Notes: Just a caution that the end of this chapter is firmly in the M rating territory.
Chapter 8: Uncharted Waters
After lunch, Tifa knew she had a phone call to make.
She and Reno parted ways with a lingering kiss, the heat of it still ghosting her lips. It left her wanting more, and while it was tempting to call him over instead, she knew things were progressing in a way that required a little more forethought and less lust-driven spontaneity.
Drafting a text to Yuffie made her pulse race. Telling someone what was going on felt as though it would make thingsreal. Real in a way they hadn't yet been. Tifa sank onto the bed, propping up on her elbows as she typed.
Can you sneak away? I need advice, just between us.
The rate at which three little dots sprang onto the screen made her nervous. The dots quickly disappeared, replaced by a selfie she and Yuffie had taken on a girl's night along with red and green buttons.
Tifa answered the call. "That was fast."
"I was already out. We have officially depleted your reserve of chocolate chip cookie baking supplies."
"Have you been feeding the kids anything else?" Tifa laughed.
"Oh, for sure. Let's see, we had pizza last night—"
"Did it at least have some veggies on it somewhere? Maybe hidden under the gobs of cheese I know you always add?"
"Do olives count?"
She palmed her forehead. "That would be a fruit, Yuffie."
"No kidding? Coulda fooled me, I totally thought they were veggies." There was a pause, a noise that sounded like the train arriving at a station. "So, what's happenin'?"
"Where are you right now?"
"Just got to the stop for the market. Staking claim on a bench as we speak, you have my full attention."
"When I say that you can't tell anyone…"
"I know, I know," her friend said, making gurgling noises afterward as if to indicate she'd be toast if she told anyone.
"Yuffie! This is serious."
"Ooh, serious hm?" Muffled sounds carried through the earpiece, almost as though Yuffie was settling in for whatever was coming her way. "All right, I'm ready. Lay it on me."
How to tell her? Now that it was time, Tifa found herself unable to form the words she needed.
"Tifa? You still there?"
"I followed your advice," she blurted.
"My advice," Yuffie echoed, voice trailing. She gasped suddenly. "Tifa! Did you finally try jolting yourself with a little cast of Thunder while gettin' your freak on?"
"Oh, for the love of Ramuh, Yuffie…" Tifa whined, but it only sent her friend into a fit of giggles.
She walked right into that one.
Finally composing herself, voice broken with fading laughter, Yuffie said, "Ohhh, Tifa. I love you. That one was so on the nose."
Her cheeks felt warm, but she steeled her will anyway. "More like I followed the advice you gave my second day here."
"Oh?" Silence stretched, the wheels probably turning in her friend's mind. "Oh." There it was, message received. More giggles sounded across the line, but these were the sort Yuffie reserved for debauchery. "You banged a certain redheaded Turk after all, didn't you?"
The flush spread to her chest. "I mean…"
Another gasp. "You totally did! Oh my gods, good for you." A brief silence preceded the question Tifa knew was coming, "So, how was it?"
Without thinking, she groaned and instantly regretted the noise.
"That good, eh?" Yuffie snickered.
This conversation was going so well. Might as well embrace it. "It was really freaking good."
"I knew it! Tifa, you lucky girl."
"There's just one problem, Yuff."
"You didn't develop feelings for him, did you?" She took a beat, adding, "Swear to Leviathan, Tifa, you wouldn't know how to have a fling if it were the only way to save your life."
Yuffie had a fair point.
"It's not like I intended to."
"How serious are we talkin', here? Do we wanna booty call him now and then or are we actually talking about dating a frenemy?"
That term again. Tifa snorted. "I don't know, this is why I wanted to talk."
"Well, if there's one thing I'm good at it's giving other people advice. And stealing their materia while doing it."
"Yes, we all remember. So am I crazy?"
"That depends. What brought on these feelings?"
Tifa chewed her lip in worry, conflicted on how much to reveal. But she wouldn't get decent advice if she didn't open up and she trusted Yuffie more than anyone else these days. Picking at a thread on the duvet, she finally gave her answer.
"I feel like I've truly gotten to know him. He's so different, so human. The stories he has with Rude and Elena, the details of his past. And Yuffie—" Her voice broke gently as she paused to collect herself. "He was there for me the other day when I had a moment. And then he apologized for his part in things."
"A moment? Wait, what happened?"
"We went zip-lining. Remember the story of how Barret, Cloud, and I escaped the collapse? I may have had a teensy breakdown."
