Chapter 8
Well here we are with Chapter 8! Again, I bow my head in shame since it has been 3 weeks since I last updated. I cannot even explain how school is draining both my energy and my time – but I do try to find as much spare time as I can to write. So for those who have read my story, I want to thank you for being patient with me, it really does mean a lot!
Any warnings? Yeah maybe a little ;) It's more…psychological, I guess you could say, than physical, but you'll just have to read in order to understand my meaning!
Disclaimer: I own NOTHING related to Final Fantasy VII or Final Fantasy XII (when it comes to Princess Ashelia's name). All copyrights and ownership belong to the respectable company of Square Enix. I am not creating this story to make money nor am I earning a profit – I simply do this as a hobby because I have a love for writing and this series (and all the other Final Fantasy games for that matter!)
~ oOo ~
"C'mon…pick up the phone damn it…"
Reno paced around the apartment, the phone he held was glued to his ear and, for the thousandth time in twenty minutes, he ran his free hand through his fiery locks of hair. He had been trying to get a hold of the people at Healen but nobody was answering their phones. Rufus gave us all a vacation yet I know Tseng is there because Elena's there…Rufus has to be there. He wanted to wait for Elena to heal before he began doing paperwork back at our main office here and Rude… well he could be there too.
Again, for the tenth time, the call rang and rang until finally it was sent to voicemail. "God damn it!" Reno yelled, throwing his fist into the air. He desperately wanted to throw the phone at the wall but opted not to, it wouldn't solve the problem that was at hand. What the fuck do I do about this mess?! Reno couldn't help but think to himself. He didn't want Amalia to hear what he had to say; he didn't want her asking questions he didn't have an answer for.
Looking above where he stood, Reno could hear the water from the shower she was taking. The sound was quiet and smooth, but she had been in there for quite some time and Reno wondered if she had used all of the hot water. Hell, if I was in her position, I'd want to take an extremely long shower as well. But thank Gaia she hasn't really asked me anything. Yet…
The phone in his hand began to vibrate and Reno nearly ripped the phone in half simply trying to open it. He answered the call and threw the phone back to his ear. "It's 'bout time one of you answered the fucking phone!"
"What is it you want, Reno?" Tseng was the one who called him back – not exactly the person he wanted to talk to.
"Tseng! Look, I seriously need to talk to Rufus, this is important!"
"What about? Did something happen with Amalia?"
"Yeah, man…she was attacked…" Reno's voice dropped even as he said it. Normally, it wouldn't have bothered him; Amalia had been used to fighting for a majority of her life. But when it came to this…he just couldn't talk about it. This time was different. For some reason, this attack was personal and he was scared that it was only going to get worse in the future.
"Alright, hold on, let me go get Rufus."
"Thanks man…" Reno began pacing around the room, winding his way from the kitchen, back into the living room, into the dining room, and then back to where he stood over by the staircase. A few minutes passed in silence when Rufus finally appeared on the other line.
"Reno, I heard you have some important news for me," Rufus stated.
"Sir this is more than important. Ashe was attacked within the last hour by a rookie of the person who's after her."
"Alright, alright calm down Reno."
"H-how do you expect me to calm down, sir?! My girlfriend was attacked by the people after her. This is getting to be serious – they're finally starting to take action."
"I am well aware of that, Reno. But Amalia is there with you, is she not?"
He shook his head to himself. "No, she's in the shower as we speak. The man wounded her shoulder pretty badly so she's cleaning up."
"I see. Alright, I'm going to need you to tell me everything that happened. And be as specific as you can be." And so Reno began by explaining how she went on a morning run to relieve some stress from now sleeping. There's no way in hell I'm telling him the real reason why, Reno thought. From there, he described the hysteric call he received from her to how he attacked the stranger when he finally made it to her side.
"Ok, so did this man say anything about his motive? Or why he was sent there in the first place?"
"He…" Reno took a deep breath, mainly to calm his over-beating heart, but also to hear if Amalia was still in the shower. He couldn't hear the water running but he knew he had a leeway amount of time before she came back downstairs. "He said that he was sent by his 'master' to survey Ashe's strength. And then he basically had a hissy-fit and claimed that all the glory he had heard about her was all a lie and claimed she was pathetically weak."
"What?" Reno could hear the frustration in his boss' voice. "How is that possible? Amalia is…unbelievably strong."
"And I told him that her power is stronger than his and mine combined, but he wouldn't believe me. He then stated that she was…oh how did he say it…" Reno looked at the ground, forcing his memory to kick into gear. "That…Amalia is destined to save the world and that she needs more anger…"
"Hmmm, that is interesting."
"Rufus? What're we gonna do about this?" Even Reno could hear the shakiness in his voice – and that scared the shit out of him.
"Like I said – calm down. You need to keep a straight face in front of Amalia."
