Thank you for everyone that gave comments! Much appreciated!
Here's the third chapter, to all Reffie fans out there!
Usual Disclaimers Apply
Playing With Fire
Ch 3
Reno walked back to his place, declining Reeve's invitation to stay at the hotel. He looked out of the window and observed the Kisaragi home from his window, admiring the well-kept garden. He took out a cigarette, and let his mind drift to his conversation with Reeve...
"So, how's Wutai treating you?"
Reeve shrugged. "Getting better. The first two weeks was filled with hostility. Many people aren't exactly the forgive and forget type. There are still others here who don't trust Shinra completely, but because Yuffie..."
"Ordered them to?"
Reeve shook his head. "No, she just started hanging out with me, introducing me to the people as her 'friend' and explaining to them that I was their 'friend' as well. After that, people left us alone..."
Reno looked impressed. "Really? Never knew the brat had it in her."
"We never knew Yuffie besides being a materia-hunter. She has a lot of influence over the people of Wutai. Why do you think Alec Kitani is hot on his heels to impress her?"
Reeve looked with interest at the scowl on Reno's face.
"What d'ya mean?"
"It means that even with Godo backing him up, the people of Wutai will stick with Shinra Inc despite the past, if only because of Yuffie. Kitani Corp has been trying to weasel their way in Wutai, something that Yuffie and her dad had argued about. If Kitani gets Yuffie's approval, then Shinra Inc is finished."
Reno took another sip of his beer. "Do you trust Kitani, as a business rival?"
"No. You'd be better with your back turned against Cid or Barret."
"What do you know about Kitani?"
Reeve shrugged. "Not enough, I don't think he's a potential competitor, His company is new, and thriving..."
"I'm going to get Rude and Elena on this guy."
"You have a gut feeling?"
Reno nodded. "You should know better, Reeve. The moment this guy showed up his ass on Shinra territory, you should've told me. I could've collected the dirt on this asshole by now."
"Wutai is no longer Shinra territory."
Reno snorted. "Sorry, didn't mean it that way."
Reeve drummed his fingers on the table and looked at Reno. "For a moment back there, I actually wished that the two of you were engaged."
"Are you crazy?" Reno cried out before chuckling. "Man, you need a vacation. You're getting warped."
"Well, anyway it's good that you're around. It would be safer for Yuffie that way."
Reeve didn't fail to notice how Reno's grip on the bottle tightened. "The last time I spoke with Yuffie, she told me that Kitani was starting to get on her nerves. If it was only possible, she would have already kicked his ass, those I believe, were her exact words."
"How does Godo feel about this?"
"Reluctant to let Shinra in Wutai, but that's understandable. Yuffie compromised with her father that she's not going to disappear on him without prior notice if he let Shinra work in Wutai. He agreed. I think he probably wants Kitani in Wutai, but the elders discouraged having two companies. Like I said, we're only here because of Yuffie."
"She's got that much influence, eh?"
Reeve lightly whacked Reno on the head. "Don't get any ideas."
Reno smiled innocently. "Who, me?"
Reno's reminiscing was cut off when his eyes caught on a movement behind him. He carefully took out his nightstick, and prepared to be attacked.
"Reno?"
He turned around to see Yuffie wearing on oversized sweater and jogging pants. "We have a problem."
"We?"
"Okay, I have a problem. Alec formally asked Godo for my hand in marriage, and that jerk agreed."
"So..."
Yuffie looked at him. "So? So we need to find a way out of that! I'm not gonna pay you eighty thousand gil just to be stuck with that guy in the end! Eeewww, grossness!"
"Bastard still proposed after our show, eh?"
She blew the bangs from her forehead in a huff. "I know, stupid jerk..."
"Well, since we're talking about problems, Reeve presented one issue..."
Yuffie leaned against the window. "What?"
"Exactly how many people are we going to let in this secret? Elena isn't exactly Miss Confidentiality."
"I see." Yuffie bit her lip. "How exactly did we get together?"
Reno looked surprised at the change of topic.
