Getaway - Reffie NYE Fic 2023
By Crystal Snowflakes
For ladymcgilvra (on AO3): Because I appreciate you so much more than you could ever realize (Also, because I'm apparently starting a cult). :3 Happy New Year!
Reno was pleasantly buzzed on countless different types of tequila, whiskey, and beer that he'd gotten from the random sketchy bars that lined the beaches of Costa del Sol. It wasn't like he was tipsy—his tolerance was high enough that he could've had another bottle and be fine, fuck you very much—but he felt comfortably mellow. Relaxed.
He couldn't remember the last time he felt so at ease. It had been years since his last vacation; as a matter of fact, his last vacation had been rudely interrupted by Elena—and Yuffie—being abducted, and thinking back to that day made him feel vaguely ashamed even though it hadn't been his fault at all.
The sudden ping of his phone made him flinch, jolting him out of his thoughts; he'd barely used it the last couple of days since arriving, and if it wasn't through force of habit to shove it in his pocket whenever he went out, he would've left it at the inn.
Curious, he dug it out of his pocket before unlocking it with a quick snap of his fingers. A message from Elena flashed across his screen: Happy New Year! He stared down at the simple string of words for a second before realization hit; it must've been midnight in Edge.
Shaking his head, he tapped a quick response back, but before he could hit send, a hand slid over his shoulder. He looked up to find a pair of familiar brown eyes gazing down at him with a small smile playing about her lips.
"Work?" she asked, running a hand down the length of his arm until her fingertips grazed the back of his hand and slipped into his palm before she sat down in the seat next to him. Goosebumps rose along his skin, causing it to tingle; somehow, she still managed to have that effect on him. "I thought we agreed not to do anything work related."
Unabashedly, he stared at the way her lace cover-up rode up higher along her thigh, exposing more leg than usual—if that was even possible because she usually pranced around in nothing but a pair of skimpy shorts. His gaze lingered longer than necessary, but he couldn't help it—hadn't been able to help himself the entire trip. She looked good in the green bikini that she'd deliberately purchased for this trip.
"I know I look good, but my eyes are up here, you perv," she teased, nudging him with an elbow.
"Don't flatter yourself, brat." Reno couldn't help the corner of his lips from twisting up slightly as he sent the message before sliding his phone back in his pocket. "'Lena texted to wish me a happy new year, yo."
"Oh?" she hummed quietly, a contemplative look on her face as she took a small sip of the cocktail he'd gotten her. "You think they'll figure out that we're together?"
Shrugging, he took a large swig of his own drink. How many drinks was he at now? Six? Seven? Eight? "Doubt it, yo," he said noncommittally as he swirled the ice cubes around his glass, watching the liquid ripple across them. "I'm on vacation time. Don't they think you're pushin' papers and havin' meetings in your fancy office back home?"
Yuffie snickered—the sound low in her throat—as she pressed herself into his side. "Maybe," she admitted. "Teef invited me for a party in Edge, but I told her I couldn't make it. Whatever assumptions she made 'bout where I am isn't my fault, so…"
He wasn't sure if it was because of the amount of alcohol he consumed, or the fact he hadn't seen her for weeks—not counting the occasional video calls she'd make him while they were on different continents—but something about her being here, with him, stirred a sort of fondness he still hadn't gotten quite used to.
At the beginning, despite agreeing to try out being in a relationship, he'd been hesitant to let her get too close. He wasn't the type to be tied down and had spent his entire life alone, while she was young and full of life—not to mention his allergy to the mountains of responsibilities and commitments that would follow her everywhere she went.
But then she'd had the balls to waltz into his apartment and demand he take her on a date two days after the second time they'd slept together and had breakfast in bed.
After that, there was no stopping her. She was so fucking stubborn and determined to make him go places with her. At first it was the diner in the dubious neighbourhood she lived in, then it was the arcade shop she found one night while walking home drunk from Tifa's, and one time, she'd even dragged him to a strip club—which had been the most nerve-wracking experience of his life.
Yuffie was relentless, persistent—always wanting something new to do—and there was always some stupid shit for him to look forward to.
It didn't hurt that sex with her was fucking amazing.
"Reno?" she prompted with a tilt of her head, peering up at him as she brought him out of his thoughts with a nudge to his ribs. "You ready for the next bar?"
