A/N: Rated M for language and sexual content. Standard disclaimer applies.
Updated 10/19/2020: Edits throughout. New scenes between Reno and Tifa as well as Tifa and Barret.
Chapter 21:
"Reno," the wild-haired Turk heard Tseng say from inside his office.
Again, Tseng's tone conveyed neither anger nor encouragement. Of course, the pit in Reno's stomach had an idea about why Tseng may be calling him into his office. It wasn't like Reno had a clear conscience, but he strolled into Tseng's office as if he did.
"What's up, boss?" he said with a certain level of confidence.
"Have a nice time this weekend?" Tseng asked.
It was a question Tseng had never asked before. He never found it useful to discuss what happened in the private lives of his subordinates, but that didn't mean he didn't know what they did outside of work. Tseng was a careful man, but he was also Rufus' right-hand adviser now that Heidegger and Scarlet were dead. Rufus had never quite cared for Reeve, and the former toy-cat operator was too busy building Edge to be very helpful for Rufus anyway.
Having the leader of the Turks as a right-hand man allowed Rufus to keep tabs on all his employees and any suspicious, anti-Shinra activity in the world, since the organization was spread throughout various key cities. In order to accomplish this, however, Tseng needed to know what all his underlings were up to at any given moment, so unbeknownst to them, he had his own separate sources to keep an eye on whether they were up to anything seedy that might come back to haunt Shinra. He didn't relish this part of his job, but he wanted to get ahead of any issues before Rufus might learn about them, as Tseng was pretty sure the president had his own separate spies beyond the Turks.
No one trusted anyone.
Reno's eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"…Yes sir?" he offered, warily.
"Good," Tseng said, lowering his gaze back to his work. "That's all."
Reno blinked a few times before moving, unsure whether he was really just called into his boss' office to be asked about his weekend. Tseng knew something. He was testing Reno. What else could Reno have said? Was his answer satisfactory or did he say something to make Tseng distrust him now?
He turned to leave but was stopped by Tseng's voice when he reached the door.
"Oh, and Reno," Tseng said.
Why did everyone wait until he was at the door to drop the hammer? "Make sure the chopper has enough fuel to fly to Junon tomorrow."
Again, Reno was unsure whether that was a normal command or an indication that Tseng knew about his weekend getaway with Tifa (and the other two). Reno was no fool, he figured Tseng must have known. but Tseng wasn't the type to come out and say anything and he wasn't the type to discipline someone for something so trivial (in Reno's mind). Reno figured this was Tseng's way of warning him to be more careful in the future;, at least that's how the redhead chose to interpret the interaction.
He left Tseng's office and glanced at Rude, who was eyeing him from behind his sunglasses. It would surprise no one to know that Reno couldn't tan, so his appearance at work looking even a little pink let Rude and Elena know something was up. The fair-skinned redhead avoided the sun like, well, Vincent Valentine. Reno knew Rude was starting to suspect things, and he knew he'd have to deal with that at some point, but that was Future Reno's problem. Today he got to spend entirely with his chopper, which was – dare he think it – the next best thing to spending the day with Tifa.
He passed Elena as he walked with exaggerated swagger out the Turks' office to make his way to the helipad on the roof. He had spent Sunday evening thoroughly cleaning the chopper of any sand or saltwater and Tifa's hair. He enjoyed that woman and her long tresses, but goddamn it that hair got everywhere. He found some wrapped around one of the levers on the control panel of the chopper. How the hell did that even happen? Tifa was only mildly leaning over the seats for a few seconds. And she had her hair up in a messy bun. And it was under a hat.
But he got it all cleaned up – and refueled on the off chance someone at Shinra was checking the tank every morning. Of course, Tseng may not have known Reno took care of all this yesterday, so the redhead felt he could get away with fiddling around with the helicopter until it was time to go on one last patrol.
He had spent the other week avoiding Tifa for a specific purpose, and he felt he achieved a few points during the Costa del Sol flight, even if he did go too far on the heavy petting. Though she actually texted him back a few times after the trip, something she had never done before. Progress.
Now he was considering telling her about being out of town. It'd be a leap for him, and it was taking a chance – maybe she wouldn't care that he was going out of town for an indefinite amount of time. She hadn't actually given any indication to him that she missed him prior to getting shot.
Shit, what if she didn't?
Eh, that hadn't stopped him from sending her texts before as if he knew about her feelings. Maybe this time he should tell her where he was going to be, especially since he didn't know when he'd be back and the last time he left her alone for a few days she nearly got killed. Still, letting her miss him after another pleasant encounter might just seal his place in her… heart.
Even though he had cleaned the interior of the helicopter the evening before, he still found more evidence of his excursion. He may have been able to pass off Tifa's long ebony hair as Tseng's, but his boss hadn't been in the chopper in a while, and for some reason the Wutaian didn't seem to shed like everyone else Reno knew with long hair. The redhead took his time, since he didn't want to be sitting around doing nothing with the rest of his comrades downstairs.
He was rinsing off the exterior of the helicopter after giving it a thorough outer wash – another one just to be safe – when the other Turks arrived to retrieve him for their patrol.
Knowing this would be his last patrol for a while made the whole episode so much less daunting, though the three were sick of it all by the time they reached Seventh Heaven. Ringmaws, grashtrikes, and even a few blugus gave them a workout, but all fell in the end by the three Turks determined to drink.
They took their usual seats at the bar and quietly sipped their first beverages as they calmed down from their battles and pondered the potential boredom they faced in Junon.
Tifa tried her best to hide flushed cheeks whenever her glance caught Reno's, but the Turk's smirk made her heart race. The physical response contradicted the torture she'd put herself through all day, ever since Barret and Marlene left that morning.
Flashback…
"I'm only gonna say this one more time," Barret said with a heavy sigh; neither angry nor demanding. They were standing in the garage next to Seventh Heaven where Barret had parked his truck. He had just closed the passenger-side door to secure Marlene inside when he turned back to Tifa. "Be careful."
"I know, Barrett," Tifa responded, trying not to let her irritation show. Barret was getting ahead of himself. "Thank you for worrying about me."
"Strife loves you, Tifa," Barret's words cut through her heart like a knife, physically painful to hear. Cloud had given no indication of this love for a year and he broke her heart… several times. "His stuff is still here. He's coming back."
Tifa turned her face and clenched her teeth. Her hands balled into fists as she bit back her immediate reaction. Barret was as well-meaning as they came, but his words felt like a slap in the face. Was she supposed to just sit around waiting for Cloud because it was convenient for AVALANCHE? She swallowed her tensions and released her breath.
"He left me, Barret. I'm not going to spend my life waiting for him to come back," she said with measured calm. "We don't know when – or if – that will ever happen."
"I know, I'm sorry, I just meant that…" his voice trailed off. He slumped his shoulders and walked around the truck to the driver's side door, pausing with his hand on the handle. "I just want you to be happy, Tifa."