"But Sir -"
"Reno just listen to what I'm telling you: stay by her side. I get that Amalia is a very independent woman, but you need to stay with her as long as you can. I hate to admit this, but if all they're going to do right now is attack her, we can at least handle that, for now. And with you by her side, two people fighting them and learning their strategies, the better it is for us to protect her in the long run."
"Sir…"
"What is it Reno?"
Reno took a deep breath. "I have your word that Ashe will stay safe?"
Rufus stayed silent for a few minutes. He didn't know how to answer the question, so he stated the most plausible answer he could muster. "We'll try our hardest."
"No offence, sir, but that's not very reassuring."
"I apologize, Reno, but we're doing the best we can." Now it was his boss' turn to take in a deep breath. "Listen, breathe, we'll get through this. Has Amalia questioned anything?"
"No. As far as I know, she just thinks that this was a random stranger who decided to fight her because he could. He might have said something to her before I got there, but if he did, she acts of if she knows nothing."
"Good. Let's keep it that way."
Reno's ears perked, he could hear Amalia bustling around the room. He knew she was bound to come downstairs in a few. "I think we'll have to cut this short. I think Ashe's done."
"Ok, we'll discuss the rest of this later and create a game plan if this happens again. We'll record the info you've provided Reno. Let us know immediately if anything else happens."
"No shit, sir."
"Reno," Rufus replied sternly.
"I'm out, yo," and Reno hung up on his boss. He knew that Rufus would have a 'talk' with him the next time they met but at that given point of time, he didn't care. He shoved the phone in his back pocket and walked into the kitchen, suddenly wanting a cold beer to down. But as he made his way into the kitchen, it occurred to Reno that there probably weren't any beers in the fridge. Please, please, please, please…he begged to himself. But as he opened the door and was, once again, met with the disgusting fumes that reaped his nose, Reno noted that there were indeed zero delicious beers within the cold machine. "Well fuck…"
""What's wrong?"
Upon hearing a voice he didn't expect to receive, Reno tried to back out of the fridge but banged his head into the top shelf of the fridge and instantly yelled curses into the air. Slowly, while holding the back of his head, Reno straightened his body and turned towards Amalia who finally graced her presence from upstairs. Amalia furrowed her eyebrows and attempted to hide her smile, but to no avail, it leaked through.
"Aw, are you ok sweetie?"
"Yeah," Reno replied, as he continued to rub his head. "I'm fine, babe, just a tiny ass bump on the head." Amalia walked towards him and, standing on her tip-toes, she kissed his forehead.
"Better?"
"Always, babe."
"Well good." She peeked at the fridge behind him. "So what you were looking for in that death trap anyways?"
"An ice cold beer; it sounded good." She nodded in agreement. Reaching forward, Reno cupped her cheek. "Hey, you doin' ok?"
She nodded. "Yeah I feel much better, the shower really helped."
"Are you…scared at all?"
She cocked her head to the side. "No..? Why would I be?"
He blinked and tried his hardest to dismiss his surprised expression. "I just…would've thought that this whole attack…thing might have frightened you a bit."
"Well, maybe a little, I guess. I'm more confused than anything." She leaned into his hand, wanting more comfort than he was providing. Taking the hint, Reno pulled her closer until her arms wrapped around his waist and hers around her shoulders. "I'm just going to play this off as the dude was either on some type of 'medication' or just wanted a match with one of the planet's heroes."
"Hmm, you could look at it that way."
"Well then that's how I'm gonna look at it!" She beamed up and him and stole a quick kiss from Reno's lips. He growled on the inside, knowing he desperately wanted more but Amalia was the one who needed to tell him when she was ready. And he would wait as long as he had too; she was completely worth everything to him.
Even long term sexual frustration.
Grabbing her hand, Reno tugged her towards the door. "Come on, let's get out of this apartment and go grocery shopping and get some real food." He glanced at the fridge behind him and cringed. "Gaia knows we need it."
'Good! S'bout damn time, but hold on!" Walking towards the walk-in pantry, Amalia came back with several reusable bags within her arms (1). They were ones she had been collecting since they had all built Edge a few years ago with a majority of them being gifts from Reno. Every time he went on a mission, he would always try and find a new reusable bag she didn't have yet and give it to her when he returned. "Ready!" After both put their shoes on, they walked out the door, with Reno locking it behind them, and they were off.
Walking out of their building, the couple walked across the street where, conveniently, a grocery store was placed. The first time Amalia acknowledged this she laughed and asked Reno if his decision in moving where he lived was coincidental or not and his reply was that it was better to live close to places that sold food since he didn't have a car. It still puzzled her but it really was convenient on such occasions as today so she let it slide.
Entering the air-conditioned store, Reno grabbed a cart while Amalia placed the bags in the small folding section where kids usually sat. On the way there, they each had agreed to hurry with the shopping; Amalia didn't really want to be out in the public but inside the comfortable confines of the apartment with a certain red-head. Reno completely understood because he honestly just wanted to go home, snuggle on the couch and watch movies.