He found himself distracted by the way the lighting made her skin appear softer, the way her intoxicating scent wafted to his nose, and the way her fingers kept fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. For a split second, he considered pushing the distracting thoughts away because it was what he always did. But the realization that nobody around was paying any attention to them—would know who they were—made him want to indulge in impulses that he tended to repress.
Without warning, he buried his hands deep in her hair and leaned down, pressing his mouth over hers. Her mouth parted, gasping against his, her hands immediately flying to his shoulders as she leaned further into him, pressing their bodies flush against each other as she practically melted into his lap.
She tasted of sweet strawberry margaritas, fruit wines, and something else he couldn't quite put a name to. When he finally pulled away, she was breathless, looking at him with wide eyes, flushed cheeks, and swollen lips. The look of want she gave him made his heart race, leaving his entire body feeling hot and alive.
Fuck, he wanted her.
"Actually," he said with a small smirk as his thumb stroked across her cheek. "You ready to head back?" He let his other hand slide from her hair to rest against the side of her neck, and he could feel the way her pulse jumped beneath his fingers.
She bit her lip in that way that sent his blood rushing faster than any liquor ever could. "Y-Yeah. Let's go."
"Ugh," Yuffie groaned dramatically as she kicked off her sandals once they stepped foot inside their inn room. "I hate how the sand sticks to everything."
Chuckling, Reno tossed his keys and wallet onto the small table by the front door. "Welcome to Costa del Sol, brat," he said with a smirk. "I'm guessin' you've never had sex on the beach?"
A look of half confusion, half disgust crossed her features, but the red tint of her cheeks darkening was impossible to miss. "Uh, no? Is that…a thing people do?" she asked as she untied her cover-up, letting it fall to the floor in a heap of fabric and lace.
It wasn't the first time he'd her practically naked, but it was certainly the first time he'd had the time to take in every detail. Like the way her toned muscles glistened in the dim light of the room, or the way the delicate curve of her spine disappeared in the back of her bikini bottom, or the way her legs seemed to stretch for miles.
Shaking his head, he shook his thoughts free before clearing his throat. No way in hell he was going to let her see that he was drooling over her like some dumb teenager looking at a girl for the first time. He couldn't take the way her ego would explode; it was big enough already.
"Sand in every fuckin' crack," he finally managed to mutter, and he hoped she didn't hear the way his voice sounded far too raspy and hoarse for comfort. "Would not recommend."
Snorting in amusement, Yuffie shimmied out of her bikini bottoms before reaching behind her to untie the string holding up her top.
He had the distinct feeling that she knew she was giving him a show—the teasing smile curving her lips was enough of an indication. And then she had the audacity to shoot him a backward glance, eyebrows raised playfully in challenge before dropping everything to the floor and sauntering off to the bathroom.
The sound of the shower running and the splash of water hitting the tile could be heard, and then her voice echoed through the tiny enclosed space. "Anyone tell you that you make the worst decisions, Turkey?"
Reno shook his head once more as he shrugged off his shirt and shorts before tossing it carelessly toward her pile of discarded clothes and following her. Shamelessly, his eyes trailed down the expanse of her back—taking in the way she shifted under his heated gaze—before dragging them back up to meet her expectant gaze.
His grin was sharp, feral, and absolutely predatory as he stepped closer and turned off the shower before trapping her between him and the wall; her chest heaved with each breath she drew.
"Yea?" he purred as he traced a finger along her collarbone. "Somehow, I don't think you've got the right to talk 'bout bad decisions, yo." He grinned wider as he watched her bite her lip, her eyes flicking downward.
"Whaddya mean?" she breathed.
"You're here. With me." He ran his fingertip back up along her shoulder to brush her jawline with a gentle stroke of his thumb before tugging lightly on a lock of her hair, making her arch into his touch.
"So?" Yuffie let out a shuddering breath as she shifted her weight slightly. The heat of her body radiated against his, and his fingers twitched at the thought of grabbing hold of her—pulling her flush against him, pinning her hips to his—but instead, he moved closer, placing his hand against her hip.
"Pretty sure that means you win at making shitty life choices, brat."
With that, he dropped his head and pressed his lips against hers. His tongue tangled with hers, his teeth nibbled gently against her lower lip, teasing as he held her captive in place. And then grabbing hold of her, he hoisted her up into his arms.
She squealed in surprise before wrapping her legs around his waist tightly, and his mouth continued to follow hers as they stumbled backwards—his legs barely supporting both of their weights—until the backs of his knees hit the edge of the bed and they collapsed onto it together.
