A/N: For The Sacred and Profane! =)
Just Let It Go
Yuffie set another stack of dirtied mugs on the counter as Tifa started doing the dishes. The barmaid actually had a little bit of downtime amidst all the commotion in the bar to perform the tedious task of washing down the mugs.
"I haven't seen Turkey around here for a couple weeks, Teef," the shinobi stated with a nonchalant air about her passing comment. "I wonder where he's been getting drunk off his ass if it hasn't been here in Seventh Heaven…?" Yuffie glanced over her shoulder at all the other drunk patrons in the bar with a very noticeable grimace. "Disgusting," she muttered when she caught sight of one of the particularly smelly patrons.
The sound of his name, even though it was only Yuffie's casual nickname for him, sent nervous tingles down both of her arms, gooseflesh emerging on her skin in the wake of the weird feeling. Tifa tried to forget about it as much as she possibly could, choosing to distract herself instead by sticking to her task of wiping down the invincible stains on the mug in her hand.
She was avoiding eye contact with Yuffie at all costs.
That…just seemed to make the ninja more desperate in her attempts of getting the barmaid to say anything to her, though.
"Gaia to Tifa!?" Yuffie shouted, jumping onto one of the barstools and leaning over to stare at Tifa. "What the hell is wrong with you tonight, Teef? You're acting kinda…depressed and jumpy!" She paused for a moment to scratch her cheek with her forefinger. "Wait! You didn't take that special candy from my room did you?" She crossed her arms over her chest in her attempts at drawing out her 'persuading' look. "That was from…Reev---ah! Eh heh, um…it was a gift!?"
Tifa sighed in exasperation. She finally chose to look her young friend in the eye. I give up. "No, Yuffie. I didn't steal the candy that was in your room. I didn't even know there was any in there in the first place…and I certainly wouldn't have a reason to take it if I had known about it."
Yuffie wiped invisible sweat from her brow with a relieved smile on her face. "Whew! Good thing you didn't! That was specially from a certain…special…someone, and it's really really good stuff!" She licked her lips absentmindedly, obviously imagining eating one of the delectable goodies. When she finally snapped out of it, she stared at Tifa again. "Well, you're acting really weird tonight…and this whole past month, for that matter! Please, please, please, tell me what's wrong!?"
Tifa closed her eyes, shaking her head slowly. "I'm not acting strange. I just…"
"You just what?" Yuffie rested her chin on both of her hands, focusing intently on Tifa's answer. "Come on, Teef, spill the beans! You know you can trust me because I'm your best friend!" She chimed in a sing-song voice.
And I wouldn't want you as my enemy…ever. Not with those manipulation skills, Tifa thought, biting back a laugh.
Letting out another sigh, Tifa responded, "You're right…I guess. I'm just a little worried that…Reno hasn't shown up here for a…fairly long time."
"And you're getting yourself worked up over that because…?" Her brows shot up underneath her dark bangs in confusion. Tifa didn't respond. "Gawd, why? It's actually peaceful around here now that Turk the Jerk hasn't been coming in every single day!"
An invisible fist squeezed Tifa's gut. She tried to ignore it, and gave the ninja a tired look. "You don't understand, Yuffie. He's…"
Yuffie gasped, eyes suddenly widening in realization. "Aha! I know what the problem is! You and Turkey are working on a covert operation that you can't tell anyone about, otherwise it would have devastating consequences for anyone else involved, right!?" The ninja nodded eagerly. "I know I'm right!" She pumped her fist in the air.
Tifa quirked a brow. "No…"
"Okay…then you guys are bed-buddies going through a little rift in your secret tryst?" Yuffie tried again, purposely leaving the end of the comment sounding more like a question than a statement.
Tifa's jaw dropped in shock, but the blush staining her cheeks was easily noticed. "Bed…buddies? You have to be kidding me, Yuffie." The barmaid dropped the rag onto the counter and gave Yuffie a tired look.
"What did I say!?" Yuffie squealed nervously. "T-Teef!?" She was starting to look like a kicked puppy with the way her eyes were glimmering sadly.
