Chapter 76

The cool breeze played around Reno and Aura when they left the restaurant after dinner, and Reno smiled, reaching out to tuck a wayward strand of Aura's dark hair back behind her ear as it blew across her face. "Ain't had food like that in years." He murmured, pressing his lips to the top of her head when she leaned into him. He felt her arm slide around his waist and he draped his own across her shoulders to hold her close.

"Don't think I've ever had food like that." She replied, tilting her head to meet his eyes. When she smiled tiny creases appeared by those eyes and made Reno want to squeeze her tighter.

"Did you like it?"

"Absolutely."

"Good." Reno smiled at her and began leading her up the street. The crowds were once again out and about, seemingly seeking dinner as they had been and maybe further evening entertainment. He watched groups mingling and winding between each other as the throngs of people tried to get around one another, and many of them seemed to be trying to get into the line for what appeared to be a night club on the nearby corner.

As they moved up the street, past the line waiting to get in, Reno made sure he put himself between the drunk and rowdy group near the front of the line and Aura. He let out a low chuckle as they overheard the group whinging at the cover charge and Aura leaned further in to him.

"Hey, do you remember…" Aura hadn't even finished her question before Reno was nodding, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

"Yeah…"

Reno turned the collar on his jacket up as the cold night air rushed into his lungs and chilled the sweat on his skin. It had been hot inside the club, but that had been what he and Aura had been after. They had no heating in their house at the moment and it was freezing. They had gone in search of somewhere warm to spend time, and the clubs were always well heated and a better place to be during the evening than shivering to death at home. It was after midnight now, however, and Reno could see that Aura was exhausted. She had been with him for three years now, and he was more than adept at reading her, even when she tried to hide what she perceived as weakness.

Looking at her now, Reno could see that she was hot, and tired. Her cheeks were flushed and he could see her flagging as she drew several deep breaths of the cold air while the door to the club swung closed behind them. "You alright, Aur?" he asked and she nodded, sweeping her hair back from her face.

"Yeah, yo." She puffed her cheeks out before buttoning up her coat. "It's nice out here."

"It is now. You wait until we get home."

Aura made a face at him and turned to start up the road. Reno had been just about to follow her when he heard people approaching from the other direction. Turning his head, he watched as a group of five approached him.

"Hey," One said, coming to stand before Reno. The guy gestured at the door to the club. "This place any good?"

Reno nodded, "Best 'round here."

"There a cover charge?"

Blinking, Reno realised that these guys thought he was on the door. He cast a quick glance at Aura who was now standing a little distance away, waiting for him. As if reading what he was thinking, she turned again and continued walking, this time more slowly.

Trying to hide his smirk, Reno nodded again. "Ten Gil."

"It had better be good…"

Reno just smiled and held out his hand as the five guys all handed him their cash as they passed him and headed inside. Once the door closed behind them, Reno booked it before anyone worked out what he had done.

He caught up to Aura halfway up the street and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Fifty Gil." He said, handing the money to her. She took it with a smile and slipped it into her jacket.

"Clever boy…" She murmured.

"Hey, not my fault they thought I was a bouncer or something and just handed me money…"He grinned at her and then his breath caught in his throat when she gently took his hand.

"In case they come looking…" she said by way of explanation, "They're not looking for two…"

"Right…" He watched her out of the corner of his eye for a few moments, but she just walked normally, her eyes never deviating from where she was looking straight ahead. Sighing, Reno tried to figure out if fifty Gil would get them heating by tomorrow night.

"Feels like a storm…" Reno pulled Aura closer in to himself as they continued up the street toward ShinRa House.

"Mmm… We should get inside." She replied, and he could hear the smile in her voice even as her face was half pressed into his chest.

"Oh, is that what you want?"

"Maybe it is."

"Are you sure you don't want to go for more of a walk?" he asked lightly, trying to keep the teasing tone out of his voice. He grinned when she looked up at him. ""Maybe down to the beach… along the sand… up and down the street aimlessly?"

Aura's laughter just about sent tingles through Reno and he watched her as she shook her head. "No…" She said, "I don't want to wander aimlessly…" she tilted her head, "At least not now… maybe tomorrow… but not now."

"So what do you want?"

Aura pulled away from him and took several steps backwards, her eyes on his. Reno reached a hand out to her, trying to prevent her getting too far away. She took his hand, but didn't come any closer again. "I want…" She grinned at him and Reno's heart began thundering in his chest. "my clever Reno to take me home…" she began walking backwards again, pulling him along by his hand. He followed her without resistance. "Just like you used to do…" Aura continued, "Only this time, when we curl up together to keep warm…" Another of those grins flashed at him, "I'm sure you can get more creative…"

Reno nodded, unable to look away from Aura's face. Thousands of times he had taken her home, back when they were younger. Before ShinRa had taken him off the street, there had been endless nights like the one where he'd scored fifty Gil off some dumb idiots thinking he was collecting cover charges for a club. Endless nights where he and Aura had sought any kind of warmth from clubs or anywhere else that was open, before returning to a freezing house where they only warmth available was each other. Reno had held Aura as she'd fallen asleep, curled under their blankets as they'd both shivered and tried to keep one another warm, countless times. He had drifted off with her face pressed into his neck or his shoulder with her hair draped across his chest as she had curled in his lap or under his arm, and not once had he ever touched her in any way that could be considered sexual. He had never crossed that line back then, it had been his job to protect her. That's what he had done. Things were different now, however, and Aura was asking him to touch her. "Okay…" he breathed, swallowing thickly when she smiled at him again.