Yuffie made a small noise. "Shiva, Tif. That's intense."
"I know. I expected him to just let me figure it out, but he comforted me and brought me back around before I could get too in my head."
"Like…I can't even do that, half the time."
"I can't think of anyone who really can. I think that's what tripped me up. And hearing how sorry he is…not that he had much of a choice."
"You know, it's starting to make sense. I've heard some rumors about the way the old guard was at Shinra, how the Turks original numbers were decimated."
"What? I had no idea." She thought back to that first dinner conversation. Back then, there was one way out of my line of work and it involved being zipped up in a lovely black body bag.
Everything began to add up.
Her friend echoed her unvoiced sentiment. "Yep, wicked shit."
A brief silence stretched taut across the line. Tifa's mind reeled in earnest, the process of voicing all of this bringing much to the surface.
"Tifa," Yuffie started, "it's not meant to be a dig but, why do I feel like you're trying to convince yourself here?"
Confusion settled, she smoothed the duvet and rolled to sit up. "What do you mean?"
"It sounds a little like you're trying to convince me that he's a good guy, but I think you're also trying to convince yourself."
"I don't know," she answered truthfully, voice trailing.
"It can be…let's just say, jarring, to realize that people aren't what they seem. I've experienced a lot of that being involved with the W.R.O. and by association, the new and improved Shinra. Trust me, you get a little confused. You start wondering if you had it wrong before or if you're not seeing it right now."
"Yeah, it's like a part of me is waiting for the other shoe to drop."
"Exactly. Thing is, most of the time, you aren't gonna know right away. So I guess what I'm trying to say here is…you gotta decide if he's worth it no matter what."
"I see," she said reluctantly.
"Obviously, this is gonna cause some drama, you know? Is that all worth it if he's just Reno. Not a version of Reno you want to see, but the man underneath all of our run-ins and speculations and even the things you've learned out there. That's what you have to decide, I think."
The wisdom of it surprised her. She took a deep breath, letting it out in a huff.
"I'm not tryna burst your bubble here, Tif. I just know this is complicated if you've gone and caught some feels."
They shared a brief laugh at the colloquialism. "I know you'll support me either way, it's just…"
"Who are you worried about? Cloud?" Yuffie's tone turned facetious. "I'll jump his spiky ass if he so much as tries to judge."
Tifa smirked at the imagery. "A little, but mainly I'm worried for what Barret will think. And maybe even a little about what Elena and Rude would think. I just don't want to cause anyone trouble. We've all got so much history."
"Yep, and that can't be changed. But I do know that we love you and they must love him. And if that's the case, then why wouldn't we all just love and support you both if this is what makes you happy?"
"You know why…"
"Yeah, yeah, all that anger at Shinra. But honestly, we all know both sides were guilty of a lot. Plus, if I've heard the rumors about what happened to the Turks, I feel like Barret has as well. If not, I could always sneakily inform him."
"Do you think that's enough to turn the tide?"
"I'm not sure. But I can start working on him a little if you see this spilling from paradise into real life."
Knots twisted in her belly, a decision unclear in the moment. "Thanks, Yuffie. I really appreciate this. I think I need to mull it over a bit more but I'll let you know, okay?"
"Sure thing. And Tifa?"
"Hm?"
"Do what's right for you, for once. You deserve to be happy."
Tears prickled in the corners of her eyes. "I love you, friend."
"Love ya, too. Now get off the phone with me and go bang that hottie of yours again, yeah? I mean, ya gotta make sure there's a connection."
Laughter sprung up between them. Glossing over that, she said, "Try and get some veggies in those kids of ours, all right?"
"No promises, but I'll see what I can do."
"See you in a few days."
"See ya!"
The line disconnected and Tifa sat in silence for a long while trying to figure out just what to do about the predicament she found herself in. Yuffie was right, she needed to be willing to risk the complications for Reno as he was. She couldn't be caught in the quicksand of the past, nor could she get swept up in dreams of the future.
As she considered, she concluded that there were no qualms over whether she liked him for who he was. While he was a man with deep flaws, a troubled past, and a sharp tongue, those qualities were part of what created such an interestingly complex person. He was also someone who made her laugh with ease. He was refreshingly honest, spontaneous, and remarkably caring when it counted. And he was the only man with whom she felt she could truly be herself, no questions asked.
