(AN)-- This story is going painstakingly slow. God forbid I turn forty and I still haven't finished this crap. But, cast that aside for a minute, things are turning out pretty good…I think. All I can say is that after this first day is over I'll make sure it goes quicker. Oh and sorry for not updating on Saturday {I usually update both Sat. and Sun.} but fanfiction.net was being a complete ass.
`p a n d o r a
s c h o o l b l u e s
v. denial
After the Turks' little rendezvous, Tifa and Reno had sent the fourteen-year-old to her next class, leaving her an assurance that if her friend, Nanaki, didn't fetch her in time after class they would show her to her next class. So that was done and the two aforementioned duo decided to skip another class and "talk" as Tifa had delicately put it. She did want to talk to him, though.
"Okay, so what is it you want sweetheart. I doubt you're desiring another sex lecture." He grinned smugly.
"Let me get straight to the point here, Reno. I want you to answer me honestly, okay?"
He nodded.
"Do you…like Yuffie?"
Reno blinked. Boy, this woman could be real blunt. In fact, her brusqueness had caught him off-guard to some extent. But if she asked a blunt question she would receive a blunt answer…after he played around with her by beating around the bush.
"Why, you jealous? My, my, you sure are a possessive little vixen aren't you?"
"Jealous?" She choked. "I'm afraid you're blowing everything out of proportion, buddy. All I'm asking for is a simple answer. Do you like Yuffie? And no lying either. I can see right through you."
He stared at her quizzically and humorously covered up his body with his arms. "You minx!"
"Oh honestly! You can be such a blockhead sometimes. You're good at toying with people's emotions-
"Thank you."
"-but you're no good at hiding them, especially when it concerns your facial expression. Your face earlier…it had hurt written all over it. Why don't you be a man and admit, for once, to yourself that you're falling in love? And if that's too intense, then convince your head of air that you like her." Tifa chastised him carefully, making sure to emphasize some of her finer words.
"Who are you talking about again?"
"Are you this dense?" She said while rapping her knuckles on his forehead. "I swear, I've never seen you act this stupidly since when you tried to deny your feelings for-
"Don't you dare say her name," he growled. "Just hearing it makes me want to bloody hurl over the floor."
"A wonderful imagery, but if you don't mind I'd like to keep my stomach before lunch." She continued. "And while we're at it, she was a nice girl. Earth to Reno: you invited – no – welcomed her."
"Listen, Tifa, I welcomed her, big deal. She let go of that fact and I did too. What does this have to do with me supposedly liking Yuffie?"
"You're the one who brought it up!" She retaliated. "You know, you defile her more than she deserves. In fact, she doesn't deserve any of this. I'm glad you guys patched things up, but that doesn't mean she's willing to let go of it so easily. I see the way she sometimes looks at you. I'm surprised she hasn't written anything about you yet!"
"She's a good girl."
Tifa remained silent as minutes ticked by. She wasn't sure why she brought up her in the conversation. This conversation was supposed to be strictly about Yuffie, but she guessed her mouth wanted to take a detour. Her and her big mouth; it never could stay shut without reviving old memories that hurt like a…
"Why'd you break up with her?" She asked suddenly.
Reno looked at Tifa. "You're kidding right?"
"No, I'm perfectly serious. Curiosity is getting the better of me, and I know it's wrong so don't lecture me about it," he added, "but this is something that's been eating at the back of my brain since last year."
"How did we bring up the subject of my love life? I thought we were talking about Yuffie?"
"You brought it up." He sighed; she said it once before and she was right. Him and his big mouth; he fueled the topic about her so he was partly to blame.
"She wasn't my type."
"You're bad at lying."
A small smiled tugged at his lips. Tifa read him like an open book. No wonder he liked her so much. She would be by his side forever like an artist to his canvas, like a writer to his pen. They were two.
"I don't really know." He responded truthfully. "We're laughing and teasing each other one minute and then we're trading spats the next."
Tifa refused to believe him.
"She said 'I love you', didn't she?"
"I will break your bones if you let so much of this conversation out to anyone, especially her." He warned her. She nodded. "Yeah, she did."
"She still does, you know."
"Still does what?"
"Loves you. I see it in her eyes every time you tease her. She likes it because you're giving her a little attention. Yes, you've had decent conversations with each other but the air is so tense. I'm surprised one of you hasn't cracked down yet."
He shrugged. "Hey, at least we were willing to let go. There are no grudges. And you, woman should be damn well happy that we're not ripping at each other's throats."
"I guess."
Reno grunted."
Oh yeah…Yuffie…
"Reno?"
"What?"
"I just realized something." She bit the inside of her cheek, pondering her next words, speculating if she should even say it.
"What is it this time?"
"Yuffie is a lot like her."
"Your point?"
"I see an open opportunity here. Are you willing to let this one go? Earth to the idiot: you like her. You might as well just seize the open doors and snag her while you still can. I heard Nanaki's quite a looker this year."
He gawked. "The hell? I don't give a chocobo's ass about a sophomore kid. Hell, the guy can have her."
"Yeah, and after he does you'll be sulking for a week." She automatically replied with sarcasm dripping from her tongue.
"Earth to Tifa," he mimicked, "ever hear 'illicit' before? Her dad would shoot me down with a rifle if I ever lay a hand on her. I'm eighteen and she's fourteen. There's a big age difference there."
"Since when does age matter?"
"Since now!"
"Oh, so you're admitting that if given the chance you'd go out with her?"
"I said no such thing!" He objected.
"You implied it!"
"I did not!"
"Did too!
"Did not!"
"Oh, quit your childish ravings already. You're making me ill."
His face slackened. "Elena wouldn't have minded." Her eyes widened.
"You…you said her name. And you compared me to her…you still have feelings for her, don't you? That's why you don't want to like Yuffie."
"So…you have everything figured out then, I suppose?"
She wanted to smile, but it was hard. The next best thing was to force it. "Yeah, I suppose so."
"Well, you're wrong."
Somehow, that reassurance had "matchmaker" written all over it. All she had to do was get her permission. It didn't matter much but she felt like she was treading on serious territory. It was better to be safe than sorry, right?
"Idiot."
"Too slow." He had already begun to stand.
She sighed; he won.
"Touché."
For now.