"If we're not going to tell the others, we have to get our story straight..."
The Turk shrugged. "Fair enough... Don Corneo good enough for you?"
Yuffie shuddered. "That would be the first time..."
"The first time we noticed each other, back at Da-Chao."
The ninja nodded. "Okay, and then?"
"This is your story, you make it up."
"How should I know? You're the expert when it comes to this stuff..."
Reno looked at her in slight amusement. "What, never had a boy before?"
Yuffie's red face was all the answer that he needed. "For your information, I was too busy looking for materia to be bothered by a boy."
"Ah yes, your endless quest for materia."
"My quest has ended than you very much. I have enough materia with me to use for my experiments... eep..." Yuffie covered her mouth with her hands when she realized what she has just said. Reno looked at the girl curiously.
He walked closer to her as Yuffie made a move towards the door. "Nothing, nothing important."
Reno maneuvered his body in front of her, blocking the door. "Experimenting?"
She tilted her head up to look at him straight in the eye. "So?"
"And you're all high and mighty about the mako experiments."
Yuffie scowled at the older man in front of her. "I don't hurt anyone with my experiments, and what I do, I do to protect my people. Wutai will never be vulnerable again."
"I see, and just what exactly do you do?" He asked as he walked closer to Yuffie, who walked backwards to keep some distance between them.
"I'm not telling you anything." She replied, somehow she can't seem to take her eyes of his. "It's between me and my materia." She suddenly stopped when she realized she had her back against a wall, moving quickly, she circled around Reno before she could get trapped. "I have to go back..."
"Leaving so soon?"
"I have official engagements to attend to." She replied as she opened the door. She turned around and looked at him and gave a cunning smile. "You should come, meet the people."
Reno raised one eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me, meet the people of Wutai. I'm going to the orphanage tomorrow, well actually later today. I visit the orphanage every week."
"What do you do, teach the ways of the materia?"
Yuffie frowned. "No. I meet with the people running the orphanage, see if they need anything, see the progress of the projects we've done, and I spend time with the children."
Reno let out a whistle. "You? The same brat who stole from AVALANCHE?"
"Hey! I did it for..."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. You did it for your people." He replied with a mocking tone. "Are you really serious about this shit?"
"Of course I am!" Yuffie snapped at Reno her face darkening. "Listen, I just thought that you'd like to go and see.... see something. You don't have to go."
"What time?"
Yuffie blinked at his question.
"What time do we go?"
"At ten. We're going to have lunch there. Just meet me down at the gardens..."
Reno nodded. "See ya. Lock the door when you leave."
With that, he walked to the bedroom leaving Yuffie with a confused reaction. She took a deep breath and walked out of the room, locking it before leaving.
A few hours later, Yuffie waited for Reno to come. She raised her face to the sky and enjoyed the sun's warmth, not knowing that she was being watched.
"Yuffie."
She turned around and gave a polite smile. "Hello, Alec."
"I was wondering if I could invite you for lunch."
"I actually have plans already. I'm going to visit the orphanage with Reno."
Alec gave an insincere smile. "Ah, the mysterious fiancé. The Turk."
Yuffie nodded. "Yes, he's a Turk." She suddenly felt uncomfortable when he turned his violet eyes on her. She examined him, mentally comparing him to Reno. They were probably the same height, but it seemed that Alec had more muscles than Reno, his short brown hair a big contrast to Reno's fiery red; and while Alec's face was clear, Reno's face was a physical testament on his past. "What's wrong with that?"
"He's an assassin, is he not?"
Yuffie turned away from him, silently cursing Reno for being late. "I'm no different."
"Your time with AVALANCHE, I presume?"
This time, Yuffie turned to face him again, she tilted her chin up. "Yes."
To her surprise, Alec chuckled. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. "What's so funny?"
"You trust people too much, Yuffie. First you let Shinra back..."
"Reeve is a friend. He's nothing like Rufus Shinra. I trust him with my life, as well as with Wutai."
Alec's face darkened "And you don't trust my company?"