And drink beer – he really needed that beer.
They winded their way through the different isles; Reno pushed while Amalia grabbed what they needed. Gradually, their cart began to fill up and Amalia questioned whether she had enough bags with her or not. Snacks, chocolate, bread, milk, crackers, ice cream, cheese and a whole bunch of other items made it into their cart. Glancing at his watch, Reno noted that they had only been there for almost half-an-hour. Not bad, he thought. Sometimes we're here way longer than this.
Amalia's voice brought him back to reality. Glancing into the cart, she counted with her fingers everything they had grabbed, mentally noting if there was anything they didn't get. "I…think we got everything. Wait, did we get meat?"
"Yes," Reno replied automatically.
"Even sandwich meat?" He nodded. "What about chips?" He grabbed the bad of barbeque flavor that was positioned directly in front of her face. "Ok. And did we get rice?"
"Yes dear."
"Eggs?"
"Yes."
"Umm…"
"Ashe?"
"Yeah Reno?"
He walked around the cart and held her head in his hands, the tip of his nose brushing against hers. "I think we're good. If we somehow forgot anything, we live across the street. Ok?"
She giggled. "Ok." Kissing her, he walked back around the cart and they proceeded to checkout. Peeking into the cart one last time as they were walking, Amalia grinned and realized they were missing one crucial item. "So, was there anything you wanted that we forgot?"
"Heh, are you kidding me? I didn't overlook anything, we're perfectly fine, yo."
"You sure about that?"
Reno raised an eyebrow at her then looked for himself. "Why? What did you think I… God damn it! I forgot the beer!" Leaving the cart, Reno walked past Amalia, who was grinning from ear to ear, to the next isle and grabbed two twelve-packs of his favorite brand, Red Dragon. Walking back, he placed the cases on the bottom rack and saw the look Amalia gave him. He knew he had walked into a trap. "Don't even say it, yo."
"Hey, I didn't say anything."
"Yeah but you were thinking it. I know you too well babe." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder as they made their way to the registers.
They waited in line and eventually made their way to the front. Ashe glanced around her, there were more people in the store than when she and Reno had arrived. I wonder why people are shopping today, it's a Tuesday…an important holiday isn't coming up anytime soon. She shrugged off her thoughts – even the rest of the world needed to purchase food. Assisting Reno with placing the food on the moving conveyor belt, they had all their items packed and paid for in no time. Amalia was still slightly shocked that the amount came close to two-hundred gil. Growing up with just enough money to survive, it still bothered Ashe that Reno could just spend his money the way he wanted, whenever he wanted. But, she tried to argue with herself. He works for his hard earned money so if he wants to spend it that way, so be it.
Stepping out of the building, Amalia grabbed as many bags that could fit on her arms and Reno grabbed the rest, somehow managing to carry the two twelve-packs with everything else that was cradling his arms (2). As quickly as they could, they walked across the street, balancing bags and beer in their arms, the couple merged into traffic and diligently waited for the elevator to take them upstairs once they walked inside their building. "This thing doesn't move fast enough," Amalia finally said.
"I don't hear you complaining when we don't have two-hundred gill worth of groceries in our arms, yo."
"Touché my red headed boyfriend," she smiled up in his direction as the machine finally graced the couple with its presence. As soon as they stepped it, the elevator quickly made its way to the top floor where they questioned the sudden speed, but practically ran to the door. Setting a few bags down, along with a much needed sigh of relief, Amalia unlocked the door and Reno stepped in first, pushing the door back more so she could enter. Once inside, she kicked the door shut and waddled to the kitchen where Reno was already placing his bags on the floor. They both stood in front of the fridge, not knowing who should be the unlucky one to mess with the putrid smelling appliance.
"Want to do the usual?"
"Yeah, I ain't volunteering to clean that contraption, yo!" He smiled, with a serious tone etched into his response.
"Alright, let's get this done quick." Holding a fist in front of each other, they both said, "Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!" Amalia opted for the paper whereas Reno decided to go with rock.
"Damn it!" He yelled into the air, his eyes glaring at the metal deathtrap he did not want to mess with.
Amalia patted his shoulder. "Don't worry Reno, the sooner you get that shit outa there the sooner you'll be done!"
Mimicking her statement under his breath, he began to work. Cautiously opening the door, Reno scrunched his nose and searched for the culprit. In which, he discovered, was the makings of a takeout container from his favorite sushi place, a half-full carton of milk and small items here and there that had, coincidentally, went past their due date. Grabbing the carton, Reno instantly knew that there was no more liquid inside, all he heard was clunk, clunk, clunk as he shook the carton.