"I am, Barret," Tifa said with a receptive smile as Barret nodded and entered the vehicle.
He and Marlene waved (Marlene more enthusiastically) as they pulled out of the driveway and turned toward the road that would take them out of Edge.
Tifa let out a heavy sigh when they left, instantly feeling the crushing loneliness that had so often invaded her thoughts over the past year. As obstinate as Barret's words made her feel, she couldn't help tat least considering them. Cloud hadn't moved out; he hadn't taken all his things. And really, he'd only been physically gone six months. That wasn't that long, was it?
But Reno reminded her what it felt like to be wanted, even if she still didn't think he was capable of love. He made her smile when all she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry, and he kept putting up with her depression over Cloud. Could he really just be doing all this to get into her pants?
Present day…
Rude noticed the slightest of smirks cross Tifa's lips once when she caught Reno's gaze. Her skin was no longer so pale, showing a slight tan and pink cheeks that hadn't been there the week before. His eyes narrowed behind his glasses, trying not to connect her tan and Reno's own pink hue. His best friend wouldn't do this to him; all those little puzzle pieces he had been putting together over the past few months were just the result of his own insecurities, he continued to tell himself. Besides, Elena hadn't said anything, and she loved to let everyone know what she suspected about people.
Reno acted like any other night: He made small talk, checked out other women in the bar, and complained about sitting around in Junon listening to science talk.
What Rude didn't see was the gears in Reno's head turning, plotting how he could get Tifa alone. Having failed the entire night, the redhead shifted off his barstool along with his colleagues to procure payment for their bar tabs. He opened his wallet and removed enough gil to cover his tab and just a few gil extra for a tip. He moved to return his wallet to his back left pants pocket but casually let the thin, nondescript leather item plop to the ground, the sound muffled by the shuffling of patrons as they made for the exit.
He soon joined Rude and Elena outside as the three climbed the ladder next door to begin their treks home. The rooftop pathways would make it harder for him to slip back to Tifa's, since he couldn't simply hide around a building a block away until Rude and Elena were out of sight. His height and shocking red hair made him stick out in a crowd, so he waited until he was nearly back to his apartment building before slinking back to Seventh Heaven under the auspices of wallet retrieval.
He hopped down from the building next door instead of using the ladder, his feet landing on the sidewalk with a crackle as bits of cement scratched against concrete. He straightened up with a lopsided grin on his face and dusted his hands, strolling to the front door of Seventh Heaven with high expectations.
He quickly found the door locked and the lights turned off.
He assumed Tifa would still be closing up, since he was a fast walker and his building was 10 minutes from the bar. She either left the cleaning for later or finished quickly. He tried not to read too much into the change of pace so soon after their encounter in Costa del Sol, but he figured he would just have to head home.
As he approached the familiar ladder and gripped its lower rungs, however, a delicate sneeze caught his attention. He quickly looked around and found no one, but the sound didn't seem to come from the ground. His eyebrows knitted together and he looked toward the sky over Seventh Heaven. Was it possible?
He released the ladder and padded around the bar to his favorite alley in Edge. He couldn't see her, but he knew she couldn't be asleep already and the lights were off upstairs. He climbed atop the dumpsters with all the silence of a cat burglar and hopped up to the windowsill outside her bedroom. He hung from the wooden beam and hoisted himself up and onto the roof. No mere mortal would have been able to copy his moves.
Meanwhile…
Tifa leaned against the parapet and closed her eyes, her face turned up toward the stars. Too much light pollution kept her from seeing what she wanted tonight, but if she closed her eyes she could imagine the swirl of galaxies in Nibelheim. Clarity had not found her when she heard the scuffing of boots on the roof next to her, knowing instantly to whom they belonged.
"Still relying on Turk instincts?" she asked calmly, remaining as she had been before he scrambled up the side of her building. The picture of relaxed.
"You're lucky I'm not the enemy anymore, or you'd have a big problem on your hands right about now," he teased.
Tifa opened her eyes to find not the stars sparkling high above her but the grin of a redheaded Turk. He stood next to her, bending at the waist to hover his head over hers as he smiled at her with roguish charm.
"You think you were so quiet climbing up here? Please," she said, a smile flashing across her lips. "If you were really a threat I would have taken you out as soon as you touched the dumpsters."
"Babe, you coulda been a Turk if ya hadn't gone all eco-terrorist."
Tifa gave him a knowing glance for his comment.
"Come back for this?" she asked, suddenly producing his wallet from the pocket of her skirt and holding it up between two fingers just above her chest. "You should be more careful where you leave your personal belongings."
"Did ya look through it?" he asked, snatching the item from her grasp and sitting down next to her. He folded one knee and rested his elbow on it while extending the other one out alongside hers, skimming the material of her thigh-highs.
"Of course," she responded matter-of-factly.
"And?"
Tifa sat up straighter. "A few gil, your business card, and a receipt for a Sniper CR."
"Exactly," Reno said, smugly, though he was surprised she hadn't taken the extra gil to make up for the weak tip he left.
"A decoy?"
"My real Shinra badge is clipped to me and I only carry enough cash to cover a bar tab."
"And the receipt?"
"Lets the person who found it know who they're messing with."
"I did think it was a little light for a Turk wallet," Tifa said, looking back up at the only star she could see.
"Lost my real one once back when I was a rookie," Reno confessed. "Had an entire paycheck and an old fake I.D. in it. Punk thought he could take on the Red Li—" he cut himself off.
"The Red what?"
"Heh, nothin'. So, have fun yesterday?"
"You know... I did," Tifa said as if she were surprised by the admission. She would shelve his little backstory tidbit in the back of her mind, for now.
"Good," Reno said as he moved a hand to her chin and directed her face toward his.
He leaned forward to kiss her; not aggressively, but far from tender. Tifa assumed this style of his was learned over years of kissing women ahead of sex. And it certainly worked.
She was instantly caught up in his charms, crashing into him like a lovesick teenager being kissed for the first time. Her hands found his neck as they had the day before and she tugged at his ponytail. He growled suggestively and bit her lower lip before thrusting his tongue into her awaiting mouth.
She felt her inhibitions lower with each flick of his tongue, and she had to keep reminding herself that she was not one of the girls he usually went after, even if she could now see how easy it was for him to pick up women. If she didn't stop this soon, she'd get swept away by her hormones.
Reno wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close as they sat atop the Seventh Heaven roof, under the wayward stars. His other hand slowly slid from her neck up to her cheek, where he curled some of her tresses around his fingers. He kept the other at the small of her back, letting his fingertips sink beneath the waistband of her skirt. He didn't move his hand lower yet, allowing himself to get caught up in the possibilities.
And then they were crushed.
