to wait. Instant gratification isn't good for a man like you. You need to be told 'no' every once in a while."
With that said, she took hold of his still outstretched hand, allowing him to lead her toward all the blissful couples. In the meantime, he chuckled incredulously at how spunky she was, always prepared with a punishing comeback.
From her point of view, Sera gave him lucky breaks tonight. She had had many opportunities to bash him, to call him out on his elaborate prank, or even to sulk over her lack of choice when it came to this situation. The underlying reason she hadn't chosen to act on any of those impulses was that she was having fun. Additionally, Reno hadn't been rubbing all of this in to get her riled up. Rather, he seemed to be enjoying himself, too.
Once they were out on the dance floor, he pulled her toward him, making sure that he kept his hands off her derriere in the process. The promptness of the action left her breathless as she directly latched her gaze onto him.
His eyes were such a dazzling shade of blue, especially with the lights of the lanterns reflecting off them. While wrapping both of her arms around his neck, she truly saw him up-close for the first time. Had he always been that handsome? She was usually too busy shouting herself hoarse at him to be this observant.
Sera haltingly cleared her throat. "Well, well, considering how you were acting earlier, you sure seem eager to dance with me now."
Reno winked at her. "I bluffed."
"Uh-huh, sure you did. You were pouting like a spoiled kid before."
With his long-fingered hands on her waist, he drew her even closer toward him. Her heart rate picked up considerably and not out of rage this time.
Leaning toward her ear, he whispered teasingly, "As if I would pass up the chance to touch you."
"Pervert."
"Killjoy."
Sera couldn't see it, but she could certainly feel that roguish grin of his. For once, she thought it was sexy. Being pressed up against him didn't hurt either when it came to that alteration of opinion.
When he gave her back her space, she sneered, "Just shut up and dance before we're reduced to even more name-calling…like ginger."
"Oh, low blow, Serafin," he retorted amusedly yet pretended he was hurt.
Chuckling triumphantly, she mentally deemed it for the best that she quit the bantering.
If they talked any more, they would kill the moment. She wanted nothing more than to hear the slow, sensual jazz music and to dance, to gradually unwind and be comfortable in his arms. Easier said than done—she was a little anxious but maintained their close distance.
In the end, it didn't take her very long to summon enough confidence to relax in his arms. She matched him step for step, though did stumble a couple times, as this wasn't something she was used to. As for Reno, he was a surprisingly good dancer, although it wasn't as if they performed particularly complicated moves. All the same, Sera was curious as to why he could instinctively move with such elegance. She could only guess that it came to him naturally, since he had that slender yet strong body. She couldn't help but admire those toned muscles that she felt, being this close.
The whole world melted away, leaving only the two of them, swaying to the music. A dreamy thought occurred to her that she might want to stay like this forever.
She leaned her head against his shoulder, catching the scent of rich, spicy cologne mixed in with laundry detergent. Of course, there was that faint aroma of cigarettes that would always persist, but he smelled heavenly overall. She was sorely tempted to tease him about how he had actually remembered to wash his clothes and care about personal hygiene, but she didn't dare spoil the moment, captivating as it was.
If dating him would always be like this, then she could embrace the idea. Perhaps she would ask him out next time.
Astoundingly, neither one of them spoke throughout their dancing.
Reno had parked the Shinra car almost two blocks away from Sera's house for two reasons.
One was the obvious seeing her home, the polite thing for him to do despite contrasting from his typical egoist nature. Yes, this, coming from the guy who accidentally closed the door on Elena's face once, as oblivious as he was to the people around him. And she'd given him an earful about it later, too. Considerate wasn't his middle name.
As for the other reason, he was still curious about Sera, even though they had spent almost three hours together. He just wanted a nice walk with her and a simple chat.
"So," he commented while idly kicking a crumpled soda can out of the way. "I noticed you didn't have those knives with you tonight."
"Ah, you know I have them?" Sera smirked before sobering. "I decided that I didn't need them, since I didn't think you were going to kidnap me, after all."
"Huh?!" He stopped abruptly, bewildered by her perfectly straight face.
"Got you!"
"You're hilarious," Reno deadpanned with a shake of his head.
Laughing, she pulled his jacket tighter around her. She hadn't minded the chilly night air when they were dancing, but it was considerably cooler, presently. He had had the decency and courtesy enough to offer her his jacket but not without a firm command to give it back to him ASAP once he walked her home. Clearly, he didn't bestow random acts of kindness every day.
He'd acted like it would ruin his reputation. She had thought the gesture very sweet of him. There was some sincerity he had tucked away, after all. Funny, how he'd make such a big deal over a jacket.
Backtracking to the subject of the knives, Reno asked, "Where did you get them anyway?"
"First of all, they're called Gemini. And where I got them…Well, you wouldn't believe this, but I nabbed them at a pawn shop for, like, fifteen gil. I'd been looking for something to use to defend myself with when I first got here. Besides, I like twirling them around. Intimidates those idiots, you know."
Oh, he could relate to her there. There was something to be said in finding then having in possession a great weapon. It definitely made him feel more powerful.