While Reno had been attempting to breathe and not die, Amalia had preoccupied herself by finding the correct spots for everything they had purchased. She found all the items that belonged in the fridge and placed them on the table, then focused on putting all the dry products into the pantry. Once finished, she grabbed the trash can and gave it to Reno, only to thrust her hand over her mouth from upchucking whatever was in her stomach. "Oh dear god!"
Reno threw the few containers he held into the trash can and moved back to the fridge and grabbed some more. "That's what I said, yo!"
"There's gonna be nothing left in your fridge at this point."
"Thus the point of grocery shopping, yo," he replied sarcastically.
"Ha, ha, very funny Reno. You almost done yet?"
"Yep! Got the last of it right here." He walked back to Amalia who held the trash can and he threw away a few more take out boxes.
"Damn Reno! How many times to you go out to get food?" Staring down into the bucket of death, Amalia couldn't believe how much Reno loved take-out.
"Well…remember, there was that week right before I left for my mission where we didn't see each other. And I was too lazy to make any food so I ordered everything I ate."
"And you decided to leave it all in the fridge?!"
"Hey!" He gave her the look that sent a shiver down Amalia's spine. Reno wasn't necessarily mad, more the fact that Amalia immediately noticed his stupidity. "I never said I was smart, alright?"
"I know," she walked up and quickly kissed him. "But that never stopped me from loving you."
"Gaia, I hope not."
Setting the trash can away from where they stood, both Reno and Amalia placed the cold products into the now-clean fridge before they lost their coolness. The table was full of products such as milk, cheese, meat, water and then Reno's cases of beer. They opened one case of his beer, placed all the glass bottles inside then set the unopened case on top of the fridge. Glancing around the kitchen, Reno was glad that all their groceries had been put away, all that was left was to take out the trash, but he didn't really feel like it just yet. But, the longer his eyes lingered on the deadly bag of noxious vapors, he ultimately decided that he had to do it – it would save them in the long run. Grabbing the bag, he walked towards the door and turning towards Amalia, who was turning the corner to make her way upstairs, and said, "Babe, I'm headed down to the trashcan. I need to get rid of this thing before we suffocate to death."
She smiled. "Got it Reno, I'll see you in a few."
Hearing the click shut, Amalia made her way upstairs to their bedroom, desperately wanting to change her clothes into something comfy. After what happened earlier that morning, all she wanted to do was sit on the couch and not do a damn thing. Walking inside, she made a beeline straight for their closet and searched for her black sweats and purple tank top Reno had brought her back from Costa Del Sol. Discarding her jeans and simple t-shirt, she quickly changed and sighed, knowing she was much comfier than before. Glancing in the bathroom on her way out, she decided to grab the towel bin and run a load of laundry. Hugging the bin against her hip, Amalia walked down the hallway and opened the door that led to the laundry room.
Walking inside, she set the bin down next to the washing machine and began placing in the towels until the machine was full. Pouring in some detergent, she closed the lid and left the bin where it was, Amalia still had another load to go; no point in dragging it all the way back to their bathroom. As the washer ran the load, Amalia made her way back downstairs, grabbed a water bottle from the kitchen and the bag of yarn that sat on the edge of the couch, the spot where she always kept her yarn when she was working on a crochet project.
Just as she plopped down onto the couch, with her back against the armrest with her legs sprawled across the cushions, Reno walked in through the front door, locked it and headed straight for the kitchen to finally grab a can of beer he had been wanting. Amalia began unwinding the blue ball of yarn until she had enough loose ends to have a good start on the project she had been working on for a while when Reno sat down on the couch and opened his can of beer. Plopping his legs onto the coffee table, a sigh escaped his lips and he turned his head towards Amalia who placed her legs on top of his lap. "Feels good to just sit, huh?"
"Oh yes it does," she replied without looking up; her eyes were solely focused on intertwining the yarn, using different stiches such as the Double Crochet, Single Crochet, the Crocodile Stich and even skipping over stitched to create a gap in the yarn (3).
Reno eyed her intently and wondered how Amalia could work with a curved needle and some yarn and be able to create something so intricate and beautiful. "So how's the project coming along?" He took a swig of the beer.
"Good!" She smiled brightly and Reno thanked the gods that she wasn't at all disturbed from this morning's encounter.
"So what all are you making for the kid? I don't think I ever asked you that."
"Well I finished the baby blanket last week, so that's still over at the bar. But right now I'm working on making a shirt and diaper outfit." She stopped crocheting and held up what she had of the shirt. Amalia wasn't sure what gender the baby would be but she believed all babies should be in every color and not stereotyped to what gender they were (4). Right now she was in the midst of completing the shirt portion, the blue and green interweaving of colors was bright and bubbly, something Reno thought her friends would like.
"I think Vincent and Yuffie are going to love it."
"You really think so?" She looked down at her creation and back up at him.
"That I do, yo. They're getting a handmade gift from your for their first child. They would be stupid if they hated it. But that's just my opinion." He took a drink of his beer.
"Aw, that makes me so happy to hear!" She went back to stitching the creation together.