Tifa pulled away gently and bit her lower lip as his hand still tangled in her hair and cupped her cheek. The sparkle in her eyes had dulled and Reno felt a pit in his stomach, the kind of feeling he got when he knew a mission was about to go horribly wrong.
"I can't do this," she said, all emotion suddenly leaving her voice.
"Do what?" he asked, fearing the answer as the pit continued to grow.
"Whatever you're trying to do," she responded, pulling away from him and bringing her knees up to her chin. "I've only ever loved one man my entire life." She looked straight forward, beyond the rooftop but at nothing in particular. "The thought of opening myself up again, even a little, it's…"
Reno shuffled to sit next to her and propped an arm up on his knee again, looking in the same direction as Tifa.
"I get it," he said, exhaling.
Tifa blinked and turned her head to look at him. Had Reno been in love before? She'd never imagined it was possible, given his promiscuity. But now that she was thinking about it, it would make sense as to why he was this way.
"You do?" she asked, eyes wide and wondering if she'd hear the story.
Reno glanced at her briefly, noting how expectant she appeared. He turned back to look straight ahead.
"More than you know," he said with a heavy sigh, looking up at the sky
Now Tifa was curious, like she'd just found a lost puppy she was quietly trying to approach. Maybe she really did want a lost soul to save, as Reno had suggested weeks ago. She twisted toward him and leaned forward, closing the distance between them and supporting herself on her arms. He avoided her gaze, though it proved difficult.
Only two living people in the world other than Reno knew the story, and it had been easy for him to keep it to himself the past decade. She wouldn't crack him, no matter how pretty she was. Slowly, hesitantly, like she was reaching toward that aforementioned puppy, Tifa placed a hand on Reno's cheek for comfort. He settled into the warmth of her hand, closing his eyes and relishing the sympathy before reminding himself that he didn't need nor deserve such support.
His head tilted into her hand and he opened his eyes to look at her.
"You don't have to tell me, but if you ever want to, I'm here," she said, eyes full of genuine concern.
He smirked.
"Don't hold your breath," he said, giving her a coy smile, "but thanks."
They remained with their lips just inches apart for what felt like an eternity, before Tifa's cheeks reddened and she had to look away, removing her hand from his cheek as well. A lopsided grin appeared on Reno's face before quickly fading. Something had happened to make her pull away, something more than just fear.
"So, what'd Wallace say?" he asked.
"How'd you know?" Reno stared at her through heavy-lidded eyes. "Right. Well, he said exactly what you'd expect."
"And you agree with him?"
"Not completely, but he brought up some good points."
Reno sat back against the parapet and groaned. He knew Wallace would say something after their beach trip, he just thought Tifa wouldn't listen. She had spent the past six months getting to know the Turks, after all. Could Barret have really erased everything he had built?
"He just doesn't want me to get hurt," Tifa explained. "And neither do I. I can't take that again."
"Well, for what it's worth, I'm not lookin' to hurt ya," Reno said. He was surprised by the admission. He was surprised by the sincerity of the admission. He was lying, wasn't he? Anything to get Tifa into bed, that was the goal, right? "Funny enough, I actually came here to tell ya I'm gonna be gone for a while, didn't want ya to think I skipped out again."
"Really?"
"Heh, yeah. No more playing games like before."
"Hmm," Tifa considered his response. Could she trust a Turk? This could all be a new game; lies upon lies.
Her heart twinged. She couldn't deny that when she was around Reno she found herself thinking less and less about Cloud. She hadn't even actually cried over the blond in a couple weeks – and she knew Reno was a big reason for that. He made her laugh and she somehow felt comfortable in his presence. He and the rest of his colleagues were definitely not the same people who chased AVALANCHE around the world two years ago, and Tifa was beginning to think they never really were. Maybe they were all just pawns in Shinra's games.
But Barret had made some good points. Maybe Cloud did plan to come back, but if he did, should she even take him back after what he'd said and done? Misguided as he was, Reno had been there for her more often than not these past few months.
Her head was a mess, yet Reno seemed to know this and still keep coming back. Maybe she was at a point where she just needed to let go and see where things went. She'd keep her guard up, for sure, but she couldn't go on wallowing anymore. It had been six months. Cloud couldn't just walk through her front doors and think everything would go back to how it was last year. Barret wasn't always right.
"Where are you going?" she asked after a long pause.
"Junon. Rufus thinks the Shinra scientists there might have some answers about what's going on with the fiends," he spoke to her as if he were briefing his colleagues, a strange change of tone for the Turk. He turned to look at her again. "Like I said before, I'll let you know what I find out."
Tifa was surprised he remembered making the offer last month.
"How will Rufus feel about that?"
"Ain't you AVALANCHE people looking into this, too?" Reno asked. "Who says we can't make discoveries on our own?"
"Be careful," Tifa replied. Reno beamed.
"You know me, babe," he said, jabbing himself in the chest with his thumb, "I'm always careful."
He chuckled and stood up, again looming over her as she continued to sit on the rooftop. He offered her a hand and pulled her up, waiting until she brushed the dirt from her skirt to give her another cocky grin.
"It's getting late, and I'm on helicopter duty tomorrow," he said when she looked at him again. She nodded. "I'll let you know when I'm back."
Before she could say anything, he leaned forward to give her a quick kiss on the forehead. He knew she wasn't completely against the idea of him again – Wallace had just gotten into her head. He'd made it this far, and he was not one to back down from a challenge. She smiled softly as he removed his lips from her.
She watched as he disappeared effortlessly over the side of the building; a cat moving swiftly between the alley walls. Barret's words still spun in her mind, but she couldn't help smiling over her encounter with Reno.
She'd be cautious, but if nothing else, maybe she could get more information about the monster attacks.
The next day…
For some reason Rufus demanded four bodyguards to accompany him on the trip to Junon. To talk to scientists. In a secured facility. Reno would have objected to the trip by saying that as second-in-command he should stay behind to hold down the fort, but he really didn't want to pass up a chance to fly his baby.
It made some sense to protect Rufus when he was recovering at Healen Lodge and was seriously weakened, but now it was just ostentatious. Then again, Rufus always had a flair for the dramatics.
Reno and his colleagues had been on the helipad with their bags for the past hour waiting for Rufus. Reno and Rude kept themselves busy with their pre-flight checks aboard the helicopter, while Elena tried to engage Tseng in conversation. The director, however, maintained his professional demeanor to be prepared for the president.
Rufus finally arrived on the roof with a couple attendants carrying his luggage. Reno helped the assistants secure the items and returned to the cockpit. Now he really was someone's chauffeur.
They lifted off and were in Junon within an hour. The aircraft landed on the Shinra helipad at the Junon headquarters, where Rufus quickly disappeared into the building with a different set of assistants carrying his bags. Tseng lingered a moment to address Reno, Rude, and Elena.
"Don't get into any trouble," he said in his usual stern tone. "And see what you can dredge up about the monster situation. People around here are bound to have some theories."