"How can I?" She asked him. "You're one of the few who can't just accept to let the mako reactors go. I will not allow a single reactor in Wutai!"
He angrily walked up to her, and Yuffie's hands started twitching for her conformer. "I can give everything to Wutai that Shinra can!"
"I'm sorry Alec. But I will not allow a reactor to be activated here in Wutai, not anywhere on the planet."
"How noble of you, and quite hypocritical. To sleep with the enemy."
Yuffie slapped Alec. Hard. "The Turks are no longer our enemy."
He grabbed her wrists and puller her closer to him. "But didn't you say that the two of you saw each other behind your comrade's back? What will your friends think?"
She tried to break free, but Alec just tightened his hold on her. "They'll understand."
"What can this assassin give you? Lady Kisaragi, next head of Wutai. What can he give you?"
"Everything I could ever ask for." She replied, as she broke free from his grasp. "What exactly is your problem? If you have no more business here, I suggest you leave. Shinra will stay at Wutai."
"Yuffie! Think! You will rule Wutai when the time comes, and what will you present to your people? What kind of man will you present?"
"Get out, Alec. You've overstayed your welcome." Yuffie replied angrily, her temper reaching its boiling point.
"I believe you've heard my fiancée."
Both Alec and Yuffie turned to see Reno twirling the nightstick in his fingers. He walked to where they were and slid his arms around Yuffie's waist, again enjoying the expression on Alec's face. "Ready, Yuffie?"
She smiled genuinely at him as she nodded. "Ready."
Reno threw a smirk at Alec as they walked out of the gardens, arms still around Yuffie's waist.
Back in the garden, Alec's face was twisted in fury as he took out his phone and dialed a number. "Get whatever you can on Reno Mikagi, I want a full report tonight!"
**
Yuffie began to feel better now that Reno was with her. She moved away from his hold, but took his hands with hers. "Let's go, the children are waiting."
Reno allowed Yuffie to lead him, not really caring that she was holding his hand. Everywhere they turn, he received a warm smile as the people of Wutai greeted their Lady's fiancé. For a moment, his expression darkened as memories of his childhood came back. He was never received like this, never looked at with awe or respect.
"Reno. We're here." Yuffie whispered as they entered a building that looked like a temple.
"This was an old temple. After meteor, Godo had a new one reconstructed just near Da-Chao. We just decided to keep this up as an orphanage." She explained, almost as if she read his thoughts.
Sound of joyous screams filled the air as dozens of children ran up to meet them. Yuffie chuckled as she let go of his hand and scooped the youngest one of the ground. He cringed as the children asked one question after the other, not waiting for Yuffie to answer any of their questions. He would never believe what was going on if he didn't see
it with his own eyes. Perhaps the brat wasn't a brat anymore. He kept his distance until he felt a faint tug in his denim pants.
"You're cute." The little girl remarked and Reno grinned as he knelt down to look at the girl. "Are you gonna marry Lady Yuffie?"
"Maybe." He replied in a whisper.
She nodded her head. "You should." She said giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before running away. His hands flew to his cheeks and his eyes turned to Yuffie who was looking at him with slight amusement. The children now saw him, and half the kids surrounding Yuffie rushed to him, asking him questions after questions. He could hear Yuffie laughed, and he glanced at her. She looked different with a child in her arms, laughing. Even from a distance, he could see her eyes sparkling with amusement, and for that moment, he missed the warmth of her hand that held his just a while ago.
His attention returned to the children, just as one of them shouted, "I wanna see them kiss!"
Yuffie blushed, as chants of 'kiss' were getting louder. Reno gave a grin as he felt the children pushing him towards Yuffie. She gave him a dark look, almost as a warning, which he ignored. The children squealed in delight as Reno took Yuffie's hands and kissed it gently.
She blushed even harder as he gave that smile of his, and felt her knees grow weaker.
/Stop it! This is all pretend, remember that!/ And yet, surrounded by delightful cheers, she couldn't understand why, but for that moment, she wished everything was real.
