Chapter 83

Aura went rigid when she heard the front door open. She sat still on the couch, her book held tightly in her hand as she listened, prepared to hide if she needed to. However, when Reno came around the corner into the kitchen, Aura relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Hey… You're awake." He smiled at her, putting what he'd brought in with him onto the bench. Aura nodded and he tilted his head. "What're you doin?"

"Reading."

"Been awake long, yo?" He strode over to the door to the balcony and tried to slide it open, frowning at the lock before flicking it open and letting the breeze in.

"Yes."

"Oh?" Reno looked over his shoulder at her and then turned to face her. "Something up?"

Aura watched him for a moment, wondering what his reaction would be when she told him what had happened while he'd been gone. "So, I met Cissnei… She let herself in…" Reno straightened, his eyes not leaving hers.

"What? Why?"

Aura shrugged, putting her book down on the couch beside her. "What would be your guess?"

Reno strode toward her and sat on the couch opposite. "Was she looking for me?"

"No."

"She was looking for you?"

"Said she wanted to get a look at me." Aura raised an eyebrow at Reno when he nodded as if that made sense. "…what?"

"She showed up the other day after seeing us… She asked about you…"

"Why would she care?"

"Did she hurt you?"

"Do you think she would?"

"… not really, no…"

Aura ran a hand through her hair, trying to keep herself under control. "Reno, what the fuck…"

"Heyhey…" He slid off the couch to his knees on the floor and shuffled toward her. Aura just met his eyes when he lifted a hand to her cheek. "You're okay… It's fine… Tell me what happened."

Aura recounted what had been said when Cissnei had let herself in and watched Reno's face the entire time. When she was done, she fell silent and waited for his response. He just blinked at her and shook his head. "… so what is she playing at?"

"I… think she really was just curious."

Aura frowned. "You think?"

"Well, yeah." His hand moved down her hair slowly, "She hasn't seen anyone since the world went to hell, and then she sees me with you…" he smiled at her, "Behaving in a way she'd never seen before… That'd spark natural curiosity…"

"Then why didn't she knock on the door like a normal person?"

"She was raised by ShinRa…" Reno gave a half shrug, "None of us are normal, I guess…"

"She just… was suddenly… inside…"

"We'll keep the doors locked." One of his fingers traced her jaw.

"Cause she can't pick locks…" Aura muttered sarcastically, and Reno grinned at her.

"I won't leave you here alone again." His finger stopped beneath her chin and he lifted it to press a kiss to her lips. "Okay?" She bit her lip and he leaned toward her again. "Why are you scared?"

Figuring honestly was the best policy here, she met his eyes. "I was worried that she'd want to get rid of me. If she missed you… and she was a turk… and there wouldn't be anything I could do about it."

Reno's fingers continued to stroke her cheek, "No, Sweetheart," he said softly, "Cissnei was in love with someone else."

"She was?"

"Yes. He died, and she left…" Reno trailed his hand down her shoulder, "She didn't want me, and she has no cause to want to hurt you."

Aura supposed that Reno's apparent lack of alarm was comforting. He did know Cissnei afterall, and if he thought that the girl didn't pose a threat, then she would believe him. "Okay."

"Alright, now…" He got quickly to his feet. "You sit there and read or do whatever you were doing… I'm going to make us some breakfast."

"I can help."

"Nah." He shook his head and walked back to the kitchen, "I've got it all organised, yo…"

Aura smiled, "Okay…"

The wave crashed and Aura jumped. Reno pressed a hand into her lower back, preventing her from being knocked backwards, or from fleeing. He heard her squeak when the cold water swelled around her waist, and she turned, her hands clinging to him. "It's okay…" he chuckled, slipping an arm around her waist.

"Ithinksomethingtouchedmyfoot."

"It's just seaweed…" Reno told her, unable to wipe the grin off of his face. He turned her around, so that she was facing the waves and placed both hands on her hips, "You need to watch to know when to jump."

