Happy Valentines Day and as a present here is the final chapter - I hope you all enjoyed it, I very much enjoyed writing the entire story :D
"Reno Sinclair." Reno answered the phone in his office on the third ring still a little unable to believe that he had both a phone and an office. Granted the office wasn't much bigger than a single bedroom but it was still an office (with a window and desk and everything).
"Ooh very formal." Roxas teased from the other end. Reno laughed.
"If I'd have known it was you I wouldn't have bothered." he teased back.
"Charming." Roxas replied playfully.
"I aim to please." Reno grinned. "What're you up to?"
"Just looking at hotel rooms for Axel and Tifa's wedding." Roxas told him. "I was thinking we could go up a few days earlier and spend some time just the two of us."
"As amazing as that sounds you have that book release signing on the twenty-third," Reno reminded him. "so we'll have to be around until then."
"Ah shit I'd forgotten about that." Roxas grumbled. Reno laughed.
"What would you do without me?" he teased.
"I clearly need a new assistant." Roxas stated. "You know, since my last one went and got himself a better job."
"If I hadn't eventually it would have just been you paying me to have sex with you." Reno pointed out.
"Yeah," Roxas sighed theatrically. "and I think there are a few laws that tend to frown upon that."
"Funny that," Reno laughed before turning the conversation to the original topic. "but if you do want to go up earlier I'm happy with that – just so long as it's after the twenty-third."
"Ok I'll have a look and see what I can find." Roxas replied. "I'll text you with details and stuff as I should probably let you get back to work."
"Might be an idea," Reno chuckled. "some of us still have work to do."
"I so have work to do!" Roxas exclaimed in mock annoyance.
"Really?"
"Ok I don't today," he relented. "but I will tomorrow…might do some of it later."
"As long as I get you all to myself tonight before Adam has you writing all hours again." Reno grinned.
"Don't worry I'm all yours tonight." Roxas replied playfully.
"Good."
"I'll see you later, don't work too hard."
"I never do." Reno chuckled. "I love you."
"Love you too, see you later." Roxas said before hanging up the phone. Reno smiled to himself before turning his attention back to the manuscript he had previously been reading through.
"So how are you finding working for Geanie?" Alice asked Reno as the two of them sat eating lunch in the small garden behind the offices.
"It's great!" Reno beamed. "He's so much fun to work with."
"That's pretty much what everyone who works in his department says." Alice grinned. "So have you been given a new book to edit yet?"
"Yeah, got my first one sent over about a week ago." Reno stated proudly.
"How are they?" Alice asked.
"Not too bad." he shrugged. "There's a lot to be done to the manuscript but I think it could be really good when it's done."
"Who's the author?"
"Someone called J.E. Reid," Reno told her. "this is their first novel."
"That would be why I've never heard of them." Alice stated. "Good on you though, for getting a newbie with an actual novel – most editors have to sift through a lot more crap before they can get an actual marketable novel out of one."
"Thanks." Reno replied grinning from ear to ear.
"So," Alice began slyly after a pause. "are the rumours that you're dating Roxas Richter true?"
"There are rumours?" Reno asked deliberately not giving a yes or no answer.
"Tink told me." Alice stated.
"And where did Tink hear it?" Reno asked, still avoiding the question.
"His cousin of course." Alice grinned.
"Of course," Reno shook his head. "silly question." Tink, as it turned out, was as much of a gossip as Naminé and when the two of them got together they were a force to be reckoned with.
"So it is true then?" Alice pressed.
"We became quite close when I worked for him and decided to give it a try once my contract ended." Reno told her, blurring the truth ever so slightly.
"But you got it on while he was your boss right?" Alice asked wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Reno rolled his eyes.
"Are you going to believe any answer I give that isn't what you want to hear?"
"Nope." Alice grinned.
"You're terrible."
Reno stood at the back of the bookstore watching Roxas as he dutifully answered another question from his audience. Even though Roxas was an author for a different department Gene had asked Reno if he wanted to go along to the signing for experience. Reno had jumped at the chance, partially for the experience and so that he could see Roxas in action.
He loved how animated he got when he talked about his work and it showed his enthusiasm and excitement for what he did. That was one thing Reno had noticed about the newbie author he had been assigned – she was every bit as passionate and excitable about her work as Roxas was about his. As soon as he had seen her eyes light up when she talked about her book Reno had known that they were going to get along just fine.
"We've got time for one more question," the event manager stated from the front of the room before pointing to a red-headed girl in one of the middle rows.
"Mr Richter how do you make sure that each of the sexual scenes you write are different?" she asked. "Because I've read every single one of your books and there are literally no two that are alike."
"Well," Roxas began. "I guess one of the main things I do is I go back and read what I've already written so that I know I'm not just recycling the same old stuff and I plan it out before I start so I know exactly what I'm going to be doing."
"Do you ever use real like experience and experimentation for new ideas for those scenes?" the girl asked. Roxas looked up, unsure how to answer, and at that moment his eyes locked with Reno's. Both of them flashed scarlet before turning away.
"Sometimes," Roxas said, clearing his throat. "it really depends on the circumstances."
Roxas did hire a new assistant; a sweet, quiet girl named Lizzie, with glasses and pristine hair, who reminded Reno of Zhu-Li from 'Legend of Korra'. Occasionally he had to stop himself from saying 'Zhu-Li: do the thing'. The old room that Reno had inhabited was converted into a study for him to work at home sometimes and he moved into the master bedroom with Roxas.
Roxas began working on his next novel but it was the one he had just written – 'Caught On Camera' – that held a special place in Reno's heart. It was because of that novel he had finally found himself a job that he loved and stuck with, snapping him out of his previous funk. It was because of that novel that he had found Roxas who was not only still his favourite writer but was fast becoming the absolute love of his life. And it was that novel that held the dedication 'for Reno: my friend, my lover, my inspiration'.
THE END