Here's the third chapter, to all Reffie fans out there!
Usual Disclaimers Apply
Playing With Fire
Ch 3
Reno walked back to his place, declining Reeve's invitation to stay at the hotel. He looked out of the window and observed the Kisaragi home from his window, admiring the well-kept garden. He took out a cigarette, and let his mind drift to his conversation with Reeve...
"So, how's Wutai treating you?"
Reeve shrugged. "Getting better. The first two weeks was filled with hostility. Many people aren't exactly the forgive and forget type. There are still others here who don't trust Shinra completely, but because Yuffie..."
"Ordered them to?"
Reeve shook his head. "No, she just started hanging out with me, introducing me to the people as her 'friend' and explaining to them that I was their 'friend' as well. After that, people left us alone..."
Reno looked impressed. "Really? Never knew the brat had it in her."
"We never knew Yuffie besides being a materia-hunter. She has a lot of influence over the people of Wutai. Why do you think Alec Kitani is hot on his heels to impress her?"
Reeve looked with interest at the scowl on Reno's face.
"What d'ya mean?"
"It means that even with Godo backing him up, the people of Wutai will stick with Shinra Inc despite the past, if only because of Yuffie. Kitani Corp has been trying to weasel their way in Wutai, something that Yuffie and her dad had argued about. If Kitani gets Yuffie's approval, then Shinra Inc is finished."
Reno took another sip of his beer. "Do you trust Kitani, as a business rival?"
"No. You'd be better with your back turned against Cid or Barret."
"What do you know about Kitani?"
Reeve shrugged. "Not enough, I don't think he's a potential competitor, His company is new, and thriving..."
"I'm going to get Rude and Elena on this guy."
"You have a gut feeling?"
Reno nodded. "You should know better, Reeve. The moment this guy showed up his ass on Shinra territory, you should've told me. I could've collected the dirt on this asshole by now."
"Wutai is no longer Shinra territory."
Reno snorted. "Sorry, didn't mean it that way."
Reeve drummed his fingers on the table and looked at Reno. "For a moment back there, I actually wished that the two of you were engaged."
"Are you crazy?" Reno cried out before chuckling. "Man, you need a vacation. You're getting warped."
"Well, anyway it's good that you're around. It would be safer for Yuffie that way."
Reeve didn't fail to notice how Reno's grip on the bottle tightened. "The last time I spoke with Yuffie, she told me that Kitani was starting to get on her nerves. If it was only possible, she would have already kicked his ass, those I believe, were her exact words."
"How does Godo feel about this?"
"Reluctant to let Shinra in Wutai, but that's understandable. Yuffie compromised with her father that she's not going to disappear on him without prior notice if he let Shinra work in Wutai. He agreed. I think he probably wants Kitani in Wutai, but the elders discouraged having two companies. Like I said, we're only here because of Yuffie."
"She's got that much influence, eh?"
Reeve lightly whacked Reno on the head. "Don't get any ideas."
Reno smiled innocently. "Who, me?"
Reno's reminiscing was cut off when his eyes caught on a movement behind him. He carefully took out his nightstick, and prepared to be attacked.
"Reno?"
He turned around to see Yuffie wearing on oversized sweater and jogging pants. "We have a problem."
"We?"
"Okay, I have a problem. Alec formally asked Godo for my hand in marriage, and that jerk agreed."
"So..."
Yuffie looked at him. "So? So we need to find a way out of that! I'm not gonna pay you eighty thousand gil just to be stuck with that guy in the end! Eeewww, grossness!"
"Bastard still proposed after our show, eh?"
She blew the bangs from her forehead in a huff. "I know, stupid jerk..."
"Well, since we're talking about problems, Reeve presented one issue..."
Yuffie leaned against the window. "What?"
"Exactly how many people are we going to let in this secret? Elena isn't exactly Miss Confidentiality."
"I see." Yuffie bit her lip. "How exactly did we get together?"
Reno looked surprised at the change of topic.