With a wave of his hand, Tseng dismissed them and turned to follow Rufus. As soon as he was out of sight, Reno took command.
"So, bar?" he asked.
Rude nodded.
"Shouldn't we do as Tseng said?" Elena asked, like the teacher's pet she was.
"What better place to hear what the people are thinking than at a bar?" Reno replied. "You think we're just going to drink? Tch, 'Lena, you've still got so much to learn."
Elena rolled her eyes and looked to Rude for backup, as if that were even a possibility. Rude would always back up Reno over her.
"Fine," she pouted, prompting a grin from Reno.
"Off we go then," the redhead said.
Meanwhile…
Another cure spell had done the trick. Tifa's gunshot wound was completely healed with only a minor scar. No more pain when she stretched or twisted. She silently thanked Elena for forcing her to go to the hospital. She had plenty of scars on her body, which made her self-conscious even though the only man in her life who had ever seen her naked had more scars than she did.
With the Turks off in Junon, she found herself suddenly feeling lonely. Sure, Marle wasn't too far away, and neither were Wymer or Andrea, but her home was empty. She had gone from being alone to being surrounded by people to being alone again, and each time she was by herself now she started to feel some kind of crushing pressure in the air around her, like she was underwater struggling to reach the surface.
She couldn't keep going on like this. She had to get stronger. She needed to be okay with being alone. Or maybe she should invite Yuffie to visit for a while.
Yuffie had stayed with her and Cloud for a couple weeks after the bar and apartment were finished. She planned on staying longer, but two weeks was beyond Cloud's limit. Yuffie's immaturity never bothered Tifa, but her teasing – especially after Cloud had shown any affection toward Tifa – really grated on him. He started suggesting she leave after the first week. He was all but pushing her out the door by the end of the second.
Tifa now sat in her kitchen with a bunch of empty chairs. She had made sure the kitchen was big enough to fit an eight-person table, just in case everyone from AVALANCHE wanted to visit at the same time. That never happened, and so now she sat at the head of the table with nothing but memories to fill the other chairs. She sighed and took a sip of coffee, her legs crossed under the table and her hair still drying from her shower.
At least she wouldn't be alone once the bar was opened. Barret had considered staying an extra week to make sure there was no more trouble, but he needed to get Marlene back to school and as much as he knew Tifa wanted the company right now, he also knew she wouldn't appreciate being treated as though she couldn't take care of herself.
She sighed again and looked at the clock on the back of the stove. Yuffie was probably awake since it was still the night before in Wutai. Tifa pulled out her PHS and scrolled to her friend's number in her contacts list.
"Hey Tifa!" Yuffie said excitedly over what Tifa could tell was a large crowd in a noisy bar.
"Hey Yuffie, you busy?" Tifa asked as she traced the lines of wood grain in the table.
"No, let me just get outside," the younger woman said.
For a few moments Tifa heard people shouting and the muffled sounds of Yuffie pushing through a crowd before everything became quieter.
"Whew, that's better!" the young ninja said. "So, what's up?"
"Oh, nothing, sorry to bother you, sounds like you were at a party."
"Nah, just some lame bar trying to find a boyfriend. You okay?"
Tifa didn't want to ruin her friend's evening with her melancholy.
"Yeah, just lonely. Barret and Marlene left yesterday and the house is now empty…"
"So, Blondie still hasn't come back?"
"…No."
"Honestly, Teef, I think it's time to let him go and find someone new," Yuffie took no pleasure in saying the words, but at this point she thought her friend needed to hear them. Yuffie adored Cloud and his relationship with Tifa, but it had been six months since he just upped and left and no one had seen or heard from him since. He didn't want to be found at this point, and whatever his reason for leaving, it wouldn't be good enough for her and it shouldn't be good enough for Tifa.
"I don't know," Tifa said, promising herself not to tell Yuffie about Reno.
"You don't have to do anything now, just keep it in the back of your mind," Yuffie offered. "Hey, how about this, why don't I come down in a few days and we'll go out and get so drunk we'll forget all about Spike."
Tifa chuckled softly.
"Okay Yuffie, that sounds good."
"Awesome, see you soon."
At least Tifa wouldn't be alone for much longer. Yuffie was a much better option than trying to deal with her loneliness cold turkey, she told herself.
Later…
The theater's construction was moving right along. The stage was nearly finished, and the audience seats had arrived. Tifa was helping the welders move the rows of seats into place when her phone started ringing. She excused herself and tried to find an area of the building that wasn't taken over by hammering, drilling, welding, or sawing.
She gave up and went outside, braving the streets. She stuck to the wall of the theater in the shade, hoping any monsters that went past would either ignore her (unlikely) or keep their distance because of the noise she was making on her phone.
"Sorry about that, Nanaki," she told her old friend. "How are you?"
"I'm doing well, but the monster attacks are getting worse. Is Edge any better?"
"No, it's worse here too, but Reeve has been building up the police force to help take care of them and people are now traveling across the rooftops."
"Oh, that's good to hear," Nanaki said, a twinge of jealousy in his voice. "So, Tifa, I knew you said before you couldn't leave to help, and I was wondering if that was still the case?"
"I think I've been closing the bar a lot recently, but once more would probably be alright."
"Why have you been closing the bar so much?"
That Nananki, always wanting to know everything.
"I went with Vincent to Nibelheim to check the Shinra mansion for Hojo's old research to see if he had conducted any experiments on monsters using Jenova or the Lifestream…"
"Wait, hold on a second," Nanaki insisted. "Did you learn anything?"
"No, the Turks showed up and stole everything we thought might be promising."
"I see," Nanaki had known the Turks would revert to their usual antics at some point, even if they had been helping Tifa keep the monsters away.
"Nanaki?"
"Oh, yes, I was wondering if you could come here to help me look through the Elders' library. I've searched all the shelves I can reach, and the Elders are too feeble to assist me further."
"So, you're only asking me to help you reach?" Tifa joked.
"No, no! I was just hoping to see you again, it's been too long." And really, Tifa gave the best scritches, even if he didn't want to admit that he liked them.
"Well, Yuffie is coming in a few days, maybe we can both come help?"
"That'd be perfect, then we can search the other library."
"Other library?"
"Yes, it's buried in the canyon near the Cave of the Gi but it's too dangerous to go alone."
"I'm sure Yuffie would be up for a fight," Tifa giggled.
"Let me know when you're on your way – and be careful" the red beast warned.
"We will," Tifa promised before hanging up.
It was about time for her to be heading back to the bar anyway, now that the monster attacks were so prevalent. She used to be able to walk home from whatever building she was working on without a problem, then she would only encounter a fight maybe every few weeks, then once a week, then once a day. Now she practically had to fight her way back to her bar and take another shower before opening for the night. She could always take to the skywalks like everyone else in Edge, but she thought she could do her part to clean up the city by fighting when others couldn't. Besides, if people simply ignored the streets, the monsters could multiply and break capacity.