Tifa simply ignored the young ninja, having been immune to Yuffie's despondent look after seeing it used so often. She walked around the counter to serve a customer who had just taken a seat at one of the many tables scattered around Seventh Heaven. "Can I help you, sir?"
"Yeah, you can help me, lady!" the man shot back grumpily. He glanced up at her, and Tifa gasped when she noticed that he had a severely bruised and swollen eye and several small cuts across his face, including what was obviously a broken nose. "You can serve me some goddamn beer without some idiot getting pissed at me for no reason before I get a chance to even drink the shit I ordered!"
He looked around, as if to make sure that there weren't any 'idiots' in this particular bar. "All I said was that I wondered if Tipsy Tavern was anything like this Seventh Heaven place! And the asshole punched me in my goddamn nose!" He gestured to his swollen nose to exaggerate his point.
Tifa cocked her head to the side slightly. "I'm not sure I know what you mean exactly, sir." She glanced around the bar to see several inquisitive faces listening in on their conversation. "We always serve our patrons whatever they ask for. And I can assure you that no one will start a fight in here."
"Not if they don't want Tifa to deal with them!" Yuffie chirped from the barstool she was still sitting on. At that point in time, though, Yuffie had gotten so bored that she was actually spinning around in circles on the stool. "No one's started a fight in here since…" Yuffie stopped spinning to scratch the top of her head in thought. "Hmm…well, since Turkboy the Fire-haired Loser first showed up here a few months after the whole Meteor crap was done and over with." She looked at the barmaid for reassurance. "Right, Teef?"
The angry man whipped around in his seat to stare at Yuffie incredulously. "Did you just say Turk, girl?"
Tifa's face became visibly paler than it was before. Oh, no.
Yuffie nodded energetically. "Yeah, why?"
The man's face started to redden in his fury. "Did he…happen to have…red hair?"
Yuffie nodded again, but this time, she made no verbal reply. She, as well as everyone else in the bar, was noticing how angry the man was becoming, and she was increasingly wary of that fact…being the self-proclaimed ninja she was.
His fists started to shake. "He's the one that did this to me!" He pointed to his nose again. "If you know that asshole, you sure as hell better go find him and tell him to…to-"
"Enough," Tifa calmly said, slowly raising one hand into the air. The man instantly quieted down, glancing up at the barmaid sheepishly. "I'll get you your beer, okay? On the house."
He nodded compliantly, murmuring unintelligibly to himself while Tifa walked back over to the bar counter to fetch his drink.
"Tifa?" Yuffie voiced cautiously when Tifa walked by her. "You're not actually gonna go find him, are you?" She laughed obnoxiously. "Because whatever the hell he's gotten himself into, he doesn't deserve someone like you to always bail him out. Plus, I still can't believe that he hasn't even shown his face around here in-"
"Yuffie," Tifa pressed, refraining from pouring the beer into the clean mug from the tap to give Yuffie an annoyed look. "Please, stop." She filled the beer to the brim and strode over to the angry man with confidence in her every step. He grabbed the drink out of her hand with a quick grunt of thanks.
She turned around for a moment. "Yuffie, watch the bar for me, will you?" Tifa started walking towards the door.
"You are going after him!" Yuffie shouted, apparently appalled. "Ugh, bad idea! Don't come crying to me when you-"
The rest of the ninja's comment was cut off as Tifa took a step outside, shutting the door behind her. She took a deep breath of the fresh night air to strengthen her resolve.
I should do this…I need to do this.
She nodded to herself as she made her way down the path leading to the Tipsy Tavern.
-X0-X0-X0-X0-X0-
The neon lights of the sign reading "The Tipsy Tavern" came into view after about ten minutes of walking. The mere sight of it made Tifa doubt herself for a moment. She shook her head quickly, forcing herself to continue no matter what.
Once she reached the main doors of the grungy bar, she realized that the odd sounds she had heard a while back were actually coming from inside. It sounded like men shouting. Tifa knew who was most probably causing all the ruckus.
She took a step inside.
And was not at all surprised to see Reno, smirking, in the center of a large group of angry men.