Reno took another drink and before he knew it, he had downed the bottle. Leaning forward, he placed the empty bottle on the table and stretched his limps, finally resting with his arms crossed behind his head. "Have you talked to the couple recently?"
Amalia kept her eyes on the project the entire time, occasionally looking up, but always working the stitches she needed to complete the garment, never once faltering in the process. "Yuffie called me…last week or the week before. She and Vincent are doing great and so is the baby."
"I forget, yo, how far along is she?"
"I believe she's six months along now."
Reno whistled. "Damn, she'll pop that kid out before we know it, yo."
"I know. But it's exciting isn't it? Out of all of us, she'll be the first person to have a child."
Reno eyed Amalia suspiciously. "Are you…upset by that?"
"No, why would I be?"
"I dunno babe, you just…sounded different when you said that."
"It's not that…" Amalia's fingers moved like clockwork – one stitch, and then another, and another, and another. She could watch an entire movie and still be able to crochet without looking at what she was doing. "I dunno…I'm so happy for her and Vincent, really, I am. Sometimes I just wish it could happen to me."
Shaking his head, Reno couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Wait, are you telling me you want a kid, yo? I thought she weren't sure whether that's what you wanted?"
She shook her head. "That's not what I'm talking about."
"But, then what…" Reno blinked a few times when she stopped and actually looked up at him. "Oh. Ok, never mind, I get it."
"Yeah."
"I'm sorry babe."
"Don't be!" She smiled. "I'm not mad or anything. Just stupid girl feelings. It happens." She continued to smile and Reno questioned whether or not to believe the honesty of her answer. Amalia was a complex woman; as long as he had known her, she was completely different compared to all the other females he had known in his life – even those he had slept with. Reno knew she eventually wanted to settle down and get married, but she wasn't the type that felt pressured to marry as soon as she had the chance; she enjoyed the life she was given. This made Reno smile, knowing that he was a part of her life and how he provided some of her happiness.
He was about to ask her another question when he cell began to vibrate in his pocket. Fumbling for the device, Amalia peered over her project and raised an eyebrow. He knew she was questioning the same thing. "If this is Rufus telling me to come into work today I'm gonna be pissed…" Finally pulling the device out of his pocket, Reno laughed when he saw the caller id. Answering it, he yelled, "Rude, partner! What's up, yo?"
"Hello Reno. How's Amalia doing? I heard from Rufus what happened."
"Oh. Well she's ok. Wanna talk to her directly?" Rude mumbled a reply and Reno handed the phone to Amalia, who eagerly wanted to talk to his partner. She placed the project down in her lap and instantly put the phone to her ear.
"Hiya Rude!" Reno couldn't help but smile. Who would've thought that these two would become best pals like they are? But then again, so much has changed these past few years; I really should stop questioning the unbelievable. "What did I do to receive a phone call from you today?"
"I haven't talked to you in a while and wanted to see if Reno was treating you right."
Amalia stole a peek at Reno who raised an eyebrow. "Oh don't worry. This red-head is treating me just fine."
"Good, that's what I like to hear."
"So why did you really call, Rude?"
"I – uh…"
"Rude, you're just like Reno; I can tell when you guys really need something. Now spill."
"Hmm. Well, I know you're spending some time with Reno but I was wondering if we could hit the bar for a few drinks?"
"Why are you asking me? Reno's a big boy, he can decide if he wants to go on his own."
"Yeah but, it's his time off and he's spending it with you."
"So? If he wants to go I won't stop him." Amalia laughed. Rude was such a sweetheart. "Look, I'm cool with it, seriously. Just promise both of you won't get completely plastered, ok? I would appreciate it if he didn't come home reeking of alcohol."
"Yes ma'am."
"Good. Then here's Reno. Have a hard drink for me Rude!" She handed the phone back to the red-head and began to work on the project again. She giggled here and then as she shook her head.
"Yo, Rude, so what's happening?"
"We're hitting a bar. I need a drink and I think you do too."
"Hey I'm totally down! Are you there now? Same place?"
"No, I'm at Moogle's Place."
"'k, I'll be there soon."
"Bye."
Reno shut the phone and looked over at Amalia. "He told you he wanted to go drinking, didn't he?"
"Course I did. He wanted to ask for my permission so you could go. I told him I didn't care; if you want to go I'm not gonna stop you."
"Damn girl, I seriously don't deserve you."
"I know, just keep reminding yourself that."
"So what're you gonna do while I'm gone?" Moving her legs, Reno stood and stretched his back as Amalia moved her legs back along the couch.
"Work on this and probably put a movie in. You know I prefer to have some background noise."
"Want me to put it in for you?"
Stopping her movements, Amalia looked at Reno and smiled. "That would be amazing."
"Let me guess…Rush Hour?" (5)
"You know me too well."