She was exhausted by the time she reached her bar that day. She used to have friends around to help her during battles, but now, every time she fought, she was reminded of how alone she was during the day.
The bar was crowded, filled with her regulars and new patrons wanting to show support for her after news had spread of the altercation over a week ago. The amount of customers kept her busy, keeping her from sinking into her thoughts from the days before.
She was just settling into bed when the text message came.
"So boring in Junon, you should come ;)"
He never failed to throw her off balance. He wasn't giving up, even after what she said. Either he really did like her or he considered her the ultimate notch on his bedpost. Tifa still wasn't sure which.
Yuffie wouldn't be in town until Friday. Even though she would just be alone a few days, she found the prospect crippling. She had never really been alone until the past few months and she had now decided she was not cut out for it. What's worse, she and Yuffie would have to travel through Junon to get to Cosmo Canyon. If she reached out to Reno, it might give him the idea that she was obtainable. If they happened to run into each other, it would look like she came running when he called.
No, the best option was to slip through unnoticed.
Friday…
Yuffie blew into town like a hurricane. She screeched when Tifa opened the door, didn't stop talking (it didn't even look like she took a breath) for a full 45 minutes after walking inside, and distributed her belongings around the upstairs apartment as if she lived there. While Cloud would have been annoyed with her behavior, Tifa was happy to not be given a moment to slide back into her depressive thoughts.
Reno's words from Sunday still stuck with her. If there is one thing in this whole world you ain't, Lockhart, it's alone. The words were comforting, but whenever she found herself alone, she couldn't help but doubt what Reno said.
"…and then he was like, 'that'll be 5 gil,' and I was like, 'you asked me if I wanted a shot, why should I pay?' Ugh, boys," Yuffie was saying. Tifa just nodded her head and listened.
"So, enough about me, what's new with you?" the young ninja asked.
Tifa took a sip of coffee, considering whether to let Yuffie know the truth about what she had been up to.
"Not much," she decided the less she said, the better. "Just working the bar, helping Marle with the orphanage, and building the theater."
"How's that coming?"
"Really well. The stage is just about finished and we put in the audience seats this week. We pretty much just have to build the backstage area and the lobby and we'll be done."
"Oooo I can't wait to come see a play!" Yuffie enthused. "Do you think they'll get Loveless?"
"Maybe. I hope so."
"So, what else?"
"I got shot."
"WHAT?" the young ninja exclaimed so loud Tifa thought her ears might be ringing. "WHEN?"
"A couple weeks ago. Some patrons got into an argument and pulled guns. One accidentally went off and hit me."
"Where?"
"Here," Tifa pointed to her abdomen, which no longer showed any sign of injury. Yuffie had to look close to even see the scar.
"Wow, isn't materia great?"
"Yeah. It helped a lot. That, and the Turks took me to the hospital."
"Wait, what?" Yuffie nearly screamed again. "You've been hanging out with the Turks?"
"Well, not exactly. They were here just before the gun went off. Elena shot the guy and called an ambulance. They took me home from the hospital, too."
"All of them?"
"Elena, Rude, and Reno."
"I can't imagine any of them helping one of us," Yuffie said, laughing.
"I was surprised as well," Tifa added.
Yuffie started side-eyeing her skeptically. The Turks wouldn't just help AVALANCHE out of the blue. The gears started turning in the young girl's head. Something was going on here that she hadn't been told about. The last thing she'd heard from Tifa about the Turks was months ago, when the bartender told her how those Shinra lackeys had been helping fight monsters in Edge. Tifa had said then that the Turks seemed different than they were two years ago, but Yuffie never considered the possibility that her friend was actually warming up to them.
"So, they just helped you out of the blue, just like that?" Yuffie began her interrogation.
"Well, they've been helping me with the monster attacks for a while now…" Tifa almost muttered, worried she would give herself away.
"So, what, you're friends with the Turks now?"
"I wouldn't say friends, but we are on friendly terms," Tifa was now praying Yuffie would stop digging.
"Hmmm… didn't one of them like you?"
Apparently Yuffie wasn't going to let up. Tifa mentally prepared herself to answer questions very carefully. Yuffie couldn't find out about her and Reno. No one could find out. She didn't even want to know about her and Reno.
"Rude." Please don't ask any more questions. Please don't ask any more questions.
"Well, you're single now, have you thought about it?"
"I don't feel… single…" Tifa didn't want to admit it out loud, even though she let that be her excuse for anything that went on between her and Reno. She certainly couldn't tell Yuffie about her date with Rude and wouldn't even bring up Reno's name.
"You didn't say you didn't think about it."
"Hey, Yuffie, we should get ready to go to Cosmo Canyon." It was time to just bluntly change the topic and hope Yuffie wouldn't readdress the conversation.
"Oh yeah! We can talk on the way!"
Great.
Tifa pulled open a large wooden door behind the bar near the back alley with the dumpsters. The smell of grime and oil filled the air as a cloud of dust cleared in the wind generated by the door. The two women coughed and swatted at the air in front of their faces before peering into the garage. Until Barret had visited, the garage had been as abandoned as the Costa del Sol villa. The streets were so littered with monsters she couldn't really drive the truck Cloud had bought her after the bar was built.
"Oh GAWD it's gorgeous!" Yuffie said, overlooking the coat of dust that had taken to the shiny red paint exterior of the vehicle.
It resembled the truck Tifa stole from Shinra headquarters two years ago: Three wheels, two in the front, and a cab that held just two people. When Cloud first bought it for her, the two used it to get supplies for the bar, but now she feared monsters would destroy one of her most prized possessions – or scratch it.
Candy apple red. She had wanted the brightest, reddest truck available, and Cloud surprised her with it – he even put a big white bow on it and led her to the garage with her hands over her eyes.
Yuffie tried to blow some of the dust off the hood so she could get a better look at the color. She ran her fingers over the glossy paint as if touching it would be better than touching any other vehicle.
She opened the passenger's side door and coughed again as new dust fell from the roof.
"You haven't used this since Spike left, have you?" she said between coughs.
Tifa shook her head and got in the driver's side. This was the second time this week she would have to revisit a past gift from Cloud, the first being the villa. It was really toying with her emotions, bringing up all kinds of memories she didn't want to think about right now.
Flashback…
Tifa squealed for the second time that day once she was sitting behind the wheel of her brand new truck. Cloud got in beside her to explain some of the cool new features Shinra had added to this model. Yes, it was Shinra-made, but the company had the market cornered on trucks and Tifa really had always wanted one. Reeve had opened up a temporary dealership to sell the few vehicles he and the Turks had managed to salvage from the wreckage of Midgar. He hired some mechanics to make sure the vehicles were as good as new and to even improve the on-board computers.