Her hands clutched at his shoulders, pulling herself closer to him, and a low, needy whine escaped her when his thigh grazed against her core. And he let himself lose control; all he could focus on was the way her fingers dug into his skin as she clung desperately onto him, the way her body arched against his own and ground into him, and the way his name spilled from her lips over and over again.
He was drowning in the taste of her lips, the softness of her skin, the warmth of her touch, and he never wanted this—whatever the fuck this was—to stop.
He laid sprawled out beside her, one arm tucked securely beneath her head, the other dangling lazily off the side of the bed while his mind raced, and he struggled to catch his breath. Her breathing was just as unsteady, her face flushed from exertion with her eyes closed, and it took every ounce of willpower he possessed not to roll over so he could wrap himself around her and bury his face into the crook of her neck to inhale her scent.
It was hard not to think about how perfectly she molded against his side, and he could feel every part of her lithe frame—her warm, silken curves—fitting neatly against the entire length of his body. Her hair fell messily over his arm as she nuzzled against his bare chest, her legs tangling itself with his. Every movement—every twitch of her legs, or every exhale she took—made him ache for something.
And it scared the shit out of him.
"I missed you," she murmured sleepily to press a chaste kiss against his chest.
Reno felt his heart stutter in his chest, and he swallowed thickly, his throat suddenly bone dry. He hadn't even realized he'd been holding his breath until he released it, his lungs burning for air.
Of course she missed him. That much he already knew. She'd been back home for weeks now, and the only interaction they'd had since were the occasional texts and the video calls she'd make whenever she managed to sneak away, which wasn't as often as she—or he—would've liked.
And suddenly, it felt like there was a lot left unsaid between them.
How fucking stupid was he to let this go on for as long as he had? And yet, the idea of letting her go made something dark and awful coil in his chest and twist painfully. Because despite his best efforts to ignore his growing feelings for the woman next to him, he couldn't quite deny them.
"Reno?" Her voice rang through the quiet room—cutting through his spiralling thoughts—as her brown eyes peered up at him, concern etched deep into her expression. "You okay?"
He hesitated for a few seconds, unsure how honest he wanted to be. Then, impulsively, he pressed his lips against her forehead before responding, "Fine. Just thinkin'."
"Thinking. Right," Yuffie snorted quietly, frowning as she searched his face. It didn't look like she believed him, but thankfully, she chose to drop the subject and instead, curled up in a ball against him, resting her cheek against his bare chest, her arm wrapped securely around his middle.
"Speaking of thinking…" she trailed off, and Reno draped his arm across her shoulders, effectively pulling her closer to him. "I've been doing a lot of thinking of my own since there's nothing much to do during the evenings in Wutai."
It was his turn to let out a snort of amusement this time. "That so?" he drawled, unable to keep the smirk off his face. "What kinda thinkin' d'you do?"
Her elbow jabbed sharply into his stomach as she shot him a mock glare.
"Shaddup, jerk." But even the playful banter didn't quite ease the tension that was slowly filling the room until finally, she let out a heavy sigh and her tone took a more serious turn. "Well, y'know how I make really shitty life choices?" she began tentatively, her fingers absently tracing patterns against his skin.
"Yea," he muttered warily while wondering where she was planning on going with it. With Yuffie, it could be anything and everything, but something about the way she was speaking felt different.
More personal. More vulnerable.
And he couldn't stop himself from tensing beneath her touch.
She was quiet for a moment longer, and it almost seemed like she was choosing her words or doubting or deciding whether or not to say whatever it was she was going to say. But a second later, she steeled herself before taking a deep breath, her fingers stilling momentarily as her eyes flicked uncertainly across his.
"I think I love you."
Her words hung in the silence, hanging heavy in the air as they stared at each other, neither of them speaking. For several moments, no sound reached his ears except for his pounding heartbeat, and he stared fixedly at her, wondering if he'd imagined what he'd heard.
It was the last thing he'd expected out of her lips, and he felt his brain grind to a halt. He'd never expected those words out of her lips, which, in retrospect, was pretty fucking stupid. But they'd gone into the relationship—if this was even considered a relationship—not expecting things to work out.
And now…
"Well, shit." His voice came out gruffer and more strained than he'd expected, and he cleared his throat awkwardly, his mind scrambling to find an answer. A million and one responses flashed through his mind, but most of them would land him in hot water—because of course, he was an asshole and he didn't know what the fuck she was doing with someone like him.
In response, she laughed, but it sounded forced and nervous and far too loud. She was twisting her hands together now.