"Ah, come on!" Reno drawled. "What did I say?" He turned to one of the largest men, fluttering his eyelashes obnoxiously. "I told you I don't roll that way, man. Why can't you seem to underst-"
"Shut the hell up, Turk!" the angry man shouted. "You been trouble since you walked through the door!" He pointed to the door, where Tifa was actually still standing. Several curious eyes glanced her way when the man had gestured in her direction, but Reno was not one of them.
"I'm hurt, man. Real hurt." Reno's voice was laced with sarcasm. "I'm a paying customer… I have just as much of a right to be here as you asswipes do."
The man pointed to the door again. "Leave, or we make you leave."
Reno shook his head slowly. "Pushy." He pulled out his EMR from his back pocket. "So, I guess you're gonna have to make me leave." He cracked his neck on each side, obviously preparing himself for what was to come. "I love me a good fight."
Tifa hadn't realized it when it was happening, but from the moment she arrived at the Tipsy Tavern, she had been steadily walking closer and closer to the mob of drunks. It was like something else was controlling her…or so she'd tell herself.
I have to stop this before he gets himself killed…the idiot.
Reno got into his battle stance, wobbling slightly due to his intoxication. He was clearly no longer in a state fit for battle. He reached over to one of the nearby tables, grabbed a drink from it, chugged it, and tossed it over his shoulder. The shattering noise caused Tifa to jump.
It was bringing back memories…
---
"Ah, Tifa. Don't be so clumsy all the time, kay? I won't always want to pick up the pieces."
His voice was filled with nonchalance, but Tifa was the only one who was able to detect the hint of concern it was laced with.
She looked up as he crouched down next to her, gently placing her hands in his so he could examine the cuts. "Tch. You got lucky. These could've been a lot deeper."
He smirked.
Tifa sighed, ignoring the tinge of pain as Reno plucked the shards of glass out of her skin. "Thank you, Reno." Her heart fluttered when she felt his warm breath on her hands.
His eyes were still focused downward. "Hmm. For what?"
"For sticking with me all the time…as my friend." He looked at her then. "It means a lot to me."
He laughed. "No problem. You know you can always count on me."
---
Tifa shook her head to rid herself of the unwanted memory, forcing herself to return to the matter at hand. If she didn't hurry, Reno would definitely get his skull mashed in by one of those drunks. Sure, he was a Turk…but he was a really drunk Turk…completely surrounded by a huge group of angry, drunk men. He'd put up a good fight, but…numbers were against him.
"Ooh, what do we have here?" One of the men surrounding Reno finally noticed her, and was staring at her with a ravenous look in his eyes. "Not many women come 'round here. That Seventh Heaven place is more pop'lar. But, eh…" He broke apart from the group, leaving a gap in the circle of men where she could be easily seen by Reno. "Yer welcome to join us here." He trailed a hand down her arm, leaving Tifa shivering in disgust. "We could have some fun, eh?" His hand went up to touch her face, but she slapped it away.
"Please, leave me alone. I'm not here to drink…or have fun." She would've pushed him away - he was entirely too close to the barmaid for comfort - but that would've required touching the man…something Tifa certainly did not want to do.
He cocked his head to the side slightly. "What's…eh? Why you here then, beautiful?"
Tifa resisted the urge to gag at the term of endearment. She finally looked away from the old drunk, and into the aquamarine orbs of the man she was here for. "I came to take him off your hands."
The Turk stared at her, eyes completely emotionless. It wasn't a look Tifa was used to seeing, which surprised her. He looked so…indifferent toward her.
"Good!" One of the men grabbed an unwilling Reno by the collar, pushing him towards Tifa. "Get the hell outta here!" Tifa grabbed Reno's arm, making their way to the door. "And don' ever let him come back here!" There were grunts of agreement heard all throughout the dingy bar.
Tifa and Reno rushed through the door and took a liberating step outside. Yes…fresh air again. Tifa's heart rate finally started to decelerate. She honestly hadn't even noticed that it was racing in the first place. Why do I let him have such an effect on me…still? It's not like he even cares anymore.