Only one person in Nibelheim had a vehicle, and it was a truck. All the kids used to play on it as it was left to rust in a side yard. It was the only vehicle Tifa had seen until Shinra showed up in town, and she always knew her dream car was actually a truck.
She was a country girl at heart, no matter how much trauma she had been through or how much of the world she had seen. Cloud wanted to give that little piece of her back.
"See this light here?" he said, pointing to a small bulb on the dashboard. "It lights up and beeps more rapidly as you approach something while backing up, so you won't hit anything."
Tifa still couldn't say anything other than "oooo" and "thank you."
"And this here?" he said, moving his finger to the tip of her nose. "This is the most beautiful woman in the world."
She had to laugh at his sappiness. The surprise truck was romantic, but he always had to go one step too far toward being cheesy.
"You're such a dork," she told him before leaning over to kiss him. "But thank you."
Present day…
"Uh, Tifa? Why are you staring at me?" Yuffie asked, shifting her eyes and flaring her nostrils.
"Hmm? Oh, sorry, just thinking about something."
She turned the key in the ignition and the engine roared to life. She may still have some misgivings about moving on from Cloud or seeing where things went with Reno, but she had convinced herself over the past few days that using this truck would be a step toward salvation. She had been so afraid for it to get damaged that she never even looked at it after Cloud left (except when Barret was using the garage). Now she was prepared for it to get wrecked if it meant finding out how to stop the fiends.
Besides, the had no choice. Cid couldn't fly them to Cosmo Canyon in the Highwind because those "got-dang monsters" had gotten to it. He was swearing up a storm about the attack on his property, but Tifa suspected he was actually excited to get back to mechanical work and even upgrade the ship.
Driving out of town proved to be just as slow-going and frustrating as if there had been Friday afternoon traffic. Tifa drove, avoiding fiends when she could, and Yuffie cast Blizzard spells on any that tried to attack the truck. It did more damage to insect types, and didn't cause damage to nearby buildings like Fire would.
One of the first things Reeve had done when building Edge was to carve out a path through the mountains to the south and pave a road so that supplies could be carried in from Junon. A tunnel had been built through the base of the mountains, allowing easy passage between the towns. The tunnel was outfitted with state-of-the art protections to keep monsters out while allowing vehicles through. Still, the towns were still a mess, so few cars were on the roads anyway.
Tifa felt like she barely even breathed as they drove through the tunnel – the tight space giving her a sense of claustrophobia – and was thankful to just let Yuffie talk her ear off the whole way. If there had been a test afterward based on what Yuffie said, however, Tifa would have failed.
The road eventually merged with the main street in Junon leading to the docks. It was early evening by the time they loaded the car onto the boat that would carry them across the ocean, but it wasn't scheduled to leave for a few more hours.
"Let's hit up a bar!" Yuffie pleaded.
The little ninja had recently turned 18 and seemed to be intent on trying every drink from every bar she could. Tifa had her reservations, worried they might run into Reno in one of the many bars Junon had to offer. And knowing Tifa's luck, it would probably be the first bar they visited.
She had gone back to ignoring his texts, thinking that if she started responding he'd end up losing interest and then she'd be getting ditched by two different men. He hadn't texted her since, either.
"Fine, but don't drink too much," Tifa cautioned. "You don't want to make your motion sickness any worse."
"Thanks mom," Yuffie responded as she led Tifa toward the closest bar she could see.
Three quick shots later…
"I'm in Junon for a few hours," Tifa texted Reno.
He probably wouldn't even respond, but now the text was out there, and she felt embarrassed. She prayed Reno wouldn't see it until she was already off the continent and on her way to searching dusty old books and fighting ghosts.
She refused to drink anymore. She may have lowered her inhibitions enough to actually text the Turk that she was in town, but she wouldn't let herself get drunk enough to actually let him do what he wanted with her.
Her phone buzzed.
"I'm at Port Pub near the docks. Meet me in the side alley."
"Side alley?"
"Love to take you to my hotel but Rude and Elena might ask questions."
"What makes you think I'd let you take me to your hotel?"
"See you soon ;)"
Yuffie leaned over the table and tried to snatch Tifa's PHS from her.
"Who ya textin'?" she asked playfully after she failed to steal the phone.
"No one," Tifa said quickly. "Barret."
"Hmm," Yuffie said, tapping a finger to her chin in an exaggerated display of disbelief. "I think it's someone else. Someone you don't want me to know about…"
"It's no one."
"Oooo you really don't want me to know, huh?"
"Seriously, Yuffie, it's no one important. I'll be right back," Tifa said while standing up and leaving their table, making sure her PHS was securely in her skirt pocket.
She headed for the bathrooms knowing Yuffie was probably watching her. She disappeared down the back hallway for a moment before pretending to walk back just in case the ninja was still watching. When Tifa saw that she wasn't, she crouched down and snuck out the front door, hiding amongst the crowd of patrons.
She had never been so deceptive before. She lied to Barret at the beach, and now she was lying to Yuffie in order to sneak out and meet Reno of the Turks in a back alley like some kind of prostitute. She was just doing this to prove to herself he wasn't serious and she should let him go. She'd get to the alley and he wouldn't be there, she told herself, and she could feel ashamed and move on, just like she tried last night.
She told herself to just turn around and rejoin Yuffie instead. She was making a huge mistake, and she would surely get caught. Yuffie was a trained ninja, after all. And she wasn't stupid, even if she played dumb sometimes.
Tifa looked over her shoulder once she had walked a little way away from the bar, convinced Yuffie would be following her. She still could be, but she wasn't being obvious about it, which was expected. Port Pub was just a few doors down from the bar where Tifa and Yuffie had been. Tifa stopped when she saw the old wooden sign hanging off the side of the building.
"This is a mistake," she said out loud to herself before hugging her arms across her chest and turning around to return to her friend.
The proximity to the dock caused the street she was on to be rather windy and cold, with drops of the ocean dotting her face as she walked. She had taken just a few steps back toward the other bar when she heard that voice.
"Yo, Lockhart, over here," Reno said to her while peeking his head around the alley wall, his voice low yet forceful.
She whipped around when she heard him, knowing she was trapped now. If she kept walking away, he would follow her, and Yuffie would find out what she had been doing. But if she stayed, who knows what she might let Reno do to her. She clutched her arms across her body and turned around slowly, smelling the salty air and spying Reno looking like some back-alley drug dealer. For all she knew, that was his second job. He certainly seemed the type.
She lowered her head and trotted over to him, refusing to even acknowledge what she was doing.
"Well, hello to you too, babe," he said, following her into the alley as she walked past him without a word. He grabbed her upper arm as she walked to stop her from getting too far. "Hey, what's wrong?"
What's wrong? What's wrong? How about the fact that Tifa Lockhart was meeting a Turk in an alley after ditching her best friend at a bar.