Most importantly, he accepted her and made her feel wanted. Both things she hadn't experienced in a very long time.
All at once, it burst into her chest like a firework in the night sky, lighting up the shadows and sending a thrill right through her. She opened her PHS, still on Yuffie's text thread, and typed out a message.
You can start prepping the field. I think I really like him.
A reply came quickly. Prepping the field?! Is this some sort of euphemism?
She plopped in a facepalm emoji. You know…getting Barret ready for the news, sowing the seeds about the rumors.
A little face laughing itself to tears sprung up. Ohhh, sorry. I gotcha. I'll get my gloves, this could get messy.
As she was typing her reply, a GIF arrived depicting someone suiting up for battle. Tifa snickered.
I can't thank you enough. For the advice, for helping me with this. Just don't push too hard, I don't want him getting suspicious. I need to tell him about Reno myself, in person.
I know what I'm doing. Subterfuge is my middle name.
She could almost see Yuffie's smug face and followed it up with, I owe you.
Maybe Reno has a cute friend…
Tifa snorted. Ha! Careful, Barret might seriously blow a gasket then.
Are you stalling? Shouldn't you be texting Reno instead?
…I'm nervous now.
Don't be. You like him. He's probably smitten with you. Get it, girl.
Shaking her head, Tifa swapped threads. She still had a hike to plan but she had an inclination that any shred of focus would be impossible to attain. Instead, she started to send a quick text to Reno.
Something snagged.
Swept away in the wave of excitement, she hadn't considered how much time they were spending together. The last thing she wanted to do was to get ahead of herself. Perhaps Reno needed time to think things through as well, maybe spending the entire day together was too much too soon. Either way, she wanted to savor the way the morning with him felt, the things she learned that afternoon.
Instead of a text thread, she found her focus quickly absorbed into a digital map she pulled on the area. She had her heart set on finding something off the beaten path for the outing tomorrow. Reno planned an incredible date for her, the least she could do was treat him to one as well.
Once he left Tifa to her own devices, Reno came to the conclusion that being lazy sounded like a perfectly good plan. He meandered down to the beach where he claimed a lounge chair beneath an umbrella and took a long, overdue nap. Vacation mode was indeed in full swing.
On stirring, he snagged an icy beverage from the hut on the sand and plopped back into his chair. Watching the tide ebb and flow got him thinking. The root of his troubles finally surfaced somewhere along the way.
When the world hadn't ended in a fiery blaze, the leftover trauma from the events of Sector Seven reared up. Things he was ashamed of began to happen. Things like becoming careless on assignments or showing up to meetings intoxicated. Tseng was adept at hiding these things from the rest of the organization, unwilling to allow any further harm to his team, but the actions didn't go without consequence. Reno was forced into mandated therapy.
While little came from the required six sessions where he avoided answering much of anything at all, he did learn one lovely detail about himself. By mistake, he let a memory from childhood slip and in turn, the shrink told him he suffered from abandonment issues. Externally, he scoffed at the notion. Internally, he wondered if it might be true.
Sitting on the beach thinking about why he was so concerned over allowing himself a connection to someone else, he realized the diagnosis wasn't without merit.
After his mother deposited him at an orphanage in the slums, he did his best to carve out a life where attachments were nearly impossible. And when he finally did attempt one, later on, it left him scarred. The Turks were his only salvation, Rude chief among them as his only true connection to another human being. And even that had all been threatened at one point. It left nearly left him in ruins.
At least they would have all gone down together if the sentence were carried out.
Realizing this all translated into harboring a fear that Tifa would more than likely abandon him as well, he took a long pull on the straw in his drink, brain freeze be damned. As he massaged his temples with his free hand, he tried to reason out whether he was just being paranoid.
Unable to bring himself to admit any feelings about Tifa to Rude yet, he was without a sounding board. He tried to put himself in Rude's shoes, picking apart what Rude would say if he were here.
Why would she abandon you? He might ask.
And there it was, the answer. Because I'm not good enough for her.
The thought zinged through his chest, leaving it sore. He knew Rude's next question would be something about what made him believe that he wasn't good enough. Searching the horizon, he realized much of it came down to a couple of things.
The comment at lunch about her friends.
The Turks and Rufus Shinra had made plenty of progress toward redemption in recent years. Was it enough to stop the hatred? He wasn't sure.
There was also the matter of his lifestyle. Leftover thoughts of whether he could keep her happy or be present enough plagued him.