"How am I meant to learn how to swim if waves keep trying to drown me?"

Reno grabbed Aura's wrist when the next wave hit, sweeping her past him, and hauled her to himself. He wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her closer and pulling her through the next wave as she clung to him. "We need to get out past the break…"

"Is this how you learned to swim?" Aura's legs went around his waist, holding tightly as Reno carried her deeper.

"No, I learned in a pool."

"ShinRa teach you?"

"Yes."

"… I think a pool would be easier, yo."

He smiled again when they were past the break, leaning back to look at her face. "I'll teach you properly in a pool when we go home, but for now…" he lifted her by her waist, raising an eyebrow at her until she loosened her legs from around him, "I'll teach you how to keep afloat and keep your head above water…"

"I…" Aura sank the moment he let her go and he lifted her again as she clutched at him. "I… can't reach…"

"It's okay…" He pushed the wet hair back from her face as unbroken waves swelled past them, lifting them higher. "It's okay. Don't panic…" He tried to soothe her when she clutched at him. "It's fine. I won't let you go… just calm down."

Aura took an obvious deep breath in an attempt to fight off panic and then her eyes met his as he lifted her through the next swell. "Promise…"

"I promise." He said, grinning, "Not until you're ready."

"Yes."

"First, you need to float…" Reno turned her again and helped her lean back, a hand firmly under her back, holding her up. "Float…" he told her, catching her when she tried to sit and sank instead.

"I'm too heavy…" She coughed, flailing until he lifted her again.

"That's certainly untrue." He laughed, "Just lay back… and don't try to look down… Eyes on the sky."

"Reno…"

"It's fine… You should be able to do this all day. Even over these waves." When he thought she was doing it well enough, he slowly took his hand away, smiling when she didn't sink. "Good… Okay, put your legs down…" He caught her as she sank, lifting her to himself again, pleased at the look on her face as she met his eyes. "It's about time I got to teach you something, yo."

Aura was clearly pleased with herself, and it was written right across her face. "Oh?"

"You taught me to read." He reminded her.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure you've taught me a thing or two since then."

"Ah…" Reno winked at her, "Well, you know that I'm ready to help you develop any skill you require… assistance… with."

"I know." She smirked at him and he felt his own grin widen.

"Here…" he showed her how to move on her own, "To tread water, you mainly use your legs. You shouldn't have to use your arms at all, and if you do, you'll tire more quickly. Use them mainly for balance…"

Aura squinted at the water, watching what he was doing before trying to replicate him. She was able to lift herself in the water, and Reno released her except for a hand at her waist, showing her how to easily use her own hands with his spare. "Like this?"

"Yeah… See how you can easily keep your head up just by doing that…"

"Yeah." She moved away and he let her go, watching as she was able to keep herself up, floating over the waves as they continued to roll past them. He should have expected her to be able to pick it up quickly. She'd always been able to do that. He continued to watch her for a while, pleased with the satisfied smirk that had worked its way onto her face.

"You can keep afloat like this for hours with minimal energy, yo."

"In case I ever fall out of a ship and am stranded in the ocean?"

Reno could hear the sarcasm in her voice, and he snaked an arm around her, dragging her toward himself again. "Yes, exactly." He liked the squeak that came out of her in response before she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and he felt her legs come around his waist again. "Are you done swimming?"

He watched her make a face, considering him. "Depends…" she said softly, "on if you think my skills need work."

"Ah…" he brought a hand up to her cheek, drawing her into a quick, salty, kiss. "Skills always need work." He pulled back enough to see her face, "And we will work on them when we go home… but for today, I think you've learned enough."

Aura looked over his shoulder and he knew that she was eyeing the beach. "…then we should definitely go and lay in the sun, yo."

"I think that sounds like a plan." Reno turned and began carrying Aura toward the sand. He hoped that there weren't going to be too many people around, as he already had thoughts about getting to rub sunscreen into her delightfully soft skin and he really didn't need witnesses to the stern test of his character that he suspected that was going to prove to be.