Tifa placed her hands behind her and rested her back against the wall of the pub, giving off that innocent air Reno had been so fond of all these years. She looked over at him with an unreadable expression as she considered how to answer.
"Nothing's wrong," she said simply. "I'm just surprised to find myself here."
"In Junon?"
Tifa's expression dropped. "You know what I mean."
"Oh, I think I do," Reno said, approaching her cautiously.
When she didn't flinch, he moved closer still, until his face was just an inch from her own. He acted like he was going to kiss her, but instead let a feral grin spread across his face.
"You want to see me and then you ignore me? That's not very nice, yo," he taunted. "And after I flew you to the beach."
"I'm… I'm sorry," she said.
Well, now he felt bad. He thought she'd play along, not get dejected. What had that Strife guy done to her?
"Relax, Lockhart, I'm just playin'," he said, barely above a whisper but sounding just a tad irritated. Not at her, although it looked that way, but at himself. He just could not read this woman.
Tifa looked up at him and let a soft smile escape her lips, never imagining him to be so awkward around a woman. She brought a hand up to cup the side of his face, rubbing one of the tattoos under his eyes with her thumb while her other hand snaked behind his neck. Maybe the alcohol was affecting her more than she thought.
Reno usually liked rough foreplay, but Tifa had this way of softening him. Outwardly, he would say he hated that about her, but truthfully it made him purr like a kitten. He leaned his forehead on hers, the tips of their noses brushing against each other.
And then he was kissing her. Rough, passionate, raw, almost cruel at times. His tongue danced with hers before he pulled back to bite her lower lip. She lifted her head and moaned, clawing at his scalp with her nails. He started peppering her with kisses up her jawline to her earlobe, which he bit firmly with just the slightest tug, and continued back down to her neck.
She lifted one of her legs instinctively to wrap around his waist as he started to paw at her, his hands exploring what he already knew was safe territory. Oh, he wanted to take advantage of her leg in the air, that was for sure, but with a lady like Tifa, he knew better than to take things further in a filthy alley, even if it did excite him.
He knew Tifa had been drinking, but he also knew she could hold her liquor better than most of her regulars. No, there was some other reason she was giving in to him, and it wasn't just the alcohol on her breath.
"Rethinkin' what Wallace said?" he breathed into her ear before nibbling on her neck again. She angled her chin up to give him better access and cooed.
"…maybe," was her only response.
He growled and pressed his right hand against the brick wall behind her for balance, while his left hand roamed over her right breast. He then moved his hand to her ribcage, daring himself to travel south but knowing it would be safer to remain north.
Tifa moaned as she kept her arms around his shoulders, clutching his hair in her hands. He brought his lips back up to hers and she opened her mouth to let his tongue enter once again. She managed to grab his tongue and sucked on it. He howled into her mouth and pressed his hips against hers, his erection making itself known against her pubic bone. No one had ever done that last move to him prior to her in Costa, and he was losing the will to keep her dignity. Stopping was going to be nearly impossible at this point, but he couldn't ask Tifa Lockhart to suck his cock or fuck him in an alley, even if it was all he could think about now. What had gotten into her?
It was Tifa's first glimpse of what Reno may be carrying between his legs. She obviously couldn't see it, but she could sense he was bigger than she would have imagined. It was probably why he had so much confidence around women.
This encounter was a mistake, Reno thought. He couldn't get enough of her, and now he was risking suspicion from his colleagues. They knew his cigarette breaks couldn't take this long, even if he was out goofing around with the locals.
Tifa began worrying what Yuffie would think when she got back. The younger woman wouldn't believe Tifa was in the bathroom that long (or at least, she kind of hoped she wouldn't) and she wouldn't have an explanation. Plus, she was enjoying this too much.
"Why'd you agree?" Reno asked after he pulled back, his hand still on her breast.
Tifa looked at him with doe eyes and smiled sweetly.
"I was in the neighborhood…" she said, swirling a lock of his hair around her finger.
"Fuck babe, I don't wanna leave you," Reno said, burying his face against her neck and sucking on her pulse point.
"I know," she said, like someone comforting a friend. "But I have to get back, too."
She gently pulled his head back to look at him with wistful eyes. She was killing him tonight.
She let her leg return to the ground and shifted to get him to remove his hand from her breast. She adjusted her bra and shirt and then tugged at the hem of her skirt.
"So, what brought you to Junon?" Reno asked, taking a step back to let his eyes examine her one last time.
"Heading overseas." Tifa didn't want to tell him where she was going in case he'd snitch to Shinra and be ordered to follow her. She couldn't fully trust him, even if he had been rather chivalrous lately – except for this moment. And the one in Costa. Besides, she never promised to share what she learned with him.
"Ah, short and sweet, just like a Turk," he said.
She placed a finger on the tip of his nose to hold him in place and turned to walk out of the alley. She felt so dirty, but in a good way. She was enjoying being bad. This was the most alive she'd felt since Cloud left and she couldn't let the fear of what Barret might think keep her from moving on.
Walking away from Reno at that moment took a lot of will power, but she knew they both didn't have much time. As she turned the corner to return to Yuffie, she had a smile on her face. Her decision to meet Reno was definitely not a mistake. She practically skipped back to her friend, trying to calm her raging hormones. She was so distracted she didn't even think to sneak into the bar.
She sat back down at their table, trying at least to contain her beaming grin.
"Tifa, you're all red!" Yuffie exclaimed, confidant she had just discovered some secret.
Tifa reached up to touch her face, as if she could feel the redness. Her face was definitely warm despite the cold wind outside. She blushed further, knowing she had been caught.
"I knew you weren't going to the bathroom! Who was it?" Yuffie asked, excited.
Tifa stammered. She couldn't tell Yuffie the truth, but she wasn't that adept at lying.
"No one, I told you, I was in the bathroom," was all she could say.
"Yeah, mmhmm, sure," Yuffie said sarcastically. She picked up a menu and pretended to look for something to order for a minute. "Nice hickey, by the way," she said casually, without looking up at Tifa.
And yet again, Reno had managed to embarrass her. Tifa brought her hand up to cover the mark, assuming her whole body must now be red.
"I'm going to find out who you've been shacking up with, you know," Yuffie added, lowering the menu and showing her mischievous grin.
Tifa sunk back in her seat. Leaving her friend for a rendezvous with Reno was definitely a mistake.
Meanwhile…
Reno needed a minute or two to compose himself after he watched Tifa leave his sight. That girl was something else, that was for sure. He jogged in place for a moment and took a few deep, quick breaths to calm down. He cracked his neck on each side and threw a couple fake punches into the air.
Ready.
He took his victory walk down the alley, wide-legged, leading with his hips, prepared to return to normal as soon as he turned the corner and… ran right into Rude.
"Hey… buddy," Reno said as casually as possible, praying to Ramuh that Rude had just left the bar.