She doesn't need you to keep her happy. She just needs someone who won't disappear without a word or walk in and out of her life without a care. Someone who won't abandon her. Though the thought was his, it echoed in Rude's voice like a bit of wisdom imparted by his best friend.
It occurred to him that Tifa suffered beneath the weight of abandonment as well. If anyone could understand his fear, she just might. This Zangan abandoned her in Midgar. She suffered the death of a friend who clearly meant the world to her even if they only knew each other a short while. And it just kept going.
After everything that happened, Cloud couldn't commit and spent years walking in and out of her life. While everyone else moved on with their lives, Tifa was left to care for two children that were not biologically hers and a bar with the same namesake as her original creation in a ruined sector.
There it was. The reason he felt connected to her beyond the rush of physical chemistry. While they may be opposite in many ways—very complementary ways—they shared a common thread. No biological family to speak of, a rough couple of years, and a whole lot of abandonment.
Did that make them far too broken to pursue this together?
He wasn't sure of the answer. What he did know was that all of the heavy thinking was cramping his vacation style. Deciding some things were better left to discover tomorrow, he sipped his drink and let his mind float away on a tropical breeze.
' ' '
An alarm sounded, startling Reno awake at an hour no one should have to rise. He grumbled, reaching for the offending device. A text message from Tifa waited.
Wakey wakey, it read.
Bemoaning his lack of sleep, he shot back, Remind me why we have to be out there before the sun?
Because the early Tonadu gets the worm?
You forget those critters eat humans for breakfast?
Guess you better be ready for a fight, then. An emoji winked at him.
That caught his attention.
Reno finally rolled out of bed, forcing himself to eat a light breakfast. He was never hungry at this hour, but hitting the trail on an empty stomach wasn't smart. Granola bar down, he threw on pretty much the only thing he had that could be acceptable for hiking. Luckily, he always traveled with gear for physical training. Unluckily, it was Shinra issue. But if she was going to accept him for the Turk he was, that shouldn't be a problem, right?
Tifa promised she would bring any supplies necessary so with only a water bottle in hand, he left the room and made his way over to the edge of town. She was waiting near the arched bridge in an outfit that made him want to haul her up the stairs rather than continue into the wilderness.
His eyes roved the strappy, longline sports bra and high waisted leggings accented with curving seams and stash pockets. Something about the utility of it combined with flirty touches just did it for him. As did the high ponytail she wore. She nudged the cobblestone road with the tip of her sneakers, fidgeting beneath the heat of his stare.
"Morning, babe," he told her, wasting no time in pulling her into an embrace.
"Good morning." Tifa melted, hugging him back. She pressed a quick kiss to his lips before pushing him out a little, holding him at arm's length.
"What're these?" She was tugging at the silky red material of his shorts, specifically the Shinra logo on the left hem.
"Standard issue PT gear." He smirked as she checked him out unabashed. "Shirt shrunk in that shitty washer the inn has."
Her fingers traced the outline of his chest beneath the tight heather grey tee. "I'm not complaining."
So she really was accepting of his job, then. Good to know.
"Ready to hit the trail?"
"If we don't, I'm likely to drag you up the stairs and get in a little cardio another way."
Tifa shoved his shoulder playfully. She turned and hinged at the waist, plucking a backpack from the ground where it leaned against the wall. Snagging his water bottle, she slipped it into the pocket opposite her own. She answered his thanks with a simple, "Come on, straggler, let's go."
She didn't wait for confirmation as she pivoted toward the path leading out of town. The sun was just beginning to crest over the mountains in the distance, bathing the plains in soft light. Tall grass waved in the breeze that swept up from the ocean, the scent of both on the air, fresh and invigorating. Maybe early mornings weren't so bad.
It took them an hour at a decent clip to cross the plain, most of which was spent on small talk and a few more jokes about the reality show from the bar the day prior. He finally asked where they were headed and received only a sly smirk in reply. He supposed it was deserved after his surprise on the date he planned.
The landscape went from grassy fields to the rocky foothills of the Corel Mountains, trees interspersed among boulders. Rather than follow the obvious path from the trailhead, Tifa ducked onto a deer path veering off and away from any of the other hikers milling about. It thrilled him to see her in her element, so sure of whatever she learned by scouting the area.
The path shifted into switchbacks a mile in, the forest of pine and oak thick on either side. The woodsy essence surrounded him, an aroma he wasn't used to as a city dweller. "It smells so…"
"Crisp? Incredible?" she supplied when he couldn't find the right words.