"I know, keep reminding yourself that." She stuck her tongue out as Reno placed the movie in the system and handed her the remote. "Anything else, angel?"
"Um…I could go for a beer myself."
"No problem." Reno walked into the kitchen but as his feet stepping onto the tile flooring he waited three seconds before…
"Oh Reno? Could I also have a bowl of chips, please?"
"Coming up!" I knew she wanted something else, Reno thought as he poured the BBQ chips into a bowl and grabbed a beer from the fridge. Walking back into the living room, he pulled the table closer to the couch and placed the bowl and the beer on the wood surface. "All right. Sure you don't need anything else babe?"
She smiled up at him and he returned the facial expression. "No, I'm good. But you should leave so you don't keep Rude waiting."
"Oh he'll be fine, Ashe. Mind if I take Shiva?" She shook her head and he leaned forward to kiss the top of her head. "I don't know how long I'll be gone but I promise I won't be super late, yo."
"Just stay safe – that's all I ask, ok? Oh! And please don't come home reeking of alcohol. I already warned Rude of that as well."
"That I can promise babe." Grabbing her keys off the small stand by the door, Reno said goodbye and left the apartment and took the stairs down to the main floor before he sped off on his girlfriend's motorcycle.
~ oOo ~
"Rude, why did you really call me here?" Reno took a long swig of his beer before setting it back on the bar. He looked over at his sunglass-clad friend and watched as Rude already finished his first beer.
"Damn, you and Amalia both?"
"Both what?"
"You both can tell when someone needs something that they're not expressing."
"Oh you need something partner? What is it?"
"No, Reno, I don't need anything."
Reno blinked and slowly took another drink, becoming confused as each second passed. "Than…we're here cause…why?"
Rude gently slammed his empty mug on the counter. "Rufus told me what happened to Amalia."
"Ah, that. I figured he would inform you and the others. What all did he tell you?"
"Everything you told him. So it really did happen, huh?"
"Yeah. Scary shit happened this morning." Reno began retelling Rude exactly what happened, beginning from when Amalia left the apartment until they finally left the outskirts and made it back home. It had taken Reno about twenty minutes to explain everything to Rude, he kept stopping every few minutes, not able to handle what he was saying. Damn, this is getting hard, he thought. I can't even tell Rude. If all that happened was her getting attacked, how am I going to happen if anything worse happens to Ashe?
The bartender came back around and refilled his mug. He knew who Reno and Rude were, since they were familiar customers and knew the drinks each Turk preferred to have. "Sup Reno, Rude! How've you two been lately? Haven't seen ya in quite a while!"
"Sorry Max, we had some stuff to take care of for work."
"Ah, Rufus still keepin' you busy, eh?"
"When needed," Rude stated.
"Well, it puts money on the table, does it not?"
"That it does!" Reno said and tilted his head back as the alcohol seeped down his throat. "Damn, that's the stuff!"
"Reno, where's your pack of smokes, man? You're usually smoking one by know."
"Max, didn't you hear?" The bartender looked at Rude and held a questionable expression. "He quit - about three years ago."
"What?!" Max turned towards Reno, who only drank more of his beer. "Why'd you quit, man? You were addicted to those things!"
"I quit for my girl." Was all Reno said, though on the inside, he was beaming. Yeah he had loved smoking, but he loved Amalia more and she couldn't stand him smoking or the smell. It affected her lungs too much and she would always have severe coughing fits whenever he smoked around her so he up and quit for her sake, as well his.
"You tellin' me you quit three years ago and I didn't notice?!"
"Sorry Max, but you're not that observant," Reno said.
"Well damn. I mean, congrats. I bet it was ridiculously hard since you probably smoked a pack a day, if not more. That means you've got one lucky girl for you to up and quit for her."
Reno's voice dropped. "Yeah, she means everything to me."
Max refilled his glass for the second time. "Then do everything you can to keep her safe. It's about time you settle down with someone you care deeply for." Max walked off to go assist other customers, but Reno and Rude could hear him mutter as he walked off, "Three freaking years…"
Rude spoke up. "Reno, listen. Don't let today bother you. As long as you stay by her side, everything will be ok."
"Heh…thanks partner. I'm stressin' myself out by thinking about this shit. Today just…scared the living shit outa me. What if something worse happens to her in the future? What if I'm not there?"
"Like I said, don't worry about it. Rufus is working on something right now."
"Oh, is he now?"
"Yeah. He wants to keep Amalia safe just as you do." Rude took a drink. "He cares about her in his own way."
Reno peered at his friend. "Seriously? We're talkin' about Rufus Shinra, right?"
"Think about it. She's practically the reason he survived the attack from Weapon back then. It's almost like he's in her debt."
"And he told you this directly?"
"No. Just a hunch I have." Rude down his beer. "So what else has been happening to you lately? Did it finally happen?" Knowing what he meant, Reno shook his head and drank his own beer, knowing that his partner was staring at him wide-eyed from behind his dark lenses. "Still nothing? Damn. Ironic how you were the womanizer out of all of us then the moment you get into a serious relationship, you can't get laid."