"I know it's a lot," Yuffie finally mustered, her eyes glancing up at him anxiously from under lowered eyelashes, searching for any sort of reaction. Her teeth dug into her bottom lip, and for a fleeting moment, a flash of regret crossed her features. "I mean, I just—"
"Listen," he cut in quickly, his hand reaching out to brush some stray strands of hair away from her eyes. It took all of his effort to think when his mind felt like it was stuck in slow motion. Running his thumb across her jaw, he tilted her chin up to lock his eyes with hers.
He had the emotional range of a goddamn brick wall, but he needed her to know that she meant something to him, even if he might not necessarily be able to admit it out loud.
"I wouldn't have it any other fuckin' way," he admitted, hating the uncertainty that laced his tone, and he hoped to hell she understood what he was saying without him actually having to say it. "But if that's the case, you should probably stop goin' on dates with people who look and act like expired cans of off-brand cat food."
She blinked up at him, incredulous disbelief etched on her face. But that only lasted for a moment before laughter bubbled out of her, and her cheeks coloured pink beneath the dim light of their room. And then she shook her head, an impish grin tugging at the corner of her lips.
"You sound jealous," she said as she leaned into him again. The warmth from her body pressed into his side made his skin tingle, and the sensation of it sent his nerves on overdrive.
He wasn't jealous. But even now that he thought about it, he could feel the tension coiling tightly inside him whenever he caught sight of the pictures of her on dates with other men printed on the front page of tabloid magazines.
…And maybe he should be at least honest with himself because he'd already crossed the line, and there was no point in denying it. He couldn't pretend that she was just some random girl he'd picked up for a fling no matter how much he liked to—not after everything they'd been through.
Swallowing hard, Reno ran his fingertips down along the curve of her hip, revelling in the contact.
"Maybe," he admitted. His mouth suddenly felt too dry for comfort, and he licked his lips to try to wet them. "Or maybe I ain't the type to share."
She let out a content sigh at his touch, but rolled her eyes playfully before elbowing him—again. "Should put a ring on it or something, then."
His hand stilled against her, frozen in midair, and for several seconds, all he could do was stare blankly at her. The words had been so sudden and spoken so casually that he had to wonder how many times the idea of marriage—with him, of all people—had ever crossed her mind.
And yet, despite the flippancy of her words, her voice held the faintest note of apprehension. Her gaze stayed fixed on him intently, her brown eyes wide as she watched him expectantly.
Waiting for him to respond.
For someone like him who was allergic to commitments, marriage seemed like a huge fucking mistake. He should run away as fast as possible and never look back. Hell, he hadn't even dated anyone until Yuffie came along and somehow managed to worm her way between his defenses and make herself a permanent part of his life.
They argued endlessly and loudly over ever little fucking issue that popped up in their lives, and they got on each other's nerves, and still, he found himself drawn to her—like a moth to a flame.
Their relationship was quickly approaching a point of no return, but he couldn't find it in himself to run away—despite what a bad fucking idea it would be. He knew damn well he'd never deserve her—not after the mess that was his life—but the selfish part of him wanted her anyway.
"Imagine?" he asked eventually, forcing the question past the lump growing in his throat. "Me? Emperor of Wutai?"
Even with the weight of their situation bearing down on them, Yuffie managed a soft laugh. "I told you before, it's the Empress Consort," she reminded him with a snort, and the teasing edge in her voice made the corners of his lips twist up.
And he suddenly realized with relief that he could breathe easily again. "Ain't gonna lie," he murmured, leaning down to drop a lingering kiss onto her forehead. "Sounds like a shitty title."
Rolling her eyes good naturedly, she caught hold of his face and dragged him down to her. Their lips met languidly, lazily, before she pulled back and rested her forehead against his, a smile tugging at her lips. "Happy New Year, dumbass."
"Happy New Year, brat," he echoed back. And before she could say or do anything else, he rolled his body over hers, his weight pinning her to the bed, and pressed another slow, lingering kiss against her lips.
They had a few more days together before their lives would eventually catch up to them again, and damn if he wasn't going to enjoy every second of it.
Author's Notes: I tried really hard to keep this short (and kind of succeed) because there are so many ideas and just not enough time (and also because I wrote 10k+ for the X'Mas fic and almost ran out of time to write this one… D:). Hope everyone enjoyed the Reffie fluff :3
Happy New Year, everyone!
Completed: December 28, 2023