"That."
"Yeah, I miss this. You don't realize how good it is to get away from the scent of cars and concrete."
"Think you'll ever move away from the city?"
Tifa seemed to consider carefully as she stepped around a fallen tree branch. "Probably not. I've set down too many roots to do anything like that now. You?"
"Nah. It's nice to be out in nature like this, but it's still weird."
"Because you grew up in the slums?"
"Yep. Something about being crowded into an urban jungle just does it for me."
"You like your creature comforts," she jested, smiling at him. When he narrowed his eyes, she added, "Nothing wrong with that."
"I blame the salary increase when I got hired on."
Tifa laughed lightly. "I can imagine that going from living in the slums with very little to being able to afford nice things might make some adjustments to one's tastes."
"I blew through my first few paychecks like there was no tomorrow," he admitted, an amused smirk on his lips.
"And what did you spend it all on?"
"Oh, you know…the usual." Booze, The Honeybee Inn, a Luxury Course from Madam M, gambling.
"Like?"
He tried to call up less incendiary items. "Tattoos, parties, all kinds of fun. My first place. Man, I miss that apartment." A wistful sigh had him thinking about that overcorrection of a rental. "It was worth the excessive rent. Top floor, of course."
Tifa looked somewhat surprised, cutting a sidelong glance his way. "That was important to you?"
"After living on the bottom floor beneath the plate for so long, I think I just wanted to feel like I was above of it all."
The truth was, it had given him a sense of control and of power to live life at the top after having so little in the slums. That faded quickly after vintage Shinra dug its claws in.
"I can see that. I think that's part of why I ended up keeping the name Seventh Heaven with the new bar."
"Oh yeah?"
"I didn't want to, at first." Tifa's voice softened. He wanted to change the subject, to steer away from any more talk that involved the collapse, but he kept silent to let her continue. "Marlene convinced me to consider it. To her, it was a way to bring back the fun times. For me, it started to feel like a way to accept things and move forward. To regain a bit of control in choosing not to let the past keep me down."
Wise words. Her strength and resilience never ceased to amaze him. He slung an arm around her shoulders. "You're one badass babe, you know that?"
She rewarded him with a cheerful laugh. Her expression shifted when she briefly looked his way. "You know, Reno, you're incredibly tenacious, too."
"Like I said, we can always have a scuffle. See who's tougher."
Her shoulder pushed into him. "Not what I meant. You've suffered through so much, don't think I've somehow missed that. And you keep fighting. Fighting for a better world, at that."
The words hit their mark, his throat constricting ever so slightly with an emotion he couldn't quite place. Something foreign, but not unwelcome. Words failing, he kissed her temple between steps.
Tifa offered a quick smile, slipping from beneath his arm. Her fingers trailed his bicep, continuing until she laced them through his.
Not one to practice such simple yet intimate affections as hand-holding, it should have felt awkward. As he glanced at their joined hands, he realized he rather liked the contact. Every time one of these small revelations crested in his mind, it came with alarming bolts of unease that triggered his flight response. It was a continuous battle to stay present, to calm the panic. He wondered how long he could keep it up, whether she noticed the sheen of sweat springing up on his palm from nerves.
Diversion arrived in the form of one hell of a view. Tifa led him up the last of a steep incline, the narrow trail opening to a clearing in the trees. They approached the ledge of a cliff, the ground falling away and plummeting back to the terrain below.
Reno traced the landscape down along the rocky foothills they traversed, the plains now bathed in sunlight, all the way to the ocean in the distance. It was one of those views that made him feel infinitesimal yet somehow powerful, connected with the Planet in some spiritual way. A thought he would likely never voice for how foolish it sounded.
He whistled his approval. "This is quite a view, Lockhart."
"I had a hunch. The main trail led to a vista as well, but it faces toward higher elevations rather than toward the coast."
"This is much better. Well done."
Reno turned in toward her, intending to show her appreciation for the hard work, but a snapping twig drew his focus instead. Something or someone got the drop on him.
Not good.
A pair of very unhappy Dual Horns materialized at the edge of the clearing, blocking the path back down the hill. Tifa pivoted next to him, dropping the backpack aside as she pressed her shoulder to his and took up a defensive stance.
"Well, well," he started, "looks like we might have to fight on the same side for once."