"If we're not going to tell the others, we have to get our story straight..."
The Turk shrugged. "Fair enough... Don Corneo good enough for you?"
Yuffie shuddered. "That would be the first time..."
"The first time we noticed each other, back at Da-Chao."
The ninja nodded. "Okay, and then?"
"This is your story, you make it up."
"How should I know? You're the expert when it comes to this stuff..."
Reno looked at her in slight amusement. "What, never had a boy before?"
Yuffie's red face was all the answer that he needed. "For your information, I was too busy looking for materia to be bothered by a boy."
"Ah yes, your endless quest for materia."
"My quest has ended than you very much. I have enough materia with me to use for my experiments... eep..." Yuffie covered her mouth with her hands when she realized what she has just said. Reno looked at the girl curiously.
He walked closer to her as Yuffie made a move towards the door. "Nothing, nothing important."
Reno maneuvered his body in front of her, blocking the door. "Experimenting?"
She tilted her head up to look at him straight in the eye. "So?"
"And you're all high and mighty about the mako experiments."
Yuffie scowled at the older man in front of her. "I don't hurt anyone with my experiments, and what I do, I do to protect my people. Wutai will never be vulnerable again."
"I see, and just what exactly do you do?" He asked as he walked closer to Yuffie, who walked backwards to keep some distance between them.
"I'm not telling you anything." She replied, somehow she can't seem to take her eyes of his. "It's between me and my materia." She suddenly stopped when she realized she had her back against a wall, moving quickly, she circled around Reno before she could get trapped. "I have to go back..."
"Leaving so soon?"
"I have official engagements to attend to." She replied as she opened the door. She turned around and looked at him and gave a cunning smile. "You should come, meet the people."
Reno raised one eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me, meet the people of Wutai. I'm going to the orphanage tomorrow, well actually later today. I visit the orphanage every week."
"What do you do, teach the ways of the materia?"
Yuffie frowned. "No. I meet with the people running the orphanage, see if they need anything, see the progress of the projects we've done, and I spend time with the children."
Reno let out a whistle. "You? The same brat who stole from AVALANCHE?"
"Hey! I did it for..."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. You did it for your people." He replied with a mocking tone. "Are you really serious about this shit?"
"Of course I am!" Yuffie snapped at Reno her face darkening. "Listen, I just thought that you'd like to go and see.... see something. You don't have to go."
"What time?"
Yuffie blinked at his question.
"What time do we go?"
"At ten. We're going to have lunch there. Just meet me down at the gardens..."
Reno nodded. "See ya. Lock the door when you leave."
With that, he walked to the bedroom leaving Yuffie with a confused reaction. She took a deep breath and walked out of the room, locking it before leaving.
A few hours later, Yuffie waited for Reno to come. She raised her face to the sky and enjoyed the sun's warmth, not knowing that she was being watched.
"Yuffie."
She turned around and gave a polite smile. "Hello, Alec."
"I was wondering if I could invite you for lunch."
"I actually have plans already. I'm going to visit the orphanage with Reno."
Alec gave an insincere smile. "Ah, the mysterious fiancé. The Turk."
Yuffie nodded. "Yes, he's a Turk." She suddenly felt uncomfortable when he turned his violet eyes on her. She examined him, mentally comparing him to Reno. They were probably the same height, but it seemed that Alec had more muscles than Reno, his short brown hair a big contrast to Reno's fiery red; and while Alec's face was clear, Reno's face was a physical testament on his past. "What's wrong with that?"
"He's an assassin, is he not?"
Yuffie turned away from him, silently cursing Reno for being late. "I'm no different."
"Your time with AVALANCHE, I presume?"
This time, Yuffie turned to face him again, she tilted her chin up. "Yes."
To her surprise, Alec chuckled. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. "What's so funny?"
"You trust people too much, Yuffie. First you let Shinra back..."
"Reeve is a friend. He's nothing like Rufus Shinra. I trust him with my life, as well as with Wutai."
Alec's face darkened "And you don't trust my company?"