She snuck a glance at him out of the corner of her eye as they continued to walk with no specific destination in mind. He caught her glance and stared right back.
"What do you think you were doing, Reno?" She finally voiced after several moments of uncomfortable silence. "You could've gotten yourself really hurt…or killed!" She stopped walking when he gave no hint of even listening to her. "Hey!" she shouted.
He froze a few feet ahead, back still facing her.
She took a few shaky breaths. Why do I feel like I'm about to cry? He's not worth any more tears. No…
"Reno, please look at me."
His shoulders visibly slumped, and he slowly, deliberately turned around to face her.
She gasped when she looked at his face. He appeared to be so forlorn…his face was completely blank. This was not the Reno she had known for the past several months. No. Something happened…and she needed to know what that was.
"Why were you starting fights in that bar?"
He made a clucking noise and crossed his arms. He had sobered exponentially. Perhaps the mix of the fresh air and being in Tifa's company had played a role in helping that along. And the indifferent look was still on his face, but joined by another emotion: anger. "Why the hell should I tell you, Lockhart?" He shook his head slowly. "You have no right to know anything."
Her heart plummeted to her feet. Lockhart? He hasn't called me that since the Avalanche days. Tifa was in a painful state of confusion, sending her head spinning. Why is he being so cruel to me?
"What?" she managed to voice. "Reno, I don't understand." She took a few steps toward him, hand outstretched. He countered her gesture by taking a quick step back. Tifa crossed her arms tightly in an attempt to dull the pain she was feeling in her chest. She wasn't about to let the barrier break. Not after keeping it sealed up for a month.
The barmaid took another shaky breath. "Reno, why are you acting like this? I need to know."
Reno laughed, but it was not a pleasant laugh. It was a hard, spiteful, angry laugh. The sound of it made Tifa feel incredibly uneasy. "You wanna know why I'm acting like this, Lockhart?" Tifa nodded. "Well, I wanna know why you seem to give a damn!"
Tifa blinked, completely astonished. "Why wouldn't I care, Reno?" She took a few steps closer to him, but this time he didn't back away. He stayed right where he was, still looking pissed off. "How could you even think that I wouldn't want to be there for you when you needed someone?" Her watery gaze dropped to the floor. "I thought you understood that…after everything."
Reno gave another hard laugh. "Yeah, after everything. I guess I'm a little confused then, too, Lockhart. Because I was under the impression that you actually gave a damn about me at one point. I mean, hell, I was there for you when that asshole never was! So I made the mistake of thinking that we had something…"
Tears spilled down Tifa's cheeks. There was no hope to seal the barrier back up now. "We do have something. And it means everything to me that you were there for me when I needed support. You were the one person I could count on to -"
"But that wasn't even worth shit once he came back from moping over that dead chick, right?" Reno closed the distance between them, shouting right in her face. Tifa flinched but didn't back away. "Because you welcomed him back with goddamned open arms, didn't ya!?"
Tifa's eyes widened, more tears cascading down her cheeks.
Reno nodded, an angry smirk on his face. "Yeah, that's what I thought. I'm not that stupid. I saw you two together." His hands balled into fists. "I still can't believe you let him kiss you after all the pain and shit he put you and those kids through."
Tifa shook her head slowly, a look of anger on her face. "You're right about one thing, Reno."
His eyebrows raised a fraction.
"You aren't that stupid." She paused for a moment. "You are a complete idiot!" She shoved his chest with as much force as she could muster, and he staggered backwards a few steps.
Once he righted himself, he glared at her angrily, but there was a noticeable trace of confusion in his gaze. "Please, go on. I'd love to hear what else you have to say about me. Since you seem to know me so well, that is."
Tifa hiccupped, crossing her arms. "I d-do know you well, Reno. And I'm sorry to say that I wasn't at all surprised when you stopped showing your face in my bar." He harrumphed. "Yeah, Reno. It was something you would do. Run! So laugh about it." She blinked away her tears. "Because I find it hilarious that you think you know everything." She tried to push him again, but this time, he caught her arms in his firm grasp. He didn't let go.