One of the Dual Horns scraped its hefty paw across the dirt. The other snorted viciously. He adopted a guarded position of his own.
"Doesn't seem like they're going to just move along, that's for sure," Tifa commented.
For a minute, nothing moved beyond the continued pawing at the ground. In an instant, that changed. The more impatient of the two beasts came barreling their way, eyes narrowed with fury.
Together, they called its bluff. Tifa rolled right at the last second, Reno dodging left. The fiend caught on just in the knick of time, applying the brakes as it skidded to halt. For a moment, it eyed the harrowing tumble it nearly took. They seized the opportunity to gain distance from the cliff.
The second Dual Horn bellowed its aggravation, charging right for Tifa. Reno longed for a weapon, but he was trained for this. For being caught unarmed and unaware. Giving chase, he leapt into the air and grabbed the beast by the horns, distracting it from its warpath. Another bellow crashed through the trees as it reared up, trying to shake him off.
Tifa took the opportunity to land a devastating kick to the throat, that ugly roar reduced to wheezing sounds of distress. He flipped off and landed just in time to see realization dawn on the other Dual Horn. Its eyes fell on its cohort, incapacitated and trying to suck air into its lungs. Haunting eyes ablaze with rage bounced from him to Tifa as the creature considered its next move.
They fell against each other again, guarding. "I think they're mates," Tifa panted.
"Probably right," he agreed.
"Think we can scare them off without killing them?"
"Leave it to you to get all sentimental," Reno supplied, cracking a grin.
"We are in their territory, after all."
"Spoken like a true eco-activist."
The second Dual Horn finally made its move, charging around its mate and right for them. Tifa gave Reno an urgent glance, the message clear. Give me a hand.
Reno braced two hands together, perfect leverage for Tifa as she launched herself and pinwheeled into a dive kick that landed with startling accuracy. The beast went down just in time for its buddy to come around, sneakily aiming a Horn Lift at Tifa who was rising from a crouch.
"Oh no you don't," Reno barked.
Bolting toward the beast, he dropped his left shoulder and threw every bit of his strength into bashing the creature off course. A howl sent birds flying from the trees, the Dual Horn knocked sideways into its mate in a tangle of grey hide and bone. The result was almost comical, the two of them trying and failing to disentangle. He sprung on the confusion, knocking their heads together with a satisfying crack.
Dazed from the impact, the beasts lay in a heap, a tense bout of silence spreading over the clearing. He thought about pressing the advantage, even put some space between them to prep his attack, but Tifa's soft-hearted words stopped him. There was another way.
Reno quickly put on a show, charging toward them as if he'd gone berserk. The Dual Horns scrambled to rise, finally managing to pull apart as they got to their feet. Injured and dizzy from the blows, the lumbering duo seemed less enraged, displaying a growing bout of fear. Just before he reached them, they turned tail and ran for the trees.
For whatever reason, seeing a pair of Dual Horns run like disoriented chickobos from a seemingly unhinged Reno had Tifa dissolving into a fit of giggles as soon as the threat was gone. Reno whirled on her with a mercurial look on his face.
"The hell are you laughing at?" He snarked, though she caught the playful undertone.
"You just looked like a freaking wild man, running at them with your arms waving and that ridiculous howl."
He cracked a smirk. "You liked that, huh?"
Tifa caught her breath, a residual giggle escaping sporadically as she composed herself. "It was pretty brave," she finally said. "Good thing they decided on flight, not fight, or I would've had to save your ass."
"Oh, you think so, hm?" Something turned in his tone, the undercurrent devious.
She lifted her chin, daring him a little. "Uh-huh. And that would mean that I'd win."
Reno stalked toward her and several thoughts vied for her attention. Fighting with him, and not against him, was a hell of a good time. They made a great team, reading each other easily. The fiery eyes and quick change in his voice, however, brought a rush of desire. The adrenaline from battling by his side unexpectedly filled her with yearning, one she saw mirrored in his eyes.
She met him in the middle, crashing into him with a demanding kiss. His arms went around her, any space between them disappearing as she slipped a hand up his neck and into his hair. Reno groaned into her mouth when she palmed him through the thin material of his shorts with her free hand, his body reacting quickly to her touch. It made her a little smug to think how quickly she made him hard.
Wasting no time, apparently just as worked up as she was after the thrill of a fight, he tugged her toward one of the nearby trees lining the clearing. She felt him pivot without breaking the kiss, the sudden feel of bark against her back a surprise. Now that she was pinned, his hands went wild, one pushing beneath the waist of her leggings and the other pulling at her bra.