He nodded in understanding. "Sure. Nothing beats teaching assholes a lesson."
"Only if they deserve it, of course," she replied off-hand, fingering the chocobo necklace that went seamlessly well with her dress.
Her mother had never been the type to seek vengeance on anyone. Sera wondered what she would think now if…
The flash of silver grabbed his attention, leading him to ask yet another question. "Where did you get that from?"
Pretending to be affronted, she replied dryly, "Next, I suppose you want to know where I go to get my hair done," before glancing down at her keepsake. "You mean this? It was originally my mother's. She gave it to me for my thirteenth birthday, to celebrate that I was on my way to becoming a woman. Then, she…Um…"
She felt her throat close up, betraying some of her thoughts and emotions, and she looked away from those inquisitive teal eyes. For lack of anything better to do, she fiddled with her beloved pendant, willing for her mother to be here. She needed that strong maternal guidance she'd had to live without for so long now. Granted, she had Grandma Rosemary, but it just wasn't the same.
Sera then tensed when she felt his hand on her shoulder. "It's OK. I mean, you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. Just thought the necklace was cool."
Had he bothered to remember? Well, whatever, she wouldn't assume things. It would only make their conversation exceedingly awkward.
"Yeah, I know. I just spaced out," she lied, half-smiling.
Luckily, what was reliable about Reno (and very few things were) was that he could sense when it was best to drop the subject. As tenacious as he could be, he knew where to draw the line.
They continued on their nocturnal stroll, the conversation considerably lighter from where it had previously been, but Sera didn't forget. Old habits die hard, but she wished that adage could apply to old memories as well. She would be more unburdened than where she currently was in life.
Nonetheless, she did feel quite at ease with Reno, and his presence made her less lonely. She never could have predicted that day ever happening. The annoying redhead being some sort of balm…Funnier still.
They came upon the sad shape of her house sooner than she had expected or liked. Inevitably, Sera was tired from the night's exhilarating events, and her feet were killing her, no thanks to dancing in heels. She made a mental note not to strap her feet in those torture devices again anytime soon.
She turned so that she was facing Reno. "Well…Miraculously, I actually had a great time tonight. Without suffering a brain aneurysm, no less."
Rolling his eyes jokingly, he chuckled. "Me too…especially the part with no aneurysm."
They exchanged smiles, quietly gazing at each other, each with unique thoughts of the other. If Sera had the chance to relive this night, she would. She didn't regret a second of their time together. In the morning, they would go back to their respective roles, but she wouldn't forget this either.
Sera often prided and cursed herself, in turns, on having a long memory.
Presently, there was a flicker of some strange emotion in his eyes she normally never associated with him. Tonight must have made an impact on him, too.
"Your grandmother was right about you earlier."
Almost instinctively, she stepped closer to Reno upon hearing this. His words confused her, and yet, his tone conveyed a meaning that held so much more. She didn't think him the type to come up with tricky riddles, but he didn't seem forthcoming either.
If her presumption was right, this was the closest he had ever come to calling her beautiful. The tender way he spoke to her all but confirmed it.
"Thanks," she whispered, her heart now pounding in her ears, face flushing again. Was this seriously happening?
Later, she couldn't satisfyingly explain to herself why or how, but she found herself touching his face. That lean structure was inexplicably alluring enough for her to explore.
She traced the tattoos on his cheekbones and then moved on to his jawline before she paused to hold his face in her hands. She doubted she had ever been this attracted to a man before, not like this. Something pulled her forcibly toward him, separating him from all the others out there. Those men were just the background, and he…he stood center stage.
Sera let out a shaky sigh.
He smelled so good and his face was perfect and those eyes…Damn, she remembered thinking how she could drown in them, but it wasn't just the blue-green eyes any more. It was all of him that she desired, with cool logic tossed out the window.
Why fight it?
As she narrowed the space between them, she could feel his warm breath on her lips.
His eyes were half-closed, and she closed hers too, placing her hands back down to his shoulders.
He carefully lowered his head, eyes fully closing.
She drew back.
Damn it.
Discouraged at her nerves hitting her at the last minute, Sera walked toward the door. She couldn't determine what held her back. It could have been a number of things.
Oh. She still had his jacket. That was the chance to redeem herself.
Reno hadn't deserted yet, most likely aware of his missing jacket, too. Making sure that she didn't screw up this time, she handed it back to him and kissed him on the cheek. Was it rushed? Yes, but she would kiss him tonight in some way if it was the last thing she did.
Assured of her goal, she smiled. "Good night."
"Good night," he whispered, and she thrilled to how breathy he sounded. Almost as if she had caught him off his guard.
Mission accomplished, Sera went inside.
Eagerly, she took one last peek at him as she was closing the door.
And she knew that she won.
A/N: And there you go, the date chapter! Hopefully, I managed to meet some expectations with this. But, don't worry, this doesn't mean the story will get dull after this. Au contraire...In fact...There will definitely be some more of Reno's POV coming up soon. I think I can tease that much without giving anything away. I haven't worked on next chapter yet, but I'll start working on it tomorrow...I mean, later today. -_-
Til then, later.