"It doesn't really bother me, yo."
"Shit, man! Last time we went drinking you told me it did. So what's the truth?"
"I'm being honest here. Amalia and I had a serious talk last night after we had dinner. She finally told me her reasons for us not having sex."
Rude waited patiently as his partner starred down at his half-full mug. "So what'd she say?"
Reno took a deep breath. "She's afraid that once we have sex I'll leave her." He peered over at Rude who actually dropped his mouth down to the counter. "She knows that I used to get laid…quite often and she's come to this conclusion that I'm only with her so I can have sex then leave and go on my merry way."
Rude was quite for a second. "Wow…" he whispered.
"I know. I couldn't believe it last night when she told me. I still find it hard to believe."
"It makes sense though, when you think about it."
"Aw man, why do you say it like that, yo?"
"Reno, face it – you were quite infamous in Midgar for sneaking your way into girl's pants for a night of stupid fun. In comes Amalia, who has never had a serious relationship before, and you two end up being together – for four years, if I might add. Hate to say it buddy, but I can see why she's afraid."
Reno stayed quiet and looked back down at the remaining liquid in his mug. He knew Rude was right, it made sense when his partner stated it like that. "Damn…" He set the mug down and threw his face into his hands. "I'm not upset with her. I'm angry and frustrated with myself! I never wanted to hurt her with my frivolous past!"
"I know you didn't Reno. What did you tell her?"
He drew in a shaky breath. "I told her that I'd let her decid. Whenever she was ready is when we would do it."
"I think that's your best bet."
"Strange thing is…if we never have sex…I wouldn't mind." Reno looked over at Rude who, once again, had dropped his mouth, this time all the way to the floor. "What, yo?
"Ok, who the hell are you and what have you done with Reno the Turk?"
"Man, it's still me! I'm being serious here, yo!"
"I know you are Reno it's just…damn! I never thought I'd here you say that."
"I mean, don't get me wrong, I want to have sex with her, I want to have that connection with her but…she is so unbelievably special to me that I'd rather give up sex for the rest of my life than lose her. Is that bad?"
"No, that just means you've found your soulmate."
"I think so too partner, I think so too."
"So…"
"So…what?"
"When you gonna ask her to marry your sexless ass?"
~ oOo ~
The clocked chimed exactly ten o'clock when Reno walked through the door to his apartment; he and Rude had stayed at the bar for a few hours. Reno stopped drinking after two beers and had water for the rest of the night whereas Rude kept having one beer after another, eventually stopping after six, but the man had a stomach of gold and could ingest alcohol as if it was air. As he locked the door, Reno sighed. Although he it had been a great stress reliever to talk to his longtime partner, Reno was simply happy to be home with Amalia.
"Hey Ashe, I'm home." He took a few steps away from the door and was about to call her name again when he spotted her on the couch. Chuckling to himself, Reno walked to the edge of the couch and stood there, his eyes set of the beautiful creature that lay before him. Amalia was lying on her side; cuddled under the blanket she made Reno for his birthday last year with the fabric pulled up to cover her mouth. Her eyes were gently shut and her blonde cascade of hair tumbled behind her and framed her face against the pillow.
Reno couldn't help but stare at the most mesmerizing spectacle before him. He was appalled at the beauty Amalia held and couldn't grasp the idea that she was his and continued to be his. Rude's words from earlier that night echoed in his head. When you gonna ask her to marry your sexless ass? He knew Rude was right, they had been together long enough and were basically living together; he knew her inside and out as she did him. Without a doubt Reno wanted to stay with Amalia as long as possible but…marriage?
Shaking his head, Reno quietly turned off the television and pulled the crocheted blanket off of Amalia's soft body. When the room temperature blew against her delicate skin, she curled up into a tighter ball, her lips quivering from the lack of heat she had grown accustomed too. Folding the blanket and tossing it into the chair, Reno turned off the rest of the lights, save for the light above the stairs so he could see, and lifted Amalia into his arms. One arm cradled her legs while the other held a strong grip against her back. Though still in a deep sleep, Amalia cuddled against Reno's warm body, her head unconsciously found the crook of his neck where she always placed it. Leaving the confines of downstairs, Reno made his way to the bedroom and placed Amalia on her side.