"How can I?" She asked him. "You're one of the few who can't just accept to let the mako reactors go. I will not allow a single reactor in Wutai!"
He angrily walked up to her, and Yuffie's hands started twitching for her conformer. "I can give everything to Wutai that Shinra can!"
"I'm sorry Alec. But I will not allow a reactor to be activated here in Wutai, not anywhere on the planet."
"How noble of you, and quite hypocritical. To sleep with the enemy."
Yuffie slapped Alec. Hard. "The Turks are no longer our enemy."
He grabbed her wrists and puller her closer to him. "But didn't you say that the two of you saw each other behind your comrade's back? What will your friends think?"
She tried to break free, but Alec just tightened his hold on her. "They'll understand."
"What can this assassin give you? Lady Kisaragi, next head of Wutai. What can he give you?"
"Everything I could ever ask for." She replied, as she broke free from his grasp. "What exactly is your problem? If you have no more business here, I suggest you leave. Shinra will stay at Wutai."
"Yuffie! Think! You will rule Wutai when the time comes, and what will you present to your people? What kind of man will you present?"
"Get out, Alec. You've overstayed your welcome." Yuffie replied angrily, her temper reaching its boiling point.
"I believe you've heard my fiancée."
Both Alec and Yuffie turned to see Reno twirling the nightstick in his fingers. He walked to where they were and slid his arms around Yuffie's waist, again enjoying the expression on Alec's face. "Ready, Yuffie?"
She smiled genuinely at him as she nodded. "Ready."
Reno threw a smirk at Alec as they walked out of the gardens, arms still around Yuffie's waist.
Back in the garden, Alec's face was twisted in fury as he took out his phone and dialed a number. "Get whatever you can on Reno Mikagi, I want a full report tonight!"
**
Yuffie began to feel better now that Reno was with her. She moved away from his hold, but took his hands with hers. "Let's go, the children are waiting."
Reno allowed Yuffie to lead him, not really caring that she was holding his hand. Everywhere they turn, he received a warm smile as the people of Wutai greeted their Lady's fiancé. For a moment, his expression darkened as memories of his childhood came back. He was never received like this, never looked at with awe or respect.
"Reno. We're here." Yuffie whispered as they entered a building that looked like a temple.
"This was an old temple. After meteor, Godo had a new one reconstructed just near Da-Chao. We just decided to keep this up as an orphanage." She explained, almost as if she read his thoughts.
Sound of joyous screams filled the air as dozens of children ran up to meet them. Yuffie chuckled as she let go of his hand and scooped the youngest one of the ground. He cringed as the children asked one question after the other, not waiting for Yuffie to answer any of their questions. He would never believe what was going on if he didn't see
it with his own eyes. Perhaps the brat wasn't a brat anymore. He kept his distance until he felt a faint tug in his denim pants.
"You're cute." The little girl remarked and Reno grinned as he knelt down to look at the girl. "Are you gonna marry Lady Yuffie?"
"Maybe." He replied in a whisper.
She nodded her head. "You should." She said giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before running away. His hands flew to his cheeks and his eyes turned to Yuffie who was looking at him with slight amusement. The children now saw him, and half the kids surrounding Yuffie rushed to him, asking him questions after questions. He could hear Yuffie laughed, and he glanced at her. She looked different with a child in her arms, laughing. Even from a distance, he could see her eyes sparkling with amusement, and for that moment, he missed the warmth of her hand that held his just a while ago.
His attention returned to the children, just as one of them shouted, "I wanna see them kiss!"
Yuffie blushed, as chants of 'kiss' were getting louder. Reno gave a grin as he felt the children pushing him towards Yuffie. She gave him a dark look, almost as a warning, which he ignored. The children squealed in delight as Reno took Yuffie's hands and kissed it gently.
She blushed even harder as he gave that smile of his, and felt her knees grow weaker.
/Stop it! This is all pretend, remember that!/ And yet, surrounded by delightful cheers, she couldn't understand why, but for that moment, she wished everything was real.