"But I do know everything." He smirked disdainfully.
Tifa shook her head forcefully. "No you don't, you…you j-jerk!" Her hands balled into fists and she squeezed the fabric of his black jacket. "If you would've been smart enough to wait a few more minutes after you saw Cloud k-kiss me, you -"
"Why the hell would I want to sit there and watch you and mercenary-boy make kissy faces at each other!?" Reno interrupted.
She tugged her hands out of his grasp angrily. She continued as if she wasn't just cut off, "You would've s-seen me push him away…and tell him that it wouldn't…c-couldn't work between us."
"Yeah, that's what I thought---wait, what!?" Reno shouted, eyes widening considerably.
"Cloud made me wait for him for such a long time," Tifa stated wistfully. She crossed her arms and took another shaky breath to calm herself down. "And there was someone else that had helped me heal…c-cared for me. I had already lost hope in Cloud. I couldn't count on him not to go back to the way he was before…and run." She laughed sadly. "But that's what everyone seems to do, huh. Run from me. I g-guess I get used to it after awhile."
"Shit!" Reno cursed as the martial artist started to walk away from him. "Tifa, wait." He grabbed onto her arm and pulled her back to him. She reluctantly looked up into his eyes. He cursed when he noticed that there were fresh tears making their way down Tifa's cheeks.
"I thought I was in love with you…you know," she whispered.
Reno growled. "Fuck, don't use past tense on me, Teef!"
Tifa's shoulders shook. "And w-why not? You hurt me, Reno! How can I be sure that you won't bolt again just like Cloud always did!?"
Reno swore again, pulling Tifa into his chest where she let more tears fall to become absorbed into the fabric of his jacket. She heard the quick pitter-patter of his heart through his shirt. "Because I always fuck everything up…but that would never change the way I feel about you. Ever."
Tifa gasped into his shirt. Her warm breath sent pleasant tingles down the Turk's spine.
She pulled away slightly, mahogany orbs locking onto his aquamarines. "I don't want to hurt anymore."
"Dammit, Tifa, I don't want that either. And I am so sorry!" he pleaded. "You have to forgive me for being such an asshole! I just…I didn't know."
"Yeah, you didn't know!" Tifa shot back, but her ire was quickly dissipating.
Reno shook his head sadly, his red bangs falling over his bright eyes. "Please give me a shot?"
Tifa sighed, wiping away her tears one last time. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Tifa's fist suddenly connected with Reno's face with enough force to knock a dozen Soldiers off their feet. So naturally, Reno was airborne for a few seconds before he landed with a loud thump on the hard concrete. He clutched his eye, writhing in pain.
Tifa walked over, standing over him to glance down. "There. I gave you a shot."
Reno groaned painfully. "I deserved that…" he moaned. "But that's not what I meant."
To his complete surprise, Tifa let out a small laugh. She placed her feet on either side of him before squatting over to get right in his face. "I know what you meant."
Reno gently removed his hand from his eye, watching the girl above him cautiously. "Tifa…?"
She closed the distance between them, giving him a small, yet passionate kiss. It was fleeting…and it was over before either of them would've liked it to be. Reno hoped it would be the first kiss of many more to come...but he could never be too careful for what he wished for. It may not always come true.
Tifa sighed, straightening herself and lowering her hand down so she could help Reno up. He accepted the gesture readily and was swiftly pulled to his feet. "So does this mean-?"
"You do something like this again and you're gone," she replied simply. She started to walk away again, but when she noticed that he wasn't following her, she stopped and turned around, a look of slight confusion on her face. "You coming?" She smiled softly.
He let out a relieved sigh. "Yeah." He ran to catch up with her. "I'm with you, Teef."
They continued walking towards Seventh Heaven, and after a few minutes, Tifa felt something gentle touch her hand, then close around it. She glanced down to see Reno's hand protectively holding hers. She smiled again.
You better stick with me through it all, Reno…
Somehow, she knew he would.
-X0-X0-X0-X0-X0-
As always, feedback is much appreciated! Thanks!
-koala