Rude just stood stiffly with his arms folded across his chest, but Reno could tell he was being glared at from behind those sunglasses.
"How long?" Rude asked, his tone falling somewhere between irritation and disinterest.
"Huh?"
"With Tifa."
"What about Tifa?" Reno was just stalling, knowing he wasn't helping his situation by playing dumb.
"How long have you been seeing her?" Rude huffed.
"I'm not seeing her."
"I just saw you."
Reno hung his head. He knew this day would come, but he hadn't prepared for it. He had been hoping the moment wouldn't come until after he had slept with Tifa, that way he could tell his friend it was over. He never wanted to hurt his friend, but he couldn't help himself. He wanted that woman so badly.
"Not too long," he said shamefully.
This wasn't going to be easy, but hopefully the fact that they were on a mission would lessen the confrontation.
"How long?"
Reno couldn't lie to his friend, but he wasn't sure to what he was actually referring. His first kiss with Tifa was after her date with Rude, but he first started to pursue her the night he took her phone. And he had wanted her since the plate was dropped on Sector 7, before he knew Rude had a crush on her. He scratched the back of his head and looked at Rude's feet.
"Before your date…" he said, his eyes still toward the ground. Was there any answer that wouldn't damage their friendship?
"Did she…?"
Reno put his hands up defensively and shook them.
"No. No! She wanted to go out with you man. She didn't want me back then."
He could tell his flimsy explanations weren't helping.
"Back then?"
There was no salvaging this. Reno thought the best way to conserve his friendship would be to tell the truth, as Reno saw it.
"Okay, look, yo," he began, rubbing his temples with his thumb and forefinger. "That day, in Gongaga, when I asked you who you liked? I thought you were going to say Elena. I was all set to brag to you about how I wanted Tifa… but then you said you liked her and I didn't know what to say."
Rude didn't move, like he expected Reno to say more.
"I tried to keep it down, yo, because I knew you liked her, but these past few months I just couldn't hold back anymore, yanno?"
Rude sighed heavily.
"Why did you avoid her that week?"
Oh shit. Letting Rude know about him and Tifa was one thing, but he couldn't let his best friend know he had waited for her after their date to ravage her. He scratched the back of his head again, nervously.
"I was trying to let it go… after your date," he admitted. "I tried to keep away, but I couldn't stop thinking about her."
"Do you actually like her?"
Reno nearly choked. No, of course not. She was just a hot body to him, but that would probably make stealing her away from Rude that much worse.
It was all clicking in Rude's head. Elena's question, Reno's reaction to Tifa accepting Rude's date, his avoidance of her bar, the flowers, even the red tint to his skin now screamed at him that his suspicions had been right all along.
"I… I honestly don't know," Reno lowered his head again, hoping he was still lying.
Rude just stood there; no sounds, no movements.
An eternity seemed to pass between them as Reno waited for some indication that they would be alright as friends. He couldn't help his feelings and he couldn't help her feelings.
He checked his pocket for his pack of cigarettes but remembered he had smoked his last one waiting for Tifa and tossed the box in the alley. When he looked back up, he was met with a fist to his face.
Reno definitely couldn't blame Rude for socking him, but damn did it hurt to be on the receiving end of one of his best friend's punches. He was all brute strength, with none of the hotness that Tifa brought to the table when she had hit him.
His nose felt as though it had been smashed back into his skull, and he wouldn't have been surprised if his eye had popped out of its socket. He immediately brought his hands up to check. His nose was still there, but it felt fatter than before and hurt with the slightest touch. He opened his left eye and saw… pretty much the same thing as his right eye, but everything was red. He touched his forehead and felt something warm and wet, lowering his fingers to see blood. He looked back to Rude, but he had vanished.
Reno whipped around to see Rude walking briskly in the opposite direction. The redhead held a hand under his chin to catch the blood that was falling from his face as his eye was rapidly swelling. Where was Tifa to clean him up this time? Okay, bad time to think about her.
He figured Elena had been waiting long enough at this point, and he needed to explain things to her. Another conversation he was dreading.
He held his head high, took a deep breath, and entered the bar as if one half of his face wasn't bleeding and swollen. He sat back at the booth where the Turks had been and forced a smile, which hurt like hell. Elena looked up and gasped.
"Oh my God! What happened to you? Where's Rude? Is he okay?"
Reno held up a hand to stop her from rattling off a dozen more questions. In the brief moment it took for him to make the gesture, Elena had put it all together.
"He knows, doesn't he?" she asked, solemnly.
It was Reno's turn to look shocked, but the movement inflamed his injury.
"Huh?"
"Reno, stop it," Elena said plainly. "I've known for years."
Reno's jaw about hit the table in astonishment, or maybe it had broken off from Rude's punch.
"Was it supposed to be a secret?" she asked.
Reno still had no clue how she knew. "How did you…?"
"I started suspecting after Gongaga."
Reno could have hit the floor. He knew Elena had some goddess-like powers of perception, but he didn't know she'd use them against him.
"Do you suspect he'll ever forgive me?" Reno asked with genuine concern, holding his head in his hands.
Elena could see he was hurting – and not just physically. Reno and Rude were the most veteran Turks next to Tseng, and best friends. She'd seen Reno ruthlessly drive away anyone on a whim, but he was loyal to the Turks and especially to Rude. They were a team, always had been; practically inseparable. They always took each other's sides, too – at least against her. They pulled pranks together, they schemed together, and they worked together. Elena didn't know what to say to him. She knew Rude had been suspicious for some time – partially due to her comment a couple months ago – but she wouldn't be able to tell how forgiving he was until she could see him now.
"I don't know," she said, looking at her drink and lazily swirling the alcohol inside with her straw. "But I'd say the punch to the face and him storming off might be a good sign he just needs to let off steam."
"I've never seen Rude lose his cool, yo," Reno couldn't believe he had been found out.
Now how was he supposed to pursue Tifa? Anything he did would hurt Rude, probably, and he'd feel so much more guilty about his actions. Maybe after he saw Rude again he'd find some thrill in continuing to do something so wrong. He was already starting to see how that could be hot.
He shook the thought from his head. He was a rotten friend. The worst, actually, and Rude had just found that out in the worst way possible. Reno didn't know how much his friend had seen, but it was definitely enough. Even if he walked up just as Tifa was pulling away he would have seen Reno with her pinned against the wall, one leg up around his waist and his hand on her tit. No way to misinterpret that.
He suddenly lost his desire to drink and dropped some gil on the table to pay everyone's tab. Rude wasn't walking in the direction of Shinra temporary housing, so Reno decided he would go back to the apartment where they were all staying.
He trudged up the stairs to their room and slowly opened the door, flipping on a light switch and heading to the bathroom to clean his face. He looked at himself in the mirror. Yup, he looked exactly like he deserved to feel.
Meeting Tifa in that alley was a mistake. One he would surely make again.