Quickly and quietly as he could, he began to disrobe her still clothed body. I find it odd that Ashe's still in her normal clothes, Reno explained to himself as her pulled the shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor. Usually when Ashe knows she might fall asleep she changes into her pajamas. Has she been asleep since I left? Walking to the dresser, Reno pulled out a clean shirt for him and one for Amalia and a pair of his boxers she could wear. Walking back to her side, Reno pulled her body towards him so she was sitting in an upright position, her head rolled against his chest as he placed her arms through the shirt and eventually over her head. Reno kept his eyes closed so he would not be tempted to glance at her semi naked self. He kept her bra on, knowing she would really be mad at him if he took it off himself without her knowing. Sorry angel, I'll understand if you get mad, but I wanted you to sleep in something more comfortable. Same went for her shorts. As he pulled them down and off her slim hips, he closed his eyes and quickly dressed her in his boxers. Mentally, Reno could hear his past self, who was laughing at him but Reno ignored it. He was doing what would make Amalia happy and that was all he cared about.
Finally dressing himself, Reno had just thrown his shirt onto the floor when he heard Amalia mumble behind him. Turning to the bed, he saw she turned onto her side, her eyes squeezed together ad her breathing had increased. She must be having a bad dream.
"Reno…" Amalia whispered softly. Or, maybe not, he thought.
Putting his own shirt on, Reno stood at the foot of the bed and watched as Amalia tossed all over her side of the bed, until she eventually found herself lying on her back. Her head continued to move left and right as her hands moved slowly up her body. "Ohhhh…Reno…" she whispered again.
Reno's eyes immediately widened. Holy fuck. Is she…? Amalia gasped lightly and her head tilted backwards, her mouth slightly open as her breath came and went in short, heated pants. She continued to moan and whimper, redness glowed upon her cheeks and Reno instantly knew what she was dreaming about. "Holy fuck, that is so hot," he whispered to himself.
Taking off his pants, Reno didn't need to glance down to know that there was pressure within his boxers. He knew his erection was growing the more he watched and listened to Amalia. He had seen her when she really wanted to kiss him or after a long make-out session. But never before had he seen her so…turned on. Reno's hands fell to the bulge and lightly touched it. He gasped but quickly pulled away, though his breathing wouldn't calm down. Damn! As hot as this is right now, it'd feel wrong to do something while Amalia's asleep. But fuck! That mouth, her legs, her…
"Reno…" Amalia's voice eluded Reno's thoughts and he was brought back to staring at his lustful girlfriend. "Oh god…Reno!" Son of a bitch! "D-don't stop…Reno please…I want…to feel your tongue, p-please…" Oh man, I've never heard this from Ashe before. This is…oh fuck, I can't…I gotta do something…
Just as Reno edged the tips of his fingers into the waistband of his boxers, Amalia cried out, her voice bouncing off the walls, straight into his ears and down into his groin. "Reno! I'm gonna…gah!" Tilting her head back, Amalia moaned as she arched her back. At that moment, Reno withheld a scream within his own throat as he exploded within his boxers. Reno and Amalia's breathing synced in unison as both attempted to control their breathing. A few minutes passed as Amalia grew quiet and rolled onto her side again, the last words to escape her mouth before she feel back into a deep sleep were, "Don't stop loving me."
Reno blinked his eyes several thousand times; he could not believe what just happened, but as his semen slowly dripped down his leg, Reno was brought back to the now. As quick as he could, he grabbed a clean pair of boxers and dashed towards the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Dropping the semen-covered material, Reno grabbed his used towel from this morning and scrubbed the milky liquid off him and dried his thighs. Holy fuck, holy shit, holy motherfucker…
Once clean, Reno replaced his dirty boxers with a clean pair and gripped the edge of the counter. Staring at himself, Reno exhaled a sigh and shook his head. What the hell just happened? I…I can't believe it. Amalia just – and then I…? Wow…I didn't do a damn thing and that's what happened? Looking back into the mirror, he smiled softly whispered, "I fucking love that woman." Reno pulled the leather strap that bound his hair and placed it on the counter. He walked back into the room and lay down next to Amalia, who instantly cuddled against him as he placed an arm around her. "I love you, Reno…" was the last thing Reno heard before his eyes drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
~ oOo ~
Author's Notes:
(1): Reusable bags: seriously, please use them if you have them! I use them all the time when I go grocery shopping or need to hit Target. They are great and safe for the environment! Plus, some places will take off 10-20 cents off your total per bag you use :)
(2): It is possible to carry A LOT of grocery bags at once – I've done it! I don't recommend it though…
(3): I crochet myself and I just HAD to include this in here as well. Crocheting is so much fun!
(4): This is a belief of my own. I think babies should be in all colors, not just feminine or masculine colors that represent a baby girl or a baby boy. Besides, I don't like pink so I'd dress a girl in blue all the time! :)
(5): An awesome movie, if anyone wanted my opinion.
Ohhh, things are starting to get spicy aren't they? I know, the ending might seem like something that probably can't, or won't, happen but this is a fictional story and – hello! – this is Final Fantasy we're talking about. Anything can happen!
I hope everyone enjoyed. And I promise that I'll try to update sooner next time but I only have a few weeks left of school and then I graduate! Meaning I'll be busy – but I can't forget everyone whose read my story!
Chocobocolina ~ out! :3