The urgency behind his movements made her desperate for him and she ground her hips into his, catching his fingers as they delved beneath her garments to find proof of what this was doing to her. He growled his approval, forcing a frustrated noise from her as his hand disappeared. The annoyance was long forgotten when he swiftly pulled her leggings to her knees, taking her flimsy thong along with them. His mouth was on hers again, his hands back to roaming freely.
She almost begged him, but he read her mind.
Reno broke the kiss, a wicked smirk on his lips as he grabbed her shoulders and turned her toward the tree. She couldn't help an indulgent moan, her fingers grasping at the trunk as he whispered into her ear, "I think this means I win."
She felt him adjust his shorts to free himself before he roughly grabbed her hips, pulling her toward him. The arch in her back deepened, sending a thrill into her limbs while she angled her hips to give him better access. Her teeth brushed her bottom lip, anticipation buzzing through her like electricity. When he slicked himself against her, nudging heat between her legs, she trembled for him.
Reno tapped her inner thighs, pushing her stance as wide as the leggings would allow. His knuckles brushed against her as he lined things up, any remnants of restraint seeming to fail once he had her right where he wanted her. He pressed in swiftly and smoothly, straight to the hilt.
A deep moan rocked her body—from the position, the tight fit, the way he filled her—all of it.
Reno cursed harshly, his breath skimming her shoulder as he bit down on the nape of her neck. His frenzied thrusts pushed her against the tree while his hands pulled her hips toward him in rhythm. The scrape of the bark beneath her hands barely registered amidst the intense pleasure.
Reno trailed needy kisses up her neck, gritting out, "Fuck, you feel amazing."
The words sent shockwaves through her, drawing out another gasp that encouraged his eagerness. His left hand freed her hipbone, blazing down to apply friction exactly where she needed it.
"Reno," she cried out, digging her nails into the tree.
Something about the unleashed, animalistic way he took her sent everything over the edge. Tremors racked her legs, less from exertion and more from the amplifying pressure of him, the intensity every time he slammed into her. She could feel herself tightening within minutes, unable to resist the pull of release for very long.
"I wanna feel you come, hear you scream my name," he breathed as he increased the friction beneath his fingers.
And she did. His name tore from her lips, the beginnings of her climax shattering through her in waves that threatened to pull her under any second.
He felt the change and his teeth were on the nape of her neck again. "Fuck, Tifa," he ground out, voice muffled against her skin.
The peak of the orgasm hit her like a riptide, dragging her with it. Rushing through every part of her and leaving a delicious wake. It made her forget about everything else in the world, narrowed her focus only to their joined bodies. A second later, his teeth clenched as he shuddered. His exclamations were muted against her skin.
As she swam back to the proverbial surface, the feeling of drowning in euphoria ebbed away like a gently retreating tide. It left her laughing instead, the sound light but a little unhinged.
"Well, that escalated quickly," he said, still intertwined as they both recovered. He couldn't help but laugh with her.
"You can say that again."
"And you thought those Dual Horns were horny..."
Tifa rolled her eyes, the ridiculous pun making her giggle even though she tried not to. Reno kissed the spot he'd bitten on her neck, the sweet gesture like an apology for the small hurt. She knew it would probably leave a mark and made her smirk. He was going to be trouble if this spilled over into Edge—trouble in the best way.
' ' '
Refueled on apples, cheese, and plenty of water, they set out to retrace their path. The hike back down left Tifa with shaky legs, both from their tryst against the tree and the steep descent. Though she wanted to broach the subject of what might happen with them as vacation came to a close in light of her conversation with Yuffie, she found herself instead chatting about anything and everything else. As they finally made their way back to the town, she was still working on the nerve to ask.
Her thoughts were quickly interrupted by a muffled ringing from her backpack. She paused with every intent to rifle through the bag until she realized that it wasn't her ringtone sounding.
Reno grumbled as she turned, giving him access to dig out his PHS. When he retrieved it, he took the call. He was pacing a short distance away, but when he turned back to her, his eyes were growing dark. Something was wrong.
"When?" he asked whoever was on the line, his voice suddenly flat. Unreadable. "Shit. I'm about ten out from my room."
A knot formed in her stomach.
"Copy that." Pulling the device away from his ear, his eyes met hers. "I've gotta get back ASAP."